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Hey Guys, 

 

Name's Kittie. Go by SailorMew on here. 

I'm 22. Diagnosed with BPD (Borderline Personality Disorder) and PTSD. 

Have some anxiety thrown in there as well but not enough for a full GAD diagnosis, but rather as more of a symptom of the other two diagnoses. 

I've been in and out of therapy since I was in 3rd grade, and on and off meds since I was 14. 

Finally found a mix that helped. 

Got put on Seroquel and Lamictal in April of 2016. As well as .25 of Xanax as needed for panic attacks. 

 

My ending doses before I started to taper were

Lamictal 100mg 2x day morning and night

Seroquel 100 1x day night

Xanax .25 as needed

 

I've been doing better. Hit a plateau. Found a new therapist to start Rapid Resolution Therapy with, high hopes for this one. Going to get my trauma figured out. 

 

The other day (2/22/2017) I actually missed my whole nighttime dose of medication because I fell asleep on the couch and then woke up and went directly to bed. 

The next morning I woke up at 7 am, which is unusual for me, fresh, energized and in a great mood. 

I've missed my meds before but I haven't felt that great in a while. I took my normal 100mg Lamictal that morning. Felt a little woozy but felt fine after taking the Lamictal. Had a great day. Forgot I could feel so much. Decided that my progress has plateaued with the meds and maybe its time to get off of them now, and learn to continue progress without meds, at least this one for now. I was initially put on it for sleep, in any case, and at such a low dosage it's mostly considered an antihistamine more than an antipsychotic. Although what I experienced that day could be considered maybe a hypomanic state, but since I'm not bipolar I don't have much worry over this. Personally, I just attribute it to the lack of zombie-inducing Seroquel in my system. (they say it's completely out within 48 hours, since I only take it every 24 hours and had missed a dose, it was already out IMO).

 

Last night (2/23/2017) I decided to start my taper since I had already missed a dose. (good idea? bad? I don't know) I took 100 Lamictal as per usual. and 90mg of Seroquel. I used 1 50mg tablet and another 50mg tablet that I cut up to into quarters and only took 3 of 4 quarters. right before I took it I still felt kinda wired. once it set in sleep was normal. 

 

This morning (2/24/2017) 

I had the day off, so I slept in. woke up groggy, feeling kinda useless. definitely feeling the Seroquel back in my system. This sucks, I think to myself. Oh well. I read something that just the day before I would have gotten really emotional and inspired over, whereas today I was more like, hm, yeah, that's nice *apathy* towards. As the day goes on it starts wearing off a little more and I feel more lively. I take a nap around 6 pm and I wake up feeling a little more like the day before. Maybe I slept off the rest of it. Tonight I will take the same amount (90mg) before bed. Going to let this dose stabilize and then drop to 80mg.  

 

Just sharing my experience. 

 

Tips, tricks, and advice on tapering Seroquel welcome. 

Anyone on the same combination of meds and/or with the same disorders, your input is especially valuable! 

 

PS. I know it's ill advised to make decisions about your medication, while not on said mediation. I've taken that into account, considered it thoroughly withdrawal and side effects included, and I've consulted my close ones and gained support with this decision. I am currently trying to get in contact with my Psych, their office is hard to get a hold of (*cough* the secretary sucks *cough*)  Generally though, she is more than supportive of whatever I choose to do with my medications. This is because I've been in the psych circuit for a long time, correctly self-diagnosed where professionals were constantly misdiagnosing me (as bipolar, ADHD, and a plethora of other things) (diagnosis confirmed while in DBT treatment), and because I've done my own extensive research on what works and doesn't work for my particular disorders. (Mostly everything I read points to Seroquel and Lamictal being the only effective meds. DBT is still the best therapy modality for it, in combination with trauma-focused approaches. I've found this to be true through personal experience) But I digress. 

 

 

Thanks! :)

Lamictal 100 2x day (morning and night) (started at 25mg, in April 2016)

Seroquel 100mg 1x day (night) (started at 25mg, in April 2016)

Xanax .25 as needed for anxiety attacks (started at .25mg, in April 2016)

 

 

Currently tapering off Seroquel. 

Day 1 of taper Current Dose 90mg. (2/25/2017)

Holding at this dose until stable then moving down to 80mg. 

 

My Into Post

 

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi Kitty,

 

Just stopping by to welcome you to SA.  This is great site with lots of excellent information and support.  Thank you for completing your drug signature.

 

Other mods are more knowledgeable about the drugs you are taking so I'll leave that discussion to them.  However I will give you some information which you can check out and then you can ask questions here in your Intro/Update topic, where you can also journal your progress.

