Hello all,

 

Long-term plan

I'm reducing my dose of aripiprazole. I would like to come off it completely one day.

 

History

I've never been psychotic. I was put on aripiprazole for mood problems and anxiety/OCD, after being given three antidepressants in quick succession with no benefits and, to my great regret, no opportunity to taper. I can see now that no drug was necessary, and that my problems could have been helped a great deal in other ways. 

 

Current state

I'm happy, glad and grateful. I can feel and enjoy more now that my dose is lower. I can think more, remember more, and relate more. That's why I've called myself Reconnect - I'm reconnecting with life, with others, with the world and with myself, without the dimming, dulling, distancing interference of the drug. 

 

Immediate plan

I've paused my reductions for a while because I'm currently extremely sensitive to changes. Last year, a mere one-fortieth reduction (after several months stable without any withdrawal symptoms at all) gave me intense muscular symptoms - pain, tightness, difficulty moving - along with appetite loss and other debilitating symptoms. 

 

I'm hoping that, if I keep my dose stable for a year or two, I'll become resilient enough to be able to tolerate small steps again. 

 

Thank you for having me here! 

 

P.S.

 

@zlatinb I saw on your thread that you have a chat for people coming off aripiprazole/Abilify - might I please be able to join you there? (The link doesn't work.) Many thanks. 

Welcome to the forum!

 

This is a volunteer-run, community forum aimed at helping those who are tapering and/or experiencing difficulties with psychiatric medications and withdrawl syndrome. We are not medical professionals and cannot offer medical advice. We simply offer support and opinions which you could use as talking points with a medical provider knowledgeable in withdrawing off psychiatric medications.

 

Please familiarise yourself with the forum rules and the disclaimer located here: Guidelines

 

Please make sure your signature is kept up to date with your drug history. This will allow members to see some basic information about your drug history and situation so that they may help you best. Information on how to do this is located in the FAQs section above, but here is a direct link: Update Signature

Once this is done, future posts made by you will have this signature turned on by default. For this reason please keep it clear but condensed as possible.

 

I couldn't find you on SA, did you have a different user name over there or were you not a member?

I'm so sorry to read about the tough time you've had recently with your taper off Aripiprazole, you will find plenty of support here for sure.

 

Such a common story yours of getting put on drugs when really you just needed some non drug assistance. The harm that's caused is widespread and upsetting to say the least.

Im also from the Uk and you are about the same age as my little sister. Im sorry for what has happened to you I really am.

 

Im glad to read things are going ok for you at the moment and the hold is working for you.

 

I hope as you say in time you feel ready to continue your gentle decent to zero one day! I know it's coming for you. 🙂 

 

Some thoughts if you werent already aware we would recommend:

 

-Stay Hydrated 

 

-Eat a good clean whole food diet, avoiding processed foods and sugars.

 

-Stay away from caffeine, alcohol and antihistamines and any other psychoactive substances.

 

Supplements are to be avoided initially, as they often irritate our nervous systems. Try to get your nutrition through food.

 

Down the line, you may wish to introduce Fish Oil and Magnesium. Those who can tolerate them have found them calming to the nervous system. Be careful try one at a time and start low and see how you get on should you choose to try them.

 

A daily walk is very important as much as you can manage, if you can manage it. Gets you your fresh air and Vitamin D does wonders for your mind!

 

You are very welcome and we are happy to have you here 🙂 

 

I hope you find the site supportive.

 

Chippy

@Reconnect thanks for pointing out the broken link, I've fixed it now:  https://discord.gg/4FmbD87aYx

 

You're welcome to join!

Thank you so much, @Chippy. (I've noticed, looking around, that you're giving so much of yourself here at the moment - it's very generous - please take care to keep balance in your life and don't let us all overwhelm you!)

 

I learned a lot on SurvivingAntidepressants but wasn't active in the forums. 

 

Such good tips. My life has improved so much since I started taking hydration seriously, and I know I couldn't be where I am without the diet choices I'm making (clean whole food, low sugar, from scratch). I'm off caffeine, antihistamines and alcohol completely. 

