[piano97]

I've taken risperdal for about 16 months total, doses between .5mg - 3mg.

I kind of feel like I'm going crazy, I stopped it 4 days ago. Sometimes I've felt ok the last couple days but mostly feel like I'm about to explode (not anger, just that my insides are abouti to burst into a million pieces). It's kind of like the opposite of the hypomanic buzz that I get. WIth that it feels like it comes from deep inside me, radiating out like an energy field around me. Everything feels great and I feel like I'm made of gold. I'll probably win the lottery that night. I'm basically a genius, and feel this direct connection to source energy in the universe.

But this feels like it comes from the same place but is not a very happy or good feeling vibration. I feel agitated, not mad agitated just uncomfortable. I couldn't sit still or concentrate at work.

I don't want to take a dose of risperdal though it'd probably help me but I don't want that to the bandaid. I want off of risperdal, i've gained weight, I don't feel like I know what it's done to my body or my brain. I want to have my own thoughts and feelings without it in my system.

As I say this though risperdal has helped me numerous times to quell down manic symptoms. A few weeks ago I increased my HS dose and it settled me back into reality.

I took extra klonopin when I got home to help settle down. I can tell I took it now but I still feel in overdrive.

I take lamictal also, and have not changed that dose.

I'm not even sure what I'm asking I just am typing this out, I needed an outlet. Some of my friends I talk to about bipolar, some I don't. I don't like talking about meds with friends. I see MD and therapist in about 10 days. I changed jobs and haven't had insurance in March so I haven't seen either of them since Mid-February. Had been seeing doctor monthly and therapist every other week. We have talked about the risperdal, but in the context of starting Abilify.

For now I am considering this discontinuation syndrome and it will self-resolve within a few days. I'll take a little extra klonopin to make sure I sleep enough and I've always thought it has been a mild mood stabilzer for me.

Any input advice, etc is more than welcome, thanks for reading.

[ComfortablyNumb5]

I used to take risperdal regularly and when I stopped i got withdraw. Or would go away with just a half of dose here and there. So I'd say to tapper down. Now I take it PRN when I'm angry aggitated or irritable. I prefer it much better. Just take it easy and consider taoer.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[piano97]

Thank you for the reply. I really, really don't want to take a dose but I could take a partial and if that's the difference being functioning well tomorrow or feeling like I'm going to explode then the logical thing to do would be to take a small dose.

[wildflowerchild25]

I agree, it's much better to taper than to stop cold turkey. Especially without a doctor's input. There's a website, I think it's called the Icarus project, that explains how to come off psychiatric medication safely. Search it up on google. And honestly if the trade off is taking more klonopin to deal with the withdrawal it's probably better to stay on the risperdal. Klonopin is worse in the long run. It's much worse to come off of as it is addictive, physically and mentally.

I don't remember coming off risperdal. I was on it for a long time as a teenager and then again a couple of years ago. I don't think I was on it too long the second time; my pdoc said my movements were stiff so she took me off of it even though I personally didn't feel any symptoms.

[piano97]

Thanks for the input I appreciate it.

I really really don't want to but I might take a small dose tonight. I have 1mg tablets I could cut, I honestly think a small amount might help. The only thing is I feel like if I start doing that then I'll have to do it tomorrow, and the next day, etc. And maybe this will be gone tomorrow if I sleep enough tonight.

Basically I just need to chill and take a small dose, right now, and I can stop thinking about whether I'm going to or not, and more than likely, in a hour, it will start getting in my bloodstream and some of this will get better.

Alright, thanks! I'm doing it right now.

[piano97]

Alright, I asked another friend and now have 3 people saying it's cool to take a small dose. I cut a 1mg into 4 and took 1. That's a tiny dose but I'll see if it helps in the next couple hours and if so I'll take another one later at bedtime.

[piano97]

I took a small dose an hour ago, some of it is probably psychological but I am starting to feel a little more settled. Tired too now.

[piano97]

I got about 8 hours of sleep, I feel a little jittery but much better. I'll take another small dose (about .25 broken off a 1mg) when I get home from work. If I need to do this a few more days so be it, I want off risperdal.

[wildflowerchild25]

I'm glad you feel better. There's no shame in needing to taper. It's better for your health. Tapering doesn't mean you'll always be on it.

[ComfortablyNumb5]

I think what you're doing is best. When i got withdraw it was coming off of 4mg and I had no idea why I was feeling sick (no warning or taper from pdoc). So i took half a dose and fell comfortably asleep. And I think I only had to do that twice. Now that its PRN there's no withdraw. I actually went to the gyno yesterday and when she saw my med list she mentioned how risperdal was a mess to come off of. And I had to figure it out on my own. I think pdocs don't warn us out of laziness or lack of experience. Just take it slow and keep cutting down.

