Paliperidone and Anxiety: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Sar...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 24, 2023

Paliperidone for Bipolar Disorder "I take 75 mg of the Invega Sustenna, and it has given me my life back. I’ve gained 40 lbs over the last 5 years on it. But I don’t mind as long as I have stability. No mania. No psychosis. I feel amazing. I had severe anxiety on the Invega Trinza, but went back to Sustenna, and that went away. I feel great!"

• Meg...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 19, 2023

For Bipolar Disorder "I’m on paliperidone and lithium, so unsure which drug is to blame for my side effects, but after reading other reviews, I’m guessing it’s the paliperidone. I have the driest, roughest skin, have gained weight, about 2 stone, that’s the physical side. Emotionally, I feel empty inside, had severe anhedonia, don’t want to do anything, feel anxious all the time. I would kill myself if it wasn’t for knowing it’s the medication's fault, that gives me a little hope. Also, my sleep is messed up, wake up throughout the night, and barely dream."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 28, 2020

For Schizophrenia "Took this medicine for nonstop thinking. Doc says it's a symptom of psychosis. Made me anxious. Antipsychotics have tried about 10 different ones. Did nothing for the thoughts. Took Ativan, which helped me calm down a bit. Need new answers and new treatments, nothing works on me. Caused me to go from 160 to 210 pounds. Please reexamine dopamine theory, doctors, or what subset or type of people the medicine actually works for to calm the mind. And what type of people don't respond? What are some similar traits they share? Is it constant scattered thoughts vs. sporadic voices, or sporadic racing thoughts vs. constant obsessive thoughts? Feel hopeless. Have been put on 20 different medicines, only one to calm me down was lorazepam. There has to be more detailed research done to get better in the future and more accurate prescribing. All feels like throwing shots in the dark."

• Ver...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 4, 2019

For Schizophrenia "Was on the drug for 6 months (75 mg then reduced to 50 mg). Basically, living hell is what I experienced for that time, as well as the following year as I think my system needed to reboot. Terrible weakness and very light-headed, but nothing that was not reversible. I hate to say it, but it worked to get my schizophrenia under control. Again, though, terrible experience. Now on Abilify 200 mg with no noticeable side effects and no voices. Abilify I would recommend. Also on Wellbutrin 300 mg for depression. Walks and good food, as they all say, really do help things return to normal to regain strength, but it took a long time. Also had really bad anxiety during my recovery, which has now mostly subsided. Very, very difficult, but did find my way back. Just keep moving."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 18, 2022

For Schizoaffective Disorder "It's been about one and a half months on paliperidone. I cannot feel the goodness that I used to feel every morning when I wake up. I feel numb and don't want to get out of bed, even though I don't have any sleep left in me. It makes me feel extremely anxious sometimes. I have little to no sense of orgasm when I ejaculate. I have no libido. I don't know what to say about this medicine. I am suffering at least. I used to have no problems with reality, but after this medicine, I am not feeling reality as real as before. If this medicine is causing only suffering and harm with less goodness, then why is it called a medicine?"

• Cra...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 21, 2018

Paliperidone for Schizoaffective Disorder "I have been on Invega 234 injection for over 7 months. I do the injection every 3 weeks. It has helped with the auditory and visual hallucinations but am unsure of the mood effects. Definitely more depressed, and my anxiety has gotten much worse, but after I get the shot, it seems to get better. I have been hospitalized every month with multiple depressive problems after taking this medication and am now convinced that it is possible that this medication could be the cause. I am now going to try to figure out if this medication is worth being on or whether I should stay on it."

• eck...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 16, 2020

Paliperidone for Schizoaffective Disorder "I take the 150/234 needle of Invega. I also take 30 mg olanzapine, 45 mg mirtazapine, and a couple of .5 mg Ativans a day, and sometimes take Cogentin. I need coffee to function on this med. I drink like 5 coffees a day. The coffee stops the anxiety I get from this med. I also get a lot of body pain. I take acetaminophen. I feel better on this med if I don't smoke cigarettes. I tried smoking weed, but it wasn't good. I'm trying to quit smoking by using nicotine gum. I have to chew 2 4 mg pieces at once to get over my cravings. It's a good med. It has changed a lot while I have been taking it. I think I have adapted to it now. It has been over a year. Sometimes I think I need a lower dose so I could feel more of my good emotions. It didn't stop my psychosis, though. I still need olanzapine. My psychosis consists of very rapid thoughts, and I always feel terrified. Things look different, and I feel different. It's a good med, give it time and drink lots of coffee."

• Kry...
• July 18, 2020

For Schizophrenia "I was on risperidone and went from 157 lb to 210 lb in a year and a half. I started taking paliperidone and eventually went down to 190 lbs within 6 months, but for the most part, I still have to watch what I eat. I only eat two meals because I know eating three would result in going back to the 200s. I am slightly depressed, my anxiety has skyrocketed, and I feel paranoid, as if I'm not on meds. People around me have to bring me back to reality when I get suspicious. I feel I need a stronger dosage, I'm only on 3 mg, and my mental illness runs in the family and is severe, to say the least. My urination patterns have gone back to near normal since departing from risperidone. However, I hear no voices, but I have sleep paralysis and OCD-like symptoms still for a medication that's supposed to also act as an antidepressant (antidepressants block OCD-like symptoms). I have trouble remembering things and intrusive thoughts. I just want a cure."

