Hello everyone,
I’ve been recently diagnosed with schizophrenia and I’m exploring different medication options. I’ve heard varying experiences from people regarding different medications. Can anyone share their personal experiences with specific medications for schizophrenia? I’m particularly interested in hearing about any side effects you may have encountered and how effective the medication was in managing your symptoms.
Thank You.
Hey,
Welcome to the community.
It’s a tough question because our responses to meds are different. It really is a matter of trying things for at least 6 weeks at minimum and if you get through that it’s about function versus the side effects.
You’ll get both and it’s a cruel game. Still. If I could do it all again I’d say pay attention to your diet and exercise. Both can make a big difference but take meds as prescribed and look for better function. Sometimes that means living with side effects.
Again welcome. It’s a good community and you’ll learn a lot.
Hello,
Different medications work for different persons with different side effects. However, I would start with the newer medications which have fewer side effects first.
You could try any of the following first:
Latuda
Abilify
Asenapine
Vraylar
If they don’t work, I would only then try Olanzapine, Risperidone, FGAs, etc. If nothing works, then Clozapine is the medication of last resort.
Remember some medications will increase weight a lot, some will take away your sex drive, or cause other side effects. Medications like Olanzpine, Risperidone, etc are more likely to do this stuff. FGAs can cause TD and slow your thinking considerably. In my opinion, it is best if you try the medications I have listed above first before you try the other ones.