Posts by Eric Mitchell55

Kevin Nguyen3 said:Just hiccups?
There have to be other side effects happening alongside this that you aren't even noticing.
And what do you mean by "all day long"?
Are we talking about non-stop hiccups for several hours at a time, or do they stop and start occasionally?

It usually lasts about 15 minutes straight, and it happens several times a day—pretty frequently, actually.

Is it possible for hiccups to be a side effect from taking some kind of medication?
I’ve just been hiccuping all day long, and honestly, it's starting to wear me out.

That’s great, I really hope it works out that way.
I don't have any immediate plans to head out anytime soon since I haven't even made it out of New York City yet—I just popped out for the weekend. But once things settle down a bit and I get my bearings, I'd definitely love to sign up for driving school. 🙂

Can people diagnosed with schizophrenia enroll in driving school?

Is anyone still taking Nexium, or has anyone tried it recently?
I'm curious to hear about your experiences with it.

Larry Lewis said:This OCD5 thing gets under my skin every single time. Look, I deal with schizophrenia and OCD myself—it’s a heavy load—and I honestly can’t wrap my head around whether someone with her level of severity shouldn't be exhibiting these specific symptoms if their condition were actually more advanced. It just doesn't sit right with me.🤷
Maybe Kevin Nguyen3 comes off a bit harsh—I'll give you that—but let's face it: the situation is what it is. She and her sister basically have to step up and take charge. I realize they're still just kids, but sometimes life just throws you a curveball that's hard to dodge.

And what's the deal, Alex? Are you trying to break the Guinness World Record for the most extreme diagnoses?😂

Just kidding... mostly. Hang in there, kid.😉

Well, obviously.
They just keep coming in. 😁

Is it actually possible to deal with both BPD and schizophrenia at the same time?

Donna Newman82 said:A friend of mine suggested that I should say an entire generation is being skipped over. What do you all think about that? O.o

I’ve heard that too, but honestly, in my experience, things don't always play out quite like that.
Take Diego, for instance. Both he and his mom have Shiz. 🤷

Larry Lewis said:But let’s be real—we definitely hold the gold medal for the most prestigious mental health diagnosis out there.😍

Man, I feel like we’re just drifting through this thing, isn't it? Like, sometimes you look up and realize how massive everything is and how small we all are in the grand scheme of things. It’s a bit surreal when you really stop to think about it. 😁

Harold Anderson3 said:well, you're the best one 🙂

I'm probably only taking about a third of what you are in terms of antipsychotics, though the depression is absolutely crushing me. I'm on 150 mg of Effexor and it honestly doesn't feel like enough, which isn't exactly a low dose either. I'm constantly struggling with the negative symptoms of schizophrenia, even though I don't really deal with the positive ones. Maybe that's because they are so 🤣

Just like all the other crazy ones. 😍

Nothing beats a good old-fashioned burger. <3

Jeremy Clark23 said:Props to you, kid.

A long, long time ago... I was on a cocktail of Haldol, Cogentin, Stelazine, and Ativan all at once—honestly, I don't know how I even kept my eyes open. I'm no doctor, but wouldn't they give you something a little less heavy-duty? Usually, they just drop the Cogentin automatically after that. Though, I guess a few beers mixed with Cogentin is quite the combo. Just kidding. 🙂

PS. No clue—when they saw I wasn't handling the Haldol well, they switched me over to Risperdal. Compared to Haldol, that stuff is nothing. Mind you, I haven't been on anything for ages. Don't take this the wrong way, but I'm actually pretty happy about that.

I went through a mountain of antipsychotics myself, and nothing worked except for Zyprexa and Risperdal. But man, those gave me side effects that were way worse than just being sleepy, so honestly, Haldol felt like a dream (as long as you've got the Cogentin to balance it out—you can't do without it).

I wouldn't mess around with this either; I've been there. Total fool. (Even if it did feel good at the time.) 😳

fadedbear92 said:anxiolytic

Haldol 2mg - 1,0,2

extreme drowsiness(side effects:http://www.pfizer.com/us/medicine...-tablet/2056/)

Cogentin 2mg - 1,0,0 + 1 pp

Prazina 25mg - 3x1 + 1 pp

it's also used for sleep

Drug. You could start selling pills at this rate.
And man, the Haldol makes me sleepy—like, unrealistically sleepy.[/I]

No wonder you're exhausted—that combo is brutal.
Give it a little time, maybe a week or two, but if it doesn't let up, definitely ask your doctor about changing things up.

I've been on Haldol for about six months now, and my doctor just bumped up my dose.
I've also been taking Lexapro for roughly three years, along with Prazina; the dosages have shifted here and there over time, though they've stayed pretty steady for the last few months.
Even today, she increased my Haldol. She knows it makes me sleep like a log, but she insisted there isn't really another option since I apparently haven't been responding to anything else.😳

Cymbalta 90mg - 1,0,0
Helex 0.5mg - 3x1
Haldol 2mg - 1,0,2
Akineton 2mg - 1,0,0 + 1 prn
Prazina 25mg - 3x1 + 1 prn

Drug. Honestly, I could probably start selling these pills on the side at this rate.
Also, the Haldol is hitting me hard—I am just incredibly sleepy.

