Scizzors76: Is it possible to taper an antidepressant and benzo at the same time?

[Scizzors76]

Hello,

 

I have been successfully tapering klonopin since May 2019. I am still on 2 antidepressants and feel awful in the mornings. Nortriptyline and Trazodone. My sleep isn't great and feeling so bad, like I am drugged is making it worse. I want to start tapering Trazodone by cutting 5% ever 2 weeks. Has anyone ever tapered 2 drugs at once. I feel if I wait til I am off the benzo, that's a long time away to start tapering another med. Feel this bad in the morning with 3 kids is killer. Not sleeping at all is worse but I think these meds aren't helping my problem.  I have read up where some drugs are like brakes and others are like gas pedals. I think all my drugs are brakes ???

 

Should I hold my klonopin taper for a few weeks and taper the trazodone?

 

[Gridley]

Welcome to SA, Scizzors76.

 

You're right, you're on three brakes.

 

Taking multiple psych drugs? Which drug to taper first?

 

We generally advise tapering only one drug at a time.  Otherwise if problems arise you won't know which taper is causing it. So I wouldn't recommend tapering the benzo and the trazodone at the same time.

 

That said, we have had some members who successfully stopped one taper for a while to taper another drug.  Since the trazodone is making you feel so drugged, I don't see a problem with your idea of starting a taper of the trazodone while holding on your benzo taper. Trazodone is a pretty nasty drug with a major drug interaction with your Nortriptyline,  so it probably would do you good to get to a lower dose on it.  You might hold for a month without tapering anything before starting the trazodone taper just to let your system rest. 

 

We normally advise tapering by no more than 10% of current dose every four weeks.  Why taper by 10% of my dosage?  Your idea of 5% every two weeks should work fine.  It's sort of a hybrid between the regular 10% taper and the Brassmonkey slide taper.  You might want to work in an extra week of hold from time to time, depending on how you're feeling, just to let things catch up.  I'm doing the 5% every two weeks taper myself right now and it's working fine for me.

 

Here's a link on tapering trazodone:

 

Tips for tapering off trazodone (Desyrel)

 

This is your Introduction topic, where you can ask questions, post updates and connect with other members.  We're glad you found your way here.

Edited March 4, 2020 by Altostrata
removed spaces

[Scizzors76]

Thanks for replying. I managed to get down to 75mg of Nortriptyline by holding my benzo taper. It's was the Nortriptyline causing more of the drugged feeling and other side effects. Unfortunately, my doc closed her office in one day without notice. Things are not great now. I am with a new doc and did my homework on her. She understands withdrawal to a point. She doesn't like Nortriptyline and I am still having side effects from it even at 75mg. She would like me to taper off of it. I told her I am very sensitive to med changes. She said to hold my benzo taper again and drop by 5mg of Nortriptyline. I did that and this is day 7 and my sleep is very bad. I wake and can't back to sleep. She now says to increase the Trazodone to 200mg. I believe her plan is to cross me over to Trazodone to get me off of Nortriptyline. Is that possible? Trazodone I have no side effects from. Then I will hopefully stabilize and hold my antidepressant and go back to taper Klonopin. I needed to ask here because I don't want this to get out of hand. I believe she is a good doc and wants to help and will listen if I know what to tell her. I would like to be free of Nortriptyline's horrible side effects.

[Gridley]

19 minutes ago, Scizzors76 said:

I believe her plan is to cross me over to Trazodone to get me off of Nortriptyline. Is that possible?

I've brought your question to the attention of the other moderators.

[Scizzors76]

Thank you! Hope receive some advice!

[Altostrata]

We can't predict whether trazodone is going to mask the effects of nortriptyline withdrawal, or if you might have side effects from a higher dose of trazodone.

 

You might read up on drugs.com about trazodone adverse effects. You should do this for any drug you take.

 

Since our policy is to keep it simple, we'd recommend tapering nortriptyline at a rate you can comfortably tolerate, rather than experiment with another drug. We are very much aware if things go south, we'd be feeling your pain and replying to your posts. Your doctor may feel somewhat more removed from the risks you're taking.

[Scizzors76]

Thanks Altostrato, 

 

I really landed in a mess with having to find a new doc. I assume that is what she is thinking. Cover up withdrawal from Nortriptyline. I understand the groups stance on tapering. I guess I don't consider it another drug because I am already on Trazodone. I never had side effects from Trazodone. Just this Nortriptyline is awful. I will have to think carefully. For right now I am holding my benzo taper indefinitely until I can get stable somehow.  Grateful for your response and ant other insight you might have. 

[Altostrata]

How are you feeling now, Scizzors?

[Scizzors76]

Hello!  Thanks for checking in on me. I saw my doc just today. With all the side effects I have from Nortriptyline, she feels it's best to hold my Klonopin taper and my Trazodone dose and reduce Nortriptyline by 5 mg every 2 weeks. She wants me to try it because cutting a capsule is a pain. I am carefully thinking this all over. She feels confident that I can do it.  I was thinking, sure ya do, you don't have to go thru this. I am not on Nortriptyline a year so I think it might be a good idea, and I should try what she says.   5% of my dose would be a reduction of 3.75 mg. I would be reducing 5mg at time. 

Is it too aggressive?

[Colonial]

Glad to hear she backed off of asking to raise the one med!

If you don't feel stable yet, I'd not make another cut yet.

But when your ready, 5mg  sounds like a reasonable percentage for the next cut, but holding only 2 weeks is going to eventually catch up with you..

And so will repetitively reducing it at 5gs every time.

 

Your going to have to teach her the cuts have to go by percentage of last dose, not 5mg straight across the board each time..

I'm sure you'll do great!🙂❤️

 

[Scizzors76]

Thanks for replying. Ugh, I didn't realize that 5mg drops will catch up with me. Would holding each 5mg drop longer help?