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ASufferingPatient: Latuda withdrawal


ASufferingPatient

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Hello everyone.

 

I am currently on 20 mg of Latuda. I was on 40 mg of Latuda and it took a year to go down to 20.

 

The problem I'm facing now is that 20 mg is the lowest dose.

 

1. I've tried making a liquid of latuda using instructions on this site but it doesn't seem as effective.

2. I can cut the tablet using a pill cutter, but to get to 10% (2 mg) is extremely difficult.

3. I asked about compounding but my insurance won't cover less than 20 mg. I called and asked and they didn't know really what I was talking about. This medicine without insurance is over $1000 a month. I am not wealthy.

4. My doctor said to take a half pill (10 mg) every 4th day. I told him I didn't do well with alternative doses. Even after I told him I'd pay for his time to authorize compounding with the insurance company he said it would be a hassle and a difficult conversation with the insurance company for little benefit.

5. I bought a precision digital scale from Amazon that measures 0.0001 g. I'll see if that works and if not return it.

 

My story is a lengthy and complicated one to the point where it inspired me to write a novel based on my experiences, which is currently being edited. But I will keep it short.

 

When I was 16 or 17 I was prescribed many different drugs I forget. Of course I had little to no say in this. One of them was Zyprexa. It made me stupid and gain a lot of weight. When in my early 20s seeing a different psychiatrist he said I was put on more Zyprexa than the maximum dosage. Eventually I  tried Risperdal. Still felt stupid and had problems with weight, but since I wasn't on a Herculean dosage I did better. I then tried Geodon for various dosages that I did better in. I lost some weight and was mentally ok (felt like walking up from a dream). Then in 2014 I tried Latuda because I thought it would help with weight and help me sleep. Well I do sleep better but I've gained weight. Mentally I'm ok but sometimes I feel stuck and drink lots of caffeine and sugar to help "wake me up" which lead to their own problems. I was on 40 mg and over the past year worked hard to lower to 20 mg. So I think I can do it I just need some guidance.

 

This is just my history with antipsychotics. I'll spare you my history with antidepressants, benzos, and mood stabilizers.

 

But one of my great questions in life is should I have ever been put on antipsychotics in the first place and if they've done more harm then good. I've become pretty depressed lately because I'm 40 and single and overweight and feel like life is passing me by, and I  think the antipsychotics are a big part of that. I have been labeled as "schizoaffective" and I know I'm not "normal" but no one ever sat down with me when I was a teenager and did a cost benefit analysis of what appropriate action to take. I was simply put on this medication without any discussion of long term consequences or alternative solutions.

 

I'd appreciate any guidance or kindness you can give and I will do my best to offer the same in return.

Edited by manymoretodays
user name added

1. Zoloft 0 mg for 4+ weeks. 2. Latuda - 0 mg for 8+ weeks 3. Klonipin .5mg every night 4. Also take losartan and amlodipine (blood pressure medication)

 

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  • manymoretodays changed the title to ASufferingPatient: Latuda withdrawal
  • Moderator Emeritus

Welcome to SA, ASufferingPatient.

 

To give members the best information, we ask them to summarize their medication history in a signature -- drugs, doses, dates, and discontinuations & reinstatements, in the last 12-24 months particularly.

 

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature.

 

Your main concern at this point, as I read your post, is what method to use to taper.  As you already know, we recommend tapering by no more than 10% of your current dose every four weeks.

 

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

This link is specifically about tapering Latuda, including the various methods of tapering.

 

Tips for tapering off lurasidone (Latuda) 

 

You've organized your tapering options well.  Let's talk about them one by one.

 

1.  Making your own liquid is a favored method on this site.  However, if it doesn't work as well for you as the tablet version, there is another viable option in the scale (discussed below). 

 

2. Using a pill cutter, because the doses are inconsistent and inexact, is not the best method of tapering.

 

3.  I'm sorry your insurance company is so uncooperative.  Their attitude, along with your doctor's attitude, make compounding an unlikely choice.

 

4.  Take a pill every fourth day is a terrible idea that will make withdrawal worse.  You can forget this suggestion.

 

5.  If making your own liquid doesn't work, the best option for you is the Gemini-20 scale.  I used it without problem for my 4-year Lexapro taper.  When thinking about the scale, it's important to keep in mind the difference between mgai (active ingredient - which is the dosage on the bottle) and mgpw (pill weight).  Because of binders and fillers, your 20mgai Latuda weighs much more than 20mg.  For example, my 20mgai Lexapro weighed 200mg pill weight, a 1:10 ratio.  What this means is that the scale is accurate down to a very low dose active ingredient.  If you choose to use the scale, we can help you use it with your 10% taper.

