LilyPad: Timing of Wellbutrin Taper?

[LilyPad]

I have switched from Wellbutrin 150 XL to 150 IR.  I am now tapering from 75 mg at 9:00 am and 75 mg at 3:00 pm (more than one pharmacist said not to take Wellbutrin after 3:00 pm).  I am experiencing disrupted sleep, which I expected, and nausea in the morning, which I did not.

 

Thoughts?

Edited January 31, 2017 by scallywag
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[scallywag]

LilyPad - -- Welcome to Surviving Antidepressants (SA)

 

Changing formulations, such as the one from extended release to immediate release, can cause symptoms. Here is our discussion topic on withdrawal symptoms in general and on nausea specifically:

What is withdrawal syndrome.

Digestive problems: nausea, diarrhea, bloating, GERD. Several individuals have posted what has worked for them to deal with nausea.

 

Thanks for posting a signature with your medication and withdrawal history.

 

On what date did you switch from Wellbutrin 150 mg XL once per day to 75 mg IR twice/day? Please add that to your signature, including both the previous dosage and formulation and the new ones.

 

In a post, please describe how you discontinued lorazepam last year:

- What was your total daily dose before you started tapering?

- If the total daily dose was split throughout the day, what was the split?

- When did you start tapering?

- When did you finish tapering?

- What was your last dose in mg?

- What symptoms did you have after your last dose, if any?

 

Topics relevant to your situation:

Before you begin tapering -- what you need to know.

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?.

Tips for tapering off Wellbutrin XR, SR, XL (bupropion)

 

Please have a look at the topics linked above. If you have any questions, please post them here in your introduction so that all your information is in one place.

[LilyPad]

Answers to questions about my lorazepam taper:

 

1. My starting dose in 1992 was 1.5 mg.  In 2002, I went down to 1 mg without a taper Who knew, back then?  Not me.

2. From 1992-2002, I took .5 mg in the AM and 1 mg in the PM.  From 2002 to 2015, I took 1 mg in the PM.

3. I started tapering on November 1, 2015.

4. I finished tapering on November 8, 2016.

5. My last dose was (point-zero-two-five) .025 mg.

6. I have had pretty much every symptom in the book.  Right now I am tapering off bupropion (Wellbutrin) so it's hard to tell what's attributable to lorazepam and what's brought on by the bupropion.  My top several issues are headaches, dizziness, nausea, cold sweats, insomnia, night terrors, neuropathy, bone-muscle-joint pain, brain fog, and inability to modulate emotion.

[scallywag]

Lilypad - you would be wise to hold your taper of Wellbutrin where you are because you are having withdrawal symptoms from discontinuing lorazepam.
 
Although the drug itself is no longer in your blood stream, your CNS (central nervous system) is working overtime to adapt to the absence of lorazepam. Have a look at these links for explanations and descriptions of what's going on:
One theory of anti-depressant withdrawal syndrome
How your brain responds to psychiatric drugs - aka "Brain remodeling"
Youtube video, 4 minutes: Healing from antidepressants

Question for you:
On what date did you switch from Wellbutrin 150 mg XL once per day to 75 mg IR twice/day?

[Shep]

 

6. I have had pretty much every symptom in the book.  Right now I am tapering off bupropion (Wellbutrin) so it's hard to tell what's attributable to lorazepam and what's brought on by the bupropion.  My top several issues are headaches, dizziness, nausea, cold sweats, insomnia, night terrors, neuropathy, bone-muscle-joint pain, brain fog, and inability to modulate emotion.

 

 

Hi, LilyPad.

 

Welcome to SA from me, too. 

 

Lorazepam is a benzodiazepine (or benzo for short), which can cause many of the same symptoms as antidepressant withdrawal. This is a link to the Ashton Manual where Dr. Ashton lists symptoms from benzo withdrawal. I found it helpful to read over to understand my own symptoms. 

 

Ashton Manual -  Symptoms

 

As Scallywag mentioned, it would be wise to hold your Wellbutrin taper, as you most likely are still having symptoms from your benzo withdrawal. 

 

When you came off lorazepam, did you have all of the symptoms you listed before you started your Wellbutrin taper?