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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Ann5 on March 11, 2004, at 0:46:51
I am so FEED up with all the medication. Lets see I first got on meds the doc switch every other week (Oct.96), switch to a psychiatrist, Since then in this order with major parts of it, Paxil gained 100lbs, Depakote started losing hair some weight gain inclued in total above, got of depakote lost 15lbs, off Paxil (after 4yrs) lost another 90lbs, put on ati-psychodic med Prolixin for two nights ended up in ER for Two hours with Dystonic Reaction (very scary), hair growing back. My body has been been through a lot.
Moving onto Oct. 03, I finally got my neck properly realigned after being pinched for 13yrs, wow I notice a big difference in me that I was no longer depressed and my panic attacks, and found out what the real me feels like for the first time in my life. I love life, the down fall is that I started having symptoms of being over medicated. (I am a college student this is my 4th semester) This semester Spring 04, I am taking weight training and T'ai Chi Chaun classes along with lots of walking all over campus, plus ontop that now the weather is getting warmer. My nurse practicener under psychiatricst is worried I would relaps because she thinks I am stable and don't wants to mess with my medication, I tried to convice her that I was feeling overmedicated. (she knows)-I did reduce a dosage of my Neurontin at night. I can think clearer but I still have symptoms, its almost the same symptoms I had when a doc. switch meds every other week on me until it built up in my system. The worst of the symptoms is in the morning. I am tired of feeling overmedicated.
Medication on: Wellbutrin SR (since Feb.03) 100mg twice day, Neurontin (since May 99) 900mg twice day (now 900mg morning/600mg night and lamictal-since Oct. 00 (100mg twice day), non-psychoatric medication-Detrol (2mg once a day), and Spironolactone: hair loss (since Aug. 02)-75mg once a day). If someday I would like to get off my meds and find alternative methods, inorder to safely get off meds it will almost take a year and plus time for the body to adjust.
Can excersize change the body chemistry so that the medication is absorbed differently? Can pinch nerve in the neck affect a persons emotion being in slight pain all these years?
Can a person be overmedicated and start having some withdrawals when a medication is slowly reduced?
Searching for some answers.
Posted by Karen_kay on March 11, 2004, at 8:58:08
In reply to Feeling OVER MEDICATED!!!!, posted by Ann5 on March 11, 2004, at 0:46:51
I was overmedicated. I was taking (me thinks, oh no, the topamax is begining to kick in..) Lamictal, lithium, lexapro, klonopin, and zyprexa at the same time. The lithium was at a fairly high level and the klonopin was at an (unfortunetly) low level. I couldn't leave my house, and I am a student. I was afraid "something" was coming to get me. I didn't shower for roughly 4 weeks, except once a week to go to the therapist. It was dreadful. One day, I decided to go to my first class and realized that the reason I had such a hard time was because of all the meds I was taking. I walked home from class and decided to quit ALL of my meds right then. (NOW!! I'm not suggesting this at all....) From there, I found a new pdoc and therapist and FINALLY found a course of med treatment that worked for me. That made the difference. I'm dx with Bipolar Disorder and I started taking Topamax which on it's own ended all depression. I have had one episode of hypomania, which was caught early and prevented with Abilify added to my regular topamax. And I have been a MUCH happier person since then...
Now, what I'm saying is if you feel you are over-medicated, you probably are. Talk to your pdoc aobut finding the right course of treatment that works for you with the least amount of side effects. I'm not at all trying to "hype" topamax or abilify, they jsut happen to work with my brain. I just KNOW the difference the "right" medication has made in my life and I tend to be an advocate for finding that Price Charming med(s) that works for each person. I jsut think I'm living proof that it's out there somewhere. You just have to kiss a lot of frogs to find him/her. And I kissed abuot 5 years worth. I'm through with the frogs and it's about freaking time! Good luck and BE SURE to discuss with your pdoc before discontinuing meds. And IF you choose to, do it smart and taper down. Sorry I can't answer your questions, but I jsut want you to know that I've been there (over-medicated) and somehow found just one drug that works wonders for me. Oh, and I can't stress the importance of therapy as well! Without a great therapist, I couldn't have made it through this long journey either. (I believe most universities provide counseling centers with qualified professionals for free, if you don't already see someone. It helps a lot!)
