[Gretchen]

Ten time's the charm! Seriously though I'm treatment-resistant and so they are going to give rexulti a shot next. I'm hoping for the best I need Relief really bad. Has anyone else had any success with rexulti?

[Sometimes psychotic]

That’s a relatively new one kind of like Abilify but not exactly the same. Let us know how it goes

I've not taken brexpiprazole/Rexulti, though I have taken aripiprazole/Abilify, which is similar. But I'm posting to say that I'm considered treatment resistant too. I find self-help techniques to be invaluable in helping me cope everyday.

My pdoc has actually given up on trying to medicate me because medication has no discernible benefit to me and the horrendous side effects that I get seriously impact my quality of life.

So, whilst I hope that this medication does help you, if it doesn't, it's not the end of the world. There are many things that you can do yourself to manage your experiences to make them easier to cope with. As I always say, it's not the experiences, but the way we react to them that matters.

If you would like suggestions of coping techniques, we can suggest some for you to try, though obviously, like with meds, what works for one doesn't always work for another.

All the best

*Willow*

[Gretchen]

Thanks friends for the responses. I had never heard of rexulti either and found out it was very new which kind of makes me nervous but my doctor told me there wasn't pretty much anything these antipsychotics couldn't do to my brain as far as damage wise that I hadn't already way done to myself with other drugs that i used recreationally to alter my mind when I was much younger. And I'm partly responsible for being resistant to treatment because I'm a very difficult patient I've had a lifetime of mental illness and I can be a self saboteur so mental at times I can't get out of my own way. I don't mean to sometimes not take my medicine and then other times I'm having a meltdown and don't take my medicine or I'm disassociating and I don't remember if I took my medicine or I don't know who I am and do I take medicine you see where this is going. So the doctors have their hands full it's not just my body doesn't respond well to medication although that is partly the problem. Anywho I digress.

[Loose Screw x 2]

Hello, Gretchen. I have just recently started on Rexulti as well but, other than experiencing a few hours of good mood that were similar -for me- to feeling hyper and happy during that time, it's still too early for me to tell how it's going to be for me. I tend to skip meds when I get upset too but, usually no more than one dose unless it's about forgetting which seems to be getting worse as I age but, that's pretty much it for me. By the way, I love your hair! Merry Christmas to you!

[tecomsin]

Hi Gretchen,

I also just started Rexulti and am going to step up to 2 mg tomorrow. I'll be happy to share experiences and how you get on with the drug.

I'm hoping to get off zyprexa completely and not have hallucinations or delusions. If that goes well I'll ask my pdoc to try an add on antidepressant.

The last years I've either been depressed or psychotic. I stopped taking zyprexa because of its raising my fasting glucose. Fortunately that normalized when I stopped taking olanzapine but without olanzapine I went psychotic and it wasn't fun.

I can't say I was treated well by what passes as mental health care where I live, but in the end, I am suffering a lot of consequences and don't want a repeat so that' s my reason for trying rexulti as a way to prevent psychosis without getting diabetes. That is a harsh trade off especially because my kidney function is already marginal, after chemotherapy and diabetes is a huge stressor on kidneys... and I didn't want to be on dialysis

What I'm saying is that it wasn't a free choice not to take meds, but it was still a bad choice in the end.

Since I've had repeated psychosis when not on an antipsychotic, but on other meds, I came to the reluctant conclusion that life long antipsychotic is the way to go.

[tecomsin]

Gretchen,
I read your posts on this thread again and wanted to say that I feel we have visited similar places in terms of our mental wellbeing although it is not precisely the same, as it never is. I think most practitioners in mental health just don't appreciate that we can find ourselves difficult to deal with, perplexing, confusing or even off-scale at times.

Anyway I stepped up to 2mg of rexulti and the headache I had when I stepped up to 1 mg returned. Plus I am very tired. On the other hand I am not psychotic and my olanzapine dose is now down to 1/3 of a 2.5mg pill. Hoping to get off of it completely now and have rexulti carry through for the rest of my days if the side effects are tolerable.

[Gretchen]

I was very encouraged to see the responses that most seem to tolerate Rexulti well and I really really hope that this is the one that helps and that no one has to look any further. Unfortunately I just got a call from my Pharmacy today when I have checked to see if the insurance company was going to cover the prescription and I was turned down again for the second time so I will have to stop taking it because the doctor had been giving me free samples and he can't continue that practice we were just waiting for the insurance companies response. I've been crying all day it's just been miserable. I don't even feel like trying anymore.

[tecomsin]

Originally Posted by Gretchen

I was very encouraged to see the responses that most seem to tolerate Rexulti well and I really really hope that this is the one that helps and that no one has to look any further. Unfortunately I just got a call from my Pharmacy today when I have checked to see if the insurance company was going to cover the prescription and I was turned down again for the second time so I will have to stop taking it because the doctor had been giving me free samples and he can't continue that practice we were just waiting for the insurance companies response. I've been crying all day it's just been miserable. I don't even feel like trying anymore.

have you checked to see if the manufacturer has a program to provide subsidized or free pills to those who can't afford it or where it isn't covered by insurance?

maybe this link can help: Otsuka Patient Assistance Foundation | Free Product Support

[Gretchen]

I will have to check it out. I work and have insurance so I usually make just enough money to bump me out of any programs because they usually want you to be without income and insurance or combination there of but I will definitely check it out thank you for the information.