Coming off Invega/Xeplion (paliperidone) injections v 12

[InnerReturn]

You guys believe in an afterlife?

I've always been fascinated by the question of what comes after death. I don't think we can ever experience our own death, because the very observer who could witness it would no longer exist. In that sense, I imagine it would be similar to fainting—you never really perceive the exact moment of losing consciousness. As for an afterlife, I have a strong feeling that the story doesn't simply end. I like the idea that the body is only a temporary vessel and that consciousness—or the soul—continues in another form. Reincarnation makes the most sense to me, although I also think there are hints of it in the Abrahamic religions, especially in the idea that the soul is eternal. Of course, none of us can know for certain. It's simply what resonates with me

 

[silenthill]

Has anyone experienced the panicky akathesia side effect on weed and had it go away? When I smoke weed I feel really bad and I don’t want that to be forever, I know it lasts a while

it does go away, i had this exact same side effect. no issues with weed for years prior, right after invega i get shaky, full of panic and tossing and turning on my bed wanting the high to end. it lasted about four months after injection, fifth month it lessened to intrusive thoughts only. by month six i could smoke weed normally again.

 

[silenthill]

That’s actually pretty concerning have you told a doctor? It honestly sounds like bipolar especially with it happening at a regular schedule… the lows don’t always have to be extreme lows. Staying awake for that long can cause psychosis too.

i was recently diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and that can mimic states of panic and hyperactivity my doctor said. went undiagnosed for over a year. i always wondered why i had a swell and lump in my throat/neck after my invega injection. thyroid issues can be a side effect of antipsychotics, it sucks.

 

[InnerReturn]

Is there a correlation between post psychotic depression and invega recovery? I had similar symptoms during my last episode afterwards and at roughly 9 months i suddenly snapped out of it, but the difference was I could still feel nicotine and anxiety.. does anyone here know anyone thats not had anxiety and still recovered because not being able to even feel anxiety or depression is very unnerving like a constant limbo of suffering.. what inprovements have people had whilst feeling like a zombie? Has anyone not fully recovered yet but no longer feels like a zombie?

I feel like I'm somewhere in between right now. The zombie-like feeling is gone, but my emotions still haven't fully returned. They come back in brief flashes here and there—maybe they'll become more consistent with time. I think it could be because the limbic system simply needs more time to recover, and that seems normal to me

 

[InnerReturn]

Day 239: Music sounds a little better today

 

[Gdvffh]

Yes I do. In fact, Jesus has appeared to me in miraculous ways before and it was amazing. He knew everything about me and the way He looked at me, wow, it was filled with so much love and compassion, words can't describe it! He talked with me about the things I'm passionate about and knew that it makes me happy. If you invite Jesus into your life you'll be forever changed, and there is nothing better than spending an eternity with Him, both in this life and in the one to come. He is both my best friend and Saviour as I share everything with Him and no one understands me like He does. Even though the ordeal this invega drug has caused/is causing has been incredibly difficult, I know He feels the pain I'm dealing with because He suffered far worse on the cross, so He's not someone unfamiliar with our suffering. If anyone is interested have a listen to this, and I pray it gives you hope and courage:

You think suffering on the cross is worse? He suffered for a day we suffer for a year

 

[KubiKook]

.From what I've read, receptor recovery after antipsychotics doesn't really begin until the medication has been completely discontinued. But after Invega, you were prescribed two more antipsychotics. As long as they're still in your system, your brain remains under their chemical effects, so it may not be able to fully readjust. It doesn't necessarily mean there's no hope. I just wonder whether continuing antipsychotics could be one of the reasons recovery has been so difficult. By the way, I couldn't sleep after the injections either, especially after the third one, when I developed complete insomnia. I was taken to the hospital by ambulance, where they gave me IV fluids to support my organs, as well as intravenous amantadine and a course of B vitamins. It helped with the stiffness, but my brain simply refused to switch off at night. I remember lying there, staring at the ceiling, thinking about death. At the time, I genuinely believed I was dying. Eventually, they switched me to tranquilizers because I couldn't sleep at all, and after that I was discharged. Then something that felt like a miracle happened—I was finally able to sleep without taking any medication. I've now been completely off psychiatric medications for several months. I can't give medical advice because I'm not a doctor, but perhaps, in your case, discussing a gradual taper off antipsychotics with your psychiatrist could be worth considering if it's appropriate for your condition. You might also find it helpful to read about the role dopamine plays in the brain and how antipsychotics affect the dopamine system. If you don't have a condition that requires ongoing antipsychotic treatment, it's worth talking to your doctor about whether continuing them is necessary. When antipsychotics are discontinued, they're usually tapered gradually over a period of weeks rather than stopped suddenly. Done carefully under medical supervision, this shouldn't necessarily make your sleep worse.
Take care of yourself, Dan

