Antipsychotic survivors? Interested in your stories

[Glosmom]

My daughter was on one antipsychotic for a total time of 2 years and 4 months (2 years and 1 month of tapering)  It has been 3 years since she has been off.  She is doing better but it has been a slow process.  It is very important to understand that it takes time.  There will be ups and downs, good times, bad times, anxious times, but time will even it all out..... eventually.   Her brain was 'special' to begin with so her healing is different than most, I assume.  But all of our brains and healing will be different. It is best not to compare.  Just keep plodding along. The goal is to one day be free of the poison medication and the worst of the symptoms.  Don't take any other medications. Be very wary of supplements. Be kind to your body and go easy on your level of expectations.  The only way is forward.  My goal now is that one day....(when that is, I don't know...but we are getting closer) one day....she will be back to a 'normal' that allows for happiness, the ability to manage stress and a job.  3 years and not healed seems crazy, I know, I am living it with her. But she is better. I can see the healing over time.  I know there is more healing that will happen.

 

Hang in there. None of us get through this life without scars, tears, pain and sorrow.  It will get better if you stay the course. Best Wishes to All who are on this journey. Glosmom

[Rrsfc]

Hi everyone, just found this thread and I want to leave my experience. I came off olanzapine/zyprexas several times with the help of my psychiatrists and nothing happened but my last treatment the psychiatrist wanted to try keeping the antipsychotic longer. I took it over a year and I wasn't able to come off. Luckily I immediately thought to come up again and go slower. Presently I am in my 4th attempt to come off from 2,5mg. First I just stopped like the psychiatrist suggested, awfull withdrawal, second I tried breaking pills on my own, it was awfull too. Then I found this site and tried 10%. It was way too fast, for me only dropping 2,5% does the trick. I am dropping 2,5% every 15 days. I don't know if I'll be successful untill the end but I wanted to state that tapering takes practice and that sometimes we can only handle safely 2,5% drops and that's ok, even though I came off directly from 5mg to 2,5mg a couple of times with no issues at all. I'm not advising anyone to do this, every taper must be carefully considered, just wanted to illustrate how the same pill on different dosages can be so different in terms of tapering and withdrawal. It really is an art to taper and it should be taylored to each person. If it doesn't work the first time just try going slower untill you find a way  I wish everyone a safe tapering journey.

[Warrior]

Hello! I would like to contribute to this topic about antipsychotics, my experience of using it was not very long, but it might help someone. Aripiprazole was prescribed to treat, according to the psychiatrist, OCD (which I found absurd, as I never had anything like that). Unfortunately I was going through a difficult time and I ended up accepting it. In my signature is the period and doses. While taking this drug, I had serious problems with akathisia, because I just couldn't stay still for absolutely nothing, my body was moving involuntarily, I had several tremors and a crazy restlessness. I felt an immense anguish in my chest, as if my soul were deeply gnawing, the memories are terrible. I also had severe memory loss, where I couldn't remember what had happened the morning of the same day, let alone the day before. I had no control over my limbs. I totally lost concentration. My joints became stiff and I felt pain in them. At the time, I didn't understand what was causing it, that's when I started to suspect drugs (I didn't imagine they could cause all this). On random days, I would go off the drug and feel better, with fewer negative symptoms. From there began my struggle for withdrawal. I still stayed for a while using them for medical advice, which stated that these medications could not cause all this, and I was even more in doubt, it was a painful path to completely withdraw. After I stopped using Aripiprazole my body felt better and the akathisia decreased over time. My perception of space and time, and memory are still very impaired, but I don't know which drug caused it, or even a combination of the two. I believe that antipsychotics somehow not only modify brain structures but also destroy neurons, as it felt like an eraser was erasing my memories day after day. Of course, along with them, antidepressants are on this list. I don't know if this can help anyone, but this is my contribution. Each experience and reaction is unique, there is no comparison. For me, getting off Aripiprazole was easier than the antidepressant, but I can't say with 100% certainty because the withdrawal of these two drugs was close and I don't know how much one influenced the other, nor how the two acted on my body, but certainly caused very bad reactions that I still suffer to heal. I didn't do the withdrawal process recommended by the SA community out of ignorance, I wasn't aware of the site, but it's best to follow what is here, as it is the most correct and works. From what I've been through, you can get off antipsychotics and slowly try to get back to normal.

[FeralCatman]

Seroquel - a 75% and Climbing Success Story

 

I have been posting on SA since last December. In the beginning of my thread there is a summary of my 3 years and 4 months of slowly tapering down off of the medication. Here is a link to a downloadable copy of that summary along with a downloadable copy of my medication history timeline spreadsheet which documents my entire psychiatric history.

