mkat71: Liquid risperidone

[mkat71]

Hello, new member here. I'm working my way off liquid risperidone, and could use some advice.

 

Here's a brief history:

 

In 1991, I was diagnosed with OCD, and was put on Prozac. The only proven treatment for OCD is behavioral therapy, but I didn't know that at the time. The psychiatrist who diagnosed me said pills would help, and I believed her. So I started going from pill to pill, none of which helped, and as the pills increased, so did the diagnoses. Finally, in about 2000, I was put on clonazepam, along with a revolving lineup of neuroleptics, stimulants, and the requisite antidepressants. In 2008, after finally getting a good behavioral therapist, I realized how messed up my body was from all the drugs, and started getting off each of them, one by one.

 

I got off all of the pills except for the benzo, which I was severely addicted to, and I went into treatment in March 2009 in Sausalito, CA. I think they got me off the benzo too quickly. They did a cross-taper with phenobarbital, and I was eventually put on gabapentin for the withdrawal anxiety, which was much, much worse than any anxiety I had ever felt before. In September 2009 I got off the gabapentin, which I probably should have stayed on for quite a while, until the anxiety had calmed down.

 

Three months after getting off the gabapentin, I became extremely ill, and was put on neuroleptics. That was 2010. I can't tolerate the side effects of neuroleptics, and so I have been withdrawing from them since 2012. I went from 12 mg of Invega to 3 mg last year no problem, but found it difficult to get off 3 mg (they are time-release pills), so I switched to 2 mg of risperidone, so I could make smaller cuts.

 

Last month I made it from 2 mg to (roughly) 1.875 mg using the pills, but couldn't cut the same amount at 1.875 mg, so I switched to liquid risperidone, so I could make even smaller cuts. I have been on the liquid for three days now, and made it through the first day OK, but had a little trouble yesterday.

 

The problem is, when I don't take enough of the drug, I wake up less than 24 hours after I take my morning dose, feeling like I need to take the drug. For example, I took 1.84 mg on Friday morning, at about 10:00 am. Saturday morning I woke up at about 5:00 am feeling like I needed some of the drug. So I took 1.86 mg. I don't yet know whether I will make it through 24 hours. I don't know whether to "make up" for missed medicine, and what level to go "back up" to. If I sleep through the night, and make it past 5:00 am, I will know I am on the right dose. If I wake up before 5:00 am, I don't know what to do. Do I go up to 1.9 mg to "balance" things out, then start fresh?

 

I also don't know what percentage to cut, and how long to wait between cuts. When I was on the pills, I cut from 2 mg to 1.9375 mg no problem. That was a cut of about 3%. Then I went down to 1.875 without too much difficulty. Now I'm trying to use the same percentage of the current dose I'm on. Using the 1 ml syringe, the current dose would be about 1.88 mg. 3% of that would be about 1.82 mg. I can't seem to make that drop.

 

Can anyone offer advice? Has anyone experienced the same problem of waking up before 24 hours needing medication? How do I know what to do when that happens? Why am I having difficulty making a 3% drop? Do I "make up" for missed medicine, and do I go back up to a higher dose to adjust?

 

Thanks for any advice. I probably have too many questions.

 

P.S. I'm also on a low dose of perphenazine and luvox, but I will tackle those later. I know I can't be in too big of a hurry, but I am, because I am now studying music in school, and because of the neuroleptics, my emotions are blunted, and I can't feel the music. This is not the way I wanted to study music. I could put school on hold, but what would I do with myself? I am on disability since becoming ill, and have a hard time working.

[Meimeiquest]

Hi mkat! Welcome and so sorry! Could you take the medicine at bedtime?

[tezza]

Hi mkat,

 

Welcome! It's possible that your nervous system has been sensitized by too many med change and coming off the meds too fast. You seem to be sensitive to very small decrements.

 

Waking up around 4 to 5 am is common in withdrawal. If you are in a lot of distress, you could go back up to 1.9mg and stabilize before tapering again.

