On Enough Meds to Knockout an Entire Town!!

<font color="#000088"> I want to cut out my Psych meds,so I'm not on as many medications.I think I can handle not being on the psych meds. because when I do have a psychotic episode,I know it's just a psychotic episode,and that the voices aren't real,and the hallucinations aren't real,and that it will pass.Not a lot of people can say that.When they're psychotic,they believe what thier seeing,and hearing is real,I know it's not! But I'm on so many meds for medical problems as well that my own doctor is surprised that I'm not a zombie! It took the Interferon,and Ribuviren to slow me down,granted it almost killed me,and they had to stop it before it did,but that's what it took to slow me down,and that's pretty extreme!They used to have to give me 1000 mg of chloral hydrate to get me to sleep.I think I could use some less drugs in my life! </font>

If you think so - good time to talk to your pdoc.

<font color="#000088"> I just recently told my PDoc that my MedDoc thinks that my Thorazine is causing me medical problems,and all he did was run some bloodwork,and agreed to lower the dose.But didn't take me off of it.When it could be causing some of my medical problems! I had a similar situation with a different Pdoc in California,where my MedDoc told her that the Tegretol was giving me Hyponatremia,which is a condition where you're sodium level is too low.Mine was getting dangerously low from it,and she wouldn't take me off of it,just lowered the Dose.The next time my MedDoc did my bloodwork,my sodium level was at a lifethreatening level,and I was rushed to the ER,and admitted to the hospital for IV sodium to be pumped into my body to bring the level up,so I wouldn't go into a coma! My MedDoc called my PDoc,and told her the situation,and that I was now hospitalized over it,so she decided then it was okay to take me off of it.She waited until I was in danger of going into a coma,before she reacted to it! I don't want to go through a simalar situation with what I'm dealing with now! </font>

Have you tried other anti-psychotics? I'm wondering why, with the health problems you're experiencing, your pdoc wants you to stay with chlorpromazine rather than trying one of the newer APs? Have you asked him what his reasoning is?

I'm also wondering if some of it is insurance/cost related? The newer drugs are more expensive, but if they're better able to treat your symptoms without causing other problems, they're still probably more cost effective longer term. (OK, here's what I'm really wondering: I was uninsured for a time, and had to see county doctors. The experience was pretty appalling -- including being hospitalized medically with the med/dr and the pdoc fighting about taking me off the drug which probably caused the problems in the first place. What you're describing sounds awfully like that sort of thing, in which case my heartfelt sympathies to you. And a couple of ideas if that is your case.)

Good luck.

Wow! I hope they get it figured out. If you are a voluntary, you can tell your doctor that you want off the drug. If you can distinguish reality and non-reality in the midst of an episode that is pretty darn good in my mind. I don't know if this is in your best interest of course, though. (I'm no doctor or T). It is up to you on whether you take a drug or not if you are a voluntary not your Meddoc/ Pdoc. I like to remind myself of this in relation to my Pdoc.

PS. talk to your doctor before going off it of course. What do you think of my butt protecting?

<font color="#000088"> I am voluntary,and I take my meds. just to be cooperative,but I can stop them if I want,and there's nothing they can do,unless I put myself,or someone else at harm because of being off them.They would have to have a court hearing to have me court ordered to force the meds.on me.I have won every hearing they've tried on me for that.Because I know exactly what to say,and what they want to hear.That's why I've stayed cooperative,because they show that pattern if they take you to court,it works in your best interest,you can use it to prove a point.My Pdoc just schedules my appointments so far apart,that I don't see him often enough to talk to him about it,and he's so booked that I can't ever get an earlier appt.I have insurance,so my appt's.with him cost nothing,my meds.are only a $3.00 co-pay,no big deal! I just pretty much have my own pharmacy in my house,and I think that the side effects of a lot of my meds,may be causing some of my medical problems.
I actually looked them up on the internet separately,and half of them,are not supposed to be taken together,they interact with eachother! The medical one's v's the psych one's! I really need the medical one's or I'll get much sicker,but the psych one's I can handle being without,and then they can stop interacting with the medical one's! Then maybe some of my medical problems may subside,or lessen in some way! </font>

