Reducing pristique

[Wobblez]

Hi everyone,

Hope you are all going ok. I am enjoying my psychology honours degree but working and studying 6 days a week and is exhausting and I'm wondering if I'll be able to keep it up! I'm only in week 3 of the uni semester and already I've had 3 seizure-like episodes in the past few days and chronic headaches, dizziness and auras for several weeks. I've put it down to the fact that I'm currently reducing my Pristique from 100mg to 75mg and that I probably need to give it 4-6 weeks to settle. I heard that altering your serotonin levels can cause headaches, and can also affect the amount of oxygen going to your brain? Can anyone expand on this please?

My neuro has classified me as "seizure disorder - cause unknown" although he's now confident they aren't anxiety related or pseudo seizures. The neuro-psych is rethinking his depression diagnosis (hence allowing me to reduce meds) but doesn't really know what's going on. The plan was to reduce them and see what happens, but I'm not sure if I am just re-adjusting, or if my body genuinely needs the medication and this is why I'm suffering. Not quite sure what to do.

I'm sleeping HEAPS, exercising 5 times a week, eating well and taking spirulina and MegaB.

Thanks xxx

 

[Nakamova]

Hi Wobblez, nice to hear from you! I'm glad your diagnosis may be back on track (I never thought your seizures were psychogenic), but sorry that you are still looking for relief. And boy are you busy! That's a tough time to withdraw from meds.

There's something called SSRI Discontinuation Syndrome, which is basically side effects related to changes in serotonin during withdrawal. You can read more about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SSRI_discontinuation_syndrome Since your withdrawal is slow you may not be experiencing the full-blown syndrome, but here are some of the possible side effects: "dizziness, light-headedness, vertigo or feeling faint; shock-like sensations or paresthesia; anxiety; diarrhea; fatigue; gait instability; headache; insomnia; irritability; nausea or emesis; tremor; and visual disturbances." They sound a bit like simple partials, don't they?

There doesn't seem to be any real treatment except perhaps short-term painkillers/meds to help with headaches or insomnia. The best approach is to taper as slowly as possible. The effects shouldn't last more than a month, hopefully.

 

[Wobblez]

Thank you Nakamova, that sounds exactly like what I am experiencing, but I have also had symptoms that sound like seizures (zoning out and unable to move or talk, my usual auras etc) so maybe there's a bit of both going on at the moment. I checked my diary, it's been almost 6 weeks since I started my reducing the pristiq from 100mg to 75mg. I think I'll try and get in contact with my neuro today and see what he suggests. I feel like its gradually getting worse, not better.