What will happen if I stop taking my anti psychotic meds and my anti depressants? I’m feeling a bit better and when I feel 100% I want to come off them as I don’t want to think I can’t live without them and be on them years.
There’s a chance of relapse. It’s dangerous to go off meds without doctor’s help and approval. I’ve gone off meds before because I didn’t like how the 10mgs of risperidone made me feel. I lost touch with reality for about 4 months.
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It is a very tricky situation.
Sometimes when we are feeling better, we start thinking “Hey, I am feeling great, maybe I don’t need the meds anymore”
But it could be that you are feeling better because of the meds … without them, there is a very good chance that you could decompensate and get much worse - psychosis could return stronger than before!
You could end up in a very dangerous situation.
I would let your psychiatrist know how you are feeling - see what his or her feedback will be - discuss the matter with him and listen to him.
I went to a sub therapeutic dose of the Risperdal and paid the price for it - now I am having a difficult time tolerating my meds - its not the same anymore.
Be very careful, do not attempt to get off of your meds on your own! Talk it through with your doctor and get his take on it.
Best of luck to you
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I’ve heard that we actually become more dependent on the psychotropic meds because of the actions in our brains in responding to their affects. I think this is the case.
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I am thinking we are each individuals and respond differently to stopping medications. I also think that sometimes and in some cases these relapses occur; because, our minds accept what the pdocs have told us. If we go off the meds; a relapse will occur. So, then, when we go off the meds; our minds set us up for a relapse. This is just a possibility for some of us; probably not all of us. There is never all or nothing. In fact, there is never, never. We must consider all possibilities; all angles. We must be advocates for our own health and well-being.
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I have heard bad stories of poeple coming of Nortryptaline which is an antidepressant I take.
They say they have withdrawel symptoms and extreme fatigue and headaches and such.
I have been on it for 20years straight.
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im getting off my antidepressant slowly doc halved the dose ill be off it soon
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If you want to take the risk of having a relapse. I’ve been on mine for almost thirty-five years. I’m pretty used to them.
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I don’t want a relapse but I don’t want to take drugs all my life. I don’t mind the olanzapine so much but the anti depressant with it is knocking me out by 9pm. I don’t want to have to be a zombie all my life also I think the longer I’m on them the worse the withdrawal will be, I don’t think I’m depressed either, I was put on them because for two days I felt someone or something was trying to make me kill my self and I didn’t want to but the urge was overwhelming and I was frightened I had no control.
I hate to tell you this but some of us need to take medication for the rest of our lives. It might be you too. There’s different anti-depressants. Maybe you can tolerate a diffeent one better.
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I agree with the folks in this thread. It is rather dangerous to completely stop your medications.i did do that once and had a relapse. Ask your doctor if he can put you on a less sedating drug. Or just talk to him in general. He knows
Or she would know what to do.
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As soon as home based treatment team stop coming I can speak to my normal psychiatrist about other. They are still coming don’t know when they’ll stop
My advice is dont stop cold turkey. Withdrawals could send you straight into psychosis. You need to be tapered off medications. My dose of invega was lowered from 9 to 6 mg and i felt withdrawals and they weren´ t pleasant. I dont even want to imagine what would happen if i stopped cold turkey. I had psychosis a year back and my pdoc said i need to take aps for at least a year. She already lowered my dose (manly because of side effects) but hopefully she will lower my dose even further down to 3mg and then when my pdoc agrees i will stop taking them. Which is i hope soon.
Talk to your pdoc about it and mention lowering and stopping medication. She will tell you everything about it. My quess is she will wean you off medications in one or two years because thats how long you are suppose to take aps after first episode. I know it sucks. Hold on.
Whats your medication and dosage Clancy?
I was hoping earlier than a year especially for anti depressant because I’m not actually depressed I just told the doctor that I felt something was urging me to kill myself but I didn’t want to do it so she added 15mg of mirtazapine as well as already taking 10mg olanzapine for the past 6 weeks ish
I told my pdoc that I didn’t want to take any more meds. I know there may be risks. Yet, the medications have caused me more harm than good. When, I was taking meds, I told had symptoms or breakthrough symptoms. The side effects or adverse reactions were awful. My body was in turmoil. I thought it was good for me and I blindly took them without question. Not only did I have all the problems I listed, I got premature grey hair, premature cataracts and who knows what. When I was in college and just out of college. I drank way too much. One night, I got terribly sick and went off drinking completely cold turkey. After that experience, my body and mind felt totally clean, renewed, wholesome again. This is the way I felt when I stopped the meds. I can even swallow vitamin pills or Tylenol when I get a headache anymore. I tried to tell my pdoc and she still prescribed me risperidal; but, I can’t even swallow it. I throw up! I have purchased some cbt books that are helping me. I also have some spiritual books and books on cowboys and cowgirls and right living that help me. The spiritual books reflect a unity of traditions. When, I started thinking a harmful thought, I convince myself to change it and not to think it It is something that is really approached day by day. I get tired and sleepy; but, I am not sure if I am yet sleeping the right amount of hours a night for me. I try to walk everyday and eat three meals a day; including a lot of fruit. My only weakness seems to be soda, fritos, and bean dip. I cook Stouffers frozen meals at dinner; because it is easier and I live alone. I do eat them. I talk to my cat. I put in a call to my therapist to tell him I want a new pdoc who will respect my wishes. I am not defective. This is not an easy road, but, I have complete faith that I will be alright.
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You should discuss this with your pdoc. It’s likely that you should taper off instead of abruptly stopping, but your pdoc will be able to give you appropriate advice.
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I’m m going to try and stick with olanzapene because that’s important but ditch anti depressants x