Mogiebear: Zyprexa Taper

[Mogiebear]

Hi all,

 

Where do i even begin? it all started when i was 19, I got hit with severe OCD and anxiety to the point where i wasnt eating or sleeping so I chose to go see a psychiatrist. My first Drug was lexapro.. took 10mg for 5 years, then I had another major breakdown which Led to Luvox 200mg for a couple more years. Last year june 2020 I had another major breakdown and this time was introduced to Anafranil and Zyprexa thrown into the mix. I first foundout about tapering and side effects one evening at work.. i didnt know why I felt so numb and bored all the time, i actually foundout by forgetting to take my meds for a couple days and noticed a big difference in mood, I felt much better without taking it.. until about the 3rd day i started getting brain zaps, then i did a whole lot of research and learnt about emotional blunting caused by ssri's... it was like pandoras box got opened. 

 

So now I'm looking to taper off, Zyprexa be the 1st one to go

 

Thank you for the website

[Mogiebear]

well I started on Zyprexa 5mg june 2020 after I had my 3rd breakdown. about September I dropped the dose in half.. didnt experience any WD's. and about late jan this year I've been dropping it by 0.5mg every 2 weeks as youll see in my signature.. only minor WD's at this point I think some anxiety and very bad nightmares eh but i am able to sleep but dreams arent pleasant at all. no its not the recommended 10% month taper.. guess im goin to Taper hell now? but in all seriousness I do agree with the 10% month taper I just cant at this stage.. the emotional numbness I was experiencing .. I honestly just wanted to die did not want to keep on living was in deep despair.. thankfully the some of the numbness has lifted since tapering from this horrific drug.. the sleep body zap issues i experienced was from an earlier attempt to weanoff zyprexa alot quicker which didnt work.. this was fixed by reinstating the previous dose the next evening. 

 

and thats about it for me tonight 

[getofflex]

Hello, and welcome to SA.  We are a peer owned and run forum of people who have been or are getting off of psychiatric drugs.  This is your own personal thread, where you can ask questions and make comments about your own tapering and withdrawal.   Keeping it all in this thread helps us to have your history in one place, so we can help you and give you the best advice.  

 

Thank you for providing your drug signature.  At the end of your post you say "this was fixed by reinstating the previous dose the next evening."  I don't see this reinstatement in your signature.  Can you please edit your signature with the specific date (month and day and year, if previous year) and the amount of this reinstatement?  

 

Often when people taper faster than 10% per month of the current dose, they experience significant withdrawal symptoms, which you may be having.  It sometimes can take a while after the taper for these symptoms to show up.  

 

This helps you understand what withdrawal syndrome is: 

 

What is Withdrawal Syndrome?

 

Here is some information about how these drugs actually work.  

 

How Psychiatric Drugs Remodel Your Brain

 

Tapering is best done extremely slowly, and we taper by 10% of the current dose, so that the taper becomes exponentially smaller.

 

 Why Taper by 10% of my Dosage  

 

Also, as we are tapering, we suggest keeping things slow, simple, and stable. 

 

Keep it Simple, Slow, and Stable

 

 

When we recover, there are times of feeling OK mixed in with times of feeling bad.  This is called windows and waves.

 

Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

Here are some techniques to cope with symptoms: 

 

Non Drug Ways to Cope with Withdrawal Symptoms

 

 

We don't suggest many supplements, but 3 that many of us find helpful are magnesium, omega-3, and melatonin. Here are the links for info about those. 

Magnesium

Omega 3 Fish Oil

Melatonin

 

Finally, increasing your dose, which we call reinstatement, is best done very carefully.  There is some risk involved.   Here is some information about reinstatement.  

 

About Reinstating and Stabilizing to Reduce Withdrawal Symptoms

 

I've given you quite a bit of information here.  Please read through it, and mull it over, and we will take it from there. In the meantime, take care of yourself, and take heart.  We in this forum have been through this, and we understand first hand the pain and discomfort you are going through.  Please know that the brain is amazing in it's healing abilities.  It takes time, but healing can and will happen. 

Edited March 20, 2021 by getofflex

[getofflex]

@Mogiebearsaid "guess im goin to Taper hell now? but in all seriousness I do agree with the 10% month taper I just cant at this stage".   What is the reason why you cannot do the 10% monthly taper?  Have you read the link above about tapering 10%?  

[Mogiebear]

Tapering.. Lowering the dose feels great, then I return numb again after a few weeks

 

Can someone explain to me why when I lower my dose I enter euphoria for a few weeks and then become emotionally numb again?

 

Its almost like the dose makes no difference after it stabilizes?

 

Edited August 9, 2022 by ChessieCat
added Intro topic title before merging with intro topic

[ChessieCat]

We need more information about what reductions/increases you have done since Zyprexa 0.5mg taper 11th mar 2021

 

Please update your drug signature with the date and the dose you reduced/increased to on that date AND post so that we know that you have provided the information requested.

 

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature