Fuzzy78: Trazodone WD

[Fuzzy78]

Hi peeps.

 

Im looking for some advice please!!

 

I was prescribed Trazodone 50mg in April 2023 which I only took for 28 days for depression alongside my current antidepressant paroxetine 10mg. The Trazodone wasn’t for me, far too sedating, I felt like I was walking through treacle all of the time and the last 3 days I was on it developed panic episodes. I stopped it on the advice of my doctor and 3 days later I had the worse sustained panic I have ever had in my life. Since then I have had a few windows of good periods, but I struggle in the bad periods.

 

The physical symptoms I have are aching shoulders and arms, sometimes a prickly heat sensation in them too, headaches, nausea. Psychological symptoms I have are waves of panic, feeling on edge and fatigued. 
 

My question is how can I mitigate against these symptoms if possible, (I have considered going back on it at a very low dose but 50mg is the lowest UK dose) and what time span should I expect for these symptoms to ease, I have been off it for 82 days now.

 

I hope somebody on here can help, thanks

[Fuzzy78]

Hi I’m new to this site and I hope I’m posting in the right area. 
 

it’s a long story but I will try and keep it short!!

 

I have been struggling with anxiety and depression since August 2022. I went to my Gp and tried several antidepressants, most of which either made the anxiety worse or just had no effect, these were fluoxetine, Venlafaxine and paroxetine - paroxetine I have stuck with at 10mg. My mood however was still low so I saw a psychiatrist privately and he prescribed quetiapine which changed my personality so stopped it without any issue, then 50mg Trazodone was prescribed and I took it for 28 days but couldn’t deal with the sedation so he advised to stop it which I did. 
 

3 days after stopping it I struggled with the most horrific panic for a few weeks, together with tingling arms, nausea and depression. They are still persisting and come in waves and I have windows of better days. Has anyone got any good advice as I’m really struggling and am considering going back on it at a very low dose to stop these withdrawal symptoms.

 

Advice and support would be greatly appreciated 

[Altostrata]

Welcome, @Fuzzy78

 

Have your trazodone withdrawal symptoms gotten worse over 82 days? How's your sleep?

[Fuzzy78]

I don’t think they have gotten worse, some things have dissipated such as the nausea and the tingling arms have given way to a heavy weight/ache of my shoulders, I’m fortunate in that I am getting 8-9 hours sleep a night because of the Mirtazapine. I’m still getting waves of panic when I’m on a wave but not as bad as when I first stopped them. But I do still struggle with akathisia

 

However because of the waves my mood is dropping (and I can’t cry which I really would like to at times), I’m losing hope that things will get better but I’ve been so long off it now I’m not sure if that would be a bad idea. I also want to get off the paroxetine (currently at 5mg) but feel doing it all at the same time would be a bad idea.

[Altostrata]

What do you mean by "akathisia"? Is this better or worse at any times of day?

[Fuzzy78]

Akathisia is the feeling of inner unease and restlessness, which seems to be present in the morning and afternoon. I tend to find the evening’s not to be too bad. I also feel so heavy with aching shoulders and arms.

[Altostrata]

1 hour ago, Fuzzy78 said:

Akathisia is the feeling of inner unease and restlessness, which seems to be present in the morning and afternoon.

 

This description is not present in your posts on Monday and Wednesday. Then, you described fairly conventional withdrawal symptoms.

 

From your symptom description, it does not appear you have akathisia. Not everyone gets akathisia from going off a drug, it's unusual.

 

On 6/28/2023 at 1:43 PM, Fuzzy78 said:

3 days after stopping it I struggled with the most horrific panic for a few weeks, together with tingling arms, nausea and depression. They are still persisting and come in waves and I have windows of better days.

 

This post from Wednesday describes acute withdrawal for a few weeks after you went off trazodone in April 2023, then a typical post-acute withdrawal pattern. How has your symptom pattern changed since the beginning of June?

 

 

[Fuzzy78]

Since the beginning of June I have had a 10 day window and felt really great, the last 10 days I have found the panic symptoms worsening, the aches and lethargy worsening and my mood tanking. I really don’t want to go back on the Trazodone but don’t want to get to the point where I would top myself but I am overwhelmed with all these symptoms occurring simultaneously. 

