Thanks Paul, for your insightful writings. As someone who was diagnosed with schizophrenia 29 years ago , I can really empathize with many of your examples.I felt , at times , as though you were talking about me ! It took me 16 years of non-compliance and re-admissions to hospital before I realized that I must accept treatment. It was then that the merry -go - round slowed down and finally stopped, I got off the ride And had an epiphone. And that was it . From then on I educated myself , with the help of my wonderful family, and got the right meds. It took time and effort and I take high doses of 2 anti -psychotics, now.
I was diagnosed in 1995 and still have compliance problems because of Zyprexa side effects, i.e., weight gain and sedation. When I start having symptoms, I restart the Zyprexa. When I am feeling much better a few weeks later, I think maybe I am well now and don't need the meds anymore. Maybe I am cured. Maybe the doctors were wrong and it was only some kind of temporary psychosis. Inevitably, the symptoms return in anywhere from 2 days to 2 months and if I let it go long enough, I end up in the hospital...again. Somehow I cannot seem to get out of this mode of thinking. I WANT to take the medication for mental health, but I DON'T want to take it because of the physical problems -- blood sugar is heading toward diabetes, I have high blood pressure and low thyroid and high cholesterol. I hate having to take it but I like the fact it does make me feel better mentally. Nothing works for me except Zyprexa -- I have tried many others. I really don't know what to do about compliance issues. My pdoc definitely does not make any attempt to understand.
Carolyn
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While I personally have no problem taking my medication because I realize that is what is responsible for me doing so well handling this illness. However I do want to thank you for this post because hopefully you can make others realize how important it is to take the medication prescribed to them the way their doctor has told them to.
I guess one reason I find no difficulty taking the prescribed medication is due to the fact I have been on medication over half of my life.