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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by suebirds on September 29, 2007, at 15:35:58
I have been on and off Zyprexa for a little over 4 months try to come off before and didnt do to well so p-doc told me start taking it again but i started gaining weight so the p-doc decieded it was time to come off of it again the first week he has me taking 5 mgs alternating it with 2.5mgs for 7 days then the next week take the 2.5 mgs for another 7 days then the next week take the 2.5 mgs every other day for 7 days then wants me stop it after that, can someone tell me the story about coming off the zyprexa how they did it and if it worked. I want to get off of it this time but want to make sure i'm not doing it to fast.Can I please get some help and advice. Thank You Suebird
Posted by cactus on September 29, 2007, at 18:59:43
In reply to Weaning off Zyprexa Need help!!!!!!, posted by suebirds on September 29, 2007, at 15:35:58
I don't know sue, I took it for 3 months at 5mg prescribed by my GP, I gained a stack of weight in a very short period of time and finally went to see a pdoc about 4 years ago. He took me off it straight away (cold turkey) and I had no problems at all, I wasn't on it for very long though. But for me SSRI's are another story. good luck and hang in there, things will get better, it's just going to be a bumpy ride. Good luck, I know it tough. C
Posted by med_empowered on September 29, 2007, at 21:26:31
In reply to Re: Weaning off Zyprexa Need help!!!!!! » suebirds, posted by cactus on September 29, 2007, at 18:59:43
what probs are you taking the zyprexa for? What probs pop up when you try to stop taking it?
Could you take a benzo-type tranquilizer during the taper? I did a google search and came up with some stuff--mostly written by former mental patients--about the problems with stopping antipsychotics...those were mostly about high-dose and/or long-term use, though, so hopefully your experience will be better.
Posted by Phillipa on September 29, 2007, at 22:00:37
In reply to hey, posted by med_empowered on September 29, 2007, at 21:26:31
Suebird did you check the withdrawal board? Phillipa
Posted by bleauberry on September 30, 2007, at 18:23:06
In reply to Weaning off Zyprexa Need help!!!!!!, posted by suebirds on September 29, 2007, at 15:35:58
For me zyprexa took several months to get off. We all have different sensitivities. I was on it for at least 6 years. But even someone on it for a couple months can have a real hard time, or not, no way to predict.
My true hope is that this long post will have been a waste of time because you find zyprexa easy to get off of. That would be awesome. But if not, read on...
I could not do a preplanned schedule. The jump from 5mg to 2.5mg was like nuclear bomb. No way I could handle that. So I went back up to 5mg and immediately began a taper of shaving off tiny amounts with a knife or razor blade. Never accurate, but small enough it didn't make a diff. Eventually I had shaved my way down to 2.5mg. Then I got the 2.5mg tabs instead of 5mg and continued with the shaving off small amounts. The final .75 was the hardest.
Each shaving took off maybe .15mg to 25mg. I stayed at each new dose 3 days to a week, depending on how it felt. The whole process took about 3 months, but I never could have done it the way your doctor has suggested.
What's really sad is that zyprexa was given to me as an antidepressant. Not for anxiety or insomnia or schizophrenia. But wow did it create more problems than it ever was worth.
Withdrawal symptoms of shakey fingers and thumbs went away in about 6 weeks. Nervousness/anxiety and free-floating fear eased off a bit in a couple months, but never completely until I took 12.5mg to 25mg 5htp for a couple weeks. That seemed to reset everything and get serotonin back in control. On an as needed basis I like 5hpt, or passionflower extract 1/2 dropper, or 100mg valerian root capsule. All are tamely calming and natural, and very low doses. They can be your best friends during the withdrawal if you need support. Unfortunately I didn't discover them until after the fact. Another side withdrawal side effect I had was dizziness, spaciness, fogginess...which was a strange combination mixed with the fierce anxiety. But I could deal with the dizziness stuff. That part wasn't too bad.
Basically, go low and slow. Your best friends can be...a sharp edge to custom tailor your tablet size; 5htp; passionflower; valerian root; time.
I was surprised to find the above supplements worked better for anxiety, nervousness, insomnia better than zyprexa ever did. So cheap, natural and tame. My personal opinion years later is that zyprexa should be reserved for worst-case scenarios or emergencies. Docs give it out like candy. Not cool. I have a newfound respect for the power of zyprexa, but not in a good way. I have a newfound respect for natural options, in a good way.
Whatever zyprexa is ever prescribed for, God has already placed safe natural things on this planet that can achieve the same results in a much safer harmonious way.
Anyway, feel it out. Go low and slow like I did. Or do what your doc thinks. You are the boss of your own body, not someone else sitting behind a desk with a prescription pad.
Posted by NicoleJK on March 29, 2021, at 3:38:03
In reply to Re: Weaning off Zyprexa Need help!!!!!!, posted by bleauberry on September 30, 2007, at 18:23:06
Hi bleauberry, I know it was a long time ago but just wondering - did you use the Zyprexa brand of pill or another brand? Was the pill easy to shave?
> For me zyprexa took several months to get off. We all have different sensitivities. I was on it for at least 6 years. But even someone on it for a couple months can have a real hard time, or not, no way to predict.
>
> My true hope is that this long post will have been a waste of time because you find zyprexa easy to get off of. That would be awesome. But if not, read on...
