stargate: 6 months on Brintellix/Trintellix, Clonazepam and Pregabalin. Need help with taper plan, please.

[stargate]

Hello everyone,

 

I am currently 2nd week in withdrawing from Clonazepam and Brintellix (Vortioexetine). Then I was thinking I'll start withdrawing from Pregabalin/Lyrica.

 

It all started back in November 2017 when I had a bad acoustic trauma and as a result I now suffer from bilateral, intrusive tinnitus and have hyperacusis on top of that. I ended up in a psychiatric hospital with suicidal tendencies. I was given all those drugs mentioned above + Risperidone (only for 14 days). Then I was released from the hospital with a medical note to my new psychiatrist. It was stated in the note that I should be slowly withdrawn from the benzodiazepine clonazepam - that did not happen. Instead, she saw me once a month and each time she abruptly decreased the dosage of clonazepam (from 6 mg a day, to 3,5 mg a day and then to 2 mg a day + 75 mg of Pregabalin before bedtime). I was having seizures, tinnitus orchestra playing in my head and what felt like electric jolts in my brain. During my last meeting with her I was told I can start now taking Brintellinx every other day and then just stop. I no longer trust her advice.

 

However, when I called the hospital, I was told that I need to start withdrawing from Clonazepam first. I am now withdrawing from 2 drugs simultaneously. I know I will probably, go through some withdrawal symptoms after all this time. As for now it's mood swings and feelings there is just now way out :(

 

If anyone can give me any advice, or instruct me, on how to taper myself off from these drugs, so that I can absolutely minimize potential worsening of my tinnitus and hyperacusis (my worst nightmare) → I will be extremely grateful!

 

Thank you for your attention.

 

Please, find attached my medication schedule as Medication.pdf

Medication.pdf

[mammaP]

Hi Stargate, welcome to SA. I am so very saddened to see that you are being treated this way.  We never recommend tapering 2 drugs at the same time and  never, ever so fast.  How do the hospital say you should taper, are they agreeing with the psychiatrist?   We recommend tapering no more than 10% of the  current dose with at least 4 weeks between cuts, and one at a time. We would normally recommend tapering antidepressants first.  

Could you copy the PDF and paste it here?  It will be much easier for us if it is in your topic. It will also help to have your history in your signature, you can find how to do that here...   http://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/12364-please-put-your-withdrawal-history-in-your-signature/

 

Is there any way that you can get prescriptions to taper slowly? It doesn't have to be a psychiatrist who prescribes them. 

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1024-why-taper-by-10-of-my-dosage/

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/2207-taking-multiple-psych-drugs-which-drug-to-taper-first/

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/10246-tips-for-tapering-vortioxetine-trintellix-brintellix/

 

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2381-tips-for-tapering-off-lyrica-pregabalin/

 

Benzos also need careful tapering. I really am so, so sorry that you are being made to taper so fast and inappropriately. You can post here for benz o advice

http://survivingantidepressants.org/forum/29-members-only-benzo-forum/