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Emma86: Trying to heal after heavy withdrawal Lorazepam


Emma86

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Thank you so much this has really really really helped me, my instinct is that the benzo could help the antischycotic taper! As like you say the insomnia! And I had been taking a benzo before. 
 

As for my next step.. would you think that taking 50 XR and then the rest 25mg instant would be ok? And cut with 25s. I’m currently at 112.5mg holding till stable 

 

next il

go to 100mg still on the XRs 

 

then go down to 90.. 

so I could take 50XR then 40mg instant using the 25s? Cutting would be tricky. 
 

would do you think? :) How to cut when it gets small and what dose do you stop at? 
 

do I need scales.. 

 

thank you! 

- Nov 2020 –  Feb 2021 Lorazepam (1mg) for tinnitus. 

-(1,5- 2mg) till April (2021), tapered off for 1 week, reinstated in May 1mg - 2mg got worse

- Switched Ativan to diazepam 10mg 5 weeks from 10mg -3,5mg got worse

- March 2021 6 weeks Lexapro 15mg, quit (tapered of in 3weeks) took for anxiety made me a vegetable, better once off.

May Hospital - quetiapine once at 50mg, then olanzepine, hypotension I stopped everything. Severe symptoms, not sleeping.

- 2021 - 2mg ativan given twice in hospital drug induced Psychosis - July 2021 hospital  risperidone 2mg-6mg in 1 week  +30mg Mirtazipine total 2 weeks - I stopped for 1 week ( thought I was being poisoned ) had window of 10 days slowly some normality,  started at 3mg Risp for 10days + 15mg Mirtazipine because I worried for withdrawal, but too late was hit with intense withdrawal, uncontrollable symptoms 

- Sept 3 hospital  – Oct 13th -quetiapine within 1 week 50mg-400mg + 30 mg mirtazapine 

- 6 weeks in hospital  - Home -  300 mg for 4 weeks

 - Reinstated 24th Nov 2021 - 0.5 Ativan - stabilised - 1st Dec went to 150mg quetia - 24thDec went to 100mg - Went to 31st Dec 112.5. 30th Jan 2022 100mg holding. Dropped -22nd March 2022 Mirt 26mg - 9th May, Mirt 25mg.  Hold Mirt and Quetia. Tapered Ativan from 0.5 - 0.125mg May 2022 - March 2023. 11th April 2023 started again with Quetiapine. 

December 30th 2023 - Quetia 8mg  - Ativan 0.125mg - Mirtazipine 25mg 

I take Quetiapine and Mirtazipine at night before bed 22/23pm, I take Ativan in the morning 11am and mid eve 8/9pm splitting the dose  

Current doses as of March 6th 2024 - Quetia 2mg - Mint 25mg - Ativan 0.125mg

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I don't know why you take all this but if you have anguish or kind of panic attacks, the benzo could also help with that when you will taper seroquel because the tapering made my anxiety very chaotic for a while. Anything that you taper will affect the others, and from my experience, antidepressants react less violently by antipsychotic tapering and it's more on long term. While the antipsychotic may react fast and strongly to antidepressant tapering. So that would be another reason to start by seroquel. The only exception may be venlafaxine (effexor) because it is really a special case in my opinion but you don't take it.

 

You know, the tapering speed depend on what you feel. The higher you are, the more easy it is to drop, for example, 400 to 100 for me was pretty easy. But after, it's getting hard. So when you taper, give you a time to see how it goes. If it's good, try another step. If not, wait a while. The recommendation is 10%, as mentioned on page 1. You can adjust it if you feel ok. Although the steps will be cumulative. Whatever you choose, if you don't wait enough, you will have the remaining effects, plus them of the new taper added, and so on. Time allow the cumulative adds to decrease in effects. Each person react differently and need a different time. 10% is conservative. A kind of maximum security. Some steps may have new effects, and be harder for some reason. If it's good, continue. If it's getting hard, go on standby. If it goes unbearable, you probably tried tapering too fast, so go up a bit but try to balance the risk instead of having to up again because it's a loss of time and useless suffering. Be cautious too that some effects may take time to appear. So if you don't wait enough because you think it's good, and taper again, what you feel bad may even not be the current tapering but the other that is starting to hit. And they will be added together soon.

 

Cutting a non-XR pill under half may become tricky at very low dosage because the more you get near zero, the more it's hard, and the cut will be also hardly perfect. It's mostly impossible to cut more than 1/4 and having a stable dosage every day. While you cut, you never get a perfect dosage, but you are mostly only sensitive to this difference at very low dosage. So start with the cuts, you will see how it goes. The scale will be used only if you are very sensitive and when you will be at lower dosage. I never tried to mix XR and non-XR. I guess you could try 100 XR, then 50XR+25S+12.5S. It would allow to check how you will react by mixing both, but honestly I don't know and I cannot guarantee anything. My story is not recommendable but I was able to avoid mixing both so I don't know how the results will be. The key is: study your own biology. Watch yourself, note what happens, note the time you taper. Don't do anything blindly without noting or you will get lost. Do it like a serious experiment. Because you really don't want to have to restart all of this, and you will learn how your body works and react. This will guide you to calculate what to do next. This is the only way to be precise and avoid suffering. And take time to read the seroquel thread, even if it's long. It will help you to digest all the information and make the good decisions. As you understand, there are guidelines, but at the end you have to decide your plan according to them, and to your reactions.

1999-2003: not really remember. Tried Wellbutrin for a week, being mostly on Paxil

2004-2009: zoloft 200mg

2009-2010: zoloft fast withdrawal (-25mg per week), added celexa a few months, minimum dose)

2010: zoloft 200mg + zyprexa

2011: zoloft 200mg + seroquel XR 400mg, zyprexa removed

2014 (April): zoloft 0mg tapered -25mg per 2 weeks. Still having seroquel XR 400mg

2014 (July): restarted zoloft 25mg for unbearable symptoms. Still having seroquel XR 400mg

2018 (May): zoloft 0mg tapered -25mg per 2 weeks. Still having seroquel XR 400mg

2020 (May to August): seroquel XR -100, -100, -50, -50, -50 = 0mg on August 4th, reinstated to 50mg XR after 4 days

2020 Sept 21: seroquel 25mg

2020 Oct 12: seroquel 12.5mg

2020 Nov 2: seroquel 6.25mg, 21: seroquel 5mg, 22: seroquel 4mg, 24: seroquel 3mg, 28: seroquel 2mg. Dec 4 : 1mg, 5: 0.5mg, Dec 19: 2mg, 2021 Jan 16: 1.5mg, Jan 22: 1mg, Jan 23: 0.5mg, Jan 29: 0.25mg, Feb 06: 0.125mg, Feb 07: 0.06mg, Fev 11: 0.125mg, Fev 18: 0.1875mg, Mar 13: 0.09mg + clonazepam 0.25, Mar 19: seroquel 0, 2022 Apr 23: clona 0.5, Oct 21: clona 0.75, Aug 16: clona 0.5, Nov 2023: clona 0.437 lemborexant 5 2024 Feb: lembo 10 Mar: clona 0

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Thank you so much! This is such an amazing post. So helpful! Great advice! 
yes the smaller it gets the harder! I had a similar thing when in higher dosages it was easy! 
but now… has to be smaller cuts, I will read back in your posts as it’s full of great advice! 
 

so when you got lower you cut the instants? 
thanking you again! 
emma 

- Nov 2020 –  Feb 2021 Lorazepam (1mg) for tinnitus. 

-(1,5- 2mg) till April (2021), tapered off for 1 week, reinstated in May 1mg - 2mg got worse

- Switched Ativan to diazepam 10mg 5 weeks from 10mg -3,5mg got worse

- March 2021 6 weeks Lexapro 15mg, quit (tapered of in 3weeks) took for anxiety made me a vegetable, better once off.

May Hospital - quetiapine once at 50mg, then olanzepine, hypotension I stopped everything. Severe symptoms, not sleeping.

- 2021 - 2mg ativan given twice in hospital drug induced Psychosis - July 2021 hospital  risperidone 2mg-6mg in 1 week  +30mg Mirtazipine total 2 weeks - I stopped for 1 week ( thought I was being poisoned ) had window of 10 days slowly some normality,  started at 3mg Risp for 10days + 15mg Mirtazipine because I worried for withdrawal, but too late was hit with intense withdrawal, uncontrollable symptoms 

- Sept 3 hospital  – Oct 13th -quetiapine within 1 week 50mg-400mg + 30 mg mirtazapine 

- 6 weeks in hospital  - Home -  300 mg for 4 weeks

 - Reinstated 24th Nov 2021 - 0.5 Ativan - stabilised - 1st Dec went to 150mg quetia - 24thDec went to 100mg - Went to 31st Dec 112.5. 30th Jan 2022 100mg holding. Dropped -22nd March 2022 Mirt 26mg - 9th May, Mirt 25mg.  Hold Mirt and Quetia. Tapered Ativan from 0.5 - 0.125mg May 2022 - March 2023. 11th April 2023 started again with Quetiapine. 

December 30th 2023 - Quetia 8mg  - Ativan 0.125mg - Mirtazipine 25mg 

I take Quetiapine and Mirtazipine at night before bed 22/23pm, I take Ativan in the morning 11am and mid eve 8/9pm splitting the dose  

Current doses as of March 6th 2024 - Quetia 2mg - Mint 25mg - Ativan 0.125mg

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Oh Iv just the read what you said about going down to take 2 25mgs etc… thank you again! So tricky when it gets to the smaller pArts! Did you feel better eventually without quetiapine? It’s such a heavy drug! It’s made me very swolen hoping that goes too 🙏🏻 But mainly just to keep my sanity is number one! I was put on quetiapine because Of a severe benzo withdrawal couldn’t sleep or calm down. I was given it in hospital as I was not in a good place. My goal is to be drug free ! As before all the drugs I was totally fine! Just got tinnitus and a dr gave me lorazepam to sleep… and the story starts! 😅Thanks again 

- Nov 2020 –  Feb 2021 Lorazepam (1mg) for tinnitus. 

