littlebird: tried tapering Pristiq - will try tapering Wellbutrin instead

[littlebird]

tried tapering Pristiq, too tough, looking to try tapering Wellbutrin next

 

Hello all!

 

It has been so helpful to read through this wonderful community, and it’s giving me more hope than I’ve had in a long time. When I was a troubled teen, my parents put me on Prozac, said it made me too angry, and started switching it up and I was on a cocktail before graduation. Been on one ever since, I can’t even remember the chronology of what was taken when, though perhaps I should sit down and try to figure it out.

 

This year, I tapered down Buspar and successfully got off of it. Anxiety went up a bit, but I took more Gabapentin and was fine. Recently, partly due to Kaiser not being able to fill it, I tried tapering down on Pristiq. Since I’m on the lowest possible dose, and it’s time release, I’m having a rough time figuring this out. I read that the maker recommends taking it every other day, then less, but that seems like a real ping-pong for the ole brain. Cutting it to lower the dose was a terrible plan, I spiked in anxiety then crashed for the rest of the day. 

 

Since I felt so terrible with lowered Pristiq, it made me wonder if that’s working and I should leave it alone for now. I’ve been on Wellbutrin for longer, so maybe that’s a good one to let go of. I was considering switching to the non-time-release version, but remembered that made me feel suicidal in the past, which got better when I switched back to the same dose of Wellbutrin SR.

 

I’ve also had trouble finding doctors who can/will help. Everyone has told me that since I’ve been on meds since I was young, I’m stuck. Or that it would require more therapy than my insurance company/provider Kaiser is able to provide. For years now, every time I ask about lowering a dose or being on less meds, I walk out of there having gotten a hard sell to increase or add another one. It’s maddening! Finally tapered down on the Buspar on my own, since I couldn’t find anyone to help. 

 

With lots of coping skills and self-soothing, it was all right. The problem for me now is this time release mess and being on the lowest doses! I’ll keep diving into what other people have done and see what options might work. Hoping that one day I can find a doctor willing to help me lower, not increase, the meds. I had a family member of kidney failure caused by a mental health med, so being on these for the rest of my life (and potentially shortening it in the process) sounds like a bad plan. Still, figuring this all out is tough! Grateful to find this resource, and learn ways to safely decrease with the goal of getting off some or all meds.

 

Thank you all, and I hope you’re all doing well!

 

Edited October 14, 2022 by ChessieCat
added topic title before shortening

[Frogie]

@littlebird

 

Welcome to SA. We are a volunteer ran site helping people taper off psychiatric medications or have tapered off and are now healing.

 

This is your introduction page where you will receive information, ask questions and meet other members. We ask that you only have one introduction page so we can keep all your information in one place.

 

I'm sorry to hear of your struggles on tapering Pristiq, but you are able to taper off. One of our moderators, @ChessieCat was able to taper off of it with a very slow taper. You could look at her page and see how she did it. I am going to give you some links to also read.

 

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

NEVER SKIP DOSES TO TAPER

 

Tips for tapering off desvenlafaxine (Pristiq)

 

Tips for tapering off gabapentin (Neurontin)

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

 

Tips for tapering off quetiapine (Seroquel)

 

Here is some important information about how these drugs actually work.  This explains why we get symptoms from going off of these medications:

 

How Psychiatric Drugs Remodel Your Brain

 

This helps you understand what withdrawal syndrome is: 

 

Video on Recovery from Psych Drugs

 

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

 

Keep It Simple, Slow, and Stable

 

Here are some other links that you find useful in your tapering.

 

Taking multiple psych drugs? Which drug to taper first?

 

Preparing to taper

 

Dr. Joseph Glenmullen's withdrawal symptom checklist

How do you talk to a doctor about tapering and withdrawal?

 

We don't suggest a lot of supplements on here as they can be stimulating to the central nervous system (CNS), except 2. If you would like to try one, try a small amount and wait a few days before introducing the other.

 

Magnesium

Omega 3 Fish Oil

 

After you have read the links provided, please reach out with any questions you may have.

 

Edited October 18, 2022 by ChessieCat
removed excess white space

[littlebird]

Thank you so much!! Going to do a deep dive into these resources. Feeling SO grateful to have help!

[Frogie]

@littlebird

 

I'm glad I could help.

 

Please reach out with any questions you may have.

[Shep]

@littlebird Please post the time(s) of day (o'clock) that you take your drugs.

 

The reason I mention this is because there are numerous dangerous drug interactions with your drug cocktail. You may find some relief by spacing them out so the interacting drugs are taken at least two hours apart from each other. 

