An Introduction to Invega Dosage
The dose of
Invega® (
paliperidone) your healthcare provider recommends will vary depending on a number of factors, including:
- Other medical conditions you may have
- Other medications you may be currently taking.
As always, do not adjust your Invega dosage unless your healthcare provider specifically instructs you to do so.
Oral Invega Dosing for Schizophrenia or Schizoaffective Disorder
The recommended starting Invega dose for
schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder treatment is 6 mg once daily in the morning. If needed, your healthcare provider can increase your dose up to Invega 12 mg once daily in the morning.
People with kidney disease may need a lower Invega dose (such as Invega 1.5 or 3 mg once daily).
Invega Sustenna Dosing for Schizophrenia
The recommended starting Invega Sustenna™ dose for schizophrenia is 234 mg injected on the first day of treatment. A dose of 156 mg is usually used one week later. After that, a once-monthly dose of 117 mg is standard, although some people may need much higher or lower monthly doses. Your healthcare provider will inject the medication into the muscle of your upper arm or buttock (although the first two doses should be given in the upper arm only).
General Information on Dosing With Invega
Some considerations for people taking Invega include:
- Invega comes in tablet form. It is usually taken by mouth once a day in the morning. Invega Sustenna is a long-acting injectable form which is given just once a month (after the first two doses, which are given one week apart).
- It does not matter if you take Invega with or without food. If the medication bothers your stomach, try taking it with food.
- Invega tablets are specially designed to slowly release the medication over time. They should be swallowed whole with water (or other liquids) and should not be crushed, chewed, or broken.
- Invega should be taken at the same time each day to maintain even levels of the drug in your blood.
- For the drug to work properly, it must be taken as prescribed. Invega will not work if you stop taking it.
- If you are unsure about anything related to your dosage or Invega dosing in general, please talk with your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist. Do not stop taking Invega without first discussing it with your healthcare provider (see Invega Withdrawal).
