Monkeyjedi Posted August 6, 2017 Share Posted August 6, 2017 Hi all I was going to attempt to do this slowely by dropping to 1.25 an extra day each week but i felt more unwell after the first attempt. So i decided to see what would happen if i just dropped to 1.25 from 2.5. I did this last night. I am thinking if i can manage it then great if not i will reinstate at 2.5 and drop more slowely. I have asked my psychiatrist for liquid to do this but not got a reply. I really need of this med as my menstral cycle is totally off and i need to lose weight for surgery. Also i feel unlike myself alot. It is hard to tell the cause of the later as i am on 3 other meds but i have been on these longer so cannot remove them fastt particularly the diazepam. Ive been on olanzapine for 5 months at 2.5mg. Am desperately hoping that because if short duration of use,low dosage and the cushion of other meds this may be possible to do relatively fast. Any advice or experience is very welcome. I am currently on 150 mg XR of venlaflaxine started dec 16 45mg of mirtazapine started at 15mg oct 15 i attempted to reduce this is march 17 by dropping to 37.5mg but reinstated after 2 days. 10mg of diazepam started aug 15 but have been on and off this since jan 07. My last attempt to come off this caused me to become very unwell and it had to be reinstated 2.5mg of olanazapine - i reduced this last night to 1.25mg started march 17. I have previously been on citalopram with i taper in dec 16 and started on venlaflaxine straight away. This went ok. I am on these meds for anxiety and depression which became severe peri natal illness during pregnancy and after having my son 18 months ago. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus scallywag Posted August 6, 2017 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted August 6, 2017 Monkeyjedi -- Welcome to Surviving Antidepressants (SA) Thank you for jumping in to post an introduction. Thanks especially for creating a posting signature. Sorry to post right away with a rather strong warning, but away I go: I urge you to consider returning to your dose of 2.5 mg for at least a week. Let yourself get good and steady on that. You say that when you've dropped to 1.25 mg previously you have not done well. The same problems are likely to occur. 5 months on this medication is not a trivial duration. A 50% reduction is a very large decrease. We suggest that people decrease their dose by no more than 10% once per month to minimize the risk of withdrawal symptoms. For more information about withdrawal symptoms and tapering, please read What is withdrawal syndrome Before you begin tapering -- what you need to know Why taper by 10% of my dosage? Some people start to notice improvements even with small (10% or less) dose reductions. When people are taking more than one medication, we ask that they get a report of the drug interactions effects and post it. Put your drugs into the interactions checker and then copy + paste the report as a new reply here in your introduction topic. This is much easier on a computer (desktop or laptop) than on a phone. Drugs-dot-com Drugs Interactions Checker. Check again with a pharmacy about whether olanzapine is available as a liquid. They are likely to respond more quickly than your psychiatrist. A quick scan of the MHRA list of licensed formulations of olanzapine shows no commercial liquids. People do make their own liquids using a compounding solution, Ora-Plus, because olanzapine is not soluble in water. Here are some relevant links: Tips for tapering off Zyprexa (olanzapine) Making a liquid from a tablet or capsules . Using an oral syringe and other tapering techniques]. Start of posts discussing DIY liquid olanzapine using Ora-plus and DMSO. Many people find it helpful during tapering and withdrawal to supplement with omega 3 fatty acids and/or magnesium. Pick one or the other and start with a low dose, working your way up slowly over several weeks. Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil). Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker. This is YOUR introduction topic -- the place for you to ask questions, record symptoms, share your progress, and connect with other members of the SA community. I hope you'll find the information in the SA forums helpful for your situation. I'm sorry that you are in the position that you need the information, but am glad that you found us. 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
Monkeyjedi Posted August 6, 2017 Author Share Posted August 6, 2017 Thank you very much for your response. I will look at all of that and post what you mentioned. I am aware that a 10% taper is recommended and with every other med i plan to follow that or slower. I have done this 50% drop as on the one night i dropped to 1.25mg the next day i felt better than i had in a while. I then went back to 2.5 mg and have felt worse than ever since then. Very sluggish and near constant tension headaches. I dropped to 1.25mg last night and have felt better today. I have had some nausea and feel at bit heightened and only now in the evening am i starting to get a headache. I am very willing to reinstate if this all goes wrong but i want to try and see if i am one if the lucky ones with this med. I will stay on 1.25mg for 4 to 8 weeks. My psychiatrist is reluctant to prescribe liquid. I may try to cut down to 0.625mg next. Or look at making a liquid but i feel nervous about it dispersing evenly. How long do you think it will take before i know if i have got away with this cut. Im thinking 2 weeks i should know. Interested how i sleep tonight. Im on mirtazapine as well so hopefully i will. I am currently on 150 mg XR of venlaflaxine started dec 16 45mg of mirtazapine started at 15mg oct 15 i attempted to reduce this is march 17 by dropping to 37.5mg but reinstated after 2 days. 10mg of diazepam started aug 15 but have been on and off this since jan 07. My last attempt to come off this caused me to become very unwell and it had to be reinstated 2.5mg of olanazapine - i reduced this last night to 1.25mg started march 17. I have previously been on citalopram with i taper in dec 16 and started on venlaflaxine straight away. This went ok. I am on these meds for anxiety and depression which became severe peri natal illness during pregnancy and after having my son 18 months ago. Link to comment
