[VanGore28]

I'm struggling with the negative symptoms of the illness. Its my mood that's not right. I'm feeling rather flat and deflated, I wake up really early n cant get back to sleep. But my psychiatrist doesn't believe in too much medication. So I have been buying my own over the net. The only way they ever give me extra is if I do something extreme like stand on edge of a bridge then I will get admitted.
I'm prescribed an antipsychotic which works. I had to beg to get extra, go to hospital and pretend I was ina crisis. He says my mood might lift naturally er no it hasn't and wont. Ive accepted its a chemical imbalance and meds are crucial. So ive resorted to buying extra meds online. By trial and error, and scouring net I found that theres antipsychotics that help mood as anti depressants are not strong enough for me. I'm quite resistant to meds. Lithium worked but my mouth felt like I was in the dessert and hadn't drunk for days. Plus its worst for your liver as its a salt.
So by upping my quetiapine at night and adding olanzapine at night then arapiprazole during day I am getting there . I am on a couple of anti depressants too. But **** its expensive buying own and I'm just a student and get help from dole too. My doc would have a fit I'm taking so much.

[OliverB]

It's not a good idea to play with medication, and it's a really BAD idea to take on your own different antipsychotics at the same time.

Plus, antipsychotics are better known as inducing secundary negative symptoms rather than "curing" them. They work really well on possitive symptoms, and poorly, none or make worse negative ones.

[neodoering]

I have to say, too, that it's a very bad idea to be taking your own doses in addition to what your doctor is giving you. Drugs can have some wicked side effects: ones I've experienced personally are dizziness (think about driving a car), drowsiness, high triglycerides which can lead to heart attack and other heart problems, tremors in the hands and feet, and so on. You really should consult your doctor if you need a higher dose.

[still_crazy]

3 antipsychotics? probably not the best idea.

Please work with your doctor. For example: my doctor suggested clozapine. I was horrified, so instead she added mood drugs to a high dose of Abilify. Works well, and I've been spared all the stuff that goes with clozapine treatment.

You'd be surprised, honestly, at what non-antipsychotic drugs can do. A lot of times, if you can elevate your mood a bit, psychosis becomes less of an issue. If you can calm agitation, again: psychosis becomes less of an issue.

Plus, as Oliver B pointed out, antipsychotics can easily lead to a deficit syndrome, when they're dosed too high and/or in mind-numbing combinations. My lil cocktail isn't ideal, but it beats lithium, depakote, additional antipsychotics, etc. I don't think my symptoms are all that unique, so I'd recommend talking your prescriber about working something out.

[VanGore28]

I have been on chlozopine - and it ended badly, I was one of the unlucky ones who had a reaction and I ended up on a heart ward on a drip for a week as it made the muscles swell n my heart go a million miles an hour.
I only take small doses of olanzapine n arapiprazole. My doc put me on higher than max recommended dose of venlafaxine in british med journal n mood still not right.....sort of despairing, .I live by myself n after college ends ill be screwed for cash. when I was working full time I was broke. I was punished for actually wanting to work, id be better on disability its ****ed up

[Marylin]

I agree be careful medicating with more than one anti psychotic.I can warn you cos I took Olanzapine for four years,that drug damaged my kidneys and heart,so if you have been taking it for any length of time you should have regular blood tests to check your kidney and liver function and be aware it can put a strain on your heart.

[VanGore28]

I have stopped arapiprazole and went back to the lithium.
That means I still take 500mg quetiapine, 5mg olanzapine, 450mg lithium aswell as mirtazapine and venlafaxine. All at night then I have small 25mg doses of quetiapine for during the day just to top up.
Didn't realise olanzapine was bad for the heart and liver. My nurse says lithium is worse??

[Marylin]

Most at risk of damage taking Olanzapine are your kidneys!

[*Laurie*]

Originally Posted by VanGore28

I'm struggling with the negative symptoms of the illness. Its my mood that's not right. I'm feeling rather flat and deflated, I wake up really early n cant get back to sleep. But my psychiatrist doesn't believe in too much medication. So I have been buying my own over the net. The only way they ever give me extra is if I do something extreme like stand on edge of a bridge then I will get admitted.
I'm prescribed an antipsychotic which works. I had to beg to get extra, go to hospital and pretend I was ina crisis. He says my mood might lift naturally er no it hasn't and wont. Ive accepted its a chemical imbalance and meds are crucial. So ive resorted to buying extra meds online. By trial and error, and scouring net I found that theres antipsychotics that help mood as anti depressants are not strong enough for me. I'm quite resistant to meds. Lithium worked but my mouth felt like I was in the dessert and hadn't drunk for days. Plus its worst for your liver as its a salt.
So by upping my quetiapine at night and adding olanzapine at night then arapiprazole during day I am getting there . I am on a couple of anti depressants too. But **** its expensive buying own and I'm just a student and get help from dole too. My doc would have a fit I'm taking so much.

Hi, What you're doing is dangerous. It really is. Please speak with your pdoc or a different pdoc, one you have more trust in, and explain what is going on. I understand why you want to add more medication - it sounds like the med prescribed to you isn't working quite as well as you need it to. Or maybe you need an additional medication. Whatever the case, the self-medicating you're doing is not smart.

[VanGore28]

Thank you for your concern. I will press my doc, but I have a friend who was simply told, "we can't do anymore for you" and left her to struggle on. In the UK they seem to be reluctant to pump a person full of drugs contrary to what you may have heard about psyche wards. If he will not issue me with extra help for my low mood I may ask for a second opinion or a new doctor, although I do not like offending professionals who are dedicated to helping others.

[jaynedough]

Glad you're going to talk to your doctor. If your doctor won't listen to what you're saying about needing meds, it's not unrealistic for you to find another doctor.

[VanGore28]

I cant get a new doctor .all i can get is a second opinion. All the doctors in my area are basically part of the same team. So they will just agree with original one. Up the creek really. Just have to keep buying lithium at least its cheap

[Victoria'smom]

Have you seen a therapist to help you navigate the symptoms that aren't being addressed? Pdoc is more likely to listen to a therapist about adding more meds than you.

[VanGore28]

The next time i see my psychiatrist im going to ask to be referred back to psychologist. It just wasnt the right time before and was hard to get times as i was working full time but yes its a good idea

[VanGore28]

Well I spent four weeks in the psyche ward and we came to a solution - I have been experiencing the secondary negative effects of being on a high dose of anti-psychotic. I actually needed LESS anti-psychotic and now I have no need for lithium or a mood stabiliser and I feel hopeful