MattG: Zoloft to Chaos to Wellbutrin - Feeling defeated

[MattG]

Hi everyone, I don't really know what I'm posting for outside of support

Basically I was prescribed zoloft for depression in early 2018. I agreed to take it because I was an alcoholic and my family was starting to see that something was wrong. I (regretfully) blamed my problems on depression and was tapered up to 75mg of Zoloft over the next few weeks. About 2 months after that I was in a pretty serious accident while intoxicated and ended up going to inpatient drug/alcohol rehab and I've been clean and sober since. After rehab I continued the zoloft regiment, dropping dosages down to 25mg without experiencing any downsides. In what is now one of the biggest regrets of my life in late November 2021 I stopped taking the 25mg of Zoloft assuming it would be like the other times I dropped 25mg. Felt AMAZING for a week then had an enormous crash. Complete and utter anhedonia and sexual dysfunction, which are things I had never experienced before even during my darkest days in addiction. I restarted the zoloft and tapered it over 2 months (still not great after reading the guideline here, but a lot more manageable) and added Wellbutrin. I'm currently on 300mg of Wellbturin and haven't taken zoloft in a month (schedule can be seen below). I DREAD taking the Wellbutrin, it makes me clench my jaw, the anxiety gets unbearable, and my mood is either zoned out or completely depressed. My work performance on Wellbutrin is even worse than when I was anhedonic post-zoloft. Sexual functioning improvements have also declined, it helped for about 1-2 weeks in that regard (might've been a so-called honeymoon period). At this point I see psychiatric drugs as the devil, I've never felt this awful even as a full blown active alcoholic/addict. I have no desire to go back to substance abuse to cope as I know it won't help. I've been on the Wellbutrin 8-9 weeks now and I want out, the side effects are unbearable and I don't really feel much better at all. I'm speaking to my psychiatrist who prescribed the Wellbutrin soon and am telling him I want to come off. I'm just so scared, I feel like I made this huge mistake and have been paying for it for almost 6 months now. Any support or positive stories of recovery would be deeply appreciated. 

 

[MattG]

MattG: Zoloft, Chaos, Wellbutrin with no improvements.

 

Hi everyone, I don't really know what I'm posting for outside of support

Basically I was prescribed zoloft for depression in early 2018. I agreed to take it because I was an alcoholic and my family was starting to see that something was wrong. I (regretfully) blamed my problems on depression and was tapered up to 75mg of Zoloft over the next few weeks. About 2 months after that I was in a pretty serious accident while intoxicated and ended up going to inpatient drug/alcohol rehab and I've been clean and sober since. After rehab I continued the zoloft regiment, dropping dosages down to 25mg without experiencing any downsides. In what is now one of the biggest regrets of my life in late November 2021 I stopped taking the 25mg of Zoloft assuming it would be like the other times I dropped 25mg. Felt AMAZING for a week then had an enormous crash. Complete and utter anhedonia and sexual dysfunction, which are things I had never experienced before even during my darkest days in addiction. I restarted the zoloft and tapered it over 2 months (still not great after reading the guideline here, but a lot more manageable) and added Wellbutrin. I'm currently on 300mg of Wellbturin and haven't taken zoloft in a month (schedule can be seen below). I DREAD taking the Wellbutrin, it makes me clench my jaw, the anxiety gets unbearable, and my mood is either zoned out or completely depressed. My work performance on Wellbutrin is even worse than when I was anhedonic post-zoloft. Sexual functioning improvements have also declined, it helped for about 1-2 weeks in that regard (might've been a so-called honeymoon period). At this point I see psychiatric drugs as the devil, I've never felt this awful even as a full blown active alcoholic/addict. I have no desire to go back to substance abuse to cope as I know it won't help. I've been on the Wellbutrin 8-9 weeks now and I want out, the side effects are unbearable and I don't really feel much better at all. I'm speaking to my psychiatrist who prescribed the Wellbutrin soon and am telling him I want to come off. I'm just so scared, I feel like I made this huge mistake and have been paying for it for almost 6 months now. Any support or positive stories of recovery would be deeply appreciated. 

Also I posted this without my username in the title and couldn't edit it so I'm reposting to correct that. Sorry about this moderators! Still trying to get a lay of the land.

