Posted by Karen44 on June 18, 2006, at 14:35:05
In reply to Wow, you're scaring me! » Phillipa, posted by Deneb on June 17, 2006, at 21:25:09
> Some other people also told me it's a bad idea to taper and stop taking my meds without talking to my pdoc first.
>
> One person said she got psychotic (even though she wasn't psychotic to being with) when she stopped taking her med.
>
> Scary stuff.
>
> Now I'm conflicted. Maybe I should go back on the original dose. Kind of scared to stop now.
>
> I don't know what to do anymore. I don't even know if my meds are causing my tremors.
>
> Maybe I shouldn't change anything yet until I find out if my breast lump is benign. I think I'll seriously lose it if I have cancer.
>
> Deneb*Deneb
I do therapy with my psychiatrist as well, but this does not preclude talking about medications and any symptoms. You really should talk about the med's with your doctor and your concerns before you stop a medication. I had no choice but to consider that I should stop the Risperidone. I had no way of calling my doctor as I was out in the middle of know where where there was not even cell phone service. Next time I will take a satellite phone with me. In any case, I tapered back from .5 to .25 for a couple of days before I stopped. My psychiatrist said that I could have stopped it cold turkey as it was not a significant amount to begin with. He said I did the right thing, but that was my case. I too have been dealing with physical problems that have contributed to depression. I have pulmonary problems and was coughing up blood but just learned it is not cancer but rather some sort of irritant I am breathing in. I have COPD including chronic bronchitis, asthma, and very mild emphesema. I also have had to have neurosurgery twice last year for cervical spine problems including a bone spur that was stabbing into a nerve root. Plus I learned I have sleep apnea and had to have surgery to my nose so I could use the CPAP machine and not cover both my mouth and nose. I have some other health issues as well that pale in comparison to the above mentioned. And, this all came on in 2005. So, anyway, talk to your doctor about this and see what he or she says about your symptoms. I see my psychiatrist every week for 45 minutes (whatever happened to the 50 minute hour). We spend maybe five to ten minutes total each month on the med's--sometimes no time on it, and other times we might spend 20 minutes. It is important to discuss med's if you are taking them.
Karen
poster:Karen44
thread:657326
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060617/msgs/658371.html