Mental Health & Medications

[Messiahmonkey]

I have been diognosed with schzophrenia since 02, and been pretty much well since 04, however I would like a trial off my meds as i am somewhat sckeptical they are doing anything for me..

According to Mental Health, the only way i can come off them is to be a good boy for 2 years or so an take my meds volantarly, then lie to the community treatment order tribunal so i may come off them, does this make sense or what?

I would much prefer to have supervision if i come off them..

I was told by one Shrink i could come in every week or go into hospital for 6 months and come of them that way, but now they are refusing to do either...

If i dont try to get of them i will most likely be on them for the rest of me life, an that will really sux..

How can i get off them without having to lie?? not that it would bother me to lie really, i just dont want to play there little game they want me to play

Anyone got any ideas???

Aussie Ron

 

[David Baxter PhD]

Hi, Messiahmoney:

First read this article: http://forum.psychlinks.ca/psychology-psychiatry-and-mental-health/26058-anosognosia.html - Anosognosia is one of the symptoms of schizophrenia and one of the strongest factors you have to battle. And it's one of the reasons you don't think the medications are having any beneficial effects.

You've been on medications for some years now and the fact that you have been stable for as long as you have is entirely due to the medications. It is highly unlikely that at your age the symptoms have significantly abated. The reason they are not as evident to you now as they were in 2002 is entirely because the medication(s) is working. If you were to discontinue the medications, you can expect that you would feel okay initially but that you would regress into the full symptom array of active schizophrenia within a few months. It simply is not worth the risk and that's why the doctors are discouraging you from trying.

 

[forgetmenot]

You are doing so well do not undue all the stability you are having by trying to come off your medication. I can tell you it is NOT worth it okay. Just as a diabetic need insulin for life you will need your medication to keep you healthy and well okay. There is nothing wrong with that. Take care of YOU okay stay well and safe stay on your medication.

 

[Messiahmonkey]

I only want to take meds if an when needed, i have had a few episodes, however i'm not the lightest bit concerned about getting any symptoms again, as i know i can get help if i do if i want it, i can recall most of my symptoms when prompted, we should have the right to take meds only when needed

 

[David Baxter PhD]

The kinds of medications used to treat schizophrenia do not work unless they are taken regularly. It's not like aspirin, where you take it only if you have a headache.

 

[Messiahmonkey]

I recall one epsisode of severe anxiety, i went to hospital, they tranquilised me over night and i never felt better the next morning.....what does that say about there meds ?????

---------- Post added at 03:57 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:55 AM ----------

It's very real possible, all they need to do is to sedate people overnight when they have symptoms, i feel by shutting down the brain is the way to go...

 

[David Baxter PhD]

Messiahmonkey, there's really little to be gained by debating this here. My advice to you is to follow the advice of youyr doctors and if yoiu have any questions about the specific medications you have been prescribed you should talk to them about it. All I can tell you is that if you dicontinue your medications you will surely relapse within a few months if not sooner.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

It's very real possible, all they need to do is to sedate people overnight when they have symptoms, i feel by shutting down the brain is the way to go...

I'm sorry but you're wrong about that. Please talk to your doctors.

 

[Messiahmonkey]

I would luv to be able to take you up on that....but will i ever get the chance??? by comeing off my meds...I'm just venting atm

---------- Post added at 04:00 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:59 AM ----------

I'm sorry but you're wrong about that. Please talk to your doctors.

It worked for me....why wont it work for others ????

 

[Andy]

A tranquilizer is hardly the same thing as psychiatric medication like anti-psychotics. Mesiahmonkey. You can't be going into the hospital to be tranquilized every time your experiencing severe symptoms. Those symptoms will only get more and more severe and you will just end up in hospital for a long period of time rather than a night.

I can understand wanting to not have to take medication. It is something you need to take in order to be healthy. You aren't magically cured your stable on the medication, that is why your having no symptoms not because it stopped working but because it IS working.

What are your reasons for wanting to stop taking it all of a sudden?

 

[Messiahmonkey]

I guess, I'm skeptical and would like to trial off medication, me mum an sis have it too supposably, however me mum is only on a measly 25-50 mg of largactil a night or so, we used to drink that stuff in Hos for the fun of it, i doubt it's doing much for her...