 

Here is the report off of a drug interaction checker:

 

Quote

Interactions between your drugs

Major

buPROPion  QUEtiapine

Applies to: Wellbutrin SR (bupropion), Seroquel (quetiapine)

BuPROPion may rarely cause seizures, and combining it with other medications that can also cause seizures such as QUEtiapine may increase that risk. You may be more susceptible if you are elderly, undergoing alcohol or drug withdrawal, have a history of seizures, or have a condition affecting the central nervous system such as a brain tumor or head trauma. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. Your doctor may be able to prescribe alternatives that do not interact, or you may need a dose adjustment or more frequent monitoring by your doctor to safely use both medications. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with these medications. Also avoid activities requiring mental alertness such as driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how the medications affect you. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.

Switch to professional interaction data

Major

buPROPion  desvenlafaxine

Applies to: Wellbutrin SR (bupropion), Pristiq (desvenlafaxine)

BuPROPion may rarely cause seizures, and combining it with other medications that can also cause seizures such as desvenlafaxine may increase that risk. You may be more susceptible if you are elderly, undergoing alcohol or drug withdrawal, have a history of seizures, or have a condition affecting the central nervous system such as a brain tumor or head trauma. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. Your doctor may be able to prescribe alternatives that do not interact, or you may need a dose adjustment or more frequent monitoring by your doctor to safely use both medications. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with these medications. Also avoid activities requiring mental alertness such as driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how the medications affect you. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.

Switch to professional interaction data

Moderate

gabapentin  QUEtiapine

Applies to: gabapentin, Seroquel (quetiapine)

Using gabapentin together with QUEtiapine may increase side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, and difficulty concentrating. Some people, especially the elderly, may also experience impairment in thinking, judgment, and motor coordination. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with these medications. Also avoid activities requiring mental alertness such as driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how the medications affect you. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.

Switch to professional interaction data

 

Moderate

gabapentin  desvenlafaxine

Applies to: gabapentin, Pristiq (desvenlafaxine)

Treatment with desvenlafaxine may occasionally cause blood sodium levels to get too low, a condition known as hyponatremia, and using it with some anticonvulsants can increase that risk. In addition, desvenlafaxine can cause seizures in susceptible patients, which may reduce the effectiveness of medications that are used to control seizures such as gabapentin. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. Your doctor may be able to prescribe alternatives that do not interact, or you may need a dose adjustment or more frequent monitoring to safely use both medications. You should seek medical attention if you experience nausea, vomiting, headache, lethargy, irritability, difficulty concentrating, memory impairment, confusion, muscle spasm, weakness or unsteadiness, as these may be symptoms of hyponatremia. More severe cases may lead to hallucination, fainting, seizure, coma, and even death. Also let your doctor know if you develop seizures or experience an increase in seizures during treatment with desvenlafaxine. Additionally, because these medications may cause dizziness, drowsiness, and impairment in judgment, reaction speed and motor coordination, you should avoid driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how they affect you. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.

Switch to professional interaction data

Moderate

QUEtiapine  desvenlafaxine

Applies to: Seroquel (quetiapine), Pristiq (desvenlafaxine)

Using QUEtiapine together with desvenlafaxine may increase side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, and difficulty concentrating. Some people, especially the elderly, may also experience impairment in thinking, judgment, and motor coordination. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with these medications. Also avoid activities requiring mental alertness such as driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how the medications affect you. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.

Switch to professional interaction data

No other interactions were found between your selected drugs. However, this does not necessarily mean no other interactions exist. Always consult your healthcare provider.

 

[littlebird]

Thank you so much for letting me know!!! Oh my goodness. I take Pristiq, Wellbutrin, and Gabapentin at the same time every morning, then a stand-alone dose of Gabapentin in the afternoon (unless I forget), and Gabapentin and Seroquel at night right before bed.

 

I need advocate to get re-assigned to a psychiatrist to ask about this. The last few I worked with left Kaiser very suddenly, then after the last one I wasn’t re-assigned. Gotta follow up on that. My concentration has been terrible, which after reading about these drug interactions, I’m wondering if those are playing into them…

 

Thank you again for this info! Do you have any thoughts about better times to take these meds before I work on figuring out how to taper down on one of them?

[ChessieCat]

2 hours ago, littlebird said:

(unless I forget)

 

It is important to take your doses at the same time every day.

[littlebird]

9 hours ago, littlebird said:

Thank you so much for letting me know!!! Oh my goodness. I take Pristiq, Wellbutrin, and Gabapentin at the same time every morning, then a stand-alone dose of Gabapentin in the afternoon (unless I forget), and Gabapentin and Seroquel at night right before bed.

