santking: Depakote withdrawal 15+years

[santking]

HI, here santking, 34y

 

"manic" diagnosed episode in 2004. treated w lithium, benzos and prozac.  1000 mg of depakote+benzos+prozac jun-ago 2004. ago-dec 750. + prozac Dec: just 500 depakote

(treatment produced strong acne. treated with roaccutan between nov 2004 to oct 2006)

2005:  depakote 500 (some months w 750) + prozac and benzos- (lorazepam)

dec 2005 - aug 2007: depakote 500 mg

aug 2007 - 2009 alternated depakote 500 mg to 250 mg

jan 2010 i started with a new psychiatrist: depakote 500 mg until sep 2012

 

sep 2012 started depakote + antidepressants:   depakote 500 + etifoxina / paroxetine and propanodol (?) (until jun 2013)

jun 2013: depakote 500mg with paroxetine and propanodol.  oct 2013: change paroxetine for trazadone. until Jan 2014.

jan 2014: depakote 500mg and leave trazadone

jan 2014-oct 2015: depakote 500 mg 

oct 2015: psychiatrist introduces sertraline.

suicidal attempt with sertraline overdose in jan 2016. psychiatrists increases depakote to 750 mg and introduces wellburtin.

jan 2016 - dec 2017: 750mg depakote + wellburtin

dec 2017 consulting another psychiatrist changed wellburtin to seroquel 25 mg  dec 2017 . until jun 2018: 750mg depakote and seroquel 25 mg

 

in jul 2018 I meet the Peter BReggin's books and SA forum and start the withdrawal process. this included consuting with psycotherapist  and intense researching meeting content like Icarus project, mad in america, Rachel Aviv articles and Laura Delano's Withdrawal Project (a daily reference)

 

ago 2018: start tapering: depakote 500 mg and seroquel in 12mg dosages (cutting to half) until nov.  in dec 2018 I felt the withdrawl synthoms of seroquel leaving (insomnia, vertigo, suicidal thoughts, paranoia, anxiety, fear)

Jan 2019: changed depakote dosage  -tablets o sprinkles- (125 mg)  taking 4 pills daily.

May 2019: tried tapering without scale (reducing "half" of sprinkle aprox 437 mg) causing a week of insomnia and panic. returned with 500 mg in June.

Aug 2019: started tapering with scale.

sep 2019: 450 mg 

Oct 400 mg.

Nov: 375 mg (3 pills daily)

 

DUring November I have been taking 375 mg  I have been feeling intense laziness, lack of motivation and fatigue. I tried changing diet: avoiding caffeine, alcohol, sugar, dairy and ultraprocessed foods. I had a week w insomnia and next week felt sleepness and lack of motivation (after Dec 1) RIght now I'm worried because I still feeling down and need increase energy due to personal compromises. I'm doubting if back to 400 mg or still reducing the dosage. THis based on how I'm feeling and listening the body sensations.

I'm doing the tapering based on the 10% standard seeing in Breggin books, TWP and here.

This is my history w psychiatry treatments and I would appreciate your help and recommendations for my case. If you need some explanations I will do it. Thank you. 

 

[Gridley]

Welcome to SA, Santking.  It sounds like you've done some very good research.  The diet changes are a good idea.  Lack of motivation and fatigue are typical withdrawal symptoms.  I would counsel caution regarding any temptation to try to increase energy with supplements, as many members report being very sensitive to them due to our over-reactive nervous systems.

 

Regarding whether to reduce further from 375mg or updose to 400mg, you will have to listen to your body.  It is natural after a reduction to feel some increased symptoms but these should level out at some point in the 4-week 10% taper cycle.  The other choice is to hold at 375mg for longer to allow your system to catch up and stabilize.  In fact, it's a good idea to work in some holds during the 10%-every-four-week taper for this purpose.

 

As you've been doing, we recommend tapering no more than 10% of your current dose every four weeks.

 

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

The following link is specifically about tapering Depakote.

Tips for tapering off sodium valproate and valproic acid (divalproex sodium, Depakote, Depakene)

 

Are you still taking or tapering Seroquel?  We recommend tapering only one drug at a time. Otherwise, if problems arise, you won't know which taper is the cause.  If you're still tapering Seroquel, I suggest you stop that taper and hold where you are until you've finished your Depakote taper.

 

We don't recommend a lot of supplements on SA, for the reasons I gave earlier, but two supplements that we do recommend are magnesium and omega 3 (fish oil). Many people find these to be calming to the nervous system. 

