Is this still an effective dose?

Im on invega 3mg. Which equals to 1-1.5mg of risperdal or 5mg of abilify.

I asked my pdoc this and she said its still an effective dose. Its a maintenance dose she said. I believe her. But i want to know what your opinions and experiences are.

I feel fine on it, i dont see or hear things, i dont think i can read minds, i dont have delusions. Sometimes i can be a bit paranoid but its not bad. I have triggers that trigger some paranoia. If i avoid those triggers im fine.

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Depends on the individual. When I first started abilify at 10 mg I noticed a HUGE difference. But it wasn’t until I went to 25 mg that I felt fully well. I’m uncomfortable under 25 mg. I know @cj9556 is on a low dose of antipsychotics and has had really good results. So it depends on the individual. We’re all somewhat different. I know abilify at a low dose acts more like an antidepressant with antipsychotic properties rather than a typical antipsychotic so yeah it depends.

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If you feel good on a lower dose, that is awesome! Before my accident I was only on 40 mg of Geodon, which is only the lowest titration dose. But it worked for me, so my doctor didn’t increase it at all. For a while after my concussion I needed to be on 120 mg, but now I am back down to 60 mg. At my next appointment, my doctor said she will lower me back down to 40 mg. I think we should all be trying for the lowest effective dose possible.

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The lower the better, as long as its taking care of your core symptoms, and it seems like its doing a good job so far.

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Im asking because if im fine on such a low dose then i have hope that maybe i could be without meds.

What do you guys think?

Ill talk with my pdoc about this next time i see her. We already discussed about going off meds.
But if i relapse or if my symptoms return then i wish i could be on such a low dose. It wouldn´t bother me to take such dose. I had more side effects on higher doses, lack of motivation and energy was the worst. I feel much better now that im on a low dose. Even my libido returned a bit. But just a bit :smile:

If you go off your meds and relapse, you might not be able to get back to your low dose. Statistically, each relapse makes us need stronger doses to get back to normal. Why do you want to get off meds if you don’t have bad side effects?

Through trial and error, I have found that I am at my best on a low dose of Geodon, and I do worse when I am off it entirely.

Like @Wave said, less is more. Antipsychotics do have adverse effects, and the higher the dose, the worse the adverse effects.

I find that my medication strategy is effective. I take just under the max dose of Geodon and I take meds for side effects (three meds for them) and well yeah it’s a problem but it’s still better than no meds. I have high blood pressure, a bit high of a heart rate, gastric reflux and akathisia. I take a med for each of those.

But what you should know is that the antipsychotics are the heavy hitters. They are in a class of drugs called “major tranquilizers” and they live up to the name.

You don’t want to be on any more “major tranquilizer” than you absolutely have to be on. I’ve been on higher doses and different meds, and wow the side effects were like replacing schizophrenia with problems just as intrusive. I mean akathisia that made me literally kick my leg like a mule (latuda) or sedation and weight gain and hunger like I had never imagined (Zyprexa). Zyprexa also causes diabetes rather often. People are known to gain tons of weight on it.

So yeah, less is more.

You might have to settle with being treated and not cured. I have chronic symptoms regardless of my meds, I go to therapy and study psychology to deal with it. The thing is, I can disregard or cope with the symptoms effectively to where I function like a normal (maybe higher than normal to be honest) person because of the lower dose of the major tranquilizer. Any more of it means intolerable side effects and mental “retardation” is what I call it- being drugged out and sedated and looking for coffee wherever I went. Not having normal emotions. Having one zombie ass mood.

I suggest learning to deal with the slight paranoid thoughts you said are still active.

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Because i only had one episode and i need to see if i need them and if i can be without meds. I still have side effects.
You see, you tried being off meds, you found out your truth… Many people go off meds to see if they need them. And some of them succeed. I wont get that off my mind until i try, so try to understand that. If i relapse so be it, ill go back on meds.

My very first episode 1mg respiridone pulled me out of it and I stayed stable.

I was on 6mg of risperidone at the hospital. Went down to 3mg of invega in a year. Guess it can be more effective than i thought.

Do not go off your meds. If you feel better, it because of the meds.

I do understand. I’ve been there. And I guess for 1/3 of us, going off meds works. It just seems like a big risk to take. It took me over a year to get back down to 60 mg after my relapse. I think the reason most of us say not to do it is because we want others to learn from our mistakes. But life doesn’t work that way, and people don’t work that way. Sometimes you just have to find out for yourself. I do hope you’re in the lucky 1/3! I wish I was!

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Yeah you´ve been there. Glad you understand. I believe most people do. I know you mean good but, as you said it sometimes you just have to find out for yourself.

I know its a big risk im not naive but i want to risk for my peace of mind. You grow from every experience in life.

Do not go off meds. In China,if you have sz,you need to be on med for life.Every relapse will be worse and you need to take more meds to be normal.
I take 40mg ziprasidone,which equals to 5mg olanzapine.My pdoc told me I need it for a long life,maybe the rest of my life.

If it is controlling your symtpoms I wouldn’t be concerned. I take 80 mg X 2 Geodon and 400 mg X 2 Seroquel. That is what I need to control my symptoms.