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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by DanielJ on July 30, 2007, at 10:20:41
My son is 19 now and has been taking Aps and Ads since he was 15. Within the last 4 months we switched to Risperdal and 1 month ago he was switched to Invega (supposed to be an improved form of Risperdal). He seems to be doing OK but I'm curious what anyone has heard about Invega. He is taking 3 mg. once a day. For almost all of the previous years he was taking Zyprexa but it's effectivity was fading so that was the reason for the switch.
Posted by Phillipa on July 30, 2007, at 10:57:09
In reply to On 3 mg Invega for 1 month so far, posted by DanielJ on July 30, 2007, at 10:20:41
Well it's used for schizophrenia but so are the others. The important question is it helping him? Love Phillipa
Posted by med_empowered on July 30, 2007, at 22:57:15
In reply to On 3 mg Invega for 1 month so far, posted by DanielJ on July 30, 2007, at 10:20:41
what is your son's diagnosis? are there any options besides antipsychotics?
Invega is a metabolite of Risperdal. basically, the invega capsule contains a chemical that is created in the body when risperdal is taken. This might mean fewer side effects; if nothing else, it means $$$ for the drug companies.
Why was the zyprexa less effective? Did he have psychosis, or did the sedative effects wear off? Antipsychotics can cause supersensitivity (an increase in D2 receptors) that should be avoided and dealt with when it does happen...anticonvulsants can help.
Posted by DanielJ on July 31, 2007, at 7:31:25
In reply to Re: On 3 mg Invega for 1 month so far, posted by med_empowered on July 30, 2007, at 22:57:15
Yep, the switch in meds was necessary because he began to experience growing belligerence and some psychotic breaks. For right now his schizophrenia seems under control. He is complaining of anxiety though. For most of the years since he was 15 he has been taking Zoloft 75 mg but he has been cut back to 50 mg. I am wondering if we need to increase that? This is hi once a day formula:
1 3mg tablet invega
1/2 of a 100 mg Zoloft tab
1/2 of a 5 mg Zyprexa tabThe Zyprexa seems to still help him sleep, even if the AP effectivity is blunted.
He was taking 20 mg Zyprexa after his first major episode. It was cut back to 10 mg after 1 1/2 years and stayed at 10 mg ZY. until the Risperdal switch 4 months ago
Posted by med_empowered on July 31, 2007, at 7:59:48
In reply to Re: On 3 mg Invega for 1 month so far, posted by DanielJ on July 31, 2007, at 7:31:25
has he been given a trial of a benzo-type tranquilizer (valium, klonopin, etc.) ? Those will help ease any akathisia and/or increased anxiety from the meds as well as ease some that may result from the psychosis itself.
Has he ever gone through a neuroleptic-free period, to re-*sses the situation?
Instead of using low-dose zyprexa for sleep, has your doc though about an actual sleeping pill, sedating antihistamine, or sedating antidepressant?
Good luck.
Posted by DanielJ on July 31, 2007, at 8:27:03
In reply to Re: On 3 mg Invega for 1 month so far, posted by med_empowered on July 31, 2007, at 7:59:48
In the ealy stages of his treatment Klonopin well
it just put him to sleep and when he woke up he wanted another Klonopin, not good. Another early casualy was Abilify = Vomiting, tremors, nightmares =horrible stuff. I myself took Halcyon for insomnia till it caused psychosis, not too fond of Tranxene either.
Posted by med_empowered on July 31, 2007, at 14:42:01
In reply to Re: On 3 mg Invega for 1 month so far, posted by DanielJ on July 31, 2007, at 8:27:03
if he wanted another Klonopin, he may have been anxious, which can happen with both psychosis and antipsychotic meds. Sometimes keeping a patient on benzos allows for reducing the antipsychotic dose, which is always a good thing.
Halcion and Tranxene both kind of suck; Halcion makes people crazy, Tranxene can induce depression. Better to use valium, ativan, klonopin; sometimes even xanax is a good call, especially now that its an xr form. Serax and Librium are also two somewhat underused options.
Posted by kaleidoscope on August 6, 2007, at 15:10:09
In reply to Re: On 3 mg Invega for 1 month so far, posted by med_empowered on July 30, 2007, at 22:57:15
Hi Med
Invega has just been launched in the UK......
.......at the exact same time that generic Risperdal has just received approval (not yet launched).
How convenient.
K
Posted by infectedmushrooms on August 9, 2007, at 20:10:48
In reply to On 3 mg Invega for 1 month so far, posted by DanielJ on July 30, 2007, at 10:20:41
I took risperdal at 21 for 3 months with ssris and it messed up my hormones even after discontinuing it...I don't know if that is your primary concern but make sure his hormones are in check while taking risperdal/invega or switch to another drug if possible...Risperdal heavily targets the pituitory which is the master hormone gland and can screw up hypothalamus/pituitory functioning which also probably increases risk for other health problems...And also try to minimize risk of TD with a large dose of vitamin E daily perhaps talk to a psychiatrist about this or nutritionist...I don't want to cause a panic but risperdal in my experience is extremely powerful and when combined with SSRIs it creates a synnergic effect in its potency as read from the official risperdal/invega documentation which can cause a lot more problems at least in my experience it has which I am currently trying to address a year and a half off the drug...
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