MaryG: Help with risperidone

[MaryG]

Member's benzo topic:  maryg-hi-looking-for-info-on-tapering-off-ativan

 

Hi,  not sure where to start but I'll do my best since my thinking is not very good.

  Was put on risperidone due to a psychotic break caused by stopping pain medication.  Was on 2mg day for one month but then cut back to half 1mg because of side effects.  Two weeks later had panic attacks and hallucinations so the dr upped the dose back to 2mg.   All hell broke loose with panic chronic movement and disoriented thinking and very shaky legs.  Th3 dr ordered me to quit the risperidone and started taking seroquel 50 mg at night and 50 mg divided in half during the day.   Should also mnetion that I can't sleep without the seroquel because of intrusive. Dreams at the start of sleep.    Now I can't feel myself or any emotions. Everything is so blunted and I'm feeling as if I'm living in crisis mode moment by moment.  I"m so afraid of going back to the hospital where they will instill more of these horrid drugs but at the same time am having a hard time minute by minute.   Any words of advise or wisdom would be greatly appreciated.  The dr prescribed lorazepam but I don't want to add any,ore to the mix.   PLease help.  

Edited October 27, 2017 by ChessieCat
added benzo link

[Altostrata]

Welcome, Mary.

 

Doctors are supposed to be alert for drug-induced "psychotic" symptoms, but your doctor was not.

 

It's no wonder you feel dull and anesthetized, you are fully drugged with Seroquel.

 

You are taking Seroquel like this: 25mg and 25mg during the day, 50mg at night? If I were you, I would gradually reduce the Seroquel dosage, starting with the two doses you take during the day.

 

Please read Tips for tapering off Seroquel (quetiapine) and come back and post any questions in this Introductions topic.

[MaryG]

Thank you for your reply Altostrata.   I have cut back using Seroquel during the day but the intense anxiety and dread has been overwhelming.   I'm thinking that is due to quitting the risperidone cold turkey two weeks ago since those symptoms started before the start of Seroquel.  But of course there may be some rebound anxiety added to the dreadful mix from the nightly dose of seroquel too.   The dr doesn't believe in withdrawal as in once the risperidone leaves the body within two weeks then that should be the end of that.   But there are way too many complaining of the same phenomena while using this stuff.  I guess we are mostly on our own.  Although I am looking into getting a second opinion.     Thanks again for your informative reply.    Mary     

[AntiAntiPsychotic]

Hey. I'm a risperdal victim too. I hate to not have any encouraging words for you, it's pretty bad. I been off it for 7 months now, it's gotten better but sometimes it feels worse. I've had extreme insomnia pretty much everyday since being both on & off the drug. Headaches come & go (it's more than a headache, it's a pulsating terrible heavy block like feeling). I used to shake involuntarily a lot but not so much anymore. Been having vivid, negative dreams in a consistent pattern (I'm lucky if I have a good one). My appetite is both very hungry but not feeling satisfied or digesting properly anymore. Can't get up too fast, incredibly low on energy. It's really messed up. I actually want to kill the doctors who forced these meds on me but that's another story 😤

[Plshelp]

On 03/10/2017 at 2:07 AM, AntiAntiPsychotic said:

I actually want to kill the doctors who forced these meds on me but that's another story 😤

AAP. 

 

I totally want to kill these doctors for what they've done to me. 

 

Mary, 

Check out this page. The withdrawals are the same for all antipsychotics. You're lucky if all you're having is dread and anxiety. 

http://mentalhealthdaily.com/2014/07/10/zyprexa-olanzapine-withdrawal-symptoms-how-long-do-they-last/

 

[Altostrata]

Hi, Mary. How are you feeling now?

 

Please keep daily notes on paper about your symptoms, when you take drugs, and their dosages. This will help us figure out if the drugs are causing symptoms.

[MaryG]

Hi Altostrata, this subject was moved into the benzo-members forum.    With the subject title of help with tapering off Ativan.   And Yes, I have started a daily journal to help with trying to figure things out.  Should those posts be repeated in this intro section too?.   Mary

[Altostrata]

Are you taking Seroquel again?

 

Any of your drugs may be causing side effects.

 

If your main activity is in the Benzo forum, please update this topic occasionally with your drug and symptom status, too.

[MaryG]

Hi alstostrato, thanks for your reply,   I am not taking seroquel or any other antipsychotic .  The dr put me on Ativan ....5mgs spread out through the day with 2 mgs at night for sleep.   I'VE BEEN HAVING Extreme depression and crying spells to the point of being suicidal.  He switched me over to valium over the time span of a week.  Just got back from another appointment where he thought I really should be in the hospital but I'm afraid that will only end up with more melds and problems that I don't want.   He put me on lithium and remeron to help with the crying spells and depression .....hopefully there will be improvement because at this point I am getting very depsperate.    I live alone and while my boyfriend is good about driving me to appointments he is not very good with emotional support.   He thinks I should just snap out of it and gets mad if I'm feeling very desperate for help.   What else can I say.   Thanks for your time a and attention. 

[Shep]

Responded to this update here in the benzo forum:

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/16200-maryg-any-advice-for-tapering-off-of-ativan/?do=findComment&comment=315505