Side-effects of Welbutrin discontinuation?

Posted by mrshmallow @mrshmallow, May 3, 2016

Side-effects of Welbutrin discontinuation?
Does anyone know of any side-effects of discontinuing typical antidepressant medications?
I ask because I recently discontinued Welbutrin after about 12 weeks, and suddenly I'm experiencing some swelling in my right foot and hand. It could just be a coincidence.
But I also had some possibly related symptoms at about the time that I started Welbutrin -- some blood in the urine as well as atypical urothelial cells, and also some mild prostate enlargement. (I'm a 52-yo male.)
Thank you for any insight you may be able to share.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Depression & Anxiety Support Group.

Profile picture for bustrbrwn22 @bustrbrwn22

@mjfalk3. I am so sorry for your experience and your posting helped me in knowing I’m not the only one doctors won’t help. I was taking it so personally and wondering what was I doing wrong. Your comment lessened that feeling just a tiny bit in me.

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How are you doing now?

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Profile picture for mjfalk3 @mjfalk3

How are you doing now?

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@mjfalk3. That is so thoughtful of you to ask. I’d prefer to PM you if that’s ok since I’m sure it’s very tiresome for people to hear my various autoimmune and neuropathy issues.

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Profile picture for vfrifr @vfrifr

Yes, I am tapering off 25mg of Zoloft. I am one of the special 4% who expereinced severe heart palpitations. The first 3 tapers following doctors instruction were complete and total misery. (One taper put me in the hosptial for a day because I was so weak.) That only got me down to 7 mg. The doctors could not understand why I could not quite cold turkey. One even said it was the nocebo effect and I should discuss the issue with my psychotherapist to discuss just accepting the tapers. I did a considerable amount of reasearch on my own. Finding the book was only one piece of valuable information I found. Once I accepted (which is different that realized) that the tapering how much and when I taper is decided by my body, not the doctor, I relaxed about tapering. Thanks to the book, I was able to determine how much to taper, comfortably! The amount I taper is 0.4mg. My latest taper was from 6.0mg to 5.6mg. I started that taper on August 8th, 2021. Today (August 17th, 2021) my withdrawal effects are barely noticable.

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Reply comment to @vfrifr , I used that book to get myself off Zoloft, too. It was a miserable process, but totally worth it. It was absolutely the only book I could find after a long search that gave clear, reasonable instructions. One, which I held in mind but didn't have to resort to, was to get the drug in a liquid form so the final titers could be nearly infinitesimal. I appreciated being validated in my feelings and in the difficulty of the process. At a couple points along the way, I was so anxious and agitated that I COULD NOT sit down!
I am just writing to offer encouragement, to say it can be done, and I found it totally worth all the effort.
Good luck to you, brave one!

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Profile picture for Colleen Young, Connect Director @colleenyoung

Thank you for the book recommendation, @vfrifr. You are right to underline "slowly". Do you have first-hand experience with tapering off a medication?

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Just ordered.

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Profile picture for bustrbrwn22 @bustrbrwn22

@mjfalk3. That is so thoughtful of you to ask. I’d prefer to PM you if that’s ok since I’m sure it’s very tiresome for people to hear my various autoimmune and neuropathy issues.

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It’s okay

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Profile picture for yellowdoggirl @yellowdoggirl

Reply comment to @vfrifr , I used that book to get myself off Zoloft, too. It was a miserable process, but totally worth it. It was absolutely the only book I could find after a long search that gave clear, reasonable instructions. One, which I held in mind but didn't have to resort to, was to get the drug in a liquid form so the final titers could be nearly infinitesimal. I appreciated being validated in my feelings and in the difficulty of the process. At a couple points along the way, I was so anxious and agitated that I COULD NOT sit down!
I am just writing to offer encouragement, to say it can be done, and I found it totally worth all the effort.
Good luck to you, brave one!

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Thank you for posting your story! Very happy to hear my story validated your feels! That is so important. Thank you for the encouragement!! The words are appreciated more than I can say!

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Profile picture for mjfalk3 @mjfalk3

Just ordered.

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You are welcome! Hope the book is helpful to you! Please let us know.

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Profile picture for peggygris @peggygris

I have been on Wellbutrin for depression 20 years. It is no longer working. How do I go about stopping it with the least amount of withdrawal or side effects?

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I’m am tapering off wellbutrin beacuse its causes me trouble swallowing. I have been reducing my dose by 25mg every two weeks. I am down to 75mg an extremely sick. I am having spells of extreme anxiety, crying spells, but the worst part is my left side keep going numb amd my whole body feels off. When i try yo go to sleep i get more anxiety beacuse my brain racing and I’m jolted awake. Can anyone help or relate?

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Profile picture for rucker25 @rucker25

I’m am tapering off wellbutrin beacuse its causes me trouble swallowing. I have been reducing my dose by 25mg every two weeks. I am down to 75mg an extremely sick. I am having spells of extreme anxiety, crying spells, but the worst part is my left side keep going numb amd my whole body feels off. When i try yo go to sleep i get more anxiety beacuse my brain racing and I’m jolted awake. Can anyone help or relate?

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Weclome @rucker25, I can understand your wish to taper off Wellbtrin since it is causing you swallowing issues. But tapering can bring its own set of side effects as you as experiencing.

To help you connect with other members with experience tapering, I moved your message to this discussion.
- Getting off Wellbutrin: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/getting-off-wellbutrin/

Here you can connect witih members like @vfrifr @mjfalk3 @yellowdoggirl @jimhd who understand and can share their tips and experiences.

Might you be able to reduce more slowly and allow your body to adjust? How is your swallowing issue on 75mg?

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Profile picture for peggygris @peggygris

I have been on Wellbutrin for depression 20 years. It is no longer working. How do I go about stopping it with the least amount of withdrawal or side effects?

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I have been on Wellbutrin on and off for years as it is the only antidepressant that works for me. I am 70 years old. I have not had problems with swallowing or withdrawal symptoms you described. I believe you should contact your doctor soon.

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