 

Your other option would be to hold where you are until you stabilize at the current dose and then make even smaller cuts. You definitely don't need to taper again until you are sleeping well.

 

Do you feel anxiety upon awakening? Are there any other symptoms?

 

I'm sorry this is so difficult for you. I'm tapering Liquid Risperidone, also, and I know how hard this medicine is to come off of.

[Jemima]

Welcome to the forum, Mkat71. Here's a thread on tapering Risperidone (aka Risperdal):

 

Tapering Risperidone

 

And some more general ones about tapering that I think you'll find useful:

 

Tapering forum

 

My sympathies for the psychiatric drug induced hell you've been through. You'll find a lot of people here who've been had similar experiences, believe it or not, and most of them will welcome and encourage you in your struggles to get off these senseless, harmful drugs.

 

Seeing that you've been on the 1.875 mg. dose for three days, I'd say give it one more day (a full 24 hours) and if you're still having sleeping problems, go up to 1.9. Again, give it four full days, and go up to 2.0 mg. - if you're still having problems. (Please note that I'm assuming you were doing all right on 2 mgs. If not, a different game plan is in order). Once you've reached a point of stability, it will be important to stay there for a while and let your central nervous system catch up. You've been through a tremendous amount of turmoil and destabilization from all the drugs and drugs changes and I suspect your taper off of Invega was too fast, which is why you're having trouble decreasing the Risperidone any further.

 

Please be assured that it's far more important to taper off the drugs slowly enough that your CNS doesn't become destabilized than to get off the drugs as fast as possible. Using a slow taper a person can continue with their usual activities and be mostly free of withdrawal symptoms.

 

The numbing of emotions is typical for these kinds of drugs. In fact, I'm convinced that this is how they "work", numbing out whatever may be disturbing us rather than healing something physical. The lack of positive emotions is the last symptom to fade after a person is drug-free, but a normal range of emotions does come back.

 

Again, I'm so sorry you've had to go through all of this. You're not asking too many questions at all. This world of withdrawal from psychiatric drugs is a strange and uncharted territory.

[mkat71]

Hi! Thank you all so much for your replies!

 

tezza: Yes, it's possible I've been sensitized. However, I've done quite well with my reductions so far. I have been increasingly stable the more I get off. I was at 3 mg Invega for about three months before switching to 2 mg risperidone (equivalent), and have been getting better and better. Last month I started reducing from 2 mg, and have been very stable at 1.875 mg for about 3 weeks now. My brain physically feels ready for the drop. When I'm ready for a drop, I can feel the drug in my head. It's a very uncomfortable sensation, like pressure or compression in my brain, like a vice grip on my brain. That seems to be the indicator that I am ready for another drop. But maybe you're right, maybe the reason I'm having trouble with small dose decrements is because I went too fast. I've been chalking it up to the fact that these are lower doses of medicine, which are always the hardest to come off of.

 

As for morning symptoms, anxiety is not really a problem. The only thing I have to watch out for is delusional thinking. I should add that I NEVER had a problem with that before getting off benzos. Those doctors really messed up my brain. For 38 years, I was perfectly sane. Then I tried to get off clonazepam, and suddenly I had weird symptoms I had never had before. My brain started "talking" to me, and I thought I was possessed! So that's what I'm watching out for. But so far, so good. It's been nearly two years since I was in the hospital. I seem to be getting better and better, and with the help of behavior therapy, I've gained a lot of insight into the delusional hell I was in three years ago.

 

Jemima: Thanks so much for the links and the kind words! I wasn't totally clear in my post, I've actually been at 1.875 mg for about three weeks (pills), but I've been on the liquid for three days. I've been on roughly 1.84 mg of the liquid, but seem to be having trouble at that dose. I took 1.86 mg today, so we shall see if I make it through 24 hours. If I wake up too early needing medicine, I may take your advice and go to 1.9 mg. I was doing perfectly fine at 2 mg for several weeks, so I don't anticipate going back up to that dose. It's also possible I came off Invega too fast, like you say, but I hope not. I've done so well, and have been so stable this past year, it's hard to believe that I came off too fast, but it's possible it's catching up with me.