-(1,5- 2mg) till April (2021), tapered off for 1 week, reinstated in May 1mg - 2mg got worse

- Switched Ativan to diazepam 10mg 5 weeks from 10mg -3,5mg got worse

- March 2021 6 weeks Lexapro 15mg, quit (tapered of in 3weeks) took for anxiety made me a vegetable, better once off.

May Hospital - quetiapine once at 50mg, then olanzepine, hypotension I stopped everything. Severe symptoms, not sleeping.

- 2021 - 2mg ativan given twice in hospital drug induced Psychosis - July 2021 hospital  risperidone 2mg-6mg in 1 week  +30mg Mirtazipine total 2 weeks - I stopped for 1 week ( thought I was being poisoned ) had window of 10 days slowly some normality,  started at 3mg Risp for 10days + 15mg Mirtazipine because I worried for withdrawal, but too late was hit with intense withdrawal, uncontrollable symptoms 

- Sept 3 hospital  – Oct 13th -quetiapine within 1 week 50mg-400mg + 30 mg mirtazapine 

- 6 weeks in hospital  - Home -  300 mg for 4 weeks

 - Reinstated 24th Nov 2021 - 0.5 Ativan - stabilised - 1st Dec went to 150mg quetia - 24thDec went to 100mg - Went to 31st Dec 112.5. 30th Jan 2022 100mg holding. Dropped -22nd March 2022 Mirt 26mg - 9th May, Mirt 25mg.  Hold Mirt and Quetia. Tapered Ativan from 0.5 - 0.125mg May 2022 - March 2023. 11th April 2023 started again with Quetiapine. 

December 30th 2023 - Quetia 8mg  - Ativan 0.125mg - Mirtazipine 25mg 

I take Quetiapine and Mirtazipine at night before bed 22/23pm, I take Ativan in the morning 11am and mid eve 8/9pm splitting the dose  

Current doses as of March 6th 2024 - Quetia 2mg - Mint 25mg - Ativan 0.125mg

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It's a pleasure to help you. I would have directly passed from 50XR to 0 in fact, if it was not of this total failure to sleep even for ten minutes for 3 nights in a row. So I was forced to not only cut the 25mg, but at 1/4 of them, I had to create a liquid solution to continue to taper because insomnia was still unbearable. I bet that having the benzo would have made this micro tapering useless. So don't worry, you will probably not need to use liquid solution. Even at micro dosage, insomnia was there (5h per night was a miracle) and that was my mistake: I thought I was needing micro tapering but even at 0, the issue continued for months. So I basically lost my time. From 100 to 50, the fog on my mind was lifted after almost 10 years, I was feeling myself again. And from 2mg and under, all my anxiety, anguish, night terrors and other weird fear mental effects at night time disappeared very fast after a few days. The only issues remaining even after 10 months are the very delayed satiety after the evening meal (I'm starving even if full, for 2h), abnormal libido and the insomnia that is now almost fixed (I'm getting 7h pretty often, and from time to time 8h). Once I will have 8h most of the time, the benzo will be last thing to remove. I'm sorry that you have to go through all this for an initial issue that was nothing to do with psych. I wish to you the freedom you seek. Seroquel is often given only for insomnia (and it's a shame). And those meds tend to do the exact opposite when they are stopped, in a much worse way than the initial issue they were supposed to help.

1999-2003: not really remember. Tried Wellbutrin for a week, being mostly on Paxil

2004-2009: zoloft 200mg

2009-2010: zoloft fast withdrawal (-25mg per week), added celexa a few months, minimum dose)

2010: zoloft 200mg + zyprexa

2011: zoloft 200mg + seroquel XR 400mg, zyprexa removed

2014 (April): zoloft 0mg tapered -25mg per 2 weeks. Still having seroquel XR 400mg

2014 (July): restarted zoloft 25mg for unbearable symptoms. Still having seroquel XR 400mg

2018 (May): zoloft 0mg tapered -25mg per 2 weeks. Still having seroquel XR 400mg

2020 (May to August): seroquel XR -100, -100, -50, -50, -50 = 0mg on August 4th, reinstated to 50mg XR after 4 days

2020 Sept 21: seroquel 25mg

2020 Oct 12: seroquel 12.5mg

2020 Nov 2: seroquel 6.25mg, 21: seroquel 5mg, 22: seroquel 4mg, 24: seroquel 3mg, 28: seroquel 2mg. Dec 4 : 1mg, 5: 0.5mg, Dec 19: 2mg, 2021 Jan 16: 1.5mg, Jan 22: 1mg, Jan 23: 0.5mg, Jan 29: 0.25mg, Feb 06: 0.125mg, Feb 07: 0.06mg, Fev 11: 0.125mg, Fev 18: 0.1875mg, Mar 13: 0.09mg + clonazepam 0.25, Mar 19: seroquel 0, 2022 Apr 23: clona 0.5, Oct 21: clona 0.75, Aug 16: clona 0.5, Nov 2023: clona 0.437 lemborexant 5 2024 Feb: lembo 10 Mar: clona 0

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It’s great to hear your experience, I will taper and slowly do it and hopefully insomnia won’t come for me but to be off this drug would be incredible. It makes me feel heavy, fat and spaced out, I have pains in my body as well, slight heart odd rhythms, and when I taper too fast I really feel It, so I think it will be slow and small bits for me and tackle the benzo after 🙏🏻 Maybe the mirtazipine will help with sleep also.. god knows, that’s great your off it and all those things stopped! Fog for 10 years! Again thank you so much :) 

- Nov 2020 –  Feb 2021 Lorazepam (1mg) for tinnitus. 

-(1,5- 2mg) till April (2021), tapered off for 1 week, reinstated in May 1mg - 2mg got worse

- Switched Ativan to diazepam 10mg 5 weeks from 10mg -3,5mg got worse

- March 2021 6 weeks Lexapro 15mg, quit (tapered of in 3weeks) took for anxiety made me a vegetable, better once off.

May Hospital - quetiapine once at 50mg, then olanzepine, hypotension I stopped everything. Severe symptoms, not sleeping.

- 2021 - 2mg ativan given twice in hospital drug induced Psychosis - July 2021 hospital  risperidone 2mg-6mg in 1 week  +30mg Mirtazipine total 2 weeks - I stopped for 1 week ( thought I was being poisoned ) had window of 10 days slowly some normality,  started at 3mg Risp for 10days + 15mg Mirtazipine because I worried for withdrawal, but too late was hit with intense withdrawal, uncontrollable symptoms 

- Sept 3 hospital  – Oct 13th -quetiapine within 1 week 50mg-400mg + 30 mg mirtazapine 

- 6 weeks in hospital  - Home -  300 mg for 4 weeks

 - Reinstated 24th Nov 2021 - 0.5 Ativan - stabilised - 1st Dec went to 150mg quetia - 24thDec went to 100mg - Went to 31st Dec 112.5. 30th Jan 2022 100mg holding. Dropped -22nd March 2022 Mirt 26mg - 9th May, Mirt 25mg.  Hold Mirt and Quetia. Tapered Ativan from 0.5 - 0.125mg May 2022 - March 2023. 11th April 2023 started again with Quetiapine. 

December 30th 2023 - Quetia 8mg  - Ativan 0.125mg - Mirtazipine 25mg 

I take Quetiapine and Mirtazipine at night before bed 22/23pm, I take Ativan in the morning 11am and mid eve 8/9pm splitting the dose  

Current doses as of March 6th 2024 - Quetia 2mg - Mint 25mg - Ativan 0.125mg

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Thanks Emma. You may read my full story if you want for all the details. I can send to you the link in private message.

 

While I'm still writing here, I would like to know if anyone is aware if the following happened for some people with seroquel withdrawal: muscle endurance weakness, tendonitis that doesn't heal for at least 6 months, because I've both and it may be the chronic insomnia on one year, or both. The insomnia is from seroquel too anyway. I've noted by starting the withdrawal in 2020 that biking was much harder. I thought it was the bike, aging (even if I was only 38), but at the end I could only explain it with the withdrawal. Before to get hurt at the end of summer, I've done jogging in spring, and noticed my ankles to pinch and feel weak. If I maintain arms in air for tai-chi, I also have fatigue fast. So it's apparently generalized everywhere. And since I've still have other different physical effects even after 10 months later being off seroquel completely, I think this is simply another long term remaining effect. I will need physio therapy to heal this while I've never needed this of my life. I walked on beaches, four hours, as I've always done. I see no other explanation but I've not found explicit links in this thread to muscle endurance/weakness.

1999-2003: not really remember. Tried Wellbutrin for a week, being mostly on Paxil

2004-2009: zoloft 200mg

2009-2010: zoloft fast withdrawal (-25mg per week), added celexa a few months, minimum dose)

2010: zoloft 200mg + zyprexa

2011: zoloft 200mg + seroquel XR 400mg, zyprexa removed

2014 (April): zoloft 0mg tapered -25mg per 2 weeks. Still having seroquel XR 400mg

2014 (July): restarted zoloft 25mg for unbearable symptoms. Still having seroquel XR 400mg

2018 (May): zoloft 0mg tapered -25mg per 2 weeks. Still having seroquel XR 400mg

2020 (May to August): seroquel XR -100, -100, -50, -50, -50 = 0mg on August 4th, reinstated to 50mg XR after 4 days

2020 Sept 21: seroquel 25mg

2020 Oct 12: seroquel 12.5mg

2020 Nov 2: seroquel 6.25mg, 21: seroquel 5mg, 22: seroquel 4mg, 24: seroquel 3mg, 28: seroquel 2mg. Dec 4 : 1mg, 5: 0.5mg, Dec 19: 2mg, 2021 Jan 16: 1.5mg, Jan 22: 1mg, Jan 23: 0.5mg, Jan 29: 0.25mg, Feb 06: 0.125mg, Feb 07: 0.06mg, Fev 11: 0.125mg, Fev 18: 0.1875mg, Mar 13: 0.09mg + clonazepam 0.25, Mar 19: seroquel 0, 2022 Apr 23: clona 0.5, Oct 21: clona 0.75, Aug 16: clona 0.5, Nov 2023: clona 0.437 lemborexant 5 2024 Feb: lembo 10 Mar: clona 0

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Pollydrugged in benzo withdrawal can I heal? How long can a person hold a benzo

 

I have only managed to stabilise by reinstating lorazepam by 0.5 after months of no sleep and hallucinations and some sort of drug induced phycosis my initial taper was not successful due to drs telling me it would take 2 weeks to come off.. I also tried lexapro whilst on the benzo which was not successful and tapered off both but the benzo too quickly, I reinstated it but was so unstable I ended up in mental hospitals given quetiapine and risperidone, I experienced the most horrifying brain malfunction and just the worst sensations all over my body … whilst taking quetiapine and mirtazipine I was completely non functional like I had weird thoughts and hallucinations and pain. I took the 0.5 lorazepam and I came back to life it was very very weird.. Iv found a good phyc who says we must taper you off this quetiapine but it’s going to take a long time, and I’m worried about tolerance with the lorazepam as it’s the only thing that cleared all my problems, il worried my CNS is so frazzled by all Of this.. I need the benzo whilst I taper the others but will the benzo hold? I’m worried about tolerance! And what has actually happened to my system in all this? What drug is doing what. I can’t stay on lorazepam for my entire life but part of me is like how can my body heal through all of this experience.. 