 

Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker 

 

Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) 

 

Add in one at a time and at a low dose in case you do experience problems.

 

This is your Introduction topic, where you can ask questions and connect with other members.  We're glad you fund your way here.

 

 

 

 

 

[santking]

HI Grildley. Thank you so much for your response

I forgot tell that I left completely the seroquel in Nov 2018 three months after taking half (12 mg)

what happened??:

"in dec 2018 I felt the withdrawl synthoms of seroquel leaving (insomnia, vertigo, suicidal thoughts, paranoia, anxiety, fear)"

 

p.d. dices que estàs en Ecuador ¿se puede responder en español?

[santking]

When I Started tapering (aug 18) I tried taking a Guarana Jam for increase energy. (!) Guarana is so hard and I had some hyperactivity episodes. I left completely

THis year I talked to a physician friend on taking Omega 3. He recommends also but he feels that it's not necessary for my age. But I feel that it could be a good option

I started taking pills of Tiamin (TIamina in esp) (VItamin B1) since November and... I don t feel better. But I will still taking them.

 

I have another issues to add:  I have a standard way of life for my country. (middle class, professional degree,  etc) but during years after the 2016 attempt I have been living in a low economic situation and I don't earn too much money to take some treatments (like massages, and whatever therapies). I'm going to therapist when I have money (it could be a month or 2-3 months) Remember, I live in COlombia and this is a very complex country and society.

[santking]

"Therapist= psycotherapist"

[santking]

On 12/23/2019 at 5:18 PM, santking said:

 

 

About income: I have a doubt whether treatments like this (tapering, etc.) are expensive or difficult for poor and low-income people and for the "third world" or the "global south" (I don't like them these terms, excuse me) (I'm from Colombia)
I guess this conversation is available in the forum and I want to know how the people in these societies resolved these situations. (excuse my writing in English. I have basic level)

[Gridley]

On 12/23/2019 at 5:18 PM, santking said:

 

p.d. dices que estàs en Ecuador ¿se puede responder en español?

It would be better if we communicated in English, so the other members and moderators can understand.

 

26 minutes ago, santking said:

 

About income: I have a doubt whether treatments like this (tapering, etc.) are expensive

Tapering really isn't expensive. You already have the scale.  Massages aren't necessary for tapering.  Nor are expensive supplements.  The omegas and magnesium I mentioned earlier aren't essential either, but they are helpful and not expensive.
 

 

On 12/23/2019 at 5:40 PM, santking said:

I started taking pills of Tiamin

 

B vitamins can be activating (too stimulating) to someone tapering or in withdrawal, and we don't recommend them.

[santking]

On Income: "Tapering really isn't expensive. You already have the scale.  Massages aren't necessary for tapering.  Nor are expensive supplements.  The omegas and magnesium I mentioned earlier aren't essential either, but they are helpful and not expensive."  I'm talking about this: https://withdrawal.theinnercompass.org/page/coping-techniques-z 

 

On 12/23/2019 at 5:18 PM, santking said:

HI Grildley. Thank you so much for your response

I forgot tell that I left completely the seroquel in Nov 2018 three months after taking half (12 mg)

what happened??:

"in dec 2018 I felt the withdrawl synthoms of seroquel leaving (insomnia, vertigo, suicidal thoughts, paranoia, anxiety, fear)"

 

p.d. dices que estàs en Ecuador ¿se puede responder en español?

 

On my seroquel tapering. I wanna know your response. One year without taking seroquel I have been feeling sensible and paranoid with some intrusive thoughts during the nights. May be the tapering was too fast. But despite this I felt and lived some positive changes, my lifestyle has no changed too much since I started the taperings and took the two pills. Thank you and wait your answer.

[santking]

*But my lifestyle... etc

 

 

[santking]

HI everybody

 

I'm still in 375mg. started omega 3 (2 capsules dairy)

No changes.

I don't know what to do.

[santking]

Hi community

this week I upped dose to 400 mg again and I have feeling a bit bit better. Also I wanna invite you to read this article based on a similar case on taking psychiatric drugs and how our colombian healthcare works.

 

https://www.revistaarcadia.com/opinion-online/entrada-blog/suicidalidad-y-nosotros-quien-repara/38391

 

regards

 

 

[santking]

HI everybody

on this weekend I experienced a kind of "epiphany". (kind of religious thoughts and flashbacks of traumatic episodes on first hospitalizations)  
also, I couldn't sleep well during several days feeling intense insomnia. I'm back to 386 mg after three days in 375 mg of depakote. The last days i have been feeling very strange, living by gravity force.
since today I started taking the dosage two times at day (at 9 hrs and 22 hrs)  I always took dosage of meds during the night (all this time since first medication) and i don't know if this could be a good and big change in the way of taking the dosage. what do you think about taking in day and night. thank you.

