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BadMedicine: tapering off sertraline / Zoloft and olanzapine / Zyprexa


BadMedicine

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Well it's been 3 months since I dropped from 2.5mg to 1.8mg olanzapine. I was hoping to be able to make another cut at this point but unfortunately things haven't stabilised enough. This has been by far the hardest drug reduction that I have made to date. I've had anxiety, nausea, crying spells and intermittent insommnia. The anxiety and nausea have abated but the intermittent insommnia and crying spells remain. There is definitely a windows and waves pattern appearing. Some days I sleep 7-8 hours and some 4-6  and a half. I also feel tearful a lot of the time with some suicide ideation although I did have a lovely window of 6 days 2 weeks ago where I felt more like myself than I have done for years. Sadly that has closed and is yet to reappear but it spurs me on to keep going with this process - extremely hard as it is. I will continue to hold as long as it takes to stabilise. Hopefully it will be months rather than years!

 

Sept 2018 - Nov 2018 200mg sertraline, 7.5mg olanzapine. 

Nov 2018 - Jan 2018 200mg sertraline, 30mg mirtazapine, 7.5mg olanzapine.

Jan 2019 - mid Feb 2019 reduced sertraline from 200 - 50mg, 7.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine.

Feb 2019- Jun 2019 30mg mirtazapine, 50mg sertraline, 7.5mg olanzapine.

Jun 2019 - Oct 2019 30mg mirtazapine, 50mg sertraline, 5mg olanzapine.

Oct 2019 - Nov 2019 37.gmg sertraline, 39mg mirtazapine, 5mg olanzapine.

Nov 2019 -Dec 2019 25mg sertraline, 30mg mirtazapine, 5mg olanzapine. Jan 2020 18.75mg sertraline, 5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Feb 2020 0mg sertraline, 2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. May 2020 1.8mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Aug 2020 2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Stabilised for 9 months @2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. May2021 started slow taper from olanzapine, 5% previous dose per month. Oct 2021 1.875mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine.

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  • Moderator

Sorry to hear it's still uncomfortable BM, but good you had the window to remind you what's to come, and hold till you feel ok.

 

Looking back at my taper last year, it took me from start of Feb (@2.5) through June to hit 1.8, making gradual reductions.  So it's a big jump in one go.  Remember the drug effects are non linear so you have to keep making the cuts smaller as you go.  Definitely annoying but it pays off to consider.

 

I'd suggest that you want to be looking at making future cuts 10% or smaller, when you're ready.  It throws you out less and you find the dust settles quicker.  Which allows more frequent cuts and a better sense of progress.

 

Cheers

I am not a health professional - your actions are your own.  

Please do not seek tapering support via private message - "Any reason to hold is a good one"

My taper visualised as a graph   |   My intro thread

Backdrop:  2003 10mg olanzapine | 2004 2-3mg risperidone | end 2014 3wks aripiprazole

2015: olanzapine  10 -> 7½ -> 6⅔ -> 5mg  by crude pill cutter

2018:  Mar 5.00mg -> water titrated taper -> Aug2.5mg tablet and hold

Jan 2019 2.50mg water titration -> Jan 2020 1.214  -> Jan 2021 0.44 -> 2 Oct 0.205 ->3 Oct ZERO🥂

Jun 2023 💉150mg paliperidone "loading" depot shot, 100mg 1wk after Jul 100mg Aug-Dec 75mg/4wks

Jul 2023 2.50mg aripiprazole/day attempt to lower prolactin^

Jan-Feb 2024 cross taper off shots to 1mg risperidone

 

Ask not what you can do for your country, but what your country did to you"  -- KMFDM

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  • 2 weeks later...

Unfortunately had to reinstate 2.5mg olanzapine. Sleep was deteriorating even more and had some re-occurence of psychotic symptoms. Luckily 3 days of 2.5mg has solved the psychotic symptoms and my sleep has been closer to 9 - 10 hours again which is where it was before I dropped to 1.8mg. I have made a lot of big changes this  year and think it might be wise to hold for 6 months to let everything settle. Frustrating but necessary. Then I plan to start a very slow taper of the olanzapine. It is a different beast under 2.5mg. There was a huge difference between 2.5 and 1.8mg. 

I was wondering if anyone had experience of relapse of psychotic symptoms with too fast a taper that after resolution with re- reinstatement they were then able to eventually taper off without subsequent relapse by going really slowly. Really scared that I am going to be stuck on this stuff forever.

 

Sept 2018 - Nov 2018 200mg sertraline, 7.5mg olanzapine. 

Nov 2018 - Jan 2018 200mg sertraline, 30mg mirtazapine, 7.5mg olanzapine.

Jan 2019 - mid Feb 2019 reduced sertraline from 200 - 50mg, 7.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine.

Feb 2019- Jun 2019 30mg mirtazapine, 50mg sertraline, 7.5mg olanzapine.

Jun 2019 - Oct 2019 30mg mirtazapine, 50mg sertraline, 5mg olanzapine.

Oct 2019 - Nov 2019 37.gmg sertraline, 39mg mirtazapine, 5mg olanzapine.

Nov 2019 -Dec 2019 25mg sertraline, 30mg mirtazapine, 5mg olanzapine. Jan 2020 18.75mg sertraline, 5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Feb 2020 0mg sertraline, 2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. May 2020 1.8mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Aug 2020 2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Stabilised for 9 months @2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. May2021 started slow taper from olanzapine, 5% previous dose per month. Oct 2021 1.875mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine.

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  • Moderator

@BadMedicine sorry to hear you've been having a bad time of it.  And glad that things are steadier with 2.5mg.

 

I've only made one really big cut like yours under 5mg.  I went from 5 to 3 1/3 early on and it was just not going to happen, I was not functional and went back to 5 before commencing a 10%/mo taper.  I expect the symptoms you're finding problematic are withdrawal side effects.  When I've cut too much too fast I can feel the edge of them but each time they have abated after holding as long as necessary. 

 

It has nothing to do with will power, you're waiting for your neurology to catch up with the cuts.  One may as well try and heal a sprained ankle with will power 🙂  Usually I feel ready for the next cut once the tapering process hasn't been on my mind at all for a week or three.

 

I'm glad you're seeing some sleep, it's a good sign.  If you can stabilise comfortably on 2.5mg for a while, you'll be in a good position to do a nice slow and gentle taper.  I found life got a whole lot better once I'd got to 2.5, like the lights were back on and I was properly present with people again.  I held for five or six months there before starting the next round of tapering.  It was relatively comfortable after the higher doses. 

 

If you find problem symptoms recurring after a long hold, I would be looking at physical health (Vitamin B12 shots helped me a lot) - GP should be able to do a blood test and make sure all that stuff is ok.  And if there is some unresolved event demanding your attention, I found the clinical psychologists I sought were able to help me unf**k the really hard stuff.

 

I definitely noticed some lumpiness around 1.4 to 1.2mg, we've already talked about the receptor affinities of the molecule cascading at different dosages so you're probably onto something there.  I got quite weirded out for a month or so at I think 1.2, anxiety etc just wasn't settling.  Just a nudge up to 1.25 for another month of two and it was ok again, and I was able to continue cutting.

