Hi, I'm susan peak

Hi @susan peak, welcome to Taper Community! I can relate to being on these drugs for a very long time. So you're currently just on Quetiapine? Do you have any specific questions you'd like to ask? Otherwise, have a look around the site; there's lot of helpful information about how to taper properly and deal with withdrawal symptoms. I know if you taper slowly and hyperbolically then you can be successful in tapering off. Keep us posted on how things are going for you! Catina 🌸

Thank you, Catina, for such a lovely welcome. My psychiatrist told me since I'd just been given quetiapine for sleep I could quit cold turkey, then put me through a nightmare of huge cuts. Eating valium like lollies. Looking at changing psychiatrists and due to meet a tapering group in Melbourne, Australia. I shall check the material on the site. Regards, Susan

Hi Catina. I'm on quetiapine. Have been in hospital (Melb, Aust) under a psychiatrist who doesn't understand deprescribing. Arrived on 112.5mg. She took me down by 2 separate doses of 15mg which caused severe teary outbursts treated with valium and followed up by a huge 25mg cut. Lucky I found a 25mg pill in my purse and took three-quarters of it as the teariness was unbearable. Popping valium like candies. Rebound insomnia is horrific. She thought as I'd just been given quetiapine for sleep I could quit cold turkey. Previously, valium had helped me sleep also. No more. Trying paracetamol/codeine. Not working nor did Temazepam, 4mg melatonin 300mg magnesium glycinate, L-Theanine and now 7.5mg mirtzapine. On leaving hospital, I got 1.6mLs of liquid quetiapine (50 mg) compounded. Down to 1.4mLs (43mg). Psych. told pharmacist I could reduce by 3.125mg incrementally, whatever that means. She's leaving it to the pharmacist. Now seeking a depresribing psychiatrist. Best help so far is from compounding pharmacist. If you have any sleep ideas, that would be great. Regards. S

Susan, if you go to the Symptoms and Self-Care section and enter the word Insomnia in the search bar, you'll find some tips.

Susan, 31 years is a long road and it sounds like you've been through the wringer with that psychiatrist. The cold turkey advice and those massive cuts are exactly the kind of thing that turns a bad situation into a nightmare, and good on you for pushing back by finding that 25mg pill. The reactive hypoglycemia angle is interesting too, that can absolutely mimic a lot of what gets labeled as depression or anxiety. Since you're meeting a tapering group in Melbourne, that's a solid step. And once you get settled with the new psychiatrist, you'll have a much better shot at a steady, hyperbolic taper. Keep us posted on how the group meeting goes.

Many thanks, Based. I'm crawling along to the de-prescribing group (ADEN) today after no sleep for several days. It's clear folk tapering off psych meds have a major problem regarding finding de-prescribing psychiatrists. Hope to learn more today. I sent an email to Dr Mark Horowitz, author of the Maudsley De-prescribing Guidelines to seek his help in suggesting a psychiatrist in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia where I live. I can't keep the disastrous psych I'm with now. Mark comes from Sydney, which is in the neighbouring state of NSW. I'm going to try to see if anyone in ADEN is interested in trying to line him up for a Zoom meeting with us. My compounding pharmacist has been helpful. Has advised starting 7.5mg mirtazapine, however that can also cause rebound insomnia. It's only worked 2 nights out of 6-7 anyway. Diazepam, which used to help, is now no good. Can also cause rebound insomnia. My body's overloaded with it after the month I spent in hospital where the psychiatrist took me off stacks of quetiapine causing suicidal teary outbursts where Diazepam was constantly used to resolve these attacks. Keeping the woman at arm's length. HAHA, may not be your thing, but I spoke to a psychic/astrologer who advised no more quetiapine reductions while Saturn, in particular, is moving retrograde. No reductions until end of December. Agree. Brain chemicals have to recover from the "brutality" they've been exposed to. It's a rough road. My spiritual beliefs help, esp. Buddhism. I believe we choose the lives we're born into. I chose this lesson this lifetime. Psychic sees me writing a book (I'm a journalist by trade, but on disability pension - too unwell to work just now). The book is something I thought I'd always do when I came near the end of the journey. I'm using magnesium glycinate, melatonin, L-theanine and the psychic suggested inulin, a prebiotic that promotes sleep. Pharmacist also advised B vitamins. Maybe will look again at glutamine. Thanks for your great encouragement. Hope you are doing well yourself. Shall be in touch. Regards, Susan

"I'm using magnesium glycinate, melatonin, L-theanine and the psychic suggested inulin, a prebiotic that promotes sleep. Pharmacist also advised B vitamins. Maybe will look again at glutamine." — @susan peak

Hi Susan, I hope these things help! Some people have issues with these things. Just pay attention to any reactions from them. We normally tell people to add just one additional supplement at a time to see how they react. Some people find B vitamins to be activating. Hope things get better for you soon! ❤️

Thanks. Supplements seem OK. Am getting some sleep. Mood low because dealing with heavy grief after my mother's death. Pausing quetiapine tapering is right. Psychiatrist was crazy rushing tapering in hospital. Neurotransmitters have to catch up and they also won't be "happy" unless I work through the grief more than I have. Grief is a whole-body issue and brain chemicals are part of it. Pharmacist is right with me on this.😊

Just to add, the de-prescribing group members are a great help and agree I pause tapering while I deal with grief. Speaking to grief counsellor was good today.

Hi Based, had no luck finding a new psychiatrist. My de-prescribing group hasn't got one. We're planning a Zoom meeting with a sympathetic GP in another state. Looking forward to that.

"Mood low because dealing with heavy grief after my mother's death" — @susan peak

I'm really sorry for your loss Susan! It's extra hard dealing with grief on top of going through withdrawal. My heart is with you. ❤️🙏🏻

"the de-prescribing group members are a great help and agree I pause tapering while I deal with grief. Speaking to grief counsellor was good today." — @susan peak

Glad to hear this. Give yourself time to grieve, rest, and recover.