[AngstyLady]

I always want to tell people that they should'nt when I see that they are, but I don't want to offend anyone so I thought I'd start a thread here instead. That way, if you wanna talk about it, you can, or just read the thread and no feel forced into a conversation you don't want to have . . .
Anyway, it would seem to me that haveing three or more meds would cause interaction issues, and thus cause more problems than solutions- whenever I've known people who take three or more medications, they are always emotionally/mentally unstable . . . that's more of a reason to go holisitic. . .

[eeyorestail]

Polypharmacy is a pretty standard operating procedure in psychiatry. I don't necessarily think this is a good thing, because drugs interact with each other in ways that can't be predicted sometimes. It also makes it difficult to figure out which med is doing what in terms of symptom relief and side effects.

On the other hand, there have been times when being on many meds at once is what has worked for me, and when that has been my only choice as far as functioning like a (semi-) normal human being, I saw it as a necessary evil.

whenever I've known people who take three or more medications, they are always emotionally/mentally unstable

Do you think it's always the case that they are emotionally/mentally unstable because they are on many meds, or do you think it's possible they are on many meds because they are emotionally/mentally unstable? Just a thought.

[Victoria'smom]

I take 4 meds (actually 3 but I'm prescribed 4)
Effexor- Antidepressant
Burbar- Anti-anxiety
lamictal- Mood stablizer
Abilify- antipsycotic
__________________________
See they're all for diffrent aspects of my disorder.

[~Christina]

Everyones body processes medications differently. I metabolize any medication really fast . If my husband take a dose of NyQuil he needs a solid 14 hours to be able to funtion like normal, He just processes slowly .

I'm a bit offended , maybe I am not understanding just how you meant your statement regarding a person being more unstable based off medication amounts.


The amount of medications a person is on doesn't mean they are better or worse than anyone else.

I hope you never get judged based off any amount of medications you might possibly need to take.

take care

I just assumed they are under a doctors care and the doctor prescribed them? That doesn't mean its a good thing or even that they have to take them but when a doctor prescribes something for someone else who I know nothing about well...

[HALLIEBETH87]

Ok so Im a bit offended. I used to take just one med...guess what...I needed more help! I take a cocktail of 5 meds right now. Im about to go down to 4. Why so many? Because the last 3 years have been nothing but hell and my doctors have been trying to get my bipolar under control. right now my cocktail works and Im not doing the self destructive things Im prone to do. My moods are stabilizing. Things are getting better. Not everyone can take one med and feel better. Sometimes it take more than one. Everyone is different.

Just saying.

[Hellion]

I think it is really a matter of if the combination causes more benefit than issues...drugs certainly can interact but that stuff is usually weighed and some people react differently. For instance there are probably some people that could not take as high a dosage of sedating sort of drugs as me without having adverse effects. I currently just take mirtazapine and valium and still have trazodone prescribed for when I cannot sleep...but for some people taking valium on mirtazapine might make them too drowsy but I tolerate it fine. I also do smoke cannabis on a fairly regular basis and I do drink tea/coffee and other drinks with caffeine....and as far as I can tell everything's interacting alright.

I have certainly tried meds that I feel have made me more emotionally unstable, like SSRI anti-depressants or similar drugs to that...so I do not doubt sometimes certain drugs might make some people worse or bring out more symptoms. Also though even if someone is taking medication that helps...they are still going to experience symptoms from time to time and have bad days, medications don't typically make the issue go away entirely they just are meant to reduce symptoms.

I do not feel like it is ever a good idea to just blindly take any drug prescribed, or just accept whatever is added on without any thinking it through or research....make sure to tell any doctor/psychaitrist all the medications/drugs you use and conditions you have, sometimes people get prescribed too much things or things that have bad interactions because they don't mention it and not every doctor/psychatrist is interconnected so they can miss those things unless the patient/client informs them.

Everybody who has a choice does whatever they think is best for themselves.
Some people choose to place themselves under the care of "Mental Health Professionals" and take whatever medication they are prescribed.
Other people have been there and done that, but later found a better way for themselves.
We all have to live with whatever choices we make.
Being offended by other people's thoughts is a choice

[Smellyfinger]

Every med has its purpose when you're dealing with multiple disorders

[Hexagram]

'Taking so many different meds at once' is the foundation of modern psychopharmacology.
Perhaps if you were to take more and different meds (at once), you could better identify with others' polypharmaceutical lifestyles.

[BreakForTheLight]

Originally Posted by Indefatigable

Everybody who has a choice does whatever they think is best for themselves.
Some people choose to place themselves under the care of "Mental Health Professionals" and take whatever medication they are prescribed.
Other people have been there and done that, but later found a better way for themselves.
We all have to live with whatever choices we make.
Being offended by other people's thoughts is a choice

Personally I interpreted the first post as more of a question out of curiousity, or even concern, not offensive.

[magical loser]

been on 1 is bad enough, cant imagine been on more. i dont understand it

Originally Posted by BreakForTheLight

Personally I interpreted the first post as more of a question out of curiousity, or even concern, not offensive.

I didn't find it offensive but I'm not easily offended. It would be naive to think that it wouldn't be... controversial at best.

Originally Posted by BreakForTheLight

Personally I interpreted the first post as more of a question out of curiousity, or even concern, not offensive.

