Cleerity: clonazepam, alprazolam, aripiprazole & mirtazapine

[RubyJ]

I've been glad to see your micro-taper has been going well.  Sounds like a good time to hold for a bit, though.  Good luck.

[Cleerity]

Hi Ruby.  Thank you for the good sentiments 

[Carmie]

Hi Cleerity, 

 

Glad to hear you’re holding. It’s always a good idea to hold longer when we have extra stresses, like a new job. Hope you’re enjoying your new job. 

 

Could you please update your signature. Thank you. 💚

[Cleerity]

Thanks for saying hello, @Carmie.   Yes, holding during stressful periods is definitely wise.  I am not sure what in my signature or why you would like me to update... ?  Looks good to me.  Can you please be specific as to your request?

 

Cleerity 

[Carmie]

Hi again Cleerity, 

 

Yes, your signature is updated. Sorry, I didn’t see the 2019. I was looking at the bottom of the page, and didn’t realise you put it next to the 2012 medications. Brain fog.😄 One of these days my brain will work again.🤣

 

How is your job going?💚

[Cleerity]

3 minutes ago, Carmie said:

How is your job going?💚

 

Well, it is stressful, hence the holding period.  Leaving a job where one was tried and true and very much valued and appreciated, for a new, unknown role, brings inherent anxieties.  Seems the older I get, the less I like change/the unknown.  Starting all over is scary.  There’s the whole drill of becoming accepted, fitting in, and coming to find one’s self as a valued member of the team... It takes time and the process weighs on me emotionally, due my PTSD.  I’d like to already “be there,” yesterday (smiles).  It doesn’t help that these last two weeks have been spent in waiting for clearance for access to various systems I will be working with.  So, I’ve just been reading policies, procedures and manuals and am bored to tears!  I want to be able to begin to learn the new role and feel like I am making a contribution!  That will help me to feel more at home there! 

 

Thank you for asking, Carmie 🙂

[Carmie]

Wow Cleerity, 

 

That sounds like a lot of brainwork you’ve had to do reading all those manuals and procedures.😃 You will definitely be updated on everything after reading for two weeks. 

 

Time will fly by and before you know it you will feel like part of the team, and it will seem like you’ve been there forever. Yes, changes can certainly be scary, no matter what they are, especially in withdrawals where everything is so heightened. 

 

Take care💚

[Cleerity]

12 hours ago, Carmie said:

Take care💚

 

Thanks, Carmie!  I trust that I will soon be able to say all is well in the new work world.  For now, I just have to endure the anxiety the adjustment is creating.  In time, I know I will feel at home there 

[Cleerity]

Good Morning, Everyone,

 

Just a quick note to share that I have resumed my daily micro-taper of the Aripiprazole.  As of today, I am at 1.72 mg/ml.  Now that I am (mostly) settled in my new work role, I look forward to, hopefully, continuing the taper without more hold periods - so long as all else remains stable within and around me.  

 

Best wishes to All, 

Cleerity

[Carmie]

Hi Cleerity, 

 

I’m so happy to hear that you’re moving forward with your micro taper.

 

Wishing you all the best with your tapering.💚

[Cleerity]

3 hours ago, Carmie said:

Wishing you all the best with your tapering.💚

 

Thank you, Carmie.  

 

I am at 1.67 mg/ml on the Aripiprazole as of today.  Tiny reductions, but making progress and am HAPPY about this!

 

Bright wishes,

Cleerity

[Carmie]

On 4/21/2019 at 10:29 PM, Cleerity said:

 

Thank you, Carmie.  

 

I am at 1.67 mg/ml on the Aripiprazole as of today.  Tiny reductions, but making progress and am HAPPY about this!

 

Bright wishes,

Cleerity

 

Good for you Cleerity, 

 

I’m always excited about forward movement, no matter the amount. Forward is forward! You’ve done amazing to get down so low. I’ve just gone down from 7.25mg of Seroquel to 7mg last week. I can’t do 10%. 

 

I’m happy you’re happy about your drop.💚

[Cleerity]

14 hours ago, Carmie said:

I’m always excited about forward movement, no matter the amount. Forward is forward! You’ve done amazing to get down so low. I’ve just gone down from 7.25mg of Seroquel to 7mg last week. I can’t do 10%. 

 

I’m happy you’re happy about your drop.💚

 

Hi Carmie:  Yes, any step forward is progress!  To be fair, I never took more than 2 mg of Aripiprazole, but I am close to having reduced that by 25% (well, in 2-3 weeks, I will be there), so am very glad for this.  Each day I take it down the next micro drop, I am contented.  Thank you for sharing my happiness!  I send you always best wishes!   Cleerity

[Carmie]

6 hours ago, Cleerity said:

 

Hi Carmie:  Yes, any step forward is progress!  To be fair, I never took more than 2 mg of Aripiprazole, but I am close to having reduced that by 25% (well, in 2-3 weeks, I will be there), so am very glad for this.  Each day I take it down the next micro drop, I am contented.  Thank you for sharing my happiness!  I send you always best wishes!   Cleerity

 

Hi Cleerity, 

 

That’s really great getting your dosage down by a quarter soon. Slow and steady really is the way to go. Well done!💚

[RubyJ]

On ‎4‎/‎23‎/‎2019 at 4:31 PM, Cleerity said:

 Each day I take it down the next micro drop, I am contented.

