Opensky Posted September 4, 2020 Share Posted September 4, 2020 (edited) I’m looking for support as I find my self in a full blown relapse. I had been on 1 mg of Risperdal for 20 years. A year ago I tapered down to .50 mg. I seemed fine. I started tapering down to .25 six to eight weeks ago and have been battling ever since. My episodes are getting more intense and more frequent. I am struggling with anxiety and intrusive thoughts as well as episodes that seem like I’m loosing touch with reality. I changed my diet at the beginning of the year and am eating clean. My general practitioner subscribes my meds as my mental health provider retired. I’m don’t know we’re to turn. Edited September 4, 2020 by Shep added username to title 2000 started 1mg risperidone 2000 started 150 mg fluvoxamine 2000 started .5 Klonopin 2015 klonopin only as needed 2 /3 times a week Jan 2019 Taper to 100 fluvoxamine Jan 2019 Taper .5 Risperidone Feb 2020 taper .25 fluvoxamine Feb 2020 taper .25 Risperidone April 2020 upped .50 fluvoxamine April 2020 upped .50 Risperidone June 2020 taper .25 Risperidone June 2020t taper .25 Risperidone Mid August Off Fluvoxamine Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus Shep Posted September 4, 2020 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted September 4, 2020 Hi, Opensky. Welcome to Surviving Antidepressants. This doesn't sound like relapse. This sounds like antipsychotic withdrawal from tapering faster than your nervous system can handle. With a slower taper, you're less likely to have symptoms like anxiety, intrusive thoughts, and difficulties staying focused on reality. For more, please see: Why taper by 10% of my dosage? Tips for tapering off risperidone (Risperdal) I'm glad you're eating a clean diet now. That will really help you heal. Intrusive thoughts can be helped by using the "change the channel" technique: "Change the channel" - dealing with cognitive symptoms For ways of handling anxiety and other symptoms, please see: Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms Many of us find mindfulness, breathing techniques, yoga or stretching, etc. to be very helpful during withdrawal. Please add a signature. Include drugs, doses, dates, and discontinuations & reinstatements in the last 12-24 months. Also include supplements. This will help us give you the most accurate advice we can. Any drugs and supplements prior to 24 months ago can just be listed with start and stop years. Please use actual dates or approximate dates (mid-June, Late October) rather than relative time frames (last week, 3 months ago) Spell out months, e.g. "October" or "Oct."; 9/1/2016 can be interpreted as Jan. 9, 2016 or Sept. 1, 2016. Please leave out symptoms and diagnoses. A list is easier to understand than one or multiple paragraphs. This is a direct link to your signature: Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature. For more information about the signature, please see: Please summarize your withdrawal history in your signature Please continue to use this thread to document your taper and to ask questions. Link to comment
Razmuk Posted October 19, 2020 Share Posted October 19, 2020 I was on 3 mg of risperdal for over a decade and when I got down to 1 mg the crap hit the fan so to speak...... My solution was counterintuitive but worked..... I jumped at 1 mg even though I spent nearly a year tapering to that point. It was miserable for a good while after that but was actually not as bad as being on the small amount. I don't know why that was and don't fully recommend going that route but I do know it worked for me. I think it was helpful for me because I was so miserable on that smaller amount and knew the taper was going to take another 6 months at least so I told myself if I jump I will be miserable also but maybe it will be over sooner. I have been off for over 3 years now and nearing 100% but that first 6 months was BRUTAL. I also know that I had to cut out literally everything..... I had to cut caffeine, supplements, vitamins, be careful about exercise, eat super clean and healthy, make sure to follow proper sleep hygiene, and pray A LOT. As I said, I don't recommend that approach but I was so bad off the only other alternative was going up and I wasn't going to do that. So ask yourself if it is worth it and pray on it, if you think it is the right thing to do just know that the problem isn't going to get better over night and you are going to have an intense time with the same problems you are having already for awhile just possibly less intense. Been on 3mg Risperdal for 13 years due to drug induced psychosis from meth Was on 0.5 mg Klonopin for 6 years as needed until May 2016 for anxiety Quit the Klonopin in May 2016 too fast and went into withdrawal hell for 9 months Started reducing Risperdal by 0.25 mg a month in December 2016 Ran into problems after hitting 2 mg and getting rid of the morning dose so decided to slow taper down Waited 10 weeks to reduce dose again 6/30/2017 at 1.75 mg 7/30/2017 at 1.60 mg 9/11/2017 at 0 mg Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now