gareth Posted July 5, 2017 Share Posted July 5, 2017 (edited) Link to member's benzo topic Hi people, I've found this site via google. I am a 37 year old male trying to come off olanzapine 5mg. My doctor said to take a quarter less of the tablet to start with. I'm suffering bad withdrawal symptoms including headaches,pains in neck, arms, legs etc, high anxiety, sweating, loss of appetite etc. I came down from 10mg to 5mg fine which I find strange. Anyway I hope to find some help from this site. Thanks for reading this Edited December 31, 2018 by ChessieCat added link Zoloft from 2014 to dec 2016 Currently on 225mg venflaxine dec 2015,30mg mirtazapine Jan 2016, 5mg olanzapine started Jan 2015. Clonazepam 0.5mg twice daily Jan 2016 June 2016 reduced olanzapine by a quarter of a 5mg tablet so roughy on 3.75mg (the tablets are hard to cut equally). My doctors advice was to reduce by 1.25mg a quarter each drop in dose. Withdrawals have been headaches, pains all over body, nausea, anxiety, depression, flu like symptoms etc. Seemed to stabilise over the worst in 12 days . I have successfully come off the olanzapine. Now tapering the clonazepam down to 0.125mg Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus KarenB Posted July 6, 2017 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted July 6, 2017 (edited) Hello Gareth - Welcome to SA, It is fairly common for the first part of the taper to go smoother than the last. There are some graphs which explain why here: importance-of-gradual-change-in-plasma. Please put your withdrawal history in your signature – all drugs/dates/dosages from the last few years (and especially about the last reduction you made) so we can see your situation easily whenever you post, and help you more accurately. Thanks. Once we know how much your last reduction was, and by how much, then we can work out what you should do now. Probably you'll need to hold for a while - maybe a few months - to allow yourself to stabilise. Once you've done that we can look at getting you an appropriate tapering plan. We recommend a gentle taper, reducing by no more than 10% of your current dose each month. This allows your brain time to adjust as you go, and lessens any withdrawal. The troublesome thing with psychiatric drugs is that you can't just flush their effects out of your system. They change the way your brain works, and that takes much longer to heal. Suddenly stopping the drug puts your brain and Central Nervous System into shock. It's like yanking a trellis out of a garden instead of gently untangling the plants and slowly removing the wood – it’s too much trauma for the plants/your brain. (For the source of that simile, plus further discussion, see http://survivinganti...el-your-brain/) Many people find Fish oil and Magnesium useful during withdrawal. Non-Drug Techniques to cope with emotional symptoms. tips-for-tapering-off-zyprexa-olanzapine Have a read of those and then you can come back to this thread to discuss things further. This can be your journal to record your tapering and healing progress, and to ask questions. With time and good care, you will be able to one day be off this drug. Welcome to SA, Karen Edited July 6, 2017 by KarenB added white space cause it keeps disappearing! 2010 Fluoxetine 20mg. 2011 Escitalopram 20mg. 2013 Tapered badly and destabilised CNS. Effexor 150mg. 2015 Begin using info at SurvivingAntidepressants. Cut 10% - bad w/d 2 months, held 1 month. Micro-tapering: four weekly 0.4% cuts, hold 4 weeks (struggling with symptoms). 8 month hold. 2017 Micro-tapering: four weekly 1% cuts, hold 4 weeks (symptoms almost non-existent). 2020 Still micro-tapering. Just over 2/3 of the way off effexor. Minimal symptoms, - and sleeping well. Supplements: Fish oil, vitamin C, iron, oat-straw tea, nettle tea. 2023 December - Now on 5 micro-beads Effexor. Minimal symptoms but much more time needed between drops. Symptoms begin to increase. 2024 April - Updosed to 6 microbeads - immediate increase in symptoms for 4 days. Decreased to 5 microbeads. 'The possibility of renewal exists so long as life exists.' Dr Gabor Mate. Link to comment
