Sully: Where to start?

[sully]

I'm 32, I have a 6 year old, and I've decided I want to have another child finally. My GYN says, when you find out you're pregnant, just quit taking your medications. Wtf? I've been on wellbutrin xl, metoprolol, a beta blocker for heart rate associated with anxiety, and random benzos for about 5 years. I've been on and off of zoloft, which was rough. I take trazodone at night for sleep. And I've been on trintellix for a while now also, and I'm up to 20mg. Lately I've been so lethargic and having a hard time with any task, even getting dressed, brushing my teeth, much less actually cleaning up. I've also not been able to really get out of the house if I'm alone. I haven't had a xanax in over a week, so that's good, but idk what's going on. I've gained a ton of weight, constantly getting sick with something, and my skin looks terrible, and my eyes stay sunken in. I really want to come off of all my medications and rely on a more natural approach. I'm tired of feeling like a dead person walking around, and I want to feel things like I used to. I'm also running out of time to decide to quit everything and have another child. Where should I start tapering? Thanks for any advice.

[sully]

Sorry if I didn't really specify what I take right now:

Wellbutrin xl 300 mg

Trintellix 20 mg

Trazodone 50 mg

Metoprolol 25 mg

[doggiemama]

Hi Sully I'm not very clued up on tapering but there will be someone to help u soon.Do listen to what the mods say as they know what and how to taper without to much upheaval

[mammaP]

Hi Sully, welcome to SA. Like many people you seem to be suffering from side effects from the drugs.   As Trazodone helps to sleep it wuld probably be best to leave that one for now, and the metoprolol will be best left as it is keeping your blood pressure under control. You might find that you don't need that one when you have tapered some of the others. My BP was fine after I had tapered down effexor which meant I could taper off the beta blocker.  Can you tell us about the benzo's?  When did you start trintellix?  It will help us if you can fill in your signature for us, with start dates  (approximate) . Also when you tried zoloft and when was the last time you took it.  Benzo info is important, as they can cause problems too when taken irregularly. Most people think taking them as needed means they are ok but they are highly addictive and can cause interdose withdrawal. There are some major interactions between your drugs but hopefully the side effects will lessen as the doses lower.

 

You can see how to fill in your signature here... 

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/12364-please-put-your-withdrawal-history-in-your-signature/

 

This is the report from the interactions checker at drugs.com. 

 

https://www.drugs.com/interactions-check.php?drug_list=2228-0,1615-16311,3490-18003,440-203

 

Your GYN is  being irresponsible telling you that you can just stop all the drugs when you are pregnant! Stopping all those drugs cold turkey while pregnant can be harmful to both you and a baby! 

 

To be honest I am trying to keep my thoughts of your doctor to myself but it is proving very difficult! 

 

Tapering multiple drugs 

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2207-taking-multiple-psych-drugs-taper-the-antidepressant-first/

 

You will find links to lots of information on tapering your specific drugs here, along with different methods. 

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/300-important-topics-in-the-tapering-forum-and-faq/

[sully]

Thank you so much for the response, and I'm sorry it took me so long to reply. I will work on adding the signature. I'm having a hard time remembering specifics for some of them. It's all within about a 5 year timeframe. When I had the first panic attack in 2011, the first medicine I took was clorazepate (tranxene). It was just temporary, because I had lasting chest pains and muscle tension and soreness from the anxiety. I had the same thing happen again in 2012, and I started the wellbutrin, metoprolol, and daily use of tranxene. When that wasn't cutting it, I was given Valium, which made me feel pretty spaced out even the next day it seemed like. Next was Ativan for a while. And when I finally went to a psychiatrist, she changed it to xanax, which has worked better than anything. It's 1 mg, which I break into pieces and take as needed. I used to take them multiple times a day, but I have finally got where it may be once a week now.

As for the trintellix, I've been taking it since September 2016. I came off of zoloft a few months before I started trintellix, and I was on zoloft for close to 2 years I believe.

I lost a lot of respect for my doctor when he said that. I was appalled that he said to just quit taking them and that no tapering was necessary. Anyway thanks for the response, and I hope I cleared some things up. I will look through all the links you posted. Thanks so much.

[mammaP]

How long did you take the xanax multiple times a day? And how did you get down to once a week? Sorry for all the questions, we often find that something people think is of no importance can  cause symptoms.