[KAL77]

Hi,

This is my first post, and it’s a long one (sorry!) I am just at my wits end and could really use some insight as to what in the heck is going on with me. Let me give you a little backstory: I have suffered from depression for years. First started on Prozac in 2001, then Zoloft, then bupropion, then Effexor. Weened myself off the bupropion and Effexor last April to see if I needed it anymore. After a horrible withdrawal period, I did very well for months, and then in September, a series of extremely stressful events began. Fear of losing my job, was exposed to an incurable disease (tests came back negative, thank god!), faced major expenses with my vehicle and lots of financial issues.

Starting in October, I noticed I had a stiff neck that would not go away. When I turned my head to the far left or far right, I noticed pain in my neck and trapezius (sp?) muscles. My insurance is not great, so I decided to self-treat with ibuprofen and heat on my neck...but the pain and stiffness just would not go away. Then I started having burning sensations between my armpit and pec on each side. This would just come and go. Not really painful, just annoying and concerning. At Thanksgiving, i noticed a small lump on the back of my neck on the left side, at the hairline, about 2 inches from behind my ear. This of course threw me into a tailspin. Constant worry.

While at home for Christmas, I told my mom about the neck pain I was having and she gave me some of her Gabapentin to try and see if it would help. I waited a bit before taking these, because I wanted to research them online first. From what I read, it sounded like it might help. It was also around this time that I quit smoking (after 19 years, pack-a-day).

With the Gabapentin, I noticed a reduction in the pain, but then my ring finger on my left hand started twitching. Then, I started to feel tingling/numbness in my left arm. I thought it was a pinched nerve in my neck, so I went into the doctor (finally) and told him about all of this. He examined me, and was not concerned about the lump on my neck at all. Thought it was just a lymph node. He also took x-rays of my neck and said the cervical spine looked ok, no tumors. He did say that I have lost the natural curve to my cervical spine, but he was not worried about it. He suggested I see a chiropractor or physical therapist and wrote me out a prescription for Gabapentin.

I started seeing a chiropractor, who told me my neck was indeed out of alignment. Also started taking the Gabapentin again...and my ring finger began to twitch again. But now I was feeling muscle twitches in other places...left hand, legs, feet, arms, stomach, shoulders, back. Very random - on both sides of my body. I also noticed this very heavy feeling in my face - almost like sinus pain/pressure. My first thought was something bad happened at one of my adjustments...but I called the chiro and she assured me those symptoms were not due to the adjustment.

I went back to see my doctor 2 weeks later for my annual physical. Standard blood panel came back fine. Other than high triglycerides and low HDL, Doc said everything looked good to him. I told him I thought I was having some kind of reaction to the Gabapentin as i have never had this weird muscle twitching like this before. He agreed to ween me off the Gabapentin and decided to add 50mg of Zoloft to take with the bupropion as he believed everything I was experiencing is due to stress and anxiety.

Now, I'm not completely disagreeing with him...I have been very stressed & anxious for months now. I seem to worry all the time. Plus, my posture was horrible for a long time - craning my head forward, leaning way back in my chair at work. So, I thought this could have contributed to the neck issues. Also, my diet has been horrible as well...lot of fast food. I made some major dietary changes at the same time I quit smoking...but it seems like that is when all these weird symptoms started...and they are scaring me.

The finger twitching did stop after I quit taking the Gabapentin, but the other random muscle twitches have continued. Some days it feels like my left leg is just vibrating. I notice my arm or leg will jerk when I'm in bed, trying to go to sleep. Still have random numbness/tingling in my arms and legs. My eyes are always irritated and bloodshot. I have not been sleeping well at all. My appetite has diminished. To me, my face/neck looks red or flushed frequently and feels warm to the touch. My neck still hurts and I can hear something crunching in there when I crane my head forward, then pull it back. And now (the newest symptom to join the party) my upper lip, top row of teeth and the back of my throat feels numb every now and then.

My question is this...does this sound like typical anxiety symptoms or does it sound more neurological in nature? I've never experienced anything like this before. If it is anxiety, why am I having all this now and didn't when I was going through all the stressful events last fall? Is the quitting smoking possibly contributing to this? I have only been on the Zoloft for 2 weeks at this point. I know it takes time for it to start working, but I've never felt like this before in my life and it is really scary. Unfortunately, as I mentioned before, my insurance is not good. I can’t afford to go in for CT scans, MRI’s, etc. Just the MRI alone would be over $3,000! I just don’t know what to do.

