Mental Health Coming off Invega (paliperidone) injections, v 5.0

[ExStonerExDrinker]

Hey guys I recovered i used to come on here a lot and question if id ever get better. it was a horrible wait i wanted to end my life. I didn't enjoy anything back then I seriously had Ahedonia. Like working out i didn't feel the endorphins. weed gave me no joy. movies sucked. Being social was boring. You could give me 1000 dollars i wouldn't enjoy buying anything. I hated that time of my life.

I recovered i quit cold turkey and got rebound psychosis after recovering from all this it was a lot to recover. The psychosis i went into was horrible and it took a lot to recover from sure it wasn't as bed ridden suicidal and emotionless fog but it was dangerous. I still stopped taking meds all together and i've felt normal for a while now 100000x better then after the shots. I never felt that way on any other psych med till i took a long acting shot. Completely robs you from life and any enjoyment

So how long have you been off of medications for and how long did your rebound psychosis last?

 

[StrawHatLuffy]

Yeah so your 5 months off the injection and still not recovered from the injection. For me what happens about a year after the last injection i recover from the antipsychotic but sometime shortly afterward i get psychosis again. My parents tend to realize im in psychosis and put me back on antipsychotics. Ive been dealing with this since 2015 and i was part of the first recovering from invega thread. I remember those days. Back then we werent sure if ppl recover from the antipsychotics or not and we thought it was pernament.

Oh wow… yeah I’m hoping to recover at about an year off and also hope that the psychosis doesn’t come back… are you still on Invega or are you now on some other antipsychotic? I’m happy to hear that these effects are not permanent

 

[Gdvffh]

Oh wow… yeah I’m hoping to recover at about an year off and also hope that the psychosis doesn’t come back… are you still on Invega or are you now on some other antipsychotic? I’m happy to hear that these effects are not permanent

My parents just.switched me 2 seroquel pills 2 weeks ago. I didnt like the seroquel pills so i flushed them down the toilet and switched them with zinc vitamins. If i get psychosis again. Ill take the pills for a little while until the psychosis goes away. Then ill switch back to not taking them. I dont think i need antipsychotics everyday. Im just going to take them as long as my psychosis happens.

 

[Jerry Atrick]

How long did it take for the abilify to work? I'm hoping once the haldol is out of my system my sex life will return to normal.

I wish I could remember exactly how long it took. I recall the anhedonia stuck around for a while after stopping Risperdal in 2006, but then I quit all meds for like 6 or 7 months. During that period of no meds, my psychosis and mania came back in full force and I did some stupid shit like destroying all my belongings and hitchhiking through New Mexico. After I ended up in the hospital again in 2007, I started Abilify at like 1 or 2 mg tablets that dissolved under the tongue, then up to 10 mg regular pills, and I've been on 30 mg since like 2008 or 2009. Been on 30 mg, the max dose, ever since.

Was hospitalized like 7 months ago but that was more situational with shit going on in my personal life that threw me into a severe suicidal depression. Changed my other meds a little bit but stayed on Abilify.

As for sex life, I didn't get much action in grad school from 2010 through 2012. But in 2013/14 I started dating again and had some both casual and serious relationships off and on up until covid started.

 

[Gdvffh]

I wish I could remember exactly how long it took. I recall the anhedonia stuck around for a while after stopping Risperdal in 2006, but then I quit all meds for like 6 or 7 months. During that period of no meds, my psychosis and mania came back in full force and I did some stupid shit like destroying all my belongings and hitchhiking through New Mexico. After I ended up in the hospital again in 2007, I started Abilify at like 1 or 2 mg tablets that dissolved under the tongue, then up to 10 mg regular pills, and I've been on 30 mg since like 2008 or 2009. Been on 30 mg, the max dose, ever since.

Was hospitalized like 7 months ago but that was more situational with shit going on in my personal life that threw me into a severe suicidal depression. Changed my other meds a little bit but stayed on Abilify.

As for sex life, I didn't get much action in grad school from 2010 through 2012. But in 2013/14 I started dating again and had some both casual and serious relationships off and on up until covid started.

