Jump to content
SurvivingAntidepressants.org is temporarily closed to new registrations until 1 April ×

Janece: Antipsycotic and mood stabilizer withdrawals


Janece

Recommended Posts

So far it's been a month since I came off of my antipsycotic, I was only taking a .5mg which is a very low dosage but I have been on these 2 prescriptions for 4 years . I was taking 1/2 of a 300 mg tablet of a mood stabilizer.

 

I came off the mood stabilizer 4 days ago . Even though my dosages were very small i have still been experiencing withdrawals from being off. When I came off the antipsycotics I experience anxiety, worry , stress that just came without even thinking on anything stressful, light nausea, light diarrhea, light muscle aches, light flu like symptom such as congestion and sneezing, I also experienced an extreme seizure one time only and it happened at night before bed, I faced a lot of moments when my mind became zoned out, and for this I limited my driving, I experienced a lot of twitches and tremors also and fatigue , only one time i can rememver when my fatigue was so bad it felt like i had been run over by a bus .I would have symptoms during the day but not like I would at night. Most of my symptoms always happened at night. At night I would feel restless tossing and turning all night.

 

The reason why I decided to come off of my prescription meds is because In August of 2020 I started experiencing psuedoinsomnia. Psuedoinsomnia is a type of wakeful sleeping, you're body goes to sleep but your mind is still awake, and the moment you get up in the morning you don't feel sleepy or fatigued at all , your brain just never shuts down. I also came off the meds because I realized that I lost my urges for sleep , not only was I having psuedoinsomnia but I never had the urge to go to sleep neither did I ever feel tired or anything during the day I never felt calm , when I closed my eyes during the day or night to meditate and deep breathe I never felt myself go into a calm state it's like my mind was up all day and night and it made me feel a little crazy that I couldn't even feel calmness ,

 

I tried calming tincture that I had been using for years before having these issues and couldn't feel the effect of calmness at all. whenever I laid down to get rest it was around the same time every night. Even though I didn't get the urge for bedtime I knew when it was time to rest and I would just get in bed and keep my eyes closed all night even though I was awake and could hear everything that was going on around me.

 

Since I have come off the antipsycotics my urges for sleep have returned unto me but for some reason my mind will not shut down and go into deep sleep like it was created to do .

 

4 days ago when I came off the mood stabilizer I noticed my ability to enter a calm state of mind and body return within just even a day of coming off of it also when I take my calming herbal tincture sometime I can feel it take affect on my mind. I also noticed myself go to sleep 2-3 times . I went to sleep but I could tell that it's still not a normal satisfactory type of sleep .. I didn't even know I was sleep and didn't feel refreshed yet i didn't feel fatigued either  and it sure didnt make me feel crazy knowing i my mind was up all night. I'll give it more time, it's only been 4 days but definitely some improvements. I also noticed that the moment I came off the stabilizer that I no longer had suicidal thought or wanted to die. At night my body feels like it's screaming for these drugs , and once you come off you can definitely feel it. You get so used to that calm feeling that you begin to crave for it again . But right now always at night my body has a burning sensation , aches in my hands and extremities, sometimes I don't even try to sleep I just sit in bed and rock back and forth rubbing arms and legs like im an addict .

 

Also since coming off these meds I can feel like a chemical coming out of my eyes and  nose from time to time when I breath and I'm always rubbing my eyes and squinching them . This morning I had some mood swings , I was just angry for no reason , but I know it's because I'm no longer taking the mood stabilizer.

 

The doctor put me on these meds for anxiety. There was a thought that got stuck in my head and it scared the living day lights out of me I went around for months with this thought playing in my head like a tape recorder non stop stressing me out leaving me in a tremendous amount of fear.  I thought I was gonna lose my soul. But I am no longer scared of this thought anymore because it's not real. This is another reason why I wanted to taper off my meds is because I began to feel very good and like I could breathe and be myself once my doctor lowered my dosage, I want to feel normal and regulate things the way I should and it didn't feel like ibcould do that on those meds , my mind was always blank, no good thought or bad thoughts going through my mind just straight blank all the time, and that affected my social life and made me very less expressive like a zombie.