 

We don't recommend a lot of supplements on SA, as many members report being sensitive to them due to our over-reactive nervous systems, 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. 

 

 

 

Add in one at a time and at a low dose in case you do experience problems. Get supplements that are single ingredient (not mixed with other types of supplements).

 

This is your Introduction topic, where you can complete your drug signature, askquestions and connect with other members.  We're glad you found your way here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gridley Introduction

 

Lexapro 20 mg since 2004.  Begin Brassmonkey Slide Taper Jan. 2017.   

End 2017 year 1 of taper at 9.25mg 

End 2018 year 2 of taper at 4.1mg

End 2019 year 3 of taper at 1.0mg  

Oct. 30, 2020  Jump to zero from 0.025mg.  Current dose: 0.000mg

3 year, 10 month taper is 100% complete.

 

Ativan 1 mg to 1.875mg 1986-2020, two CT's and reinstatements

Nov. 2020, 7-week Ativan-Valium crossover to 18.75mg Valium

Feb. 2021, begin 10%/4 week taper of 18.75mg Valium 

End 2021  year 1 of Valium taper at 6mg

End 2022 year 2 of Valium taper at 2.75mg 

End 2023 year 3 of Valium taper at 1mg

Jan. 24, 2024: Hold at 1mg and shift to Imipramine taper.

Taper is 95% complete.

 

Imipramine 75 mg daily since 1986.  Jan.-Sept. 2016 tapered to 14.4mg  

March 22, 2022: Begin 10%/4 week taper

Aug. 5, 2022: hold at 9.5mg and shift to Valium taper

Jan. 24, 2024: Resume Imipramine taper.  Current dose as of Feb. 22: 7.6mg

Taper is 90% complete.  

  

Supplements: multiple, quercetin, omega-3, vitamins C, E and D3, magnesium glycinate, probiotics, zinc, melatonin .3mg, anti-candida, iron, serrapeptase, nattokinase


I am not a medical professional and this is not medical advice but simply information based on my own experience, as well as other members who have survived these drugs.

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Gridley,

 

Thank you for your reply. I will update my signature. I also will look into the scale.

 

I should clarify that what my doctor suggested me to do was take 20 mg for three days and then take 10 mg on the fourth day. Do you still think that is a bad idea?

1. Zoloft 0 mg for 4+ weeks. 2. Latuda - 0 mg for 8+ weeks 3. Klonipin .5mg every night 4. Also take losartan and amlodipine (blood pressure medication)

 

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  • Moderator Emeritus
31 minutes ago, ASufferingPatient said:

 

I should clarify that what my doctor suggested me to do was take 20 mg for three days and then take 10 mg on the fourth day. Do you still think that is a bad idea?

Yes, that is an extremely bad idea.  Your taper should be very gradual.  Decreasing 50% from 20mg to 10mg could be a severe jolt to your system.  Jumping around in dosage makes the amount of the drug in your blood stream go up and down, battering the nervous system and making withdrawal worse.

Edited by Gridley

Gridley Introduction

 

Lexapro 20 mg since 2004.  Begin Brassmonkey Slide Taper Jan. 2017.   

End 2017 year 1 of taper at 9.25mg 

End 2018 year 2 of taper at 4.1mg

End 2019 year 3 of taper at 1.0mg  

Oct. 30, 2020  Jump to zero from 0.025mg.  Current dose: 0.000mg

3 year, 10 month taper is 100% complete.

 

Ativan 1 mg to 1.875mg 1986-2020, two CT's and reinstatements

Nov. 2020, 7-week Ativan-Valium crossover to 18.75mg Valium

Feb. 2021, begin 10%/4 week taper of 18.75mg Valium 

End 2021  year 1 of Valium taper at 6mg

End 2022 year 2 of Valium taper at 2.75mg 

End 2023 year 3 of Valium taper at 1mg

Jan. 24, 2024: Hold at 1mg and shift to Imipramine taper.

Taper is 95% complete.

 

Imipramine 75 mg daily since 1986.  Jan.-Sept. 2016 tapered to 14.4mg  

March 22, 2022: Begin 10%/4 week taper

Aug. 5, 2022: hold at 9.5mg and shift to Valium taper

Jan. 24, 2024: Resume Imipramine taper.  Current dose as of Feb. 22: 7.6mg

Taper is 90% complete.  

  

Supplements: multiple, quercetin, omega-3, vitamins C, E and D3, magnesium glycinate, probiotics, zinc, melatonin .3mg, anti-candida, iron, serrapeptase, nattokinase


I am not a medical professional and this is not medical advice but simply information based on my own experience, as well as other members who have survived these drugs.