 

This is also a link to the tapering summary that you can read online.

 

 

Today I posted a summary of the last year since I stopped taking the Seroquel. Here is a link to that summary.

 

 

I followed up that post with an additional statement advising caution to those who are considering or in the process of tapering their antipsychotic, or any other medication for that matter.

 

 

I am still in the process of recovery and it will be quite some time before I am 100% but I have come a long way and I think that the worst is now in the past. The hardest thing to deal with right now is the anger associated with what was done. That will also take time to dissipate. I am well on my way and making progress every day. Don't give up the fight. You will get there too. 😉✌️😺😺😺😺

[Thorin]

Hi, sorry, I don’t have a signature yet. I am in the process of titrating off Lurasidone and at times the withdrawals are horrific. With that in mind I would LOVE to hear some positive stories of people coming off this med. I started on 40mg 7 or 8 years ago when given a misdiagnosis of bipolar 2. I am currently taking 12mg a day (as of 7 days ago). I’ve been dropping by 2mg each time since I got down to 20mg. I tried three times to come off this med much faster and failed terribly. The drop from 16-14mg was very difficult and this recent drop has me feeling hellish! I think I may need to reduce the amount I decrease by a little. Any advice is more than welcome!

thanks

[manymoretodays]

Thorin,  I've got you started with an Introduction topic now here. 

[PortugueseSea]

I was basically CT'd off an anti-emetic which I later learned acts in the same way as anti-psychotics; I took it regularly for 20 days and then PRN for two months. The akathisia was horrific, it is still bad but I am getting better, slowly, 6 months after last dose.

 

Too bad I got a prescription cascade off my symptoms and am still taking mirtazapine.

[FeralCatman]

Here's an update to my recovery that I posted on my thread and am reposting here. I thought the Epiphany I had this morning and my thoughts on patterns of recovery may be helpful to people.

 

 

[FeralCatman]

UPDATE

 

I just posted new statistics on my thread and am re-posting them here. I am upgrading my level of recovery from 75 % to 80% 😁

 

 

[LeoTheLion]

I recently came off Abilify 20 mg. The tapering process itself was fine - no real withdrawal symptoms to speak of. It was only when I completely stopped that I experienced w/d symptoms. About 2 weeks after taking my final dose, I got depressed for about 2-3 weeks. Fortunately, I work with an excellent Herbalist who has helped others in the past get off a/d's. Following her guidance and taking a number of herbs to support the nervous system and brain minimized any negative symptoms.

 

I'm still working with her as I now begin to taper Wellbutrin. She's been a lifesaver and amazing support.

[jeffcom2f]

I'm on 0 Risperidone and 0 Cloazepam even with residual symptoms I'm at the best moment of my life walking towards the realization of my Dreams with help and progressing each day with greater independence because I only have the help of my friends and I have future projects that I'm doing little by little the philosophy I have is that for every situation there are many ways out and whoever is brave always looking for them will gradually find them and will reach the best possible state of well being and realization of dreams, keep believing that healing is always possible for everyone because Love is the greatest healing gift of all and we have it because we were tested by pain and we survived and this is the proof of our supernatural strength this determined and indesitable Love,Thank you and Grateful to all!
 

[FeralCatman]

UPDATE

 

I just posted my latest statistics on my recovery from Seroquel. Here is the link.

 

 

[angela9985]

On 12/17/2018 at 1:19 PM, dksleuth said:

 

 

    I took anti-psychotics for one year straight at high dosages.  Seroquel (400 mg), Latuda (120 mg), and Abilify (20 mg) all at different times throughout the year.  I had no idea how dangerous these drugs were until after I discontinued them.   I discontinued them when I started to experience fatigue, memory loss, difficultly concentrating. I did not taper but discontinued Abilify (my final medication) within a weeks time  I am recovering very slowly, if at all. I am glad I no longer feel like I am dying but i'm concerned that the cognitive effects are permanent. I don't feel like the same person.  It is difficult for me to hold a conversation, my attention jumps all over the place, and my energy level is shot.  Reading is a struggle.  I am unimaginative, uninspired, and incapable of planning beyond a moments notice. The effects have adversely affected my career, my friendships,  my spirituality, my hobbies. 

sorry this is an old reply but how are you now? I CTed rexulti 3mg 10 weeks ago by the guidance of my doctor, and feeling not like myself. I cannot enjoy watching tv or movie, it just feels weird...