Edited by manymoretodays
Left out some information, (mmt) name to title, spacing for readability

March 2017- Aug 2017 benztropine 1mg, clonazepam 1mg, divalproex 500mg, haloperidol 5mg

 

Aug 2017-Dec 2018 benztropine .5mg, clonazepam .5mg, divalproex 500mg, haloperidol .5mg

 

May 2019 - Dec 2020 haloperidol .5mg , Oxcarbazapine 150mg

Link to comment

Hey love , I've never been on that type of medication but I do know that there are natural things u can take to hell u deal with some of the seriousness and anxiety of it all . Try using native remedies pure calm and native remedies triple complex calm tonic you can find the combo on Amazon for cheaper instead of going to nativeremedies.com also try Hemp West 1,500,000mg  hemp oil premium extract and take these 3 together and it will keep u mentally stable and help you deal with the withdrawals. I have also been trying gaba, gaba is supposed to promote mental and physical calmness and better sleep . I have used gaba 4 times and the first-time I felt tremendously insanely calm it was awesome, pharma gaba 250mg from sprouts , but the second and third time It did the opposite , it made me feel alert .. I tried it again tonight because some pple were saying if u take it during the saying will make u feel alert rather than calm . So I took it again at night and I still felt alert but for some reason my withdrawals wasn't so bad tonight like they usually are. So if I can't us it for calmness I can use it for my withdrawal symptoms . I reafca forum though on gaba and some pple did explain that when they took the supplement it made them feel alert rather than calm .. so give it a try . And u can also try excersizing it help sometimes. 

Edited by manymoretodays
moved to Introduction, from another members topic

March 2017- Aug 2017 benztropine 1mg, clonazepam 1mg, divalproex 500mg, haloperidol 5mg

 

Aug 2017-Dec 2018 benztropine .5mg, clonazepam .5mg, divalproex 500mg, haloperidol .5mg

 

May 2019 - Dec 2020 haloperidol .5mg , Oxcarbazapine 150mg

Link to comment
  • manymoretodays changed the title to Janece: Antipsycotic and mood stabilizer withdrawals
  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi Janece, and welcome aboard,

 

Could you:  Please summarize your withdrawal history in your signature

Just take a look at the link ^, and then follow the instructions.

The signature is different from the information you put in your profile.  And you'll see other members and your own, once done, below all your posts.

 

It's be good to know which drugs/medications you are referring to.  And when you came off what.  And then if you are on any remaining medications/drugs.

 

And welcome, welcome.  I'll give you a few links to some of our topics too today.

 

The 10% taper recommendation is a harm reduction approach to going off psychiatric drugs.
 
 
 
and can you identify any symptoms from ^, that you might be experiencing now?
 

 

When we take medications, the CNS (central nervous system) responds by making changes over the months and years we take the drug(s). When the medication is discontinued, the CNS has to undo all the changes it made.  The CNS likes stability. Rebuilding the neurotransmitter production and reactivating the receptor and transporter cells takes time -- during that rebuilding process symptoms occur. And sleep is really important during withdrawal.  Insomnia is no small deal. 
 
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. 

 

Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) 

 

Best to go with single ingredient supplements, and then to just start with one or the other of the above, at a low dosage.  That way you'll know what is responsible for what, going forward.

Are you currently on any supplements?  And okay, I do see the calming tincture mentioned in your post above.  Do you know what it consists of?

And then am seeing more, in your post to another member.  I just moved that here, for now, so we can keep your information all in one place.  Appreciate your already reaching out and offering support here too.  Generally, we don't suggest more than the 2 supplements above.  As again so many of us, have the over reactive nervous systems, and sensitivities in WD(withdrawal)

 

Thank you.

 
This is your introduction/journal page where you have now introduced yourself to the community, you can ask questions here regarding your tapering, give updates, and just keep a record of your journey.
 
Welcome again.
 
Love, peace, healing, and growth,
moderator manymoretodays(mmt)
Edited by manymoretodays

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

 

Link to comment

I started weaning off of haloperidol .5mg dec 15, then Jan 15 I stopped taking the oxcarbazipine 150mg because I noticed when I would take it I would feel awful and became suicidal. In the past week I haven't been suicidal and I've been more positive about the situation . I just felt so awful taking that oxcarbazapine without the haloperidol omg I totally noticed a difference , maybe I am mistaking but after a whole day before I went to bed when I would take the oxicarbazipine omg I felt god awful, so awful that ide rather face withdrawals rather than how it feels to be on it !!!!!! 

