Schizophrenia - General Discussion

Dana Vaughn said:Hey everyone, has anyone else here tried tapering off Azalea-AP? I just had my dose dropped by 5 mg and honestly, I feel absolutely terrible. It’s this constant sense of nervousness, irritability, and physical tension... it feels exactly like I'm going through withdrawal. I'm at the point where I don't know if I can actually push through this, and I'm seriously considering asking my doctor to put me back on the previous dose. Has anyone else dealt with these kinds of symptoms?

Could you perhaps ask your doctor to prescribe something to help manage the symptoms during this transition, or maybe suggest a much more gradual tapering schedule?

Dana Vaughn said:She wouldn't have switched my meds unless I pushed for it. I felt way too sluggish on the last one... just totally checked out. I actually lowered my dose of Azalea—again, only because I insisted on it during a particularly rough patch of stress—but looking back now, I can tell I really miss it. I actually had to take a second Xanax earlier today just to deal with how jittery and on edge I feel without it.

I don't know, but the AP is a serious matter. From what I can gather, the Azolar actually managed to kill off your psychosis, which is the most critical part here—if I were in your shoes, I’d be sticking with it if I could.

That whole "feeling passive" thing doesn't actually have anything to do with the medication itself. Sure, it might slow you down a touch, but if you don't let it settle in—if you don't just surrender to that sluggishness—then there isn't really an issue.

What do you think I'm supposed to feel like when I wake up after taking 300mg of Loquene and 4mg of Rispolept before bed? I'm certainly not "passive," that's for damn sure.

Nicole Barrett76 said:Could you perhaps ask your doctor to prescribe something to help manage the symptoms during this transition, or maybe suggest a much more gradual tapering schedule?

Well, if that’s the case, then I might as well just have a drink too... honestly, I could really use one right about now. 😳

Larry Lewis said:I don't know, but the AP is a serious matter. From what I can gather, the Azolar actually managed to kill off your psychosis, which is the most critical part here—if I were in your shoes, I’d be sticking with it if I could.

That whole "feeling passive" thing doesn't actually have anything to do with the medication itself. Sure, it might slow you down a touch, but if you don't let it settle in—if you don't just surrender to that sluggishness—then there isn't really an issue.

What do you think I'm supposed to feel like when I wake up after taking 300mg of Loquene and 4mg of Rispolept before bed? I'm certainly not "passive," that's for damn sure.

There’s some truth to what you're saying about having to push yourself; you're right there. There’s no getting that Azolar back anyway, so just keep your head up. :-)

I think I might be sliding back into psychosis. My mind is just racing constantly, and I find myself obsessing over every tiny little detail—it feels like my brain is running a marathon every single hour. I’ve completely pulled away from my friends lately, too. I have zero desire to go out or see anyone; I've just shut myself off from the world. That usual sense of lightness and spontaneity I used to have? It's just gone.
To be honest, things have been incredibly stressful this past month, and I suspect that's what triggered this. I honestly don't understand the root of psychosis... what is it within a person that actually causes it to happen? Right now, I'm on 15 mg of Azolara, but it doesn't feel like it's doing much for me at all. I have an appointment with my doctor this Wednesday, but until then, I'm just taking Normabel once a day.

Dana Vaughn said:I think I might be sliding back into psychosis. My mind is just racing constantly, and I find myself obsessing over every tiny little detail—it feels like my brain is running a marathon every single hour. I’ve completely pulled away from my friends lately, too. I have zero desire to go out or see anyone; I've just shut myself off from the world. That usual sense of lightness and spontaneity I used to have? It's just gone.
To be honest, things have been incredibly stressful this past month, and I suspect that's what triggered this. I honestly don't understand the root of psychosis... what is it within a person that actually causes it to happen? Right now, I'm on 15 mg of Azolara, but it doesn't feel like it's doing much for me at all. I have an appointment with my doctor this Wednesday, but until then, I'm just taking Normabel once a day.

