Mohamed: Severe burning sensation all over body and head after stopping Abilify 5 mgs

[Mohamed]

Hello, I am currently going through abilify withdrawal and symtoms were ok for a while . I am also currently on 20 mgs of Trintellix. I actually started to get better after stopping the abilify and started to go out for walks and drive for the first time in 5 years, but unfortuenatly I started to suffer from akathesia and pins and needles and burning sensation all over my body and head which increases in intesity if I lay down or try to fall asleep as it becomes so severe that I have to get up and walk around to get slight relief from this intense burning .

 

The insomia is also starting to get worse that I only sleep for one hour and wake up with severe burning in my head and arms and legs. Do you know of anyone who has experinced this before and what they did to stop the burning.

 

I also started to take Librax which I think is called Librium in the US , its active ingrediant is chlordiazepoxide which is a benzodiazepine. I only took 5 mgs twice a day to help with anxiety and insomnia which arose after I stopped taking the abilify . I did have pins and needles all over my body and only slight burning at the time and as I started to get better and able to go out and drive and go for walks, I decided to stop taking the chlordiazepoxide and after a few days the burning became so intense that cry from the pain and insomnia got worse to the point that I only sleep for one hour.

 

I hope you can help me as my doctor is the one who got me in this mess as he told me there would be no wirhdrawal from stopping 5 mgs of abilify and if you know anyone who has had this burning sensations while on antidepressents and what they did to cure it. I also am very scared that I am still taking 20 mgs of Trintellix and don't know how I will be able to withdraw from it, as according to survivingantidepressants.com who advise tappering by 10% every month , it would take me about 4 years to get off 20 mgs of Trintellix which is just too long. I don't even know if it is safe to start tappering off the Trintellix while I am still going through the Abilify withdrawal symptoms . I just want to get off the Trintellix as soon as possible.

 

I hope you can help me on what to do . I am really suffering and just want to live a normal life free from these drugs. I also have previous history of withdrawal from cipralex 20mgs which caused severe withdrawal and was put on Lustral, also known as Zoloft in the US, by only took a quarter of a tablet. This caused my anxiety to sky rocket as I was also taking Eltroxin after I had Thyroid surgery due to Thyroid cancer 9 years earlier. So I stopped the Lustral amd became severley suicidal and was hispitalized , then was put on celexa which is where the severe burning started and that was back in mid 2016 , was switched as a result back to Cipralex 10mgd but the burning did not go away , suferred also horrible derealization , was discharged and while at home I reduced the Cipralex dose to 5mgs, the burning got less but became severely suicidal again , so was hospitalized again and was given Trintellix 10mgs and Dogmatil , suddenly I wasn't sucidal and the burning got less.

 

Then was taken off Dogmatil due to visual disturbances and was fune fir a while, but they then added Abilify 5mgs with the Trintellix 10mgs, and this is where I became quit weak and breathless. I was then discharged. When to another psychiatrist who put me on 5 d8ffrent meds , got really worse with pevere derealization and fatigue . So went back to the hospital paychiatrist who switched me back to Trintellix but now 20mgs not 10mgs and Abilify 5mgd and Favrin 100mgs. After a few months of no improvement was taken off Favrin 100mgs which I tappered over 6 weeks instead of the doctor's recommended 6 days only. Fourtunatly no withdrawal.

 

Then after one month I asked to be taken off Abilify 5mgs. The docter said to just stop taking it because it didn't cause any withdrawal, which turned out to be a lie. I suffered as a result from insomnia and akathesia for a couple of weeks. Things started to get better and was able to go out for walks and drive, this only lasted for 2 months. Now I have severe burning and insomnia, only slerp for half an hour a day or not at all . I feel terrible my head and body feel like they'reon fire . Ia am seeing the psychiatrist today but am afraid of what he may prescribe. Please help me I am desprate and can't live like this much longer. I have been suffering since 2016.

