SolidmiseryonAD: fatigue after eating - fasting helps me

July 14, 2020

I want to thank everyone that is a part of Survivingantidepressants.org. Without you guys, I would have been lost or dead, by now. Every time I have had a problem, I would go to this website and read. The support here has kept me sane, especially since my husband has issues that he has to take care of and cannot relate to antidepressant withdrawal. I have no friends (do not want any friends right now) and I have no other family. Most of the time, this site and its people are all the support I get.

For twenty years, I have been taking Bupropion. After 20 years of ingesting this poison, the time and situation were right for me to taper. In a year and a half, I went from 300 mg down to 100 mg: currently, I'm holding at 100-mg. It has been rough. From what I've read, Bupropion is one of the 'easier' antidepressants to get off. If so, the people who taper off of SSRIs have my total respect!

I've noticed that after eating a meal, fatigue, which is almost debilitating, plagues me. After doing some research, I came across this article which I copied part of for your review, which might be the reason why I get fatigue after I eat:

Your body is equipped with a natural stress-fighting mechanism called the NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) Stress Response system. It is an intricate network of various organs and six circuits, including the bioenergetics circuit, which functions in close coordination to help fight stress. A pair of walnut-shaped adrenal glands, located above the kidneys, are also part of the response system.

During stressful situations, the NEM signals your adrenal glands to secrete the anti-stress hormone cortisol. However, when stress is constant, the adrenals can get overburdened and are no longer able to secrete adequate cortisol. This can affect the natural stress-fighting ability of your body, which can lead to adrenal fatigue.

Frequently experiencing extreme fatigue along with symptoms such as low energy levels, difficulty in waking up, insomnia, brain fog, anxiety, stubborn weight gain, constipation, low concentration levels, and craving for salty and fatty food indicate signs of Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome (AFS).

As the adrenals get more and more overworked with consistent stress, the result is a cortisol imbalance which can disturb the entire NEM stress response system. As the NEM connects various organs and circuits, the function of related organs is also affected.

People in the advanced stages of AFS have a weak body. Everyday functions of the body and organs - including the liver, pancreas, and thyroid of the bioenergetics circuit - gradually begin to slow down. This can complicate the actions necessary for maintaining the health of the body, which in turn can trigger negative reactions such as experiencing fatigue after eating.

The bioenergetics circuit of the NEM system comprises of the liver, pancreas, and thyroid. Any imbalance in this circuit can lead to mitochondrial disorder, sugar cravings, reactive hypoglycemia, catabolism, dizziness, insulin resistance, and weight gain.

The pancreas and liver play key roles in the digestion process. The pancreas secretes enzymes such as trypsin, chymotrypsin, amylase, and lipase which help digest proteins, breakdown carbohydrates, and convert fat to cholesterol and fatty acids. It also helps transport glucose to tissues through the blood and helps the liver absorb glucose.

A significant detoxification center of your body, the liver performs multiple crucial functions. It secretes bile, which helps in detoxification and digestion. It also helps in the metabolism of fat, protein, and carbohydrates, and it maintains a healthy level of blood glucose and various other chemicals in the body. Dysfunction of the liver or pancreas has a direct impact on the digestion process, which can contribute to fatigue after eating.

Reference:

Why Do You Experience Fatigue After Eating?

By: Michael Lam, MD, MPH

https://www.drlamcoaching.com/diet/adrenal-fatigue-diet/fatigue-after-eating/

I don't eat processed foods but only eat fresh or frozen meats and vegetables and fruits and some nuts. I have also cut back on the sugar and sweets. I discovered that my body couldn't tolerate coffee or chocolate, so I have dropped them from my diet. To lessen my fatigue, I have taken to intermediate fasting. I eat one substantial meal each a day the then drink water (with lemon or lime) throughout the day. I stop drinking water at 6-pm.

I reason that I spike my cortisol after I eat, so I get that out of the way early in the day. I've noticed that when I fast like this, I have more energy throughout the day, and at night I don't get up throughout the night to relieve myself.

Have other people suffered fatigue after eating and how did you solve the problem? Let me know

July 15, 2020

Welcome to SA, SolidmiseryonAD. I'm glad we've been able to be of help to you. Congratulations on getting down from 300mg to 100mg.

For your future taper of Buproprion, I think you're you already aware that we recommend tapering no faster than 10% of your current dose every four weeks.

The 5% taper you're doing is also fine.

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

This link explains how to get the nonstandard doses you'll need for your taper.

