Is it ok to switch meds without wiening off the other one?

Medications
1

I am going to be switching from zyprexa to abilify and my psychiatrist said that i could drop the other one cold turkey. I am nervous that this will trigger a relapse. Had anyone else done this?

2

Dosnt sound like a good idea to me, tappering is always better way to do things. I find it odd they told you to drop it cold turkey.

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3

I had terrible experience with haldol when starting zyprexa years ago… Haldol still being in my system i think was the problem … All i can suggest is try to clear your schedule and if you need to go to the hospital don’t feel bad about it. I was in a hospital about 5 times in my 20s

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4

Tapper it down on your own for two weeks. Your pdoc is definitely wrong.

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5

This sounds wrong - your psychiatrist is supposed to cross titrate the meds.

Weaning you off of the Zyprexa, while introducing and upping the Abilify at the same time.

I will be switching antipsychotics soon, and my pdoc seems to be dropping the Risperdal rather quickly - this worries me a bit.

I will be dropping 2.5 mg of Risperdal in about a weeks time - but she will be cross titrating - with the new medication (Vraylar)

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6

I had similar bad advice from my pdoc, he told me to stop Zyprexa cold turkey and start taking Risperidone. I quickly became psychotic and needed intervention from the crisis team, narrowly avoided being hospitalised. When I talked later to my therapist she told me that my pdoc was wrong and I should’ve gradually reduced the Zyprexa and not stop it cold turkey.

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7

I was switched from Geodon and Seroquel to Latuda. It seemed like I was angrier than usual while I was on Latuda, so I asked to be switched back. That anger could have been due to withdrawal from drugs I had been on for over a decade.

Abilify did some good things for me, but it got me a little too amped up. They eventually had to take me off of it.

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8

I hesitate to contradict medical advice, but patients are usually tapered off an old med and not taken off of it ‘cold turkey’. I would definitely discuss this with him, if possible. Good luck!

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9

Yes, that’s the way my psychiatrist does it. Take you off one, and put you on the other by getting you to take both at the same time for about 2 weeks. Not going cold turkey at once.

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10

I am definitely scared that a relapse will happen

11

Go back to them and tell them you’d like to do a cross taper for 2 weeks.

12

There is a general rule of thumb to cross taper, but some meds are dangerous when taken together. An example would be Thorazine and Geodon. You would have to cold turkey one for the other because they have a deadly interaction. It can cause a heart attack in the case of Geodon and Thorazine.

I would say to look for an interaction yourself on drugs.com

Here is what I found; two drugs in the same class is better not done most of the time

I am cross titrating Geodon and Rexulti myself

image.png1242×2208 175 KB

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13

When I switched from Risperidone to Geodon, I did it cold turkey. But I was on a relatively low dose and I was only on it for three weeks. It was fine for me.

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14

My doctor once suggested latuda as an add on to abilify

I said two weeks later (let’s try it). He was hesitant, almost changed his mind because there’s “not enough studies in cross interactions between ap’s”…I say let’s try it anyways. The latuda made me psychotic.

Naltrexone was the game changer for me even though it’s only suppose to be for drug/alcohol cravings, it’s helped me with so much.

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15

Yeh pdocs are big babies and start crying when you say they are wrong. if it was me, i’d do the tapering myself or ask another doc, general practitioner. it sucks when pdocs get it wrong but they want to be the infallible authority… but they are just human and sometimes make mistakes :confused:
Nar don’t do that, discuss it with your pdoc Lostinthespace and perhaps consider getting a second opinion.

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16

Changing meds scares the hell out of me, you’re braver than i am. if you get unwell post here yeh, a lot of good people will try to help.

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17

Don’t do it please! My doctor did the same thing to me. My doctor took me off trazodone and added clozaril with my already risperidone and sertraline and I have not been right since. Go read my post side effects and meds. Go back or call and ask to make sure - ask point blank shouldn’t I taper off one before starting this?

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18

I’ve done it. Got really restless mentally, didn’t had a relapse but don’t recommend it. I’ve only relapsed by completely abandoning medication.

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19

Shocking but not surprising your doc is suggesting this. I wonder how much they know about the powerful medications they’re prescribing & their nasty side effects/withdrawal symptoms. Please always taper never & just stop.

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