Posts by Harold Anderson3

It feels like the priority is always about maintaining those three distinct constituent groups in Canada, while nobody seems to give a second thought to how people are actually supposed to afford to live. Honestly, it’s pretty frustrating to watch. 😢

Matthew Castillo5 said:Harold Anderson3, I'm pretty sure Carol Barrett2 is actually based in Canada, so I'd bet the regulations over there are totally different.

Yeah, I'm aware of that, but from what I can gather, he’s looking to collect two separate Social Security checks, which just isn't how it works. It's pretty much the same situation here in the States.

It’s honestly a bit tragic that we have to sit here debating laws that even the people drafting them don't seem to fully grasp.
The way I see it, you could potentially draw benefits from both a German pension and an American one, but trying to pull two from the US system? Not happening. Why?
It’s just absurd.

Carol Barrett2 said:I used to deal with those tremors and shakes—mostly just pure stress, honestly—but things have settled down a bit lately. Now, though, it looks like getting that survivor's benefit is going to be a total uphill battle. Apparently, because I’m already drawing the minimum disability check, they're saying I won't qualify. Which is hilarious, really, because according to the law, I should be entitled to both.

The folks over at the Social Security Administration basically told me the disability payments wouldn't go through their way, even though they definitely should.

How much are you getting for disability versus what the survivor benefit would be? Is there a massive gap between the two?

My mom receives her disability, plus an additional stipend for caregiver assistance which is handled through NASA.
So, she effectively has two sources of income at once, but honestly, even when you add them together, it isn't exactly a fortune.

Since I'm working, I have my regular paycheck to lean on. Otherwise, making ends meet would be a real struggle.

Morgan Lewis said:thanks Diego,
this Xeplion actually works for me—and honestly, it’s not even about being afraid of the needle itself, it’s more that I get this nagging anxiety that they might mess up the injection so badly that something goes wrong, you know?
Maybe I'm just overthinking things, but I swear I read somewhere that they aren't supposed to hit a vein or a nerve or something like that. They’ve given me shots before,
but last time was such a disaster that I genuinely wonder if it's even humane. I felt like absolute garbage for four days straight after... and every single time I go there, I feel like I have to sit there like a statue because everything
I try to say just sounds "weird" to them—as if I'm some kind of monster just because of my diagnosis and my treatment plan. But that's just my personality! When I show up, I actually want to chat a little bit
with my sister, while she and the doctor seem to expect me to just sit there in total silence, maybe drooling a little too, just to prove I'm a "normal" schizophrenic.
Sorry to everyone reading this, I just really needed to vent and get this off my chest.

You aren't being silly at all; unfortunately, there are some nurses out there who just don't know how to handle injections properly. I've personally received over a hundred antipsychotic shots, and I'll be hitting the 200 mark soon, administered by all sorts of different nurses and techs. You see it all.
Back during my worst psychotic episode about thirteen years ago, they were even giving me about ten calming injections a day.
Still, most of them really do know exactly what they're doing.
There are plenty of stories out there regarding those famous COVID vaccines, too. It really just comes down to the individual nurse or technician and how much expertise they actually bring to the table.

Morgan Lewis said:Hey everyone, so I’ve been dealing with these shots for about two and a half years now, and honestly? I’m starting to get a little over it. What do you all think about making the switch from Xeplion back to oral pills? I wouldn't say I'm a "difficult" patient or anything—I'm pretty sure my doctor would be open to the idea—but I can't help wondering if it's actually a smart move. The medication itself works great for me, really, it does! It's just those injections... they aren't always the most pleasant experience, you know? So, I'm curious—how do you guys feel about that kind of transition?

I’d say definitely have a conversation with your doctor about moving back to pills. 🤷In terms of how well they actually work, there isn't much of a difference; it really just comes down to what's more convenient for your lifestyle.

