Mental Health Coming Off Invega Sustenna (Paliperidone) v.2

[Shay96]

**Just trying to be objective**

I can't help but think the damage from invega is permanent.
I would love to hear a recovered person's story, to get their description of healing.
I know that it seems possible, but a lot would have to change for me over the next few monthes given the condition I am in now. Life is bearable, but I am lobotomized. Obviously, I am a disabled person and not a day goes by that this fact doesn't smack me in the face. Brain damage from invega is brutal and recovery would mean some major reconnections in places that are currently dark and/or numb. This is such a difficult subject to discuss because it deal in the subtle cognitive workings of the mind.
This experience gives you an appreciation for the majesty of the natural human nervous system ; a prefrontal cortex for personality, a frontal cortex for human relationships, and even a hippocampus to FEEL music. My God, what a blessing and marvel life is. I only hope to feel the vigor and thrill of being free, one more time.

peace to your spirit

If you can be bothered to go through the pages of this thread then you will find a few recovery stories and most of the people posting here have been off the drug for not very long. Google 'badrobot invega bluelight v.2' to see his posts. He claims to have mostly recovered and also google 'decisive invega bluelight v.2' to see her posts. She claimed that at 10 months she had recovered and came back later saying she is even better. I have talked via email with another guy who said that he had recovered all of his cognitive and bodily functions and went on to manage a plant. I have also seen other cases on here where people have said that they've fully recovered.

Most of the people who recover and don't post usually do it because they want to put this whole experience behind them and don't want to look through the forums, they're focusing on getting on with their lives. There have been times when i've felt like this is permanent but i've seen a few cases around of people recovering from this stuff. It will take time but i think that you can recover.

 

[nnnbbvvv]

Trust me, I have been bothered to see all of their posts.

My question was whether a detailed description of their healing was available. It seems to me that Invega profoundly effects regions of the brain and their connectivity.

What I am interested in is whether recovery to these people means a return to functionality, or a reversal of some of these major structural and subjective effects.

If it is the latter , I am happy and look forward to it.

But, that would be amazing and is inconsistent with the positive changes in health I've had thus far. And again, would be amazing.

I sense your frustration in your reaction to my post, perhaps because I am questioning the central query and pursuit of this thread.
I think that many people go for a good attitude and attempt to be grateful for the progress they make.
I don't want to be a downer by questioning that progress, I am just fearful for those significant experiential markers of a happy life that I miss. I am concerned that recovery never truly means healing, and I would like to hear a more detailed description of healing. I would think that someone who found it would want to spread that far and wide.

It sounds like that at 10 monthes the flood gates open and big changes start to happen. Regions start to reconnect, receptors return to proper sensitivity, and sites form usual dendrite systems. That's great and it gives me a reason to get up in the morning. I would just like to hear more about it and what it felt like.

peace

**BTW note, I currently taking rhodiola rosea salidrinoside/rosavin extract. It is helpful and returns my physical energy levels. I recommend it , I get the powder from powdercity.com. It is quite affordable. **

 

[nnnbbvvv]

http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2010/03/the-secret-life-of-thelonious-monk/38128/

If anyone is interested, I've just being reading about Thelonious Monk's unknown life in this article. Turns out that one of the artists I admire most was given forced neuroleptics (thorazine) for "bizarre behaviour" during a show. I suspect that him being black had something to do with the drugging, as he was frequently experiencing discrimination. It makes me shriek to learn that Monk was given anti-psychotics as he was a savant and had a gem of a mind. Monk was abducted, taken to a secret location, and given large doses of thorazine , and it wasn't until his family saw him on the news that they could track him down. Monk was never the same after thorazine, complained touring was too exhausting. Nonetheless, his legacy is one of Jazz's most celebrated artists. I wonder how many significant people the neuroleptics have touched. I never knew about them and it's so obscure until it effects you.
Just sad to hear Monk fit into that sad old story . . . he was acting with bizarre behavior . . . detained . . . drugged . . . oh well shed a tear for the high priest of hard bop.

If you didn't know, Monk is huge, up there with Coltrane , Miles Davis and Charlie 'Bird' Parker.