March 2017- Aug 2017 benztropine 1mg, clonazepam 1mg, divalproex 500mg, haloperidol 5mg

 

Aug 2017-Dec 2018 benztropine .5mg, clonazepam .5mg, divalproex 500mg, haloperidol .5mg

 

May 2019 - Dec 2020 haloperidol .5mg , Oxcarbazapine 150mg

Link to comment

I know that they say take magnesium and calcium , I had bought some of those and couldnt find them separately I found the combined and just got what I saw . I have also been taking calming herbal tinctures to keep my mind and body calm but now I'm noticing that they are not working.  A list of herbs that are in these tinctures are : lemon , balm , lavender, passion flower, and hemp oil, lava lava root, passionflower, whole ashwagandha root, and whole chamomile flower. Oh yeah and vitamins b complex . The hemp oil also contain omega 3 , 6, 9, vitamin c , and vitamin e.... why are my tinctures no longer keeping me calm? When I first started weaning and withdrawing a month ago I used them but never physically felt the effects yet I noticed a mental and emotional difference so I kept taking them, about a week ago when I stopped taking the oxcarbazapine for about 3 days I felt the effects of the tinctures on my mind and body heavily and omg it felt so amazing. Now when I take them it's like I just drank water , nothing happens . I guess my brain isn't used to being put in a calm mode by those type of supplements ?? And all it wants is what it's used to and that's the haloperidol and the oxcarbazapine??? I also took some magnesium and calcium this morning and it did nothing for me .

March 2017- Aug 2017 benztropine 1mg, clonazepam 1mg, divalproex 500mg, haloperidol 5mg

 

Aug 2017-Dec 2018 benztropine .5mg, clonazepam .5mg, divalproex 500mg, haloperidol .5mg

 

May 2019 - Dec 2020 haloperidol .5mg , Oxcarbazapine 150mg

Link to comment
  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi Janece,

Taken together, the magnesium and calcium cancel each others calming effect out.

 

If I were you, I would take it easy with adding bunches of supplements at once.

Important topics about tests, supplements, and diet

And stick to one new thing at a time, start low, observe and that way you may feel more sure about what is doing what.

On 1/20/2021 at 4:54 PM, Janece said:

Jan 15 I stopped taking the oxcarbazipine 150mg because I noticed when I would take it I would feel awful and became suicidal. In the past week I haven't been suicidal and I've been more positive about the situation . I just felt so awful taking that oxcarbazapine without the haloperidol omg

 

And you did pretty much a CT(cold turkey) WD from both the haloperidol and oxcarbazepine?

How did you wean off the haloperidol?

How did you come off your previous drugs that you listed in your signature?

 

Can you get the dates into your signature with changes and then when you stopped taking those medications?  Year, month written out and day is helpful.

I'm noticing in your narrative that you jumped off of 150 mg oxcarbazepine on January 15th?

Were your taking that once a day, or splitting the dose?

 

Do you still have any left, of the oxcarbazepine?

 

That was the last drug I came off of.  And I tapered down from it.  Split my daily dose into two.   I managed to make my own liquid, and tapered that way. 

There is also a pharmacy made liquid.

Tips for tapering off Trileptal(oxcarbazepine)

 

Symptoms of WD now?

Are you still having the psuedoinsomnia you mentioned?

How is your sleep?

 

Thanks for answering all my questions, Janece.

 

And best, L, P, H, and G,

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

 

Link to comment

Yes I have a lot of oxcarbazapine left ... no I was taking literally 1/2 pill daily of both the oxcarbazapine and the haloperidol, my doctor didnt say it was cold turkey since it was already such a small dose. THOSE other meds that I used to take I was weaned off of those and for 3 months I did good without them and then my symptoms came back so they then put me on 150mg of oxcarbazapine which is something I never took, and .5mg of haloperidol those are already small doses broken in half..... so when she said she would taper me that way I didnt think it would be that bad. And my pseudoinsomnia is has returned for the past 4 nights I've been very restless, but I like the way I feel during the day my God I feel good , just have some light wd during the day sometimes if any at all since I came off the oxcarbazapine. Here is a picture of the small doses of oxcarbazapine and haloperidol that the put me on in may 2019 I been taking them since dec15. On dec15 the doctor took away the orange pill which is the exact amount of haloperidol that I have been taking for the past 2 years and the brown pill is the oxcarbazapine that I been taking also for the past 2 years. I thought cold turkey was when you discontinued all medication at once ? And what does it mean to take a liquid ? I have never heard of this. It's only been a week since I been off the oxcarbazipine,  should I go back and start taking 1/2 of that ? What should I do... just be my ed are not that bad right now doesn't mean they won't get bad within the next few weeks

20210122_004447.jpg

March 2017- Aug 2017 benztropine 1mg, clonazepam 1mg, divalproex 500mg, haloperidol 5mg