 

[Andy]

Not every person responds in the same way to a single dose of medication. The amount of medication your mom needs may be lower than what you would take and it could be vice versa. It's not about the dosage, it's about how the medication effects the person. Numbers don't matter.
Is your mom in crisis right now? If she is then maybe she should get her medication looked at by a doctor, however if she isn't then obviously it is doing something for her.

Think about it, before you ever took medication something happened to bring you into the mental health system to which you were diagnosed with Schizophrenia. You were put on medication and did it help alleviate your symptoms? I will assume it did or you would probably still be in hospital. If you go off those medications you will go backwards, your symptoms will return, you will end up in hospital again and then they will start you back on medication to get you back to where you are now.

Do you remember the reasons that brought you to the mental health system in the first place? Do you want to go back there?

 

[David Baxter PhD]

Also, as people with schizophrenia get older (i.e., into their 60s or 70s) they sometimes can reduce their medications to a maintenance dose or in some cases even discontinue the medications altogether. I don't know that this is the case for everyone suffering from schizophrenia but I have seen some cases where that was true.

 

[Dragonfly]

Messiahmonkey - not to join the chorus of people expressing concern over your idea of stopping meds .... but I do have a couple of questions and another bit of info for you to consider. I read this thread from the beginning. Is it possible that every time you have written about stopping your meds, and someone writes back and lets you know that's not a good idea, you get more attached to the idea of stopping? That alone would make it hard for you to decide what is truly in your best interest. No? Even on your posts here, you come across as .... angry. Am I correct? If so, is there another way that you can be angry without setting yourself up to suffer? Finally, there is ample literature to back up the clinical observations that every time someone decompensates ..... every time someone needs intervention because of severe symptoms .... every time someone stops meds and needs them again (and Dr. Baxter is right. You will need them again - with virtually 100% certainty) ..... it takes longer to help the person get better and back to where they started. There are physiological reasons and explanations for this, but the reality is that it takes longer and longer to help the person get back to baseline. And sometimes, unfortunately, I have seen situations where I / we just can't get them back .... at least not in the 4-6 weeks that I am allowed to help treat them. It is very sad and a shame when this happens. Wouldn't it be in your better interest to use Psychlinks to get some ideas of how to talk with your docs about meds, doses, what you are experiencing and (if relevant) your anger? Just some questions. Take care.

 

[Messiahmonkey]

I was diagnosed in 02 with chronic schizophrenia, my first delusion was, i was the President of the Planet, then i thought i had the IRA after me with bugs in my bed etc (Paranoia) the worst symptoms was when i sent an email to Bill Clinton telling him when he was going to come to Australia, to make sure he washed his feet before he enters the country to come to my birthday party, as we didn't want any foot an mouth disease here..lol, i thought i offended him in this email in which most likely never got anyway, in which case i suffered extreme anxiety, i went to the hospital on my own admission, there they tranquilized me and gave me some 5 Valium or so for the trip, i hardly see the point in giving me the Valium anyway as the tranquilizer knocked me out anyway,( so much for medical experts), i woke next morning, never felt better, after that they started me on Haldol in which i don't think i needed..

I have no real issues with becoming delusional again and ending up in Hospital again, would pref not to be paranoid or anxiety, however i know there is immediate treatment available, so I'm not to concerned...

I want to be my own master of medication, to take it if an when needed, i want to know if indeed i can go years without it, possible forever...

i feel for me, it has been stressful situations in which has brought on the symptoms...

I have issues as to the way medical facts are recorded, there in hand writing one cant read and not easily accessible too for my own records, i have none to look back on nor to argue any case i may need in the future..

Me thinks medical records need to be in digital format as well, so one can listen to or get copies off..

If mental Health professionals had there way i would still be on the same meds and suffering side affects, as per according to my first GP makeing the claim there was no other meds i could be on...