 

You will be ok, just take the stairs down at a comfortable pace instead of jumping from landing to landing in one go 🙂

I am not a health professional - your actions are your own.  

Please do not seek tapering support via private message - "Any reason to hold is a good one"

My taper visualised as a graph   |   My intro thread

Backdrop:  2003 10mg olanzapine | 2004 2-3mg risperidone | end 2014 3wks aripiprazole

2015: olanzapine  10 -> 7½ -> 6⅔ -> 5mg  by crude pill cutter

2018:  Mar 5.00mg -> water titrated taper -> Aug2.5mg tablet and hold

Jan 2019 2.50mg water titration -> Jan 2020 1.214  -> Jan 2021 0.44 -> 2 Oct 0.205 ->3 Oct ZERO🥂

Jun 2023 💉150mg paliperidone "loading" depot shot, 100mg 1wk after Jul 100mg Aug-Dec 75mg/4wks

Jul 2023 2.50mg aripiprazole/day attempt to lower prolactin^

Jan-Feb 2024 cross taper off shots to 1mg risperidone

 

Ask not what you can do for your country, but what your country did to you"  -- KMFDM

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Thanks @hayduke for your very kind words. It is really encouraging to hear that you think with a slow taper after I have stabilised I can avoid some of the problems I have encountered with reducing the drug so far. I take comfort in this as well as your success in getting so low by going patiently and steadily. I was too gung ho and thought that I would get away with going a bit more quickly. Sadly I have learnt my lesson the hard way! Hopefully I will stabilise reasonably quickly. Sleep is still a bit hit and miss but I have had a few days of 9-10 hours interspersed with about 4-5 hours. I’m hoping the longer I hold the more consistent sleep will become. It’s early day’s yet and I know I need to be patient and not expect miracles but it is hard to deal with when I get a bad nights sleep as before I dropped to 1.8 I was sleeping 9 - 10 hours consistently on 2.5 and so can’t help feeling cross with myself for racing through it.

Good luck with your continued taper. 

 

Sept 2018 - Nov 2018 200mg sertraline, 7.5mg olanzapine. 

Nov 2018 - Jan 2018 200mg sertraline, 30mg mirtazapine, 7.5mg olanzapine.

Jan 2019 - mid Feb 2019 reduced sertraline from 200 - 50mg, 7.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine.

Feb 2019- Jun 2019 30mg mirtazapine, 50mg sertraline, 7.5mg olanzapine.

Jun 2019 - Oct 2019 30mg mirtazapine, 50mg sertraline, 5mg olanzapine.

Oct 2019 - Nov 2019 37.gmg sertraline, 39mg mirtazapine, 5mg olanzapine.

Nov 2019 -Dec 2019 25mg sertraline, 30mg mirtazapine, 5mg olanzapine. Jan 2020 18.75mg sertraline, 5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Feb 2020 0mg sertraline, 2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. May 2020 1.8mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Aug 2020 2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Stabilised for 9 months @2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. May2021 started slow taper from olanzapine, 5% previous dose per month. Oct 2021 1.875mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine.

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  • Moderator

2.5mg is a relatively low dosage, as a point to recover from it's better than many I read about here.  It's all relative, I haven't done many updoses but each time a very small one has been effective enough. 

 

How did you go over the weekend?

 

 

I am not a health professional - your actions are your own.  

Please do not seek tapering support via private message - "Any reason to hold is a good one"

My taper visualised as a graph   |   My intro thread

Backdrop:  2003 10mg olanzapine | 2004 2-3mg risperidone | end 2014 3wks aripiprazole

2015: olanzapine  10 -> 7½ -> 6⅔ -> 5mg  by crude pill cutter

2018:  Mar 5.00mg -> water titrated taper -> Aug2.5mg tablet and hold

Jan 2019 2.50mg water titration -> Jan 2020 1.214  -> Jan 2021 0.44 -> 2 Oct 0.205 ->3 Oct ZERO🥂

Jun 2023 💉150mg paliperidone "loading" depot shot, 100mg 1wk after Jul 100mg Aug-Dec 75mg/4wks

Jul 2023 2.50mg aripiprazole/day attempt to lower prolactin^

Jan-Feb 2024 cross taper off shots to 1mg risperidone

 

Ask not what you can do for your country, but what your country did to you"  -- KMFDM

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@haydukeWas OK over the weekend thanks. 9  - 10 hours sleep both nights. I feel a bit more stable as well. Less prone to crying at the drop of the hat. I hope this means I am stabilising but I have thought that before and then the sleep goes again so I just remain cautiously optimistic at the moment. 
Yes if I can stabilise on 2.5mg without having to go higher I will count myself very lucky. It’s a good place to start a slow taper from.

 

Sept 2018 - Nov 2018 200mg sertraline, 7.5mg olanzapine. 

Nov 2018 - Jan 2018 200mg sertraline, 30mg mirtazapine, 7.5mg olanzapine.

Jan 2019 - mid Feb 2019 reduced sertraline from 200 - 50mg, 7.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine.

Feb 2019- Jun 2019 30mg mirtazapine, 50mg sertraline, 7.5mg olanzapine.

Jun 2019 - Oct 2019 30mg mirtazapine, 50mg sertraline, 5mg olanzapine.

Oct 2019 - Nov 2019 37.gmg sertraline, 39mg mirtazapine, 5mg olanzapine.

Nov 2019 -Dec 2019 25mg sertraline, 30mg mirtazapine, 5mg olanzapine. Jan 2020 18.75mg sertraline, 5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Feb 2020 0mg sertraline, 2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. May 2020 1.8mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Aug 2020 2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Stabilised for 9 months @2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. May2021 started slow taper from olanzapine, 5% previous dose per month. Oct 2021 1.875mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine.

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Just a quick update. Had 4 nights of really good sleep (8-9 hours) over last weekend and into the beginning of the week. Then it deteriorated again but it was 5 -6 hours with at least 4 hours continuous which was much better than last week when I Was waking up after every 90 minutes and getting more like 4 hours so although it is still a bit up and down hopefully it is heading in the right direction. I am trying to keep regular going to bed and getting up times regardless of how much sleep i have had which is helping I think. I can handle a lot of things but lack of sleep really affects me. I know I shouldn’t moan as in comparison to a lot of people on here , especially those that cold turkeyed olanzapine, I am getting loads of sleep. Anyway that’s all for now. 

 

Sept 2018 - Nov 2018 200mg sertraline, 7.5mg olanzapine. 

Nov 2018 - Jan 2018 200mg sertraline, 30mg mirtazapine, 7.5mg olanzapine.

Jan 2019 - mid Feb 2019 reduced sertraline from 200 - 50mg, 7.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine.

Feb 2019- Jun 2019 30mg mirtazapine, 50mg sertraline, 7.5mg olanzapine.

Jun 2019 - Oct 2019 30mg mirtazapine, 50mg sertraline, 5mg olanzapine.

