[grandmaof3]

I finally got in to see the neurologist my pdoc referred me to. I have been very absent minded and have been losing time. I find myself to be someplace and not remember how I got there or why I went there in the first place. I was blaming this on my meds which the neurologist said was possible but he also said we should consider early onset Alzheimer s. This was very upsetting to me. I'll be 48 in a few week. I'm going to go to a different doctor to get a second opinion in 2 weeks. In the meantime I'm stopping my meds and I'll see if my cognition gets any better. I know stopping my meds might not be the best idea but I'm hopeful that it won't throw me into a manic episode. If it does I guess I will start taking my meds again.

[r010159]

I think when you are manic you may be in no position to resume meds. And this will not be the worst of your problems. I have not seen this work well. But if you do titrate off of your meds, assuming you know what you are doing, have someone watch you who is in the position to help and intercede when things go wrong.

I hope you are not talking about going of all of your meds at once. For that matter, I really do not know what that will actually accomplish. I think this would be very ill advised with significant pitfalls given the meds and dosage levels you are at. Just be prepared for a hospital stay. I would recommend you do this under doctors supervision instead of playing doctor with your meds.

But I do wish you well! Please get back with us. I will be interested in how it worked for you.

[Victoria'smom]

I'm so sorry. Its completely understandable to come off your meds but I don't feel you'll be unmedicated enough for he second opinion. If it was two months away sure but 2 wks isn't long enough. Can you find someone that specializes in alshimerz and mental illness? Think about detoxing through PHP.

[grandmaof3]

Originally Posted by r010159

I think when you are manic you may be in no position to resume meds. And this will not be the worst of your problems. I have not seen this work well. But if you do titrate off of your meds, assuming you know what you are doing, have someone watch you who is in the position to help and intercede when things go wrong.

I hope you are not talking about going of all of your meds at once. For that matter, I really do not know what that will actually accomplish. I think this would be very ill advised with significant pitfalls given the meds and dosage levels you are at. Just be prepared for a hospital stay. I would recommend you do this under doctors supervision instead of playing doctor with your meds.

But I do wish you well! Please get back with us. I will be interested in how it worked for you.

Thanks for your input. I'm going to stop all my meds at once except for the Ativan because I've been taking it so long I'm sure I would get withdrawal from it. My husband will keep an eye on me and make sure I'm safe. I have a lot of PTO time at work so I'm taking the rest of the week off so if I get into trouble I won't have to worry about work. I talked to my pdoc on the phone this afternoon after I saw the neurologist and told him what I was planning to do. He wasn't too happy about the idea but told me he wants to see me Friday. SO We'll see how that goes. I took my first 2 doses of Geodon today but skipped the next 2. I think my biggest problem is going to be getting to sleep because my mind is racing and I usually take my last 2 doses of Geodon together at bedtime with my zyprexa. Maybe this is a crazy idea but I'm going to try it to see what happens.

[grandmaof3]

Originally Posted by Miguel'smom

I'm so sorry. Its completely understandable to come off your meds but I don't feel you'll be unmedicated enough for he second opinion. If it was two months away sure but 2 wks isn't long enough. Can you find someone that specializes in alshimerz and mental illness? Think about detoxing through PHP.

Whats PHP ?

[doglover1979]

PHP is a partial hospital program. Its a day program that you get all the same services as inpatient, but go home at night.

If you suddenly stop Paxil like that you will be in for a world of pain. Paxil is very rough to come off of. I was only at 20 mgs a day and it sill caused brain shivers and worsening depression when I tapered off, despite starting a new antidepressant at the same time.

I uderstand going off all your meds at once can cause siezures, strokes,
heart attacks and all sorts of horrible results. Please do not do this without medical supervision.

[littlemiss44]

I completely relate to yr memory issues. I have them really bad and I'm being referred to a neurologist next week after we do bloodwork. Evidently they can see if yr blood is deficient of certain vitamins for brain health. I believe that my memory problems are from being on psych meds for over 10 years. J worry about you going off all yr meds at once. It could cause seizures or heart attack. It may not be early signs of dementia. How long have you been on psych meds?