Interesting story. You always got interesting things to say lol

 

[Jerry Atrick]

My parents just.switched me 2 seroquel pills 2 weeks ago. I didnt like the seroquel pills so i flushed them down the toilet and switched them with zinc vitamins. If i get psychosis again. Ill take the pills for a little while until the psychosis goes away. Then ill switch back to not taking them. I dont think i need antipsychotics everyday. Im just going to take them as long as my psychosis happens.

Man, at this point I'm not going to tell you what or what not to do. However this is a Harm Reduction site, so I can offer advice and leave it up to you whether you want to listen or tell me to fuck off.

Have you talked to a professional about your plan to only take meds when you have psychosis? The reason I ask is because my experience, this yo-yo type of effect can be more detrimental for overall brain health than maintaining equilibrium by staying on a med that works consistently, every day. The goal is not to just fight psychosis when it happens but long term, to stop psychosis from happening in the first place. And for some people, the only way to do this is to remain on some type of medication maintenance all the time.

Maybe someone with more technical knowledge of the brain and serotonin can chime in, but I have had a psychiatrist outright tell me that going on and off meds all the time is what was hurting me more than anything. Believe me, I tried for years to do what you do and only got closer and closer to a pine box each time.

I know this is the Invega thread and I'm sure we can all agree that this drug is awful. I'm just saying maybe there is something else out there that, if you stick with it and work through the side effects that are often not permanent, then you can finally find peace in your life. Maybe its Rexulti or maybe something different, I don't know. Sometimes it takes work and diligence and sometimes its not easy. I just hate to see someone suffering when there could be better options out there

 

[Jerry Atrick]

Interesting story. You always got interesting things to say lol

Thank you. I'm just here to help people the best I can, which often involves my own story.

 

[Gdvffh]

Man, at this point I'm not going to tell you what or what not to do. However this is a Harm Reduction site, so I can offer advice and leave it up to you whether you want to listen or tell me to fuck off.

Have you talked to a professional about your plan to only take meds when you have psychosis? The reason I ask is because my experience, this yo-yo type of effect can be more detrimental for overall brain health than maintaining equilibrium by staying on a med that works consistently, every day. The goal is not to just fight psychosis when it happens but long term, to stop psychosis from happening in the first place. And for some people, the only way to do this is to remain on some type of medication maintenance all the time.

Maybe someone with more technical knowledge of the brain and serotonin can chime in, but I have had a psychiatrist outright tell me that going on and off meds all the time is what was hurting me more than anything. Believe me, I tried for years to do what you do and only got closer and closer to a pine box each time.

I know this is the Invega thread and I'm sure we can all agree that this drug is awful. I'm just saying maybe there is something else out there that, if you stick with it and work through the side effects that are often not permanent, then you can finally find peace in your life. Maybe its Rexulti or maybe something different, I don't know. Sometimes it takes work and diligence and sometimes its not easy. I just hate to see someone suffering when there could be better options out there

I dont really believe in psychiatrist tbh. I think a lot of what psychiatrist say are lies. Saying being on and off meds i wouldnt reqlly believe what a psychiatrist says is true about that. I think my idea of taking just a little bit of antipsychotics when imcin psychosis is good enough. I dont really see a purpose in them giving me an injection every month where with just 1 injection i dont experience psychosis for a year. Thats just my personal expierence theres a new medicatiob called ulotaront that is coming out in the mext few years. When it comes out i plan to take that as it dosnt antagonize dopamine receptors so i think it will work out well. But so far each med ive tried has been bad. Ill try rexulti or vraylar in the future when my psychosis returns but for now ill just stick to not taking meds and letting my brain recover. I dont even mind psychosis that much. But i keep getting sent to the mental hospital cause my parents keep sending me to one. I should move out at some point so i dont have to worry about getting sent to a mental hospital anymore.

 

[MatteM92]

Has anyone had the drug without psychosis but as a result of depression or anger? 10 months have passed and it is getting worse

 

[Lobotomyzombie]

Anyone recover their sexual pleasure after stopping Invega?

 

[Lobotomyzombie]

I’m not sure how much more of this I can take. 7 months no improvements. I miss having a sex life. I miss enjoying some weed or a beer.

 

[StrawHatLuffy]

Man, at this point I'm not going to tell you what or what not to do. However this is a Harm Reduction site, so I can offer advice and leave it up to you whether you want to listen or tell me to fuck off.

