Bree: Clozaril Tapering - Need Help with Taper

[Bree]

Need help as soon as possible!

I am tapering off clozaril. The doctor had me on abilify monthly injections for about seven months because I tried to withdraw from my other medication on my own a year ago. On August '19 this year I refused to let them inject me anymore when I realized they were not going to help me taper. The doctor had started the injection about 11 months ago when I told him I had decided to taper off the Clozaril which he had me on since 2016.  I pasted my current medication history below.

A couple weeks ago I started feeling really bad. I have fits of crying and pace a lot.

I felt better for a few days so I dropped from 150mg to 125mg last night.

I have been crying all day today. My 65year old mom (who lives with me) was at work today and I just sat in the hallway. I keep thinking of ways to commit suicide. I want the pain to stop. I don't believe there is any hope.

My friends and mom are telling me that I feel this way because of the withdrawals, and maybe I dropped down too soon or too much and need to taper slower. I am having my friend type this for me now because I can't type or focus on anything. Should I try to go back up to the 150mg tonight and wait until I am more stable to decrease again? Is it safe to do so, because I only dropped 25mg yesterday?

 

~2005 Started on psychiatric medications.

~2016 Started Clozaril 300mg (3 tablets @ 100mg each)

~Jan. 2019 Began Taper off Clozaril – cut 1/4 off 1 tablet, decrease from 300mg to 275mg

~March 2019 Taper another 1/4 tablet, from 275mg to 250mg of Clozaril

~ April 2019 Stopped Prozac and Wellbutrin cold turkey. Started Abilify Injections once per month.

~June 2019 Taper another 1/4 tablet, from 250mg to 225mg of Clozaril

~First week of August 2019 Stopped Abilify injection cold trukey

~September 2019 Decrease Clozaril from 225mg to 200mg

~October 2019 Decrease Clozaril from 200mg to 175mg

~Nov 2019 Decrease Clozaril 175mg to 150mg

~Dec 2, 2019 Decrease Clozaril 150mg to 125mg

[Sassenach]

Hi Bree

 

Unfortunately I do not have time to do a proper intro. at present.

 

You are indeed suffering withdrawal symptoms triggered by cessation of

17 hours ago, Bree said:

Abilify injection

and your fast taper of clozaril .

I suggest you take 150mgs this evening and we will get back to you with further info tomorrow.

 

Sassenach

[Altostrata]

Welcome, Bree.

 

Why were you taking Abilify and Clozaril?

 

On 12/3/2019 at 5:27 PM, Bree said:

~First week of August 2019 Stopped Abilify injection cold trukey

~September 2019 Decrease Clozaril from 225mg to 200mg

~October 2019 Decrease Clozaril from 200mg to 175mg

~Nov 2019 Decrease Clozaril 175mg to 150mg

~Dec 2, 2019 Decrease Clozaril 150mg to 125mg

 

If you were getting Abilify injections monthly, the drug gradually leaves your body over a month or more. In effect, it's gradually tapering itself over the month. It's possible to feel withdrawal from this, but it's not cold turkey, at least.

 

Then over the next 4 months, you reduced Clozaril from 225mg to 125mg, a decrease of more than 44%. Most likely, the last two Clozaril decreases, 14% in November and 17% in December, were too much for you, since you say your symptoms started a couple of weeks ago.

 

As Sassenach said, you might go back to 150mg Clozaril as soon as possible and see if this helps. If it helps only a little, that's a good sign -- keep taking it and let your nervous system settle down for a couple of months at least before considering tapering again, with much smaller decreases.

 

If you are truly suicidal, you must seek face-to-face help immediately. Being that we're only an Internet support site, we can't help in emergencies.

[Sassenach]

Hi Bree

 

How are you feeling today?

 

Sassenach

[Bree]

Sorry I didn't answer. I typed this update yesterday 12/7.

I went back to 150mg on Tuesday evening.

 

On 12/5/2019 at 12:12 AM, Altostrata said:

Why were you taking Abilify and Clozaril?

