My Experience With Antipsychotic Medications

I took a variety of different atypical antipsychotic medications for 2 years (including Invega Sustenna and Olanzapine). I stopped 2 months ago because of the horrendous side effects. I now have chronic fatigue for the rest of my life, accompanied by insomnia and cognitive difficulties. Thank god I stopped when I did because I was starting to get involuntary spasms in my jaw which is called Tardive Dyskinesia. I was hospitalized 2 years ago because of a psychosis and was placed on extended leave of the hospital. I was then diagnosed with schizophrenia. They forced me to be injected monthly with their poison. I was honestly oblivious of the side effects that antipsychotic medications cause, the psychiatrist didn't even inform me or warn me of the catastrophic side effects before prescribing me it. Even after taking the medication consistently for 2 years, I still have the same level of schizophrenia as when I started. I am currently trying to transition back to work so I can try and live a normal life and be a contributing member of society, but the fatigue i'm enduring is so severe that it seems impossible. It's likely going to take months to get diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome (I did extensive research and am 100% certain that the antipsychotics are the culprit for my chronic fatigue) before I can get relief with medication because chronic fatigue is so vague that they have to rule out other possibilities, the only problem is that I don't have months. I am under significant pressure and could soon end up homeless. If I had a choice, I would have never taken antipsychotics and I would NEVER recommend them to anyone unless they had an advanced stage of mental illness. Antipsychotic medication, on an ethical level, needs to be revised. A person who I knew pretty well was on a high dose of atypical antipsychotic medication and was so incredibly sedated that he had to wear diapers everywhere he went since being on the medication. I have never in my life been so close to suicide, just the thought of having to live like this for the rest of my life is sufficient motivation. How did the FDA get away with approving these harmful medications? They cause more harm than good. I don't think society and healthcare professionals realize that a substantial number of patients on moderate to high doses of these medications are so incredibly sedated that they neglect taking care of themselves, they are completely incapable of independence in every way. I sure hope that I can create enough of an impact to persuade someone not to take them because they could essentially ruin their life, they would literally become riddled with long-term health problems.

REPLY

REPORT

True...tell your doctor about your fatigue. Perhaps he may prescribe you modafinil 200mg?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I'm sorry that you are having the side effects that you are having. But schizophrenia is a very hard condition to treat. I would hope that you were not on Haldol because that is a very old drug and can cause Tardive Dyskinesia. My son has Paranoid Schizophrenia and is currently on Risperidol with very good results along with Klonapin and Cogentin. Is he tired all the time? Yes. Does he "forget" to take his meds from time to time? Yes. A better drug in my opinion is Zyprexa but it is expensive.

Many people with Schizophrenia, when they are on their meds, feel better and so they stop taking the meds and don't realize that people notice that there is a problem. Many times the "Voices" tell them to commit suicide, when they are off their meds. ALL MEDICATIONS WORK DIFFERENTLY FOR DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
You must trust your doctor to find the best mix of medications for YOU.

You may believe that you have Chronic Fatigue but more than likely you are just suffering from the Schizophrenia w/o medications. You can apply for Social Security Disability with your Counselor's help. You must have a Counselor to talk to because that person will relay to your doctor what is happening and make suggestions as to what medications are best for you. My son is on SSD and has been for over 20 years. He will be 50 next month.

You will NEVER get rid of the Schizophrenia. You must see a doctor and a Counselor every month to see how you are doing. If they hit on the right medications you may be able to go back to work. Time will tell. You cannot assume that you know the answer esp since you are not on any meds. You MUST take meds and find the right mix and you will begin to feel better with the right dosage.

I am a Retired Nurse.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

Been there done that and you are absolutely correct. You didn't say but are you having voices torment you? The mental health profession is so screwed up it's not even worth trying to approach them. Their solution is drug and release that's it. They don't care. Put them on any anti-psych drugs and let them loose.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Here's a retrospect for your current grief. In 1998 I had a psychotic episode during a period when I was also going through drastic hormonal changes call menopause. I had also quit a 30 year nicotine addiction, using my understanding of negative conditioning, which was effective but also prompted an autoimmune disease formation called Hashimoto's Disease (low thyroid). I was tired, depressed and my 2 children were at school, finding their own lives. I never married so, for the most part, I was alone. My minimum wage job at a local factory prompted the psychotic episode. I have a college education. I think a lot anyway, so I was not prepared to follow the increasingly despotic demands rendered by the people in power. After an episode of unutterable defiance, I was send to my doctor who found the thyroid condition, put me on a calming medication and referred me to the local mental health psychiatrist. I was diagnosed with possible schizo-affective disorder and put on Zyprexa as well as other med's I no longer recall. Much testing and even a brain MRI followed. There was some talk of this being a personality disorder, but as events transpired, I began manifesting more and more of what was expected as the first conjecture, a variant of schizophrenia.