Have you talked to a professional about your plan to only take meds when you have psychosis? The reason I ask is because my experience, this yo-yo type of effect can be more detrimental for overall brain health than maintaining equilibrium by staying on a med that works consistently, every day. The goal is not to just fight psychosis when it happens but long term, to stop psychosis from happening in the first place. And for some people, the only way to do this is to remain on some type of medication maintenance all the time.

Maybe someone with more technical knowledge of the brain and serotonin can chime in, but I have had a psychiatrist outright tell me that going on and off meds all the time is what was hurting me more than anything. Believe me, I tried for years to do what you do and only got closer and closer to a pine box each time.

I know this is the Invega thread and I'm sure we can all agree that this drug is awful. I'm just saying maybe there is something else out there that, if you stick with it and work through the side effects that are often not permanent, then you can finally find peace in your life. Maybe its Rexulti or maybe something different, I don't know. Sometimes it takes work and diligence and sometimes its not easy. I just hate to see someone suffering when there could be better options out there

I dont really believe in psychiatrist tbh. I think a lot of what psychiatrist say are lies. Saying being on and off meds i wouldnt reqlly believe what a psychiatrist says is true about that. I think my idea of taking just a little bit of antipsychotics when imcin psychosis is good enough. I dont really see a purpose in them giving me an injection every month where with just 1 injection i dont experience psychosis for a year. Thats just my personal expierence theres a new medicatiob called ulotaront that is coming out in the mext few years. When it comes out i plan to take that as it dosnt antagonize dopamine receptors so i think it will work out well. But so far each med ive tried has been bad. Ill try rexulti or vraylar in the future when my psychosis returns but for now ill just stick to not taking meds and letting my brain recover. I dont even mind psychosis that much. But i keep getting sent to the mental hospital cause my parents keep sending me to one. I should move out at some point so i dont have to worry about getting sent to a mental hospital anymore.

I think the conventional wisdom is to always trust doctors but I think this is questionable when it comes to psychiatry. Joanna Moncrieff, who’s a psychiatrist wrote books titled “The myth of the chemical cure” and “The bitterest pills” about the use of drugs in psychiatry. She argues that psychiatrists make it sound like the use of drugs is evidence based like the rest of medicine, but they are actually psychoactive substances which just create their own effects to overlap with the effects of the disease (instead of actually treating it). If they work for you, that’s well and good. But mostly they create debilitating effects which affects the quality of life. So I totally respect if someone is willing to manage without drugs. There’s also a study by Wunderink et. al. (Here’s a link to a blog post by Thomas Insel, director of the National Institute of Mental Health) which showed that though psychosis might return in the short run without meds, in the long run it led to better quality of life that those with meds.

 

[Gdvffh]

I think the conventional wisdom is to always trust doctors but I think this is questionable when it comes to psychiatry. Joanna Moncrieff, who’s a psychiatrist wrote books titled “The myth of the chemical cure” and “The bitterest pills” about the use of drugs in psychiatry. She argues that psychiatrists make it sound like the use of drugs is evidence based like the rest of medicine, but they are actually psychoactive substances which just create their own effects to overlap with the effects of the disease (instead of actually treating it). If they work for you, that’s well and good. But mostly they create debilitating effects which affects the quality of life. So I totally respect if someone is willing to manage without drugs. There’s also a study by Wunderink et. al. (Here’s a link to a blog post by Thomas Insel, director of the National Institute of Mental Health) which showed that though psychosis might return in the short run without meds, in the long run it led to better quality of life that those with meds.

I read the article you sent. Yes its true that some people only experience one episode of psychosis vut i personally have experienced psychosis everytime i get off medication. However id rather live with the psychosis then be placed on meds. I know jerry reacts well to meds. But for me meds just zombify me and even though im experiencing psychosis. I have energy and motivation to do stuff. IMO its a better life then being on antipsychotics.

 

[StrawHatLuffy]

I read the article you sent. Yes its true that some people only experience one episode of psychosis vut i personally have experienced psychosis everytime i get off medication. However id rather live with the psychosis then be placed on meds. I know jerry reacts well to meds. But for me meds just zombify me and even though im experiencing psychosis. I have energy and motivation to do stuff. IMO its a better life then being on antipsychotics.

