RichT: coming off Abilify

[RichT]

Hi everyone,

 

I’ve had two nice windows in 3 days. It’s quite a relief to feel ok for a change! It’s like an emotional weight has been lifted. I have a gum infection that’s making me feel tired, but my mood has been good. I wonder if it’s something to do with the weather, which has been really nice for the past few days. I’ve not had two windows so close together before, so I’m interpreting this as a good sign for the future!

 

best wishes to everyone,

 

‘’Rich

[Carmie]

Yay for two windows close together RichT🎉🎉🎉

[RichT]

Thanks Carmie!

[Rabe]

SO happy to read this Rich!!  Hoping these continue for you!  Such gifts!!

[sunnysideup69]

Hello Rich (it's Ruthmcg, my former incarnation),

Noticed you haven't been around for some time. Hope that's because you're having an absolutely WONDERFUL long window

[RichT]

Hi all,

 

I haven’t been around the site recently, but I have some good news I’d like to share.

 

For many months there has been no real change in how I feel. But in the past week I  have had a run of three days or so when my symptoms have been almost gone  - sometimes I have felt quite normal. I don’t know if it will last, but it’s really nice. I have some energy to spare !

 

I hope you are all progressing on your journeys.

 

R

[thelegend]

Wow that is awesome Rich, hopefully it is a sign of things to come for you. 

[sunnysideup69]

On 11/24/2019 at 7:16 PM, RichT said:

Hi all,

 

I haven’t been around the site recently, but I have some good news I’d like to share.

 

For many months there has been no real change in how I feel. But in the past week I  have had a run of three days or so when my symptoms have been almost gone  - sometimes I have felt quite normal. I don’t know if it will last, but it’s really nice. I have some energy to spare !

 

I hope you are all progressing on your journeys.

 

R

Yaaaaay! That's amazing! (Ruthmcg here, new name.) Hope it continues for you, is definitely a good sign xxx

[RichT]

Hi everyone,

 

In the past few days I have gone downhill. I feel like I am suffering the early signs of depression. Anxiety and heart rate have gone up, I’m not sleeping well. These feel like depression, not like my previous withdrawal symptoms. I could be wrong though...

 

I realised that I was feeling overwhelmed at the prospect of playing organ at my church carol service tonight. That led to a sleepless and anxious night last night. So I pulled out - the church are fine with that. I felt a great sense of relief from that, but some of the symptoms are continuing. I still hope that they may go. 

 

thanks for listening - it really does help being able to write this down and share it.

 

best,

 

Rich

 

 

 

 

 

 

[sunnysideup69]

29 minutes ago, RichT said:

Hi everyone,

 

In the past few days I have gone downhill. I feel like I am suffering the early signs of depression. Anxiety and heart rate have gone up, I’m not sleeping well. These feel like depression, not like my previous withdrawal symptoms. I could be wrong though...

 

I realised that I was feeling overwhelmed at the prospect of playing organ at my church carol service tonight. That led to a sleepless and anxious night last night. So I pulled out - the church are fine with that. I felt a great sense of relief from that, but some of the symptoms are continuing. I still hope that they may go. 

 

thanks for listening - it really does help being able to write this down and share it.

 

best,

 

Rich

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hey Rich, lovely to see/read you here again! Sorry to hear you've got depressive symptoms, though.....did the symptoms start IN ANTICIPATION of the church service? In which case, could be sensitive nervous system reacting to anticipatory anxiety. Our nervous systems are sensitive for a long time during/after these drugs. Remember Claire Weekes, FAF let time pass, try not to attach too much of a label to the symptoms, I bet you given time they will phase out again.

 

Are you in Spain, still? Even if you are, the shorter days can play havoc with our sensitive systems. I definitely suffer more when there is less daylight.

 

Good friend of mine has just experienced a brief flare up of anx/dep symptoms and Claire Weekes'd herself through it, without any medication changes. This is just a blip. Sending good wishes xxxxx

[RichT]

56 minutes ago, sunnysideup69 said:

 

Hey Rich, lovely to see/read you here again! Sorry to hear you've got depressive symptoms, though.....did the symptoms start IN ANTICIPATION of the church service? In which case, could be sensitive nervous system reacting to anticipatory anxiety. Our nervous systems are sensitive for a long time during/after these drugs. Remember Claire Weekes, FAF let time pass, try not to attach too much of a label to the symptoms, I bet you given time they will phase out again.

 

Are you in Spain, still? Even if you are, the shorter days can play havoc with our sensitive systems. I definitely suffer more when there is less daylight.

 

Good friend of mine has just experienced a brief flare up of anx/dep symptoms and Claire Weekes'd herself through it, without any medication changes. This is just a blip. Sending good wishes xxxxx

‘Thank you very much, sunnysideup69, for your lovely comments. I’m hoping you’re right! Yes the symptoms started in anticipation of the church service. I shall try some Claire Weekes, mindfulness of breathing and exercise. 

