Rarely will you find a medical professional who’s equipped with the expertise to competently navigate Invega tapering, or weaning & titration programs for antipsychotics in general.
Antipsychotics like Invega, though perhaps properly prescribed during a time of demonstrable crisis, may not always mean that a lifetime of being medicated is justifiable as the best way forward.
Does Your Diagnosis
Require Invega?
Alternative to Meds has treated thousands of clients using superior methods for antipsychotic tapering and withdrawal. We have been dedicated to holistic treatments for more than 15 years. See our published evidence regarding our documented success. Alternative to Meds Center has found that leaving underlying issues untreated is too often the case. But medical conditions or other factors can be investigated and addressed using holistic and non-drug-based ways. In these ways, we can avoid such misdiagnoses and get our client back to better health without piling on additional unnecessary heavy drugs. And we have established that they do better off the drugs in over 77% of cases.
15 Years Experience by Professionals Who Understand Your Journey.
Invega tapering done within a nurturing setting such as Alternative to Meds Center is much easier than trying to face what may feel brutal and defeating especially without excellent personal support. Invega users do not have to suffer the often fierce symptoms of weaning off Invega. We have clinically proven effective Invega alternatives to make side effects and symptoms a part of your past. Alternative to Meds Center has shown that there are other ways to ignite feeling good and engaged in life other than mind-numbing drugs. Done properly, Invega tapering and withdrawal can be done with little discomfort, and many benefits to overall health.
How Do You Wean Off Invega Safely?
The generic name for Invega is paliperidone and is also available under other brand names, and in a time-release or injectable form, which may introduce some added complications for Invega tapering. It is one of the atypical antipsychotic medications that have become widely used for treating schizophrenia, schizoaffective and bipolar related mania, episodes of psychosis, and other critical conditions.
Like all members of this class of medication, there are limitations and risks. Untrained physicians may not be equipped or able to completely disclose these details to their patients, due to time restraints or because they just don’t know about them.
Often, the decision to begin taking a neuroleptic drug such as Invega is done under extreme pressure, without a lot of time to study the matter fully. After the crisis passes, one may want to take the opportunity to study the problem in more depth, as part of planning for long-term treatment and improved health. Invega titration should always be slow and gradual. There is much to learn about the process. We hope the following information useful and helpful in this quest.
Invega Tapering Treatment Results Overview
As mentioned above, doctors prescribe medications such as Invega in a time of desperate need. For example, to bring a critical situation such as acute psychosis safely and immediately under control. Options can seem extremely limited at such a juncture. However, researchers have done studies showing that antipsychotics may not always be the best route for extended or long-term use, as will be discussed further below.
It is clear that the more one can learn about medication effects, the better one is equipped to deal with them. Just as important is the knowledge that drug-free treatment methods can lead to a sustainable recovery. Truly, a person can equip themselves adequately to provide a pathway for a bettered quality of life. In this way, one can begin to achieve very real overall improvements in one’s mental and physical health.1
A study was run in the Netherlands that reported on a seven-year follow-up that persons who had suffered a schizophrenic or schizophrenic-related disorder who had discontinued their medication had achieved twice the functional recovery rate as compared to those who were still on maintenance medication treatment plans for the same time period.2
Since Invega or similar medications may not be the most efficacious choice for long-term treatment in all cases, learning about safe and gentle methods for Invega tapering may be a much more beneficial option to consider.
Concerns With Invega
Antipsychotic drugs are most concerning because they cause significant side effects over long-term usage. The drug can cause tardive dyskinesia, heightened blood sugar levels, weight gain, high cholesterol, Parkinson’s disease or Parkinson’s-like conditions, dystonia. As well, the drug may precipitate or aggravate certain heart problems such as cardiac arrest, stroke, long QT syndrome. This type of drug can cause many other potential side effects. So, this will negatively impact a person’s health and quality of life.
When the initial crisis of a psychotic episode or other mental health event has passed, a person may consider Invega tapering to avoid these types of risks. For example, tardive dyskinesia is widely considered persistent and even permanent once it has developed. Weaning off Invega and similar drugs should be considered early rather than after long-term use to avoid negative health impacts.
Tardive dyskinesia is not a disease but a side effect of neuroleptic medications. There are more than 50 drugs that are known to induce tardive dyskinesia, a great proportion of which are in the class of antipsychotics, such as Invega.3
How Antipsychotic Drugs Work – Known or Unknown?