 

Hi, Cleerity -- I'm so excited for you that you've had such success.  Slow but steady, said the tortoise to the hare xD  I hope it continues so!

[Cleerity]

6 hours ago, RubyJ said:

Hi, Cleerity -- I'm so excited for you that you've had such success.  Slow but steady, said the tortoise to the hare xD  I hope it continues so!

 

Thank you, RubyJ!  

[Cleerity]

Just a short note to share that I am now at 1.54 mg/ml on the Aripiprazole.  In the past month, I have come down from 1.72 mg/ml, so, again, very GLAD for this small progress.  So far, I do not notice any effects (withdrawal symptoms) from the decrements.  I pray this trend continues.  In time, I hope to notice the gains appreciated from the increasing absence of the medication.

 

Best wishes to all,

 

Cleerity

 

[Harriet8]

On 12/27/2018 at 10:09 AM, Shep said:

Sorry about that, Cleerity. I wasn't aware it was a mod feature. I think perhaps the tag feature is available when you first post and then it cannot be added to or edited after that. 

 

I went ahead and added tags for you. Please let me know if I missed anything. 

I also seem to be unable to add a tag.  If it is an important way for us to find each others' similar experiences, then would be helpful to know how to do this.  Otherwise, this is just a question/heads up minor tech query.

[Cleerity]

As of today, I am at 1.39 mg/ml on decreasing my aripiprazole dose.  Feeling good to be making progress.  In a few more months, I will be down to 1 mg, which is 1/2 of where I started from.  Woot!  Woot!

 

Best wishes to all,

 

Cleerity

[RichT]

Well done Cleerity, I hope it goes very smoothly!

 

warmest wishes,

 

Rich

[Cleerity]

14 hours ago, RichT said:

Well done Cleerity, I hope it goes very smoothly!

 

warmest wishes,

 

Rich

 

Thank you, Rich!

[Cleerity]

Hello,  

 

I have been holding at 1.15 mg/ml on the Aripiprazole since 7/29/2019.  I am writing from my phone right now, so I don’t think I can update my signature now, but I will get to it, tomorrow.

 

The reason I began the hold is because I started feeling (and looking) really depressed, distressed, exhausted and teary-eyed again, just like when I made the crossover from tablet to liquid form, only worse feeling this time.

 

I am not sure if it is just the result of my tapering - OR - if these present feelings/symptoms are compounded by the fact that I had been drinking two (alcoholic) cocktails every evening for the past few years...which I stopped cold turkey on 7/15/2019.  

 

I know I have read here on the forum that drinking and taking meds and tapering do not mix well. I also have “known/knew” this myself.  I was in denial.  For years, for all of my life, really, drinking was never a problem for me.  I only ever drank socially.  I started doing it a few years ago to combat loneliness.  Poor remedy, right?  I feel shameful.  It was realizing that when I went to see my primary care doc the last few times I was underestimating the amount of alcoholic beverages I consumed...   My feeling that I had to lie about how much I was drinking really made me check myself! I saw that I was self-medicating and so I decided to quit overnight. 

 

I know that’s a lot to read, but my question is “how much of a factor might the absence of alcohol be playing in my current symptoms?”   Might anyone with experience/knowledge be willing to respond? 

 

And, should I just continue to hold where I am with the Aripiprazole or might it be recommended that I make a small step up in my dose? 

 

Thank you,

 

Cleerity

 

 

[ChessieCat]

From https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/8717-alcohol-and-beer/

 

On 4/25/2016 at 3:29 AM, Shep said:

 

especially since alcohol also acts on GABA receptors just like benzos.

 

 

[ChessieCat]

From https://reference.medscape.com/drug-interactionchecker

Monitor Closely

• aripiprazole + ethanol

  aripiprazole and ethanol both increase sedation. Use Caution/Monitor.

Minor

• ethanol + aripiprazole

  ethanol, aripiprazole. Either increases toxicity of the other by pharmacodynamic synergism. Minor/Significance Unknown. Additive CNS depression.

[Shep]

6 hours ago, Cleerity said:

I am not sure if it is just the result of my tapering - OR - if these present feelings/symptoms are compounded by the fact that I had been drinking two (alcoholic) cocktails every evening for the past few years...which I stopped cold turkey on 7/15/2019.  

 

6 hours ago, Cleerity said:

I know that’s a lot to read, but my question is “how much of a factor might the absence of alcohol be playing in my current symptoms?”   Might anyone with experience/knowledge be willing to respond? 

