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t123: getting tardive dyskinesia and want to stop Celexa and Abilify ASAP


t123

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Recently my psychiatrist upped Abilify to the max dose 30mg. I am also taking Celexa 40 mg.

 

Have been taking psychiatric drugs for 10 years now. Have tried to withdrawal by myself in the past and schizoaffective symptoms come back worse.

 

Now I am scared of taking the drugs because my tongue keeps moving back and forth in my mouth, and I am afraid of making it worse. 

 

Can I just stop the medications and when I start experiencing withdrawal symptoms, just take a smallest dose possible to alleviate the withdrawal symptoms, as I wean off them?

 

I have a family history with lots of schizophrenia, and it seemed to help with somewhat, and people said I seem better on them. But now want to try to go off and try alternative therapies/natural diets.

 

 

 

Edited by scallywag
add generic drug name tags

2020-2021 : Diagnosed with Schizoaffective disorder/depressive type: Abilify injections (not sure of dose, going to ask to be put back on pill form), Seroquel: 175 g, Paxil:40 mg. Kolnopin: 2mg as needed (stopped taking).

2022-Present: Abilify 20 mg, Paxil 40 mg, Seroqel 300mg.

Tapering:

9/27/2022: Begin Tapering off Seroquel first, from 300mg to 200 mg.

 

 

 

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  • Moderator Emeritus

t123 -- Welcome to Surviving Antidepressants (SA)

I'm glad you found us and posted before stopping medications. Cold turkey risks difficult and extended withdrawal syndrome, as do many doctor-advised tapers which are too rapid.

Do not stop taking your medications or lower your dose by more than 10%. Please inform yourself about safe tapering and then consider slowly reducing the dose of one of your medications.
Before you begin tapering -- what you need to know

My job as a moderator is to provide you with relevant information. In order for that information to be most helpful please post more about your medication and withdrawal history.

A request: Would you summarize your history in a signature -- drugs, doses, dates, and discontinuations & reinstatements, in the last 12-18 months particularly?

  • Any drugs prior to 18 months ago can just be listed with start and stop years.
  • You don't need to include symptoms or diagnoses other than the initial condition that led to prescribing the first drug.
  • We ask for this information in your signature so that we can see it at a glance. A list is easier to understand than one or multiple paragraphs.
  • You can find instructions in this topic: Please put your withdrawal history in signature
  • If you are using a phone or mobile device, you need to use the desktop or "full" version of site. Instructions are here in If you are using a phone or mobile device, you need to switch to the "full" or desktop version of the site.Instructions are in Post 8 and Post 9

When people are taking multiple medications, we ask them to do 2 things:

  1. Read the information at this linked topic: Taking multiple drugs? Which to taper first.
     
  2. Run an interactions report and post the report here. Follow the link below to check for interactions. To post the report here, select the text, copy it and paste it in a post here.
    Drugs-dot-com Drugs Interactions Checker.

Some relevant links about tapering:
Why taper by 10% of my dosage?
Tips for tapering off Abilify (aripiprazole) .
Tips for tapering off Celexa (citalopram) .

I hope you'll find the information in the SA forums helpful for your situation. I'm sorry that you are in the position that you need the information, but am glad that you found us.

Let us know how you are doing and please post questions about your situation or next steps here in this topic, your introduction.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.
1997-1999 Effexor; 2002-2005 Effexor XR 37.5 mg linear taper, dropping same #beads/week with bad results

Cymbalta 60 mg 2012 - 2015; 2016: 20 mg to 7 mg exact doses and dates in this post; 2017: 6.3 mg to  0.0 mg  Aug. 12; details here


scallywag's Introduction
Online spreadsheet for dose taper calculations and nz11's THE WORKS spreadsheet

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What Scallywag said.

1)Zoloft- 6/99 to 8/04 2)Escitalopram- 8/04 to 8/10 3)Citalopram 8/10 to 4/14 (C/T), 4)Paxil a week or so, 5)Wellbutrin a week or so, 6)Reinstated Citalopram- 9/14 to 7/15

Before Taper- Celexa/20 mg....Taper Start- 04/21/15- 15mg....05/26/15- 10 mg...06/22/15- 5 mg...07/18/15- 0mg. http://tinyurl.com/qjfoqe9 Ativan/Lorazepam use/taper 10/14 to 2/15- http://tinyurl.com/ljebp84

Baclofen- Intermittent use of from 2008 till 2014. Some use of Promethazine. Some use of Zofran. Clobetasol Propionate- for Lichen Planus. Some Flexeril use. 

Ativan- GABA,A receptor Agonist., Baclofen- GABA,B receptor Agonist., Celexa/Lexapro- Serotonin 5-HT1A Receptor Agonist., Zofran- Serotonin 5-HT3 Receptor Agonist..Promethazine- Histamine H1-Receptor Antagonist. Flexeril- Serotonin 5HT2a Antagonist.