Monkeyjedi Posted August 6, 2017 Author Share Posted August 6, 2017 Skip to Content Menu Close Account Drugs A-Z Pill Identifier Interactions Checker News Q & A Pro Edition Apps More Videos Slideshows Mobile Apps Pricing & Coupon Guide Drug Interaction Report Drug interactions for the following 4 drug(s): My Interactions List (Unsaved)Email | Print | Save | Create new list diazepam mirtazapine olanzapine venlafaxine Consumer Professional Major Moderate Minor FoodTherapeutic Duplication Interactions between your selected drugs Major venlafaxine mirtazapine Applies to: venlafaxine, mirtazapine Using venlafaxine together with mirtazapine can increase the risk of a rare but serious condition called the serotonin syndrome, which may include symptoms such as confusion, hallucination, seizure, extreme changes in blood pressure, increased heart rate, fever, excessive sweating, shivering or shaking, blurred vision, muscle spasm or stiffness, tremor, incoordination, stomach cramp, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Severe cases may result in coma and even death. You should seek immediate medical attention if you experience these symptoms while taking the medications. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. Your doctor may already be aware of the risks, but has determined that this is the best course of treatment for you and has taken appropriate precautions and is monitoring you closely for any potential complications. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor. Switch to professional interaction data Major diazepam olanzapine Applies to: diazepam, olanzapine Ask your doctor before using diazePAM together with OLANZapine. This can cause low blood pressure, shallow breathing, weak pulse, muscle weakness, drowsiness, dizziness and slurred speech. This may be more likely to occur in older adults or those with a debilitating condition. You should be counseled to avoid activities requiring mental alertness until you know how these medications will affect you. If your doctor prescribes these medications together, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely use these medications together. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor. Switch to professional interaction data Moderate diazepam venlafaxine Applies to: diazepam, venlafaxine Using diazePAM together with venlafaxine may increase side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, and difficulty concentrating. Some people, especially the elderly, may also experience impairment in thinking, judgment, and motor coordination. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with these medications. Also avoid activities requiring mental alertness such as driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how the medications affect you. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor. Switch to professional interaction data Moderate diazepam mirtazapine Applies to: diazepam, mirtazapine Using diazePAM together with mirtazapine may increase side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, and difficulty concentrating. Some people, especially the elderly, may also experience impairment in thinking, judgment, and motor coordination. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with these medications. Also avoid activities requiring mental alertness such as driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how the medications affect you. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor. Switch to professional interaction data Moderate venlafaxine olanzapine Applies to: venlafaxine, olanzapine Using venlafaxine together with OLANZapine may increase side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, and difficulty concentrating. Some people, especially the elderly, may also experience impairment in thinking, judgment, and motor coordination. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with these medications. Also avoid activities requiring mental alertness such as driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how the medications affect you. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor. Switch to professional interaction data No other interactions were found between your selected drugs. Note: this does not necessarily mean no interactions exist. Always consult with your doctor or pharmacist. Other drugs and diseases that your selected drugs interact with diazepam interacts with more than 400 other drugs and more than 10 diseases. mirtazapine interacts with more than 500 other drugs and more than 10 diseases. olanzapine interacts with more than 400 other drugs and more than 20 diseases. venlafaxine interacts with more than 500 other drugs and more than 10 diseases. Interactions between your selected drugs and food Moderate diazepam food Applies to: diazepam Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with diazePAM and lead to potentially dangerous side effects. Discuss the use of grapefruit products with your doctor. Do not increase or decrease the amount of grapefruit products in your diet without first talking to your doctor. Do not drink alcohol while taking diazePAM. This medication can increase the effects of alcohol. You may feel more drowsy, dizzy, or tired if you take diazePAM with alcohol. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions or concerns. Switch to professional interaction data Moderate venlafaxine food Applies to: venlafaxine Alcohol can increase the nervous system side effects of venlafaxine such as dizziness, drowsiness, and difficulty concentrating. Some people may also experience impairment in thinking and judgment. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with venlafaxine. Do not use more than the recommended dose of venlafaxine, and avoid activities requiring mental alertness such as driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how the medication affects you. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions or concerns. Switch to professional interaction data Moderate mirtazapine food Applies to: mirtazapine Alcohol can increase the nervous system side effects of mirtazapine such as dizziness, drowsiness, and difficulty concentrating. Some people may also experience impairment in thinking and judgment. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with mirtazapine. Do not use more than the recommended dose of mirtazapine, and avoid activities requiring mental alertness such as driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how the medication affects you. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions or concerns. Switch to professional interaction data Moderate olanzapine food Applies to: olanzapine Alcohol can increase the nervous system side effects of OLANZapine such as dizziness, drowsiness, and difficulty concentrating. Some people may also experience impairment in thinking and judgment. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with OLANZapine. Do not use more than the recommended dose of OLANZapine, and avoid activities requiring mental alertness such as driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how the medication affects you. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions or concerns. Switch to professional interaction data Therapeutic duplication warnings Therapeutic duplication is the use of more than one medicine from the same drug category or therapeutic class to treat the same condition. This can be intentional in cases where drugs with similar actions are used together for demonstrated therapeutic benefit. It can also be unintentional in cases where a patient has been treated by more than one doctor, or had prescriptions filled at more than one pharmacy, and can have potentially adverse consequences. Duplication Psychotropic agents Therapeutic duplication The recommended maximum number of medicines in the 'psychotropic agents' category to be taken concurrently is usually three. Your list includes fourmedicines belonging to the 'psychotropic agents' category: diazepam mirtazapine olanzapine venlafaxine Note: The benefits of taking this combination of medicines may outweigh any risks associated with therapeutic duplication. This information does not take the place of talking to your doctor. Always check with your healthcare provider to determine if any adjustments to your medications are needed. Duplication Central Nervous System (CNS) Drugs Therapeutic duplication The recommended maximum number of medicines in the 'Central Nervous System (CNS) Drugs' category to be taken concurrently is usually three. Your list includes four medicines belonging to the 'Central Nervous System (CNS) Drugs' category: diazepam mirtazapine olanzapine venlafaxine Note: The benefits of taking this combination of medicines may outweigh any risks associated with therapeutic duplication. This information does not take the place of talking to your doctor. Always check with your healthcare provider to determine if any adjustments to your medications are needed. Duplication Antidepressants Therapeutic duplication The recommended maximum number of medicines in the 'antidepressants' category to be taken concurrently is usually one. Your list includes twomedicines belonging to the 'antidepressants' category: mirtazapine venlafaxine Note: The benefits of taking this combination of medicines may outweigh any risks associated with therapeutic duplication. This information does not take the place of talking to your doctor. Always check with your healthcare provider to determine if any adjustments to your medications are needed. Drug Interaction Classification The classifications below are a guideline only. The relevance of a particular drug interaction to a specific patient is difficult to determine using this tool alone given the large number of variables that may apply. Major Highly clinically significant. Avoid combinations; the risk of the interaction outweighs the benefit. Moderate Moderately clinically significant. Usually avoid combinations; use it only under special circumstances. Minor Minimally clinically significant. Minimize risk; assess risk and consider an alternative drug, take steps to circumvent the interaction risk and/or institute a monitoring plan. Do not stop taking any medications without consulting your healthcare provider. See also... 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Drugs.com provides accurate and independent information on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and natural products. This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Data sources include Micromedex® (updated Aug 2nd, 2017), Cerner Multum™ (updated Aug 2nd, 2017), Wolters Kluwer™ (updated July 5th, 2017) and others. To view content sources and attributions, please refer to our editorial policy. Third Party Advertising We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information - verify here Copyright © 2000-2017 Drugs.com. All rights reserved. I am currently on 150 mg XR of venlaflaxine started dec 16 45mg of mirtazapine started at 15mg oct 15 i attempted to reduce this is march 17 by dropping to 37.5mg but reinstated after 2 days. 10mg of diazepam started aug 15 but have been on and off this since jan 07. My last attempt to come off this caused me to become very unwell and it had to be reinstated 2.5mg of olanazapine - i reduced this last night to 1.25mg started march 17. I have previously been on citalopram with i taper in dec 16 and started on venlaflaxine straight away. This went ok. I am on these meds for anxiety and depression which became severe peri natal illness during pregnancy and after having my son 18 months ago. Link to comment
Monkeyjedi Posted August 6, 2017 Author Share Posted August 6, 2017 Also i take omega 3 twice a day and magnesium citrate twice a day as well as vit d, zinc and a probiotic multi vit. I do not drink alchohol or caffine and have a healthy diet. I do smoke and could do with doing more excercise but i do walk a reasonable amount. I am finding the combination of these meds quite disabling and am hoping to remove the olanzapine relatively fast as all the others will take years to remove. I am currently on 150 mg XR of venlaflaxine started dec 16 45mg of mirtazapine started at 15mg oct 15 i attempted to reduce this is march 17 by dropping to 37.5mg but reinstated after 2 days. 10mg of diazepam started aug 15 but have been on and off this since jan 07. My last attempt to come off this caused me to become very unwell and it had to be reinstated 2.5mg of olanazapine - i reduced this last night to 1.25mg started march 17. I have previously been on citalopram with i taper in dec 16 and started on venlaflaxine straight away. This went ok. I am on these meds for anxiety and depression which became severe peri natal illness during pregnancy and after having my son 18 months ago. Link to comment
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