Paliperidone for Schizoaffective Disorder User Reviews

• Phy...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 21, 2020

"If you are looking for the worst time of your life, this is the medication for you! Do you want to gain 100 lbs? Lose all your friends and be turned into a vegetable? If so, Invega will do the job. Don’t take this, it's terrible. You will gain weight, everything nice will be gone from your life, you will feel sick and foggy all the time, and your life will basically be over. It reduces you to a fraction of the person you should be, and it's messy and unpleasant. No one should take this."

• Gra...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 23, 2018

"My son started Invega, and the drug made his symptoms worse. He couldn't sleep and became very agitated. He had hospital admissions after hospital admissions. I am sorry to say he killed himself about three months after starting this drug. Please don't let anyone you love start this drug, it is a very bad drug."

• Sad...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 17, 2021

"I was prescribed Invega Sustenna on my 5th hospital stay for bipolar and schizoaffective episodes. I wasn’t responding to the oral medications, and I have compliance issues with taking oral meds anyway. Like most people who have already commented, my experience with this drug has been horrible. Yes, it stopped the hallucinations, but it has robbed me of my emotions. I feel flat all the time, I gained weight, my hair fell out, I lost my sex drive and my ability to orgasm. I have anhedonia and avolition, I cannot socialize anymore, I can barely contribute to a conversation, I’m barely caring for myself (not cooking, not cleaning)... I am like a child. This medication is terrible in my opinion, I would not recommend it. I’d rather live with the occasional hallucination than all of the side effects Invega has caused."

• Any...
• February 1, 2020

"I’m currently writing with trembles in my hands and muscle stiffness. I had a nervous breakdown and classified bipolar NIGHTMARE BEGAN. I have extreme paranoia, lost my job because Invega destroyed my hand coordination, TD (I believe I have permanent brain damage), sexual dysfunction, muscle stiffness, tremors in my whole body, hands shaking, face twitching, curling fingers. I can’t hold down food, severe anxiety, depression, suicidal, antisocial, no emotions, removed from relationships, no periods, infertile at this point, no sleep in 3 months, pacing, blurry vision, absolute chemical lobotomy - fear of body deteriorating. 39 years old, hard to find the energy just to stay alive. Everything in my body is dry. I’m a nervous wreck. Detoxing: I was trying to restart my body - No change in 2 months. Instead, have early signs of Parkinson’s."

• Jes...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 15, 2019

"I'm so depressed on Invega that I cry multiple times a day, can't maintain any friendships, too tired and demotivated to work out or play my guitar like I used to. I lay in my bed every day, no motivation for anything."

• Kan...
• May 14, 2019

"It's been 3 years since I took Invega, but I still think about it often because I have never been as depressed as I was on Invega. I would literally cry upon waking because I couldn't bear being conscious. I was sleeping ~13 hours a day for a few months. It made me catatonic a few times as well. I was so depressed there were times I couldn't lift my head or stand up or even talk. It was an actual nightmare, and my psych insisted it was just initial adjustment side effects, but I have never been on a medication that harmed me as much as Invega. I would have taken the psychosis over the Invega any day. I stopped taking it without permission, and I kid you not-the next day, I felt normal. I physically couldn't get out of bed, and my limbs felt like lead; it was ridiculous. I was in such a dark, dark place and started giving away my belongings, but stopped almost immediately once I stopped the medication."

• Nse...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 28, 2018

"I was forced to take Invega after a spiritual emergence was diagnosed as schizophrenia, bipolar, and schizoaffective disorder. I had the initial dose of 256mg, I believe, then 150mg for four months. My last shot was in August 2018. By the second shot, my thoughts had stopped. I could no longer think. It shut off my consciousness. My memory and retaining information have been affected. I developed anhedonia. I can no longer feel any emotion. I have no libido or menstrual cycles. I haven't had an appetite in 4 months. I have no desire to eat or get pleasure from it. I have insomnia. I believe this medicine has caused brain damage. Other drugs have reduced or no effectiveness such as cannabis, nicotine, caffeine, alcohol, and sleep medication. This drug has a half-life of 25-49 days. So it's going to take at least a year before it is completely out of my system."

• Uni...
• April 13, 2021

"I've been on Invega for 3 years. The beginning was bad. I had so much energy I couldn't sit still or get comfortable. I gained weight but it got better. I started to see the benefits, for example, less tension and edginess, better decision-making, sleep improvements, and feeling less scared and paranoid. Then I got diagnosed with high levels of prolactin. It has been over a year, and they still can't get it under control, which means I'm always itchy and overweight. Now I was diagnosed with pre-diabetes because of the meds. I was told to eat right and exercise every day for the rest of my life. And then he laughed!! It has been about a month since the pre-diabetes diagnosis, and I have only lost 1 kg. That's with healthy eating and exercise. My doctor thinks the benefits still outweigh the risks, so they are constantly pushing the drug on me, but I'm itchy, pre-diabetic, and overweight."

