experiences with restarting meds

Last fall, my then-pdoc took me off Risperdal, which had worked brilliantly for me for 7 years, and put me on Geodon because it had a better side effect profile. (Never mind that I had never had a single side effect with Risperdal.)

I gave the Geodon a fair try -- 4 months -- in which time it did so little (I would say nothing) that I ended up full-blown manic for the first time in my life, because I was essentially unmedicated.

I moved during that time, and had to switch pdocs. I was utterly miserable by the time I could get a new-patient appointment with my new one, and begged to go back on Risperdal. She was fine with that.

That was early January, so about 4 weeks or so. I know it takes a long time for meds to ramp up, but here is my question: Has anybody ever been on something that worked beautifully, gone off it, gone back on it and not had it work? Because while the worst of the mania is gone since I've been back on Risperdal, I feel nowhere near as good on it as I used to, am more depressed, and am having more physical symptoms.

I had heard anecdotally that things don't work as well the second time around, but this is my first experience with that. Just wondering about others.

thanks

Candy

Yes this can happen. You may just need a dose adjustment.

Hi candybear,

I'm sorry to hear you're having a rough time.

Yes, I have restarted Luvox a couple of times now & felt that it has not worked as effectively as the first time (not that it was a miracle drug for me, but I functioned). I went on it again in 2005 & I feel it stopped working w/i some mos.

But then again, I have been on @ least a dozen or so different meds over the past 17 years......so, I really do think my brain chemistry has been altered (for the worse).

Good luck.

It has happened to me. I was on Prozac/Strattera starting August 2005 for 2 months and immediately got off of it b/c misdiagnosed with Unipolar when I was Bipolar. Side effects included severe manic episodes.

May 2006 I was put on Prozac again once I was relatively stable, while on Seroquel and Lamictal also. Side effects included extreme lack of sex drive and nausea when focusing on something. Very awful side effects, I stopped after a week