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Tapering: Depakote

2 posts

USA

Hi, I'm WantToHeal

June 7, 2026ยทยท
Hey, I am WantToHeal, middle aged male from the USA. My story with psychiatry overall could fill many books, so I will summarize as best as possible. Sadly, I was not given informed consent about Prozac as a minor back in the late 1990s and doctors kept cycling me on different antidepressants until finally around the year 2000 I had my first inpatient hospitalization due to mania. I was labeled bipolar and put on worse meds like Depakote and Zyprexa. I had to cold turkey Zyprexa because it was absolutely the worse. In the mid-2000s I discovered Dr. Peter Breggin's books and the start of the early forums and managed to taper off of 6 psychiatric medications safely. I felt better off all the meds, but I could tell damage was done. After a few years off the meds, I was forced to take meds again and then I was put on permanent disability and lived with my parents. I think I've been in the psych ward in the low double digits now. Things were livable on disability but as family and friends went away and I got older, I really only had my mother. She told me that I would a home there forever. However around 4 years ago, she snapped and threw me out of the place and stole hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of my stuff. I did one final psych ward check in and was discharged on 6 different medications. I eventually got a small apartment and then my mom forced me into my life again about a year later. I'm here because I'm on 4 psychiatric medications (Depakote Sprinkles, Klonopin, Seroquel, Raldesy). I'm severely kindled from all these years of taking dozens of different psych meds. My main issue is severe insomnia hitting me whenever I try to taper. I'm here because I would like to give a super slow taper a final chance. I think that with the advancements in AI and with wearables and implants like Neuralink, sleep can be induced easily which would allow me to realistically give a swap out from psychiatric drugs to the devices. I have vast experience I can bring to the Taper community because of the length of time I've dealt with the psychiatric system and knowing that even my first massive polydrugging, I still managed to come off and how to prevent getting forced back in.

Too many to list - here's what I'm on now

Depakote Sprinkles 1000 mg
Klonopin 3 mg
Seroquel 100 mg
Raldesy 250 ml

2 Replies

Catina
โญ
Catina3mo ago
Community AnchorEffexor
Hi @WantToHeal, and welcome! First of all, I love the username that you chose. It shows that you're committed to finally breaking free from psychiatric drugs and reclaiming your life. I am confident that by taking your taper slowly and Hyperbolically that you can successfully get off your drugs. Insomnia can be such a difficult thing to deal with. I'm not too familiar with some of the wearables and implants you mentioned. How do they work? Do you think they are safe for someone going through withdrawal? Just some things to think about. We have some good information here about how to cope with insomnia: https://taper.community/thread/fad854f7-f9a4-421d-b60f-bf11aa13a251 https://taper.community/resources/blog/how-to-sleep-during-benzo-withdrawal (this is for benzos but can be applied to all drugs) We're happy to have you here with all the experience you'll be able to share with other members. ๐Ÿ˜Š We look forward to supporting you through your tapering and healing journey. You're never alone! Catina ๐Ÿฉท

Venlafaxine (tapering) - Current dose 17.92 mg
Trazodone - 50 mg
Levothyroxine - 25 mcg

โ€œYour brain and body know how to heal. Trust the process and keep going.โ€

Please Note: I am not a healthcare professional. Any advice given is based on personal experience and that of others in the lay withdrawal community.

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Wolf3mo ago
Community AnchorProzac ยท researching
Hi, I am right now on the very combination of drugs that you started with. My kindling is very small but still present. Somehow I avoided that many bad withdrawals or kindlings or side effects, but worth noting had two brushes with life threatening situations due to these meds.

Prozac โ€” 40 mg โ€” 6 months โ€” holding | Zyprexa โ€” 20 mg โ€” 6 years โ€” holding | Depakote โ€” 600 mg โ€” 8 months โ€” **tapering** | Buspirone โ€” 20 mg โ€” 8 months โ€” holding | with clinician
"If life is painful, start a rebellion and make it good."

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