[still_crazy]

i mean, really? i take abilify. its not the worst thing ever, but i could do with some more dopamine action. do you think people in the psychotic realm of bipolar i or w/ schizoaffective --need-- tranquilizers, all the time?

[Victoria'smom]

I do. I can't deal with my delusions anymore. I'm good at telling myself it's not real but honestly I'll die without an AP. Do I think everyone needs them? nope. I think most should use AP's as PRNs. I don't feel my husband or son need a full time AP but their Pdoc disagree. I think it's a life sentence once you're pdoc puts you on one, no pdoc wants to use it as a PRN.

I don't think every person with those diagnosis will require a tranq but do think many with it do. It doesn't make a person weak to require one, it makes them unwell. I've been on very high dose AP's and still ran around so wound up you'd never suspect I was on a med that causes tranquility.......I think I need one. I think my prior use of AP's has made my psychosis worse and deeper....less vague and more focused. Now I'm dependent on them. I don't have proof to back up my suspicions....it's just a hunch. Not much I can do about it now....just take my meds and hope for the best. Saphris is really making my body tired but my mind is still running. I'm pretty close to maxing out my dosage so I hope it nips the psychosis in the bud at the increased amount I started today. I hope your meds work. What would increased dopamine do for you that you are currently lacking? (((Hugs)))

[still_crazy]

me again. i may just need to reduce the abilify. its odd...for a while, i needed all 30mgs, but now im very aware that i am tranquilized, and its getting to me. abilify isn't horrible, but it imapiring my concentration and motivation.

no eps or td, though. and elsa...that's another reason i wanna reduce. there is some data that shows that long term neuroleptic use makes psychosis worse. long term antidepressant use makes depression worse. long term benzodiazepine use makes anxiety worse, plus everything else that goes along with long term sedation.

see a pattern? ive been doing the vitamin thing (orthomolecular), and I think that might be part of the reason im doing so much better. i dont know if the orthomolecular people from back in the day are correct in saying that the vitamin mixes correct abnormalities, or its just...using vitamins at massive doses as drugs, basically. doesn't really matter. the vitamins have been good for me, unlike the psych drugs, and they're cheap and readily available.

[Victoria'smom]

Can you find a dr that will check your vitamin deficiencies? My old pdoc always corrected those first before prescribing psych meds.

Originally Posted by still_crazy

me again. i may just need to reduce the abilify. its odd...for a while, i needed all 30mgs, but now im very aware that i am tranquilized, and its getting to me. abilify isn't horrible, but it imapiring my concentration and motivation.

no eps or td, though. and elsa...that's another reason i wanna reduce. there is some data that shows that long term neuroleptic use makes psychosis worse. long term antidepressant use makes depression worse. long term benzodiazepine use makes anxiety worse, plus everything else that goes along with long term sedation.

see a pattern? ive been doing the vitamin thing (orthomolecular), and I think that might be part of the reason im doing so much better. i dont know if the orthomolecular people from back in the day are correct in saying that the vitamin mixes correct abnormalities, or its just...using vitamins at massive doses as drugs, basically. doesn't really matter. the vitamins have been good for me, unlike the psych drugs, and they're cheap and readily available.

Crapp!!!! So my suspicions and experiences are correct huh? This is such bad news. Just when I'd accepted I needed these meds for life and was willing to accept a severely shortened life span and now I have to worry that using them will indeed make this psychosis worse. I do t think I will survive another psychosis as severe as my last. This is such horrible news....the doctors who prescribe these things should be required to warn patients of this potential. How disgusting....I'm disgusted. How terrible!!! How is the orthomolecular working out? I've been seeing stuff about it recently in the boards....several people have tried this route. My family would not be happy if I decided to go med free again. I almost put them in the psych ward. I can't do that again. It's all so terrible and confusing. (((Hugs)))

[still_crazy]

orthomolecular works with the drugs for me. back in the 50s, they used it w/ shock treatments (before thorazine and friends hit it big...) with good results. these days, i think most people do supplements with psych drugs.

I will begin taking my supplements again too. I need to get my physical health in better condition anyways and if the side effect of that is better mental health, I'll take it and say thank you.

I know I need my APs it helps to lessen the delusions/hallucinations. However back in the day when I started APs originally I was taking them to control BP depression, not for what I take them for now. I slowly progressively got worse in my MI until I had my first psychotic episode then after this it went from taking them to help with depression too I needed them every day to help keep control. I tried to quit taking my meds recently which resulted in where I am now I had the choice of injections or being in the hospital again.

[franz kafka]

My pdoc doesn't think I need to be on meds forever. I'm looking forward to that day.