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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Roo on October 4, 2001, at 9:41:49
I'm not quite sure where to start or how to talk about
this problem....Here's the basic problem--2 years ago
I went from seeing a GP about my depression to a psychiatrist--
really in hopes of weaning off drugs altogether or at
least stablizing on a lower dose of something. Now 2
years later, I'm taking more drugs than ever. I used to
be just fine on a low dose of prozac (20 mg's)...I started
going through a rough time (breaking up with my fiance,
horrible new job that I ended up quitting, a bunch of stuff)
and the prozac wasn't enough. She added a low dose of
an antipsychotic (navane 1mg) and neurotin (now up to 1800 mgs).
I gained a bunch of weight on the neurotin, so now we're trying
lamictal (still weaning off the neurotin)...so basically now
I'm up to 4 psych meds rather than the low dose of prozac
that always was fine before. My own personal hunch is
that my prozac has pooped out (I took it for 5 years) and
I need a new Antidepressant. Her hunch is that I have cyclothymia
and that I need mood stabilizers along with the AD. I'm just
frustrated b/c I feel like I'm getting worse instead of better, more
medicated instead of less. I'm just so frustrated. Everytime
I try and lower and wean off something, even something benign
like neurotin or the little tiny dose of navane--I can't
sleep, I feel anxious...so I'm thinking "great! Now I'm
addicted to not only one drug, but four drugs!"...when's it
going to end? I don't know what to do or how to even
feel about all this. I don't know if I'm just going through
an extraordinarily bad time (I am--a lot of tough stuff
has happened in my life the past 2 years) or if taking
too many drugs is just freaking out my system.
I'm not sure what my point is, just
that I needed to get this out of my system. I do therapy
too, by the way.
Posted by paxvox on October 4, 2001, at 13:01:06
In reply to Confused and Frustrated...., posted by Roo on October 4, 2001, at 9:42:06
OK then, let's dig in.
I ran the Prozac train for a few years too, and got the poop out as well. Increased dose led to sexual side effects. So, then I decided to go from GP to Pdoc. He played with a few things, then settled on Wellbutrin. Strange, as I complained mostly about sleep problems, which still plague me to this day. Well, similarly to you, once I got reved up by the WB, the next deal was to counteract it with a "mood stabilizer". Ran the gamut from Topamax to Neurontin to Depakote to "Hey, I'm not taking that s**t!"
So, now we get to add my favorite benzo, which first was Klonopin,now is Tranzene. (OK, I have to interupt myself here to add that my GP gave me Ambien, which helped quite a lot. My Pdoc doesn't really want me to be on benzos chronically, therefore the "mood stabilizers". Anyway, I finally went to my GP and (he knows what meds Pdoc has me on) if he would help my sleep problem. After several months of exploring some physical causality, the GP relented, and started me back with some Ambien this week. I have been sleeping better.) OK now back to the story. I am begining to lose faith in my Pdoc's treatment. I agree with some of your concerns. I mean they give you one med that causes this SE, then give you another med to counter THAT SE, which, of course leads to the OTHER SE, which requires just a tad of this med. I'm with you. I'm begining to wonder if it's time to just dump them all and start from scratch. I recognize the science of neurochemisrty is inexact at best, and is still fairly nascent in technology, however, too many of us are having to suffer these med cocktails that seem unnecessary. My hope is that newer meds, next generation AD and other chemical balancers, along with a concerted effort between Freudians and psychopharmacologists to find the right combo of treatment. Nature vs. nurture. What's the flavor of the month?
PAX
thinking
Posted by susan C on October 4, 2001, at 13:35:07
In reply to Re: Confused and Frustrated.... » Roo, posted by paxvox on October 4, 2001, at 13:01:06
Is Me Thinking....
mouse in a maze
susan C> OK then, let's dig in.
>
> I ran the Prozac train for a few years too, and got the poop out as well. Increased dose led to sexual side effects. So, then I decided to go from GP to Pdoc. He played with a few things, then settled on Wellbutrin. Strange, as I complained mostly about sleep problems, which still plague me to this day. Well, similarly to you, once I got reved up by the WB, the next deal was to counteract it with a "mood stabilizer". Ran the gamut from Topamax to Neurontin to Depakote to "Hey, I'm not taking that s**t!"
