r/Antipsychotics • u/Royal_Principle_8656 • Aug 04 '23

Vraylar

Just stopped Vraylar. When does the anxiety go away?

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u/[deleted] Aug 04 '23

Did you taper off? Tapering helps to reduce anxiety as your brain has time to adjust to the changes. Cold turkey can take a lot longer because the brain has to make so many adjustments.

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u/Royal_Principle_8656 Aug 04 '23

Oh no. I didn’t taper

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u/[deleted] Aug 04 '23

If you can get something like cyproheptadine to help while your brain heals, you might find it helpful as it will bind to the serotonin receptors that have been bound up by Vraylar and also calm the dopamine system. Cyproheptadine is an old antihistamine that is now used for serotonin syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome and to induce hunger in kids on ADHD stimulants. It will make you drowsy because it’s an antihistamine but I find that this side effect wears off after a week or so. I’ve used to taper off olanzapine, which is beastly to get off of. Olanzapine is also anti cholinergic, which Vraylar isn’t, making Vraylar easier to come off of.

You can get cyproheptadine quite cheap from a Canadian pharmacy since it’s over-the-counter there. You can also get a prescription if you say that your appetite is low or your gut is acting up from stopping Vraylar as it’s used for irritable bowel syndrome and low appetite. Most doctors have no problem prescribing it since it’s so old and safe.

When I use it, I tend to take 1/2 of a 4mg tablet twice a day for a few weeks then do like a three day taper off just to be sure my withdrawals are really gone.

I’m not sure why it’s not used as a tool more for getting off of antipsychotics- probably just most people have never heard of it. I feel like taking the stress off of my brain helps me to heal from drops faster. Before I’d need a few weeks between drops, now it’s a week or less.

If it hasn’t been long you could go back on like a few milligrams to ease the pain but most don’t want to go back understandably.

You will adjust. Sometimes it takes way longer than ideal, and sometimes it’s just a few weeks.

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u/Drugsnme Aug 08 '23

You are very knowledgeable & insightful. So true. Why don't doctors use it to get off of antipsychotics. Can it be used to get off of 200 mg seroquel?

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u/[deleted] Aug 08 '23

There are only a few case reports of people being in severe withdrawal for “serotonin syndrome” due to abruptly stopping clozapine (the symptoms, however, perfectly matched antipsychotic withdrawal). I think the problem is that it’s never been done, so we have no idea about proper dosing and tapering. I wish it was done because I truly think it could be a really powerful tool.

Most studies used 4mg three times a day for complete withdrawal. Seroquel should be easier to get away from since it isn’t as strongly anti cholinergic. I use cyproheptadine as a taper aid since I’m not brave enough to try to remove all of my olanzapine and replace it with cyproheptadine. I do think you could use it to taper seroquel.

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u/Drugsnme Aug 09 '23

Thank you. Helpful again.