 

Aug 2017-Dec 2018 benztropine .5mg, clonazepam .5mg, divalproex 500mg, haloperidol .5mg

 

May 2019 - Dec 2020 haloperidol .5mg , Oxcarbazapine 150mg

Link to comment
  • Moderator Emeritus
On 1/20/2021 at 4:54 PM, Janece said:

I started weaning off of haloperidol .5mg dec 15, then Jan 15 I stopped taking the oxcarbazipine 150mg because I noticed when I would take it I would feel awful and became suicidal

 

12 hours ago, Janece said:

It's only been a week since I been off the oxcarbazipine,  should I go back and start taking 1/2 of that ? What should I do... just be my ed are not that bad right now doesn't mean they won't get bad within the next few weeks

 

Hi Janece,

Does ed stand for erectile dysfunction?

 

And I think, if I were you, I might go with a smaller reinstatement of the oxycabazepine.  I made my own liquid of it.  And used either a 150 mg tablet, that looked like yours, or a 300 mg tablet.  It took awhile to dissolve, but then I could control my dosage that way.  Then I tapered down from that.

As it's only been about a week now, I think you may do okay with trying a 75 mg dosage, at night, or bedtime.  It might actually help with the sleep.  Generally, the Trileptal/oxcarbazepine is prescribed to be split into 2 doses, about 12 hours apart.  So if you'd like, you could do 37.5 mg at bedtime and then 37.5 mg in the morning, or about 12 hours later.

This may help with some of your WD symptoms.  And then you could after a period of stabilization for your nervous system, begin a taper, using the 10% protocol though.

*About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms

definitely take a look at ^  , especially the first post in the topic

 

And yah, you did not know.......your doctor may not have known either, as far as how to deprescribe in a more harm free manner.  I'm glad you are off the Haldol anyway, in my mind that's the worse of the two drugs or evils......B)  Very important now though, that you have some support in place, or are able to manage if some psychosis should hit, or delusional thinking, distorted thoughts, paranoia, etc.  Sometimes this can happen with WD from AP's or drugs from the class of antipsychotics.

 

And so, if you want to reinstate, a bit of the oxcarbazepine, you'll need a container, and an oral syringe.  Once you have a batch mixed up, then you can store in the refrigerator, protected from light.  Amber colored glass containers with lids are the best.  I, however, used a plastic urine cup, with a lid, and then stored my mixed solution in a paper bag to protect it from light, and then discarded and remixed, every 3 days.

Often Amazon is a good place to look for equipment.

 

It does also come in a premade pharmaceutical solution.  I held on that, as it was about $100 USD/month, AND, would have been supplied in a very large amount, that I did not need.  I was told I would have to get a refill every month, and at that point I was pretty cash poor, and so made my own.

 

I just measured out a couple ounces of water into the container, then put the coated pill/tablet in, and swirled it around and left it for a bit, then swirled it again, until it was dissolved.  Right before measuring my dose, I would again swirl and mix.

 

I just did the math, as to how much in milligrams(mg) would be in how much fluid(mL or cc).  Each ounce of fluid is 30 mL's.  And then calculated to find my dose from there.  And happy to help with that, if needed, when you decide what to do now.

 

How to make a liquid from tablets or capsules

^ this will help too.

Using an oral syringe and other tapering techniques

 

Please keep us updated Janece.  Thank you so much.

 

L, P, H, and G,

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

 

Link to comment

I came off 150mg of oxicarbazapine a week ago to see if i could handle it , i had read on here that you could do that for about a week to see if you can handle a certain amount of dosage to withdraw from, and after a week was up i started experiencing extreme withdrawal symptoms so i reinstated 150 mg today..... but its only been a week since i been off, did i do the right thing??? or should i have reinstated less? can i get an answer before today is up? if i need to reinstate a lower dose is is too late now that i have reinstated the full 150 mg today?  to relieve the withdrawal symptoms.. so far after reinstating 150mg i feel ok i guess, but i still feel a little bit high and free.

March 2017- Aug 2017 benztropine 1mg, clonazepam 1mg, divalproex 500mg, haloperidol 5mg

 

Aug 2017-Dec 2018 benztropine .5mg, clonazepam .5mg, divalproex 500mg, haloperidol .5mg

 

May 2019 - Dec 2020 haloperidol .5mg , Oxcarbazapine 150mg

Link to comment

if i have been off the haloperidol for a month now is it too late to reinstate?

