I’ve been in communication with my doctor about tapering down on my dose of Invega Sustenna (due to weight gain). My current dose is 156 mg, which I’ve been on since Aug. 2012. In Dec, he talked about wanting to taper me down to 117 mg. But I wasn’t ready due to school/work/family stressors.
Unfortunately, I think I may have had a combination of anxiety and extrapyramidal side effects from the medication. So I’d been admitted to the ER this morning, but was quickly released as they deemed it an anxiety attack coupled with a bout of influenza-type symptoms. (I’ve been taking a lot of various supplements, without properly tapering, which I’m thinking, may have likely triggered the issue.)
I’d also been reading that these drugs do cause a worsening of both positive as well as negative symptoms, and because I now work and go to school part-time, I’m even more fearful about what the possible outcomes might be.
Are there any others out there who’ve been working and going to school on the side, while attempting to taper down on these medications? What might have been the outcome, and what might you have done to help mitigate symptoms?
I’ve been noticing this morning, that it’s like a thousand needles prickling me all over … It’s an excruciatingly painful feeling … and I just want to be safe, while carefully navigating through the process.
I’m open to any input that anyone might be able to give.
Not to discourage you but stopping my Abilify was the reason it took me 8yrs to finish my university degree instead of 3yrs. I stopped meds for 2yrs, went crazy and psychotic almost killed myself. Was sent to mental hospital by 4 cops.
Aziz, I’m not intending to go completely off my medications (at least, not yet). My doctor is just wanting to taper me down by 25% (from 156 mg to 117 mg), due to the weight gain. Although I’ve heard of others wanting to harm themselves, with even a very small incremental change … and I’m real sensitive.
Oh I thought you’re tapering off completely. Yeah I recently went from 6 to 5mg Risperidone, 2 weeks ago. I tried 4mg but it didn’t workout. Good luck!
How did you manage to go down from a dose of 150 to 100? Were you on an injection or the pill? Might this have been your only med? Was it an easy experience … or a bit more difficult to navigate? Many thanks.
I’m only on invega sustenna the Injection. My doctor told me he will be lowering the dosage last week didn’t start yet. I will be getting my first injection of 100 mg this week
Yes, I was orginally prescribed 3mg by my psychiatrist. I was released from psychiatric care for being too stable. I requested my family Dr to increase it to 4mg then to 6mg because of irritability, agitation and anger issues. On 6mg I had choking problems even in my sleep, I would wake up unable to breath for a minute. Now on 5mg I don’t have this problem. Its my family Dr, a gp, who manages my meds now, I have no psychiatrist. He can increase and lower dose but not change APs I think.
Aziz, Interesting. I wasn’t aware that a Dr, gp, could prescribe Risperdone. What part of the country might you reside? I’d heard it’s easier to find someone in some parts of the country, more than others.
Oh, interesting. Yes, I’d heard there might be some differences between Canada and the U.S. But it sounds like you’re on the right track. We just have to keep reminding ourselves, that slow and steady wins the race. Thanks again.
No, I never had a nurse here. Its always a psychiatrist or a gp family dr. Idk if we have nurse pract here, I imagine if there is my pdoc would have referred me to one. I know they have them in the US. It was my idea to both, to increase and to lower the med. The Dr agreed with me.
I imagine he will never let me go under 3mg as 3mg is the dose I have no sz symptoms on and what my psychiatrist prescribed. Before that I was on 80mg Latuda and before that I tapered off Abilify 20mg, it was a mistake. I relapsed eventhough my Dr tapered me off so be cautious as you can relapse even if your Dr agrees to stop your meds.
Interesting. I didn’t realize that you didn’t have nurse pract’s in Canada. Did you happen to notice if you ever felt an urge to argue with others or become irritable? I notice the same reaction in myself. Also do you work full-time or part-time? Do you have a financial safety net, in the event something doesn’t go right?