Quote:
Originally Posted by Blueberrybook
I have tried neurotonin. That’s gabapentin, right? That is what I am on right now. I guess it helps a little. When I don’t take it at night, I can tell in the morning.. I also have a muscle relaxer (tizanidine), and some days if I didn’t have that,I’d be screwed. Rheumatologist says I am hypermobile, which go figure, makes fibro worse. You’d think being flexible would be a good thing. I think my rheumatologist has shied away from Lyrica because of the warnings of suicide risks. My GI doc did the same with a different med for me. I guess the doctors just don’t want to take a chance with a bipolar patient.
Same happened with our weather. Temp plummeted to a super windy (gale warning), 41F, wind chill 32F. I think it will warm soon. Hope so. It usually doesn’t stay brutally cold that long here.
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Hi!
You have come a long way since first coming here. I am positive it's been very helpful to get more distance from your GI surgery PTSD for sure. I am also sure it has been helpful to get your med situation squared away.
I would like to mention something out of concern for you. I hope you are not offended.
Many psychiatrists do not pay any/enough attention to the danger of using meds which prolong the QT interval (heart), which can cause sudden death.
In most case, the patient/client MUST watch out for themselves.
Some very astute pharmacists will not allow two drugs with this same potential to be approved. Most pharmacists let this slide, which is insane!
Many psych meds carry this risk.
Tizanidine (muscle relaxant) is a med which carries this risk.
Please be very careful when mixing with psych meds.
It can be important for a PC doc or a pdoc to order an EKG if/when using meds with this potential. If a doctor wants to add another med with this potential, an EKG is a must prior to adding the med. If there are already two meds in your med regime with this potential, please insist upon an EKG in order to check on the current status of your QT interval prolongation.
(I am very aware of the failure of many doctors and many pharmacists just not paying attention to the potential for the prolongation of QT intervals when prescribing/dispensing meds. Many docs also fail to protect their patients by not ordering an EKG when it is clearly indicated in the literature/guidelines.
This issue is something I do write about here sometimes, as I believe we need to have informed consent and we need to know how to look after our own welfare, especially in areas like this, where many of our providers are failing.
I am a bit more aware of this risk with tizanidine because I also use this med when there is not another med on my med regimen which carries this QT interval prolongation potential. If I must take on a med with this same potential, I change the muscle relaxant to a different one(Soma, for example).
( Tizanidine can also cause cardiac arrhthymias, FYI. Be careful these types of potential cardiac effects are not simply chalked up to being "anxiety.")
Again, I hope I am not offending you. You have worked very hard at making your illness a smaller part of your life. I would hate to have something like a QT interval prolongation mishap turnyour world upside down.
I did not check all of your meds re: QT interval prolongation potential and I am not a medical professional. Please do check your meds and/or have your pharmacist/doctor make sure you are safe.
Much Love to You and to Yours!