 

I need advocate to get re-assigned to a psychiatrist to ask about this. The last few I worked with left Kaiser very suddenly, then after the last one I wasn’t re-assigned. Gotta follow up on that. My concentration has been terrible, which after reading about these drug interactions, I’m wondering if those are playing into them…

 

Thank you again for this info! Do you have any thoughts about better times to take these meds before I work on figuring out how to taper down on one of them?

This was in reply to @Shepforgot to @ you! Should I try taking Wellbutrin and Pristiq at different times? @ChessieCatYou’re so right, I need to make alarms on my phone to remind me to take things at the same time every day.

 

Thanks for all your help, y’all!

[ChessieCat]

5 minutes ago, littlebird said:

I need to make alarms on my phone to remind me to take things at the same time every day.

 

There are are some good ideas in this topic:

 

tips-to-remember-to-take-your-dose-reminder-ideas

 

[Shep]

17 hours ago, littlebird said:

I take Pristiq, Wellbutrin, and Gabapentin at the same time every morning, then a stand-alone dose of Gabapentin in the afternoon (unless I forget), and Gabapentin and Seroquel at night right before bed.

 

17 hours ago, littlebird said:

Do you have any thoughts about better times to take these meds before I work on figuring out how to taper down on one of them?

 

From the drug interaction report, we know that:

 

• Wellbutrin SR and Seroquel = MAJOR drug interaction
• Wellbutrin SR and Pristiq = MAJOR drug interaction
• Gabapentin and Seroquel = MODERATE drug interaction
• Gabapentin and Pristiq = MODERATE drug interaction
• Seroquel and Pristiq = MODERATE drug interaction

 

There are no drug interactions found between Wellbutrin SR and Gabapentin, so those are safe to take together.  Since you need the Seroquel at night for sleep, I would move the Gabapentin to earlier in the evening by at least two hours. 

 

Below is a sample schedule, which you may need to modify to fit your work / life schedule. But try to keep the conflicting drugs apart from each other by at least 2 hours if you need to modify this schedule. We usually recommend slowly moving doses just one hour a day to get them where they need to be, as this is gentlest on the nervous system. I would start by moving the Seroquel and the Gabapentin apart tonight by an hour and see how you do. Tomorrow, you could space out your morning drugs by an hour and space out the evenings drugs by an additional hour. The following day, you can move the drugs another hour and you'll have your schedule set. 

 

          6 AM 200 mg Gabapentin and 100 mg Wellbutrin SR 

          8 AM 25 mg Pristiq

          12 Noon 200 mg Gabapentin

          7 PM - 200 mg Gabapentin

          9 PM - 100 mg Seroquel

 

Are you currently taking any supplements? If so, please list them. Please note that if you're taking magnesium, it can block the absorption of Gabapentin, so you'll want to space magnesium away from Gabapentin by at least 2 hours. 

 

17 hours ago, littlebird said:

I need advocate to get re-assigned to a psychiatrist to ask about this. The last few I worked with left Kaiser very suddenly, then after the last one I wasn’t re-assigned

 

Any doctor can prescribe these drugs. Most doctors, including psychiatrists, are ignorant about withdrawal. 

 

If your doctor is happy prescribing you drugs, simply thank him or her and accept the prescriptions. YOU are in charge of what you place in your body. Please see:

How do you talk to a doctor about tapering and withdrawal?

 

Please let us know how you do as you space your drugs apart over the coming days. 

[littlebird]

Thank you, @Shep! Yesterday was my first day spacing out the doses and I felt much more clear-headed. It’ll take some getting used to, and setting lots of alarms. I’m so grateful for this information, thank you!

 

I was going to say I don’t take Magnesium, but the multivitamin I was taking at night has it. I’ll have to space that out too! Thanks again, this is so helpful.

[Shep]

13 hours ago, littlebird said:

I was going to say I don’t take Magnesium, but the multivitamin I was taking at night has it. I’ll have to space that out too! Thanks again, this is so helpful.

 

Please research your vitamins. Multivitamins can be problematic, as they may contain vitamins that are stimulating for those going through withdrawal (B vitamins and D3 can be stimulating, for example, which, if taken, should be taken in the morning. More on vitamins here: 

 

Important topics about tests, supplements, treatments, diet

 

Many vitamins can be found naturally in foods. This can be more problematic for vegans, though, as B12 is only found in animal sources. 

 

How is your diet? Are you getting enough water throughout the day? Avoiding caffeine, sugar, and alcohol? 

 

As you prepare for your taper, please take all of these things into consideration. 

 

I'm glad spacing out your drugs was immediately helpful. Please let us know how you're doing over the coming days. 