Sorry to bore you! And good luck! I wish you the best!
kk
Posted by CareBear04 on March 11, 2004, at 17:12:53
In reply to From my person experience.. ?Ann5, posted by Karen_kay on March 11, 2004, at 8:58:08
Sorry Ann, I don't have any answers, but I can relate. Right now, I'm on Zoloft, Wellbutrin, Xanax, Klonopin, Lithium, Haldol, and Sonata. For non-psych meds, I'm on Prilosec and doxycycline. I feel like I'm swallowing pills every hour of the day! But actually, I don't feel overmedicated in a way that I have before. Despite the number of meds, I feel pretty normal. Last spring, I definitely felt overmedicated, and I was. I was on high dose lithium, risperdal, effexor, plus klonopin and trazodone. I couldn't think to save my life, and I was a zombie for months. Those months are completely lost for me; I don't remember anything from them. I don't think it's the number of medications you're on as much as it is the effect the meds have on you, which is sometimes correlated with dosage. Anyway, you're not the only one taking pills all the time! Hope that makes you feel somewhat better...
CB
Posted by Ann5 on March 11, 2004, at 21:25:12
In reply to Re: From my person experience.., posted by CareBear04 on March 11, 2004, at 17:12:53
I think people are missunderstanding about what I was trying to say. The problem is not the amount of medications. Its the overal affect its currently having on me, that I am not able to function at a level I want to. I have change my overal life, and have a huge support system, and going to college has been the best decision I ever made. Each year I am becoming the real me, the day my dad slabed me into the kitchen wall took thirteen years of my life that I cannot take back. Its suprising when I finally got my neck realigned properly, it took away the pain, and brought calmness and took away my depression. I feel like the real me. The pain in the neck narrowed my veiw, now I can see things clearly.
It was not the medication that helped me. It was regaining my life and stop letting everyone control me or tell me what to do. I am gaining my own voice. Personally I do not care for diagnoses or keeping attract of my symptoms. The diagnoses is not who I am, I know who I am. If a person ask me to list my symptoms, I could not, I only could write a list of solutions.
Plus, I am researching different things, like alternative methods, how to safely get off medicaions, etc. To make an inform decision, thats in the best interest for myself. Life is great! Not because of the medication, but the hard work and determination that is taking back my life. If that makes any sense at all.
Posted by Karen_kay on March 11, 2004, at 22:04:14
In reply to Re: From my person experience.., posted by Ann5 on March 11, 2004, at 21:25:12
I think what I said (only in a long version) is that you should not just stop taking your meds one day. You should taper down. And if you feel overmedicated, chances are that it's true. I was able to switch from several meds to only one and I function a WHOLE lot better. (That's the short version of what I said..)
Now, if you think you can do it without meds, maybe you should take a med vacation. It's up to you to do what you think is best for your health and body. But, be sure you do it safely. I'm glad that you have control of your life once again, as it's a wonderful feeling to have. Personally, I can't do it without medication. Other people are different. I'm curious though, what are you dx? If you already said, I'm sorry... But, it's common for some people with Bipolar Disorder dx to stop meds when they're feeling better, which leads to a crash. I just don't want something similar to that to happen to you. But, meds are always there when you need them as well, I guess, as long as you don't crash too hard. I'm not trying to sound "lecturey" but I just don't want you to suffer needlessly. Take care of yourself, and I'm certain you know how to do just that... I'm so glad that you are feeling better and got your neck fixed up right and proper. Take care of yourself and good luck. Just please be sure to taper down, as the withdrawals can be nasty if you don't...