Oct 2019 - Nov 2019 37.gmg sertraline, 39mg mirtazapine, 5mg olanzapine.

Nov 2019 -Dec 2019 25mg sertraline, 30mg mirtazapine, 5mg olanzapine. Jan 2020 18.75mg sertraline, 5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Feb 2020 0mg sertraline, 2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. May 2020 1.8mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Aug 2020 2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Stabilised for 9 months @2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. May2021 started slow taper from olanzapine, 5% previous dose per month. Oct 2021 1.875mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine.

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  • Mentor

Hi there @BadMedicine

Just read your update. So happy for you getting better sleep. Not having enough sleep can affect us in so many ways.

7 hours ago, BadMedicine said:

I know I shouldn’t moan as in comparison to a lot of people on here , especially those that cold turkeyed olanzapine,

You are not moaning, you’re journey is just as important as everyone elses. Knowing that some people are functioning during this process can give others comfort, at least speaking for myself.

Thank you for this positive update and all the best to you🙏

 


1999-2020  20 mg Paxil

Bridged with Fluoxetine to help me get off Paxil.

2022 Fluoxetine 15 mg 12/12 14mg 27/12  13mg jan 12mg feb 11mg mars 10mg, 9 mg 8,5 mg 7.6mg 7.0 mg 6,3 mg 5,6 mg 5,0 mg 4,5 mg 4,0 mg 3.6mg 3,2 mg 2,9 mg 2,6 mg 2,3 mg 2,0 mg

 


I am not a medical professional nor is this a medical advice. I only talk from my own experience.

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  • Moderator

Yeah if I get less than 6 hrs a night for 2-3 nights a hold is clearly overdue

 

Agree with Hanna72, this is the perfect place to talk about the hard stuff with the taper your friends and family aren't up to!

I am not a health professional - your actions are your own.  

Please do not seek tapering support via private message - "Any reason to hold is a good one"

My taper visualised as a graph   |   My intro thread

Backdrop:  2003 10mg olanzapine | 2004 2-3mg risperidone | end 2014 3wks aripiprazole

2015: olanzapine  10 -> 7½ -> 6⅔ -> 5mg  by crude pill cutter

2018:  Mar 5.00mg -> water titrated taper -> Aug2.5mg tablet and hold

Jan 2019 2.50mg water titration -> Jan 2020 1.214  -> Jan 2021 0.44 -> 2 Oct 0.205 ->3 Oct ZERO🥂

Jun 2023 💉150mg paliperidone "loading" depot shot, 100mg 1wk after Jul 100mg Aug-Dec 75mg/4wks

Jul 2023 2.50mg aripiprazole/day attempt to lower prolactin^

Jan-Feb 2024 cross taper off shots to 1mg risperidone

 

Ask not what you can do for your country, but what your country did to you"  -- KMFDM

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Thanks @Hanna72 and @hayduke for your replies. Glad I have given some people hope and thanks for re- affirming that it’s OK to vent. This forum is really a god send in that way and full of such supportive people despite the suffering that is evident.

i fully intend to hold for some time once I have stabilised after re-instating 2.5mg. Then commence a very slow taper. It’s early days yet but fingers crossed things seem to be heading in the right direction. 

 

Sept 2018 - Nov 2018 200mg sertraline, 7.5mg olanzapine. 

Nov 2018 - Jan 2018 200mg sertraline, 30mg mirtazapine, 7.5mg olanzapine.

Jan 2019 - mid Feb 2019 reduced sertraline from 200 - 50mg, 7.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine.

Feb 2019- Jun 2019 30mg mirtazapine, 50mg sertraline, 7.5mg olanzapine.

Jun 2019 - Oct 2019 30mg mirtazapine, 50mg sertraline, 5mg olanzapine.

Oct 2019 - Nov 2019 37.gmg sertraline, 39mg mirtazapine, 5mg olanzapine.

Nov 2019 -Dec 2019 25mg sertraline, 30mg mirtazapine, 5mg olanzapine. Jan 2020 18.75mg sertraline, 5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Feb 2020 0mg sertraline, 2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. May 2020 1.8mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Aug 2020 2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Stabilised for 9 months @2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. May2021 started slow taper from olanzapine, 5% previous dose per month. Oct 2021 1.875mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Well I managed to string together 2 weeks with 8-9 hours sleep each night so I think things are stabilising. Still get some disturbances in mood which leads to crying spells but this definitely comes in waves. Just come out of a bit of a wave and feel much better today. Hopefully these days of feeling better will start to increase the longer I hold. I’m going to have to reign in my temptation to start reducing again. Really think I need a prolonged period of stability to have any chance of successfully getting off this drug. Tests my patience (which has never been my strongest asset) though! For the moment though just pleased the sleep seems to have been restored.

 

Sept 2018 - Nov 2018 200mg sertraline, 7.5mg olanzapine. 

Nov 2018 - Jan 2018 200mg sertraline, 30mg mirtazapine, 7.5mg olanzapine.

Jan 2019 - mid Feb 2019 reduced sertraline from 200 - 50mg, 7.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine.

Feb 2019- Jun 2019 30mg mirtazapine, 50mg sertraline, 7.5mg olanzapine.

Jun 2019 - Oct 2019 30mg mirtazapine, 50mg sertraline, 5mg olanzapine.

Oct 2019 - Nov 2019 37.gmg sertraline, 39mg mirtazapine, 5mg olanzapine.

Nov 2019 -Dec 2019 25mg sertraline, 30mg mirtazapine, 5mg olanzapine. Jan 2020 18.75mg sertraline, 5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Feb 2020 0mg sertraline, 2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. May 2020 1.8mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Aug 2020 2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Stabilised for 9 months @2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. May2021 started slow taper from olanzapine, 5% previous dose per month. Oct 2021 1.875mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine.

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  • Moderator

Sleep sounds excellent BM, pleased to hear!

 

I never mind those crying spells, some days I've cried all day.  It really is good to let go of whatever you're trying to process like that.  They've been settling down for me lately.

 

Laughing is another good one.  I watched The Pink Panther Strikes Again the other night and could not stop roaring with laughter!  Extremely enjoyable.

 

Holding sounds like a good plan till you're ready to go again.  I found life on 2.5mg was a big improvement on the 5 before.

 

Cheers

I am not a health professional - your actions are your own.  

Please do not seek tapering support via private message - "Any reason to hold is a good one"

My taper visualised as a graph   |   My intro thread

Backdrop:  2003 10mg olanzapine | 2004 2-3mg risperidone | end 2014 3wks aripiprazole

2015: olanzapine  10 -> 7½ -> 6⅔ -> 5mg  by crude pill cutter

2018:  Mar 5.00mg -> water titrated taper -> Aug2.5mg tablet and hold

Jan 2019 2.50mg water titration -> Jan 2020 1.214  -> Jan 2021 0.44 -> 2 Oct 0.205 ->3 Oct ZERO🥂

Jun 2023 💉150mg paliperidone "loading" depot shot, 100mg 1wk after Jul 100mg Aug-Dec 75mg/4wks

Jul 2023 2.50mg aripiprazole/day attempt to lower prolactin^

Jan-Feb 2024 cross taper off shots to 1mg risperidone

 

Ask not what you can do for your country, but what your country did to you"  -- KMFDM

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  • 4 weeks later...
On 10/6/2020 at 4:02 AM, hayduke said:

I found life on 2.5mg was a big improvement on the 5 before.

