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  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards

Help with medication situation?

S

sean107

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Oct 7, 2010
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Hey, I'm just looking for advice for how I would go about talking to my doctor about discontinuing my anti-psychotic medication. I'm on Geodon as a mood stabilizer, and I don't like it for many reasons, but I have difficulty talking to my doctor about getting off, because I have missed doses, and had psychosis like symptoms. Now my medication doctor doesn't pay much attention to this, she's more concerned with how discontinuation will effect my mood, however my psychiatrist is convinced I'm crazy and suggest not discontinuing it. Now where it gets tricky is that the reason I show symptoms of psychosis is because anti-psychotic medication withdrawal can cause short term psychosis. I am 99% sure this is what happens when i don't take it because the higher the dose I'm on the more severe it is. I guess I'm rambling somewhat so any advice would be helpful. Thanks.
 
Do you have anyone else you can take with you who might be able to help in explaining your concerns ?
 
Are you trying to completely discontinue antipsychotic therapy? I don't know your diagnoses but it might not be the best idea, you'll probably be better off switching to another medication.

What other medications have you used, and in what dosages, and to what success?
 
just tell him either to change the medication to something you can bare , or ur gonna stop taking it straight up . its your choice whether you take a drug , and if the negative side effects outweigh the benifits , then discontinue .
 
Rebalance your mind with whatever therapy helps. Including psychedelic therapies. Discontinuing the pharmaceuticals could be the best thing that you do for yourself before your brain is completely rebalanced with the chemical pharmaceutical that has been prescribed.
 
I do, but my biggest problem with explaining my concerns is that I shut down almost every time before I get into it, I get very self-conscious about it because I don't want them to think I'm just a nut case who doesn't like the medication. Plus one instance when I brought it up, I ended up blowing up because of a miscommunication, thus making it very uncomfortable to talk about it, and the only time I have found myself able to talk about it without these feelings is on prescription stimulants. So when I have been able to properly explain my concerns people wouldn't take me seriously because I was high. (Generally I'd take too much and act really tweakish). Therefor no one listens. I do also have problems deciding weather or not I need prescription stims. but that a whole different subject.
 
I'm diagnosed bi-polar of some sort which is why I'm still taking it, more so just because they don't want to take me off it and have a change in my mood since my mood is okay right now. But I was put on Rispradone originally, due to extreme anger issues (possibly due to discontinuing human growth hormone prescription, although doctors claim that is not the case) and a story I made up when I was like 7 of hearing voices, I made it up for attention though. Later I was switched to Geodon because of less side effects. I hate the medicine mainly because my emotions feel very robotic, and also because when I've gone without it, I crave drugs much less for what reason I don't know.
 
^^^

I can relate to some of what you are saying, it would be useful to know what you are taking and what conditions have been diagnosed as some people here may have direct experience of those drugs or know about there potential side effects.

Ultimately is is up to you what drugs you take but I think its vital that if you are going to take drugs for mental illness that you are comfortable with what you are prescribed and take them as directed. If you are then having problems the doctor knows exactly what drugs you have taken, skipping doses just adds a variable into the mix.

I can understand that you find explaining your view point difficult in those situations, they are stressful and you feel on the backfoot, which is why I suggested taking a supportive friend or relative with you, in the past I have been lucky enough to have my wife, TBH I still can;t even book an appointment, she does it for me as I find the reception people to difficult to deal with.
 
^^ Yes, I figured this out the hard way, the psychosis from discontinuation of Geodon was greatly intensified when on prescription stimulants. But I'm just curious why you think this? I mean if they were prescribed, what would your concerns be?
 
Something about Bi-Polar that the Doctors can help with if it is the right medication, is regular sleep. If you can find out about Valproate, Valproic Acid, and Di-Valproic Acid they are all the same prescription for Bi-Polar Disorder. Mostly for long term therapy and for mood control. The side effects are almost nothing, except for drowsiness that the body adjusts to. When you take the valproic acid every day for about a month and continue with the therapy for the long term, it helps with everything including sleep, moods and also the GABA / Melatonin balance so you almost always feel relaxed without agitation, frustration, and restlessness. There is some information about valproic acid online and it is actually a plant extract chemical derivative of Valerian Root, if the online resource is accurate. Hope this can help with the Bi-Polar and the possible side effects from other medications.
 
Umm, I've been on depakote - sodium valproate, didn't aid sleep or keep me feeling calm. It MIGHT work that way for some people, but it didn't for me, and I can't be the only one. OP, as I have discovered, there's no single magic pill for bipolar, what suits one, doesn't suit another. Also you gotta give the meds time to see if side effects become tolerable or you have another episode etc.
There's lots of meds anti-psychotics - newer ones like quetiapine and olanzapine - older ones like chlorpromazine (newer type are supposed to have more tolerable side effects, I personally found the reverse to be true). Sodium valproate. Lithium carbonate and citrate. There's loads. You could try one med, then have another added. Something else thrown in temporary. It takes time, it's annoying, you feel like a guinea pig. However, the main thing is you're willing to accept medication and counselling, so you should have a say when you really don't like something. But as you're finding out it can be hard to be heard. As the others suggest, take someone with you, explain it's not that you don't want to be medicated - you just want to try something else that may be more effective for you with less problematic side effects. I did the whole I just won't take my meds shit, that'll show 'em. It worked that I got a change of meds, however needing a 'guardian' at age 27 was a pretty high price to pay for 2 weeks of mania that I can't remember. Do it the rational way, please.
Also, bear in mind, I didn't get this for a long time and thought the meds weren't working, you're still liable to get episodes on medication, however the medication should make them less frequent and less severe.
Finally, stims do put you at more risk of triggering a manic episode, but I'm not gonna lecture cos I know the risks and still abuse them.
 
Just try and discuss it with your Doctor. I am sure they can come up with alternatives. My concern is that you are obviously being prescribed these drugs for a reason, and I think automatically assuming that the psychotic episodes are a natural response to anti-psychotic withdrawal is not healthy reasoning. Someone who genuinely needs to be on APs is also going to have a psychotic episode when taken off of them, it is just a blanket statement that when believed could land you into big problems if you just decide to discontinue the drugs without consulting your physician.
 
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what condition have you vbeen diagnosed with.. ant psych meds are waaay over prescribed, and cost a shitload, coincidence, ok conspiracy theories aside no doc can force you to take meds.. i stopped taking anti psychs and feel a lot better than when i was on them, but thats just me, evey case is difderent, you should really get a second opinion from a good psychiatrist.... coz if you discontinue udse and have a dangerous psychotic break youll end up in prison or te psych ward...

get a second medical opinion
 
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