[littlebird]

@ShepThank you so much! This is so helpful. My diet has been a bit off lately, it’s been a busy time, and I’ve been succeeding at upping my water intake. My anxiety increased when I started the every two hour thing, so I decreased caffeine intake and went with calming things like chamomile tea instead. Also, today I tried taking 3 Gabapentin in the morning and it helped a lot with anxiety later in the day.

 

Moods are definitely affected by this change, for better and worse! Just adjusting and getting used to it all, as well as being constant with setting those 2 hour alarms. My work schedule is highly variable; I don’t wake up/eat at the same time each day, so timers have been my best friend.

 

Also, and this is so weird to me, as soon as I stopped taking the Gabapentin with Seroquel, I would wake up throughout the night with the worst night sweats I’ve ever had, which definitely affected my sleep quality. The other night, fed up with waking up so often drenched and changing sheets/clothes, I decided to experiment with taking 1, rather than the previous 2, Gabapentin with Seroquel at bedtime. Sure enough, no night sweats. Tried it again last night, no sweat! Also, better sleep than usual and I actually remembered a dream, which is unusual.

 

Any idea why that night sweat thing might be? It definitely seems linked to the lack of Gabapentin paired with Seroquel. I don’t have a heavy comforter, and don’t usually sleep hot! Hopefully it’s safe to keep taking 1 Gabapentin with the Seroquel, as it’s been absolutely lovely to wake up comfy.

 

Thank you again for all your help, my (unmedicated) ADHD seems a lot better with this spacing out, and it feels good to be getting control over this cocktail. You’re fantastic!

[littlebird]

I’m starting to wonder if Seroquel is the place to start tapering. It’s the only one safe to cut, for one. The thing is, I truly do need it to sleep. Between nightmares, cPTSD sleep-avoidance, and perhaps my own chemistry, at this point in life I need some help sleeping. It’s also the only thing I’m able to taper that has an available lower dosage, 50mg, which could be a good goal to (slowly) get to.

 

Perhaps the extreme sweat is a sign the dose is too high? Seroquel also makes me ravenously hungry right before I drop off, which I read about being a common side effect from the blood sugar/cholesterol being affected, and it would be nice to get a little less of that and stop midnight snacking (which would probably also help my sleep quality, I’ve heard digesting too much isn’t great for your sleep). 

 

I fell asleep with an electric blanket on high, and it STILL wasn’t the same level of sweat. Last night, I made sure to be very careful to time it out to be 200mg Gabapentin 2 hours before Seroquel, and it was a more comfortable night. I’ll be sure to turn off electric blanket tonight when I replicate that to see if this could be a workaround to taking 1 at bedtime. 

[Shep]

19 hours ago, littlebird said:

Also, and this is so weird to me, as soon as I stopped taking the Gabapentin with Seroquel, I would wake up throughout the night with the worst night sweats I’ve ever had, which definitely affected my sleep quality. The other night, fed up with waking up so often drenched and changing sheets/clothes, I decided to experiment with taking 1, rather than the previous 2, Gabapentin with Seroquel at bedtime. Sure enough, no night sweats. Tried it again last night, no sweat! Also, better sleep than usual and I actually remembered a dream, which is unusual.

 

Any idea why that night sweat thing might be? It definitely seems linked to the lack of Gabapentin paired with Seroquel. I don’t have a heavy comforter, and don’t usually sleep hot! Hopefully it’s safe to keep taking 1 Gabapentin with the Seroquel, as it’s been absolutely lovely to wake up comfy.

 

That's odd, but anything is possible with these drugs. Glad you figured out a better dosing schedule. 

 

Adverse reactions are dose dependent and your Seroquel dose for sleep is much lower at 100 mg than what is prescribed for other things (many people are on the 600 - 800 mg range). Keep an eye on how you feel. You can also separate the doses again if it becomes a problem.

 

1 hour ago, littlebird said:

I’m starting to wonder if Seroquel is the place to start tapering. It’s the only one safe to cut, for one. The thing is, I truly do need it to sleep.

 

You'll want to taper the antidepressants first. This will preserve sleep. Please see:

 

Taking multiple psych drugs? Which drug to taper first?

 

I would target the Wellbutrin first. It's linked to two major drug interactions. 

 

Please post your thoughts. 

[littlebird]

Oh good, thank you! Okay, I’ll keep Seroquel as is and target Wellbutrin. It’s been a super busy day, but I’ll dive into research about safely doing that tomorrow! 

[littlebird]

I’m having a heck of a time with timing! On a quiet day, I’m pretty good about remembering to set timers between doses. Then, if work gets spicy, I can completely lose track of where I’m at. Totally forgot to take Pristiq the other day! Being a lot more careful with timers.