 

yes, we are in Spain, and enjoying some sunshine at the moment.

[sunnysideup69]

9 minutes ago, RichT said:

‘Thank you very much, sunnysideup69, for your lovely comments. I’m hoping you’re right! Yes the symptoms started in anticipation of the church service. I shall try some Claire Weekes, mindfulness of breathing and exercise. 

 

yes, we are in Spain, and enjoying some sunshine at the moment.

 Oh, lovely sunshine! Sounds like the symptoms are definitely a stress response to church service....good that you've let it go. Enjoy that sun

[RichT]

I’m definitely suffering some depressive symptoms at the moment. I feel sad, angry and exhausted. I think the weather has something to do with it, so I’m trying to stay warm and get as much light as possible, as well as getting some exercise. I was fine here last year, so I’m guessing that withdrawal has made me more sensitive. I can survive this, but it is very unpleasant.

 

love,

 

Rich

[sunnysideup69]

Waves, @RichT, how annoying. It'll pass again...the ups and downs of recovery. Sending a hello from London x

[sunnysideup69]

How are you doing, @RichT? Sending Xmas eve greetings x

[RichT]

3 hours ago, sunnysideup69 said:

How are you doing, @RichT? Sending Xmas eve greetings x

Hi Sunnysideup69,

 

I’m still feeling strong symptoms -  a kind of inner agitation that isn’t really anxiety but makes it very hard to concentrate, night sweats, fatigue, intrusive thoughts, negative thinking. I’ve stopped doing music for a few days to give myself a short holiday and I’m making the best of the weather here, which has really improved in the past few days - lots of sunshine. We should be able to have our Christmas lunch on the terrace tomorrow! I noticed that it is 10 months since I started my current doses - so maybe this is the fabled 10 month wave! 
 

Wishing you a happy and fulfilling Christmas and New Year, and wishing you continued strength and recovery in 2020

 

best wishes,

 

Rich

[sunnysideup69]

1 hour ago, RichT said:

Hi Sunnysideup69,

 

I’m still feeling strong symptoms -  a kind of inner agitation that isn’t really anxiety but makes it very hard to concentrate, night sweats, fatigue, intrusive thoughts, negative thinking. I’ve stopped doing music for a few days to give myself a short holiday and I’m making the best of the weather here, which has really improved in the past few days - lots of sunshine. We should be able to have our Christmas lunch on the terrace tomorrow! I noticed that it is 10 months since I started my current doses - so maybe this is the fabled 10 month wave! 
 

Wishing you a happy and fulfilling Christmas and New Year, and wishing you continued strength and recovery in 2020

 

best wishes,

 

Rich

Yes, you know what, it is most likely a wave, and I had the same experience back in May... Ooh, how lovely, Xmas lunch outside! 

Thanks so much. Wishing you a wonderful Xmas and New year which I am sure will bring more healing 😊

[sunnysideup69]

Hope your Christmas lunch on the terrace was good, and Happy New Year! Just dropping by to see how you're doing.

[RichT]

9 hours ago, sunnysideup69 said:

Hope your Christmas lunch on the terrace was good, and Happy New Year! Just dropping by to see how you're doing.

Hi Sunnysideup69,

 

thanks for stopping by! I am feeling better week by week. I’ve been making the best use I can of the sunshine here. The weather over Christmas was lovely. Temperatures have dropped back now but it’s still mostly sunny and warm enough to sit outside if it’s not too windy. My night sweats are not so bad and some nights I don’t have any. 
 

best wishes,

 

Rich

[sunnysideup69]

6 hours ago, RichT said:

Hi Sunnysideup69,

 

thanks for stopping by! I am feeling better week by week. I’ve been making the best use I can of the sunshine here. The weather over Christmas was lovely. Temperatures have dropped back now but it’s still mostly sunny and warm enough to sit outside if it’s not too windy. My night sweats are not so bad and some nights I don’t have any. 
 

best wishes,

 

Rich

That's good, Rich! Seems to have been a slight wave, then....so glad it's easing up now

[Rosetta]

Hi, Rich!

Rosetta

[RichT]

On 1/20/2020 at 6:32 PM, Rosetta said:

Hi, Rich!

Rosetta

hi Rosetta, thanks for stopping by. How are you doing?

[sunnysideup69]

Hello @RichT,

Suddenly thought of you and others from last year. Need to get in touch with Rachel, also.

 

Sending good wishes your way xxx

[RichT]

Hi Sunnysideup,

 

sorry for taking a while to reply.  I hope you are coping with these crazy times!

 

I’m ok and keeping busy with music, but feeling stressed some of the time by the whole situation. Along with everybody else on the planet! We have lost control of our lives for a while.

 

how are you doing?

 

warmest wishes,

 

Rich

[sunnysideup69]

Hey @RichT,

Good to see ya! I'm okay, been a very shocking, sad time, had family bereavements. Brother AND sister. So am grieving, plus coping with the world weirdness. In WD terms though, not doing too badly at all...

