[onlymedid]

So, I went to the nurse practitioner that works with my pdoc since he was out of the office this week.
I told her that I have been super irritable, angry, sad, moody, etc. I also told her that my new meds for helping oppose the weight gain has given me really bad stomach pains and I have to run to the bathroom. Sorry if that was too graphic.
Anyways, she said, "If you had to pick one thing that you want my help with this time, which would it be?" I said, "Well, if I HAVE to pick one, it would be the irritability because I can't keep being pissy all the time." So, she upped my Abilify from 2mg to 4mg.
I hate that it's this or that! STUPID! Why can't it be both? Probably because that was the first time I saw her and she was scared.
She did tell me to keep Topomax in mind because if this glucophage doesn't work, it might be a good alternative.

Hmmm...maybe because she wasn't your doctor, she didn't want to make too many changes?

I hope the abilify increase helps with your irritability. I'm on 10mg of it, and I've found it to be a good medication.

[Anneinside]

Why only change one thing at a time? Because if you change two or more things at a time you can't know what is causing good things and what is causing side effects. Even though you don't like it, it is the appropriate way to change medications. Give it a little time to see if there are more side effects, call in for another appointment and then have a med change for the stomach/intestinal problems. But, you might temporarily try an over the counter medication like Pepto bismal.

[onlymedid]

Originally Posted by melissa.recovering

Hmmm...maybe because she wasn't your doctor, she didn't want to make too many changes?

I hope the abilify increase helps with your irritability. I'm on 10mg of it, and I've found it to be a good medication.

Yeah, maybe. I go back to her in two weeks, so we'll see what she thinks.
I'm glad it works for you and I hope it works for me!

[onlymedid]

Originally Posted by Anneinside

Why only change one thing at a time? Because if you change two or more things at a time you can't know what is causing good things and what is causing side effects. Even though you don't like it, it is the appropriate way to change medications. Give it a little time to see if there are more side effects, call in for another appointment and then have a med change for the stomach/intestinal problems. But, you might temporarily try an over the counter medication like Pepto bismal.

Oh yeah, that's true. I don't want to have too many changes going on at once.
I took Pepto once, but it altered the color of my bowels and I got scared so I stopped taking it!
I am trying Tums, bananas and plain rice. It works sometimes.

[sugahorse1]

It definitely is the right way to change meds.
I was on NO meds (Cos I stopped them) and when I went to see my new pdoc, she could only start me on one - so we decided on the mood stabiliser. I'll see her again beginning Sep, and we'll decide if the dose of mood-stabiliser needs to be increased, or if we need to add an anti-depressant.
So far I've been ok though - only on 25mg Lamictin and climbing to 100mg.

[vjdragonfly]

Sorry for your frustration onlymedid, but I agree that the nurse was doing what was best for you. I hope the abilfy helps and the stomache cramps pass. Wishing the best for you.