Should I stop the therapy?

Background, I'm a 26-year-old student living alone most of the days, studying IT. I'm battling depression and anxiety since 2015 (so around 7 years) after the years of being bullied at the high school. In 2020 I've also lost a father which increased both my depression and sadness...

 

Now, I'd like to explain the title of the post and why I'm considering stopping the medication. In January of 2021 (a month after I lost my dad). I decided to visit a therapist and psychiatrist for the first time in my life, it become clear to me I could not suffer anymore since I could not stand the suicidal thoughts, and years of depression came to a peak. In 2021 I've tried different SSRIs and SNRIs but none of them seemed to work even to the highest dose allowed.

 

While I was trying various combinations with my psychiatrist, I was prescribed and started using Clonazepam for anxiety and Trazodone for sleeping, until the end of the year we could not find any antidepressant that will work for me. In the December of 2021, the doctor suggested Wellbutrin, which finally gave some results, though It's been only 6 months I think it improved my depression a little bit (better than nothing).

 

Now, the point of this post is my health since February of 2022. I've started to be tired all day, I can't focus on studying. I just want to lay in bed and sleep and after I woke up I still feel tired. Due to that, I've started drinking a lot of caffeine which did not help at all.

 

Since I can't cope with this tiredness all day (stopped going to classes, and can't read a single page of the book), even though depression and anxiety are still there I've decided I probably should stop the therapy for now.

 

I visited my psychiatrist 2 days ago and told her I want to stop the medication, but unfortunately, she refused to accept that as a solution and increased my Wellbutrin. After the visit, I was lost and I don't know what should I do now.

 

My current therapy is (Wellbutrin for 6 months, clonazepam for 1 year, and trazodone for 1 year).

 

Morning: 1mg clonazepam, 150mg xl wellbutrin (now increased to 300mg)

Evening: 1mg clonazepam, 150mg trazodone

 

Additional 1mg of clonazepam if needed. Sorry for the long post, but I really need to find what is causing this tiredness, brain fog, and dissociation since my psychiatrist keeps telling me this is not caused by the meds. Thank you!

Hello moon2022, welcome to BenzoBuddies,

 

We can't really advise you to stop your therapy but we can educate you on side effects and symptoms of benzodiazepine use and your symptoms fit them.  I'll provide some resources for you to take a look at but benzo's once we become dependent on them begin to cause many issues like brain fog, depersonalization and fatigue, not to mention hundreds of other symptoms.  Chapter 3 of The Ashton Manual will list your symptoms and why you feel them.

 

We typically recommend reducing your dose by about 5-10% every couple of weeks, but focus mainly on a symptom based taper in order to stay functional.  Not many in the medical field understand benzo dependence and withdrawal because not everyone will react like we do, some can take and discontinue these medications with little to no problem.  Many of our members will initiate tapering without telling their doctors for fear of being cut off or tapered too rapidly.

 

We can help you figure out what's going on with you and should you decide to taper we'll help you do that.  I'm very sorry to hear about losing your father, that's rough for someone so young who is already battling depression.

 

Let us know how we can help you.

 

Pamster

 

Colorado Consortium Benzodiazepine Deprescribing Guidelines

 

Planning Your Withdrawal (Taper)

 

Withdrawal Support (during your taper)

 

My experience with Klonopin/Clonazepam involves it acting as a sedative, at least in the first few years.  I found myself taking morning naps after a full night's sleep.  I no longer feel tired, having taken the drug for over 6 yrs.

Thank you guys for the support. I appreciate professor Ashton's work and I've already read the tapering method in the past for the Clonazepam/Klonopin https://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/bzsched.htm#s5.

 

The problem is that substitute shown in Ashton's tapering schedule, Diazepam (Valium) is not available/approved in my country. My question is, does Bromazepam works for this or is there any other substitute other than Valium?

Actually most members taper directly from their current benzo, unless they're facing severe interdose withdrawal with the shorter acting drugs like Xanax and Ativan.  I wouldn't substitute with Bromazepam since its got a short half life, Clonazepam is the much better option.

I agree with Pamster. When I got here at BB I thought I had to crossover to Valium and split my doses based on the Ashton manual. But as I read more I realised it would be better for me to stick to the drug I know. I've been tapering clonazepam since the start and don't regret my decision. I just have a little bit to go now.