 

 

I started psychiatric drugs in 2005 because I was depressed.

The doctor put me on Abilify injections after I tried to get off my previous medications. Since my mom and friend found out more about tapering, they have been supporting me in tapering more slowly.

 

On 12/5/2019 at 8:56 AM, Sassenach said:

How are you feeling today?

 

Still feel horrendous. I didn't go to bed until 1 last night and didn't sleep well and was pacing early in the morning again. I don't want to do anything. My mom went to work today, but she is worried about leaving me alone, because I want to die. This morning I refused to eat breakfast, but my mom reminded me that if I kill myself by starving, it would really affect my nieces and nephews so I ate.

 

I took a few drops of CBD a couple days this past week. Someone said I shouldn't take them and that it could interfere with my drugs or withdrawal. Others tell me it helps and doesn't have bad side effects.

[Bree]

Update today:

I ate dinner last night also, but during the middle of the night I threw up (can't remember whether I took my meds before or after I threw up). My mom had to shower me this morning because I couldn't figure out how to by myself. I am picking at myself more and making myself bleed. I clogged the toilet multiple times by putting the whole roll in.

[Altostrata]

What time of day do you take your drugs, and their dosages?

 

Why are you using so much toilet paper? You need to address your anxiety in ways other than picking. Are you able to take a 30-minute walk every day?

 

To help us out, follow these instructions Please put your drug and withdrawal history in your signature You may need to use a computer to do this.

 

[Bree]

I've been doing a little better the past few days, but mostly laying in bed. Still depressed and hopeless but I am not anxious or hurting myself.

 

Yesterday, a social worker came to the house while my mom was at work. She saw that I was not working at my job or up and about like I had been previously. She asked me if I wanted to go back on the higher medication dose, or if I would like to go back to the hospital. I thought she was only giving me a choice between the two, so I said I'd like to go back on higher dose. So now they plan on upping my does to 225mg and coming out the next 5 days to make sure that I take it. My mom talked to the social worker this morning, and she said that she didn't give me only two choices, but three (the third being continue tapering). But I know if she gave me that choice, I would have chosen to continue tapering.

 

My mom has to go into work again tomorrow. My friends told me just to refuse the medication higher dose and insist on 150mg, but they are worried that I will cave into any pressure, as that is what I usually do. My friends suggested just to make sure I am not at home when they come tomorrow, and tell them that I want to keep taking 150mg.

[Bree]

I have a friend out of state, who I can leave early tomorrow to stay with. I had considered before moving out of state to stay with them, but I'm on Medicade and don't know how I'm going to switch doctors to a different state and pay for the medication. I've been saving the medication pieces that I taper, but don't know how much longer I have before I run out. Maybe a few weeks.

 

If the nurse comes tomorrow to give me the 225mg, she said she is going to take the Clozaril that I have left here.

[Bree]

We went out of state and are at our friends house. I am feeling much better now physically.

 

I don't know if I can find a doctor out here to switch to, or if I should find another back home.

Does anyone know of a psychiatrist in the San Diego area who would prescribe medications and allow me to slowly taper?

[Bree]

I'm now have been on 125mg for a week. I found a new psychiatrist out of state, who confirmed I've had no symptoms of psychosis or schizophrenia, but at most only OCD or anxiety characteristics, and he is going to help me taper from the Clozaril. However, I went to the pharmacy to get my prescription filled and they didn't have enough Clozaril on hand to fill the prescription. I came back at the end of the week, and the pharmacist had told me that their supplier said the MD psychiatrist (who is well-known and I know is a credible person) isn't authorized to prescribe Clozaril. Has anyone heard of something like this happening?

 

It's Sunday, so I'm going to call the doctor tomorrow. The pharmacy also said that the supplier was willing to override the prescription and give me one more month refill since I am still on vacation here if I get the blood draw that is necessary for filling this prescription. Maybe if I move my residency to this state that would clear things up. Has anyone ever moved states while tapering? Did you encounter anything like this?