In 6 months i will stop using medication as well.
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I might wait until I get settled into my new job.
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Great. Iāll never be able to stop taking APās. My mom said I looked better today. The only thing is I had a violent nightmare last night, first sign of withdrawal. I might force myself to take it rather than risk losing a job. Unless I decide to work somewhere else.
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To be honest, I donāt like the stats on relapsing after someone goes antipsychotic free.
The problem I am facing is declining health and most of it is directly linked to my antipsychotic, Risperdal.
I wouldnāt mind going on another antipsychotic, but I am taking a chance with my mental health. Lots of time antipsychotics seem to worsen the picture for me mentally or wreaked havoc on my physical health, like worsening my diabetes or messing with my hormones or thyroid.
Letās face it there are only a few atypicals that seem to be āsaferā.
Abilify - Latuda and Geodon.
I was on Abilify in the past and it was too stimulating for me, increasing my paranoia, anxiety and worsening agoraphobia.
I am a bit apprehensive trying Latuda, because it has strong antidepressant properties and antidepressant type drugs usually make me either manic,mixed or super anxious.
Geodon messes with your heart rhythm and I am too paranoid to try it really.
There is no such thing as a safe or gentle antipsychotic - the best thing I can do right now, is lower the Risperdal to a point where it will no longer pose a threat to me physically.
to be honest, I am kind of afraid to go antipsychotic free - I have a history of having strong grandiose delusions.
Antipsychotics are not just for paranoid schizophrenia - they sometimes become necessary for those people suffering from bipolar disorder, especially when psychosis is part of the picture.
Again I will be talking to my pdoc soon and go over my health and treatment options
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Maybe you shouldnāt reduce it. I would have liked Risperdal if it worked for me. It did calm me down a lot more. It just didnāt help the depression. Iāve also gained weight on Abilify, it does cause weight gain I think. It seems to slow my immune system. But it is safer than most anti-psychotics which do not work for me because of their side effects.
Iāll probably start taking it again. IDK. Everyone keeps saying Iām risking disaster.
Even though Iāve just started feeling more like myself.
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I have met some people who are doing well with out antipsychoticsā¦ But those people have a very strong support systemā¦ a therapistā¦ CBTā¦ a strong and stable support group or family.
No medsā¦ AND no supportā¦ AND no therapy or coping devicesā¦ Iāve never met someone who could survive that.
itās such a personal thingā¦ Iām not against people going off their medā¦ Yesā¦ for my personal reasonsā¦ It makes me cringe when I hear itā¦ because I have relapsed every time Iāve gone off them.
But I donāt know the behind the scenes of other peopleā¦ I donāt know how many people have a crisis team or who helps them get through their dayā¦ I feel I lucked out in the family departmentā¦ very strong and loving familyā¦ and I still relapse when I go off my medsā¦ I see that now.
Maybe the best you can do is pay close attention to your moods and functioningā¦ donāt hold back with the docā¦ If your going med free and the doc can help you do this will less painā¦ and no loss of jobā¦ itās something to discussā¦
Congratulations on the jobā¦ Good luck.
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It should say with big typos that Abilify destroys memory.
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My point exacactly. Better have a solid health. And the meds have been a nightmare og side effects for me.
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meds have made me fat and stupid well the ones im on now thatās all imchanging them in January want to have a nice xmas before the torture fest of withdrawals.
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I like myself better off medication too. I donāt want to become disabled though, and if my Bipolar starts getting worse I might start becoming impulsive. Iām starting to think itās too late to withdraw from it. I might need to start doing something else to help with my memory. My friend said he wanted to make me an herbal tea to help with the anxiety and emotions. I feel like I could probably handle that, without any extra help. But if I really do become delusional, then thatās the issue.
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Hi Starrynight, I hope things improve for you. Iāll keep you in my prayers.
Remember everyone - the research is showing that those people who donāt take medications generally die younger than those who do. While medications are far from perfect - they may be better than the alternative:
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I didnāt know thatā¦ I thought it was the opposite.
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Youāre saying what you want to believe - there are no evidence that Iām aware of to support your claims.
This is a very large study - over 20,000 people - so I think its pretty accurate.
I know you donāt want to believe it - but donāt let your bias get in the way of accepting well-done research.
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meds give you diabeties metabolic syndrome and brain damage do they not?
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and what about the factor of quality of life its a lot easier to drug people into a numbed out stupor theyre not a problem anymore they can dribble and watch tv.
zonked out on phyciatric drugs isnāt really living. it isnāt really dying either its in the middle.,
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For me itās a necessary compromise.
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