I'm just starting week #3 after total withdrawal of ropinirole after 9 years on that drug. My dosage increased over the years from 1mg to 3mg/day. Around July 2022, I went into augmentation and realized that I'd need to get permanently off of the DA. It has been a struggle as you all know. But I'm now past the worst of it, using Buprenorphine/Naloxone 2mg film, after trying Methadone and Dilaudid.
I'm now tapering the Buprenorphine, currently at 0.5mg each evening with no RLS breakthroughs. My problem is a strong generalized anxiety, casting a negative feeling across my personality. So I'm physically recovering rather quickly but suffering from an overall feeling that my mind will never be the same happy, productive, social 73 year-old that I used to be. I haven't seen much about depression or anxiety on this site. Are there others struggling with mental aspects of lack of dopamine? How long does it take to rebuild your natural dopamine system after getting off of the DAs?
Thanks so much. You folks are the best,
Chris
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climber54
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Buprenorphine causes anxiety and depression. Many of us have noted it.I added 25mg pregabalin at night and the daytime anxiety has gone.
Others try trazodone, an RLS safe anti depressant. If Buprenorphine stops yoor RLS, it's better to stay on it and add a small dose of pregabalin or trazodone to deal with the anxiety/depression.
Quite a few of us have noticed it. I've never had anxiety/panic in my life until I started Oxycontin. Clearly opioids affect brain chemicals of some people differently. I never got a high or warm feeling on Oxycontin, just panic attacks. Dr. Buchfuhrer recommended adding pregabalin.It worked.
5 weeks after starting Buprenorphine, the anxiety/low mood kicked in again so I started 25mg pregabalin and it stopped all the daytime anxiety.
Yeah. I tried pregabalin last night and today I feel even worse. I've never had anxiety or depression either. But this is the second time I've tried pregabalin in the evening and ended up with bad mood issues on the following morning.Sucks.
The side effects on pregabalin often go away after a few weeks. If they don't, you might want to try gabapentin. Although they are basically the same drug except you don't need to divide the doses, and the side effects are basically the same, some people find that the side effects that bother them on one don't bother them on the other.
Some OTC supplements that help anxiety are Ashwagandha, L-theanine and Honokiol. A prescription antianxiety medicine is buspar (Buspirone) which may actually help with RLS symptoms. Trazodone, a prescription medicine, helps both anxiety and depression and also may help RLS. Always discuss these with your doctor.
Climber it seems as if you feel the anxiety may due to ropinerole withdrawal rather than the buprenorphine. I'm by no means an expert, but I think you may need to give your post-DA period more time to see if things settle. I have recently wondered about the link between opioids and anxiety and have an observation to share. I am currently tapering from ropinerole (down to .375 mg from 1mg, on it for a year). I too have a prescription for 2mg suboxone film. I noticed that when I take a larger dose (for me 250 mcg) I still feel the effects throughout the day. When I took a smaller dose (62.5 mcg) I noticed definite anxiety the following day. I suspect that I was experiencing a mini withdrawal. You may want to consider -and you should check with your doctor- adding a smaller dose of the buprenorphine during the day, so that you avoid a "low" that may be causing the anxiety.
It's been known for syrtemic inflammation to cause anxiety, depression and rls (check out drs Georgia Ede or Chris Palmer). Systemic inflammation is caused by many foods ( check out 'foods that cause inflammation'). Top of most lists is white bread followed by sugar
Definately the right way to go, reduce your systemic inflammation. You may not need to be fully keto. I only cook with coconut oil, olive oil or animal fats to avoid refined seed oils. Expect a marked imprivement in the early stages, but I would expect you to notice small things up to nine months after as I noticed improoved bteathing and sport pdrformance.
Reducing your inflammation should definitely reduce the pain from your arthtitis thugh unfortunately nothing can be done about any joint damage. Good luck.
Yes I have experience it. I was on 0.125 for a year and then 0.375 for 6 months. Felt my rls getting worse, especially if I took a dose late. Anxiety and dysphoria was experienced for me without reducing. I'd previously been fine and no changes in my life circumstances. I decided to reduce my dose and completely withdrew in 1 month. Withdrawals were bad in this time and my anxiety was getting worse. I end up what I believe to be DAWS and spent 3 days in bed, I slept most of the time and felt sick in the stomach and was panicky. I decided after the 4th day to have half a 0.125 tablet and was feeling significantly better within hours. Needless to say I've tapered off much slower now and am on very tiny amounts 6months later. I'm also not experiencing rls after finding out I was low in Vit D. I've also followed advice here and taking iron and magnesium supplements.
Hello Climber, I’m sorry that you are experiencing this mental anguish! I never experienced anxiety in my life until I started to taper my DA. I was on a DA for many years and on an criminally high dose. It took me almost two years to come off of it. I have been been completely clear of it for over a year now. I suffered really horrible DAWS, uncontrollable crying, anxiety, anger, impatience and horrible depression. During the withdrawal period I started taking Wellbutrin which didn’t help much. I am currently taking methadone, switched from OXycodone. For me I don’t think it is the opioid, I think it’s the side effects of the DA. I am slowly getting back to myself. However, I still have not returned to my old self. I too wonder if I will ever be my happy go lucky, optimistic self. My nickname at work was Mary Sunshine. I want to be her again and I hope the same for you. I suppose we Just need to give it some time( I know that is difficult when you feel so bad) Best of luck to you.
I am also on week 3. Down to 0.5mg from 4mg and really struggling. Can only manage around 3.5 hours sleep a night. The side effects made me what to give up but RLS symptoms are worse than ever now.
I started Ropinirole afte going 4 nights without sleep. I really don’t know what alternatives there are out there but keen to find out. I have highe ferritin levels 298 at the lowest so iron supplements are a ni for me. Magnesium spray did nothing. Already on a Wheat and Dairy free diet so now trying to cut down sugar.
I am convinced this is a neurological problem but previously told I have stuff going on but nothing life threatening by a Neurologist. Not very helpful and having been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia the symptoms just get blamed in that.I have also withdrawn from my pain meds. I just want to feel normal again.
I really hope you find something that works for you.
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