 

I agree, I've been happy on this dosage, I've been on it a couple of years. 5mg was awfull. Even the metabolic effects are really minor at 2,5mg, so it's a good starting point to slow taper from. When I started tapering from 2,5mg the first time I tried 10% and it was too much (insomnia), 5% too (headaches), 2,5% drops every 15 days were really ok, when I restart my taper I will do 2,5% again (water taper) I get a little impatient on holds but they're needed sometimes so things can go smoothly. I never antecipated my taper would take years, but that's the reality. At these lower dosages I'm already living a good life, so better go slow and keep enjoying life than go faster to go back up again eventually and lose all that hard work. With a little patience we'll all be successfull.

2007 - 15mg olanzapine, mood stabilizer, benzo, quetiapine 2009 - aripiprazol, benzo, lamotrigine 100mg 2015 - olzp 15mg, zolpidem 2017 - trazodone 2 weeks, cold turkey, lamotrigine and zolpidem, olzp 15mg, mood stabilizer, benzo 2018 - olzp 5mg, Nov olzp 2,5mg down directly from 5mg no symptoms 2019 - olzp 2,5mg cold turkey Jan after 12 days reinstated, Nov taper cutting pills 14 days reinstated 2,5mg 2020 - failed liquid taper, reinstated 2,5mg, 2022 - liquid taper 2,5% reductions Jan, huge crisis in May up to 30mg, tapered, reached 2,5mg in Set - decided to stop tapering and remain at 2,5mg olanzapine indefinetely.

 

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Yeah now that I’m stabilised on 2.5mg I must say that I feel good as well. Also I’m getting further away from the cold turkey from 18mg Sertraline that I did in February, which I think has helped. That definitely affected my mood for awhile. My mood was all over the place for a bit after I increased from 1.8 back up to 2.5mg but it is now pretty stable and pretty good most days. My sleep is really good too. Back to a solid 9- 10 hours a night. Will hold for a further 3 months and then start slowly reducing. I’m going to do it at the same rate as you @Rrsfc 2.5% every 15 days to be ultra careful. 
Looking at all of our experiences on 2.5mg I wonder why they routinely use 5mg as the starting dose when 2.5mg seems quite effective for sleep and controlling psychotic symptoms but with much reduced side effects. I think most psychiatrists are of the opinion more is better when in fact the opposite is true. That was certainly the case with my psychiatrist!

 

Sept 2018 - Nov 2018 200mg sertraline, 7.5mg olanzapine. 

Nov 2018 - Jan 2018 200mg sertraline, 30mg mirtazapine, 7.5mg olanzapine.

Jan 2019 - mid Feb 2019 reduced sertraline from 200 - 50mg, 7.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine.

Feb 2019- Jun 2019 30mg mirtazapine, 50mg sertraline, 7.5mg olanzapine.

Jun 2019 - Oct 2019 30mg mirtazapine, 50mg sertraline, 5mg olanzapine.

Oct 2019 - Nov 2019 37.gmg sertraline, 39mg mirtazapine, 5mg olanzapine.

Nov 2019 -Dec 2019 25mg sertraline, 30mg mirtazapine, 5mg olanzapine. Jan 2020 18.75mg sertraline, 5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Feb 2020 0mg sertraline, 2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. May 2020 1.8mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Aug 2020 2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Stabilised for 9 months @2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. May2021 started slow taper from olanzapine, 5% previous dose per month. Oct 2021 1.875mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine.

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2,5mg is good for sleep, probably enough for mania but for psychotic symptoms I believe 5mg is the best dosage. In your case your last psychosis was withdrawal related but for people who have psychosis not withdrawal relayed 5mg or upper dosages seem to be best, at least in my experience that's what I observed. Olanzapine has a really different behaviour depending on the dosage. I think you are doing the right thing going really slow, I hope everything goes smoothly 😊. I will have to go really slow too, let's see how my round 2 turns out.

2007 - 15mg olanzapine, mood stabilizer, benzo, quetiapine 2009 - aripiprazol, benzo, lamotrigine 100mg 2015 - olzp 15mg, zolpidem 2017 - trazodone 2 weeks, cold turkey, lamotrigine and zolpidem, olzp 15mg, mood stabilizer, benzo 2018 - olzp 5mg, Nov olzp 2,5mg down directly from 5mg no symptoms 2019 - olzp 2,5mg cold turkey Jan after 12 days reinstated, Nov taper cutting pills 14 days reinstated 2,5mg 2020 - failed liquid taper, reinstated 2,5mg, 2022 - liquid taper 2,5% reductions Jan, huge crisis in May up to 30mg, tapered, reached 2,5mg in Set - decided to stop tapering and remain at 2,5mg olanzapine indefinetely.

 

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  • Moderator

@Rrsfc I'm coming to view what is called psychosis as often being trauma resurfacing, wanting to be dealt with on the spot, and the resulting social difficulties of being around people who are confronted and disturbed but not understanding what's going on, and things spiralling from there.

 

I'm reading this at the moment https://brainworldmagazine.com/how-the-body-keeps-the-score-an-interview-with-dr-bessel-van-der-kolk/

I am not a health professional - your actions are your own.  

Please do not seek tapering support via private message - "Any reason to hold is a good one"

My taper visualised as a graph   |   My intro thread

Backdrop:  2003 10mg olanzapine | 2004 2-3mg risperidone | end 2014 3wks aripiprazole

2015: olanzapine  10 -> 7½ -> 6⅔ -> 5mg  by crude pill cutter

2018:  Mar 5.00mg -> water titrated taper -> Aug2.5mg tablet and hold

Jan 2019 2.50mg water titration -> Jan 2020 1.214  -> Jan 2021 0.44 -> 2 Oct 0.205 ->3 Oct ZERO🥂

Jun 2023 💉150mg paliperidone "loading" depot shot, 100mg 1wk after Jul 100mg Aug-Dec 75mg/4wks

Jul 2023 2.50mg aripiprazole/day attempt to lower prolactin^

Jan-Feb 2024 cross taper off shots to 1mg risperidone

 

Ask not what you can do for your country, but what your country did to you"  -- KMFDM

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Well I had been feeling really good and stable and sleeping really well after stabilising following up dose to 2.5mg olanzapine. All through the night for 9- 10 hours. Then the brand of Mirtazapine got changed and my sleep is disrupted again. Still getting 6 or 7 but it is really disrupted. It may be a wave but it strongly coincides with the change of brand. Really cross - wish they would just stick to the same brand. It changes almost every month and to be fair haven’t had problems before but this brand seems crap! Anyone else had problems when their brand got changed.

 

Sept 2018 - Nov 2018 200mg sertraline, 7.5mg olanzapine. 