 

Before you begin tapering what you need to know

 

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

Taking multiple psych drugs? Which drug to taper first?
If you're not having an adverse reaction from the other medications, taper the most activating drug first. This is usually an antidepressant or stimulant (ADHD drug).

 

Tips for tapering off Lamictal (lamotrigine)

 

Tips for tapering off Seroquel (quetiapine)

 

These helped me to understand SA's recommended taper of 10% or less of the previous dose followed by about a 4 week hold to allow the brain to adapt to not getting as much of the drug.  I've also found that they have helped me to stay patient, throw out the calendar and listen to my body:

 

Brain Remodelling


Video:  Healing From Antidepressants - Patterns of Recovery

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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Thanks Chessie! :)

 

I've already found so much valuable information on this site. I'm glad it's here as a resource otherwise I wouldn't know what the hell I was doing, haha. Thanks for the links, as well! Checking them out now.

Lamictal 100 2x day (morning and night) (started at 25mg, in April 2016)

Seroquel 100mg 1x day (night) (started at 25mg, in April 2016)

Xanax .25 as needed for anxiety attacks (started at .25mg, in April 2016)

 

 

Currently tapering off Seroquel. 

Day 1 of taper Current Dose 90mg. (2/25/2017)

Holding at this dose until stable then moving down to 80mg. 

 

My Into Post

 

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Update: (2/25/2017) 

 

Took 100mg Lamictal and 90mg Seroquel last night. 

Slept fine. Woke up early. Forced myself to go back to sleep because I'm used to sleeping in especially on the weekends. Could be due to the Seroquel, it tends to make me sleep longer. Sometimes 14 hours in a day. Anyhow, after forcing myself back to sleep, my brain still being active, I woke up screaming from a nightmare. Luckily my s/o came to comfort me and I was calm and awake within a minute. I got up and took a bath, brushed my teeth, washed my face, etc etc. This is unusual for me, I normally wake up groggy as all hell and go straight for the couch. I'm normally too foggy/lazy/zombied-out to do self-care activities regularly or so thoroughly. So far day is going good. 

 

I feel pretty happy, stable, and energetic. I'm surprised just a small decrease has already affected me so much. (Could be because I missed a dose that day and it was completely out of my system). Keeping a positive attitude. The benefits outweigh the cons for me. A little nightmare can't stop me that's for sure. 

 

Keeping this thread updated to the best of my ability. Also been keeping my own personal journal. It's helpful. I would forget everything otherwise. After being on these meds for even less than a year, my memory is almost nonexistent. 

Lamictal 100 2x day (morning and night) (started at 25mg, in April 2016)

Seroquel 100mg 1x day (night) (started at 25mg, in April 2016)

Xanax .25 as needed for anxiety attacks (started at .25mg, in April 2016)

 

 

Currently tapering off Seroquel. 

Day 1 of taper Current Dose 90mg. (2/25/2017)

Holding at this dose until stable then moving down to 80mg. 

 

My Into Post

 

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi Sailor, I'm glad that you found us before starting to taper. Right now your nervous system will be a little erratic because of the missed dose and the drop in dose but it will settle down and stabilise. Cutting tablets isn't very accurate unless you can weigh the pieces so it might be best to get some scales that measure miniscule amounts. If your seroquel is instant release you could make a liquid by crushing the tablet and mixing it with water, then use a syringe to withdraw and discard the exess. It is important to have the doses consistent and allow at least 4 weeks between drops.  

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2693-how-to-make-a-liquid-from-tablets-or-capsules/

**I am not a medical professional, if in doubt please consult a doctor with withdrawal knowledge.

 

 

Different drugs occasionally (mostly benzos) 1976 - 1981 (no problem)

1993 - 2002 in and out of hospital. every type of drug + ECT. Staring with seroxat

2002  effexor. 

Tapered  March 2012 to March 2013, ending with 5 beads.

Withdrawal April 2013 . Reinstated 5 beads reduced to 4 beads May 2013

Restarted taper  Nov 2013  

OFF EFFEXOR Feb 2015    :D 

Tapered atenolol and omeprazole Dec 2013 - May 2014

 

Tapering tramadol, Feb 2015 100mg , March 2015 50mg  

 July 2017 30mg.  May 15 2018 25mg

Taking fish oil, magnesium, B12, folic acid, bilberry eyebright for eye pressure. 

 

My story http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/4199-hello-mammap-checking-in/page-33

 

Lesson learned, slow down taper at lower doses. Taper no more than 10% of CURRENT dose if possible

 

 

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Thank you! My Seroquel is instant release. To be clear, you're saying to discard whatever portion of the liquid I do not take, because it will not keep. Am I correct?

