Tapering off Olanzapine

[NMG1991]

Hi all,

Thank you so far for your support with another question I've asked regarding going on to have more children.

May I please ask how you tapered off anti psychotics. I'm on Olanzapine but I'm guessing it's likely similar for any anti psychotic.

Thank you x

[Kazzle]

First time I came off it very gradually over a year period, second baby was a six month period. It went 10mg, 7.5 mg, 5mg and then 2.5mg. I’d spend quite a bit of time on each dose and only go lower if my psychiatrist thought I’d sustained progress and remained stable etc. Rushing it is risky for relapse so seems to be the preferred approach. I had a worse episode first time around hence it taking longer to recover and come off Olanzopine altogether.

[HelenMW Volunteer]

hello again, I came Off haloperidol once I was well and then for a year I had to take lithium and amytryptilene . I came off both very gradually towards the end of the year. X

[Survivedwithcolor]

I was kept on antipsychotics for a very long time. The last one I took was Latuda. I cut down on it very, very slowly, just a quarter dose at a time, over a period of about 4 months. Expect withdrawal symptoms, but knowing what it is can help you get through them. I actually got psychotic symptoms as part of the withdrawal, which is why my providers kept me on them. I'd cut down a dose, have symptoms, and they'd tell me I had to go back on. The trick was to cut down tiny bit by tiny bit over a long period of time. I went at least two weeks inbetween cutbacks. Finally got off altogether and have had no symptoms, however I do still take a mood stabilizer for the bipolar.