Tips for tapering off Wellbutrin, SR, XR, XL (buproprion)

Drops in your blood sugar, which can result from intermittent fasting, can cause anxiety. If this happens it might be better to eat small, frequent meals during the days, rather than one large meal. Small, frequent meals could also help with your fatigue problem.

We don't recommend a lot of supplements on SA, as many members report being sensitive to them due to our over-reactive nervous systems, but two supplements that we do recommend are magnesium and omega 3 (fish oil). Many people find these to be calming to the nervous system.

Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker

Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil)

Add in one at a time and at a low dose in case you do experience problems.

This is your Introduction topic, where you can ask questions and connect with other members. We're glad you found your way here.

July 16, 2020

Hi @SolidmiseryonAD,

Glad you have found the site helpful and finally decided to post.

I have found that exercise helps with the fatigue. It makes you a bit more tired in the beginning, but long and medium term it should help you feel more healthy.

The fatigue could also simply be caused by the Bupropion withdrawal. Bupropion is an odd AD in that it is a dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. Withdrawal from dopamine activating drugs typically involve quite a bit of fatigue, lack of motivation and anhedonia (lack of enjoyment of activities you typically enjoy). And you would expect it to cause you to have less energy for physical activity, since it would be doing the opposite of stimulating the dopamine receptors in the substantia niagra, which plays a role in reward and locomotion. Can I ask what your symptoms have been like thus far? Thank you for filling out your signature.

This article "Fasting as therapy for neurological disease" suggests fasting should be helpful for a wide variety of neurological illnesses, into which we can probably categorize withdrawal (especially after long term use). I know benzodiazepines and antipsyhcotics almost inevitably cause some level of neurological injury long term, but it seems antidepressants do to, although the mechanism might be a bit less clear. Very good that you have stumbled upon fasting and that it actually helps. I would be very interested to see fasting put up against drug therapies in randomized clinical trials. I would bet on fasting to win out a good portion of the time. The linked article makes it clear that it is as fundamental a part of life as exercise is. Very interesting stuff.

I assume you have found the non-drug coping techniques on the site, here. These can be useful as an adjunct to anything else you are doing to help, like fasting. Always good to have a number of tools in your box to work with

July 17, 2020

23 hours ago, DataGuy said:

Hi @SolidmiseryonAD,

Glad you have found the site helpful and finally decided to post.

I have found that exercise helps with the fatigue. It makes you a bit more tired in the beginning, but long and medium term it should help you feel more healthy.

The fatigue could also simply be caused by the Bupropion withdrawal. Bupropion is an odd AD in that it is a dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. Withdrawal from dopamine activating drugs typically involve quite a bit of fatigue, lack of motivation and anhedonia (lack of enjoyment of activities you typically enjoy). And you would expect it to cause you to have less energy for physical activity, since it would be doing the opposite of stimulating the dopamine receptors in the substantia niagra, which plays a role in reward and locomotion. Can I ask what your symptoms have been like thus far? Thank you for filling out your signature.

This article "Fasting as therapy for neurological disease" suggests fasting should be helpful for a wide variety of neurological illnesses, into which we can probably categorize withdrawal (especially after long term use). I know benzodiazepines and antipsyhcotics almost inevitably cause some level of neurological injury long term, but it seems antidepressants do to, although the mechanism might be a bit less clear. Very good that you have stumbled upon fasting and that it actually helps. I would be very interested to see fasting put up against drug therapies in randomized clinical trials. I would bet on fasting to win out a good portion of the time. The linked article makes it clear that it is as fundamental a part of life as exercise is. Very interesting stuff.

I assume you have found the non-drug coping techniques on the site, here. These can be useful as an adjunct to anything else you are doing to help, like fasting. Always good to have a number of tools in your box to work with

DataGuy,

Thanks for being my first responder to my first post and thank you for your kind words!

In the world of tapering, thanks for the support – in a way we are family! Anything I can do to help you and anyone else on here – I will. Other than Xanax, I’m not familiar with the drugs you were on. Nevertheless, I’ll keep you in my prayers and hope you recover!

I’ll write a post about my experience with fasting and diet in the very near future.

As for the non-drug coping techniques, I will re-read them again. I want to go over them again with my husband but also with my therapist. My therapist was once on Paxil, so she understands something about antidepressant withdrawal. And, I must say, those (non-drug coping techniques essays) are some very good essays!