March 2017- Aug 2017 benztropine 1mg, clonazepam 1mg, divalproex 500mg, haloperidol 5mg

 

Aug 2017-Dec 2018 benztropine .5mg, clonazepam .5mg, divalproex 500mg, haloperidol .5mg

 

May 2019 - Dec 2020 haloperidol .5mg , Oxcarbazapine 150mg

Link to comment
  • Moderator Emeritus

If it was me, I'd go with less than 150 mg.

And yes, I think you did the right thing, reinstating.  It can be dangerous to just jump off a dose of a drug like Trileptal/oxcarbazepine.

 

And yes, I imagine that you must be feeling a bit off, right now.  Oxcarbazepine knocked me out a bit, really.  And made me feel quite loopy, at times.  Less so, as I got to lowered dosages.

 

Did you take your dose at bedtime?

I always found that to work best.

 

Unfortunately, or fortunately you get to be full partner here, as of course we cannot provide direct medical advice.  I can help empower you, and guide you, and hopefully you'll be and feel more in charge and educated around your health very soon.

 

I might split your dose too, as explained in my above post.    Take half in the morning and half at night.

And go with a liquid too.  Self made or prescription.

To do self made, you will need to get a container, and oral syringes as well.

 

Do you have a prescribing doctor?

 

  As if your intention is to become medication free one day......then in the long haul.......and it can be a longer haul, then one expects, to do this thing safely............it will be easier to taper from later, using a liquid, rather than trying to get much accuracy splitting those large pills.

 

And best, have a nice weekend too.  Updates are always welcomed.  And then, when asking specific questions, around your drug and dosing, please try some notes like this:  Keeping daily notes to track symptom patterns and progress  And there's a nice sample note in the first post, when you go to that link.

 

And best, L, P, H, and G,

mmt

 

 

Edited by manymoretodays
additional

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

 

Link to comment
  • Moderator Emeritus

@JaneceAnd hi again.

Merged your questions in the other topic back here to your Introduction.  This keeps your information together and in context.

 

Replied.

 

7 minutes ago, Janece said:

if i have been off the haloperidol for a month now is it too late to reinstate?

 

No, it's not.  I would much rather see you make one change at a time though, and as you are working with a oxcarbazepine reinstatement now.......best to stick with just that.

 

See: the 3KI's: Keep it Simple, Slow, and Stable

 

Best Janece,

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

 

Link to comment

Ok so today I took 150 mg of the oxicarbazipine which was my original dose , I feel ok for real just slight differences . If I'm going to make a liquid out of the oxicarbazapine in order to slowly reduce my dose for a better reinstatement ... am I supposed to soak it in water ? Like how in the world do you measure all this stuff ? I feel like I'm in science class lol but whatever it takes for me to get better safely , ide rather stuck with the easier simple way and that cut the pill in half .. oh and when I took the 150mg of oxcarbazipine as a reinstatement last night I slept ... 

March 2017- Aug 2017 benztropine 1mg, clonazepam 1mg, divalproex 500mg, haloperidol 5mg

 

Aug 2017-Dec 2018 benztropine .5mg, clonazepam .5mg, divalproex 500mg, haloperidol .5mg

 

May 2019 - Dec 2020 haloperidol .5mg , Oxcarbazapine 150mg

Link to comment
  • Administrator

Hello, Janece. It might be best for you to continue the oxcarbazapine for now and let your system recover from making the big change in haloperidol. It may take some months for it to settle down. You can taper the oxcarbazapine later.

 

That is a very unusual selection of drugs to treat anxiety. Perhaps you should not go to this doctor any more for psychiatric treatment. 

 

You might do a lot better with a non-drug self-calming method, such as meditation.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

Link to comment
  • Moderator Emeritus
On 1/22/2021 at 4:24 PM, Janece said:

If I'm going to make a liquid out of the oxicarbazapine in order to slowly reduce my dose for a better reinstatement ... am I supposed to soak it in water ? Like how in the world do you measure all this stuff ? I feel like I'm in science class lol but whatever it takes for me to get better safely , ide rather stuck with the easier simple way and that cut the pill in half .. oh and when I took the 150mg of oxcarbazipine as a reinstatement last night I slept ... 

 

Hi Janece,

And good, great on the sleep. 

And yes, with mine, oxcarbazepine, I did have to let it sit awhile for it to dissolve, and then further swirl it around before drawing it up before taking it.

Look over the links a few posts back.......I think that there is a link to the topic, on mixing up Celexa too, which goes over it really well.