 

Meimeiquest: Thanks. I don't know about taking the risperidone at night. I already take perphenazine and luvox at night, but I could ask my doctor.

 

Thanks again everyone for your replies! I'll keep you posted!

[tezza]

Hi mkat,

 

Risperdal is a very powerful medication. 2 mg or even 1mg is not really a small dose of it. I was on 1 mg for a few months, then started breaking that in half for a few months, then tried to leave that off. My doc refused to help me get off it. I left the .5 off for two weeks and haven't felt like I was completely well since. I reinstated the .5 and began tapering off that (tablet) one month after RI.

 

I may have done much better if I'd waited a month or two longer before trying to taper again. I wasn't taking the same amount all the time, either, guessing at how much I was trimming off. I was likely going up and down in dose and that is destabilizing also.

 

I've been tapering at a VERY slow pace since Jan.. '12. I'm now down to about .185mg, I was at .375mg last January. These meds are rediculous to try to get off of. I have no ticks on my syringes between .1 and .2.

 

I'm very sorry for your struggles but glad you've joined us. You'll get lots of friendly support here. You seem to know that you have to taper very slowly, already.

 

I hope you start feeling much better soon!

[Meimeiquest]

Hi mkat,

 

I only mentioned night dosing because I never would have made it through Zyprexa treatment or withdrawal if I would have taken a.m. doses. But I don't really know how risperidone works.

 

I would love to hear more about your therapy regarding withdrawal symptoms.

 

Thanks!

[mkat71]

Hi all, this is my fifth day on the liquid form of risperidone. I'm really curious about something. I've been having trouble waking up too early, needing more medicine. I'm wondering if that's because I've been putting the drug in water to swallow it. The first day I took the medicine I just squirted the syringe into my mouth. That was about 1.84 mg (plus the stuff on the outside of the syringe--I forgot to clean it off), and I made it through 24 hours no problem. The next day I put the drug in a cup of water, because the instructions said to do so. That was 1.84, and I didn't make it through 24 hours, so the next day I went up to 1.86. Again, I didn't make it through 24 hours, so I went up to 1.9. Didn't quite make it. So today I took 1.94. Don't know whether I will make it.

 

Anyway, now I have gone from 1.84 all the way to 1.94. Is it possible that putting the drug in water has broken it down, or diluted it? Should I be taking it right off the syringe?

 

Thanks!

 

P.S. Meimeiquest: So sorry for what you have gone through. You asked about therapy regarding withdrawal symptoms. What do you want to know?

[Meimeiquest]

About therapy...How have you been able to do "real work" in the chaos? I don't know which of my thoughts and feelings are real. Do you talk about managing symptoms? How did you find therapist? Stuff like that. I have been to therapy in the past and did not find it helpful, but I'm open to useful therapy.

[mkat71]

About therapy...How have you been able to do "real work" in the chaos? I don't know which of my thoughts and feelings are real. Do you talk about managing symptoms? How did you find therapist? Stuff like that. I have been to therapy in the past and did not find it helpful, but I'm open to useful therapy.

 

I'm working with the same therapist I've had for about 6 years. I found her through an OCD support group. She's helped me a lot, but I've also gained a lot of insight on my own. When I had a breakdown three years ago after getting off benzos, my brain started "talking" to me, and I became delusional, thinking supernatural forces were talking to me. It took me awhile, but I was eventually able to identify what was real and what wasn't. I used logic to debunk the ideas I had. I also came up with a name for the "voice" talking to me (not a "voice" per se, but just words going through my brain), and by doing that was able to separate what was ME and what was just a dysfunction of my brain. Now whenever some words come into my head, and I'm tempted to think they are from an external source, I just know from experience that this is coming from my brain. I also know that if I take the words seriously, I will eventually end up in the hospital.