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I talked to a different psychiatrist today for a second opinion. I told him that alternating dosages did not work for me but he also still tried to suggest it by taking 20 mg 1 day and 17.5 the next. He said compounding might be expensive. He then asked why I couldn't go down from 20 mg to 15mg because it was only 25%. I told him I had tried recently and it didn't really work.

 

This is getting very frustrating. It's like these doctors don't have experience removing people from medicine. Has anyone had experience with Free Range Psychiatry? I am doing a fifteen minute call with them tonight. Also I  looked into Alternatives to Meds Center but that didn't look like it was for me. They seemed pretty expensive and to do things too fast and I don't really want to stop my job to go out to Arizona for a few months.

 

At this point I'm wondering if the simplest thing is to just keep the same doctor and dosage and get a scale and do the tapering on my own.

 

This seems to be a lot more work than it should be and my cynicism certainly flares up when removing myself from meds is this difficult. I guess the good thing is I am pretty persistent until I find a solution.

1. Zoloft 0 mg for 4+ weeks. 2. Latuda - 0 mg for 8+ weeks 3. Klonipin .5mg every night 4. Also take losartan and amlodipine (blood pressure medication)

 

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  • Moderator Emeritus
15 minutes ago, ASufferingPatient said:

the simplest thing is to just keep the same doctor and dosage and get a scale and do the tapering on my own.

That is what many of us do.  

 

15 minutes ago, ASufferingPatient said:

Alternatives to Meds Center but that didn't look like it was for me.

We don't recommend Alternatives to Meds Center.

Alternative to Meds Center in Sedona, Arizona? - Symptoms ...

 

16 minutes ago, ASufferingPatient said:

This seems to be a lot more work than it should be and my cynicism certainly flares up when removing myself from meds is this difficult.

It's difficult because the drugs are so powerful and care has to be taken to go slowly with accurate doses as you taper.  The Netherlands has tapering strips that make reducing doses a lot easier, but these aren't available in the U.S.  

 

 

 

 

Gridley Introduction

 

Lexapro 20 mg since 2004.  Begin Brassmonkey Slide Taper Jan. 2017.   

End 2017 year 1 of taper at 9.25mg 

End 2018 year 2 of taper at 4.1mg

End 2019 year 3 of taper at 1.0mg  

Oct. 30, 2020  Jump to zero from 0.025mg.  Current dose: 0.000mg

3 year, 10 month taper is 100% complete.

 

Ativan 1 mg to 1.875mg 1986-2020, two CT's and reinstatements

Nov. 2020, 7-week Ativan-Valium crossover to 18.75mg Valium

Feb. 2021, begin 10%/4 week taper of 18.75mg Valium 

End 2021  year 1 of Valium taper at 6mg

End 2022 year 2 of Valium taper at 2.75mg 

End 2023 year 3 of Valium taper at 1mg

Jan. 24, 2024: Hold at 1mg and shift to Imipramine taper.

Taper is 95% complete.

 

Imipramine 75 mg daily since 1986.  Jan.-Sept. 2016 tapered to 14.4mg  

March 22, 2022: Begin 10%/4 week taper

Aug. 5, 2022: hold at 9.5mg and shift to Valium taper

Jan. 24, 2024: Resume Imipramine taper.  Current dose as of Feb. 22: 7.6mg

Taper is 90% complete.  

  

Supplements: multiple, quercetin, omega-3, vitamins C, E and D3, magnesium glycinate, probiotics, zinc, melatonin .3mg, anti-candida, iron, serrapeptase, nattokinase


I am not a medical professional and this is not medical advice but simply information based on my own experience, as well as other members who have survived these drugs.

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3 minutes ago, Gridley said:

 

 

It's difficult because the drugs are so powerful and care has to be taken to go slowly with accurate doses as you taper.  The Netherlands has tapering strips that make reducing doses a lot easier, but these aren't available in the U.S.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

I know that. You know that. But why don't psychiatrists seem to know that? 

1. Zoloft 0 mg for 4+ weeks. 2. Latuda - 0 mg for 8+ weeks 3. Klonipin .5mg every night 4. Also take losartan and amlodipine (blood pressure medication)

 

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  • Moderator Emeritus
19 minutes ago, ASufferingPatient said:

But why don't psychiatrists seem to know that? 

They know only what they're taught in school and what they pharmaceutical companies tell them.  If they were to face the fact that the drugs they hand out often cause terrible withdrawal, and that their tapering schedules bear no resemblance to what works, they would have to face  a difficult moral dilemma, that being, "Is my profession doing more harm than good?"  There's not a lot of motivation to face that.