There are many theories about how drugs like Invega work and how they affect neurology, but this study is far from complete. One factor that is thought likely is that metabolites from antipsychotic drugs can be toxic to human neurochemistry and injurious to neurons. Studies have been carried out to find out more about this possible antipsychotic effect on the brain.5
Antipsychotics can affect several types of neurotransmitters and their receptors. Regarding dopamine, for example, the drug is thought to create hypersensitive dopamine receptors along the CNS pathways while concurrently setting up a chronic dopamine blockade that is also medication-induced. This can cause a cascade of other responses including oxidative stress and cell death.
Because of these types of manipulations of neurochemistry, the person’s moods and other important body and organ functions are also affected by the drug and must also be monitored during Invega weaning and titration. Some of these effects may be helpful in reducing psychosis or symptoms of mania, but some can be damaging indeed, where the drug is continued for an extended time.
Sometimes it is clear that this damage is reversible, and sometimes (20%) it is observed to be permanent when the medication is taken for an extended period of time, and especially where certain genetic factors may also affect how well or how poorly the body itself is equipped to protect or repair itself from these drug-induced effects. More careful study is needed on this topic as the problem of reversing persisting antipsychotic drug side-effects has not yet been satisfactorily understood or resolved in the medical-scientific community. As harsh as it may sound to some, patients are still being asked to play the role of guinea pig in the drug industry game.4
Alternative to Meds Center Offers Healthy and Safe Invega Tapering
Perhaps the initial mental health emergency that you or a loved one has suffered has passed and your attention has now turned to the next steps that may help to achieve bettered mental and physical health, and learn the most proven steps for how to prevent relapse.
Please contact us for more information about our educational steps within the program for self-care and neurochemistry support. Alternative to Meds Center has developed a nurturing inpatient Invega tapering program for those looking for ways to safely titrate from or even discontinue neuroleptic medications and to improve mental health naturally, providing another option besides relying on prescription drugs for a lifetime.
2. Insel T, “Antipsychotics: Taking the Long View” (Thomas Insel, former NIMH Director) 2013 Aug, National Institute for Mental Health [cited 2020 Dec 2]
This content has been reviewed and approved by a licensed physician.
Dr. Samuel Lee
Dr. Samuel Lee is a board-certified psychiatrist, specializing in a spiritually-based mental health discipline and integrative approaches. He graduated with an MD at Loma Linda University School of Medicine and did a residency in psychiatry at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle. He has also been an inpatient adult psychiatrist at Kaweah Delta Mental Health Hospital and the primary attending geriatric psychiatrist at the Auerbach Inpatient Psychiatric Jewish Home Hospital. In addition, he served as the general adult outpatient psychiatrist at Kaiser Permanente. He is board-certified in psychiatry and neurology and has a B.A. Magna Cum Laude in Religion from Pacific Union College. His specialty is in natural healing techniques that promote the body’s innate ability to heal itself.
Diane is an avid supporter and researcher of natural mental health strategies. Diane received her medical writing and science communication certification through Stanford University and has published over 3 million words on the topics of holistic health, addiction, recovery, and alternative medicine. She has proudly worked with the Alternative to Meds Center since its inception and is grateful for the opportunity to help the founding members develop this world-class center that has helped so many thousands regain natural mental health.
Medical Disclaimer: Nothing on this Website is intended to be taken as medical advice. The information provided on the website is intended to encourage, not replace, direct patient-health professional relationships. Always consult with your doctor before altering your medications. Adding nutritional supplements may alter the effect of medication. Any medication changes should be done only after proper evaluation and under medical supervision.
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The generic name for Invega is paliperidone and is also available under other brand names, and in a time-release or injectable form, which may introduce some added complications for Invega tapering. It is one of the atypical antipsychotic medications that have become widely used for treating schizophrenia, schizoaffective and bipolar related mania, episodes of psychosis, and other critical conditions.
Antipsychotic drugs are most concerning because they cause significant side effects over long-term usage. The drug can cause tardive dyskinesia, heightened blood sugar levels, weight gain, high cholesterol, Parkinson’s disease or Parkinson’s-like conditions, dystonia. As well, the drug may precipitate or aggravate certain heart problems such as cardiac arrest, stroke, long QT syndrome. This type of drug can cause many other potential side effects. So, this will negatively impact a person’s health and quality of life.
Antipsychotics can affect several types of neurotransmitters and their receptors. Regarding dopamine, for example, the drug is thought to create hypersensitive dopamine receptors along the CNS pathways while concurrently setting up a chronic dopamine blockade that is also medication-induced. This can cause a cascade of other responses including oxidative stress and cell death.