Madeleine Posted July 6, 2017 Share Posted July 6, 2017 Could you get your doctor to prescribe 2 2.5 pills? You could then make much smaller cuts by quartering those. 200 Zoloft; 10 mg Zyprexa; 4 mg valium as of May 2021; Valium taper: July 16: 3.5 valium; July 30: 3 mg (paused valium taper); Aug. 23: 2.5 mg Zyprexa: July 26: 8.75 mg; Aug. 9: 7.5 mg; Aug. 30: 7.1 mg ------- Dec 1, 2016. 10 mg zyprexa for 1.5 month. Started taper mid-Jan. 2017. Cut 1.25 mg every 2 weeks; smaller cuts 2.5 mg down. Stopped at .6 mg. May 7, 2017: zyprexa free. Zoloft: Dec1, 2016, 200 mg. Started taper: Jun12, 2017: 197.5 mg; Jun19,:195 mg; July 2:185mg; July 9,:180 mg; July16,: 175; July 23: 170; July 30: 165; Aug6: 160; Aug13: 155; Aug. 20: 150; Aug.27: 146 mg; Sept3: 145 mg; Sept10:143 mg; Sept17:140 mg....Nov5: 122 mg...Dec3:112.5 mg; Jan14, 2018: 95 mg...Jan28: 90 mg; Feb21:80 mg; Mar11: 75 mg; May2:70 mg; May15: 68 mg; May28: 65 mg; Jun9: 62 mg;Jun25: 60 mg:July22: 55 mg; Aug25: 45 mg. Aug28: 50 mg...Oct 28: 38 mg; Dec.4: 30 mg; Jan8,2019: 25mg; Feb6: 23.5 mg; Apr1:17.5mg; May1:1 mg; May 5: 18; May 18:15mg; June 16:12.5mg; Sept 10:11 mg; Sept.16:10 mg; Oct. 1: 9mg; Nov. 27: 8mg; Dec.5: 7mg; Jan.1,2020, 6 mg; Feb1: 5 mg; May 1: 2.5 mg; Jn 1: 2 mg; Jy 1: 1.5 mg Link to comment
Madeleine Posted July 6, 2017 Share Posted July 6, 2017 Ps: also some people make a liquid solution and taper that way as it also allows for smaller cuts. 200 Zoloft; 10 mg Zyprexa; 4 mg valium as of May 2021; Valium taper: July 16: 3.5 valium; July 30: 3 mg (paused valium taper); Aug. 23: 2.5 mg Zyprexa: July 26: 8.75 mg; Aug. 9: 7.5 mg; Aug. 30: 7.1 mg ------- Dec 1, 2016. 10 mg zyprexa for 1.5 month. Started taper mid-Jan. 2017. Cut 1.25 mg every 2 weeks; smaller cuts 2.5 mg down. Stopped at .6 mg. May 7, 2017: zyprexa free. Zoloft: Dec1, 2016, 200 mg. Started taper: Jun12, 2017: 197.5 mg; Jun19,:195 mg; July 2:185mg; July 9,:180 mg; July16,: 175; July 23: 170; July 30: 165; Aug6: 160; Aug13: 155; Aug. 20: 150; Aug.27: 146 mg; Sept3: 145 mg; Sept10:143 mg; Sept17:140 mg....Nov5: 122 mg...Dec3:112.5 mg; Jan14, 2018: 95 mg...Jan28: 90 mg; Feb21:80 mg; Mar11: 75 mg; May2:70 mg; May15: 68 mg; May28: 65 mg; Jun9: 62 mg;Jun25: 60 mg:July22: 55 mg; Aug25: 45 mg. Aug28: 50 mg...Oct 28: 38 mg; Dec.4: 30 mg; Jan8,2019: 25mg; Feb6: 23.5 mg; Apr1:17.5mg; May1:1 mg; May 5: 18; May 18:15mg; June 16:12.5mg; Sept 10:11 mg; Sept.16:10 mg; Oct. 1: 9mg; Nov. 27: 8mg; Dec.5: 7mg; Jan.1,2020, 6 mg; Feb1: 5 mg; May 1: 2.5 mg; Jn 1: 2 mg; Jy 1: 1.5 mg Link to comment
gareth Posted July 6, 2017 Author Share Posted July 6, 2017 Hi, I have just started tapering olanzapine 5mg making 25% cuts so down from 5mg to 3.75mg so far on my doctors advice. Has anyone else tapered this quickly and successfully. I suffered bad withdrawals for 12 days but seem to have stabalised now. My doctor said to drop the dose every two weeks. I know this is fast but I just want off this drug and don't want a long drawn out taper. I've been on olanzapine for around 3 years. Zoloft from 2014 to dec 2016 Currently on 225mg venflaxine dec 2015,30mg mirtazapine Jan 2016, 5mg olanzapine started Jan 2015. Clonazepam 0.5mg twice daily Jan 2016 June 2016 reduced olanzapine by a quarter of a 5mg tablet so roughy on 3.75mg (the tablets are hard to cut equally). My doctors advice was to reduce by 1.25mg a quarter each drop in dose. Withdrawals have been headaches, pains all over body, nausea, anxiety, depression, flu like symptoms etc. Seemed to stabilise over the worst in 12 days . I have successfully come off the olanzapine. Now tapering the clonazepam down to 0.125mg Link to comment
