Zuca: tapering Seroquel

[Zuca]

Hi All,

 

I've just started a taper from 25 mg Seoquel a couple of nights ago. I'm cutting a small amount off the edge of the pill each night with a razor. I have only been on 25 mg for about 3-4 weeks but have read even coming off 25 mg for a short period needs to be done slowly.

 

Dr says I suffer from Bipolar III. I think I just suffer anxiety and depression.

 

My heart goes out to those who have been on a high dose of this poison for a long time. If it was not for some of the horror stories I had read, I would not have known to be so careful, even on only 25 mg. My plan is to get off this terrible drug before I find myself typing "I've been on 25 mg for X years and cannot get off".

[Petunia]

Hi Zuca,

Welcome to SA, thank you for posting an introduction and for filling in your signature.  I'm so sorry your doctor has put you on all these dangerous drugs all at once, it horrifies me to know that they actually do this kind of thing every day.  Are you wanting to stop taking all of them, or just the seroquel?

 

Why does your doctor think you have Bipolar III?

 

If you are taking more than one medication, there may be interactions between them, which your doctor is unaware of, these may be adding to your symptoms.  Please put ALL the drugs you take in the drugs.com Drug Interactions Checker at:

 

Drug Interactions Checker

 

You may post the results here in your thread.

 

Because you have only been taking Seroquel for 3 - 4 weeks, you should be able to taper off it fairly fast.  If I were you I would reduce if by a quarter of a tablet, for a few nights and then if you are ok with that, reduce by another quarter and keep going like this down to nothing over the course of 2 - 3 weeks, as long as you are feeling ok.  No need to draw this out for months after having been on it for such a short time.

 

I'd highly recommend reading Anatomy of an Epidemic by Robert Whitaker. Psych meds can be pretty perilous and in my opinion should only be used for short times and very cautiously, if at all.

 

You might also find this youtube video enlightening:

 

 

There are much safer ways of treating anxiety and depression than taking toxic drugs which cause side effects and long term health consequences.  The longer you stay on these drugs, the harder it is to come off them. Counseling, and lifestyle changes are a much safer alternative for handling problems with emotions and moods.

 

Please stay in touch and let us know how you are doing.

 

Petu.

[chicken]

Zuca,

You may wish to try magnesium for your anxiety. It helped me. I just wish I had tried magnesium before I ever touched a psych drug

[Altostrata]

Welcome, Zuca.

 

I think you've seen Tips for tapering off Seroquel (quetiapine)

 

Many people do better with fish oil and magnesium supplements, see
http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/36-king-of-supplements-omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil/
http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1300-magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker/
 

[Zuca]

Hi, I don't take anything anymore. I am grateful to the information here about tapering.

After my experience I am convinced my doctors were right about one thing and wrong about another. Right that I am sensitive to medication, and wrong in that they downplay the 'side effects' 'interactions' and 'withdrawals' from the meds. When i was admitted by police to acute while on a double dose of Aropax* that had me in a manic state, a patient warned me that "They don't know what they are doing man, try this, try that, hit and miss, they can't diagnose accurately and just get it right first time". I thought he was an idiot and my doctors know what they are doing. But they didn't. When I left there I was a zombie with a plastic box to help me work out what to take each morning and night. I sat. As a person who is highly motivated and energetic, I spent months just sitting, and.. well the meds play with our minds. That was a scary time.

But now, I don't take anything. I learned from the whole experience, and I am more empathetic now to anyone who experiences or has experienced mental health issues. More in touch with my mental health. More aware.
 

In Dec 2014 I was doing the following:
 

Quote

1-2 Imovane (Zopiclone) 7.5 mgsleeping tablets at night (optional). Only took 1 a few nights, felt crap next day
1-2 Seroquel (Quetiapine) 25 mg anti-psychotic at night. Only took 1 each night
1 Fluvoxamine 50 mg antidepressant in morning (or at night if makes sleepy). Took at night
1 Epilim 500 mg mood stabiliser at night with food. Found it disturbs my sleep, started taking at 4pm with snack, slept much better.

Off Imovane
Off Epilim
Happy to stay on Fluvoxamine
Planning to quit the 25mg of Seroquel

It has been a long journey over the last 3 years. The last year has been pretty good actually.

I received an email from this website, and unlike most spam (that the email address is for) I was very happy to see the email. I was in such a bad place back then that it was all a blur.

Now, I am careful. I made life changes to my routines. I exercise every 3 days, it helps with sleep, and staying clam and focused, never skip breakfast, never coffee, I hardly ever drink alcohol. I read for 1/2 hour each night before sleep. I'll turn down lines of coke if offered. I know how to deal with insomnia now, it creeps in... and I know that doctors will make mistakes and prescribe things that are not compatible with some people. To be careful.

Be nice to yourself, if you are in a dark place, it's not forever, and when you do get out, you too might be better than before, by knowing just how dark it can get.

Thank you for the email asking to drop by. I might even do the survey.

Now I take nothing.

*Doctors confirmed later I should never have been on aropax-paroxetine, however they just shrug it off.

[mammaP]

Hi Zuca, thank you for coming back and updating us. It is great to see that you have tapered successfully and are doing well. It's always good to see that people are recovered and getting on with life. Thank you also for filling in the survey, we hope that moast people will fill it in, there are thousands of members here and we will be one big voice shouting out the truth about withdrawal. 

 

I merged your topics so that you history is in one place. 

[nz11]

On 8/21/2017 at 10:28 PM, Zuca said:

I might even do the survey.

Quoting a line from  my favourite movie ..that would be "a wonderful choice" if you did.

 

Thanks for the update too

[Santino]

HElloooooooooo admins of the group...

According to what Zuca has written, this post should be at the success section...

Zuca that is a great news from your side buddy. Good Luck

All the best

[Zuca]

Still going strong. I did the survey. All the best to all of you !