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Suggest Remedies For Withdrawal Symptoms Of Solian
Question: Dear Dr. Sheppe,
I've been on Sulpiride 100 mg and without Solian for more or least 5 weeks now. Some days i feel that i have a full recovery, during almost all the day, but i still have some downs in my "obsessive paranoia" symptoms. Since you told me that for a person on Solian during years (more than 10 years for me) it takes several weeks for withdrawal, i would like to know if a more precise estimation is possible (for example, 6 o 8 weeks to reach a full reset of dopaminergic receptors, more or least).
Thanks beforehand, XXXXXXX
I've been on Sulpiride 100 mg and without Solian for more or least 5 weeks now. Some days i feel that i have a full recovery, during almost all the day, but i still have some downs in my "obsessive paranoia" symptoms. Since you told me that for a person on Solian during years (more than 10 years for me) it takes several weeks for withdrawal, i would like to know if a more precise estimation is possible (for example, 6 o 8 weeks to reach a full reset of dopaminergic receptors, more or least).
Thanks beforehand, XXXXXXX
Brief Answer:
Private Consultation
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXXXXX and thanks for your question.
I would expect a more or less full reset of receptors by now. I don't think we can any longer call what you are experiencing "withdrawal." Rather, it may be the new normal baseline state of your illness. At this point, we need to assess if your symptoms are adequately controlled, or if not, then if we can do anything about it with medication. It seems like things are generally much better, and this may be the best psychiatry can do in your case -- remember that a large percentage, over 50%, of patients with psychotic symptoms will have some small degree of residual psychotic symptoms throughout their lives. If you feel like more could be done, we could consider raising the Lexapro dose or raising the Sulpiride dose. But I do wonder if these adjustments would really be of benefit to you. I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts.
Dr. Sheppe
Private Consultation
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXXXXX and thanks for your question.
I would expect a more or less full reset of receptors by now. I don't think we can any longer call what you are experiencing "withdrawal." Rather, it may be the new normal baseline state of your illness. At this point, we need to assess if your symptoms are adequately controlled, or if not, then if we can do anything about it with medication. It seems like things are generally much better, and this may be the best psychiatry can do in your case -- remember that a large percentage, over 50%, of patients with psychotic symptoms will have some small degree of residual psychotic symptoms throughout their lives. If you feel like more could be done, we could consider raising the Lexapro dose or raising the Sulpiride dose. But I do wonder if these adjustments would really be of benefit to you. I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts.
Dr. Sheppe
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
Dear Dr. Sheppe,
I never had in my life any psychotic problem and i would like to say that this trouble with open windows in the cars, a kind of fixation, appeared when the dosage of Solian was given from 400 mg to 200 mg and then to 100 mg. The problem is worse when dosage of Solian goes from 100 mg to 200 mg. Nothing abnormal has been found in EEG. My problem can be "obsessive paranoia" LIKE, but i NEVER feel that somebody or some car is trying to do something against me or something like that, and obsessive troubles can be found in EEG and other exams done in the past, as far as i know. I am sorry to remember that i lived almost all my life without this symptom that appeared with problems of equilibrium between meds. So what i am asking is another thing: how much a withdrawal depends on time i was on the med and how much it can take to reach a "steady state" in recovery, since i still have ups and downs. I would also like to remember that i was on higher dosage of Lexapro for months without any result, since i have, according to you, a problem due to dopaminergic effect of Solian. I was in the past on higher dosages of Lexapro without any results. It would be better to try to understand why i have an abnormal reaction to some dosages of Solian.
I would be grateful for your comprehension and to have a second opinion if you don't know how long it takes to an antipsychotic taken for more than ten years to go out of my system and to receptors to reset, XXXXXXX
I never had in my life any psychotic problem and i would like to say that this trouble with open windows in the cars, a kind of fixation, appeared when the dosage of Solian was given from 400 mg to 200 mg and then to 100 mg. The problem is worse when dosage of Solian goes from 100 mg to 200 mg. Nothing abnormal has been found in EEG. My problem can be "obsessive paranoia" LIKE, but i NEVER feel that somebody or some car is trying to do something against me or something like that, and obsessive troubles can be found in EEG and other exams done in the past, as far as i know. I am sorry to remember that i lived almost all my life without this symptom that appeared with problems of equilibrium between meds. So what i am asking is another thing: how much a withdrawal depends on time i was on the med and how much it can take to reach a "steady state" in recovery, since i still have ups and downs. I would also like to remember that i was on higher dosage of Lexapro for months without any result, since i have, according to you, a problem due to dopaminergic effect of Solian. I was in the past on higher dosages of Lexapro without any results. It would be better to try to understand why i have an abnormal reaction to some dosages of Solian.
