Brintellix (trintellix) Withdrawal

Started 10 mg Trintellix 3 weeks ago. Vomiting at least 2x a day and constant nausea, fatigue, muscle and back pain. Trying to wean off it - doctor said take it every second day for a week then go see her. What is the normal time frame for withdrawal? I am terrified of this drug. I am diabetic and it is making my sugars wildly fluctuate too.

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Called Lundbeck (canadian office in Montreal) today to get advice on how to wean off/stop taking Trintellix. Shocked to be told "there is NO protocol for weaning/stopping this drug. You have to let your doctor decide how to proceed"! "Everyone has a different reaction". My doctor is away for a week so. My pharmacist and I are trying to figure something out, but I am absolutely stunned at Lundbeck's answer

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Hi Judy,

Sorry to hear about your challenges with Trintellix. The answer that Lundbeck gave you sounds like the ugly / sad truth with many types of pharmaceutical medications... where it seems patients are the guinea pigs of this vast experiment society calls big pharma. I believe their clinical trials only go so far and that's why they don't know what to do... However with a doctor's help there are "safe" ways to taper off anything and they can help you do it in the most subtle and concise manner to mitigate possible risks or side effects upon doing so. In the meantime I would encourage you to stay positive and optimistic when it comes to finding a solution and peace of mind in the process. Will look forward to any future updates you might have. Warm regards~

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I want to wean off of trintellix. I started it in March. Dr worked me up from 5 mg to 20 mg. But the weight gain is horrible. I came off of effexor a couple of years ago and the withdrawals were horrible. Any experience with this?

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I started around march also. I am taking 20 mg and i am very nauseous. I am not sleeping very well also. I have decided to stop taking it, not sure how. I'm thinking i will go to 10 mg a day for a week, then the following week every other day. Then the following week i will stop. Too much nausea and very tired and still very depressed and anti social. I also think of dying too much. I have tbi from 2 years ago. I wish you the best of luck!

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Good day everyone,

After taking Trintellix for over a year now, I decided to quit cold turkey. This medication made me feel nauseous, super depressed, caused weight gain, made me antisocial and I regularly had thoughts of suicide. Since quitting on June 29th, 2017: Days 1 through 5, I have had no bad side effects. The positive side effects for me are crystal clear thoughts, zero depression and no suicidal thoughts whatsoever. I feel like a new person, well actually, I feel like myself again. I can't believe that I let this medication screw my life up for so long. I decided to take control of my life on June 29th. Instead of taking medication, I am using physical activity to get back into shape. I am taking over my life again. I will no longer be visiting the pharmacy each month to pick up meds. I feel invigorated now. 5 days and counting, no longer in the routine of waking up and starting my day washing down pills.

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How did the weaning go? I had no withdrawals, and feel so much better. I still have the extra weight I gained on meds, but I've not gained any additional.
Best of luck!

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Well , a bit of a failure. I went to 10mg and stopped taking sleeping pill too.
I ran out of 10 mg after 5 days , after a few days without i went bAck to the 20mg.
I am going on bike ride in early morning and falling asleep around 8 or 9..
Oh well , no sleeping pills is great for me .i see neuro doc next week and will ask her for 10 mg . If i can stay on my bike i will just stop within a few weeks.
Thanks for asking.

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Nausea and vomiting are transient side effects that some people might experience for the first 2 weeks. You can stop the medication if you want.

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I take mine at night because of the nausea. I am presently weaning off this med. Dr. Advised me for first week take every other day. Second week, every 2 days, etc.

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I took 5-10 mg of Brintellix for 5 weeks. Didn't like the brain fog. Was told by my MD to stop the current dosage of 5 mg after 3 more days. Since then my brain fog has not cleared. Any idea how long approximately before I get relief? My brain has always been sensitive to this type of medication.

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Re: Click (# 5)
I read your post about withdrawing from Trintellix and I'm hoping you will post about your experience and how you're doing now. I'm in the process of withdrawing from this drug as well and would benefit from your experience.

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Re: Kywoman (# 3)

Did you figure out how to taper off? I am in the same situation. Also how much weight did you gain? My doctor said it shouldn't cause weight gain it I have also gained a lot of weight and think it might be the Brintellix. It hasn't helped that much with my depression so I don't mind going off it. I hope you have found suitable replacement medication. Thanks!

