[OliverB]

I take a low dose of amisulpride, at a low dose blocks presynaptic autoreceptors which enhance dopamine neurotrasmittion, so it doesn't act as an antipsychotic.

I want to stop it because... I just don't want to be a schizophrenic taking antipsychotics, I am stubborn, pride is my second name.

I think I can do it by my own, and I can.

Let see what happens.

[Trippin2.0]

Why can't you be a proud person who happens to have a schizophrenia dx and takes antipsychotics?

Are these things mutually exclusive?

[justmeandmyhead]

I've been through this too Oliver. I missed my psychosis and kept stopping meds, partly because I hated taking them and partly because I missed it.
What I've discovered is that you need to find comfort in the real things in life. Build a life for yourself that you would miss if you lost it through being unwell.
I used to hate taking meds. Now when I get unwell I'm the first one to suggest taking them. I have too much to lose.
Sometimes I still miss my psychosis. But then it starts and I remember how awful it can be.
There's nothing to be ashamed of about taking meds. That's what I've learned through working in mental health. No one judges you. People applaud you for taking meds.

[OliverB]

They are not acting like an antipsychotic, so I don't need them because of psychosis.

I am as unwell as before taking it, and antipsychotics working as antipsychotics make me worse.

[Sometimes psychotic]

This isn't something you can fight with willpower...it's an illness....if you had cancer would you just try to tough it out?

[OliverB]

Originally Posted by Sometimes psychotic

This isn't something you can fight with willpower...it's an illness....if you had cancer would you just try to tough it out?

The problem it is the possitive effects of amisulpride dissappeared, I increased the dosage and only got irritability.

The rest of antipsychotics are metabolize by an enzyme I lack of (CYP2D6), this is why I get severely sedated by them even when I take a dose below the therapeutic range. Amisulprie it is different because it is barely metabolized so I can tolerate it at a really low dosage which actually enhance dopamine instead of blocking post synaptic receptors.

I will keep taking my Concerta and I will continue with self-help...

And if I had a physical diagnosis I would take the treatment, but not with something like this...

The medical treatment just does not work.

I am not happy with this med... The only things that are making my life easier are Gabapentin at night because I sleep better and Concerta.

The decision has been made, if I get worse I will take it again.

[StarSeedPleiades]

I'm not encouraging anyone to stop their medication, and I'm not discouraging it. But I will say it's possible to live without it, I do, and it's possible to be content with it, if you find something that you feel works for you.

I'm not the only person with a "severe mental illness" who is medication free, there are others too. In fact, I work with them here at a respite house and I see the difference simple human connection can make. I also am with people who prefer to stay on their medication, feel better on their medication, and that's okay too. I don't think there's any right or wrong here. The best way you can learn to live healthy with some discomfort is the best way for you, that's how I see it.

Just a factoid from the world of biopsychology, the brain is at homeostasis when someone is off medication (even if that means seeing things, hearing things, mania e.t.c, I been through it too, at least the hearing and seeing things), and fighting FOR homeostasis when you take the medication. That's why when people get off them, or suddenly stop, sometimes they lose themselves more than they would have before--the brain would have been sending out more neurotransmitters to balance out the synthetic medication ones, and without the synthetic ones, the brain accidentally overcompensates: boom; hardcore symptoms appear. It's normal to be worse off after stopping medication. It's not because the medication was "helping", it's because your brain is trying to re-balance itself.

Just a tidbit, with all due respect.
--SSP

[OliverB]

Originally Posted by StarSeedPleiades

I'm not encouraging anyone to stop their medication, and I'm not discouraging it. But I will say it's possible to live without it, I do, and it's possible to be content with it, if you find something that you feel works for you.

I'm not the only person with a "severe mental illness" who is medication free, there are others too. In fact, I work with them here at a respite house and I see the difference simple human connection can make. I also am with people who prefer to stay on their medication, feel better on their medication, and that's okay too. I don't think there's any right or wrong here. The best way you can learn to live healthy with some discomfort is the best way for you, that's how I see it.

Just a factoid from the world of biopsychology, the brain is at homeostasis when someone is off medication (even if that means seeing things, hearing things, mania e.t.c, I been through it too, at least the hearing and seeing things), and fighting FOR homeostasis when you take the medication. That's why when people get off them, or suddenly stop, sometimes they lose themselves more than they would have before--the brain would have been sending out more neurotransmitters to balance out the synthetic medication ones, and without the synthetic ones, the brain accidentally overcompensates: boom; hardcore symptoms appear. It's normal to be worse off after stopping medication. It's not because the medication was "helping", it's because your brain is trying to re-balance itself.

Just a tidbit, with all due respect.
--SSP

Thank you for the input.

Today I am less tired and irritable.

Originally Posted by OliverB

The problem it is the possitive effects of amisulpride dissappeared, I increased the dosage and only got irritability.

The rest of antipsychotics are metabolize by an enzyme I lack of (CYP2D6), this is why I get severely sedated by them even when I take a dose below the therapeutic range. Amisulprie it is different because it is barely metabolized so I can tolerate it at a really low dosage which actually enhance dopamine instead of blocking post synaptic receptors.

I will keep taking my Concerta and I will continue with self-help...

And if I had a physical diagnosis I would take the treatment, but not with something like this...

The medical treatment just does not work.

I am not happy with this med... The only things that are making my life easier are Gabapentin at night because I sleep better and Concerta.

The decision has been made, if I get worse I will take it again.

Tell your doctor... yadda yadda yadda

And if you can, do this slowly. I stress this from experience. Not just for withdrawal reasons, but if you find out that you really do need these meds you can bounce back up on them. When lowering, usually one lowers it some amount every month or every two weeks. That gives you time to breathe and self monitor in case you start seeing a pattern. You're going to really want to self monitor and recollect what your first signs are.

I understand that you want to get off your meds, just make sure you do it safely.

[captgut]

I stopped taking my antipsychotic about 3 months ago. My doctor was not very happy about that, but he was ok.
I started feeling much better!

But now I feel my mind is changing again, or reality is changing

[OliverB]

Originally Posted by captgut

I stopped taking my antipsychotic about 3 months ago. My doctor was not very happy about that, but he was ok.
I started feeling much better!

But now I feel my mind is changing again, or reality is changing

Somtimes you can begin feeling bad again months after stopping it. I guess it has nothing to do with the AP but just life. Sometimes it's good at other times it is not.

[Desoxyn]

Go back on the antipsychotic =[

If you have a second relapse it's safe to say... regretfully, that you might want to consider staying on an antipsychotic for the rest of your life. As heartbreaking as that sounds it might be for the best.

[greentires4me]

I told someone that I didn't want to take meds anymore but they asked what would happen if I stopped and I confessed probably end up in the psych ward and the hallucinations would come back. So I ask you this what will come back if completely stop?