Message for Zippyb and others trying to come off anti deps.

[kizzie]

Hi there - just wondered how you are getting on?
Unfortunately I'm back up to 30mgs and still waiting for it to kick - had very difficult few days. Thought you might be having a bit more luck?

Hi Kizzie - just seen your post. Sorry that you are feeling low & have had to 'up' your dose. The black days when they come are pretty bad aren't they? At the moment (fingers crossed) things seem to be settling down for me - am now taking 10mg every other day - only for the last week but so far so good. I had a really awful time of it last month - felt I was really going crazy but am feeling much more like myself again at the moment. Saw my doctor last week about maybe taking the liquid form of seroxat but he didn't seem to think it would be worth it! According to him because I have been on seroxat for 4 years the tablets are no longer having any effect on my body _ positive or negative - in fact he said that after a year the body just gets so used to them that they don't do anything. To be honest am not sure if he knew what he was going on about & gave me the impression (well actually said) that all these Seroxat etc support groups are just hysterical people being led on by the media!! Hope my experience is not too common!
Am really trying to think positive at the moment (not that easy for me) & am also trying to improve my general health so that my body will be in good shape when I do eventually get off this tablets. Am drinking loads of camomille tea & using quite a bit of Bachs Rescue Remedy! Feel its helping anyway. Hope I haven't rambled on too much - am sure you will be able to get through this again & remember 30mg isn't really a high dose & you wil get off them. Oh I will need to re-read this when I am having a 'bad' week.

Can I join in? Was down to 50mg of Lustral but have had to go back up to 100mg as I was totally off the wall. Had to be sedated at the weekend as I was practically flying!
Anyway, feeling a bit more normal but I was hopeing to be off the tablets by the summer nd now I know I am looking at Sept at the earliest.
Also trying to relax a bit more and have lots of early nights as I am much better when I get enough sleep.
Hope you both do OK!

ZippyB, are Bach Rescue Remedies useful? I take 60mg of Cipramil and would love to think that I will reduce it one day. I tried to reduce the dose to 40mg a couple of months ago but after 3 weeks I felt awful - down, tearful, remote, the lot! GP says it was my body's way of saying "not just yet, Dear"!

Hi - thanks for replying.
The one thing I would say zippyb is that now that you haev done so well and got down to 10mg - take the next stage very very slowly. I had actually got down to 5mgs before all the symptoms hit me. Maybe stay at 10mg for quite a while until you are completely stable before reducing again? Thats what I'm planning anyway IF I can manage to get on an even keel again.
Sounds like you're doing really well though!!
(Sorry - but I agree with you - your doctor sounds like he doesn't know much about seroxat - not unusual, in my experience most GP's don't, they simply don't haev the time to be experts in everything.)
Good Luck!!!
I'd be really interested to hear how you are getting on.

susanmt - I know exactly how you feel having to up the dose again - but I think the best we can do is try to feel ok and then try again to reduce very slowly. Don't set yourself a strict time limit - the most important thing is that you feel ok!
Kizzie

Hi everyone - lovely to know there is support for us all & to 'talk' to people that really understand how you feel. Kizzie it is wise of you to tell me to take it easy - had a bad day today so am just trying to see what each day throws at me! Susanmt - I know how hard it is to set yourself a goal & have to revise it but agree that plenty of rest & relaxation (I know not easy!) can only help improve things. Ghengis - I do recommend Bachs Rescue Remedy - bought the little spray pump from Boots & keep it in my handbag & when the need arises (which is quite often!) I just squirt 2 sprays on my tongue. It may be partly 'all in the mind' but it feels at least that I am doing something for myself & I do believe it works. Been having dizzy spells & been to see my GP who says my blood pressure is low at the moment - not really sure if this has anything to do with the seroxat - in a way hope it is as I could do without anymore health worries! Hope to hear how you all do & it is nice to know I'm not alone in this - thanks.

Hi zippyb-I came off of Seroxat last summer after taking it for over 2 years. I was taking the liquid form and found the only way to cope with the side-effects of withdrawal was to reduce the dose by 1ml a week. Even then the symptoms would recur each time I reduced the dose, gradually lessening each day until I decreased it again. I think your dizzy spells are probably a withdrawal symptom.Do you get the "shocks" (hard to know how else to describe the jumpiness which is another symptom of withdrawal.)
And yes, your GP is talking rubbish!

Hi Annie-G
What does were you on originally? Did you use the liquid to cut down right from the start or did you just use the tablets at first until you reached the lower doses?

AnnieG - not sure what to do now - should I stick with my 'taking 10mg every other day' or ask GP for liquid form? GP has sent me to have blood tests as she was concerned about blood pressure & dizzy spells - had a very bad attack last Thursday & couldn't even focus clearly for nearly a hour. God what they prescribe us is a bit frightening isn't?

Hi Kizzie-I was on the liquid from the start.My dose was 10ml-thats 20mg of Seroxat--a day.I gradually reduced by one ml a week and this kept the unpleasant symptoms manageable.It took me 8-10 weeks to completely stop, and I had symptoms of withdrawal for a couple of months after that.I thought they would never stop, but they do eventually!

HI zippyb-I would definitely ask your GP for the liquid form as it is possible to reduce the dose so gradually. I was amazed at the effect of even a tiny reduction in my dose-Seroxat is an extremely powerful drug. I used to feel the effect even if I was late taking it!

Its fascinating listening to you all talking about Seroxat and the probs it causes. My dh (GP) never prescribes it now as so many people seem to report side effects. Glad I'm not on it - all the best to those of you who are.