Paroxetine / Seroxat withdrawal symptoms
Posted , 41 users are following.
after being on the anti depressant Seroxat for 21 years, I am now coming off it, my doctor says must do this gradually. I am now taking 10mg every other day for 1 month then hopefully continue with maybe two 10 mg each week.
However I am having symptoms of withdrawal, I feel like I have a bees nest in my head, continuous buzzing then occasionally a feelin like an electric shock with a definite ping sound.
I do not have this when lying down at night but I cannot lay down all day!
Has anyone else sffered this and if yes then how long will it last?
5 likes, 147 replies
Parox-to-fluox tillycd
Posted
Hello
I'm so pleased to have found this thread this evening...I was starting to wonder if I was the only person to have taken Seroxat for over 20 years!
I've tried to come off the drug several times: the first time I took one every other day. I had always taken 20mg per day previously. It was a matter of days before my mind seemed to just collapse and I quickly went back to the daily dose.
The second time, I used the liquid to wear myself down to 4mg over a long period of time. For some reason, I couldn't reduce from 4mg without having a total mental collapse and decided if I needed it, I needed it, and went back to 10mg.
The third time, I stopped taking 10mg and moved straight to 37.5mg of venlafaxine, doubling that to 75mg before again, having a mental meltdown, returning to my GP, bursting into tears and asking for Seroxat again.
Since then, I have had sleep issues, mainly extremely long, detailed and vivid dreams, always with high levels of anxiety, and which stay in my mind the following day. I have been prescribed zopiclone, which helps, but the dreams are still an issue, even when I decided to increase my Seroxat to 20mg again, hoping this would stop them happening.
I am currently three days into a straight swap from 15mg Seroxat to 20mg Prozac. The head zaps have been pronounced today and seem to occur alongside a feeling in my chest. The zap moment seems to correspond with what feels like my heart skipping a beat. Quite unnerving and surreal.
I have also had acute pain in my left knee, although I'm not sure whether that is linked!?
I'm trying to keep going, reminding myself that these symptoms are normal and that I'm still taking an SSRI, albeit a different one.
I can't understand why the symptoms should be so pronounced though, considering I've just replaced one SSRI for another. And, of course, Prozac has a longer half life than Seroxat so that should surely help with keeping the serotonin in the system.
Anyway, apologies for the very long post and thanks for reading. It's incredibly reassuring to read that others have successfully managed to live without it - fantastic achievement!
I hope that people will continue to post their experiences on this thread, it helps to know others understand how difficult it is.
Xx
Belisarios tillycd
Posted
great news ! my dad is way better now ! We had some up and downs but from Sunday he was all day great his senses were back his memory also he was talking sensible etc.
We wanted to be sure everything was going better.
Yesterday Tuesday he was fine till noon.
In the afternoon he had these electric shocks in his mind again and he lost his touch with the environment. It was a bad downward but we were expecting this after 1 and a half day being great. His legs were shaking as if current was coming through his body. But afterwards he calmed down in bed and slept very deeply he even snored. Today Tuesday he woke up in perfect mood and he wanted to go out and do things.
We have a definite positive curve. Of course we expect some downwards again but the momentum is positive.
This pill of serotoxan is a mind blower. As told before we just have about 1 week back to normal dose from when we cut to half the pill and all these withdrawal symptoms show us how bad these chemical meds are.
Anyway my father has told us it was hell but this showed him he must get rid off this devil but very cautiously and very slowly.
hope everyones gets better
Belisarios
Posted
Almost 2 weeks since he went back to his former doze after cutting it in half
Parox-to-fluox Belisarios
Posted
Hi Belisarios
I hope your father continues to have more good days than bad. When I went back to Seroxat after having tried venlafaxine, a lot of the withdrawal symptoms seemed to remain - my sleep, for example, has never gone back to normal, and I'm now using zopiclone to help with this.
Since stopping the Seroxat again last week and starting Prozac, I have found taking 7.5mg zopiclone to have helped massively with the withdrawal symptoms. If I only take 3.75mg, my sleep is very poor and I have far more brain zaps the following day.
I'm not sure whether zopiclone is something your father could try but it has definitely helped me. I realise that I may end up with problems withdrawing from zopiclone in time, but if I manage to stay off Seroxat, I'm sure I'll be able to wean myself off it somehow...
Please keep the updates coming.
Cailin_crosta tillycd
Posted
I feel suicidal 24/7. Doctors thought I had stroke and wanted to put me on Amitryptiline. Frying pan to fire!! Off Seroxat cold turkey nearly 4 weeks now and am in HELL.
Patient Cailin_crosta
Posted
Hi Cailin crosta
We note from a recent post which you have made to our forum that you may be experiencing thoughts around self-harm. If we have misinterpreted your comments then we apologies for contacting you directly. But if you are having such thoughts then please note that you are not alone in this, and there are people out there that can help.
If you are having these suicidal thoughts then we strongly recommend you speak to someone who may be able to help. The Samaritans offer a safe space where you can talk openly about what you are going through. They can help you explore your options, understand your problems better, or just be there to listen.
Their contact details are on our patient information leaflet here: https://patient.info/health/dealing-with-suicidal-thoughts, which also offers lots of other advice on how you can access the help you may need.
If you are having such thoughts then please do reach out to the team at the Samaritans (or the other people detailed in our leaflet) who will understand what you're going through and will be able to help.
