Posted by JEdwin on November 22, 2000, at 21:42:41
I have moderate symptoms of schizophrenia but medication has given me the benefit of a partial remission. I have been taking Risperdal for the last two years. At first, a moderate dose worked (3 mg/day), but after about three to six months on a given dose my symptoms always start to come back. Increasing the dose helps. Now I am on 4.5 mg/day, without the possibility of increasing, since I have akathesia (uncontrolable figiting in my legs), and at higher doses I will also start to get Tardive (have already been through that). I have a ton of questions to ask I hope you don't mind.
1) Is having to slowly increase on Risperdal "normal", like am I getting a tolerance for it, or is this a sign my condition is getting worse?
2) Is there a withdrawal period if/when I switch to a new medication (my doctor and I are considering Moban or Zyprexa). I have already tried switching once to Seroquel, but that went poorly. I'm hesitant to try switching when that could just make things worse.
Not only am I considering switching medications, but also doctors. I might ask for a reference or might go back to a previous clinic that I thought I got better advice from. Anyhow I need a plan and I thought that posting this might help me make up my mind.
poster:JEdwin
thread:49274
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20001115/msgs/49274.html