Chineoh: Can I cold turkey?

[Chineoh]

I've been on Risperidone 0.5mg twice daily for two weeks to assist with anxiety and insomnia from starting an SSRI (prozac). Funnily enough it has actually been causing insomnia so go figure.

 

Will I need to taper or am I ok coming off cold turkey?

 

I understand there are dangers surrounding cold turkey but I am coming off after a very short period of time.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

 

[SkyBlue]

Hi Chineoh and welcome to SA. 

 

I'm glad you're doing some planning and research before coming off.

 

Here is some information on tapering

Why taper by 10% of my dosage? 

 

You are right that we generally don't advocate "cold turkey."  Yes, two weeks is a very short time. However, there are other factors that could influence whether a person should taper. 

 

Are you still taking Prozac? Any other psych drugs? Please help us out by filling out a "signature" using these instructions: http://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/12364-please-put-your-withdrawal-history-in-your-signature/

 

Knowing a bit more about your history can help us best guide you. Thanks!

[Dan998]

The fact that you are suffering insomnia suggests that you might be having side effects to either prozac or risperidone. How long have you been on prozac? If you've only been on prozac for a short time then you may want to consider discontinuing that too, before it has a chance to get its claws into you and change your brain chemistry and structure.

 

As you've been on Risperidone for such a short amount of time you may be able to rapidly withdraw and limit your exposure to this awful drug. I would suggest halving your dose, wait a week or two and if no withdrawal symptoms are present then you might be okay to drop to zero.

 

Best of luck to you

[jamesbond747]

How are you doing now Chineoh?

[Chineoh]

Over Stimulation

Hi there,

 

I have had a storied history with meds (as has everyone).

 

One thing that came about when I was taking meds (both citalopram and venlafaxine) was intense fatigue caused by overstimulation.

 

Everything I did and still do causes by senses and body to burn out.

 

I can't exercise as it essentially causes my body into overload. I get a stress rash all over my body, my heart rate stays elevated for 5+ hours after exercise and it feels terrible.

 

Relaxation techniques such as meditation and guided breathing have no effect, diet doesn't do anything. I don't drink or take drugs.

 

I have tried every type of exercise imaginable (at every pace) and it still burns me out.

 

I have had my bloods checked regularly, and have no major immune disorders.

 

It is incredibly confusing and frustrating, it feels like my tolerance for physical stress is fried.

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thank you.

 

Edited September 10, 2020 by ChessieCat
added topic title

[ChessieCat]

Hi Chineoh,

 

From your drug signature:  May 2018 Came of all drugs after drug induced Akathisia

 

Have you taken any drugs or supplements since the above date?

 

Do you drink alcohol?

 

Have you taken a course of antibiotics?

 

Have you experienced any major life stressors, eg relationship breakdown, loss of family member of friend, loss of job?

 

[ChessieCat]

Please see the sub topics linked in Post #1 of this topic;

 

are-we-there-yet-how-long-is-withdrawal-going-to-take

 

[ChessieCat]

There are many existing topics on SA.  I prefer to use a search engine and add site: survivingantidepressants.org to my search term.

 

I suggest that you search for symptoms which you are currently experiencing.

 

For example:  exercise

 

exercise-do-more-do-less-do-nothing-what-worked-for-you

 

[Chineoh]

This is really unusual, I'm not concerned with how long withdrawal is going to take.

 

As I said in my post that got moved (which im unsure if you read) I'm wondering if anyone has had this experience?

 

I'm not saying that withdrawal is the cause of my overstimulation and fatigue, it's the reason I came off my meds in the first place.

 

This is some sort of weird pigeonholing - are you an automated bot?

[ChessieCat]

No I'm not a bot.  I'm a volunteer moderator.

 

I've asked you some questions about what you have taken since May 2018.

 

It would appear from your drug signature that you cold turkeyed off 20mg Prozac.  Some withdrawal symptoms can be similar to drug side effects.  When withdrawal symptoms continue it is called PAWS.  See:

 

protracted-withdrawal-or-paws-post-acute-withdrawal-syndrome

 

About cold turkey and fast tapering:

 

On 7/6/2020 at 5:44 AM, brassmonkey said:

 

Psych drugs work by making physical changes to the body.  The body then requires the presence of those drugs to maintain stability and to keep functioning.  Remove the drug abruptly and often the body doesn’t know how to work.  It then starts to scramble to fix itself.  While that is happening the bodies systems cannot function correctly and we get WD symptoms.  Because the body is in such chaos after CT, those symptoms can be very acute and unpredictable.

