I am very sad to think of you losing your only friend....
I am sorry:(
bizi

Paresthesia
 

Hi,
I just called my pdoc /neuro to leave a message that I have stingy, prickly sensations all over my body.
I don't know if it is a problem to stay on the Wellbturin with this or not. I called to ask if I should continue.

I also made an appt for next week Thursday (Sept 30) which is the only day I can take because of work.
I think he needs to find another anti-depressant for me.

I 'm also going to find another neuro.
I want someone to explain this paresthesia stuff to me better than he has.
M.

pdoc called
 

Hi,

Pdoc said to go down to 150 mgs (I have been taking 200) and call him again on Monday.

He said I might be getting too much norephedrine.


M.

oh I would not like that feeling at all!
I hope that the lesser dose makes the parasthesia go away!
bizi

freaking out
 

I'm afraid in general because these symptoms are scary.
I'm particularly afraid to take ANY meds tonight.
I'm also afraid to go to sleep.

Have spent the last 6 hours or so considering going to Urgent Care -- what a mess that would be. It costs a fortune, would wreck any chance I have of sleep, and would be a waste of time.
I went to Urgent Care for these symptoms once in the past. My memory stiiiinks but several months (a year? two years?) after the visit to Urgent care for these symptoms I stopped the Wellbutrin.

Then this summer I thought I might go back on Wellbutrin.
What was I thinking?


Maybe I thought that meds would help me out of the crippling depression I've had. HA! HA!

Did I tell you that these symptoms are making me very anxious and agitated?

Don't know if I can talk myself into taking my Klonopin and other stuff tonight. More chemicals seem like a really bad idea right now.

M.

not as bad
 

The stingy and crawling stuff peaked about an hour and half ago.
I feel better knowing that it is not getting worse.

I took the night meds.
Then I got up and did some sewing on a shirt I need to wear tomorrow -- have not sewn in a year or two but I felt that I had to sew tonight --- when I have to get up in a few hours.
Washed my hair and ironed my clothes -- mostly while I was waiting to see what was going to happen -- waiting for the reaction to peak so I could feel safe about going to sleep.


I skipped both Wellbutrin doses Thursday. Maybe on Friday I will take half doses.

M.

Dear Mari

i am glad you are starting to feel better. i am also glad your pdoc had a thought as to why you are having these types of reactions.

i still see how it made sense you tried wellbutrin again. it worked for you for a long time. and in this round of it, i recall that at one point you were taking 75 + 50 mg of wellbutrin and seemed to be improving, symptom wise.you were seeing improvements before you went back up to 150. i recall you were worried about being in top shape for school and in a hurry to increase it. remember that the numbers as to what is therapeutic are really just statistics. listen to your body.

although wellbutrin is faster acting than the SSRIs, it can still take time for depression to resolve. length-of-time on it may do more for you than higher doses. in the meantime, you had extra stress with the start of school and the ADA process which makes it harder to get better, med or no med.

maybe as a maintenance dose less will be ok... even just 100mg a day.

when you are free of the paresthesias, you could try 150 again (75 + 75 or 100 + 50 as i you may not have 75's)

or, you could alternate days between 100 and 150.

i would use a pill minder though or write down immediately when you take the dose, what you took. because tweaking doses like this it is too easy to mess up and take more or less than intended. and then if symptoms show up they aren't interpreted in function of actual med taken.

sorry this is so difficult. :o :hug::hug::hug:

~ waves ~

I'm sorry you're having to deal with paresthesias, Mari. Is it a listed side effect for wellbutrin? ARE YOU A DIABETIC? If you are diabetic, please consider your paresthesias could be from that, especially if your sugars haven't been well controlled.

They can definitely drive you up a wall.

A good remedy for these types of sensations is to change to another sensation. You can use ice, heat, or pressure.... Ace bandages (not too tight) or tight socks/stockings for example. If you are a diabetic, you need to consult a doc before you you use heat or ice, and be very careful about how tight things are on your limbs.

I take lyrica for my paresthesias, but sometimes it doesn't do the job. I smoke a little pot when that happens, but I'm not advocating that :)

If you want better answers about these types of symptoms, you'll have to see a neurologist.

I hope you feel better soon, Mari :hug:
Kay

Hi,
I'm recording here what I'm taking.

Wellbutrin
Sept 21 Tuesday: 200 mgs
Sept 22 Wednesda: 200 mgs
Sept 23 Thursday: zero
Sept 24 Friday 50: mgs pm


Pdoc said to go down to 150 and call him on Monday.
That is not going to happen.
Right now I am considering whether to even stay at 50 mgs until I call him on Monday.

One problem I can call him on Monday but I won't have phone availability at work and will not be able to receive a call from him.
I have an appt for Thursday.
I might stay on the 50 mgs until I see him Thursday.


Or I might stay on the 50 mgs a day for a couple of days in case there is a benefit to tapering off and then be off of it by the time I see him on Thursday.

The stinging and creepy crawling sensations are over my entire body right now. It's very much not comfortable and rather disconcerting.

M.

Dear Mari

in the beginning i hypothesized a lot on dosing/times quanties that could result in paresthesias.

if your pdoc (neuro) thinks it is due to excess norepinephrine it would be a direct effect of the wellbutrin, not an effect of withdrawal.

i guess the only thing i'm wondering is, if you felt ok at 100 mg / day, might you have continued to feel ok if you had not increased it. in which case, may be worth skipping or reducing (to 50 mg / day) until paresthesia and crawly feelings are GONE completely, and then retrying 100 mg/day. this is from a cold, clinical being-very-rational-about-things, perspective.

on the other hand, if i put myself in your shoes, i really don't know if i could get myself to "trust" a drug any longer, that messed with me in that way, or had the potential to do so. so if you decide you want off it, i completely understand. i suspect i would choose the same for myself. creepy crawly sensations all over the body would be very upsetting to me. :(

again i am sorry you are going through this. i hope it settles down soon.

do please take your other meds as usual (including klonopin). you are used to the klonopin and taking it will not make things worse. it will either do nothing or help make things better. in any case it will help you through the upsetness.

sending hugs :hug::hug::hug:

~ waves ~