• Ram...
• November 17, 2015

"I am living a productive, symptom-free life because of Invega shot 4 years, 6 mg pill for 1. Now a college grad, off disability, full-time job (40k) at an investment bank all made possible by Invega. I was severely sick and now I haven't been for 5 years. It took a couple of hospitalizations, several lost jobs, and even jail (which was a turning point) to find Invega. I did 3 full-time years in college and got a 3.9 in finance. The only side effects I've had are slightly high cholesterol and weight gain, which for me is somewhat manageable with diet although for what I eat I'd be 20 pounds less. I am now crystal clear and have zero symptoms. Life changer."

• dar...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 7, 2022

"It's called Xeplion here in the UK. I had a bad 4 months on 100 mg for psychosis. I had akathisia and felt severely depressed, so I went onto 75 mg, and the difference 4 months down the line has been phenomenal. It was an instant difference when I got my fourth month jab. It has made my head feel lighter and improved my ability to think. Akathisia has been and gone, and I no longer have any movement side effects. It has eliminated my psychosis, eased my anxiety, and overall improved the quality of my life. I'm extremely thankful to be on this medication."

• Ell...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 19, 2019

"I have felt very tired and just lethargic and lost interest in the Bible, which I once loved with a great passion. No one will take me at my word, and I have tried to get off this medication, but the doctor and my family won't let me even after I told them how much I don't like it. I have no periods, have high prolactin, and hand tremors in my right hand. Feel like sleeping all the time and would do anything to stop taking this medication. It is poison and should be taken off the market and never given to anyone. I'd rather hear voices than feel like I do on this medication."

• Jan...
• August 31, 2019

"I honestly feel like I've been misdiagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, but I've been taking this medication for almost two years. Currently at 117 mg every four weeks. I feel like I've become a completely different person than before I started Invega Sustenna. I have no passion for anything, no emotion, no ideas or input or anything to say to anyone, and my energy for life overall is just flat. So flat. I constantly feel like I only do things to appease people and appear like a normal person. Only the people closest to me, like my family, recognize that I'm no longer the person I used to be. I have hopes that I'll be able to stop this medication someday... and that when I stop, I'll be able to recollect whatever is left of who I used to be. I don't know if I'd recommend this medication. But if you ever find yourself on it, take note of your side effects earlier on so you have a record of it to tell your psychiatrist. Then maybe stopping will be easier, if that's what you want to do."

• Nik...
• December 28, 2015

"I have been suffering major depression for over 10 years and Zoloft took the edge off, but I was still extremely depressed. I had mood swings and disorganized thinking, speech problems by being unable to articulate what I mean, paranoia, and so forth. I was originally diagnosed with bipolar disorder, but the diagnosis didn't fit. I was also diagnosed with Aspergers. I took a personality and general mental health test by a professional psychologist, and the results were tallied by a computer. I have schizoaffective disorder. I showed my results to my psychiatrist, and she prescribed Invega. My depression is gone, I laugh and tell jokes, I can think clearly now, and my relationship with my husband has never been better. Thank you!"

• Sal...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 2, 2023

"Such a horrible, horrible, evil drug made me depressed, caused erectile dysfunction, made me puke, made my eyesight worse, made my brain feel foggy, and caused me to itch and sweat profusely. Mucks around with my whole nervous system, it needs to be taken off the market! This company and its supporters should be sued immediately."

• Fra...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 14, 2018

"Do not take this medicine. So far, I have lost all my ambition, energy, personality, and my emotions. I am tired all the time and have random muscle spasms all through my body. It makes it really hard to feel things, I feel like I have to try to feel things. It's really weird. I have been taking the injection for six months now, and I'm a complete zombie. I have no social life, sex drive, or imagination. This medicine destroys the human body, it is poison and needs to be discontinued. I'd much rather hear voices and hallucinate than be on this medication."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 20, 2018

"This drug has ruined my life. It caused me to lactate. Even 4 months later off the medicine, I am still lactating and my prolactin got even higher! I had an MRI and it didn't show a pituitary tumor, which this drug can cause. I am now being referred to a neurosurgeon because nobody knows what to do and nobody knows how my prolactin can still be so high. A few years ago, my pituitary gland was symmetrical, but ever since being on Invega, my pituitary gland is asymmetrical. One side is bigger than the other. This drug caused my pituitary to change its shape. On top of that, I lost my periods completely, so now I'm infertile. It also made me eat like a horse and gain weight. My life is ruined. Beware of this drug."

