About two months ago I was put on an SSRI, paroxetine (paxil), after trying to manage anxiety related issues (social anxiety) exacerbated due to a move, new job where I was getting impostor syndrome along with a shitload of brain fog and fatigue. The latent fatigue and brain fog is more or less constant, with anxiety popping up when the brain fog gets in the way of everyday life.
I started off on 5mg of paroxetine, and the walk in clinic doctor wanted me to go up to 20mg. After upping to 10mg for a week and feeling extreme fatigue, I decided to drop back down to 5mg and keep it that way until I got my shit together. The second day after dropping back from 10mg, I felt extremely clearheaded, but then it kind of got back to being brainfogged. I supplemented with ashwagandha, and in combination with 5mg of paroxetine, it helped with the anxiety enough to make me not give a shit. Sometimes I'd take that german lavender anxiolytic. I was however, still brain fogged, without my usual (rarer and rarer) bouts of clearheadedness. Thinking felt like a chore.
About a week ago, I decided to skip the 5mg dose for 4 days, then quit taking the SSRI. First thing I noticed was remembering dreams. Yesterday I could notice my thoughts connecting and looping which was a good feeling, but also a bit concerning because I know that if I let them run their course, anxiety might creep back in. In a month or two I'll be able to consult with a generalist and a psychologist, once my insurance kicks into gear.
Today, I've been clearheaded with a constant amount of energy, no manic state, just kind of steady. I had difficulty falling asleep and may have slept about 3-4 hours. I've had a headache for most of the day.
I do take uridine + fish oil + B-Complex (AOR, which has a bit of choline). I think I may have taken the ashwagandha this morning too.
I'm trying to get the hang of neurochemistry and understand what's going on in my head based on different reactions, but I don't think I'm fully grasping how things work. I was hoping someone out there could give me clues based on my reaction to getting off a small dose of paroxetine. I have been on escitalopram two years ago for about 4 months, but after stopping I was emotional and felt like crying, never had a clearheaded phase, as far as I can remember. Then again, I wasn't taking any uridine. My baseline is kind of lethargic and brainfoggy, low motivation and a bit of anhedonia. I can't last an 8hr day at work, normally. I am tired and start zoning out after 4-5 hours. But nothing too noticeable by the outside world, I think.
Thanks!