Because I see light at the end of the tunnel, I am working on keeping a daily journal, which is especially important. Off the top of my head, what I can remember, here are my symptoms:

§ Migraine headaches which can last for up to three days straight. During these headaches, my brain stem feels like its being pulled out of my skull. After the headache has subsided, I feel like I am recovering from drunkenness – I have what you would call a migraine hangover.

§ Dehydration this medication has made me “forget” to drink water during the day. I must remind myself to drink water.

§ Cortisol Spike after eating – I get so fatigue it scares me – My energy is zapped.

§ Heat Intolerance – I can’t tolerate heat – after lengthy heat exposure – I get a migraine headache and other symptoms – see below.

§ Dizziness and light-headedness

§ Blurred Vision

§ Neuro-emotions-

o Example, if my husband tells me something upsetting that happened to him, I get very angry about it – overreact – stay angry for a long time and ruinate about the issue.

o Have the overwhelming, all consuming feeling of “being lost”. One of the most frightful emotions I have ever felt in my life.

o Paranoid – I think that my husband will divorce me – which is unfounded.

o Ruinate about the past – wanting to go back into time and change my life -the fantasy - I keep my knowledge and experience of 56 years and the second time around, I’m going to change my regrets.

o Worry about everything under the sun. Terrified about the future.

§ Forgetfulness

§ Lack of motivation to do anything and have little pleasure in anything.

After a taper, my symptoms start on Day 5-7 and last about a week or two. I noticed that my symptoms are lessen if I do not eat:

§ Chocolate

§ Anything with MSG in it

§ Sugar

§ Glutton (wheat, rice, oatmeal, etc.)

§ Processed Meats

§ Excessive fruit

July 17, 2020

Well, yesterday I started my taper toward 75 mg per day of Bupropion. And, as expected, I had a lucid dream. It was so, so real.

I’m back in 1983, dressed in a long maxi dress dancing to the opening song of a 1983 concert in a different city. My old friends were there, and I was having the best time of my life. The emotion of being young and alive is so refreshing and real…

REM rebound is the lengthening and increasing frequency and depth of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep which occurs after periods of sleep deprivation. When people have been prevented from experiencing REM, they take less time than usual to attain the REM state. When people are unable to obtain an adequate amount of REM sleep, the pressure to obtain REM sleep builds up. When the subject is able to sleep, they will spend a higher percentage of the night in REM sleep.

REM rebound is common to those who take certain sleeping aids and it is also often seen in the first few nights after patients with sleep apnea are placed on CPAP. Alcohol can also affect REM sleep; it suppresses it during the first half of the night, leading to a rebound four to five hours after sleep onset. Although alcohol can decrease the amount of time it takes to fall asleep, it will cause a disruption in the sleep cycles. REM sleep is decreased during the first half of the sleep period and stage 1 sleep is increased in the second half of the sleep period. Most antidepressants, in particular selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as citalopram and paroxetine, are potent inhibitors of REM sleep and may also cause a REM rebound on discontinuation.

Wikipedia…REM rebound

Doctor Tracey Marks MD explains what rebound dreams are – however, warning, I think she’s batting of the other team (she’s on team Big Pharm) but, I find her information interesting.

Why Do Antidepressants Cause Vivid Dreams?

I did some research and found that I was experience Rebound Dreams. I have been lucky because I haven’t had any lucid nightmares…lile..this article…Violent Dreaming and Antidepressant Drugs: or How Paroxetine Made Me Dream That I Was Fighting Saddam Hussein:

A 50-year-old man was referred for consultation because of disrupted sleep. He complained of a 10-year history of non-restorative sleep, loud snoring, and a history of “restless leg syndrome.” Ten years previously he developed symptoms of depression. His physician prescribed fluoxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) agent. His symptoms of depression improved, however he subsequently developed disrupted and non-restful sleep with frequent awakenings and disturbing body movements. His physician prescribed clonazepam 0.5 mg. He reported improvement in his sleep.

Five years previously he stopped using fluoxetine and clonazepam. He subsequently had no significant difficulties with sleep. Three years previously, his symptoms of depression returned, and he was treated with paroxetine. Shortly after starting treatment with paroxetine, his symptoms of disrupted sleep again recurred. At that time, his physician restarted clonazepam and his sleep improved. However, he experienced daytime grogginess and tried to stop clonazepam, but his sleep disturbance worsened again and at that point was referred for sleep consultation.

