Uzedy was just released in 2023. It’s injectable Risperidone given subcutaneously once a month. She prefers it to Invega Sustenna.
I will be starting 125 mg injections next week. Apparently you can go to 250 mg dosing, but we are starting in the middle. We can always increase with the next injection, but we can’t take away. We agreed on 125 mg.
We talked about the possibility of hospitalizing me for the first injection and then I would get out two or three days later, but we decided against that. Because I have already been on Risperidone since November, we know I tolerate it, so she was not requiring me to go inpatient, so I said hell no…lol!
I go straight from pills to depot. Take my morning 6 mg of Risperidone pills, then we agreed I will turn in all my pills to the pharmacist at the time I get my shot. No one, including me, trusts me not to mess with my med levels, even on injections, so I will be surrendering everything I have. I hadn’t considered that, but Chris did, and he’s right.
We also talked about something called a PAC Team run out of the community services board. They would only dole out one week’s worth of meds at a time, and would come to my house for that, and to administer my monthly injections. We decided against that option, at least for now, because I would have to split my care between her and the PAC pdoc, and I don’t want that. But I didn’t know that level of care is possible.
Because I take my Lamictal and Prozac with zero problems, we decided that I can defer the PAC Team for now. As long as I show up for my injections, we agreed I don’t need the PAC Team. If for some reason I start altering the way I take my other two meds, I get the PAC Team with no arguments. She said it’s a higher level of care, between outpatient, and then trying to keep people out of the hospital. So it’s up to me if I get it or not - keep taking my Lamictal and Prozac properly…show up for all my injections…there will be no issues.
The pharmacy will be handling everything. She is calling them tomorrow to set everything up, and then calling me to let me know my options as far as when to go. She said I may be able to go on Saturday, but I will probably wait until Monday or Tuesday since the pharmacy has longer hours and i have to Uber. Besides, I imagine they’ll have to order the injection. It’s likely thousands of dollars, and I’m guessing Denise will need to work with my insurance to get it approved before she can call the pharmacy.
In the meantime, I have Chris holding my Risperidone and physically watching me take the pills exactly as they are prescribed. We both think it’s sad it’s come to that, but when I said I was really embarrassed and ashamed, Denise said I totally shouldn’t be. I have an illness.
Looks like I will be the forum guinea pig for Uzedy then! I will put updates here so others can see how it’s going. Obviously we all react to meds differently, but it will at least give an idea of what it’s like. Depots aren’t new, but this version is.