 

Edited April 10, 2022 by ChessieCat
added Intro topic title before merging with intro topic

[getofflex]

Hello, and welcome to SA.  We are a volunteer-run community of people who have been or are getting off of psychiatric drugs.  I salute you for getting sober.  I'm very sorry you are going through this hell with the psychiatric drugs.  I sounds to me as though you may be experiencing a combination of withdrawal symptoms from getting off the Zoloft twice in the past year, along with possible adverse effects from taking the Wellbutrin.  Wellbutrin is a very activating drug, meaning it revs up the nervous system causing symptoms like anxiety, agitation, increased blood pressure, tinnitus, hostility, etc. Do you feel worse in the hours after you take your Wellbutrin?  

 

Here is some information about how these drugs actually work.   This explains why we get symptoms from going off of these medications, and why it's so important to taper slowly and carefully, and be very cautious about changing our doses: 

 

How Psychiatric Drugs Remodel Your Brain

 

 

This helps you understand what withdrawal syndrome is: 

 

Video on Recovery from Psych Drugs

 

Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

 

Here is a link with checklists of common WD symptoms.  Symptoms of adverse reaction are similar to those of WD. 

 

Dr Joseph Glenmullen Withdrawal Symptom Checklists

 

 

Here are some techniques to cope with symptoms: 

 

Non Drug Ways to Cope with Withdrawal Symptoms

 

Stability is really important when we are tapering off psych meds.  Please read the link about stability:

 

Keep It Simple, Slow, and Stable

 

 

We don't suggest many supplements, but 2 that many of us find helpful are magnesium and omega-3 fish oil. Here are the links for info about those. It is suggested to add one at a time, and start with a low dose to see how it affects you. 

Magnesium

Omega 3 Fish Oil

 

 

Here is information about drug adverse reactions: 

 

Adverse Reaction

 

Unfortunately, since you've been taking the Wellbutrin for several months, your nervous system has become dependent on it, and it will still need to be tapered at the 10% reduction rate that we suggest on this site.  Tapering is best done slowly, and we generally taper by 10% of the current dose no more than once every 4 weeks, so that the reduction becomes exponentially smaller.

 

 Why Taper by 10% of my Dosage  

 

Tips for Tapering Wellbutrin

 

There is quite a lot here to digest.  Feel free to ask any questions, and we look forward to hearing from you soon.  

[MattG]

23 hours ago, MattG said:

Yeah I've noticed that I usually feel pretty good in the morning when I wake up and start feeling worse around 11am like clockwork. I'm working with my psychiatrist on a taper plan and I'm going to present what's on here as a way to do it. Also I'm realizing I made a typo in my signature which I will change! I actually didn't start the 300mg of Wellbutrin until late February/ Early March. Do you think I still need the 10% reduction plan? I've only been at this dosage for about 6 weeks and with that plan the taper would be so much longer than I've even been on the drug! I'm not trying to question anybody, just want to make sure I go about this the best way possible while getting this stuff out of my system the fastest, but safest way possible. I'm already taking magnesium and fish oil, which my psychiatrist asked me to do which is great. I've expressed my fears about withdrawals to my psychiatrist and he's actually been very understanding. He did mention that his patient's usually have a much easier time withdrawing from Wellbutrin than from SSRI's which does bring me some hope!

 

 

[getofflex]

1 hour ago, MattG said:

I'm working with my psychiatrist on a taper plan and I'm going to present what's on here as a way to do it.

Please be super careful listening to your psychiatrist's taper advice.  They are very notorious for tapering people off way too fast.  Many of them are arrogant, and will poo poo what this site says about how to taper and minimize withdrawal.  Most of them are brainwashed by big Pharma to believe that withdrawal from psych drugs is minimal and short lived, but they are wrong. 

 

Yes, it would still be best to do the 10% per month tapering plan, because the brain becomes dependent on these drugs after only 4 weeks.  I know, it's unfortunate that your taper will be longer than you were on the drug.  Please read this link about too fast tapers. 

 

Fast Tapers and Cold Turkeys

 

1 hour ago, MattG said:

I've expressed my fears about withdrawals to my psychiatrist and he's actually been very understanding.

 

I'm glad to hear this.  Hopefully he will listen to you and be willing to compromise. 

[MattG]

Thank you for the advice, looks like I have a road ahead of me!

[getofflex]

Yes, you do, we all do here in this forum.  But the road gets easier as we trudge along it, even though we sometimes fall into potholes, and the road is hilly.  Eventually you will come to the end of this road, and perhaps realize that you learned some important lessons along the way.  Challenges have a way of teaching us things.