Thank you for the suggestions & sharing your story. Yeah, I definitely wish I didn't go on these other meds. I should've figured out a different way to sleep. I went months with almost no sleep, tried numerous other option which didn't work, so I was desperate. I definitely don't need these drugs for anything else. Do you think it's possible to sleep without these meds at this point? I'm so destroyed. I'm wasting away, suffering endlessly. Did this affect your desire to eat & drink? How many hours of sleep are you getting? What do you do to occupy your day? Are you improving?

 

[KubiKook]

You think suffering on the cross is worse? He suffered for a day we suffer for a year

That's what I was gonna say. Although The Cross is more agonizing, I think it was 9 hours. I'll take that over 17 months of this.

 

[InnerReturn]

Thank you for the suggestions & sharing your story. Yeah, I definitely wish I didn't go on these other meds. I should've figured out a different way to sleep. I went months with almost no sleep, tried numerous other option which didn't work, so I was desperate. I definitely don't need these drugs for anything else. Do you think it's possible to sleep without these meds at this point? I'm so destroyed. I'm wasting away, suffering endlessly. Did this affect your desire to eat & drink? How many hours of sleep are you getting? What do you do to occupy your day? Are you improving?

I'm sleeping without any psychiatric medications now, and I usually get around eight hours of sleep. When I first got out of the hospital, my sleep was constantly interrupted by endless awakenings throughout the night. Now I sleep through the night without waking up, although I still don't feel that familiar sense of tiredness before bed that I used to have. I really miss that feeling. My appetite only started coming back recently. I can finally feel hunger again, but I still don't feel full after a proper lunch or dinner. On top of that, I lost my sense of smell and taste. At first, food tasted incredibly bland. It's a little better now, but it's still nowhere near what it used to be. I spend most of my day watching YouTube, listening to music or audiobooks. I still find it difficult to read on my own because my concentration isn't good enough yet. The same goes for motivation. I literally have to force myself to do stretching and a short workout in the morning. Sometimes I go for walks with friends. I'm still waiting for my emotions to come back. I really want to go back to work, and I'm also planning to apply to university. If I continue improving, I'll probably sign up for swimming and join a gym this month or next. I'm tired of this stagnation. Everything is changing so slowly. The waiting is killing me..

I think it's possible that you'll be able to sleep without medication again. It might just be a matter of talking to your doctor about gradually tapering them. Your brain still remembers how to sleep without medication—it was just thrown into a kind of toxic shock by the Invega dose. By the way, how long have you been taking antipsychotics?
P.S. Sorry if my message sounds a little awkward. English isn't my native language

 

[Invegatorment]

I tried to sleep without medication last night and it did not go so well. After maybe 2 hours, I gave up and took Ambien. I got less sleep than usual since it was late, but I succeeded in dropping the Seroquel as well as Ativan (0.5 mg).

Tonight I think I'll try to taper off of the Seroquel with a lower dose rather than completely dropping it. I'll also continue the Ativan since I've been on it for the last 4 weeks, so my body is probably too used to having it.

Whatever Invega did to my sleep function is still persisting, and I'm still unable to go back to sleep after waking. On the bright side, I felt much more alert and didn't have that groggy feeling from the Seroquel.

 

[AlphaMethylPhenyl]

I tried to sleep without medication last night and it did not go so well. After maybe 2 hours, I gave up and took Ambien. I got less sleep than usual since it was late, but I succeeded in dropping the Seroquel as well as Ativan (0.5 mg).

Tonight I think I'll try to taper off of the Seroquel with a lower dose rather than completely dropping it. I'll also continue the Ativan since I've been on it for the last 4 weeks, so my body is probably too used to having it.

Whatever Invega did to my sleep function is still persisting, and I'm still unable to go back to sleep after waking. On the bright side, I felt much more alert and didn't have that groggy feeling from the Seroquel.