And then you keep track of how much water is added to the whole tablet- when dissolving the tablet.........from there it is really quite simple to work out your dose.

 

Pill splitting can get rather inexact, and so if wanting to work with the solid form only.......I think the scale would be the way to go. 

 

And then just ask, right here, on your Introduction is always a good place to ask, if once you've looked at the topics.......you still have questions on how to do something.  Either or really, ask on the topic, or here.  I like it though, when all anyones information is together, all in one place.  That way it's easy to see what you've asked, and then what has been responded to.  And especially how you are doing, as time goes on too.

 

Best,

L, P, H, and G,

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

 

Link to comment

So I reinstated my oxcarbazapine to 75 mg last friday. And I felt great with mild symptoms all this week until today ... today marked a week since my attempt reinstatement stabilization and today I started having symptoms bad , so they say on here that after a week if ur still seeing symptoms to try and increase it a little bit more and waite another week to see if u stabilize , well i increased it back up to 150 mg and I feel like this made my symptoms worse , should I stay on 75 mg and just deal with it or what ??? Omg I wish I would have just left this oxcarbazapine alone !!!

March 2017- Aug 2017 benztropine 1mg, clonazepam 1mg, divalproex 500mg, haloperidol 5mg

 

Aug 2017-Dec 2018 benztropine .5mg, clonazepam .5mg, divalproex 500mg, haloperidol .5mg

 

May 2019 - Dec 2020 haloperidol .5mg , Oxcarbazapine 150mg

Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...
  • Moderator Emeritus

  

51 minutes ago, Janece said:

So when I try to multiply 150 by 0.10 it gives me 15 , you would think that if you want to reduce by 10% you would multiply by 10 but its 9 I dont understand that and when it comes to reducing my 5% you multiplied by 0.95 which is a bigger number and a different equation . So to get 5% multiply by 0.95 how come to get 10% multiply by 0.100 doesn't work... I'm gonna use you're equations and tha k you but I really want to understand.

 

Reduction amount + new dose = current dose

 

10% + 90% = 100%

 

0.10 + 0.90 = 1

 

Multiplying by 0.10 calculates the amount of the reduction.  So you need to deduct it:  150mg - 15mg = 135mg

 

Multiplying by 0.90 gives the new dose you take.  So it is one calculation to get the amount.

 

The same for 5%:

 

5% + 95% = 100%

 

0.05 + 0.95 = 1


I hope that helps.

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

Link to comment
17 minutes ago, ChessieCat said:

  

 

Reduction amount + new dose = current dose

 

10% + 90% = 100%

 

0.10 + 0.90 = 1

 

Multiplying by 0.10 calculates the amount of the reduction.  So you need to deduct it:  150mg - 15mg = 135mg

 

Multiplying by 0.90 gives the new dose you take.  So it is one calculation to get the amount.

 

The same for 5%:

 

5% + 95% = 100%

 

0.05 + 0.95 = 1


I hope that helps.

Lol thank you 

March 2017- Aug 2017 benztropine 1mg, clonazepam 1mg, divalproex 500mg, haloperidol 5mg

 

Aug 2017-Dec 2018 benztropine .5mg, clonazepam .5mg, divalproex 500mg, haloperidol .5mg

 

May 2019 - Dec 2020 haloperidol .5mg , Oxcarbazapine 150mg

Link to comment
  • 3 weeks later...

Does hairloss occur from withdrawal symptoms, does anybody know , my hair has been breaking away.

Edited by getofflex
merged hair loss topic from Tapering

March 2017- Aug 2017 benztropine 1mg, clonazepam 1mg, divalproex 500mg, haloperidol 5mg

 

Aug 2017-Dec 2018 benztropine .5mg, clonazepam .5mg, divalproex 500mg, haloperidol .5mg

 

May 2019 - Dec 2020 haloperidol .5mg , Oxcarbazapine 150mg

Link to comment
  • Moderator Emeritus

Yes, it appears withdrawal can cause hair loss.  Here is a link about that: 

 

Hair Loss, etc.

 

Hopefully in time this will improve.  Take care! 

Please do not private message me.  Only tag me for urgent questions about tapering and reinstating - thank you.  

 

***Please note this is not medical advice.  Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a doctor who understands psych meds and how to withdraw from them, if you can find one.

