AnotherLifeTime: Invega Sustenna- dying for 4 years

[AnotherLifeTime]

Hello.

 

I'm 24 years old M.

 

A huge part of me is screaming that I shouldn't even be doing this. For a long time I tolerated the drug's effects to the point that I became numb of it. This is linked to my abysmal self-esteem, and I paid for my lack of urgency. I unconsciously became fatalistic of my place with my medication, a lifetime illness that needs correcting. 

 

I don't even remember the first drugs I took, but I still have memories of 2015 and 2016. I was taking in seroquel for 25mg, and escalated to 100mg when I began exhibiting violent behavior, which was strange since I've always been a puny pacifist. I remember stopping for a while since I gained some semblance of consciousness that the medication wasn't doing me any good. I stopped, then I started, and then I stopped, until the time came where I decided to fully halt seroquel. I suffered some sort of panic attack at october 2016, but never got diagnosed even when we got to the emergency room. A year after feb 2017 I was tricked by my parents into coming in to a mental hospital after them enduring all the bullsh*t for nearly half a year. 4 years was a relatively peaceful time for me, and for us. We never outgrew my current psychiatrist

 

After 10 months from June 2020 of guidance with my new doctor, I managed to develop a solid base on my health. Proper nutrition, exercise, and yoga. It's a bizarre feeling to be healthy again, yet not as much as before. 

 

My functional med doctor and psychiatrist were already at a stand off with their approaches. The former was hopeful and supportive, while the latter was bleak and defeatist. It took a moderate boost of self-esteem for me to recognize that my Psychiatrist has been mistreating me. Why? Because compared to my functional med doc, yoga teacher, life coach, and psychotherapist, meetings with my psychiatrist always put me down. She'd often clip my wings whenever I try to show her something new. Also, she happens to be the owner of the mental hospital I've been coming back to for my shots.

 

I know I'm a bit difficult to understand, but I'm trying. I've reached a point where I genuinely am fearing for my life. I couldn't stand to go in their facility receiving the same shots for 4 years while still questioning their motives.

 

Don't get me started on what's like in there.

 

I suffered from invega sustenna withdrawal last april-june 2020, and I was no longer the same after that. Currently on my 6 weeks of 100mg (or 156mg, can't say for sure), and I'm currently suffering from insomnia. It's the worst illness I've ever consistently experienced. I'm only on my 5th day prior my first sleepless nights.

 

The good news is that my functional medicine doctor has a goal of tapering myself from the meds. I have no idea how until I visited this site, which makes me hopeful of course. We got everything else planned out, aside from the insomnia that's been ailing me until now. Pardon my non-chalance, by the way.

 

I'm looking for advice on managing insomnia while under invega sustenna medication.

[getofflex]

 

 

Hello, and welcome to SA.  We are a peer owned and run forum of people who have been or are getting off of psychiatric drugs.  Frankly I'm not surprised by the negative attitude of your psychiatrist.  In my personal experience, they are not much more than drug dispensers.  I'm happy you have a good and supportive functional med doctor who gives you non drug ways of helping yourself. 

 

You said "I've reached a point where I genuinely am fearing for my life."  Can you please explain what you mean by this? 

 

" I couldn't stand to go in their facility receiving the same shots for 4 years while still questioning their motives."  What drug did the injections consist of? 

 

Can you please give us specific information about your drug history?  Please read the link below for instructions.  This will allow us to give you the best guidance.  We need specific drugs, dates, and dosages.  

 

How to List Drug History in Signature

 

This helps you understand what withdrawal syndrome is: 

 

What is Withdrawal Syndrome?

 

Here is some information about how these drugs actually work.  

 

How Psychiatric Drugs Remodel Your Brain

 

Tapering is best done extremely slowly, and we taper by 10% of the current dose, so that the taper becomes exponentially smaller.

 

 Why Taper by 10% of my Dosage  

 

Also, as we are tapering, we suggest keeping things slow, simple, and stable. I would suggest you be sure of what dose you are on, and stay on that same dose each day between tapers. 

 

Keep it Simple, Slow, and Stable

 

 

When we recover, there are times of feeling OK mixed in with times of feeling bad.  This is called windows and waves.

 

Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

Here are some techniques to cope with symptoms: 

 

Non Drug Ways to Cope with Withdrawal Symptoms

 

 

We don't suggest many supplements, but 3 that many of us find helpful are magnesium, omega-3, and melatonin. Here are the links for info about those. It is suggested to add one at a time, and start with a low dose to see how it affects you. 