Four weeks isn't that long imo. Especially if you're just taking .5mg.

 

[KubiKook]

I'm sleeping without any psychiatric medications now, and I usually get around eight hours of sleep. When I first got out of the hospital, my sleep was constantly interrupted by endless awakenings throughout the night. Now I sleep through the night without waking up, although I still don't feel that familiar sense of tiredness before bed that I used to have. I really miss that feeling. My appetite only started coming back recently. I can finally feel hunger again, but I still don't feel full after a proper lunch or dinner. On top of that, I lost my sense of smell and taste. At first, food tasted incredibly bland. It's a little better now, but it's still nowhere near what it used to be. I spend most of my day watching YouTube, listening to music or audiobooks. I still find it difficult to read on my own because my concentration isn't good enough yet. The same goes for motivation. I literally have to force myself to do stretching and a short workout in the morning. Sometimes I go for walks with friends. I'm still waiting for my emotions to come back. I really want to go back to work, and I'm also planning to apply to university. If I continue improving, I'll probably sign up for swimming and join a gym this month or next. I'm tired of this stagnation. Everything is changing so slowly. The waiting is killing me..

I think it's possible that you'll be able to sleep without medication again. It might just be a matter of talking to your doctor about gradually tapering them. Your brain still remembers how to sleep without medication—it was just thrown into a kind of toxic shock by the Invega dose. By the way, how long have you been taking antipsychotics?
P.S. Sorry if my message sounds a little awkward. English isn't my native language

I don't mean to diminish any of your difficult circumstances, but wow, you're doing so much better than me. It sounds like you're surely on your way to recovery. I'm actually getting worse.

Yeah, I'll try to get off these meds (I've been taking them for a year or so). They're definitely doing damage to my physical health too. I'm not sure if I'll be able to make it through this.

Your English seems quite good to me. Can I ask what your native language is?

Man, I really envy your ability to sleep with no meds. I also don't have that familiar sense of tiredness. I was just telling my mom that the other night. I miss it too. It's miserable to be reliant on drugs for my sleep. The hospital, doctor & judge should be charged with crimes against humanity for what they've done to me. I'm sure they've messed up many other people as well.

 

[YogirisingKundalini]

I don't want to be on any of this garbage, but that damn Invega withdrawal gave me complete insomnia, I really had no choice but to take these antipsychotics. What a misery! I can't imagine lithium or Wellbutrin positively impacting my ills at this point. Maybe I'm being foolish, I don't know, that drug has totally destroyed me, can another drug really be the antidote?! Ugh. Help!!!!

Please dont see the world in black or white for your own good, its not like whole pharmacology is bad, pregabalin is extremaly helpful in lessening the agony along with giving euphoria + less social anxiety, its safe and does not give long lasting side effects like big doses of antipsychotics do. Also kratom and medical marijuana with high cbd lower thc is perfect.

 

[KubiKook]

Please dont see the world in black or white for your own good, its not like whole pharmacology is bad, pregabalin is extremaly helpful in lessening the agony along with giving euphoria + less social anxiety, its safe and does not give long lasting side effects like big doses of antipsychotics do. Also kratom and medical marijuana with high cbd lower thc is perfect.

Yes, I know, not all medicine is bad, I agree, it surely helps some people, I'm not a black & white thinker, I'm a highly conscious person, I see the nuances in life. I'm glad you're being helped.

 

[InnerReturn]

I don't mean to diminish any of your difficult circumstances, but wow, you're doing so much better than me. It sounds like you're surely on your way to recovery. I'm actually getting worse.

Yeah, I'll try to get off these meds (I've been taking them for a year or so). They're definitely doing damage to my physical health too. I'm not sure if I'll be able to make it through this.

Your English seems quite good to me. Can I ask what your native language is?

Man, I really envy your ability to sleep with no meds. I also don't have that familiar sense of tiredness. I was just telling my mom that the other night. I miss it too. It's miserable to be reliant on drugs for my sleep. The hospital, doctor & judge should be charged with crimes against humanity for what they've done to me. I'm sure they've messed up many other people as well.