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk

[wildflowerchild25]

I really think it's dangerous to stop all those meds at once. Seriously. And I'm the queen of med ditching. Especially two APs and Paxil. The Paxil is going to cause withdrawal, badly. It HAS to be tapered. And goig of everything at once is almost certainly goig to cause more problems.

I understand the cognition aspect and I'm all for stopping meds but not that many all at once. Please. You need to taper down one at a time. There's ways to do it without your pdoc's consent. And if you stop all of them you won't know which one caused the problem, I it is solved.

Also the "I'll just go back on" thing doesn't work - take it from me. I stopped mine for a month and when I started again it was like taking sugar pills. Didn't work and I ended up in inpatient again. So don't count on your meds to be effective.

In summation, please reconsider.

[~Christina]

Even if you could stop all your meds and not have hellish sideeffects .. 2 weeks isnt going to be enough time to get all the meds out of your system..

I agree please reconsider.. Talk to your Pdoc about all this .

[swheaton]

Please don't stop on your own. Please?

I agree that it's not a good idea and join the skepticism of them probably not being out of your system by then anyway, and in the meanwhile likely causing problems for yourself.

But I didn't come in just to join the chorus. Lol.
I know someone on the forums here who was recently tested for early Alzheimers. I'm quite sure that she is on meds. The test results said she didn't have it. Now, I don't know what tests are done, but it pretty much suggests to me that meds aren't going to screw up the testing. Which would mean there would be no point to stopping them over it. I will PM her to make sure I understand correctly. (Or better yet, maybe she will pop by the thread.)

[greylove]

The 'someone' would be me. I take Lamictal, Seroquel and Effexor for Bipolar 1 and became aware over time that my cognitive functions were impaired and my memory losses worried me. (Alzheimer's runs in the family.) A year ago my psych doctor sent me to a neurologist who told me that any one of the three meds could cause the problems. I accepted that until recently when I became disoriented on my way home from an appointment. It was dark but I had gone that route once a month for years. It scared me and I went back to the neurologist. After I told him about becoming lost, etc. he straight out said I don't have Alzheimer's; I have too much insight. He did advise me get tested in part to reassure me and also to establish a baseline should I ever need it. The testing consists of four appointments. The first is for an intake and it was as far as I got. The person I met with said nothing set off alarms and insurance wouldn't cover testing because of that. He said meds cause symptoms that mimic Alzheimer's. Early on I was tempted to go off them because I wanted to see if they really were causing my problems, but I didn't for all the same reasons above. It wasn't worth taking the risk.

[Nobodyandnothing]

I have exactly the same fears due to severe memory loss. I will have a neuropsych assessment next month. Pdoc told me not to go off meds before the test, that they will factor the meds into their assessment. He also told me that after the assessment, we will discuss taking a drug holiday.

I better check with insurance. I am fairly certain they will cover the assessment.

Originally Posted by grandmaof3

I finally got in to see the neurologist my pdoc referred me to. I have been very absent minded and have been losing time. I find myself to be someplace and not remember how I got there or why I went there in the first place. I was blaming this on my meds which the neurologist said was possible but he also said we should consider early onset Alzheimer s. This was very upsetting to me. I'll be 48 in a few week. I'm going to go to a different doctor to get a second opinion in 2 weeks. In the meantime I'm stopping my meds and I'll see if my cognition gets any better. I know stopping my meds might not be the best idea but I'm hopeful that it won't throw me into a manic episode. If it does I guess I will start taking my meds again.

I'm just curious how it's going for you. I hope ur doing ok.

[PoorPrincess]

I hope that you'll keep posted here.
I have to request to the new pdoc for tests. I was tested years ago.
So much cognitively is not right and I'm sure it's not Alzheimer's.
It was determined to be cognitive impairment secondary to closed head injury/collision.
These psych meds do their number on our brains also I'm sure.

[MagicsMom]

I take Seroquel and Lamictal and have been suffering from cognitive impairment in the form of I can't remember a lot. Both long and short term. My grandmother had Alzheimer's and it scares me but I know it's the meds. But I have to take them.

please, please do not go off all your meds at once. It's a very dangerous plan.