Should I stop taking my meds?

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I can't cope with how tired my olanzapine makes me feel. My Psychiatrist warns me not to stop taking it as he thinks i will have a psychotic relapse, which i disagree with him.

Is it a risk if I stop taking it? because i am p****d off with how it makes me feel and am ready to stop taking the damn pills.

I wouldn't do it without a doctor, general pediatrition or shrink doesn't matter.
Because reducing your meds can give you side effects or something else.
Your brain is used to the medication.

So if you think the meds don't help find a doc that supports you.
My opinion.

The only thing I can think of is a medication change which you should discuss with your doctor.

Going off your medication completely is a definite no no. Reducing it without supervision is also dangerous.

Even though I don't have a psychotic disorder I am on Seroquel for an off label use and it makes me sleepy so I can relate to the side effect.

It's possible that your body will get used to the side effect and it may get milder over time. I know a friend of mine who was on a drug that made him sleepy and it was much worse the first time he took it than it was after a few weeks to a month.

There are many different anti-psychotics and you might have to find one that works with minimal side effects.

Yep I've been there, stopped taking the meds abruptly and ended up back in hospital with acute mania.

Discuss with your doctor switching to a different med as the side effects of this one are causing undue trouble for you.

DO NOT stop your medication outright.

Don't stop you med without the doc knowledge. I hate the way my anti psychotics feel. They make me sleep all day. I mean I go to bed around 10 pm then get up between 9-12 the next day and then after that go back to sleep during the day for several more hours. I can get up to 16-18 hours of sleep a day if I am not going places. I understand what you feel. Zyprexa is the worst medicine so ask your doctor for a new med. I am not on Zyprexa because I refuse. It also causes severe weight gain. I feel your pain. Call the doc as soon as possible. Maybe you can get an appointment to change your pill.

Even if this isn't the right med for you, you should taper it off instead of outright stopping, because your body tends to form a dependence to meds like that.

My recommendation is to talk to your psychiatrist about the side effects you're experiencing. If he doesn't take them seriously, you may need a different psychiatrist. Typically, in reaction to a problematic side effect a psychiatrist will reduce the dosage of the meds, and if they can't find a dosage that controls symptoms without problematic side effects, they'll try a different med.

How long have you been on these meds? Sometimes it takes a while for people to get used to them. Side effects are crappy and if they are causing you significant problems with your level of functioning, ask the psychiatrist what to do to overcome that or if it is at all possible to reduce the dose. But don't stop taking the meds. If you have been prescribed these meds, it's for a reason. Plus, stopping cold turkey is very risky. The psychiatrist is right to be concerned. If you are coming off medication, it has to be monitored by your doctor.

I have been on these meds for about 6 months. The side effects have not worn off.

Hm, well if they are causing you trouble, just pester the psychiatrist until they do something about it. That could mean getting you on new pills or reducing the dose or finding ways to cope with the side effects, etc. Keep telling them that it impairs your functioning to the point that it outweighs the benefit and eventually they'll have to take that seriously. Talk to another doctor if you can. Remember you have rights, even if you are a psychiatric patient and there are those willing to advocate for you if need be.

But don't just go off the pills unless said so by your doctor. If you go off the drugs (especially cold turkey) you're at a significantly higher risk of relapse.

If you stop taking it make sure to taper off by reducing the dose gradually so you dont withdrawl.