P.S. I’ve been dealing with the needles for 13 years now. I’m pretty much used to it—just taking it like a champ, even when it stings.🤣

Lawrence Wells said:I’ve been following along with what Harold Anderson3 is saying, but I wanted to ask one thing—has a psychiatrist ever actually questioned your schizoaffective diagnosis before? And are you still on Zyprexa, or have they switched things up on you lately?
Sending strength to everyone out there battling anything in the F20-F29 spectrum—hang in there!

I'm not taking Zyprexa anymore; instead, I've moved onto an aripiprazole injection and clozapine.
My doctor mentioned that because of my mood swings, we might be looking at mixed-type schizoaffective disorder, which she noted could mean a better chance at recovery, though she hasn't officially changed my diagnosis just yet.
Personally, I feel like the actual treatment plan—the specific meds and the dosages—matters much more than the label itself.

fadedhound86 said:I think I'll hold off on asking for an antidepressant for now, though, because I know firsthand how incredibly hard it can be to find the motivation to even get out of bed once you start taking them.
Plus, things aren't quite at a breaking point with my depression yet...

Everything you said makes sense, Harold, and your logic is totally sound... But the thing is, I've always been such an emotional person, and I tend to follow my heart much more than my head. I catch myself blaming myself for being sick, especially since heavy marijuana use over a long stretch was one of the triggers for my schizophrenia, not to mention that period last year when I decided to stop taking my meds on my own whim. Back then, I was only taking one pill, but now I'm on five plus a depot injection...🙂

Still, I'm still fighting this battle, and I haven't given up hope on finding a better future for myself. So, there's a little bit of positivity coming from my side after all... 🙂

I've experimented with weed too, though unfortunately, I used to mix it with alcohol, which was probably worse.
I also went off my medication for about three weeks back when I had F21—which is a milder diagnosis, schizotypal disorder—even though all I really needed to do was take 10 mg of Zyprexa at night.
Just be grateful that these medications exist and that they're actually working for you.
If you've been hospitalized five times, I'm sure you've seen just about every kind of psychiatric case imaginable.
Including those folks with schizophrenia who can't even string five words together into a coherent sentence, let alone post on a forum about their struggles.
You're still relatively "fresh" to all of this, and you have so much room to grow
if you stay persistent.

And that ending is truly positive; you always have to keep fighting and never give up. Good luck. 🙂

fadedhound86 said:For me, it fluctuates quite a bit. On average, I'll have two good days followed by two rough ones.
Lately, though, the negative symptoms of schizophrenia have really been getting to me—just this heavy lack of motivation and constant depression.

And I spend way too much time "living" in the past. Just obsessing over where I went wrong in my dreams, or what I could have done differently if I had known then what I know now...

Hopefully, things will start looking up soon... 🤷

I suppose you just have to learn to live with that reality. I’ve been managing my schizophrenia for nearly thirteen years now, and if I’m being honest, the best I’ve managed to achieve is a sort of bipolar-like cycle, where my mood just swings back and forth between deep depression and feeling relatively normal (and occasionally even hitting manic highs). Even with staying strictly on top of my medication, I can't rule out those occasional, milder psychotic episodes either. If those negative symptoms are starting to feel overwhelming for you, it might be worth having a real conversation with your psychiatrist about potentially adding an antidepressant to your current regimen.

And I spend quite a lot of time "living" in the past. Just constantly ruminating on where everything went wrong or what I could have done differently...

Hopefully, things will improve. 🤷

I know that feeling all too well, though I think it's something we can work on improving. I try to tell myself to dedicate about 90% of my mental energy and focus to the present moment, leaving just the remaining 10% to deal with the past or look toward the future. It basically means trying to stay grounded in the "now," while still allowing yourself to remember where you've been and plan for where you're going.
You didn't do anything wrong; things simply turned out the way they did. Of course, it wasn't inevitable—things could have gone differently—but they didn't. It is what it is. You can't rewrite the past, but you definitely have the power to shape your future by how you handle the present.

Here’s my 20th little update on this thread🙂

I’m really just looking for some good conversation, and who knows, maybe down the road if we actually hit it off, we could grab a coffee sometime. (Just a quick note that I’m in Indianapolis, not New York, so travel might be an issue!)

