Are anti-psychotics worth the risk?

I'm really torn.

Antidepressants usually barely help me, and I think Prozac may be improving things slightly right now but know it makes me numb.
Lamictal has been one of the few meds that have helped me and I've been on it a few years now, and while it's seemed it's helped my depression and anxiety, I've started to think part of how it "helps" is by slowing me down a little too much and making me just not care. I'd really, really like to at least lower it, which would mean needing to explore more options.

I've always tried to avoid APs and only considered them for a bit here or there, but I'm considering them again. I've heard the risks of TD and permanent side effects are overblown, then I've heard a lot of people get them. I've kind of accepted that I have to just deal with side effects I'd really like to avoid if it means staying alive/not too depressed, e.g. lamictal messing up my hair and possibly weakening my teeth. At the same time, I hate the idea of having messed up physical health before I'm even 30 and looking back wondering if I could've lived without the meds somehow.

I know there tend to be mixed opinions on this, but I figured I'd try to get some experiences. Does anyone have any input, or have experiences with APs to share? Is there anyone who really regrets taking them, or anyone who's been on them a while and found the risks to be overblown? Thanks in advance!

I personally like the right AP. It really evens me out and keeps mania at bay. As far as risks go you risk your life every time you leave your house. YMMV

I have TD, from taking haldol when I fell into the coverage gap of Medicare several years ago. I start to have symptoms mostly with stress or if my AP dose isn't enough.

However, I can say I probably would not have made it this long without the APs. I know I will have the TD for the rest of my life, and either have to take meds or show symptoms for the rest of my life. But I am alive, and I call that worth it.

I take Abilify. For years now. Don't have TD.

I took the generic version of Lamictal - Lamotrigine in conjunction with Celexa and then later Citalopram. I was under the care of a Psychiatrist at the time and I was about your age (Im guessing you are somewhere around 25 +/- a few years) I was having severe trouble with depression/anxiety/addiction and we wanted to get things under control faster as I was very mentally/emotionally unstable at the time. She then switched me over to Lithium and I took that for over one year without any serious side effects. The one thing I will tell you is that it does take about two months to get to the right dose and your doctor will need to (if s/he knows what they are doing) check your blood to see if the Lithium has built up to a workable level in your system. It is important to have a follow up appointment with your provider AT LEAST every 30 days. If they want you to follow up in 3 months, tell them "NO! I am coming back in one month!" It is important to follow up with your provider every 30 days for at least the first year until you get to a point where you are both comfortable with the level of treatment you are receiving.

You also may need to tinker with your antidepressants a bit or switch them around. I was on Prozac and was not impressed at all. You might need to bump up to something along the lines of Lexapro (Escitalopram) Wellbutrin (Buproprion) Cymbalta (Duloxetine) or Brintellix (I think this one is name brand) I have had good luck with all 3 and I am currently on Escitalopram right now.

I used to take Seroquel and no TD. Now I take Geodon and no TD. I tried Abilify for a little bit and it gave me TD so I quickly went off and and TD went away. I think it's worth a try, you can always go off it.

ETA- There's always Cogentin to help reduce TD if you really need the drugs.

I was on Zoloft for 17 years for depression and generalized anxiety disorder, and then my pdoc agreed it would be worth trying to taper off of it. Even though I did it slowly, my depression and anxiety returned, and when I reinstated my maintenance dose, it wasn't working as well. Part of the reason may be a number of major life stressors that coincided with coming off Zoloft, including my wife and I having a failed IVF attempt, my brother being diagnosed with cancer, and doing the work of two people at my job for an extended period. Anyway, my pdoc added Abilify 2mg to the Zoloft, and it is helping. I have been on it for about 5 months, and I don't seem to be experiencing any side effects that I know of--no weight gain, EPS, or TD--at least not yet. I'll be getting a blood test soon to check for blood sugar, etc. My pdoc said that if I can't tolerate the Abilify or if it causes side effects, he will discontinue it and try adding a second AD to the Zoloft. Hope this is helpful.

