View Full Version : withdrawing from meds anxiety
Hi guys.im on 2.5mg of olanzipine after cutting back a while ago from 5mg..but this time after just two days im feeling very anxious and my sleep is not good..i didnt get this the first time round...my eyes feel heavy and painfull,but have this feeling like a rush of adrenalin rushing through me.just feel very out of sorts after just two days.im only cutting down the smallest amount to,i dont have a problem excepting these effects as long as they go away after a while and dont stick...any ideas....i cant concentrate and am constantly talking to myself in my head about how im feeling...half of me wants to just stick with the meds although there not doing anything for me,but the other half is telling me to get off them esp as i gained so much weight on them and feel my personality has gone since being on them...dont smile dont laugh but allways feel sad
and am constantly talking to myself in my head about how im feeling...
This as you know is not helping so you really need to do something to distract you from thinking about how you are feeling. Get your mind on something else, puzzles, baking, crafts. a brisk walk.
I'm coming off mine Greg but doing it over six months,I'm going really slow to avoid withdrawal
Its normal to get a bit more anxiety once you have relied on meds so long
Thanks guys..taken on board...andy how are you doing your reduction ? My idea was 1/8 of the tablet for two weeks then repete over 3 months
5mg to 2.5 for six months see how I feel then stop
The reduction has given me headaches so something is definitely changing in my brain ��
Yea me to andy,headaches and dizzyness to and a strange pain in my face...
Just take it very very slowly,there is no rush to get off them is there
Have you spoken to your doctor about it,mine agrees my weight gain needs to get under control for health reasons
Yes andy iv spoken to my doctor,he sugested halthing my 2.5mg.i said no and want to do it slower...as i say i can cut the tablet into 8 pieces thats the smallest i can cut it into.the pieces are tiny.so just thought 1/8 th at a time for two maybe three weeks on each 1/8th
If I was you I would hold each reduction until your sleep returns to normal,3 weeks isn't a long time when you've been on the meds for months
Ok andy.sounds like a good plan..my only worry is,i was put on this olanzipine in the first place because i already had bad long tearm insomnia brough on by being put on thyroxine for my underactive thyroid..do i worry that underneath this olanzipine lay my insomnia that will come back once i cut down this med,i feel i may be forced to stay on it just for the sleep it gives me as the doctor dsnt seem bothered that i got side efects of insomnia from going on thyroxine 3 years ago..
There is always a chance your original symptoms will return but you won't know until you take that step .Only you know how you feel and what's right for you,if I start to struggle after six months I will go on a low dose again and try and excercise more
Saying that I won't feel fully recovered unless I'm off meds and coping on my own,if that makes sense
Hi.
i gained so much weight on them
I started on 7.5mg olanzapine about a month ago. I haven't really gained any weight so far though. It is supposed to be a common problem though.
feel my personality has gone since being on them...dont smile dont laugh but always feel sad
I am starting to feel a little like that I have to admit. I'm not sure if the olanzapine is helping very much but maybe it's still early days. I was switched from risperidone by the way.
The best of luck to you anyway. The thing to do is to take it really slowly as other posters have been suggesting.
I agree with you andy.i feel ill recover if and when off this horable drug.iv never felt myself since being on it,def was a different person before...i realy want out,..
Hi ded
The weight gain creeps up on you over time,it not only makes you more hungry,it also slows down your metobolic rate,meening you burn less calories off daily,so your body holds on to fat more than normal..its early days for you yet,but this does seem to be a common side efect wherever you google it,everyone complains about weight gain ..its not for everyone but thats notbto say you wont bennefit from it,everyone is different..good luck
Hello
I understand how you feel, anxiety is a normal reaction when someone who relied on medication so much before decided to cut it of suddenly. It's a good thing that you're trying to get off it, it's better that you are doing it on a slow and steady pace. I'm sorry to hear about the side effects though, they can really be a horrendous experience. You just need to be patient with it and wait for your body to adapt to the changes. I can see that you don't like how your doctor is assessing your situation, why not consider being checked by another doctor? Sometimes it's vital to seek for a second opinion in dealing with an issue. I hope you get better soon. Good Luck on tapering I know you'll succeed.
