Brintellix/trintellix Long Term Side Effects
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I have struggled with depression for most of my life, and am always in search of the perfect antidepressant. I work with a psych doctor who is always willing to try new things. 10 months ago I started 5 mg of Brintellix daily, within a week my mood was significantly elevated, I was sleeping better, waking up much earlier and was more motivated to do things in the morning. I went up to 10mg daily However the nausea was dreadful! I pushed through for a couple of weeks, changed to taking the brintellix at night and after a while it subsided. My mood got better and better, I had recently turned 50, and had gained a little weight, so with my new found morning energy I started working out 2times a week with a trainer, and then walking most other mornings! The walking then changed gradually to running, and after 6-7 months I was running 3-4 miles a few times a week and going to the gym twice a week. I was loving life, getting really into good shape and felt better than I had in years! Then I started getting pain in my shoulders and neck, I went for PT and it didn't help, the pain would move from shoulder to neck and down my traps, always changing. Then I started getting foot pain, which my doc said was Plantar Fasciatis from running, and extremely stiff muscles especially in the mornings. I stretched and stretched but to no avail, the foot pain turned to numbness and tingling in my lower legs, and still intermittent with the foot pain. I started backing off on exercise a bit, but nothing changed, I have been to a rheumatologist and infectious disease specialist and tested for everything but they don't know. Currently am undergoing tests for diabetes and ms and other neurological disorders, but the neurologist doesn't think it's that, and wants to blame my depression, or hormonal imbalance. Funny thing is I wasn't at all depressed when this started 3 months ago! now I am not able to even take a ten minute walk without some kind of pain. I tapered off Brintellix because I am terrified it's that, but of course I now have terrible depression and anxiety. I am starting cymbalta for depression today. My question is for anyone who has been on Brintellix did you start experiencing any of these problems after being on it for at least 6 months or more? Shoulder pain, joint pain, muscle cramping and stiffness, bottom of foot pain, numbness, coldness and tingling in feet and legs below knees, dreadfully stiff neck and neck pain. All of these symptoms change daily for me, they are intermittent, but there is never a time now when I am pain free or not stiff. I have been off Brintellix for 3 weeks now.

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Re: Debbie (# 6)

Hi Debbie, have u ever tried cymbalta?

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Re: Danielle (# 24)

Igual lo estoy viviendo. Dolor en mandíbula permanente desde que inicié Brintellix, que a veces no puedo abrir la boca. Bruxismo. aún no lo puedo dejar. El COVID aumentó la ansiedad como efecto secundario.

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l am off Trintellix thank goodness. But it left me with insomnia. When l awake it's impossible to go back to sleep. Since l am so sensitive to antidepressants my doctor put me on Abilify, 1mg then 5 mg one month later. This is my 3rd day I'll see how it goes, l would be interested in comments from any other person on Abilify for depression. Jl.

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Re: Dawn (# 43)

I know it's awhile since you posted your comment. I am just seeing it now. Can you tell me if St. John's Wart really helps with depression and how does it help. Thank you. Jl.

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I took this med for 8 months in 2015. It was the best antidepressant I ever took, but I went from fit and active to having hip and coccyx pain so severe I had to walk with a cane. Many specialists later, my psychiatrist told me that two other patients had severe joint pain complaints and so I stopped the med. The pain improved over weeks but never fully went away.

2 yrs later my right arm developed similar symptoms, largely deep aching, clawing of the hand, nerve pain and weakness. 4yrs later I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia (rheumatologist said triggered by this med). 5yrs later I was found to have an abnormality in my wrist but my symptoms are more severe than they should be. 6yrs later - last week - an orthopedic surgeon said I have an abnormality on my hip x ray that may have caused bilateral hip impingement. This is the beginning of this investigation.

I now wonder if the Trintellix greatly enhanced pain from a legitimate yet mild condition at that time. For what it's worth, my pain was 10 (unbearable - went to hospital for it) and now six years off that med it ranges from 3 (mild enough to forget about sometimes) to 5 most days (can't ignore but can do some activities).