When asked to provide a detailed account of his symptoms of disrupted sleep, he reported that he fell asleep quickly at bedtime and slept well the first part of the night. His spouse stated that his nocturnal symptoms began by his legs kicking. Then he would wake up flailing or thrashing his arms and legs, often striking the spouse vigorously. The patient reported that these episodes were associated with dreams; often there was a theme of violence or that he was being attacked. He said he had recently dreamed he had engaged in hand-to-hand combat with Saddam Hussein. He specifically denied experiencing an irresistible urge to move or stretch his legs that occurred primarily in the evening.

Over the past year his weight had increased by 15 pounds. His wife reported occasional snoring but no witnessed apneas. He reported no daytime sleepiness. His Epworth Sleepiness Scale score was 6/24. He denied tremor and muscular rigidity.

His past medical history was pertinent for Crohn disease, which was now inactive. His medications were paroxetine 30 mg per day, clonazepam 1 mg per day, sulfasalazine 1 gm once a day, and folic acid 1 mg per day.

His physical examination was unremarkable and specifically showed no signs of Parkinson's disease or other neurological disease. Polysomnography showed periodic limb movements occurring 27 times per hour; 10% were associated with arousal. The apnea-hypopnea index was 3 events per hour. Lowest oxygen saturation was 90%. Phasic increases in submental muscle activity were observed during REM sleep (Figure 1). Vocalizations were observed during REM sleep, but there were no overt behaviors. The study was otherwise unremarkable.

More information

Dreams Jolting You Awake? It May Be Your Antidepressant

SSRIs may cause more nightmares while tricyclics may produce positive dreams

By Nancy Schimelpfening

https://www.verywellmind.com/can-antidepressants-cause-strange-or-vivid-dreams-1067347

July 18, 2020

Welcome, Solid.

If I were you, I would NOT continue to reduce bupropion right now, while you have those withdrawal symptoms. You've made a big decrease in dosage, give your nervous system time to accommodate to the changes before reducing again.

You are tapering too fast. Some of your physical symptoms, such as heat intolerance and vivid dreams, are related to this. A 25% decrease from 100mg to 75mg is not advisable.

I agree with DataGuy, my guess is your fatigue after eating is from your system adjusting to the drug changes. Bupropion tends to be stimulating, you've reduced a stimulant. It could be that in situations where people might usually slow down a little, such as after eating, you are feeling a more exaggerated reaction.

Tiredness after eating does not indicate a cortisol spike. What it might indicate is a blood sugar spike (postprandial hypoglycemia). Quite often, #psychiatric drugs affect sugar metabolism. Bupropion is well-known for suppressing appetite, maybe this is involved. This symptom will go away in time.

Gridley and DataGuy had good suggestion for coping with this.

On 7/16/2020 at 5:40 PM, SolidmiseryonAD said:

§ Dehydration this medication has made me “forget” to drink water during the day. I must remind myself to drink water.

Your fasting regimen, which sounds a little extreme, may be causing both low water intake and headaches from low blood sugar.

On 7/16/2020 at 5:40 PM, SolidmiseryonAD said:

§ Lack of motivation to do anything and have little pleasure in anything.

Very common while tapering, especially when you're reducing a stimulating drug such as bupropion.

While you may have vivid dreams, it sounds that at least you're sleeping, which is a good thing. Please do not overthink the quality of your sleep.

Some of your symptoms seem to be related to perhaps a longstanding habit of worrying. Are you seeing a therapist for this?

July 18, 2020

Thanks so much @SolidmiseryonAD. I think @Gridley was the first responder to your post though. I look forward to reading about your experience of fasting during withdrawal. I've also found it useful, especially to get at least some transient relief from stomach issues.

Neuroemotions can be tough. I remember around the time of acute I would find myself getting angry out of the blue for not reason and get very absorbed in the anger, until I realized it was simply because I was in a terrible mood. I found exercise seemed to help (just walking). Structured relaxation can also be useful, or you could try very simple grounding techniques like squeezing ice cubes.

I agree with @Altostrata, I think the 25% cut is excessive and holding for awhile until your symptoms improve is advisable. Maybe hold for another month and then re-evaluate things? Keeping a symptom journal can make it easier to compare how you are doing now vs a month from now. Or you could simply record the symptoms here : )

Thanks for the interesting case study on REM Sleep Behavior!

Edited July 18, 2020 by DataGuy

July 20, 2020

Hello Altostrata and Dataguy,

Thinking about what you have said, here's my tapering schedule.

