[bluzman]

Hi I have been receiving treatment for obssesive compulsive disorder for the last thirteen years and have tried a whole swag of medications for it and also CBT.The current medication I have been put on (which I have been on for the last month) is Invega 3mg. I would welcome any ones experience on this medication.

[perpetuallysad]

I just started Invega last Weds for mania. So far its working alright. Though I cannot honestly say its stopped my mania (maybe even accelerated it), it has seemed to stop the mixed episodes. So instead of manic and depressed at the same time, I just seem to be ultra manic now. I cannot sleep to save my life. The only time I do sleep is after 20 hours or so awake and then I only sleep for 5 hours or so. BUT I do actually feel happier. So I am trying to think positive about it.

The only weird thing I have noticed is that I will wake up sometimes with this extremely hard, fast heartbeat going on. I wonder if that's high blood pressure? Or is it just from dreaming...if so, I have never done that before and I suffer from horrible, horrible nightmares nearly ever night, but have never had the heart pounding the way I have the last week.

What is your experience with Invega? I'm also on 3 mg, btw.

[bluzman]

My experience with invega (which is rerally still early to predict)isconstant headaches as well tiredness as it is a slow release medication .My therapist gave it to me as a substitute for Risperedal which I was on for along time off/on, and eventully I became frustrated with it. I experienced major paranoia where I started to believe that Risperedal was dissolving my true character of survival through the illness. I started to feel that I had no control of my life when I needed it the most for defense. Thanking you profoundly for your response and please take care hope to chat again.

[perpetuallysad]

You know, I do have a pretty much constant headache, I attributed it to the fact that I pretty much have a headache everyday no matter what. Hmm? Wonder if its my other meds giving me the headaches?

The Invega doesn't make me tired, though I was scared it would because everything else I've taken does, especially the other atypical anti-psychotics.

What does CBT stand for?

[bluzman]

CBT stands for cognative behavioural therapy in which I've had many sessions with my Psychiatrist in trying to restrain my compulsions........such as constant checking, phobias in relation to germ contamination and constant hand washing,......public phobias on public transport where I would have to exercise the task of gradually taking the plunge in boarding a crowded bus...... Hoarding.....superstitions, repetetive counting and repetetive words and phrases in my mind.I have to honestly say it didnt work with the success I originally had anticipated as I posed to my therapist at the time that I wanted to conquer these issues without medications in which he was consenting to.Unfortunately he came to his retirement and I could not afford it or find a therapist that would take it on (CBT).I had to resort to medication eventually and that has been a rocky road for me.My hoarding has some how lessened as I attain it to my quest in Zen Buddhism which was my neutraliser in a sense,but i guess diffrent strokes for diffrent folks.But in summary i have to say nothing really works for me and every day is a MIRAGE OF THE PREVIOUS.I feel better at nite and drive around continuously in and out of home like a untamed demon in order to slow and dampen my repetetive and intrusive thoughts.The police here give me a bit of grief by pulling me over wondering what I'm doing cutting laps.... this is an on going challenge for me at the moment.Any how stay strong and if you like keep me updated on your development with Invega.Cheers!