tezza: risperdal withdrawal

[tezza]

Thank you for that info, Alto. Do you have any idea how long it's good after mixing it with water? I've searched and searched and can't seem to find that. You've done so much to help all of us that I hate to bother you with more questions.

 

I'm having a very difficult time today, it seems. My brain is totally not functioning well. Two days ago I didn't take a lorcet or Lamictal at all, even though I wrote in my journal that I did. I felt really bad that day and didn't understand why until I was about to fill my weekly box and found Thursday's box still contained my AM dose. (One lorcet and 1/4 of a 100mg Lamictal)

 

I'm trying to only take one or one and a half lorcets daily now and one and a half ea of Xanax and soma per day. I do still take a whole of both 1mg Xanax and 350mg soma at bedtime, so I'm trying to make it on a half of each during the day.

 

If I can get my mind together enough I will try to add sig when I can use a device that allows me that option. I'm so sorry I haven't been able to do it already. Alto you mean so much to me! I'm very sincere when I say that. {{{BIG HUGS}}}

 

Lots of love and well wishes to you,

Tezza

[Barbarannamated]

Tezza,

I believe it would be best to hold Lorcet, Soma, and (definitely) Xanax and others steady while tapering Neurontin. Changing those could cause a separate withdrawal syndrome.

Barb

[tezza]

Hey Barb, you're probably right. I'm so anxious to have my mind back that I'm probably doing more harm. It's hard for me to understand that there are ppl who will go to great lengths to get prescription drugs on the street when we are trying so desperately to come off them. I feel for them because they can't realize what they are doing to themselves.

 

Love,

Tezza

[Barbarannamated]

Well, I have my theories, but probably for another discussion!

[tezza]

Thanks, now I know why I've started to post so many times... and then hit cancel

[Altostrata]

I agree with Barb, change only one thing at a time. Remember to keep notes!

 

You're doing great, tezza.

[Karma]

Hi Tezza

 

It was Rhi who posted that the gabapentin taper is very linear. She said you could go 10% reductions, but I believe hold the same way you would hold an AD taper. You could PM Rhi to see how long gabapentin (neurontin) dissolved in water is good for.

 

I found this from Rhi on Schuyler's thread, "About your Lyrica solution, just sort of FYI if it's relevant, when I was tapering Neurontin I made my liquid solution once every 24 hours and kept it at room temperature. Sometimes I had to make it a day and a half ahead. I keep all my meds at room temp these days and I use water for mixing all of them. I've found it works just fine. They don't seem to be all that delicate. But of course your mileage may vary."

 

Karma

Edited May 27, 2012 by Karma

[tezza]

Thank you so much for that info, Karma. {{{Hugs}}}

 

Love you a lot,

Tezza

[tezza]

I agree with Barb, change only one thing at a time. Remember to keep notes!

 

You're doing great, tezza.

 

 

Thanks Alto, I'm not quite ready to start the neurontin taper yet. I wanted to learn all I could ahead of time to be prepared. Brain fog was at all time high Saturday...that's the only time it ever hit 10 rating and I usually don't even have to write that symptom in.

 

On Thursday, I got an early AM call to go next door and coax my neighbor's son into talking to a deputy that his dad called on him. The boy had locked himself inside his truck and turned the radio as loud as it would go so he couldn't hear the officer. (This boy's mom left him w his dad when he was a baby, so I'm the mother figure and the only one that can ever reason with him.)

 

Normally, I take my lorcet and Lamictal as soon as I get up but the phone call got me up that day. Somehow, amid the chaos, when I got back home I wrote in my notes that I'd taken them and found them still there in pill box Friday. It was totally an accident, but it took a couple of days to get over.

 

Thank you again for the encouragement. :-)

[Barbarannamated]

You do soooo much for everyone, Tezza! I hope the boy is ok.