• NKa...
• November 18, 2019

"At first, it didn't seem that bad taking Invega. I got the shot once a month. I was in the psych ward for paranoia and delusions. Hallucinations had subsided. They told me they would hold me at the V.A. for four months if I didn't take the shot. They used psychological manipulation to get me to 'agree.' Six months later, I'm 60 lbs overweight, depressed, and tired beyond belief. All I want to do is lay down and close my eyes. Today I woke up about 11:00 a.m., got out of bed for an hour, went and laid back down till about 4 p.m., then got up to make myself something to eat, then laid down till 6, got up for another hour, then right back to bed. This is my daily routine on this nightmarish drug. I'm taking one class in school and can't afford to withdraw off of it right now, but in a month I will graduate and finally get off this terrible drug forever. It makes me want to do nothing in life, nor could I work taking this medication. It has ruined a year of my life. I'd rather have symptoms."

• bec...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 23, 2020

"I've been on this drug Invega Sustenna for the last 5 years. I've gained 65 lbs, I'm 5'4" tall. I'm restless, have liver problems, memory problems. I don't know which symptoms it is treating. I do not hallucinate. I originally got diagnosed with bipolar disorder 23 years ago because I could not sleep at night. This drug is horrible, and there are no benefits from it."

• fal...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 18, 2018

"A big warning about this drug... it completely stopped all functioning and thought. I was on it for bipolar disorder, which it isn't registered for. I felt destroyed by this drug and my life robbed from me over a misdiagnosis. I gained 30 kgs, have a prolactinoma, obesity, prediabetes, serious liver conditions just to name a few that have shortened my life and have left me without any quality of life. Horrible drug that cannot be made available to so many fickle and uncaring doctors. I still experience pain 24/7. How this drug was ever passed is something to think about, and it should only be prescribed to schizophrenics or people with schizoaffective disorder anyway!!!!"

• poo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 13, 2019

"This medication is the worst. Do not take it. You will have no feelings, no thoughts, no sex drive. Please do not take this drug in any circumstance. It does not help at all. It actually makes you worse. It makes you lose your mind on the daily. It makes you hallucinate daily. You don't want that. Do not take this medication in shot or pill form. 0 stars. Horrible drug. Way too expensive and does not work at all."

• Ste...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 14, 2023

"At first, I was reluctant about starting this medication, but my doctor insisted, and now, after being on it for 2-3 years, my life has greatly improved. I acknowledge that this drug may not work for everyone, but for me, it has been exactly what I needed. My eating habits have become healthier, replacing soda and iced tea with mostly water. I've reduced my smoking and increased my exercise. My job is going well, and I have more financial stability than ever before. Additionally, my sleep has improved, and my sex drive has remained relatively unchanged. I used to be heavily involved in hip-hop music and writing lyrics, but since starting the medication, I haven't pursued that passion. However, I wouldn't trade the positive changes I've experienced for anything. Although 2019 was a challenging year for me, four years later, I have found true inner peace."

• Dip...
• June 13, 2018

"I was admitted to the hospital for depression. But they gave me the Invega Sustenna 234 injection. My mouth became totally numb for 2 months. I could not swallow any solid food. I could not properly talk for 2 full months. Only lived on liquids. Had no energy in my body at all. Only slept and lied down 24 hours. Had no energy even to open the medication bottle. Really felt horrible inside. Felt muscle locks. Literally lived like a zombie for 2 months. Had extreme anxiety and suicidal thoughts. My teeth have moved permanently. Can’t bite or chew the same way anymore. 4 months later, I still don’t feel normal. I feel this injection has ruined my life permanently. I feel there is something wrong with my body organs. I can’t make anybody understand that I just don’t feel normal anymore. I feel chills in my body. Hard to get up in the morning for work. Feel extremely fatigue and depressed. I actually have more issues than what I just described."

• Ich...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 25, 2020

"I have taken this drug Invega Sustenna for a few years, and while it did help to stabilize my mood, it completely got rid of my sex drive and sperm production. I will no longer be taking this horrible abomination of a drug and will instead rely on people who I am close to for support. P.S. On a side note, now that I have been off this medication for a few months, I have noticed my sex drive is back!"

• Poo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 30, 2019

"I think this is a terrible drug. DO NOT TAKE. Causes schizophrenia, does not treat it. I repeat, do not take. Will decrease your thinking to almost not there completely. Will remove your emotions almost completely. Side effects on top of side effects. Weight gain, blurry vision, restless leg syndrome, brain pain, and more. Do not take even if the doctor convinces you it is a good idea. It is not a good idea at all."

• Ela...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 19, 2018

"Well, now I now know why they call psychiatrists 'shrinks.' I have been on this drug for years. I have tried taking vitamins and eating healthy to stay well and still gained 50 pounds. I have far too many headaches and sleep all day. I think they finally did it - they shrunk my brain!"