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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 17 of 17. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by revv33 on March 10, 2014, at 20:04:07
I would like to try and go off antipsychotics sometime in my life but I had a few questions...
Will I have a higher chance of experiencing a antipsychotic induced psychosis when I stop them if was on them for a long period of time (does the risk go up the longer you are on them?)I know you need to slowly go off them.
Il explain a little bit about my experience with antipsychotics and my psychosis I experienced...
I had my first psychosis episode over a year ago and I didn't hear voices or had hallucinations I only had delusions and during this time I was smoking cannabis I then was hospitalized for 1-2months and was on 2mg risperidone and when taking it I wasn't in psychosis mode anymore but I wasn't taking my antipsychotic everyday I would spit them out whenever I could.
When I got back home from the hospital I wasn't taking them and I was feeling fine and didn't have any delusions but after smoking cannabis again a few days after I went into a psychosis again and had delusions and went back to the hospital where they gave me invega sustenna injections I then started feeling like myself again...
So what I am wondering is could this be a drug induced psychosis? I have been smoking cannabis since the age of 15 I am 24 now and was hospitalized at age 22-23.
Posted by Zyprexa on March 10, 2014, at 20:48:51
In reply to Going off Anti-psychotics?, posted by revv33 on March 10, 2014, at 20:04:07
Personally I don't think pot causes much psychosis. When I started a p's I would smoke pot all the time and be fine. Then I would quit everything meds pot and become psychotic for 4 month's . Then back on everything and fine again. In fact I findpot helps with the meds. I think it helps with Ptsd and anxiety. The zyprexa helps the dillusions and not leaving reality. Pot calms my nerves,relaxes me.
Posted by vbs on March 10, 2014, at 23:22:00
In reply to Re: Going off Anti-psychotics?, posted by Zyprexa on March 10, 2014, at 20:48:51
Might be cannabis-induced psychosis. Do you smoke weed now with your meds? I think people with a history of psychosis should be careful with marijuana. I have a psychotic disorder and smoke occasionally. It can make my symptoms worse.
Just be careful. Don't smoke too much if and when you do imbibe in herb.
Posted by vbs on March 10, 2014, at 23:46:03
In reply to Re: Going off Anti-psychotics?, posted by vbs on March 10, 2014, at 23:22:00
Otherwise, pot affects me like it does everyone else, relaxation and feeling happy.
Posted by SLS on March 11, 2014, at 0:52:42
In reply to Re: Going off Anti-psychotics?, posted by vbs on March 10, 2014, at 23:46:03
> Otherwise, pot affects me like it does everyone else, relaxation and feeling happy.
Marijuana never affected me that way.
For me, it produced dissociation, anxiety, and some paranoia. I was neither relaxed nor feeling happy - more like dysphoric.
- Scott
Posted by PeterMartin on March 11, 2014, at 1:12:09
In reply to Re: Going off Anti-psychotics?, posted by SLS on March 11, 2014, at 0:52:42
My first manic episode came as a result of smoking pot daily after going to university and having my own place where I could smoke whenever I wanted. 99% of the time I could smoke like everyone else but due to having latent bipolar I there'd be that one day where smoking would cause me to run with a thought and not be able to stop. Pot helped my depression (or numbed me to it) so I kept smoking even after a number of hospitalizations due to things like running down the street naked thinking I was becoming an angel.....yea great times....
That was early 20s....36 now. Had a rough go w substances until 32 when I stopped everything including alcohol......haven't been hospitalized since....
I'm feel like I'm rambling but basically pot can definitely cause a minor bipolar issue to become a big bipolar issue. I'm not trying to tell you not to smoke but just saying regardless of what you read or hear there are some people like me who can get set off by pot......
On my phone so sorry if this reads poorly.
Posted by vbs on March 11, 2014, at 8:16:43
In reply to Re: Going off Anti-psychotics?, posted by SLS on March 11, 2014, at 0:52:42
> > Otherwise, pot affects me like it does everyone else, relaxation and feeling happy.
>
> Marijuana never affected me that way.
>
> For me, it produced dissociation, anxiety, and some paranoia. I was neither relaxed nor feeling happy - more like dysphoric.
>
>
> - ScottI should have said that it affects me like it does in other regular users. Marijuana can certainly produce negative reactions.
Posted by SLS on March 11, 2014, at 8:38:55
In reply to Re: Going off Anti-psychotics?, posted by vbs on March 11, 2014, at 8:16:43
> > > Otherwise, pot affects me like it does everyone else, relaxation and feeling happy.
> >
> > Marijuana never affected me that way.
> >
> > For me, it produced dissociation, anxiety, and some paranoia. I was neither relaxed nor feeling happy - more like dysphoric.
> >
> >
> > - Scott
>
> I should have said that it affects me like it does in other regular users. Marijuana can certainly produce negative reactions.There's some pretty good stuff in marijuana. However, I question whether or not THC has medicinal properties. I would prefer to see marijuana bred to minimize THC content and allow for the other cannibinoids to do their therapeutic work. Hopefully, there are study groups trying to isolate the compounds in marijuana that have therapeutic value and synthesize them so that they can be dispensed in oral form with a prescription.
