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Important Empowering Technique...


Abilifyneedhelp88

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Hello All,

 

I recently was curious as to how the pharmaceutical company (Otsuka) for Abilify had any info on discontinuation studies for the drug and if they had guidelines for discontinuation. At first I got the generic answer, everybody's different, everybody reacts differently on the drug and was redirected back to my doctor who I know gets his info from the company, from his experience with patients and of course his drug rep. The person I spoke to was a Pharm D. She would only give her first name and last initial. She was hesitant to give me any further info but when I said I was an RN, she said she could give me more info than just would a patient receive. So this is where it got interesting. She said there were no specific guidelines as to discontinuation. She said results done in studies were all over the board. She gave me specifics of the double blind studies and the percentages of relapse which are very low in the discontinuation. She then asked me if I would talk to their quality control department and go on record as to what my side effects are in which she came back and said that they were not available so I could talk to her. I had an hour conversation with her regurgitating all of my side effects, how I felt about the drug and how I thought that they should have more studies about discontinuation. I told her what I was currently doing in tapering in which I feel comfortable and thought that the Doctor was giving advice that was bringing patients down too fast and possibly encouraging relapse. I told her that I would like to come off the drug faster but that in reality going slower with all things considered and prior past history was the safest way to go for me. I also told her that it is difficult to live with the SE's and because of that and wanting to get pregnant is the reason for withdrawal. I found that expressing myself to this drug company liberating because in speaking with them it sounded like many people do not call in and share with them their experiences.

 

So please, please call your manufacturer and tell them what is going on. They may not be able to give you a clear answer but their is some hope in being able to express yourself and go on record. It may be just what you need right now.

 

They also want to know if your SE's or withdrawal symptoms get worse, better or stay the same. It is vital to express this to the manufacturer so they can take your story into consideration when developing new drugs. It is only from the patient do they hear and those that are proactive in their suffering. And it goes a long way when the other person on the other line says they are grateful for you calling in....

 

Just my two cents...Heather RN

med exp since 1985- abilify, latuda, Seroquel, risperadol, zyprexa, Haldol. latuda, saphris, mellaril, thorazine, lithium, tegretol, Depakote, lamictal, Prozac, pamelor, wellbutrin, Ativan, klonipin, etc.

 currently only on remeron: 3/13/14-6/5/14- 15mg

6/20/14 -9.5mg < 0.75-1.5 per week

7/12/14-3.75mg

8/11/14- 0.6mg of Remeron (almost off)

8/16/14--last dose of remeron...now completely drug free....

11/21/14-- 95 DAYS DRUG FREE!!!!

 

I do not give out medical advice only personal experience.

dx: BPI, II, CKD, secondary hyperparathyroidism, Chronic pain, fibro,

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I used to work for a pharma company, and that was the kind of job I did. We wrote down every word (that we could catch, obviously you can't transcribe everything), sent it to Product Safety.

1st round Prozac 1989/90, clear depression symptoms. 2nd round Prozac started 1999 when admitted to dr. I was tired. Prozac pooped out, switch to Cymbalta 3/2006. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder due to mania 6/2006--then I was taken abruptly off Cymbalta and didn't know I had SSRI withdrawal. Lots of meds for my intractable "bipolar" symptoms.

Zyprexa started about 9/06, mostly 5mg. Tapered 4/12 through12/29/12

Wellbutrin. XL 300 mg started 1/07, tapered 1/18/13 through 7/8/13

Oxazepam mostly continuously since 6/06, 30mg since 12/12, tapered 1.17.14 through 8.26.15

11/06 Lithium 600mg twice daily, 2.2.14 400mg TID DIY liquid, 2.12.14 1150mg, 3.2.14 1100mg, 3.18.14 1075mg, 4/14 updose to 1100mg, 6.1.14 900 mg capsules 7.8.14 810mg, 8.17.14 725mg, 8.24.24 700mg...10.22.14 487.5mg, 3.9.15 475mg, 4.1.15 462.5mg 4.21.15 450mg 8.11.15 375mg, 11.28.15 362.5mg, back to 375mg four days later, 3.4.16 updose to 475 (too much going on to risk trouble)

9/4/13 Toprol-XL 25mg daily for sudden hypertension, tapered 11.12.13 through 5.3.14, last 10 days or so switched to atenolol

7.4.14 Started Walsh Protocol

56 years old

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