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How long does Zeprexa withdrwal last if I took it for 1 month?
I was prescribed 5 mg. Zyprexa for sleep for about a little over a month. My psychiatrist then told me I should get off it so I started tapering off to 2.5 mg for ten days then stop. The first two days after I stopped taking the med. I was o.k. the next few days, I have very bad insomnia and could not fall asleep at all, so I called my psy. . He said cutting it down to half a pill at 1.2 mg. should be sufficient and that I should not have any problem. After reading the comments from this forum, it seems that some are experiencing insomnia for even a low dosage so I am wondering how long the insomnia will last given the duration I have been on Zyprexa.
Hey Michelle...ty for the reply. No lol, I'm far too young to be pre-menopausal...btw, I was trying to help u out as much as I could with my letter to you (also, ur local health food store has many different no-risk sleeping aids). I guess, tho, that I'm far too caught up in my own withdrawal symptoms right now. Hope that doesn't sound selfish :) Last night was yet another evening of only 3-4 hours of sleep. I really wish I could work; however, I lost my last job after only 2 days because my withdrawal was even worse back then, especially the insomnia. If anyone out there thinks they could help with this chronic sleeplessness, I'm all ears. Peace to you, Michelle, & everyone on this site who's shared their anti-zyprexa story. At least now I know I'm not going thru this Hell alone lol.......aka_christy
Hi again,
I just re-read your sympton of insomnia, I am wondering if you are suffering from pre-menopausal as night sweats are normally caused by your hormone changes along with insomnia and anxiety. Not knowing your age, nevertheless some people start pre-menopausal sympton as early as in their thirty's.
Something you may want to watch or check into..
Hope this helps.
p.s. I tried melatonin, it was too weak for me and did not really do anything.
I just re-read your sympton of insomnia, I am wondering if you are suffering from pre-menopausal as night sweats are normally caused by your hormone changes along with insomnia and anxiety. Not knowing your age, nevertheless some people start pre-menopausal sympton as early as in their thirty's.
Something you may want to watch or check into..
Hope this helps.
p.s. I tried melatonin, it was too weak for me and did not really do anything.
I have been 100% off of zyprexa for 9 weeks now. Thank Heaven!!!! I unfortunately took it for a long, long time. Went from 10 mg down to 7.5, then 5, 2.5, 1.25, then nothing @ all. This weaning process took me almost 2 years total!! The reason for this long process was that my sleep was affected for the entire duration of detoxing. (I took sleeping aids/pills for 7 months straight every single night, beginning last Fall--bad, bad idea).... Two weeks ago, I could get 6-8 hours of sleep, about every other night. Wow, I sure miss those nights. The other nights I was getting only 4, or, on my worse nights, just 0-3 hours. The 4 hr/0-3 hr pattern lasted about 1 month. Currently, I am back to getting only 3-4 hours of sleep every single night...btw, my other withdrawal symptoms, that come & go without warning, are: shortness of breath, dizziness (all day/every day--tho some of this may be due to caffeine consumption), weakness in my legs, anxiety, night sweats, weight loss without either dieting or exercise, daytime fatigue, & not ever feeling like doing anything constructive (such as reading, working, etc.)....& because of this chronic insomnia, I am unable to work @ all. At this point, I'm actually expecting it to last till?? Indefinitely??....My advice to you is to AVOID taking sleeping pills or Xanax (both are addictive/deadly). Instead, try Alteril (from Walmart) and/or melatonin (Alteril has melatonin in its ingredients)....also, consider yourself very lucky, that you were not on zyprexa for very long @ all....Google "insomnia" for more info. Finally, go to bed (& rise every morning) @ the same times, every single day/night. You may find that your body wants to go to bed @ odd times (such as 7pm). Just GO with it, & make sure you have a quiet place to sleep...especially if you tend to wake up at 2am (no matter what) every single night lol, like me....hope that helps. Best of luck to you....aka_christy
I am glad to hear You were able to finally get some sleep and that You found the answers You were looking for and You are very welcome.