 

has anyone been able to hold their benzo through a long taper? Or even had to updose.. as the quetiapine will come with much withdrawal as well as the mirtazipine and I was smoking eating sugar whilst I was totally unstable as just had no hope, no Iv stopped all that no sugar healthy diet.. 

 

I reinstated 0.5 lorazepam 24th of nov because of my prior severe dependency and now polly drugging how can my system get back to itself? And how’s best.. 

 

with al the trauma and stress that went with 3 hospital admissions, and the craziest symptoms a person could imagine 

 

Edited by ChessieCat
added topic title before merging with intro topic

- Nov 2020 –  Feb 2021 Lorazepam (1mg) for tinnitus. 

-(1,5- 2mg) till April (2021), tapered off for 1 week, reinstated in May 1mg - 2mg got worse

- Switched Ativan to diazepam 10mg 5 weeks from 10mg -3,5mg got worse

- March 2021 6 weeks Lexapro 15mg, quit (tapered of in 3weeks) took for anxiety made me a vegetable, better once off.

May Hospital - quetiapine once at 50mg, then olanzepine, hypotension I stopped everything. Severe symptoms, not sleeping.

- 2021 - 2mg ativan given twice in hospital drug induced Psychosis - July 2021 hospital  risperidone 2mg-6mg in 1 week  +30mg Mirtazipine total 2 weeks - I stopped for 1 week ( thought I was being poisoned ) had window of 10 days slowly some normality,  started at 3mg Risp for 10days + 15mg Mirtazipine because I worried for withdrawal, but too late was hit with intense withdrawal, uncontrollable symptoms 

- Sept 3 hospital  – Oct 13th -quetiapine within 1 week 50mg-400mg + 30 mg mirtazapine 

- 6 weeks in hospital  - Home -  300 mg for 4 weeks

 - Reinstated 24th Nov 2021 - 0.5 Ativan - stabilised - 1st Dec went to 150mg quetia - 24thDec went to 100mg - Went to 31st Dec 112.5. 30th Jan 2022 100mg holding. Dropped -22nd March 2022 Mirt 26mg - 9th May, Mirt 25mg.  Hold Mirt and Quetia. Tapered Ativan from 0.5 - 0.125mg May 2022 - March 2023. 11th April 2023 started again with Quetiapine. 

December 30th 2023 - Quetia 8mg  - Ativan 0.125mg - Mirtazipine 25mg 

I take Quetiapine and Mirtazipine at night before bed 22/23pm, I take Ativan in the morning 11am and mid eve 8/9pm splitting the dose  

Current doses as of March 6th 2024 - Quetia 2mg - Mint 25mg - Ativan 0.125mg

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  • ChessieCat changed the title to Poly drugged on severe benzo withdrawal
  • Moderator Emeritus
On 1/9/2022 at 8:28 AM, Bluewisp said:

I've read somewhere on the forums the order to choose but I don't remember. It was years ago.

 

If you're not having an adverse reaction from the other medications, taper the most activating drug first. This is usually an antidepressant or stimulant (ADHD drug).

 

For more information see:

 

taking-multiple-psych-drugs-which-drug-to-taper-first

 

 

* 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

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@ChessieCat thank you!
 

I reinstated the lorazepam 0.5 on the 24th of dec after being completely gone I came back.. so we did the quetiapine first as I was getting awful feelings from it! I we t down from 300mg and I was good at 150mg for 3 and a half weeks went down to 100mg and I got withdrawal it was nasty a week later. I went to 112.5 on the 31st after a few days like 4/5 it got better I had like 5 days of feel ok, then recently over the last few days I’m getting just awful feelings in my body I’m thinking is this the lorazepam reaching tolerance.. I did eat something and had an immediate reaction and have a feeling I am certain my histamine foods intolerant and will watch this now .. my symptoms are severe when they happen it’s like my whole body , in that I feel like I can’t talk or feel Shakey, slight burning here and there, pains in the body appear randomly, eye sight feels strange and head buzzing and feeling dizzy with some slight pain, I’m thinking is this histamine… or is this lorazepam tolerance? I defintly have reactions to histamine foods and if I eat brown rice with vedge I feel fine! 
shall I hold here as I’m too symptomatic to change anything and maybe the next change could be the mirtazipine? I’m on 30mg what would I dose down too… I fear the lorazepam is the only thing that will keep my reasonably stable and going into tolerance will then let all these other horrifying symptoms come back from numerous drug withdrawals… I was put on mirtazipine for 2 weeks came off it then went back on untill now but I was so non functional I didn’t know what was doing what. Same with risperidone was on it for 2 weeks came off for 2 weeks had awful withdrawals tried to reinstate. But didn’t work came off.. and then was just put on more quetiapine and mirtazipine…My fear is the reinstatement of lorazepam stabilising me was like a miracle but Iv still got so much to taper off? And my CNS system.. got all this medication whilst In severe benzo withdrawal is it possible to heal .. antischycotics are obviously pretty hefty it is helping me sleep.. I never healed my lorazepam injury …can other meds help benzo withdrawal in critical cases just need my brain to feel like there’s hope .. what will the lorazepam be doing whilst I’m tapering .. what are all these other drugs doing with each other? Mmmm

- Nov 2020 –  Feb 2021 Lorazepam (1mg) for tinnitus. 

-(1,5- 2mg) till April (2021), tapered off for 1 week, reinstated in May 1mg - 2mg got worse

- Switched Ativan to diazepam 10mg 5 weeks from 10mg -3,5mg got worse

- March 2021 6 weeks Lexapro 15mg, quit (tapered of in 3weeks) took for anxiety made me a vegetable, better once off.

May Hospital - quetiapine once at 50mg, then olanzepine, hypotension I stopped everything. Severe symptoms, not sleeping.

- 2021 - 2mg ativan given twice in hospital drug induced Psychosis - July 2021 hospital  risperidone 2mg-6mg in 1 week  +30mg Mirtazipine total 2 weeks - I stopped for 1 week ( thought I was being poisoned ) had window of 10 days slowly some normality,  started at 3mg Risp for 10days + 15mg Mirtazipine because I worried for withdrawal, but too late was hit with intense withdrawal, uncontrollable symptoms 

- Sept 3 hospital  – Oct 13th -quetiapine within 1 week 50mg-400mg + 30 mg mirtazapine 

- 6 weeks in hospital  - Home -  300 mg for 4 weeks

 - Reinstated 24th Nov 2021 - 0.5 Ativan - stabilised - 1st Dec went to 150mg quetia - 24thDec went to 100mg - Went to 31st Dec 112.5. 30th Jan 2022 100mg holding. Dropped -22nd March 2022 Mirt 26mg - 9th May, Mirt 25mg.  Hold Mirt and Quetia. Tapered Ativan from 0.5 - 0.125mg May 2022 - March 2023. 11th April 2023 started again with Quetiapine. 

December 30th 2023 - Quetia 8mg  - Ativan 0.125mg - Mirtazipine 25mg 

I take Quetiapine and Mirtazipine at night before bed 22/23pm, I take Ativan in the morning 11am and mid eve 8/9pm splitting the dose  

Current doses as of March 6th 2024 - Quetia 2mg - Mint 25mg - Ativan 0.125mg

Link to comment

@brassmonkey 

 

Help feels like my body’s collapsing

 

I reinstated 0.5 ativ and became stable after months of hell and pollydrugging I fear my drugging has been so extensive … I am working on coming down off these drugs, but after such history it’s proving to be very hard do I updose the ativ? The symptoms are very bad, like I’m having a stroke I could take a tiny bit more? It’s the only thing that has helped when I dropped from 150mg to

100 mg quietiapine I had bad withdrawals since it’s been waves and windows but now feels like I’m becoming totally destabilised it’s terrifying as I was totally gone before! Like really bad!!! No way back sort of bad.. I’m thinking can the benzo hekp me through this taper … it’s my only chance.. 

 

Edited by ChessieCat
added topic title before merging with intro topic

- Nov 2020 –  Feb 2021 Lorazepam (1mg) for tinnitus. 

-(1,5- 2mg) till April (2021), tapered off for 1 week, reinstated in May 1mg - 2mg got worse

- Switched Ativan to diazepam 10mg 5 weeks from 10mg -3,5mg got worse

- March 2021 6 weeks Lexapro 15mg, quit (tapered of in 3weeks) took for anxiety made me a vegetable, better once off.

May Hospital - quetiapine once at 50mg, then olanzepine, hypotension I stopped everything. Severe symptoms, not sleeping.

- 2021 - 2mg ativan given twice in hospital drug induced Psychosis - July 2021 hospital  risperidone 2mg-6mg in 1 week  +30mg Mirtazipine total 2 weeks - I stopped for 1 week ( thought I was being poisoned ) had window of 10 days slowly some normality,  started at 3mg Risp for 10days + 15mg Mirtazipine because I worried for withdrawal, but too late was hit with intense withdrawal, uncontrollable symptoms 

- Sept 3 hospital  – Oct 13th -quetiapine within 1 week 50mg-400mg + 30 mg mirtazapine 

- 6 weeks in hospital  - Home -  300 mg for 4 weeks

 - Reinstated 24th Nov 2021 - 0.5 Ativan - stabilised - 1st Dec went to 150mg quetia - 24thDec went to 100mg - Went to 31st Dec 112.5. 30th Jan 2022 100mg holding. Dropped -22nd March 2022 Mirt 26mg - 9th May, Mirt 25mg.  Hold Mirt and Quetia. Tapered Ativan from 0.5 - 0.125mg May 2022 - March 2023. 11th April 2023 started again with Quetiapine. 