 

I’ve noticed I feel a lot cloudier, like it’s harder to concentrate after taking the Pristiq two hours after the Wellbutrin/Gabapentin combo. I’ll have a productive morning, then take the Pristiq, and struggle to complete tasks. I also feel rather nervous and activated after it kicks in. Quite unpleasant!

[littlebird]

Hello friends!

 

Thank you to @ChessieCatand @Shep for all the help! I’ve adjusted to the every two hours, which threw me for a loop at first with the changes in my system, but is more steady now. I realized I was feeling terrible every day after taking Pristiq, so I’m going to try spacing that out farther than two hours from the morning Wellbutrin/Gabapentin.

 

As much as I’d like to not add anything else, I also need to figure out a way to mitigate the ADHD. I often got panic from those meds, but the linear thinking really helped me get things done and feel happier with what I’d done during the day. I wonder how much of my depression is from being literally surrounded by messes I can’t manage? Who knows!

 

I recently had the happiest day of my life, somewhat hampered by the (for lack of a better word) over-medicated feeling that led me to this site. I’m wondering if anyone has any thoughts on which med might be making me feel this way. Perhaps the Seroquel? 

 

I’m also grappling with some feelings about doctors who prescribed/approved/refilled this cocktail that has serious interactions for years. I already struggled with trust for the medical establishment for other reasons, but gosh it’s hard to start a relationship with a new psychiatrist and trust they know what they’re talking about. Also very much need to find a new therapist (mine burned out partway through the pandemic) to help with that.

 

I’m in such a fog most days that it’s hard to do these things that will help me get out of the fog. Most days, I realize late in the day (past business hours) that another day went by without me calling the psychiatry department. Again, perhaps something that would be helped by finding ADHD treatment… what a vicious cycle! 

 

Again, thank you for all your help! The spacing out of meds has helped a lot. Starting to wonder, especially since the Seroquel is the only med I’m on that can be safely split, if that might be a good place to start tapering. Gosh, I’m so tired of feeling so rough!

[Shep]

10 hours ago, littlebird said:

As much as I’d like to not add anything else, I also need to figure out a way to mitigate the ADHD.

 

You're massively polydrugged with MAJOR drug interactions and you've been drugged for over 20 years. That's not a "mental disorder". Anybody would have trouble getting through the day on this type of cocktail. Please stop using terms like "ADHD" - it can only set you back if you truly want to be drug free. 

 

You can research for non-drug ways of handling these problems. Having a list of what you need to do each day, keeping your home clean, limiting distractions such as email, text, and social media notifications can all help in keeping you focused. Having one task to do at a time can also help. 

 

When you're feeling overwhelmed, taking a walk in nature can help, listening to favorite music to relax, yoga and / or meditation, etc. You may find bringing in these types of non-drug coping skills makes it easier to focus as you practice these skills over time, especially as you get off these drugs and go into the healing phase. 

 

Earlier this year, I read Johann Hari's book Stolen Focus. Here's a one and a half minute video with the author describing his book:

 

Johann Hari tells us about Stolen Focus! video (1.5 minute)

 

You can search on YouTube for interviews with Johann Hari where he goes through what's in the book. Definitely worth checking out. 

 

10 hours ago, littlebird said:

I recently had the happiest day of my life, somewhat hampered by the (for lack of a better word) over-medicated feeling that led me to this site. I’m wondering if anyone has any thoughts on which med might be making me feel this way. Perhaps the Seroquel? 

 

Please see:

 

Taking multiple psych drugs? Which drug to taper first?

 

If Seroquel is the drug that helps the most with sleep, you'll want to taper it last. Does Gapabentin make you feel over-medicated during the day? 

 

[littlebird]

On 12/2/2022 at 1:30 AM, Shep said:

Does Gapabentin make you feel over-medicated during the day? 

 

I’d been wondering about that, and recently had to take a lower dose when I had an issue with the pharmacy. It does make me feel a little sleepy, but helps with anxiety and chronic pain issues. Since the Pristiq and Wellbutrin seem to be making anxiety worse, I feel like at this time I need to keep taking the Gabapentin. I was originally prescribed it for anxiety, but discovered that it helps a lot with chronic nerve pain, which gets worse when I take a lower dose. 

 

Thank you for the suggestions about focus! Hoping I can find some ways to help myself that don’t include adding in more meds. It feels like the panic attacks I got on focus meds were a sign they weren’t right for me. I know some people take benzodiazepines daily with their focus stimulants, but that’s so darn dangerous. If I can find ways to increase focus without pills, that would truly be life-changing! Will look into that book, much appreciated!

