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Original poster

Anyone take anti pscyotics?

17 replies

CrawlingInMySkin · 16/01/2011 10:27

If so can you be honest and let me know roughly how bad the side effects are? and which one you take? please.

OP posts:
GooseFatRoasties · 16/01/2011 12:50

I've put a link on your other thread to rethinks guide to antipsychotic medication. They are a mental health charity and have an excellent website.

ell1 · 16/01/2011 17:33

I take Quetiapine (600mg). The worst side effect I have is drowsiness, but they have also given me a better quality of life than the one I had before!

GetDownYouWillFall · 16/01/2011 17:59

I used to take olanzapine, horrible stuff. Made my limbs feel kind of heavy and causes weight gain. Very glad to be off it.

Hope you are ok?

Original poster
CrawlingInMySkin · 16/01/2011 18:14

I am fine thanks I have bipolar and I have refused to take them, and held back on dealing with my psychotic symtoms, but I am reconsidering now. Hope you are in a better place now and thank you both for your input.

OP posts:
Keziahhopes · 16/01/2011 21:18

Hi, I have had a few for short term treatment - the one I had the least side effects with and actually found it helped me was risperidone.

thinkofanamechange · 17/01/2011 17:28

Hi crawlinginmyskin

i had an acute psychotic episode back in September (all ok now though - touch wood!)

I am taking 10mg Abilify (aripiprozole)

The side effects at first were drowsiness and blurred vision, these went after about 6 weeks and now I have no side effects at all.

I also take 10mg of escitalopram (anti-d) and have had no side effects at all with that

Good luck!

Original poster
CrawlingInMySkin · 17/01/2011 17:54

Thanks for all replies, thinkofanamechange thanks for that I have looked up anti pychs and I am considering trying either Geodon or Abilify sorry to hear about your pychotic episode.

It probably seems stupid but I may have to stay on this forever and I am afraid of medication because my father was a drug addict which is one one of the reasons I am so nervous and feel the need to know all about the medication before I will take them. So thanks for all input it is very much appreciated.

OP posts:
thinkofanamechange · 17/01/2011 20:14

I was scared of taking medication too. My Dad killed himself shortly after being prescribed prozac Sad

BUT my side effects have been minimal and the mental health team have been great with me.

Abilify is a popular choice I believe. I think it's because it isn't meant to cause weight gain.

I'll be on my meds for a long time but I'd choose a lifetime of meds over depression any day Smile

Original poster
CrawlingInMySkin · 17/01/2011 21:31

thinkofanamechange Sad I am really sorry to hear about your dad my heart goes out to you, you must have found it very hard to take the medication, you have done really well to take it.

Depression is hard to live with, and it can also be hard to know you have to live on meds forever but as you said its better than the alternative.

OP posts:
Karia · 19/01/2011 15:26

I used to take a tiny dose of Flupentixol (Fluaxonol) - 0.5mg a day. I found it was really helpful and didn't give me any side effects like weight gain etc :)

Memoo · 21/01/2011 23:02

I took Quetiapine for about 6 weeks last summer. Awful stuff, made me feel totally drugged up and couldn't function on it but on the flip side I was going through a pyschotic episode and without it I would probably have killed myself.

Now I take venlafaxin 225mg,buspirone, propranol and Zopiclone which sounds a lot but they are keep me stable and I don't have any major side effects apart from the odd hot flush or night sweat.

MOSP · 21/01/2011 23:14

Can you be on buspirone long term memoo?

I'm on that (amongst other things).

Memoo · 23/01/2011 14:46

Sorry mosp, only just got chance to come back on. My psychiatrist said I would probably be on my meds for a couple of years so I think she meant the buspirone too. The only trouble with it is it took ages to start working but it really helps now.

MOSP · 23/01/2011 15:15

Thanks. I must be getting confused with diazepam then. I knew that one of mine could only be short term, which panics me a bit.

I'm by no means well, but without the drugs, I can't say I'd still be here. Waiting for therapy to start :(

How are you?

Memoo · 23/01/2011 16:23

The thought of them taking the meds away is scary isn't it. I know I worry every time I have to see the psychiatrist that she will stop one of mine. I had diazepam a few times and that can definitely only be taken short term but you might find that when you do have to stop them the buspirone will have started to work. Propranolol is quite good too, stops some of the anxiety symptoms.

I'm not too bad, kind of feel the same as you really that without the meds I wouldn't be able to cope. It's kind of like teetering on the edge of a cliff. I guess we just have to keep taking each day one at a time.

reallytired · 23/01/2011 21:27

I took Flupentixol (Fluaxonol) at varying doses at the peak when things were really bad I took 2 mg for a year. I am sure it saved my life. It helped me to think a bit more sensibly and stopped me having delusions.

The only side affect I had was a dry mouth and that improved after a week or so. I have been off medication for seven years now.

reallytired · 23/01/2011 21:37

Actually come to think of it, I can't remember the exact dose I was prescribed when things were really bad. Life was a bit of a blur.

I think I took two tablets a day.

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