Well, during this rather zombified existence I could not think to question anything, but just eat and gain tremendous weight (Zyprexa's side effect) and go through the same day, over and over again. Sleep issues and any anxiety issues were handled with med's. I was seeing a social worker to no good end except to keep me stable and as functional and compliant as could be expected to ever be. My family was in grief, but loved and supported this sad life outcome as best they could. This went on for 13 years, after which I moved to a town closer to one of my children. He had established a family and it was a much better situation for me. I was, of course, shuttled to a nearby psychiatric clinic, where I was given the antipsychotic Ability, which was an enormously different experience. I lost all the weight, I began to intellectualize my predicament, but every action I took, by way of questioning and reporting other symptoms, seemed to enhance a reaction by the monthly drug clinic doc to put another control drug in place. I became worse. Paranoia, fear, hallucinations, and sleeplessness awakened the symptoms of ADHD and BIPOLAR disorders as well.

Long story short, I managed to discover that Ability will cause diabetes. I tapered off it. All the other med's eventually followed suit. I ran my own tapering off. My psychiatrist knew of it. He was trepidatious for me, trying to feed me bipolar med's up to the end. As a very kind individual, he also knew me to be willfully uncontrollable. I no longer live in that state, and after this 18 year run with benevolent bulls***, the truth is - my body's slow metabolism created a rebound med build up called chemically induced insanity. I don't seem to become addicted to drugs, that way, so neither happy pills or speed or any of them were difficult to vanquish from my system. My centering mechanism seems damaged. My brain may be as well. I have done much work with my diet, and now understand how closely aligned our brain chemicals are to the gut. If there is a master switch in the body, it is the gut. Try high good fat. You may profit from less exhaustion. I do now take melatonin and 5-HTP at bedtime and have no problem sleeping, unless a terribly distracting life occasion occurs. Much also is available through nootropics called smart drugs. Most are available across the board. Supplements that serve your body well need your attention. Some will work for you, some will not. You might invest in functional medicine as an assessment of where your body stands. When you can afford it. You can be well. Be well in your recovery pursuit.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Louis (# 1) --

I too was prescribed this s*** against my will. It took me 25 years to finally get off it. The entire medical profession live off so-called illness. It's the most corrupt insidious business in the world and should be recognised as that. I believe that there is no will to actually heal anyone and at best all conventional medicine does is keep people ill. It's time for us all to start to take responsibility for our own lives and fight back against this parasitic, controlling, disease called medicine!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Remember psychiatry is not truly scientific. When you were diagnosed with schizophrenia was based on what the doctor thought your symptoms resembled. So the drugs they gave you fitted that diagnosis. However all drugs for schizophrenia have terrible side effects which is why most patients refuse them. That is why inj's. are given. You really need to get second, third opinions, to get proper treatments.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I really feel sorry for you. Hope you can find a way to heal from your schizofrenia without taking drugs. Try all ways you can see. I am a psychologist and know that the psyciatric treatment is horrible. Just drugs.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I'm sorry what u experience d I to have mental issues depression and anxiety disorder plus I'm a recovering addict.dr prescribed klonopin an anti anxiety drug. Even using it. Correctly it was a nightmare it has taken me 2 yrs of such a small taper of compound liquid klonopin to not have unbelievable side effect s THAT were far worse than anything unmedicated,I have gotten much better by excersize, eating right,working on issues with 12 steps and other programs so u learn what is creating the problem everybody wants to blame a chemical problem and fix it that way and end up worse my experience is that a lot if not most of issues can be found and relievedby looking inside and take workable appropriate actions bless u don't give up try finding answers without screwing your brain up more. I believe in u Bob m ny

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I am bipolar or have major depressive disorder. I suggest before forcing patients on the trash, the doctor needs to take it for at least a month. I have been a lab rat for 30 years. I also have 2 failed back surgeries and due to my mental status, I am being denied meds for pain. I have brain damage from suicide attempts. I sit around getting a disability check and am living in poverty in my van. Don't move to LA; my life has been wasted on misdiagnoses.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Re: Barbie 616 (# 2)

First of all, I'm not going to live off of 1000$ a month for the rest of my life, because that's what disability pays. I'd be committing to a very poor quality of life. I'd rather have pride in a job, a family, and a better quality of life.