I’m 34 years old and work at a manufacturing plant in the metalworking industry; I live in a small town out in the Midwest, not too far from Indianapolis.

I’ve been managing schizophrenia for about 13 or 14 years now, and I’m currently in a pretty stable remission, though I still deal with some occasional manic and depressive shifts.
I enjoy most of the things people my age do—you know, keeping a steady routine, staying disciplined, reading, listening to music, and catching movies.
Sex, drugs, rock n roll... okay, that last part was just a little joke to keep this post from feeling too heavy or boring. 😛))

Mainly, I’m searching for someone to chat with—a virtual friend, ideally someone who also navigates their own set of challenges but refuses to let them win and keeps fighting through life anyway.

No giving up. 🎉

fadedhound86 said:I figured I should jump in here and join the conversation too. I’ve been spending quite a bit of time reading through this thread,

So, I was recently diagnosed with schizophrenia, which comes after my fifth time being hospitalized... Once the initial shock finally wore off, I started to slowly wrap my head around the fact that this is just my reality now.

I wanted to reach out and see if anyone else here is taking Xeplion depo, and if you are, have you dealt with any side effects like increased anxiety or panic attacks?

Hey there. I was actually on a similar medication, Unknown, for what felt like about seven years. Back then, it was pretty much the gold standard for treating schizophrenia. It worked relatively well for me, though I eventually transitioned over to the one I'm using now.

As for the panic attacks and anxiety, I can't say for sure, but it could definitely be a side effect of the medication, or perhaps just those lingering echoes from the initial shock of receiving an F-22 diagnosis.

There’s this common assumption that schizophrenia is the most difficult mental health condition to deal with, but honestly, that isn't necessarily true. Everything really depends on the individual case and how you define the severity of a disorder.
The most important thing is to find the right treatment plan and stay consistent with the medication.

Joshua Parker76 said:For those of you on antipsychotics, when are you actually taking yours—morning or night?

The Psychiatrist who first put me on Risperidone told me to take it in the morning, but then the private Psychiatrist I saw later suggested switching to nighttime.

Right now, I'm taking 1mg of Risperidone at night.

I take Seroquel right before bed, so definitely in the evening.
Personally, I think nighttime is the better option since drowsiness is pretty much the main side effect with almost all antipsychotics.
Though, honestly, 1mg of Risperdal is such a tiny dose that it might not even be enough to make you sleepy. 🤷

Olivia Bishop8 said:Man, this illness is just brutal... Reading through everything you guys are going through (I'm not the one sick, my son is), it’s honestly pretty terrifying. He’s in remission right now, I guess, but I can't help worrying about his future and what his life is even going to look like. He's 25 now, just stays inside, doesn't work, doesn't go out, doesn't really hang with anyone besides a few close family members. He tells me he feels fine, but after reading all your stories, I suspect he's struggling way more than he lets on.
I don't even know, honestly, who has it worse—him or me as a parent.
How do you even escape this nightmare?

It seems everyone faces their own unique set of challenges. For him, it might be the frustration of not being able to live the life he envisioned, while for you, it's the weight of watching your son struggle against this condition.

Still, I try not to view everything through such a dark lens. With the right treatment plan, there can be significant progress. Globally, about 1% of people live with schizophrenia, which translates to roughly 75 million people—that's almost like the entire population of Germany.
Within those 75 million individuals, the outcomes vary wildly.
Some people, including young adults, end up in residential care facilities where they rely heavily on others and state institutions, whereas others manage to earn PhDs in their respective scientific fields after receiving their diagnosis.
Those are obviously the two extremes, and most people find themselves somewhere in the middle.