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Re: Zee zee (# 12)

Just a little info for anyone taking this. I started it about a year ago. It took a few months to kick in. But if you can handle the wait time. It could help you...but everyone's different. Also my doctor made me stop cold turkey 2 days ago until I can get my blood pressure back on track. I was devastated. So far I am having bad headaches and body aches. I'm hoping I get back on it soon. It took a while bit it did help

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Re: Greg (# 4)

my experience sounds exactly like yours...i am also going to stop...but get dizzy when i went from 10mg to 5 mg...don't know what to do...it has made me feel more depressed than I have ever felt in my life

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Re: Zee zee (# 12)

I just stopped Trintellix. I've gained at least 10 pounds over the 3 or 4 months on it. When I told my psych I was gaining weight, she attributed it to this med. I believe last night was my last pill. Maybe it's my imagination, but I feel like my heart is racing today. I can only hope my Ambien and muscle relaxer will help me sleep and it will pass. I'll try to post again...if I find my way back to the board.

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Re: usurpossum (# 15)

I just stopped it a week ago and I have been dealing with my heart racing and I feel weirdly tingly all over. So far that is the only sypmtoms I have. I would love to know how long this lasts though....this feeling is for the birds....

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Re: usurpossum (# 15)

I have been on this med for a year and feel like my depression and anxiety are worse recently. Also have insomnia that is worsened on this med. Side effects of wt gain, sweating and itchiness as well. I tapered my dose now to 10 mg. It's been about 6 days and experiencing muscle cramps in hands and feet. Plan on taking every second day now. Hopefully this will subside.

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Re: Click (# 5)

after all these months...how are you feeling now...

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Re: Nila (# 17)

I am off of trintellix for the first time in at least 2 years. A lot of your side effects especially the insomnia have been really difficult - how are you feeling off it now? I’m cautiously optimistic aside from the lack of sleep so far.

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Re: Joshsgirl (# 16)

Omg joshsgirl, you're the only other person I know that's felt the tingling all over (strange sensation). I'm currently on day 16, first week on 10 then 2nd week on 5mg and then stop. This is day 2 with no brintellix and still feel like s*** however it could also be side effects of starting seroquel.

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I have been on Trintellix for 16 months. I started on 10mg and shortly after I increased to 20mg. Before Trintellix I was on Prozac 20mg for 3 years.

Around April of this year the medsstopped working and when hopes were lost my doctor asked to taper it off. After being on 10mg for a week, I felt great and told my doctor that I would like to remain on 10mg. Fast forward to now, the meds stopped working again. Fog, fatigue and excessive sleep for the past 2 weeks.
Starting tomorrow I will do every other day, technically moving to 5mg and see what happens.

I want to come off and might test escitalopram.

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How are you feel now? Are you on anything? I'm trying to be med free

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Re: Click (# 5)

I wonder (honestly) how day 6 - 10 were? I did the same thing. The first 5 or 6 days were fine, but when the second week kicked in, wow! Headaches, nausea, instability, shaky, it was horrible. But during that first week, I felt great! Now I'm on it every other day and scared to go to every two days.
Trintellix steals my emotions and causes weight gain.

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I feel like now that I'm off of it I wake up shakey.

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Re: Nicola (# 20)

Withdrawel from Trintellix can be severe. I'm currently located in Norway where Trintellix is called Brintellix. In the Norwegian guideline for doctors it says that you can stop cold turkey on the meds. After using Trintellix for 1 year on 20 mg a day I wanted to stop using them. My doctor just looked up in his book and said: it says here you cant just stop taking them . There will be no withdrawel symptoms.periode.

So I trusted him and then the hell broke loose. Shivers, brain fog-felt like my brain was num, poor vision, dizzines, nausea, agression, out bursts, tears..and so on..almost the same hell as when I weaned off Paxil..I tried to get information from Lundbeck, but they just said that according to our trials no one in the trial group reported withdrawel symptoms. The norwegian health board says: Ok , Lundbeck we trust you. Lunch and golf next week as usual? It's a joke. But I'm hanging in there..slowely weaning off this poison. Now down to 5mg a day..writing my masters degree thesis at the same time and it's a nightmare. Go slow is my advice. Eat healthy, exercise, stay away from alcohol for a while (a beer or two is prob. ok), take amino-acids and think that one day it will all be good again..hopefully

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Done taking this medicine. I have been slowing weaning myself off of it over the last two months. Was taking 20mg. The severe night sweats continue. Now insomnia as well. Extreme exhaustion. Vertigo was an issue in the beginning. But I can tell over all I am doing better mentally. I was able to read 25 pages in a book for the first time since being on it. I just want all the side effects to end!! Haven’t taken any in 3 days now.

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