I met up with some service users recently and we were chatting about meds; what they were taking, what I was taking, doses etc. She was very overweight and when asked couldn't remember the pills she was taking. She said she didn't feel like doing anything, had very low energy and slept most of the time. She blamed herself, saying she was just lazy. She said she felt trapped in her head.I knew what she was talking about. The desire to have a life. The desire to experience normal things, like tidying up, walking and enjoying simple things other people take for granted, is suppressed under the heavy weight of high doses of meds. The other chap I met said a few years back that he was taking 30mg of Olanzapine daily. Phew! I never said anything but if he had remembered that right (and I believe he did), that's 33% higher than the highest dose recommended for schizophrenia. The BNF has never recommended higher than 20 mg, ever. I know this because I checked.
It seemed a shame that the lady I spoke to didn't even know what pills she was taking let alone the fact that she felt the way she did, largely because of the meds. And the man, he probably never realised what a massive risk his doctor was taking by giving him such a massive dose. Wake up Doctors and prescribers and educate your patients. Try telling them the truth.
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