Coming Off Anti-Psychotics
Its already 4 months since I took my last Fluanxol. Flaunxol is an old style anti-psychotic from the 80s which I've been on since my last hospitalised psychosis over 10 years ago.
Let me tell you - it's the best thing I ever did. Here's the good and the bad I've experienced in the last 3 months:
GOOD
- A lot more energy
- Still get bad downs on some days, but bounce back very quickly
- Much more enthusiastic about everything
- Majorly more productive at work
- More physically active, spend more time outdoors
- Reduced appetite
- Hand tremor has improved slightly
- Quite a bit of insomnia (although this isn't all bad because previously I was over-sleeping by a big margin)
- Lose my temper more often
- Get more hypomanic spells with racing thoughts
OK, so I hit a fairly strong hypo session late last year, and people were saying; "Hey BPG, get back on yr anti-psychotics". I have absolutely no doubt that the removal of the Fluanxol facilitated this hypomania. But if it ever does get out of hand, I've got a WAYYY better solution:
Instead of re-introducing Fluanxol, I'll rather cut my Prozac by half. Prozac and Fluanxol work against each other - the one pushing you up, the other pushing you down. So it seems to me that if I'm getting a little too up, rather reduce the Prozac. The standard reaction of throwing more and more pills at new symptoms is not always the only solution.
Don't get me wrong - I will still ALWAYS have a supply of Fluanxol on hand, and the first signs of delusional thinking and I'll pop at least 4. But its been 10 years with no full-blown mania and thats why my P-Doc and I decided to try coming off the anti-psychotics.
WARNING: DO NOT COME OFF ANTI-PSYCHOTICS WITHOUT CONSULTING A PDOC.
you know i take seroquel but I only take it when I am getting dysphoric. When I start getting way irritable and hating the world and thinking a bit irrationally then I take a seroquel before I go to bed. the rest of the time I dont take it. It works for me that way. I dont see the need to take it daily and my doctor agrees. We just use it to knock out the bad times.
ReplyDeleteHey Bipolar Guy,
ReplyDeleteCan you tell me how to have a list of all my labelled posts, like you have with "essential posts"? I know how to label them, but not how to have them all listed on my home page.
If you want, you can email me the answer at:
pjbrubak@hotmail.com
Thanks, and good luck getting off the anti-psychs, I'm doing the same thing.
I can't live well without my anti-psychotics and my mood stabilizer. But every bipolar is a different "flavor".
ReplyDeleteI did notice some benefits from my last spell off of meds that I will miss. When I am on my meds, I am an advocate for them, when I am off, I advocate that.
Good luck!
Mage
who should i consult before coming off psychiatrists altogether? i tried talkin' to my stash of psychotropics, but they didn't say much other than i should spend more time in the sun somewhere around the capricorn.
ReplyDeletez0tl, sometimes you've just got to go with your gut. both times I've gone off meds and p-docs I also went through some massive life changes: new job, new home, new relationship, new continent...are you sure you're ready for all that?
ReplyDeletegekko, man, i keep waiting for you to find me a cutesey south korean high schooler and a teach broken english with a dracula accent job, then i'll be ready for anything!
ReplyDeleteTake as needed.
ReplyDeleteI've arrived to this stunning realization today as well. Now I'll just have to sick to it. :)