I was at 100-mg and I want to do a 5% taper at that dose: So, I dropped from 100-mg to 95-mg and I plan to stay here for three weeks:

100 mg x .95 = 95 mg.

To keep the drug constant in my system - I take the drug four times a day - when I initial did this, overall, I felt better. I take 1/4 of the daily dose every six hours. So, I need to take 23.75 mg for each dose.

*Note - I tried taking 23.75-mg in a liquid form and it was bad. It felt like my brain stopped working. So, I use both tablet and liquid forms of Bupropion. I had my doctor give me 75-mg tablets. I cut the tablets into fours.

75-mg / 4 = 18.75-mg (in a solid form)

23.75-mg - 18.75-mg = 5.0-mg (which I need in a liquid form).

To get up to 23.75 mg, I take a 18.75 mg (solid table) + 0.17 cc/mL (30mg/mL) liquid which is 5.0-mg.

Three weeks later I plan to drop from 95-mg to 90-mg and hold for three weeks.

I noticed that if I eat meat with a salad and cooked veggies - with no fruit or added sugar then I feel less tried after I eat. I think you are right about the blood sugar spike (postprandial hypoglycemia).

July 20, 2020

Hello Altostrata and Dataguy,

The worst symptom besides the migraines are the neutro-emotions.

I just got married three years ago. After 1.5 years of marriage my oldest stepdaughter, we discovered was leading a double life at her bio-mom's encouragement. There was massive parental alienation and court drama. It was during this time, I started to taper off antidepressants. Not a good time to taper but due to health issues I didn't have a choice. It was hard because my husband used me for his emotional support. Because I couldn't control my emotions, it made it hard on our marriage. But we survived.

I think my upbringing contributed to my neutro-emotional problem because my parents literally taught me how to worry about problems - not solve them - but how to worry and ruminate about them. I carried this unhealthy pattern throughout my life. Now, that I'm tapering off antidepressants, I am learning that I need to retrain myself on how to control my emotions, how to stop worrying and how to stop ruminating. Maybe others here have better emotional control but maybe they had more to work with than I. I'm not comparing myself to others. But, this is where I am at.

July 20, 2020

Tinnitus

Ever since I started tapering 1.5 years ago, I developed tinnitus. At times, I can forget it but I know its with me all the time.

July 20, 2020

5 hours ago, SolidmiseryonAD said:

I think my upbringing contributed to my neutro-emotional problem because my parents literally taught me how to worry about problems - not solve them - but how to worry and ruminate about them. I carried this unhealthy pattern throughout my life. Now, that I'm tapering off antidepressants, I am learning that I need to retrain myself on how to control my emotions, how to stop worrying and how to stop ruminating. Maybe others here have better emotional control but maybe they had more to work with than I. I'm not comparing myself to others. But, this is where I am at.

A lot of members here are trying to learn general life coping skills (incuding how to respond instead of react), non drug coping techniques, ways to self sooth and changing their bad thought patterns. And sometimes, possibly many times, because we didn't have these skills is the reason why we ended up on a psychiatric drug.

I'm 62 and did a CBT course abut 5 years ago and found it very helpful. Since I've been a member of SA and tapering I have learned several helpful non drug techniques which help me to get through the more difficult times. I wish I had learned these things when I was much younger. If I had, I may not have ended up on an AD for 25+ years.

This excellent website has some really good self help resources. Scroll down the page a bit to see the links to them.

https://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/selfhelp.htm

March 17, 2021

6 Ways To Prepare For Antidepressant Withdrawal was very helpful to me because it motivated me into ‘considering’ tapering off Bupropion.

From the video, I learned that before you start your antidepressant tapering:

1. Make sure you have a support system. For me Survivingantidepressants.org has been that G-d sent. The people on here understood what I was going to go through and what I was experiencing.

2. Make sure you know what withdrawal symptoms might be. Comment: Survivingantidepressants.org can help you with this.

3. Make a list of the reasons why you want to withdrawal.

My reasons for tapering off of Bupropion:

1. In a sense, I was placed on this drug because of my ignorance and naivete. Getting off this poison is, in a sense, my way of taking back my power and control. Instead of turning me into a cash cow for Big Pharm, my doctor, a professional I trusted to look after my best interests, SHOULD HAVE worked with me to find alternative ways to help me with the issues I was facing.

2. The drug has stopped working and I have reached poop-out in addition to the drug has and was affecting my health and life in negative ways.