gareth Posted July 6, 2017 Author Share Posted July 6, 2017 Yes I could get prescribed the 2.5mg tablets. I've seemed to stabilise now after 12 days of withdrawal so will try to do another quarter and get down to 2.5mg then go slower. Zoloft from 2014 to dec 2016 Currently on 225mg venflaxine dec 2015,30mg mirtazapine Jan 2016, 5mg olanzapine started Jan 2015. Clonazepam 0.5mg twice daily Jan 2016 June 2016 reduced olanzapine by a quarter of a 5mg tablet so roughy on 3.75mg (the tablets are hard to cut equally). My doctors advice was to reduce by 1.25mg a quarter each drop in dose. Withdrawals have been headaches, pains all over body, nausea, anxiety, depression, flu like symptoms etc. Seemed to stabilise over the worst in 12 days . I have successfully come off the olanzapine. Now tapering the clonazepam down to 0.125mg Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus scallywag Posted July 6, 2017 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted July 6, 2017 (edited) gareth - decreasing dose too rapidly is likely to cause disconcerting, uncomfortable and/or painful symptoms. Often being in a rush to get off medication simply because we want to GET. OFF. IT. ALREADY. leads to a longer time on the medication. So often, when severe symptoms arise people have to continue taking the same dose for months in order to stabilize their CNS (central nervous system). It can take a very long time for symptoms to settle down after they've arisen. Please look at these topics to get a sense of the symptoms that too-rapid tapering can trigger: What is withdrawal syndrome. Important topics about symptoms including sleep problems. 1 hour ago, gareth said: My doctor said to drop the dose every two weeks. I know this is fast but I just want off this drug and don't want a long drawn out taper. I've been on olanzapine for around 3 years. The quality of your life as you taper is more important than the time you take to taper. Tapering slowly will allow you to maintain your life as it is now or to take steps to improve your life. Tapering too rapidly risks destroying your current level of functioning and throwing your life into complete disarray. We've seen people in awful suffering many times. Please know that drugs like olanzapine (classified as "anti-psychotics") can cause impulse control problems. It's entirely possible that your impatience to quit the drug is actually caused by the drug. Let us know how you're doing with getting your doctor to prescribe what you need and any questions you have. . Edited July 6, 2017 by scallywag This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.1997-1999 Effexor; 2002-2005 Effexor XR 37.5 mg linear taper, dropping same #beads/week with bad results Cymbalta 60 mg 2012 - 2015; 2016: 20 mg to 7 mg exact doses and dates in this post; 2017: 6.3 mg to 0.0 mg Aug. 12; details here scallywag's IntroductionOnline spreadsheet for dose taper calculations and nz11's THE WORKS spreadsheet Link to comment