December 30th 2023 - Quetia 8mg  - Ativan 0.125mg - Mirtazipine 25mg 

I take Quetiapine and Mirtazipine at night before bed 22/23pm, I take Ativan in the morning 11am and mid eve 8/9pm splitting the dose  

Current doses as of March 6th 2024 - Quetia 2mg - Mint 25mg - Ativan 0.125mg

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  • Moderator

Benzos are not my field so I can't really say. Shep is the expert there, or possibly Frogie.

20 years on Paxil starting at 20mg and working up to 40mg. Sept 2011 started 10% every 6 weeks taper (2.5% every week for 4 weeks then hold for 2 additional weeks), currently at 7.9mg. Oct 2011 CTed 15oz vodka a night, to only drinking 2 beers most nights, totally sober Feb 2013.

Since I wrote this I have continued to decrease my dose by 10% every 6 weeks (2.5% every week for 4 weeks and then hold for an additional 2 weeks). I added in an extra 6 week hold when I hit 10mg to let things settle out even more. When I hit 3mgpw it became hard to split the drop into 4 parts so I switched to dropping 1mgpw (pill weight) every week for 3 weeks and then holding for another 3 weeks.  The 3 + 3 schedule turned out to be too harsh so I cut back to dropping 1mgpw every 4 weeks which is working better.

Final Dose 0.016mg.     Current dose 0.000mg 04-15-2017

 

"It's also important not to become angry, no matter how difficult life is, because you can loose all hope if you can't laugh at yourself and at life in general."  Stephen Hawking

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  • Moderator

@Emma86

 

So sorry you’re going through this. 
 

You could up the dose of the Ativan a little and take it twice a day. Just know that taking a benzo for 2 weeks or so you will become dependent on it and will have to taper off. If it. It won’t make the symptoms go away but might help mask them a little, making it easier to taper the other meds you are on.

PREVIOUS medications and discontinuations: Have been on medications since 1996. 

 Valium, Gabapentin, Lamictal, Prilosec and Zantac from 2000 to 2015 with a fast taper by a psychiatrist.

 Liquid Lexapro Nov, 2016 to 31-March, 2019 Lexapro free!!! (total Lexapro taper was 4 years-started with pill form)

---CURRENT MEDICATIONS:Supplements:Milk Thistle, Metamucil, Magnesium Citrate, Vitamin D3, Levothyroxine 25mcg, Vitamin C, Krill oil.

Xanax 1mg 3x day June, 2000 to 19-September, 2020 Went from .150 grams (average weight of 1 Xanax) 3x day to .003 grams 3x day. April 1, 2021 went back on 1mg a day. Started tapering May 19, 2023. July 28, 2023-approximately .87mg. Dr. fast tapered me at the end and realized he messed up. Prescribe it again and I am doing "slower than a turtle" taper.

19-September, 2020 Xanax free!!! (total Xanax taper was 15-1/2 months-1-June, 2019-19-September, 2020)

I am not a medical professional.

The suggestions I make are based on personal experience.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

@Emma86

 

Please post questions and updates etc (anything specifically related to you) here in your Introduction topic.  This keeps your history in one place.

* 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

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@ChessieCat thank you ! I could find my thread :) will do! And thank you for your response @brassmonkey thank you anyway I’m on 3 meds so was just trying to work out how to go about it :) 

 

And @frogie yeah you think? 
just I took the Ativan for 5 months this was the whole issue and my start of this mess, was given it for tinnitus! I am thinking maybe it could help whilst these others go? As any tweak I make creates such distress in my system .. I was already so dependent 

 

I stopped after 5 months in a month.. drs orders..was off for a week then went back on for a flight then anxiety came back then went back on and it just got worse and worse I was hit with withdrawal in that week and then reinstated at this point I thought it was all me I had no idea! About these awful pills.. I tried to come down from 2 mg lorazepam switch to V for hope of relief then … as seen in signature I became unstable and ended up in hospitals on more drugs! It was hell on earth … with your experience or benzos and their injury do I have a chance to heal ? As this was not a good taper and was given no chance for my body to recover.. ❤️🙏🏻 Thank you! 

- Nov 2020 –  Feb 2021 Lorazepam (1mg) for tinnitus. 

-(1,5- 2mg) till April (2021), tapered off for 1 week, reinstated in May 1mg - 2mg got worse

- Switched Ativan to diazepam 10mg 5 weeks from 10mg -3,5mg got worse

- March 2021 6 weeks Lexapro 15mg, quit (tapered of in 3weeks) took for anxiety made me a vegetable, better once off.

May Hospital - quetiapine once at 50mg, then olanzepine, hypotension I stopped everything. Severe symptoms, not sleeping.

- 2021 - 2mg ativan given twice in hospital drug induced Psychosis - July 2021 hospital  risperidone 2mg-6mg in 1 week  +30mg Mirtazipine total 2 weeks - I stopped for 1 week ( thought I was being poisoned ) had window of 10 days slowly some normality,  started at 3mg Risp for 10days + 15mg Mirtazipine because I worried for withdrawal, but too late was hit with intense withdrawal, uncontrollable symptoms 

- Sept 3 hospital  – Oct 13th -quetiapine within 1 week 50mg-400mg + 30 mg mirtazapine 

- 6 weeks in hospital  - Home -  300 mg for 4 weeks

 - Reinstated 24th Nov 2021 - 0.5 Ativan - stabilised - 1st Dec went to 150mg quetia - 24thDec went to 100mg - Went to 31st Dec 112.5. 30th Jan 2022 100mg holding. Dropped -22nd March 2022 Mirt 26mg - 9th May, Mirt 25mg.  Hold Mirt and Quetia. Tapered Ativan from 0.5 - 0.125mg May 2022 - March 2023. 11th April 2023 started again with Quetiapine. 

December 30th 2023 - Quetia 8mg  - Ativan 0.125mg - Mirtazipine 25mg 

I take Quetiapine and Mirtazipine at night before bed 22/23pm, I take Ativan in the morning 11am and mid eve 8/9pm splitting the dose  

Current doses as of March 6th 2024 - Quetia 2mg - Mint 25mg - Ativan 0.125mg

Link to comment
  • Moderator

@Emma86

 

Of course you have the chance to heal. You won't heal overnight by any means, but you will heal from this.

 

If you want to try to take your Ativan twice a day, you could cut your .5 mg in half and take it 12 hours apart and see how you do. If you do need to updose, you could take .5 mg 12 hours apart.

 

Let me know if I can help you.

PREVIOUS medications and discontinuations: Have been on medications since 1996. 

 Valium, Gabapentin, Lamictal, Prilosec and Zantac from 2000 to 2015 with a fast taper by a psychiatrist.

 Liquid Lexapro Nov, 2016 to 31-March, 2019 Lexapro free!!! (total Lexapro taper was 4 years-started with pill form)

---CURRENT MEDICATIONS:Supplements:Milk Thistle, Metamucil, Magnesium Citrate, Vitamin D3, Levothyroxine 25mcg, Vitamin C, Krill oil.

Xanax 1mg 3x day June, 2000 to 19-September, 2020 Went from .150 grams (average weight of 1 Xanax) 3x day to .003 grams 3x day. April 1, 2021 went back on 1mg a day. Started tapering May 19, 2023. July 28, 2023-approximately .87mg. Dr. fast tapered me at the end and realized he messed up. Prescribe it again and I am doing "slower than a turtle" taper.

19-September, 2020 Xanax free!!! (total Xanax taper was 15-1/2 months-1-June, 2019-19-September, 2020)

I am not a medical professional.

The suggestions I make are based on personal experience.

Link to comment

@Frogiethank you! That’s means a lot that you say that 🙏🏻 The CNS feels fried but I am determined to get better 🙏🏻 Just need to do the right things! Hoping these symptoms pass! If not maybe an updose as last resort! The cut from 150mg to 100 mg quetiapine was just wayy to much I added 12.5 so try ease symptoms they got better like 5 days after for 5 days but then since horrid symptoms are emerging. I’m holding on this 112.5 quetiapine till it passes 🙏🏻🙏🏻 How long is good to wait for symptoms to pass. And if they seem to be getting much worse! What other actions can be taken ? As Iv got the mirtazipine it’s tricky to know once you move one the others get affected. It’s felt like my symptoms have been getting worse Over the last 5 days feeling like my body is just giving in. ❤️

- Nov 2020 –  Feb 2021 Lorazepam (1mg) for tinnitus. 

-(1,5- 2mg) till April (2021), tapered off for 1 week, reinstated in May 1mg - 2mg got worse

- Switched Ativan to diazepam 10mg 5 weeks from 10mg -3,5mg got worse

- March 2021 6 weeks Lexapro 15mg, quit (tapered of in 3weeks) took for anxiety made me a vegetable, better once off.

May Hospital - quetiapine once at 50mg, then olanzepine, hypotension I stopped everything. Severe symptoms, not sleeping.

- 2021 - 2mg ativan given twice in hospital drug induced Psychosis - July 2021 hospital  risperidone 2mg-6mg in 1 week  +30mg Mirtazipine total 2 weeks - I stopped for 1 week ( thought I was being poisoned ) had window of 10 days slowly some normality,  started at 3mg Risp for 10days + 15mg Mirtazipine because I worried for withdrawal, but too late was hit with intense withdrawal, uncontrollable symptoms 

- Sept 3 hospital  – Oct 13th -quetiapine within 1 week 50mg-400mg + 30 mg mirtazapine 

- 6 weeks in hospital  - Home -  300 mg for 4 weeks

 - Reinstated 24th Nov 2021 - 0.5 Ativan - stabilised - 1st Dec went to 150mg quetia - 24thDec went to 100mg - Went to 31st Dec 112.5. 30th Jan 2022 100mg holding. Dropped -22nd March 2022 Mirt 26mg - 9th May, Mirt 25mg.  Hold Mirt and Quetia. Tapered Ativan from 0.5 - 0.125mg May 2022 - March 2023. 11th April 2023 started again with Quetiapine. 

