Beth's Keeping Track Post

Enlightenment!? I want some of that, too! I'm glad it's working for you, as I know how anxious you were for quite some time there!

16mg perphenazine is definitely helping my anxiety/panic levels to decrease. I'm much calmer and more logical in my thinking.

Dr. W wants me to increase the perphenazine (AP) to 20mg. She believes that the severe anxiety is a bipolar episode. Were I not on meds, I may be experiencing a full-on mania. Or depression. Or mixed state.

Hugs BethRags

I was wondering where Bizi was, I noticed she hugged your post.

Sorry I can't give helpful input re meds.

I hope your day is a better one today

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fuzzybear Hugs BethRags I was wondering where Bizi was, I noticed she hugged your post. Sorry I can't give helpful input re meds. I hope your day is a better one today

I haven't seen bizi in a little while.

Thank you, Fuzzy dear

Isn't Bizi on vacation in Illinois or Indiana? I thought she was going to be gone a couple weeks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeyondtheRainbow Isn't Bizi on vacation in Illinois or Indiana? I thought she was going to be gone a couple weeks.

I think she is.

Dr. W gone.


I'm pretty stable. Slight depression that nags at me. A bit of anxiety. Overall, meds doing well.

A.M.
Wellbutrin 75mg.
Klonopin 1mg.
Amantadine 100mg.

(tbc)

hi beth I don't understand your saying that DR.W gone.
tell me what that means.
yes I went to indiana for 10 days to visit family.

We flew and rented a car which was expensive. The car rental cost more than our airfare.
bizi

Quote:

Originally Posted by bizi hi beth I don't understand your saying that DR.W gone. tell me what that means. yes I went to indiana for 10 days to visit family. We flew and rented a car which was expensive. The car rental cost more than our airfare. bizi

Car rental is absurdly expensive.

My pdoc left her practice at the clinic where I'm a patient. No notice, no closure. I saw her almost every week and now she's left her job.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BethRags Dr. W gone. I'm pretty stable. Slight depression that nags at me. A bit of anxiety. Overall, meds doing well. A.M. Wellbutrin 75mg. Klonopin 1mg. Amantadine 100mg. Trilafon (perphenazine) 8mg. Metformin 500mg. P.M. Trilafon 12mg. Pristiq 75mg. Amantadine 100mg. Metformin 500mg. Amlodipine 10mg. Lamictal 150mg. Klonopin 1mg./.5mg. every other night

I am sorry no closure.
((((((HUGS))))))
bizi

Quote:

Originally Posted by bizi I am sorry no closure. ((((((HUGS)))))) bizi

Thank you, bizi. Yep, I saw her almost every week for over 3 years. She left her job at the clinic on Wednesday. Word was she had a major conflict with higher-ups. I thought she and I had a nice bond...I'm hoping she'll at least send a form letter

That is a long time. maybe you could get her mailing address. Or ask if they could mail it so no hippa violations that way.
I don't know, just brain storming.
((((HUGS)))))
bizi

Quote:

Originally Posted by bizi That is a long time. maybe you could get her mailing address. Or ask if they could mail it so no hippa violations that way. I don't know, just brain storming. ((((HUGS))))) bizi

That is a really good idea! Thanks!

I haven't updated this thread in too long.


My tremor is absolutely out of control. It actually keeps me from falling asleep because I'm shaking so badly. I saw the neurologist; she prescribed propanolol. I'm at 160mg, which I cannot tolerate because my BP is so low, as is my heart rate. Walking a short distance is very difficult. I have to decrease it to 120mg.

At the same time I am decreasing the perphenazine, due to the tremoring. I have dropped Pristiq to 50mg. and the icy new pdoc raised Wellbutrin to 450mg.

Several changes at once. Not my choice, but no other way around it, due to the tremoring. I don't want to develop TD. The tremoring is quite literally unbearable.


Mood wise - mostly depressed and anxious, which the tremor contributes to (shake and you feel anxious). I've reached the end of my rope, finally, with covid. The isolation is damning. I can barely stand it anymore- but what to do?

I am wondering if the very small, verrry slow Klonopin taper is actually contributing to the anxiety. How to know, except to go back to the original dose, see how I feel.

