With the help of my psychiatrist and peer support team I was able to taper and get off my medication. I am kind off scared though. Positive thing is I feel like myself again.
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If you have a history of experiencing hallucinations and/or delusions then you really should consider getting back on meds.
The risks are not worth it
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I had a manic episode that lasted 3 days. But nothing else
Have been off my meds for a bit and it’s super weird! It’s totally understandable to be kinda scared though, in my experience it’s been a mixed bag of feeling less zombieish but more prone to hallucinations and stuff. Though I’m glad you’re doing it with a professional and finding that sort of taper :3
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sleep as in insomia would be my down fall if i reduced meds
i wish you well in your quest @bosozoku
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I never had hallucinations, but the not feeling like a zombie is so awesome.
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Thanks Pedro! I was told to monitor my sleep
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if i slept ok without meds i would consider reducin them but in my case no way
25 years on meds
Yeah that sucks. Hope you are doing well
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my advice is to reduce your meds to their lowest slowly ten on a low dose see how you get on @bosozoku
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Every time I try to go off my meds it never ends well.
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For how long have you been on meds?
" Anyone off meds?"
Funny you should ask but my mother, father, sister, aunts, cousins, nieces and nephews are ALL off antipsychotics.
Amazing right?
Of course, none of them have schizophrenia…so there is that small caveat.
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Almost forgotten what it feels like to be off meds, I just remember I think faster, move faster, and everything is more vivid. The idea of getting off zyprexa seems daunting even if I wasn’t gonna get psychotic, after reading all the stories about sleep issues caused by dependency on the med etc.
Best wishes to you, hope you can stay off.
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Good for you, and doing it with support and guidance from your medical team. I recommend keeping a non antipsychotic sedative on hand to use in cases of great stress to prevent a flare up, like for instance gabapentin. That way you increase your chances of staying off antipsychotics definitly.
I’m tapering mine now. Will see how it goes. I wish you luck also.
I’m currently in the process of lowering my dose of Invega Trinza.
It’s a journey.
I started eating and exercising more.
One day, maybe in a few years, I wish to be on the lowest dose possible.
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Since you had a manic episode, it would be healthy to take at least a low dose bipolar med to see how you feel. The right bi-p med for you will have little side effects. Lamictal works well for most.
The problem with bipolar is we don’t see how bipolar we really are.
A Pdoc said bipolar patients are the hardest ones to treat because they feel better and don’t think they need the medicine, not realizing it’s the meds that are making them feel better.