[littlebird]

@ShepOk, I have a different perspective on that Gabapentin now! I’d been feeling so poorly in the afternoons that I decided to switch the order of my meds today: start with the Pristiq, then take the Wellbutrin/Gabapentin combination in the afternoon. It was the first morning in ages that I didn’t get a stomachache, which hit after taking the Wellbutrin/Gabapentin. I starting thinking about how I would also get terrible stomachaches in the evenings since I started taking Gabapentin hours before bed instead of paired with the Seroquel.

 

I looked up Gabapentin and stomachaches, and saw some sites saying that it’s a sign that It’s affecting my pancreas. That would make sense, since the stomachaches are fairly new and I’ve been on Gabapentin for years. I started thinking about how on the days when I take 300mg instead of the usual 200mg, something doctors advised when I was anxious, the sleepiness could be that over-medicated feeling turned up to 11. 

 

The more I read about Gabapentin, the less it seemed like the benign little helper for my anxiety and nerve pain. I never really looked into why it helped those things, it prevents synapse growth. Yikes! 

 

My fear is that because the Wellbutrin and the Pristiq are so activating to my anxiety, that tapering Gabapentin might make that worse. Tbh, my anxiety has been really, really bad and is affecting my life to the point that I don’t do things that are good for me and my family (like walk the dog by myself). The nerve pain used to be so bad, I’m wincing just thinking of how bad it’ll get again without the Gabapentin… but these stomachaches are increasingly bad, every time I take my dose. Oh no!!

[Shep]

18 hours ago, littlebird said:

I was originally prescribed it for anxiety, but discovered that it helps a lot with chronic nerve pain, which gets worse when I take a lower dose. 

 

Is your nerve pain related to withdrawal or are you dealing with another injury or disease? 

 

16 hours ago, littlebird said:

I looked up Gabapentin and stomachaches, and saw some sites saying that it’s a sign that It’s affecting my pancreas.

 

16 hours ago, littlebird said:

The nerve pain used to be so bad, I’m wincing just thinking of how bad it’ll get again without the Gabapentin… but these stomachaches are increasingly bad, every time I take my dose. Oh no!!

 

Have you had this checked out by a doctor to see if you're suffering from pancreatitis? 

[littlebird]

On 12/4/2022 at 8:46 AM, Shep said:

Is your nerve pain related to withdrawal or are you dealing with another injury or disease? 

It’s chronic pain, from permanent injuries. I also struggle with fibromyalgia, and Gabapentin was a godsend for that. I am currently taking a half dose (100 mg instead of 200), and the stomach pains are incredibly better, so I think that’s the culprit. My anxiety and body pain really went through the roof last night, though… and I’m feeling literally shaky today. Maybe halving the dose was too much too soon, but I had to try something when I realized the stomach pain was connected to the pills.

 

On 12/4/2022 at 8:46 AM, Shep said:

Have you had this checked out by a doctor to see if you're suffering from pancreatitis? 

Messaged my PCP once I made the connection, and I’m going in for lab work today. So grateful to find what was going on and have less stomach pain, that was really affecting my life.

 

Darn it, Gabapentin! I thought that it was a nice, helpful friend… oof, maybe not so much. Last night, I felt feverish and had terrible night sweats, which was a problem when I stopped taking Gabapentin with Seroquel at bedtime. I was reading that can also be connected to the pancreas.

 

I realized that the combination of Seroquel and Gabapentin at bedtime might have been affecting my pancreas/blood-sugar as well. I used to have severe sugar cravings at bedtime after the pills kicked in, before the Seroquel knocked me out, which are gone now. Weird!

 

Since your help in separating Gabapentin from Seroquel at bedtime, my sleep is much improved. I wake up feeling actually refreshed and the dark circles under my eyes are SO much better. From what I was reading, that combination was affecting my respiration while I slept! 

 

I’ve been reading that Seroquel is linked to Diabetes, which runs in my family, so that’s not great! I’m looking into diet changes that might help my pancreas too.

 

Thanks again for the support, this is helping a lot!

[Shep]

2 hours ago, littlebird said:

Maybe halving the dose was too much too soon, but I had to try something when I realized the stomach pain was connected to the pills.

 

 

A 50% reduction on a drug you've been on for years may indeed be too much.

 

If that turns out to be true, you may want to increase it 25% and see if you still get some reduction in side effects without having as many withdrawal problems. 

 

2 hours ago, littlebird said:

Messaged my PCP once I made the connection, and I’m going in for lab work today. So grateful to find what was going on and have less stomach pain, that was really affecting my life.

 

Please let us know what you find out. 