The key is to stay active—to get out of the house, try to work or study, and keep up with sports or hobbies just like before the diagnosis. It's so important not to let the pressure of the illness or the side effects of medication cause you to retreat into yourself. I wish I had better advice to offer than that, but it's really what I believe. 🤷

Carol Barrett2 said:For me, 25 mg was the dose, but hey, at least my kidneys didn't fail because of it. My legs swelled up like crazy and I couldn't even pee. I just can't touch certain stuff—meaning things like Tylenol, Risperdal, Qsymia, Appalachia, Modafinil, or Risperdal. Even Penicillin is off the table for me.

Risperdal messed with my kidneys, Qsymia makes me itchy, taking Appalachia with Modafinil just makes everything worse and sends me into an aggressive state. Risperdal sent me over the edge and landed me in a psych ward, and Tylenol did the exact same thing—my body probably just can't process it, because they actually found morphine in my urine. And Penicillin? It gave me a rash like a little kid.

🕺 😵

I am so sorry you're dealing with such a heavy load of side effects. So many people struggle with them, though I suppose I’m one of the lucky ones who seems to tolerate psychotropic meds quite well. I don't really experience any adverse reactions, even while taking 50-100 mg of Risperdal. It’s perfectly normal for me to feel sleepy from the Risperdal and Lamictal, but I don't view that as a side effect, since those medications are designed to calm you down and help you sleep. That’s why I take them right before bed. It used to be a real struggle back when I worked the night shift, but even then, I’d just time them for after my shift so I could sleep during the day.

I have a friend who also struggles immensely with side effects, even when he's on tiny doses. He deals with psychosis, but the physical toll of the medication really wore him down, causing him to withdraw completely from everyone. He acts like his life is essentially over, and he’s even had psychotic episodes triggered by physical ailments. He became convinced he had a brain tumor—he could actually "feel" it—and he had basically made peace with dying. As it turned out, there was nothing wrong with his brain at all; it was just the psychosis manifesting as extreme hypochondria.

I'm sharing this because I think it's important to realize how much our own thoughts can influence the outcome of our treatment, whether those thoughts are positive or negative. We need to stay grounded in reality, but we also need to try and maintain some optimism (just don't get too carried away with the news about 🙂)

Sean Hernandez3 said:Actually, 500 mg is the standard therapeutic dose for Lexapro in men who smoke,
since smoking can cut the drug's concentration by up to half depending on the guy

I’ve always felt that Risperdal offers one of the widest effective dosing ranges among all antipsychotics, where you might start as low as 25 mg a day and work your way up to 600.
So, while 500 mg is definitely getting close to the upper limit, I wouldn't necessarily call it the "standard" recommended dose.

Hey everyone, I'm actually heading out on an unplanned trip to Indianapolis tomorrow (Thursday, August 12th) for just the day, so if anyone happens to be in the area and feels like grabbing a coffee, a beer, or just hanging out, please let me know. Best, 😉

Competition and constant striving are what really drive progress forward, much like how evolution works through natural selection. In many ways, this core concept serves as the foundation for the capitalist economic model that currently dominates the global landscape.
However, if we were to let the economy run entirely on those principles without any government oversight or regulation, we'd quickly see massive amounts of wealth concentrating in the hands of just a tiny group of elites. On the flip side, if we push too far in the opposite direction toward total equality for everyone, we risk falling into collective stagnation and a lack of motivation.
That’s why I think the most effective approach for any political or economic system is some kind of balanced middle ground. It is vital to realize, though, that there isn't a one-size-fits-all answer; every nation has to figure out its own path based on its specific size, social structure, and the general mindset of its people.

Sandra Lee2 said:Hey Harold Anderson3, how many hours of sleep are you getting daily? I’m currently on 37.5mg of Seroquel and 2.5mg of Melatonin before bed, and I'm still pulling 12 hours a night. I have an appointment with my doctor in about three weeks to adjust my meds. I just can't keep living like this. Honestly, mad respect to you if you manage to get up and make it to work—that sounds impossible to me.

I usually sleep pretty normally, getting about 7 or 8 hours when I'm on the morning shift and closer to 8 or 9 hours during the evening shift.
Even so, those 7 or 8 hours feel like they aren't quite enough, since I tend to hit a wall of exhaustion by the time Friday or Saturday rolls around.

