1. How the Medications Work
Schizophrenia medication has matured considerably since the days of so-called typical antipsychotic like Haldol and Thorazine. These first-generation drugs worked relatively well to quell psychotic symptoms, such as mania and delusions, but often produced dangerous side-effects, including psychological difficulties in newborn babies. Newer medications like Clozaril and Solian still target the same dopamine pathways, but with generally tamer side-effects, and they work equally well to quiet the most distressing symptoms of schizophrenia. As a result, these tend to be the first choice of psychiatrists who are looking to focus on symptoms without bringing about generalized sedation.
2. Get the Right Dose
You must work with your physician to get the right dosage for any antipsychotic medication. Schizophrenia drugs often will be titrated up to a starting dosage to check for side effects, especially since these drugs can cause rapid weight gain, white blood cell death and fever. Many patients and their families assume the dosages correlate across the board, but the nature of these medications means different amounts will be necessary depending on the drug. You should tell your doctor about any medications you may taking to avoid a potentially devastating drug interaction, even with relatively mild medications such as Abilify.
3. Combine With Care
Although you must watch out for contraindications, you may combine certain drugs to produce a beneficial "cocktail." Patients often take two or more medications to fill in for one of the older, more powerful antipsychotics. For example, a patient might take cloziril for psychosis and valproic acid for hypomania. With the right balance, you may hit upon a sustainable daily regimen with negligible side effects. However, judging the effectiveness of a combination often requires trial-and-error. You should maintain close contact with your doctor so that he can diagnose any complications that may arise.