Also, does it need to be room temp or warm water? Please advise. 

 

Thanks so much :)

Lamictal 100 2x day (morning and night) (started at 25mg, in April 2016)

Seroquel 100mg 1x day (night) (started at 25mg, in April 2016)

Xanax .25 as needed for anxiety attacks (started at .25mg, in April 2016)

 

 

Currently tapering off Seroquel. 

Day 1 of taper Current Dose 90mg. (2/25/2017)

Holding at this dose until stable then moving down to 80mg. 

 

My Into Post

 

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  • Moderator Emeritus

From http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2693-how-to-make-a-liquid-from-tablets-or-capsules/

 

With an oral syringe: Draw room temperature (not hot, not cold) water into an oral syringe and convey it to the container.

2010  Fluoxetine 20mg.  2011  Escitalopram 20mg.  2013 Tapered badly and destabilised CNS.  Effexor 150mg. 

2015 Begin using info at SurvivingAntidepressants.  Cut 10% - bad w/d 2 months, held 1 month. 

Micro-tapering: four weekly 0.4% cuts, hold 4 weeks (struggling with symptoms).

8 month hold.

2017 Micro-tapering: four weekly 1% cuts, hold 4 weeks (symptoms almost non-existent).

2020 Still micro-tapering. Just over 2/3 of the way off effexor. Minimal symptoms, - and sleeping well.
Supplements: Fish oil, vitamin C, iron, oat-straw tea, nettle tea.

2023 Now on 7 micro-beads of Effexor. Minimal symptoms but much more time needed between drops.

 'The possibility of renewal exists so long as life exists.'  Dr Gabor Mate.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

If you make a liquid each day with one tablet you will discard what you don't need. If you use several tablets to make up a solution for a few days you will draw up what you need in a syringe and take it. 

**I am not a medical professional, if in doubt please consult a doctor with withdrawal knowledge.

 

 

Different drugs occasionally (mostly benzos) 1976 - 1981 (no problem)

1993 - 2002 in and out of hospital. every type of drug + ECT. Staring with seroxat

2002  effexor. 

Tapered  March 2012 to March 2013, ending with 5 beads.

Withdrawal April 2013 . Reinstated 5 beads reduced to 4 beads May 2013

Restarted taper  Nov 2013  

OFF EFFEXOR Feb 2015    :D 

Tapered atenolol and omeprazole Dec 2013 - May 2014

 

Tapering tramadol, Feb 2015 100mg , March 2015 50mg  

 July 2017 30mg.  May 15 2018 25mg

Taking fish oil, magnesium, B12, folic acid, bilberry eyebright for eye pressure. 

 

My story http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/4199-hello-mammap-checking-in/page-33

 

Lesson learned, slow down taper at lower doses. Taper no more than 10% of CURRENT dose if possible

 

 

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From http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2693-how-to-make-a-liquid-from-tablets-or-capsules/

 

With an oral syringe: Draw room temperature (not hot, not cold) water into an oral syringe and convey it to the container.

 

 

 

If you make a liquid each day with one tablet you will discard what you don't need. If you use several tablets to make up a solution for a few days you will draw up what you need in a syringe and take it. 

 

Thank you guys! :) 

Lamictal 100 2x day (morning and night) (started at 25mg, in April 2016)

Seroquel 100mg 1x day (night) (started at 25mg, in April 2016)

Xanax .25 as needed for anxiety attacks (started at .25mg, in April 2016)

 

 

Currently tapering off Seroquel. 

Day 1 of taper Current Dose 90mg. (2/25/2017)

Holding at this dose until stable then moving down to 80mg. 

 

My Into Post

 

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  • 1 month later...

SailorMew how have you been feeling, where are you at in your taper?

Sep '18 - became pregnant  in late August, then on 9/5 insomnia/anxiety went THROUGH the roof. I tried a lot of things but here is what is current: 

Paroxetine: 6.2mg (began 9/5/18, and there was a new manufacturer of which I just found out 2 days ago) during the day

Olanzapine 7.5mg at night

Ambien: 5-10mg at night

Xanex: 5-10mg at night

Fish Oil: for prenatal things

 

