My aunt keeps getting afraid I will come off them… she’s a social worker… but she forgets that it was the pdoc who took me off them the first time and I never went off them without consulting someone… also I was on the meds for 10 years and had no problems with psychosis … she rekons I can come off them again but for now I have to take them… I hate it and I wish I never took sertraline… as thats what caused it…
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It’s unlikely the meds caused psychosis if that is what you are suggesting?
As for coming off of them. This would only be possible if a dr thinks you are able to handle stress and are in an environment that is suitable to you. This is what the drs told me, I’m also due to be off of them. However I’ve taken the decision to keep using medication.
Personally. Medication is a good protective force, when the right one is used…
No it is likely as i experienced psychosis on them the second day I started and I was off antipsychotics for months before that… the antidepressant caused it but then they still increased it… had to wait for it to be out of my system before they gave me an antipsychotic again…
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Also. Your aunt really should not be in a position to question you and your drs. She isn’t medically qualified to begin with, and then, she is not your guardian either I take it?
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Well shes a qualified social worker and she had to intervene because they wouldn’t give me antipsychotics… they put me in observation. she pushed them so I could get out of hospital quicker cos I kept being beaten.
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Whilst I may sound contradictory. The same thing happened to me.
When I went into hospital for use of a substance. I was given a medication. And I felt as though that medication caused me to hear voices (I wasn’t aware I had heard voices previously)
However when I reflect, it wasn’t the case of voices that was an issue for me. It was the case of paranoia.
On medication, paranoia is usually eventually stemmed, even if, at first you feel like the symptoms are being caused by the medication. From my experience.
I see. She has your best interest then.
She may be aware of cases where meds have proved vital or useful for others?
In which case, you should speak to her about what it is that is confusing you.
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In the initial psychosis which happened 10 years ago I had no voices and it wasn’t so extreme I was complaint hence no psychosis … I have spoken to her and she agreed with the pdocs it wasn’t schiz but I don’t agree with that anymore I think it maybe. But I don’t get answers so I feel confused
This feels very very similar to me.
In my initial diagnosis, I didn’t experience it as typical psychosis at all. It was just a case of bad depression.
My label is “psychotic disorder - bipolar type” and not even schizophrenia however I strongly believe it is a case of schizophrenia.
What is confusing you specifically?
So he told me I present differently and one psychosis was not enough to tell me I have schizophrenia… but now I have a second psychosis surely he’d change his mind on that… even though the second one came 10 years apart… i have psychosis bipolar type as previous dx so I am pretty annoyed they thought giving me an antidepressant with no mood stabaliser was acceptable… i did threaten i felt like I wanted to die a day before I went to hospital with the psychiatrist… he said its a threat so I have a personaity disorder and kept me on the sertraline with no mood stabaliser… then claims he never prescribed it at that high a dose.
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Okay. That is shoddy practice and dangerous. If he actually claimed he didn’t proscribe a medication after doing so?
Could it be possible a different dr. Proscribed the that medication?
In empathy to your situation. I have also experienced drs who proscribe “carelessly”. So I do believe you have a point as to why you should be confused.
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I think he doesn;t care with covid… plus i have proof he prescribed it with the gp letters…and his signiture…
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It could be a mistake on his behalf. Not much can be done about that.
You should try to mend the relationship with him. As it will better serve your care.
It’s very likely that drs only make mistakes under duress or stress, it is unlikely he did the proscription to cause grief or that he said he didn’t proscribe to cause deception.
If he is agreeing to let you no longer use medication. Does that not mean he is doing what he believes you are presenting is warranting that decision ?
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Antidepressants sent me into my major psychotic break, also. Since being off them I have had no positive symptoms. Between that and my sleep apnea diagnosis, my doctors now feel comfortable treating me for sleep disturbance rather than psychosis. I’m doing a slow wean off geodon right now while taking other meds for sleep. It is working well, so far.
This is just to say I believe you that the antidepressants caused your relapse, and I agree with your aunt that after you stabilize, you might be able to wean down again under a doctor’s guidance. Hopefully a different doctor, though.
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Well I dont think I am seeing him again but i never see the same pdoc again and thats the frustrating part… in 10 years i might have seen the same pdoc twice but only two or three visits.
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Yes a different doctor and I hope to come off in 5 years depending on what the diagnosis actually is… 5 years is a long time… and I think i am being sensible if I do it with their approval again. if they say no i won’t do it obviously
Are you based in the UK? (You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to)
Because I am, and initially, it was the same for me. My case was handled by different drs who collected notes and shared it, within the clinic/practice.
It was not till I had presented major problems in life that I was assigned a specific dr. I even felt, it was caused my the medication myself, as well as other stressors.
I would say even 18 months would be long enough, if you have zero symptoms in that time. But it’s all down to what you feel comfortable with. My doctors have been trying to wean me down for years, but I only just agreed to it in October because I was developing TD.
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Yes UK based and probably in the worst mental health dept in the country… the crisis line are pretty useless too … because i can’t get through to my team i called htem who said they can’t do anything and refer me back to my team… its that grenfall tower crisis line that I use.
I agree I think I will wait 3-5 years but again it totally depends on dx. TD is what I am worried about but my dose is pretty low even at 15 i can ask to go down to 10mg again and stick to it.
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