Antipsychotics always have had a significant effect on me, and I have experienced horrific and horrendous side effects at normal doses, or doses which aren’t excessively high.
The massive antipsychotic doses, or number of antipsychotics, some people take is strange, and they don’t even get much side effects. And at the same time they can still be having a ton of symptoms. I am not sure how to feel about it.
@Liquid, There’s no need to have any feelings about it at all. Every body and mind is different. Some people just can handle more meds than others can. It doesn’t make them any better or worse than you. It doesn’t make them any more ill or well than you either. Just know that.
I take huge doses but I am fine.
Others take tiny doses and are sedated and zombified.
Having to take higher doses, and not responding to the medication as well, probably makes someone sicker. It is a common sense point of view.
As a person with similar effects as you from meds, i learned to thoroughly distrust doctors and meds. I dont feel better or worse, more or less ill than another person because i respond more sensitively to drugs, but i just think pdocs should listen to their patients’ individual experiences way better and adjust treatment to that - not just thoughtlessy force everyone into the same solution, same meds, same dose and expect the same result.
That’s how I am when I take a typical antipsychotic. It’s sheer misery.
To clarify, having to take higher doses, and the medication not improving your mental state or symptoms as much, probably means your mental illness is more serious. I would think that is common sense.
Or you’re just not in a med that works for you. I’ve been on max doses of lots of meds and not responded to them at all. Been on high doses of haldol and did great. Found perphenazine and I’m in an average to low side and doing better than any before.
The right med makes all the difference sometimes. Doesn’t have anything to do with severity of illness.
Yes, @LED and @SkinnyMe are correct. I was on the max dose of geodon, and high doses of Zyprexa, Vraylar, and Rexulti, but I was still having severe symptoms. Now I’m on just over half of the max dose of seroquel, and I’m doing better than I have in years. It’s important to find the correct med, or else taking the high doses will be futile.
How you do or don’t respond to psychotropic drugs often has a lot to do with your age, kidney and or liver function, alcohol and/or drug intake, stress levels, med compliance and sleep habits.