 

Benzos are sometimes referred to as "alcohol in a pill" because they act in a very similar manner as alcohol on the brain and nervous system. Both alcohol and benzos affect GABA.

 

It's been 23 days since you stopped drinking, so I'm not sure that adding in a small amount of alcohol will help or not. You could try it and see if you can stabilize and then you could slowly taper off the alcohol. I wouldn't go back to 2 cocktails, though. You might try 1/4 of a cocktail and see if that resolves some of your symptoms. I would go by the reinstatement protocols for psych drugs for this.

 

About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms 

 

Please post your thoughts.

 

[Cleerity]

9 hours ago, ChessieCat said:

From https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/8717-alcohol-and-beer/

 

3 hours ago, Shep said:

Benzos are sometimes referred to as "alcohol in a pill" because they act in a very similar manner as alcohol on the brain and nervous system. Both alcohol and benzos affect GABA.

 

It's been 23 days since you stopped drinking, so I'm not sure that adding in a small amount of alcohol will help or not. You could try it and see if you can stabilize and then you could slowly taper off the alcohol. I wouldn't go back to 2 cocktails, though. You might try 1/4 of a cocktail and see if that resolves some of your symptoms. I would go by the reinstatement protocols for psych drugs for this.

 

About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms 

 

Please post your thoughts.

 

Thank you, Chessie, and thank you, Shep.  

 

I do think I will try adding a small amount of alcohol back into the mix.  I trust I can do that responsibly.  I will let you know how it goes.  If it does not work, I guess I will have to ride out the storm.  I will definitely continue to hold on my aripiprazole taper until I find normal again.

 

Cleerity 

 

 

 

 

[Shep]

Let us know how you do, Cleerity. After a reinstatement, it can take 4 days for your nervous system to notice a change and a week or longer to adjust to the change. I would go by that logic for alcohol, as well as psych drugs. 

 

I would measure your alcohol as if it were a liquid "dose" that you were tapering. That way you can get an accurate read and then do a 10% or less reduction per month after you stabilize. 

[Cleerity]

Just a short note to say that reinstating alcohol did not work for me.  I could not take just a little bit without wanting more.  So, I went back to no alcohol and have continued to hold at 1.15 mg/ml on the aripiprazole titration.  I am starting to feel better.  Hopefully, soon, I will feel able to begin decreasing the aripiprazole again.

 

Best wishes,

Cleerity

[RubyJ]

Hi, Cleerity---I meant to comment earlier and didn't .  I'm glad to hear that symptoms are starting to recede somewhat.  I've found that during my Abilify taper, lots of changes seem to set me off more than I felt they did before.  Even though it messed with your micro-taper, congrats on stopping the alcohol---it sounds like it was a good decision for you overall, even if the sudden stopping has been problematic.  Best,

Ruby

[Cleerity]

Hey, Ruby!  Thank you for popping in with support and understanding.  Yes, even though I am holding on my Aripiprazole taper, I have still made progress with quitting the alcohol.  A wise and healthy choice!  I hope to resume my taper soon.  

 

Best wishes,

 

Cleerity

[Shep]

1 hour ago, Cleerity said:

Yes, even though I am holding on my Aripiprazole taper, I have still made progress with quitting the alcohol.  A wise and healthy choice!

 

Excellent news, Cleerity. This is major progress. 

[Cleerity]

On 9/1/2019 at 7:12 PM, Shep said:

Excellent news, Cleerity. This is major progress

 

Thank you, Shep!  It really is a major step forward.  And I look forward to one day being free of the rest of what intoxicates my mind.  

 

Best,

 

Cleerity

[Cleerity]

Good morning!   After about 8 weeks of holding still at 1.15 mg/ml on the Aripiprazole, I have today resumed my Aripiprazole taper.  

 

Best,

 

Cleerity

[Cleerity]

Good morning!  Just a short note to share that, as of today, I am down to 1 mg of Aripiprazole.  So, a 50% reduction thus far.  I’m not aware of experiencing any withdrawal symptoms, except that, occasionally, my eyes tear up a little bit.  Also, for those of you that have read my earlier posts, I have successfully refrained from drinking alcohol.  My intention is not to abstain from moderate drinking on social occasions, but the daily consumption I was involved with is definitely at an end!  
 

Best wishes,

Cleerity

[JimH]

Hello Cleerity,

 

Definitely one of the best news! Congratulations for the good job! Please know that I follow your progress and I'm sure I'll learn one day that you are completely free of your chain and ball.

[RubyJ]

6 hours ago, Cleerity said:

My intention is not to abstain from moderate drinking on social occasions, but the daily consumption I was involved with is definitely at an end!

That's great news, Cleer!  I'm so happy to hear it.  Also happy to hear you're down to 50%!  Congratulations   Hope things continue well with few symptoms!