You can’t say I didn’t try. 16 years of trying.
Abilify/Aripiprazole
Cogentin/Benztropine Mesylate
Depakote E.C./Divalproex EC
Effexor XR/Venlafaxine HCI
Geodon/Ziprasidone
Haldol/Haloperidol
Paxil/Paroxetine
Prozac
Prolixin/Fluphenazine
Risperdal/Risperidone
Stelazine/Trifluoperazine
Tegretol/Carbamazepine
Topamax/Topiramate
Trilafon/Perphenazine
Wellbutrin SR/Bupropion
Zoloft/Sertraline
Zyprexa/Olanzapine
How long a try did you give them until you changed? From my own experience it takes a good two years to settle into a med.
Meds and talking therapy go hand in hand also.
Wow! That’s a lot of pill bottles!
The ■■■■ 
It looks like it reads LOL with those bottles though.
I’d take those if I could.
I took them for as long as my pdoc prescribed them. some you can see the long line was a few years, some unfortunately was only 1 bottle worth.
It didn’t help that I’m “upside-down” on meds, something a few pdocs have told me. It meant everything they said it would do for me, it did the opposite.
Yea, LoL on me… 
They are all in alphabetical order, left to right.
I’m impressed. I have been on only one med since I got diagnosed a year and a half ago (risperidone). I tried Latuda for like a week and that was a big giant negative! If it takes 2 years to settle into a med, I still have 6 months to go. I was hoping to drop my dose by .5mg since I haven’t been psychotic for a year. We’ll see what my pdoc says.
With all the side effects that list of meds looks painful to me! I tried to change meds only once and it was torture.
Some were pretty awful, but the worst part was when the pdocs poo-poo’d what I reported as negative side effects. Some were down right cruel, but as I say, Time reveals all.
I think the worst thing was finding a med that was decent, then having to stop it due to lab results, Geodon= prolactin level too high.
Effexor XR =Side Effexor , was okay until I tried to get off it…S.lo.w.l.y…painfully.
I can only imagine the trials. I tried Latuda for a week and literally didn’t sleep at all. I went to the ER after no sleep for 5 nights straight and they gave me ambien. I was back on risperidone just like that. I am super grateful that I haven’t had an episode in a year on risperidone. Although I was on risperidone when I had the episode, it seems to be helping me. I have thought about changing meds to get rid of my delusion but I am terrified. I have to go to school and be able to function. My delusion may go away with time on my current dose anyway. What are you taking right now?
I’m not ( sorry neighbors) no health insurance and I can’t afford the pdoc or meds anyway.
I even had to stop taking my thyroid med that I’d been on since 2008- because it would cost me over $1000 a year to get this $5 (for 3 month supply) med.
OMG! That’s terrible. I also take a hypothyroid med. That’s no good. You don’t qualify for Medicare or Medicaid? Are you having symptoms? How long have you been off meds?
My list over the course of 17 years:
Prozac
Wellbutrin
Effexor
Celexa
Lexapro
Zoloft
Depakote
Lithium
Tegretol
Lamictal
Zyprexa
Risperdal
Haldol
Seroquel
Abilify
Aristada
Abilify Maintena
Klonopin
Ativan
Vistaril
My current meds are Abilify Maintena, Wellbutrin and Lamictal.
I’m fairly stable on the combination of meds I’m on, so I think there is hope for you, too 
. Sometimes we just have to go through a ton of med combinations before we land on the right one. From your med list you appear to be sza, and we can be a tough bunch to medicate, I suppose. Just please don’t give up hope on finding the right meds for you .
They don’t have free psych clinics and patient assistance programs (for brand pharmaceuticals) where you live? That’s the only way I’m able to see a dr, and it’s how I get my Abilify Maintena shot. I have no insurance, either, pay out of pocket for Wellbutrin and Lamictal generics.
theres probably 50,000 dollars worth of pills there
You ain’t just whistling Dixie!
No, there isn’t any free or low cost psych clinics in my area, the best they have is a low cost clinic that will ask a few psych questions- you know the kind… “so, do you hear any voices? Do you feel like hurting yourself or anyone else?” while clinging to their clipboard for dear life before running out white knuckled and retrieving some mythical MD.
I just looked up how much some of those meds are now- sheesh…not in my budget.
It’s a long story about medicare, but someone in medicare, covered california and my HMO dropped the ball when it was time for me to sign up for obamacare, so no, I don’t qualify unless I pay a huge penalty…someday I might just go to the SSA office and see if they can fix it- that is if I don’t die first…which would be far cheaper I suppose.
and yeah, I’ve put on about 20lbs that I know wouldn’t be here if I was taking my thyroid med, I’d be far less sluggish and my muscles constantly hurt.
Just need to get up some energy to try to do something about it-
I did go to the low cost clinic, that was where it would cost about $390. to get a 3 month supply for $5. Rx of thyroid med (that’s in 2014 costs -sure it would be much higher now)
You mean 50,000 dollars worth of boats, large houses, and fast easy women?
We’re in Northern California @pansdisease…Don’t forget fast Cars, airplanes and $100 hamburgers (inside joke for @Tomcat.)
I lived in Southern California for about nine years. I had to short sell my upside down house in San Diego about two years ago
That’s a lot of meds. I was lucky. Tried Zyprexa shortly and then went to Geodon. Luckily it’s pretty cheap. I just became eligible for Medicare in January but I still get my meds through my insurance with the military
Hope you get the HMO thing straight soon
