Doing a *DOCTOR APPROVED AND SUPERVISED* cold turkey of ALL psych meds- eek!

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So right now I’m a complete wreck. I have new symptoms and old symptoms and some I have no idea when they started because my memory is so jacked up. I’m currently operating with multiple diagnoses: MDD GAD OCPD PTSD ASD. Sz/A is on the table due to symptoms that started/intensified in the last couple of months.

So I suggested and my new psych agreed that we get me off all meds, do thorough testing while I’m unmedicated, get a definitive diagnosis, and then medicate accordingly. Since my depression can be life-threatening, we have to accomplish this as quickly as possible.

I’m discontinuing Lithium, Wellbutrin and Zoloft. I’ve quit SSRIs cold turkey a few times in the past with minimal side effects. Lithium should be fairly easy and Wellbutrin will suck, but it’s not dangerous to withdraw abruptly.

Wish me luck, keep your fingers crossed and pray with me that my sz symptoms go away when I’m off meds!

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I hope you are okay, and make it through the testing phase okay and with little discomfort.

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Good luck! Keep us posted

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That’s got to be scary. Can’t believe your doc is going along with that. What dosage were you on for the meds?

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I have come off of all APs - Risperdal Withdrawals are the worst!
I did not come off of it Cold Turkey but it was a very quick taper.

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Doc is old school, he didn’t even blink. I was on 900mg/day of Lithium, 200mg each of Wellbutrin and Zoloft. There’s no real seizure risk or other dangerous withdrawal symptoms for any of those meds, just unpleasant stuff like brain zaps. The rapid detox is a calculated risk against the possibility that my unmedicated symptoms might be life-threatening. I’ll have to be off meds for awhile, because I need to do a full neuropsychiatric/psychological evaluation and get the results before I can go back on meds. A long taper just isn’t practical.

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At least you have a doctor that stands by you on this. Good luck. I hate the brain zaps.

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Well if you have all those diagnoses, I think it’s for the best.
I have a load of diagnoses too.

I had to go off a load of meds to get on a new one, and everything has improved since then. The transition was hell, but one of my things I like to notice is that hellish experiences are often right before or right after really good ones.

Maybe keep that superstition of mine that heaven and hell are circular in mind. It’s like the light at the end of the tunnel, then smooth navigation down the road, then another tunnel of darkness, so it goes.

The general rule of thumb with meds is to be on the least as possible for health reasons. It follows suit. I had to clean my slate of meds with the team of docs as well. I’m better now.

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Day two: This sucks.