loubird Antidepressant Discontinuation Syndrome- Trazadone Busipirone ~ Is anybody listening?

[loubird]

I had postpartum depression 18 years ago. I started antidepressants then. Over the years, I was switched to Zoloft, Lexapro, Cymbalta, Prozac, Wellbutrin and Buspirone. In that time period, my PCP never considered I may not need the meds. I have a very stressful job, I raised three kids, went through a divorce, and was diagnosed with MS. In that time period, more and more meds were added until the last 6 months when I asked myself, WHY are we adding more meds instead of taking some away? Why are we not looking at the big picture and trying to figure out what I actually have and don't have? Why has no one considered this? Not even me?

 

My original doctor "lost my file" after being with her for 20+ years when I decided to get another opinion and find a doctor to listen. I don't have exact dates or drugs, just memories of being switched and a long history of taking them. 

 

The straw that broke the camel's back...

I was taking

Wellbutrin 300 mg since I can remember

Buspirone 10 mg (added 6/2022 by new PCP)

Trazadone 150-200 mg since I can remember for sleep (I didn't even know it was an antidepressant)

Xanax .5mg-1 mg since I can remember- only recently did my new PCP suggest this was not a safe drug to continue

 

The new PCP didn't "feel comfortable" prescribing mental health meds, so I was sent to a psychiatrist. I have only met him via virtual visits.

He prescribed:

Clonazepam 1 mg in place of Xanax .5-1 mg

Mirtazapine 7.5 mg in place of Trazadone (cold turkey)

He also suggested if the mirtazapine didn't work, go ahead and take it with the Trazadone, and the Wellbutrin, and the Buspirone! I read about the drug interactions and Serotonin Syndrome and started freaking out. FOUR MEDS??? WTH?

 

I am NOT EVEN SURE I NEED THESE MEDS!!!!!!!! I completed the psych forms and marked all 0's for anxiety/depression. My anxiety does happen at night mostly in regards to family issues and work. I do need something to take at this point because the Trazadone wasn't working. I was pacing the house, awake for hours-insomnia. I was struggling with agitation, restlessness, high BP, and other things. 

 

I agreed to stop the Trazadone 200 mg and replace with mirtazapine 7.5 mg. I also discontinued the Busipirone 10mg due to a drug interaction suggested with the filling of the mirtazapine. That was one week ago. 

 

After stopping Trazadone 200 mg nightly and the Buspirone 10mg daily (due to a potential interaction), I do believe I am experiencing withdrawal or Antidepressant Discontinuation Syndrome.

A day or two later, I experienced feeling like I was "on speed", if I actually knew what that felt like. It has continued through the weekend and I am now aware of it and can breathe through it happening. Last week, I was extremely anxious and irritable. Over the weekend my husband also noticed these symptoms persisting. My sense of smell/taste/hearing has been extremely heightened and so has my arousal level. I feel like I have tunnel vision and am disoriented, dizzy, and nauseous a few times.

 

Today I had to leave work and come home. I took .5 Xanax to calm myself. My MS protocol for fatigue is to take Adderal 10mg daily. BIG mistake. It was a horrible morning. It was classic- I sent a message and a made a phone call to him and 6 hours later I got a MyChart message. I asked for help today in dealing with these symptoms. He denied Trazadone would have this effect and told me I shouldn't be taking Adderall and Xanax. Well, NO FREAKING KIDDING! It was either that and come home from work to bed, or go to the ER. He said nothing more other than he'd see me at my appointment this week. He basically has deemed me a drug addict with never meeting me, I think. I had been researching for the past week and came upon the article by Adele Framer. I am a very educated person and have lost faith in medical doctors. I was able to find the article with information I needed to know what this is I am feeling and how my psych would react. It's been a week out and he didn't suggest titrating or any help. 

 

I have never been so frustrated with medical doctors. My "chief complaint/concern" that no one asked me about is actually how to stop taking all these meds and do I really need them??? Do I have depression? Anxiety?

 

I found this group, and hope to learn more. I hope to have support from people experiencing similar issues when medicine and doctors no longer seem to be listening. Thanks for reading. Tomorrow is a new day, and I know I can make it better. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Altostrata]

Welcome, @loubird

 

What times o'clock do you take each of your drugs, with their dosages?

 

On 2/6/2023 at 4:26 PM, loubird said:

After stopping Trazadone 200 mg nightly and the Buspirone 10mg daily (due to a potential interaction), I do believe I am experiencing withdrawal or Antidepressant Discontinuation Syndrome.

 

If I were you, I would stop the mirtazapine and reinstate a partial dose of 50mg trazodone. This may resolve your withdrawal symptoms fairly quickly, if they are from trazodone and not buspirone. Please let us know how you're doing.

 

On 2/6/2023 at 4:26 PM, loubird said:

A day or two later, I experienced feeling like I was "on speed", if I actually knew what that felt like. It has continued through the weekend and I am now aware of it and can breathe through it happening. Last week, I was extremely anxious and irritable. Over the weekend my husband also noticed these symptoms persisting. My sense of smell/taste/hearing has been extremely heightened and so has my arousal level. I feel like I have tunnel vision and am disoriented, dizzy, and nauseous a few times.

 

This is a fairly common withdrawal symptom pattern. However, your history of going on and off drugs may have set the stage for your recent abrupt discontinuation of trazodone and buspirone sensitize your nervous system all psychiatric drugs including Adderall, which is, in fact, "speed" itself -- amphetamine.

 

If you do not take Adderall daily, you might avoid taking Adderall for the time being, since it seems you are experiencing activation from withdrawal already.

 

On 2/6/2023 at 4:26 PM, loubird said:

I have never been so frustrated with medical doctors. My "chief complaint/concern" that no one asked me about is actually how to stop taking all these meds and do I really need them??? Do I have depression? Anxiety?

 

You are correct in that no one has asked the right questions, though your primary care doctor took a look at your cocktail and decided not to deal with it. Psychiatry's literature on postpartum depression contains a lot about when to start the drugs but nothing on when postpartum depression might be over. After all, it's supposed to be caused by the hormonal disruption of pregnancy and birth and for you, that was long ago.

 

None of your doctors know why you're currently taking your drug cocktail except that you were taking it before. You might find another psychiatrist, or ask your primary care doctor to help you minimize your drugs, meaning write prescriptions to help you taper off.

 

To help us out, follow these instructions Please summarize your drug and withdrawal history in your signature You may need to use a computer to do this.

 

On 2/6/2023 at 4:26 PM, loubird said:

I had been researching for the past week and came upon the article by Adele Framer.

 

Thank you. I wrote that article.