 

Just to back up what you say about caution in introducing supplements, after about half a year of stability, I recently tried a magnesium supplement, with dramatic results. After a couple of daily doses, I basically had what other people describe when they take drugs and have a trip:

 

- my body felt so vivid and heavy, I couldn't really move for hours at a time, for days,

 

- my visual perception slowed right down at times, with all the in-between motions so much more obvious than usual, so that everything I saw felt fluid and rather beautiful, 

 

- masses - thousands - of vivid memories returned unbidden in a continuous rush for a few hours. 

 

All this from a normal dose of a magnesium supplement!! I reason that once your system has been made sensitive by careless prescribing and fast withdrawal of psychiatric drugs, any change can hit you harder than it seems could

be possible. 

 

I've been thinking, I know that people often feel an unbearable itch to change at least something when life is intolerable after being drugged with psychiatric meds, but I'm increasingly convinced that that's partly something like a kind of akathisia, a drug-induced inability to tolerate being at rest (in what is, admittedly, often a horrible state). So I really hope anyone reading this and thinking, "But I HAVE to do something!!" will be able to hear us all: keeping your dose steady, and not introducing supplements, IS doing something. It's stabilising. Your body can't benefit from a supplement if its overwhelming response to it is another shock. 

 

It feels good to get that thought written down. 

 

Wishing you a good day! 

 

2 minutes ago, Reconnect said:

Thank you so much, @Chippy. (I've noticed, looking around, that you're giving so much of yourself here at the moment - it's very generous - please take care to keep balance in your life and don't let us all overwhelm you!)

 

It's my pleasure. And thank you for looking out for me! 🙂 I will certainly do my best! Bit busy atm but time and more help Im sure it will even out.

 

3 minutes ago, Reconnect said:

I learned a lot on SurvivingAntidepressants but wasn't active in the forums. 

 

Such good tips. My life has improved so much since I started taking hydration seriously, and I know I couldn't be where I am without the diet choices I'm making (clean whole food, low sugar, from scratch). I'm off caffeine, antihistamines and alcohol completely. 

Ah ok no worries,

 

Good to hear! I think its good practice outside of WD/tapering but a must IMO when in this.

 

4 minutes ago, Reconnect said:

Just to back up what you say about caution in introducing supplements, after about half a year of stability, I recently tried a magnesium supplement, with dramatic results. After a couple of daily doses, I basically had what other people describe when they take drugs and have a trip:

 

- my body felt so vivid and heavy, I couldn't really move for hours at a time, for days,

 

- my visual perception slowed right down at times, with all the in-between motions so much more obvious than usual, so that everything I saw felt fluid and rather beautiful, 

 

- masses - thousands - of vivid memories returned unbidden in a continuous rush for a few hours. 

 

All this from a normal dose of a magnesium supplement!! I reason that once your system has been made sensitive by careless prescribing and fast withdrawal of psychiatric drugs, any change can hit you harder than it seems could

be possible. 

Thanks for the feedback. This is what Im seeing. Im starting to not be a fan of any supplements tbh! I dont take them and when I did take Mag I have issues with it too.

 

6 minutes ago, Reconnect said:

I've been thinking, I know that people often feel an unbearable itch to change at least something when life is intolerable after being drugged with psychiatric meds, but I'm increasingly convinced that that's partly something like a kind of akathisia, a drug-induced inability to tolerate being at rest (in what is, admittedly, often a horrible state). So I really hope anyone reading this and thinking, "But I HAVE to do something!!" will be able to hear us all: keeping your dose steady, and not introducing supplements, IS doing something. It's stabilising. Your body can't benefit from a supplement if its overwhelming response to it is another shock. 

 

Its possible. Although my thoughts are that we in the modern world are preprogrammed to be proactive and also expect instant results. I suspect this is where it comes from. In normal life you can often find a solution to things but with this it teaches you patience. TBH the need for instant relief is what gets us in the doctors surgery with a prescription in our hands in the first place!

 

Thanks again for being here.

 

Chippy

Thank you for joining the forum. I hope that this places provides valuable support for you.

 

 

@zlatinb thank you for including a note alongside the link that it's your own and not affiliated with us for clarity. I hope your chat group is successful and people find value in it.