UncleLeroy: Lexapro, Zyprexa, Trazodone

[UncleLeroy]

Let me add that yesterday (June 29), Leroy experienced some minor neuropathy in addition to muscle and foot pain. A shooting, burning sensation of the top of one foot. This lasted for a few seconds and dissipated. 

[Altostrata]

On-off symptoms are not much of a concern. If they persist over several days, they could be a signal.

[UncleLeroy]

Brought olanzapine/Zyprexa down to 3.28 mg on July 4th. No new WD symptoms, just the usual toe and thumb ache, very mild. Sleep is still the same (good). 

[FireflyFyte]

On 7/9/2023 at 8:23 AM, UncleLeroy said:

Brought olanzapine/Zyprexa down to 3.28 mg on July 4th. No new WD symptoms, just the usual toe and thumb ache, very mild. Sleep is still the same (good). 

 

Glad to hear that his taper continues to go well. 

[UncleLeroy]

Leroy had an uptick in body aches in muscles and joints this week, still mild, but more widespread than what he wants to tolerate on the daily.  Usually the pain in just in a foot and thumb, but it's come back in the elbows, and lower back.

 

So...we're holding at 3.28 mg on Zyprexa for this next week (tomorrow would have been the time to reduce if WD normal).

 

If symptoms fade, we'll reduce next week to 3.12 mg. Or hold until they do.

[Altostrata]

I think you've got it.

[UncleLeroy]

On 7/22/2023 at 5:55 PM, Altostrata said:

I think you've got it.

Thanks to your playbook.  

[UncleLeroy]

After reading through many topics in this forum I have become aware that Leroy has other symptoms of withdrawal/ and side effects that I failed to mention previously.  At the time, early on, I was unaware that there was a correlation and they are mild. 

 

For documentation's sake, it may be worth noting all symptoms thus far are physical in nature.

 

• First week on meds, in addition to the muscle/bone aches and pains, also developed ulcer-like mouth sores of brief duration and haven't returned. At the time, we didn't attribute this to the meds.
• Itching, mainly on the back and mainly in the evenings. Happened first only intermittently, but is now almost nightly (still mild).
• Presently has developed pimple like spots on the tops of his feet near base of toes. They look similar to an ant bite, but don't hurt. These have appeared overnight (which I am very aware of as he gets homeopathic magnesium foam foot massages by myself at bedtime each night).
• The back pain has turned into sciatic nerve pain as well and follows down his right leg into his foot. Still mild and manageable. 

[Altostrata]

4 hours ago, UncleLeroy said:

The back pain has turned into sciatic nerve pain as well and follows down his right leg into his foot. Still mild and manageable. 

 

Suggest getting physical therapy for this, it's probably a posture habit that is causing pain because he has some withdrawal hypersensitivity.

[UncleLeroy]

We have reduced again August 8th. 

 

I took an average weight of the pills with each reduction for the first 3 months and decided this was going to be consistent (the pill weighing 40 times the active ingredient). I decided to weigh again and the entire bottle had an average weight of 42 times the active ingredient.

 

The pills have been from the same manufacturer since the start. 

 

I suppose this means that we are at 2.8 mg instead of 2.95 mg of Zyprexa. 

 

We held an additional week recently when there was a slight uptick in WD symptoms, so I'm assuming I had reduced by more than I should especially now realizing that the weight was not as accurate. Also, luckily, we had decided prior to that to reduce by 5% every 2 weeks, so I think that helped from having stronger WD symptoms. I can't pin down exactly when the weight would have changed except to say that it's has been within the last 3 months somewhere.

 

Regardless, now, I will continue to weigh the new bottles from now on and continue from where we are now. 

 

Only 10% more to go after this one before we are at the halfway mark on mg.

 

Then planning to hold and switch to tapering the trazodone.

[Altostrata]

You're doing great!

[UncleLeroy]

Okay, so now we're at half the dose of Zyprexa!

 

Once this last reduction has had time to work itself out, we'll then make a move on reducing Trazodone.

 

Kind of nervous to see if this one will give any different/worse withdrawal symptoms than the Zyprexa.  So far, its been manageable. Hoping it continues.

[Altostrata]

Good to hear it's going so well!

[UncleLeroy]

20 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

Good to hear it's going so well!

Thank you. We couldn't have done it without the support of you and this site!

[N2deep]

Hi,

I just read your whole thread and I am happy Leroy hasn't had much trouble on the first leg down. He has a great ally in you. Best of luck going forward!

[UncleLeroy]

Began to taper Trazodone on Tuesday, Sept 19th. Started with a 10% reduction, will analyze whether smaller percentages may be necessary. No noticeable WD symptoms as of yet. 

 

Leroy made a comment the other day about how he's so glad he doesn't feel so....blah. (Energy levels are definitely better since getting Zyprexa down, but I can also see a little step up in his behaviorisms, engagement with others). Hoping to see more noticeable improvements with Trazodone as well.

 

Treading carefully, drawing all the patience we can muster to not get ahead of ourselves when things seem to be going well.  Flipping negatives into positives.  My cautious, cynical view of the meds in general helps balance out my impatience for him to be off them. And I've found a good use for my sometimes annoying "micro-managing" tendencies.

 

And hey, over 7 months alcohol free! 

[Altostrata]

What excellent news! Thank you.

[FireflyFyte]

On 9/22/2023 at 12:29 PM, UncleLeroy said:

 

And hey, over 7 months alcohol free! 

 

This is an amazing milestone, a big congratulations to your husband!

Glad to hear that tapering continues to be uneventful.

