Olanzapine makes me really unmotivated. Vraylar hasn’t helped. I wish I could try Vraylar “solo” but I can’t.
Vraylar causes heartburn which is annoying as hell.
Abilify is a far better drug. Too bad I had akathisia on it.
I do think that vraylar helps with cognition though. When I take it I feel it gives me a boost in thinking.
Can’t you lower risperidone and take Abilify as an add on treatment?
Make sure you take your doctor along with you. I have gone this path before and yes, you probably risk more damage from repeated bouts of psychosis and then going on a higher dose of AP to stabalize than you do a low dose of AP.
Add to that a much lower quality of life and even possible loss of life in psychosis and I think the choice for most of us is clear.
But then again, I had to learn this for myself. I dont expect everyone to listen to me. Many people will have to make this mistake for themselves. But I do speak from experience here.
Here is a more current article.
Thanks man I appreciate it. Yea i dont plan on going off the deep end. Going to wean while I try new approaches, and start taking them again if I start to hear voice and play it by ear. I do believe meds are good I just believe I’m at so low of a dose it’s possible I could achieve the same effects with alternative therapies. Thanks. I don’t plan on taking nothing as that would put me in the same spot I was before is started meds which was not a good place.
Bro that is a really great article thanks 
.
I got brain damage from 2 years of being off meds and fully psychotic. All symptoms got worse and needed stronger meds. But I keep thinking that I am cured since I have no symptoms, sometimes I don’t believe sz is lifelong and maybe with age and stability meds can be stopped.
What happened to me after going on meds is that my psychosis got worse with new symptoms in the withdrawal and relapse. The panic attack like things I was having after six months of being off meds were really scary. I’m surprised I endured those. They weren’t like the panic attacks I had a few weeks ago in March. You are thinking wishfully, in denial of sz. If you don’t want to take 8mg risperdal, you have to look at other meds or combos of meds. Going off meds is not realistic for you most likely. I am on a very low dose of my med which isnt indicated for sz, but I am ok. If I went off I would probably have severe psychosis within 6 months.
Nobody does
Smart
That’s a real possibility
In my case I chose medication because I wouldn’t be able to function without.
I have to stay on meds
I can’t function without them
Science thinks that antipsychotics as well as psychosis caused brain scrinkage.
I take meds to sleep
.
I know. I said I was taking an alternative therapy not quitting medication all together. Also I dont recommend it for anyone else who is not at an extremely low dose of ap as it will almost certainly not work.
I am on 8mg risperidone and was surprised that even 1mg blocks 50℅ of dopamine receptors, the hardest part of stopping meds is the last mg
The Vraylar didn’t work for me
Ended up on Clozapine which has not been as bad as I thought
I am resigned now to taking it for life
I do know what I’m talking about an idk what you mean by lucid. Taking a walk outside is a gamble too. I’m not stopping meds. I’m replacing them with weaker ones. If I was on 20mg of abilify I would never try it. But I’ve addressed the root causes of my psychosis and I’m staying stable on 3mg of abilify.
You say supplements dont work but that’s scientifically impossible. They have some effect perhaps not nearly enough for it to address the level of psychosis most people have. I don’t have sz. I have sza. The outcome of sza getting to remission etc is far better and more likely.
I’m aware that you can probably never take any amount of suppliment that can equate to a large amount of clozapine etc. it’s not strong enough. But I need a mild dose at this point, around the equivalent of 3mg abilify. It’s possible some supplement, weak as they may be can provide me enough mental support that I can sustain not being is psychosis.
Anyways not gonna argue about it anymore. I’m not encouraging nor advising anyone to do the same. Simply saying what I’m doing. Also I don’t think meds are bad thats not why I’m quitting them. I’m stopping them because I dont want to be dependent on the pharmacological system.
Every time I’ve tried I’ve lost my mind. The last time was so bad I thought I’d never go back to normal. Pretty sure that’s gonna be my last attempt, I’ll just put up with the extra weight. It’s not worth it to hear mean and command voices again. Took a solid 2 months for them to slowly go away after we raised my dose back up.
Also I did all this with doctor permission just so you guys know, I don’t change doses on my own decision.
Yeah im kind of on the verge of trying out being med free. I have an appointment with my doctor next week and will ask to lower my dose of aripiprazole from 10mg to something like 5mg. Its been three years since i had my first psychosis. And hopefully the last.
Just want to feel confident again and enjoy stuff.