 

 

Because the body is in such chaos those symptoms may last for a very long time. In the nervous system alone, there are hundreds of billions of electrical connections that have to be reviewed and repaired.  Throw on top of that the endocrine system, hormonal interactions and a lot of other things, the body doesn’t know what hit it.  Over many months the body takes inventory and starts making the changes it thinks will correct the situation. Then, it needs to adjust to those changes.  This is where the familiar pattern of “Waves and Windows” comes from.

 

Like everything else WD there are no statistics on how long recovery from CT will take.  But we have a lot of case histories that give us some indication. I frequently post about several of my taper buddies that CTed 40mgai of Paxil at the same time I started my taper. Currently it has been six years, I’m off all my meds and living life at about 95% plus of normal.  They, on the other hand, are still suffering waves that rival their initial acute period.  On the positive side they are also experiencing very nice Windows.  But they are still struggling on a daily basis.

 

 

[Chineoh]

I'm going to bow out - this is incredibly frustrating. I said in my post that these same symptoms occurred when I was taking the meds.

 

This is not be discussing the withdrawal of my meds. I'm asking if people experienced a similar overstimulation from exercise.

 

I don't think you're reading my responses - in short I do have withdrawal symptoms from my meds, BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT IM ASKING.

 

I don't know else how to get this across so I'm just going to leave it. You can delete my thread if you like.

[Chineoh]

I know there are side effects from fast tapering.

 

My drug history is in my signature.

 

I feel like you're doing a cookie cutter response and thats fine, but it woud have been far easier to leave my query in the correct sub forum instead of this whole mess around.

[manymoretodays]

Chineoh,

What you may or may not realize, is that your nervous system is still a bit off........while recovering from drug induced akathisia and the rapid WD from Venlafaxine.

I'm hoping the akathisia is gone now.

 

Most symptoms like the ones you described can be related to some nervous system dysregulation.  I'm going to give you another link, as I don't see it in your thread that may help your understanding of this.......when you are interested.........please don't bite my head off.  You only had 2 posts, prior to that moved one and had not been here for a very long time.  We try to keep things orderly around here and really do want to know how you are doing as well. 

So we, as moderators, we move things around. 

And put like posts with like topics.   Send stuff back to your main introduction thread, if it's about you, or an update of some kind, or is asking for help......which you were. 

 

What is withdrawal syndrome?  There are more indexed topics in the first or second post of that topic that might help you understand more about how you are reacting to physical stress right now.  It can take a long time, to fully heal from the drugs disruptions to our normal balance, injuries, if you will.......as well as sometimes a long time to completely heal even when the drug is gone or after more rapid WD's. 

 

Seems like the: Exercise.....Do more, do less, do nothing? What worked for you? might be a good place for your query and you might be interested in that discussion as well.  And so I'll quote that post of yours that has you all upset, about it being moved, over there.  You'll find it there momentarily.  It's in the Symptoms and Self Care Forum.  We don't have a Side Effects forum.  Just click on that link and you'll see it at the end of the topic.

 

Please be kind to everyone you encounter, don't be such a impulsive reactionary.......that alone might help you along in your healing. 

We do give warnings, for argumentative, disrespectful posts......which your last few have been.  4 warnings and you are banned.

As you are......at this point, a relative newbie to the site.......I'm only seeing 2 posts prior to that one on Wednesday..........I'll let it go.  You might apologize to ChessieCat, who works really, and I mean really hard here, to help out others and this valuable site.

 

Good Lord,  may your days be brighter buddy,

moderator mmt

 

Edited September 11, 2020 by ChessieCat
clarity/change 3 to 4 warning points cc

[ChessieCat]

1 hour ago, Chineoh said:

I don't think you're reading my responses - in short I do have withdrawal symptoms from my meds, BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT IM ASKING.

 

I did answer you:

 

5 hours ago, ChessieCat said:

 

exercise-do-more-do-less-do-nothing-what-worked-for-you

 

 

Edited September 11, 2020 by ChessieCat