I'm on both Riseridone and Seroquel. I've been on Risperidone since 2005, no TD, but it did make me lactate and messed up my period. I've been on Seroquel since 2013, and no noticeable side effects.

I'm pretty happy with both meds, and if there are long term health risks, I'm willing to take them for the sake of having a better quality of life.

splitimage

Antipsychotics for depression can in some cases be the worst idea in the world. If you already have a low level dopamine (which is called the reward chemical), antipsychotics might make you really unhappy, taking it away further from your system.

But trying is the only thing that can make you know for sure.

IMO, they should be reserved for psychosis and mania.

Best thing in the world for my MDD and now Bipolar II...can't be stable without them. Abilify works well for me, but Vraylar is the best. Never had any side effects (Abilify 5 years, Vraylar 1.5 years).
Seroquel and Geodon helped mania but not good for depressive episodes.

I take Latuda and haldol without TD. I don't really have any side effects except when I was on too much haldol (I was sleeping too much). Before that I took zyprexa with only weight gain as a side effect. I also took perphenazine without side effects. The only ap I took that caused side effects was Thorazine. It caused me to lose my memory and gave me the Thorazine shuffle. I would never take that again.

I've been on invega sustenna for 5 years for schizoaffective disorder, have had no problems. Also take seroquel, no problems with that either.

I take brand Abilify. Without it, I was homeless. With it, I am independent and working. APs have a bad rep. However, if you find the right AP that works for you, it is like a miracle. Abilify is not perfect. I do have shakiness or akathisia which comes and goes. But, other than this, I don't have any other problem except for being horny. hahahahaa. I don't know if this is considered a problem for some. But for me it is another minor issue I have.

I have MDD and I didn’t have a good experience with anti-psychotics. I was on Abilify about four years ago. After getting past the initial nausea it was AWESOME and I wasn’t depressed anymore...I became more social and productive overall.

Then, 2 months later, everything fell apart. I experienced poop-out and became horribly depressed almost overnight. I was taken off the drug.

What are really the reasoning for giving AP's for depression without BP or psychosis?

Many doctors use them as a mood stabilizer. There is a increasing belief that all depression and bipolar is a mood spectrum disorder. One can be way over on the depressed side or "unipolar" or way over on the other side of the spectrum and be mostly manic or psychotic.

on abilify no TD but most of them will make you at least a little bit fatter.....I'm up around 20 pounds

My pdoc put me on Abilify, 5 mg, after trying about 15 ADs in various combinations and none working. I was fighting suicidal thoughts all of the time. Abilify took the edge off my depression. I think it numbed me in other ways also.

I'm off it now. Some days I am glad I took it, other days I (still) think that I would be better off if I hadn't fought those thoughts.

Do you mean "if you HAD fought those thoughts"? I'm not sure what you mean.

I'm on invega and ive gained a ton of weight. So much my doctor put me on a diet pill. But no TD

If depression is just a part of a spectrum, they should maybe then try real stabilizers before they try AP's.

Also it seems like some people are depressed because low dopamine, not low serotonin or something else, then an AP will make them sicker. So I guess the doctor really needs to watch out for side effects here.

Not for me. Antipsychotics give me psychotic features.

Been on abilify for over 10 years. Started getting TD in the form of eyeball movement problems. Abilify basically is life to me, without it, I'm manic and psychosis happens. My doc prescribed me Cogentin 2 years ago. It helped tremendously and I'm independent and can work. There are always ways to combat TD.

What is TD?

Been on risperidone for 3 years now, and have no problems with it at all. Ive read the TD risk is something like .01-.1%, so it is very rare. That is however just for the a-typicals. A Conventional AP would be a higher risk. A-typicals are extremely popular, and widely prescribed. I believe their just behind statin drugs in pharmaceutical sales, so a lot of people take them.

People like to convey (complain) negative experiences in forums like this, so your going to read about some negative experiences. People will remember and share a negative experience more than positive. Its just human nature.