howtotaper: How to taper my antipsychotic

[howtotaper]

I have been taking 50mg desvenlafaxine (pristiq) and 3mg rexulti for a few years. They kind of worked but I have realized they are giving me horrible side effects. Also, I should have done my research (but I was so depressed and kind of didn't care back then) but I was uninformed by my doctor that rexulti is an antipsychotic! I was not being treated for anything that needs this class of drug. I wish to be off these meds as quickly as possible due to the side effects they are having on me.

 

My doctor lowered me from 50mg desvenlafaxine (pristiq) to 25mg. No withdrawal effects.

 

Now we are lowering rexulti. She lowered me from 3mg to 2mg and said I should not have side effects. The withdrawals were HORRIBLE. I slept for two days straight. By the time she prescribed me 0.25mg tablets, I felt more stable so I decided to stay at 2mg rather than start over.

 

She told me to "go at my own pace" lowering by 0.25mg and then went on maternity leave so I feel a little lost on what to do. I am now at 1.5mg rexulti. 

 

1. My question is how long do I stay at each 0.25mg increment? I have been staying at each for maybe 5ish days? Just waiting until I feel normal and then lowering. However, I am reading that tapering off an antipsychotic quickly can have extremely negative results (like tardive dyskinesia I think?) If I feel fine lowering every 5 days or so is that safe or do I need to go slower? I want off it!

 

2. Once I am off rexulti can I cut 25mg desvenlafaxine (pristiq) in half to lessen that drop off? I was told 25mg is the smallest pill they make. 

 

3. Bonus question: my understanding is you take a main antidepressant (so for me pristiq) and then rexulti is added on top to "enhance" how your antidepressant works. I felt immense relief of side effects I have had for years lowering pristiq and minor relief lowering rexulti. Can I get off pristiq completely and then get off rexulti? Or would that be unsafe because you need a main antidepressant in order to take rexulti?

 

Thank you guys ❤️ This forum has been so great to read. I swear you all know more than my doctor about tapering/antidepressants in general. 

[Erimus]

Hello, and welcome to Surviving Antidepressants. We are a peer support forum to assist in tapering off psychiatric drugs safely, or recovering from psychiatric drug withdrawal.

 

Your first task is to create a drug signature, with the following:

 

• All current medication you take, the dose you take, when you started the drug, and when you made dose changes
• All current supplements you take
• An accurate history of recent drugs, taken in the last 12-24 months
• Dates for recent should be written as 7 Oct 2023, or Oct 7 2023, or early Oct 2023, or mid Oct 2023
• A history of drugs taken 24 months ago and beyond - if applicable
• Dates for historical drugs can simply be listed as start and stop years
• Please do not use 07/10/23 // 10/07/23 as this is intepreted differently around the world

 

• Please leave out symptoms and diagnoses. See my signature for example of clear and concise information.

 

• Click this link to edit your signature: Edit your signature here.

 

 

This topic is for anything relating to you, and any questions you have. Please do not start another topic.

 

We recommend tapering by no more than 10% of your CURRENT dose each month, to limit withdrawal symptoms. E.g. 10mg --> 9mg --> 8.1mg --> 7.29mg

 

All the answers you are looking for regarding tapering and antidepressant withdrawal are on this site. Please search around and continue to read as much as you can manage. Use the site search function to search for specific words or phrases, such as drugs or symptoms.

 

Here are a few of the most useful links:

 

Important topics in the Tapering forum and FAQ

 

Micro tapering

 

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

Taking multiple psych drugs? Which drug to taper first?

 

How to make a liquid from tablets or capsules

 

Using a scale to weigh and measure doses

 

We only recommend two supplements. Omega 3 Fish Oil and Magnesium. Both should be introduced separately and increased slowly.

 

Regards

Erimus

[Erimus]

1 hour ago, howtotaper said:

My doctor lowered me from 50mg desvenlafaxine (pristiq) to 25mg. No withdrawal effects.

 

Now we are lowering rexulti. She lowered me from 3mg to 2mg and said I should not have side effects. The withdrawals were HORRIBLE. I slept for two days straight. By the time she prescribed me 0.25mg tablets, I felt more stable so I decided to stay at 2mg rather than start over.

 

She told me to "go at my own pace" lowering by 0.25mg and then went on maternity leave so I feel a little lost on what to do. I am now at 1.5mg rexulti.

You are tapering much too fast for such a drug. We suggest no more than 10% of your current dose each month. So your next drop would be from 1.5mg to 1.35mg.

 

If you read the links I posted above you will see how to create custom doses, either by crushing and weighing, or making a liquid suspension.

 

I would suggest focusing on tapering the antipsychotic as, like you said, it is the most harmful. I would recommend holding for a couple of weeks before you make another cut, to allow your brain to catch up on all the changes you've recently made.