ablearcher83: Psychosis Misdiagnosis and Coming off Invega Sustenna

[Ablearcher83]

Hi everyone,

I am ablearcher83, and I was misdiagnosed with psychosis in December 2015, and until May 2016, I was forced to take Invega Sustenna at 78 mg for a total of five months. In June 2016, my psychiatrist informed me that my psychosis was likely a misdiagnosis and was my so called psychotic symptoms were most likely caused by a lack of sleep and stress (I didn't sleep for five consecutive days and was under a lot of stress). He suggested that I stop the Invega Sustenna injection immediately and that there was no need to taper slowly as an injection tapers itself off. I am wondering what should I do.

 

Should I switch to the oral Invega to taper or should I just let the Invega Sustenna injection taper itself? I have suffered a lot in these past few months and my cognitive ability and been significantly reduced. I just want to come off this drug ASAP, any suggestions?

[Shep]

Hi, Ablearcher. Welcome to SA. 

 

I'm sorry that lack of sleep and stress led to such a horrific misdiagnosis. I'm glad you found it out and are now off Invega. As an antipsychotic survivor myself, I know how brutal these drugs really are. 

 

I see you already found the Tips for tapering off Invega (paliperidone) thread and where Alto answered your question here:

 

Theoretically, an Invega injection tapers itself.

 

 

 

The cognitive problems from these drugs can be severe, but even after 30 years of polydrugging, including antipsychotics, my memory is slowly getting better. 

 

Some people report negative results from the use of some supplements; however, many people do find relief with fish oil and magnesium, as they can calm the CNS. Please research all supplements carefully. This will get you started:

 

 King of Supplements: Omega 3 Fatty Acids (Fish Oil)

 

Magnesium, Nature's Calcium Channel Blocker

 

I've noticed that adding fish back into my diet for the Omega 3 has improved my symptoms (fatigue, cog fog, etc). 

 

And here is a great thread on non-drug coping skills that may help you get through this phase, as well as help with insomnia and stress that led to the original episode of psychosis. Many people find that this horrific experience of withdrawal and recovery actually is a pathway to a much happier and healthy life. 

 

Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms

 

Please be so kind as to fill out a signature with your medication history:

 

Please put your withdrawal history in signature

 

Please use this thread to update your symptoms, get support, and ask plenty of questions. Antipsychotic withdrawal and recovery can take some time, but symptoms will resolve in time. I'm glad you're here for support. 

 

 

[Ablearcher83]

Thanks for your suggestions Shep. I will definitely look to get more of those natural remedies into my diet. Do you know how I can put my dosage history into my signature? How should I do that? Also, how long were you on antipsychotics for? I was only on them for five to six months. They have ruined my life and destroyed me as a person. I wish there was a quicker way to recover but sadly there isn't. My psychiatrist was completely careless about me and he doesn't care what happens to me. I'm alone and I'll have to live with that. I really appreciate your support Shep.

[Shep]

Ablearcher, you're going to be okay. I was on antispychotics for the better part of 30 years, and I'm off them and slowly healing. If I can do it, so can you. You aren't destroyed as a person. You're still an intelligent and introspective person who had a set back with psychiatric drugs. But it's a temporary set back. You're definitely in the right place for information and support because we've been there. 

 

Here is how to do your signature:

 

• Click on the small downward arrow next to your name in the top right corner of any page.
• Select My Settings from the list.
• On the left of the My Settings page, click on the Signature tab. You will be able to add or edit your signature.
• Click on the big black Save Changes button at the bottom when you are done.

For more information, please see this thread:

 

Please put your withdrawal history in signature

 

 

[Ablearcher83]

Thanks Shep. I am at work now, when I go home I will update my signature. I want to recover badly my friend. Knowing that I was misdiagnosed and forcefully injected with these toxins hurts me to the core. Also, I've been off for more than a month now but the problem is that I'm having sleep disruptions as a result of withdrawal. It's the only withdrawal symptom I have but I keep on waking up like 10 times a night due to it. Is there something I can do to reduce my sleep disruptions? Or will I have to wait it out? I still however get my 8 hours of sleep, it's just that it's broken and not continuous.

