Hello everyone,i am a new guy here,My English is not very good.i have some question.
I have read many articles about schizophrenia,Some articles say that schizophrenia Patients can stop taking medicine after takes 3-5 years of taking Psychotic medicine,but some articles say schizophrenia Patients Need taking medication for lifetime.
My doctor said he wanted to do an experiment, he said I can stop the medicine.I want to stop the medicine , but also I worry relapse.
Is there anyone successfully stop taking medicine in the forum?
I tried to stop my meds after successfully not having a single psychotic symptom for about 4 years. Spent the next year in and out of hospital until we found a med that would actually work because the meds I was on previously didn’t work anymore after trying to restart them.
Stopping meds can be problematic. You may need a higher dose or it may not work as well if you get back on them.
There is a large number of patients who recover without needing meds again. Your psydoc may have a feel for that and it could be worth a go…It’s a gamble for sure!
I’m currently not on meds. So technically it can work but it really depends on the person.
If your doctor is suggesting it I would consider doing what he says normally but
What kind of experiment?? Like just to see if you still need meds or is it something else??
Regardless if you stop taking meds you still need to stay in contact with your doctor. Report any and all changes good or bad. Communication is key here in order to provide the safest environment possible.
just to see if you still need meds .I guess my doctor is also not sure if I can stop the medicine, so he said he would like to do an experiment.
yes, you are right.Even if I stop taking medicine, I still have to meet with the doctor. Report if there any Delusional thought
One group in particular had an especially high chance of coping without medication: women who did not take drugs, with a high level of functionality and connection to the labour market.
“We can see that those who have a high level of functionality to begin with—those who can manage well and have a good social life—are also the ones who cope without medicine after ten years,” says Nordentoft.
You can try to reduce that mess. But relapse is always possible. It is a risk that you take. psychosis has an unfavorable course. That is just the reality. If you think you know better than the studies. Then you can try. 20% can completely stop medication and build an independent life. The rest is â– â– â– â– â– â– .
If you’ve only had a single psychotic episode, most doctors recommend slowly tapering off the meds after a couple years of stability. If you’ve had more than one episode, they’re less likely to recommend stopping.
If you stop your meds and relapse, you are less likely to respond to the same medication and dose the second time around. I stopped meds, relapsed, and now need double my original dose.
I stopped meds, was still psychotic despite meds, was given same meds when I got back on them. Gave me side effects it didn’t before to the point of being intolerable. Be very careful, as even with a doctor’s guidance it can be dangerous.
Your Sz and You take NO MEDS. ? How do you cope/function in society ? Do you have a job or career that require interaction ? You don’t have to answer if you don’t want … sometimes I’m the voices tell me
I don’t need meds but it doesn’t end up well… if I don5 need them… I’m sure they need me
My Dr tried taking me off two times ,so Ive had three episodes and decided no more. I was going on 10 years when he first tried stopping meds.I would weigh what you could loose. For me the curiosity and hope if being med free was just too attractive to pass up. Now I know. But I had two dramatic episodes and just about lost my family and Job. Also have to say I’ve never heard of anyone successfully going off meds and being productive. Excluding this site.
I’ve had this condition my whole life. I think the only reason I “function” is a weird combo of coping mechanisms, time, and luck.
Right now I’m unemployed but I see a psychologist twice a week and I’m working towards being more functional/ employable. As for society I don’t get out much.
Right now I mainly struggle with a lot of paranoia and auditory hallucinations.
I do NOT recommend going off of your meds though. You should only attempt to do that with doctor approval and supervision.
It’s not always possible to go off of meds entirely. So just listen to your doctor.
I think we need to remember that when people say they cope off meds one person’s expectations may be different from another’s . One person may be functioning at a certain level and think they don’t need meds , whereas another person functioning at the same level will still see the need to take meds.
Exactly. That’s why I asked about your career and interaction with other people. I work for the government, pretty stressful, over worked & underpaid. I deal with people daily. I’m not saying it’s impossoble for me cause I would def like to try it. I’ve also thought of filing for disability because most of the time I don’t feel like I can cope and function in this sh*t, it is taking a toll on me. But scared to sit home with my voices all day I feel that I might get in big trouble