• The Dark Side 💕 Welcome Guest 💕
    Posting Rules Bluelight Rules
    Notable Threads Urgent Hotlines
    Bereavement Mindfulness
    Suicide Support Anger Management
  • TDS Moderators: AlphaMethylPhenyl | Eligiu | deficiT

Mental Health Coming off Anti-psychotics Megathread

I am 7 weeks off zyprexa and my mood has been fluctuating. Some days I feel hopeful, other days I feel despondent and suicidal. Is anyone else having this?
 
I'm sure that's happened a lot--not surprising, as antipyschotics are frequently used for bipolar disorder.
 
When did he say that he has "bipolar disorder"? He says he stopped taking an antipsychotic for an unspecified reason and is experiencing mood swings, likely as a withdrawal symptom. Antipsychotics are wellknown for causing mood swings during withdrawal due to dopamine supersensitivity psychosis. Look it up. Non-psychotic people can become psychotic and show all the symptoms of schizophrenia while withdrawing from antipsychotics.
 
I am not bi polar and I was misdiagnosed as being schizophrenic. They thought I had psychosis, but they wouldn't listen to me, my ex was stalking me, abused me and I was scared of him. They forced me to take medication against my will. Then after I turned into a zombie, they said, yep-she's totally exhibiting signs of schizophrenia.

I have a lot of other issues-I think they might be permanent damage, not just these shifty moods.

I heard these mood swings are like windows and waves of healing. Idk what to believe anymore. I didn't know about dopamine supersensitivty psychosis. I'm going to have to look that up.

I'm not experiencing psychosis thank Gawd.

Does anyone else here have damage from antipsychotics? There's a withdrawal symptoms webpage for zyprexa, where many have posted about withdrawal, like tons of ppl. But oddly enough, no one really talks about how they've recovered.
 
These are the symptoms that I had while on the drug that are still persisting :

I have no thoughts in my head, no emotions, no motivation, acne on my face, back, neck and arms, dry mouth, I can't feel when I'm hungry, full, thirsty, I can't even tell if I have to go to the bathroom. I can't get aroused and have sex. I never feel tired, or rested, I go to sleep, and I sometimes have insomnia, I close my eyes and have a dead zombie sleep. I have vivid dreams, wake up 3x in the morning and my heart is palpitating, drenched in sweat and I'm quite flatulent. I have major issues with my short term memory. I also suffer from depersonalization and derealization. Does anyone what have the issues with their sleep/wake cycles, the depersonalization and their bodily functions? I feel like the days are incredibly long and difficult to get thru. It's like I've lost the concept of time - I think this is b/c I have no thoughts in my head at all.

Since coming off the meds I've had occasional diarrhoea, no appetite, I struggle to get food and liquids down. I have to force myself to eat/drink. Some mild nausea, a sick dying feeling in my stomach. I've been having a few days of feeling hopeful, but otherwise, I have crushing depression and suicidal thoughts. Slight anxiety, ruminating thoughts - mostly negative, crying spells (which I think have resolved, I just get teary eyed on the days when I'm in despair).

Invegauser:
You said that you've recovered? There are not many ppl on here who seem like they've recovered. Or sounds as disabled as me.

I'm confused. So are mood swings a sign of waves and windows? Or ame I just in withdrawal?

You're right about these psyche drugs being prescribed for various things. I've seen antipsychotics be prescribed for; schizophrenia, bipolar, schizo affective disorder, OCD, autism, anxiety, depression, insomnia. The spectrum is quite horrific considering the damage that these meds cause.
 
Swisscurrie.

I'm confused. I read that dopamine supersensitivity psychosis is classified as original schizophrenia symptoms. Hence why they prescribe antipsychotics to treat it, b/c it inhibits the overactive dopamine receptors.

I didn't read that it's caused by withdrawing from the antipsychotics. Maybe I just can't find the literature?
 