December 30th 2023 - Quetia 8mg  - Ativan 0.125mg - Mirtazipine 25mg 

I take Quetiapine and Mirtazipine at night before bed 22/23pm, I take Ativan in the morning 11am and mid eve 8/9pm splitting the dose  

Current doses as of March 6th 2024 - Quetia 2mg - Mint 25mg - Ativan 0.125mg

Link to comment
  • Moderator

@Emma86

 

It usually takes about 4 days for the medication to be distributed evenly in the bloodstream and another couple of days for your brain to adjust. So a week to 10 days and you will know for sure.

 

Your CNS is fried from this and screaming at you to stop. I would say a good long hold and maybe take your Ativan twice a day and hopefully you'll be feeling a bit better soon.

 

You just can't taper anything for a good month or so. Give your body a chance to settle down.

PREVIOUS medications and discontinuations: Have been on medications since 1996. 

 Valium, Gabapentin, Lamictal, Prilosec and Zantac from 2000 to 2015 with a fast taper by a psychiatrist.

 Liquid Lexapro Nov, 2016 to 31-March, 2019 Lexapro free!!! (total Lexapro taper was 4 years-started with pill form)

---CURRENT MEDICATIONS:Supplements:Milk Thistle, Metamucil, Magnesium Citrate, Vitamin D3, Levothyroxine 25mcg, Vitamin C, Krill oil.

Xanax 1mg 3x day June, 2000 to 19-September, 2020 Went from .150 grams (average weight of 1 Xanax) 3x day to .003 grams 3x day. April 1, 2021 went back on 1mg a day. Started tapering May 19, 2023. July 28, 2023-approximately .87mg. Dr. fast tapered me at the end and realized he messed up. Prescribe it again and I am doing "slower than a turtle" taper.

19-September, 2020 Xanax free!!! (total Xanax taper was 15-1/2 months-1-June, 2019-19-September, 2020)

I am not a medical professional.

The suggestions I make are based on personal experience.

Link to comment

@Frogie ok I’m going to try that with the Ativan splitting it and I will not taper anything else! Need to stabilise , will check in in a bit if it gets reallllll bad in terms of maybe a tiny updose. But obviously wanting that to be last resort. My poor CNS! Thank you ❤️

- Nov 2020 –  Feb 2021 Lorazepam (1mg) for tinnitus. 

-(1,5- 2mg) till April (2021), tapered off for 1 week, reinstated in May 1mg - 2mg got worse

- Switched Ativan to diazepam 10mg 5 weeks from 10mg -3,5mg got worse

- March 2021 6 weeks Lexapro 15mg, quit (tapered of in 3weeks) took for anxiety made me a vegetable, better once off.

May Hospital - quetiapine once at 50mg, then olanzepine, hypotension I stopped everything. Severe symptoms, not sleeping.

- 2021 - 2mg ativan given twice in hospital drug induced Psychosis - July 2021 hospital  risperidone 2mg-6mg in 1 week  +30mg Mirtazipine total 2 weeks - I stopped for 1 week ( thought I was being poisoned ) had window of 10 days slowly some normality,  started at 3mg Risp for 10days + 15mg Mirtazipine because I worried for withdrawal, but too late was hit with intense withdrawal, uncontrollable symptoms 

- Sept 3 hospital  – Oct 13th -quetiapine within 1 week 50mg-400mg + 30 mg mirtazapine 

- 6 weeks in hospital  - Home -  300 mg for 4 weeks

 - Reinstated 24th Nov 2021 - 0.5 Ativan - stabilised - 1st Dec went to 150mg quetia - 24thDec went to 100mg - Went to 31st Dec 112.5. 30th Jan 2022 100mg holding. Dropped -22nd March 2022 Mirt 26mg - 9th May, Mirt 25mg.  Hold Mirt and Quetia. Tapered Ativan from 0.5 - 0.125mg May 2022 - March 2023. 11th April 2023 started again with Quetiapine. 

December 30th 2023 - Quetia 8mg  - Ativan 0.125mg - Mirtazipine 25mg 

I take Quetiapine and Mirtazipine at night before bed 22/23pm, I take Ativan in the morning 11am and mid eve 8/9pm splitting the dose  

Current doses as of March 6th 2024 - Quetia 2mg - Mint 25mg - Ativan 0.125mg

Link to comment
  • Moderator

You are welcome.

 

Let me know how it goes.

PREVIOUS medications and discontinuations: Have been on medications since 1996. 

 Valium, Gabapentin, Lamictal, Prilosec and Zantac from 2000 to 2015 with a fast taper by a psychiatrist.

 Liquid Lexapro Nov, 2016 to 31-March, 2019 Lexapro free!!! (total Lexapro taper was 4 years-started with pill form)

---CURRENT MEDICATIONS:Supplements:Milk Thistle, Metamucil, Magnesium Citrate, Vitamin D3, Levothyroxine 25mcg, Vitamin C, Krill oil.

Xanax 1mg 3x day June, 2000 to 19-September, 2020 Went from .150 grams (average weight of 1 Xanax) 3x day to .003 grams 3x day. April 1, 2021 went back on 1mg a day. Started tapering May 19, 2023. July 28, 2023-approximately .87mg. Dr. fast tapered me at the end and realized he messed up. Prescribe it again and I am doing "slower than a turtle" taper.

19-September, 2020 Xanax free!!! (total Xanax taper was 15-1/2 months-1-June, 2019-19-September, 2020)

I am not a medical professional.

The suggestions I make are based on personal experience.

Link to comment

@Frogie hey so splitting the Ativan in the day works well the 0.5 in half is great iv been holding to stabilise been feeling a little more normal with less severe symptoms which is encouraging… My phyc says we can go down on the quetiapine by ten percent each time be real slow… my only thing with this is it leaves me on the others for longer.. but what can you do when you have numerous, and one by one feels better, he said to do the benzo after the quetiapine and then the mirtazipine all this will obviously take time leaving me on 30mg of mirtazipine do you think it could also be done in getting to a lower dose and stable with the mirtazipine that I could the. Lower the mirtazipine a bit.. so it’s not as high… it’s said to be more accelerating in high doses than sedating so at 15mg it’s more sedating.. this could maybe be helpful whilst coming off the benzo … what do you think? Im worried to have anything too accelerating. As one of my worst withdrawal system was restlessness and agitation. Any thoughts welcome ..  and if it takes like 10 months to get off the quetiapine is it ok to hold to 0.5 Ativan for all that time… the phyc says well it needs to be there because of the dependence you had before and could help support the quetiapine taper.. it’s just a shame this all has to be so slow… worried the benzo will not hold for so long. Love ❤️ 

- Nov 2020 –  Feb 2021 Lorazepam (1mg) for tinnitus. 

-(1,5- 2mg) till April (2021), tapered off for 1 week, reinstated in May 1mg - 2mg got worse

- Switched Ativan to diazepam 10mg 5 weeks from 10mg -3,5mg got worse

- March 2021 6 weeks Lexapro 15mg, quit (tapered of in 3weeks) took for anxiety made me a vegetable, better once off.

May Hospital - quetiapine once at 50mg, then olanzepine, hypotension I stopped everything. Severe symptoms, not sleeping.

- 2021 - 2mg ativan given twice in hospital drug induced Psychosis - July 2021 hospital  risperidone 2mg-6mg in 1 week  +30mg Mirtazipine total 2 weeks - I stopped for 1 week ( thought I was being poisoned ) had window of 10 days slowly some normality,  started at 3mg Risp for 10days + 15mg Mirtazipine because I worried for withdrawal, but too late was hit with intense withdrawal, uncontrollable symptoms 

- Sept 3 hospital  – Oct 13th -quetiapine within 1 week 50mg-400mg + 30 mg mirtazapine 

- 6 weeks in hospital  - Home -  300 mg for 4 weeks

 - Reinstated 24th Nov 2021 - 0.5 Ativan - stabilised - 1st Dec went to 150mg quetia - 24thDec went to 100mg - Went to 31st Dec 112.5. 30th Jan 2022 100mg holding. Dropped -22nd March 2022 Mirt 26mg - 9th May, Mirt 25mg.  Hold Mirt and Quetia. Tapered Ativan from 0.5 - 0.125mg May 2022 - March 2023. 11th April 2023 started again with Quetiapine. 

December 30th 2023 - Quetia 8mg  - Ativan 0.125mg - Mirtazipine 25mg 

I take Quetiapine and Mirtazipine at night before bed 22/23pm, I take Ativan in the morning 11am and mid eve 8/9pm splitting the dose  

Current doses as of March 6th 2024 - Quetia 2mg - Mint 25mg - Ativan 0.125mg

Link to comment

@FrogieLower dose and stable with the quetiapine then lower the mirtazipine * ( plant to make changes every 4 weeks dependent on symptoms and stabilising before changing anything  ) 

- Nov 2020 –  Feb 2021 Lorazepam (1mg) for tinnitus. 

-(1,5- 2mg) till April (2021), tapered off for 1 week, reinstated in May 1mg - 2mg got worse

- Switched Ativan to diazepam 10mg 5 weeks from 10mg -3,5mg got worse

- March 2021 6 weeks Lexapro 15mg, quit (tapered of in 3weeks) took for anxiety made me a vegetable, better once off.

May Hospital - quetiapine once at 50mg, then olanzepine, hypotension I stopped everything. Severe symptoms, not sleeping.

- 2021 - 2mg ativan given twice in hospital drug induced Psychosis - July 2021 hospital  risperidone 2mg-6mg in 1 week  +30mg Mirtazipine total 2 weeks - I stopped for 1 week ( thought I was being poisoned ) had window of 10 days slowly some normality,  started at 3mg Risp for 10days + 15mg Mirtazipine because I worried for withdrawal, but too late was hit with intense withdrawal, uncontrollable symptoms 

- Sept 3 hospital  – Oct 13th -quetiapine within 1 week 50mg-400mg + 30 mg mirtazapine 

- 6 weeks in hospital  - Home -  300 mg for 4 weeks

 - Reinstated 24th Nov 2021 - 0.5 Ativan - stabilised - 1st Dec went to 150mg quetia - 24thDec went to 100mg - Went to 31st Dec 112.5. 30th Jan 2022 100mg holding. Dropped -22nd March 2022 Mirt 26mg - 9th May, Mirt 25mg.  Hold Mirt and Quetia. Tapered Ativan from 0.5 - 0.125mg May 2022 - March 2023. 11th April 2023 started again with Quetiapine. 

