My new psychiatrist, who I only just met today, wants me to try injections of the drug Abilify. I’ve been taking 20 mg of Abilify (in pill form), every day, for years. While on Abilify, I still hear voices whispering in the background and some of them are insults and threats. Some voices get through louder. Still, the pills are a huge improvement over being totally unmedicated. I thought I was reasonably ‘high functioning’ or ‘lucid,’ for lack of a better word.
However, the pill has a lot of side effects like fatigue and the doctor is eager (maybe too eager) to try me on injections. I don’t know if I want to trade the devil I know for the devil I don’t. I’ve seen some of the reviews for the injectable version of Abilify. There are so many side effects. But I don’t want to be a coward either. What if this drug can improve my situation drastically? Then again, what if it gives a me a serious side effect, like falling over unconscious (I live alone, so I’m very worried).
How do I make an informed decision? I feel like I’m being pressured by a doctor who doesn’t know me that well. I should mention that he did tell me to go and Google it on the Internet, so I’m gathering more information.
Swan I’ve been on LAI of an old Brand that causes a lot more side effect than the maintaina. My personal experience with LAI is that they causes fewer side effects than the pills and they work better for psychosis. I’ve been using Clopixol depot for 27 years. The days I didn’t want pills the injection protected me from getting admitted.
For some weeks I took less pills that the Shrink expected so my moods got all over the place so I’ve been ordered to take 750 mg of qutiapine.now.
Most of us Schizophrenics don’t like the idea of taking antipsychotic pills so the injection surely has found it’s place in modern psychiatry.
@Niels_Hansen Thank you for the feedback. What’s LAI? I never remember acronyms. One thing that took me aback was that I didn’t think my condition was serious enough to warrant injections. I mainly hear things and am paranoid, but I’m stable otherwise.
I take my pills like clockwork (and because of this, I’ve never been admitted to hospital). I’m super organized and check the pills off in my day planner. I may not be able to hold a job right now, but I’m able cook (sort of), get groceries, and take care of my apartment.
Injections seem more dangerous than the pills. Maybe it’s just the invasive nature of the injections that’s freaking me out.
I never was forced to take my depot injection but found that convenient because I somedays skipped meds because I didn’t like the idea of taking antipsychotic pills.
If you are super compliant and you ain’t super plagued by psychosis then I see no reason for maintaina.
So save the state money and just continue to take the Abilify pills.
I never wanted injections because I feared when starting it if I had a bad side effect I couldnt just “discontinue” since the injection would be already in my system, and I would have to wait for it to wear off. Whereas if it were the pill I could just stop it. Plus like you I am super compliant. Maybe carefully think about it.
Thanks for the feedback. Aside from the new psychiatrist, I have a physician who helps me manage my diabetes (type 2), and a therapist who I’ve seen three times so far (I was on a wait-list for nine months). The physician and therapist are very good. I’m not happy though, because I feel a ton of fatigue which the psychiatrist says might go away on the injection. But I’ve risked so much to be taking everything I’m on (I’ve got diabetes too and am on meds for that).
How much can I play this med-game before something horrible happens? I can’t easily get a second opinion, because there’s a doctor shortage in my area. Though, there’s a mental hospital I can get in contact with. I don’t know if they can help me.
My previous psychiatrists knew me well, but they’re both retired now.
This new doctor sounds very judgmental too, making comments like, “You don’t like change, do you?” And when we discussed my situation of being single/isolated/lonely, he invalidated the bad experiences I had, by saying there were lots of caring, understanding people out there. I said, “That wasn’t my experience.” I faced a lot of discrimination on the dating scene. I ran into verbal abusers. People who tried to shame me for not being able to ignore the voices. People who told me that ‘nobody has a mental illness and I’m just a person who’s experiencing these things.’ It was a disaster. I put that path behind me as an option.
Anyway, I should stop typing before my whole life story comes pouring out.
I have the opposite problem, instead of psychiatrist pushing meds on me they are reluctant to prescribe me medications. I was told that pills cant fix certain things, like our emotions. Sometimes I have to accept that I am neuro-divergent and wont ever experience full spectrum emotions. This caused earlier people to think Im depressed or apathetic. Its not that, I just dont feel the same way others feel. Empathy has always been extremely hard for me. I care a lot, care a ton. Just the whole putting myself in others shoes take imagination and dedication.
Im about to reach a settlement over forced Abilify and Thorazine. An attorney reached out to me from the Senator’s office. Its also over stolen backpay from Manhattan.
Because if I truly do have schizophrenia Im entitled to the SSI and if it was all a lie, than it wasnt to help me it was just for insurance purposes.
One thing that took me aback was that I didn’t think my condition was serious enough to warrant injections. I mainly hear things and am paranoid, but I’m stable otherwise.