Please no criticisms. Please understand that this tremor is severe, and potentially dangerous as far as TD.

this is probably stupid but have you been on cogentin? Did they discuss that new TD med that just came out? (I only know about it from tv.....not the greatest source I admit). I had a patient given haldol for TD that manifested as tremors. I don't know if it worked but he did improve at least somewhat. I would have thought (and at the time did) that this was a weird solution but like I said he did improve.

I'm sorry you are going through this. I've had EPS so many times that we skipped trying a typical AP before going to clozapine. We briefly discussed trilafon and then just decided it wasn't worth it to waste time trying it and a few weeks in having to stop and then move to clozapine.

Beth I wish you felt better and had no tremors

I'm so sorry you're feeling so depressed, anxious, and generally crappy. Mine might be a minority opinion, but it might be worth trying to increase your Klonopin intake. Please take care of yourself, Beth.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeyondtheRainbow this is probably stupid but have you been on cogentin? Did they discuss that new TD med that just came out? (I only know about it from tv.....not the greatest source I admit). I had a patient given haldol for TD that manifested as tremors. I don't know if it worked but he did improve at least somewhat. I would have thought (and at the time did) that this was a weird solution but like I said he did improve. I'm sorry you are going through this. I've had EPS so many times that we skipped trying a typical AP before going to clozapine. We briefly discussed trilafon and then just decided it wasn't worth it to waste time trying it and a few weeks in having to stop and then move to clozapine.

No, it's not stupid, Rainbow. Yes, I've been on Cogentin. It didn't help the tremor. I feel scared at this point...I don't want this thing all of my life.

I've seen the commercial for the TD med, too, and wondered about it. Then I read all the side effects and while I'm usually stoic when it comes to accepting side effects, the possible ones from that TD med sound downright creepy.

Thanks Rainbow

Quote:

Originally Posted by buddha1too I'm so sorry you're feeling so depressed, anxious, and generally crappy. Mine might be a minority opinion, but it might be worth trying to increase your Klonopin intake. Please take care of yourself, Beth.

Thank you, honey. So much Know what? I'm thinking about the K-pin, too. I'm wondering if this whole mess is due to my lowered dose, even though it's only a tiny bit down.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Miguel'smom Beth I wish you felt better and had no tremors

Thank you, Mm. You are so sweet

Yeah, the TD med looks strong. It's too bad they can't come out with meds that work gently. I just was diagnosed with bladder spasms and an overactive bladder and am on this med that has such annoying side effects 80% of people stop taking the category of meds within one year. I guess they decide to suffer in silence. For me I am ok with the side effects compared to psych meds but it's making me so sleepy. Not at night obviously (fel asleep and woke up...ugh) but I have a very hard time waking before noon and many days if I can take a nap I do.. I hate it.

I hope you get answers soon.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeyondtheRainbow Yeah, the TD med looks strong. It's too bad they can't come out with meds that work gently. I just was diagnosed with bladder spasms and an overactive bladder and am on this med that has such annoying side effects 80% of people stop taking the category of meds within one year. I guess they decide to suffer in silence. For me I am ok with the side effects compared to psych meds but it's making me so sleepy. Not at night obviously (fel asleep and woke up...ugh) but I have a very hard time waking before noon and many days if I can take a nap I do.. I hate it. I hope you get answers soon.

The perphenazine gives me an overactive bladder - then makes it difficult to pee. *sigh* I'm so fed up with meds that give all sorts of side effects, but don't work well.


Anyway, I'm really sorry you have to suffer with the bladder issue. It's very difficult.

Yet again I have given up on the Klonopin taper. The whole tapering thing was my idea. Although my former pdoc was supportive of my choice, she wasn't in any rush to titrate down. Klonopin works for me and torturing myself to quit it is just not the answer.

The new pdoc told me to stop Cogentin, I have no idea why. Since the proponalol isn't helping my tremor I've gone back to cogentin. 1mg./day. It's already helped the tremor. That pdoc is such a loser, I hope I'm not stuck with her for a very long time (a new in-person pdoc has been hired by the clinic and is starting to make appointments).

Anyway, back on the Cogentin and a lessened tremor feels like such a relief.