[santking]

Hi

Can we put in contact with anybody of community via whatsapp?? (crisis, asking, Faq, etc) 

thank you 

[santking]

Hi EVERYBODY.

This is a refresh of my case:

Mar: due to changes in quarantine in city and social distancing I expected a kind of scary thoughts on nature and strange ideas.

After 18 mar start the quarantine in Bogota and I tried to stay with my life. (fath 66, moth 62  sis 27)

but on 30th march they decide to leave me to the hospital because "anxiety and panic". i Just thank to change to a near home due to dificulties for quarantine. 

I was 15 days incarcerated there. the condictions were good, less conflicts, 2 times were (amarrado a la cama) and no fights o physiccal injuries.

I was uptated yesterday and I'm in home fine. But my family is overrated, overwhelming about me and my sleeping development.

 

I agrreed your help in all this situation on "global pandemic" and how can we help us during this difficulties as a species. I agreed some near collaborator or person in colombia o ecuador (maybe as a Gridley)

 

I hope everybody is fine here. from colombia att santking

 

[santking]

hi everybody it's me again

due to circumstances (I lived a "relapse" on april) this is my current dosage:

lithium carbonate (600 mg) 300 mg tablet at morning/night
olanzapine (5mg) tablet at night
Levothyroxine 50 mcg.  daily at the morning. This is for preventing a Thyroid problem due to lithium.

 

I want start my tapering process. Olanzapine FIrst, then Lithium.

what would you recommend me?   

thank you

[ChessieCat]

Please create your drug signature including ALL drugs and supplements, current AND previous.

 

Here is the appropriate topic.  Please Post #1 carefully.

 

Tips for tapering off olanzapine (Zyprexa)

 

You can do a search of the site for other members tapering the same drug to see how they are getting their doses.

[santking]

HI everybody

 

yesterday i started reducing my current lithium carbonate dose (600 mg) 

10% 540 mg

do you have an article on tapering off litium carbonate tablets ??

 

thank you 

 

 

[ChessieCat]

Hi santking and welcome back,

 

As previously requested, please create your drug signature following these instructions:

 

Instructions:  Withdrawal History Signature

 

5 hours ago, santking said:

do you have an article on tapering off litium carbonate tablets ??

 

tips-for-tapering-off-lithium

 

[santking]

Hola comunidad. Les escribo en español por lo siguiente: ¿han pensado que las condiciones ambientales afectan nuestros procesos de desmonte de medicamentos?  es muy diferente la situación alimentaria y de recursos en los USA donde hay estaciones y un ecosistema diferente al que tenemos en los países tropicales donde es posible encontrar recursos como agua frutas y verduras con relativa facilidad. lamento que el foro tenga un enfoque anglosajón. seria bueno tener un capitulo en español y latinoamericano de esta experiencia en donde desde nuestros ecosistemas podamos ayudarnos en estos procesos tan complejos.  invito al dialogo en dos lenguas debido que para nosotros los latinoamericanos escribir en inglés es un trabajo que requiere usar los hemisferios cerebrales, es un privilegi,o y una habilidad que no todos tenemos.  un saludo. y pueden usar el google translate. 

 

 

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

 

Hello community. I am writing to you in Spanish because of the following: have you thought that the environmental conditions affect our processes of dismantling medicines? the food and resource situation in the USA where there are seasons and a different ecosystem than the one we have in tropical countries where it is possible to find resources such as water, fruits and vegetables with relative ease is very different. I regret that the forum has an Anglo-Saxon focus. it would be good to have a chapter in spanish and latin american of this experience where from our ecosystems we can help each other in these complex processes. i invite the dialogue in two languages because for us latin americans to write in english is a job that requires using the cerebral hemispheres, it is a privilege and a skill that not all of us have. greetings. and you can use google translate.

 

 

Edited April 19, 2022 by ChessieCat
added translation

[ChessieCat]

When posting please include the English translation.

[ChessieCat]

1 hour ago, santking said:

it would be good to have a chapter in spanish and latin american

 

See the following which has a link to a site in various languages, including Spanish:

 

 

[santking]

thank you

[santking]

hi

another question

which change with covid 19 pandemic?

how this new enviroment could affect our processes? 

(how could impact in tropical areas like my country colombia? maybe in the states the situation is different)