Hi,
Thanks for your comments. My psy. just wanted me to take the Zyprexa for a short period of time as he said the med. would lose its potency if I take it too long. I was following the doc's advice to taper it down to 1/2 of the 5 mg. for ten days and then take it on a as needed basis.
I did some more research on the drug after I posted my question and found some info. on how to taper down the med. . From what I have read, the lowest dosage of Xyprexa comes in 2.5 mg. so last night, I went back and cut the pill to 4 in lieu of 2 and took 1/4 before I went to sleep. Luckily, after 4 days of severe insomnia, I was able to get some sleep. I will probably continue to take the 1/4 and then 1/6 for the next few weeks before I get off it.
The doc.gave me pres. for Ambien for relief.( He did not want me to use Ambien because he thinks it's addictive.)
I have to agree- I really do not think Xyprexa is a good med. for sleep aid if you can have other choices. However, I do not regret being on it at the time out of necessity. It's just that my doc. could have shown me how to taper the drug better so I wouldn't experience such bad insomnia but then may be I would suffer the withdrawal anyway, so it's hard to say.
Thanks for your comments. My psy. just wanted me to take the Zyprexa for a short period of time as he said the med. would lose its potency if I take it too long. I was following the doc's advice to taper it down to 1/2 of the 5 mg. for ten days and then take it on a as needed basis.
I did some more research on the drug after I posted my question and found some info. on how to taper down the med. . From what I have read, the lowest dosage of Xyprexa comes in 2.5 mg. so last night, I went back and cut the pill to 4 in lieu of 2 and took 1/4 before I went to sleep. Luckily, after 4 days of severe insomnia, I was able to get some sleep. I will probably continue to take the 1/4 and then 1/6 for the next few weeks before I get off it.
The doc.gave me pres. for Ambien for relief.( He did not want me to use Ambien because he thinks it's addictive.)
I have to agree- I really do not think Xyprexa is a good med. for sleep aid if you can have other choices. However, I do not regret being on it at the time out of necessity. It's just that my doc. could have shown me how to taper the drug better so I wouldn't experience such bad insomnia but then may be I would suffer the withdrawal anyway, so it's hard to say.
You might not have this experience for long as You were only on it for such a short time. I have had this experience with a similar medication in the Antipsychotic group and I know people who have had it with other medications. I stopped the zyprexa after three days of taking it as it just screwed with me too much.
I would stop it rather than playing with dosages if that is what you wanted to do because either way your going to experience the feeling but by you taking a lower dosage your still taking it just delaying the withdrawal.
I would stop it rather than playing with dosages if that is what you wanted to do because either way your going to experience the feeling but by you taking a lower dosage your still taking it just delaying the withdrawal.
Interesting. My neighbor takes Zyprexa, and another anti-anxiety, along with an antidepressant and several other meds for body health problems.
It seems to me ,as I visit with her most afternoons, that Z, which she has been on since being released from a hospital years ago, is probably the most helpful with sleep. She will be taking it for the rest of her life. Only alternative to being put in facility.
Guess what you are experiencing is body getting used to you not taking. But it just doesn't sound right, based on my limited experience with neighbor. All systems are different that is for sure, but really, you have only been on it for a month. Is it like a pain medication that you can become dependent on within short period of time?
What is docs point taking you off it, when you suffer severe insomnia? Does he have another remedy in mind?
It seems to me ,as I visit with her most afternoons, that Z, which she has been on since being released from a hospital years ago, is probably the most helpful with sleep. She will be taking it for the rest of her life. Only alternative to being put in facility.
Guess what you are experiencing is body getting used to you not taking. But it just doesn't sound right, based on my limited experience with neighbor. All systems are different that is for sure, but really, you have only been on it for a month. Is it like a pain medication that you can become dependent on within short period of time?
What is docs point taking you off it, when you suffer severe insomnia? Does he have another remedy in mind?
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