Nov 2018 - Jan 2018 200mg sertraline, 30mg mirtazapine, 7.5mg olanzapine.

Jan 2019 - mid Feb 2019 reduced sertraline from 200 - 50mg, 7.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine.

Feb 2019- Jun 2019 30mg mirtazapine, 50mg sertraline, 7.5mg olanzapine.

Jun 2019 - Oct 2019 30mg mirtazapine, 50mg sertraline, 5mg olanzapine.

Oct 2019 - Nov 2019 37.gmg sertraline, 39mg mirtazapine, 5mg olanzapine.

Nov 2019 -Dec 2019 25mg sertraline, 30mg mirtazapine, 5mg olanzapine. Jan 2020 18.75mg sertraline, 5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Feb 2020 0mg sertraline, 2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. May 2020 1.8mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Aug 2020 2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Stabilised for 9 months @2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. May2021 started slow taper from olanzapine, 5% previous dose per month. Oct 2021 1.875mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine.

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  • Moderator

Hey BM.  I've noticed differences between brands though it's usually settled pretty quickly for me.  A lot of others have had bigger issues with it, though.

 

Can you find a different chemist who will assure you they can keep the brand you're used to in stock?

 

Hope your sleep improves soon

I am not a health professional - your actions are your own.  

Please do not seek tapering support via private message - "Any reason to hold is a good one"

My taper visualised as a graph   |   My intro thread

Backdrop:  2003 10mg olanzapine | 2004 2-3mg risperidone | end 2014 3wks aripiprazole

2015: olanzapine  10 -> 7½ -> 6⅔ -> 5mg  by crude pill cutter

2018:  Mar 5.00mg -> water titrated taper -> Aug2.5mg tablet and hold

Jan 2019 2.50mg water titration -> Jan 2020 1.214  -> Jan 2021 0.44 -> 2 Oct 0.205 ->3 Oct ZERO🥂

Jun 2023 💉150mg paliperidone "loading" depot shot, 100mg 1wk after Jul 100mg Aug-Dec 75mg/4wks

Jul 2023 2.50mg aripiprazole/day attempt to lower prolactin^

Jan-Feb 2024 cross taper off shots to 1mg risperidone

 

Ask not what you can do for your country, but what your country did to you"  -- KMFDM

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@hayduke

I loved the book you mentioned, the body keeps score. 

2007 - 15mg olanzapine, mood stabilizer, benzo, quetiapine 2009 - aripiprazol, benzo, lamotrigine 100mg 2015 - olzp 15mg, zolpidem 2017 - trazodone 2 weeks, cold turkey, lamotrigine and zolpidem, olzp 15mg, mood stabilizer, benzo 2018 - olzp 5mg, Nov olzp 2,5mg down directly from 5mg no symptoms 2019 - olzp 2,5mg cold turkey Jan after 12 days reinstated, Nov taper cutting pills 14 days reinstated 2,5mg 2020 - failed liquid taper, reinstated 2,5mg, 2022 - liquid taper 2,5% reductions Jan, huge crisis in May up to 30mg, tapered, reached 2,5mg in Set - decided to stop tapering and remain at 2,5mg olanzapine indefinetely.

 

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  • 1 month later...

Well I’m not sure if the sleep disturbance was the change in brand or just a wave. My sleep did get better when I changed back to the brand of Mirtazapine I had used for the previous 2 months but it got bad again for a few days after being on that brand for nearly a month. Also after feeling quite good for a good month or  maybe even more -( I have lost track a bit) except maybe with the odd day that wasn’t so good when I got tired I have just had nearly 2 weeks of quite bad depression and uncontrollable crying with suicidal ideation again and copious amounts of self hatred.Thankfully it seems like I am back feeling good again - it’s like night and day. It’s difficult to describe how all encompassing these feelings are and how hard it is not to believe you are going to be like that permanently. It is unbelievable the degree of difference between the waves and windows- it’s like I am two different people. Is this common?

I really thought I was over the large reductions I made at the beginning of the year but it appears that they still come back to bite me every so often. I was hoping to transition over to liquid olanzapine in January to start a micro-taper but this has knocked my confidence a bit and think I might be better off holding where I am for a bit longer. Frustrating  but possibly safer.

 

Sept 2018 - Nov 2018 200mg sertraline, 7.5mg olanzapine. 

Nov 2018 - Jan 2018 200mg sertraline, 30mg mirtazapine, 7.5mg olanzapine.

Jan 2019 - mid Feb 2019 reduced sertraline from 200 - 50mg, 7.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine.

Feb 2019- Jun 2019 30mg mirtazapine, 50mg sertraline, 7.5mg olanzapine.

Jun 2019 - Oct 2019 30mg mirtazapine, 50mg sertraline, 5mg olanzapine.

Oct 2019 - Nov 2019 37.gmg sertraline, 39mg mirtazapine, 5mg olanzapine.

Nov 2019 -Dec 2019 25mg sertraline, 30mg mirtazapine, 5mg olanzapine. Jan 2020 18.75mg sertraline, 5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Feb 2020 0mg sertraline, 2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. May 2020 1.8mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Aug 2020 2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Stabilised for 9 months @2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. May2021 started slow taper from olanzapine, 5% previous dose per month. Oct 2021 1.875mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine.

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  • Moderator

Can't ever really go wrong holding @BadMedicine.  Good on you for taking space for your body to catch up with the process...you'll know when you're ready for the next set.

 

Cheers

I am not a health professional - your actions are your own.  

Please do not seek tapering support via private message - "Any reason to hold is a good one"

My taper visualised as a graph   |   My intro thread

Backdrop:  2003 10mg olanzapine | 2004 2-3mg risperidone | end 2014 3wks aripiprazole

2015: olanzapine  10 -> 7½ -> 6⅔ -> 5mg  by crude pill cutter

2018:  Mar 5.00mg -> water titrated taper -> Aug2.5mg tablet and hold

Jan 2019 2.50mg water titration -> Jan 2020 1.214  -> Jan 2021 0.44 -> 2 Oct 0.205 ->3 Oct ZERO🥂

Jun 2023 💉150mg paliperidone "loading" depot shot, 100mg 1wk after Jul 100mg Aug-Dec 75mg/4wks

Jul 2023 2.50mg aripiprazole/day attempt to lower prolactin^

Jan-Feb 2024 cross taper off shots to 1mg risperidone

 

Ask not what you can do for your country, but what your country did to you"  -- KMFDM

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Has anyone had any trouble transitioning from solid 2.5mg olanzapine tablets to a water solution of the same strength. Firstly I am having trouble getting a homogenous solution. I get lots of lumps of different sizes. Figure this doesn’t matter for the moment as I am drinking it all. But when I need to start removing portions for tapering am worried that it will lead to inaccuracy. Also the first night I was fine but the second night on liquid I had insomnia. Got to sleep OK but woke up at 3am and was unable to get back to sleep. For the last 2 weeks my sleep has been really solid so think it is definitely coming from the change in format of the dose. 
Anyone got any experience of transitioning to a liquid and encountering problems or any advice on getting a more homogeneous solution?
Cheers BM.

