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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Christ_empowered on January 20, 2012, at 22:02:49
Is this possible? I read somewhere about "targeted treatment" of schizophrenia, in which the patients take neuroleptics on an as-needed basis. E.Fuller Torrey, not surprisingly, was against it. Then again--I'm against E.Fuller Torrey.
I quit taking the Abilify every day about, I dunno, 4-6 days ago. I feel better. I'm more in touch with some of the psychosocial issues that drove me crazy and kept me crazy. I'm actually less anxious, although that could be improved diet (time to quit being tubby) and an increased dose of niacinamide (6grams+).
I remember in "Mad in America" Whitaker referenced a study in which the authors found that some more-or-less recovered schizophrenics kept Thorazine or whatever around and took it when the symptoms got to them, but were otherwise medication-free. I'd like to get to that point.
I'm kind of concerned that I have tardive psychosis. My first shrink upped the Abilify rapidly for what was probably either psychotic depression or relatively mild psychosis with a mood component. Anyway, I then was on every pill (especially controlled substances) I could get. Now, I'm afraid that part of the problem is that I've been on neuroleptics at an early aged, mixed-and-matched, and now...now what?
For a while, during a drug-free period, I even had tics. I honestly think it was some kind of TD-ish thing, probably from high dose adderall+abilify. They went away after a crack up ("psychotic mania"). Unfortunately, I had to take neuroleptics (Abilify) after that crack up, and I've been on them most of them time for the past 3 years.
Ugh! What do I do?
Posted by SLS on January 21, 2012, at 6:23:00
In reply to As-needed Abilify?, posted by Christ_empowered on January 20, 2012, at 22:02:49
> Is this possible?
> Ugh! What do I do?
Perhaps not doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Using a smaller dosage of 10-20 mg might serve you better than using 30 mg. I found 10 mg to leave me with more mental clarity than 20 mg. It isn't all-or-nothing.
If you do use Abilify PRN, you would have to use a single large loading dose (20-30 mg) to approach a therapeutic blood level that would be consistent with a maintenance dosage of 5-10 mg. 20 mg/day is actually a relatively small amount of Abilify that must be allowed to collect over the course of a week because of the 75 hour half-life. I think the long half-life would prevent Abilify from being an ideal PRN.
Have you tried Geodon, Latuda, Fanapt, or Saphris? I don't know that any of these would be better for you than Abilify, but they are different.
- Scott
Posted by Phillipa on January 21, 2012, at 10:01:05
In reply to Re: As-needed Abilify? » Christ_empowered, posted by SLS on January 21, 2012, at 6:23:00
CE weren't you doing the best on a regular scheduled dose of abilify? How is the training going? Are you seeing your parents? Getting out and about? Phillipa
Posted by Christ_empowered on January 21, 2012, at 10:37:17
In reply to Re: As-needed Abilify?, posted by Phillipa on January 21, 2012, at 10:01:05
hey phillipa. The training may not start for a while, anywhere from a couple weeks to 1 month. Not a big social life, but I get out some. Things are goin well with the parents.
sls--thanks for the suggestions. I was thinking taking 30 as needed. When I was in a mental hospital the last time, I overheard my doc say that I might only need meds when I was under stress. I think I'd prefer high dose abilify as-needed to lower dose abilify daily. I'll try it...I guess if I get tin foil hat crazy I can just take 30 and chill out.
Posted by SLS on January 21, 2012, at 12:58:19
In reply to Re: As-needed Abilify?, posted by Christ_empowered on January 21, 2012, at 10:37:17
> sls--thanks for the suggestions. I was thinking taking 30 as needed. When I was in a mental hospital the last time, I overheard my doc say that I might only need meds when I was under stress. I think I'd prefer high dose abilify as-needed to lower dose abilify daily. I'll try it...I guess if I get tin foil hat crazy I can just take 30 and chill out.
It might work.Good luck with it.
- Scott
Posted by emmanuel98 on January 21, 2012, at 17:57:06
In reply to Re: As-needed Abilify?, posted by Christ_empowered on January 21, 2012, at 10:37:17
I found that abilify didn't work for me prn but risperidone did. Also Haldol. If you take it prn, what symptoms will you take it for?
> hey phillipa. The training may not start for a while, anywhere from a couple weeks to 1 month. Not a big social life, but I get out some. Things are goin well with the parents.
>
> sls--thanks for the suggestions. I was thinking taking 30 as needed. When I was in a mental hospital the last time, I overheard my doc say that I might only need meds when I was under stress. I think I'd prefer high dose abilify as-needed to lower dose abilify daily. I'll try it...I guess if I get tin foil hat crazy I can just take 30 and chill out.
Posted by Christ_empowered on January 22, 2012, at 5:20:55
In reply to Re: As-needed Abilify?, posted by emmanuel98 on January 21, 2012, at 17:57:06
hey emmanuel. Basically, I get low-grade psychosis and agitation that has a tendency to build. This happens both at "depressed" and "manic" ends. I thought I could take 30 abilify to calm down intrusive/psychotic thoughts and agitation, maybe stay on it for 1 week or so, then go off. I don't know. I just seem to have "issues" with being on neuroleptics 24/7.
Posted by SLS on January 22, 2012, at 5:57:09
In reply to Re: As-needed Abilify?, posted by emmanuel98 on January 21, 2012, at 17:57:06
> didn't work for me prn but risperidone did.
I agree. I have seen risperidone act quickly to resolve schizoaffective mixed states.
- Scott
Posted by bleauberry on January 22, 2012, at 18:12:49
In reply to As-needed Abilify?, posted by Christ_empowered on January 20, 2012, at 22:02:49
I like the idea. This particular med is a good choice I think because it has a very long half life, so a single dose can work for several days or more. Finding the right dose size might be kind of tricky. and might need some patient experimentation.
Posted by stewie on January 28, 2012, at 22:23:45
In reply to Re: As-needed Abilify?, posted by emmanuel98 on January 21, 2012, at 17:57:06
I know someone who monitors himself carefully, and when he is even a little "off" he takes thorazine prn. This has served him well for over 40 years.
I bet it is worth a shot with Abilify. You just have to be extremely honest with yourself, from what I have observed.
Posted by Christ_empowered on January 29, 2012, at 10:31:07
In reply to Re: As-needed Abilify? » emmanuel98, posted by stewie on January 28, 2012, at 22:23:45
Hey. I've read about as-needed Thorazine in successful schizophrenics (I imagine bipolar people could do it, too, for manic episodes). I'm glad it works for him.
You're right on about being honest with yourself. I get so pissed about all the BS I've dealt with when it comes to psychiatry/psychology, that I'm tempted to just forgo the pills entirely. That's unwise. I finally took one yesterday because my mother noticed I was "off."
Posted by Phillipa on January 29, 2012, at 17:44:10
In reply to Re: As-needed Abilify?, posted by Christ_empowered on January 29, 2012, at 10:31:07
CE so good that your parents are there to let you know when things don't look that good. Phillipa
This is the end of the thread.
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