 

Lexapro   Started Apr 15 2010 - 10 mg;  started taper August 2017, recent taper info: Apr 2 '20  0.18 mg; Jul 16  0.17 mg, Aug 23  0.16 mg, Oct 7  0.15 mg, Nov 8 - 0.14, Jan 16 '21 - 0.13, Feb 7 - 0.12, Feb 22 - 0.11, Mar 26 - 0.10, May 21 - 0.09, June 15 - 0.08 Aug 16 - 0.07, Oct 6 - 0.06, Nov 21 0.05, Dec. 17 0.04, Jan 14 '22 0.03, Feb 19 0.02, Apr 18 0.01, May 15 0.005,  Jul 8, 0.00.  Psych Drug Free as of July 8, 2022!!  Woohoo!!!

other meds: Levothyroxine 75 mg

magnesium in small amounts at 4 AM, before bed

suppl AM: fish oil, flax oil, vit C, vit E, multivitamin, zinc

suppl 8 PM: magnesium 350 mg, extended release vitamin C, melatonin 2 mg

 

Paxil 2002 - 2010, switched to Lexapro 2010 

Trazodone 50 mg. 2002 - 2019, fast tapered in 2019 

Xanax 0.5 mg as needed 2002 - 2019, up to 3x weekly 

Link to comment

Can making your own liquid suspension. With water make the medication stronger and cause your wd symptoms to worsen?

March 2017- Aug 2017 benztropine 1mg, clonazepam 1mg, divalproex 500mg, haloperidol 5mg

 

Aug 2017-Dec 2018 benztropine .5mg, clonazepam .5mg, divalproex 500mg, haloperidol .5mg

 

May 2019 - Dec 2020 haloperidol .5mg , Oxcarbazapine 150mg

Link to comment
  • Moderator Emeritus
18 hours ago, Janece said:

Can making your own liquid suspension. With water make the medication stronger and cause your wd symptoms to worsen?

 

Hi Janece, @Janece

 

Which medication did you reinstate?  And at what dosage?

Sometimes when using a homemade liquid, it will absorb a bit faster. 

It won't make your medication stronger.

And it shouldn't make your WD symptoms worse.

 

What are you taking now and when?

Oxcarbazapine is meant to be taken in 2 split doses/day, so the total daily dose is split into 2, each dose taken about 12 hours apart.

Unless it is an extended release.

 

 

To update your signature go to:  Accountsettings/signature

 

Thanks, and best,

L, P, H, and G,

mmt

 

 

Edited by manymoretodays

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

 

Link to comment
On 3/7/2021 at 5:02 PM, manymoretodays said:

 

Hi Janece, @Janece

 

Which medication did you reinstate?  And at what dosage?

Sometimes when using a homemade liquid, it will absorb a bit faster. 

It won't make your medication stronger.

And it shouldn't make your WD symptoms worse.

 

What are you taking now and when?

Oxcarbazapine is meant to be taken in 2 split doses/day, so the total daily dose is split into 2, each dose taken about 12 hours apart.

Unless it is an extended release.

 

 

To update your signature go to:  Accountsettings/signature

 

Thanks, and best,

L, P, H, and G,

mmt

 

 

well i been taking 150 mg of oxcarbazepine for 2 years and some months one time a day , and my doctor hasnt said anything about this. i have never had any problem with it now, the only problem that i am having is , when i take my oxicarbazapine as a homeade susspension , in the water. everything measured appropriately , i been seeing new side effects, been taking this for 3 weeks , didnt start seeing the side affects until once the second week , didnt think anything of it , and more than once the 3rd week, now i want to go back to just taking the dang tablet. for god sakes this is a very difficult freaking process, i just want to safely come off this crap, and i cannot affor the dang pharmaceutical liquid. 

March 2017- Aug 2017 benztropine 1mg, clonazepam 1mg, divalproex 500mg, haloperidol 5mg

 

Aug 2017-Dec 2018 benztropine .5mg, clonazepam .5mg, divalproex 500mg, haloperidol .5mg

 