Posted by Ann5 on March 11, 2004, at 22:15:50
In reply to Me misunderstand? Well, maybe.., posted by Karen_kay on March 11, 2004, at 22:04:14
I think that you missunderstood again. I know all about medications and the dangers and benifit. I know about tapering off, in the last note I said I was doing research on how to saftly go off this medication to alternative methods. When I am ready, I realize some of the medication it will take me a year to safely get off the medication and then then a time to recover from it. One thing is I am not irrational about this. As I said I am taking one step at a time. Even though I am feeling better, but am overmedicated right now. I plan on taking weight training class every semester until I graduate, I figure excersise is the best mediation. So I do not need a lecture on medication. I was just searching for some answers like in my first post. I am just taking charge of my life. As for the diagnoses, I DO NOT CARE, its just a label. I putting my focus in other areas and away from the psychatric system, but doing so I am improving overall. My neck is properly realigned, excersising..walking, weight training, T'ai Chi Chaun, also I have a huge support system, and socializing more. Hopefully I have made my self clear, let me know if there is further missunderstanding u are having.
> I think what I said (only in a long version) is that you should not just stop taking your meds one day. You should taper down. And if you feel overmedicated, chances are that it's true. I was able to switch from several meds to only one and I function a WHOLE lot better. (That's the short version of what I said..)
>
> Now, if you think you can do it without meds, maybe you should take a med vacation. It's up to you to do what you think is best for your health and body. But, be sure you do it safely. I'm glad that you have control of your life once again, as it's a wonderful feeling to have. Personally, I can't do it without medication. Other people are different. I'm curious though, what are you dx? If you already said, I'm sorry... But, it's common for some people with Bipolar Disorder dx to stop meds when they're feeling better, which leads to a crash. I just don't want something similar to that to happen to you. But, meds are always there when you need them as well, I guess, as long as you don't crash too hard. I'm not trying to sound "lecturey" but I just don't want you to suffer needlessly. Take care of yourself, and I'm certain you know how to do just that... I'm so glad that you are feeling better and got your neck fixed up right and proper. Take care of yourself and good luck. Just please be sure to taper down, as the withdrawals can be nasty if you don't...
Posted by Karen_kay on March 12, 2004, at 11:21:39
In reply to Re: Me misunderstand? Well, maybe.., posted by Ann5 on March 11, 2004, at 22:15:50
I was honestly just trying to be helpful with what I know about tapering off meds. I don't know anything about how exercise affects the metabolization rate of meds, or how fixing your neck could solve your problems, or the other question you asked. I was just trying to be helpful in assuring you that if you thought you were overmedicated, you were. So, sorry for intruding upon your thread. I assure you it won't happen again.
Sorry about the misunderstanding and I wish you luck in finding your answers. Perhaps you could try posting on the alternative board? They may be able to help you more. Again, no hard feelings and I really do wish you the best of luck.
kk
Posted by Ann5 on March 12, 2004, at 14:11:38
In reply to Well then.. » Ann5, posted by Karen_kay on March 12, 2004, at 11:21:39
Sorry...I know that you were trying to help and I am aware that you did not have the answers to my questions. Thanks for trying to help and reassuring me that if I feel over medicated then I am. Sorry about coming back at you it was not my attention to do so. I do appericiate you coming into my thread, and your thoughtfulness. Even if I did not sound like I did. I hope that everything is going all right for you. I wish you the best in your own life.
> I was honestly just trying to be helpful with what I know about tapering off meds. I don't know anything about how exercise affects the metabolization rate of meds, or how fixing your neck could solve your problems, or the other question you asked. I was just trying to be helpful in assuring you that if you thought you were overmedicated, you were. So, sorry for intruding upon your thread. I assure you it won't happen again.
>
> Sorry about the misunderstanding and I wish you luck in finding your answers. Perhaps you could try posting on the alternative board? They may be able to help you more. Again, no hard feelings and I really do wish you the best of luck.
>
> kk
Posted by Karen_kay on March 12, 2004, at 14:58:55
In reply to Re: Well then.. (Sorry!!!), posted by Ann5 on March 12, 2004, at 14:11:38
This is the end of the thread.
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