[UncleLeroy]

Leroy has no more refills on his prescriptions, but has an appointment today with Dr., which will then enable him to get his prescriptions filled once more. Tricky part is he has only one more dose of Lexapro left, and if his prescriptions are not filled and picked up by tomorrow, he will be out of Lexapro until it can be picked up on Monday. 

 

So, we are going to hold tapering the trazodone (we've only just reduced the first 10%) and alternate to Lexapro just enough to have a buffer of a few days doses in case this happens in the future.

 

Hoping things will go smoothly and this won't be an issue now or later, but would like to have more than one dose left between refills. 

 

We have plenty of Trazodone (prescription was for 100 mg and to take 1 or 2 tablets as needed, and he's always just taken 1). And, of course, we also have plenty of Zyprexa since that was the first one we started tapering. 

 

The plan is still to come off trazodone after reducing Zyprexa partway, as originally suggested by Altostrata. We will alternate back to trazodone after we briefly taper enough Lexapro to allow for a few doses to fill in gaps if ever needed.  

 

This seems to be the most logical course of action as we aren't interested in the trouble of changing prescribers and going through unnecessary reevaluations and someone else's misguided opinions of Leroy's mental health status. We are only interested in keeping the prescriptions until we can can safely stop needing them.

[UncleLeroy]

For clarity, let me add (to the above post), that we will wait to alternate tapering Lexapro until appropriate (when the month's reduction of Trazodone is settled).

[Altostrata]

Are you able to refill the Lexapro prescription? It would be best if dosing were continuous.

[UncleLeroy]

2 hours ago, Altostrata said:

Are you able to refill the Lexapro prescription? It would be best if dosing were continuous.

Yes, we were able to and won't have to skip any doses thank goodness! It was a close call due to the timing of the appointment and the time you have to have it called in to be able to have ready for the next day. Otherwise it wouldn't have been ready until Monday as they only do Monday, Wednesday, Fridays for pickups. But thankfully now he has refills until January before another appointment. 

[FireflyFyte]

14 hours ago, UncleLeroy said:

Yes, we were able to and won't have to skip any doses thank goodness! It was a close call due to the timing of the appointment and the time you have to have it called in to be able to have ready for the next day.

 

I am glad to hear this! It can be nerve wracking trying to ensure refills are picked up in time.

[UncleLeroy]

Leroy has had some continued nerve pain in his left arm for a few weeks. 

 

We're going to hold for a bit on reductions to see if this settles down.

[FireflyFyte]

3 hours ago, UncleLeroy said:

Leroy has had some continued nerve pain in his left arm for a few weeks. 

 

We're going to hold for a bit on reductions to see if this settles down.

 

I think this is a smart move. I hope the pain diminishes soon for him.

[UncleLeroy]

We are reducing 10mg Lexapro at a 5% decrease tomorrow (at 2 week intervals if it goes well enough). We are holding on Trazodone at 90 mg, and Zyprexa at 2.5 mg.

 

We will reduce Lexapro long enough to have a few built-in doses then return to Trazodone. 

[Altostrata]

You're doing a beautiful job managing this, @UncleLeroy Do you have a medical background?

[UncleLeroy]

16 hours ago, Altostrata said:

You're doing a beautiful job managing this, @UncleLeroy Do you have a medical background?

 

I do not have medical background. 

 

I do have a psychology background, with a passion for independent research and continued education.  

[UncleLeroy]

Reducing 5% more of Lexapro for the next 2 weeks. Also, took down trazodone another 5% (we hadn't reduced that since September).

 

I know it's not recommended to reduce more than one at a time, and the plan going further is to alternate for longer periods of time focusing only on one (if we reduce more than one at a time in the future).

 

But this decision was after much deliberation with Leroy and his request to keep coming off the trazodone. He was resigned that the trazodone needs to come down a little more because he was concerned he would get too "groggy" again if we taper Lexapro and leave the others in place. I wasn't that keen to do it, but a compromise was warranted.    

[Altostrata]

You two are such a great team, I'm sure you'll do this is the most responsible way. Please let us know how Uncle Leroy is doing. 

[N2deep]

I just wanted to check in and say I hope the taper continues to go smoothly for yourself and uncle Leroy and wish you best of luck in the new year.

[UncleLeroy]

On 12/17/2023 at 3:04 PM, N2deep said:

I just wanted to check in and say I hope the taper continues to go smoothly for yourself and uncle Leroy and wish you best of luck in the new year.

Thank you N2deep, I wish the same for you!

 

The taper so far has not exactly been smooth like butter, but fairly uneventful - thank goodness. 

[UncleLeroy]

I will update Leroy's signature soon. I am not at my records presently to give an accurate update. 

[UncleLeroy]

Hello all. Apologies for the lack of updates. I haven't been on this site in a little bit. Just checking in to say Leroy is still doing considerably well with his taper. We have  alternated reductions and have successfully gotten all 3 reduced a bit to continue to have a buffer between prescriptions if it ever occurs that any might be delayed.  We are still mainly focused on coming completely off the trazodone. He has had a consistent WD normal so far, sleep is still good. I am patiently waiting so see greater motivation as that's a bit annoying as spring arrives and there is so much to do! Hoping as we keep coming down off the trazadone, he'll feel less and less fatigued in the mornings.  His Dr. knows he interested in coming off his meds. The advice he got was to "be careful and slow" with the zyprexa and sometimes the Lexapro can cause irritability if coming off too fast. No advice about the trazodone. He said he wouldn't reduce the prescriptions, and just keep prescribing the originals until Leroy stops calling in the refills...so he knows we plan to reduce, but has just left the hows up to us.  We'll keep doing what we're doing. 

 

Stay well all.

[Altostrata]

Good to hear from you, @UncleLeroy Well done!

[N2deep]

Great news. That's about as good as one could hope for out of both tapering and your relationship with the doctor.