Look him up! His music is catchy and will make your day brighter! Check out " Lulu's Back in Town "

 

[Pcnuttie78]

I am new here and just registered.. i am currently on invega and my last shot was 256 and i convinced my doctor to go lower dose now will be 78mg this friday shot.. ugh.. i really don't like this. This is the only second shot and i have SLIGHT schizophrenia. I have panic attacks now which i never had before i don't know if it has something to do with invega so i was prescribed ativan and only take it if i need to. Upon reading this thread it has totally shocked me what i learned. I sometimes lose interest in my games or i feel groggy. My sex drive is a bit messed up. Are there vitamins i can take instead of injections? I am currently taking injection and i despise the weight gain. I could use some advice! How to get off this without pissing off my family members. I am 38 yr old man.

 

[Pcnuttie78]

i am also coming off cannabis too. I love cannabis and i don't see why cannabis is a bad thing because it's a neuro protectant. Wouldn't smoking weed protect you from your head being damaged by invega?

 

[AlphaMethylPhenyl]

As a warning, no one here is a doctor, therefore cannot make judgments reserved for MD's.

 

[Pcnuttie78]

I understand.. i just wanted to see what users would say...

 

[copperdome]

I actually enjoy video games and movies more than before, like i said the anhedonia has gotten better. Truth be told i wouldn't bother with antidepressents, my psychiatrist kept telling me to have something but i've seen others on this thread take antidepressents and it not making a difference. Antidepressents have their own side effects and i don't think that you would want anymore side effects than the ones that you have now. Just wait it out. Give it a month or two and i promise it will be more bearable. I can't enjoy drinking or other recreational activities as much as before but i can tell you in all honesty that it is more bearable. Like i see the light at the end of the tunnel. I think of it like this, i am 4 months in, in 4 more months i will be 8 months passed my last injection and will have to wait another 2-4 months, most of the waiting will be gone and in 4 months i will be even better than now. Only issue is that i cannot bother working or going to the gym as i'm unable to. But i do feel better.

I have almost 3 months off of it and I can't wait til 4 or 5 months, I think I will improve a lot. I really hope so. I am at least doing better as my servere akathisia has went away. I was also having crying spells the first couple months out. I just can't stand the anhedonia. My games or youtube use to take hours of my time and fill me with joy. Now I feel like I may as well be staring at a wall. I am really glad to hear that has lessened for you because I am right behind you in my recovery and I hope it lessens for me soon. At least the akathisia has went away I couldn't have worked and I just got a job a couple weeks ago. I do hate though how I'm just as bored and discontent at home in my off time due to the anhedonia. F anhedonia really. Thanks for reading and helping me everyone.

 

[Shay96]

I have almost 3 months off of it and I can't wait til 4 or 5 months, I think I will improve a lot. I really hope so. I am at least doing better as my servere akathisia has went away. I was also having crying spells the first couple months out. I just can't stand the anhedonia. My games or youtube use to take hours of my time and fill me with joy. Now I feel like I may as well be staring at a wall. I am really glad to hear that has lessened for you because I am right behind you in my recovery and I hope it lessens for me soon. At least the akathisia has went away I couldn't have worked and I just got a job a couple weeks ago. I do hate though how I'm just as bored and discontent at home in my off time due to the anhedonia. F anhedonia really. Thanks for reading and helping me everyone.

That's good that you are working. What do you do for work? Because i have really lacked off when it comes to finding work but if you can do it then surely i can too. Do you think i would be able to work say in a liquor store? My friend works in one and says he might be able to get me a job there. I promise you that you will be better in a month. I think that with you working you will enjoy your time off more than i do now. Your anhedonia and other cognitive and physical issues should fade away but it will take time. If you are slim then you will likely get better sooner than i do.

 

[Shay96]

I understand.. i just wanted to see what users would say...

I am not a psychiatrist but i think that any psychiatrist who forces a patient to take injections of Invega should not be a psychiatrist. It ruins your life and stays in your system for too long. there are other anti psychotics with less side effects that are in pill form. Personally i would avoid them all together but if you feel like you need them then something like Latuda would be much better than Invega.

 

[copperdome]

That's good that you are working. What do you do for work? Because i have really lacked off when it comes to finding work but if you can do it then surely i can too. Do you think i would be able to work say in a liquor store? My friend works in one and says he might be able to get me a job there. I promise you that you will be better in a month. I think that with you working you will enjoy your time off more than i do now. Your anhedonia and other cognitive and physical issues should fade away but it will take time. If you are slim then you will likely get better sooner than i do.