 

Thank you for your time. Hope you can rely as soon as possible

M

Edited June 2, 2020 by Altostrata
removed code, added line spaces

[Gridley]

Welcome to SA, Mohamed.

 

I have brought your situation to the attention of the administrators and other moderators.

[Altostrata]

Welcome, Mohamed.

 

What month and year did you start and stop each of these drugs, with their dosages? Exactly what are you taking now, at what dosages and times of day (o'clock)?

 

Did you make any drug changes shortly before the akathisia started?

[Mohamed]

Thank you for your reply. 

I can't give you the exact dates and times of each drugs I've taken as I haven't kept records.

But roughly speaking its something like this:

- Faverin 50mgs 2001 to 2002 was able to stop it without tappering with no withdrawal symptoms.

 

- Anafranil  can't remember exact dosage. From 2000 to 2004. Quit by halfing the dose then stopping with hardly any withdrawal only brain zaps which lasted for about a week.

 

- Cipralex 10mgs then 20mgs from 2009 to 2016. Stopped by dropping to 15mgs then 10mgs two weeks later then 5mgs for 2 weeks then stopped. Suffered severe insomnia which lasted for weeks. At the time I had increased mu thyroid medication without consulting my doctor. After stopping the Cipralex ( Lexepro), I suffered very hugh blood pressure because of the increased thyroid medication. Had to lower dose which releaved the high blood pressure but became extremely weak and was switch to a diffrent brand of Thyroxin and immediatly suffered severe anxiety and restlessness and could't sit still.This lasted for a few weeks.

 

- Lustral (Zoloft) was given for the severe anxiety that result from switching Thyroid medication. I was only given a quarter of the lowest dose available. Felt weak so stopped taking it and became depressed, crying non stop. The doctor came to my home and forced me to take Lustral again. Became severely anxious and agitated for several days so I stopped taking it and became suicidal and was admitted to hospital.

 

- Was given Cipram (Celexa) 20mgs in hospital abd this is where the severe burning sensation started . Taken for one month in mid 2016.

 

- Was then swiched to cipralex 10mg while in hospital. The severe burning did't go away.  stayed on it till I was dicharged. Reduced the dose to 5mgs becayse if tge severe burning but unfortunetly became suicidal again and was admutted again to a diffrent hospital.

 

- Brintellix (Trintellix) 10mgs December 2017 to mid 2018 while in hospital

 

- Dogmatil December 2017 for 2 months then stopped Stopped while in hospital.

 

- Discharged after 4 months. The burning had decreased. Decided to reduce dose of Brinttlix 10mgs by using a nail file because of the burning, suffered as result from derealizaton and did't feel right was admitted again.

 

- Brintellix 10mgs late 2018 to early 2019 while in hospital.

 

- Faverin 50 mgs while in hospital for 2 months from late 2018 to early 2019

 

- Abilify 15mgs while in hospital.

 

Was discharged from hispital in early 2019.

Felt very weak while on these 3 drugs, so I went to a diffrent psychiatrist who switched me to 5 diffrent drugs gradually in mid 2019 which included : 

- Prozac 60 mg

- Cipram 40 mg

- Riperdal 8 mg

- Achtenon 2mg

- Quitapex 800mg

As you can tell docters here like to prescribe many drugs. Of course I became very ill with derealization, severe anxiety and weakenss.

These were taken for about 3 months. 

Went back to my original psychiatrist who swithed me back to 

 

- Brintellix 10 mg then 20 mg after one week from late 2019 to present.

 

- Faverin 100 mg from late 2019 till Febuary 2020. I reduced the dose to 75 mg for 2 weeks, then 50 mg for 2 weeks, then 25 mg for 2 weeks then stopped. I did't suffer any withdrawal from this.

