[99fairies]

Iv'e been home from the hospital for a few weeks now, after being there for 3 months. I went in on 2 meds, came home on 13. The magic pill seems to be the Haldol. But I'm scared to start going off the other meds because what I'm on now is working wonders. I don't want to mess that up. It's just so hard to know what to wean myself off of when I don't know what helping and what's not. I would never do any of this on my own, only with doctors supervision. But how is he supposed to know either?

If you haven't tried journaling, you should try it. I don't know if you're going to wean off any meds anytime soon, but I would recommend for you to start journaling today so that you can get an idea of what your baseline is like. Then if you go off a certain med, you can journal that too and then you have something to compare to baseline.

[downandlonely]

Journaling is a good idea. And make sure you only wean off one at a time. I was on 4 meds for a while. Now I'm on 3. I'll see my pdoc on Monday and see about weaning off another one.

Two to 13 is an incredible jump. Are they all bipolar meds? Or are some for side effects, other?

I've been on large cocktails. Many would consider me still on a very large cocktail, but it has been trimmed down. It was with the assistance/direction of my long-time psychiatrist.

Some of the meds I used to be on I was on needlessly in the end, but it took bad side effects to finally start the trimming down process. One med's gradual elimination only brought positives (side effect elimination with no breakthrough mood issues). Another was a shakier elimination (breakthrough mood episodes and withdrawal). With the latter, I needed a remaining antipsychotic's dose increased, but I prefer a larger dose of one antipsychotic over a full dose of one plus a medium dose of a second.

I now know what role each of my current medications represent. It's possible two could still be eliminated (soon Ativan and possibly my Lamictal). I'm not quite rushing, though. I know my psychiatrist would allow me to eliminate my Ativan from my current mini dose. He'd be angry if I eliminated Lamictal without his approval. I doubt he'd allow that.

[99fairies]

I'm only on one med for side effects. I take all my meds though out the day. But I'm clear, I have energy and I don't feel over medicated at all. 5 of the meds are ap's. And mood stabilizers.

[~Christina]

Finally you found some stability, please please don’t poke the bear.

You were going through hell for months prior to getting useful help.

Talk to you Pdoc about your concerns

: hug:

[Nammu]

Give stability a few months before messing with what works. I often think about quoting my AP but then I think how sometimes the second time I try a med it doesn't work as well, .....so I'm leaving it alone, been stable now 4 plus years.

Originally Posted by 99fairies

I'm only on one med for side effects. I take all my meds though out the day. But I'm clear, I have energy and I don't feel over medicated at all. 5 of the meds are ap's. And mood stabilizers.

Are you referring to the number of pills or the number of medications? Five different antipsychotics per day would be the most I've ever heard of taken. I only took max three different antipsychotics per day (Geodon 2 pills/day, Trilafon 2 or 3 pills/day, and Seroquel XR 1 or 2 pills/day). I took moodstabilizers at that same time, too.

Originally Posted by 99fairies

Iv'e been home from the hospital for a few weeks now, after being there for 3 months. I went in on 2 meds, came home on 13. The magic pill seems to be the Haldol. But I'm scared to start going off the other meds because what I'm on now is working wonders. I don't want to mess that up. It's just so hard to know what to wean myself off of when I don't know what helping and what's not. I would never do any of this on my own, only with doctors supervision. But how is he supposed to know either?

Your doctor has training and, hopefully, experience. My drugs make me anxious too but everything in this life has risks! If something bad happens--you will deal with it then. In the meantime--are you suffering less? Is your quality of life better than before? (It sounds like it is.) Also, tell the doctor about your specific worries. Mine dropped my dosages when I told her. In my own personal situation, I sometimes experiment with skipping doses for reasons like--improving sex, weight, etc but it alway causes problems for me when I try to get off my drugs. I don't know if I need them because of my brain chemistry or because my brain chemistry is messed up because I started down this psych drug road but I am not sure we can ever go back to the way life once was. Life doesn't work like that. Oh well. One day at a time.

[99fairies]

All of them are individual medications.

[Wild Coyote]

I am thrilled for you in that you have found stability and energy!

You and your family must be thrilled?
Are you experiencing a better quality of life with this med regimen?

Many hugs!