Yes that’s what the books and article say. But unfortunately we live in a society where it’s frowned upon to live with such symptoms unless you’re a celebrity like John Nash. Look him up also, he was a genius mathematician who had schizophrenia and refused to take meds because they were blunting his intellect. He lived with symptoms for many years and sort of learnt to manage them in his daily life. Eventually he experienced a natural remission.

 

[Gdvffh]

Yes that’s what the books and article say. But unfortunately we live in a society where it’s frowned upon to live with such symptoms unless you’re a celebrity like John Nash. Look him up also, he was a genius mathematician who had schizophrenia and refused to take meds because they were blunting his intellect. He lived with symptoms for many years and sort of learnt to manage them in his daily life. Eventually he experienced a natural remission.

Yeah thats what i wanna do. Just live woth the symptoms and learn to control it. I know 3 schizophrenics who hear voices and are not on meds. There all working and just living there lives. I think it should be are choice to be on these meds or not. But all that has to happen is someone calls the cops on you and you end up in a mental hospital.

 

[n3ophy7e]

I've never had delusions or hallucinations so I can only imagine what it's like, I don't know for sure. But is it the kind of thing you could possibly be able to manage with the support of a good therapist who understands? I.e. in theory, could a therapist guide you to be able to discern what is reality and what is a hallucination, what needs your attention and what should be ignored, that kinda thing? Thus possibly being able to avoid being meditated?

 

[Gdvffh]

I've never had delusions or hallucinations so I can only imagine what it's like, I don't know for sure. But is it the kind of thing you could possibly be able to manage with the support of a good therapist who understands? I.e. in theory, could a therapist guide you to be able to discern what is reality and what is a hallucination, what needs your attention and what should be ignored, that kinda thing? Thus possibly being able to avoid being meditated?

I dont think i need a therapist. I lived with hearing voices for 2 years before. I basically just kind of ignored it and treated it as background noise. At the end though it got real bad. Like i thought my house was bigged and my laptop was bugged and people were spying on .e with satellites. Even though it was bad like that i still prefer it over being on meds.

 

[n3ophy7e]

I dont think i need a therapist. I lived with hearing voices for 2 years before. I basically just kind of ignored it and treated it as background noise.

I understand. I think I can imagine that.

At the end though it got real bad. Like i thought my house was bigged and my laptop was bugged and people were spying on .e with satellites.

That's kinda the part that I was thinking perhaps a really good therapist might be of use. They may be able to be that external source of validation of reality to say "your house is not bugged, you're not being spied on, you are safe, it's just your mental illness". (If your answer is still no, that a therapist wouldn't help, that's fine! I'm just wanting to understand better ).

Even though it was bad like that i still prefer it over being on meds.

I can definitely understand that, given how horrendous meds like invega are.

 

[Gdvffh]

I understand. I think I can imagine that.

That's kinda the part that I was thinking perhaps a really good therapist might be of use. They may be able to be that external source of validation of reality to say "your house is not bugged, you're not being spied on, you are safe, it's just your mental illness". (If your answer is still no, that a therapist wouldn't help, that's fine! I'm just wanting to understand better ).

I can definitely understand that, given how horrendous meds like invega are.

Thanks. If i could choose thats what i would do. But unfortunately the reality is i just het my.parents to call the cops on me. Then the cops send me to a mental hospital where they inject me with something.and then im debilitated for a year. Thats been my.personal experience. I should move out so i cant get forced on meds lol. Ive been dealing with forced medication since 2015. Aince the first invega thread. I think for of those yesrs have been spent debilitated by meds and 3 years spent off meds and enjoying life.

 

[n3ophy7e]

Thanks. If i could choose thats what i would do. But unfortunately the reality is i just het my.parents to call the cops on me. Then the cops send me to a mental hospital where they inject me with something.and then im debilitated for a year. Thats been my.personal experience. I should move out so i cant get forced on meds lol. Ive been dealing with forced medication since 2015. Aince the first invega thread. I think for of those yesrs have been spent debilitated by meds and 3 years spent off meds and enjoying life.

I just wish there was a better way to deal with it