---------- Post added at 01:33 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:23 PM ----------

Messiahmonkey - not to join the chorus of people expressing concern over your idea of stopping meds .... but I do have a couple of questions and another bit of info for you to consider. I read this thread from the beginning. Is it possible that every time you have written about stopping your meds, and someone writes back and lets you know that's not a good idea, you get more attached to the idea of stopping? That alone would make it hard for you to decide what is truly in your best interest. No? Even on your posts here, you come across as .... angry. Am I correct? If so, is there another way that you can be angry without setting yourself up to suffer? Finally, there is ample literature to back up the clinical observations that every time someone decompensates ..... every time someone needs intervention because of severe symptoms .... every time someone stops meds and needs them again (and Dr. Baxter is right. You will need them again - with virtually 100% certainty) ..... it takes longer to help the person get better and back to where they started. There are physiological reasons and explanations for this, but the reality is that it takes longer and longer to help the person get back to baseline. And sometimes, unfortunately, I have seen situations where I / we just can't get them back .... at least not in the 4-6 weeks that I am allowed to help treat them. It is very sad and a shame when this happens. Wouldn't it be in your better interest to use Psychlinks to get some ideas of how to talk with your docs about meds, doses, what you are experiencing and (if relevant) your anger? Just some questions. Take care.

Yes i'm pissed off with Mental Health, i have experianced medication increases which have been totally unjustified, this is come from an experianced person with an illness remember...

The problem is i see it, the larger morjority of mental health patants are uneducated and are in no way a match to argue a case for there meds ect, and they dont have records to look/listen to or look back on so they can understand ect ect

And it is possible Mental health case workers are twisting the facts to ones case too and putting this in writing....i know this for a fact...

Please Remember, the medical experts are not in the mind of the patant, it's not possible to fully understand what they feel or are thinking..

 

[Andy]

If you are on medication now that isn't giving you side effects then why are you determined to go off of them. Ultimately, you are in charge of your own health and you can make the decision to go off your medication. You aren't in complete control of your paranoia or anxiety though. You cannot decide whether you will experience those things or not.

Chronic means ongoing. Sadly Schizophrenia has no cure (yet) but it can be controlled. If you want to make suggestions to your doctor about your medication, going off of the medication your on now will only show him/her that your really not able to understand the need for medication. If you discuss things with him/her you will be going about things in the right way. A lot of people do dislike psychiatrists because of medication but if you actually work with them they can meet you half way.

Also it wouldn't be a bad idea to read up on Schizophrenia again (I'm sure you have before). Stressers are what bring on symptoms. Do you think you will be stress free? Do you KNOW you will be stress free?

All I can say is that you have been told here by many people about the consequences of going off your medication, we all think it's a terrible idea but your an adult. Your in charge of your own mental health and the more non compliant you are with treatment the more your showing mental health professionals that your not taking charge of your mental health and they will step in if they need too.

I really do understand that taking medication sucks and I understand getting the idea that your medication is pointless and wanting to stop it.

There. There's my lecture. lol

I really hope you make the right decision and talk with your doctor. Take care

 

[Dragonfly]

Please Remember, the medical experts are not in the mind of the patant, it's not possible to fully understand what they feel or are thinking..

You are absolutely correct! Completely. All the more reasons to talk with your doc. Best wishes.

 

[Messiahmonkey]

This is an update of my history & current situation..

As i am no writer of any kind, this post maybe somewhat hard to read, however i shall endevour to expalin it better if indeed anyone wants know anything more..

This is a letter of complaint out to a few differant organiastaions


Dear Sir / Madam,

I Ron J Duck 43 of Port Macquarie, NSW am writing to you in relation to my Diognosis & medical treatment of the disorder "Chronic schizoprenia", i do not refuse to acknowledge the fact that indeed i have had in the past since 2002 - 2008 - 2011 symptoms of "Chronic Schizophrenia", however what i would like to dispute is the facts recorded, Diagnosis & treatment i have recieved within these periods.

As i have no written / digital recorded facts to present to you, this indeed will make it difficult to present to you my case arguments, i do indeed understand i may have visual contact of my records by applying to Mental Health, however from my understanding, these facts recorded by Mental Health NSW, may well not be 100% accurate in any case, as for the facts that what i may have told them may well might not be accurate in any case on some particular accaisions as of what i may have said to them, nor for the fact that Mental Health may well have written there own version of facts as opposed to what was said or somewhat of a differant interperatation of what was said, for eg: i was told by my case worker (Tim Holman) i had thoughts of or wanted to kill "22" or so Mental Health workers, however i have no knowledge of as to how many workers there are within this building, so there i belive i honestly did not say i wanted to or had thoughts of killing "22" or so people, however i may well have said i had thoughts of wanting to kill someone, this is just one scenario of "alledged" incorrect facts recorded, i am yet to investigate the history of my case notes to compare them with the best of my ability of my recorded memory to check for other discrepancys in the recorded facts..

