Hello Karen,

I understand your concern about the drugs doing more harm than good.

However, sometimes a person needs a little help to get their brain chemicals in balance so that she can function better and return to having a more positive outcome.

All drugs could have side effects, yet not every person develops those side effects.  I could perhaps be on the same drugs as you and have side effects, whereas you don't have those side effects.  Alas, if we could predict who'd get a side effect and who wouldn't, we could tailor the treatment to the individual.

In any case, if you did develop a side effect, that would be the time to immediately call your doctor so he could work with you to either adjust the dose, try a different medication, or offer other ways to cope.

In my experience, if someone has schizophrenia, the benefits of taking the medication outweigh the risks of not taking it, including recurring episodes of the illness.

I wish you the best with whatever decision you make.

Regards,

Chri