[FeralCatman]

UPDATE

 

I just posted this on my thread. I am upgrading my recovery from 80% to 85%. I'm nearly there after almost 17 months.

 

 

[FeralCatman]

UPDATE

 

So, it took a bit longer than 2 days to recover after that storm but I seem to have recovered. Here is the update on that from my thread.

 

 

[peaceandlove]

Glad you’re improving & feeling better !! 🙂 

 

& wow thanks for the post about eating causing anxiety & the histamine. I had pizza the other day (which I shouldn’t because of the acid reflux/indigestion but everyone was eating it & I couldn’t help myself it’s been sooo long lol) but anyways about 10 after I finished eating it, my arm all of a sudden got incredibly itchy. I looked down & there was a red rash. It went away on its own in about 4 min. Very weird. I will be sticking to my low acid plain food. Oatmeal, toast, chicken, eggs, rice & veggies. 
 

sucks cause I would love to eat some avocados but I know that’s high in histamine 

[FeralCatman]

@peaceandlove Sorry that happened. There are many hard lessons to learn through this process and.....Ya..... it does kind of suck. I ate some crackers the other day. No gut issues and no serious reactions but I did immediately swelled up and gained 3 pounds of water weight. The next day I had joint pain all over that has been gone for quite some time. The same thing happened after I ate the bagel but I wasn't sure that was the cause due to heavy physical activity at the same time. This time there was no doubt as to what caused it. So, from now on I am aware to avoid wheat products. I may indulge once in a great while but for the most part, if I want things like egg salad, tuna salad, PBJ, etc, I will have them on a rice cake instead of bread. Rice does not cause the inflammation. Tired of hurting all the time.

[peaceandlove]

On 1/12/2023 at 6:10 AM, FeralCatman said:

@peaceandlove Sorry that happened. There are many hard lessons to learn through this process and.....Ya..... it does kind of suck. I ate some crackers the other day. No gut issues and no serious reactions but I did immediately swelled up and gained 3 pounds of water weight. The next day I had joint pain all over that has been gone for quite some time. The same thing happened after I ate the bagel but I wasn't sure that was the cause due to heavy physical activity at the same time. This time there was no doubt as to what caused it. So, from now on I am aware to avoid wheat products. I may indulge once in a great while but for the most part, if I want things like egg salad, tuna salad, PBJ, etc, I will have them on a rice cake instead of bread. Rice does not cause the inflammation. Tired of hurting all the time.

Oh wow that’s crazy. I’m tired of hurting too, you’re not alone. But your so close to full recovery from what I’m reading on your post 🙂 

 

& random but you mentioned you took Gaviscon, was it only at night time or did you take it every time with meals?

[FeralCatman]

23 hours ago, peaceandlove said:

Oh wow that’s crazy. I’m tired of hurting too, you’re not alone. But your so close to full recovery from what I’m reading on your post 🙂 

 

& random but you mentioned you took Gaviscon, was it only at night time or did you take it every time with meals?

@peaceandlove I took Gaviscon only when needed so there was no set schedule. I've only taken it a handful of times and it does work fairly well and I tolerated it just fine.

 

I may not be as close to the end as I hope. I just posted an update to my thread which explains what just happened. I've made a lot of progress in 18 months but my body and nervous system are still very sensitive and easily triggered into a wave. Especially after the extreme exertion of that first big storm. Seems like that may have set me back more that I thought. Time will tell.

[Cauliflower]

I'm so scared of removing my medication, but this gives me a bit of strength. Thank you guys.

 

Anyone with schizophrenia able to get off medication?

[Cauliflower]

On 11/4/2018 at 9:17 AM, risperdalhater said:

 

Yes I recovered. My original symptoms were akathisa, very weak muscles/joints, anxiety and a deep depression/emotional numbness.

I am severely depressed and I'm currently tapering Seroquel. I'm doing a very slow taper and worried I shouldn't take it off. I feel more relieved that I can recover thank you.

[apple1989]

I completely removed Abilify 5mg three weeks ago after gradually lowering it. I feel even more depressed than before: a lot of apathy, anhedonia. 

 

Since my first psychotic break I always struggle with this: anhedonia, apathy, no emotions, no motivation. But after retiring Abilify I feel really worst in that aspect.

 

I was given it for schizophrenia but I believe I have major depressive disorder.

I am hesitating whether to medicate again with an antidepressant or continue to hold off.

What opinions do you have?

[Driksdog]

Hi! 