 

My therapist has helped me realize that all this dysfunction in my head is an extension of my OCD, and not some psychotic disorder. The more I understand OCD, the more I understand what's going on inside my head.

[mkat71]

Hi! Anyone out there have any suggestions about whether to take the liquid risperidone in a beverage, like the instructions say, or whether to take it right out of the syringe?

 

It's possible the reason I've been having problems up to now is that I haven't been precisely measuring out 3-4 ounces (100 ml) of water to put the medicine in. I've been estimating, and that could be the reason why I've been getting inconsistent amounts of medicine every day. I didn't realize you had to be so precise with the amount of water. Hopefully this will clear up if I start accurately measuring the water. I guess I'll just go back to the dose I started with before starting the liquid risperidone, and start fresh. I just hope I make it through the rest of the night.

 

Thanks for any suggestions!

[Meimeiquest]

Thanks for the therapy info! Sounds like you've learned a lot. And I'll bet an accurate measure will help a lot with how you feel. Best!

[Rhiannon]

Hi mkat,

 

Risperdal is a very powerful medication. 2 mg or even 1mg is not really a small dose of it. I was on 1 mg for a few months, then started breaking that in half for a few months, then tried to leave that off. My doc refused to help me get off it. I left the .5 off for two weeks and haven't felt like I was completely well since. I reinstated the .5 and began tapering off that (tablet) one month after RI.

 

I may have done much better if I'd waited a month or two longer before trying to taper again. I wasn't taking the same amount all the time, either, guessing at how much I was trimming off. I was likely going up and down in dose and that is destabilizing also.

 

I've been tapering at a VERY slow pace since Jan.. '12. I'm now down to about .185mg, I was at .375mg last January. These meds are rediculous to try to get off of. I have no ticks on my syringes between .1 and .2.

 

I'm very sorry for your struggles but glad you've joined us. You'll get lots of friendly support here. You seem to know that you have to taper very slowly, already.

 

I hope you start feeling much better soon!

 

Hey Tezza, I'm kinda hijacking this thread with this, but I wanted to suggest--can you dilute your liquid? If so, you can dilute it to half strength, then measure out twice as much. That way you get only half as much reduction between the "ticks" on your syringe, which might help you with your pacing.

[mkat71]

 

Hi mkat,

 

Risperdal is a very powerful medication. 2 mg or even 1mg is not really a small dose of it. I was on 1 mg for a few months, then started breaking that in half for a few months, then tried to leave that off. My doc refused to help me get off it. I left the .5 off for two weeks and haven't felt like I was completely well since. I reinstated the .5 and began tapering off that (tablet) one month after RI.

 

I may have done much better if I'd waited a month or two longer before trying to taper again. I wasn't taking the same amount all the time, either, guessing at how much I was trimming off. I was likely going up and down in dose and that is destabilizing also.

 

I've been tapering at a VERY slow pace since Jan.. '12. I'm now down to about .185mg, I was at .375mg last January. These meds are rediculous to try to get off of. I have no ticks on my syringes between .1 and .2.

 

I'm very sorry for your struggles but glad you've joined us. You'll get lots of friendly support here. You seem to know that you have to taper very slowly, already.

 

I hope you start feeling much better soon!

 

Hey Tezza, I'm kinda hijacking this thread with this, but I wanted to suggest--can you dilute your liquid? If so, you can dilute it to half strength, then measure out twice as much. That way you get only half as much reduction between the "ticks" on your syringe, which might help you with your pacing.

 

Hi, thanks for the suggestion. I don't know how to dilute it like that. I assume it's possible, after all it would appear that I have been diluting it over the last few days by using too much water to put the drug in. I still don't know whether I should be putting the drug in water to take it, or whether to just squirt it into my mouth from the syringe. Any suggestions?

[Altostrata]

Welcome mkat.