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Re: Jackie (# 16)

Hi! Yes those terrible pains everywhere will go away in time. I was on Trintillex for 7and half weeks. Stopped because of bad insomnia. I went off Trintillex to fast and the withdrawal was unbelievable pain every place. It takes 16 days to get out of your system. It's day 17 for me and lam still having odd pains but thank goodness most of its gone. Never again. Iam glad l feel normal again. Good Luck and hang in there! Jl

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Re: Lynn (# 33)

Did you say your intercisial cystitis got worse taking Trintillex because this has happened to me.. l felt fine before l took it. Iam very sensitive to antidepressants, l was good with Trintillex for 7 weeks thought l would increase it to 5 mg a day ago maybe l should just stay on 2 and half mg. Also started having problems staying asleep. Jl

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OMG ME TOO! Unfortunately, this happened early on in treatment, when increasing from 5mg to 10. I too was feeling better emotionally and wanted to deny it, but the pain has become increasingly unbearable. I am just four months out of a double cervical spine fusion and still in physical therapy, so I am monitoring my pain all the time. Initially I thought maybe it was the increase in exercise, but it's become pretty clear that the medicine is causing increased pain. What's more is that my lower back pain has increased as well. I have a severe herniation but it was feeling much better until the Trintellix. Now there are days when I can barely walk in the pain is searing again. This is depressing! I always have side effects and my doctors never believe me oh that's not a side effect they say it's so frustrating!

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Re: Avery (# 13)

Been on this 7 months caused weight gain bad anxiety and headaches i do better on st johns wort

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Yesso has a friend of mine, I was only on 5mg and the pain in my neck and shoulders was becoming unbearable.psyciatrist took me off it. Cold Turkey and wants to see me in few weeks when withdrawal is over to see what improved and what didn't. My pains are alot better, muscle cramping and stiffness a lot better. Depression and anxiety are also a withdrawal symptom. It can pass. Takes anywhere from 7-8 weeks to finish withdrawal. I've gone through this many years. 30 to be exact. Have been on many antidepressants over the years. Cymbalta is a very scary one, research it well. Also 2 of my friends experience terrible side effects from that. Research CBD OIL. its helping me a lot.my friend who just stopped trintellix month and a half ago is still suffering extreme anxiety, chest leg shoulder neck back pain severely. Doctor won't admit to hobbits the meds. He never had that before meds. Also his first time on one. I also experience circulation problems on it has very cold all the time. Felt like cold was on the inside of my hands. That's gone now.

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Did you have a feeling of extreme discomfort in you neck, not just pain? Like a feeling of you can't get your neck muscles comfortable? I have that feeling on Trintillex and it's always there. I move and move my neck when I'm sitting and tilt my head back alot trying to get rid of the feeling but it won't go away and I'm worried it's being caused by the medication.

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Re: N Joy (# 1)

Hello,
I had same headache cause of brintellix. I noticed that drug cause low sodium. So I drunk lots of water everyday. And it did very well. Because I didnt want to use painkiller every day. 1 or 2 months later headache was decrease and than stop. If you feel good about your pill, be patient. Headache will stop

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Re: Patty (# 38)

The pain was definitely the med. 8 months on the med and I went from no pain to not being able to walk, it was excruciating. When I stopped the med each day the pain was less, and I was able to walk again after approx two weeks...maybe even less. My psychiatrist had two patients who also developed joint pain on the med, which resolved after it was stopped. Joint pain has since been added to the side effects list.

I am so glad that it helps you with your mental state. It was the best med for me too, and would have stayed on it if I didn't developed the joint, muscle, and nerve pain.