WC

[99fairies]

MUCH better quality of life. My whole family is better off now. It feels like a miracle after being so unwell for so long. I thought I was a lost cause.

[Pookyl]

I’m really happy that you’re feeling better.
Try not to worry about how many meds you need instead focus on the fact that finally things are going well.

[Blueberrybook]

Originally Posted by 99fairies

Iv'e been home from the hospital for a few weeks now, after being there for 3 months. I went in on 2 meds, came home on 13. The magic pill seems to be the Haldol. But I'm scared to start going off the other meds because what I'm on now is working wonders. I don't want to mess that up. It's just so hard to know what to wean myself off of when I don't know what helping and what's not. I would never do any of this on my own, only with doctors supervision. But how is he supposed to know either?

I would go slowly with a pdoc’s help. I think it might be best to give it 2, 3 months back home and being stable before tapering. It is hard to know where to start the taper, but a good pdoc should be able to help. You definitely want a pdoc who changes one thing at a time, monitors that change and the results in your mood/behavior before starting another taper.

All that being said, God, I am on a ton of meds, thanks to using the state’s free/sliding scale mental health system when I was in college and grad school.

I did get off them eventually before attempting to become pregnant, but I was struggling a lot. By the end of my pregnancy, the OB had me on Zoloft and Xanax and putting myself on a waiting list to see a pdoc maybe 3 weeks postpartum.

I am certain I was not helped by constant SSRIS for over 10 years.

And then if there is a sucky, unfortunate, sometimes even bizarre traumatic event, it seems to find me, to pile on more garbage.

I do want to get on fewer meds, but I want to be stable first and also in a less stressful financial situation.

Without the meds, I would be worse though. I am pretty sure of that.

[liveforsummer]

Originally Posted by Pookyl

I’m really happy that you’re feeling better.
Try not to worry about how many meds you need instead focus on the fact that finally things are going well.

That makes sense, stay well

[*Laurie*]

fairies, I could not be happier to learn that you are feeling so much better! Like Christina posted, you have been struggling for so long, and so intensely. I understand the dislike of being on a lot of meds...but for now, please try not to focus on numbers and just put your energy into relaxing, feeling better and more stable.


I am very curious to know which meds you are on, if you don't mind sharing that.

[99fairies]

I'm on Zeldox,latuda, seroquel haldol, nozinan,clonanazepam, zyprexa, risperidol, abilify rexulti, zoplicone, procycladine,Invega, clozapine and ativan. oh, and lamictal, so I guess thats 16 all together.

[*Laurie*]

Thank you for sharing which meds you're taking. I know we're all different, but it's helpful to learn about the meds we all take.

[Guiness187055]

Originally Posted by 99fairies

I'm on Zeldox,latuda, seroquel haldol, nozinan,clonanazepam, zyprexa, risperidol, abilify rexulti, zoplicone, procycladine,Invega, clozapine and ativan. oh, and lamictal, so I guess thats 16 all together.

Holy anti psychotics Batman.

[bizi]

Originally Posted by 99fairies

I'm on Zeldox,latuda, seroquel haldol, nozinan,clonanazepam, zyprexa, risperidol, abilify rexulti, zoplicone, procycladine,Invega, clozapine and ativan. oh, and lamictal, so I guess thats 16 all together.

how do you keep them all straight?YOu would need to get a very large pill box 4xday. Does somebody help you?
(((((HUGS)))))
bizi

[pirilin]

I'm down to 5 mg of Paxil. 50 mg of clonazepan sometimes, and that's all she wrote.

Sometimes, less is more.

[bizi]

Originally Posted by pirilin

I'm down to 5 mg of Paxil. 50 mg of clonazepan sometimes, and that's all she wrote.

Sometimes, less is more.

do you mean .5mg of klonipin?
bizi

[pirilin]

Originally Posted by bizi

do you mean .5mg of klonipin?
bizi

Yeah. That.

Hi bizy.

Cheers.

[BipolaRNurse]

I used to think I was on too many meds. Then I had a breakthrough manic episode this spring that showed me I wasn't. I was chagrined to find out that I was still prone to cycling despite six meds (seven if you include the thyroid pill I was given to prevent depression) and had to accept an increase in one of them. So much for coming off antipsychotics...that was my goal, but it's never going to happen.