Madeleine Posted July 6, 2017 Share Posted July 6, 2017 3 hours ago, gareth said: Yes I could get prescribed the 2.5mg tablets. I've seemed to stabilise now after 12 days of withdrawal so will try to do another quarter and get down to 2.5mg then go slower. I got off Zyprexa fairly quickly but I was on it much shorter time than you. I was at a maximum dose of 10 mg, only 1 month, then I started tapering (see my signature.) I think that getting 2.5 mg would be good if you are able as you can make smaller cuts.... You could have 2 x 2.5s, then quarter those. 200 Zoloft; 10 mg Zyprexa; 4 mg valium as of May 2021; Valium taper: July 16: 3.5 valium; July 30: 3 mg (paused valium taper); Aug. 23: 2.5 mg Zyprexa: July 26: 8.75 mg; Aug. 9: 7.5 mg; Aug. 30: 7.1 mg ------- Dec 1, 2016. 10 mg zyprexa for 1.5 month. Started taper mid-Jan. 2017. Cut 1.25 mg every 2 weeks; smaller cuts 2.5 mg down. Stopped at .6 mg. May 7, 2017: zyprexa free. Zoloft: Dec1, 2016, 200 mg. Started taper: Jun12, 2017: 197.5 mg; Jun19,:195 mg; July 2:185mg; July 9,:180 mg; July16,: 175; July 23: 170; July 30: 165; Aug6: 160; Aug13: 155; Aug. 20: 150; Aug.27: 146 mg; Sept3: 145 mg; Sept10:143 mg; Sept17:140 mg....Nov5: 122 mg...Dec3:112.5 mg; Jan14, 2018: 95 mg...Jan28: 90 mg; Feb21:80 mg; Mar11: 75 mg; May2:70 mg; May15: 68 mg; May28: 65 mg; Jun9: 62 mg;Jun25: 60 mg:July22: 55 mg; Aug25: 45 mg. Aug28: 50 mg...Oct 28: 38 mg; Dec.4: 30 mg; Jan8,2019: 25mg; Feb6: 23.5 mg; Apr1:17.5mg; May1:1 mg; May 5: 18; May 18:15mg; June 16:12.5mg; Sept 10:11 mg; Sept.16:10 mg; Oct. 1: 9mg; Nov. 27: 8mg; Dec.5: 7mg; Jan.1,2020, 6 mg; Feb1: 5 mg; May 1: 2.5 mg; Jn 1: 2 mg; Jy 1: 1.5 mg Link to comment
Madeleine Posted July 6, 2017 Share Posted July 6, 2017 P.S. Check out how other people on this forum who tapered zyprexa did it -- you can do a search on "Zyprexa" and their stories come up. Andy is one who has posted a success story in that part of the forum, and he tapered zyprexa. 200 Zoloft; 10 mg Zyprexa; 4 mg valium as of May 2021; Valium taper: July 16: 3.5 valium; July 30: 3 mg (paused valium taper); Aug. 23: 2.5 mg Zyprexa: July 26: 8.75 mg; Aug. 9: 7.5 mg; Aug. 30: 7.1 mg ------- Dec 1, 2016. 10 mg zyprexa for 1.5 month. Started taper mid-Jan. 2017. Cut 1.25 mg every 2 weeks; smaller cuts 2.5 mg down. Stopped at .6 mg. May 7, 2017: zyprexa free. Zoloft: Dec1, 2016, 200 mg. Started taper: Jun12, 2017: 197.5 mg; Jun19,:195 mg; July 2:185mg; July 9,:180 mg; July16,: 175; July 23: 170; July 30: 165; Aug6: 160; Aug13: 155; Aug. 20: 150; Aug.27: 146 mg; Sept3: 145 mg; Sept10:143 mg; Sept17:140 mg....Nov5: 122 mg...Dec3:112.5 mg; Jan14, 2018: 95 mg...Jan28: 90 mg; Feb21:80 mg; Mar11: 75 mg; May2:70 mg; May15: 68 mg; May28: 65 mg; Jun9: 62 mg;Jun25: 60 mg:July22: 55 mg; Aug25: 45 mg. Aug28: 50 mg...Oct 28: 38 mg; Dec.4: 30 mg; Jan8,2019: 25mg; Feb6: 23.5 mg; Apr1:17.5mg; May1:1 mg; May 5: 18; May 18:15mg; June 16:12.5mg; Sept 10:11 mg; Sept.16:10 mg; Oct. 1: 9mg; Nov. 27: 8mg; Dec.5: 7mg; Jan.1,2020, 6 mg; Feb1: 5 mg; May 1: 2.5 mg; Jn 1: 2 mg; Jy 1: 1.5 mg Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus bubble Posted July 6, 2017 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted July 6, 2017 Just a few places below you on our front page here there is another Zyprexa taperer. Maybe it would be useful to compare experiences. He also got a lot of great advice and explanations so you might find a lot of your questions explained answered there: Current: 9/2022 Xanax 0.08, Lexapro 2 2020 Xanax 0.26 (down from 2 mg in 2013), Lexapro 2.85 mg (down from 5 mg 2013) Amitriptyline (tricyclic AD) and clonazepam for 3 months to treat headache in 1996 1999. - present Xanax prn up to 3 mg. 2000-2005 Prozac CT twice, 2005-2010 Zoloft CT 3 times, 2010-2013 Escitalopram 10 mg went from 2.5 to zero on 7 Aug 2013, bad crash 40 days afterreinstated to 5 mg Escitalopram 4Oct 2013 and holding liquid Xanax every 5 hours 28 Jan 2014 Xanax 1.9, 18 Apr 2015 1 mg, 25 June 2015 Lex 4.8, 6 Aug Lexapro 4.6, 1 Jan 2016 0.64 Xanax 9 month hold 24 Sept 2016 4.5 Lex, 17 Oct 4.4 Lex (Nov 0.63 Xanax, Dec 0.625 Xanax), 1 Jan 2017 4.3 Lex, 24 Jan 4.2, 5 Feb 4.1, 24 Mar 4 mg, 10 Apr 3.9 mg, May 3.85, June 3.8, July 3.75, 22 July 3.7, 15 Aug 3.65, 17 Sept 3.6, 1 Jan 2018 3.55, 19 Jan 3.5, 16 Mar 3.4, 14 Apr 3.3, 23 May 3.2, 16 June 3.15, 15 Jul 3.1, 31 Jul 3, 21 Aug 2.9 26 Sept 2.85, 14 Nov Xan 0.61, 1 Dec 0.59, 19 Dec 0.58, 4 Jan 0.565, 6 Feb 0.55, 20 Feb 0.535, 1 Mar 0.505, 10 Mar 0.475, 14 Mar 0.45, 4 Apr 0.415, 13 Apr 0.37, 21 Apr 0.33, 29 Apr 0.29, 10 May 0.27, 17 May 0.25, 28 May 0.22, 19 June 0.22, 21 Jun updose to 0.24, 24 Jun updose to 0.26 Supplements: Omega 3 + Vit E, Vit C, D, magnesium, Taurine, probiotic I'm not a medical professional. Any advice I give is based on my own experience and reading. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus scallywag Posted July 6, 2017 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted July 6, 2017 (edited) I've added tags to this topic, gareth. You'll see them at the top of the page just below the title. When you click on a tag, you'll get a list of other topics with the same tag. Virtually all of the topics you'll see will be introductions started by other people who have taken, are tapering or have discontinued olanzapine. Edited July 6, 2017 by scallywag This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.1997-1999 Effexor; 2002-2005 Effexor XR 37.5 mg linear taper, dropping same #beads/week with bad results Cymbalta 60 mg 2012 - 2015; 2016: 20 mg to 7 mg exact doses and dates in this post; 2017: 6.3 mg to 0.0 mg Aug. 12; details here scallywag's IntroductionOnline spreadsheet for dose taper calculations and nz11's THE WORKS spreadsheet Link to comment
gareth Posted July 7, 2017 Author Share Posted July 7, 2017 ok thanks for the replys Zoloft from 2014 to dec 2016 Currently on 225mg venflaxine dec 2015,30mg mirtazapine Jan 2016, 5mg olanzapine started Jan 2015. Clonazepam 0.5mg twice daily Jan 2016 June 2016 reduced olanzapine by a quarter of a 5mg tablet so roughy on 3.75mg (the tablets are hard to cut equally). My doctors advice was to reduce by 1.25mg a quarter each drop in dose. Withdrawals have been headaches, pains all over body, nausea, anxiety, depression, flu like symptoms etc. Seemed to stabilise over the worst in 12 days . I have successfully come off the olanzapine. Now tapering the clonazepam down to 0.125mg Link to comment
gareth Posted August 25, 2017 Author Share Posted August 25, 2017 Just an update I successfully come off the olanzapine. I ended up jumping at 1.25mg and had two weeks off bad withdrawal hell but it was worth it. I started feeling better after that apart from trouble sleeping which I countered with plenty of exercise. Luckily I'm not working at the moment otherwise I might not of done it. Feeling a lot better now without the zombie drug. Zoloft from 2014 to dec 2016 Currently on 225mg venflaxine dec 2015,30mg mirtazapine Jan 2016, 5mg olanzapine started Jan 2015. Clonazepam 0.5mg twice daily Jan 2016 June 2016 reduced olanzapine by a quarter of a 5mg tablet so roughy on 3.75mg (the tablets are hard to cut equally). My doctors advice was to reduce by 1.25mg a quarter each drop in dose. Withdrawals have been headaches, pains all over body, nausea, anxiety, depression, flu like symptoms etc. Seemed to stabilise over the worst in 12 days . I have successfully come off the olanzapine. Now tapering the clonazepam down to 0.125mg Link to comment
nz11 Posted August 25, 2017 Share Posted August 25, 2017 Hi Gareth when did you start on the venlafaxine and remeron? You might like to put that date in your sig. Thought for the day: Lets stand up, and let’s speak out , together. G Olsen We have until the 14th. Feb 2018. URGENT REQUEST Please consider submitting for the petition on Prescribed Drug Dependence and Withdrawal currently awaiting its third consideration at the Scottish Parliament. You don't even have to be from Scotland. By clicking on the link below you can read some of the previous submissions but be warned many of them are quite