 

- Abilify 5 mg from late 2019 til early March 2020. The docter told me to just stop taking without tappering. There is no 2 mg tablets available where I'm from. Suffered insomnia, anxiety, depression and akathesia as a result. After a few days the insomnia, depression and akathesia improved and I started to feel better like my self. My energy level improved and started going out for walks and driving, but the burning especially after waking up, and pins and needles all over my body mainly in hands and feet. These symtoms were mild and bareable at first, but after 2 snd a half months they suddenely started to get severely worse. The burning in my head and all my body is so severe that I keep crying and can't eat or sleep. I only slept for one hour for 2 days, and zi put a towel wet with cold water on my head to ease the burning in my head.

 

Went to psychiatrist yesterday and told him of the severe burning in my head and body as well as the pins and needles, and told me that Abilify has no withdrawal symptoms and that the Brintellix does't cause burning or even dry mouth for that matter.

 

He also told me to stop taking the Brintellix 20 mg by reducing it to 10 mg directly as 5 mg tablets are't available here, and keep taking the 10 mg for 2 weeks, the reduce it to 5 mg by cutting the 10 mg tablet in half, and keep taking the 5 mg for 2 weeks then stop taking it 

 

He assured me that Brintellix has no withdrawal symptoms as it is not an SSRI, and when I told him that when I lowered Cipralex (Lexepro) 10mg to 5 mg I becsme suicidal, he told me that that won't happen with Brintellix.

 

I don't now what to do, and I don't trust the docter's advice, especially when I told him of the 10% reduction every month this website advises. He brushed it off and told me he doesn't take anything on the internt or previous patient's advise seriously, and he only trusts medical literature and the manufacturing company's advise, which by the way says you can stop taking Brintellix abruptly without withdrawal, and if you're taking a dose of 15 mg or higher to reduce it to 10 mgs for one week before stopping.

 

Please advise me on what to do.

 

I would also be greatful if you could tell me how to tapper. I don't know how to do a liquid tapper and find it very difficult to do, and I can't crush the tablet and use a scal to weigh it as scals that weigh in the mgs aren't sold where I'm from

 

I think the best way would be to dry cut the tablet using a pill cutter, but take in mind the lowest dose available here is 10 mg not 5. I also don't know how to cut the tablet in to quarters as the pill is oddly shaped and not circular. It says on this site to cut the pill in half and then take that half and cut it horizontaly like cutting the layer of a cake. Do you think this is the best way to go. I really need this burning to stop.

 

I could by a scale that measures in mgs from amazon, but that would take a while to get here and I don't know how to calculate the required dose reductions. It would be more accurate than dry cutting.

 

But the 10% reduction method to tapper off 20 mg, would take more than 4 years to get off the drug and this is just too long to suffer from burning.

 

Please advise on how to proceed.

Thank you for your time.

Best regards.

 

 

[Altostrata]

When did you start Librium? What times of day (o'clock) do you take each of your drugs, with their dosages?

 

3 hours ago, Mohamed said:

- Abilify 5 mg from late 2019 til early March 2020. The docter told me to just stop taking without tappering. There is no 2 mg tablets available where I'm from. Suffered insomnia, anxiety, depression and akathesia as a result. After a few days the insomnia, depression and akathesia improved and I started to feel better like my self. My energy level improved and started going out for walks and driving, but the burning especially after waking up, and pins and needles all over my body mainly in hands and feet. These symtoms were mild and bareable at first, but after 2 snd a half months they suddenely started to get severely worse. The burning in my head and all my body is so severe that I keep crying and can't eat or sleep. I only slept for one hour for 2 days, and zi put a towel wet with cold water on my head to ease the burning in my head.

 

Did you make any drug changes shortly before the burning and pins and needles got worse (looks like this was about mid-May)? Did you accidentally skip any doses?

 

Going off drugs may make you feel strange. If you go to the hospital every time this happens, they will give you more drugs. Most psychiatrists also will give you more drugs. Very few know anything about tapering or withdrawal syndrome.