Perhaps these symptoms have resurfaced because you were attempting to taper off the Abilify, and you simply need time to stabilize.

To me, these particular symptoms don't necessarily sound psychotic. I experience them myself quite often. However, since I don't deal with anything more severe than GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder) and a touch of neuroticism, I don't let it worry me too much. I ask myself: how can anyone expect me to be cheerful when I feel the need to lash out at every minor inconvenience in life? People tend to grate on my nerves because they are far too superficial. If I spend time with most people, I can barely endure more than 30 or 40 minutes with them. There is only one person with whom I can sit for two hours if necessary.

Of course, my own circumstances cannot be compared to yours, given that you are managing schizophrenia.

Dana Vaughn said:I think I might be sliding back into psychosis. My mind is just racing constantly, and I find myself obsessing over every tiny little detail—it feels like my brain is running a marathon every single hour. I’ve completely pulled away from my friends lately, too. I have zero desire to go out or see anyone; I've just shut myself off from the world. That usual sense of lightness and spontaneity I used to have? It's just gone.
To be honest, things have been incredibly stressful this past month, and I suspect that's what triggered this. I honestly don't understand the root of psychosis... what is it within a person that actually causes it to happen? Right now, I'm on 15 mg of Azolara, but it doesn't feel like it's doing much for me at all. I have an appointment with my doctor this Wednesday, but until then, I'm just taking Normabel once a day.

If you're experiencing psychosis, taking Normabel is about as effective as taking Vitamin C. It's doing absolutely nothing.

Robin Lopez2 said:If you're experiencing psychosis, taking Normabel is about as effective as taking Vitamin C. It's doing absolutely nothing.

Actually, I was thinking... it doesn't quite make sense to me how a tiny 15mg dose of an azole antipsychotic could actually trigger psychosis. Is it possible my current medication isn't hitting the mark, or maybe I just need a higher dosage to stay stable?

Dana Vaughn said:Actually, I was thinking... it doesn't quite make sense to me how a tiny 15mg dose of an azole antipsychotic could actually trigger psychosis. Is it possible my current medication isn't hitting the mark, or maybe I just need a higher dosage to stay stable?

Please, do not attempt to adjust your dosage without medical supervision. Some individuals can have highly unusual reactions to certain medications.

Can someone please break down what actually triggers a hospitalization for you guys? I’m not even worried about the aftermath, I just want to know what happens *before*—like, what's the breaking point where doctors decide you absolutely have to be admitted? If anyone could give me a specific example, that would be huge. Also, regarding this whole thing about psychosis returning and switching up meds... what does "my psychosis is coming back" actually look like in practice? I’ve been struggling with something for a while now; all the psychotic symptoms were there, but since I was still able to hold down a job and stay "functional," they wouldn't give me an official diagnosis. But I really need to understand this side of things, so if anyone can answer these questions, I’d really appreciate it.

placidheron7 said:Can someone please break down what actually triggers a hospitalization for you guys? I’m not even worried about the aftermath, I just want to know what happens *before*—like, what's the breaking point where doctors decide you absolutely have to be admitted? If anyone could give me a specific example, that would be huge. Also, regarding this whole thing about psychosis returning and switching up meds... what does "my psychosis is coming back" actually look like in practice? I’ve been struggling with something for a while now; all the psychotic symptoms were there, but since I was still able to hold down a job and stay "functional," they wouldn't give me an official diagnosis. But I really need to understand this side of things, so if anyone can answer these questions, I’d really appreciate it.

There are numerous accounts within this discussion detailing why individuals were admitted to the hospital and the events that preceded their care, much like the experiences shared during the stays themselves.

Perhaps you might find more clarity if you were to explore this thread a bit more deeply.

