You know the story… I had gone off meds (with doctors consent) because I was free of psychosis for 10 years. The dr said nope one episode was not enough to diagnose me with sz… took me off abilify and put me on sertraline … I will never attempt anything like that again. I felt so ashamed and I can’t even forgive myself.
Do you think I have a chance of going 10 or even 20 years without psychosis if I don’t stop meds?
Of course, as long as you are medicated you dont have to have another relapse - i get the idea that a lot of the forum members havent had a relapse in a long time because they are on APs
Not for me. I gave up on trying to be free of positive symptoms because it takes too high a dose for me. It’s crippling. I learned how to manage some positive symptoms on just enough APs to maintain insight.
On clozapine I haven’t had a relapse in sixteen years
That’s pretty good going… I hope I can achieve this.
Yes it’s very possible not to become unstable again if you remain on your meds.
I was stable for decades until my doctor switched me off of Risperdal and onto Vraylar in 2016.
I lost my mind and was involuntarily committed two times for over a month.
The moral of the story @Milly is to continue taking your meds and beware of antidepressants
Do you think the ssri caused your psychosis the 2nd time? Or withdrawing from abilify too quick plus that?
Stuff like that can happen too.
Im sure its possible if your careful and your med doesnt stop working.
I’ve never had a relapse. That being said I have a low level of paranoia that I live in almost perennially. I also have mild to moderate cognitive and negative symptoms that essentially never let up.
I got sick in 1980 and had a relapse in 1988 even though I was on meds. I had a relapse 8 years ago.
Since my first psychotic episode in around 2011 as a teenager, ive probably had about 7 more episodes since then. Some lasting 6 months of full craziness, some lasting a mere few weeks. Its been close to 3 years now since having any major positive symptoms or being hospitalised. Most of my episodes were from stopping ap meds or being on way too low a dose.
Im currently on 10mg abilify among a couple others for other things. Doing well recently.
I was doing ok until the antidepressants were introduced and slowly increased. They said the dose was too high and I had “clouded consciousness” which I assume meant psychosis.
I really don’t care if I get another episode or not. They are so many undiagnosed sz around, falling through the net. I mean, what do I have to lose ? I watched reality Tv the other day, so much sz. I am not violent aggressive abusive or intimidating, neither am I looking for any sort of conflict.
I can’t count all my “episodes”. They’ve been too episodic. Ie., way too many to count.
I mean it’s been 6 years since my last psychosis and I was diagnosed 10 years ago so probably.
Used to happen 2-3 times a year minimum those first 4 years tho.
I take my meds like clockwork.
I’ve had two major breaks. The first one that led to me getting diagnosed, and the second from a year of meth use. Haven’t had one since though I feel kinda on the edge sometimes on perphenazine. It works great but maybe I need to increase my dose a bit. Idk about forever, but you can definitely go a long time. My last one was in 2012-2015. First one from 2003-08. I religious about my perphenazine. It’s the only thing I’m on.
I realize now how sick I’ve been all my life. And how well I am now.