 

Sept 2018 - Nov 2018 200mg sertraline, 7.5mg olanzapine. 

Nov 2018 - Jan 2018 200mg sertraline, 30mg mirtazapine, 7.5mg olanzapine.

Jan 2019 - mid Feb 2019 reduced sertraline from 200 - 50mg, 7.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine.

Feb 2019- Jun 2019 30mg mirtazapine, 50mg sertraline, 7.5mg olanzapine.

Jun 2019 - Oct 2019 30mg mirtazapine, 50mg sertraline, 5mg olanzapine.

Oct 2019 - Nov 2019 37.gmg sertraline, 39mg mirtazapine, 5mg olanzapine.

Nov 2019 -Dec 2019 25mg sertraline, 30mg mirtazapine, 5mg olanzapine. Jan 2020 18.75mg sertraline, 5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Feb 2020 0mg sertraline, 2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. May 2020 1.8mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Aug 2020 2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Stabilised for 9 months @2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. May2021 started slow taper from olanzapine, 5% previous dose per month. Oct 2021 1.875mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine.

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  • Moderator

Maybe try a different brand? 

 

When I had to switch brands at the start of quarantine I noticed the ones they'd given me ('olanzapine rbx') didn't disintegrate on their own like the alphapharm ones when I dropped the pill into my bottle with the filtered water measured out.

 

What I took to doing is splitting the tablet in half by hand before leaving it in the water, then leaving it for an hour or so in the fridge before stirring and taking the dose.  That seems to do the trick, it crumbles on its own then.  Although with this brand there's also more visible binding matter particulates in the suspension, I'm not having problems with it.

 

Every time I've changed brands, or from solid to liquid, or changed the base amount of liquid, I've noticed a slight difference in the feeling after taking it but it's always settled down after a day or two no worries.

 

@morgana also had trouble swapping the solid for a liquid suspension at 2.5mg, and like you she'd tapered a fair bit faster than 10%/mo beforehand.  I think the consensus suggestion is just to stay on the solid form and hold until you're wd normal for a while, and not worry about liquid until you're feeling sure you're ready to taper.

I am not a health professional - your actions are your own.  

Please do not seek tapering support via private message - "Any reason to hold is a good one"

My taper visualised as a graph   |   My intro thread

Backdrop:  2003 10mg olanzapine | 2004 2-3mg risperidone | end 2014 3wks aripiprazole

2015: olanzapine  10 -> 7½ -> 6⅔ -> 5mg  by crude pill cutter

2018:  Mar 5.00mg -> water titrated taper -> Aug2.5mg tablet and hold

Jan 2019 2.50mg water titration -> Jan 2020 1.214  -> Jan 2021 0.44 -> 2 Oct 0.205 ->3 Oct ZERO🥂

Jun 2023 💉150mg paliperidone "loading" depot shot, 100mg 1wk after Jul 100mg Aug-Dec 75mg/4wks

Jul 2023 2.50mg aripiprazole/day attempt to lower prolactin^

Jan-Feb 2024 cross taper off shots to 1mg risperidone

 

Ask not what you can do for your country, but what your country did to you"  -- KMFDM

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Thanks for your reply @hayduke. I will try splitting the tablet before putting it in the water and leave it for an hour. I think I left it about half an hour before but without breaking it first. Hopefully that will make the difference.

I’m going to persevere for a bit longer with the liquid to see how it goes. It may be that the effect on sleep is a transient problem that resolves itself quite quickly. I know I have been a bit up and down recently and to be honest my mood is still a bit all over the place after the cuts last year. However, my sleep has felt really solid the last couple of weeks. Close to 11 hours and then still not wanting to get up. Really felt like I’d turned a corner with this symptom. If the insomnia persists with the liquid, however, I will follow your advice and revert back to the solid form and hold a bit longer. The problem is I don’t want to be on this poison any longer than necessary and want to at least set myself up to go immediately with a taper when I feel ready. Rest assured I will take it slowly when i do taper after the problems of going too quickly last year. I’m planning on only doing 2.5% every 15 days. 
Hope you’re still going well. Take care.

BM.

 

Sept 2018 - Nov 2018 200mg sertraline, 7.5mg olanzapine. 

Nov 2018 - Jan 2018 200mg sertraline, 30mg mirtazapine, 7.5mg olanzapine.

Jan 2019 - mid Feb 2019 reduced sertraline from 200 - 50mg, 7.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine.

Feb 2019- Jun 2019 30mg mirtazapine, 50mg sertraline, 7.5mg olanzapine.

Jun 2019 - Oct 2019 30mg mirtazapine, 50mg sertraline, 5mg olanzapine.

Oct 2019 - Nov 2019 37.gmg sertraline, 39mg mirtazapine, 5mg olanzapine.

Nov 2019 -Dec 2019 25mg sertraline, 30mg mirtazapine, 5mg olanzapine. Jan 2020 18.75mg sertraline, 5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Feb 2020 0mg sertraline, 2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. May 2020 1.8mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Aug 2020 2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Stabilised for 9 months @2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. May2021 started slow taper from olanzapine, 5% previous dose per month. Oct 2021 1.875mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine.

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Hi, I had no issues using orodispersible tablets, are yours orodispersible? I buy 5mg and cut by hand in half then dissolve the rest. Olanzapine is dispersible in water but not soluble but this never proved being an issue for me, I was able to get accurate enough dosages. The particles floating with orodispersibles are mostly fillers, but with regular pills I don't know. 2,5% every 15 days seems ideal. If I were you I'd try the orodispersibles and see how it goes. Lack of sleep is a sign the dosage was really different, I'd revert immediately to the solid tablet wait a while and only then try other brand. I had good results acting immediately after getting the insomnia, instead of waiting it out. You just have to find your own way, what works best for you. Good luck, hope it all turns out well. You have to be really patient with this, it will take time and trial and error to get off safely unfortunately. At least for me it's been like that, I had to be really flexible and honor what my body was saying and that means taking it painfully slow. 

2007 - 15mg olanzapine, mood stabilizer, benzo, quetiapine 2009 - aripiprazol, benzo, lamotrigine 100mg 2015 - olzp 15mg, zolpidem 2017 - trazodone 2 weeks, cold turkey, lamotrigine and zolpidem, olzp 15mg, mood stabilizer, benzo 2018 - olzp 5mg, Nov olzp 2,5mg down directly from 5mg no symptoms 2019 - olzp 2,5mg cold turkey Jan after 12 days reinstated, Nov taper cutting pills 14 days reinstated 2,5mg 2020 - failed liquid taper, reinstated 2,5mg, 2022 - liquid taper 2,5% reductions Jan, huge crisis in May up to 30mg, tapered, reached 2,5mg in Set - decided to stop tapering and remain at 2,5mg olanzapine indefinetely.

 

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Thanks @hayduke. Worked much better breaking the tablet before putting it in the liquid and leaving it for an hour. There were still some large bits floating around but I think that was the film coating.