 

Read http://www.drugs.com/pro/risperidone-oral-solution.html

 

2.6 Administration of Risperidone Oral Solution

 

Risperidone Oral Solution can be administered directly from the calibrated pipette, or can be mixed with a beverage prior to administration. Risperidone Oral Solution is compatible in the following beverages: water, coffee, orange juice, and low-fat milk; it is NOT compatible with either cola or tea.

and read http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1716-tips-for-tapering-off-risperdal-risperidone/

[tezza]

 

Hi mkat,

 

Risperdal is a very powerful medication. 2 mg or even 1mg is not really a small dose of it. I was on 1 mg for a few months, then started breaking that in half for a few months, then tried to leave that off. My doc refused to help me get off it. I left the .5 off for two weeks and haven't felt like I was completely well since. I reinstated the .5 and began tapering off that (tablet) one month after RI.

 

I may have done much better if I'd waited a month or two longer before trying to taper again. I wasn't taking the same amount all the time, either, guessing at how much I was trimming off. I was likely going up and down in dose and that is destabilizing also.

 

I've been tapering at a VERY slow pace since Jan.. '12. I'm now down to about .185mg, I was at .375mg last January. These meds are rediculous to try to get off of. I have no ticks on my syringes between .1 and .2.

 

I'm very sorry for your struggles but glad you've joined us. You'll get lots of friendly support here. You seem to know that you have to taper very slowly, already.

 

I hope you start feeling much better soon!

 

 

Hey Tezza, I'm kinda hijacking this thread with this, but I wanted to suggest--can you dilute your liquid? If so, you can dilute it to half strength, then measure out twice as much. That way you get only half as much reduction between the "ticks" on your syringe, which might help you with your pacing.

 

 

Hi Rhi,

 

I've been putting off diluting with water but I think it's time for me to do that. I purchased distilled water, already; I think I recall Gia saying that was what she used to dilute it with. I assume the distilled water keeps better, just guessing here.

 

Thanks for your input, Rhi, it's always welcome. I hope you're doing okay!

 

mkat, sorry for hijacking your thread.

[tezza]

mkat,

 

I've been squirting it straight into my mouth for over a year. Then I fill the syringe with water a couple of times, squirting those into my mouth, in case there is any left in the syringe.

 

I wouldn't think mixing it with liquid would make a big difference unless you are not getting all the Risperidone.

 

The early waking is a sign of withdrawal. It happens to all of us when we've been destabilized from tapering too fast.

[mkat71]

Hi everyone,

 

Two weeks ago, I tried liquid risperdal for a few days by putting the drug in water like the instructions said, but it appears that I lost some medicine by putting it in water. I don't understand how that happened, but apparently it did. Maybe by putting it in water I diluted it or something.

 

Anyway, I went back to the pills to try and restabilize myself. Trouble is I didn't know what dose to go back to, because I had lost quite a bit. So I steadily increased the dose every day, in an effort to "make up" for missed medicine. Could anybody tell me if there is any wisdom in this, or should I have gone back to my original dose of 1.875 mg, and stayed there for a few days to stabilize?

 

Anyway, I kept increasing until I finally maxed out at 5 mg. That was officially too much medicine. I could really feel it, it was agonizing. Today I took 4.75 mg, and that has been agonizing.

 

Now that I know I'm on too much medicine, I don't know whether to just go back to my original dose of 1.875 mg tomorrow, or taper down slower. I can't stand it any more. I am on too much medicine, and I want to get back to 1.875. If I taper back down to 1.875, I don't know how much to taper by. I don't even know if I should have increased it at all. I don't know what I'm doing, and my doctor doesn't know what he's doing either! I've left a message for the doctor that Altostrata recommended, but I don't know when he will get back with me.

 

I know with antidepressants they say if you miss a dose, DON'T make up the dose, but go back to your regular scheduled dose. Should I do that?

 

Thanks everyone.

[Altostrata]

It takes about 5 days to for a decrease or increase to have a full effect. You've been increasing without waiting to see if the last increase was enough.