 

As Upton Sinclair wrote, "It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not

understanding it."

 

This excellent interview with psychiatrist Mark Horowitz, who toed the orthodox line until he underwent (and is still undergoing) severe withdrawal, addresses this issue and many others.  A worthwhile listen.

Amazing interview with Dr Mark Horowitz on antidepressant ...

Edited by Gridley

Gridley Introduction

 

Lexapro 20 mg since 2004.  Begin Brassmonkey Slide Taper Jan. 2017.   

End 2017 year 1 of taper at 9.25mg 

End 2018 year 2 of taper at 4.1mg

End 2019 year 3 of taper at 1.0mg  

Oct. 30, 2020  Jump to zero from 0.025mg.  Current dose: 0.000mg

3 year, 10 month taper is 100% complete.

 

Ativan 1 mg to 1.875mg 1986-2020, two CT's and reinstatements

Nov. 2020, 7-week Ativan-Valium crossover to 18.75mg Valium

Feb. 2021, begin 10%/4 week taper of 18.75mg Valium 

End 2021  year 1 of Valium taper at 6mg

End 2022 year 2 of Valium taper at 2.75mg 

End 2023 year 3 of Valium taper at 1mg

Jan. 24, 2024: Hold at 1mg and shift to Imipramine taper.

Taper is 95% complete.

 

Imipramine 75 mg daily since 1986.  Jan.-Sept. 2016 tapered to 14.4mg  

March 22, 2022: Begin 10%/4 week taper

Aug. 5, 2022: hold at 9.5mg and shift to Valium taper

Jan. 24, 2024: Resume Imipramine taper.  Current dose as of Feb. 22: 7.6mg

Taper is 90% complete.  

  

Supplements: multiple, quercetin, omega-3, vitamins C, E and D3, magnesium glycinate, probiotics, zinc, melatonin .3mg, anti-candida, iron, serrapeptase, nattokinase


I am not a medical professional and this is not medical advice but simply information based on my own experience, as well as other members who have survived these drugs.

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So the doctor gave me his full second opinion today.

 

He said that he thought the Latuda wasn't the reason for my weight gain. He said that even if I went off it completely, that I wouldn't lose weight.

 

He said at my BMI (40+) even diet and exercise wouldn't work, and really the only hope was bariatric surgery. He said too that if I went off the Latuda completely, 6 months later bad things could happen and antipsychotic symptoms could return and disaster could happen (I could end up in the hospital, lose my job, or something like that). He then also said it seemed like I was suffering from anxiety and depression and thought that I should increase my antidepressant usage.

 

What does everyone here think about that?

1. Zoloft 0 mg for 4+ weeks. 2. Latuda - 0 mg for 8+ weeks 3. Klonipin .5mg every night 4. Also take losartan and amlodipine (blood pressure medication)

 

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi there ASufferingPatient,  and welcome aboard,

3 hours ago, ASufferingPatient said:

What does everyone here think about that?

Well......I don't really want to type what I really think B)  And so, it's a psychiatrist?  Typical.  Many just believe completely in their medications and greatness therein, of self and pharma.  Take a look at Drugs.com Latuda Side Effects

You can learn more about Latuda there as well.  Are you on a AD(antidepressant)?  Although Latuda is used sometimes for this purpose, it really is not an AD.

I've had friends that really like weight watchers and the support that they get there, for weight loss.  I don't know if that's an option for you.  I would think that they must do Zoom or other groups and such, during these Covid 19 times. 

And yes, drugs like Latuda are well known for causing metabolic syndromes that result in weight gain, among other harms.  I'd hold off on the bariatric surgery for now anyway.   I mean if it was me.  When did the bulk of the weight gain occur?

 

Would you also use that same site, Drugs.com, to plug in your lorsartan and amlodipine.  This time, use the drug interactions checker, and add in the Latuda, as well.  And then, copy and paste results here, on your introduction.

 

It's a shame sometimes, that "we", most of us, have to run our own safety checks and balance when it comes to tapering, and medications/drugs.

Crazy world.

 

21 hours ago, ASufferingPatient said:

At this point I'm wondering if the simplest thing is to just keep the same doctor and dosage and get a scale and do the tapering on my own.

 

Yes, that may be best.  Take a really good look at the Why taper by 10% of my dosage, as well as the Tapering Tips for Latuda link(s) and then you can begin to plan for your taper.

 

21 hours ago, ASufferingPatient said:

Has anyone had experience with Free Range Psychiatry? I am doing a fifteen minute call with them tonight.