 

My self imposed Amino Acid Therapy: Tyrosine 500mg 1xday, Theanine 200 mg 1xday, & Taurine 500 mg 2x day. (All neurotransitter pre-cursors)- seems to have helped me immensely. And of course- eating healthy, including Black Beans for the oligosaccharides for gut health.

 

The attempt to develop a sense of humor and to see things in a humorous light is some kind of trick learned while mastering the Art of Living. - Viktor Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning.

 

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi t123,

 

Like you, my family history is filled with various mental illness diagnoses, and for a long time I bought the lie that the "biological" and "genetic" nature of these illnesses meant that I had to swallow poison for the rest of my life. Then one day I discovered that there was absolutely no scientific basis for this story we've been told so I started my journey of tapering off 3 different medications. It's been hard, but along the way, I have picked up some great skills that I'm sure will make these drugs totally unnecessary after withdrawal.

 

You said that others think you are better on the drugs than off. I have to wonder if it's because YOU are better or is it because THEY have an easier time dealing with you. If it's the latter, I would say that's their problem. If it is the former, just know that there are a plethora of ways to deal with overwhelming emotions. Drugs are NOT necessary, but hard work usually is.

 

Rest assured, you can come off these poisons and have a wonderful drug-free life. Your biology and genetics have not doomed you to a life of pills as some would have you believe. Just be patient, take it slow and listen to the advice of Scallywag and the others moderators. We're all rooting for you.

 

Peace, love and healing.

PatriciaVP@AbleWriterSays My Intro

 

Zoloft 150-200 mg- on and off between 1998 and 2004.

 

Lexapro 40 mg - 2004-2013 30 mg 2013 - August 2015 20 mg August 2015- September 2015 15 mg September 2015 - October 2015 10 mg October 2015 -Nov. 1 2015. Nov. 2015 increased dose to 12.5 mg to stabilize. Dec. 28 2015 11.25 mg March 29, 2016 10 mg. August 1, 2016 9 mg. October 23, 2016 8.1 mg. Nov. 29, 2016 7.5 mg. Feb. 25, 2017 7 mg. April 9, 2017 6.5 mg. June 2017 6 mg. Aug. 2018 5.75 mg March 2019 5.5 mg Apr. 2019 5.25 mg. June 2019 5 mg Sept. 2019 4.75 mg Nov. 2019 4.5 mg Dec. 2019  4.25 April 7 2020 4mg 

 

Depakote 1000 mg 2008-2013  750 2013-Dec 2015 500 mg Dec 2015 to Feb 2, 2016. Sopped completely Feb 2 2016.

 

Adderall 40mg 2004-Feb 29, 2016. Feb 29,2016 - reduced Adderall to 20 mg based on pdoc's recommendations. March 29, 2016 - Reduced Adderall to 15 mg. April 30 reduced Adderall to 10 mgs. May 28, 2016 reduced Adderall to 5 mgs.June 8, 2016 stopped taking Adderall due to extreme agitation.

 

Amphetamine 20mg 2008 - 1/16. 1/16 - Stopped Amphetamine completely because pdoc did not renew script.

WWW.PSYCHFREE.NET 

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  • 4 years later...

Hi,

 

I am back, I'm on a lot of medications, and want to reduce or wean off. I will talk to my psychiatrist soon about reducing some of the meds. Currently getting a Abilify Injectable, don't like it, going to ask to be put back on the pill form. It's really hard for me to wean off, I am sensitive to doses, and my symptoms of depression, psychosis, come back and show when I try to reduce, family notice. The tongue movements aren't so bad now, when I drink too much caffeine it seems to make it worse. 

Want to try to see how I do off medications, but it's going to take a while to wean off. I am eating a natural diet, of whole plant foods. Want to see if that helps, avoiding gluten and dairy and meat.

I've been on medications for 20 years, so my brain seems really adjusted to them, I get abnormally thirsty all day, I drink about 3-4 gallons of water/liquids a day, family knows it excessive, they want me to reduce how much liquids I drink, but get thirsty all the time.

I'm obese, with a gut, would like to lose weight, but some doctors told me it will be hard while on these medications. I am not gaining, but fluctuating the same 5-10 lbs, even though I eat healthy but still obese.

2020-2021 : Diagnosed with Schizoaffective disorder/depressive type: Abilify injections (not sure of dose, going to ask to be put back on pill form), Seroquel: 175 g, Paxil:40 mg. Kolnopin: 2mg as needed (stopped taking).

2022-Present: Abilify 20 mg, Paxil 40 mg, Seroqel 300mg.

Tapering:

9/27/2022: Begin Tapering off Seroquel first, from 300mg to 200 mg.

 

 

 

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  • Administrator

Please list all the drugs you're currently taking, with their dosages and times of day you're taking them.