Twelve hours is definitely a lot, though it might not necessarily be the medication's fault. It could just be underlying depression or maybe some kind of chronic fatigue. To be honest, 37.5 mg of Seroquel doesn't sound like a huge dose to me; I usually take 50 mg myself. I've even heard of people taking upwards of 500 or 600 mg a day, which sounds absolutely intense. 😲

bluescout3 said:Thanks so much for getting back to me! 👍

I happened to stumble upon an interview online with one of the most prominent psychiatrists working today, Karl Deisseroth.
He’s an author as well, and in one of his books, he explores the evolutionary link between malaria resistance and the life-threatening genetic disorder known as sickle cell anemia. For a child to actually be born with sickle cell disease, they have to inherit the sickle cell gene from both parents. However, if someone carries just a single copy, they actually benefit from a "sharp evolutionary advantage" by being resistant to deadly malaria. "These mutations are sharp measures, rapid hacks that continue to fight against the agonizingly slow arena of natural selection," he writes.

But even though we are standing on a "threshold" in our understanding of mental illness, grasping its evolutionary role still lags far behind our understanding of physical diseases. “With the sickle cell trait, those who receive the compensation aren't necessarily the ones who suffer. Is it also true for mental illnesses—that there is some benefit intended only for close relatives? Or, perhaps, could it be that those with mental illnesses gain a direct benefit—at some point, in some way?” he asks.

Best, bluescout3

Emily Hu, when it comes to discussing the genetics of mental illness, or schizophrenia specifically, it’s such a tricky subject to navigate. I honestly don't think schizophrenia will ever be completely wiped out because it affects so many people. Even if we were to go down a dark path—which would essentially border on fascism—and forbid anyone with schizophrenia from having children, it wouldn't work, simply because so many people carry the gene without ever actually developing the condition.

Schizophrenia feels a bit different from something like sickle cell anemia, mostly because I suspect the latter is purely genetic, whereas schizophrenia isn't quite that straightforward.

You see cases where both parents are ill and the children end up being affected about 50% of the time. You also see examples with identical twins—who are genetically identical and raised in virtually the same environment—where only about 50% of the time do both suffer; otherwise, it's just one of them.

That said, the heavy influence of genetics is proven by the fact that if only one parent is ill, the probability of the child developing it drops from 50% down to just 12%.

As for what else triggers the illness besides genes, we don't officially know. Whether it's a specific environmental trigger, a trauma experienced during early childhood, or something else entirely, we can only speculate. That's why the best solutions right now involve medication—either discovering new types or finding the perfect combination of existing ones. Of course, psychotherapy, especially cognitive behavioral therapy with a skilled therapist, is vital too. Unfortunately, I'm not in a position to afford regular therapy myself, and since my check-ups only happen once every two months, I find myself writing here on the forum quite a lot. 😁 😁

bluescout3 said:Could you walk me through why you decided to make the switch from Risperdal Consta over to Abilify Maintena? I’ve been wondering if Xeljanz is actually quite similar to Risperdal in terms of how it hits you. So many people seem to complain about their libido just completely disappearing, and honestly, on Xeljanz, I don't even feel like a sexual being anymore. Would transitioning to Abilify actually be a viable solution for that kind of thing? I was reading up on it, though, and it mentioned that one of the potential side effects of Abilify Maintena could be issues with impulse control.

