I’m getting the invega shot on Wednesday and am still trying to decide if I should what are you guys experiences can you still work and go to school And learn/study
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I’m able to volunteer on AP’s. I’m not able to do college level work, no.
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I have not and will not at this point go to school with this disability. I dont always feel well and my ability to learn has been compromised. However there are some people on this forum that do those things. I recommend trying another drug besides invega sustenna. My pdoc took me off of it after being on it for years. She know alot of people dont feel well on it.
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I went to school on them and I work with them but I am stable. I take the maximum recommended dose of Geodon and a low dose of Latuda.
When I first got sick and was taking lower doses of APs and still had a lot of symptoms I couldn’t do it. I went through 7 jobs in 6 years. Not successful at any of them.
So it depends.
I went back to work full time in March so I have been at it about 7 months. Since getting sick 9 months is my record for holding a job. So I haven’t broken my record yet but I feel better about it now. So many job changes look bad on your resume so I don’t list any of them. It would look real bad.
Are you stable?
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Been to colleges, held many jobs, drive around, and live independently. Been on meds 37 years. Also, I’ve had a lot of fun.
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I’m on the max dose of the Abilify shot, 400 mg, and I get it every three weeks, instead of the standard four weeks. I also take Haldol tablets, 5-10 mg/day, as well as Lamictal and high doses of Wellbutrin XL and Cymbalta.
I work, always have since I was teenager, minus the year I took off work while I was a med student. I went to grad school a couple years post-diagnosis, though I had minimal symptoms the four semesters I was there. I was quite ill, though, when I finished up the last requirements: seminar, orals, perfecting thesis.
So yeah, it can be done. It’s just much tougher with this illness and APs.
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how many years was your longest lasting job?
do you lose the jobs or voluntarily change them?
could you hold down one job for a long time if you really wanted to?
Almost all my jobs have been entry level jobs that required no experience. I’ve been at my janitor job 5 years now. Before this I have worked at a couple of jobs for 4 years, a couple more for three years and at the rest anywhere from two months to almost 2 years. I’ve been fired from several, I’ve quit others. I’m 58 and I would be satisfied with staying at this job a couple of more years. It has many good things about it: it’s close to my house, the hours are good, it’s not too physically demanding, my co-workers are OK, my supervisors are OK. The city I work in has a minimum wage of $15.00 per hour. I’m satisfied with it for now.
You must be very strong. Not many people with this disease able to enjoy their life. What symptoms do you have? Which med help you most?
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I suffer from paranoia and delusions. They affect me differently at different times. At home I think my neighbors are purposely bothering me and I don’t trust them much and it can upset me. At work the paranoia is more under control, I get along with most people. I still have delusions, I misinterpret many situations and some of my thoughts and ideas can get pretty out there. But, I take care of myself, I handle my money, I shop and cook and clean for myself, I take care of business.
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At early stages in my recovery, I held jobs and attended college. I’ve had repeated episodes and med changes over the years and just yesterday I had to quit my latest job. At least for me, things got better the more I accepted my illness and the situation.
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I’m not able to work full time, but I start job training next month where they’re going to assess how much I can do.
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Work 2 job at the moment one Self Employed the other Part Time in a shop but I had to ask to leave work early today 3pm instead of usual 6pm.As I was having terrible shakes and generally feeling unwell due to nasty side effects of Latuda/Lurasidone.Got an appointment with GP on Tuesday for separate issue, but you get bet your bottom dollar I will be bringing this up aswell.Can’t have the side effects of this AP effecting my bread and butter!
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You might be able to. I couldn’t
I work four days a week and have done for 6 years now. I am lucky as my family got me a job.
It has been hard. Plenty of med changes and relapses mixed in. I am now on Zoloft to try and sort things out a bit.
I am financially independent but that comes with it’s own stressors.
I would encourage anyone to try and get in the habit of doing something, whether that’s volunteering, working or study. It’s better than not doing anything.
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I go to school full time. I enjoy it
I got psychosis at 32, before that I was professional in sport and doing post graduate study.
After getting Sz I got a job and devoted myself to it as a coping mechanism. It distracted me from my delusions. I was on all sort of AP’s and had many hospital admissions. I finished my thesis and got promoted at work, all while completely delusional.
Then I got mood disorder as well and my diagnosis changed to SzA. My cognitive function fell off a cliff and I just couldn’t concentrate or handle much stimulation. So I had to retire at 44. Now I really can’t work or study.
So everybody is different, but there’s no harm in trying and you might find it helps to distract you.
I got a 4.0 on Geodon. Much better than my first time at college, when I got a 2.7 unmedicated. I also worked full time right up until I went on parental leave.
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My schizophrenia ruined my university years but I was still able to go on and work as a music teacher.
Unfortunately another psychotic break put an end to that. Since then I’ve done a dog grooming course.
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I worked a part-time fast food job for eight months on risperidone. I got frequent comments from one coworker on how out of it I seemed and how I should quit the meds and try her way of self-medicating instead but I think I did pretty well for myself anyway.