Posted by ratgrrl on September 20, 2003, at 23:38:34
Hello All--
I've been hanging around here for a few days trying to find out info on Zyprexa withdrawal. I like the site and think I might stick around.
I am 25 years old, bipolar & OCD, diagnosed at age 20, on meds ever since with waxing and waning success. I am currently a second year PhD student in Mathematics, most of the time successfully, but I certainly have rough patches.
My current meds regimen is:
1000 mg Tegretol
20 mg Celexa
12.5 mg Lamictal (on Lamictal for just a week)
Xanax as needed
(the Lamictal and Celexa are both low because I'm trying to switch to Lamictal)I tapered quite slowly (over 2 months) off of 5 mg Zyprexa recently. I took my last dose Aug 8. I thought everything was going fine for the first week or so, but since then I've developed a horrible tremor (that keeps getting worse, I'm finding it somewhat difficult to hold a fork to eat), insomnia, 24 hour anxiety with some panic attacks thrown in (With heart palpitations and shortness of breath. I'd never had panic attacks before...they are NOT fun).
Initially I was attributing everything to withdrawal, but the symptoms are persisting and getting markedly worse (despite the fact that I've been off Zyprexa for well over a month). I'm having a hard time staying in my classes due to panic attacks and the tremor is driving me up the wall. I mentioned the tremor to my dad (who is a family doc) and he asked when was the last time I had my thyroid checked (which was years ago). We had a chat and it seems like all of the things I've been attributing to withdrawal could also be thyroid things. Hyperthyroid runs in my family, so my doctor agreed that it was worth a check. The blood test should be back Monday.
As I looked around the site, it seemed that the most common complaint for Zyprexa withdrawal is insomnia (which I am having) but few people have mentioned such a strong reaction. My doctor (who is a bit less impressed with the thyroid theory than I am...) thinks I'm having withdrawal dyskinesia, though not in a typical form because I'm having tremors instead of ticks. Has anyone here had withdrawal dyskenesia? If so, how long until it went away for you? I'm trying to figure out if I should buckle down and prepare for months of this...
Any words of experience or encouragement would be appreciated. Hopefully I'll get to know some of you soon.
Thanks
ratgrrl
poster:ratgrrl
thread:262080
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030917/msgs/262080.html