 

How long have you been taking more than 1.875 mg? How long more than 3mg?

[mkat71]

It takes about 5 days to for a decrease or increase to have a full effect. You've been increasing without waiting to see if the last increase was enough.

 

How long have you been taking more than 1.875 mg? How long more than 3mg?

 

Hi Altostrata, thanks for your reply. I've been taking more than 1.875 mg for just over a week now. I've been trying to find a dose to hold steady at, but I kept waking up in the morning before the next dose feeling weird, so I would increase. I've been fairly steady now for most of the week above 3 mg.

[Altostrata]

Since you've been taking more than 1.875mg for such a short time, if I were you, I'd back down faster, maybe to 3.75mg for a day, 2.75mg the next day, then 1.875mg. Hold steady at that level for at least a week to let it sort out.

 

When you mix it with water, you may need to slightly adjust the dose up or down. Those adjustments would be by tenths of a milligram.

[mkat71]

Since you've been taking more than 1.875mg for such a short time, if I were you, I'd back down faster, maybe to 3.75mg for a day, 2.75mg the next day, then 1.875mg. Hold steady at that level for at least a week to let it sort out.

 

When you mix it with water, you may need to slightly adjust the dose up or down. Those adjustments would be by tenths of a milligram.

 

Thank you so much Alto. I'll give that a try.

 

Do you have any suggestions about what I should do if I wake up tomorrow morning before my next dose time feeling weird? Do I hold steady, and let it sort itself out, or do I assume I dropped too much, and make up for missed medicine?

 

Thanks! (Sorry about the email)

[Altostrata]

I would reduce the dosage as above. Don't do anything impulsive to "fix" it. It may take some time for everything to settle down.

[tezza]

mkat,

 

Once the nervous system has destabilized, taking a large dose will not fix it immediately. Going up and down in dose destabilizes it even more. Please do as Alto has suggested, get back down to the lower dose, then wait for it to settle.

 

This could take several weeks but you must be patient. I told you in an earlier post that the early morning waking is a sign of WD. WD means your nervous system has become unstable. It takes time for it to become stable again and the time it takes varies from one person to another.

[mkat71]

mkat,

 

Once the nervous system has destabilized, taking a large dose will not fix it immediately. Going up and down in dose destabilizes it even more. Please do as Alto has suggested, get back down to the lower dose, then wait for it to settle.

 

This could take several weeks but you must be patient. I told you in an earlier post that the early morning waking is a sign of WD. WD means your nervous system has become unstable. It takes time for it to become stable again and the time it takes varies from one person to another.

 

Thank you tezza. My problem is I don't know what to do when I do wake up early, and can't get back to sleep, and I'm worried about symptoms returning. I know it's a sign of WD, but what do I do about it? Just wait? How long do I go without sleep?

 

When I take extra medicine during those times, symptoms abate, and I fall back asleep. Should I do nothing when I wake up feeling weird? Will I end up in the hospital if I wait too long?

 

Thanks.

[Altostrata]

I'm completely confused about the amount you're taking and your dosing schedule.

 

You need to be much, much more systematic. If you divide doses to take some in the middle of the night, you should be consistent in this, and know how much you're taking.

 

Adding some amount at night occasionally causes the level in your bloodstream to fluctuate. This may add to side effects you feel during the day.

[mkat71]

I'm completely confused about the amount you're taking and your dosing schedule.

 

You need to be much, much more systematic. If you divide doses to take some in the middle of the night, you should be consistent in this, and know how much you're taking.

 

Adding some amount at night occasionally causes the level in your bloodstream to fluctuate. This may add to side effects you feel during the day.

 

Hi. I'm confused too. I was steady for a long time, but then I got off track two weeks ago. I had made it down to 1.875 mg, and was taking that every morning. Then I switched to the liquid for four days, and I completely got off track. I've been fluctuating pretty much every day for the last two weeks in an effort to stabilize, which I know is counter-intuitive. I don't really know what my dose is anymore. Every time I try to go back to 1.875, I can't make it through the day without weird symptoms recurring. I'm at about 4.5 mg now, so I'm going to stay at that for several days until things stabilize. Then I'm going to start dropping once a week by .25 mg, until I'm back to 1.875. I don't understand how four days of the liquid got me so off track that I have to go from 1.875 to 4.5, but that's what my body is telling me.

