[Wander]

Hello everyone,

I am an inpatient at the moment after a severe depression and dysphoric mania. I have had 6 ECT treatments and have just had my meds reviewed and a few have been added - just look at my signature. I have found Lithium, Clonazapam and Zyprexa (Olanzapine) to be very helpful but am yet to have time to see the benefit of Pristiq, Lamictal and Risperdal. I have been very unwell and agree that something serious had to be done but am wondering if there is anyone else on so many meds, or even similar meds to mine. Am I on too much?? My doc seems to think not and I do trust him but still feel uneasy on so many meds.

Amazingly I feel fine on all these meds with few side fx so I have no reason to be concerned. If anything i am starting to feel a bit better which is a relief as I was in a very dark place. I am just taking it day by day at the moment.

[Jolisse]

I've been on 4 different meds at one time, if they work for you I don't see a problem

[Altered Moment]

I think I would question the need for these four at the same time.

Rx: Lithium 1000mg
Lamogtrigine 75mg
Olanzapine 10mg
Risperidone 2mg

[HALLIEBETH87]

I'm on four. One is prn

[Nightside of Eden]

What is the Risperdal supposed to be doing? Zyprexa and Risperdal are very similar, but Zyprexa is a bit more potent. It seems odd to be prescribed both, especially since you could go quite a bit higher on Zyprexa if 10mgs isn't quite cutting it. Also, your Lamictal dosage is probably too low to give you much benefit.

Those would be my only two concerns with your meds. I've known lots of people who took 6 psych meds, though the most I've personally taken at one time is 3.

[BipolaRNurse]

I'm on 6 psych meds, too, if you count the PRN Ativan I hardly ever use. I don't think it's all that unusual to be on so many, and if they do the job, it really shouldn't matter how much medication it takes to stay well.

Bipolar is a curious animal, I don't know of too many people who can manage it on one or two drugs. I think it's safe to say that most of us need at least three. Yeah, you and I both are on a lot of meds, but if they work, it's best to take them and not worry about the numbers. The way I look at it, I am on six medications because five were not enough. I'm also on two anti-psychotics because one wasn't enough, and I'll bet it's the same for you as well. Don't sweat it.....just get well and get out of the hospital

[Lexi232]

I'm on four. which is the most i've been on. but ive been on this many for a few years now.
normally i'm not on any, or just one or two meds. I have way too many PRN's to count and i rarely take them. (most are for crohns symptoms).
but right now i'm on:
Lamictal 150mg
Seroquel 150mg
Viibyrd 40mg
Vyvanse 30mg (was on 60mg until just the past few months).

[Wander]

Thanks so much for the feedback everyone. It has been very helpful. My Lamotrigine is being increased slowly so I will end up on a much higher dose. Before this hospitalisation I was on three meds but I fell into a big black hole. It is odd to me being on two AAP's but they actually seem to be working well together. In fact a few days into my new med regime and I feel much better so I think I will stick with it for now. It just freaked me out that I was on so much. It is remarkable how much better I feel. I was planning my suicide on Thursday and now I am quite chirpy. Quite a swift shift upwards I know, but I don't feel manic. I am just going to enjoy not feeling so low and agitated.

[ForeverLonelyGirl]

Originally Posted by Wander

Hello everyone,

I am an inpatient at the moment after a severe depression and dysphoric mania. I have had 6 ECT treatments and have just had my meds reviewed and a few have been added - just look at my signature. I have found Lithium, Clonazapam and Zyprexa (Olanzapine) to be very helpful but am yet to have time to see the benefit of Pristiq, Lamictal and Risperdal. I have been very unwell and agree that something serious had to be done but am wondering if there is anyone else on so many meds, or even similar meds to mine. Am I on too much?? My doc seems to think not and I do trust him but still feel uneasy on so many meds.

Amazingly I feel fine on all these meds with few side fx so I have no reason to be concerned. If anything i am starting to feel a bit better which is a relief as I was in a very dark place. I am just taking it day by day at the moment.

Dear Wander,

I'm so sorry that you are in the hospital, been there done that. I think at this point all you can do is continue to have faith in your doctor and trust him to have your best interest at heart. You say that you are feeling better with few side effects even with all the meds. That is a good sign!

You are very wise to take things one moment/one day at a time right now. That is a great attitude and you should have some support at least while you are there. Let them continue to monitor you closely on the meds until you are stable. I sure hope you continue to feel better!

lonelygirl

[splitimage]

Well, I'm on 5 psych meds, and like you have very few side effects, and the combination does seem to be working for me. I do occasionally find it weird that I'm on more psych meds than my roommate who has schizophrenia. And my brother, occasionally asks if it's good for my liver to be on so many meds.