 

We advise slow tapering to minimize the strange feelings of withdrawal symptoms. If you want to go off drugs, you must be able to cope with this, not panic and go to the hospital, where all the work you did to taper will be undone. We always ask people to let us know about symptom pattern changes while they are tapering, so we can adjust the taper to avoid the symptoms.

 

Please do your best to summarize at least the last 2 years of your drug history, including exactly what you're taking now, in your signature -- follow these instructions Please put your drug and withdrawal history in your signature You may need to use a computer to do this.

[Mohamed]

I have saved my signature, but used an android smart phone as I don't have a pc. Hope it worked. I have included a file attachment of it. 

please reply as soon as you can as I'm realy suffering. Thank you so much.

[Mohamed]

I started taking the Librium which contains 5mg of clordizepoxide twice a day, one in the evening and one at night, mid April 2020 till mid may 2020. I did cut down to one tablet a day at the beginning of May for about a week.

 

 After that I noticed the burning and pins and needles started to increase to an unbearable level.

 

I only started to take Librium to ease the morning anxiety and depression and minimal burning after waking up, that started to happen after the psychiatrist told me to stop taking Abilify 5mg without tappering.

 

I currently only take Brintellix 20mg at around 5pm.

[Mohamed]

I have found a compounding pharmacy here in Cairo Egypt called revitilifeegypt.com 

 

I sent them an email about reducing the Brintellix 20mg dose by 10% each month and they replied that they can do it. 

 

Have you heard of this company and are they trust worthy.

 

Is it safe take to use a compunding pharmacy in Egypt, or should I do it my self. I wiil only be able to do the dry cut method, and bare in mind the lowest dose available of Brintellix in Egypt in 10mg not 5mg.

 

So if I do a dry cut I will only be able to cut a 10mg pill into 4 quarters each quarter being roughly 2.5mg and not all of them equal.

 

That would be a 12.5% reduction from the original dose of 20mg each month and it would take 8 months to quit the drug instead of more than 4 years if I used the 10% reduction a month methidod

 

Is this safe or too fast. I can't tolerate the severe burning in my head for much longer, I now can't sleep because of it.

I also don't know how to use a scale to weigh a crushed pill and they don't sell digital scals that can measure in weights less than 1mg here in Egypt. The ones that are sold here are sensative upto 0.01g not 0.001g, so at doses less than 10mg I won' be able to do a precise 10% reduction.

 

Please advise me on what to do. Should I just use the compounding pharmacy.

 

Thanks

[Mohamed]

Should I take the docter's advice and lower the dose from 20mg to 10mg for 2 weeks then to 5mg for another 2 weeks before stopping. Do you think this is safe,. Will this increase the burning or lower it or will it make things worse.

[Mohamed]

I am feeling very bad, burning in my head and all over body and have not slept all night. Do you think I should reinstate Abilify at a lower doage of 2.5 mg not 5mg, instead of starting to tapper the Brintellix 20mg. I don't feel stable now. I was alot better 2 weeks ago and that was 2 and half months after stopping Abilify 5mg. I don't know why I am getting worse. I was doing fine for 2 and a half months after stopping Abilify 5mg . I am only taking Brintellix 20mg now.

 

Which step do you think will stop the burning:

1 - reinstate Abilify 2.5mg or

2 - start tappering Brintellix 20mg

Please help.

[Mohamed]

@Altostrata

[Mohamed]

I slept from 5 pm to 7:30 pm and woke up with the most intense burning in my head and legs. Do you think I should start tappering off Brintellix 20 mgs, as it my be the cause of this burning or should I wait until it becomes better which might be too long for me to bare. Or should I reinstate Anilifily at a lower dosage than 5 mg, it's been almost 3 months since I stopped taking it.

[Mohamed]

Why isn't anyone replying. Please reply Altostrata. Thanks.