 

I wouldn't add doses at night if I wasn't worried about ending up in the hospital again. I can tell when I've withdrawn too much. The question is what to do when that happens. I've been keeping a journal of how much I've taken for the last two weeks. When I wake up feeling scared and goofy I look at what I took the day before, and if it appears like I dropped too much, I add a little bit of medicine to "make up" for that amount. I don't know what else to do.

 

I don't really get side effects during the day. It's always late at night or early in the morning. I'll wake up right on schedule, a few hours before dose time, needing more medicine. I can't just lie there waiting to go crazy. I have to take something. So I systematically try to add what I should have taken that day, fall back asleep, and then go up to that dose in the morning. I try and stay on it for awhile. Trouble is I usually don't stay on it long enough, or I get impatient. That is why I'm going to try and stay on 4.5 mg every morning for the rest of the week, and let things sort out. (That is if I make it through the next 24 hours without waking up in the morning feeling creepy. Then I won't know what to do.)

 

I hope this makes sense. If you have any suggestions about what else to do when I wake up early because of withdrawal, I would welcome them. Thanks very much.

[Altostrata]

Rationally, I suggest you go back to taking 1.85mg in the morning and maybe 1mg in the evening, gradually reducing the evening dose.

 

But I don't have to deal with the side effects changing the dosage yet again will cause. It's your choice.

 

Whatever you do, keep notes and do it in a controlled, measurable way.

[mkat71]

Hi everyone...I finally stabilized on a much higher dose of Risperdal than I was on, and am working my way back down. I was on 1.875 mg, and somehow ended up on as high as 6 mg in an attempt to restabilize after getting off track for four days with the liquid risperdal. As Altostrata suggested, I've split up the dosage, and am reducing the evening dose. I'm taking 2 mg in the morning, and I'm now at 3.25 mg at night. I'm reducing by .25 mg every five days, and hopefully I will be back to where I was by July. I'm trying not to do anything impulsive with the medicine.

 

I think I messed up last week, however. I was supposed to be on my evening dose of 3.5 mg for five days, but I was so tormented by the physical side effects that I went down to 3.25 after four days, a day early. It's been five days at 3.25 (5.25 total), and I'm supposed to go down to 3 mg tonight, but I'm not sure if I'm ready. I think I'm experiencing withdrawal, but my doctor doesn't think so. I have a weird feeling in my head, and I haven't been sleeping too well. I think I know what withdrawal feels like, and I think it's possible I'm feeling it.

 

I'm hesitant to reduce the evening dose tonight. I don't know whether to keep it at the same dose for a few days, and wait until I feel ready to reduce, or go back up to my previous evening dose of 3.5.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions? If I'm experiencing withdrawal do I keep it the same for awhile, or do I go back up to my previous dose?

 

Thank you...

[Rhiannon]

Hi everyone...I finally stabilized on a much higher dose of Risperdal than I was on, and am working my way back down. I was on 1.875 mg, and somehow ended up on as high as 6 mg in an attempt to restabilize after getting off track for four days with the liquid risperdal. As Altostrata suggested, I've split up the dosage, and am reducing the evening dose. I'm taking 2 mg in the morning, and I'm now at 3.25 mg at night. I'm reducing by .25 mg every five days, and hopefully I will be back to where I was by July. I'm trying not to do anything impulsive with the medicine.

 

I think I messed up last week, however. I was supposed to be on my evening dose of 3.5 mg for five days, but I was so tormented by the physical side effects that I went down to 3.25 after four days, a day early. It's been five days at 3.25 (5.25 total), and I'm supposed to go down to 3 mg tonight, but I'm not sure if I'm ready. I think I'm experiencing withdrawal, but my doctor doesn't think so. I have a weird feeling in my head, and I haven't been sleeping too well. I think I know what withdrawal feels like, and I think it's possible I'm feeling it.

