Posted by ed_uk2010 on December 7, 2011, at 14:00:33
In reply to Zyprexa withdrawal, posted by HopelessAgony on December 7, 2011, at 2:12:04
First of all, I'm really sorry for all that you've been through. I cannot even imagine how hard it must be for you right now. I hope you don't mind if I ask a few questions.
>I was treated for possible Lyme disease with antibiotics for some time it never really made a dramatic difference in my symptoms.
Did you ever have any positive blood tests suggesting Lyme disease or did the doctors just give antibiotics based on the possibility that you might have it? Unfortunately, serological blood tests for Lyme disease are not always accurate. Have you received any blood tests for Lyme disease more recently?
>At some point along the line I ended up on 200 mg Seroquel.
Was Seroquel prescribed for anxiety and insomnia? It sounds like you were doing quite well on Seroquel. Is that right? If so, why was Seroquel stopped and Zyprexa started?
>By mid 2009 I could feel things deteriorating again. My sleep worsened, and I found it more and more difficult to maintain a normal sleep schedule.
Did you always have these sleep problems on Zyprexa, or only several months down the line?
>I chronically suffer from devastating neurological symptoms such as headaches, insomnia, the aforementioned agoraphobia, painful fasciculations and muscle spasms, and fatigue.
Do you suffer from these symptoms even if you take the full 2.5mg dose?
>The neurologist basically referred me to another neurologist at another major local hospital to have MRIs.....
I really think you do need further testing. Although you have had serious problems with withdrawal symptoms, your illness pre-dates the medication and was never diagnosed in the first place. If agoraphobia is a problem, you can take isolated doses of a benzodiazepine for anxiety without causing dependence.
>Something like Remeron or Trazodone, something with a similar receptor action profile as Zyprexa, that I might use to make things easier.
If you do decide to try Remeron, I would suggest a very low dose initially. You could also consider a very low dose of Seroquel, eg. 25-50mg and then taper.
poster:ed_uk2010
thread:1004359
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20111120/msgs/1004377.html