Edit: sorry if my spelling is off, installed new keyboard and its getting used to my punctuation. Everytime I type "BP" its typing "NO" lol

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[piano97]

Thank you all for the help.
I slept well, have continued to feel ok during the day.

Im' going to take another small dose tonight and then probably try stopping again.

I can always take a small dose in a day or two after stopping if I need it and I'm not freaked out about doing that anymore. I wish now I would have a day before I did and it would have saved me struggling yesterday.

lesson learned Thanks!

[piano97]

I'm going to try DC'ing it again. I took a dose a couple hours ago, and have the previous 2 days. If I have any trouble at all by day 2 I'll take a really small dose, then try again. I'm pretty sure I'm good at this point. And if not, big deal, I'm almost there so hold on.

[wildflowerchild25]

Good luck!

[piano97]

I appreciate your support, Flower. I'll update in a couple days.

[piano97]

I've not taken it the last 2 nights. Not the best sleep but enough. I feel a little hypomanic, can't really sit still that well, not the greatest focus. A little bit of that 'buzz' feeling I get from hypo, which I love!
I'm going to ride this out and expect not to sleep the best. If I feel too restless or off tomorrow I'll take a small dose again. I'd just like for it to be over and I can move along.

[piano97]

The restless feeling got to the "way too restless" feeling so I took a small dose earlier. I then slept for 2 hours awhile later and still feel groggy from it. Hopefully I sleep well tonight, I think I will.

[piano97]

So I took a small dose Sat, but not yesterday. I think I'm going to have to tonight bc I definately have racing thoughts a little bit worse than yesterday and some mild psychomotor agitation. I see MD Thursday and maybe I'll accept the abilify and that might help finish off this trek of getting off risperdal. It should not be this difficult.

[pirilin]

Good luck!!!.

[piano97]

Things seem to be going good. Last dose was Sat night (Tuesday 4pm now).
I'm definately just a little hypomanic. Real productive at work. Some racing thoughts but I'm am sharp today too.

So this is my third try at this, and I think it may work this time.

I'm having a big internal debate about adding something else in its place (it'd be Abilify). See MD Thursday. I think i want to just try being off the risperdal and rely on the lamictal for balance. If I get out of balance, I can always do a risperdal/klonopin PRN system for a few days. I hear and see good things about Abilify, but at same time I really really am not a med person, and want to be on as little as possible. A happy medium maybe be giving a tiny 2mg dose a chance for a few weeks and see how it goes.

I've read some really good reports on 1-2weeks of 2mg for mood disorders.

Any thoughts?

[ComfortablyNumb5]

Have you thought about speaking with your prescriber about the problem you're having??? This definitely sounds like an issue of dependency to me. I was taking my risp PRN only but lately I've been dealing with a lot of dysphoria and pdoc wants me on every day now. I'm not thrilled about it and I'm paying the price in the bedroom area lol. Sorry TMI . But lately I'm just trying to keep my sanity. I actually went to the OBGYN the other day and when she saw risp on my med list she right away said "you know that's a really hard med to come off of right?" So yes this is a common issue and it needs to be addressed with your doc. I hope you feel better soon!!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[piano97]

I see MD Thursday and will talk about it.

I'm getting off it either way. Even if I end up having to take a dose or two in the next few days again.

I might add abilify or increase lamictal. or both.

[piano97]

I'm still off it. Doctor didn't exactly say I should have done it but said keep it around and use PRN (I don't think of risperdal being a PRN but...). I'm hypomanic. I couldn't stop laughing at work in a meeting and had to leave. It's kind of funny but not. Is it really hypomania or coming off a drug. That's what gets me. I alledgedly need meds but I'm not sure they don't create their own symptoms. Regardless, he told me to go to a BID 150 lamictal. Was doing 200 QAM currently, though he'd told me to do 400 the last time I saw him. We kind of have an understanding that he'll prescribe a number, and I'll at most take two-thirds of it. So there you go, I'm off Risperdal. Life moves on.

[Pikku Myy]

Very, very slowly good luck

[manicdiamond]

Thank you for sharing. I also want to come off this eventually so it is good to read about your experience!

[piano97]

I'm kind of unhinged today, I woke up at 4am, pretty much felt like I was going to explode into a million pieces the first several hours. I took a small dose of klonopin before work, it did slow and settle me some, I did go home at noon, I cried for awhile when I got home, that has stopped now. Feel really tired now and maybe I can sleep. That can only help. I am not taking a dose of risperdal.