>
> I could not do a preplanned schedule. The jump from 5mg to 2.5mg was like nuclear bomb. No way I could handle that. So I went back up to 5mg and immediately began a taper of shaving off tiny amounts with a knife or razor blade. Never accurate, but small enough it didn't make a diff. Eventually I had shaved my way down to 2.5mg. Then I got the 2.5mg tabs instead of 5mg and continued with the shaving off small amounts. The final .75 was the hardest.
>
> Each shaving took off maybe .15mg to 25mg. I stayed at each new dose 3 days to a week, depending on how it felt. The whole process took about 3 months, but I never could have done it the way your doctor has suggested.
>
> What's really sad is that zyprexa was given to me as an antidepressant. Not for anxiety or insomnia or schizophrenia. But wow did it create more problems than it ever was worth.
>
> Withdrawal symptoms of shakey fingers and thumbs went away in about 6 weeks. Nervousness/anxiety and free-floating fear eased off a bit in a couple months, but never completely until I took 12.5mg to 25mg 5htp for a couple weeks. That seemed to reset everything and get serotonin back in control. On an as needed basis I like 5hpt, or passionflower extract 1/2 dropper, or 100mg valerian root capsule. All are tamely calming and natural, and very low doses. They can be your best friends during the withdrawal if you need support. Unfortunately I didn't discover them until after the fact. Another side withdrawal side effect I had was dizziness, spaciness, fogginess...which was a strange combination mixed with the fierce anxiety. But I could deal with the dizziness stuff. That part wasn't too bad.
>
> Basically, go low and slow. Your best friends can be...a sharp edge to custom tailor your tablet size; 5htp; passionflower; valerian root; time.
>
> I was surprised to find the above supplements worked better for anxiety, nervousness, insomnia better than zyprexa ever did. So cheap, natural and tame. My personal opinion years later is that zyprexa should be reserved for worst-case scenarios or emergencies. Docs give it out like candy. Not cool. I have a newfound respect for the power of zyprexa, but not in a good way. I have a newfound respect for natural options, in a good way.
>
> Whatever zyprexa is ever prescribed for, God has already placed safe natural things on this planet that can achieve the same results in a much safer harmonious way.
>
> Anyway, feel it out. Go low and slow like I did. Or do what your doc thinks. You are the boss of your own body, not someone else sitting behind a desk with a prescription pad.
Posted by NicoleJK on March 29, 2021, at 4:18:37
In reply to Re: Weaning off Zyprexa Need help!!!!!!, posted by bleauberry on September 30, 2007, at 18:23:06
Hi bleauberry, I know it was a long time ago but just wondering - did you use the Zyprexa brand of pill or another brand? Was the pill easy to shave?
> For me zyprexa took several months to get off. We all have different sensitivities. I was on it for at least 6 years. But even someone on it for a couple months can have a real hard time, or not, no way to predict.
>
> My true hope is that this long post will have been a waste of time because you find zyprexa easy to get off of. That would be awesome. But if not, read on...
>
> I could not do a preplanned schedule. The jump from 5mg to 2.5mg was like nuclear bomb. No way I could handle that. So I went back up to 5mg and immediately began a taper of shaving off tiny amounts with a knife or razor blade. Never accurate, but small enough it didn't make a diff. Eventually I had shaved my way down to 2.5mg. Then I got the 2.5mg tabs instead of 5mg and continued with the shaving off small amounts. The final .75 was the hardest.
>
> Each shaving took off maybe .15mg to 25mg. I stayed at each new dose 3 days to a week, depending on how it felt. The whole process took about 3 months, but I never could have done it the way your doctor has suggested.
>
> What's really sad is that zyprexa was given to me as an antidepressant. Not for anxiety or insomnia or schizophrenia. But wow did it create more problems than it ever was worth.
>
> Withdrawal symptoms of shakey fingers and thumbs went away in about 6 weeks. Nervousness/anxiety and free-floating fear eased off a bit in a couple months, but never completely until I took 12.5mg to 25mg 5htp for a couple weeks. That seemed to reset everything and get serotonin back in control. On an as needed basis I like 5hpt, or passionflower extract 1/2 dropper, or 100mg valerian root capsule. All are tamely calming and natural, and very low doses. They can be your best friends during the withdrawal if you need support. Unfortunately I didn't discover them until after the fact. Another side withdrawal side effect I had was dizziness, spaciness, fogginess...which was a strange combination mixed with the fierce anxiety. But I could deal with the dizziness stuff. That part wasn't too bad.
>
> Basically, go low and slow. Your best friends can be...a sharp edge to custom tailor your tablet size; 5htp; passionflower; valerian root; time.
>
> I was surprised to find the above supplements worked better for anxiety, nervousness, insomnia better than zyprexa ever did. So cheap, natural and tame. My personal opinion years later is that zyprexa should be reserved for worst-case scenarios or emergencies. Docs give it out like candy. Not cool. I have a newfound respect for the power of zyprexa, but not in a good way. I have a newfound respect for natural options, in a good way.
>
> Whatever zyprexa is ever prescribed for, God has already placed safe natural things on this planet that can achieve the same results in a much safer harmonious way.
>
> Anyway, feel it out. Go low and slow like I did. Or do what your doc thinks. You are the boss of your own body, not someone else sitting behind a desk with a prescription pad.
Posted by Lamdage22 on April 4, 2021, at 1:48:23
In reply to Weaning off Zyprexa Need help!!!!!!, posted by suebirds on September 29, 2007, at 15:35:58
You can check out www.survivingantidepressants.org
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