Man, this thread is already 225 pages deep... I’ve been scrolling through here before, but honestly, I kept skipping over huge chunks of it. Most of what I actually bothered to read was just people listing their meds, debating their specific dosages, or arguing over whether schizophrenia is caused by brain damage or whatever else... plus all the typical forum bickering and finger-pointing between users. But the specific thing I'm looking for? I haven't found a single damn word about it yet...

Hey everyone, I need some advice. I’ve been dealing with schizophrenia for seven years now. I started on Zyprex even before I was legal, but three years ago I hit a breaking point and just stopped taking them on my own. Things went south, and they switched me over to that awful Zypadhere—the massive 405 mg shot every four weeks. Since then, the weight gain has been constant. I'm sitting at 200 pounds now. I've asked to go back to tablets. Right now, I'm waking up around 2 or 3 PM every single day. My insomnia is a nightmare. I'm wondering if switching back to pills would actually be easier on my body. Say, 10 mg a day. Here, the math works out to nearly 15 mg a day if you split the dose. My goal is to wake up earlier and stop packing on the pounds. I know it's not just about the meds—I have to put in the work too—but I really need to feel less hungry and less exhausted. When I was on the tablets, I used to wake up around 4 PM, but since it's winter, it's pitch black by then. Maybe I just got dulled out on them? Perhaps they wouldn't hit me quite as hard now. What's the actual advantage of one method over the other? My psychiatrist is pretty old-school and doesn't change her mind easily, though she isn't the worst. I only ended up on the injection because I wasn't sticking to the pills. So, what do you guys suggest? Ideally, I'd love to hear from someone with actual experience or a professional. Thanks.

I have no intention of sleeping my life away and ending up weighing as much as an elephant.

driftingtrucker3 said:Hey everyone, I need some advice. I’ve been dealing with schizophrenia for seven years now. I started on Zyprex even before I was legal, but three years ago I hit a breaking point and just stopped taking them on my own. Things went south, and they switched me over to that awful Zypadhere—the massive 405 mg shot every four weeks. Since then, the weight gain has been constant. I'm sitting at 200 pounds now. I've asked to go back to tablets. Right now, I'm waking up around 2 or 3 PM every single day. My insomnia is a nightmare. I'm wondering if switching back to pills would actually be easier on my body. Say, 10 mg a day. Here, the math works out to nearly 15 mg a day if you split the dose. My goal is to wake up earlier and stop packing on the pounds. I know it's not just about the meds—I have to put in the work too—but I really need to feel less hungry and less exhausted. When I was on the tablets, I used to wake up around 4 PM, but since it's winter, it's pitch black by then. Maybe I just got dulled out on them? Perhaps they wouldn't hit me quite as hard now. What's the actual advantage of one method over the other? My psychiatrist is pretty old-school and doesn't change her mind easily, though she isn't the worst. I only ended up on the injection because I wasn't sticking to the pills. So, what do you guys suggest? Ideally, I'd love to hear from someone with actual experience or a professional. Thanks.

I have no intention of sleeping my life away and ending up weighing as much as an elephant.

The only thing you can really do is lay it all out for your doctor and hope for the best. If she refuses to listen to your concerns, find a new doctor.

placidheron7 said:Can someone please break down what actually triggers a hospitalization for you guys? I’m not even worried about the aftermath, I just want to know what happens *before*—like, what's the breaking point where doctors decide you absolutely have to be admitted? If anyone could give me a specific example, that would be huge. Also, regarding this whole thing about psychosis returning and switching up meds... what does "my psychosis is coming back" actually look like in practice? I’ve been struggling with something for a while now; all the psychotic symptoms were there, but since I was still able to hold down a job and stay "functional," they wouldn't give me an official diagnosis. But I really need to understand this side of things, so if anyone can answer these questions, I’d really appreciate it.

Based on what you wrote in bold, it seems like you don't actually need an explanation at all.

