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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 18 of 18. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Zyprexa on February 14, 2015, at 20:31:09
Decreased perphenazine to 2 8mg a day. And put zyprexa up to 20mg, with the option to take more! Anyways I stoped perphenazine cold turky on thursday because it was making me too tired. Anyways I feel great now that I'm off perphenazine.
Just taking 2 10mg z's a day, and still too tired some of the time. Particularly when I'm off work. So today I cut z into 2 5mg and a 10mg.
I have not told my pdoc about the perphenazine yet, thought I would call her in a week if still off it.
Mainly since stoping p, I've noticed my brain waking up. Sort of like its unfrozen. And with the z, I'm still losing weight and not hungry all the time. So that is good.
So what does this mean. There is no replacement AP for Z. I tried abilify, risperdal, geodon and perphenazine. Plus what ever they were giving me in the mental hospital. All those meds made me worse.
Posted by Christ_empowered on February 14, 2015, at 21:42:18
In reply to I saw my pdoc on wed.., posted by Zyprexa on February 14, 2015, at 20:31:09
hey man. Some people have just one AP/AAP they really, really respond to. I take 30 Abilify. That's what I can tolerate, that's what works in my life. In all likelihood, I have Abilify-shaped dents in my brain now, lol.
I think they can go high dose w/ zyprexa. Usually treatment resistant schizophrenia, but not always. Long term treatment w/ tranquilizers sometimes involves an increase in dosage over the long haul. I used to know why...something about your brain adapting w/ more D2 receptors or something, blah blah. Its like the AP/AAP equivalent of people having to ramp up their Valium after a while, I guess.
Ever taken a mood stabilizer? I'm clearly not a doc, but I did read something on PubMed where adding an anticonvulsant was supposed to help reduce the AP/AAP dosage in the short- and long-term. My best guess is that it helps control agitation, maybe get more mileage out of the AP/AAP.
Anyway...
...I'm glad your off perphenazine, or getting there. I mean, some people respond well to it, but...its good to be on 1 AP/AAP at a time. That's one reason I try not to take my 2-4mgs/Risperidone unless absolutely necessary. Lately, I've been able to do without it.
Good luck!
Posted by ed_uk2010 on February 14, 2015, at 22:24:34
In reply to I saw my pdoc on wed.., posted by Zyprexa on February 14, 2015, at 20:31:09
>Mainly since stoping p, I've noticed my brain waking up. Sort of like its unfrozen.
I'm pleased to hear you're feeling better... but stopping antipsychotics abruptly is not recommended. The reason is that although you might feel better right now, stopping abruptly may be linked to relapse.
Might it be a good idea to go back on a reduced dose of perphenazine until you have chance to speak to your pdoc? I know you feel tired on it, and that's not good, but you don't want to risk getting unwell. Maybe just take a dose at night?
Posted by Zyprexa on February 14, 2015, at 22:26:49
In reply to Re: I saw my pdoc on wed.., posted by Christ_empowered on February 14, 2015, at 21:42:18
I took depakote and lamictal. Neither did anything for me, and I was still on zyprexa. Same dose. Which was 10mg at the time. Depakote and zyprexa made me super tired and slow. Lamictal didn't do much of anything. I'm just glad the generic teva Z does not make me eat too much, the brand did.
You know I never needed more than 10mg of zyprexa till I took abilify for 6 months. When I stoped abilify I suddenly needed 20mg z. Thats why I took perphenazine to cut back on z, which was brand at the time and made me eat.
The teva z makes me tired but eat around the right amount, which would be nothing if not for z.
I was not expecting to be able to just quit the p. I thought I would have to gradualy decrease over the next few months. Hopefully I'm done with it. I still have a month and a half supply if needed. It was getting expensive too. 10 times the price of z.
Posted by Zyprexa on February 14, 2015, at 22:47:09
In reply to Re: I saw my pdoc on wed.., posted by ed_uk2010 on February 14, 2015, at 22:24:34
Ok ed, you convinced me. I took 8mg p. I'll admit I was getting a little depressed last night.
I was taking 3 8mg p a day. Doc reduced it to 2. How many should I take. I'm getting realy tired on just the 20mg zyprexa some times.
Posted by Phillipa on February 15, 2015, at 8:58:49
In reply to Re: I saw my pdoc on wed.., posted by Zyprexa on February 14, 2015, at 22:47:09
Zyprexa still working and boy it's been cold out. Phillipa
Posted by ed_uk2010 on February 15, 2015, at 14:37:57
In reply to Re: I saw my pdoc on wed.., posted by Zyprexa on February 14, 2015, at 22:47:09
>I'm getting really tired on just the 20mg zyprexa some times.
Why did you doc increase Zyprexa? Was it just because you were reducing perphenazine? Or was it because you were having some symptoms which required a dose increase?
Posted by Zyprexa on February 16, 2015, at 5:54:55
In reply to Re: I saw my pdoc on wed.. » Zyprexa, posted by ed_uk2010 on February 15, 2015, at 14:37:57
yes because I reduced perphenazine and I was needing more before hand on occasion.
I found a new schedual for the meds makes me less tired. 5mg z and 8mg p, morning and noon. Then 10mg z at night.
Posted by ed_uk2010 on February 16, 2015, at 6:34:47
In reply to Re: I saw my pdoc on wed.. » ed_uk2010, posted by Zyprexa on February 16, 2015, at 5:54:55
>I found a new schedule for the meds makes me less tired. 5mg z and 8mg p, morning and noon. Then 10mg z at night.
