I’m currently on 10mg citalopram (previously 20mg) and 10mg olanzapine (previously 15mg)
However, like every single time I try olanzapine anymore, a month in I start feeling really weird/bad and it gets progressivley worse until i’m begging the doctors to switch me to something else.
I found I have a refill from last psychiatrist for a med they wanted me to try called Rexulti. I hear it’s a new/better version of abilify. Wich is cool cause I loved abilify except for the anxiety I got on it and I heard that this one is less likely to cause that.
Anyone tried rexulti and have any stories? Or any advice for a serial pill hopper?
Never tried it. But since you mentioned it’s relationship to Abilify, I thought I’d chime in with the fact that Abilify, Rexulti and Vraylar are all dopamine partial agonists. Meaning that they partially block dopamine activity in areas of brain where there is too much activity and in areas where there is not enough activity they increase it.
Dunno if this is helpful to you. But thought it might be useful if you did not already know.
There is a video of the same if you find that a better format
Abilify and Rexulti look pretty similar structurally. I think brex has a better side effect profile so is an advancement. I’m a fan of partial dopamine agonist/modulator idea. I wonder whether using a dopamine modulator as opposed to traditional dopamine antagonist can avoid some of the more unfavourable side effects. No idea what the science would say about that though.
@Bagul
Basically, it means that it works slightly differently to most other medications. I imagine it is likely you would respond somewhat similarly to how you did on Aripiprazole because they are similar drugs.
Yeah rexulti sounds like a godsend compared to what i’ve been dealing with olanzapine, i’ll just hope it goes smoothly. Only concerns are, in the video it said it’s best to do a gradual taper over, i’ve got to do a rapid one on account of i’m running real low on olanzapine.
Also i’m inbetween doctors right now, waiting on my appointment to see new psychiatrist in mid october, so all i’ve got is this script and the ER for refills.
But I am going from 10mg olanzapine to 2mg rexulti.
Olanzapine doses:
2.5mg
5mg
7.5mg
10mg
15mg
Rexulti doses:
0.25mg
0,5mg
1mg
2mg
3mg
4mg
Dosing range for olanzapine in schizophrenia is 10-20mg, while rexulti is 2-4mg. So it sounds like 10mg olanzapine and 2mg rexulti are very similair no? I cannot for the life of me find a comparison chart that has rexulti or brexpiprizole in it.
Tapering yourself without medical advice sounds like a good enough recipe for relapse. Probably a good idea to get another script of Olanzapine just in case things don’t work out as you planned. Might be a good idea to taper over a longer period of time.
Brex is pretty new is why. You could find a conversion for olanzapine-aripiprazole-brexpiprazole but dosage equivalents don’t really work like that especially since the drugs are always in integers. No one here is qualified to give you dosage/tapering advice during a switch. My best guess is you are going to lose some sleep. Good luck!
Yeah Gamma those are my thoughts exactly, I was really wanting to wait until my appointment, I just feel so bad at the moment and had the script. Hmmm, maybe I will hold off afterall.
Very frustrated with this situation. I had been on a website for psych med withdrawal because I assumed i needed to withdrawal and get off since im not tolerating meds well and have lately been on a lower dose but was told they cannot assist me and dont think the site is a right fit for me. No kidding!
I just cant wait another month for this stuff to get sorted, im struggling right now already being on lower doses but desperately trying to switch my AP as well.
Its really hard being on meds for me, there is no support in doing so other than my own need or dependance wichever it is.
I figure a smarter plan might be to just fill the rexulti 2mg tommorow and get dose sorted after my appointment maybe
Sorry for the edgy topic of switching with no support, but thats just what it is where I live. Not only will they not admit me but its really really hard to find a psychiatrist anytime soon as well
This is commonly the case. There are no commonly established protocols that doctors put in place for withdrawal. Doctors often will not want to withdraw you from medication. Nor will anyone who thinks you are unstable.
Psychiatrist will have a good grasp of how to switch medication.
If you are asking for an admisson either they don’t think your are unwell or they are not taking you seriously. Most of the time people getting admissions have lack of insight and are not asking to be admitted. Not to say that whatever you are going through does require admission. Just that the system is a little messed in the way when you actually have the insight to request admission they will turn you away.
You don’t necessarily need a psychiatrist to make a medication switch or a doctor for that matter. Ultimately it is your body and you get to choose what you put in it.
The predicament you find yourself is illustrative of the need for ongoing and continuous support. A lot of these crisis type events can be avoided with good planning. It is more then a bit messed up how the mental health system works. It’s better then asylums and solitary confinement. But we honestly still haven’t move that far away from that system. The system really does fail a lot of people in circumstances like yours and sympathise with you. It is tough. When you realise how bad the system is once you get over this hump the remember how important planning is. I know it sucks and it’s probably not your falut but it is what it is. I still find myself battling the system all the time.
Maybe you could see a gp and illustrate your plan to them. If they refuse to help you then you ask them if they can help you access crisis services.
My personal experience when I wanted to lower my medication was that I had to do it without doctor’s permission. For reference the first time I tried that on my own I ended up with 3 admisson before I straightened myself out.
I’m actually on both. I’ve been on brexpiprazole for a few years now, and for me it is much better than Abilify. I don’t get akathisia on brexpiprazole. I have to take it 2mg two times a day though as I metabolise it quickly.
I still had some anxiety issues so the pdoc added olanzapine 5mg/day becuase it has worked for me in the past.
Well yesterday I didn’t take my antidepressant and I took my last olanzapine. Now today i’ve not taken either and am suppose to go to the ER for refills but now after seeing how well i’m doing I may put it off.
But yeah, the system is terrible. I don’t place all the blame on them though, I myself am a very complex individual, and for the most part they do their part of trying to get me on something that works, it’s just that usually nothing does! Seroquel had many undesirable side effects, then risperdal and paliperidone I tried had me up all night even with time and even trazodone for sleep.
I got a feeling it may be the same thing with rexulti, best case scenario it does help in it’s limited way and i’m still unhappy with being medicated.
Honestly being able to reflect that demonstrates that you have great insight. That is mostly how it is with medication, side effects from everything and battling the system to find something that works. Everyone dxed with schizophernia is complex. The mental health system is really appalling and fails a lot of people. That’s basically the reality.
Took my first dose of half of a 2mg pill today… I can’t even describe how much better I feel, i’m honestly surprised. It felt like everything clicked into place, I could cry right now i’m so happy.
Little worried about the dose but i’ll explain my situation to the ER when I go soon for my refill of the antidepressant.
Glad to hear your feeling better! It is always a bit of guess work to find the right dosage anyway. Hope everything goes smoothly, I’m sure you’ll be alright :))
