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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by nellie7 on February 21, 2007, at 14:32:06
Hi,
I probably suffer from schizoaffective disorder and managed to stabilize an episode of psychotic depression with celexa. My tendency for delusional thinking is still there but I don't get carried away by paranoid feelings, etc.
Antipsychotics tend to make me very weak and more depressed. Despite this, psychiatrists always recommend that I add an AP. Recently I took a quarter of a 5 mg zyprexa tablet and the result was severe weakness, difficulty staying alert and a worsening of my mood. This lasted for two days during which I couldn't function.
For some reason, pdocs tend not to believe me when I describe side effects of APs. Zyprexa wasn't the first I tried.
Do any of you experience similar problems with low-dose antipsychotics? Have any of you found that pdocs don't take your side effects seriously?Thanks,
Nellie.
Posted by yxibow on February 22, 2007, at 1:52:10
In reply to side effects from antipsychotics, posted by nellie7 on February 21, 2007, at 14:32:06
> Hi,
>
> I probably suffer from schizoaffective disorder and managed to stabilize an episode of psychotic depression with celexa. My tendency for delusional thinking is still there but I don't get carried away by paranoid feelings, etc.
>
> Antipsychotics tend to make me very weak and more depressed. Despite this, psychiatrists always recommend that I add an AP. Recently I took a quarter of a 5 mg zyprexa tablet and the result was severe weakness, difficulty staying alert and a worsening of my mood. This lasted for two days during which I couldn't function.
> For some reason, pdocs tend not to believe me when I describe side effects of APs. Zyprexa wasn't the first I tried.
> Do any of you experience similar problems with low-dose antipsychotics? Have any of you found that pdocs don't take your side effects seriously?
I don't know -- I think my psychopharmacologist is pretty caring towards me and takes me seriously. But I have longer sessions; the whole HMO in and out the door thing of medicine I think is a disgrace.
Zyprexa and Seroquel are sedating agents but Zyprexa isn't nearly as sedating as Seroquel, which I take at a nearly full dose for a non-psychotic condition that warrants it. And yes, I have side effects, I am very sedated from it though I have gotten used to it partially. And I do have pseudoparkinsonism but not like I had on Zyprexa. I wish I could take Zyprexa again because besides that, I slept like a baby, my depression lifted immensly and my visual disorder was way down.
I guess maybe your doctor is thinking what I must say myself, but not in a mean way, that a quarter of a 5mg tablet of Zyprexa is a bit over 1mg of Zyprexa and is basically a placebo. However, I did have pseudoparkinsonism at any level, 2.5 or 5mg. Only the 5mg actually helped my disorder. So its conceivable that if you didnt have any of the other EPS, that you could be drowsy at any dose. But that tends to wear off after a week or so.
The worsening of your mood, I can't say -- that's something only you and your doctor can discuss, because I have never experienced any psychotic disorder and I can't judge. If you can manage with Celexa and don't have a lot of problems beyond it, maybe that is it for you.
People with schizoaffective but not schizophrenia tend to have greater problems with neuroleptics, just as people like myself and all others that we would categorize as affective disorders -- i.e. disorders of the mood, anxiety and depression. EPS is greater for people with affective disorders.
I hope that helps.-- best wishes
Jay
Posted by nellie7 on February 22, 2007, at 11:00:45
In reply to Re: side effects from antipsychotics » nellie7, posted by yxibow on February 22, 2007, at 1:52:10
Posted by med_empowered on February 23, 2007, at 23:25:56
In reply to Re: side effects from antipsychotics » nellie7, posted by yxibow on February 22, 2007, at 1:52:10
I believe you--2.5mgs/day zyprexa gave me pretty bad EPS, plus crying fits. I was telling a shrink about it and she made some comment like "well, that's not supposed to happen" and I just said: "it did. I'm not going to take any antipsychotics."
Just stand your ground. Shrinks tend to think that the new drugs are amazing and wonderful, plus they think all their patients are too crazy to know what's really going on, anyway.
I'd seriously recommend that you avoid antipsychotics. If necessary, stop telling your prescriber about psychotic episodes--neuroleptics, old or new, are designed to block dopamine, so the kind of side-effects you mentioned are very, very common.
Posted by xbunny2007 on February 24, 2007, at 9:50:43
In reply to Re: side effects from antipsychotics, posted by med_empowered on February 23, 2007, at 23:25:56
> If necessary, stop telling your prescriber about psychotic episodes
I strongly disagree with this advice.
Bunny
This is the end of the thread.
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