Posted by Ritch on March 12, 2002, at 21:35:37
In reply to Re: medication compliance-the cycle con'ts » Ritch, posted by Chloe on March 12, 2002, at 19:57:30
> Hey Mitch
> Can bearly type. I am so agitated. I really thought going down on Neurontin and going up on Ami would help with my scalp. But it's the same. The burning is so persisent.
>
> So now I have gone down to 300 mgs on the Neurontin, (that was helping with anxiety/depression/stabilizaation) and have no relief from scalp pain, but have terrible emotional pain. God, I really blew it this time. I should just rideout the neuropathic pain. But when it really burns, I just can't swallow my meds. This is a miserable cycle.
>
> How I am going to stop going off my meds if I keep getting unbearable side effects? I can't relate to anyone or anything. My dog is driving me nuts, and I am so itchy, my ezcema is awful(strress?). And I want to up the lithium! Wow, that will really help my skin, NOT.
>
> I want to call my pdoc, but she said that I should have stayed at 500 Neurontin and increased the amitriptyline to 30 mgs and the Li to 225 mgs if I got destabilized. But she is always trying to overmedicate me on my meds in my opinion. I am not a huge person, and I have sensitive neurons.
>
> I guess I will up the Li in the am...But a part of me thinks I should just go with the devil l know and up the N back to 500, not fooling with the li. I am so confused and uncomfortable. And perdictable. 2 or 3 days after I decrease my doses of a stabilizer, I head into major depression/what to end it, mode. Why can't I learn??? ANd just deal with the scalp pain??? I wish I knew! And what would make me feel stabile again...
>
> Thanks for listening.
> Your Dex and taxes story sounded like no fun. That supercharged feeling is really awful. Glad you survived.
> ChloeChloe,
Yikes! Sounds like a Neurontin withdrawal. I would bring the Neurontin back up to where it was first thing, then make a decision about upping the Li next (give it 3-4 days before you bump up the Li). I have had some destablization issues lately. It is all related to anxiety/panic issues. When I am out of major seasonal depressions I am hypersenstive to stimulants and antidepressants. They tend to hose up my sleep and cause intrusive thoughts and/or music-which can wind up with panic. I think it is all a neuroendocrine thing. The stims or AD's cause a "cascade" of sorts that wind up resulting in crappy sleep patterns, ruminations, and then hostility or panic. (aka "mixed state" crap). I have had to add 125mg of Depakote at bedtime the last couple of nites so I don't get an early morning awakening. I will continue to add Dep. on until my appetite starts to ramp up-then I will drop it (I think that will *signal* the return to relative normal neuroendocrine functioning).
Your pdoc might be right-it sounds like a lot of meds, but it may be where you need to be (?). You may just need to find the stabilization dose that keeps your "toes out of your nose", and then deal with the neuropathic pain trips.
I liked that.. "Dex and taxes", that is awfully close to "Death and Taxes"! It really wasn't that awful-I just knew better that it was going to get worse if I continued the pstim..
Mitch
poster:Ritch
thread:96004
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020307/msgs/97709.html