Life is so unpredictable.

[sunnysideup69]

Hey @RichT,

Was wondering how you're doing?

Sending good wishes to you 😊

[RichT]

On 10/31/2020 at 5:40 PM, sunnysideup69 said:

Hey @RichT,

Was wondering how you're doing?

Sending good wishes to you 😊

Hi Sunnysideup, 

 

Thanks for saying hi and sorry for the late reply.

 

I’m doing very well. I’ve stopped tapering meds for the moment as I’m concentrating getting my music released to the outside world. I’ve released five albums so far (under the artist name Samplehound) and I’m working on my next two at the moment. On one of them, I’m working with a professional orchestrator and I’m learning a lot about orchestral string writing. This will take over a year, I think, but the other album should be released early next year. I’m aiming to get my instrumental music released by end of 2021. Then I’ll look for collaborators to work on my vocal material.

 

Wendy and I have both remained virus free. I felt very stressed out at the beginning of the pandemic but I’m more relaxed about it now. It’s just become part of the daily routines of life and luckily we are both retired so it hadn’t affected our incomes.

 

How have you been keeping?

 

best wishes,

 

Rich

[manymoretodays]

Hi RichT,

Hey I listened to some Samplehound and it was lovely!

It looks like you are back in London now, too.

So you are presently staying put on the quetiapine, citalopram, Abilify, and clonazepam?

How are you feeling overall?

 

L, P, H, and G,

mmt

 

 

 

 

[sunnysideup69]

Hey @RichT, good to know you're doing so well! Will you be staying in London over Christmas or still going to.....was it Spain you went to over winter last year??

I'm doing pretty well, also. Still some minor wobbles but so much better than I was this time last year, after that hideous drug switch. Never again.

Yeah, the pandemic was very stressful and I had family bereavements right at the beginning. Dark times. Suddenly over August/ September/ October, brain seemed to take some big leaps in healing. I'm also holding steady, I'd like my sleep cycle to heal a bit more before beginning a taper, plus I'm training for a walking half marathon in February, so won't start any taper until at least Spring.

It's so good to hear from you. Remember Rachel? (breathofair)? We are sometimes in text contact and she is doing okay, gradually chipping away at the escitalopram and benzo.

Wishing you a good weekend  

[RichT]

Symptoms of hypoglycaemia - Abilify withdrawal

 

Hi everyone,

 

I’m returning to the site after a long absence. I hope everyone has made progress!

 

I have been on a low, non-therapeutic dose of Abilify (0.5mg daily) for about 5 years. I’ve decided that now seems a good time to taper it off.

 

I use liquid Abilify 1mg/ml and an accurate syringe to measure it.

 

I decided to try an initial cut to 0.4mg daily about 3 weeks ago.

 

I have suffered mild withdrawal effects - a little difficulty sleeping, fatigue, body aches - but nothing that’s too hard to manage.

 

However today after walking the dog I had a set of symptoms that are consistent with hypoglycaemia (just to note I do not have a diagnosis of either type 1 or type 2 diabetes). I felt shaky, sweaty, weak and hungry. I’ve not experienced this before and the walk was quite a short one.

 

Apparently, non-diabetic hypoglycaemia is not common.  Normally hypoglycaemia is a side effect of insulin treatment in type 1 diabetes.

 

Could Abilify withdrawal have something to do with this?

 

Many thanks

 

Rich

 

 

Edited November 7, 2022 by ChessieCat
added topic title before merging with intro topic

[RichT]

Hi everyone!

 

I’ve posted a specific question in the symptoms sub-forum, but I thought it would be good to write a general update here about the last two years since I last posted.

 

I’ve generally had a very good time. I’ve had COVID at least once and a few months of long COVID, but other than that I’ve been happy and productive. I’ve produced a total of 13 albums of music so far and I have 3 more nearly ready to go. It’s been fun!

 

We’ve been spending 9 months in Spain and 3 months in the UK. We’re in the process of selling our house in the UK to buy a flat which should make things simpler and more secure.

 

I hope everyone I know here has made progress on their journeys!

 

best wishes

 

Rich

[ChessieCat]

See this topic:

 

reactive-hypoglycemia-low-blood-sugar-and-symptoms

 

I think if it was related to the drug you would have noticed it much earlier and when on a higher dose.

[Altostrata]

Hello, @RichT Thanks for that lovely update!

 

So pleased we could help.

 

Where are you in your Abilify taper?

 

This is an interesting question:

 

On 11/7/2022 at 7:31 AM, RichT said:

However today after walking the dog I had a set of symptoms that are consistent with hypoglycaemia (just to note I do not have a diagnosis of either type 1 or type 2 diabetes). I felt shaky, sweaty, weak and hungry. I’ve not experienced this before and the walk was quite a short one.

 

The antipsychotics such as quetiapine and aripiprazole both derange blood sugar regulation. You've reduced both of them. I wonder if this might be a wobble indicating your system is re-regulating back to normal?