The fact that you're still here, still talking and thinking about how to get off the meds despite everything — that's already a lot. It's your survival instinct stubbornly doing its job, even if it doesn't feel like strength to you right now. I understand the rage about the hospital, the doctor, and the judge. What they did to you was wrong, and the fact that "Invega" pushes some people to such extremes should have been enough to stop all this. But it continues, and people like us have to pick up the pieces of our lives. It's deeply unfair. I don't know when sleep will return to you, but I do know it's possible. The brain always strives for homeostasis (balance) — it's just biology eventually taking its course. It just needs time. Please keep talking. Here, with your mom, with anyone you feel safe with. You're not alone in this, and your anger is completely justified. Just don't let it convince you that there's no way out. And yes, my native language is Russian

 

[KubiKook]

The fact that you're still here, still talking and thinking about how to get off the meds despite everything — that's already a lot. It's your survival instinct stubbornly doing its job, even if it doesn't feel like strength to you right now. I understand the rage about the hospital, the doctor, and the judge. What they did to you was wrong, and the fact that "Invega" pushes some people to such extremes should have been enough to stop all this. But it continues, and people like us have to pick up the pieces of our lives. It's deeply unfair. I don't know when sleep will return to you, but I do know it's possible. The brain always strives for homeostasis (balance) — it's just biology eventually taking its course. It just needs time. Please keep talking. Here, with your mom, with anyone you feel safe with. You're not alone in this, and your anger is completely justified. Just don't let it convince you that there's no way out. And yes, my native language is Russian

Yeah, the problem, as we've been discussing, is my brain can't find a natural balance while I'm still on these two meds. I very much appreciate your positivity, empathy & encouragement though. You're quite a person. Thank you for taking the time to act as counselor ; ) - What's your profession, btw? Time, eh? Ugh. Every second is so brutal. I can't really describe how excruciating this is.

Ah, Russian, I'm 1/8 Russian on my mom's side, also Austrian & Polish - Ashkenazi Jew. And my father's side is 100% Italian. I've often said, "I'm a Pizza-Bagel." Hee-Hee.

Anyway, once again, thank you, your responses are greatly appreciated. Ciao for now, Dan

 

[YogirisingKundalini]

Yeah, the problem, as we've been discussing, is my brain can't find a natural balance while I'm still on these two meds. I very much appreciate your positivity, empathy & encouragement though. You're quite a person. Thank you for taking the time to act as counselor ; ) - What's your profession, btw? Time, eh? Ugh. Every second is so brutal. I can't really describe how excruciating this is.

Ah, Russian, I'm 1/8 Russian on my mom's side, also Austrian & Polish - Ashkenazi Jew. And my father's side is 100% Italian. I've often said, "I'm a Pizza-Bagel." Hee-Hee.

Anyway, once again, thank you, your responses are greatly appreciated. Ciao for now, Dan

What meds u on?

 

[KubiKook]

What meds u on?

I'm stuck on Seroquel (100mg) & Caplyta (42mg) for sleep. I tried so many other options (when I had complete insomnia from the Invega withdrawal) that didn't work before arriving at these two meds. I'm trying to get off of them, but it doesn't seem like I'll get any sleep if I do. They're definitely causing some health problems. And I'm super groggy in the morning hours. I don't know what the heck to do, Yogi. I can't seem to win either way. I wish I still believed Jesus was coming to my rescue. Along with this hideous mess, I've been dealing with chronic Lyme disease
for 16 years. I thought that was bad. And it is. But it doesn't come close to the suffering I'm experiencing with this Invega fallout. Anyway, any thought Mr. Kundalini? ; ) -

 

[InnerReturn]

Yeah, the problem, as we've been discussing, is my brain can't find a natural balance while I'm still on these two meds. I very much appreciate your positivity, empathy & encouragement though. You're quite a person. Thank you for taking the time to act as counselor ; ) - What's your profession, btw? Time, eh? Ugh. Every second is so brutal. I can't really describe how excruciating this is.

Ah, Russian, I'm 1/8 Russian on my mom's side, also Austrian & Polish - Ashkenazi Jew. And my father's side is 100% Italian. I've often said, "I'm a Pizza-Bagel." Hee-Hee.