harrowing. http://www.parliament.scot/GettingInvolved/Petitions/PE01651 Please tell them about your problems taking and withdrawing from antidepressants and/or benzos. Send by email to petitions@parliament.scot and quote PE01651 in the subject heading. Keep to a maximum of 3 sides of A4 and you can't name for legal reasons any doctor you have consulted. Tell them if you wish to remain anonymous. We need the numbers to help convince the committee members we are not isolated cases. You have until mid February. Thank you Recovering paxil addict None of the published articles shed light on what ssri's ... actually do or what their hazards might be. Healy 2013. This is so true, with anything you get on these drugs, dependance, tapering, withdrawal symptoms, side effects, just silent. And if there is something mentioned then their is a serious disconnect between what is said and reality! "Every time I read of a multi-person shooting, I always presume that person had just started a SSRI or had just stopped." Dr Mosher. Me too! Over two decades later, the number of antidepressant prescriptions a year is slightly more than the number of people in the Western world. Most (nine out of 10) prescriptions are for patients who faced difficulties on stopping, equating to about a tenth of the population. These patients are often advised to continue treatment because their difficulties indicate they need ongoing treatment, just as a person with diabetes needs insulin. Healy 2015 I believe the ssri era will soon stand as one of the most shameful in the history of medicine. Healy 2015 Let people help people ... in a natural, kind, non-addictive (and non-big pharma) way. J Broadley 2017 Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted October 19, 2017 Administrator Share Posted October 19, 2017 gareth, how are you doing now? What time of day do you take each of your drugs, and at what dosages? How is your sleep? This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted. Link to comment
gareth Posted October 21, 2017 Author Share Posted October 21, 2017 Hi, I've successfully come off the olanzapine now trying to taper off cloanzepam which I have now down to 0.125mg. Going to do a liquid titration off the last bit as its proving the most difficult. I take the venflaxine in the mornings and mirtazapine before bed. My sleep got back to normal after roughly two weeks off the olanzapine, exercise helped a lot. Although now my sleeps messed up again due to the cloanzepam taper. Zoloft from 2014 to dec 2016 Currently on 225mg venflaxine dec 2015,30mg mirtazapine Jan 2016, 5mg olanzapine started Jan 2015. Clonazepam 0.5mg twice daily Jan 2016 June 2016 reduced olanzapine by a quarter of a 5mg tablet so roughy on 3.75mg (the tablets are hard to cut equally). My doctors advice was to reduce by 1.25mg a quarter each drop in dose. Withdrawals have been headaches, pains all over body, nausea, anxiety, depression, flu like symptoms etc. Seemed to stabilise over the worst in 12 days . I have successfully come off the olanzapine. Now tapering the clonazepam down to 0.125mg Link to comment
Madeleine Posted October 21, 2017 Share Posted October 21, 2017 Good to hear you are off the olanzapine and that your sleep got better afterwards. Sleep will no doubt improve this time too. You didn't mention how long you've been tapering the clonazepam. Try not rush it -- I know the temptation is to do so, but your taper will be smoother if you go slowly. Best wishes, M. 200 Zoloft; 10 mg Zyprexa; 4 mg valium as of May 2021; Valium taper: July 16: 3.5 valium; July 30: 3 mg (paused valium taper); Aug. 23: 2.5 mg Zyprexa: July 26: 8.75 mg; Aug. 9: 7.5 mg; Aug. 30: 7.1 mg ------- Dec 1, 2016. 