[defaultxxx]

I am coming off Risperdal consta after around 6 months on it and don't want to go back on it already as I hate the side effects, but just the other day at work I wondered if I am starting to hallucinate again or something because a few times people would be talking to me and then they would say something a little odd that reminded me of what I dealt with before at work before I walked out and was hospitalized and put on the shot. One example is today at the end of the day my boss was showing me how to do something and then said "you don't look mentally stable to me so you can sue me". I didn't reply as I was used to hearing weird **** at work and thought I may be hallucinating or something. It happened sort of around another guy yesterday also. I don't know what to do except just tell myself they are not really talking to me, but that didn't help in the past for long. I read it can take up to 3 months to get back to "normal" after meds. I hope it isn't all coming back again. I am worried that I will start hearing voices again also. It makes me feel like I should maybe need to quit my old job and start fresh, but I worry it will be difficult for me to readjust. I already am on ssd currently in the work trial period.

[Sometimes psychotic]

Personally I would just go back on meds It sounds like a relapse. Ive never heard anything about three months of getting back to normal my pdoc wanted me back on meds at the slightest hallucinaiton...

I think looking for any little sign of relapse probably makes it a self-fulfilling cycle, especially if you are stressing out about it. Hallucinations aren't bad in and of themselves. It is one's reaction to them that causes the most distress. A lot of people have found that changing their reactions to even very negative/scary/hurtful voices improves their quality of life, even if the voices don't change in content/volume/frequency. I found reading Living with Voices by Romme and Escher (full of stories about people accepting their voice hearing experiences and readjusting their relationship with their voices) very informative.

Hearing one voice and going 'oh no, that happened before and then xyz happened and I ended up in hospital etc', for example, is a sure fire way to ramp up your stress levels and increase the chance of a relapse. If med-free is what you want to do, then you have to accept that you might experience symptoms every so often. A person can be 'recovered', leading the quality of life they want and doing the things they want to do, and yet not be 'cured'. Obviously the level of symptoms experienced off meds and one's ability to cope with them varies and no one can predict that or tell you whether to go back on meds or not. However, one needs to have the coping skills in place BEFORE attempting to come off meds, or one will struggle and end up back on the meds and think that their chances of ever being med-free are negligible. Maybe now is not the right time for you to be med-free? Or maybe, by focusing on acceptance and relaxation techniques and reality checking etc, you can adjust to this and remain med-free?

(I'm not anti-med btw, just not pro-med.)

Whatever you decide, I wish you all the best, and welcome to PC

*Willow*

[defaultxxx]

So I made it through another day of work and didn't have any problems or hear people say anything until right near the end. This time I was walking towards another boss... one that I used to have problems with in the past because of my illness. As he walked towards me he said "you just are just not hot enough." just seemed really out of place, but I was worried it was a hallucination so I didn't ask him if he said anything. Slightly later on in the night I was walking with a team leader and I thought I heard him mumble really quick that I will last forever in *****. I simply pretend to ignore these comments so far because they are out of place, but I always wondered if I am not hallucinating. So other than those 2 moments at work I felt ok and have not heard any voices yet again thankfully. Had to take a sleeping pill the other day though because I naturally woke up after only 3 hours and couldn't get back to sleep.

Good luck!

*Willow*

[myrael1515]

I would just stay on meds. No matter how normal You may feel for no matter how long. I felt normal for months till I relapsed I wish I never stopped taking them. One of the docs told me after coming off meds they don't help you as much. Talk to somebody abt the danger of coming off meds you d know better

How are you doing Default? I hope that you're managing ok

Originally Posted by myrael1515

Talk to somebody abt the danger of coming off meds you d know better

To med or not to med is a very personal decision. Everybody has different symptoms and coping abilities and successes (or not) with meds and side effects etc, and so there is no 'right' way to manage these sorts of experiences. I don't think strangers on the internet can "know better" than the OP and those who support them IRL.

I don't mean to sound harsh and it is kindly meant because I know that you are new here. What works for one person doesn't always work for another, but I am glad that you have found something that works for you

*Willow*

[defaultxxx]

I just got back from a small vacation and heard no voices and had no "hallucinations" of what people said to me or anything out of the ordinary. Not too long ago I didn't think a vacation was possible with how bad my insomnia was so I am glad it went ok. I go back to work tomorrow and hope it continues that way.

[joe_]

Originally Posted by defaultxxx

I just got back from a small vacation and heard no voices and had no "hallucinations" of what people said to me or anything out of the ordinary. Not too long ago I didn't think a vacation was possible with how bad my insomnia was so I am glad it went ok. I go back to work tomorrow and hope it continues that way.

that sounds good.

same here. i haven't really heard any voices. its been a week.

[defaultxxx]

My latest update is I am worried that some of my symptoms are coming back more often like voices although quieter than before and thinking people said something. I might go back on meds because I am not sure how much longer I will stay stable especially at work. I really wish it was just all over. I hate meds and what it does to me physically and mentally. I was also trying to lose weight off meds and I did lose pretty much everything I gained in the last 6 months on Risperdal consta. I know I lost muscle mass from my illness and all this constant dieting and meds. Turns out I have hypothyroidism now also. I am not scheduled to see the psychiatrist for almost 2 weeks... I have some Risperdal leftover. I do not want to be hospitalized again because it will all be forced. I just hope I can be ok may call my psych soon.

[Victoria'smom]

Do you want to try Abilify Maintena or INVEGA® SUSTENNA?

[defaultxxx]

Now trying abilify

[defaultxxx]

A few days so far on Abilify at half dose or 5mg and I feel better on it than other antipsychotics so far, but it isn't quite strong enough yet to get rid of my voices completely. The time I was off meds I hoped never relapse my symptoms. It finally occurred to me that this is why I am now disabled. Anyways I hope abilify ends up being good enough.

[defaultxxx]

Now up to 20mg I like this med much more than others so far except it hasn't been quite strong enough. I always wonder if the voices just stem from being lonely or having too much time alone.

[Calypso2632]

[Angelique67]

Originally Posted by defaultxxx

Now up to 20mg I like this med much more than others so far except it hasn't been quite strong enough. I always wonder if the voices just stem from being lonely or having too much time alone.

Hi, it took 12 weeks about for Abilify to start suppressing voices for me. Hopefully it won't take that long for you, but it can take awhile. Just wanted to say.