Invegauser. Your message inbox is full, so I'm posting here.

Sorry. I get overwhelmed by long responses. So, I might not answer everything.

In the 7 months that I was on antipsychotics, I was on Risperidone, Seroquel, Latuda, Paliperidone, Abilify and Zyprexa. Pill form only for all of them, except they wanted to inject me.

After seeing the psychiatrist, she said I was suffering from psychosis and she explained to me what that was. I didn't believe her, b/c she was telling me that I was seeing things that weren't there, which pissed me off and made me emotional, b/c I had been manipulated by my ex and I told her that and she completely dismissed that. After seeing her, I got freaked out one day and thought my ex was after me, he had physically abused me and was stalking me at work, at home and sending me messages thru text and email. I read something he wrote and totally thought he was going to harm me. Then they put me on these poisons and I started feeling suicidal and not well. I was medicated against my will. They said I was psychotic and that I didn't even realize that I was, hence why they medicated me against my will.

How are you still healing 4 years later? I thought that you said you've recovered?

I struggle daily to complete menial tasks. Things that used to be very easy are very difficult to do. Like washing dishes, showering, getting dressed. I feel like a zombie and have no thoughts in my head and I fucking hate it. I can't go back to my career, b/c I can barely function at home and my job is very mentally exhausting. (I'm a medical lab tech).

I wish they didn't misdiagnose me and put me on these poisons against my will. They have destroyed me and I don't think I'm ever going to recover. I thought that I would just take the poisons in the hospital to shut them up and get off them when I got out. I didn't think they were going to damage me, as I've taken antidepressants before and was fine.

Did you experience the feeling hopeful, positive moments also?

Thanks.
Brandi
 
I'm curious as to how I'll know that I'm on the road to healing. I thought having the positive moments were healing. But I guess it could just be mood swings and part of withdrawal.
 
So the more closely to doctor's recommendation of discontinuing medication, the more likely you'll be able to heal, mentally and psychically.

In the past, I did something similar--no high risperidone dose, zoloft, weed, and tobacco, in a two weeks time. It was not a good idea.

I think I do know how you fell and why people might attempt this. They want to be free from these horrible things that people up on their pulpit command us to take. We want control over our own lives. The reality is, unless in inpatient treatment or by court order, it's your choice.
 
Jamming83 Thank you!!!!!!! for your input on this thread as I cold turkey'd from 1mg Risperidone and 10mg zyprexa +- a week ago and have been going OFF MY ROCKER. I really though I've gone psychotic. Having the WEIRDEST mental symptoms I can't even explain, anxiety like never before and feeling completely removed from my surroundings, like I'm the only one alive and everything around me is fake or something (can't even explain this).

I feel better knowing this is WD's and not me losing it.
 
@JK25: jammin83 and Brandi81 used the words but depersonalization and derealization are common symptoms from taking AP or psych meds in general sometimes. trippy to go through isn't it. people have been known to experience these states of being during drug usage as well. anxiety is something psych meds and drugs also induce in a person. it starts when you first take them sometimes but usually happens towards the end of having them leave your body and you working your way through the rabbit hole they put you in. it is your anxiety trying to reach a natural state of being again. as long as it's tolerable then it should return to normal in time. if not some anti anxiety meds can be used temporarily until it passes. consult with a doctor as a disclaimer.

you explained it well and WD's definitely sounds like what your going through.

i took zyprexa pills at higher doses when i was younger, not much side effects for me but i've heard and talked to those who have had problems with it. risperidone pills i think i took towards the beginning of my trial and they didn't do much to alleviate what i was going through. but what i'm healing from has the same active ingredient in it as risperidone.

word of advice: in my and others experience before taking any injection make sure you try the pill form first. if that doesn't agree with you then the injections are something that might have more negative aspects that are harder to deal with. the four psych med injections that are similar in how people suffer, make them suffer longer if they are unfortunate enough to have negative interactions and actually target 4 of the same crucial receptors are - invega, zyprexa, abilify and haldol. (injection forms only) some people do have benefits from them but i don't advocate for or against any meds, just let people know of the collective knowledge.