[littlebird]

@ShepYou were right! 25% was much more manageable. Opening up the capsules got a bit messy, and I had to eyeball it, but I was much less anxious and didn’t get a stomachache. I think I should get a mg scale, and maybe gradually taper down to a single pill.

 

Since I’ve made this change, I’m wondering if I should give my system a little time to get used to the smaller dose before starting tapering Wellbutrin. What do you think?

 

Got my lab results, but haven’t heard from the doctor what they mean yet (and googling things led to a rabbit hole of “pancreatic cancer,” so not going to do that anymore). Hopefully I hear from him today! 

[Shep]

20 hours ago, littlebird said:

Since I’ve made this change, I’m wondering if I should give my system a little time to get used to the smaller dose before starting tapering Wellbutrin. What do you think?

 

Yes, I would wait to taper anything else until you have a solid baseline established. This post is helpful in knowing when it's safe to taper:

 

Withdrawal Normal

 

 

[littlebird]

Thank you, @Shep! That was very helpful. I didn’t have time to mess with the powders today, so took 100mg, which wasn’t great for anxiety. I’ll carve some time out to divide up some pills tonight. I should find a mg scale, I don’t know how I’m doing with eyeballing it.

[Shep]

Many people find the Gemini-20 scale to be great for tapering with precise measurements. Please see: 

 

Using a scale to weigh and measure doses

[littlebird]

@ShepHeard from my doctor, some numbers are slightly elevated, but pancreas is ok. What a relief! Took the time to divide up the powder this morning, and while I made it a little too strong (got a slight stomachache), my anxiety was much better and I haven’t had any pain flares.

 

I replied to my doctor to ask if he has any recommendations about what I should do about Gabapentin/dosage/stomachaches, but he tends to be a human shrug for a lot of questions, so I’m not holding out hope for help on that. Worth a shot, though.

 

Talking to a neighbor today and noticed it was easier to smile, and I’ve been feeling happier/lighter/more present. Maybe that “over-medicated” feeling was Gabapentin all along? It’s been a normal day, nothing out of the ordinary that might lift my mood,  so I’m thinking it might be the med change. Who knows! The neighbor I was talking to commented that I seemed happier and more relaxed than I have in ages, so it’s noticeable to others as well.

 

Thank you for the scale recommendation! I was thinking of walking into one of those corner store smoke shops that sell tiny bags, this is a way better option (and likely to be a better scale than I’d find there). 

[Shep]

@littlebirdGreat news on the lab report, littlebird.  I'm sure that's a major relief. Hopefully the numbers that are slightly elevated with go back to the normal range as you taper. 

 

Yes, a good scale is always recommended here. The Gemini-20 is sold on Amazon, eBay, and other places. 

[littlebird]

@ShepStill adjusting to the Gabapentin change, been having some emotionality and mood swings, but I’m feeling less numbed out. The first scale that came malfunctioned, but the replacement should be coming today. That might help with the mood swings, having exact numbers instead of eyeballing it. I’ve been irritable, and more reactive to small annoyances than I usually would be, but that’s probably part of the numbness going away.

 

I’m having issues with night sweats, and they’re definitely connected to the Gabapentin. When I stopped taking it at night with the Seroquel, the night sweats started. Sometimes, if I take Gabapentin in the evening close enough to bedtime, I have less sweat. There have been a few nights when I take the Gabapentin close to bedtime, and don’t sweat at all.

 

It’s affecting my sleep, and I’m wondering if the interaction of the Seroquel and Gabapentin might be outweighed by having better sleep without night sweats… or maybe the night sweats are related to detoxing and I should keep Gabapentin and Seroquel separated? Who knows, this is all so strange!

 

Reading through all the interactions with this cocktail, no wonder I’m so dizzy so often! I always thought maybe it was anemia, which I tend towards, but it might be the meds! The dizziness is definitely worse after taking the Pristiq, I so wish there was a lower dose available… or that I could fast track getting off of these. I know I need to do things gradually, and be patient… there is no safe fast track!

[Shep]

11 hours ago, littlebird said:

Sometimes, if I take Gabapentin in the evening close enough to bedtime, I have less sweat. There have been a few nights when I take the Gabapentin close to bedtime, and don’t sweat at all.

 

Are you taking your drugs at the same times of the day every day? This is important. If you're varying the timing, that also can cause upticks in symptoms. The more you can be consistent, the better.

 

Glad to read you're getting a new scale. Yes, I think you're right that that will help, too. 

[littlebird]

@ShepI am not currently taking them at the same time, I NEED to get more consistent about that. There are some factors at play there, but it’s my next med goal as I work on adjusting Gabapentin: same time every day.

 

Last night, forgot my evening dose of Gabapentin, so took 1 of the 50mg (roughly) pills I’d made with Seroquel at bedtime to try and prevent sweating.

