So I wasn’t advised to taper off Abilify. I was handed about 10 sample pill bottles of Invega and sent on my merry way. I switched to Invega and took it for about one week at 3mgs. I noticed it wasn’t making much of a difference other than I felt more calm and less restless. But by the end of week one I began having thoughts that it would cause mood swings, and that one day I would take the Invega and I’d become manic or have an episode. I read a few reviews, and on one site it got a 2 out of 5 and every review was bad for Invega. This scared me. Also the fact that it is prescribed solely for schizophrenia or schizoaffective and I was told I was likely bipolar. My friends also think it’s malpractice how I am being treated and how they don’t justify my diagnosis but rather make up stuff.
I have felt really good this past few weeks. I am having zero symptoms. I don’t feel restless or manic, or delusional, or paranoid, I’ve finally gotten off Abilify without withdrawal symptoms. I’m just unsure of what to do at this point. I have no motivation to work on medication, and I feel worse. But I’m pressured to get a job. But I’m also told I am not disabled enough to be on disability, but medication is basically what’s disabling me…lol.
My worst symptoms have been caused by medication or medication withdrawal. On the flip side, I was off Abilify for almost a year when I began having issues. I was seventeen and there were other factors including my confusion and rebellious attitude, and being at odds with my parents. But I had paranoid thoughts too. I wasn’t hospitalized for an episode, it was for a fight with my mom over her abusive yelling. Except that I kind of randomly flipped out at her, and I don’t think I was justified in lashing out as I didn’t understand at the time.
I’m trying to be responsible and do the best I can for myself and others. I don’t want to take Invega and it was making me hallucinate.
So I feel stuck between a rock and a hard place. On one hand I can try and maintain hoping that I don’t become manic ever again, or I can continue this preventative medicine that has side effects which are just as bad…and always be confused about if I would ever be ok without medication.
Medication makes me dysphoric too. I don’t want anti-depressants. They risk mania. I don’t want stimulants, they risk both. I have stimulants but I stopped taking those too. I was prescribed Vyvanse. Even people I know have beliefs that seem more paranoid than mine. I am not having any symptoms at all. I am completely rational. I’m not sad or having crying fits and never have.
So what should I do? wait until I feel like I need them again? If so, I don’t even know what medication would work for me.
you probably really need to talk to a pdoc about it. soon. you might just be on the brink of slipping bad…I wouldn’t risk it. talk to your pdoc is all I can really think to say.
You really need to talk to your pdoc. Tell them your concerns and let them worry about the meds. There are tons of meds out there for people with bipolar disorder. You just have to keep trying meds until you find the right combination. It’s worth it in the end.
You seem to do good when you get off the crap…but also need to stay away from non prescribed drugs and alcohol. I know meds cause the disability in some people, due to the tiredness and lack of motivation to do anything.
And the way they just hand you pills and send you on your way does seem like borderline malpractice. i think they need to toughen medical laws about monitoring and follow ups of people they give meds to. You know that happened with my wife…they put her on abilify and didnt follow up…even saw that she had cut while on abilify and let her walk out of the office without trying to get her in a hospital. At first it seemed like they believed the lie she told them that it was an accident, but when i read the doctors disability statement it mentioned she had been cutting.
So that shows me the doctor knew, she did not believe the lie, and failed to act…which ended up making her a murderer…
You know there is stuff that works take as needed, even though most doctors deny this fact so they can get the big bucks for the pharma companies. Even some of the APs will work like that…if you start feeling manic and take one it will calm you down and you can sleep…then get up the next day and be ok… if you are ok you dont need to put more drugs in your system that causes tolerance and your body to acclimate to it so that it doesnt work, which happens with a lot of meds.
It doesn’t matter which diagnosis you have- schizoaffective or bipolar, the meds really do help, but you have to give the meds some time to see if they really work . 1 week on Invega is not enough time. Allow at least 3 weeks to a month to see how the med is working.
I would have a serious discussion with your doctor, and at least give these meds a chance. Invega is similar to Risperdal - both are excellent for bipolar and SZ- Oh well it’s back to square one
Some people do fine without medication. I am not one of those people. There are lots of medications these days. We are all different. What works for me may be horrible for you. We need to experiment to find the balance we are looking for.
My son recently switched from Risperidol to Invega 3 mg. Other then feeling less anxious he didn’t notice a difference. I on the other hand have been noticing a difference. It’s been about 2.5 weeks and he is finally recovering from the ‘relapse’ that the Adderall triggered.
I’m not drinking alcohol or anything else. I feel fine. I might try and get in with a new practice altogether on monday though. I keep being put on same-day sick even though I only missed one appointment with my new doctor and it was because I was out of town, and I called, but now I can’t make appointments unless someone cancels in the morning the same day.
I take Latuda. It works so well. I couldn’t go without my meds. I would love to but I know I couldn’t do it. Symptoms would return.
I hope you find your way. I used to worry about the side-effects but Latuda has little (of course it is a newer drug) and it works so well. It keeps me very calm. No more mania, no more psychosis. I sleep every single night.
Every single night, I sleep now. It has transformed my life. I can’t tell you how good it feels to be able to sleep. To lie down and fall asleep… Medicine, Latuda, gave that to me.
So grateful for medications. I really hope you find your way. You are still navigating your way through this experience and I wish you luck. Once you find the right med, it is EASY sailing.
No, it takes 6 to 8 weeks for a med to truly work. You are changing the chemicals in the brain. I took Resperidal for 2 straight months and finally came out of psychosis and even then, I needed help to gain insight. But it takes some time for meds to work.
About 2 months was my experience. You just have to take them and do what you can to feel better. Smoking cigarettes reduces the effectiveness of medications, too. And try to reduce stress.
One week on a medication is not enough time, It sometimes takes up to 2 months or sometimes more for a med to really work, I know this. I was just giving out the advice that one week is not enough time - you can still judge a medication somewhat at the 3rd week time frame - side effects etc… One week, unless you are experiencing life threatening side effects is just not enough time - we can both agree on this, I am sure - she may not have the patience to stick with a new med for 2 months, I dont know - 3 weeks is better than 1 week, that was my point
I should prob just start taking Abilify again. But I haven’t been breathing shallow since I stopped taking it. I haven’t been thinking everything through as much. I drove through the lincoln tunnel in NYC and that was all off medication, but I don’t know if/when the symptoms will come back. I just don’t want to deal anymore. I think Im going to take Abilify.
Hey Anon, I’m on Abilify too, and I thought the side effects were putting on weight but now that I’m on the needle once a month and I’m still taking 15mg of abilify once everyday for 2 weeks until the stuff they injected me with kicks in, so they say. You said something about breathing shallow? Omg I only just experienced that after I got the needle on my butt cheek, weird huh? They say it’s the same stuff so I don’t know really. Just everytime I cough and it feels like I can’t get any air in I quickly get some water and that helps abit lol. Other than that I’m back to my normal self i guess Hope ur ok with Abilify too.
