Posted by Reggie BoStar on January 7, 2010, at 11:31:41
In reply to Re: Pristiq withdrawal - I think - horrible, posted by Laney on January 7, 2010, at 8:34:10
> Because they are two different kinds of meds, couldn't your doctor just add the new one and you could slowly taper off of the old one?
>
> Someone else with more expertise hopefully will chime in.
>
> By the way, this is where I am. I'm on paxil and too afraid to go off of it because of what your describing. I would rather they add something to it first than to go off and experience what your going through.
>
> Hang in there!
>
> LaneyThanx Laney,
Actually, that's how he's been doing it. When I took the final dose of Pristiq last week, it was the minimum dose after a tapering period of a few weeks. The Protriptyline was slowly introduced during that time until I was already at the max dose when I stopped the Pristiq. I wasn't very clear about the details of how I stopped in my message - sorry. My thinking is erratic at this time.RE Paxil: Maybe if you have the option to taper off Paxil slowly while adding something else, it might not be too bad for you. Always remember in these guinea pig experiments that everyone is different and will react in different ways. That I'm having a hard time with this doesn't mean you will.
I do have a bad experience with Paxil in 1998, but it's not related to a monitored withdrawal from the stuff. For me, it just suddenly stopped working, exactly as though I had stopped taking it. This was after being on Paxil about 6 months. It was nobody's fault. My pdoc may have known that such things happen rarely, but his was a reasonable decision to put me on Paxil. I just happened to be that rare case that spontaneously quits.
Once again, though, everyone is different with these things. I think as long as you're being slowly switched from one med to another, and the process is being monitored by your pdoc, you're probably doing the best you can to minimize discomfort. Remember, mine is probably a rare case.
I'm up after only 3 or 4 hours of sleep. Dreams were pretty bad in an unsettling way, not scary like nightmares but very upsetting. When I woke up I was still in that other world, the bad one. I must get outside for a walk even though I feel weak, depressed, and just plain sick. Maybe that will help.
What's helping somewhat is a PBS series that's being run right now. I've TiVo'd the whole series so as not to miss any episodes. It's called "This Emotional Life". Each episode deals with personal experiences, therapeutic methods, and research on a different emotion. Going through this mess I've already seen the episodes on Fear, Happiness, Love. It's not New Age or hokey as far as I can see. Input from professional psychologists and researches is used frequently. Plus it's interesting to see some of the new methods of therapy being developed. They even did a segment on Dr. Phil, comparing his methods with those of other professional psychologists and psychiatrist. Dr. Phil was very honest about what his methods accomplish and what they don't accomplish. He explained how his staff of researchers compiles the latest information on therapeutic methods and medications. He said up front that what he does is never intended as a "cure", and never could be in his venue. He added that his intent was to start a process of recovery and teach his subjects where to start. I was pleasantly surprised by this, though not enough to watch his show. I just have a bad feel for the context, which at times seems to go overboard in the sensationalism department.
However right or wrong his approach is, he and his staff certainly do their homework.
Thanx again, Laney, and all the best with your situation. If you work it right, odds are it won't be too rough on you.
Reggie BoStar
poster:Reggie BoStar
thread:932781
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20100103/msgs/932816.html