User Reviews for Invega to treat Schizophrenia

"I have been diagnosed with bipolar with psychosis in June 2020. I got 2 loading doses of invega then two others doses in two months , total of 4 doses. Now I am 10 months since the last dose still suffering from weight gain ( 20 Kg ), erectile dysfunction with numb penis and shrinkage, less semen volume. This drug is a awful , DO NOT TAKE THIS MEDICATION AT ALL Unfortunately , I did not have the choice to accept or refuse the drug because I was admitted to hospital at that time , they took the consent from my parents who did not know what this drug is .... This is a post for humanity, please do not use this drug, it ruined my life totally."

"Do not take this drug! I was given two injections and don't want anymore, I'm severely depressed because of this stupid horrible drug, cannot concentrate, it literally ruined my brain caused severe brain damage, DO NOT TAKE THIS DRUG! THESE COMPANIES SHOULD BE SUED!"

"Put on thos medication for two years. I don't hear voices or anything, but yet I was diagnosed schizophrenic. Made me forget words, feel stupid, impotence, erectile dysfunction, sexual problems overall decreased ambitions, decreased confidence, felt swollen, my life turned upside down. Got off the medication two months ago and increasingly feel better. I hope all the side effects wear off and I go back to normal. I hope."

"This is the worse medication ever. I was 120lb when I started on this and I gained 80 lbs. My boobs went up from A cup size to D. It has been so hard to lose the the the weight. I don't take the meds anymore and I'm still trying to lose the weight and it cost me other health problems on top of this. I would not wish this this medication for anyone. I did not feel better on it at all. In fact I felt dizzy and was sleepy and all I wanted to to do was eat. I repeated myself constantly while on this med. I blame the manufacturer s for all the damages."

"NIGHTMARE! I do not recommend this drug. I was taking it for 6 weeks (3 weeks to get me on 900 mg and 3 weeks to get me off). Terrible vivid nightmares that seemed more real than reality. I was wondering if I am dreaming or is it real all the time. My mind was empty. My muscles were in pain, I couldn't properly move my body because of "hard" muscles. I had a feeling of being pregnant - smell and taste changed, I had contractions and I produced milk. Only when this happened doctors decided to put me off that drug. Thank God for body side effects, because doctors don't take serious when you tell them that a drug is bad for mind, emotions etc."

"I got diagnose with schizophrenia and bipolar in the hospital. I was taking respidone which was helping me a lot but then I start taking invega. This medicine has ruined me. All of the things that I've loved doing now sucks. I was on it for 4 months but I've been off of it for 3 months now but I'm still dealings with side effects. I can't sit still or lay still. I'm always tired my tongue is always numb my speech is off. I can't have a simple conversation I can't sleep at night. I hate waking up in the morning, my thoughts are all confusing and I feel weak. My body is really sensitive......I just miss the old me."

"Was sent to the hospital this January, with a plan of suicide after a big meth bender where they basically said fuck off and stop using drugs and stop bothering us....... (been admitted to psychiatric care multiple times) My GP became infuriated how they just simply dismissed me and put me back on Invega, Within a week my mood improved majorly, my tendencies left, I haven't been using illegal drugs, my life has completely turned around. I have zero sex drive but I'm back at Uni studying my bachelor of science, my parents are super proud of me, my attitude has changed, I'm happier, I have accepted my shortcomings and finally have a goal in life. I think zero sex drive is better than cutting stuff into my face"

"I started taking this medication for 3 months after I was diagnosed with schizophrenia and it has ruined my life. I now have trouble speaking, I'm always anxious, I can barely concentrate on anything, I'm depressed and sleeping a lot, and I no longer get erections and have trouble producing semen. I have been off of it for 2 months and I'm still dealing with the side effects. This is the worst thing I have ever been on and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone."

"So, I was high energy and a lovely person before taking this drug. After my second shot of 234mg, I became so tired and depressed like all the life had been sucked out of me. No longer bubbly and energetic I would just lie down all day with no energy to move. Very sad. Very very sad."

"Tricked into this at the mental ward because of psychosis caused by Bipolar 1 and I absolutely don't like it. I am unable to think and retain information, I get no joy out of music, food, books, or TV anymore. I am a visual artist who no longer has inspiration. I can barely remember my characters or their stories. I can't think or write with any regularity. I can no longer laugh regularly or feel most emotions. It has been a miserable experience. I can't imagine what kind of sadism it takes to create a drug that makes people so empty inside. I am missing memories and all kinds of pieces of my old self. I can deal with not having a sex drive. I can't deal with the rest of the side effects. I want my brain back."

"My son (23 year old) got the Invega shot. It's the worst thing ever. It's making him cripple, still hearing voices, shuffling when he walks, insomnia. This drug needs to be taken off the market I am going to write to the FDA it's very expensive and does nothing to help. Where are our tax money going? Why isn't there a cure? The insurance companies are blood suckers. The poor mental health patients cannot get any help. I am so sick and tired of this disease right now I just want my child back."

"Suffering and miserable on this drug Invega. I take 117mg monthly injections. The frequent side effects I get are thoughtless, emotionless, akathisia, anxiety, a lot of difficulty with memory focus and concentration like I can't learn much. Unmotivated I sit around a lot feeling numb and mentally blank. Increased depression, dead sex drive or no interest with sex. Weight gain"

"I feel that Invega is some sort of torture. I’m a man of God I never in my life felt sicker on 234mg of Invega. I felt like life doesn’t exist and insects are my friend not to mention the physical trauma my mind and body is going threw. I cannot get off Invega because I don’t have a place to live, plus this is the go to drug when they have power advocate their own sick minds into the world with the doctors."