 

I'm hesitant to reduce the evening dose tonight. I don't know whether to keep it at the same dose for a few days, and wait until I feel ready to reduce, or go back up to my previous evening dose of 3.5.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions? If I'm experiencing withdrawal do I keep it the same for awhile, or do I go back up to my previous dose?

 

Thank you...

 

Unfortunately vast experience has shown that most doctors really have no clue about psych drug withdrawal. So if your body feels like you're having withdrawal symptoms, I would listen to it as the expert.

 

Sounds like you've been reducing pretty fast. I would think a hold might be called for, for at least two weeks.

[mkat71]

Hi everyone. I have a question about reduction. My doctor is recommending I split up my risperdal dosage to twice a day, morning and night, because I'm so sensitive to meds. My concern with this is when I finally get back to the 1.88 mg I was at before getting off track and going back up to a higher dose to "make up" for missed meds (probably a stupid idea), it will be difficult to see what's going on.

 

The plan is to switch to the liquid when I get to 2 mg (1 mg in the morning and 1 mg at night). I remember I started having problems reducing at 2 mg, and when I went to 1.88 mg I made drops at a rate of about 3%. So I'm going to start tapering at 3% when I get back to 2 mg. (I'm at 4 mg now, and don't want to reduce more until I know the future game plan.)

 

The problem is, how do I split the dosages up between morning and night? Do I start by reducing the morning dose by 3%, then reduce the night time dose by 3% when it's time to make another drop?

 

Would I be better off just taking one dose per day? I'm afraid splitting the daily dose will needlessly complicate things.

 

Thanks for any advice!

[Altostrata]

I'd gradually reduce one and increase the other, as you've envisioned. The split doesn't have to be even. When you taper, I would decrease the daytime dose first and leave the nighttime dose to protect your sleep.

[mkat71]

Hi everyone. Is there a general consensus about what to do when you have tapered too much and are experiencing withdrawal symptoms? In other words, you find out too late that the percentage you dropped by was too great.

 

Is it best to stay where you are for awhile and let the situation sort itself out? Or should you go back up to the previous dose, restabilize, then make a smaller drop?

 

Thank you all very much!

[Rhiannon]

Hi mkat--

 

There's a good thread on reinstatement and stabilizing here:

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/3079-about-reinstating-and-stabilizing-to-stop-withdrawal-symptoms/

 

Hopefully that will answer your questions.

 

I don't think there's a one-size-fits-all consensus, unfortunately. It's sort of a case-by-case-and-cross-your-fingers kind of thing. Depends on so many factors.

[mkat71]

Hi everyone.

 

I made a cut in Risperdal last week from 2.5 to 2.25 mg, and I think it was too much. The first four days of 2.25 were ok, but then I started having trouble sleeping, and having other mental symptoms I associate with withdrawal. I tried to tough it out for a few more days to see if things would straighten out. My sleep started to improve, but the mental symptoms didn't improve too much. I started worrying that I had made too big of a cut, and after reading the thread about reinstatement and stabilization, I was worried if I went too much longer my window of opportunity would pass. So on the 8th day I reinstated at a lower dose, moving from 2.25 to 2.375 (instead of going back up to 2.5). It seemed like the mental symptoms improved at first, but my sleep got worse. I just took the second day of 2.375, and I don't feel right. I can't sleep, and some of the mental symptoms seem to be getting worse.

 

Now I am worried that I made another mistake by reinstating up to 2.375. I'm beginning to think that the situation may have resolved itself if I had stayed at 2.25.

 

What do I do now? Stay at 2.375 for awhile? Go back down to 2.25 right away?

 

Thanks.

[Altostrata]

Your guess is as good as any, mkat. I might go down a bit.