Invega and Depression: What Users Say

• Mar...
• April 19, 2021

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

• Any...
• February 1, 2020

For Schizoaffective Disorder "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."

• Any...
• February 1, 2020

For Schizoaffective Disorder "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."

• Dad...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 30, 2019

For Schizophrenia "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."

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

For Schizoaffective Disorder "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."

• Eth...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 31, 2020

For Schizophrenia "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."

• Kan...
• May 14, 2019

For Schizoaffective Disorder "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

For Schizoaffective Disorder "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."

• Dou...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 13, 2020

For Schizophrenia "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 in sex. Weight gain."

• Dou...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 13, 2020

For Schizophrenia "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 in sex. Weight gain."

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

For Schizoaffective Disorder "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."

• Anonymous
• August 11, 2018

For Schizophrenia "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."

• PRO...
• March 11, 2016

For Schizophrenia "These drugs are dangerous. They ruined my life and made my illness much worse. The doctors 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, and reduced level of consciousness. They also made me extremely delusional to the point I didn't even believe anymore."

• inv...
• August 7, 2016

For Schizophrenia "This medication completely ruined my life. I gained 15 kg over six months on this injection, whereas before I was fit. I grew man boobs 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."

• tan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 25, 2015

For Schizoaffective Disorder "I have been on this medication for just over two weeks. My head is clear, my thoughts are better, and my communication is better. My partner can't get over the difference: no anger, no depression. In fact, I laugh and sing now. My partner and I don't fight anymore. I actually went for a walk this morning instead of hiding at home. This is great! My choice of food is better and healthier, so I'm hoping to lose weight since I put so much on from the Seroquel. Now all I have to do is talk to my partner's caseworker to put him on it, he has schizophrenia and struggles day to day with all sorts of side effects. Love this stuff! There is a light at the end of the tunnel."

• Ano...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 8, 2018

For Schizoaffective Disorder "Horrible drug. Made me antsy and severely depressed. I enjoy being off my meds, and I love the high I get when I'm unmedicated. Please don't take meds if you wanna feel good. I'm better off my meds, and plus I enjoy the high."

• Lea...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• June 12, 2018

For Schizophrenia "I have been taking Invega prolonged release tablets for 8 years. I was diagnosed with schizophrenia and put on 3 mg, 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 75 mg doxepin antidepressant and Invega upped to 6 mg. When the dose was increased to 6 mg, 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 3 mg, and increased my doxepin to 150 mg. 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 2000 mg 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."

• Nat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 8, 2019

For Schizoaffective Disorder "I've been on Invega now for 2 months, it has stopped the hallucinations and delusions but has also increased my depression. I feel emotionally numb and am tired all the time. I also can't exercise like I used to, too tired to even walk. I'm still adjusting to this new med, so hopefully things will settle down."

• Nat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 8, 2019

For Schizoaffective Disorder "I've been on Invega now for 2 months, it has stopped the hallucinations and delusions but has also increased my depression. I feel emotionally numb and am tired all the time. I also can't exercise like I used to, too tired to even walk. I'm still adjusting to this new med, so hopefully things will settle down."

• psa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 28, 2018

For Schizoaffective Disorder "It helped so much right away, but then the honeymoon wore off, and it gave me 20 lbs weight gain and an uncontrollable appetite. That slowly went away a month later, and then I was on injection and started to experience my bladder being constricted, and I'd have to go 10-12 times some days. The med helps me 'stabilize,' but it also now is getting me steadily more depressed, and I am getting such intense anhedonia. I'm going to go back to Haldol, I think. It's like a chemical lobotomy, but most meds are anyways, and no one really cares about those who suffer from mental illness."

• Mad...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 27, 2022

For Schizoaffective Disorder "I was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder in June of 2020. Since then, I have been on numerous antipsychotics, and Invega is by far the worst. It caused brain damage, turned me into a vegetable, and I’ve put on 50 pounds. Everything nice in my life is gone. The anhedonia is the worst thing about it."

• Win...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 12, 2022

For Schizophrenia "It was and still is an absolute nightmare. I am bedridden since the 3rd shot. I was given this for my first psychosis episode. I should not have been given it in the first place because I never heard voices, I just had strange thoughts. I have brain damage. My IQ has so dramatically reduced that I am unable to live alone. I have very severe anhedonia. I can't listen to music, watch TV, or read. I can't sleep. It is like being buried alive. I left the medication 9 months ago with 0 improvement. Only people with severe schizophrenia should be given this."

• ask...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 6, 2017

For Schizoaffective Disorder "Although it helped with my delusional thoughts, it completely destroyed my life. I have anhedonia, loss of sex drive, fatigue, can't play football or any sports, my mind is blank, 40 kg weight gain, always hungry, can't get drunk. Feeling down sometimes. Robbed every joy from me."

• Tjs...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 27, 2016

For Schizophrenia "I've been on Invega for four months, and the delusions are gone, and I don't think people are out to get me anymore. All is good, but I can't think straight when people try to have a conversation with me. I'm really quiet and can't think of what to say or what to talk about. It's so depressing. I'm on 150 mg of Invega and 2 mg of Abilify. Will these side effects get better, or will I be like this for a few years? I don't know. I just wish I was back to my old self."

• Som...
• November 9, 2016

For Schizophrenia "Invega did treat my crazy and voices and strange behavior, but it left me feeling empty and unmotivated, and things just aren't the same. The depression gets me to suicidal thoughts, but I won't hurt myself. Hell, I hardly do anything, everything sucks now, and I don't know. I would only recommend this drug to people who are dangerously insane because it is very strong and its effects last long after discontinuing. But I will say I pity any person who has to ever take it because there are things worse than death."