View Full Version : reducing my meds as from tonight
Im going to reduce my olanzipine as from tonight..im doing it my way this time...slowley...im going to spend two weeks cutting down..ill have 2.5mg tonight then 5 mg next night..and follow this patern for two weeks,then 2.5mg for two nights then 5mg one night..and continue this for a week.then 2.5mg each night for a week maybe two..then 2.5mg one night then a night off then on next night,and continue this for a couple of weeks.then 2.5mg one night then a quarter next night and so on.ill contunue this untill im on a quarter each night then every other night then come off them..my doctor wanted to get me off them in two weeks..as far as i can see,thats way to quick.
What ever works best for you Greg and I think I would rather do it the way you decided. I am trying to come off my meds and doing it very gradually in a similar way to you.
GPs don't seem to have a clue as to how to come off these meds. My GP told my daughter that it would be fine to just stop taking 75mg venlafaxine....Needless to say her withdrawal from 75mg to zero spanned many months and 5 months on appears to have been successful in terms of the fact that she has never resumed taking the drug.
I've also withdrawn extremely slowly from escitalopram over a period of many weeks and am still breathing meds-free so I'm happy with this!
I really wish you well, Greg. Don't try to cut any corners and withdraw as slowly as you can if that is what you are determined to do.
Hi Greg
Out of interest, why does your doc want you off it? :)
My doctor and phscolagist told me that this med can cause type 2 diabities and its not helping me anyway since iv been on them.plus iv gained 3 stone in weight over the last 2 years being on them..once off them,ill be trying to come off my trazzadone that also hasnt helped my mental health,but has helped my bad insomnia tho,so will have to think hard about that
As you say Greg, if the meds aren't helping and are causing you to gain weight then it's only logical to try to come off them gradually.
How are you this morning?
Crystalhiggs
11-07-15, 09:10
Well done greg, how did you get on?
Hi guys..the night went ok.woke about 7.30am then drifted back and woke at 9am...my concern with this med,is that since iv been on it,my sleep has been long and deep..10-11 hrs most nights..now when i reduced this last time,my sleep was short sessions...so concerned i might loose my sleep patern.
Crystalhiggs
11-07-15, 09:36
Greg I think once your body realises it can't rely on that anymore the trazodone will kick in as a sleep aid. That's what happened with me and zopiclone. You will sleep, look at me, although I had a bad one last night I've had 2 weeks now of great sleeps!
It has to be worth it as you don't want to risk your health... :)
Yes thats true crystal.my health is at risk on this meds.id like to be med free in the future and see how i am on a blank cavas.one med at a time.sorry to hear you didnt sleep well last night crystal ,but as you say,at least you have had many good days...by the way,how is your mental health since you have come down on the traz
Crystalhiggs
11-07-15, 10:02
Yes thats what I'm looking forward to - my issues have been much worse since I've been on trazodone. I had anxiety after an operation I had last year, that's what caused my insomnia. So they put me on traz and my anxiety went through the roof! It did level out a bit after 6 weeks and as I'm coming down its been getting easier. My anxiety today and last night is/was about the dentist! That's why I didn't sleep but possibly also a side effect of the Traz. Will be very glad to be off it altogether! At least then I'll know what is really me and what is the medication!
Very true crystal..i think your anxiety is because of your dentist appt.its very stressful for non mental health sufferes..once its out the way you will relax a bit..and as you say,it will be great to find out whats you and whats the meds..im convinced since iv been on my meds that iv always felt worse,but as time goes by and you stay in them for so long,you forget what was the norm before then.....i just remember having better days more often befor being on the meds.now im lucky to get good days at all...im keen to find out what its like without them...cleen slate
Expecting to sleep for 10-11 hours without meds is maybe a bit of a tall order, Greg-especially with the light mornings during Summer. I know that sleep is a welcome respite from anxiety/depression issues but maybe you should be satisfied with a bit less sleep? I know it's frustrating if you haven't got to get up for anything though.
I really feel for you Greg, it never rains but pours.
Are you really coming off these meds for the reason you stated or is it in the back of your mind that this lady you went to see is the answer.
I have had nearly every SSRI available and always gained weight and that made me more depressed and lethargic.
Sleep is a great healer. I wish I could get 7 or 8 hours but never get more than 4.
Why has the doc suddenly said you could get diabetes two from this med, or did I misunderstand that.
I think, and it's only my opinion, the question you have to ask yourself is, are you ready to be drug free.