December 30th 2023 - Quetia 8mg  - Ativan 0.125mg - Mirtazipine 25mg 

I take Quetiapine and Mirtazipine at night before bed 22/23pm, I take Ativan in the morning 11am and mid eve 8/9pm splitting the dose  

Current doses as of March 6th 2024 - Quetia 2mg - Mint 25mg - Ativan 0.125mg

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  • Moderator

@Emma86

 

That's great you have a psychiatrist on your side. That is hard to find. Very lucky.

 

I'm glad splitting the Ativan is helping.  It has a short life in your system, so taking it more frequently should help.

 

You only want to taper one medication at a time. Then if you have any symptoms you know which one is causing the problem. You can start with the Quetiapine and taper it 10% a month, and of course hold if needed. If you feel stable enough, you could go down 10% starting today if you want to. Just keep track of how you feel in 4 days or so as that is how long it takes a decrease to get into your bloodstream. Then another 4-7 days for it to fully reach your brain.

 

After that taper is done, then you can move to the Mirtazipine. 

 

Then last, but not least, will be the Ativan.

 

But you have a great game plan and are very lucky to have a dr on your side. Like I said that is really rare.

 

 

PREVIOUS medications and discontinuations: Have been on medications since 1996. 

 Valium, Gabapentin, Lamictal, Prilosec and Zantac from 2000 to 2015 with a fast taper by a psychiatrist.

 Liquid Lexapro Nov, 2016 to 31-March, 2019 Lexapro free!!! (total Lexapro taper was 4 years-started with pill form)

---CURRENT MEDICATIONS:Supplements:Milk Thistle, Metamucil, Magnesium Citrate, Vitamin D3, Levothyroxine 25mcg, Vitamin C, Krill oil.

Xanax 1mg 3x day June, 2000 to 19-September, 2020 Went from .150 grams (average weight of 1 Xanax) 3x day to .003 grams 3x day. April 1, 2021 went back on 1mg a day. Started tapering May 19, 2023. July 28, 2023-approximately .87mg. Dr. fast tapered me at the end and realized he messed up. Prescribe it again and I am doing "slower than a turtle" taper.

19-September, 2020 Xanax free!!! (total Xanax taper was 15-1/2 months-1-June, 2019-19-September, 2020)

I am not a medical professional.

The suggestions I make are based on personal experience.

Link to comment

@Frogie hey thank you! Yeah I’m feeling I could take another 10 percent off for sure with the quetiapine. The phyc said next would be the Ativan …. Then the mirtazipine… you think leave the benzo till last? 
❤️

- Nov 2020 –  Feb 2021 Lorazepam (1mg) for tinnitus. 

-(1,5- 2mg) till April (2021), tapered off for 1 week, reinstated in May 1mg - 2mg got worse

- Switched Ativan to diazepam 10mg 5 weeks from 10mg -3,5mg got worse

- March 2021 6 weeks Lexapro 15mg, quit (tapered of in 3weeks) took for anxiety made me a vegetable, better once off.

May Hospital - quetiapine once at 50mg, then olanzepine, hypotension I stopped everything. Severe symptoms, not sleeping.

- 2021 - 2mg ativan given twice in hospital drug induced Psychosis - July 2021 hospital  risperidone 2mg-6mg in 1 week  +30mg Mirtazipine total 2 weeks - I stopped for 1 week ( thought I was being poisoned ) had window of 10 days slowly some normality,  started at 3mg Risp for 10days + 15mg Mirtazipine because I worried for withdrawal, but too late was hit with intense withdrawal, uncontrollable symptoms 

- Sept 3 hospital  – Oct 13th -quetiapine within 1 week 50mg-400mg + 30 mg mirtazapine 

- 6 weeks in hospital  - Home -  300 mg for 4 weeks

 - Reinstated 24th Nov 2021 - 0.5 Ativan - stabilised - 1st Dec went to 150mg quetia - 24thDec went to 100mg - Went to 31st Dec 112.5. 30th Jan 2022 100mg holding. Dropped -22nd March 2022 Mirt 26mg - 9th May, Mirt 25mg.  Hold Mirt and Quetia. Tapered Ativan from 0.5 - 0.125mg May 2022 - March 2023. 11th April 2023 started again with Quetiapine. 

December 30th 2023 - Quetia 8mg  - Ativan 0.125mg - Mirtazipine 25mg 

I take Quetiapine and Mirtazipine at night before bed 22/23pm, I take Ativan in the morning 11am and mid eve 8/9pm splitting the dose  

Current doses as of March 6th 2024 - Quetia 2mg - Mint 25mg - Ativan 0.125mg

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  • Moderator

@Emma86

 

You want to taper the Ativan last.

 

Mirtazipine is an accelerator and Ativan is a brake. You always want to taper the accelerator first so the brake will help with the symptoms.

 

Does that make sense?

PREVIOUS medications and discontinuations: Have been on medications since 1996. 

 Valium, Gabapentin, Lamictal, Prilosec and Zantac from 2000 to 2015 with a fast taper by a psychiatrist.

 Liquid Lexapro Nov, 2016 to 31-March, 2019 Lexapro free!!! (total Lexapro taper was 4 years-started with pill form)

---CURRENT MEDICATIONS:Supplements:Milk Thistle, Metamucil, Magnesium Citrate, Vitamin D3, Levothyroxine 25mcg, Vitamin C, Krill oil.

Xanax 1mg 3x day June, 2000 to 19-September, 2020 Went from .150 grams (average weight of 1 Xanax) 3x day to .003 grams 3x day. April 1, 2021 went back on 1mg a day. Started tapering May 19, 2023. July 28, 2023-approximately .87mg. Dr. fast tapered me at the end and realized he messed up. Prescribe it again and I am doing "slower than a turtle" taper.

19-September, 2020 Xanax free!!! (total Xanax taper was 15-1/2 months-1-June, 2019-19-September, 2020)

I am not a medical professional.

The suggestions I make are based on personal experience.

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Ok il

put this to the phyc how to put it to him without sounding like I think I know more ? 🤣 I guess explain just about the accelerator action.. I guess I’m thinking the mirtazipine helps with sleep which may be useful in the benzo taper… however benzos can help with symptoms..coming of accelerators, I just wouldn’t want to develop insomnia … as Thats what happened before however the taper was so fast. To keep the more sedating does make sense.. 

 

I guess il have to see how I am off the quetiapine thats the first one to go.. as that’s a real sedative but the phyc was like it’s better to do that one first as it has can have lots of health issues..

 

what would happen if I left the mirtazipine till last? Perhaps the uncovering of more symptoms because no benzo 

 

thank you! ❤️

- Nov 2020 –  Feb 2021 Lorazepam (1mg) for tinnitus. 

-(1,5- 2mg) till April (2021), tapered off for 1 week, reinstated in May 1mg - 2mg got worse

- Switched Ativan to diazepam 10mg 5 weeks from 10mg -3,5mg got worse

- March 2021 6 weeks Lexapro 15mg, quit (tapered of in 3weeks) took for anxiety made me a vegetable, better once off.

May Hospital - quetiapine once at 50mg, then olanzepine, hypotension I stopped everything. Severe symptoms, not sleeping.

- 2021 - 2mg ativan given twice in hospital drug induced Psychosis - July 2021 hospital  risperidone 2mg-6mg in 1 week  +30mg Mirtazipine total 2 weeks - I stopped for 1 week ( thought I was being poisoned ) had window of 10 days slowly some normality,  started at 3mg Risp for 10days + 15mg Mirtazipine because I worried for withdrawal, but too late was hit with intense withdrawal, uncontrollable symptoms 

- Sept 3 hospital  – Oct 13th -quetiapine within 1 week 50mg-400mg + 30 mg mirtazapine 

- 6 weeks in hospital  - Home -  300 mg for 4 weeks

 - Reinstated 24th Nov 2021 - 0.5 Ativan - stabilised - 1st Dec went to 150mg quetia - 24thDec went to 100mg - Went to 31st Dec 112.5. 30th Jan 2022 100mg holding. Dropped -22nd March 2022 Mirt 26mg - 9th May, Mirt 25mg.  Hold Mirt and Quetia. Tapered Ativan from 0.5 - 0.125mg May 2022 - March 2023. 11th April 2023 started again with Quetiapine. 

December 30th 2023 - Quetia 8mg  - Ativan 0.125mg - Mirtazipine 25mg 

I take Quetiapine and Mirtazipine at night before bed 22/23pm, I take Ativan in the morning 11am and mid eve 8/9pm splitting the dose  

Current doses as of March 6th 2024 - Quetia 2mg - Mint 25mg - Ativan 0.125mg

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i bet as you are lowering the seroquel you are feeling better, correct? where are you on the mirtazepine?

 

Don't worry about the ativan, if it's helping keep taking it, you can taper it way later

Klonopin Mar 2013 - Feb 2021 - used .000 gram scale to cut pills did very slowly from 2017-2021, had no issues stopping after final dose that was sub .5mg diazepam equivalent (If anyone wants advice for tapering Klonopin with a gram scale, feel free to ask!)

tapered off zyprexa twice over 2 weeks in my 20's, had little issue with that after about 3-4 years of use both times.

Prozac 40MG for 5 years - 2016 - 2021 (Total of 13 years of consecutive use)

(Most recent after last break, been on cumulatively in my life 14 years all times combined, 3 separate on/off occasions, all successful except most recent 3/4)

Recent Issue:  Tapered gradually from 40MG down to 0MG from May 7th - Aug 18th

Felt fine through Oct 5th, slowly started getting depression, panic, and anxiety (Was original thing I was treated for)

Decided to go back on SSRI Nov 1st, reacted very bad to 20mg reinstatement, day 1 was fine, day 2 had ADR. Doctor said to drop dosage.