That sounds sensible. Taking 10mg Z at once in the morning might have caused drowsiness. Do you think you would feel less tired if you took P morning and night, rather than morning and noon, or do you prefer to take it all during the day?
If you still feel too tired in a couple of weeks, you could discuss with your pdoc whether it's the right time to reduce P to 8mg once a day. I don't think you should do this immediately without her input in case you get ill. I know you might feel more awake, but it's no good if you get ill a few weeks down the line. That's why I think you should be cautious :)
Posted by Zyprexa on February 16, 2015, at 19:42:57
In reply to Re: I saw my pdoc on wed.., posted by ed_uk2010 on February 16, 2015, at 6:34:47
I don't see pdoc for anouther 3 months, and we never talked about further reductions. She did say calling her inbetween apts was good. should I wait till next apt before talking to her about anouther reduction or call in a month to reduce. I don't know how long she wants me to be stable on the new dose.
Posted by Zyprexa on February 16, 2015, at 19:47:39
In reply to Re: I saw my pdoc on wed.., posted by ed_uk2010 on February 16, 2015, at 6:34:47
No, I'm fine with this dosing. before the reduction and increase this is what I was doing, except for the 10mg at night.
Posted by ed_uk2010 on February 16, 2015, at 20:13:10
In reply to Re: I saw my pdoc on wed.. » ed_uk2010, posted by Zyprexa on February 16, 2015, at 19:42:57
>should I wait till next apt before talking to her about another reduction or call in a month to reduce....
You could call her in a month for advice. She might not want to reduce any further without seeing you though, I don't know.... I agree that it's good to call in between appointments when you only see her every 3 months.
Posted by Zyprexa on March 7, 2015, at 23:41:50
In reply to Re: I saw my pdoc on wed.. » Zyprexa, posted by ed_uk2010 on February 16, 2015, at 20:13:10
So I called my pdoc last week and said I want to put the perphenazine back up to 3 a day. She has not called back to say wheather or not I can do this. So I just did it anyways.
Feeling much better now. I was getting depressed and moody on the 2 a day. Still taking 20 mg zyprexa too.
I hope she is ok with this. I really need the meds.
Posted by Phillipa on March 8, 2015, at 19:00:07
In reply to Re: I saw my pdoc on wed.., posted by Zyprexa on March 7, 2015, at 23:41:50
Darn rotten weather has a lot of people depressed. We need the sun which we did get for 2 days. Phillipa
Posted by Zyprexa on March 10, 2015, at 4:31:38
In reply to Re: I saw my pdoc on wed.., posted by Zyprexa on March 7, 2015, at 23:41:50
So I called my pdoc again yesterday. Said what I was doing and to call if she has any problems with it. 9am the secretary called and was not sure about what I had said. So I told her I was taking 20mg olanzapine and 3x 8mg perphenazine. Said she was going to give message to pdoc. I never heard back, so.. I guess thats good?
I'm wondering if I should be seeing her more often? She had told me to come back in 3 months though. I couldn't make it on that reduced dose. I lasted about 3 weeks.
This all dates beck to Nov. when I told her I took 20mg z a few times out of desperation. I never asked for a script though. Thinking I could do with 15mg. I was wrong.
I just feel like she wants me on less... Maybe she is over that now. Thinking I will be fine with out meds. After the total wash out she wanted me to go through 3 years ago. Because I was doing ok at the time so lets tri to go with out! I knew it was going to be a bad idea, because of everytime in the past that I went off meds or lower doses. Never works out and I pay the price. Lost jobs, or lost friendships, or lost sanity. Ending up in mental hospital. Everytime I change my meds something about me changes. Why don't they get it?? ..Not to mention all the self medicating.. Which is what I did before all this psychiatry. Then I stoped all the drinking and drugs and ended up in mental hospital, a year later, because I would not take the meds they were telling me to take. Taking meds ever since.
Some reseach I did.. Found out that stiff muciles is a side effect of AP's. Risperdal was the first AP I took. Every time I took it I got frozen muciles from it. Guess thats why I was not taking my meds in the first place. Also probably why I ended up in mental hospital in the first place. Because I was out side in the cold frozen muciles. I could not move. My dad found me and brought me to the hospital. They did some test and told me I had to sign into the mental hospital or they would do it for me. So I went to mental hospital for 3 months. Then anouther 3 months because when I got out I felt fine and would not take my meds. Which I think were the same ones as before. So why would they give those? Stiff mucils, right. So I moved back to US and they still wanted me on risperdal. Once again I was stiff on couch and couldnt move. Finaly they put me on zyprexa. Well every thing changed then. Been taking it ever since, 17 years now. And doing great! So why do they want me off it now. I learned in the past that every time I go off it I fuck up, bad.. I thought the problem was that I didn't take my meds. Well now I do and they want me off them all the time. WTF!
Posted by Phillipa on March 10, 2015, at 20:15:29
In reply to Re: I saw my pdoc on wed.., posted by Zyprexa on March 10, 2015, at 4:31:38
As my old pdoc used to say "if it ain't broke don't try to fix it". If it's working I stay on unless a condition warrants a change. Phillipa
Posted by Zyprexa on March 11, 2015, at 10:21:09
In reply to Re: I saw my pdoc on wed.. » Zyprexa, posted by Phillipa on March 10, 2015, at 20:15:29
I was trying to save money by getting off of perphenazine. Its ten times the price of zyprexa.
Posted by Phillipa on March 11, 2015, at 20:14:12
In reply to Re: I saw my pdoc on wed.., posted by Zyprexa on March 11, 2015, at 10:21:09
I didn't know. Do you have one those drug apps on a smart phone as have saved money on drugs with this app?
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