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Coming Off Lithium And Quetiapine


Roses

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Sorry having to start new thread as can't find original one. Just to let you all know my final reduction in lithium happened this Tues and I am having some DT symptoms quite bad (dropped a bowl and it smashed due to shakes and accidentally cut my hand on a tin can whilst opening it) and I'm feeling quite spaced out but hyper and tired and nauseaus - wtf! but now I am on ZERO lithium baby yeah!!! Just got the last 50mg of quetiapine left which I will do in 25mg increments as I have done throughout this whole process, but the DT's on that are worse so am waiting til the kids are back at school for that. So yeah, anyway 5 months later and I am feeling my feelings again WOW! I'm still on a really high dose of anti-depressant, beta blocker for anxiety and a sleeping tablet but I am off one of the big bads!

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Roses,

this is fantastic news! What an achievement! I can understand the withdrawals but to handle them as you are doing, I am just so pleased Roses. I really am.

Please keep in touch if you find yourself getting into any difficulty or the withdrawals send you crazy...we are here to listen (I certainly am)

Stevie

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Thanks Stevie (((((((((((((((((((((Gun)))))))))))))))))))))))) means a lot. Yeah, I have put off the quetipaine for this exact reason, the DT's are so bad I lose a week-2 weeks every time which is why I've not withdrawn any more over the summer holidays. But the end if is sight, it feels so good. Back in Mar/Apr when I started this process I felt I would never get there. x

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I remember Roses, hence why I cannot emphasise enough how far you have come. To be able to come off one of the big daddy treatments is an amazing milestone in your recovery. Its just phenomenal the change that you have, despite the ups/downs along the way...you are coming through to the other side.

Fight on Roses! Amazing

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The fact that you remembered when I started this is amazing Gun, you are so supportive, thank you!

And thank you Pie and Snowman. Yay, fight the good fight and rock on :sm.jpg:

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I remember when I came off Lithium but I was not on it long so had no with drawls. Sounds like you are being wise getting off it gradually. I'm now on sodium Valprate. I hope I don't have to be on it forever.

I've also been on Quetiapan and I HATED IT but getting off it I really didn't have with drawls and I was on it for a lot longer than lithium. I hated the wierd dreams and out of body experiences it gave me so I was very glad to be rid of it.

All the best with getting med free.

WP

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Thanks Bones and Princess. Yeah it's funny how different meds affect different people. I was ok (ish) getting from 200-100mg of the quetiapine but every 25 I've gone down since then has been truly awful. The lithium isn't so bad it's just the dizzies and dropping stuff and not sleeping which isn't too bad to manage. I just went out and bought ANOTHER four bowls from Asda yesterday LOL

It's good to see you back Princess. I hope this place can help you x

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Thanks Bones and Princess. Yeah it's funny how different meds affect different people. I was ok (ish) getting from 200-100mg of the quetiapine but every 25 I've gone down since then has been truly awful. The lithium isn't so bad it's just the dizzies and dropping stuff and not sleeping which isn't too bad to manage. I just went out and bought ANOTHER four bowls from Asda yesterday LOL

It's good to see you back Princess. I hope this place can help you x

TY, this place has always been a good place to come when I feel alone or troubled.

I'll try and post an update of what's been happening in my life. Guess I'll stick it in the intro section or something.

WP

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hey you ! wow you have come so far with the decreasing meds and doing it very carefully and sensibly and i am so proud of yuo for that hunni :)

((((((((((((((roses))))))))))))))))

always here for you if u need an extra lift - candles, net and wheelbarrow at the ready :)

love yuo dear friend xxxxx

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hello everyone, just another quick update.... about a week ago I went from 50mg-25mg of the quetipaine so after this reduction I have only one more to go before I am off the two drugs completely!!!! Yay.... and safely and stable!!!!! Woohoooo...... this time has not been as bad as the last few reductions. I have been having much more lucid dreams so am much more terrified when I awake (if that is at all possible) but the quality of sleep I am getting is much better. I have had the odd psychotic break and SH but I finally feel sharp and have edges again. I know where I begin and where I end. My weight has stabilised and I have even lost a few pounds which means I am no longer piling on the medication pounds either. I have energy and drive and I am learning to control all my re-awakened emotions through the DBT (have been hard at work with it for 6 months now). I have made a huge breakthrough with it today. I have finally realised I have spent the last 6 months talking about everyting to do with Mike and nothing to do with me so now I can actually BEGIN therapy for me. I have made the changes I need to enable my relationship with him to finally either sink or swim and I have re-asserted boundaries with my parents and other family so now I can finally focus on me. And I want to focus on me for the first time ever which is amazing!

Amidst all the misery of life I can see positive change. And I am bloody well getting on that train on Saturday and going to spend the day with my little bro. There is nothing on heaven or earth that will stop me RRWWOOOAARRRR!!!!!!!!!!

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one word - Yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

ok so u knew i couldnt leave it at one word - me - waffle - never !!!!

proud of you

proud to call you my friend

love you loads :wub:

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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Congratulations roses on coming so far.

Just a question, you said that you can't "feel" on the seroquel? This is something I experience. I am on 50-100mg and I feel it has taken away my ability to feel emotions.Its like it has dampened my emotions.

Did you get that too?

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Yeah. I have talked with my t about the seroquel/lithium and he said a lot of people get this "dumbing down" of emotions. I felt like I was basically on holiday from myself the whole time I was on it. I have written a poem about it somewhere over last 6 months (should be on here) and it talks of all this. If you can't find it in creative corner let me know and I'll re-post it here. I was on 800mg lithium and 200 quetiapine. xxx

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Congrats, coming off meds feels like walking into a minefield of emotions, they grab at you so fast. My writing style improved in a week and I made so much more progress in therapy because I could actually feel what needed to worked on and start healing.

Sah

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well done roses! you are an inspiration!

i'm also hoping to be med free but i have just returned from my pdoc and she added a tranq to take when i feel i need it because i've been quite emotional and not sleeping. i'm disappointed but know i can also try to use self soothe methods when i start to feel bad.

look after yourself

love starry x

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Thank you so much. It makes me feel so special and loved to read all the messages of support on here. Some from people I have known a couple of years now and some from new friends who I hope I will still know in a couple more years (((((((((((((((friends))))))))))))))))))

I'm so glad that this has inspired people and shown everyone that you CAN come off the heavy meds and be relatively well. I know that SH is not healthy and that I may have periods un my life where I will have to depend on these drugs again. But for now, I am free and Sah, you have said it all. I have got so much more out of therapy since my head has cleared a bit. I can actually see a path from A-B instead of going through the whole alphabet and then getting lost!

:wub: :wub: :wub: :wub: to you all xxx

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