 

[Mohamed]

I am feeling very bad, burning in my head and all over body and have not slept all night. Do you think I should reinstate Abilify at a lower doage of 2.5 mg not 5mg, instead of starting to tapper the Brintellix 20mg. I don't feel stable now. I was alot better 2 weeks ago and that was 2 and half months after stopping Abilify 5mg. I don't know why I am getting worse. I was doing fine for 2 and a half months after stopping Abilify 5mg . I am only taking Brintellix 20mg now.

 

Which step do you think will stop the burning:

1 - reinstate Abilify 2.5mg or

2 - start tappering Brintellix 20mg

Please help.

[Mohamed]

I slept from 5 pm to 7:30 pm and woke up with the most intense burning in my head and legs. Do you think I should start tappering off Brintellix 20 mgs, as it my be the cause of this burning or should I wait until it becomes better which might be too long for me to bare. Or should I reinstate Anilifily at a lower dosage than 5 mg, it's been almost 3 months since I stopped taking it.

[Altostrata]

DO NOT START NEW TOPICS IN THE INTRODUCTIONS FORUM.

 

21 hours ago, Mohamed said:

I started taking the Librium which contains 5mg of clordizepoxide twice a day, one in the evening and one at night, mid April 2020 till mid may 2020. I did cut down to one tablet a day at the beginning of May for about a week.

 

 After that I noticed the burning and pins and needles started to increase to an unbearable level.

 

I only started to take Librium to ease the morning anxiety and depression and minimal burning after waking up, that started to happen after the psychiatrist told me to stop taking Abilify 5mg without tappering.

 

I currently only take Brintellix 20mg at around 5pm.

 

Librium does not appear in your signature. PUT ALL YOUR DRUGS IN YOUR SIGNATURE.

 

Oh, there was a drug event prior to the worsening of your symptoms. You might have mentioned this at the first. You have upset your nervous system by going off Librium. I would reinstate a half-dose of Librium once a day, at night.

[Mohamed]

The severe burning and insomnia started 2 weeks ago after having been off Abilify on March 11th 2020.

 

I am unable to add Librium in my signature as it only allows 12 lines of input.

 

I am now only taking Brintellux 20 mg at around 5 pm.

 

I saw my docter 2 days ago and he told me that Abilify has no withdrawal if you stop taking it at 5 mg.

 

He also said that the severe burning and pins and needles had nothing to do with stopping Abilify nor taking Brintellix at 20 mg.

 

SHOCKINGLY he advised me to stop taking Brintellix 20mg by lowering the dose to 10 mg for 2 weeks then lowering to 5 mg by cutting a 10 mg pill in half for 2 more weeks before stopping completely.  5 mg tablets are't sold here in Egypt. I told him that that would be too fast of a withdrawal and that I would develop withdrawal syndrome. He assured me that Brintellix doesn't cause any withdrawal symptoms as it is not an SSRI. And when I told him that there are people who have suffered withdrawal from Brintellix and that one should reduce the dose by 10% a month to avoid withdrawal, he disagreed and said he doesn't take medical advice from the internet only from medical literature and the drug manufacturer's recommendation which by the way says you can discontinue Brintellix abruptly at 10 mg without any withdrawal.

 

I don't know what to do. I don't trust my docter, he's the one who got me in this mess, and I don't know how to tapper properly. I did find a compounding pharmacy in Cairo called revitalifeegypt.com, but don't know if they're reliable.

 

Please advise and thank you for your time.

 

[Mohamed]

Should I take Magnesium ( called Magnesium Plus ) half a tablet instead of reinstating half a dose of Librium.

[Altostrata]

On 6/2/2020 at 3:39 PM, Mohamed said:

I started taking the Librium which contains 5mg of clordizepoxide twice a day, one in the evening and one at night, mid April 2020 till mid may 2020. I did cut down to one tablet a day at the beginning of May for about a week.

 

 After that I noticed the burning and pins and needles started to increase to an unbearable level.

 

Did this happen? If this happened, YOUR SYMPTOMS ARE FROM GOING OFF LIBRIUM.