the pill forms alone of the above mentioned 4 are pretty potent as it is. i've taken 3 of them in pill form and only one in injection form. it's a guessing game when it comes to taking psych meds because everyone is different but remember sometimes giving it time to allow a grace period to see if it works can be a struggle and a blessing. also you are your own best judge of whether something is working or not. like drugs, before taking a psych med do some research, it's good to be informed about it.

@Brandi81: if you read this sometime PM me please. i would like to know how your progress is going, whether you and others suffering from zyprexa injections got together and learned anything new plus i have talked to others who are suffering from the same injection from recently being put on it. think it's still a good idea everyone gets together and talks about it. take care and heal soon.

@jammin83: dude, great info in those posts. spam was much appreciated.
 
"remember sometimes giving it time to allow a grace period to see if it works can be a struggle and a blessing. "

I think it is important while I actually did end up not needing antipsychotics so i do agree with you. People have different severities and i think its important some people do not just stop their meds to see if it works.


"also you are your own best judge of whether something is working or not"

I also agree with you nearly all the time. But, i think some people may have such serious mental illness they are not able of judging if it is working or not. An example being one of my friends when i was involuntary inpatient had zero insight his schizophrenic symptoms werent reality. He was being released but if he judge what is or is not his illness i dont think he could judge if something was working.

I think basically there are always exceptions to everything where it could be harmful or dangerous to a minority but potentially useful to the majority.
 
If he can not judge what is or is not his illness*

Sorry phone doesnt allow editing
 
Antipsychotics are very serious. It's important *not* to go cold turkey off of them, according to what your prescription dictates.
 
@d1nach: apparently Ho-Chi-Minh and i like to do the repeater a lot but like jeremy irons once said "i only steal from the best"

disclaimers aside (because they're there for a reason) i agree with both of you. there are drawbacks to it like permanent long term side effects, severe PAWS and a harsh relapse back into symptoms if you have a mental illness. death is rare but known to happen as well. for those who don't have a mental illness it can screw up the brain and body chemistry if not give you a mental illness. AP's are a dangerous thing if you don't need them.

that first point you bring up just makes sense to me. life long experience i guess. stopping the meds at an appropriate time and with consult of professionals is a good way to judge if something is working or not but not always needed for the exact reason you stated. tricky stuff that one is.

that second point i agree as well. for those who have such acute symptoms who cannot tell the difference i only hope they have good medical professionals to work with and their parents or who ever is in charge of them as a ward are well informed also. otherwise those people who suffer extremely in some ways will only be experiencing more discord from within and can't communicate with anyone to get it to stop.

i have found it is a balance between patient and those around them who can lend an outside perspective generally speaking to see if the med is effectively working or not. we can't always rely upon others but we can't always rely on ourselves either.

the thing i don't like about psychiatry (or some other areas of life) is that the patient complains so much and doesn't give accurate or reasonable feedback to the doctor and the doctor doesn't listen or use the info for the purpose of effectively helping the patient to manage their symptoms. both of those kind of people are the reason there is a piece of paper in the waiting room for GP doctors that says "please limit your problems to two per visit" or why there are directions on shampoo bottles. the stigma goes both ways.

finding a good psychiatrist like i mentioned in another thread is a tricky thing but once you find one, you hold onto them. finding good patients is equally as difficult. it's a process and the steps have to be worked and evaluated otherwise what's the point.

thanks for bringing up the topic of exceptions and it's good to hear you did not need the psych meds after all.
 
What about if someone has suffered from the invega. I hear 8 to 14 months recovery time.. I had a booster n a 234 mg few days later. It's been just over 8 months. Still don't have much ambition at all. But I'm healthy as fuck.....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top