Help Advice on antipsychotics, choice of 3

[Morphosis]

So I'm back in the psych ward after ringing a suicide helpline who then called the police who then escorted me to hospital.
To add to all my other problems I am now homeless and family have cut me off completely. Anyway psychiatrist wants to start me on an antipsychotic for anxiety and the level of distress I'm in, even though I'm not and have never been psychotic, delusional or any mental health issues except depression and suicide attempts.
The choices he has given me are Quetiapine, chlorpromazine and haloperidol. I'm terrified of side effects, wouldn't mind sedative effects but couldn't cope with restlessness or feeling jittery as I get that already from opiate withdrawal. I told him I feel very much like a guinea pig and when I was tried and tested with different medicines years ago for seizures I took really severe adverse reactions and they nearly bloody killed me. (Although the way I'm feeling if they killed me now that would be a bonus. )
He is refusing benzodiazepines due to the risk of addiction as I found Lorazepam helpful but nope.

So I was hoping somebody here would be familiar with these drugs and could advise which of the 3 are least likely to cause restlessness/ screaming heebie jeebies and make me worse than I am already?

 

[GoodPersonEffed]

I have never ever had a good experience on any antipsychotic. I also am not psychotic. Effects I had were temporary akathesia from quetiapine, and from various others (I think I've taken four total) I had dissociation (spaced out while I was driving, had passed several interstate exits without being aware), brain fog, and on one, I just stared at my hands on my desk at work and couldn't do anything. I agree with not being a guinea pig, antipsychotics are nothing to fuck around with.

I did well with the benzo clonazepam. I was very cautious about addiction. It took the edge off. I usually only took .5 mg, sometimes one, and on rare occasion took 2 mg. I chose to set my limit at 2 mg, and I never felt a need to go over it. I could go months at a time without them, eventually got completely off of them because I just wasn't taking them, didn't need to. I didn't like ativan at all.

Edit: I just saw he refused benzos, not that you did. I wonder if it's a regional thing. In the US, I had doctors in one state hesitate to prescribe them because of addiction, while in another state I never had a doctor bat an eye at the request, no having to explain how cautious I am with them.

 

[mellow]

There are safer ways to reduce anxiety. You don't know how you will react to any of them. You're scared of side effects for good reason! Trust yourself. I am here on SS due to antipsychotic side effects. Please stay away from them... my two cents.

 

[BitterlyAlive]

If you have no choice, I suppose Quetiapine... If I remember right, it's a newer antipsychotic and less likely to cause akathisia. But don't take my word on it. If you end up having to take one and end up having that restlessness, I'm pretty sure Benadryl helps.

I would recommend exploring other possible medications before taking an antipsychotic, though. It will ideally make you sleepy and relaxed, but the possible side effects outrule any benefit imo.

 

[Morphosis]

I told him I was extremely reluctant to take any antipsychotic, particularly in view of the fact im not psychotic and it's anxiety and distress-related. I begged for Lorazepam as the doc on call the previous night gave me a stat dose and it really helped, but he said no.

Really appreciate the replies

 

[GoodPersonEffed]

I told him I was extremely reluctant to take any antipsychotic, particularly in view of the fact im not psychotic and it's anxiety and distress-related. I begged for Lorazepam as the doc on call the previous night gave me a stat dose and it really helped, but he said no.

Really appreciate the replies

Can you ask for a different doctor or is he it?

I just realized, I have never liked a single psychiatrist in a psych ward.

 

[Morphosis]

Can you ask for a different doctor or is he it?

I just realized, I have never liked a single psychiatrist in a psych ward.

He's it unfortunately. He did say I had the option not to take any and it wouldn't be forced but he said it in such a way that the underlying sentiment was "and if you refuse I will view you as uncooperative, non-compliant and unwilling to accept help".

 

[BitterlyAlive]

He's it unfortunately. He did say I had the option not to take any and it wouldn't be forced but he said it in such a way that the underlying sentiment was "and if you refuse I will view you as uncooperative, non-compliant and unwilling to accept help".

Yikes.... That's such a rough position to be in. Why does he think an antipsychotic is the best drug for your situation?

 

[DyingAlf]

All medications have potential side effects.
Have you checked the patient information leaflet (pil) for these 3 medications to see what the potential side effects are (they're online).
Your body and brain will react, or not, in its own unique way.

I feel like asking people here is probably not the best way to choose.
Each person has potential to react in different ways to each of the meds & people will have been prescribed them for different reasons.

An example: Someone has already suggested that you go with the quetiapine but if I was going to recommend anything I would say "anything except the quetiapine!".

After trying many different medications I was labelled as "not compliant with medications" despite the fact that they make me physically ill (some of them severely) & have no positive effects on my mental health!
Psych docs can be so nasty!

Good luck.

 

[Lizzy199075]

I have found olanzapine very helpful in the past for my anxiety and thoughts. If you research the uses of medication you will find that many have more than one purpose. I felt the same when I was initially prescribed olanzapine thinking I'm not psychotic and it confused me a fair amount but it definitely helped. The added bonus it helped me sleep as well.
I tried numerous anti anxiety and anti depressants prior to olanzapine but it was the one that hit the nail on the head so to speak.

