Posted by inanimate peanut on December 26, 2009, at 0:53:27
OK, so it has been suggested that I'm on too many meds for too many bad reasons. This is probably right. But, I'm scared to death to drop any of them. This has bitten me in the *ss twice. Flashback to a happy me 1.5 years ago (good job, good relationship, enjoys exercise, and smiles enough to be annoying) who decided that Lithium wasn't actually the drug that was working but was making her sick- I went off it and destabilized and am now in the pursuant hell 1.5 years later(job by a hair,, single and lonely, has forgotten how to smile). I tried to go back on it several months later to no avail. If I could change any decision in my life, that would be it. Literally, any decision in my entire life.
1 year ago- we thought I was on too many meds so we took me off several in progression. It turns out the Lexapro and Lamictal were working so we put me back on them almost immediately (within 1 month). They never had the same effect.
I am scared to death to do this again. What med do I go off of and screw up a perfectly good med working this time? Even if something is only helping marginally, it is still helping some. Even though I don't think the Lamictal is helping like it used to, what if I go off it and it turns out it was helping but then I try to go back on it and it won't help any more?
I really only have 3 meds that actually are for mood effects-- Lamictal, Geodon, and Parnate. The rest may be branded psych meds but used for other reasons. I can try going off the propranolol, I'm not worried about that. I can do that starting tomorrow. It will probably just help resolve the hypotension from the Parnate anyway. I won't go off the Topamax because it's the only thing stopping me from being obese with now, and I'll especially need it if I'm going on the Remeron. I'm scared to go off the Lamictal again and ruin any residual usefulness that it may be having. The Geodon controls the mixed states and may help some with the depression. Seroquel and Ambien for sleep. I still worry about taking something as strong as Seroquel just for sleep. Don't both Remeron and Nortriptyline put you to sleep? Maybe I wouldn't need the Seroquel then? I just don't know what to change other than trying to drop the propranolol. I'm open to suggestions but I'm just so deathly afraid of getting rid of something that I think isn't working only to find out that it's doing something useful that won't start again after I stop it. I've never regretted keeping a med-- stopping them have been the biggest regrets of my life.
Geodon-- controls mixed states (and some anti-dep?)
Parnate- anti-dep
Lamictal- not sure- used to be anti-dep effect
Seroquel- sleep- no mood effect
Ambien- sleep
Topamax- appetite control- no mood effects
Propranolol- stopping tonight
D3
Fish Oil
poster:inanimate peanut
thread:930924
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20091217/msgs/930924.html