EllaAnn: escitalopram and bupropion withdrawal symptoms

[EllaAnn]

I have just realized that my current symptoms may be withdrawal related. I’ve taken SSRI’s for approximately 30 years. It started with Paxil, a stimulant (don’t recall name) and a sleeping pill. I was told insurance wouldn’t pay for my counseling unless I took medication. About 15 years ago I attempted to go off with the help of a functional medicine doctor and ended up on escitalopram 20mg and eventually bupropion 150 mg was added. I reduced the escitalopram to 10mg for at least the past 3 years (never kept good records). In 2021, I decided to taper fully. Over September, October and November I cut the 20 mg tabs into 1/4’s and the Bupropion in half and then stopped it all. I cried in December ( realized I had hardly cried for 30 years but attributed this mostly to now living in a foreign country at Christmas). However, in January 2022 I began to have serious back pain and could no longer sit for any extended period. I had a history of back injury so kept up my 2x week yoga class (had done yoga for years) and walking until June 2022 when I realized my back was worse the day after yoga and my neck and shoulders were tense and burning which had never been a prior difficulty. I also have poor energy and insomnia. Chiropractic and massage helped some with the low back pain which had helped with back pain in the past. Nothing has helped my neck and shoulders, fatigue or insomnia. I’m walking and doing gentle stretches. I’m so discouraged and don’t know what to do now. I’m in Ecuador without health insurance and limited resources. Any suggestions would be helpful. I hadn’t realized the chemical imbalance theory was debunked and that withdrawal could be an issue until I did more research and found this site.

[Onmyway]

Hi @EllaAnn, 

welcome to SA. It is quite possible your pain is from withdrawal. Insomnia is often one of the tell-tale signs of withdrawal. Usually people in WD wake up early in the day. Here is a list of the most common withdrawal symptoms. Everybody's experience is different but some symptoms are more common. 

If people's symptoms are debilitating or if they have recently cut their medicines we usually recommend reinstatement but 6 months out chances of it working are not very high though there are exceptions. Here is the thread with the reinstatement information. Have a look and see if you'd be interested in this and we can discuss. 

About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms - Symptoms and self-care - Surviving Antidepressants

 

In the meantime, can you please list your drug history using these guidelines here? 

How to List Drug History in Signature - Introductions and updates - Surviving Antidepressants

 

I would suggest that you read the topic on sleep issues

Important topics about symptoms, including sleep problems - Symptoms and self-care - Surviving Antidepressants

 

I especially like this topic which has some really good tips. 

Early-morning waking - managing the morning cortisol spike - Symptoms and self-care - Surviving Antidepressants

 

These topics are also very helpful to understand what is happening to you and what to expect as you recover slowly. 

The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization - Symptoms and self-care - Surviving Antidepressants

What is happening in your brain? - Symptoms and self-care - Surviving Antidepressants

 

What we find is that people recover from withdrawal but slowly - it takes quite a while - months, even years. I order to help yourself, be gentle with your nervous system. Avoid alcohol and other psychoactive substances (street drugs, herbs even some vitamins and supplements - D, Bs can be problematic sometimes even some antibiotics and other medicines). Our nervous system tends to be quite sensitive to the introduction of new substances for a while. 

 

Hope you get better quickly, 

OMW

 

 

 

[EllaAnn]

Thank you Onmyway! I looked at many of the links you provided. These were very helpful to get ideas for help with symptoms. Honestly, for me right now the pain seems to be the primary challenge. I sleep about every other night from exhaustion.  I’m trying to think of all this now as symptoms  of healing. I now realize the constant thinking of past events may also be a symptom as is much more frequent than when I took the meds. However, the idea of years of withdrawal symptoms was overwhelming. I don’t think I’ll try reinstatement at this point.  Partly due to living in a remote area in the Andes with poor Spanish skills and no doctor. I may be able to attain supplements. I bought magnesium then realized it was probably the wrong type and a high dose so haven’t tried this. I’m going to start tracking symptoms since I’ve not been a good record keeper. I feel so broken right now and alone. Some of the few friends I have here were in yoga class and I really can’t participate at this level now. I’m glad I found this site. 

[Onmyway]

I am so glad you found us @EllaAnn, we are quite a supportive bunch. If you have a chance look at the threads of others who found the site much after their withdrawals had begun and have found a home here. You may relate to @Ariel's experience.  @Carmieis an example of grace and bravery in the face of very difficult physical issues as well. @Knosretepis struggling in a foreign country. @OldDodgyis dealing with pain and using some non-drug techniques such as hypnosis to help with it. There are many others to whom you might relate. 

 

It is hard to be in a place away from what you know - I know that from experience. It is doubly hard when you are in so much pain and unable to join social activities because of pain/fatigue/sensitivities/being easily overwhelmed. The thing we know is that you will get better over time, it just might take a while to get there and the journey will be difficult. But we are here to support you through it. 

 

Claire Weekes's method on dealing with panic and anxiety is actually quite helpful in dealing with other feelings as well. When your thoughts and feelings become overwhelming try to apply her methods. For insomnia the best tip is to make your room as dark as possible so as not to trigger the surge of cortisol in the morning. 

Dr. Claire Weekes on Anxiety – Anxieties.com

 

You will get through this, 

OMW