Injection vs Tablet; that is the question

[Swamp56]

 I've gone off my medications about 4 times in under a year.  Almost every single time that I did that, my symptoms started resurfacing (paranoid ideation, paranoid delusions, and sometimes hallucinations).

To this day, I still have trouble understanding that there's something wrong.  This has subsequently led me to stop my medications.  I know a lot about psychotic disorders, but that still doesn't shield me from the inevitable anosognosia that a huge portion of people with psychosis have . 

I essentially have 2 options; stay on my current tablet form of a neuroleptic, or switch to a depot injection form of a neuroleptic.  The issue is that I would have to switch antipsychotic medication, which is not the...most favorable thing (possible risk of relapse).  My counselor told me that she thinks it's a good idea to do this.

Has anyone had experience with depot injections?  If so, how was it?

Advantages

- Can't stop medication

- Only given 1-2 times per month; no more forgetting

- Can be increased if necessary by injecting more

Disadvantages

- If I have a reaction, I have to wait until the injection runs out of strength

- Constant doctor visits over breaks (the campus will do depot injections while I'm in school)

[sorrel]

To address the issue of whether Risperdal (that's what you're considering, right?) would be tolerable and effective, has it been discussed that you could switch to pill Risperdal for a little while first as a test, before committing to the shot?

[notfred]

They can start you on the tablet form of your new AP and switch to depot once you are stable. That way if you have a reaction you can stop the tablets and things should resolve quickly. Still, there are effective treatments for the more common AP side effects. So on the depot your doc should be able to control the common side effects.

nf

[blackbird]

I am in the process of going depot with Risperdal Consta. My p-doc knows my mother messes with my meds plus he likes to keep tabs on me through my p-nurse who administers the injection so its a form of social control really.

First off they need to wean you off your current AP (Seroquel) and put you on a dose of oral risperdal that will effectively handle your symptoms (Probably 4-6mg with schizophrenia, I am on 6mg).

Once you are weaned off your medicine and on the most effective oral dose of risperdal they will start you on injections.

25mg per fortnight at first without changing your oral medication as it takes 2-3 weeks for Consta to build up in the blood. 25mg per fortnight is the equivalent of 2mg or less per day.

Depending on what you actual doseage is, they will increase the injection gradually and wean you off oral risperdal.

the injection also comes as 37.5mg per fortnight (4mg per day) and 50mg per fortnight (6mg per day)

Risperdal will of course mess with your prolactin and give you sexual side effects but so will ALL depot meds as they are TYPICAL antipsychotics which ALL have a prolactin elevating effect.

Risperdal Consta has less prolactin effects in depot form than oral risperdal and probably less nasty side effects such as EPSES, tardive dyskinesia and anticholinergic side effects than the older depots.

Alternatively you could try the new Zyprexa Depot or Invega Sustenna

Good luck and welcome to the depot club!

blackbird x

[remedy48]

There are also dissolvable riperadol kind of like zidis. You could give that a try. It has a minty taste to it. But to reply to your question if you are missing doses I would go with the injections. But I would try the pills first to see if the med will even work for you and what side effects you get from it.