Second of all, here is a reputable article and link about how antipsychotics can cause chronic fatigue.

Antipsychotic Drugs Can Cause Chronic Fatigue; CBCD Reviews the Medical Literature

"The AARP says that common antipsychotic drugs have side effects that can weaken the immune system and cause chronic fatigue. “Antipsychotics are powerful CNS (central nervous system) depressants. In studies, the side effects include fatigue, lethargy and weakness.” (1) Dr. Chen and colleagues wrote in a study that antipsychotic drugs can damage the immune system. Antipsychotics can “induce immuneregulation … (and) … could inhibit INF Gamma production (Interferon Gamma is a protein made and released by host cells in response to the presence of pathogens such as viruses) of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (a type of blood cell) and could inhibit Th1 differentiation (Th1 lymphocytes are critical in the cellular immune response. Lymphocytes are a type of white blood cell).” (2) Dr. Chen and colleagues are from the Department of Research at the Taipei Tzuchi Hospital in New Taipei City, Taiwan. Other websites go even farther, relating that serious and sometimes fatal infections may occur with antipsychotic drug use."

This is just a very tiny fraction of the damage antipsychotic medications cause. I would rather at least try and have some success and meaning in my life than to commit to a life of poverty on disability.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Re: Louis (# 3)

I use to get tormented by voices when I had depression and schizophrenia. They would tell me to kill myself quite often. The key is antidepressants. Literally, the voices went from being sinister and evil, to friendly and understanding when I started taking antidepressants. If a person suffers from depression and starts taking medication for it, their whole demeanour changes.

Thanks for your input. I need all the insight and advice I can get.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Believe in yourself n God. In Ayurveda there is a saying - "If diet is wrong, medicine is of no use. If diet is right, medicine is of no need".

My opinion - get the right quality foods. Change to organic foods, grains, pulses, vegetables, fruits, meats, eggs. Have home cooked foods. Remove all processed foods n packed meat. Drink boiled filtered water. Drink cow milk instead of toned milk. For fatigue place add more proteins fish, broccoli, quionoa, pumpkin or pumpkin seeds, Chia seeds. Use himalayan pink salt, sulphurless sugar. Remove non stick pans n plastic from your kitchen. When wet items are stored in plastic containers, BPA n phytalate leech into foods causing damage to your health.

Go for meditation n yoga n then hit the gym. Your brain functions have to get activated before you do high intensity work outs. If u can meditate early morning atleast for 10 minutes between 5:30 to 6:30 am, it will really help you. It takes time but if u can make these changes, u will certainly notice changes in one month.
I truly believe our body has the inert capacity to heal itself provided we give the right tools (food) with right quantity n quantity.

Make a self affirmation.. Tell your brain. I am strong, fit, hale n healthy. I deserve the knowledge required to acquire the same.

God bless you with good health, wealth n knowledge.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

I have been on antipsychotic medication for 2 years and have Parkinson symptoms. Dopaminergic drugs make it better but seem to impair memory. Is it from antipsychotics? I am not sure. Does anyone have experience?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I have been taking Norgesic for 18 months with 40mg of OxyContin 2 times daily & Lyrica 150mg as well as antidepress...

3 REPLIES

Hello I take meds for seizure's. Type 2 diabetes cholesterol depression pills anxiety pills and insomnia. I have tak...

1 REPLY

I have been on Fiorinal w Codeine and Fioricet as well as Valium for Sleep. I have 3 herniated disks in my back, Scloroi...

37 REPLIES

Hi everyone i'm new to this site so i'm not sure if i'm posting in the right section or not, but anyways her...

8 REPLIES

myself is a psychiatrist from Mumbai,i want the name @list as well as generic@ brand name in india ## Respected Sir, I N...

2 REPLIES

I have chronic lower bak pan and have for 20 years. MRI's show buldging discs,stenosis&Degenerative Disc Disease...

10 REPLIES

I am a 51 year old woman that is on disibality. I DESPERATLY NEED A DOCTOR.. in or as near as possible to Marion North C...

72 REPLIES

My spell check is on the blink so please excuse any errors! I had surgery In Sept of 2005 on my lower leg, resulting in ...

3 REPLIES

I have read all the side effects about Prolia before I agreed to take the shot. My doctor convinced me to do so. I had t...

2 REPLIES

I am 40 years old I am diagnosed Mania bipolar 1 and I have had gastric bypass about 6 years ago.it has been difficult t...

2 REPLIES