[adel34]

Hi Everyone,
My pdoc appointment went surprisingly well. He was actually an ok guy. He had an accent but it wasn't anything like the pdoc who came to the facility where I live.
He was thoughtful and did really listen to what I had to say. I got there at 10:30, my apt was at 11. He was done with the client before me early and so he took me early. I was out of there by 11:30. It was great he spent an hour with me.
It was comforting to have my caseworker with me. I wish she would have given her opinion more on new meds he suggested though I get she was trying to say that it's my decision because I'm the one taking the meds.
He raised my zoloft to 75 mgs, which is good since it hasn't been increased since February.
He also suggested ading welbutrin to the zoloft to give me more energy. I've heard mixed things about that med, but he said we could start at a low dose and see if it helps. I would like to not sleep much of the day as I do now, so we'll just have to see.
He's taking me off the tenex since he and his med student were really confused as to why I was prescribed it in the first place. I thought my former pdoc said it was for anxiety, but the pdoc and med student say there's no way that's possible. On label it's used for treating ADD in children, and high blood pressure in adults. Neither of which I have, so yeah.
In place of the tenex, and to help with anxiety he suggested a low dose of xanax. I was kind of freaked out about this because I know how adictive benzos can be. I do have times when I'm anxious, but I always thought that xanax was such a serious heavy duty med. My caseworker said it's just the stigma it has from being protrayed for really crazy people on TV. I've never been on something like that like I said, so am worried about it.
However, the good news is that I don't have to worry about new meds til the end of january when I next see him. I said I was nervous about taking anything new on the holidays and he actually listened. I'm raising the zoloft dose now because I'm comfortable with that med.
Anyway, thanks everyone for your support around all this. If anyone's had experience with the new meds I'm gonna be taking I'd love to know about it.
Thanks.

[unaluna]

I can comment on wellbutrin and xanax. I liked wellbutrin, it made me feel better, I started off at a low dose. And when things in my life changed ie I stopped talking to my mother, I could tell I didn't need it anymore and I weaned off it. But the interesting thing to me was that I could tell. Like my brain was too bouncy because it wasn't weighed down anymore by my mother so it didn't need wellbutrin to keep making it that bouncy.

I went on xanax at a time in my life when I would start crying every time I took a step. If I stayed still I was okay. Except I had to move out of my apartment! I eventually weaned off very slowly by sleeping thru the yuckiness, it wasn't that bad but I wasn't taking very much. But you don't seem the type to overdo it, honestly.

Could your daytime sleepiness be due to sleep apnea? Have you had your tonsils and adenoids taken out?

[Sila]

Tenex is used as an anti anxiety med in off label cases. I only know this because someone I know who's son had anxiety probs was given Tenex to try. It didn't work for him, made him aggressive, but it was a trial run.

[adel34]

Hi Everyone,
Thanks Hankster and Sila.
Hankster, that's interesting about you and the welbutrin. I feel like I'm the type who will always be on meds for depression, since everytime I've been off them my symptoms have come back. I have a friend who takes welbutrin and zoloft and it seems to work for her, she's on high doses of both.
No, you're right, I'm not the type to overdo it. You're right. And the pdoc did say that, that usually the people who get adicted are prone to adiction. My mother and other family members alcoholism kept me away from alcohol, and when I was a kid people like the DARE officer said drugs were a bad idea and I was probably one of the few who actually listened!
I do remember when I got my wisdom teeth out they put me to sleep for it and gave me something that they said was in the same family as valium. That seemed to reset my brain for like a month! it was so cool!

[adel34]

Sila,
Sorry I forgot to comment on what you said.
Sorry your friend's sondidn't respond well to the tenex. At least it didn't make me agressive!
That's the other thing I heard about welbutrin. Some have said it actually makes them rather angry and iritated. Like one guy said that while on it he broke his arm, beat up girls smashed a bunch of stuff including phones, ETC! But he also had bipolar and I don't so, hopefully it was just from that or something. I'm so not the type to be smashing stuff ETC, that if it happened it probably would be really scary for me and everyone else I know. And then after it was over we probably all would get a good laugh out of it!

[adel34]

Hi again Hankster!
I keep forgetting what people have written! I'm up earlier than usual, that must be it!
To answer your question, no I don't think it's sleep apnia. I've never even heard of that so doubt I have it. I'm actually pritty physically healthy which is good. I've never had my tonsels or whatever the other thing you said was removed. The pdoc said the sleepiness is probably just part of the depression for me.

[skeksi]

I'm glad the pdoc really listened to your symptoms and preferences on the meds. I just got prescribed a benzo, too--really just to get through a few hard days during the holidays--and I am also uneasy about it. But the use is monitored by the pdoc and when you feel ready you can titrate off.

Good luck with the changes!

[adel34]

Hi Skexy,
Thanks for the reasurance. I hope you do ok with the one you've been given for the holidays.

[~EnlightenMe~]

(((((Adel)))))),
I am really happy that your pdoc went well for you! I don't take Xanax, but I do take the benzo Ativan, and it really helps my anxiety. I have to be careful, though, because it does make me sleepy. Keep us posted on how you are doing

[adel34]

Hi Antimatter,
I know, I'm glad too. He said that if I took it I'd take the xanax in the morning or whenever during the day and take the welbutrin in the morning. It would be so funny if I ended up being sleepy during the day from the xanax when really I want to be awake!

[rainbow8]

Hi Adel,

I'm glad your appointment with the pdoc went well and that he was nice, and listened to you. He sounds good! I felt the same way about the valium, like what? I don't want to take THAT and get addicted!!! But I think one of the reasons he gave it to me, though he didn't say, is to counteract the effects of starting the zoloft. I read about that online.
I've read that you can get MORE anxious and panicky when you start a med and when you increase it. So, pdocs have reasons for what they prescribe, of course.

The valium makes me tired so I take it at night to help me fall asleep and so far it is working! So I wonder why you'd take the xanax in the morning, or maybe it works differently. The zoloft is still making me tired in the daytime but I'm not going to change back to nights without asking the pdoc. I took it an hour ago and I'm starting to feel drowsy. Did you ask the pdoc if the zoloft could be making you tired and if you should try taking it at night instead of the morning? I know it is supposed to keep you up, so I'm hoping my tiredness will go away. After a few hours, in fact, I have felt better but it still makes me feel weird, and this is only 25 mg.

Sorry for writing so much about me in this post. I feel like we're together in this meds adventure, though you've been on zoloft already and I'm just starting.

[adel34]

Hi Rainbow,
Glad it looks like we both have good pdocs.
I was thinking the same thing about maybe he was using the xanax to counteract the anxiety that it says Welbutrin in particular can cause because it's a stimulating med. I've yet to look up xanax. I'll have to ask him for sure when to take it when I see him next. I just asked for a rough idea of when I'd take both meds so I could think about it during the time between appointments.
I asked him about the zoloft making me tired. He said there's really no way that could be possible. He has me back taking it at night.
I'm sorry you feel tired from it. I did mostly when I first started it this last time for a few days. Then it went away.
Don't worry about writing too much about yourself. I did the same in your other post! You're right I think we're on this adventure together.