Effects - i need advice on quiting olanzapine, how should i taper it off?

[nitrogen]

i have psychosis, it could be drug-induced psychosis, most likely is. and i only get episodes (now) when i smoke weed or do certain drugs. so i don't do drugs anymore but, i want to quit olanzapine. i'm on a steady 25mg dose and have been taking it for a year or so (this dosage) and have been in total taking olanzapine for a few years now. i feel it's time to quit it, and taper it off. i figure i'll take down my dosage to a 10mg dose every night to start.

i want advice and information, how long do you think i should take 10mg's for and stuff, till i lower it to 5 then eventually zero. i don't know much about olanzapine withdrawls etc. and i'm POSITIVE i won't have a huge episode as long as i don't stop cold-turkey. and yea, anyone know some info on this subject?

i realize i can ask my doctor but it's too late to call him now and my next session is in a month or two, and i just wanted to ask people on here until i talk to him. he already said it's my decision how i take my medication and i can do whatever i want but he advises i take his advice on these things.

so any inputs or advice? thanks

[Amnesia]

As SWIY has been on a high dose for a prolonged period of time a slow taper is required to avoid the risk of acute withdrawal syndromes or rapid relapse. It should be discontinued over a period of no less than 4 weeks. Withdrawal symptoms from these medications can be very unpleasant and include relapse, excessive sweating, severe anxiety, nausea, vomiting, difficulty sleeping and tremor (Ref: BNF).
Given this, SWIM would recommend a schedule no faster than a 5mg reduction every week, perhaps even every two weeks.

However, SWIM would really advise waiting until SWIY sees the doctor so that the reduction can be undertaken under medical supervision as, even with a slow taper, there is still the possiblity of relapsing into psychosis.

SWIM hopes this is helpful and wishes SWIY all the best with this.

[sconcequence]

Originally Posted by nitrogen

so any inputs or advice? thanks

Yeah, SWITCH MEDS to something that comes in liquid form.

You could go to a compounding pharmacist to create gradually decreasing dosages of Olanzapine in pill form, but who has the money or patience for that? There is an amateur method to reduce the potency of drugs in pill form called titration, but it is too much work for most to consider, and could end up being inaccurate for one's withdrawal purposes.

SWIM's advice is to switch medications to either a) Haldol, b) Respirdal, or c) Abilify for a time, and then attempt to decrease your dosage using the various techniques used for controlling and limiting liquids. Medicine droppers and graduated cylinders are your friends. All three meds listed come in liquids (the liquid Abilify isn't that popular, but it exists). If you are not a slave to your doctor, you should be able to provide any BS excuse for why you want to take liquids, and they should comply.

You will have to experiment with your starting dosage after switching to find something that works for you.

The recommended minimum time period to withdrawal from antipsychotics is six months. Space it out evenly, but expect to have more issues as the medication decreases beyond a certain threshold. Don't rush it. Incrementally take more if you begin to have problems and try decreasing it again shortly thereafter.

That is the best advice anyone is going to give you. Use it wisely.