[Altostrata]

Hello, Ablearcher.
 
Please see Important topics about symptoms, including sleep problems

 

Many people do better with fish oil and magnesium supplements, see
http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/36-king-of-supplements-omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil/
http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1300-magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker/
 

[Ablearcher83]

Thanks Alto, I'm gonna try these remedies. Maybe they'll be able to help me. I just really want my brain to return to normal functioning after being on antipsychotics for 6 months.

[Ablearcher83]

Also, I'm not really experiencing insomnia. I'm just experiencing sleep disruptions on a large scale.

[Ablearcher83]

Hey guys, I would like to update you on my condition. I am having horrible insomnia as a withdrawal symptom... do you know when it will end. I don't want to take any sleeping pills, please help. 

[scallywag]

ablearcher:  Tell us more about your insomnia. There are a few flavours of it

 

- can't get to sleep

- wake up after a few hours but get back to sleep

- wake up after a few hours and can't get back to sleep.

 

If you're dealing with the "can't get to sleep" for, daytime gentle exercise, melatonin at sunset or 8 pm (whichever comes first) and reducing light stimulation in the evening is very helpful:

 

Make sure your bedroom is dark. Cover the windows so no outside light comes in.

 

TV and computer use in the evening

 

Melatonin

 

Tips to help sleep

[Ablearcher83]

Thanks, yeah I have anxiety and that's why I think that I can't sleep... I just can't get to sleep no matter how much I close eyes and try to. I have tried melatonin and it worked amazingly well for 8 days but then it stopped working. I think my anxiety is what prevents me from sleeping. 

[scallywag]

What have you tried to reduce or manage anxiety?

 

Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms

[Ablearcher83]

I haven't done much, but I have drank chamomile tea. 

[Shep]

Thanks, yeah I have anxiety and that's why I think that I can't sleep... I just can't get to sleep no matter how much I close eyes and try to. I have tried melatonin and it worked amazingly well for 8 days but then it stopped working. I think my anxiety is what prevents me from sleeping. 

 

 

That can happen with melatonin - it can turn paradoxical. Sometimes it's dose dependent, though. It's best to use a very small dose because large doses of melatonin can sometimes cause your brain to wake up, especially if your CNS is now destabilized from withdrawal. What dose were you on? 

 

Please take a look at  this Melatonin thread for more details. Alto writes:

 

Here's how to re-establish your sleep cycle with melatonin:

- Start with .25mg-.50mg melatonin for 3-4 days.

- Take at the same time, nightfall (but, given that it's summer, not later than 8 p.m.), every night.

- If needed, gradually increase by .25mg for 3-4 days at a time.

- Use the lowest effective dose.

- Try to turn lights off or keep lights low after sundown. Your bedroom should be quiet and dark. Darkness triggers natural melatonin production. Artificial lighting, including staring into the computer, can give the wrong signal to your pineal gland.

- Keep to a very regular schedule -- this is what your circadian rhythm needs.

- Do NOT take melatonin regularly at any time but nightfall or you might scramble your sleep-wake cycle.

 

Just a FYI in case you wish to try it again.

 

Coming off an antipsychotic (or any psychiatric drug) can cause anxiety, what many people describe as a "chemical anxiety". Do you feel you are more anxious now than when you went on the drug? 

 

Do check over the non-drug techniques thread that Scallywag posted. Many of us deal with this "chemical anxiety" during recovery, and if we employ these kinds of techniques as we slowly heal, we actually come out of this stronger than we were when we came in.

 

Since you went on these drugs due to a misdiagnosis caused by stress and insomnia, these are the skills you will need going forward anyway. A lot of the non-drug coping skills needed to handle anxiety also help with sleep and with stress, so what you need to learn to survive withdrawal are the skills that you can take with you to handle life in general. 

 

Insomnia is one of my symptoms after coming off my last antipsychotic, but I've been using mindfulness and found that it really is helpful. Gentle yoga, walks in a park, quiet music, etc. are all now part of my evening routine before I try to go to sleep.