 

Please put ALL your drugs in the Drug Interactions Checker https://www.drugs.com/drug_interactions.php
and copy and paste the results or a link to them in this topic.

 

Have you discussed possible drug interactions and adverse effects of your drugs with your doctor?

 

 

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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  • 1 year later...

Topic title: Updated Intro

Tags:  abilify, seroquel, paxil 20mg

 

My doctor tried to reduce my Seroquel from 300mg down to 200mg, and became paranoid and changed my phone number. I am back up from him to 300mg but want to wean off all meds, and apparently I need to really go slow. Sigh, wish I could just stop taking them. I feel like it's affecting my cognition and and memory and I have actual nightmares of developing dementia from it.

 

My current diagnosis is Schizoaffective depressive type. 

 

I have been on some sort of psychiatric medications for 25-years Maybe but my memory is so bad I don't remember all of them or the doses. I am very scattered brain on medications, this seems to be getting worse.

 

Edited by ChessieCat
added Intro topic title before merging with intro topic and included tags for drugs

2020-2021 : Diagnosed with Schizoaffective disorder/depressive type: Abilify injections (not sure of dose, going to ask to be put back on pill form), Seroquel: 175 g, Paxil:40 mg. Kolnopin: 2mg as needed (stopped taking).

2022-Present: Abilify 20 mg, Paxil 40 mg, Seroqel 300mg.

Tapering:

9/27/2022: Begin Tapering off Seroquel first, from 300mg to 200 mg.

 

 

 

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Today starting tapering of Seroquel first, from 300mg to 200mg.

2020-2021 : Diagnosed with Schizoaffective disorder/depressive type: Abilify injections (not sure of dose, going to ask to be put back on pill form), Seroquel: 175 g, Paxil:40 mg. Kolnopin: 2mg as needed (stopped taking).

2022-Present: Abilify 20 mg, Paxil 40 mg, Seroqel 300mg.

Tapering:

9/27/2022: Begin Tapering off Seroquel first, from 300mg to 200 mg.

 

 

 

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  • ChessieCat changed the title to t123: getting tardive dyskinesia and want to stop Celexa and Abilify ASAP
  • Moderator Emeritus

Q:  What assistance are you wanting from SA?

 

As Alto requested when you were last here at the beginning of 2021:

 

On 1/17/2021 at 5:54 PM, Altostrata said:

Please list all the drugs you're currently taking, with their dosages and times of day you're taking them.

 

Please put ALL your drugs in the Drug Interactions Checker https://www.drugs.com/drug_interactions.php
and copy and paste the results or a link to them in this topic.

 

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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Looking for support as I taper off medications.

 

Here are the interactions of the medications: https://www.drugs.com/interactions-check.php?drug_list=233-109,1979-1274,1800-1156

 

 

 

2020-2021 : Diagnosed with Schizoaffective disorder/depressive type: Abilify injections (not sure of dose, going to ask to be put back on pill form), Seroquel: 175 g, Paxil:40 mg. Kolnopin: 2mg as needed (stopped taking).

2022-Present: Abilify 20 mg, Paxil 40 mg, Seroqel 300mg.

Tapering:

9/27/2022: Begin Tapering off Seroquel first, from 300mg to 200 mg.

 

 

 

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  • Administrator

@t123, a reduction from 300mg to 200mg is quite dramatic. You might do better with much smaller reductions, with a long hold between them. 

 

You'll want to go off carefully, because going too fast could cause withdrawal symptoms that look like psychosis and get you hospitalized, where you'll probably get more drugs, not less.

 

See Tips for tapering off quetiapine (Seroquel)

 

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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1 hour ago, Altostrata said:

@t123, a reduction from 300mg to 200mg is quite dramatic. You might do better with much smaller reductions, with a long hold between them. 

 

You'll want to go off carefully, because going too fast could cause withdrawal symptoms that look like psychosis and get you hospitalized, where you'll probably get more drugs, not less.

 

See Tips for tapering off quetiapine (Seroquel)

 

 

Thanks, will try 250 then and see how it goes. I see my psychiatrist Next week, and what dose should I ask he reduce it too?

 

Edited by ChessieCat
extracted response from quote

2020-2021 : Diagnosed with Schizoaffective disorder/depressive type: Abilify injections (not sure of dose, going to ask to be put back on pill form), Seroquel: 175 g, Paxil:40 mg. Kolnopin: 2mg as needed (stopped taking).

2022-Present: Abilify 20 mg, Paxil 40 mg, Seroqel 300mg.

Tapering:

9/27/2022: Begin Tapering off Seroquel first, from 300mg to 200 mg.

 

 

 

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  • Administrator

You're taking 300mg again? If I were you, I'd reduce by 25mg, 1/2 of a 50mg tablet, stay at 275mg for a month to see if that works.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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