I'm also wondering if there may be some kind of interaction going on here. For reference - here is a list of everything I'm currently taking:
- Bupropion SR 150mg 2x day
- Zoloft 50mg 1x day
- Fish oil 3,000mg a day
- Garlic oil 4,000mg a day
- Men’s One-a-Day vitamin 1x day
- Calcium/Magnesium/Zinc/Vitamin D supplement 3x day
- Valerian Root (to help sleep) – 750mg/day
- Ibuprofen 1600 mg a day

I feel like my doctor is writing me off as a hypochondriac or something. I just know all of this is new to me and it is very scary and I want it to STOP! Any insight anyone has on my situation would be GREATLY appreciated!!

[Kitt]

Welcome KAL77.

[Pidge]

Hello,

Regarding your symptoms, most sound like they are related to stress. The muscle twitches are a different story and would ask a doctor and maybe the doctor could recommend a nerve conduction study (really not sure though). Also maybe there are nutritional deficiencies and since you are under stress maybe you are eating too little of an important nutrient. Good luck.

[SarahBain]

Dear KAL77:

if you are willing to do some homework, I believe I can show you where to find all the answer(s) you need: go to Dr. Heather Ashton's manual on benzodiazepines - benzo.org .uk. In my opinion, she is a saint, the manual is free to download from the site - she wrote it for ordinary people - she is an old-fashioned kind of doctor, one who has VALUES + knowledge + experience. She is retired now, but was a professor at Newcastle University, and is a psycho-pharmacologist. All of your symptoms are explained, and how to deal with them. Read the whole manual. There is a great support website called benzo-buddies that grew out of her work, and it is full of good information.

Finding a doctor in your area who knows any of this stuff to help you will be the hard part.

Unfortunately if found this stuff too late to save myself, and my doctor is an idiot.
Best of luck,
SB

[candylion]

Hello Kal,

I just joined and it's so interesting that your post is the first one I read. I had a very similar kind of thing happen so maybe it will help?

I was under great duress which ended up with me taking the similar kind of meds as yourself. I'll make a long story short but I was taking the gabapentin and the bupoprion, plus clonazapam and ciprolex. I was having pain as well as stress. As the stress began to increase I began to have those finger twitches. I believe I know exactly what you mean!
they increased at times to my hand and even my eye at times. I took myself to the hospital one time I was so scared. They ran tests. Nothing came up except low iron. I had all kinds of tests ...

My family Dr sent my to a neurologist. He was very kind and asked me all kinds of questions. Sent me for a mri. Meanwhile I was still twitching at odd times... mostly fingers , sometimes arms. Occasionally legs when I was laying down. Nothing came of it..
So he kindly took me in his office and we talked about stress and how it can affect you. He wasn't saying it was caused by stress as he still wants to keep an eye on me.

My fingers did calm down but this is kind weird about how your story is kind of similar. I have under my right armpit large swollen glands I suppose. And the have gone all the way up to my neck. Now I am dealingwith frozen shoulder.it is very painful. I don't know if they are connected? Have something to do with the meds? Gabapentin? Stress ?

Anyways I just thought it was unusual to hear the similarities between your story. I wish you good health.

[Kitt]

Welcome candylion.

[DannyT]

I would attribute your symptoms due to the interaction between zoloft and bupropion. Here is information from drugs.com med checker (it calls it a major drug interaction, the most dangerous type):

bupropion ↔ sertraline
Applies to: bupropion, Zoloft (sertraline)
Talk to your doctor before using buPROPion together with sertraline. Combining these medications may increase the risk of seizures, which may occur rarely with either medication. In addition, buPROPion can increase the blood levels of sertraline, which may increase other side effects. You may be more likely to experience seizures with these medications if you are elderly, undergoing alcohol or drug withdrawal, have a history of seizures, or have a condition affecting the central nervous system such as a brain tumor or head trauma. Your doctor may be able to prescribe alternatives that do not interact, or you may need a dose adjustment or more frequent monitoring by your doctor to safely use both medications. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol during treatment. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.


It's always a good idea to check one of these websites before mixing substances or even when first taking a new drug. Even though a doctor says it's OK, it doesn't necessarily mean it is safe. In the end it's your body and brain that is affected not the doctor's.

-Danny