[Altostrata]

If you feel the withdrawal symptoms are not tolerable, you might consider low-dose reinstatement, perhaps 2mg trazodone. You'd stabilize for some weeks, then taper off by tiny amounts later. 

What is withdrawal syndrome? 
 
About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms 
 
The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

You probably will not find such a small dose excessively sedating.

 

This topic explains how to take a small dose of trazodone by making a liquid  Tips for tapering off trazodone

[Fuzzy78]

Thank you so much for your advice, can I just ask one more question regarding it please? Would cannabis or CBD oil be beneficial in helping with the withdrawal symptoms should I choose to remain off it.

Thanks 

[Altostrata]

We don't know. If you get a bad reaction, you'll have to bear it until it goes away.

[Fuzzy78]

1 hour ago, Altostrata said:

We don't know. If you get a bad reaction, you'll have to bear it until it goes away.

https://www.quora.com/Can-marijuana-be-used-to-fend-off-withdrawal-symptoms-from-antidepressants

[Altostrata]

If you want to do this and it goes wrong, please take your complaints to those recommending it on Quora.

[Fuzzy78]

I would only do it as a last resort for sure.

[Fuzzy78]

Hey guys, I don’t know if anyone can help? I am having worsening symptoms that I really am struggling to cope with now. 
I have asked my psychiatrist to prescribe liquid Trazodone 25mg/5ml so that I can reinstate 2mg, he has declined saying it would be unwise to restart to wean off it.

All I have at home is 1 month supply of 50mg capsules filled with powder rather than beads. Is there a way of measuring out 2mg from this.

[Altostrata]

See this topic for how to make a liquid from capsules Tips for tapering off trazodone

 

Also How to talk to a doctor about tapering and withdrawal? What to expect?

 

[Fuzzy78]

3 hours ago, Altostrata said:

See this topic for how to make a liquid from capsules Tips for tapering off trazodone

 

Also 

How to talk to a doctor about tapering and withdrawal? What to expect?

 

Thank you 

[Fuzzy78]

Hi I thought I would give an update on my condition as I haven’t been on here for at least 5 months.

 

I was struggling with Trazodone antidepressant withdraws syndrome from April 2023, the worst aspect of it was the akathisia. I didn’t receive much help or support from the NHS, so I found a new psychiatrist.

 

She was caring and understanding of what I was going through, she saw that my medication regime was a mess as when I saw her in July 2023 I was still taking paroxetine 5mg daily, Mirtazapine 15mg daily, pregabalin 75mg twice a day.

 

She felt the the pharmacokinetics of paroxetine was exacerbating my trazodone withdrawal symptoms. So she did a gradual reduction of paroxetine and Mirtazapine and my Trazodone withdrawal syndrome symptoms have reduced dramatically. I still get waves and windows but they are much more manageable now.

 

She has introduced vortioxetine to help with my mood and this too seems to be helping. She is going to strip out pregabalin next and I can’t thank her enough.

 

i hope this year I will be able to return to work and recover further. 
 

Thanks also to this website for its support 

 

Would anybody know of successful litigation cases against a psychiatrist for causing psychological injury/antidepressant withdrawal syndrome and not giving their patient all the relevant information to make an informed decision and refusing to restart the medication that has caused the antidepressant withdrawal syndrome?

 

I wish everyone a speedy recovery and healthy 2024

Edited January 2 by Emonda
Name to title

[Emonda]

Welcome back, Fuzzy78.

 

I've moved your new post back to your original thread. It's best to keep everything relating to yourself in one spot. It makes it easier for others to assist.

 

May I ask if your signature is up to date? You mentioned Vortioxetine in your most recent post, but I can't see it in your thread.

 

4 hours ago, Fuzzy78 said:

hope this year I will be able to return to work and recover further. 

 

Yes, many of us are hoping for that 👍

 

4 hours ago, Fuzzy78 said:

Thanks also to this website for its support 

 

It's a wonderful resource. It's helped me immensely, too.