Beth's Keeping Track Post

The nice thing about Wellbutrin is that it doesn't cause weight gain. and I am guessing that some of the medication you are on might. I have always asked my doctors for less medication but have finally stopped. I am stable now so this is why my doctor doesn't want to change it and now I accept that. I am less anxious about taking medications now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TunedOut The nice thing about Wellbutrin is that it doesn't cause weight gain. and I am guessing that some of the medication you are on might. I have always asked my doctors for less medication but have finally stopped. I am stable now so this is why my doctor doesn't want to change it and now I accept that. I am less anxious about taking medications now.

Thank you for your input, TO. I appreciate it. Yes, I have gained a ridiculous amount of weight since being on Seroquel. Now I have it down to 12.5mg though, with the hope of going off this spring.

My pdoc has me on 150 of Seroquel but insists its "just for sleep". I tried weaning off last year but couldn't sleep so I gave up that idea.

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Originally Posted by Moose72 My pdoc has me on 150 of Seroquel but insists its "just for sleep". I tried weaning off last year but couldn't sleep so I gave up that idea.

150 is really high for sleep! The common dose for use as a sleep aid is 50, 25, or 12.5. But better to stay away from it, imo.

my doctor put me on seroquel 200mg for sleep then 300mg never worked so got off of it easily because I was not on it very long.
I take 1mg of klonipin to sleep well now except when I have to get up frequently to go pee.
I had put on so much weight, need to get serious about losing this weight.
bizi

I'll ask pdoc next time she calls. Not exactly sure when that will be- maybe the 5th? They called and a recording told me when my next appointment is but I wasn't near anything to write it down in.

Appt. with Dr. W.:


Decrease Pristiq to 50mg.
Decrease Amantadine to 50mg.

My eventual goal is to stop everything except Lamictal, Wellbutrin, Trilafon, and Klonopin (which I'm slowly titrating down on).

hi beth,
I know you are happy with the decreases. May I ask why you want decreases in your meds? Do you feel drugged or is it more that you don't like how you feel....do you eventually want to not take medication in the future.

bizi

Quote:

Originally Posted by bizi hi beth, I know you are happy with the decreases. May I ask why you want decreases in your meds? Do you feel drugged or is it more that you don't like how you feel....do you eventually want to not take medication in the future. bizi

I'm okay with taking the meds I need in order to feel stable, functional, and have a "normally" good mental outlook.

The reason I want to decrease some meds (and go off them) is because I am on so many medications. For example, being on 2 antidepressants probably isn't necessary. The Amantadine is being more hurtful than helpful. So yeah...it's just too many meds causing side effects and interacting with each other. In addition to psych meds I also take a blood pressure medication and Metformin. My pdoc and GP keep nagging at me to decrease my med load. I hope I can get it down to the ones I really need, only.

Sounds logical!
keep up your hope that things will eaze up on you.
(((((HUGS)))))
bizi

The Wellbutrin 200/daily is working really well. For some reason, Wellbutrin was the last AD I wanted to try, and it turned out to be the best one!

The decrease in Pristiq is going just fine, as is the (verrry slow) Klonopin decrease. The only negative effect I'm getting from the decrease in Amantadine is heavy tremor in my hands. But the rest of me feels much better. I can take Cogentin, but I hate to add something else when I'm trying to lose some of the meds.

I get ya. But it depends just how bad the tremors are bothering you.

What is wrong with cogentin?
I take it as a preventative...I take haldol 5mg twice a day.
bizi

Quote:

Originally Posted by bizi What is wrong with cogentin? I take it as a preventative...I take haldol 5mg twice a day. bizi

Nothing is wrong with it, the only problem is that I'm trying to drop a few meds so I am reluctant to add yet another one.

The only other issue with Cogentin is that I've taken it several times before and it didn't do anything to stop the hand tremors. Disappointing. I believe Cogentin is prescribed more for akathesia than for tremors. But, I do have an unused bottle, so might try a few doses, see if it helps with the shaky hands.

Good that you are willing to try.....
keeps us informed, thanks for sharing.
(((((HUGS)))))
bizi

3 nights ago I dropped the Pristiq down to 25mg. I haven't noticed any physical problems with the decrease. The past 10 days have been rough for a few reasons, specifically grief and loss. It's difficult right now to discern if there's any loss of benefit from the Pristiq decrease. Hopefully that will clarify by this time next week. Fingers crossed.

So it's been six nights of Pristiq at only 25mg. The only unusual feeling I've noticed is a few days of a degree of nausea that comes and goes. Also more achiness than usual. I'm not convinced that it's the Pristiq decrease, though. Certainly could be, but I feel like I may have picked up a bit of a bug. It's always so difficult to discern what's-what when it comes to medication withdrawal. I do feel a slight bit of depression, but I'd expect that, with decreasing the Pristiq while not yet increasing the Wellbutrin.

I'll see my pdoc on Tuesday, I'm hoping she'll agree to increasing Wellbutrin.

I hope you feel better soon.
bizi
one of the meds that you are decreasing is meant to treat the tremors. Do you think some other medication is causing the tremors?
bizi

I know nothing about this but what comes to mind is don't assume every ache and pain is withdrawal because we are at the age where all kinds of things can go wrong. Hope you feel better soon.

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Originally Posted by bizi I hope you feel better soon. bizi one of the meds that you are decreasing is meant to treat the tremors. Do you think some other medication is causing the tremors? bizi

Yes, the AP I'm on (Trilafon). My pdoc has reached her limit on what to do to treat tremor/akathesia. She seems to think a neurologist will have some ideas. Hmm...I'm not so sure, but I'll try an appointment with one.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TunedOut I know nothing about this but what comes to mind is don't assume every ache and pain is withdrawal because we are at the age where all kinds of things can go wrong. Hope you feel better soon.

Aches and pains are, unfortunately, a regular part of my life. I assume I have fibromyalgia, I've just never bothered to ask a doctor about it. No, that's not true - my pdoc thinks I have it.

The med withdrawal aches mimic the flu...aches, nausea, headache. Hopefully it's not med w/d, though.

thinking of you today.
(((((HUGS)))))
bizi

UUUGGGGGHHHHH.

For months she said I'm on too many medications. I agreed.

Too many meds.

I decreased 2 with the hope of going off of them.

No go.

Currently:
Wellbutrin XL (first one tomorrow; works on serotonin and dopamine)
Pristiq 50mg. (works on serotonin)
Amantadine 100mg.
K-pin 1.5 - 2mg
Trilafon 12mg.
Seroquel for sleep 12.5mg


And bp med and Metformin.

I wave the white flag, I'm stuck on a multitude of meds forever. *sigh*

I'm sorry

@BethRags: The least meds possible is best of course. But i met two separate schizophrenic men who were on 20 meds. And they were proud of it! One carried the slip from his pharmacy in his wallet and whipped it out to show me like a medal or something! Like, "Look at me, look how sick i am!" The other one proudly demonstrated how he could swallow his 20 pills effortlessly -- a rather dubious skill.

My point being that while multiple meds are a concern, you're no where near these two lulus.