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med changes

Bbear82

Well-Known Member
#1
i am on a lot of mental health medication. some of them have not been working well so have had some changes in hopes of working. the first change was to take me off my haladol and put me on vyalar. it didnt help at all. i am not sleeping and the flashbacks are really bad and the voices get bad because of lack of sleep. the when he found out that the vyalar was making things worse he stopped it and put me on resparadone. it helps with halucinations and voices. since he raised it to six mgs a day the voices have backed off except when i havent slept in 3 to 4 days and by day 5 they are back to screaming at me. so today had an emergancy appointment with him. he decided since my seroquel isnt working for the sleep he would lower it to 200mgs and ad 5 mgs of ambien. if after three days the ambien is not helping at that dose im supposed to raise it to 10 mgs. he also uped my prasonin to 14 mgs at bed for the nightmares/flashbacks that i have been having. which is preventing sleep. i usually dont like my meds messed with because they usually take too long to fix and then i go manic. however i have learned that this psych dr is doing his best to help me and he doesnt change them without explaining them to me and why he wants to and if i say i prefer not to he leaves them alone which i really appreciate and respect him for it. im starting the new doses tonight and the ambien, so am keeping my fingers crossed that i might actually get some much needed sleep. i do worry because i am on so many psych meds that something can go wrong because i also take welbutren, cogentin, lamictal, and klonpin. but if we can get it to a place that helps that is all i care about. does anyone else have issues with med changes? he also suggested if needed we can add lithium and that may help as well. i hate having to take the meds but i know i am not stable nor safe if i am off of them. the last time a different psych dr messed with my meds he stopped them all at once cold turkey and i almost took my life it got that bad. luckly i had some really good people here that helped me make it through and i dont think i could have done it without them. just curious as to what others think about meds and changes thanks for listening.
 

Ash600

Of dust and shadows
SF Creative
SF Supporter
#7
That's quite the collection of meds you're on, and it's understandable that there can be concerns when adjustments are needed Of course if a particular med is not working, then it's best to remove it from the equation and try a different approach.
One thing in your favour, is that your psych doc is actively engaging you with your treatment plan. So many times that doesn't happen, quite often it's the old school approach which is adopted. It's good that you've got someone who actively listens and is willing to work with you. Hope that these med changes will be of benefit to you.
 

JMG

Pink Sponge autumn horse 💖🧽🌞🐴
#8
Hey Bbear, wow I really can't even imagine what it must be like to take so many meds and have those hallucinations. I really admire your bravery and strength with having to go through all that but I'm really happy that you are so dedicated and committed to making things be better. Many people would probably get very overwhelmed and give up trying with all of it but I'm so happy for you that you haven't and that you keep trying til you find something that works. I'm really happy for you for having a good psych doc too for sure, as others have said I think he sounds like a good one who is supportive and who cares about what you think and feel about that. A lot more of them (all of them, really) need to do that because WE are the ones taking the meds and having to deal with the side effects of them, not them.

You asked about if anyone else has had issues with med changes, I think I might have already said this to you at some point but I'll say it here again anyway, perhaps the info will be of some kind of help to others as well, or at least help them feel less alone. I've been on a total of 3 or 4 diff meds before finally finding the one I'm on now (Zoloft) that I've been on for over a decade. My dose of it has increased a bit over the years and some of the docs I've seen (I don't have an actual family doc, they are in short supply here) have commented that it's a pretty "high dose" of it so if it ever stops being as effective I would maybe need to switch it or something.

I sincerely hope that will never happen and that the dose will keep the worst of the piercing, near unbearable weight of psychological pain from crushing my heart like it used to do daily. The level of fear I had because of being so constantly emo and on edge about things, wow. I was pretty much constantly near tears, if anyone were to say something mean (in my defense, it would have to be quite mean, like a direct insult or something like that, something intended to hurt me basically) that would be all it would take to make me cry. Anyway within a day or 2 of starting Zoloft in 2007, that horrible weight on my heart feeling was gone. It was such a relief and I was so glad.

With all the antidepressants I've ever taken there has always been a bit of an "adjustment" period that has usually lasted about a month which has been challenging but it does eventually get back to normal and it's always been quite a relief when it does. I remember that definitely being VERY hard for me to talk about with my psych because it just wasn't something I ever talked with anyone about, she basically had to ask me directly if that had been part of the side effect and why I didn't want to take it, and then I said yes but wow was one of the most embarrassing moments of my life lol. I'd definitely rather not say specifically "what" the thing was that was kinda the worst side effect for me, but if you are really curious I'll tell you in a PM. Just would never want "everyone" here to know something like that, and I think most people would most likely feel the same way about it.