I googled it.  And only took a brief look.  I am dubious though.  There really isn't, from my point of view, a quicker, faster, expensive way to taper that we've come across.  And any program that offers some quick "detox" and then tons of expensive supplements and/or worse perhaps......more medication would be a no go in my book or mind.

 

And again, welcome, to the club, ship, or whatever......that most of us never wanted to join.  Yet, just the same, it's a good one.

 

Love, peace, healing, and growth,

moderator manymoretodays(mmt)

 

 

Late 2023- gone to emeritus status, inactive, don't @ me, I can check who I've posted on, and I'm not really here like I used to be......thanks.

Started with psycho meds/psychiatric care circa 1988.  In retrospect, and on contemplation, situational overwhelm.

Rounding up to 30 years of medications(30 medication trials, poly-pharmacy maximum was 3 at one time).

5/28/2015-off Adderal salts 2.5mg. (I had been on that since hospital 10/2014)

12/2015---just holding, holding, holding, with trileptal/oxcarb at 75 mg. 1/2 tab at hs.  My last psycho med ever!  Tapered @ 10% every 4 weeks, sometimes 2 weeks to

2016 Dec 16 medication free!!

Longer signature post here, with current supplements.

Herb and alcohol free since 5/15/2016.  And.....I quit smoking 11/2021. Lapsed.  Redo of quit smoking 9/28/2022.  Can you say Hallelujah?(took me long enough)💜

None of my posts are intended as medical advice.  Please discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical provider.  My success story:  Blue skies ahead, clear sailing

 

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I've notice sugar and caffeine really affects withdrawal for me adversely. I'm pretty much going to have to cut that out. Which will be difficult when there are about 10 million Dunkin Donuts,Wawas, and Starbucks near me. But I can do it!

1. Zoloft 0 mg for 4+ weeks. 2. Latuda - 0 mg for 8+ weeks 3. Klonipin .5mg every night 4. Also take losartan and amlodipine (blood pressure medication)

 

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So I'm super confused and need some help.

 

I got a digital scale today. I zeroed out the balance, and then put on a 20 mg tablet of Latuda.

 

The scale consistently said between. 0831 and .0833 g which is 83 mg!!!!

 

I don't understand. Can someone explain this to me?

 

Edit: I'm reading again above about the pill weight vs the active ingredient. Is it just a matter of doing simple math with ratios to figure this out? One other thing I'm concerned about is that someone told me the compound isn't evenly distributed throughout the pill

1. Zoloft 0 mg for 4+ weeks. 2. Latuda - 0 mg for 8+ weeks 3. Klonipin .5mg every night 4. Also take losartan and amlodipine (blood pressure medication)

 

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  • 1 month later...

Sorry nobody got back to you about your question!

 

20 mg is way too low a mass to manage, it would be like trying to take one grain of salt only.  So like you wrote they increase the mass to something that's manageable by using "fillers".

 

What you need to do is put ten 20 mg Latuda pills on your scale and divide the reading by 10, that's the mass of one 20 mg pill.

 

Then you can use the mass of one pill to figure out what split mass you need to achieve the dose you want.

 

As far as the compounding pharmacist has told me, the drug is made into a liquid in the manufacturing process, so it's evenly distributed within the pill.

 

Just because I don't want to see you get hurt, I'll mention that I went from 40 mg to 30 mg in about six weeks on my psychiatrist's advice.  You can tell that the doctors have no clue what they are talking about because that caused depression and anxiety that was worse than what I experienced pre-treatment.  I think I am looking at a tapering period of about 3 years, that's if I actually succeed, which I am having doubts about.

 

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I have been able to get to 5 mg of Latuda for the most part successfully. Key was drastically reducing sugar and caffeine. I did about a 2.5 mg reduction at a time and only reduced when I felt like I was able to.

 

One thing I've noticed is that in the past week I've been feeling really down and depressed. Today I had a non-caffeinated soda add a decaf iced coffee from Dunkin Donuts (contains some caffeine) and felt relatively "normal" for the first time in a week.

 

One thing that concerns me is today I've felt like I was going to start shaking. I haven't yet so I'm in this weird place in between shaking and not shaking. That worries me because a few years ago I went from 20 mg of Latuda to 0 overnight and I  started shaking uncontrollably. I'm hoping that by going slower that won't happen again.

1. Zoloft 0 mg for 4+ weeks. 2. Latuda - 0 mg for 8+ weeks 3. Klonipin .5mg every night 4. Also take losartan and amlodipine (blood pressure medication)

 

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  • 1 month later...

