Invega and Restlessness: What Users Say

• Dea...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 5, 2019

For Schizophrenia "I got diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar in the hospital. I was taking risperidone which was helping me a lot, but then I started taking Invega. This medicine has ruined me. All of the things that I've loved doing now suck. I was on it for 4 months, but I've been off of it for 3 months now and I'm still dealing with side effects. I can't sit still or lay still. I'm always tired, my tongue is always numb, my speech is off. I can't have a simple conversation, I can't sleep at night. I hate waking up in the morning, my thoughts are all confusing, and I feel weak. My body is really sensitive...I just miss the old me."

• Dou...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 13, 2020

For Schizophrenia "Suffering and miserable on this drug Invega. I take 117mg monthly injections. The frequent side effects I get are thoughtless, emotionless, akathisia, anxiety, a lot of difficulty with memory, focus and concentration like I can't learn much. Unmotivated, I sit around a lot feeling numb and mentally blank. Increased depression, dead sex drive or no interest in sex. Weight gain."

• dar...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 7, 2022

For Schizoaffective Disorder "It's called Xeplion here in the UK. I had a bad 4 months on 100 mg for psychosis. I had akathisia and felt severely depressed, so I went onto 75 mg, and the difference 4 months down the line has been phenomenal. It was an instant difference when I got my fourth month jab. It has made my head feel lighter and improved my ability to think. Akathisia has been and gone, and I no longer have any movement side effects. It has eliminated my psychosis, eased my anxiety, and overall improved the quality of my life. I'm extremely thankful to be on this medication."

• MDJ...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 25, 2019

For Schizoaffective Disorder "This is a terrible drug. In four days, I've had heart palpitations, wheezing, shakes, insomnia, aggression, restlessness. Horrible drug for schizophrenics. I interacted more with my voices due to insomnia and headaches. I had to call the suicide crisis line because I had a panic attack so severe on night 4 of taking this poison."

• pel...
• July 15, 2015

For Schizophrenia "I was on Risperdal for 3 years. I switched to Invega just over a month ago and am already losing a good deal of weight. I do sometimes get restless, but I accept this as the price for not sleeping 17 hours a day on Risperdal. My appetite is normal, and I don't eat huge portions anymore. My energy is up, and I can actually feel emotions fully again for the first time in a long, long time. Would recommend giving this a try to anyone - just remember some people get different side effects. For me, this also took away sexual side effects that were limiting my relationships."

• cop...
• February 20, 2017

For Schizoaffective Disorder "This medicine wrecked me. I had a drug-induced psychosis, they had no business putting me on this. The only positive is that it did snap me back into reality, but some clean time would have done that. I have gained weight all in my stomach. I developed akathisia that lasted 2 months after discontinuing. Also, extreme anhedonia, which can persist for up to a year. I hope I return to normal way before that. Please only attempt this med if you don't know which way is up."

• har...
• July 18, 2013

For Schizophrenia "I was on Risperdal, and I was always sleeping, gained much weight, and craved sugar. When I switched to Invega, my weight went back to normal, suffered few side effects such as restlessness and sometimes anxiety, but it beats those other antipsychotics because of fewer side effects and no weight gain for me. I don't like any of these medicines, but I look like I'm not on any, so far, so good."

• Jay...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 23, 2020

For Schizophrenia "This drug did completely get rid of the voices in my head and the delusions, it also helped with my physical health a little bit. I had a colon problem, which led me to smell very bad all the time, but now I smell like a normal human being after the first few months of being on the injection. Also, my sleep is great. I will say that weight gain is to be expected, this drug will give you an uncontrollable appetite and will probably cause you to gain 40-60 lbs within 6 months. I have also experienced trouble with speech, and I feel a little less smart in general. This drug has caused me to have akathisia, I simply cannot sit still or stand still. My vision has seemed to be affected as well, when I don't eat for a while, or when I eat too much, or when I exercise, I seem to get black shadows in the corners of my eyes or blurred vision. Overall, this drug is beneficial for people with schizophrenia, but it will cause weight gain and a few other side effects."

• som...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 24, 2023

For Schizophrenia "It made me feel akathisia along with insomnia, erectile dysfunction, and anhedonia. It was useful for the positive symptoms like paranoia, delusions, and racing thoughts, but at huge costs. You are basically trading a huge portion of your own happiness and energy for controlling your symptoms and likely never becoming psychotic again. I am not saying it is totally bad, but it can work for some people. This is your decision to make, with Invega, you will suffer some serious side effects in return for never becoming psychotic again."

• Uni...
• March 9, 2021

For Schizoaffective Disorder "It started off OK. I had the feeling of the urge to talk all the time, but then I started to feel confined and restless. That went on for months but went away. It was going well until it raised my prolactin. I went on meds for that, and after a year, I'm back to normal. I have to get off because my glucose test is borderline, but I'm having diabetic symptoms. The pros were I get the tense edginess feeling in my body went away. I slept better. I didn't think everyone was out to get me. Social anxiety went down."

• Bob...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 15, 2022

For Schizophrenia "This drug ruined my life and took all of my joy from me, turning me into an emotionless, uninterested, depressed person. The side effects are deep depression, apathy, severe anhedonia, severe lack of motivation, restlessness, tooth decay, muscle spasms, random pains, heart pain, muscle tension, and there’s probably more that I’m forgetting. I used to be happy and have lots of interest, now I have no interest in anything and am depressed and suicidal."