Can someone please explain what it actually means when a person with schizophrenia says their psychosis has come back? Like, what even is psychosis? I'm asking because I'm trying to figure out the line between someone with that diagnosis and myself. The reason I’ve been able to stay functional isn't some magical recovery... it’s just because I figured there was no point in making a scene and I had stuff I needed to get done. That's the only reason I stayed on track. I’m basically looking for the similarities and differences between my experience and someone with a formal schizophrenia diagnosis so I can actually make sense of myself and other people... and maybe understand why I haven't been given a diagnosis myself. Thanks

placidheron7 said:Can someone please explain what it actually means when a person with schizophrenia says their psychosis has come back? Like, what even is psychosis? I'm asking because I'm trying to figure out the line between someone with that diagnosis and myself. The reason I’ve been able to stay functional isn't some magical recovery... it’s just because I figured there was no point in making a scene and I had stuff I needed to get done. That's the only reason I stayed on track. I’m basically looking for the similarities and differences between my experience and someone with a formal schizophrenia diagnosis so I can actually make sense of myself and other people... and maybe understand why I haven't been given a diagnosis myself. Thanks

You mentioned having psychotic symptoms, so if I may be so bold—and I really think you should—could you actually list what those symptoms were? Since you're the one who brought this up, it would be helpful if you were upfront about it; maybe then some of us might feel comfortable opening up to you, too. It strikes me as a bit odd, frankly—the idea that someone experiences psychotic symptoms and simply thinks, "Well, there's no point in making a scene over this," and then just carries on with life as usual.

Secondly, are you still experiencing those—as you put them—psychotic symptoms?

And I'm still a bit confused here—how is it possible that you talked through these symptoms with a professional but still didn't end up with a diagnosis?

I honestly thought I was surrounded by demons... like, I felt like God had tossed me into this hellscape of pure evil just because of my own sins. I was talking to Him through the Bible, obviously, trying to figure out where I went wrong and what I needed to fix. During that whole stretch, I actually completely overhauled how I function—turned things around for the better. I was just waiting for Jesus to pull me back into the real world, back to people, but the demons wouldn't leave me alone. They were talking to me through voices in my head, showing me stuff, and I could hear others whispering about me and harassing me constantly. I didn't bother telling anyone because they weren't actual people, they were demons... and what’s the point in talking to them when only God can get me out of that place? Honestly, I was more than functional. I was getting things done because He was giving me tasks, and nothing felt too heavy since I wasn't alone while He was guiding me. That’s why I say I was "functional." It all made sense to me at the time—that everything was a message, that everyone was talking about me... I mean, if you're a demon, it's not like it's hard to get inside your 😛. When it first hit me that maybe this wasn't real life and that I might actually be sick, I went to see my doctor. I laid it all out for her and told her straight up: I don't want to take meds because I don't see proof they actually work, but I'll consider it if my own way of treating myself doesn't kick in. She was cool with it. So, through talking to someone close to me, doing constant self-analysis, and just grinding through every single hour of that world, I started moving from hour-by-hour to every half day, then every day, then every two days... then total chaos... and then little by little over these 7 months, I've finally reached these lucid days. I never thought I'd see them. And then there's the delusions, which are much milder now, so everything feels okay again. The delusions follow the same pattern, but talking always helps, and the progress has been huge. I figured, if I could survive a year of living through literal hell, there's no way I couldn't teach my brain how to be rational and feed it objectivity instead of just nonsense. I don't know... I think it's a mental illness often triggered by trauma, but I still don't believe in the pills when I can see that my own method is working. I don't drink or smoke weed anymore, period. I'm curious though... what's the actual difference between me and someone with schizophrenia? My doctor didn't give me a diagnosis because she didn't want to label me. But why do others get labeled? To her, I seemed totally normal, and she was just surprised by how much I analyze everything, but I didn't even seem weird to other people, even while I was hearing voices and having my delusions. I can express myself perfectly fine, and I analyze things because that's just who I am—I used to solve problems through analysis before all this happened, so it's just natural for me. My awareness of everything else is totally intact; it's just that one part—the part where I perceive the demons—that's crazy. Lol

Larry Lewis said:You mentioned having psychotic symptoms, so if I may be so bold—and I really think you should—could you actually list what those symptoms were? Since you're the one who brought this up, it would be helpful if you were upfront about it; maybe then some of us might feel comfortable opening up to you, too. It strikes me as a bit odd, frankly—the idea that someone experiences psychotic symptoms and simply thinks, "Well, there's no point in making a scene over this," and then just carries on with life as usual.