 

[Jumper Geo]

Sorry your in this situation be very careful these bloody psychiatrists will give you a pill to keep you quiet and get you out of the ward but won't tell you the real long term side effects, I told mine numerous times Risperidone has destroyed my life and listed everything I experienced, in a conversation I said have you reported my side effects and he quoted his psychiatrists bullshit research. I said this is a real review from Risperidone you are dealing with, how are people to learn if it's not reported or there is no chance for you to give feedback on drugs you prescribe, so your happy to fuck up more peoples lives, and just say I think you may have depression which I haven't, he couldn't answer my question if I had depression why do I feel OK and happy but just can't motivate myself to do anything like wash or clean or walk further than 20 feet after getting out of bed. (Update) after taking vitamins I am out and about cycling, waited for over one year for them to decide if they could find me an AD to take, still waiting.

My sister recommended I go on Citalvir (Citalopram) 20mg I said about side effects and she said they are mild and many people have taken them without any problems but then I said about drugs have different effects on people some get serious side effects others get mild and some get none at all but I have given you a link at the bottom, she started taking them after postnatal depression.

If you have a choice of 3, read the reviews below from users and decide if you want to take that risk if you decide to, go for the minimum dosage, the reviews below should help you decide what the drugs have been prescribed for, the dosages and the symptoms and side effects they experienced.

https://www.drugs.com/comments/quetiapine/for-depression.html

Chlorpromazine Reviews & Ratings - Drugs.com

Reviews and ratings for Chlorpromazine. 64 reviews submitted with a 7.1 average score.

www.drugs.com

Haloperidol Reviews & Ratings - Drugs.com

Reviews and ratings for Haloperidol. 182 reviews submitted with a 4.2 average score.

www.drugs.com

Citalopram for Anxiety and Stress Reviews - Drugs.com

Reviews and ratings for Citalopram when used in the treatment of anxiety and stress. 990 reviews submitted with a 7.4 average score.

www.drugs.com

Always do your own research so please don't just rely on these links, search and research it yourself so you know your making the right decision as it's your life.

Good luck

Cheers

Geo

 

[Meditation guide]

he couldn't answer my question if I had depression why do I feel OK and happy but just can't motivate myself to do anything like wash or clean or walk further than 20 feet after getting out of bed. (Update) after taking vitamins I am out and about cycling

Congratulations! I despise psychiatrists.

 

[Jumper Geo]

Congratulations! I despise psychiatrists.

I can't understand when a patient tells them direct face to face the side effects and they ignore it, I visited the same one when I began to get side effects when I was working clean shaved in an expensive suit, shirt, tie and shoes and then dismissed from work and they had to come to my home because I couldn't think straight or move, from a clean successful man to a soap dodger in under one year, lol. Everything tasted strange cigarettes, tea coffee my receptors in the brain were all effected and some how I wouldn't get a buzz from them and I know that was the cause of my lack of energy and motivation so I hope it's slowly being repaired.

It was only I found some expensive out of date Vitamins and supplements i bought my mum that I noticed a change, my mind started to clear so I am popping quite a few now after reading the benefits online.

Anyway I hope the advice above helps the OP make the right decision

Cheers

Geo

 

[Meditation guide]

Sometimes it's just a medical problem and not a psychiatric one as you found out. That was my situation.

 

[NoneMoreNegative]

Alright, normally i wouldn't suggest antipsychotics to anyone because i hate them with all myself, but if you are forced to choose one i would say quetiapine as it's an atypical antipsychotic and generally has less severe side effects than typical antipsychotics.

I'm on olanzapine (an atypical) right now and i can say it fucking sucks, especially in the first weeks. Then you kind of get used to it.

Careful about chlorpromazine as it is considered a "dirty drug" because of all the receptors it binds to.

Dirty drug - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Morphosis]

I went with the Quetiapine, had one at lunch time and been staggering about walking into walls ever since. Can't focus or string a sentence together.
Fuck this shit, don't care if he considers me non-compliant, told them I am NOT taking the evening dose

Yikes.... That's such a rough position to be in. Why does he think an antipsychotic is the best drug for your situation?

I'm on a very high dose of opiates abd he said he didn't want to prescribe anything else addictive like benzos

 

[Deleted member 1768]

I went with the Quetiapine, had one at lunch time and been staggering about walking into walls ever since. Can't focus or string a sentence together.
Fuck this shit, don't care if he considers me non-compliant, told them I am NOT taking the evening dose

I'm on a very high dose of opiates abd he said he didn't want to prescribe anything else addictive like benzos

I know about little about anti-psychotics, but no reasonable doctor would ever suggest benzos. for someone taking opiods. There is an accumulative sedation that can rapidly stop the patient from breathing.

 

[bornfree]

i think you need an advocate. Psychiatrists are very good at ignoring how their patients feel. They are good at ignoring your consent too and will treat you like you are their property.

If you are feeling suicidal then why the hell are they worried about addiction? You are in the abyss, the worst state of conscious existence, and they're forcing you to take drugs that make you feel even worse and the are denying you drugs that you recognise make you feel better for fear of addiction. This is a critical point where there care has to succeed especially given other factors like your family and housing crisis. They are demonstrating they don't care about how you feel or your quality of life when you are going through these awful feelings of wanting to die.

On top of everything else you are going through opiate withdrawal which is only adding to the terrible feelings you must be feeling. They are clearly ignoring how you are feeling. I hope you can find an advocate. In England advocates are essential for inpatients.