Greetings from Bribie Island, Australia

[Jay-Lee]

I am a 67-year-old man who is retired and running an eBay store part-time. I was diagnosed with schizophrenia when I was 24.

I have been symptom-free for the past 10 years but I have problems with the side-effects of my medication. I have an injection every 4 weeks. Side effects include weight gain, insomnia, brain fog, tremors in the hands, restlessness and chronic fatigue.

Despite my health issues, I manage to enjoy life most of the time and try to smile or laugh at least once a day.

[tyme]

Hey there @Jay-Lee ,

Welcome to the forums. Great to have you with us! Your post was very touching. We read that you have been symptom free for 10 years now, and despite the side effects of medication, you manage to enjoy life most of the time and smile/laugh at least once a day 🙂

That certainly made me smile. Afterall, laughing is contagious!

Well done on being proactive and managing your mental health. There are others here who have been able to share a similar story too. It's remarkable to read.

Do you have strategies to help you with managing the side effects?

Also, I'll be sending you a quick email shortly.

[Jay-Lee]

Body

Recently, I have been watching of what I drink and eat. I just ask ChatGPT or Bing how much energy is in what I am consuming. I also ask what is the maximum I can consume per day to lose weight. It seems to be working as I have lost 4 kg 

For brain fog, I am taking fish oil and I am going to start taking ginkgo biloba.

For fatigue, I take Barocca. and for insomnia, I try not to drink coffee after sunset. I haven't eliminated all the side-effects but I manage to reduce them so I can live with them. 

[deshift]

Happy to report being symptom free on a 4 weekly depo. AND I'm no where near that age, nor have I been diagnosed for that long, AND I have little to no side effects in my life at all.


But don't bother to ask me how, because I am not allowed to say! Its hilarious! Get it! 🤣

Laughter IS the best medicine,  except real peer reviewed double blind efficable medicine, that stuff must surely be a Big Pharma Conspiracy, yeah? 🤔

Welcome to the forums, sir! Don't forget to tag your new friends! @Jay-Lee 

😴
deshift