[lifetimemeds]

Which medication side effect would be the most likely reason you would want to quit a drug even if the drug seemed to be helping?

[~Christina]

Originally Posted by lifetimemeds

Which medication side effect would be the most likely reason you would want to quit a drug even if the drug seemed to be helping?

I have an issue with being turned in to a zombie or eat everything that moves and still wanting to eat my sofa , I also have issues with ridiculous weight gain or lactation. AND all the things listed on your poll.

But that's just what I have been through.

[manxcatwoman]

I have a lot of the side effects but I voted for insomnia.

Weight gain and tremors are the big ones for me, but I would have to add ear ringing. I got that from one med three years ago and it has not gone away. I don't think I will ever have peace and quiet again for the rest of my life. I hate the pdoc who told me to increase the med, saying the ringing would go away. Idiot.

[BNLsMOM]

For the category of other, I had severe suicidal thoughts and actions that were far worse and more realistic when I was on meds. For weight gain, it is more about how the rest of my body reacts to extra weight with higher blood pressure and cholesterol and general weakness rather than what I look like, though I can say I look a heck of a lot better now that I have dropped 40 of the 75 lbs that meds put on me. At the moment I am med free and I want to keep it that way through lifestyle and nutrition/supplementation.

[HALLIEBETH87]

Hmmm two bad I've had is my tongue/throat swelling with ability and ocular dystonia with geodon.

[lifetimemeds]

My worst experience was when Wellbutrin was added to Celexa. I had uncontrollable and sudden urinary incontinence. Couldn't safely go anywhere. Lost control in Walmart food aisle. Wet my car seat twice on way home from appt with T. Wet pew at church. Had to change clothes 4-5 times a day. Many accidents in kitchen or on sofa watching TV. Imagine the humiliation of having to wear Depends at age 61.

Loss of bladder control is a rare side effect of Celexa (my doc didn't know about it). I had no problems with Celexa alone. Wellbutrin is known to increase side effects from Celexa. It took 6 months to discover the cause of my problem. My OB-GYN prescribed Myrbetriq but didn't help. I finally researched all possible drug interactions at drugs.com and discovered the side effect from Celexa and the interaction with Wellbutrin. I stopped the Celexa with approval of pdoc and the 6-month nightmare went away in two weeks.

[lifetimemeds]

Originally Posted by BNLsMOM

For the category of other, I had severe suicidal thoughts and actions that were far worse and more realistic when I was on meds. For weight gain, it is more about how the rest of my body reacts to extra weight with higher blood pressure and cholesterol and general weakness rather than what I look like, though I can say I look a heck of a lot better now that I have dropped 40 of the 75 lbs that meds put on me. At the moment I am med free and I want to keep it that way through lifestyle and nutrition/supplementation.

Good for you. That is awesome.

[Greenfins7]

Kidney disease from Lithium toxicity. Yeah, that's the worst for me. So long, Lithium.

[lifetimemeds]

Greenfins7: Did you take an overdose or just long-term high blood level?

[Greenfins7]

I neglected to get my blood tests. My psychiatrist didn't notice because he is a scatter brain. The levels became toxic. I found out by accident getting a blood test for something else. By then the damage was done. My kidneys function at 41% right now. I have chronic kidney disease, stage 3 because of lithium. I take Depakote ER now. It's filtered through the liver. I get blood tests every six months. I'd never take an overdose. I'm not criticizing those who do.

[Greenfins7]

Don't feel sorry for me. It's my own fault. Get your blood tests, people.

[lifetimemeds]

Originally Posted by Greenfins7

I neglected to get my blood tests. My psychiatrist didn't notice because he is a scatter brain. The levels became toxic. I found out by accident getting a blood test for something else. By then the damage was done. My kidneys function at 41% right now. I have chronic kidney disease, stage 3 because of lithium. I take Depakote ER now. It's filtered through the liver. I get blood tests every six months. I'd never take an overdose. I'm not criticizing those who do.

My doc was discussing possibly increasing my lithium. She asked, "you're not going to go overdose and kill your kidneys." Absolutely not. No way I going create more medical problems. That's the only reason asked.

[tipper1492]

Oh Lord I know so little. Age 64. No more sex, can't seem to "rise" for such an event. It hasn't cause problems for wife and I anyway. I take: DEPAKOTE ER, 500 MG, 1 AM & 2 PM. CELEXA, 40 MG DAILY, WELLBUTRIN SR 150 MG TWICE DAILY, TRAZADONE 50 MG, 1 TO 2 TABS AT BEDTIME. My left hand (mostly I think) tremors now and then. Sleep well. Which one can be bad for kidneys? Over all my medications do the job. Before any of the medications, I had a number of unwanted emotions including anger.

[tipper1492]

I see, lithium can damage kidneys.

[Blue_Bird]

Originally Posted by Greenfins7

Kidney disease from Lithium toxicity. Yeah, that's the worst for me. So long, Lithium.

Yeah I had Lithium Toxicity. Was in the ICU for a week and was really sick before that. Shaking, throwing up, falling down. Had a seizure while there and had to get dialysis. Not fun that's for sure.

[Crazy Hitch]

That foggy sleepy feeling sucks when I begin seroquel.

[SillyKitty]

My hands always shake, but I'm so used to it, I forget until someone points it out. If it got any worse, it'd be a deal breaker.

[MujerTriste]

I voted for Insomnia, weight gain, and restlessness. I lost my sex drive a long time ago and I really do feel that loss but I can live with it over the other ones. When I don't sleep I get suicidal, when I am fat I start hating myself and feel disgusting, and restlessness is unbearable to me.
But to be honest, i am so Frikin sick of all the side effects of these psych meds! There are too many to count. I can't tell the difference between my bipolar disorder and the medication side effects anymore. Its all one big ball of fun

[Darvula]

The reason I stopped taking meds was that they made me feel like a stranger in my own head. I decided that it was better to be crazy me and recognise myself than medicated and a stranger inside my own mind.

Darvula

[angelene]

Latuda — either on its own or in concert with all my other meds — erased a lot of my memories. Like brain-damage-level amnesia. The worst part is I don't know what's missing until someone else points it out. It's frustrating, to say the least, for everyone when someone else has to tell you where you were, what you did, what you said, etc.

I think a good example is: I saw a Cirque du Soliel performance 2 years ago. I remember none of it. Along with a lot of other things it got deleted.
The other day a friend referenced an inside joke. I didn't remember it. The scary part isn't just the absent memory, it's that my memory doesn't get jogged and I say or think, "Oh, yeah, I remember that now." No. It's just like whatever it was never happened to me.

[Crazy Hitch]

I should have voted other for lithium which caused my thyroid to stop functioning.

[kmptrgeek]

I was put on Remeron and gained 50lbs. I started eating boxes of Nutty Bars in a single setting. I didn't want to get to the point that a wall had to be removed to get me out, so I had my psych to change it...to Effexor. I have a new psych now.

[Polibeth]

Weight gain is a deal breaker for me. I gained 70 lbs on my previous med cocktail and I am working on losing that now (down about 15 pounds from my heaviest).

[THE16THDOCTOR]

akathisia. It's a nightmare. Panic restlessness grinding teeth unable to sit still tense. It's excruciating.