Invega vs Rexulti

I am contemplating asking my psych doc about the possibility of going on either of these drugs. I have been on both of these medications in the past, but not at the same time.

First, I was put on Invega 1.5mg and then 3mg; then I switched to Rexulti 1mg after about six months; and then I went back on Invega 3mg after about another six months. Then, after about nine months, I stopped taking Invega completely for about three months. Then I went back on it. Then, after about eight months, I reduced my escitalopram from 30mg to 25mg with my psychiatrist's consent. Then about a month later I reduced it from 25mg to 20mg with my psych doc's consent again. Then, after about five months, I stopped the Invega completely. Then about two months after that I reduced my olanzapine from 30mg to 25mg with my psychiatrist's consent. Then I kept my regimen the same for about a year before deciding I was not sufficiently treated. So I voluntarily increased my olanzapine from 25mg to 30mg. Then about six months after that, I voluntarily increased my escitalopram from 20mg to 30mg. And ever since then, my regimen has been exactly the same: 30mg olanzapine and 30mg escitalopram.

@185329 I am not an expert on meds but this is what a psychiatrist did to treat my friend.

My friend told them what their symptoms were and the psychiatrist used their vast knowledge of how meds interact to restore brain stability. I do not understand all the factors but that makes sense to me because there are so many different meds doing different things and I learned a lot by watching how my friend told them the problems or the side affects they did not like and the psychiatrist prescribed what they thought would help in that situation.

All the best to you
CANDC

[If you want me to see your reply to this post please include @CANDC in your message - not in requoting my message]

It is not clear from your post what the effects and side effects of Invega and Rexulti were and why you made the switches you made. You also write about your psychiatrist's consent to changing escitalopram dosage but again without explaining what prompted the dose change. Lastly, I am unclear what your question is.

I wrote to you in the past that the safety of olanzapine above 20 mg has not been established, but since you have been on more than that for a long time, you are probably OK.

Thanks for the responses, guys. I recall making the switch from Rexulti 1mg to Invega 3mg because I thought I needed to; I thought the Rexulti was giving me "mini" seizures, even at a relatively low dose. So I switched back to Invega 3mg because I thought it would be better for me. Well, it turns out I probably could have just stayed on the Rexulti because when I told my psych doc about the "mini seizures", he said to me, "I don't think you're having seizures." But he agreed to have me switch to Invega anyway.

The reason I reduced my escitalopram was because I thought I may have been on too much. Well, it turns out I wasn't. So I think if I keep my current regimen exactly the same, I will probably be fine. But the key word is "probably", so there is a chance I am still not on enough medication or on the right medication. I will have to discuss this with my psych doc.

You need to keep a diary recording medication switches, continuous us of medication, symptoms, triggers, and the like. Then you won't need to rely on memory. Memory can be faulty and have gaps.

Invega is an anti-psychotic. I've never heard Rexulti advertised as an anti-psychotic. It might be an AP but I've only seen it advertised to help boost effects of anti-depressants.

It's an antipsychotic. You can go to its official website and click on the link in the top right corner that says, "Other Indication".

Rexulti is considered an atypical antipsychotic for people who are suffering from that disorder. It can be much more potent than earlier classes of those types of drugs. It is so that there are far fewer negative side effects. It is the case that very little can go a long way. It has different uses which are off-label, but in small amounts, it can be used to augment the effects of antidepressants. This drug came out once I had stopped practicing, But my psychiatrist, alternatively known as , 10 yards and a cloud of Xanax, tried it for a short time to boost the effects of Trintellix. It is not a good med for me.

A psychiatrist I was seeing once told me that the atypicals, in general, are more effective and are better at treating the negative symptoms of schizophrenia; he also said that they have fewer adverse effects than the FGAs.