May 2019 - Dec 2020 haloperidol .5mg , Oxcarbazapine 150mg

Link to comment

Ok can someone help me please. So this is what's happened. My doctor took me off haloperidol 5.mg cold turkey and told me to waite 2 months for it to come out of my system. Ok a month went by and I was desperate to find out of the oxcarbazapine was causing me to miss sleep some days. I've been on haloperidol and oxcarbazapine for 2 years and maybe 6 months.   I only have been taking 150 mg of oxcarbazapine . That's half of a 300mg tablet . Ok so a month passed after being off the haloperidol and desperately I wanted to know if the oxcarbazapine was affecting my sleep so in ignorance and desperation I came stopped taking the whole 150mg tablet of oxcarbazapine for a week. I educated my self here and on a page on this site it said you could reinstate after a week or whenever u see extreme symptoms . So I finally saw symptoms like on the 5th day and I reinstated 75mg the best way I could by cutting ( god knows if this was accurate everytime or not) so after reinstating 75 mg I didnt feel too bad but around the 5th or 6th day or so I noticed bad symptoms so I reinstated the full amount of my regular dosage which was 150mg .. I felt a whole lot better for a whole week and 4 days , so I'm guessing I was stable right? Well since I knew that eventually I would be tapering slowly of of the oxicarbazapine I went a head and started making a suspension with water . 1:1 ration and taking it the same time I took my tablet . I was fine until the second week . It just seemed like I was withdrawing and having side effects too only one time that 2and week . So by the 3rd week I felt awful maybe 2 or 3 days. And I'm seeing symptoms I have never saw before . I called the pharmacist and asked her if dissolving a tablet in water would make it stronger and what not and she confirmed that the prescription that I have been getting for the oxcarbazapine was not an extended release tablet so it was safe to dissolve it in water. However she did tell me that my when I take the suspension my body was receiving the full dosage 150mg all at once rather than the way it receives it as tablet , because a when u take a tablet the body has to breake it down so therefore when it's that way you dont absorb a whole 150 mg all at once thought this route. And she did tell me that it will cause side effects and that it being dissolved it might not last as long as it would throughout the day as if it does when u take it on tablet form . I believe her because according to my symptoms I see side effects and withdrawal symtoms .. when I would take it that way around the end of the day I felt like I needed medicine or I didnt take my medicine and even sometimes I craved medicine ... now my whole experience in co.ing off since we discontinued the haloperidol I have never felt a  racing for medicine. So I believe every word she was saying, asked her if I split the suspensions I  parts tgrought the date would that be better she said that she doesnt know how that would go if I ever decide to taper she said talk to my doctor.  Well my doctor has scared the living daylights out of me,  I told my doctor that I didnt follow her instructions and tried to quit oxcarbazapine cold turkey way earlier than she recommended and she said "that's ok" note: I talked to her two weeks after trying to quit oxcarbazapine. She said "oh it's ok it's just a mood stabilizer it wont hurt, we can go ahead and take u off within the next two weeks" this is after I told her the symptoms I was having after trying to quit . And she co stably kept telling me " you'll be fine, it's just a mood stabilizer it wont hurt, most people do fine" I told her I'll stay on because there is no way I was taking that risk throwing my mind out of wack like a crazy person  and then I'll be sitting right back in her office again or in some kind of psycward back on medication. So I researched and researched on should I go back to the table or not and didnt find anything but since the third week of the suspension I was gagging , I vomited one time and coughing and just kinda wanted to stop breathing .  This is too extreme so I stared taking the tablet again .tuesday. I fell a little bit better it's been two days but in still coughing and gagging a little bit and feeling like I just want to stared or lay down.  What have I done? I'm sick of this. I dont know what to do , my doctor has scared me , she dont know what to do , I even talked to her about the pharmaceutical liquid and she told me that I couldnt use that to taper because it would literally be a tiny drop on my tongue .. that's exactly what she said ..  and the liquid from the pharmacy is too expensive for me.  Do I need to come of oxcarbazapine and go on another mood stabilizer ?  I just feel bad like when I dont feel side effects t or symptoms or anything I feel awesome !!!  I didnt know that the suspension would act like that , I honestly thought that it would be the same as the tablet, I just know that when u take a tablet of liquid form or even another brand of the same medicine your body has to readjust and itll make u feel different not awful . So now I know .  Or should I just stick it for about a week and 4 days to let my body readjust to the tablet again and see if it get better ? I really feel like I have become sensitive to the medicine now.. i researched a lot on oxcarbazapine side effects and it does say that it will cause sleep problems,insomnia and change the architecture of the way u sleep according to my research. So if that's the case I was already having side effect from this pill. Do u think if I had of never done the suspension I would ever see more ? I know ur not doctors or professionals but if u know something please inform me .I need help I dont want to be walking around crazy, I want to feel normal. 

March 2017- Aug 2017 benztropine 1mg, clonazepam 1mg, divalproex 500mg, haloperidol 5mg

 

Aug 2017-Dec 2018 benztropine .5mg, clonazepam .5mg, divalproex 500mg, haloperidol .5mg

 

May 2019 - Dec 2020 haloperidol .5mg , Oxcarbazapine 150mg

Link to comment

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use Privacy Policy