 

You may find these videos helpful to help tone down the anxiety prior to sleep: 

 

Guided Meditations, Calming Videos, Sleep Hypnosis

 

Sending healing vibes your way. 

[Ablearcher83]

Thanks, I have been now using klonopin for the past two days. It has been working very well but it has made me drowsy. I don't want to use anymore klonopin as it is very addictive. I take 2 mg before bedtime, which I think is a high dose. Should I stop using klonopin and use a herbal remedy instead? Melatonin, 5-HTP, and L-Theanine worked a thousand times better than klonopin for me, but now they stopped working all of a sudden. I really want to stop klonopin ASAP, what should I do?

[Shep]

Hi, Ablearcher.

 

If you've only been taking Klonopin for two days, I would definitely stop. 2 mg is very high a dose, as Klonopin is twenty times more potent than Valium and just as addictive. You can become dependent on it in as little as 2 weeks. 

 

Please also be very careful with your supplements. Melatonin in very low doses may help, but 5-HTP may make things worse. This is a thread that goes into detail:

 

5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan) and l-tryptophan

 

I'm not familiar with L-Theanine, but here is a thread that may be helpful: 

 

L-Theanine for anxiety, insomnia

 

The best way to use supplements to only add in one at a time and use very low doses. Once your CNS is destabilized from psych drugs, you may be extra sensitive to even the smallest doses, as well as any of the other ingredients contained in the supplement pill. 

 

There's a members-only benzo forum if you want to research more about it, but I would definitely stop the Klonopin because benzo withdrawal is extremely difficult and dependency can happen in as little as two weeks. I know I'm repeating this, but it's that important. I'm so glad you posted about it because I would never want anyone to have to go through that. 

 

Members-only benzo forum

 

 

[Ablearcher83]

Okay, so I should stop Klonopin ASAP? My psychiatrist told me that 2 mg of Klonopin is a low dose, but it has me feeling horrible. I am so sleepy, and I don't know what to do. If I stop Klonopin now, will I have seizures? I only took it for two days. I slept for 12 hours today and still feel sleepy because of Klonopin. Thanks for your advice. 

[Shep]

Unless you have a very low threshold for seizures due to another medical condition (such as epilepsy), stopping after only two doses should be fine. 

 

Your psychiatrist sounds very misinformed. 2 mg of Klonopin is equivalent to 40 mg of Valium, which is a high dose. The fact that he started you out at that high a dose is very concerning. 

 

I used Klonopin for sleep because it is very sedating. But that side effect will wear off and you'll start feeling better. It may rattle your CNS and make your insomnia a bit worse for awhile, so please use as much self-care as you can. 

 

I hope you will continue the healing process away from psychiatric drugs. Due to the short time you've been on them, you really have a great shot at recovering and going onto solve your insomnia problems with non-drug methods and having a great, drug free life. That's what we all hope for you here. 

[Ablearcher83]

Wait, so it will make my insomnia worse if I stop it? I only took it for two days... What is the ideal dose for insomnia? 0.5? My psychiatrist told me that 0.5 was too low of a dose. 

[Shep]

If the Klonopin caused further CNS destabilization, it could rev up symptoms. But since you only took two doses, hopefully your CNS will settle down quickly. 

 

There is no "ideal" dose for a drug that can cause severe dependency. Also, it's not uncommon for benzos to cause something called "rebound insomnia" after about two weeks. This is when dependency can set in and you're trapped on a drug that is actually making your sleep progressively worse. Many people find they have to take more to be able to sleep. This is the nature of dependency and why this medication is potentially so dangerous. 

 

Please take a look at the Members-only benzo forum. Feel free to start a new topic and ask questions. We have a wonderful benzo moderator named Wellness, along with other mods and members who are knowledgeable about benzos. 

 

It's best to be informed because there is a massive problem with prescription drug dependency due to our doctors not understanding the nature of dependency. It's not that people stop taking a drug like Klonopin and "crave" the drug, which is the way many doctors see it. It's that you can become severely ill, such as the way Invega made you ill and caused your insomnia to become worse, once you stop taking it. Or, as mentioned about rebound insomnia, even while you're still on it. 

