I'm thinking about stopping taking my medication. What is your opinion about it?

Medications
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I’m thinking about stopping taking my medication. What is your opinion about it?

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Ask your pdoc about it. All sz patients should take meds.

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They’re called antipsychotic for a reason. Without them you’ll become psychotic sooner or later. And it won’t be a time of your choosing. You could end up thinking you can fly and jump off a building.

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It depends are you stopping because the meds dont work or they make you feel like hell.?..and are you starting a new med ?

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My diagnosis now is:

ICD-10 code F29 Unspecified psychosis not due to a substance or known physiological condition.

But I was diagnosed with schizophrenia earlier.

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I’m taking zyprexa 20mg now.

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I have problems with memory, attention and concentration. I keep thinking that this is due to the meds.

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reducing the zyprexa could help with that 20 mgs is the max dose , there are people who only take 5mgs a day and zyprexa is very sedating so just tell your doc youll like to reduce the dose and see if it helps

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My pdoc wants to change my medication to geodon.

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If you are going to go off medication then taper slowly with pdocs supervision ie 17.5,15,12.5,10 etc ie small decreases and see how you go. Also if you do then inform a family member who may be better placed to notice any slipping into a bad state.

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Thank you…

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the doctor works for you you dont work for him you can try geodon if you want to but dont feel pressured into doing it you are allowed to say no if you dont want to go on it , do your own research on that drug and others and then decide if you want to try it out or if you want to reduce the zyprexa or try something entirely different

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You were diagnosed ICD-10 code F29?

Are you sure? At my Office, that’s the form for we fill out when the photocopier breaks down.

(But sheriously, don’t go off of your meds unless it is under the guidance of your doctor.)

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I don’t take meds. I haven’t for about 7 or 8 years. That being said, getting to a stable point didn’t come easy and it took a really long time to become stable. I don’t recommend it for obvious reasons. I still battle intense depression and anxiety from time to time and have been considering going back on an antidepressant. I consider myself lucky that over time I was able to develop coping mechanisms that have mostly rid me of my auditory hallucinations (i still hear them daily) or at least made what I’m left with non harassing/distracting b

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This could also be due to your diagnosis and with time, improve.

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Only do it under the guidance of a psychiatrist, and keep regular appointments.

Even keep a daily diary or log of your symptoms if you stop.

A medication change might be all you need. Zyprexa had some heavy duty side effects, you might feel better on geodon.

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With some exceptions, adjusting your medication without a doctors approval is generally a bad idea. The risks are high and real. I’ve seen so many people crash and burn with a relapse after stopping their medication.

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That’s the problem - Olanzapine. I was on that dose for nearly two years and I hated it. You may need a new med if you can get one. I had a relapse when I came off that drug.

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I was diagnosed and treated with schizophrenia for four years and two weeks ago my doc changed my diagnosis to F29 Psychosis, just like in your case. I am taking Invega Suspensa injection once a month (117 mg) and i also am wondering whether i could just go off the medication because i hate the weight gain. Andy, let me know what you decide to do and how it goes if you go off the medication. Also, has you doctor considered putting you on Invega Suspensa?

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I’ve been on Geodon and Seroquel for over a decade, and my symptoms are under control. They’re good med’s. Some people find Seroquel to be too sedating, but not me. I can’t tell I’m taking it. As for quitting your med’s - I’ve lived in an assisted living center for the mentally ill with about forty other sz’s for fifteen years. I’ve seen a number of people go off their med’s, and that rarely works. Almost always they end up back in the hospital, or worse. One guy killed another guy in a bar when he was off his med’s. Try Geodon before you give up on med’s. It’s a good med. with few side effects.