Hi all! So I had my first break a year ago that lasted for 6 months until they put me on invega. Now that I have been symptom free except for anxiety for 4 months they dropped me to lowest dose. Do they usually take you off all meds with your first episode?
You’re not supposed to take breaks from meds. Is that what you mean by break?
They kept me on meds from day one, but after about 15 years of horrible side effects I started reducing my meds in an attempt to become healthier but when I got down to a smaller amount I started having problems, then about 2 years ago I switched to a different med.
No I had my first break from totally reality
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All I know is I don’t want the voices to return I was closer to suicide than I ever thought possible for fear of the voices that wouldn’t stop.
Doc won’t take you off meds. You’d have to buck the system pretty hard to get that done. Do stay on them though, you likely don’t have the broad spectrum knowledge needed to flourish med-free.
I think this is unique to each individual and their treatment provider(s). Maybe, maybe not. I’ve seen it go all sorts of ways over the years.
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I came off all meds in 2007 after my first episode in 2003. Lasted five years then had to return to meds in 2012. Ten years later still on meds and cannot cope without them.
It’s different for everyone. And it may work a while if you’ve been symptom free for a year or two, but it could come back so take care.
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Being dropped to the lowest dose is not being taken off the meds. It amounts to the pdoc’s optimism that you won’t be overburdened with the meds and their side effects. Also I have heard on a rare occasion if you are incredibly lucky you can have one episode and have it end. However don’t count on it. In most cases schizophrenia is forever.
Not necessarily.
Just means they found a stable dose for you.
Please don’t quit your meds w.o your pdocs supervision.
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Oh gosh I don’t think I can take another episode. Any tips on how to live with this diagnosis, thanks
meds help your mind relax
and also stop psychosis in many people
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What works for me would not be what most people would want to do. I desexualized myself by going off porn and coming to the conclusion that I would probably never have sex since sex was a big topic in my head. I also apologized for past behavior the best I could. Also while living in a group home is not ideal not having to worry about food and drugs helps. It will work as long as there is a pandemic at least. I don’t know what I’ll honestly do if things return to normal.
I am usually on low dose. I had a doctor take me off all meds and I had a complete breakdown. Now I insist on meds, but low dose.
The fact you had a complete breakdown probably means you need to take some meds for life. I’m sorry to tell you that.
Thanks for your help
Which meds did you take?
At my first period of illness I took risperidone and valproic acid then had my remission
Now since my relapse I’m taking amisulpride and lamotrigine, and also haloperidol and citalopram were added. Amisulpride is an excellent med, it’s helped me a lot
Was that risperidone consta? Injectable risperidone?
No I took risperidone tablets