Zyprexa withdrawing

[sogno]

Hi

I was on zyprexa for around five or six years. I was at 5mg for around five years, then reduced at 2,5mg for around a year. Then talked to my doctor about quitting and I did ten days at half a pill of 2,5mg and then I stopped taking the drug. So it's since 15 of April I haven't taken any zyprexa.

I'm feeling well, much more vigilant and sharp, however I have great difficulties in sleeping. The first days I didn't sleep at all, but recently I manage to sleep some hours, however I wake up at the same time every night feeling flushings and very hot. After that I manage to sleep again but it's hard to fall asleep and if I do the quality of sleep is poor.
I'm also experiencing itching all over my body: in my harms, knees, legs, hair, ears, etc.

I contacted my doctor about the insomnia and he instructed to get back on zyprexa. I didn't want to laugh at him so I asked diplomatically to give me more time time to adjust. I don't want to get back on zyprexa.

I want to clarify I've never had trouble sleeping in my whole life even before the zyprexa, so I'm sure I'm sleeping badly because of the zyprexa suspension. I also managed to taper and quit zoloft and benzos ( I was at 3.5mg of lorazepam daily for five years) without too much troubles. I read horror stories about benzos withdrawing but luckily it wasn't too severe for me, probably because it wasn't an heroic dosage and the taper was done slowly.

Has anyone gone through the same? Is the hitching normal? How much did you have to wait for the symptoms to subside? I'm currently taking a supplement of valerian and melatonin and magnesium.

Thank you.

 

[Rio Fantastic]

I wasn't on Zyprexa for anywhere near the length of time you were. The dose was higher - 5mg twice a day - but I was only on it for 3 months. The insomnia was brutal for a few days and I felt "off" for a couple of weeks, but then it all subsided very suddenly. Literally one night I was having the same insomnia and weird emotional waves and then the next night I was feeling normal and slept like a baby. Stick with it. If you need motivation to stay off it, research what antipsychotics do to your brain long-term. It's terrifying.

 

[cj]

I thought about moving this too mental health but I'll leave it here to see if you get any good advice. I don't know much about anti-phychotic discontinuation syndrome (isn't that such a polite way to say withdrawal?) but if it's just insomnia then treating the symptom is a good bet. OTC sleep meds are one option. If that doesn't work then asking your doc for something short term seems reasonable

 

[sogno]

I thought about moving this too mental health but I'll leave it here to see if you get any good advice. I don't know much about anti-phychotic discontinuation syndrome (isn't that such a polite way to say withdrawal?) but if it's just insomnia then treating the symptom is a good bet. OTC sleep meds are one option. If that doesn't work then asking your doc for something short term seems reasonable

what otc meds do you reccomend? I'm currently using a supplement of valerian and melatonin and also a supplement of magnesium that I heard it helps against stress.

My doctor suggested me to get back on zyprexa or to start taking lorazepam for a short period, however I might need to taper the benzos again. Both options don't sound appealing to me. My dad has used zolpidem ( ambien) for a short period of time but I forgot to mention it to my doctor.

I wasn't on Zyprexa for anywhere near the length of time you were. The dose was higher - 5mg twice a day - but I was only on it for 3 months. The insomnia was brutal for a few days and I felt "off" for a couple of weeks, but then it all subsided very suddenly. Literally one night I was having the same insomnia and weird emotional waves and then the next night I was feeling normal and slept like a baby. Stick with it. If you need motivation to stay off it, research what antipsychotics do to your brain long-term. It's terrifying.

I frankly would rather avoid reading about long terms damage on brain because I can't do anything now other than stay away from the drug. I heard antipsychotics shrink the brain and make you dumber and I feel it is the case. I feel I was smarter back then but as I said I can't do anything.

I hope I will get better, I feel I'm making tiny progresses every day.

 

[cj]

OTC antihistamines are an option like benedryl. If you don't want ativan you could try mertazepine

 

[Rio Fantastic]

Are you still off the zyprexa?? Have you tried physically tiring yourself out in the days with exercise?

 

[Dresden]

I have the same problem. I'm not willing to quit APs, even though they can dramatically disrupt lipid levels in the blood and may, possibly, cut short one's lifespan significantly. However, it may just be the case that schizo and schizoaffective people have much shorter lifespans already. Anyway, I like Zyprexa and Seroquel and don't want to quit taking them. Every time I've tried its been a trainwreck. AntiPsychotics are GR8 for ending trips, good or bad, passing out, and ESPECIALLY for stimulant binge comedowns!