I would be grateful for your comprehension and to have a second opinion if you don't know how long it takes to an antipsychotic taken for more than ten years to go out of my system and to receptors to reset, XXXXXXX
Brief Answer:
Private Followup
Detailed Answer:
Paranoia is a symptom of psychosis. The definition of psychosis includes hallucinations (which you do not have) and/or paranoia (a fixation with open windows). Your psychotic symptoms are mild, and do not include fears of persecution, but do meet the definition for psychosis. This is why antipsychotic medication is helpful for you (antipsychotics treat psychosis). You also have obsessive elements, consistent with elements of obsessive compulsive disorder, which is why Lexapro has been helpful for you (Lexapro treats obsessive compulsive disorder). EEGs cannot detect either psychosis or obsessive compulsive symptoms, as these are psychiatric diagnoses.
It is impossible to say with any certainty how long it can take for your brain to reset. I can say with certainty that Solian leaves the system in less than a week, and that it can take the brain many weeks, anywhere from 2 weeks to 6 months to a year (I have seen this before) to revert to steady state, made longer by the fact you were on this medication for so long. There is no more precise estimate available because there have been no scientific studies ever conducted to examine this issue.
However, I can say that the symptoms you describe are UNLIKELY to be related to Solian at this point because it has been 5 weeks since you stopped it. Possible, but unlikely. This makes me think your underlying mixed psychotic-obsessive psychiatric disorder is what is causing these residual symptoms at this point. I find it unlikely that these fixation symptoms only started after taking antipsychotics such as Solian, because presumably you started an antipsychotic to TREAT symptoms similar to these. If you really did not have these problems until starting medications, perhaps you should consider lowering the dose of Sulpiride that you are on. If antipsychotics have been at all helpful to you, though, it would make sense to increase Sulpiride and see what happens. This is why I suggested that.
Dr. Sheppe
Private Followup
Detailed Answer:
Paranoia is a symptom of psychosis. The definition of psychosis includes hallucinations (which you do not have) and/or paranoia (a fixation with open windows). Your psychotic symptoms are mild, and do not include fears of persecution, but do meet the definition for psychosis. This is why antipsychotic medication is helpful for you (antipsychotics treat psychosis). You also have obsessive elements, consistent with elements of obsessive compulsive disorder, which is why Lexapro has been helpful for you (Lexapro treats obsessive compulsive disorder). EEGs cannot detect either psychosis or obsessive compulsive symptoms, as these are psychiatric diagnoses.
It is impossible to say with any certainty how long it can take for your brain to reset. I can say with certainty that Solian leaves the system in less than a week, and that it can take the brain many weeks, anywhere from 2 weeks to 6 months to a year (I have seen this before) to revert to steady state, made longer by the fact you were on this medication for so long. There is no more precise estimate available because there have been no scientific studies ever conducted to examine this issue.
However, I can say that the symptoms you describe are UNLIKELY to be related to Solian at this point because it has been 5 weeks since you stopped it. Possible, but unlikely. This makes me think your underlying mixed psychotic-obsessive psychiatric disorder is what is causing these residual symptoms at this point. I find it unlikely that these fixation symptoms only started after taking antipsychotics such as Solian, because presumably you started an antipsychotic to TREAT symptoms similar to these. If you really did not have these problems until starting medications, perhaps you should consider lowering the dose of Sulpiride that you are on. If antipsychotics have been at all helpful to you, though, it would make sense to increase Sulpiride and see what happens. This is why I suggested that.
Dr. Sheppe
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
Dear Dr. Sheppe,
Thanks for your explanation. I received Solian for other reasons, more than ten years ago: it was to avoid extreme sensibility to light of the sun, after the withdrawal of other meds.You are right, it's possible to lower the dose of Sulpiride and my psychiatrist is thinking about this possibility. He told me that that 200 Solian are equal to 150 mg of Sulpiride, then i would like to know if 100 mg of Solian=75 mg of Sulpiride. Thanks beforehand,
Thanks for your explanation. I received Solian for other reasons, more than ten years ago: it was to avoid extreme sensibility to light of the sun, after the withdrawal of other meds.You are right, it's possible to lower the dose of Sulpiride and my psychiatrist is thinking about this possibility. He told me that that 200 Solian are equal to 150 mg of Sulpiride, then i would like to know if 100 mg of Solian=75 mg of Sulpiride. Thanks beforehand,
Brief Answer:
Private Followup
Detailed Answer:
You are most welcome XXXXXXX I always want to clarify your history and explain my thinking as clearly as possible to try to help you.
Yes, I have double-checked the equivalencies and Solian 100mg is equivalent to Sulpiride 75mg.
You have two followup questions remaining in this thread if I can answer or clarify anything further. Please don't hesitate to ask!
Dr. Sheppe
Private Followup
Detailed Answer:
You are most welcome XXXXXXX I always want to clarify your history and explain my thinking as clearly as possible to try to help you.
Yes, I have double-checked the equivalencies and Solian 100mg is equivalent to Sulpiride 75mg.
You have two followup questions remaining in this thread if I can answer or clarify anything further. Please don't hesitate to ask!
Dr. Sheppe
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
thanks, clear answer
Brief Answer:
Private Followup
Detailed Answer:
You're welcome! Is there anything else I can answer for you? You have one more followup question.
Dr. Sheppe
Private Followup
Detailed Answer:
You're welcome! Is there anything else I can answer for you? You have one more followup question.
Dr. Sheppe
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Sonia Raina
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