Don't take any other stuff. It will make it more complicated and not helping u. I would more think about to get back to a lower dose abilify and taper it slowly. With 2 mg abilify around 80 % of ur dopa receptors are blocked. So 5 mg is already high. No wonders about ur symptoms with that. It's normal. Please ask the taper specialist herehow to get back on a good dose which will relief ur symptoms a bit. And than slowly taper it over long time. 

Greetings dog 

[Driksdog]

Oh sorry. U tapered. I didn't recognize before. Sorry 

[altostratafan]

Thank you Altostrata!!! 

 

A Mikhaila Peterson podcast led me to this website, I found the way to taper the drug I was ingesting , executed what I learnt and  now I am off the neurotoxin I had in my system.

 

I am today in extremely good health- of body, mind and spirit. And I am grateful to God for giving me back my strength.

 

I followed the standard tapering protocol recommended on this website. The last time I ingested the drug (Aripiprazole) was 4 months ago.

 

I guess I was lucky to be one of the people who got no withdrawal symptoms. I did an extremely slow taper though, that lasted for one whole year approximately.

 

While I was on the drug, I barely talked, almost never laughed, stopped watching youtube videos and movies, slept for almost 14 hours everyday, and even after waking up never felt good. I couldn't read without getting up and pacing back and forth in my room. There was an unease in me, a restlesness.  I did almost nothing to further my education or career. I missed the wedding ceremony of my childhood best friend. Time that will never come back. Unnecessary meaningless suffering.

 

When I searched online, for how to stop this neurotoxin, at first all I found was countless horror stories about how hard it was to come off this drug. But then I found the likes of Altostrata and all the others I am sure the people here are familiar with. I once again had hope.

 

I recommend those who read this to obviously take the tapering methods, from the likes of Altostrata and others who have done such a good job.

 

I personally did the 10% reduction of the last dose, held it for three weeks, and kept repeating this almost till the end. While I reached the final stages and the doses where extremely small ( I used to make a water suspension of the drug, and used syringes to ingest it in my mouth), I did get braver and started making bigger reductions. But I recommend all to follow the best practice of tapering, as I said, written by the likes of Altostrata.

 

I could write a lot about this whole episode of my life. For those who do read this, do take this away from here- it is possible. Never lose hope. Never give up. These drugs where meant for only the severely mentally ill among us, not for those going through a rough patch in their lives. But these drugs are overprescribed, by good intentioned, but severely incompetent psychiatrists,  a majority of whom not surprisingly,  themselves choose to visit a psychologist rather than take these drugs. Do they believe themselves to be superior to us?

 

Forgive. Forgive them for yourself. And wish them well from the bottom of your heart. 

 

All the horrors I went through, at times believing that I will remain a man, who will never regain the strength of his mind, have I believe accelerated my development in some deep way. There is now in me an urgency to do good in this world, to make the world a better place. Should I not be grateful for this?

 

 

“If we prescribed relational support, walks, exercise, animal contact, rest, nutrition, insightful films/literature, basic financial support, community activity, rather than only psych-drugs, I venture our nation's woeful mental health outcomes would at last significantly improve.”   -Dr James Davies PhD

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Driksdog]

Hey! 

Ähm I can't forgive them from the bottom of my heart. For me seems like this only can say someone get over it pretty fast. Wtf. Why should I? I think the most of them minimum got a clue of what they are doing. I heard alot of time that most pdocs never would take this drugs. I think there was also a study about it. This shows alot. For me they are all rediculous overpaid clowns. Same time pretty danger for ppl getting in trouble and search for help. 

Greetings dog 

 

[GGGG]

On 4/5/2016 at 5:02 PM, Marsha said:

I had to stop taking the antipsychotic geodon at 40 mgs after 12 years on high doses. Couldn't complete my taper due to tardive dyskenisia manifesting itself. I am about four months off and I am definitely recovering.

What supplements did you take during recovery?

[GGGG]

On 4/7/2016 at 4:53 PM, Shep said:

I'm off all meds after taking cocktails of antipsychotics, antidepressants, benzos, z-drugs, etc. for 30 years. You name it, I took it. 

 

But I'm free now, off all drugs for almost 11 months, and slowly healing. 

Did you ct off them

[RedPanda20]

I'm off Risperdal... But I'm struggling in life. 

 

Nothing feels real... There's no pleasure... Feeling dizzy, purposeless, lazy, vibrations on the back of my head... 

 

I deserve another chance to live. But I kinda want to die... There's no joy in living a life with so much limitations and pain. Other people don't understand...  It makes me feel frustrated and misunderstood. 

 

This feels like an evil videogame or something.