[lone wolf]

Some very good news from me - I have taken 10 mg Zyprexa now for a couple of years' time bc of an acute psychotic break in my past. When my new psychiatrist heard that the med takes my sexual desire almost completely away, she thought I might benefit from another drug and introduced me Risperdal.

I have now had this med switching process for about three weeks - during this time I have gradually lowered the dose of Zyprexa from 10 mg to 5 mg. Which is a very good thing in this - I haven't suffered from any withdrawal symptoms at all! No sleep disturbances (well, I'm on Remeron 30 mg too, so it is no wonder), no psychotic thoughts, no anxiety etc.

That's why I have decided that instead of switching the antipsychotic med to another one, I will gradually lower my dose of Zyprexa to nothing, and see what will happen. If I start experiencing psychotic symptoms/some other withdrawal symptoms, I can always start taking Risperdal. But if I needn't do that, I'll soon have the chance of feeling life without any mind-dulling effects of neurolepts.

I thought I could never come off Zyprexa this fast without suffering from withdrawal symptoms - I'm so glad that I was proven wrong (YAY for that 8)). Indeed now I think I may have been able of stopping this medication even earlier, as my past psychotic episode seemed to be only an episode, with no long-term effects. But I'm happy I realized this at last.

If I survive life without Zyprexa, the next step for me will be lowering the dose of Remeron. I would be so glad to see how my life would feel without any mind-altering meds, let's see...

 

[Guest]

I hope it works out, Good luck

 

[lone wolf]

Hi Swan - I promise to tell you how I'll be feeling, since I've lowered the dose of Zyprexa to zero. At the moment I'm taking 2,5 mg Zyprexa, and I feel good - no withdrawal effects at all. It feels like I still would be taking 10 mg per day, though lately I've seen more lucid dreams than usually. I guess the lucid dreams may result from lowering the dose, but this has been just pleasant to experience. I'm pretty sure that I'll start lowering the dose of my antidepressant Remeron too, if I'm able to quit Zyprexa during the following weeks and no drawbacks come bc of it. It would be exciting to feel how life would feel without meds.

 

[Guest]

my fingers are crossed X for you - :!:

Swan

 

[lone wolf]

Hello Swan (and others interested in this),

now I've been a few days without Zyprexa. All I have noticed is that I am very sensitive to caffeine - especially coffee - at the moment. I can't drink two mugs of coffee without getting extremely anxious, so I've decided to stay away from caffeine in the following weeks. I'll tell you more, when I've been about two-three weeks without Zyprexa. I feel fine, but I miss coffee... At least I'm happy I have never drunk coffee daily, thus I needn't suffer from headaches of the caffeine withdrawal. :wink:

 

[Guest]

Best of luck Ninnu. Sometimes timing is EVERYTHING. I was once on a combo of stellazine and valium for a couple of years. Back then valium wasn't considered as addictive or habit forming as it currently is. So when I quit taking them I just quit outright. I don't recall any ill effects. I think that when ones "illness" has improved the meds may no longer be necessary and are not so hard to give up. But it has been many years ago so I may have forgotten.

One thing I know for sure is that the stellazine did nothing for me in regards to anxiety. But at least it didn't completely wipe me out like thorazine or mellarel did.

Some times I think that "mental illness" may often be the result of a combination of ones current life circumstances overwhelming one, and not simply a physiological condition. When time changes circumstances sometimes the mental illness improves. That is, I believe, what happened in my case. Having a relationship with someone like you have with your boyfriend can be such a great boon. Even the capacity to have a relationship as you do is indicative of psychological health.

Perhaps the timing is now right for you to make the changes you desire.

Anyway I have said a little silent prayer for you.

your ever well wisher
orlando

 

[Guest]

I wish you continued success

Swan

 

[lone wolf]

Hi orlando and Swan,

as you said (orlando), that mental illness can be the result of one's life circumstances that are too much/overwhelming, I agree completely. I'm pretty sure if I had never met my abusive ex-boyfriend and if there hadn't been so much distrust in between me and my nowadays boyfriend (both of us had had a bad ex-relationship before we met each other) in the beginning of our relationship, I most probably would never have had to experience my psychotic breakdown. Not to mention the irresponsible rec drug use, as both I and my boyfriend suffered from depression in the beginning of our relationship, and tried desperately to mask it with drugs and alcohol.

When things started to get better, things really improved. First I was treated at mental hospital because of the psychotic break and was prescribed meds which started to make wonders for my totally burn-out condition. Since a couple of weeks I started the medication, I soon was feeling such refreshed and like a newborn to the world, as I was no longer depressed after so many years of the black abyss. Unfortunately my boyfriend still had a problem with alcohol, and after coming from work he used to drink heavily every evening just to get rid of the feeling of emptyness. But finally he agreed with me that his alcohol use was not healthy and went to meet a psychiatrist in order to ask help for depression. He was prescribed Remeron too by his request, and luckily the antidepressant happened to be the same kind of wonder med for him as it was for me. Since that everything has been really wonderful, as both of us can enjoy life together without the unhealthy use of drugs/alcohol.

Thus I think my current life circumstances are good enough right now, that I guess I may be able to stop Remeron as well and without any serious difficulties as I have been able to stop taking Zyprexa. I will wait for a couple of weeks, until I can be sure that my body feels well without the antipsychotic, and after that I'll start tapering off Remeron as well. I have asked my psychiatrist about stopping Remeron, and she said that it should go well, if I first take a half of the dose I'm on now (30 mg) for two months, and then stop taking it completely. I wish that I could experience life without any meds next summer, it would feel incredible to feel how life would feel without a trace of depression AND without meds. It would be the first time to experience that in my life as a grown-up indeed! Let's see...

Love to you both,

Ninnu