Feeling awful stopped Zyprexa cold turkey 10 days ago

[Kimber55]

I was put on 1.25 mg Zyprexa for insomnia 4 1/2 months ago. While it helped with sleep, I started to feel depressed and not myself. So I stopped taking the 1.25 10 days ago. I can’t sleep more than 1-3 hrs a night, awful night sweats, panic attacks and anxiety, suicidal thoughts. I’m petrified to get back on this crap, but also petrified of it beating me! I was only on it 4 months at a quarter of a 5mg. Any helpful suggestions or experiences with cold turkey off it? Thanks in advance for any comments

[Dolphin14]

These meds are very dangerous to be cut cold turkey

Call your md and get done advice.

[Kimber55 in reply to Dolphin14]

I know but I’ve already done it and 10 days. I’m petrified to get back on even just a little. For fear that more side effects will come and I’ll just be starting the whole process over again

[Dolphin14 in reply to Kimber55]

I'm sure the md would recommend starting a much lower dose right now.

How are the symptoms? Are they improving? I'm worried about your health.

[Kimber55 in reply to Dolphin14]

What health-wise? It’s mostly awful anxiety and insomnia, but it like one day is all day, the next day maybe half the day. Last 2 night have be little to no sleep. But I tried l-Theanine and think that may NOT have helped me

[Dolphin14 in reply to Kimber55]

From withdrawal. Just concerned.

[Kimber55 in reply to Dolphin14]

Thank you. I just found this community and it’s nice to have others looking out for me. It’s such a difficult, scary time for me

[Dolphin14 in reply to Kimber55]

We are all here for you. Coming off meds is very scary. I've been off and on many and had many withdrawals.

Tapering off these meds is better for mind and body.

Please keep us posted on how you are doing.

Drink lots of water to flush your system.

Please consider calling the md for guidance.

[Hidden]

I am trying to get off of this right now myself and I am having withdrawals from it. I am prescribed 15mg for sleep but now I'm down to just 7.5mgs, some nights I only take 5mgs, and some nights I don't take it at all. My doctor knows this, but I stopped taking it for 4 days after taking it pretty consistently for quite awhile now and I'm super anxious, severely depressed and nauseous. I had no negative side effects getting on it besides a little weight gain, but getting off of it is another story. It has been VERY hard to get sleep. Antipsychotics are bad about side effects and withdrawals. My only advice would be to talk to your doctor and ween off of it slowly, try to get on something else to help you sleep, because lack of sleep will just exacerbate the other problems you are having. It takes it awhile to get out of your blood system 3-4 days usually, and then the withdrawals will set in. Your body and brain have gotten use to functioning with it, now they have to get back to functioning normally without it. The severe anxiety and depression will get better in time, but you need sleep. Talk to your doctor, even if it's on the phone. Time and sleep will help. I know sleep is easier said then done, but that's why you need to talk to your doctor.

[Kimber55 in reply to Hidden]

That you for commenting. I’m just super gunshy of any medication right now. I’m wondering about dividing a 1/4 of the 5 mg into either 1/2 or another 1/4 to start taking to see if I get any relief and then try to wean. My side effects weren’t bad when taking the 1/4 especially in comparison to the withdrawal, but in reading more and more on this drug I really want to stay away. Just wondering if anyone has successfully cold turkey quit Zyprexa

[urbetterthanthem in reply to Kimber55]

I took a small dose of Zyprexa before and didn't taper...had no side effects..Sorry you are having issues..maybe you could find a different psych doctor and see if theya re supportive of you not being on it and ask them opinion..definitely consult a different doctor and one who has your best interests at heart. I try to use as few drugs as have to in my life. Many have some form of side effect when you stop using them. Also many psych doctors don't know anything about withdrawals. You often get more expertise on withdrawal from psych meds from anti-psychiatry people. As far as sleep..take a hot bath with some epsom salt even half the recommended amount (and legit medical pure epsom) That will help your whole body relax..brown noise or rain can be calming..theanine in decaf green tea..melatonin from tart cherry concentrate...For me the war on sleep issues is a war of relaxation..Lots of things can help you relax...Avoiding toxic people in your lfie can also help a lot with chronic stress levels which certainly effect your sleep

[Hidden]

Weening off doesn't always mean just lowering your dose, until one day you are off if it totally, but also sometimes taking it every other day, then every other couple days, or even once a week in some instances. This let's the body get use to being without it. But talk to your doctor about it. For me personally antipsychotics are a no no for stopping cold turkey.

[Kimber55]

I broke ,I had to take an 1/8 of a 5 mg tonight I thought I was dying. I can’t believe the hold this drug has on me after only 4 months!

[Hidden]

Don't be mad at yourself, it will get better. An 1/8 of a pill is a hell if alot causer than I am at getting off of it lol. *hugs

[Kimber55 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you

[Coralrose5 in reply to Kimber55]

Hang in there!