[tezza]

He's fine....his dad is on lots of pain meds due to a work injury over 20 yrs ago. Because he's on so many meds he gives the kid a hard time. Bit**es at him often, now the son hates all authority figures. (I wonder why?) The dad can do nothing w him and calls the law on him and I always end up as mediator. Kid does have a lot of issues but was left at 11 months old so his 30 yr old mom could be w a 19 yr old boyfriend.

[tezza]

Update :

 

I made another taper last night on the Risperdal. I'm now at 0.325. Hopefully this taper will go as well as the last two. So far, so good!!!

[tezza]

I've just gotten the nerve to start the neurontin taper. For some reason I've been too afraid about mixing with water. I just don't trust myself enough. I'm so scared I'll get confused and do something wrong.

[vaseadude]

Tezza, like they say - measure 10 times and cut once Trust yourself. And if it's because you dont know how to do it, ask other people who know to explain what you dont understand. Good luck!!! Hope your taper goes smooth!

[tezza]

I had been doing fairly well until this past week. I've gotten down to .3 of Risperdal and down to a third of the gabapentin. I wasn't having any drastic issues from the tapers.

 

On Monday, I started having a high BP and heart rate was 137. I usually have a low BP so this was unusual. I went to the ER and was given fluid bc I was severely dehydrated. I've been drinking water since then although I've never drank it before.

 

Wednesday I received a call that my brother's wife had died. My brother hasn't had anything to do with me for years. His wife definitely wouldn't have anything to do with me; however, a couple of months ago, I felt a strong urge to call her just to tell her that I loved her. There was no answer. I will never know if she was home or not.

 

When I went to the funeral home..there were only a couple of flowers, no food had been taken and only two other relatives with their families there. It was very bizarre and depressing. My brother was not ugly to me as he has been for several yrs. Thank God!!! He even gave me his cell phone # before I left and followed me to my car to get my phone #. I was quite surprised but very thankful.

 

Still, having dealt with so many deaths in the family for the past yr has taken it's toll on me. I don't feel that I can handle any more deaths. I'm somewhat depressed now but I'm sure I'll be fine. I only wish I would've known she was sick, so possibly, things could have ended on better terms.

[Barbarannamated]

Oh, Tezza

I'm so sorry for all of the loss you've had this year. I'm glad you and your brother connected, though.

 

{{{HUGS}}}

[tezza]

I pray he doesn't become bitter again. He's the only family member I have now. May God continue to help us.

[tezza]

Dr Charles Whitfield called me yesterday as just sort of a follow up I think, although I never went to see him. I was able to tell him that I'm down to about .29 of Risperdal and 18.75 Lamictal. I will probably call him back this upcoming wk to let him know I've DCd the gabapentin as of 6/23/12. He is very interested in my progress and I like that. I wish could afford his services but it's 150 a month. I am getting his book so I'll have more insight to his approach.

 

As for the quick taper of gabapentin, I had vivid dreams for a few nights and had waking with hot flashes for a few nights. I had some depression, too but soke of it was likely situational because my SIL died the week prior. I was going over the past and having regrets. She wouldn't allow me in her life though so i couldnt do anything about that.The first week off it I had so much more energy than I'd had for a long time. I'm still having some mild hot flashes during the night but it could be due to the fact that I'm only taking the one soma and one Xanax at bedtime bedtime along with mirtazipine.

 

I'm doing well aside from those hot flashes and waking. I can go back to sleep so it's not the mind warping insomnia I experienced in full blown WD from Risperdal CT. I have to steer my thoughts away from wishing I'd never started any of these drugs. I just tell myself that there is a reason for everything. If I'd never gone through this I wouldn't have had the opportunity to meet all you wonderful people. I love each one of you and continue to pray for health and happiness for all.

 

Love,

 

Tezza

[Barbarannamated]

Tezza,

 

It's good to hear from you. That was very kind of Dr. Whitfield to contact you. Have you asked him if he would consider lowering his rate at least for a consult? Some docs and hospitals will negotiate on charges.