• Mom...
• July 14, 2015

For Depression "One doc put me on 1 1/2 every day at first and about a year later reduced it to 1 1/2 every other night. Then she quit and a nurse practitioner put me on 3 mg every night in May, which increased my motivation, but by now, July, my concentration is worse. And my anxiety is back. But I attribute that to her increasing my Cymbalta from 30 to 60 mg, which was tried before and didn't work. So 4 days ago, I went back on 30, and my anxiety has settled down."

• Coc...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 6, 2019

For Schizoaffective Disorder "For the first year on injection, I was good, but then decreased the dose to 78 mg and had symptom increased. I got it back to 117 mg. Now I have intrusive thoughts on this medication and anxiety. It’s been 2 years since I took it, no weight gain. I have some delusions, but it takes care of psychosis and paranoia completely."

• Pal...
• June 10, 2022

For Schizophrenia "Really, if you love yourself, don't use this medication. I lived in a nightmare for 1.5 years for taking this medication. I was depressed, I couldn't enjoy anything in my life. I increased the dosage, and I became anxious, and I was tired of life. Believe me, this medicine turns you into a real zombie. I could force myself to have erections, but it was not pleasurable. Believe me, if you read this, never take this injection. Trust yourself and take your medicines daily."

• Joo...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 7, 2021

"This garbage will take you to a nightmare life, literally. I had an anxiety issue, and the doctor told the staff to give me this stuff. Well, three days into it, and I started to nonstop move. I couldn't read a thing. Went to the hospital in good shape, riding my bike every day for one hour and also using the gym at home. When I took it, it lasted one month - I hear voices of demons, literally."

• Mar...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• January 17, 2022

For Schizophrenia "Been on paliperidone 5 years now, it's done wonders for me. Have a few issues like stress, low motivation, and low mood still, but nothing to do with the medication. My dosage was increased after the first 10 months, and all my main symptoms disappeared like magic. Paliperidone has helped me big time."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 10, 2022

For Schizophrenia "Don't take this injection. I used paliperidone for 18 months, and believe me, it was hell. I was very depressed, restless, and tired. First, I thought maybe it was just the things I lived through that made me this way, but after 18 months, I realized it wasn't. I couldn't enjoy anything. I was anxious. I was very restless, so restless and stressed that I almost passed out. It didn't matter if I slept 10-13 hours, I was still tired. I became a zombie with very gloomy feelings. The only positive thing was that I didn't have delusions, but was that worth suffering? I am glad that I could take action to go back to my old, trustable meds. It's short, but I hope I can hold people back from this medication with my experience and take a lot better medication."

• Hel...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• June 23, 2024

Paliperidone for Schizoaffective Disorder "I have taken Invega Sustenna for the past 7 years. It makes me feel like myself. Also, it helps me to focus and brings clarity of brain. I have not gained weight on it. Invega takes away all my symptoms of schizoaffective disorder. The only thing is it gives me agoraphobia and anxiety as side effects. Agoraphobia is pretty disabling."

• Hel...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• June 23, 2024

Paliperidone for Schizoaffective Disorder "I have taken Invega Sustenna for the past 7 years. It makes me feel like myself. Also, it helps me to focus and brings clarity of brain. I have not gained weight on it. Invega takes away all my symptoms of schizoaffective disorder. The only thing is it gives me agoraphobia and anxiety as side effects. Agoraphobia is pretty disabling."

• Pop...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• November 15, 2024

Paliperidone for Schizoaffective Disorder "Invega Sustenna has been good for me. I took it for eight years. It helps with positive symptoms, and since I am bipolar, my negatives are a bit less, however, I still have negative symptoms on Invega Sustenna. At first, I didn’t get my periods on it, but with time that came back… one thing that stops me from being normal on this medication is agoraphobia. Agoraphobia stops me from socializing and also going out of the house. I am housebound."

• Cha...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 7, 2013

Paliperidone for Bipolar Disorder "On this medicine, I do notice my moods are a lot more stable, but I feel my anxiety and depression are a lot worse."

• Mat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 6, 2021

Paliperidone for Schizophrenia "Gave me horrible akinesia and all side effects. Left me in depression and anxiety, which I never had before."

• Kat...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 3, 2022

Paliperidone for Schizoaffective Disorder "I have a positive experience with Invega. It helped me get out of psychosis and lead a normal life, except it gave me agoraphobia. My weight is normal, and I feel emotions on it."

• Mr ...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 25, 2022

For Schizophrenia "Depression, restlessness, weight gain, no desire to do anything, poor sleep, stiffness, lack of libido, anxiety. You name it, this drug gives you it. Put simply, I would rather listen to the voices."

• xet...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 11, 2020

For Schizophrenia "I used Xeplion and it was okay. The doctor said paliperidone is better than the other. It was no problem, I had some stress and pain. So I changed. Side effect was low."