Jlrans : 8 year tbi survivor / on antidepressants for 30

[Jlrans]

Hi - I am Jlrans -- I've been on antidepressants since my late 20s (almost 30 years +/-). I was on Citalopram for most of this time.

I recall (can't remember exactly) taking somewhere in the 20mg+ range daily.

 

About 8 years ago, I had a TBI (traumatic brain injury); I fell off my bike while training for long distance (Ironman distance) triathlons and woke up 2 weeks later in a rehab hospital; I recovered fairly quickly - a few months; as of today, no acute physical challenges except for a slightly numb little toe on my left foot; hard for me to quantify TBI related mental challenges.  Lately, I have been more "out of it" and feel like I am in a brain fog. Here's some more info....

 

About a couple of years ago I experienced what my doc labelled SSRI poop out - i.e. I was getting more depressed and did not feel that Citalopram was working; I switched to Escitalopram & Bupropion . Current dosages are 10mg E and 300mg B (daily of course).

 

In the past, when I was on Citalopram, attempts to taper were awful - lots of the classic brain-zap type stuff, etc.; early this summer I stopped E & B and didn't have any major side effects but after a few weeks felt unbelievably depressed so my doc put me back on them (with a taper up to my current dosages) -- I actually was at 20mg Escitalopram but was experiences severe "brain fog" so my doc had me go back down to 10mg of E; as noted above. I am currently taking 10mg Escitalopram and 300mg Bupropion. I am still experiencing extreme brain fog, memory problems, confusion, etc... I am consulting with both my doc and my therapist.

 

I have always been concerned about the long term (almost 3 decades) effects of these mind altering drugs. I am also fascinated by the current research on using psilocybin to treat depression -- haven't taken acid since high school. Haven't smoked dope since high school; haven't used alcohol in almost 30 years. I am very fit and used to do Ironman triathlons (20 years); I still do XC ski marathons.  But am now demotivated and don't train seriously anymore.

 

Thanks for listening and for any advice.

 

-- Jlrans

Edited November 5, 2020 by Gridley

[Gridley]

Welcome to SA, Jlrans.

 

To give members the best information, we ask them to summarize their medication history in a signature -- drugs, doses, dates, and discontinuations & reinstatements, in the last 12-24 months particularly.  Please include the date you stopped the Buproprion and the Escitalopram and whether you tapered or stopped them cold turkey.  Also indicate what type of Buproprion you're taking, SR, XR or XL.

 

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature.

 

What times of day do you take your two drugs and can you tell which is more stimulating or activating?  How do you feel after taking each of your drugs?  It would be helpful to us if you would post daily symptom notes for three 24-hour periods so we can see how these drugs affect you.   Here is the format:

 

6 a.m. Woke with anxiety
8 a.m. Took 2.5mg Lexapro
10 a.m. Stomach is upset
10:30 a.m. Ate breakfast
11:35 a.m. Got a headache, lasted one hour
12:35 p.m. Ate lunch
4 p.m. Feel a bit better
5 p.m. Took 2.5mg Lexapro
6 p.m. Ate dinner
9:20 p.m. Headache
10:00 p.m. Took 50mg Seroquel
10:20 p.m. Feeling dizzy
10:30 p.m. Fell asleep
2:30 a.m. Woke, took 3mg Ambien (NOT "took 1/2 tablet Ambien")
2:45 a.m. Fell asleep
4:30 a.m. Woke but got back to sleep

 

If you cold-turkeyed or fast-tapered your two drugs this past summer, very likely the symptoms you describe--brain fog, memory problems, confusion--are due to withdrawal.  Lack of motivation--apathy--is also a common withdrawal symptom.

 

What is withdrawal syndrome.

 

Daily Checklist of Antidepressant Withdrawal Symptoms (PDF) 

 

Are you interested in tapering off your drugs?  We recommend tapering by no more than 10% of current dose every four weeks.

 

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

We recommend tapering only one drug at a time.  Otherwise, if problems arise, you won't know the cause.  We suggest tapering the more activating drug first.  Escitalopram and Wellbutrin are both activating drugs, which Is why I asked if you could tell which drug was more activating.  

 

The following two links are specifically about tapering Escitalopram and Buproprion, including how to get the nonstandard doses you'll need for a 10% taper.  Escitalopram comes in a prescription liquid form in the U.S., and this is the easiest and most accurate method.

 

Tips for tapering off escitalopram (Lexapro)

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

 

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. Get supplements that are single ingredient (not mixed with other types of supplements).

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 5, 2020 by Gridley

[Jlrans]

thank you so so much for your quick and thorough response. I would love to answer your questions and provide more detail.. Will do shortly (and try to give you a 3 day mood/activity history )/

[Adal]

Thank you JIrans,

 

i don't know if i understand. are you stopping Citalopram from 8 years ago?

if yes, how much weeks or months duration of Withdrawal effects?