I am down to 0 mg of Latuda.

 

Haven't taken it the last 2 days.

 

Overall I feel ok but I want to give myself 4 weeks to see how things go.

 

I've come to the realization there are several things I can never have again.

 

Soda, caffeine, added sugars, and large meals (seems to screw up blood sugar)

 

But it's a trade I will make if I can never take another antipsychotic for as long as I  live.

 

I check back in to let you know if I was successful or not.

1. Zoloft 0 mg for 4+ weeks. 2. Latuda - 0 mg for 8+ weeks 3. Klonipin .5mg every night 4. Also take losartan and amlodipine (blood pressure medication)

 

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Congrats and good luck.  Fingers crossed.

Med History - 2014 - 2020 - Zoloft, Effexor, Klonopin, Lexapro, Buspar (No longer on any of these)

Went to my doctor for an annual and mentioned I was stressed, gave me Zoloft, stopped it after 3 months because it didn't do anything, ended up in withdrawal and was told I had a mental illness.  I've been diagnosed Bipolar and Clinically Depressed.  

Current Med Taper 

Lamotrigine - 25mg (May 21') -> 24mg (May 23') -> 23mg (July 23') -> 22mg (Aug 23') -> 21mg (Oct 23') -> 20mg (Dec 23')

Supplement: Magnesium, Fish Oil

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@ASufferingPatient Because I'm starting on the exact same path as you, I just want to ask:

 

1) You seem to have gone from 40 mg to 20 mg in steps of 5 mg, at approximately 120 day intervals on average.  

2) How did you get from 20 mg to zero?  What steps did you land at in between, and how long did you stay at each step?

 

I started at 40 mg, and I've been at 35 mg since Dec 11, 2020.  I am planning to go to 30 mg on May 11 2021.

 

One thing I noticed is that for about six weeks after I reduced to 35 mg taken at night, I would feel very anxious and unsettled at around the same time in the afternoon.  It was always around 4:00.  It was very distressing for me but things seem to be better now.

 

 

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  • 4 weeks later...
On 2/15/2021 at 5:14 PM, badmeditator said:

@ASufferingPatient Because I'm starting on the exact same path as you, I just want to ask:

 

1) You seem to have gone from 40 mg to 20 mg in steps of 5 mg, at approximately 120 day intervals on average.  

2) How did you get from 20 mg to zero?  What steps did you land at in between, and how long did you stay at each step?

 

I started at 40 mg, and I've been at 35 mg since Dec 11, 2020.  I am planning to go to 30 mg on May 11 2021.

 

One thing I noticed is that for about six weeks after I reduced to 35 mg taken at night, I would feel very anxious and unsettled at around the same time in the afternoon.  It was always around 4:00.  It was very distressing for me but things seem to be better now.

 

 

I am sorry for the delay in responding to your post.

 

DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor. Below is not medical advice. Below is just my anecdotal evidence and my opinions based on it. I am not a qualified medical professional.

 

It's hard for me to remember how I got from 40 to 20 as that was a year ago. I do remember at the time I was walking extensively as I worked in the city. I also remember that I was not eating as much fast food. I'm not sure if I did 5 mg at a time. I might have gone a bit slower but that's hard for me to remember how I actually cut the pills. I do remember that if I  felt too anxious I might go back up some dosage till I figured out how to cope.

 

The general rule with medication withdrawal is slower is faster as counterintuitive as that might seem.

 

So for going to zero I can tell you exactly how I did that. Warning- there’s some math involved.

 

So first thing is I got a digital scale. I weighed a 20 mg pill of Latuda. It was roughly 80 mg (due to things like filler in the pill). So a pill weighs generally 4x the amount of lurasidone in the pill. The scale actually read 0.0800g. 0.08g is 80 mg. The scale would actually fluctuate say between 0.0750 g and 0.0850 g but there is always uncertainty in measurements. So for the sake of ease just say 80 mg.

 

So I wanted to reduce by 10% as recommended by this site. 10% of 80 mg is 8 mg so I wanted to go down to 72 mg.

 

I eventually found I could go down 10 mg at a time. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT I AM REFERRING TO PILL WEIGHT NOT TGE DOSAGE OF LATUDA. In reality I was going down 10/4 = 2.5 mg of Latuda at a time.

 

Now I know this site recommends doing it one month at a time but I was able to do it a little quicker.

 

I tried to avoid all caffeine and sugar. When I  noticed I was craving soda and coffee again I would reduce by another 2.5 mg. This happened about every 1-2 weeks. I would do it on the weekend so I could adjust by the time I had to work Monday. It was probably helpful that I work from home right now and live alone. If I noticed I was having difficulty I would go back up another 10/2.5 mg. 