[Mohamed]

Yes did this happened. I can't believe that all the severe symptoms can happen from taking Librium for one month only.

I only took it to help with insomnia and morning anxiety the occured after stoping Abilify.

[Mohamed]

Could this severe burning be from Brintellix, as the same thing happened when I took celexa and also when I was switched to Cipralex as the docter thaught it would ease the burning back in late 2016. I reduced the dose of Cipralex from 10 mg to 5 mg after getting my docter's approval, hoping it would lower the burning. Instead I became suicidal even though the brurning got less. I stayed suicidal for 2 months before I admitted my self to hospital in November 2017.

The suicidality and burning went away when they gave me Brintellix 10 mg and a drug called Dogmatil ( Sulpride ) but can't remember the dose. The suicidality ang burning were instantly relieved. They then stopped the Dogamatil due to side effects, then the burning returned but only very mild.

 

So do you think I should begin tappering Brintellix 20 mg now as advised by the docter, or would it be too risky as I could become suicidal again.

 

What if the Librium doesn't relieve the burning and resulting insomnia. What should I do then.

 

Thank you

 

[Altostrata]

1 hour ago, Mohamed said:

Yes did this happened. I can't believe that all the severe symptoms can happen from taking Librium for one month only.

I only took it to help with insomnia and morning anxiety the occured after stoping Abilify.

 

You can't believe it? Fine. Go somewhere else. I've said everything that I can say.

[Mohamed]

I didn't mean to be rude, I am just asking.

[Altostrata]

I'm done. I'm not answering any more questions from you. Go somewhere else.

 

Talk to your doctors, they're supposed to take care of your drug problems.

[Mohamed]

I am seeking your advise. Please. The docter told me to stop the Brintellix over one month and I don't know if it's safe.

Thank you

[Altostrata]

Stop wasting my time. Go away.

[brassmonkey]

Mohamed-- the purpose of this site is to help people get off of these drugs.  It is not to advise on which drugs to take or how to fine tune their cocktail. That is the responsibility of their doctor. The members of the staff here are not medical practitioners and as such we can not and will not advise on what drugs to take.

 

You have been asked several times to stop this line of inquiry. If this question is raised again in any form it will result with warning points being issued.

 

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/1598-what-will-get-you-warned-or-banned/

 

[Mohamed]

I understand. I am new to this site, and haven't yet fully understood how it works.

[Mohamed]

How can I tapper  from 20 mg of Trintellix safely. 

Has anyone successfully done this?

What tappering method did you use?

I am very sensitive to psych meds and am affraid to switch to a liquid form which might destabilize my nervous system.

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Mohamed]

Does anyone know what to do for severe burning and pins and needles due to withdrawal?

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Mohamed]

Has anyone successfully tappered off of 20mg of Brintellix. I stopped taking Abilify 5mg cold turkey like the docter said and I'm only taking Brintellix 20mg at the moment. I was ok for a while after stopping the Abilify but after 2 months started to notice an intense increase in burning sensation alll over my body and head which won't go away. 

I want to start tappering off of Brintellix as soon as possible, I can't wait for the burning to end before I start tappering, as the burning can last for months.

 

what should I do ?

- Wait until the burning stops before tappering Brintellix, but this could take months or not happen at all.

- Start tappering even while I am suffering from this burning.

 

I am asking these questions because I don't know if this burning is due to stopping Abilify or because I am taking too high of a dose of Brintellix.

 

Any help would be appreciated. I am really suffering.

[ChessieCat]

I've moved your post to your Introduction topic which is the place to ask questions specific to your situation.  This keeps your information in one place.

 

You can either use the site search or use a search engine and search for:  survivingantidepressants.org Brintellex Trintellex vortioxetine to find members taking this drug.

[Altostrata]

Read this topic again from the beginning.

 

Tips for tapering off Trintellix (vortioxetine), previously called Brintellix

 

Do not send me any more personal messages.