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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by jayb on December 30, 2003, at 19:18:26
Hi all, currently i'm on zyprexa, lithium, limictal, remeron, klonopin and trazadone. I'm experiencing great tiredness and weakness. I'm working on developing a career as a visual artist. I also experience hand tremors, poor coordination, cognition problems (can't follow a thought or read much)and some difficulty in forming words, slurred speech- these are all difficult/ to impossible for the kind of work I want to do. Also I have had 30# weight gain.
diagnoses include: bpII (heavy on depression), panic, ocd (pure obsessional) or gad, bpd or ptsd.
Questions:
1)Does this seem like an extreme number of meds?
2)How do I talk to the pdoc about reducing # of meds - I want to lose the lithium, remeron and lamictal (I do not think they are really helping)
I seem to be stablizing some in the past six weeks. I feel the depressive episode is ending on its own, not from adding lithium (600mg)
3) What kind of wholistic treatments have been useful for people. Exercise has helped me in the past, but it is very difficult to start and keep at it with all the side effects.
Thanks!
Posted by Laree on December 30, 2003, at 22:53:13
In reply to too many meds/side effects, posted by jayb on December 30, 2003, at 19:18:26
I think you should talk to your pdoc. do you get all of your meds from him/her? it does sound as if some of these meds are overlapping, but I am not a doctor. Lithium & Lamictal are both mood stabilizers, correct? and Remeron, Klonopin, and Trazadone I know are all sometimes used for sleep- Klonopin anxiety/sleep, etc., Remeron I was offered at a low dose for sleep probs. by my pdoc, but had heard it can make one gain weight so I declined--it is an anti-dep.I guess? I know Trazadone is used for sleep & depression as well, and Zyprexa for bi-polar?/schizophrenia, etc...
Well I can imagine that you WOULD experience a great amount of fatigue on these meds!! A lot of them are used as sleep aids for people with insomnia! In fact, I was prescribed a low dose of zyprexa for sleep as well (but never took it once I found out about the effects it has on weight) and took seroquel instead at a low dose for a period of time for sleep--they are in the same class of drugs, i believe. I took Klonopin to help me sleep last year. I've also tried trazadone for insomnia. I would talk to your pdoc about the tremors, coordination, etc...there is a risk of TD (tardive dyskensia-sp?) a neurological disorder that can result from taking anti-psychotics such as zyprexa. And as for the weight gain...Zyprexa is notorious for causing weight gain, i've heard lithium can do the same, as well as lamictal. Not exactly sure about Remeron, but maybe someone else can vouch for it? Anyway, it's not surprising you feel like you do! If you don't feel good, then this combo is not working for you, and that's that, you know? I'd discuss all of this with your pdoc--let him really know how you feel-- mentally, emotionally, & physically. Best of luck!!> Hi all, currently i'm on zyprexa, lithium, limictal, remeron, klonopin and trazadone. I'm experiencing great tiredness and weakness. I'm working on developing a career as a visual artist. I also experience hand tremors, poor coordination, cognition problems (can't follow a thought or read much)and some difficulty in forming words, slurred speech- these are all difficult/ to impossible for the kind of work I want to do. Also I have had 30# weight gain.
>
> diagnoses include: bpII (heavy on depression), panic, ocd (pure obsessional) or gad, bpd or ptsd.
>
> Questions:
> 1)Does this seem like an extreme number of meds?
> 2)How do I talk to the pdoc about reducing # of meds - I want to lose the lithium, remeron and lamictal (I do not think they are really helping)
> I seem to be stablizing some in the past six weeks. I feel the depressive episode is ending on its own, not from adding lithium (600mg)
> 3) What kind of wholistic treatments have been useful for people. Exercise has helped me in the past, but it is very difficult to start and keep at it with all the side effects.
> Thanks!
Posted by dragonfly25 on December 30, 2003, at 23:36:13
In reply to too many meds/side effects, posted by jayb on December 30, 2003, at 19:18:26
hi jayb,
you sound like you are on alot of meds and like there are alot of diagnoses being thrown around. what is bpd? i would reccomend you go for a consultation with someone else about your drugs. as for talking to your doctor i would just say that you are feeling overmedicated and that some are not working and you would like to reevaluate your coctail. good luck with it
dragonfly
Posted by socialdeviantjeff on December 31, 2003, at 1:03:51
In reply to Re: too many meds/side effects » jayb, posted by dragonfly25 on December 30, 2003, at 23:36:13
Most of what I could say would echo what others have said, but I would seriously stress talking to your pdoc as soon as possible. With all of those meds you run a great risk of Tardive Dyskenesia or Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome. If he can't reduce your meds and at least clarify your diagnosis a little, go to another one.