3. The people who cause many of my issues are dead or out of my life. The issues that I had at the time I was placed on the drug are no more.

4. If a zombie apocalypse happened, would being on an antidepressant help or hurt my chance of survival?

5. Instead of making myself (along with the antidepressant) my personal higher power - how about if I turn my life over to my Higher Power and let G-d handle the details while I'm getting off of this s***.

4. Pick a start date and work your tapering schedule around your life and your life events.

5. Keep a journal and consider making your journal public.

6. Find another way to treat the original problems (issues) which caused you to go on antidepressants in the first place.

To any newcomers, I would add:

7. Go to www.survivingantidepressants.org and review the material found in the READ FIRST section.

The below video directed me to go to www.survivingantidepressants.org and I’m very glad that I did:

How to Stop Taking Antidepressants Safely: A Scientific Explanation

There are gross misconceptions about how to safely stop taking antidepressant medication (and other psychiatric drugs) both among medical practitioners and people who are currently taking these drugs. In this video we provide the physiological basis for why you need to stop taking antidepressants SLOWLY and in a controlled fashion.

March 17, 2021

Hello, thanks for posting this video. It has some good strategies for withdrawal. We at SA feel that a 25% taper is too fast. We suggest a 10% taper rate, based on the current dose. This gives an exponential taper with a hyperbolic curve. This link explains the rationale for that:

Why Taper by 10% of My Dosage?

Why Taper - SERT Occupancy Transporter Studies

Edited March 17, 2021 by getofflex

February 6, 2022

Tapering Off - When to Jump off the Drug Train called Bupropion? Need Advice

I want to thank everyone at this site for contributing valuable information and support! Without your help, my taper from 300-mg to 27-mg wouldn't have been possible. I feel I am righting a wrong that was done to me by society, my family and myself. At 58 years old, I want to live my life 'drug-free'!

In a year or so, I'll be down to my last 15-mg. I wonder. Does anyone know someone on this site who has tapered off Bupropion? And if so, what dosage did they jump off at and end the taper? I have read what you have as far as tips for tapering off of Wellbutrin. That's a start. But are their others who have personally finished their taper?

I want advice on how to approach the end part of my taper.
What dosage should I stop taking Bupropion?
Should I increase the taper?
Or, should I decrease the taper?
Do I keep some Bupropion with me after I reach zero, just in case I need it? Will I need it?
What will happen after I stop the drug?
Are there any medical concerns I should worry about after the taper has been completed?

I was on Bupropion for twenty years before I had the right environment and conditions to start this journey. Since 2018, I have been doing a slow taper, as suggested on this site.
Thanks

Edited February 6, 2022 by ChessieCat
added topic title before merging with intro topic/added bullet points

February 6, 2022

Welcome back,

I have moved your new topic to your Introduction topic which is the best place to ask questions about your own situation and journal your progress. This keeps your history in one place and means you do not need to repeat your story.

Please create your drug signature following these instructions.:

Instructions: Withdrawal History Signature

2 hours ago, SolidmiseryonAD said:

In a year or so, I'll be down to my last 15-mg. I wonder. ... And if so, what dosage did they jump off at and end the taper?

SA recommends going as low as you can, obviously within reason. Generally the exit dose would be about 0.0125mg. Even though it might seem that this is a ridiculously small dose, after doing a careful taper over a long period of time I personally think it is worth not trying to rush things at the end just to be off the drug. In the scheme of things I think taking a few more months to get off carefully is worth it, instead of risking upsetting things right at the end.

For me I went down to 0.0025mg Pristiq because I was having unrelated health issues at the time. I still wanted to get off the drug but I didn't want to confuse ADWD with the health issues. Even though it felt silly, I reminded myself I didn't need the drug but my brain my still be needing it.

When to end the taper and jump to zero?

2 hours ago, SolidmiseryonAD said:

Does anyone know someone on this site who has tapered off Bupropion? And if so, what dosage did they jump off at and end the taper? I have read what you have as far as tips for tapering off of Wellbutrin. That's a start. But are their others who have personally finished their taper?

This is the link to the search results for Wellbutrin in the Success Stories forum of SA. You will need to check their drug signature and/or their posts to find what dose they ended their taper at:

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/search/?q=wellbutrin

March 15, 2022

I've moved your new topic to a different forum.

There are other members who are in a similar situation to you. Please have a look at the topics in the following forum:

relationships-and-social-life

SolidmiseryonAD: fatigue after eating - fasting helps me

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