I was diagnosed in 2002 with schiophrenic symptoms of "Dulusions of Grand Dual", this is a fact which is indeed true, i was then admitted to Port Macquarie base hospital, then transfered to Coffs Harbour Psych hospital Ward for a period of 6 weeks, within this period of time, i was given numerous oral medication, from memory, i think one of the medications was "Lithium", the others i have no ability to recall as to what they were. Within this period of Hospitalization, i had not recognized any side affects at all, it was only untill i did indeed get out of hospital back into my own enviroment i did indeed started to realise i was getting side affects, the side affects i was getting were makeing me very restless, and the inabilty to go to bed before midnite, on most occaisions i had to "lap" the room untill i could feel tired enough to go to sleep, even then it was difficult to sleep. Within days of getting out of Coffs Habour Psych ward i made an appointment a doctor nearby, the name to date i do not recall, however would be recorded somewhere, It was this GP's opinion i must stay on the meds regardless as apprently there was no other alternative, however after seeing this GP i felt i had no other choice but to "jump" of the medication by myself as a result of the side affects i was indeed getting, within a matter of weeks, i was once again addmitted to hopital with more symptoms of schizoprenia, however i cannot recall as to what they were at this point in time.

With numerous Hopitalizations between 2002 - 2004, i had relapsed many times an something like 5 hopitalizations, medication from memory was oral, possible olanzapine, there well may have been possible others, my medication rugime may well not have been totally a daily dose, however from my understanding, it is very well possible ( from the best of my memory ) that i was indeed not over the symptoms of the initial symptoms and the medication quite possible had no affect on me whatsoever. However from Memory, Mental Health claiming otherwise, that indeed i was well when i was taking my medication, this i stongly dispute, like to be honest, how would they really know, where they in my shoes ???

In 2004 I had the most severe case of anxiety, (only first & the only one of) in which i promptly admitted myself to Port Macquarie base Hospital for treatment with the assistant from a close friend whom is now deceased, However according to Mental Health facts it was apprently my friend whom initiated me to come to hospital, not me, Mental Health is trying to make out i did not have the abilty to decern that i indeed was unwell and needed treatment,( recorded fact) however i do indeed have a very good recolection of those curcumstances & events at that point in time to date and i know 100 % for a fact that i did indeed initiate the course of action to go to Hospital as indeed i was very unwell at that point in time. After being assessed by Mental Health at Port Macquarie base hospital it was there reccomendation i be transfered to Taree Base Psych ward, prior to the trip, i was given 5 valium (from memory) and some other strong sedative in which did indeed sedate me for a period of 12 odd hours, the next morning i woke in Taree hospital Psych ward, knowing nothing of the transportation to there because of the sedation. After i woke i did indeed felt the best i could possible feel haveing no symptoms whatsoever, however after a day or so i was evaluated again and the Doctor of the time has reccomended i be placed on Haldol ( from the best of my memory, dosage not known,however in facts ) ,i indeed only can but wonder as to why i was placed on this medciation, considering the fact that i was indeed 100% symptom free, to date i am yet again see the records of these circumstances to see whether or not i was placed on this medication becuase i continued to have symptoms or what the reason was, from my understanding, i 100% feel that indeed i have been medicated unesercerly once again.

In 2008 i was living on the street in a camper for a period of 14 months, as one can amagine a winter period was included which indeed was very uncomforatble for me, also dureing this period i was on bail for a crime i had commited (not symptoms of schizoprenia related) for a duration of some months, i had to report 3 times daily to Police at 3 specific times during the day, this indeed was not easy to do in keeping the correct times of reporting, within this period i had been late on many occaisions and getting alot of flack for not reporting on time, this included on one or so occaisions being locked up for breach of bail (from memory) also getting alot of threats of being locked up from Police ect, for being late. This in turn made me very down & disturbed and ended up going to Port macquarie base hospital myself to possible obtain medication (valium) on numerous occaisions to assist me with sleeping, whilst at hospital i had, had some feelings of paranoia, (from the best of my memory), these feelings of paranoia where about the possiblty of Police wanting to kill me, all this was a result of the stress i was haveing to go through in living on the street for 14 months, as well as reporting to Police daily 3 times a day, finally it all got to me and i became unwell, however in saying that, i honestly belive that i would indeed have gotten over it as it was only short term symptoms and not ongoing, ( from the best of my memory) and totally curcumstance related and once again an increase in medication that i feel was unessercery.