What exactly is the reason you want to discontinue your anti-psychotic medication? High cost? Side effects? Interaction with another medication? Or just too many meds by your definition? I think you need to answer this question first and then discuss your feelings with the prescribing doctor.

hey.

i'd suggest that if you really are determined to come off your meds (which is your right, as you say) that you taper them down slowly (over a month or so).

it is great that you can tell that you are having an episode when you are having an episode. are you able to tell people when you are vulnerable and if so then are they able to help you through it?

one possibility... is that the meds are helping you be able to tell when you are having an episode. that if you come off them then you might have a harder time seeing that and / or asking for help.

can you tell your doctor that you want to come off it so he can suggest a reasonable taper time (to help you with withdrawal effects and the like)? good luck :-)

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Justice said:
<font color="#000088"> I am voluntary,and I take my meds. just to be cooperative,but I can stop them if I want,and there's nothing they can do,unless I put myself,or someone else at harm because of being off them.They would have to have a court hearing to have me court ordered to force the meds.on me.I have won every hearing they've tried on me for that.Because I know exactly what to say,and what they want to hear.That's why I've stayed cooperative,because they show that pattern if they take you to court,it works in your best interest,you can use it to prove a point.My Pdoc just schedules my appointments so far apart,that I don't see him often enough to talk to him about it,and he's so booked that I can't ever get an earlier appt.I have insurance,so my appt's.with him cost nothing,my meds.are only a $3.00 co-pay,no big deal! I just pretty much have my own pharmacy in my house,and I think that the side effects of a lot of my meds,may be causing some of my medical problems.
I actually looked them up on the internet separately,and half of them,are not supposed to be taken together,they interact with eachother! The medical one's v's the psych one's! I really need the medical one's or I'll get much sicker,but the psych one's I can handle being without,and then they can stop interacting with the medical one's! Then maybe some of my medical problems may subside,or lessen in some way! </font>

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Go to a new doc and get a second opinion?

Good luck with whatever you decide ...

I, too, take so many meds that my husband is horrified. I think I posted this somewhere before, but the reason I don't get off my meds is that they do help me so much with the delusional thinking & I read/heard from my pdoc that sometimes when you go off meds that are working & find you aren't doing well that those same meds might not work for you again.--Suzy

Wow! It sounds as if you are living a nightmare.
I had a simliar experience with migrane headaches. I went
to see a neuroligist, chirpopractor, acupuntunce and finally
after spending $2,500. and a year of extreme pain I went to
see a pain management clinic. I found my miracle doctor
which saved me. I wish you well, and don't give up.
I too have a lot of med's in my cabinet for other ailments.

Some folks can tolerate large amounts of meds. I have a relation who takes enough Xanax to knock out and elephant but he has no side effects from it. Makes him normal!

geez! we have to become docs to know if the meds are safe for us, you know? i know i have. lol. some docs are actually nuts like this. you know your body well, and you are the best judge. i wish you luck in this mess. sorry, i'm suffering from side effects as well. %#@&#!. whatever.

<font color="#000088"> Well,I'm now officially off the Thorazine,and the Cogentin, and my Doctor was fine with it, he even noticed that I was thinking more clearly without it, I had more balance off of it, and I wasn't as exhausted as usual when I'd come in for my appointments. He said he thought it was a good call on my part.
Then he increased my Valium just a little bit for the Anxiety, and said if that doesn't help to let him know, and we could work something else out.
He said I didn't seem to be having any problems without the anti-psychotic medication, so just keep doing good and I won't need to replace it with another! So I got to say goodbye to 2 of the medications!
Now I'm only on one Psych med.for my Bi-polar!
The Valium is actually for my spinal injury,he just gave me some extra for anxiety! So it's just down to the Topamax, and I'm okay with that medicine,I don't enjoy the short term memory loss,but the benefits outway the side-effect! I did it! </font>