 

Ahbay recently saw Dr. Whitfield. http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2569-ahbay03-wanting-to-be-zoloft-free-after-15-years/page__pid__26199__st__20#entry26199

 

Are the hot flashes new? I had them when I was on or after cold turkey of Seroquel and they stopped after awhile. Happened only at night which I now find interesting. I thought it was menopause hitting at the time.

 

Blood sugar crashes also cause night sweats. Just fyi.

 

Love you, my friend!

B

[tezza]

Hi Barb,

 

I only started having hot flashes when I CTd the Risperdal and now any time I reduce I have them but not as bad as the CT. I only have them during the night as well. I wake during the night just feeling too warm but I don't have the sweats like I had when I was menopausal. I went through that after a complete hysterectomy and I would be drenched with sweat, it was different from the hot flashes I have now. They had gone away until I came off Neurontin, they are getting milder and the vivid dreams have passed.

 

I'm definitely getting better because I actually shopped today. I'm starting to feel like a living being again.

 

It's good to be back, thank you Barb, I love you too.

[Nikki]

Hi Tezza...

 

I was at a conference a few weeks back "Way of Life Conference". It was for AA - Al-Anon and ACA and Dr. Whitfield and his wife were guest speakers.

 

Paxil & Lexapro caused me to perspire alot. While on them and tapering them too.

There were times I felt like I was freezing from Lexapro WD.

 

These drugs can do this....I don't have this with Celexa....

 

A ceiling fan over the bed helps.

 

Nikki

[Karma]

Hi Tezza,

 

Tell me about your gabapentin taper. How much were you on when you started the taper and how did you taper, how much and over how much time? I'm so excited about your success and about Dr. Whitfield calling to follow up with you - very impressive.

 

On occasion when I was decrementing Effexor by more than 10% I would get one or two nights of night sweats and then they would pass. I think it is the body detoxing from the drugs, but I don't have any facts to support that.

 

I am very happy to see you write that you are "doing well," you deserve to be well!

 

Love ya

Karma

[tezza]

Hi Karma and Nikki,

 

Thank you both for your responses. I was on 300 mg of neurontin at bedtime. I started out by tapering 1/4 off for about a week, then went to half, then I took about 1/3 and lastly I took about 1/4. Then I simply forgot to take it the first night and I wasn't having bad symptoms so I made the choice to Jim off.

 

I did have about a week of depression but not horrible and I really do think some of it was situational. I had vivid dreams for a few nights. I also had the 'too warm' feelings that would wake me during the night. Last night, I think I slept all night. I went to bed about 10ish and woke around 7ish...not too bad.

 

I read somewhere that neurontin WDs don't tend to last very long and in my case they didn't. Karma, I hope you do very well in DCing the neurontin also. I had stopped taking it once before and knew it wasn't a tough one for me to WD from. Risperdal is the hellish one for me so far. I don't yet know how bad the mirtazipine will be. I'm leaving that for later.

 

I have been able to make it to usually only one Xanax at bedtime and one Soma at bedtime along with the mirth and risp. I'm having much better days and am happy for more energy.

 

Love you all,

 

Tezza

[tezza]

I really should watch what this device subs for me when I hit the wrong letter...I meant 'jump' and not Jim. Just glad it didn't sub a diff male name...lol

[Altostrata]

tezza, so good to hear of your progress, and that you're feeling better. Your online voice is stronger, too!

[tezza]

Thank you so much, Alto, for everything!

[Karma]

That is great news, Tezza! I am inspired. I'm only taking 200 mg gabapentin at night so perhaps when I get ready to taper off of it I won't have to go as pain-stakingly slow as I have to with the antidepressant. My original plan is to taper 10% of gabapentin, so maybe I'll be able to go down by 20 mg at a time.

 

I'm so happy for you! Keep us posted.