Hope this helps and best of luck.
Posted by brussell on December 31, 2003, at 12:26:07
In reply to too many meds/side effects, posted by jayb on December 30, 2003, at 19:18:26
I have similar diagnoses, and I doubt I would even be able to write on all those meds. I don't know how severe your symptoms are, but you might not need the lithium if you are BPII--that's primarily an anti-manic drug. The Lithium, Remeron and Zyprexa are probably responsible for the weight gain.
Lamictal is a good mood-stabilizer with some antidepressant effect. It is commonly used for BPII and you might want to keep it, especially since it doesn't have a bad side effect profile.
I think you'd notice an improvement if you could go off the lithium (lamictal is probably enough for BPII). Getting rid of the Remeron would probably help too, assuming it really isn't doing anything. A more activating AD like a Welbutrin/Prozac combination might be better for you.
Do you need the Zyprexa all the time? I have some, but use it only for severe episodes of anxiety and quasi-psychosis.
The klonopin could be causing problems too. See if you really need it.
I assume you're taking the trazadone to help you sleep. It probably isn't causing the problems you list.
Good luck.
Posted by HappyGirl on December 31, 2003, at 14:44:44
In reply to too many meds/side effects, posted by jayb on December 30, 2003, at 19:18:26
Hi:
In answer to your Questions:
>> 1)Does this seem like an extreme number of meds?<<It's hard to say, whether this med. combo. is excesive. However, as having seen your dx. not only Bp also other mental discorder, the # of med. might be justified. Because, each of those med. has a good intention in attempts to alleviate all of those symptoms you have. Just, the pdoc. knows, ... then I have no concrete and helpful opinion on this regard. However, in my knowledge, 'too many med.' sometimes counteract/kill its competitive med.,... for example, 'Lithium and Depakote' has similar efficacy, then Lithium would cease the effectiveness of Depakote, ... that is my personal experience tho'.
>> 2)How do I talk to the pdoc about reducing # of meds - I want to lose the lithium, remeron and lamictal (I do not think they are really helping)I seem to be stablizing some in the past six weeks. the lithium, remeron and lamictal (I do not think they are really helping)<<<
Lithium is mood-stabilizer combined with 'anti-dep.' effect. Remeron is reputable to Bp depression. Lamictal is both mood-stabilizer and good quality of Bp depression.
Since your dep. is so severe, ... then your pdoc. rxed this two different ADs, ... in my guess. Then, I can hardly say which med. should eliminate as seeing your different form of M.I. Normally, two different form of AD is good enough to combat the dep. symptoms. However, if your dep. is so severe, ... this combo. might be legitimated,... no need to worry about.
BTW, Zyprexa, Lithium and Remeron are all 'Weight Gainer' in need to watch your diet due to the nature of those three meds.>> 3) What kind of wholistic treatments have been useful for people. <<<
Yes. exercise is important factor for all sorts of M.I., because 'good blood flow' brings up 'more chemical' to the brain that in turn alleviates the M.I. symptoms.
Lastly, all problems mentioned above, such as 'hand tremors,' 'tiredness,' 'poor coordination,' and 'poor thinking' are all side effects from the different meds. you've been on. For this, your body/system needs to adjust meds. Normally, it takes about six-months at the longest for your system to adapt med. combo. so, just give them some more time to work smoothly and efficiently. This adjustment comes gradually like anything else, ... by reducing # of side effects, like three days a week, then two days a wk, ... and finally almost totally diminish.
In my opinion along with personal experience, the pdoc. rx 'too many meds.' might be 'pretty tough job' for the pdoc., due to the compexity of your symptoms. Then, it might a good idea to seek a second opinion from more competent and experience pdoc.
H.G.
Posted by Siraris on January 1, 2004, at 4:04:09
In reply to too many meds/side effects, posted by jayb on December 30, 2003, at 19:18:26
I'm no doctor but that's a lot of meds, and that many meds for your brain, can't be good. I know Klonopin alone will make you a little sleepy, and if you are sleepy you won't remember things, thus your cognition could be off from that. That's what I think I'm experiencing, along with inattentive ADHD.
But with this sort of question I would ask your pdoc as others said. No one on here can diagnose you. If your pdoc doesn't have answers, find someone else.
This is the end of the thread.
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