halfthemaniusedtobe: Olanzapine and depakine withdrawal - halthemaniusedtobe

[halfthemaniusedtobe]

Hello guys, so glad I've found this site. This is my third attempt in withdrawing from antipsychotics and mood stabilizers. Today I decided to quit cold turkey from 10mg of olanzapine and 900mg of depakine. Risky I know, but I just can't stand the way they make me feel. Drugged up, emotionless zombie. I'm very scared of withdrawal but I hope this time I can make it through. Hope you're all well! 

[getofflex]

Hello, and welcome to SA.  We are a peer owned and run forum of people who have been or are getting off of psychiatric drugs.  We strongly suggest you do NOT go cold turkey off these meds.  If it were me, I would resume taking the meds right away just as I had been, at the same dosages, and then do some research to find out about tapering them slowly and carefully.  This thread talks about the dangers of cold turkey.  Cold turkey can make people very sick for years. Please read this link carefully.  

 

Can you please give us specific information about your drug history for all drugs you are on and have been on, especially for the past 18-24 months?  It would be especially helpful to have the details of your drugs in a concise list (no symptoms), only drug names, specific dates (as best you can say for example early March if you don't recall the day) and dosages of each medication decrease or increase.  Please read the link below for instructions.  This will allow us to give you the best guidance.  

 

How to List Drug History in Signature

 

Here is some information about how these drugs actually work.  

 

How Psychiatric Drugs Remodel Your Brain

 

 

This helps you understand what withdrawal syndrome is: 

 

 Video on Recovery from Psych Drugs

 

What is Withdrawal Syndrome?

 

Tapering is best done extremely slowly, and we taper by 10% of the current dose no more than once every 4 weeks, so that the taper becomes exponentially smaller.

 

 Why Taper by 10% of my Dosage  

 

Which Drug to Taper First

 

 

Also, as we are recovering, we suggest keeping things slow, simple, and stable. This is extremely important. 

 

Considerations About Stability Stop Jumping Around

 

Keep it Simple, Slow, and Stable

 

 

When we recover, there are times of feeling OK mixed in with times of feeling bad.  This is called windows and waves.

 

Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

Here are some techniques to cope with symptoms: 

 

Non Drug Ways to Cope with Withdrawal Symptoms

 

 

We don't suggest many supplements, but 2 that many of us find helpful are magnesium and omega-3 fish oil. Here are the links for info about those. It is suggested to add one at a time, and start with a low dose to see how it affects you. 

Magnesium

 

Omega 3 Fish Oil

 

I've given you quite a bit of information here.  Please read through it, and mull it over, and we will take it from there. In the meantime, take care of yourself, and take heart.  We in this forum have been through this, and we understand first hand the pain and discomfort you are going through.  Please know that the brain is amazing in it's healing abilities.  It takes time, but healing can and will happen. 

[JohnBanes]

What happened on your prior two attempts?

 

Also, as getofflex explained, I would go slow and go one drug at a time.

 

Olanzapine can be difficult to withdraw from, especially if you are in the fraction of patients experiencing severe insomnia on discontinuation.  A number of us on this website have suffered from Olanzapine withdrawal (as well as withdrawal from other psychiatric agents).