 

 

 

[Ablearcher83]

Thanks Shep... will I be okay today? I plan to take a herbal remedy tonight to aid my insomnia and I am definitely going to come off Klonopin... my psychiatrist is retarded his idiocy has nearly killed me... 

[Shep]

I hear you, Ablearcher. I really do. Idiotic psychiatrists are why a lot of us are here.

 

You're going to be fine. Klonopin has a half life of 30 - 40 hours, so it takes a couple of days before you may notice it. And since you only took two doses, you may coast right on off and be golden.

 

Do be careful with the supplements. I fear your 5 HPT may make your insomnia worse, so please research, research, research. 

 

Diet is also important, such as cutting out caffeine and sugar. And certain foods are actually good for sleep and provide things like natural melatonin. So this is another area to research. 

 

Please keep up the updates and I hope your sleep improves soon. 

[Ablearcher83]

Thanks bro, I think that I will fall asleep quickly today as I feel very sedated after two days of Klonopin use. Thanks for the heads up. I am never going to use this drug again, no matter how bad my insomnia gets. Even now I feel very sleepy and sedated. I don't think that Klonopin is safe. I slept 12 hours today. 

[Ablearcher83]

Also, with two days of 2 mg of Klonopin, will it be safe for me to try a herbal remedy to sleep tonight? I don't want to try Klonopin at all. Klonopin is deadly and I have been having difficulty concentrating today. The first day of Klonopin use was okay though. 

[Ablearcher83]

Furthermore, what can I do to help me sleep. My withdrawal insomnia is horrible... Klonopin let me sleep but has made things a thousand times worse. How bad was the dose of 2 mg? Would a dose of .5 have worked?

[Ablearcher83]

Also, is Ambien better for insomnia? 

[Ablearcher83]

Should I consider using trazedone as a sleep aid? What do you guys think? 

[scallywag]

We don't recommend drugs to assist with any withdrawal symptoms.  People on these boards are actively tapering Ambien and trazodone; starting either of those means another drug to taper.

 

Tips to help sleep

 

Sometimes melatonin -- starting with 250 micrograms or 0.250 grams -- can help. Melatonin for sleep

[Ablearcher83]

Thanks Scallywag... I guess I won't take any drugs to help me with withdrawal symptoms. I only have withdrawal insomnia, that's it. I will find other ways to deal with it, maybe herbal remedies. I am so sleepy now... I took 2 mg of klonopin for two days as a starting dose... My psychiatrist is nuts and crazy... he nearly killed me as he wanted me to take Klonopin at 2 mg everyday for a month. After two days of klonopin use I don't want anymore of this deadly drug. If I stop now will I have a seizure? I have only taken two doses and am worried that stopping will trigger a seizure. 

[scallywag]

I don't know about the possibility of seizures. Given that you only took Klonopin over 2 days, it's unlikely.

[Ablearcher83]

Thanks Scallywag, I just feel very sleepy, that is all. The whole day I have felt drowsy. 

[scallywag]

I have found that having about 300 mg magnesium at bedtime calming and relaxing. I particularly like the effect of drinking it warm, there's something about having my stomach feel full and warm that helps me sleep.  I use a magnesium citrate product that's available many places in and around the GTA, Natural Calm. Some of the chains (groceries, drug stores) may have come up with their own house brand versions.

Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker

[Ablearcher83]

Thanks Scallywag!

[Ablearcher83]

Hey Scallywag, thanks for your advice. The magnesium has really helped me sleep and my insomnia has subsided for now. I have been sleeping 9 hours a day for the past five days, and have not taken any Clonazepam in 4 days. 

[scallywag]

5 days of good sleep is awesome!

[Ablearcher83]

Hi everyone, how's it going? I have been having insomnia problems still but I noticed that when I take Klonopin for a day, I sleep well for a week before having to take klonopin again. I only take 2 mg of Klonopin once a week, and will stop soon. I was wondering, will taking this much Klonopin only once a week make me addicted and dependent on it or will I be okay?