I’ve tried 5 different meds over the past 10 years for SZA and risperdal is the only one that seems to work somewhat. I am thinking about tapering myself off of antipsychotics altogether because the benefits have been minimal for me and the side effects nearly dibilitating. My brother who has been diagnosed with SZ but refuses to take meds is 100% more productive than i am.
Good luck I’m also going to be tapering off my respiridone. I think once you get your life style right you can prevent relapse. This includes eating well, sleeping well, and avoiding drugs. I’ve gotten better continuously regardless of how much I lowered my dose. Went from 8mg to 2 gradually. Feel a lot better. Going down to 1mg for the next 6 months.
koolbreeze, your side effects? what are they?
Constant audio, visual, tactile, and olfactory hallucinations, paranoia, and delusions. I got the boat load and its 24 hours a day around the clock med compliant or not. I don’t do drugs, i drink occassionally, smoke cigs incessantly and drink coffee daily sometimes more than twice a day.
Side effects: over 50 lbs in weight, prediabetes, high blood pressure, and extreme lack of motivation, eating problems and so on.
I think im like your brother I have voices,anxiety, dont care about anything sometimes I get into a loop where I believe my delusions may be true.
I don’t take meds either and I noticed a lot of people are like disfunctional because of meds and that sucks.
I can ignore the voices and delusions enough to work if I could get a job that compliments my condition.
Where I dont have to interact with people im actually a really hard worker.
And I can excerise on a daily basis when im not injured like now.
Im not trying to discourage people I think should be on meds if it helps.
And some absolutely need meds but I think some are just I dont know maybe hooked or something.
I mean I read posts of people saying im on this and that AND I hear voices have anxiety etc.
I just cant believe that its like normal for people to still have symptoms with meds.
I saw this one dude that needs meds every morning he’s court ordered to show up at this office to get a shot and if he doesn’t the cops look for him.
That stuff makes him a vegetable.
He told me once that he sees monsters and they want to kill him.
Im kinda waiting for my symptoms to worsen before I get meds because I can ignore the voices and anxiety right now,im gonna go to therapy I think first.
Its a difficult decision. I am usually pretty bad off if i don’t take meds. I went 6 mos barely compliant and landed myself in trouble with the law but i was also drinking several glasses of vodka nightly and quit a job and was under a lot of financial pressure as a result but it was the stress of working 2 jobs prior to quitting that stressed me out and led me to self medicating with alchohol. Its an act of faith to try to function without meds and to replace the antipsychotics with a healthier alternative. I’ve given the antipsychotics a good go now its time to try alternatives.
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I use to eat lots of sweet stuff and preservatives like fast food and beer.
I feel a lot better physically AND mentally now that im eating kinda healthy and cut way down on the beer.
I think vitamins everyday are necessary for everyone to be normal not just the afflicted.