10 mg zyprexa for 1.5 month. Started taper mid-Jan. 2017. Cut 1.25 mg every 2 weeks; smaller cuts 2.5 mg down. Stopped at .6 mg. May 7, 2017: zyprexa free. Zoloft: Dec1, 2016, 200 mg. Started taper: Jun12, 2017: 197.5 mg; Jun19,:195 mg; July 2:185mg; July 9,:180 mg; July16,: 175; July 23: 170; July 30: 165; Aug6: 160; Aug13: 155; Aug. 20: 150; Aug.27: 146 mg; Sept3: 145 mg; Sept10:143 mg; Sept17:140 mg....Nov5: 122 mg...Dec3:112.5 mg; Jan14, 2018: 95 mg...Jan28: 90 mg; Feb21:80 mg; Mar11: 75 mg; May2:70 mg; May15: 68 mg; May28: 65 mg; Jun9: 62 mg;Jun25: 60 mg:July22: 55 mg; Aug25: 45 mg. Aug28: 50 mg...Oct 28: 38 mg; Dec.4: 30 mg; Jan8,2019: 25mg; Feb6: 23.5 mg; Apr1:17.5mg; May1:1 mg; May 5: 18; May 18:15mg; June 16:12.5mg; Sept 10:11 mg; Sept.16:10 mg; Oct. 1: 9mg; Nov. 27: 8mg; Dec.5: 7mg; Jan.1,2020, 6 mg; Feb1: 5 mg; May 1: 2.5 mg; Jn 1: 2 mg; Jy 1: 1.5 mg Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted October 21, 2017 Administrator Share Posted October 21, 2017 Gareth, I realize you might have already discussed this, but if I were you, I would hold on tapering clonazepam and concentrate on reducing venlafaxine instead. The venlafaxine-mirtazapine combination can be activating, doctors will prescribe a benzo like clonazepam to counter this. But if you go off clonazepam, you'll be dealing with the adverse effects of the venlafaxine-mirtazapine combination again. Reducing the venlafaxine would reduce the adverse effects of the combination. Your doctor is being very free with psychiatric drug prescriptions. The more drugs you throw into the mix, the more likely you'll get adverse reactions. This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted. Link to comment
gareth Posted October 22, 2017 Author Share Posted October 22, 2017 Thanks. I've been tapering the clonazepam roughly four months. Yes I am going to to go slower for the last bit. The psychiatrist prescribed the clonazepam for anxiety on a prn basis but I ended up taking it everyday then become dependant. I need to get off it to get my driving licence back and can't really see the 0.125mg having any thearaputic value at such a low dose. I've got this far and certainly don't want to reinstate it. Zoloft from 2014 to dec 2016 Currently on 225mg venflaxine dec 2015,30mg mirtazapine Jan 2016, 5mg olanzapine started Jan 2015. Clonazepam 0.5mg twice daily Jan 2016 June 2016 reduced olanzapine by a quarter of a 5mg tablet so roughy on 3.75mg (the tablets are hard to cut equally). My doctors advice was to reduce by 1.25mg a quarter each drop in dose. Withdrawals have been headaches, pains all over body, nausea, anxiety, depression, flu like symptoms etc. Seemed to stabilise over the worst in 12 days . I have successfully come off the olanzapine. Now tapering the clonazepam down to 0.125mg Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus Shep Posted October 25, 2017 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted October 25, 2017 (edited) On 10/22/2017 at 3:57 PM, gareth said: I need to get off it to get my driving licence back and can't really see the 0.125mg having any thearaputic value at such a low dose. It's definitely a tough call. Benzos only work for 2 - 4 weeks and then the only reason we keep taking them is to stave off withdrawal symptoms. You'll have to figure out if the withdrawal symptoms of continuing to taper the benzo are too much for your nervous system to handle right now. If this is the case, then holding makes the most sense. Also, also you've reduced the benzo, it's possible that some of the more stimulating effects of the venlafaxine may be breaking through. So holding the benzo and making a small reduction of that venlafaxine may help. I know that getting your license back is very important, but being well enough to drive should also be considered. Edited October 25, 2017 by Shep Link to comment