 

Karma

[tezza]

I'm so glad to be feeling like me again! Many thanks to all you guys that have supported me. If only this stinking tinnitus would go away, I'd be ecstatic!

I'm still happy for all the improvements.

 

Love you all!

 

Tezza

[Altostrata]

Our pleasure, tezza. It's been wonderful to see you come out of that fog.

 

The tinnitus was from the Risperdal taper, right? Has it changed at all? How did the gabapentin taper affect it?

[tezza]

Hi Alto,

 

I have tinnitus 6 out of 7 days but it's not as loud as it once was. On a scale of 0 - 10, it is now only 2 or 3 at worse, so it has improved a lot. It is somewhat better since coming off the Neurontin. I'm crawling along with the Risperdal taper. I was at .375 in December and am now about .285. Not even .1 in seven months but I did hold for a very long time, three months to be exact. Now I'm making micro tapers every couple of weeks and so far, so good. I'm doing very well since March, so it's not just a window or wave Hooray!!!

[Altostrata]

You are doing splendidly, tezza. I think holding was the right thing to do, to let your nervous system rest.

[tezza]

I totally agree with you, Alto, about holding.

 

I didn't add into my signature that my glaucoma med was changed in Dec. from Timoptic to Travatan Z. I didn't think it was relevant, but I used it for one month and went back to the old drops in Jan. because I was paranoid of using a new med. when I saw my eye doc in April my pressures were higher than in the month I had used the new drops. My doc convinced me to use the new drops. They are advertised as Latisse to grow eyelashes but she said it has been prescribed for glaucoma for at least ten years.

 

Of course, I didn't just take her word on that, I'm very skeptical of all docs and Meds now. After researching, I found she had told me the truth and have been using the new drops. I don't mind longer, thicker lashes but I can't help wondering how my blue eyes will look with brown spots. Oh well, I treasure my vision so I will comply...sigh... But I won't take ANY new Meds without researching thoroughly, ever again. I've warned all of my family to do the same.

[Altostrata]

Travatan Z makes brown spots on your eyes?

[Barbarannamated]

Travatan Z makes brown spots on your eyes?

 

I knew that about Latisse, but didn't know the mechanism:

http://www.drugs.com/mmx/travatan.html

Note: Changes in pigmented tissues may occur with use of travoprost {01} . Travoprost may gradually change eye color by increasing the number of melanosomes (pigment granules) in the melanocytes, thereby increasing the amount of brown pigment in the iris {01} . The mechanism of this increased pigmentation is probably not associated with proliferation of the melanocytes, but rather with stimulation of melanin production within the melanocytes of the iris stroma {01} . The long-term effects on the melanocytes, the consequences of potential injury to the melanocytes, and the possibility of deposition of pigment granules to other areas of the eye are not known {01} . The change in iris color occurs slowly and may not be noticeable for several months to years {01} . In addition, travoprost has been reported to cause increased pigmentation of the periorbital tissue (eyelid) {01} . Also, travoprost may gradually change eyelashes {01} . The changes to the lashes include increased length, thickness, pigmentation, and the number of lashes {01} . Patients should be advised of all the effects listed above and informed that if only one eye is treated with the medication, only one eye will be affected (heterochromia between the eyes) {01} . The changes in pigmentation and eyelash growth may be permanent {01} .

 

I see a potential application for gray hair and vitiligo, both hypopigmentation due to melanocytes.

 

You got a twofer, Tezza - glaucoma treatment and thick lashes!

Hope that was ok to post info here.

[tezza]

Thank you, Barb, that was a very good explanation. You never cease to amaze me with your knowledge and research. It was those possible consequences that made me wary of continuing the Travatan Z. Since it did lower my pressures, I agreed to take the chance. I don't think there are many Meds that don't have some adverse effect. Your reply was most welcome.

 

Love you all!

 

Tezza

[Barbarannamated]

Simply alot of time to Google.