- Scott
Posted by Phillipa on March 11, 2014, at 9:49:52
In reply to Re: Going off Anti-psychotics? » vbs, posted by SLS on March 11, 2014, at 8:38:55
I wonder how many people developed their depression, bipolar, other illnesses as a result of pot smoking. Wasn't yet in when I was young. Phillipa
Posted by vbs on March 11, 2014, at 11:12:34
In reply to Re: Going off Anti-psychotics?, posted by Phillipa on March 11, 2014, at 9:49:52
> I wonder how many people developed their depression, bipolar, other illnesses as a result of pot smoking. Wasn't yet in when I was young. Phillipa
That's a good question. I think what precipitated my illness was long term stimulant use. I'm diagnosed now with schizoaffective disorder but I used to be treated for ADD and depression. Anyway, marijuana use has been relatively benign for me.
Posted by phidippus on March 11, 2014, at 12:03:35
In reply to Going off Anti-psychotics?, posted by revv33 on March 10, 2014, at 20:04:07
Your psychosis is drug induced. If your having persistent delusions well after the marijuana has left your system, then some antipsychotic therapy may be necessary. However, I do not believe you need to be on Invrega Sustenna-that's overkill.
Antipsychotics aren't really going to help with cannabis induced psychosis anyway. They will help with persistent delusions after the fact. So, if you're going to smoke pot, I'd say take Invega for a week afterwards then stop.
Tell me about your delusions.
Eric
Posted by revv33 on March 11, 2014, at 13:22:38
In reply to Re: Going off Anti-psychotics? » revv33, posted by phidippus on March 11, 2014, at 12:03:35
> Your psychosis is drug induced. If your having persistent delusions well after the marijuana has left your system, then some antipsychotic therapy may be necessary. However, I do not believe you need to be on Invrega Sustenna-that's overkill.
>
> Antipsychotics aren't really going to help with cannabis induced psychosis anyway. They will help with persistent delusions after the fact. So, if you're going to smoke pot, I'd say take Invega for a week afterwards then stop.
>
> Tell me about your delusions.
>
> EricWhat makes you think it was cannabis induced psychosis? like I said since the age of 15 I always smoked cannabis and I only became psychotic when I was 23 and if I recall correctly I think I smoked cannabis and then a week or two later I became psychotic so I think the cannabis would be out of my system by then? I dont know.
And for my delusions il just keep it simple I tought I was being watched by the illuminati and tought they where monitoring me and my computer/every electronics in my house/car everywhere I went I tought they where there.
Posted by Christ_empowered on March 11, 2014, at 15:25:08
In reply to Re: Going off Anti-psychotics?, posted by revv33 on March 11, 2014, at 13:22:38
There is tardive psychosis--at least, its a concept--which means that because of brain changes from tranquilizer use, going off a neuroleptic (especially if you do it quickly) could cause a relapse that might be worse than what you started taking the tranquilizer for.2mgs risperidone is a low dose. I don't know how they dose your sustenna, but I would think they're cautious. Usually, higher doses are reserved for violent patients, people with repeat episodes, treatment resistant people, etc.
If I recall correctly, if you've had only 1 episode of psychosis, tapering off an antipsychotic can be done after 1 year or so of stability (you may want to google up some info on this). Even Schizophrenia, the ultimate psychotic disorder, has a remission rate, both in 1st episode and in chronic cases, so tapering off an antipsychotic isn't unheard of.
I don't know if your psychosis was pot induced. I've heard it said that today's marijuana is more potent than what was around back in the day, so there's more crazy-making potential.
Personally, I'd talk about a very gradual taper. Some people need sedatives of some persuasion to get over the tapering process. That'd be up to your doc, of course.
Good luck!
Posted by phidippus on March 11, 2014, at 16:12:05
In reply to Re: Going off Anti-psychotics?, posted by revv33 on March 11, 2014, at 13:22:38
>I only became psychotic when I was 23
Now that you've cleared things up a bit, I understand better.
Have you ever been diagnosed as schizophrenic?
The delusion you describe is paranoid delusional in nature and seems very much schizophrenic in nature
If you are schizophrenic, you DO need to be on antipsychotics daily and the sustenna is a GOOD idea since you seem to like going off them.
Eric
Posted by revv33 on March 11, 2014, at 17:54:15
In reply to Re: Going off Anti-psychotics? » revv33, posted by phidippus on March 11, 2014, at 16:12:05
I haven't been diagnosed
Posted by Phil on March 11, 2014, at 19:14:53
In reply to Re: Going off Anti-psychotics? » vbs, posted by SLS on March 11, 2014, at 8:38:55
a different strain heavier on cbd will glue you to the couch while eating fritos. sativa's = up indica = down. indica's are more aimed att MM. sativa's are aimed for my vaporizer.
i've never seen anyone have a problem.. 30 years. a lot of those were ditch weed.
60 meds hundreds of combo's and pot can be a very big help. no prob.
Posted by phidippus on March 12, 2014, at 16:38:44
In reply to Re: Going off Anti-psychotics?, posted by revv33 on March 11, 2014, at 17:54:15
I would seek a diagnosis from a psychiatrist or psychologist.
Its not the end of the world if you are schizophrenic.
Eric
ps. Pot smoking won't really have an impact on your diagnosis.
This is the end of the thread.
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