Yasko: very difficult situation Dexedrine / dextroamphetamine

[Yasko]

Hello everyone. I'll try to make my story short. Almost 30 years ago when I was a child I experienced a psychological trauma which later resulted in mild PTSD but serious depression and anxiety. I was on ssri's 20 years now. In 2014 I was prescribed oxycodone and since it helped my depression I ended up abusing it for 3 years. Then in 2017 I was put on suboxone and still am on it. Since then I cannot feel any opioid nor benzos because I have tolerance to both.

 

The other drugs I am on are Trintellix (ssri), Klonopin (Benzo evon though it does nothing), and Dexedrine (amphetamine). I recently quit Rexulti (Anti-psychotic)

 

My issue right now is the Dexedrine. I started it about 2 years ago for excessive daytime sleepiness but soon I found out it lifts my depression. So I kept using it until I found out it is a neurotoxic. I take 25mg twice daily instant release.

 

The problem is I cannot wean off. I tried to take 2.5mg less per dose for 6 days (that's 10%) but the depression, anhedonia, avolition, anxiety and even akathisia (another story) became unbearable. So I went back on regular dose.

 

My brother who also has treatment-resistant depression and other problems like me (genes?) was on 15mg twice daily and he managed to taper. His last dose was 6 days ago. However, he has never felt worse in his life. He can no longer use his cellphone or watch tv because he got some unexplainable symptoms including ptsd spike and depression.

 

So I am on this forum to ask how can I get off this drug. Can anyone suggest anything? I have spoke to doctors but they are clueless and told me to quit cold turkey.

 

For the last 2 days I'm feeling more depressed than usual and that worries me even more when it comes to Dexedrine withdrawal.

[Gridley]

Welcome to SA, Yasko.  I'm sorry you're having difficulty with getting off this drug. Thanks for completing your signature.

 

Since the symptoms you experienced with a 10% decrease were intolerable, it seems to me you're going to have to taper much more slowly, perhaps 5% per month or less (even 1%).  

 

Basically, there are two ways to taper a drug, either by decreasing using a liquid or grinding the tablet into powder and weighing with a digital scale, such as the Gemini-20 scale, available on Amazon.  It comes in a prescription liquid. From what I see on the Internet, Dexedrine is soluble in water, so you could make your own liquid.  Here's a link on tapering using liquid:

 

How to make a liquid from tablets or capsules

 

Here is information on using a scale:

 

Using a digital scale to measure doses

 

We don't recommend a lot of supplements on SA, as many members report being sensitive to them due to our over-reactive nervous systems, but two supplements that we do recommend are magnesium and omega 3 (fish oil). Many people find these to be calming to the nervous system. 

 

Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker 

 

Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) 

 

Add in one at a time and at a low dose in case you do experience problems.

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

[Yasko]

Thank you for your reply. I think 5% is a good idea but I am worried that I cannot stabilize on any lower dose. If this drug increases dopamine then decreasing it might lower it and having pre-existing mental illness can only make it worse. But I gotta start somewhere.

[ChessieCat]

Please add approximate years and if known the length of time you were on these drugs.

 

I have been on several antidepressants including Serzone, Celexa, Lexapro, Luvox and Effexor. Other drugs include Gabapentin, Propranolol, Clonidine and a few more but none long term except Serzone and Celexa.

 

Please add the date you started on the following drugs or if it was a long time ago, just the year you started:

 

Now taking

- Dexedrine 25mg twice a day IR

-Suboxone 12mg once daily

-Trintellix 10mg once a day

- Klonopin 2 mg once a day

 

 

Thank you.

 

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[ChessieCat]

  

On 8/30/2020 at 11:38 AM, Yasko said:

 

I have had depersonalization for 29 years. It was caused by an acute emotional trauma. First 8 years were real bad then a few years it was mild but last 10 years it is severe again. Many things make it worse such as positive or negative stress, wearing sunglasses (that's new), lights like when I go to wal-mart etc. I am going to see a neurologist and an ENT (again) and demand more tests to be done but I feel it is due to my chronic stress/anxiety.

 

 

I have difficulty with the bright lights that they new use in stores.  I wear spectacles which have an anti-glare coating but the bright lights get in from the sides and from above and it is very annoying.

 

I've also been light sensitive to natural light during my taper.  Where I work there are large windows and there can be a lot of glare.  I wear blue light glasses over my spectacles and it helps a lot.

 

You might find it helpful to wear blue light blocking glasses also called gaming glasses when you go shopping.

[Yasko]

Thank you I will try it. In meantime, as I was preparing to start dexedrine taper I got severe depression and anxiety, depersonalization and akathisia. Now every day I wake up I start getting some king of dysphoria what makes me go crazy but suboxone helps. I don't like being dependent on suboxone but I have no choice right now. If I go through what my brother went recently I don't know I will make it. He went through some simply unexplainable yet torturous symptoms. I will start my taper within next 2 weeks.