Hi BreakForTheLight,
You misinterpreted my statement when I wrote that being offended by other people's thoughts is a choice. I was not referring to the original post.

I talk about concepts, ideas, theories and truths and as such they stand on their own merits without the need to compare or reference them with anything else.

It is commendable and noble nevertheless to stand up for another when one feels the other has been misunderstood or harmed. Of course in doing so one takes the risk of inserting their foot in their mouth.

It's all good

People with weak minds and convictions are offended by people who disagree with them.
It is unfortunate that a person feels a need to justify themselves for speaking their mind.

There is no medication available at this time that will make people stop looking for faults in others instead of looking (so they can correct themselves) for the faults in themselves.

If you do not feel well it means that something is wrong.
It is our own responsibility to figure out what is wrong.

[brainhi]

I have tried different meds throughout the years. Sometimes I was doing well on something and they would switch it...I think there was some concern of certain meds to be addictive.

At one point I was taking a combination and then divorced so did not have health insurance - OMG- now, that was awful. These drugs are expensive. I had to come off everything and find something I could afford. That took a couple years - the lowest time in my life - I was getting support - trying to do all the right things. Trying out meds I could afford. Then - finally - we found something I could afford and it worked.. and it worked fast. I faced all the same obstacles but was able to get things done. The meds did not solve my problems but they sure did give me what I needed to work on my life...

Every now and then I have felt overwhelmed with anxiety - the P-Doc added a little something to the medication I take to help... but I did not have to stay on it.. got me thru a tough period.

I currently take 2 types of meds for my issues... but the most important thing is I had to learn different ways of thinking. Meditation is next on my list.

I do not care if I have to make the meds the rest of my life. I feel better than I did when I was younger - it was not just the meds that helped...retraining my thought process was also very important.

I think it's good that someone wants to understand what others do to be well... but it is not a one size fits all.

[spondiferous]

The only thing that concerns me about the idea of taking multiple medications is, are they serving a purpose that cannot be fulfilled more healthfully and less (potentially) harmfully in some other way? Psychopharmacology exists (presumably) to help people, and for some people it works very well. For others it does not. I am one of those people, and I am also on more than one med, and every single day I question whether or not they are doing a single bit of good for me. But then once I am on them it is difficult to get medical professionals to even look at the possibility that they might not be having any kind of effect. Every time I have gone to a psychiatrist and have asked me how I'm doing and I'm in distress about something, they want to change or add to my medication. I get the feeling that I'm just not supposed to feel anything. The truth is that life is not static.
If meds help people, great. I question sometimes who is actually being helped though. Ultimately it is between the doctor(s) and their patient. I was very fortunate that my first regular psychiatrist understood my sensitivity to medication and never forced me to stay on anything, and was more than willing to help me try all kinds of different things and keep an open mind.

[-jimi-]

I have a friend who is on I think 5 psych meds, but then he is on 2 narcotic pain killers as well and then different heart meds and diabetes meds and meds to counteract side effects. About 40 pills a day. I really don't get why it is so "good" to drug someone down to the point where they can't take care of themselves. Most of his "illness" is med side effects. Docs seems to think lifestyle changes are not necessary, just add more meds.

He got one med that made him have bad thoughts and pain and instead of looking into that, wham! antipsychotic and pain meds.

I'm on a whole bunch of medication and I wish I didn't have to be on so many, but it's apparently what my pdocs (regular pdoc and ECT pdoc) think I need to be on, so I'm not going to argue about it.

[splitimage]

I'm currently on 5 psych meds, plus a prescription strength ant-acid. It's taken years to get me on a cocktail that's working for me. Each med works through a different mechanism on the brain, and treats different symptoms.

But I've also worked hard at Therapy and meditation, and learning CBT and DBT.

But now I'm relatively happy (have the normal ups and downs) and stable.

splitimage

[jacky8807]

its like that old saying don't bring up politics and religion at a party....if that party has bipolar (or whatever) people don't bring up politics religions and the controversial to take or not take meds haha
I personally don't like to be on a lot of meds but then again I have been more unstable than not in the last couple of years
I would probably be more stable on meds but I don't like the feeling of most of them
its really a personal choice and its definitely always better to being getting more benefits than bad effects on a med
they save many a person though

[(JD)]

Originally Posted by jacky8807

its like that old saying don't bring up politics and religion at a party....if that party has bipolar (or whatever) people don't bring up politics religions and the controversial to take or not take meds haha
I personally don't like to be on a lot of meds but then again I have been more unstable than not in the last couple of years
I would probably be more stable on meds but I don't like the feeling of most of them
its really a personal choice and its definitely always better to being getting more benefits than bad effects on a med
they save many a person though

That's really a funny statement (the first) actually the REAL clause was not to talk about SEX, MONEY, POLITICS nor RELIGION.... but of course everyone today talks about all of them, without shame too!

[jacky8807]

Originally Posted by (JD)

That's really a funny statement (the first) actually the REAL clause was not to talk about SEX, MONEY, POLITICS nor RELIGION.... but of course everyone today talks about all of them, without shame too!

haha I knew I was forgetting something but like you said anything goes now!

[Alone_and_Afraid]

I'm prescribed Wellbutrin and Paxil. The doctor says the combination is great. I also take Doxepin for anxiety and insomnia. There is not a magic pill.

[ofthevalley]

I take 7 meds. They all do something important for my well being.

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