Is pathological gambling actually its own distinct thing, or is it just one piece of a much larger, more complicated puzzle when it comes to impulse control disorders? I’ve been thinking about this quite a bit lately, wondering if we aren't looking at a broader spectrum of behavior that ties everything together. When you really dive into the mechanics of how an individual loses themselves to an urge—whether it's the rush of a high-stakes bet or some other compulsive cycle—it feels like there has to be a common thread running through all of it, doesn't it? I mean, if we look at how the brain processes rewards and those sudden spikes of dopamine, it seems almost inevitable that someone struggling with one type of compulsion might find themselves sliding into another. Is it possible that what we call "gambling disorder" is essentially just a specific manifestation of a much deeper, more systemic struggle with self-regulation? It makes me wonder if our diagnostic categories are capturing the true essence of these behaviors, or if we're just grouping different symptoms under various labels without fully grasping the underlying neurological engine driving them all. What do you all think—are we looking at separate islands of dysfunction, or is it all part of the same vast, turbulent ocean?
Could it be that patients experience an intensified surge in impulses—especially when it comes to gambling—alongside this overwhelming sense of being unable to pull back once they've started?
Have you ever wondered about the side effects that come along with taking aripiprazole? It’s something worth looking into, because besides the usual stuff, there have been documented instances of people experiencing intense impulses while on the medication. For instance, some folks have reported a significant increase in sexual drive, which can be quite a surprising thing to navigate when you're just trying to manage your health.
Is there anything more exhausting than that endless cycle of compulsive shopping, those uncontrollable binge eating episodes, or just that general sense of being driven by impulses you can't quite seem to reel in? It really makes you wonder where that line is drawn between a simple bad habit and something much deeper, doesn't it? When you find yourself caught in these loops—whether it's hitting "buy now" on something you don't need or reaching for food long after you're full—it feels less like a choice and more like an autopilot setting you never asked for. I often find myself reflecting on whether these behaviors are just isolated incidents or if they are part of a larger pattern of impulsivity that colors everything else in life. Is it possible that these urges are all interconnected, stemming from the same restless energy deep down?
When we talk about compulsive behaviors, there is such a vital layer to the conversation that often gets overlooked during a standard check-up. Don't you think it’s absolutely essential for the doctors prescribing these medications to go beyond the surface level? It isn't enough to just check off a list of side effects; they really need to be asking patients directly if they are experiencing those repetitive, driving urges that feel impossible to stop. If a physician isn't specifically probing into the realm of compulsions, how can we ever truly ensure the treatment is hitting the mark without causing new struggles?
I’ve been wondering about their caregivers lately—do you think they might have actually triggered something new, perhaps by inadvertently ramping up those intense urges? I can't help but wonder if there's a connection to an increased impulse to gamble, or maybe an uptick in sexual drives and other compulsive behaviors that just seem to be surfacing more aggressively now?
Is anyone else dealing with those sudden, intense urges—like compulsive shopping sprees, binge eating, or just other uncontrollable impulses—while you're on Aripiprazole? It’s such a strange thing to navigate, isn't it? You think you're finally finding some stability, and then suddenly, your brain starts screaming for a dopamine hit from a credit card swipe or a bag of chips. I feel like we really need to talk about this more openly because it can be so disorienting when your own impulses start feeling like they belong to someone else entirely. Have you noticed any patterns in when these cravings hit, or does it just feel like it comes out of nowhere? I’d love to hear how everyone else is managing these shifts while staying on track with their treatment.
Could there be a deeper connection between impulse control issues and the underlying disorder itself? It really makes you wonder if those sudden, uncontrollable urges aren't just separate symptoms, but are actually deeply intertwined with the core condition we're looking at?
But you know, in certain instances, we've actually seen cases where the progress just hits a wall—where things seem to stall out completely because the dose was tapered down too quickly or the medication was stopped altogether?
When we look at how these medications actually function in practice, it becomes clear that they aren't just about balancing chemicals—they're about managing behavior. If those underlying impulse control issues aren't properly identified and addressed, could the medication alone really be enough? It’s a serious thought, isn't it? Because if we miss those signs, the resulting lack of impulse control can end up doing real damage to the patient themselves.
The same goes for everyone else out there. If a patient starts experiencing those kinds of impulses while they're on Aripiprazole, wouldn't it be worth considering a dose reduction or perhaps looking into other options entirely?
So, I've been thinking quite a bit lately about what happens when you finally decide to stop taking a medication—that moment when you reach the end of a treatment plan and have to face the reality of tapering off. It’s such a significant turning point, isn't it? You spend all this time adjusting to a new routine, getting used to how a specific drug makes you feel, and then suddenly, the conversation shifts toward letting it go. I can't help but wonder, though, how much we truly prepare ourselves for that transition? It isn't just about stopping a pill or an injection; it's about navigating the physiological and psychological shift that follows. Does anyone else find themselves feeling a strange mix of liberation and anxiety when they contemplate stepping away from their prescription? It feels like such a delicate balancing act, trying to ensure stability while simultaneously moving toward a different chapter of health. Is it a smooth glide into a new phase, or does it feel more like walking a tightrope without a net?

