So worried about changing my medication

[fluffydressinggown]

I am having to change my medication from risperdone to aripriprazole (excuse my spellings!) and I am so worried.

Risperidone has been so good for me, but it has stopped my periods and we want to TTC so I need to change to a medication that doesn't affect them.

I am worried that the aripriprazole won't work and I will become psychotic (I start to believe that God wants me to hurt myself and sends me messages). They have said that if I was psychotic again I would be at risk of being sectioned again which is scary stuff.

I am so stable at the moment, I haven't self harmed since November, I have just started a new job, I have holidays booked etc. I don't want any of that to change.

(((( fluffy )))) It must be a really difficult position to be in. Do you have any early warning signs for psychosis?

Yes, poor sleep, seeing things in the corner of my eyes, believing that God is speaking through people to me, all of which are bloody happening at the moment because I am so stressed about changing medications!

When I am stressed I do go a bit weird, but with being on the risperidone I feel I can manage it a bit better so I am scared of that changing.

Changing medication is always nerve wracking, especially if it's been keeping you well.
It's great that you know your early warning signs. Do you have a crisis plan in place? Hopefully the meds change will go smoothly and you won't need it, but I find it comforting to have one in place.
Best of luck with it, and also good luck TTC! I went through TTC and pregnancy on antipsychotics (the meds raised my prolactin levels which caused me problems conceiving, is that what's happened with you? No need to answer if that's too personal!) and now have an 8 month old DS, PM me if you ever want to chat.

I think I'd feel the same as you, last time I changed meds I ended up in hospital. You can do it, fluffy!

FDG, I can understand entirely why you'd be nervous. It's definitely to be expected. My best suggestion from past experience is to do the switch very, very slowly.

Yes, I am changing because of raised prolactin levels. I have stopped having periods which normally would be fine, but obviously now I want to TTC it isn't! I am worried my periods will never come back but that is me catastrophising!

I am doing the transition slowly and I am hopeful that I will do ok on my new medication. It is just so scary!

I have avoided commenting on this thread even though I'm in the same boat I'm changing my anti psych too. The reason I haven't commented is because I'm changing from Abilify to olanzapine.

But I decided to come on and wish you well in your med change and ttc.

Hi Fluffy

Firstly, sorry to hear you are feeling so worried about this change in medication.

I'm not a Dr but I do work in mental health and know a bit about antipsychotics.

The literature seems to say that the prolactin increasing effects of risperidone wear off quite fast once you stop taking it maybe as quickly as a week, which is great as it means your periods will hopefully come back soon once you are off it.

The aripiprazole I theory is equally effective as risperidone and generally better tolerated, which is also good news although I appreciate as you are settled on the risperidone and have faith in it this probably doesn't give you much confidence right now.

The other thing I wanted to say was both aripiprazole and risperidone are rated as class 'C' risk for taking whilst pregnancy, ie neither is so far deemed more risky than the other, so once you have hopefully conceived perhaps there is the option of switching back to the risperidone?? Maybe worth discussing in more depth with your Psychiatrist?

In the aa I work in we have a specialist Psychiatrist who has additional expertise in dealing with Women planning or already pregnant so might be worth asking if this is a possibility for you wherever you live??

Lastly good luck, don't forget to do all the usual stuff like eating well, sleeping plenty and avoiding alcohol,and stimulants ( caffeine and nicotine) if you can when TTC, hope you get a bop quickly!

Bop = BFP, flaming autocorrect!!

Thanks for your replies I appreciate it.

verynovicegardener it is reassuring to hear that my periods should come back quite quickly, I will have my fingers crossed. I am aware of the peri-natal MH team (in fact their lead psychiatrist helped to section me last year ) so hopefully if/when I get pregnant they can support me.

I am going on holiday on Tuesday and then when I come back I start on 5mg of aripriprazole and reduce my risperidone to 3mg with the idea of gradually upping the aripriprazole and reducing the risperidone so I should be totally changed over by August.