Took 5mg for 2 weeks, 10mg for 2 weeks, still felt physically sick, could not take 20mg for more than 3 days, looking for advice going forward (ADR)

Not happy about it, but on 1.5mg 3x ativan and temazepam 15mg for sleep

(Was sleeping 2-3 hrs nightly prior to temazepam, was first thing that broke 2-3 hr then wide awake sleep cycle)

Main symptoms: headaches from certain foods and meds, sleep is broken, anxiety and agitation is extremely high, cortisol spike sensitive, bad in morning better at night, panic attacks, concentration is awful, focus is awful, anhedonia is awful, sensitive to light and noise, especially noise, extreme depression, intense bouts of fear, every looks and feels 'scary' at times, stress tolerance extremely low, have bouts of extreme anxiety, and bouts akathesia, and bouts extreme anticipatory anxiety over basic events/tasks. Nervous system is clearly crashed.

No Prozac for 249 days.

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@UserMan1775 I’m taking 30mg mirtazipine.. will next go down from 112.5 to 100mg quetiapine… I’m sort of feeling better as I come down less pain in my body and other weird side effects it gives… I get a lot of symptoms when I change it but they seem to go within 3 weeks to a month, but my last drop was way to big so thinking 10 percent will be good. :) the mirtazipine is high but as people say doing one by one sounds best will have to see how I go getting off the quetiapine! 

- Nov 2020 –  Feb 2021 Lorazepam (1mg) for tinnitus. 

-(1,5- 2mg) till April (2021), tapered off for 1 week, reinstated in May 1mg - 2mg got worse

- Switched Ativan to diazepam 10mg 5 weeks from 10mg -3,5mg got worse

- March 2021 6 weeks Lexapro 15mg, quit (tapered of in 3weeks) took for anxiety made me a vegetable, better once off.

May Hospital - quetiapine once at 50mg, then olanzepine, hypotension I stopped everything. Severe symptoms, not sleeping.

- 2021 - 2mg ativan given twice in hospital drug induced Psychosis - July 2021 hospital  risperidone 2mg-6mg in 1 week  +30mg Mirtazipine total 2 weeks - I stopped for 1 week ( thought I was being poisoned ) had window of 10 days slowly some normality,  started at 3mg Risp for 10days + 15mg Mirtazipine because I worried for withdrawal, but too late was hit with intense withdrawal, uncontrollable symptoms 

- Sept 3 hospital  – Oct 13th -quetiapine within 1 week 50mg-400mg + 30 mg mirtazapine 

- 6 weeks in hospital  - Home -  300 mg for 4 weeks

 - Reinstated 24th Nov 2021 - 0.5 Ativan - stabilised - 1st Dec went to 150mg quetia - 24thDec went to 100mg - Went to 31st Dec 112.5. 30th Jan 2022 100mg holding. Dropped -22nd March 2022 Mirt 26mg - 9th May, Mirt 25mg.  Hold Mirt and Quetia. Tapered Ativan from 0.5 - 0.125mg May 2022 - March 2023. 11th April 2023 started again with Quetiapine. 

December 30th 2023 - Quetia 8mg  - Ativan 0.125mg - Mirtazipine 25mg 

I take Quetiapine and Mirtazipine at night before bed 22/23pm, I take Ativan in the morning 11am and mid eve 8/9pm splitting the dose  

Current doses as of March 6th 2024 - Quetia 2mg - Mint 25mg - Ativan 0.125mg

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@Frogie

@Altostrata

 

hey guys…

just wanted to ask about brand change? I realised I got a different mirtazipine and have been taking it for 6 days, feeling odd, I also went down 12.5 quetiapine like 3 days ago. 
 

I didn’t know brand changes were not ok .. worried Iv done something bad.. Iv managed to get my old brand and will start taking that instead.. it’s just how to make sure I get the same brand..

my dr .. pharmacy say they can’t know which ones come in.. so I’m thinking to go in there and just ask over and over fir the same ones… 

 

also quetiapine my pharmacy are saying they don’t have the same zentiva brand going from 50mg to 25mg they’ve given me different brands.. 

 

has anyone had experience of this.. 

 

im now trying to rectify this! 
 

will I be ok to go back on my old brand? And I will just have to put in an order way before I need and make sure they get the same one in.. 

 

Iv got the lorazepam in the same brand :) easily! 

- Nov 2020 –  Feb 2021 Lorazepam (1mg) for tinnitus. 

-(1,5- 2mg) till April (2021), tapered off for 1 week, reinstated in May 1mg - 2mg got worse

- Switched Ativan to diazepam 10mg 5 weeks from 10mg -3,5mg got worse

- March 2021 6 weeks Lexapro 15mg, quit (tapered of in 3weeks) took for anxiety made me a vegetable, better once off.

May Hospital - quetiapine once at 50mg, then olanzepine, hypotension I stopped everything. Severe symptoms, not sleeping.

- 2021 - 2mg ativan given twice in hospital drug induced Psychosis - July 2021 hospital  risperidone 2mg-6mg in 1 week  +30mg Mirtazipine total 2 weeks - I stopped for 1 week ( thought I was being poisoned ) had window of 10 days slowly some normality,  started at 3mg Risp for 10days + 15mg Mirtazipine because I worried for withdrawal, but too late was hit with intense withdrawal, uncontrollable symptoms 

- Sept 3 hospital  – Oct 13th -quetiapine within 1 week 50mg-400mg + 30 mg mirtazapine 

- 6 weeks in hospital  - Home -  300 mg for 4 weeks

 - Reinstated 24th Nov 2021 - 0.5 Ativan - stabilised - 1st Dec went to 150mg quetia - 24thDec went to 100mg - Went to 31st Dec 112.5. 30th Jan 2022 100mg holding. Dropped -22nd March 2022 Mirt 26mg - 9th May, Mirt 25mg.  Hold Mirt and Quetia. Tapered Ativan from 0.5 - 0.125mg May 2022 - March 2023. 11th April 2023 started again with Quetiapine. 

December 30th 2023 - Quetia 8mg  - Ativan 0.125mg - Mirtazipine 25mg 

I take Quetiapine and Mirtazipine at night before bed 22/23pm, I take Ativan in the morning 11am and mid eve 8/9pm splitting the dose  

Current doses as of March 6th 2024 - Quetia 2mg - Mint 25mg - Ativan 0.125mg

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  • Administrator

You can take half the dose (split tablet) in the old brand and half in the new, to ease the transition.

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.

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@Altostrata Iv just taken the old brand just now I didn’t see your post and it’s bed time … do you mean to take half now to transition back? Should I do that tomorrow  ? Is it bad that Iv gone back after 6 days ? ❤️🙏🏻 How long to take half half to transition back. 
 

with the quetiapine would it be better to try transition to the original brand and try taper from that? I’m also having to change from XR to IR so thinking to do this all very gradually.. 

 

as otherwise I’ll take 50mg XR then 2 25mg instants but they’d be a different brand as well? In the generics. 
 

thank you! 
 

 

- Nov 2020 –  Feb 2021 Lorazepam (1mg) for tinnitus. 

-(1,5- 2mg) till April (2021), tapered off for 1 week, reinstated in May 1mg - 2mg got worse

- Switched Ativan to diazepam 10mg 5 weeks from 10mg -3,5mg got worse

- March 2021 6 weeks Lexapro 15mg, quit (tapered of in 3weeks) took for anxiety made me a vegetable, better once off.

May Hospital - quetiapine once at 50mg, then olanzepine, hypotension I stopped everything. Severe symptoms, not sleeping.

- 2021 - 2mg ativan given twice in hospital drug induced Psychosis - July 2021 hospital  risperidone 2mg-6mg in 1 week  +30mg Mirtazipine total 2 weeks - I stopped for 1 week ( thought I was being poisoned ) had window of 10 days slowly some normality,  started at 3mg Risp for 10days + 15mg Mirtazipine because I worried for withdrawal, but too late was hit with intense withdrawal, uncontrollable symptoms 

- Sept 3 hospital  – Oct 13th -quetiapine within 1 week 50mg-400mg + 30 mg mirtazapine 

- 6 weeks in hospital  - Home -  300 mg for 4 weeks

 - Reinstated 24th Nov 2021 - 0.5 Ativan - stabilised - 1st Dec went to 150mg quetia - 24thDec went to 100mg - Went to 31st Dec 112.5. 30th Jan 2022 100mg holding. Dropped -22nd March 2022 Mirt 26mg - 9th May, Mirt 25mg.  Hold Mirt and Quetia. Tapered Ativan from 0.5 - 0.125mg May 2022 - March 2023. 11th April 2023 started again with Quetiapine. 

December 30th 2023 - Quetia 8mg  - Ativan 0.125mg - Mirtazipine 25mg 

I take Quetiapine and Mirtazipine at night before bed 22/23pm, I take Ativan in the morning 11am and mid eve 8/9pm splitting the dose  

Current doses as of March 6th 2024 - Quetia 2mg - Mint 25mg - Ativan 0.125mg

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  • Moderator

@Emma86

 

ChessieCat, one of our great moderators wrote this on changing brands:

 

Do you have any of the old brand let?  When changing brands or form of drug it is usually better to do a crossover, taking 3/4 old + 1/4 new for a few days, then 1/2 and 1/2 then 1/4 and 3/4.  Obviously you can only do this if you know it is going to happen or you have the old brand or can get the old brand.

 

Other members have mentioned issues when changing to a different brand.  generic-vs-brand-change-in-drug-manufacturer

 

Let me know if you have any questions😊

PREVIOUS medications and discontinuations: Have been on medications since 1996. 

 Valium, Gabapentin, Lamictal, Prilosec and Zantac from 2000 to 2015 with a fast taper by a psychiatrist.

 Liquid Lexapro Nov, 2016 to 31-March, 2019 Lexapro free!!! (total Lexapro taper was 4 years-started with pill form)

---CURRENT MEDICATIONS:Supplements:Milk Thistle, Metamucil, Magnesium Citrate, Vitamin D3, Levothyroxine 25mcg, Vitamin C, Krill oil.