How did you actually come to the decision to switch from one medication to another? Or was it more of a suggestion from your doctor that you just decided to follow? I’ve been doing some reading lately, and I came across mentions of Aripiprazole being considered a milder antipsychotic, which makes me wonder—do you have to be in a pretty stable state of remission before a doctor would even consider prescribing it to you?
So, I have to ask—during that entire stretch of seven plus five years, were you actually in full remission the whole time?

You make a fair point; Xeljanz is quite similar to Risperdal, though the main difference lies in the dosing schedule—Xeljanz is administered once a month, whereas Risperdal is given every two weeks.
I actually started on Abilify after my doctor mentioned there was an antipsychotic out there that could actually boost your mood and energy levels, rather than just dragging you down like most of the others do. That’s exactly what makes aripiprazole unique—it being the first of those third-generation antipsychotics. So, looking back, what you wrote about managing impulses really clicks with me. I spent some time using Azelaic acid before eventually making the switch over to Abilify.
The thing is, that medication doesn't quite catch all the psychosis symptoms on its own, so I end up pairing it with Ebysta (50 mg at night). And honestly, Ebysta... well, it pretty much knocks you sideways. On days when I have to work the morning shift, it takes me about two or three hours just to finally feel awake.
I haven’t been "on" constantly throughout these twelve years of living with schizophrenia; for the most part, I’ve stayed in remission. I still deal with occasional milder episodes every now and then, though I’ve never actually stopped taking my medication. I have ended up needing hospitalization twice in that time. Honestly, I feel like I’m always hovering somewhere on that thin line between depression, mania, and psychosis. You can crank up the dose of an antipsychotic—whether it’s Ebysta or something else—to the absolute limit, and while you might successfully stave off the psychosis, you end up feeling like a total walking zombie. It makes you wonder what the actual point of treatment is if that's the outcome. It feels like the whole goal is just trying to hunt down this elusive sense of balance. My mental state fluctuates quite a bit, so a single, fixed dosage often ends up being either way too heavy or not strong enough. Because of that, my doctor gives me some wiggle room to adjust my Ebysta between 25, 50, or 75 mg, depending on how I'm actually feeling at the moment.

Nicole Barrett76 said:For a long time, I had to receive injections into deep muscle tissue, and the injection site would remain painful for three or four days. Since the medication was an oil-based preparation, it was quite difficult to depress the dose. (The medication is not a psychotropic drug.) Now, I wouldn't dare ask for one because, given the current situation with Coron, medical staff seem to be making mistakes more frequently. My local clinic is everywhere, yet they only staff half-time at the local community health center which serves about 1,500 people. I am not afraid of needles; I have been receiving them due to my own health issues since I was three or four years old. I am 47 now.

A friend of mine with schizophrenia takes an antipsychotic via injection. It costs $600. I believe my doctor mentioned the name, but I have forgotten it. Perhaps it is the one you are discussing.

It seems like all the newer medications are incredibly pricey, and that isn't just limited to antipsychotics. To be fair, there isn't always a massive leap in quality when comparing the "new" stuff to the older versions, but once a pharmaceutical giant lands a patent on a new drug, they can drive the price through the roof—which, let's face it, is pretty much what everyone does. Of course, once other companies start churning out generics, you finally see that price drop down to something reasonable.