  • Aug '18: Paroxetine 6.6mg, (30mg thyroid hormone, fish oil, vit D3, SBI protect, probiotic. Following AIP diet)
  • Mar '16: began taper from 20mg. Decreasing .75mg or less each month or more. Sporadically used Ambien &/or Trazodone for insomnia. 
  •  Sep'15: tried to come off slower. Used fish oil, vit D3, and regular exercise/healthy diet to assist. (Taper sched= 18mg for 60days, 15mg for 60d, 10mg for 30d, 8mg for 30d) At my 3rd week of 8mg in Nov '15, insomnia and panic attacks began. Back up to 20mg after a month of horrible withdrawal. 
  • Oct'12-Sep'15: 20mg Paxil
  • Sep'12: 1st attempt to get off, naively tried cold turkey per Dr. suggestion. Couldn't work for 2 months. Another Doc upped dose to 20mg.
  • Jun '09-Aug '12: 10mg Paxil for severe insomnia due to anxiety. Also took Ambien/Trazodone for sleep.  Other meds taken sporadically: Ativan, Abilify, Xyrem 

 

My hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus' blood and righteousness. 

 

 

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SailorMew how have you been feeling, where are you at in your taper?

 

 

I'm actually completely off now :) 

Had some insomnia but that's not a problem anymore as long as I don't nap during the day, oversleep, and make sure to eat enough that day. 

tbh I smoked cannabis to help with the sleep as well. 

 

I went from 100mg in February, tapered down to 12.5 a couple weeks ago, and now I'm off at the beginning of April.

Not too shabby :)

 

What they say about it being mostly an antihistamine at lower doses does seem to be true, as mostly it affected sleep over everything else.

 

I was having a lot of trouble with the sleeping but my therapist said something that helped completely. I was going to buy some valerian root for sleep as that stuff pretty much works on everyone, but now I don't even need it.

She said to me that some people just sleep lighter and that "rest is best" and you don't need to focus so much on falling asleep that as long as you're 'resting' it's fine. So that takes some of the stress off of you to sleep. And now I find myself just relaxing and eventually falling asleep. It's hard when you're used to being drugged into a coma, lol. 

I don't wake up impossibly groggy anymore though. 

Lamictal 100 2x day (morning and night) (started at 25mg, in April 2016)

Seroquel 100mg 1x day (night) (started at 25mg, in April 2016)

Xanax .25 as needed for anxiety attacks (started at .25mg, in April 2016)

 

 

Currently tapering off Seroquel. 

Day 1 of taper Current Dose 90mg. (2/25/2017)

Holding at this dose until stable then moving down to 80mg. 

 

My Into Post

 

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • Mentor

Hello Sailor, how are you?

 

If you feel terrible reinstate a small dose of seroquel, that is my horror at the moment, getting completely off that one.

 

You got off seroquel WAY too fast.                   Please, please listen to the advice of the moderators here.

 

Anyway, wishing you all the best, and welcome :)

 

Please let us know how you are feeling.  You are now a member of our family.

1992 Dothiepin 375mg 8 weeks, exhaustion/depression.  Serotonin syndrome, oh yes!  seizures . Fell pregnant, 3rd baby, Nitrous Oxide, 3 weeks mental hospital pp psychosis. zoloft tegretol.

Feb 1996 ct tegretol, tapered Zoloft 8 weeks. as (unexpectedly)  pregnant. Steven died after 3 days.(Zolft HLHS baby).  98 had run in with Paxil, 2 tablets, 3 weeks taper, survived.
2005..menopause? exhausted again. Zyprexa, mad in three days, fallout....  Seroquel, Effexor, tegretol,   and 8 years of self destruction. Failed taper.
Damn 1/4 valium... nuts again! .fallout, zoloft 100mg  seroquol 400mg mirtazapine 45 mg  tegretol 400mg.  Mid 14 3 month taper. Nov 14 CRASH.
Mid 15 ....   75mg  seroquel,  3 x 1800mg SJW  2 week window end of December followed by 6 week wave
5/2 68mg seroquel, 2.5 x 1800mg SJW::::20/2 61mg seroquel, 2.5 x  SJW::: 26/2 54mg seroquel, 2 x SJW::::21/3 43mg seroquel, 1 x 2700SJW :::: 23/4 36mg seroquel 1 x 1800 SJW
15/5 33mg seroquel, 1 x SJW::::   28/5 30mg seroquel, 1 x SJW::::;  18/6 25mg seroquel 1/2 SJW::::, 11/7 21mg seroquel 1/2 SJW::, 26/7 18mg seroquel 1/2 SJW:::, 9/8 12mg seroquel :::, 16/8 6mg seroquel ;;;;, 12/9 0 jump.

23/9  3mg.....,  27/9 0mg.  Reinstated, 6mg, then 12mg.............  LIGHTBULB MOMENT,  I have  MTHFR 2x mutations.  CFS and issues with MOULD in my home. So I left home, and working 150km away during week, loving it.

Oh was hard, panic attacks first week, gone now, along with the mould issues.

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