I am just a dishwasher at a college. I don't like it but it is part of my plan to get moved somewhere else (I live in a small town without much opportunity) and get a better job by the summer. I definitely think you could do a liquor store with no problems. I would probably rather work there or at a gas station or something, but I am gonna stick with this until the summer break then hopefully move to a city and get another job. I am also a recovering opiate addict I have almost 4 months clean. So it has been a double struggle for me! At least I am starting to see improvements. Like I said the first 4-8 weeks I was crying all the time, I had akathisia, and my mouth would hang open and I would droll on myself. As much as I hate my life right now, I should focus on the positive in that I am not having the extreme issues I was.

 

[copperdome]

How long did you take the injection?? My anhedonia has gotten to the point where it's bearable. I don't enjoy media like I used to and have definitely lost a lot of motivation. I want to go back to work, but I'm terrified to ask for my job back after all this time. I know everyone is wondering what happened to me. I'm not even sure they would take me back. But I'm certain employment would help with anhedonia. My nurse thinks I should avoid employment and relationships as I quit my invega cold turkey after only 3 injections. But I'd rather have moments of psychosis than deal with anhedonia, it really is the worst feeling. My psychosis was also weed induced, something I've failed to give up but I am tapering myself off. I also feel like weed provides relief from anhedonia, so I'm trying to taper myself off very slowly.

I took the injections 3 times as well. I'm glad weed works for you. When I smoked after the shot it felt like I wasn't getting high. It's maybe a blessing in disguise as I don't want to be spending my money on that stuff anyway. Working hasn't seemed to help my anhedonia honestly, but I figured if I am going to feel miserable I may as well be earning money. I would love to hear more from those whose anhedonia has gotten better or at least lessened. How long have you been off of the shot hidden?

 

[copperdome]

I had a weed induced break on November 7th, had my first shot around Nov 11th, missed a follow up shot. So I actually only had 2 injections. I had another injection on Dec 7th and was due another Jan 8th but I declined. I first noticed signs of anhedonia in late November. I described it to my nurse as "feeling like death". She didn't acknowledge the feelings. I began to research online and discovered how anhedonia was ruining people, along with other potential side effects. So my last injection was Dec 7th but the damage was done. I experienced terrible anhedonia the month of December while staying at my parents for the holidays. Because I only had 2 injections I'm pulling myself out of this faster than many.

The weed does help with my initial symptoms, but I believe weed only makes anhedonia worse in the long run. Weed makes your brain think it can only feel good from weed. Couple that with a dampened reward system and it's a combo for disaster.

Things I've found to help:
1) Caffeine and 5 hr energy drinks
2) Any exercise you can muster
3) Cannabis in small doses
4) Forcing yourself to do things that used to bring you pleasure
5) Meditation
6) Probiotic yogurt, fruits, veggies

I feel like my brain is relearning its reward system but today was a better day. I went shopping which turned out to be fun and then had a frappachino(sp?) along with some weed and catching up on my favorite TV shows.I'm currently on disability which I am starting to hate because I know employment would put my mind in a good place.

sorry...get_well_soon.

I am close to 7 monthes out. I am at a weird point where I kind of feel better with more energy, but also can't quite enjoy things properly. . . So I just don't and act like a 5 year old while on disability. I just get high and watch tv. I don't even exercise much, because I don't feel like it. Naturally, I would feel like it, but with Invega, I don't even have an impulse to move a muscle.

Oh well , hope we all get better.

Weed induced break eh? What, were you yelling at traffic or something? Sucks they got you, I hate hearing those stories. Bummer, sorry buddy.

I am surprised weed is helping at all you guys. I was a daily smoker for 16 years and after this shot weed has almost no effect on me. I guess I can take some good from that bad, as I don't want to be spending my money on it any way. Has anyone else had recovery stories?

 

[copperdome]

Not me. I'm in a slump. Invega took something intangible away from me. I'm at the bottom of a hole, this is the worst thing that's ever happened to me. Hope I feel better next month, but like the old song say . . . . I'd give all my tomorrows for just one yesterday. That song used to be about relationships for me but now. . . shit, A day alone before invega was paradise compared to my days now.

I'm am sure you will get better eventually, the brain has an amazing ability to heal itself. As much as I have complained, I have seen improvements. The first 2 months I cried randomly and thought about suicide all day long. I think some of the people who are saying several months and no improvements maybe need medicine and perhaps do have mental illness. I am not one to judge, but there have been several recoveries. Perhaps we are recovering and it's hard to notice day-to-day but if you can remember how you felt months ago I'm sure you would say it's markedly better.