 

Here was the key I think. For the last 10 mg of pill weight I didn't just go to 0. I went to 5 mg for a week. Then 2.5 mg. Then for the last week I was taking 1.25 mg of pill weight which is approximately 1.25/4 = 0.3125 mg of Latuda. Only then did I feel safe going to 0 mg of Latuda.

 

There has been anxiety at times and lots of energy I don't know what to do with as I'm not used to it. I would encourage you to find a hobby, an emotional outlet, or the best thing is to start an exercise routine. That last thing is hard for me because I am a big guy and just going for walks can physically hurt.

 

And Im going to say something else you probably won't like. You can probably never have caffeine, soda, or any sugary foods ever again if you really want this to be successful. You need to formulate a plan to cut them out of your life but that's a whole other topic.

 

Also to actually do the measuring I had ro get a scale that would measure accurately to the milligram. That means the reading on the scale will be 0.0000g The reading will actually be to the tenth of a mg but the accuracy will be to the mg (3rd digit to right of decimal place) the scale I got was like 500 bucks. Others here may have cheaper alternatives.

 

I used a combination of a pill cutter and a pill crusher. By the end of this journey I was measuring small flakes from the pill.

 

Here is something else I did BUT I ABSOLUTELY DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS. I had been prescribed Klonipin to use as needed years ago and I got to the point where I am now taking a pill every day. Klonipin has its own host of problems and can be as addictive as opiates. My next journey is going to be withdrawing from that as slowly as I can. If you are not on a benzo such as Klonipin I think starting one is a bad idea.

 

I also had to cut out my anti depressant (Zoloft) because I found I had too much energy after not having  Latuda. I did that cold turkey. I was already on a very low dosage (25 mg). I've been off it for 2 weeks. The worst thing I've experienced is some sadness (just part of the human experience) and flu like symptoms so far. I know doing that is not recommended by this site but I seem to be able to tolerate certain things more than others.

 

So had the withdrawal of Latuda been a success? I'm still not sure. I was originally put on anti psychotics back in the 90s for delusional thinking. Since I've been off anti psychotics the worst part as just been the angst and anxiety. There have been times here or there with racing thoughts or thinking God was trying to talk to me. Usually after I ate a large meal with lots of carbs. But very very few times. And the one time I thought God was talking to me I thought he was telling me to stop gambling (I do sports betting) and stop watching porn. So even if I'm crazy apparently my craziness is actually helpful lol.

 

Oh and my last paragraph reminded me of two things. First try to eat smaller meals. That pretty much means no fast food. And that is super hard for me as I am as addicted to drive thru as I ever was to Latuda.

 

And secondly we are all adults here right?  I don't know what gender you are but I am male and have found that masturbation is a great stress reliever. Not sure if it's the same for women. Plus I would say stay away from the porn as that **** is addictive and just use your own imagination.

 

So I would not be ready to completely declare victory yet as I am cautious about such things but it's gone better than expected. The only thing is I haven't been losing the weight I hoped but that could be other factors such as other medications,lifestyle,stress,diet,and exercise 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor. The above is not medical advice. Below is just my anecdotal evidence and my opinions based on it. I am not a qualified medical professional.

1. Zoloft 0 mg for 4+ weeks. 2. Latuda - 0 mg for 8+ weeks 3. Klonipin .5mg every night 4. Also take losartan and amlodipine (blood pressure medication)

 

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  • 5 weeks later...

I would say that withdrawal from Latuda and Zoloft are a success. I don't really have any of the mental symptoms they were supposed to treat after being off them for several weeks.

 

However, I am now going through Klonipin withdrawal which is a special kind of hell. Let me know if I should create a new topic because I could really use some help.

1. Zoloft 0 mg for 4+ weeks. 2. Latuda - 0 mg for 8+ weeks 3. Klonipin .5mg every night 4. Also take losartan and amlodipine (blood pressure medication)

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Well don't all reply at once.

1. Zoloft 0 mg for 4+ weeks. 2. Latuda - 0 mg for 8+ weeks 3. Klonipin .5mg every night 4. Also take losartan and amlodipine (blood pressure medication)

 

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Sorry I did not see your updates or I would have replied right away.  How are you feeling these days?