I slept much better last night too. 7 hours of uninterrupted sleep before waking up and going back to sleep for another hour and a half. Hopefully this will continue and I will be in a position to start tapering when I am ready.

cheers BM

 

Sept 2018 - Nov 2018 200mg sertraline, 7.5mg olanzapine. 

Nov 2018 - Jan 2018 200mg sertraline, 30mg mirtazapine, 7.5mg olanzapine.

Jan 2019 - mid Feb 2019 reduced sertraline from 200 - 50mg, 7.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine.

Feb 2019- Jun 2019 30mg mirtazapine, 50mg sertraline, 7.5mg olanzapine.

Jun 2019 - Oct 2019 30mg mirtazapine, 50mg sertraline, 5mg olanzapine.

Oct 2019 - Nov 2019 37.gmg sertraline, 39mg mirtazapine, 5mg olanzapine.

Nov 2019 -Dec 2019 25mg sertraline, 30mg mirtazapine, 5mg olanzapine. Jan 2020 18.75mg sertraline, 5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Feb 2020 0mg sertraline, 2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. May 2020 1.8mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Aug 2020 2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Stabilised for 9 months @2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. May2021 started slow taper from olanzapine, 5% previous dose per month. Oct 2021 1.875mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine.

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Hi @Rrsfc. Sorry only saw your post after I replied to hayduke. Thanks for your message. No my tablets aren’t orodisoersible but using hayduke’s method of breaking them and letting them disperse for an hour before using them seemed to result in a more even distribution. There were some bigger bits floating about but I think you are right - in this case it is the film that coats the tablets. 
 

I will heed your advice on the insomnia. I made the mistake of letting it go on too long after I reduced from 2.5mg to 1.8mg and ended up with a mild psychosis that luckily I was able to get under control by updosing to 2.5mg. Although the psychosis went pretty quickly it took me over a month to reliably get my sleep back which at 2.5mg before I’d dropped had been a solid 10 hours. Even then I still had some minor disturbances further down the line than that. So I’m not going back there. Last night was better about 8 and a half hours in total with one awakening so I think it is OK to carry on for now.

 

Patience is something I am going to have to learn. Never been my strong point but you are right it is the only way to get off this drug safely.

Hope you are doing OK and thanks again for the advice.

 

Sept 2018 - Nov 2018 200mg sertraline, 7.5mg olanzapine. 

Nov 2018 - Jan 2018 200mg sertraline, 30mg mirtazapine, 7.5mg olanzapine.

Jan 2019 - mid Feb 2019 reduced sertraline from 200 - 50mg, 7.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine.

Feb 2019- Jun 2019 30mg mirtazapine, 50mg sertraline, 7.5mg olanzapine.

Jun 2019 - Oct 2019 30mg mirtazapine, 50mg sertraline, 5mg olanzapine.

Oct 2019 - Nov 2019 37.gmg sertraline, 39mg mirtazapine, 5mg olanzapine.

Nov 2019 -Dec 2019 25mg sertraline, 30mg mirtazapine, 5mg olanzapine. Jan 2020 18.75mg sertraline, 5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Feb 2020 0mg sertraline, 2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. May 2020 1.8mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Aug 2020 2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Stabilised for 9 months @2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. May2021 started slow taper from olanzapine, 5% previous dose per month. Oct 2021 1.875mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine.

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Well I had to go back to the solid tablet. On the water titration even at the full dose Insomnia was persisting and I also was feeling a bit amped up which scared me. I know you have to push through some discomfort in this process and I could have carried on but am scared of rebound psychosis which happened when I went too fast last year. Was also scared by the fact that I didn’t know how much of the dose I was actually getting and that I could have inadvertently dropped quite a significant amount due to differences in absorption of a suspension in comparison to a tablet.

 

I am feeling quite despondent. I don’t know how I am going to get off this drug if I can’t transition from solid to taking it as a liquid.

 

Sept 2018 - Nov 2018 200mg sertraline, 7.5mg olanzapine. 

Nov 2018 - Jan 2018 200mg sertraline, 30mg mirtazapine, 7.5mg olanzapine.

Jan 2019 - mid Feb 2019 reduced sertraline from 200 - 50mg, 7.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine.

Feb 2019- Jun 2019 30mg mirtazapine, 50mg sertraline, 7.5mg olanzapine.

Jun 2019 - Oct 2019 30mg mirtazapine, 50mg sertraline, 5mg olanzapine.

Oct 2019 - Nov 2019 37.gmg sertraline, 39mg mirtazapine, 5mg olanzapine.

Nov 2019 -Dec 2019 25mg sertraline, 30mg mirtazapine, 5mg olanzapine. Jan 2020 18.75mg sertraline, 5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Feb 2020 0mg sertraline, 2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. May 2020 1.8mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Aug 2020 2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Stabilised for 9 months @2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. May2021 started slow taper from olanzapine, 5% previous dose per month. Oct 2021 1.875mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine.

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  • Moderator

I think it just means you need to keep holding on the tablet.  It sounds like your brain is still catching up with all your changes.  Remember you've made a few really big cuts!  When it's steady there, I think the change to a suspension shouldn't be too challenging.  I reckon just sit tight on the solid tablet till then.

I am not a health professional - your actions are your own.  

Please do not seek tapering support via private message - "Any reason to hold is a good one"

My taper visualised as a graph   |   My intro thread

Backdrop:  2003 10mg olanzapine | 2004 2-3mg risperidone | end 2014 3wks aripiprazole

2015: olanzapine  10 -> 7½ -> 6⅔ -> 5mg  by crude pill cutter

2018:  Mar 5.00mg -> water titrated taper -> Aug2.5mg tablet and hold

Jan 2019 2.50mg water titration -> Jan 2020 1.214  -> Jan 2021 0.44 -> 2 Oct 0.205 ->3 Oct ZERO🥂

Jun 2023 💉150mg paliperidone "loading" depot shot, 100mg 1wk after Jul 100mg Aug-Dec 75mg/4wks

Jul 2023 2.50mg aripiprazole/day attempt to lower prolactin^

Jan-Feb 2024 cross taper off shots to 1mg risperidone

 

Ask not what you can do for your country, but what your country did to you"  -- KMFDM

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I think you did well, insomnia is a sign your dosage was too low. Try the orodispersibles next time, start by taking them in solid form and then progress to liquid, I had no issues whatsoever with them, I could make really small adjustements with confidence. Sorry I'm repeating my previous advice, it's just that it worked really well for me. Maybe it works for you too. Don't get discouraged, you'll find a way. Good luck. 

2007 - 15mg olanzapine, mood stabilizer, benzo, quetiapine 2009 - aripiprazol, benzo, lamotrigine 100mg 2015 - olzp 15mg, zolpidem 2017 - trazodone 2 weeks, cold turkey, lamotrigine and zolpidem, olzp 15mg, mood stabilizer, benzo 2018 - olzp 5mg, Nov olzp 2,5mg down directly from 5mg no symptoms 2019 - olzp 2,5mg cold turkey Jan after 12 days reinstated, Nov taper cutting pills 14 days reinstated 2,5mg 2020 - failed liquid taper, reinstated 2,5mg, 2022 - liquid taper 2,5% reductions Jan, huge crisis in May up to 30mg, tapered, reached 2,5mg in Set - decided to stop tapering and remain at 2,5mg olanzapine indefinetely.