Within this period of 7 years, i have had numerous occaisions where i have tried to get of a CTO order & medication, however only to be knocked back equally as many times, i was once told not so long ago by my treating shrink, i may be able to get of medication if i did indeed admit myself to Port Macquarie Psych ward for a period of up to 6 months ,however the statement of these converstations were never recorded and also it has been denied that it was ever said, however from the best of my memory, this is indeed what was said by my treating shrink, i also have been told by my case woker (TIm Holman) on many occaisions, if indeed i want to get of a CTO order & medication, i must indeed play the "game" be it i must comply for X years, then lie to the tribunal and state the fact that indeed i will resume taking oral medication if i was to come of a CTO order, i was rencently told by mental health staff at Port Macquarie Base hospital Psych ward,( however not recorded), that it i may be able to come of medication if indeed i was to present myself to Mental Health every couple of days, this is yet to be seen as to whether or not i will have any success in being able to do such. My only beef is with this, is for the fact, i was on a previous dose of medication be it (50 mg Haldol every 2 months) a theraputic dose i was told by my treating doctors that would indeed do nothing for me, however yet i was on this does for approx 2 years or so (from the best or my memory), my argument here is, why do i need to see Mental Health every couple of days considering the fact that in previous years i was on such a low dose & extended time frame, this to me makes no sence whatosever, i do relelise they may need to monitor me, however this to me seems to be beyond rediculous, i would consider a review once every 2 months quite satisfactory, not to forget also they may indeed visit or call me anytime they choose, i would have no objection to that.

Also i do understand i may have an 2nd opinion if indeed i choose too, however the closest time to see someone will be at least Nov this year 2011, not to mention i will have to travel for 2 hrs just to see this person, or if i wanted to see a local Doctor, i will have to wait untill next year sometime and that is indeed if he will take on my case. Meanwhile i will have to continue with Port macquarie Mental Health, for doing this. i must go through numerous oocaisions of stress, restlesness disturbed thoughts & sleeping problems because of the fact i am being haunted on every occaision every time i have anything to do with them as a result of not acheiving anything at all, for me, its the same story on every occassion.

Also to state, i am being refused a case woker whom will be there for me 5 days a week if i indeed need to speak to someone, if indeed i have issuse that need resolving dureing the week, according to Mental Health staff the current situation is working "fine" with the current case worker whom is only working 5 days a fornight,that may well be ok for them, but not for me, i was told he is the most experianced case worker, hence the question remains about the capacity of the other case workers.

To be 100% honest within the last 7 years, i have been more concerned with my level of smoking ciggerettes & related affects and also to mention the related stress ect with having to be involved with Mental Health as opposed to any schizophrenic related symptoms.

It is of also my opinion, Mental Health Australia need to implement digital recordings as part of the facts collected, this indeed would resolve many disputes.

I have no idea as to whether or not if there is indeed any neglect or malpractice, however it is of my opionion that there is a 50/50 chance that Mental Mealth are indeed over medicating me & quite possible many other patants, it is also of my opinion an investigation into Mental Health and there practices is very much needed here.

---------- Post added at 12:32 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:09 PM ----------

Not every person responds in the same way to a single dose of medication. The amount of medication your mom needs may be lower than what you would take and it could be vice versa. It's not about the dosage, it's about how the medication effects the person. Numbers don't matter.
Is your mom in crisis right now? If she is then maybe she should get her medication looked at by a doctor, however if she isn't then obviously it is doing something for her.

Think about it, before you ever took medication something happened to bring you into the mental health system to which you were diagnosed with Schizophrenia. You were put on medication and did it help alleviate your symptoms? I will assume it did or you would probably still be in hospital. If you go off those medications you will go backwards, your symptoms will return, you will end up in hospital again and then they will start you back on medication to get you back to where you are now.

Do you remember the reasons that brought you to the mental health system in the first place? Do you want to go back there?

My Mom is only on something like 25- 50mg of Largactal a night, like comon, we used to drink that stuff in a psych ward for the fun of it, and they used to give it us whenever we wanted it, wether we needed it or not...

My mom has not had any issuse for like 40 odd years as far as i know...

I oridginally come under the scope of MH for Delusions of Grand Duar, i strongly suspect i never really recovered from the symptoms for at least 2 yrs or so, I honestly think the meds just " masked" the symptoms, had i really listened to my Doctors, i would be still takeing those meds....and getting SIDE AFFECTS, no thanx, i have more faith in my own mind then that of Doctors..

