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Wings taper


Wing

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I read the rules section and there was a lot to follow. Hopefully I get the picture well enough. I don't know if trying to come off antipsychotics is allowed but I saw a post about risperidone and decided it might be okay for me to sign up. I have been on these medications for over 10 years. At first being given high doses of injectable ones. Then I switched to oral ones so I could control my own dose. I started off at 160 pounds and now I am at nearly 300 and still gaining. I staved off the weight gain for as long as I could trying to come off rapidly throughout the years. But I kept getting horrible withdrawal effects. Now I want to try and come off properly. With either a 10 or 20 percent reduction. One main withdrawal effect for me is the inability to sleep. So I feel as long as I am able to sleep each night I should do fine. Also am I supposed to share which medication I am trying to come off now?

 

Thanks and nice to meet you guys,

Wing

Have been on various injectibles. And real weight gainers throughout the last 10 years. Within the last 24 months, I was on abilify depot, which caused serious psychological stress and gambling addiction. Switched to 2 MG risperidone 6 months ago. At which point I put on more weight. And now I am on 4mg pimozide. Have been not wanting any of this for the last 7 years. But the withdrawals are too severe.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Hello, Wing, and welcome to to SA.  We have numerous members tapering antipsychotics, and we are happy to help you.

 

We do need to know the medications you are on and the dosage.  To give members the best information, we ask them to summarize their medication history in a signature -- drugs, doses, dates, and discontinuations & reinstatements, in the last 12-24 months particularly.
 
 
We recommend tapering no faster that 10% of current dose every four weeks.  Some have to taper more slowly.
 

 

These links explain the importance of a slow taper.
 
 
 
Sleep is very important when tapering psychiatric drugs.  Here are some helpful links:
 
Tips to help sleep - so many of us have that awful withdrawal insomnia
 
 
 
 
This link contains helpful information, including insomnia and also non-drug coping skills.  
 
 
Some members have found Melatonin helpful with insomnia.   
 
 
It's best to start at a very low dosage, such as .25mg, and gradually increase if needed to the lowest effective dose.  
 
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 I am glad that you found us.
 

 
 
 

 
 

 
 

 

 

Gridley Introduction

 

Lexapro 20 mg since 2004.  Begin Brassmonkey Slide Taper Jan. 2017.   

End 2017 year 1 of taper at 9.25mg 

End 2018 year 2 of taper at 4.1mg

End 2019 year 3 of taper at 1.0mg  

Oct. 30, 2020  Jump to zero from 0.025mg.  Current dose: 0.000mg

3 year, 10 month taper is 100% complete.

 

Ativan 1 mg to 1.875mg 1986-2020, two CT's and reinstatements

Nov. 2020, 7-week Ativan-Valium crossover to 18.75mg Valium

Feb. 2021, begin 10%/4 week taper of 18.75mg Valium 

End 2021  year 1 of Valium taper at 6mg

End 2022 year 2 of Valium taper at 2.75mg 

End 2023 year 3 of Valium taper at 1mg

Jan. 24, 2024: Hold at 1mg and shift to Imipramine taper.

Taper is 95% complete.

 

Imipramine 75 mg daily since 1986.  Jan.-Sept. 2016 tapered to 14.4mg  

March 22, 2022: Begin 10%/4 week taper

Aug. 5, 2022: hold at 9.5mg and shift to Valium taper

Jan. 24, 2024: Resume Imipramine taper.  Current dose as of Oct 15: 3.2mg

Taper is 96% complete.  

  

Supplements: multiple, quercetin, omega-3, vitamins C, E and D3, magnesium glycinate, probiotic, zinc, melatonin .3mg, iron, serrapeptase, nattokinase, L-Glutamine, milk thistle, choline


I am not a medical professional and this is not medical advice. It is information based on my own experience as well as that of other members who have survived these drugs.

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I have always had something deep down that knew these things were doing damage. And hopefully it's not irreparable if that's the right word. I can't even remember the last time I felt like myself. Just lost the spark you know. But I feel like I can heal from these heavy psychotropics. I made a sig, I will refine it as I go.

 

Currently I need to aquire a pill splitter and possibly one of those little med boxes just so I can prepare everything. I also plan to do a bit more reading around here.

 

I did a rough calculation of 10 percent of 4mg, which is my current dose. So .4 MG reduction every month. To make it simple I will just say .5 which mean because each pill is 2mg I can quarter them and reduce by a quarter each month

Have been on various injectibles. And real weight gainers throughout the last 10 years. Within the last 24 months, I was on abilify depot, which caused serious psychological stress and gambling addiction. Switched to 2 MG risperidone 6 months ago. At which point I put on more weight. And now I am on 4mg pimozide. Have been not wanting any of this for the last 7 years. But the withdrawals are too severe.

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  • Moderator Emeritus
6 hours ago, Wing said:

I did a rough calculation of 10 percent of 4mg, which is my current dose. So .4 MG reduction every month. To make it simple I will just say .5 which mean because each pill is 2mg I can quarter them and reduce by a quarter each month

 

Hi Wing, your calculation is 10% of the starting dose and the same reduction each month.  The way we recommend here is 10% of current dose, meaning the reduction amount is smaller with each drop.  So from 4 mg you would go to 3.6mg, then 3.2mg, then 2.9mg, then 2.6mg and so on.

 

There is a topic here that should help:  How to calculate dosages and dilutions? Spreadsheets and calculators

 

 

2001–2002 paroxetine

2003  citalopram

2004-2008  paroxetine (various failed tapers) 
2008  paroxetine slow taper down to

2016  Aug off paroxetine
2016  citalopram May 20mg  Oct 15mg … slow taper down
2018  citalopram 13 Feb 4.6mg 15 Mar 4.4mg 29 Apr 4.2mg 6 Jul 4.1mg 17 Aug 4.0mg  18 Nov 3.8mg
2019  15 Mar 3.6mg  21 May 3.4mg  26 Dec 3.2mg 

2020  19 Feb 3.0mg 19 Jul 2.9mg 16 Sep 2.8mg 25 Oct 2.7mg 23 Oct 2.6mg 24 Dec 2.5mg

2021   29 Aug 2.4mg   15 Nov 2.3mg

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3 hours ago, Songbird said:

 

Hi Wing, your calculation is 10% of the starting dose and the same reduction each month.  The way we recommend here is 10% of current dose, meaning the reduction amount is smaller with each drop.  So from 4 mg you would go to 3.6mg, then 3.2mg, then 2.9mg, then 2.6mg and so on.

 

There is a topic here that should help:  How to calculate dosages and dilutions? Spreadsheets and calculators

 

 

 

Oh I understand now. Thanks for clarifying that.

Have been on various injectibles. And real weight gainers throughout the last 10 years. Within the last 24 months, I was on abilify depot, which caused serious psychological stress and gambling addiction. Switched to 2 MG risperidone 6 months ago. At which point I put on more weight. And now I am on 4mg pimozide. Have been not wanting any of this for the last 7 years. But the withdrawals are too severe.

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