Mental Health Abilify vs Xeplion (Invega) injection

[fyrehydrant]

Greetings,
I suffer from rapid cycling primarily Mixed Mania episodes.
I'm facing a serious question right now, a new batch of Xeplion injection has arrived for the first time where I live, I'm already enlisted to take the shots for a year and its one time chance, if I don't take it now I may not be able to in a long time.
My doctor told me they're only giving it to "intellectuals" and people of "high cognitive ability" because it helps retain that ability and improves on it.

On the other hand I've been reading here that Abilify is the better treatment, generally speaking and when it comes to side effects wise.

Since Abilify will be available any time I request it, do you think I should pursue the injection instead?

 

[bingey]

I am on abilify and it's the first antipsychotic that is bearable side-effect wise. However everybody reacts differently.

And your doctor is full of shit btw, a drug for intellectuals that's lsd maybe...

 

[n3ophy7e]

My doctor told me they're only giving it to "intellectuals" and people of "high cognitive ability" because it helps retain that ability and improves on it.

It does seem a bit odd that he would say that.....I haven't heard of that reasoning before.
Unless your treatment is court-ordered, it is ultimately your choice which way you go. But as bingey said, everyone reacts differently to psychiatric meds so I guess you won't know until you try one or the other.
Will the Abilify be the injection form as well, or tablets?

 

[fyrehydrant]

thank you all,
about the part of being helpful to cognitive abilities, I think my doctor thinks that would be an incentive for me to try the medication since I've been adamant on getting ADHD meds instead.
Abilify would be in tablets form instead of an injection.

I'm still unsure of which one I should get, tomorrow is the injection day and I need more counts to make the decision today, I hope you all can recount to me your experiences with the drugs

 

[Jabberwocky]

I didn’t find any cognitive impairment on Abilify. In fact my academic performance improved quite a lot while I was on it. It also did wonders for silencing my constant negative ruminating thoughts.

I do think it made me somewhat hypersexual as a side effect, but not in an extreme or unmanageable way. I was just horny every day and usually needed to have sex before I could sleep (luckily I had obliging partner at the time).

Apart from that I also suffered from insomnia when I was on it.

However I have found getting of it very hard. It does seem to have a strong withdrawal syndrome despite it’s very long half life.

 

[Buzz Lightbeer]

My doctor told me they're only giving it to "intellectuals" and people of "high cognitive ability" because it helps retain that ability and improves on it.

There are some real horror stories on here on Invega injections, I cannot speak for your particular situation but after reading that........

Mental Health - Coming Off Invega Sustenna (Paliperidone) v4

Anyone know if " flat affect " or Blunted affect is a side effect of invega. Also does it go away?

www.bluelight.org

part 4!!

I probably too have ADHD (undiagnosed, as of now) and a bipolar disorder that has been developing over time, big struggles over the past 1-2 years (24 yo). I too suffer from what you describe as "rapid cycling primarily Mixed Mania episodes", or at least that's how I described them, and my psychiatrist is on board with that.

 

[fyrehydrant]

the multiple pages with V4 (meaning there were other threads) made my skin crawl
That is why I posted here seeking counsel,
My therapist is adamant that I don't have ADHD but instead Mixed Mania only, which I personally don't agree with but what can I do, my therapist is the only one that has been able to "properly" diagnose me after years of being knocked out with the wrong drugs by many other doctors...
Also any amphetamine based drugs are illegal here, so even if I'm diagnosed with ADHD my choices are very limited and there are no stimulant drugs available for me which is crazy...

 

[fyrehydrant]

I took the invega shot today, if anything happens during this month, I'll stop medication and demand ADHD meds
otherwise I'll stop the entire treatment and be done with this shitshow

 

[n3ophy7e]

I took the invega shot today, if anything happens during this month, I'll stop medication and demand ADHD meds
otherwise I'll stop the entire treatment and be done with this shitshow

All the best with it mate, I hope it gives you some good results Keep us updated if you like, we're always here if you need help.

 

[MissMel]

Hi. I'm receiving abilify shots despite my wanting too. Since I've started taking, about a year now, I've gained 60lbs, I cannot sleep more than 1,5 to 2hrs at a time and my muscles from head to toe keep twitching. At the time when treatment initiated I'd been suffering from all day hallucinations and talk shows about various topics. It was magical and very cool but I knew something was wrong. Would often feel as though my body would encounter magnetic fields as I'd have difficulty moving againts an invisible current. Today I hear and see nothing and sometimes feel bored of this as it brought me much entertainment at one point. It wasn't all great all the time. I often was paralyzed with fear for periods of a week or more because of the stories and suggestions and things I'd see as proof to what I was hearing them tell me.

 

[n3ophy7e]

Hi. I'm receiving abilify shots despite my wanting too. Since I've started taking, about a year now, I've gained 60lbs, I cannot sleep more than 1,5 to 2hrs at a time and my muscles from head to toe keep twitching. At the time when treatment initiated I'd been suffering from all day hallucinations and talk shows about various topics. It was magical and very cool but I knew something was wrong. Would often feel as though my body would encounter magnetic fields as I'd have difficulty moving againts an invisible current. Today I hear and see nothing and sometimes feel bored of this as it brought me much entertainment at one point. It wasn't all great all the time. I often was paralyzed with fear for periods of a week or more because of the stories and suggestions and things I'd see as proof to what I was hearing them tell me.

Hi @MissMel and welcome to Bluelight Thanks so much for sharing your experience with us Do you overall feel that Abilify has helped you? Or do the side effects make it not worth it?

 

[fyrehydrant]

I'm not feeling myself today, I'm agitated and feel under pressure, is that normal after taking the shot ?

 

[bingey]

Feeling restless and or agitated is a very common side effect from antipsychotics often this also manifests as an urge to move.

 

[fyrehydrant]

Akathisia, anxiety, stress, agitation, moderate paranoia and more...
what the fuck is this medication, I've tried different medication and APs but nothing as strong as this one

 

[bingey]

Sucks, a long lasting benzodiazepine might bring some relief maybe?

 

[fyrehydrant]

benzos are too weak for me, I'm on Venlafaxine which is a strong SNRI, it works wonders but with risperidone it feels like it does nothing, let alone with Invega

 

[LivingOnValium]

I took the invega shot today, if anything happens during this month, I'll stop medication and demand ADHD meds
otherwise I'll stop the entire treatment and be done with this shitshow

LOL

It doesn't work like that. Demanding an abusable medication when you do not have the suitable diagnosis for that is just going to get you in trouble. Just get back to the drawing board and come back with a better game plan buddy.

 

[bingey]

LOL

It doesn't work like that. Demanding an abusable medication when you do not have the suitable diagnosis for that is just going to get you in trouble. Just get back to the drawing board and come back with a better game plan buddy.

The abusable meds aren't prescribed in his country so I don't think the OP wants to get high off his medication

Apart from that I kinda agree that his plan is flawed, banging on the table rarely works with doctors

 

[AlphaMethylPhenyl]

LOL

It doesn't work like that. Demanding an abusable medication when you do not have the suitable diagnosis for that is just going to get you in trouble. Just get back to the drawing board and come back with a better game plan buddy.

I might offer the same sentiment with a more realistic attitude. Maybe if you're on your antipsychotic meds without any recreational drugs for five or ten years, it might be an option. Oy, the trials and travails of life.

 

[fyrehydrant]

I actually get the medication I want just by asking, even ask for different dosages
my doctor knows that I'm knowledgeable so as long as my "demands" are reasonable and fall under her treatment plan, she doesn't contest