inuyashalover2343: withdrawal help

[inuyashalover2343]

i am coming off olanzapine aka zyprexa i have been off it for about a week my psychiatrist offered no dsuggestions other then to take myself off this we fine until yesterday i have been super dizzy and extremly fatigued i took a nap yesterday and woke up feeling very weak and diszzy and disoriented and paniced and i took my lorazapam and was alright after awhile well today right around the same time i got super fatigued and dizzy and weal and shakey i tapered 2.5 mg in like a weeki dont know if i should reinstate or just gut it out since i have already taken myself off of it

[SquirrellyGirl]

Hello inuyashalover2343, 

 

Welcome to SA - I think you found us just in time!

 

I renamed your Intro with your name so that it is more easily identified.  Use your Intro to ask questions, give updates, and add any additional information.  By clicking "Follow this topic" above, you will be notified when anyone posts a response.

 

It would be very helpful if you could fill out your signature block with your med history, including dates and dosages to the best of your ability.  You can look at others' sigs to see how they have done it.  Instructions are here:

 

Please put your Withdrawal History in Signature. 

 

You are clearly experiencing withdrawal symptoms from tapering olanzapine too quickly.  How long had you been on it, and what was your dosage history?  Your "taper" was basically a cold turkey.  I'm sorry that your doctor was of absolutely no help in getting you off this medication!

 

Cold turkey withdrawal is neither fun nor predictable, and can lead to a lot of suffering for months and even years.  I would strongly encourage you to reinstate the dose you were on before this taper, and stabilize there for at least 6-8 weeks. I know that sounds discouraging, to go back on when you really want to get off of this med,  but your nervous system has just been profoundly destabilized and confused, and it will take some time to get on even ground again.  Reinstatement is the only way to alleviate withdrawal.   Tapering too soon will more likely cause you more symptoms.  These links will help explain why:

 

Introduction to AD Withdrawal Syndrome

About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms

 

Once you are stable, we recommend a 10% taper schedule to keep you comfortable and functioning during your taper.  

 

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

After you have read the links above, come back here with questions and we'll be happy to assist you!

 

SG

 

 

[inuyashalover2343]

thank you so much your response was very helpful!!! so should i reinstate the last dose i was on? it was 1/4 a 2.5mg tab this has been so frustrating cause i was actually feeling pretty good on the olanzapine but i went from 240 to a heavy 275

[Fresh]

Hi inuyashalover , welcome to the site.

 

If it's just been a week , you could go straight back onto 1/4 of a 2.5mg tablet.

How long did it take for your taper to go from 2.5mg to 0 mg ?

 

Please could you give more detail of how you tapered off effexor.

You've been on these drugs almost 10 years , it will be essential for you to take it slowly.

 

Best wishes , Fresh

[inuyashalover2343]

it was like a week week and a half to completely taper the olanzapine the effexor onlylasted a month and i believe my doc pulled me cold turkey from it it was aweful i feel like my doctor and psych have been throwing pills at me and ripping me off just as fast it feels like its no wonder i am in a mess of a situation anxiety wise ect

[Fresh]

Yes , trying to use one drug to cover the withdrawal of the previous one. It's bit of a mess , but

you'll get help sorting it out here.

 

Please read the links SquirrellyGirl posted for you. It's important for you to wrap your head around

the theory. Perhaps start with this one http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/7562-about-reinstating-and-stabilizing-to-reduce-withdrawal-symptoms/

 

You'll need to stay on the starter dose for at least 4 days - it takes that long to reach steady state in your

bloodstream. You may not need to increase it , reassess after 4-7 days.

 

Good to have you on board, Fresh

[Shep]

Hi, inuyasha. Welcome to the forum from me, too.

 

I also came off a large cocktail of drugs after taking many psych drugs for decades, and I'm slowly healing.

 

Since you're also on other psych meds, I just wanted to add another resource for you:

 

Taking multiple psych drugs? Which drug to taper first?

 

I found this article to be really helpful. I stayed on my antipsychotic until I came off all the other drugs because it helped with sleep. It did turn paradoxical toward the end and my insomnia really ramped up, but it did help in the first year of my tapers.  I came off my most stimulating drugs first (the SSRI and the stimulant) and then the drugs for sleep. 

 

I do understand the weight problems with the antipsychotic, so that should also be factored in as you decide how to set up a taper strategy for your meds. But like Fresh and SquirlleyGirl said, it may be wise to consider reinstating the zyprexa and doing a much slower taper. 

 

Best of luck on your taper. You'll find a lot of help and support here. 

[inuyashalover2343]

reinstate or no?

 so i am debating on doing something probably stupid but i feel likes ithis is my only option to keep me from melting down , i am pretty sure i am going to reinstate my olanzapine for a couple weeks, i am agoraphobic and never leave my house but i got a sixty day notice that i have to move out cause my landlords are selling our house the thought of this move is torture and is making everything way hard, i was pulled off the olanzapine because i gained to much weight on it and my psych said i will get diabetes if i stay on it to long but it seriously helped me so i thought it would get me through the move then i could wean off again once i am in the new place and settled 

Edited April 28, 2016 by Petunia
new topic joined with original and title added

[Petunia]

Hi, inuyasha,

I joined the new topic you started with your original. Its one intro/update topic per member, this keeps all your information and history together in one place. You can use this thread to track progress, write about symptoms, ask questions and communicate with the community, add to it whenever you want. Please bookmark it or follow it so you can find it again.

 

I'm sorry to hear you have to move, that can be very stressful, I had to do it while in withdrawal.

 

It sounds like you didn't reinstate yet since your last post on April 5, is this right?

 

Its now been a few more weeks and you may not be able to tolerate the previous dose you stopped from.

 

If you are still considering reinstating, please read through your topic from the start, including the links and it will help you make a decision. Because its now been a few more weeks, you might do better by trying 1/8 of a tablet. I'm not sure if 1/4 of a tablet is 2.5mg or if that's the amount of drug in the whole tablet. Clarifying that would be helpful.

 

Are you experiencing any symptoms at the moment? How long have you been agoraphobic? Is this a new symptom since stopping olanzapine?

 

Also, please read through this topic for more information:  Tips for tapering off olanzapine (Zyprexa)

 

Ask any questions here and please let us know what you decide.

 

Petunia.

[SquirrellyGirl]

Regarding this link above:  http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/11765-inuyashalover2343-withdrawal-help/?p=217939

 

There was discussion of your going back on a small dose since you went off too fast and were having withdrawal symptoms.  Did you ever do that or are you still off it entirely?

 

SG