Anyway sorry this reply is so long but thanks so much for letting me know about this post, I'm really happy and proud of you for opening up and sharing such personal things, that takes serious guts and courage so I hope you are proud of yourself for doing this post too :) I definitely wish you the best of luck that this med arrangement will be the one that works so that you can be your happiest and best self, cos you absolutely deserve that! *hug*hug
 

Bbear82

Well-Known Member
#12
That's quite the collection of meds you're on, and it's understandable that there can be concerns when adjustments are needed Of course if a particular med is not working, then it's best to remove it from the equation and try a different approach.
One thing in your favour, is that your psych doc is actively engaging you with your treatment plan. So many times that doesn't happen, quite often it's the old school approach which is adopted. It's good that you've got someone who actively listens and is willing to work with you. Hope that these med changes will be of benefit to you.
yes it is a very large arrangement of meds im not but when they are all working together then it works well but when just one stops working you have to play which med isnt working why and what can we do to fix or replace it. yes luckly the dr i have now works very well with me. which i am greatful for. thanks @Ash600
 

Bbear82

Well-Known Member
#13
Hey Bbear, wow I really can't even imagine what it must be like to take so many meds and have those hallucinations. I really admire your bravery and strength with having to go through all that but I'm really happy that you are so dedicated and committed to making things be better. Many people would probably get very overwhelmed and give up trying with all of it but I'm so happy for you that you haven't and that you keep trying til you find something that works. I'm really happy for you for having a good psych doc too for sure, as others have said I think he sounds like a good one who is supportive and who cares about what you think and feel about that. A lot more of them (all of them, really) need to do that because WE are the ones taking the meds and having to deal with the side effects of them, not them.

You asked about if anyone else has had issues with med changes, I think I might have already said this to you at some point but I'll say it here again anyway, perhaps the info will be of some kind of help to others as well, or at least help them feel less alone. I've been on a total of 3 or 4 diff meds before finally finding the one I'm on now (Zoloft) that I've been on for over a decade. My dose of it has increased a bit over the years and some of the docs I've seen (I don't have an actual family doc, they are in short supply here) have commented that it's a pretty "high dose" of it so if it ever stops being as effective I would maybe need to switch it or something.

I sincerely hope that will never happen and that the dose will keep the worst of the piercing, near unbearable weight of psychological pain from crushing my heart like it used to do daily. The level of fear I had because of being so constantly emo and on edge about things, wow. I was pretty much constantly near tears, if anyone were to say something mean (in my defense, it would have to be quite mean, like a direct insult or something like that, something intended to hurt me basically) that would be all it would take to make me cry. Anyway within a day or 2 of starting Zoloft in 2007, that horrible weight on my heart feeling was gone. It was such a relief and I was so glad.

With all the antidepressants I've ever taken there has always been a bit of an "adjustment" period that has usually lasted about a month which has been challenging but it does eventually get back to normal and it's always been quite a relief when it does. I remember that definitely being VERY hard for me to talk about with my psych because it just wasn't something I ever talked with anyone about, she basically had to ask me directly if that had been part of the side effect and why I didn't want to take it, and then I said yes but wow was one of the most embarrassing moments of my life lol. I'd definitely rather not say specifically "what" the thing was that was kinda the worst side effect for me, but if you are really curious I'll tell you in a PM. Just would never want "everyone" here to know something like that, and I think most people would most likely feel the same way about it.

Anyway sorry this reply is so long but thanks so much for letting me know about this post, I'm really happy and proud of you for opening up and sharing such personal things, that takes serious guts and courage so I hope you are proud of yourself for doing this post too :) I definitely wish you the best of luck that this med arrangement will be the one that works so that you can be your happiest and best self, cos you absolutely deserve that! *hug*hug
i for sure remember you telling me about zoloft im not for sure if ive been on that one i think i have when i was younger. i hope that with the new med adjust ill be as lucky as you and be able to be more stable.i hate the adjustment period but more so hate them playing lets see which one will work which i have had many dr do that to me. i do know i have been on ambien before and it worked well. but like you said there is that adjustment period and they have to get it to the right doses and then make sure it is working correctly. thanks so much for reading this and your response it means a lot to me
 

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