Well guys..the doctor told me about type two diabities a couple of months ago.iv read on the internet also that it can cause this..ever since iv been on this med iv always felt i feel worse..the only thing its done for me is helped me have these epic sleeps..iv had a lot to deal with over the last couple of years and managed to get through it all..i dont know if this drug is responsable for helping me through or its just me..on this drug i feel heavy and lethargic through the day and tired..the lasy i saw this week for that 3 hr sesion said,that being in medication can hold back the healing time as i dont feel many emotions except sadness.iv been thinking of coming off these meds for a while now and am interested to see how i feel being off them..i tried before but under my doctors orders,i had no choice he just reduced them by half every night and i didnt have a good time and felt i wasnt in control..but this time im planing my own routen giving them up..i think cuting them down in the way i said above may be a good move for me.ill do it slow and over a period of weeks.i feel im ready to try again and see what happens...im prepared for less sleep but not a drastic drop to something like 3 or 4 hrs.ill be happy with 7 hrs sleep.
MyNameIsTerry
13-07-15, 08:05
Do it because you want to, Greg. That lady may say that, as many do, but if that therapy works, it works irrespective of medication as we are not on meds that completely prevent cognition or feelings. You know you can feel more than just sadness anyway as you've felt good before. So, take that one with a pinch of salt and do it because you know you want to and if it helps with that, its a bonus.
Atypical antipsychotics can be an issue for type II diabetes and olanzapine is one known for a greater risk. But you've been on it a while and they've only recently mentioned this despite it being known over 9 years from the cases with the manufacturer alone so I would stick to your plan and ignore the GP wanting it done in 2 weeks (he would quickly change his mind if he tried it!). Adjust it is you need to, it only matters that its being reduced.
Its got a pretty long half life compared to most of the others in its class, which should help. Whether they can switch you to something else to reduce the impact is something that you could ask later if you can't get this to work for you.
Thanks terry..yep i agree with what you say mate..im doing it at my pace and slowley..just as long as i come off it thats all i care about..done 3 nights now of off and on full dose,and as i excpected i didnt sleep well last night and woke early this morning.hope this changes and i get norm sleep again
MyNameIsTerry
13-07-15, 10:33
That could be the reality of withdrawal on this one, Greg. So, its perhaps more about minimising the impact as you are doing with this better plan than you were given before.
When I tapered off Zopiclone I found that after the first cycle I was sleeping very well on the nights I took it but very little on the ones I didn't. I just told myself that whilst I may be about to have a real crappy day, at least I would sleep at the end of it. After about probably 7 days on & 7 days off, I managed to get clear but it was somewhere inbetween at that point and took a while to correct itself.
I think you have to be quite realistic about what you are doing here. Its going to affect your sleep, but its a matter if battling through to the other side.
You've got support on here mate.
:hugs: For you Greg.
Petra x
Thanks for that terry.very true..ill look forward to the nights on the full dose for now,thats tonight.lol...ill get there mate and its nice to have the suport on hear.you sound like you have got your head screwed on to me mate.....thanks for the hugs Petra...i havnt had a hug in reality for many months now..forgot how they feel
MyNameIsTerry
13-07-15, 11:01
Yeah, but I think one nut isn't tightened properly :roflmao:
greg dont go up and down on your doses it will only unbalance you ,split the tablets and hold that dose for a month.
do it as slolwy as possible ,olanzapine is a very strong drug and alters lots of brain receptors so its wise to come off very very slowly.
good luck ,hope your doing ok
Oh andy..well that was my plan to alternate nights.5mg then 2.5mg..like this for a couple of weeks.before going to just 2.5mg each night..are you saying this is not wise ??
Oh andy..well that was my plan to alternate nights.5mg then 2.5mg..like this for a couple of weeks.before going to just 2.5mg each night..are you saying this is not wise ??
alternating your dose each night will alter your brain chemicals up and down so its definitely not advised,just reduce a certain amount (10% is recommended) and hold that dose for a month
If I an honest I went from 5mg to 2.5mg and didnt notice any difference so maybe try that for a month.Its the last smaller doses that are hard to withdraw from with olanzapine
Ok andy sounds like a plan...i didnt think you could keep splitting the tablets to small doses..my 5mg has a line through the middle and the pharmasist said you can split that to 2.5..but after that you cant split..i wonder if you can get smaller doses
Justanutter
13-07-15, 13:36
Hi Greg
In my experience, I agree with Andy. I even took to shaving off bits of my citalopram every day and then eventually every other day until the tablet was virtually a teeny speck!! Drs don't know how slowly you need to come down off these tablets but I read a really good article on the internet about it being the best way and I never had any side affects.
Good luck.
---------- Post added at 13:36 ---------- Previous post was at 13:35 ----------
Oh, and do each change for about at least a month to 6 weeks....you'll be fine then.
Ok andy sounds like a plan...i didnt think you could keep splitting the tablets to small doses..my 5mg has a line through the middle and the pharmasist said you can split that to 2.5..but after that you cant split..i wonder if you can get smaller doses
you can get the tablets in 2.5mg dose so you can split that in half,my advice is hold each does for at least a month
When i was in hospital they took me off citalopram cold turkey and it really seriously messed me up :huh:
Ok andy.that sounds like a plan to me.ill get some 2.5 from the doctors.give it a go
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