 

[Rio Fantastic]

I have the same problem. I'm not willing to quit APs, even though they can dramatically disrupt lipid levels in the blood and may, possibly, cut short one's lifespan significantly. However, it may just be the case that schizo and schizoaffective people have much shorter lifespans already. Anyway, I like Zyprexa and Seroquel and don't want to quit taking them. Every time I've tried its been a trainwreck. AntiPsychotics are GR8 for ending trips, good or bad, passing out, and ESPECIALLY for stimulant binge comedowns!

APs have been pretty conclusively demonstrated to cause extensive structural changes to the brain, with a handful of them - e.g. the brain's physical shrinking, grey matter reduction - being indicative of damage. Assuming you aren't the type of anxious person prone to benzo addiction, they're a much better choice for passing out and comedowns and can calm down someone having a bad trip (though admittedly they don't totally short circuit it like an antipsychotic). Benzos also have the additional benefit of not compounding the hangover like an AP will. IME at least, antipsychotics sure could knock me out but would make the after-effects like anhedonia the next day much, much worse.

 

[Zorrbitch]

Hi

I was on zyprexa for around five or six years. I was at 5mg for around five years, then reduced at 2,5mg for around a year. Then talked to my doctor about quitting and I did ten days at half a pill of 2,5mg and then I stopped taking the drug. So it's since 15 of April I haven't taken any zyprexa.

I'm feeling well, much more vigilant and sharp, however I have great difficulties in sleeping. The first days I didn't sleep at all, but recently I manage to sleep some hours, however I wake up at the same time every night feeling flushings and very hot. After that I manage to sleep again but it's hard to fall asleep and if I do the quality of sleep is poor.
I'm also experiencing itching all over my body: in my harms, knees, legs, hair, ears, etc.

I contacted my doctor about the insomnia and he instructed to get back on zyprexa. I didn't want to laugh at him so I asked diplomatically to give me more time time to adjust. I don't want to get back on zyprexa.

I want to clarify I've never had trouble sleeping in my whole life even before the zyprexa, so I'm sure I'm sleeping badly because of the zyprexa suspension. I also managed to taper and quit zoloft and benzos ( I was at 3.5mg of lorazepam daily for five years) without too much troubles. I read horror stories about benzos withdrawing but luckily it wasn't too severe for me, probably because it wasn't an heroic dosage and the taper was done slowly.

Has anyone gone through the same? Is the hitching normal? How much did you have to wait for the symptoms to subside? I'm currently taking a supplement of valerian and melatonin and magnesium.

Thank you.

Yep zyprexa makes me black out on 20mg strongest drug to me oddly. I was on 2.5 5 20 I just slept lot 2.5 wasn't bad I switched to geodon now off all antipsychotics but geodon took 2 months ugh sorry your dealing w this

 

[xlr7000]

OTC antihistamines are an option like benedryl. If you don't want ativan you could try mertazepine

I've been on mirtazapine two or three times (over 10 yrs or so.) Starting at 15mg, then moving quickly to 30mg
once daily at bedtime, did put me to sleep quite soundly. But I had very vivid dreams and they were very
weird too. They were so intense, and occurred so consistently, that I had to discontinue the drug.

Seroquel and Zyprexa at their lowest dosages (25mg and 2.5mg respectively) helped a lot at the
outset (I tried them separately; never took them together) - but the drowsiness effect became
weaker and weaker and was soon nonexistent. Discontinued both eventually. Far more side-effects
withdrawing from Seroquel than from Zyprexa from which there were virtually no side-effects at all.

Melatonin - even with its increasing popularity, it's pretty mysterious. It's well settled that
it's a hormone produced by the pineal gland that's related to sleep. As for efficacy, some
say it works to ease insomnia, others say it doesn't. Another thing that seems pretty certain
is that it's no a "sleeping pill" in the usual sense, instead it works to regulate the circadian
rhythm.

A few psychiatrists recommended trazodone (aka Desyrel), starting at 50mg at bedtime,

increasing to 150mg (all at once) if necessary. Of course, try inbetween dosages
as well.

I've found 50mg works well for me, hardly any fogginess or sleepiness the next day.
75 is too much for me.

And if I'm too awake, taking 2mg of clonazepam in addition almost always gets me
to sleep through 6-7 hours or so. I also tend to nap in afternoons for an hour or so,
no med required.

TL:dr - trazodone 50mg is often effective to get to sleep, with very few side-effects.