 

[swisscurrie]

I feel like the most important question is whether or not Risperdal/ Invega permanently damages the human brain. There are lots of studies on antipsychotics shrinking brain tissue, and blocking over 80% of dopamine and serotonin neurons for months on end can't be particuarly healthy for the brain. I don't even think the bastards at Janssen (inventors and distributors of haldol and invega) know for sure whether or not the drugs they sell are causing permanent brain damage to millions of people.

All competent psychiatrists know tha Haldol is a potent neurotoxin that permanently damages and degenerates the brain. But Invega was invented to avoid the high risk of tardive dyskinesia, extrapyramidal disorders and parkinsonism that was all too often a consequence of haldol "treatment". But if we look at the facts, Invega does block over 80% of dopamine+serotonin neurons in key brain regions and shrinks human brain tissue. So one could ask whether Invega and Risperdal are really much of an improvement over Haldol?

I was wondering if anyone who has the time would be willing to describe what life was like for them before Invega. I would also be interested to hear if anyone can describe their initial meetings with psychiatrists or their first hospitaliztion before being administered Invega. What were the symptoms of the psychotic break that you experienced? I was also wondering if people could elaborate on what a "weed induced psychosis" or psychotic break entails and what issues or problems in functioning were experienced during this break?

Was it mainly hallucinations or "delusions" that were the issue or was it more a complete disintigration in your previous level of functioning with symptoms such as severe social withdrawal/isolation and a decline in your social and role functioning?

I should also add that I'm interested because I have had similar issues with long term psych medication use inducing stubborn anhedonia that almost seems permanent. I was given risperidone for three months at the age of 9 and then kept on SSRI's throughout all of the rest of my development. I can relate so much with the desire to live a day in the paradise and fanatsy filled life prior to psychiatric drugging. I would give all of the rest of my life and future to just re-live a single week prior to being lobotomized with psychiatric drugs.

In my opinion any psychiatrist who feeds their poison to children or who administers antipsychotics to any living human should be jailed for life or in the most severe offenses possibly be given the death penalty.

 

[copperdome]

I can't wait to feel better. I am already way better than I was the first couple months after the shot. Wouldn't taking a dopamine promoter help since a lot of the damage is caused by the blocking of receptors? I had restless legs after the injection along with akathisia and I was prescribed requip (dopamine promoter) but I never really took it because it had a lot of side effects. I am also on anti depressant Wellbutrin which raises dopamine levels. I also take saint john’s wart and 5HTP which raises seretonin. Should these things help?

 

[copperdome]

I don't mean to sound too down in my posts, I'm just trying to shine a realistic light on a complicated matter. I really do wish you all the best and I hope that everyone gets better.

@copperdome - welbutrin might be dangerous. I just found out about the atypical stimulant bromantane, which might be beneficial to all of us. Perhaps look into that as a helpful supplement

Wellbutrin has helped in the past before this invega problem. I have been on it a couple months already and it helped me to quit smoking so I'm going to stay with it. I think getting on this thread and others like it has set me back a little. I didn't even know this was what was wrong with me before, and I think it was better that way. I thought it was just opiate paws. I know I will get a lot better, because I am already a lot better than I was. As much as I hate how I feel, I have to remember a month or so ago I would cry every day. I am at least working now too, a month ago I wouldn't have been able to. It just sucks to get off work and not be able to enjoy my off time.

 

[levarchknight]

I Dropped Invega Sustenna cold turkey 20 days ago will it taper itself off?

I have been taking 100 mg then 75 for a few months because I had dropped risperidone tablets (2mg) some time ago and got withdrawal symtptoms, my doctor mistook my depresision for schizophrenia, invega sutenna has a long half life of 25-30 days, does that mean that I can drop the injection and wait till the half life taper the whole thing out of my system since its a long time since it will leave my body? Will I relapse and get withdrawal symptoms or be fine without it? Please help because I dont want to go to my old evil doctor, and the only way to get a newpsychiatrist is in May, in four months from now, should I continue not taking anything at all or find a new psychtiatrist so that they can give me a smaller dose and gradually taper off that way?

 

[levarchknight]

What about the withdrawal from risperidone tablets? I got withdrawal symptoms from risperidone tablets, why is that?

 

[levarchknight]

I know, when I dropped risperidone I got a relapse

I was feeling psychotic when i dropped risperidone, how come i was experiencing symptoms from dropping risperidone?