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Hi. I have taken Brintellix, now called Trintellix, for nearly 4 years. I take 30mg. I’m 68 years old. I have taken antidepressants for decades with no improvement in my depression. Trintellix is a life saver, for me, with my depression. I have experienced all the pain symptoms you describe since I was a teenager. It didn’t start with the Trintellix. I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, which causes the sporadic pain all over, and specifically my shoulders and neck. I now have arthritis which hurts my knees and other joints. It’s aging. Still, I’m never depressed. I had to go off my Trintellix for a while because we couldn’t afford it. That time was horrible, for me. Then we learned that the pharmaceutical company would help with the cost. God bless them. In my experience, your pain is not a result of Trintellix. It is very likely other age related things. Fibromyalgia is relentless. I would talk to my doctor about it. Keeping my depression under control helps me handle my pain. I am very anxious for my psychiatrist to give me medical marijuana. My sister tells me it helps her more than anything ever has. She is a psychologist. She is not just trying to get legal pot. Good luck and God be with you as you figure this out.

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Hello,
I had same issue. I had almost same story like you. I use 7 months brintellix. And I had a bad knee pain. I thought that for my daily sports activety. And than more slightly shoulder pain goes on. But I couldnt go any doctor...
When I read your artical, I said this is an side effect. I never think like that.
Most side effects I'm feeling "high"
I try to give up to pills. So I use half to 5 daily. And my knee better now.
My depression and anxiety is still there I know. But I have to do something Im realy boring the drugs

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I just wanted to give you all an update, because I had a new side effect that finally made me stop Brintellix: Restless Leg Syndrome.

I was on 20mg Brintellix from August 2017 to May 2018, with lower doses prior to that. Around May, I finally had a breakthrough in my medication and treatment, and it seems like my depression has turned a corner and finally lifted. But at the same time, I started getting Restless Leg Syndrome every night, about 2-3 hours after taking my nightly dose of Brintellix. It sounds like it wouldn't be a big deal, but it is beyond annoying. The itchy, creepy, crawling sensation (only on the outer side of my right leg), and the almost reflex-like need to move that leg would prevent me from sleeping. It just kept on getting worse and worse until I finally went cold turkey on the Brintellix. For about a week, I was finally able to sleep properly, but then the Restless Leg Syndrome returned. I'm hoping that it will finally resolve now that I'm not on the drug anymore.

As for the depression, it didn't return in any significant way even after I stopped Brintellix, though it has only been a week and a few days since. I'm on Xanax as needed, in case of panic attacks or insomnia, and so far I've only had to take it once, when the restless legs kept me awake again.

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Re: Crippled by this med (# 32)

I'm replying to my own post with an update:

I have just been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. The rheumatologist said that it was likely triggered by the prolonged pain caused by this med, which makes sense because that's when the pain started. More recent worstening of IC and hormones also may also be contributing to my current symptoms, making them worse (unrelated to trintellix)

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I'm having exactly the same problem. I take mine at night and have been on it for 6 months. I am walking up every morning with an extremely painful neck and shoulders. I can't even turn my head. I have just been on an antibiotic and was wondering if the two medications perhaps clashed.

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Yes I did! I get it from almost every antidepressant I try now. Been on and off them for years, every time I start one feel better and as it builds up in my system I get sicker and sicker. Have to go way back down on dose. And usually off them. Then I get really sick depression wise. Bad roller coaster ride for 7 years now.

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This medication crippled me with joint and muscle pain in my hips, coccyx, groin, painful inflammation in the skin, and nerve pain (shooting pains, pinching sensations a bit like strong pins and needles) in those areas and in my legs. At the start of the med I had severe tachycardia and blood pressure spikes. 8 months in I was walking with a cane and considering a wheelchair. The symptoms mostly went away over a month or two after stopping, and were better even the first week. Some immobility and exercise intolerance remained, but I can walk now. It was definitely the med.

But now it's 3 years later, and my hip, coccyx, and groin pain is returning, though not nearly as severe. Now I'm getting x rays, blood tests, seeing specialists galore. Autoimmune or arthritis is a possibility as I now have more symptoms, like unexplained rashes, gland infections and lymph swelling. My interstitial cystitis has gotten much worse at the same time that the pain and new symptoms arose. I wonder if this med caused it or if it's a coincidence. Many of the pains feel the same.

No test results or answers yet, but I'll try to remember to update for everyone.

Your symptoms are not uncommon, just read through these comments.

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