I’ve always considered alcohol to be a pretty good companion.
I wouldn't say I'm in recovery (not 😁), and while I'm still relatively young, I think I've lived enough to have an opinion on the matter.
Every now and then I'll have a drink. I know, technically I probably shouldn't given the sheer volume of medications I'm currently taking, but there are those stretches where I just decide to treat myself to a couple of beers.
Mostly, though, I don't drink. When people corner me asking why, I usually just tell them I don't feel like it. Why? Just because. Why? Just so they have something to gossip about.
Amen.
I try not to get into long debates with all the Vegetas out there who feel the need to weigh in on everything. The people close to me understand my reasons for staying sober. They respect it—though, honestly, sometimes when I'm feeling a bit impulsive, I'll reach for a simple Radler, and they won't even let me have that. So, it is what it is.

Still, reading through your responses is pretty interesting. I could probably spin a whole story about being a recovering alcoholic just to get people to back off; they tend to get on my nerves regardless. 😁

ruggedtinker9 said:At this moment, no medication effectively targets glutamine, and there is an increasing consensus that glutamine activity is precisely what drives schizophrenia symptoms. The Olanzapine I am currently prescribed acts on dopamine, serotonin, adrenergic, histamine, and muscarinic receptors. I suppose one could argue that no schizophrenia medication can be truly beneficial for the brain or the body over the long term. In the short term, perhaps they serve a purpose by halting a psychotic episode, but long-term usage alters the very structure of the brain. Research suggests that drugs like Olanzapine or Haloperidol can reduce brain volume by as much as 11%. This isn't discussed openly because people tend to assume these medications are some kind of miracle cure, but they simply aren't. I wonder if anyone here has heard of Open Dialogue, a model used in parts of Europe that works with psychotic individuals without relying on medication; it reportedly returns people to reality with an 85% success rate, which is arguably more effective than any pharmaceutical intervention. I realize it might be difficult to admit that these drugs are problematic, but I KNOW they are. We are dealing with a multi-billion dollar industry. People need to understand the reality of their condition, and they need teams like Open Dialogue to guide them back to stability. It is entirely possible and quite effective. It honestly pains me to see people believe that this current way of "treating" those in extreme states is somehow good. It isn't, and it's nowhere near being helpful. In my view, all schizophrenia medications are garbage. However, I am forced to take this garbage because it is mandated by the system. One day, I will step away from all of it and find my strength, because I firmly believe that full recovery is possible.

Man, I really feel that.
I'll get there too—stripping everything back when the time is right.

Robert Richardson28 said:Hi there,
I’ve been taking 20mg of fluoxetine twice a day (one dose in the morning and one at night) for about seven months now to help manage some OCD issues and an eating disorder...
To be honest, it hasn't really done much for me, other than keeping my temper in check so I don't have those sudden outbursts of anger or get as easily irritated...
Since it hasn't actually addressed the core issues I was hoping to fix, I'm looking to taper off. I was wondering if anyone could suggest a safe way to stop taking it.
Thanks in advance!

Please don't try to handle this on your own; you really need to talk to your psychiatrist first.

Larry Lewis said:It isn't a bad thing at all. Personally, whenever I find myself hanging out with my fellow mental health warriors, I find myself completely relaxed—there's this sense of kinship, really—because we've all navigated through the exact same kind of absolute shit.

In that case, it isn't a bad thing.
This fall, I’m supposed to start a group therapy session with a small circle of four or five other young people dealing with psychotic symptoms. It'll be a chance to talk openly with folks who are going through similar struggles. I really think it’s going to help.

Larry Lewis said:Look, movies make it look dramatic—which they do, sure—but the reality is a bit more nuanced than Hollywood would have you believe.

I actually have a close friend—well, a couple of them, really—who lives with schizophrenia. We talk about it, obviously, though maybe not in some deep, cinematic monologue style; it’s much more mundane, you know? It’s just casual conversation... things like, "Man, this specific thing really messed with my head today," or "This medication works wonders for me, but that other one was a total disaster," or even just venting about how awkward a session at the clinic felt. It's just part of our everyday dialogue.

Do you personally know anyone—a friend, a colleague, someone in your circle—dealing with schizophrenia?

It’s true that reality doesn't always match the screen, but there are certain themes that help bridge the gap and give people a little insight into what it's like. 🙂

No, I don't personally know anyone with schizophrenia. I'm honestly not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. 🤷

Larry Lewis said:Don't play games with me, kid.
😛

I'm being serious🤷

I’ve actually seen both of them! I can't believe it didn't cross my mind sooner. 🙂
Thanks so much, 🙂