Anyway, once again, thank you, your responses are greatly appreciated. Ciao for now, Dan

Pizza-Bagel — that's honestly one of the best self-descriptions I've ever heard It's really good to see your sense of humor still intact through all of this. That's not a small thing. Your message made me think about something I've wanted to do for a long time. I would like to do a DNA test to determine my ethnic background, because I never knew my biological parents. I ended up in an orphanage right after birth and then in a foster family, where this was kept secret for a long time. Many people in my life have asked about my roots, and I always felt lost, not knowing what to say. Meanwhile, ancestry apps always gave an ambiguous answer: 60% Ukrainian and 40% Ashkenazi Jewish. I don’t know what to think about it. One day, I will definitely uncover at least half of this secret. It’s part of my story, and I want to know everything.
As for my profession, I’m a financier. I graduated from a financial and economic college. But I didn’t work much in this field because I was more drawn to creative work and science. I promised myself that I would definitely get a university education as soon as I feel better. Right now, I’m most interested in programming and UX/UI design, but of course my biggest dream would be to become a bioinformatician and work on genome editing (I find it very interesting and important for the modern world). What is your profession? And how old are you, if you don’t mind me asking? Oh, and I forgot to introduce myself — my name is Lara (short for Larisa)

 

[KubiKook]

Pizza-Bagel — that's honestly one of the best self-descriptions I've ever heard It's really good to see your sense of humor still intact through all of this. That's not a small thing. Your message made me think about something I've wanted to do for a long time. I would like to do a DNA test to determine my ethnic background, because I never knew my biological parents. I ended up in an orphanage right after birth and then in a foster family, where this was kept secret for a long time. Many people in my life have asked about my roots, and I always felt lost, not knowing what to say. Meanwhile, ancestry apps always gave an ambiguous answer: 60% Ukrainian and 40% Ashkenazi Jewish. I don’t know what to think about it. One day, I will definitely uncover at least half of this secret. It’s part of my story, and I want to know everything.
As for my profession, I’m a financier. I graduated from a financial and economic college. But I didn’t work much in this field because I was more drawn to creative work and science. I promised myself that I would definitely get a university education as soon as I feel better. Right now, I’m most interested in programming and UX/UI design, but of course my biggest dream would be to become a bioinformatician and work on genome editing (I find it very interesting and important for the modern world). What is your profession? And how old are you, if you don’t mind me asking? Oh, and I forgot to introduce myself — my name is Lara (short for Larisa)

Ah, both are very pretty names. I really like Larisa, has a nice flow to it. Although being a tomb raider is sweet too ; ) - Anyway, thank you for sharing. My guess is you're young, maybe in your twenties? Dang, I'm an old man, turning 55 on July 13th. I used to look very young for my age, no lines, was always in top-notch shape, boxing & bodybuilding, at one point, I tipped the scales at 205lbs, was pretty ripped at that size too. Ugh. Before this Invega stuff I was 160. Now, I'm down to 140, not really into eating or drinking much, I've mostly been forcing myself all this time.

So, a financier. Wow. I actually did financial consulting for a short stint in my 30's. Didn't love the suit & tie thing every day. Before that I lived in Tampa & owned a wholesale cigar distributorship, made quite a bit of money but wasn't happy in my marriage. I left & came back to NY in 2000. Your aspirations are pretty amazing, far different than my scope of knowledge.

I went back to school in 2007. I had a bachelor's degree in psychology. I got my master's in social work and then did an online doctoral degree in holistic theology, specialized in Metaphysics.
So, yeah, I'm Dr. Dan, Metaphysician ~ Spiritual Doctor, I like to say. It was a lot of coursework in mind/body/spirit medicine & nutrition, religious studies, astrology, yada-yada. I really liked it.

I worked with families in crisis, all sorts of issues, as a therapist for a short bit up in Catskill NY, and then got whacked with really nasty Lyme which forced me back to Westchester County.
I was in & out of work, eventually going on disability. That's when I really started getting into my creative outlets & lots of reading too. Things really started looking up when I moved into
my new house four years ago. I won't get into all that again. Sorry for the long bio.

I'm sorry to hear you were in an orphanage & foster care. I hope you were adopted by a good family. And you get all the information you're looking for with the DNA testing.

Are you a woman of faith, Lara? I lost all mine through this catastrophe. I question all my 'spiritual' experiences now. That's such a tremendous loss for me. Where are you living now? Age?

Alright, I'll stop babbling. Thanks for the back & forth & sharing a bit about yourself. Ciao & Shalom, Daniel David (first & middle - I guess the last name is a bit much in the public domain)?