Antipsychotics

I have taken an antipsychotic for the last 17 years.   I have had some paranoia but none without insight that what I was thinking might not be real.  I now have the diagnosis of bipolar and take Risperdal.  My doctor is thinking of putting me on seizure meds and has mentioned taking me off of Risperdal.

I am not asking your opinion on that.  I have tried several times whether it was Stelazine or Risperdal to discontinue and I start feeling terrible.  It is not paranoia or anything like that.  I can't even identify whether it is physical or mental.  Do you know what would make me feel so terrible when I quit taking it?  Please don't just say keep taking it.  I would like to know what happens when one discontinues it?  I tapered down really slow but after about 20 days I felt so bad.  I would really love to quit taking it and maybe if I understood what happens when it is discontinued I would be able to do that.  It could possibly be a fearful feeling but I am not sure.

Thank you for your time.

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

This medication operates at several different parts of your brain, and on several different receptor sites. That means, it has a very complex effect on your brain tissue, and from what you describe, it has a strong effect on that part of your brain that effects your sense of danger and your sense of well being.  The chances are very strong that you can rebuild the natural chemical brain connections without the drug over time, but nobody can tell you how long that takes, so I can't tell you how long the "feeling bad" will last.  If you feel strong enough, and if the other medications click in, it may not be very long, but only an experiment will give you the answer.

[stevesteve]

I was on respiradol when I was 10. I dont remember any kind of withdraw. But I do remember it making me feel like i was a zombie.


If your concerned trying tapering down more slowly.

I cannot wait for the 3rd Generation of Anti-Physcotics. I feel what I believe is schizophrenia coming to me this last couple years.