I am somewhat sckeptical that in my current situation, i need meds, my last symptoms were in 2008, in which i had a slight episode of Paranoia, given the curcumstances, me thinks one could possible understand why...I was living in a camper for a period of 14 months, mind you this included a winter and was very uncompfortable, also to mention, i had committed an offence, be it exhibitionism, in which i was on bail for, the judged gave me over the top bail conditions in which i had to report 3 times a day for months at specific times too, for me it was very difficult to report on time everytime, so on many occaisions i was late, copeing flak because i was late and also being locked up for breach of bail, for not being on time, all this had a toll on me, not sleeptimg too well either with alot of time on my hands & nuthing really better to do, i had been going to Hsopital on numerous occaisions to obtain valium (overrated i might add) to assit me with sleeping, then from memory i was at hospital an got a tad slightly paranoid that the cops wanted to kill me, this was not a sever epiosde, an i honestly think i would have gotten over it once my circumstances changed in which they did not long later and i moved into some accomodation into a carers role ..

I have no issuse with going "backwards" or haveing any symptoms in the future, considering if they treated my like they did back in 2004, in which i was sedated over night, next morning, i woke an never felt better...this way of treating people might not work for everyone, but it sure did work for me..

The only issue i am haveing with the shrinks of that time is...after evaluation a day or so later, i had no symptoms, however i was placed on Haldol, the questions begs to be known, did i need it or did the shrink interperate that indeed i was having symptoms still.....????

---------- Post added at 12:42 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:32 PM ----------

Messiahmonkey - not to join the chorus of people expressing concern over your idea of stopping meds .... but I do have a couple of questions and another bit of info for you to consider. I read this thread from the beginning. Is it possible that every time you have written about stopping your meds, and someone writes back and lets you know that's not a good idea, you get more attached to the idea of stopping? That alone would make it hard for you to decide what is truly in your best interest. No? Even on your posts here, you come across as .... angry. Am I correct? If so, is there another way that you can be angry without setting yourself up to suffer? Finally, there is ample literature to back up the clinical observations that every time someone decompensates ..... every time someone needs intervention because of severe symptoms .... every time someone stops meds and needs them again (and Dr. Baxter is right. You will need them again - with virtually 100% certainty) ..... it takes longer to help the person get better and back to where they started. There are physiological reasons and explanations for this, but the reality is that it takes longer and longer to help the person get back to baseline. And sometimes, unfortunately, I have seen situations where I / we just can't get them back .... at least not in the 4-6 weeks that I am allowed to help treat them. It is very sad and a shame when this happens. Wouldn't it be in your better interest to use Psychlinks to get some ideas of how to talk with your docs about meds, doses, what you are experiencing and (if relevant) your anger? Just some questions. Take care.

Nah it has nothing to do with people telling me it's not a good idea to stop taking meds...I feel "thawted" not sure of the correct meanign of the ward..but it sounds good...lol

If n When i get off meds for a while, i will get back to use for a "please explain" reason as i needed to take meds....lol

The bottem line is, the shrinks of the time "think" i need meds, there is no medical evidence whatsoever, just so called "case history" and there so called "expertise"...

Just becuase someone has done 10 years study + X years experiance, does not mean that they will be any good at there job...

I have been told by some staff members, i maybe able to get off meds, if indeed i was to come in every couple of days for evaluation, why i it would have to be so frequent for i have no clue, considering the fact, that in previous years i was on 50mg Haldol every 2 months, a dose according to the doctors, would not do anything for me anyway..me thinks you can see my case argument, however i am yet to see them uphold this fact of allowing me to come off my meds..

---------- Post added at 12:50 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:42 PM ----------

If you are on medication now that isn't giving you side effects then why are you determined to go off of them. Ultimately, you are in charge of your own health and you can make the decision to go off your medication. You aren't in complete control of your paranoia or anxiety though. You cannot decide whether you will experience those things or not.

Chronic means ongoing. Sadly Schizophrenia has no cure (yet) but it can be controlled. If you want to make suggestions to your doctor about your medication, going off of the medication your on now will only show him/her that your really not able to understand the need for medication. If you discuss things with him/her you will be going about things in the right way. A lot of people do dislike psychiatrists because of medication but if you actually work with them they can meet you half way.