> So, now we get to add my favorite benzo, which first was Klonopin,now is Tranzene. (OK, I have to interupt myself here to add that my GP gave me Ambien, which helped quite a lot. My Pdoc doesn't really want me to be on benzos chronically, therefore the "mood stabilizers". Anyway, I finally went to my GP and (he knows what meds Pdoc has me on) if he would help my sleep problem. After several months of exploring some physical causality, the GP relented, and started me back with some Ambien this week. I have been sleeping better.) OK now back to the story. I am begining to lose faith in my Pdoc's treatment. I agree with some of your concerns. I mean they give you one med that causes this SE, then give you another med to counter THAT SE, which, of course leads to the OTHER SE, which requires just a tad of this med. I'm with you. I'm begining to wonder if it's time to just dump them all and start from scratch. I recognize the science of neurochemisrty is inexact at best, and is still fairly nascent in technology, however, too many of us are having to suffer these med cocktails that seem unnecessary. My hope is that newer meds, next generation AD and other chemical balancers, along with a concerted effort between Freudians and psychopharmacologists to find the right combo of treatment. Nature vs. nurture. What's the flavor of the month?
>
>
> PAX
> thinking
Posted by Roo on October 4, 2001, at 13:41:21
In reply to Re: Confused and Frustrated.... » Roo, posted by paxvox on October 4, 2001, at 13:01:06
Thanks for your response--it makes me feel less
crazy! I'm really thinking all these meds are
F****ing with me. I really think all I had was
plain old low grade chronic depression that did
fine with a low/normal dose of AD, and that I
don't really need all this other stuff. I think
the prozac just pooped out, is all. Now it's all
complicated. But anyway--I'm glad you wrote..I
was kind of expecting to get bashed. I'm NOT anti-med,
lord knows, but sometimes I wonder if these Pdocs
get a little carried away with all their tweaking.
Posted by jay on October 4, 2001, at 14:24:43
In reply to That Grinding That You Hear, posted by susan C on October 4, 2001, at 13:35:07
Just to note, I am one who has found more open treatment, and better and wider choices of meds, with my GP. My former Pdoc refused to prescribe anything but an antidepressant, and *maybe* (if I beg!) a benzo. He (The Pdoc) did not like any patient suggesting *any* med.
I have found GP's to not have the bias about many meds that Pdocs do, but that is just a general observation. Anybody care to comment?
Thanks..
Jay
> Is Me Thinking....
>
> mouse in a maze
> susan C
>
> > OK then, let's dig in.
> >
> > I ran the Prozac train for a few years too, and got the poop out as well. Increased dose led to sexual side effects. So, then I decided to go from GP to Pdoc. He played with a few things, then settled on Wellbutrin. Strange, as I complained mostly about sleep problems, which still plague me to this day. Well, similarly to you, once I got reved up by the WB, the next deal was to counteract it with a "mood stabilizer". Ran the gamut from Topamax to Neurontin to Depakote to "Hey, I'm not taking that s**t!"
> > So, now we get to add my favorite benzo, which first was Klonopin,now is Tranzene. (OK, I have to interupt myself here to add that my GP gave me Ambien, which helped quite a lot. My Pdoc doesn't really want me to be on benzos chronically, therefore the "mood stabilizers". Anyway, I finally went to my GP and (he knows what meds Pdoc has me on) if he would help my sleep problem. After several months of exploring some physical causality, the GP relented, and started me back with some Ambien this week. I have been sleeping better.) OK now back to the story. I am begining to lose faith in my Pdoc's treatment. I agree with some of your concerns. I mean they give you one med that causes this SE, then give you another med to counter THAT SE, which, of course leads to the OTHER SE, which requires just a tad of this med. I'm with you. I'm begining to wonder if it's time to just dump them all and start from scratch. I recognize the science of neurochemisrty is inexact at best, and is still fairly nascent in technology, however, too many of us are having to suffer these med cocktails that seem unnecessary. My hope is that newer meds, next generation AD and other chemical balancers, along with a concerted effort between Freudians and psychopharmacologists to find the right combo of treatment. Nature vs. nurture. What's the flavor of the month?
> >
> >
> > PAX
> > thinking
Posted by paxvox on October 5, 2001, at 10:20:29
In reply to GPs Vs. Pdocs, posted by jay on October 4, 2001, at 14:24:43
Yes, I too have found that my GP was more responsive to my needs and requests, I only decided to go to the Pdoc when the Prozac pooped on me, and I thought the Pdoc would have more expertise. Although that is the Pdoc's specialty, he never sees me enough to have a FULL understanding of how my physical health might be affecting my mental health. That is why I went back to my GP for the Ambien, which he had given to me before...but my Pdoc IMMEDIATELY took me off of. I then asked my Pdoc if he would feel comfortable with assuming the medical management of my mental issues. He was a bit reluctant at first, but I believe he will do it if I persist. He has always spent whatever time I have needed with him when I have seen him for a physical illness, and even allows me to have input in treatment options. As I am seeing a separate counsellor for "discussion" purposes (as my Pdoc doesn't believe in psycho-therapy) I believe I could combine the two and replace the Pdoc.
PAX
Posted by galtin on October 5, 2001, at 10:58:25
In reply to Confused and Frustrated...., posted by Roo on October 4, 2001, at 9:41:49
> Now 2 years later, I'm taking more drugs than ever. I used to be just fine on a low dose of prozac (20 mg's)...I started going through a rough time (breaking up with my fiance, horrible new job that I ended up quitting, a bunch of stuff) and the prozac wasn't enough. She added a low dose of an antipsychotic (navane 1mg) and neurotin (now up to 1800 mgs).Hi Roo,
It sounds like you went from a low Prozac to augmentation. Did your doctor discuss the possibility of first increasing your Prozac dosage? I know several people who did not get full benefit from it until they reached 60mgs. My own pdoc advocates increasing the dose of the present medication first, before augmenting it with a second med.
Jus' wondering.
galtin
Posted by Krazy Kat on October 5, 2001, at 11:04:06
In reply to Confused and Frustrated...., posted by Roo on October 4, 2001, at 9:42:06
> Roo:
I absolutely think pdocs can get carried away with their tweaking. Even mine, who I really like, keeps pushing Provigil, just because he wants to try its AD effects out on someone, I'm quite certain.
It sounds as if what you really want to do is start over. Is there one med that you feel is more helpful than the others? Perhaps you could titrate off the others down to that one med (a new AD?). Your gut really could be right (mine was.)
Seems to work best if we hear out our Pdocs and then go with our instincts (if they're the good kind of Pdocs who give us that room.)
I, too, just want all the medds out of my system at times. I've found something that helps, Depakote (I'm BPII), but am still on Topamax and Prozac. I'm getting rid of the Topamax slowly, watching for mania, then plan on trying it without the Prozac, even if I don't tell my pdoc about that one. To have it simple, to be on one med - yes, wouldn't that be great??
To not take any meds, to just drink herbal tea and feel calm and healthy and assured, wouldn't that be better? Yes. :(
Good luck.
- K.
Posted by Noa on October 5, 2001, at 15:46:37
In reply to Re: Confused and Frustrated.... Roo, posted by galtin on October 5, 2001, at 10:58:25
I originally started out on low dose Prozac, then stopped it, went back to it a few years later and needed a higher dose. After that, stopped the prozac after developing a rash (don't know if it was related) and headaches (probably was related), and then started a series of different meds and lots of POOP OUT. Then, the augmentation, etc. Now I'm on a hefty cocktail that works, finally. Seems like my depression got harder and harder to treat. You aren't alone. But you've also had some majorly distressing life events to deal with, too.
Posted by Willow on October 5, 2001, at 21:24:31
In reply to Re: GPs Vs. Pdocs » jay, posted by paxvox on October 5, 2001, at 10:20:29
PAX
I've done just that, use a gp for meds and analyzing physical symptoms and a psycologist for emotional/thought ones, though when I get new physical ones I approach psych first who ends up telling me to go see gp. This has been working for me.
BEST WISHSES
Willow
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