But it seems to be working for me at the moment, so I'm sticking with it.

splitimage

[Jolisse]

Pdocs tend to over medicate, mine just prescribed another one for me.
I'm not sure I'm going to take it, I'm sick of being "drugged" up.

[HALLIEBETH87]

I don't like being on very many either but then I worry about the effect on my body. And then I have to remember...when Im not feeling good, I get suicidal. How is that good for me either?

[nicoleb2]

If you are not having side effects and having new meds added to treat those side effects more power to you.
I was on a bunch of psych meds at once, but a lot of that was because they were medicating the side effects of other meds (because my pdoc was an idiot. I almost died from it)

[The_little_didgee]

Six is a lot. That amount of psychiatric medication makes me wonder if they are causing some 'symptoms'.

Why are you on two different antipsychotics and mood stabilizers?

[Wander]

Originally Posted by The_little_didgee

Six is a lot. That amount of psychiatric medication makes me wonder if they are causing some 'symptoms'.

Why are you on two different antipsychotics and mood stabilizers?

I have been told that the Lithium keeps the mania and suicidal behavior in check (and it really does, it has saved my life), and the Lamotrigine deals with the depressive swings. Not sure why I am on two antipsychotics but on its own olanzapine wasn't dealing with the agitation well but did calm my thoughts. The risperdal does calm my agitation. I am hoping to be off at least one of those drugs once I am stable again. At the moment we are in crisis mode and the med changes have done a great job at moving me towards stable.

I dont think the meds are causing symptoms that are then treated by other meds but I am watching out for that. Thanks again everyone for all your imput. I feel so supported and that means a lot to me.

[lilypup]

I'm on a bunch but am trying to wean down now that I am not sui. But as my husband says "Hey, whatever works!"

[BipolaRNurse]

What I wonder sometimes, when I look at people's med lists in their signature lines, is why some are on more than one anti-depressant, and if maybe they could be on fewer meds altogether if they weren't on so much AD medication. Everyone's different, but I know I'd have to be scraped off the moon if I were on the amount of ADs some of you are taking.....that's why I have just my teensy little 5 mg dose of Celexa (20 mg is considered therapeutic).

[The_little_didgee]

Polypharmacy can definitely cause psychiatric symptoms. I've heard of people getting diagnosed with psychiatric disorders that are caused by psychotropics. It even happened to me. I have a history of antidepressant induced manias. At one point I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

Originally Posted by BipolaRNurse

What I wonder sometimes, when I look at people's med lists in their signature lines, is why some are on more than one anti-depressant, and if maybe they could be on fewer meds altogether if they weren't on so much AD medication. Everyone's different, but I know I'd have to be scraped off the moon if I were on the amount of ADs some of you are taking.....that's why I have just my teensy little 5 mg dose of Celexa (20 mg is considered therapeutic).

I take 5 mg of Cipralex. This small dose is all I need for my obsessive thoughts and anxiety. I recently had a week of irritable euphoria on that low dose. 20 mg would definitely send me to the hospital.

[Altered Moment]

Originally Posted by BipolaRNurse

What I wonder sometimes, when I look at people's med lists in their signature lines, is why some are on more than one anti-depressant, and if maybe they could be on fewer meds altogether if they weren't on so much AD medication. Everyone's different, but I know I'd have to be scraped off the moon if I were on the amount of ADs some of you are taking.....that's why I have just my teensy little 5 mg dose of Celexa (20 mg is considered therapeutic).

Fetzima which I am currently taking has worked very well for me but it did cause hypomania for two months. Didn't bother me because it beat the deep depression.

I think the same thing when I see someone on a mood stabilizer and two AAP's. Isn't that overkill. But really I think what is important is what works for you. Each of us have to figure that out. I think we should be informed and participate in our treatment even with meds. I don't go for doctor knows best. I want a say in it.

[~Christina]

The only problems I ever see when people are on so many medications is what effect do they all have on body organs... The meds process out thru the liver and kidneys... As long as your Pdoc is also focused on the physical effects on the body and not just the fixing the psych problems then whatever works , works.

Be your own best advocate

[SillyKitty]

I'm on a lot of meds. They're listed in my sig. I am on one antipsychotic for hallucinations and one for paranoia.

[Wander]

Thanks again for all the replies. I feel supported
Now I am finally stabilizing (Yey!) my doctor discussed reducing the amount of some meds and perhaps going off a couple all together so I can see that he does not intend to have me permanently on so much medication. This is just to get me through this episode. I do know however that I will have to stay on a few of them indefinitely, like Lithium. One thing I can say is that all these meds (and the ECT I had) are definitely helping me get through what has been one of my worst episodes ever. I can finally see the light and start to enjoy things in life. I feel grateful for medical science, even though it is still in it's infancy in treating mental illness.