Xanax 1mg 3x day June, 2000 to 19-September, 2020 Went from .150 grams (average weight of 1 Xanax) 3x day to .003 grams 3x day. April 1, 2021 went back on 1mg a day. Started tapering May 19, 2023. July 28, 2023-approximately .87mg. Dr. fast tapered me at the end and realized he messed up. Prescribe it again and I am doing "slower than a turtle" taper.

19-September, 2020 Xanax free!!! (total Xanax taper was 15-1/2 months-1-June, 2019-19-September, 2020)

I am not a medical professional.

The suggestions I make are based on personal experience.

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@Frogie oh! I just never knew this? So Iv been taking new brand for 6 days.. Iv got old brand back and plan to keep taking this! I see that doing a cross over is needed.. but also why on earth did they just think it’s ok to give you a different brand? 
will I be ok after taking this for 6 days and changing back? Iv just taken the old brand again now.. without doing the half .. half to switch back 😅😅😅 will I be ok ? Should I take half half of each tmrw or confusing the system? X thank you! And yes you’d think they’d tell you if the brand changes! 

- Nov 2020 –  Feb 2021 Lorazepam (1mg) for tinnitus. 

-(1,5- 2mg) till April (2021), tapered off for 1 week, reinstated in May 1mg - 2mg got worse

- Switched Ativan to diazepam 10mg 5 weeks from 10mg -3,5mg got worse

- March 2021 6 weeks Lexapro 15mg, quit (tapered of in 3weeks) took for anxiety made me a vegetable, better once off.

May Hospital - quetiapine once at 50mg, then olanzepine, hypotension I stopped everything. Severe symptoms, not sleeping.

- 2021 - 2mg ativan given twice in hospital drug induced Psychosis - July 2021 hospital  risperidone 2mg-6mg in 1 week  +30mg Mirtazipine total 2 weeks - I stopped for 1 week ( thought I was being poisoned ) had window of 10 days slowly some normality,  started at 3mg Risp for 10days + 15mg Mirtazipine because I worried for withdrawal, but too late was hit with intense withdrawal, uncontrollable symptoms 

- Sept 3 hospital  – Oct 13th -quetiapine within 1 week 50mg-400mg + 30 mg mirtazapine 

- 6 weeks in hospital  - Home -  300 mg for 4 weeks

 - Reinstated 24th Nov 2021 - 0.5 Ativan - stabilised - 1st Dec went to 150mg quetia - 24thDec went to 100mg - Went to 31st Dec 112.5. 30th Jan 2022 100mg holding. Dropped -22nd March 2022 Mirt 26mg - 9th May, Mirt 25mg.  Hold Mirt and Quetia. Tapered Ativan from 0.5 - 0.125mg May 2022 - March 2023. 11th April 2023 started again with Quetiapine. 

December 30th 2023 - Quetia 8mg  - Ativan 0.125mg - Mirtazipine 25mg 

I take Quetiapine and Mirtazipine at night before bed 22/23pm, I take Ativan in the morning 11am and mid eve 8/9pm splitting the dose  

Current doses as of March 6th 2024 - Quetia 2mg - Mint 25mg - Ativan 0.125mg

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  • Moderator

@Emma86

 

Most of the time they don't tell you brand switches because they tend to purchase what they can get in supply and demand and cost. They don't consider it a "big deal" because it is the same medication. I know when doing my Lexapro taper, I had the insurance on my side and they would only allow one brand while I was tapering. If the brand changed they would deny the claim. So the pharmacy would make sure they always ordered it just for me. I was lucky.

 

Since you already took your dose, if you want to ease into it for 3 or 4 days, I would do 1/2 and 1/2 as Altostrata recommended. You might feel a little bump, but you should be ok since it only happened a few days ago.

 

On the other ones, I would do the transition like it is explained since you are going to be on it for quite a while.

 

PREVIOUS medications and discontinuations: Have been on medications since 1996. 

 Valium, Gabapentin, Lamictal, Prilosec and Zantac from 2000 to 2015 with a fast taper by a psychiatrist.

 Liquid Lexapro Nov, 2016 to 31-March, 2019 Lexapro free!!! (total Lexapro taper was 4 years-started with pill form)

---CURRENT MEDICATIONS:Supplements:Milk Thistle, Metamucil, Magnesium Citrate, Vitamin D3, Levothyroxine 25mcg, Vitamin C, Krill oil.

Xanax 1mg 3x day June, 2000 to 19-September, 2020 Went from .150 grams (average weight of 1 Xanax) 3x day to .003 grams 3x day. April 1, 2021 went back on 1mg a day. Started tapering May 19, 2023. July 28, 2023-approximately .87mg. Dr. fast tapered me at the end and realized he messed up. Prescribe it again and I am doing "slower than a turtle" taper.

19-September, 2020 Xanax free!!! (total Xanax taper was 15-1/2 months-1-June, 2019-19-September, 2020)

I am not a medical professional.

The suggestions I make are based on personal experience.

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Ok thank you! Yeah it’s so important when tapering !! To have the same i will talk with my Dr as that’s who was sending it to this particular pharmacy. Who have the same mirt! As my phyc has totally different mirt. 
 

yeah I started feeling weird today! The 6th day is usually the one! So il take half half over the next 3 days hopefully that will ease things .. 

 

with the quetiapine like you say it will be a long time of tapering I’m worried about changing to instant release.. and it being a different brand 😅 so there’s not much room for a gentle cross over as once I go below 100mg quetiapine XR I have to start cutting and using the instants to do that. This freaks me out as I’m very sensitive. 
someone said do 50XR and 2 times 25mg instants for a bit before going any lower to get used to the difference in drug.. some people say to take some instant in a spread out way? As it lasts 6 hours. I take all mine at night. 
 

so could take some of the instant mid morning? To make it the same as the extended…Again don’t want to change too much! 
 

also I know your great with the benzos .. I keep getting people say do the benzo now as it will take a good while coming off the quetiapine .. but when pollydrugged keeping the benzo can be useful Iv read the article on here .. you said it’s ok to keep taking.. so even for months whilst I tackle this quetiapine? Just worrying about it prolonging the benzo taper but I guess when pollydrugged whst can you do? 
many say the quetiapine could help in the benzo withdrawal.. I just don’t know.. it feels right to keep it there whilst I get of the quetiapine but the quetiapine does create sedation and calm.. 

 

my phyc says quetiapine first then benzo then mirt. 
 

benzos are very hard to get off but it is also very handy to have something that helps you sleep in the process.. 

 

part of me thinks if I can get low on the quetiapine and be stable with good sleep .. to then tackle the benzo for a bit .. even if it’s just going down a bit.. protecting sleep is crucial 

 

theres just so many ways when pollydrugged! 
 

right now I’m feeling the effects of brand change so will focus on that. It’s good to have your advice so I can say it to the phyc in regards to quetiapine and order! 

 

 

- Nov 2020 –  Feb 2021 Lorazepam (1mg) for tinnitus. 

-(1,5- 2mg) till April (2021), tapered off for 1 week, reinstated in May 1mg - 2mg got worse

- Switched Ativan to diazepam 10mg 5 weeks from 10mg -3,5mg got worse

- March 2021 6 weeks Lexapro 15mg, quit (tapered of in 3weeks) took for anxiety made me a vegetable, better once off.

May Hospital - quetiapine once at 50mg, then olanzepine, hypotension I stopped everything. Severe symptoms, not sleeping.

- 2021 - 2mg ativan given twice in hospital drug induced Psychosis - July 2021 hospital  risperidone 2mg-6mg in 1 week  +30mg Mirtazipine total 2 weeks - I stopped for 1 week ( thought I was being poisoned ) had window of 10 days slowly some normality,  started at 3mg Risp for 10days + 15mg Mirtazipine because I worried for withdrawal, but too late was hit with intense withdrawal, uncontrollable symptoms 

- Sept 3 hospital  – Oct 13th -quetiapine within 1 week 50mg-400mg + 30 mg mirtazapine 

- 6 weeks in hospital  - Home -  300 mg for 4 weeks

 - Reinstated 24th Nov 2021 - 0.5 Ativan - stabilised - 1st Dec went to 150mg quetia - 24thDec went to 100mg - Went to 31st Dec 112.5. 30th Jan 2022 100mg holding. Dropped -22nd March 2022 Mirt 26mg - 9th May, Mirt 25mg.  Hold Mirt and Quetia. Tapered Ativan from 0.5 - 0.125mg May 2022 - March 2023. 11th April 2023 started again with Quetiapine. 

December 30th 2023 - Quetia 8mg  - Ativan 0.125mg - Mirtazipine 25mg 

I take Quetiapine and Mirtazipine at night before bed 22/23pm, I take Ativan in the morning 11am and mid eve 8/9pm splitting the dose  

Current doses as of March 6th 2024 - Quetia 2mg - Mint 25mg - Ativan 0.125mg

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  • Moderator

I would do the benzo last. Because a benzo is a brake, so it helps with the wd symptoms. So that is why we recommend tapering the benzo last. 

 

On the crossovers, you'll just have to do the best you can with what you have to work with. Just try to do it carefully. If you do as much as you can with what you have to work with, you should do ok.

 

But only change one medication at a time. Hold as long as you can, then start the transition of the other.

PREVIOUS medications and discontinuations: Have been on medications since 1996. 

 Valium, Gabapentin, Lamictal, Prilosec and Zantac from 2000 to 2015 with a fast taper by a psychiatrist.

 Liquid Lexapro Nov, 2016 to 31-March, 2019 Lexapro free!!! (total Lexapro taper was 4 years-started with pill form)

---CURRENT MEDICATIONS:Supplements:Milk Thistle, Metamucil, Magnesium Citrate, Vitamin D3, Levothyroxine 25mcg, Vitamin C, Krill oil.

Xanax 1mg 3x day June, 2000 to 19-September, 2020 Went from .150 grams (average weight of 1 Xanax) 3x day to .003 grams 3x day. April 1, 2021 went back on 1mg a day. Started tapering May 19, 2023. July 28, 2023-approximately .87mg. Dr. fast tapered me at the end and realized he messed up. Prescribe it again and I am doing "slower than a turtle" taper.

19-September, 2020 Xanax free!!! (total Xanax taper was 15-1/2 months-1-June, 2019-19-September, 2020)

I am not a medical professional.

The suggestions I make are based on personal experience.

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