 

You seem to have gone from 20 mg lurasidone to zero in a little over 3 months.  That can't have been easy.  It's much faster than my plan to taper from 20 mg starting in about 6 weeks:

 

Dec 11 2020: 35.0 mg

March 22 2021: 20.0 mg

June 20 2021: 12.0 mg

Sept 18 2021: 7.4 mg

Feb 15 2022: 4.4 mg

May 16 2022: 2.3 mg

Aug 14 2022: 0.8 mg

Nov 12 2022: 0 mg

 

(I'm sticking on 7.4 mg for the winter while the light levels are low here in Canada.)

 

I was on risperidone (Risperdal) for 14 years before I switched to 40 mg of lurasidone (Latuda) in 2014.  Because I've been on it so long, I think "slower is faster."  

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17 minutes ago, badmeditator said:

Sorry I did not see your updates or I would have replied right away.  How are you feeling these days?

 

You seem to have gone from 20 mg lurasidone to zero in a little over 3 months.  That can't have been easy.  It's much faster than my plan to taper from 20 mg starting in about 6 weeks:

 

Dec 11 2020: 35.0 mg

March 22 2021: 20.0 mg

June 20 2021: 12.0 mg

Sept 18 2021: 7.4 mg

Feb 15 2022: 4.4 mg

May 16 2022: 2.3 mg

Aug 14 2022: 0.8 mg

Nov 12 2022: 0 mg

 

(I'm sticking on 7.4 mg for the winter while the light levels are low here in Canada.)

 

I was on risperidone (Risperdal) for 14 years before I switched to 40 mg of lurasidone (Latuda) in 2014.  Because I've been on it so long, I think "slower is faster."  

I wonder if going from 20 mg to 12 mg is too big of a jump. I think it would be for me.

 

I have been off both Latuda and Zoloft for a few months now and I'm ok.

 

I've been going through Klonipin withdrawal now which is a hell all unto itself. Sadly I've had to reintroduce caffeine and sugar into my diet to overcome the sedating effects of Klonipin. Sometimes I get dizzy, feel like I'm going to pass out, or get chest pains.

 

Disappointedly I haven't really lost much weight since stopping the Latuda. I am trying to eliminate the Klonipin as a variable so than it's just the good old physical stuff that explains my medical condition. Which of course is itself never easy to deal with.

 

But as far as the symptoms Latuda and Zoloft were supposed to treat I haven't really noticed any psychosis. I definitely have been depressed but I think this is more due to the Klonipin and being a lonely, 350 lb 41 year old man. 

 

I hope you stay well and be careful with that drop from 20 mg to 12mg. That's almost half your dosage.

1. Zoloft 0 mg for 4+ weeks. 2. Latuda - 0 mg for 8+ weeks 3. Klonipin .5mg every night 4. Also take losartan and amlodipine (blood pressure medication)

 

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Thanks for the good wishes!

 

My plan follows the "hyperbolic curve" advice of Dr. Horowitz in England.  Each step is a 10% drop in D2 saturation.

 

I can tell you that I am still struggling on my current step though.   Pretty sure I would have an easier time getting off heroin, at least the doctors would support me.

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13 minutes ago, badmeditator said:

Thanks for the good wishes!

 

My plan follows the "hyperbolic curve" advice of Dr. Horowitz in England.  Each step is a 10% drop in D2 saturation.

 

I can tell you that I am still struggling on my current step though.   Pretty sure I would have an easier time getting off heroin, at least the doctors would support me.

I totally get the frustration with the doctors and the struggle. My doctor while supportive of my withdrawal efforts doesn't really seem to equate my struggles with klonipin withdrawal. He thinks they are blood sugar related.

 

Plus he thought I could go off Klonipin much more quickly than I could. I tried going from a full pill to 3/4 to 1/2 to 1/4 to nothing. I ended up in urgent care where they told me I was fine. I had to start with a full pill (.5 mg) and do the withdrawal much more slowly this time. I'm currently at .4mg. Ugh.

 

Again good luck on your journey and I wish the best for you. As you already alluded to by mentioning heroin withdrawing from Latuda is not easy. But I know it's possible because I've done it.

1. Zoloft 0 mg for 4+ weeks. 2. Latuda - 0 mg for 8+ weeks 3. Klonipin .5mg every night 4. Also take losartan and amlodipine (blood pressure medication)

 

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  • 2 months later...

So I wanted to update this. I've been off Latuda for months and don't feel I need it.

 

However I know above I stated I had used my prescription of Klonipin to help withdrawal.

 

I now must strongly recommend against this. I am now trying to withdraw from the Klonopin and it is one of the greatest hells I have ever experienced.

 

Be warned.

1. Zoloft 0 mg for 4+ weeks. 2. Latuda - 0 mg for 8+ weeks 3. Klonipin .5mg every night 4. Also take losartan and amlodipine (blood pressure medication)

 

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