 

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Thanks @Rrsfcand @haydukefor your replies. I agree with you hayduke that it is probably a bit soon to be reducing. I was hoping that I could switch to taking olanzapine as a liquid relatively easily and hold for a couple of months before starting a taper from there. It wasn’t as easy as I thought. I think rrsfc is right. It does seem like I am getting a quite significant reduction by taking it as a liquid. Can’t understand it really as I was taking the whole dose and then rinsing the glass with water and drinking that to get any residue that was left. Can only think it is a problem with absorption. I will look into getting the orodispersible tablets. Hopefully my doctor will prescribe them and it will work better with that formulation. In the meantime it is back to holding for a bit longer. This process is so frustrating! But the consequences of going too fast are just not acceptable so there is no other choice than to be patient.

 

Sept 2018 - Nov 2018 200mg sertraline, 7.5mg olanzapine. 

Nov 2018 - Jan 2018 200mg sertraline, 30mg mirtazapine, 7.5mg olanzapine.

Jan 2019 - mid Feb 2019 reduced sertraline from 200 - 50mg, 7.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine.

Feb 2019- Jun 2019 30mg mirtazapine, 50mg sertraline, 7.5mg olanzapine.

Jun 2019 - Oct 2019 30mg mirtazapine, 50mg sertraline, 5mg olanzapine.

Oct 2019 - Nov 2019 37.gmg sertraline, 39mg mirtazapine, 5mg olanzapine.

Nov 2019 -Dec 2019 25mg sertraline, 30mg mirtazapine, 5mg olanzapine. Jan 2020 18.75mg sertraline, 5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Feb 2020 0mg sertraline, 2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. May 2020 1.8mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Aug 2020 2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Stabilised for 9 months @2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. May2021 started slow taper from olanzapine, 5% previous dose per month. Oct 2021 1.875mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine.

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I don't think you need a prescription especially for orodispersibles, just 5mg pills. In the pharmacy there are brands that are orodispersibles, you can choose one of those. The one I use is called generis, the pills are usually yellow and dissolve very quickly. 

2007 - 15mg olanzapine, mood stabilizer, benzo, quetiapine 2009 - aripiprazol, benzo, lamotrigine 100mg 2015 - olzp 15mg, zolpidem 2017 - trazodone 2 weeks, cold turkey, lamotrigine and zolpidem, olzp 15mg, mood stabilizer, benzo 2018 - olzp 5mg, Nov olzp 2,5mg down directly from 5mg no symptoms 2019 - olzp 2,5mg cold turkey Jan after 12 days reinstated, Nov taper cutting pills 14 days reinstated 2,5mg 2020 - failed liquid taper, reinstated 2,5mg, 2022 - liquid taper 2,5% reductions Jan, huge crisis in May up to 30mg, tapered, reached 2,5mg in Set - decided to stop tapering and remain at 2,5mg olanzapine indefinetely.

 

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I’m sorry I don’t know what you mean by orodispersable tablets. I thought you meant the wafers that dissolve in your mouth. I don’t know where you’re from but in the UK if we get a different format of tablets it has to be specified on the prescription. It’s also not possible to specify a specific brand. I have tried with the pharmacy where my prescriptions go to keep consistency but when I go to pick it up they always say they can’t get hold of the brand I requested so I end up with whatever they’ve got. Different brand every month usually. Doesn’t help in the best of circumstances but makes it especially hard when tapering.

 

Sept 2018 - Nov 2018 200mg sertraline, 7.5mg olanzapine. 

Nov 2018 - Jan 2018 200mg sertraline, 30mg mirtazapine, 7.5mg olanzapine.

Jan 2019 - mid Feb 2019 reduced sertraline from 200 - 50mg, 7.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine.

Feb 2019- Jun 2019 30mg mirtazapine, 50mg sertraline, 7.5mg olanzapine.

Jun 2019 - Oct 2019 30mg mirtazapine, 50mg sertraline, 5mg olanzapine.

Oct 2019 - Nov 2019 37.gmg sertraline, 39mg mirtazapine, 5mg olanzapine.

Nov 2019 -Dec 2019 25mg sertraline, 30mg mirtazapine, 5mg olanzapine. Jan 2020 18.75mg sertraline, 5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Feb 2020 0mg sertraline, 2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. May 2020 1.8mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Aug 2020 2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. Stabilised for 9 months @2.5mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine. May2021 started slow taper from olanzapine, 5% previous dose per month. Oct 2021 1.875mg olanzapine, 30mg mirtazapine.

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Yes, I meant the wafers that dissolve in your mouth. Here is different it seems, I can choose the brand I want at the pharmacy. Get a prescription then, I hope it works for you... Even having to break the pills in half by hand because I can only get 5mg ones my dosage was accurate enough to taper effectively... 

2007 - 15mg olanzapine, mood stabilizer, benzo, quetiapine 2009 - aripiprazol, benzo, lamotrigine 100mg 2015 - olzp 15mg, zolpidem 2017 - trazodone 2 weeks, cold turkey, lamotrigine and zolpidem, olzp 15mg, mood stabilizer, benzo 2018 - olzp 5mg, Nov olzp 2,5mg down directly from 5mg no symptoms 2019 - olzp 2,5mg cold turkey Jan after 12 days reinstated, Nov taper cutting pills 14 days reinstated 2,5mg 2020 - failed liquid taper, reinstated 2,5mg, 2022 - liquid taper 2,5% reductions Jan, huge crisis in May up to 30mg, tapered, reached 2,5mg in Set - decided to stop tapering and remain at 2,5mg olanzapine indefinetely.

 

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I never found much of a difference cutting over from the solid to liquid with the usual tablets.  My hunch is that difference is enough to bother your nervous system @BadMedicine and that it will not be difficult after a longer hold.

 

In the same way sometimes I've made a very tiny cut and my brain yells "Oi!  Too ambitious, not ready yet sport" :-)

I am not a health professional - your actions are your own.  

Please do not seek tapering support via private message - "Any reason to hold is a good one"

My taper visualised as a graph   |   My intro thread

Backdrop:  2003 10mg olanzapine | 2004 2-3mg risperidone | end 2014 3wks aripiprazole

2015: olanzapine  10 -> 7½ -> 6⅔ -> 5mg  by crude pill cutter

2018:  Mar 5.00mg -> water titrated taper -> Aug2.5mg tablet and hold

Jan 2019 2.50mg water titration -> Jan 2020 1.214  -> Jan 2021 0.44 -> 2 Oct 0.205 ->3 Oct ZERO🥂

Jun 2023 💉150mg paliperidone "loading" depot shot, 100mg 1wk after Jul 100mg Aug-Dec 75mg/4wks

Jul 2023 2.50mg aripiprazole/day attempt to lower prolactin^

Jan-Feb 2024 cross taper off shots to 1mg risperidone

 

Ask not what you can do for your country, but what your country did to you"  -- KMFDM

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