Secondly, are you still experiencing those—as you put them—psychotic symptoms?

And I'm still a bit confused here—how is it possible that you talked through these symptoms with a professional but still didn't end up with a diagnosis?

Given her posts regarding demons, I suspect her doctor may have already diagnosed her with schizophrenia, yet perhaps chose to record it solely within her private electronic medical records rather than noting it on her primary chart.

I could be mistaken, but if my assumption holds true, I find such a practice to be fundamentally unethical.

Regardless of how much psychological distress revealing a diagnosis might inflict upon a patient, does not the individual have a right to the truth? Without honesty, how can one achieve self-awareness or perform the necessary self-analysis required to facilitate any meaningful progress in treatment?

Furthermore, from what I understand about clinical protocols, if a person exhibits psychotic symptoms for merely a week, they receive a different classification than if those symptoms persist for a month; it is only after a month of continuous symptoms that a schizophrenia diagnosis is officially applied. While the symptoms themselves might mirror schizophrenia, clinicians must account for both the intensity and, crucially, the duration of the episode.

And yet, as she mentioned, she has been under this doctor's care for seven months now.

Admittedly, she hasn't been hospitalized for this... though, well...

Sorry, placidheron7, if my comments come across as cold or indifferent; that was truly never my intention. It is far easier for me to sit here and write about this than it is for you to actually live through these symptoms.

Nicole Barrett76, thanks for getting back to me!
If I’d stayed stuck in my own little head, totally convinced my reality was the only truth, that would have lasted a whole year. Before that period, I had a year of episodes too, but they were way milder because I wasn't totally cut off from everyone else (meaning, I didn't think certain people were demons, just that some people were 😛 ). After a year of being isolated in my own world, I finally reached out to my doctor, and it’s been 7 months since then. Honestly, my doctor hasn't been much help at all—it feels like one-on-one therapy basically doesn't exist, so I've been dealing with my issues, or trying to, mostly on my own with one other person who talks sense into me and keeps me grounded. I don't really care about the actual diagnosis itself; I don't give a damn what they label it because everything feels pretty much the same anyway. But looking at it this way, I honestly don't see the difference between me and anyone else. This is the first time I've even heard from you that schizo is only considered if the episode lasts more than a month... some people say the real line is whether you're "functional" or not, but that feels like total BS to me. The only reason I was acting "normal" was because of the stuff I was reading and my absolute, unwavering trust in God, nothing else. Other people claim people with schizophrenia have flat emotions, but I don't know if that's part of the illness or just a side effect of the meds? My emotions are intense as hell, and I'm not even on medication. And regarding my doctor—well, all the doctors I've seen—they all seemed pretty confused by me. They treated me like I was just a bit disoriented or going through a "phase." I don't know if it's because most of them are seeing patients for the first time during an acute psychotic break in the hospital, or if I'm just not that sick. Who knows. The first doctor I saw was literally just flipping through a manual right in front of me, trying to figure it out. After two tries, she landed on Borderline, though she said it wasn't a formal diagnosis. And everyone, once they found out what I was studying and that I was actually finishing up, was convinced it couldn't be schizo. What I thought was my mission—studying like a maniac for entire days while ignoring the demons trying to trip me up and make me fail my exams—they just saw it as "wow, how did you pull that off?" I don't know, I'm just kind of lost. I need someone who actually gets this to explain what schizo really is... like, what makes a person like that different from me.