Magnesium

Omega 3 Fish Oil

Melatonin

 

The insomnia you mention is a classic hallmark sign of withdrawal from psych meds.  It has been one of my main symptoms as well.  The good news is, it gradually improves with time, if you treat your nervous system right by weaning off the meds very carefully and gradually as we suggest. Here is a link that talks about non drug ways to help the insomnia. 

 

Withdrawal Insomnia

 

I've given you quite a bit of information here.  Please read through it, and mull it over, and we will take it from there. In the meantime, take care of yourself, and take heart.  We in this forum have been through this, and we understand first hand the pain and discomfort you are going through.  Please know that the brain is amazing in it's healing abilities.  It takes time, but healing can and will happen. 

 

 

[AnotherLifeTime]

Paliperidone is my sole medication currently. I don't have the impression that this is a withdrawal symptom since I've been pretty regular with my medication, but I did mention that I suffered from withdrawal from sustenna last April-June 2020.

 

As for a detailed history of my drug use, I'm afraid that I couldn't give you any up till 2015, but I started medication when I was 14 years old, 2012. I don't drink or smoke, and I practice yoga regularly. We keep processed foods in a minimum, and I habitually eat fish at least once a day whem it's served.

 

I know it doesn't sound good, but I'm having a suspicion that my psychiatrist has been tampering with my 100mg Sustenna Invega shot. It has reached a point where it's become a nightly obsession of mine. Regardless, I know that she doesn't have the best intentions for me. We're planning on getting a 2nd opinion after 4 years of diligence.

 

The insomnia was pretty intolerable though since I've always been a deep sleeper. I experienced awakenings as I progressed with my shots on the last half of 2020. 

[getofflex]

Hello.  I'm still confused about your drug history.  It would help a lot if instead of saying 11 weeks, or 4 weeks, or 6 week, you could give specific dates.   Ideally day month (Oct instead of a number 11 for example) and year of each med/dose change over the past 12 - 18 months in list format.  In chronological order.  Thank you.

 

Here is some information about insomnia:

 

Withdrawal Insomnia

 

 

 🙂

Edited March 27, 2021 by getofflex

[AnotherLifeTime]

We always kept the same dosage of 100mg of Paliperidone. The standard is 4 weeks in between shots. Our psychiatrist's strategy is to extend the interval of me getting my medication by a week. This is entirely subjective though, since she'd choose to extend based on her own judgement. We just followed her instructions. We don't really keep track when we extend and retain the duration of my shots. But we'd do so after I update my psychiatrist.

 

I think their basis for extending this is that I don't have to think about getting my shots. I didn't question this since I was first forcefully detained in a psychiatric ward. Guilt has an association to my acceptance, so I just rode along with their plan. No, we don't keep track the whens, unfortunately. Only the hospital knows this.

 

I know that I've been less than helpful on giving out my drug history, but the your first post has been more than helpful.

 

Also, the insomnia was improving a bit after I took my meditation seriously. 10 minutes before sleeping. Embraces the obsessive thoughts and pacifies them.

 

I don't think.I could've survived the last half of 2020 without yoga.

[AnotherLifeTime]

During the first week of Feb 2020 we went back to the hospital for a routine injection. They said that they're out of stock of the usual package we buy, so they offered to sell us a variation of the usual 100mg paliperidone, which is said to be equivalent to my old medicine. My father being the decision maker, agreed. I didn't get to voice out my doubts because I hesitated for some reason. 

[ChessieCat]

Hi AnotherLifeTime,

 

Here is the topic about tapering Invega.  Post #1 has a lot of helpful information.

 

[AnotherLifeTime]

Thank you ChessieCat.

[getofflex]

@AnotherLifeTimeOk now I see.  I didn't realize that your psych meds were being administered via injection.  Thanks for clarifying.  I'm happy to hear that you insomnia is improving bit by bit.  

[AnotherLifeTime]

I think focus was what's missing with my meditation practice. I've been doing pranayama for almost 6 months, and I was surprised by the effects of meditation when I dabbled again. My mood and outlook is positive. What's more, I'm discovering more things about myself. It's definitely an improvement.

 

Thanks for the information you've all dispensed in my time of need. I Hope that all goes well in the next couple of months

 

Maybe it's just my imagination, but I feel like I'm going senile over the years. Memory' dwindling, thoughts are predictable, enjoying life less and less, though these are mitigated with my practice. 4 years with 1 discontinuation is a long time, and it's expected to last more with my current doctor prescribing my medication. I really do hope that all goes well.