Also it wouldn't be a bad idea to read up on Schizophrenia again (I'm sure you have before). Stressers are what bring on symptoms. Do you think you will be stress free? Do you KNOW you will be stress free?

All I can say is that you have been told here by many people about the consequences of going off your medication, we all think it's a terrible idea but your an adult. Your in charge of your own mental health and the more non compliant you are with treatment the more your showing mental health professionals that your not taking charge of your mental health and they will step in if they need too.

I really do understand that taking medication sucks and I understand getting the idea that your medication is pointless and wanting to stop it.

There. There's my lecture. lol

I really hope you make the right decision and talk with your doctor. Take care

STP,

I am just somewhat sckeptical i need meds at this point in time, more so since i have had no symptoms since 2008..

It's not entirely true in relation to the fact i "can" get of meds if i wanted too, am on a CTO order, at the end of the day, it's up to the shrink, he is calling the shots here..

Give me a few months off meds an we'll see how i'm going, then i will get back to you, however your gunna be having to coff up an explination as to why you say it's ongoing or there is no cure ect...

I dont really have any issuse in my life as to what is causeing me stress, other then the fact that when i deal with MH in anyway, this usally stresses me, i get restless, wird thoughts and problems with sleeping...

---------- Post added at 01:06 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:50 PM ----------

Hi, Messiahmoney:

First read this article: http://forum.psychlinks.ca/psychology-psychiatry-and-mental-health/26058-anosognosia.html - Anosognosia is one of the symptoms of schizophrenia and one of the strongest factors you have to battle. And it's one of the reasons you don't think the medications are having any beneficial effects.

You've been on medications for some years now and the fact that you have been stable for as long as you have is entirely due to the medications. It is highly unlikely that at your age the symptoms have significantly abated. The reason they are not as evident to you now as they were in 2002 is entirely because the medication(s) is working. If you were to discontinue the medications, you can expect that you would feel okay initially but that you would regress into the full symptom array of active schizophrenia within a few months. It simply is not worth the risk and that's why the doctors are discouraging you from trying.

David,

I somewhat doubt i have "Anosognoia", i have known when i was unwell pretty much, more so when i had a possible extreme case of "anxiety" if indeed it was anxiety, i wanted to get treatment, because that's how bad i was feeling..in my mind,

The scenario from memory was, i was still the "President of the Planet", i "thought" i had offended Bill Clinton in an email i sent him inviting him to my birthday party..lol ( not that he ever got it or read it..lol) but that was the thought of the time, in the email, i had suggested to him he indeed wash his feet at the airport as we did not want "foot & mouth" desease in the country...lol

Like i said, between 2004 -2008 for a period of a couple of years, i was on 50 mg of Haldol every 2 months, a dose apprently that would not do anything anyway...

Now your saying i would relapse within a few months..??? what about that dosesage level that was apprently not doing anything for me..??

Like i say, i have no issue with any new symptoms i may get really, as i know there is treatment available, an overnight stay in Hospital, no worries, am more concerened now with getting ciggerette health realted issue..

---------- Post added at 01:10 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:06 PM ----------

You are doing so well do not undue all the stability you are having by trying to come off your medication. I can tell you it is NOT worth it okay. Just as a diabetic need insulin for life you will need your medication to keep you healthy and well okay. There is nothing wrong with that. Take care of YOU okay stay well and safe stay on your medication.

Eclipes,

Me thinks "diabeites" can be somewhat more life threating then any symptoms of "schizophrenia" dont you think..??

---------- Post added at 01:11 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:10 PM ----------

You are doing so well do not undue all the stability you are having by trying to come off your medication. I can tell you it is NOT worth it okay. Just as a diabetic need insulin for life you will need your medication to keep you healthy and well okay. There is nothing wrong with that. Take care of YOU okay stay well and safe stay on your medication.

Eclipes,

Me thinks "diabeites" can be somewhat more life threating then any symptoms of "schizophrenia" dont you think..?? unless of course if one wanted to commit suicide...ect

--------- Post added at 01:13 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:11 PM ----------

The kinds of medications used to treat schizophrenia do not work unless they are taken regularly. It's not like aspirin, where you take it only if you have a headache.

David,

I beg to differ in your statement...for me "sedation" for 12 odd hours did indeed resolve my symptoms whatever they were...