 

Hoo boy, big mistake! I woke up many times almost gasping for air, not able to take deep breaths, and ended sleeping through my alarm. I don’t have sleep apnea, this isn’t something I usually struggle with.

 

Luckily I didn’t sleep through anything important, but that felt terrible to wake up and look at how late in the day it was! Even with 1/4th of what I was taking before, that interaction is no joke. No wonder I was feeling so awful when I was taking 200-300mg of Gabapentin with the Seroquel! I feel groggy and out of it, like I used to before you told me about the interaction, but not as bad as when I was taking the full dose at bedtime. At least I woke up dry? 😅

 

I guess I’ll just have to figure something out for the night sweats and not take Gabapentin anywhere near Seroquel again! I just don’t know what to do about the sweating issue. I’ve never had anything like this, unless a fever was breaking maybe. There’s so much sweat the duvet above me is soaked, not to mention the mattress below me. So weird, and dehydrating!

[j1290]

On 12/13/2022 at 12:53 PM, littlebird said:

am not currently taking them at the same time, I NEED to get more consistent about that.

Hi Littlebird!   I used to be on a drug cocktail as well, max dose of Effexor and Wellbutrin, for many years.  I didn't have a clue how drugged I actually was until I tried to get off of them.   EMDR to deal with my trauma history has helped me enormously.  

 

FWIW, I never understood the importance of taking things at the right time, and I'd been on these for decades.  I have a daily withdrawal checklist from here on this website that I use to track doseages and symptoms and to document each day of my withdrawal schedule.  I can go back to see how I felt on say Day 15 of a withdrawal of earlier reductions and get a pretty good idea of what symptoms I felt.  Takes a lot of anxiety out of the equation.   I also set multiple alarms and use a pill tracking app, and religiously take a photo of my dose before I take it.  

 

Sounds like a ridiculous amount of tracking, doesn't it?   Once I started tapering, and taking pills 3 x a day in different amounts, all this redundancy has kept me on track.  This stuff was really confusing to me early on.   The more I read the suggested articles by the Mods, the more I was able to make a plan to find out how to do this in a way that was right for me.   

 

Wishing you all the best, and please post often!  

[littlebird]

Thank you, @j1290! Using tech to help me get on a better schedule is a great idea. Do you have a pill tracking app you'd recommend? 

 

The holidays really played havoc with my med scheduling, and I'm trying to get back into a more stable schedule. Weirdly, because of my own forgetfulness while traveling and seeing family, I ended up taking the Pristiq every other day for a week completely by accident. This is what the maker of the med recommended for dosing down, since I'm on the lowest dose pill. It seemed like an odd suggestion when I first read it, as it seemed like it would be taking me all over the map mood-wise, but the side effects weren't as bad as I thought they would have been.

 

In fact, when I got back to taking Pristiq every day, I felt too activated in the afternoon after I took it. I'm wondering if every other day would be a workable solution. I have been feeling blue lately, but that's probably from seasonal affective stuff (it's been very grey here) and life stresses. Unless it's possible that being on the higher (daily as opposed to every other day) dose of Pristiq could be worsening depression? Is that possible?

 

Also really need to get proactive in finding a good psychiatrist to help with this. I will start calling today. In the past, because I have Kaiser for insurance, I was told that since they don't provide weekly therapy, there isn't enough support for the doctors to feel comfortable with lowering meds. You'd think the solution to that would be to provide more therapy (mine was 6-8 weeks between each session), but no... just upping doses and more meds, or refusing to help me lower anything.

 

I thought about paying out of pocket for a weekly therapist in an attempt to get a psychiatrist to agree that was enough support and it was safe to lower doses, but it's not feasible for my budget at this time. Maybe, next time I get this response from a doctor, I need to file a formal complaint about the lack of care being provided.

 

Thanks to @Shep and @ChessieCat for your help as well! So grateful to have found this wonderful resource and so much help. I had no idea how bad those interactions were until they stopped!

[Gridley]

 

33 minutes ago, littlebird said:

I'm wondering if every other day would be a workable solution.

 

Skipping days is equivalent to reducing your dose by 50% and is not recommended by SA.  The half lives of almost all psychiatric drugs are too short for this to make any sense.  It causes the amount of the medication in your bloodstream to go up and down, battering your nervous system and making withdrawal worse.  We recommend tapering by no more than 10% every four weeks.  It's important that your dose be consistent every day--varying doses from day to day is hard on your nervous system.  It's best to take your doses at the same time every day.

 

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

Take a look at this link about how to taper Pristiq.

 

Tips for tapering off desvenlafaxine (Pristiq)