Kindest regards
Patient
seroxatbegone Cailin_crosta
Posted
So sad to hear this Cailin,
no matter how bad things seem tomorrow is a new day, a day of hope. Maybe going cold turkey is not the right way to come off seroxat? I think it's too much for anyone who's been on it to suddenly stop. The poor body simply can't cope and it's not your fault.
Remember nothing is worth suicidal thoughts, you are blessed with life, and things always change. hang in there and perhaps see the Dr to taper off slowly.
God bless.
Cailin_crosta Patient
Posted
Thanks for your concern..
I'm feeling less insane and didn't do anything stupid. Takes a long time 🌷
Croydonbee Cailin_crosta
Posted
We're all thinking of you. However hard it seems, you will get better. X
Cailin_crosta Croydonbee
Posted
You're very kind! I wish the same for you. ??
Our bodies take at least 3 months to change and even as they renew our cells are not replaced by new cells but damaged cells because we are not giving them the proper nutrients and are addicted to sugar! 😡 I've just begun a new régime and if it works I'll pester you all about it!! 🌷Thanks again. I'm keeping an eye on your progress also!
seroxatbegone Cailin_crosta
Posted
Oh wow, I didn't know that! That's scary because it means there's not much we can do to replace those damaged cells
so we have to really really look after ourselves as best we can, but sugar is my main downfall, chocolate really have it everyday. I have a stone and a half to lose too!! Won't get there by eating chocolate everyday. Still carrying on with my 2.5mg, sometimes I get ratty then remember to change it real quick but nothing as bad as the withdrawal from 10mg! I am maintaining my weight by intermittent fasting, maybe not the best way? I'm no expert on diet but would love to hear about your new regime I hope this works so well for you x Thank you for replying too xx 
Cailin_crosta seroxatbegone
Posted
Chocolate OK as long as it is 70%+. Intermittent fasting great too I'd you manage a window of 18 hours? Eat dinner before 6pm and skip breakfast till lunchtime following day. Drinking OK & ignore hunger pangs!! Will tell you later about new régime and it helps regeneration of healthy cells!! Sounds intriguing and is true. Try to eliminate that poison sugar!! Not easy and SO addictively tasty! 🙄
Cailin_crosta
Posted
Typo. IF you manage.
Thanks again 🌷
seroxatbegone Cailin_crosta
Posted
Ah, that's really bitter though isn't it 70%? The thing is I've got MASSIVE sweet tooth and can't bear anything bitter, don't like coffee, too bitter, most alcohol to me is so bitter too, liquorice YAK!! I do like savoury foods but as long as they haven't got a bitter after taste. So I guess I haven't got sophisticated taste for an adult? I can fast no problem. Maybe what happens is this all or nothing sort of a problem I've got which is why I can go either way and it's not a good thing because my weight can fluctuate 3 stone up 3 stone down in a year. It's awful!! I usually gain 3 stone between November to January as I consider that celebration time, Christmas and all that! Crazy!! Then I lose that 3 stone by the summer usually. I'm managing it mid way at the moment and funnily enough since tapering off seroxat my binge urges are going!!?? This is a good thing because I never used to be like this before seroxat. You're so right, refined sugar is evil, it's a drug I'm sure? So glad your new regime is working it sounds like you'll get great results and you're very knowledgeable about diet, meds etc. This is a great forum and it's really helping me, thank you. xx
Cailin_crosta seroxatbegone
Posted
Oh dear! Yo yo diet 🙄. Could you try to fool yourself into thinking it is February all year round??? It's good that a seroxat free life diminishes craving! Try to befriend higher cocoa content chocolate by having a square of the highest you can tolerate now and again? You WILL find that intermittent fasting also decreases sugar craving. Eating more good fats like butter and meat from grassfed animals also reduces this craving.
One benefit during my initial crazy scary gloomy period of cold turkey from seroxat was that I found most foods nauseating and now have to choose very carefully to avoid feeling sick from food. This led me to this new régime I'm trying but don't want to crow about it until I have positive results!
I hope for your sake that you can cut down on that sugar and carbohydrates, as they also are sugar in another guise! One small step at a time and BEST of luck 🌷🌞
seroxatbegone Cailin_crosta
Posted
Hi Cailin
Thanks for reply, I'll definitely try grass fed foods that may help x Yo yo diet yes very stupid idea not good 😳I recon if I've got the willpower to fast I can have 1 square of the cocoa too 🍫By the way today has been just awful it's day 6 of 2.5mg seroxat and I've been horrid and snappy and shouting like a raging beast I don't know what's got into me it's like when I cut down to 5mg the first 3 weeks were like this most days & I don't want my family to have to go through that again ! When will this ever stop? 😢xx
Cailin_crosta seroxatbegone
Posted
Hi. Just explain to your family that it's not the true you and apologise to them when you're feeling better? Go for a drive and shout in the car! Concentrate on changing to a healthy diet and tell your system that you're in control and not the other way around!
Move that body and the mood will shift even if it's only slightly.
It DOES improve and I'm living proof! A month ago I would gladly end it if I had the courage.
Not now. The tail is no longer wagging the dog!!🐕.
Go easy on yourself 🌷
seroxatbegone Cailin_crosta
Posted
Good advice
I'll do that next time and hopefully this will get better x
Hope you have a lovely weekend so glad you're over the worst too you got through it which is inspiring x painting today so that should help 👌🤗