Luke44: Protracted pristiq & Wellbutrin withdrawal & more

[Luke44]

Back in 2014 I was prescribed Wellbutrin for depression. Then anxiety and insomnia developed and by the following year I was taking buspar, lexapro and hydroxyzine also. My psychiatrists mismanaged the situation badly by continually adding medications, and increasing dosages. In early 2018, the anxiety and depression began worsening. So I ended up tapering off of lexapro and added pristiq between roughly march-April of 2018. I should add I was also abusing benzodiazepines off and on between 2015 & 2018 (not prescribed). I quit doing that in July 2018 because I became tired of the withdrawal symptoms and extra anxiety that came with it. My heart rate/bp became consistently very high following cessation of the benzos so my doctor thought it would be a good idea to prescribe me clonidine and metoprolol. Which rounds out the six drug cocktail I was on until early 2022. Between 2018-2022, the cocktail stopped helping and eventually made everything worse. I went to see a new primary care doctor early 2022 who said I was on too many things and to taper off some of them. I agreed. Knowing what I now know, I stupidly tapered off of Buspar, wellbutrin, hydroxyzine, clonidine and pristiq in that order in a matter of 4-5 months. At the time I figured it would be best to just get off of everything and start over fresh. I assumed the initial withdrawal would be awful, which it was, although I was still somehow able to function. I also assumed it would take my brain some time to readjust/recalibrate after years of taking these medications. But I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I thought I’d be largely out of the woods after the acute withdrawal but boy was I wrong. In October 2022, about 1 month following the acute withdrawal I was hit with the most severe anxiety I’ve ever felt. Like waves of electricity surging through my body and a feeling of essentially panic. I also developed severe fatigue, depression worsened, I began having aches and pains throughout my body & severe digestive issues. Also hypersensitivity to just about any medication or supplement. For example I tried reinstating lexapro and buspar but I had a severe paradoxical reaction to both. I had to withdraw from college and quit my job because I couldn’t function. After further research I concluded I was dealing with post acute withdrawal. Exercise & getting out in the sun seems to be the only thing that’s somewhat helpful and I was able to increase my activity over the following months to where I was walking 7+ miles per day often on the golf course between May & September 2023. The anxiety however has just worsened consistently since October 2022. My body has taken a beating too because of it. I’m so worn out. I am back to walking 4 or so miles per day outside but it’s getting difficult. It seems like I initially took a big step back (start of post acute withdrawal), then a couple steps forward, but things have only gotten worse & worse for the last several months. I don’t really know what to do at this point. I’ve spent a lot of money on doctors, brain scans, therapy ect but it’s all been useless for this condition. It feels as though I’m out of options and will just have to try to wait this out until my brain eventually heals. 

Edited January 2 by Emonda
Name to title

[LotusRising]

Hi @Luke44

 

Welcome to SA,

 

Wow, it sounds like you've been dealing with a LOT in the last little while. 

 

On 1/1/2024 at 3:18 PM, Luke44 said:

It seems like I initially took a big step back (start of post acute withdrawal), then a couple steps forward, but things have only gotten worse & worse for the last several months.

 

This sounds like you are moving through The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization.

 

I know this pattern is quite disheartening, and I can relate to the very slow process, but it's also a sign that your nervous system is healing. The reality is that your CNS is trying to regulate and bring itself back to homeostasis after having a number of drugs thrown at it. Unfortunately, this can take quite a bit of time. 

 

These two links will help you to understand withdrawal syndrome:

 

What is Withdrawal Syndrome?

 

Video on Recovery from Psych Drugs

 

What we have seen here and what I have experienced myself is that it can be a very long road to return to baseline. The CNS likes stability so we recommend to keep it simple, slow and stable. Stay consistent with clean, healthy eating and avoid alcohol. Exercise is important, but try not to overdo it. It sounds like you're walking a lot, which is great. I would keep at this. How is your sleep? Do you have a good sleep hygiene practice?

 

We don't recommend many supplements, but some find omega 3's and magnesium to be helpful.

 

 

Please post any updates or questions related to your specific situation right here in your thread. It's helpful to keep everything related to your tapering journey in one spot and it helps to keep the site tidy. 

 

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions. You could also try connecting with other members, as this can be an invaluable tool for us while on this journey.

 

Again, welcome to SA  

[Luke44]

Thanks. Sorry about the delayed response. My sleep has been terrible. I am able to sleep for 6-7 hours but I wake up feeling like I haven’t slept at all. Sleep hygiene is decent. I try to stay off of electronics at least an hour or so before bed and go to sleep around the same time each night. I’ve also been eating pretty healthy, and no alcohol recently. The few times I’ve had alcohol in the past year it has caused substantial rebound anxiety.  

 

Aside from that, since my first post here, the anxiety has continued to worsen. I had some improvements in what I was able to do physically for a little while last year but the anxiety has never once improved even slightly for any amount of time, at any point since this all began about two years ago. It’s only gotten worse. Lately it has been so bad that it essentially feels like a panic attack that won’t end.

My sensitivity to just about everything has worsened also which is perplexing. I had been taking fish oil for example since this all began and I can no longer tolerate that. Magnesium is one of the only things my system can still handle. I also quit taking metoprolol, which was the one medication from the initial cocktail I was still taking. I had just been taking it just for the purpose of not messing with anything but it hadn’t been helping me at all. Anyways I ultimately decided to stop it because I got a batch from a different manufacturer and my system didn’t like that at all. The result of removing that should’ve been fairly benign but it seemed to be severely amplified due to my system being so sensitive to any changes. 
 

The lack of anything positive occurring in two years is pretty demoralizing but I suppose I’m hanging in there the best I can. 
 

 

[Luke44]

Any ideas as to why the hypersensitivity continues to worsen 1.5+ years since getting off of the meds? Or as to why it’s the same case for the anxiety? Seems like it should be the opposite. Worst to begin with then slowly, or even very slowly improves over time. It’s been a downward spiral with no end in sight. 

[Luke44]

It’s been about about a year and three quarters since I got off of numerous antidepressants and anti-anxiety meds too quickly. About 7-8 months after, I began to feel a little better from a physical standpoint and had more energy to do things. Which didn’t last more than a few months. The anxiety and hypersensitivity however have worsened consistently the whole time. I read through the windows and waves pattern of stabilization post and I really have yet to experience that aside from the brief increase in energy I noted. I don’t really understand why I have yet to see any fluctuations with the anxiety. It’s worse than ever. It’s physically painful to a degree and very exhausting. I cannot function and I’ve just been completely miserable. Has anyone else dealt with feeling worse and worse for a relatively long period of time with no fluctuations at all? My sleep is awful also, and I can hardly tolerate taking anything supplement wise to assist with the sleep or anxiety aside from magnesium.

[Emonda]

Hi Luke,

I've just moved your new post back to your thread. This is the place to post/ask questions about yourself.

 

I'm sorry to read of your struggles. I find melatonin a little helpful for sleep, but I note your comment about not wanting to take supplements.

 

Emonda

[Luke44]

Oh alright. Well the reason I posted elsewhere is because it was like I was just talking to myself. I don’t know how it’s helpful to post updates when there are no responses to my questions. I’m on here to try to talk to people and gather information.