I do, i just don’t feel like i can make the most of life being on them.
I came off them 6 weeks ago. There was a honeymoon period, then a combination of my symptoms returning and withdrawal forced me to go back on a sub therapeutic dose yesterday. Today doesn’t feel as hellish. I’ll be seeing my pdoc soon, so will have to tell them what’s happening and ask their advice.
The grass isn’t greener on the no meds side.
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hi seriouslydisturbed. I feel so secure with my meds that I hope I don’t have to come off them, at least not soon.
in what way do the meds bother you?
judy
I think about it all the time and sometimes I come off them for short periods such as a couple weeks to a month.
It’s selfish for me to stop taking the meds though. I’ve caused my friends and family a significant amount of misery and pain while not taking my meds.
Also the financial burden if I sleep into a full blown psychotic episode is horrible. It makes me furious when I’m forced to stay in the hospital against my will and then they send me a bill for thousands of dollars. This doesn’t even take into consideration the massive amount of damage I’ve caused to my career because of having psychotic episode at work.
If you decide to come off, I suggest you talk to it with you pdoc or atleast do some research. For most medications that you’ve been on for a while it’s better if you slowly taper off over weeks instead of quitting abruptly.
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@seriouslydisturbed , how many different meds have you tried?
It gets better when you find the right med and the right dosage. Also, try to stay busy. It’s a struggle at first – won’t lie to you – but as you keep pushing, your ability to handle the meds and juggle more WILL increase and you will begin to work your way towards feeling normal-ish.
10-96
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i tried cutting my med dose in half and i became psychotic in 5 days. no i’m very comfortable with my meds
I’ve been on six different meds now: Respiridal, Seroquel, Amisulpride, Abilify, Clopixol and Depixol.
Everyone has left me with sexual dysfunction, not wanting to be social and depression.
Not wanting to be social is a negative symptom which APs might not be causing, but probably can’t treat either. I think the only AP that you mentioned above that has an antidepressant effect would be abilify. But that’s what I’m on and it didn’t make me feel like being social. I did feel less ‘down’ while on it, but just couldn’t tolerate it.
For the sexual dysfunction have you tried viagra or cialis? They’re very effective at the correct dose.
It’s not much of a problem for me getting erect (I have to try hard if i want to). It’s feelings which are a problem as I don’t get them physically or mentally, it sucks. My orgasms are mild also.
Also, if you experienced the same things on all APs, including abilify which has a different method of action, it’s possible the APs aren’t the cause. Maybe.
I wish I could help, but to be honest you sound like you’re in a better place than me. You sound like you’re able to at least tolerate your AP.
If you are able to tolerate your AP, then think twice about the grass being greener.
I couldn’t tolerate them in the beginning and i would end up quitting them feeling great relief. It’s just now i see that if i come off I will have a very strong illness come on and it’s not really fair on who i live with. I will be coming off eventually with the supervision of the pdoc. Like you i’m stuck between a rock and a hard place, can’t live with them and can’t live without them.
I will add that the only real reason i’m on med’s is that i’m on injections. I have many days when i don’t want to take med’s and then when my 2 weekly injection comes around i see the sense to take it. If i was on pills i would have been in the hospital a long time ago.
I would love to be off of my meds, this would mean less health problems … but… the reality is that this is not possible, I lowered my antipsychotic to sub therapeutic levels and paid the price for it
I’m on 25 mg Abilify. Don’t think I would be able to cut that even in half without getting psychotic again. Maybe if I can manage to keep my head cool for atleast a year. Then maybe I’d dare to lower it. I also have 300 mg Quetiapin.
Something i’m interested in trying if i can’t get off these meds is intermittent treatment. So say you take meds 3 month on then 3 month off or 4 on 4 off. It takes me about 4 and half months to relapse coming off oral meds so i may be able to get away with doing that 
Side effects decrease with lower dosage. How was your current dosage decided? Are you on the minimum therapeutic dose, or was it decided you needed more than that?
I’m on the average dose, the dose does go hell of alot higher with it being a first generation injectable AP. My pdoc said i can start to lower it in a year from now, which i’m all for but i would hate to relapse so i’m unsure if i should wait longer. When in hospital they were trying to give me high doses of haloperidol and i was refusing to take it. I then got forced treatment with Acuphase which is an instant release injection and i responded to the first dose they gave me so that is how they came to the dose i’m on now.
I wonder whether I need the med and what they would do if I flat out refused. I do know last time I was late( had been late a few times before) they came to the flat depot in hand and gave me a lecture.
I often wonder whether making sure you take the meds or else is more than just a “danger to yourself or others” thing.