"I was diagnosed in 2013 with schizophrenia and depressive behavior. Prior to my last hospitalization none of the meds were working on me. My family changed my physician and she firmly believed Invega combined with Sertraline would do the trick. I am most grateful to her and my family for their desire to help me. I no longer hear the voices, I can go out in the public, watch TV, listen to the radio and enjoy it like I used to. I feel safe again, the paranoia of thinking people were after me is gone, I don't have suicidal thoughts anymore and I'm starting to build a social life again. I am 24 years old and I'm grateful for the unconditional support my family and new doctor have giving me, My life back."

"This drug saved my son's life. He failed to respond to any other drug and lost two years of his life in mental facilities. He was put on Invega Sustenna and within 2 weeks was changed. Within 3 months he was almost asymtomatic.. Over the next 4 years he earned a degree in computer science with a 4.0 GPA and within 1 unit of a Masters with a very high GPA and accepted into a Phd Program. The insurance company forced us off the depot sustenna injections onto pills. Within 8 weeks he was fully psychotic and in a lock down facility. The injectable form is a miracle drug! It should be a crime to allow an insurance company trying to save a few dollars more to destroy someone's life as they have. Write to Jannsen, Write to your congressman!"

"Taking Invega makes me spaced out and wierd. Spend most of my time lying in bed. Feel miserable. Wish I don’t have to take the medicine. But my sister is supervising to make sure I take the medicine. What should I do? Feel good when I am not taking any psychotic medicine"

"This drug ruined me. I was fine before after they forced me to take it. I've been unable to write music since which was what I had a passion for. This drug has made me depressed and given me anxiety which I was never experiencing before the drug. Beware of this drug it helps some and can ruin others"

"these drugs are dangerous... they ruined my life. made my illness much worse. the doctors are do not believe me as they think I'm an inferior life form. SYMPTOMS INCLUDE TOOTH DECAY LACK OF MOTIVATION EXTREME WEIGHT GAIN HEART PAINS REDUCED LEVEL OFCONSCIOUSNESS THEY ALSO MADE EXTREMELY DELUSIONAL TO THE POINT I DIDN'T EVEN BELIEVE ANYMORE."

"I was taking clozaril for about 24 years. My doctor stopped my medicine and didn’t taper down. Instant stop. He then overdosed me on 256 mg of the shot. I had young emotions. No thought left. Couldn’t remember how to turn the key in my car. My legs started going up and down, face twitches. Forgot how to cook. Just could sit there and not move. My head started shaking. I stopped this drug but my mind never came back. I’m slowly losing love and emotion for life. If you love somebody don’t ever let them take invega. It is the worst drug on the market"

"I have been trying for 7 years to get off the monthly Invega shot because the side effects make me feel like I’m in a nightmare. I’ve gained 80 pounds, trouble getting to sleep and staying asleep, no sex drive so no point to having a girlfriend, I feel down all the time, have wet stools, heartburn constantly, frequent headaches and I could go on. If you have a loved one on this drug ask them to be honest about the constant suicidal thoughts."

"This medication completely ruined my life. I gained 15kg over six months on this injection whereas before I was fit. I grew manboobs on this medication. I have no libido and complete sexual dysfunction. This medication gives you terrible anhedonia. I was forced to take Invega Sustenna after some stupid psychiatrist diagnosed me with "psychosis". I had no symptoms of psychosis."

"I was put on this medication. By doctors telling me that I heard voices. When I didn't. I was put in the hospital. By a police officer who thought I wasn't fit to drive. As I was having a diabetic hypo. He thought I was on drugs. And locked me in the hospital for 3 weeks. I was forced to have injections of invega. After this I had stabbing pains in my liver my blood sugar levels jumped I gained 15kgs. I haven't been able to orgasem. It has been 3 years since I was put on it. And 18 months since I last had it. I am still over weight. I'm now on diabetes medication. My liver is nearly 3 times the size it should be. And my sex life is over . All because of this evil medication. It should be banned."

"I have been taking Invega prolonged release tablets for 8 years. I was diagnosed with schizophrenia and put on 3mg and it took a little while for the delusions to end. I then fell into deep depression. I couldn't stand my head the way it was. This drug blocked all my mind wandering that I loved so much. I was given a 6 week course of ECT and put on 75mg dothepin antidepressant and invega upped to 6mg. When the dose was increased to 6mg I had heart palpitations and couldn't sit still in a chair from stiff joints and was constantly falling asleep. My psych blamed invega lowered my dose to 3mg and increased my dothepin to 150mg. I was still robotic in thought and movement but I could lead a productive life. My head did feel very dry and I was in survival mode though. I started having 2000mg fish oil capsules a day and my thoughts became fluid and so did my joints and movement. It's not a cure but I would recommend fish oil capsules to people with psychotic illness taking these meds."

"Horrible side effects!!! Caused facial hair, missed periods, swollen tender breast, I would produce breast milk though I was not pregnant, severe uncontrolled muscle jerks/ spasms/ changed color of pubic hairs. After a year I still had involuntary movements and spasms. My neighbors assumed I had Parkinson disease."

"Hello, I was on Risperdal for 3 years, I switched to Invega just over a month ago and am already losing a good deal of weight, I do sometimes get restless but I accept this as the price for not sleeping 17 hours a day on Risperdal, my appetite is normal and I don't eat huge portions anymore, my energy is up and I can actually feel emotions fully again, for the first time in a long long time, would recommend giving this a try to anyone - just remember some people get different side effects, for me this also took away sexual side effects that were limiting my relationships."