Cheers ray..iv got appt with another doctor next week,see how that goes..its funny isnt it how cutting down the smallest amount can cause side effects,feels like iv stoped all together,foggy tight painfull head and high anxiety,and to think my doctor wanted me to cut down by half !! Thats insane,iv only cut it down by a 1/8 th and thats bad enough...feel realy irritable today everything pissing me off and winding me up.
MyNameIsTerry
28-10-15, 11:26
This is the thing, Greg, it's another guinea pig situation. Some people feel it worse when they start reducing, some feel it more the closer you get to zero. Look at people coming off Benzodiazapenes, it can be harder to reduce tiny doses when nearly off altogether.
GP's can be decades behind with their advice on these meds when we live in am information age and can Google to find what the experts say that contradict them. They seem to love the 50% rule.
Your not wrong there terry,i see what you are saying mate...its easy for the doc to just say,half your meds cos he or she is not the one who has got to go through the shit that comes with it...i googled it and found cutting down by the smallest pos amount ,which is what im doing...doctors nowadays can give out old bad information..
MyNameIsTerry
28-10-15, 11:50
Mine was the same when I came off Citalopram but luckily it wasn't difficult compared to going on them and I was in a much better place. He started me on 20mg though without any real warning about side effects and 48hrs later he was ringing the Crisis Team. This annoys me because I see lots of people posting about staying on 10mg by obviously more clued up GP's.
GP's are as much a lottery as these meds are. Stick to your plan. Andy always says do it slow and play it by ear and he's bang on.
Yep thats my plan terry .slow and small amounts..going to give it a real go mate...bloody medication,like you say its a lotery and i regret ever going on this medication as it was only for insomnia...never been the same since being on it..my doc at the time never told me just how serious being on this med it is
MyNameIsTerry
28-10-15, 12:17
I know what you mean mate, I've never felt right on mine. I've added weight and the fatigue has been hard. So many symptoms that I never had before that had to deal with and all this muscular tension was never there before. At least I managed to stop the mood swings with Omega 3 but I spent probably 3 years with those courtesy of this med.
I can honestly say that the year after starting there was far far worse than the one before (when I want on any and relapsing!)
Sorry to hear that mate,couldnt have been easy for sure...but as you say mate,you feel like a different person on the meds,and not for the good in most cases.at least omega 3 worked for you mate,i might get some of that myself,i was on cod liver capsuals before but cant remember how i felt on them..
MyNameIsTerry
28-10-15, 12:47
Yeah its been tough but I'm a lot better than back then but it's annoying to have lost all that time fighting against a load of problems I never even had.
I went with EPA & DHA over 1000mg each which helped me. The odd thing is it didn't help with inflammation at all bit did with mood swings and depression. Tesco £3 for a months supply in the liquid did the trick but they don't seem to be making it now so I'm spending a bit more on the Seven Seas stuff.
It's funny mate, my mum spoon fed me cod liver oil as a child. Good old fashioned remedies.
Sounds like you had a long batyle there mate..good for you for coming out the other end..8 think holand and baret sell cod liver capsuals 180 for 10 pounds..8v had them before for a short time..might have to get back on them see what happens.the funny thing is terry,iv only droped this med by 1/8 th for the last three days and iv felt more tired than normal and keep doubting myself if i can manage it as the dp and dr have increased to and a feeling of isolation in my head,hard to explain realy,but feel pritty shit mate,just hope i can go through with this,i dont want to feel like this the whole way through the reduction for the next few months.
Greg each reduction will give you some withdrawal but it will ease,like I said hold each dose until you feel stronger and better only then reduce the dose
You will be ok you are stronger than you think :)
Will do andy thanks...look forward to better days..hows yours going what you down to
I reduced from 5mg to 2.5 ,got some headaches but sleep is fine and anxiety ok
Ohh thats good mate.pleased for you..can i ask how did you reduce down to 2.5mg what was you methord and how long did it take and do you feel any better,iv got the headache to
I just went to 2.5mg straight away and it felt the same
Oh right..that was good then mate..well done...i tried that and had very bad times.lol..im going to go very slow from this 2.5mg...cherrs for that andy
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.