[Coralrose5]

I had similar insomnia last year and my doctor put me on well Butrans and BuSpar and that didn’t work and then I switched over to Lexapro and BuSpar and that slowly worked but I had started also taking gabapentin and melatonin to sleep now I’m just taking Lexapro and melatonin to sleep so it’s really just been medication for me that’s helped

[Kimber55 in reply to Coralrose5]

Was yours from stopping Zyprexa too? Awful

[Coralrose5]

I had similar insomnia last year and my doctor put me on Wellbutrin and BuSpar and that didn’t work and then I switched over to Lexapro and BuSpar and that slowly worked but I had started also taking gabapentin and melatonin to sleep now I’m just taking Lexapro and melatonin to sleep so it’s really just been medication for me that’s helped

[fauxartist]

Why did you stop? I'll never undertand this...Zyprexa is used to treat the symptoms of psychotic conditions such as schizophrenia and the symptoms of mood disorders such as bipolar disorder (manic depression) in adults.

[Kimber55 in reply to fauxartist]

Because I was prescribed it for SLEEP!!! Not a mood disorder!

[fauxartist in reply to Kimber55]

Wow....I would definitely have a serious talk with your doctor....that was a very bad call on their part. I'm sorry you’re going through all of this.

[Kimber55 in reply to fauxartist]

I agree. ! Thank you

[Sprinkle1]

I was going thru hell with lack of sleep, Dr. put me on Trazadone 50 mg, + melatonin.

they worked but not enough, so we upped the trazadone to 100mg, that worked. I am now off the melatonin, which I love and have used for decades, but I do not like to put pills in my body if I do not need them. I am also on Remron 15 mg, it helps me sleep, but drives me crazy with wanting to eat & eat, then I gain weight!!! So I talked to my therapist, and I have cut the dose to 7 1/2 mg, this has been over a week ago, I am doing fine.

Never go cold turkey when getting off med's, you will pay a price for it. Ask you Dr. about Trazadone if it would be a good fit for you.

I understand how you must feel, it is awful and scary, do not give up things Will change, you sound strong, so I send you more strength, courage, peace, love and hugs....feel free to talk to us here, we will help if we can. Sprinkle 1......xxx

[Kimber55 in reply to Sprinkle1]

Thank you. I took an 1/8 of the 5 mg last night after 14 days off and feel better and slept. But hate that this is what I have to do. !

[Hidden]

I'm also prescribed it for sleep and sleep only. And I have to explain myself when I say I'm on an antipsychotic because many people don't know this and there's stigma associated with the the word "psychotic". I want to stop because of the risk of developing heart disease and/or diabetes which runs in my family.

[Kimber55 in reply to Hidden]

How much are you on? For how long? I’m so mad at my doctor for putting me in this awful, evil drug !

[Hidden in reply to Kimber55]

I started out on 15mg at night for about a year or so, and last night I only took 5mg. I'm very hard to put to sleep but I was going to talk to my doctor about possibly switching me to amitriptyline which I just remembered help me in the past.

[Kimber55 in reply to Hidden]

15 mg Zyprexa for sleep? Have you tried to wean yet?

[Hidden in reply to Kimber55]

Yup 15mg is what I started out on day one, and I'm down to 5mg now and if I know it's going to be a rough night I take 7.5mg. Every so often I will have a night that I don't take it and I will sleep. I quit cold turkey for 4 days and I was nauseous. I'm going to talk to her about how we can handle this, because I would like to come off of it, but I still need to sleep. I've tried everything.

[Kimber55 in reply to Hidden]

I was only on 1/4 of a 5mg and was off for 14 days and kept getting worse. Scary, scary stuff. Hope you do better than me

[Kimber55 in reply to Hidden]

How long have you been taking?

[Hidden in reply to Kimber55]

About a year, maybe a little longer.

[8L0ND1E]

I see more and more of this..doctors prescribing anti-psychotic meds for people who do not have psychosis. It’s very concerning. I’ve been through this. It took years to get away from these drugs. Does anyone have any idea why this is happening?

[Kimber55 in reply to 8L0ND1E]

I don’t know but it’s very disconcerting

[lovemydoggy in reply to 8L0ND1E]

Now they use them widely for depression. They can make money on these new meds and they never say they're antipsychotics. They just say adjunct for depression meds that don't work well enough or for bipolar depression. Patients don't realize this and doctors generally just write a script

[Hidden]

Because sleep is very important for your overall health and you just have to weigh your options like with any medication. Me and my doctor tried everything under the sun to get me to sleep and Zyprexa is finally what did it. I mean people take antidepressants for sleep who are not depressed and no one thinks twice about it. I don't like taking it either, but I sure like to sleep.