gareth Posted December 31, 2018 Author Share Posted December 31, 2018 Hi all, After successfully coming off the olanzapine & clonzepam I have been tapering off the mirtazapine. I am now down to the last 1.875mg from 30mg. It wasn't to bad until I went under 7.5mg. Now I'm experiencing stomach cramps, sweats, sleep disturbances, feeling on edge & just awful. Are these common symptoms and how long did they last for everyone else? Zoloft from 2014 to dec 2016 Currently on 225mg venflaxine dec 2015,30mg mirtazapine Jan 2016, 5mg olanzapine started Jan 2015. Clonazepam 0.5mg twice daily Jan 2016 June 2016 reduced olanzapine by a quarter of a 5mg tablet so roughy on 3.75mg (the tablets are hard to cut equally). My doctors advice was to reduce by 1.25mg a quarter each drop in dose. Withdrawals have been headaches, pains all over body, nausea, anxiety, depression, flu like symptoms etc. Seemed to stabilise over the worst in 12 days . I have successfully come off the olanzapine. Now tapering the clonazepam down to 0.125mg Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus ChessieCat Posted December 31, 2018 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted December 31, 2018 Hi gareth, I moved your new topic to your Introduction topic. Each member has an Introduction topic in the main forum where they can ask questions about their own situation and journal your progress. I have put the link to your benzo topic in the first post. Please simplify your drug signature. I have provided an example at the bottom of my post. Before updating it please copy and paste the current drug signature and post it here in your Intro topic so that the information will be available if needed. Because you are now working on tapering the mirtazapine we need details of the doses and dates. If possible please use the exact date, if you don't know the exact date, please add early, mid, late so that we have an accurate picture of any dose changes you have made. Thank you. NO diagnoses or symptoms please - thank you: details for last 2 years - dates, ALL drugs, doses summary for older than 2 years - just years and drug/s Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature Example: Zoloft: 2014 to Dec 2016 Venlafaxine: Dec 2015 to DATE Olanzapine: Jan 2015 to DATE Clonazepam: Jan 2016 to DATE Mirtazapine: DOSE, Jan 2016; DOSE, DATE; DOSE, DATE; etc * NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA * MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: (6 year taper) 0mg Pristiq on 13th November 2021 ADs since ~1992: 25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq: 50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity) Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021 LAST DOSE 0.0025mg Post 0 updates start here My tapering program My Intro (goes to tapering graph) VIDEO: Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus ChessieCat Posted December 31, 2018 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted December 31, 2018 Once you update your drug signature as requested above and we have the details of the dates and doses you made the reductions then we will be better able to assess your current situation. * NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA * MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: (6 year taper) 0mg Pristiq on 13th November 2021 ADs since ~1992: 25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq: 50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity) Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021 LAST DOSE 0.0025mg Post 0 updates start here My tapering program My Intro (goes to tapering graph) VIDEO: Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management Link to comment
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