hello. I was just wondering what everyone thinks about their meds, do you think they are working? do you just hate drugs!? Just wondering.
I started with lexapro, it was ok at first then it got all over powering so i refused to take it. so then my doc put me on effexor XL (evil drug oohh) then i got admitted and the doc there thought it wasn't enough and super powered it ! so then like a week later i freaked out and had to go back and the same dude put me on a cocktail of welbutrin,trileptal and serouquel. this is what worked for the most part. then like a month ago my doc decided she wanted to try weening me off the trileptal and so far it's all good! but my final goal is to be on NO DRUGS!
(\__/)
(O.o )
(> < )
mr.bunny
IM SICK OF TRYING, TIRED OF CRYING,YEAH IM SMILING, BUT INSIDE IM DYING!
Im on Effexor XL. I HATE it!! I spend the entire day feeling sick after taking it and I've been on it a year and it does no gd and now they want 2 put me on an even higher dose! Grrr
I was on fluoxetine 4 about 9 months b4 venlafaxine ( Effexor) and that didnt do much 4 me either. Its a bit ironic, because I want to be a doctor, but Im pretty anti drugs in mental health unless there is strong evidence to suggest an organic basis over a psychological one because I believe that altho my illness is probably a combination of both, its more psychological than biological. I think if they investited less money in psychotropic drugs and more in people to do therapy/ practical coping methods, then they'd be a lot better off! Obviously I appreciate that in certain mental illnesses, notably scizophrenia and bipolar, medication is necessary.
Started with citalopram, was cr*p, didnt do anything. Then was put on effexor....evil drug, still maintain it should be banned. Ended up in hospital. Then was pulled off effexor and put on mirtazapine. Still didnt really do much, but i think it tranquillizes me a little. Then was was put on carbamazapine as well. I have found this the ONLY medication that even slightly affected my mood. My wonder drug i guess. A while ago was pulled from mirtazapine and put on duloxetine, which i was hallucinating with so i stopped that and requested to be put back on mirtazapine which im back on now. And i dont intend on trying anything else, purely out of fear. And my pysch also said 'i think we have reached the end of the road with medications'. hmmmm not sure what that meant but hey.
First I was put on zopiclone.
Of course that was only a sort of temporary mend thing. Really. Considering.
I went to the GP again when my therapist and I agreed I needed medication support as well.
He, guy I'd never met before, I was totally freaked out in there, gave me efexor. Without even telling me what it was. I had to ask!
It helped for about a week with the anxiety, then I was back to square one. The depression continued on a steady but just about tolerable level for a while. Doubling the dose had little effect.
It's not really the best med for someone with agitated anxiety and insomnia, never mind the anorexic tendency. For a whole year I had no appetite, felt nauseous, and my weight got very very low.
Then, nearly a year in, I had a bit of a breakdown, and was refered to the psychiatrist for a medication assessment.
He put me on mirtazapine. I was on that and efexor for about 6 months, the last few coming off efexor.
It still didn't/doesn't do the whole job with anxiety. So I have propranolol to take prn. That's ok except taking it too late in the day gives me insomnia..... I'm going to ask my GP if there's something more sedating I can use for that.
I'm 2 years nearly on mirtazapine, and I'm much more stable, I sleep, and I 'bounce back' from falls into depression abyss faster. I'm still depressed, but I expect I'll always have a tendency to depression, given my past.
And all you want is sleep/But all you get it pills
Join Date: Aug 2007
I am currently:
Here's my experience with medications.
First when I was 11, I was put on Elavil. It didn't seem to work for my depression, but the doc kept writing me a prescription for it, so I kept taking it. It did manage to get rid of my chronic headaches though, so that was enough for me. I eventually went off the Elavil when I was 13.
Between the ages of 15 and 17, in chronological order so I can do this the best way:
Prozac: I had nasty side effects with this and was only on it for two months. Nausea mainly, but also I had headaches. It didn't seem to help with my anxiety. I was taken off of it.
Zoloft: It made me feel very dissociated and mentally numb. I was taken off of it.
Effexor: I have to agree with this one...worst medication EVER, next to Zyprexa. I was only on this a week before I had to be taken off of it an hospitalized for suicidal thoughts.
Zyprexa: Honestly, it made me gain 10 pounds within two weeks. I'm not joking. After I quit taking it, the weight dropped off in a month.
Paxil: Probably the only medication that worked. While it had to be used with other medications, it stayed my main anti-depressant, because it reduced my panic attacks, and my depression was greatly helped.
Wellbutrin: Used with Paxil. Another medication that was very helpful. The time I was on Wellbutrin and Paxil, I was at my most stable mentally.
Seroquel: Used with Paxil and Wellbutrin. This was added on when my panic attacks started to return. Eventually the doctor thought the Wellbutrin had quit working and took me off of it. Seroquel...my main complaint...was the constant craving of food when the medication kicked in. Add to that being sleepy, so eating while half-asleep went hand-in-hand.
Risperdal: Given to me in place of the Seroquel. This threw me into a mental breakdown [panic attacks, anxiety, depression], and I was hospitalized again and taken off of it.
Abilify: This was given to me in the hospital. It didn't last long. I couldn't sleep, at all. After three days without sleep on a thorazine regimine, they took me off of it. They told me to go back on the Seroquel, and deal with the side effects. Pretty mean, right?
For a good year I was on Paxil, eventually dropping the Seroquel again after a couple months and dealing without it. I turned 19 years old. So I was on Paxil alone, but then it pooped out on me. Just quit working, period.
Lexapro: This replaced my Paxil. I honestly think I'm resistant to it. Whenever my old doctor would raise my dosage, I'd go crazy...mood swings, what I would come to know as severe mania's. So he would lower the dose back to 10mg, and keep it there. I still don't understand why my doctor's have kept me on this medication, because I've been fairly adamant that I don't think it's effective, but oh well.
Klonopin: This was given to me to reduce my panic disorder, which was running rampant. My old doctor didn't acknowledge my manias as manias, he called them mood swings. My new doctor would soon after tell me I was Bipolar NOS. The Klonopin was a bad idea and severe malpractice on my old doctor's part. He knew of my past addiction issues to opiates, so putting me on a benzodiazepine wasn't wise. Within a couple weeks, I was abusing it. I don't know exactly how it started, but I think I just wanted all my feelings to go away, so I took more and more. I eventually got angry when he told me he was just testing the waters of my addiction, because I had been clean for two years at that point. I ended up finding another doctor who helped me to get off of the stuff.
Lithium: Prescribed by my new doctor for my new diagnosis of Bipolar NOS. Worked great, reduction in all symptoms. He kept me on the Lexapro as well. Months later I would become Lithium toxic and had to be taken off of it. This is why your regular lithium level tests and thyroid tests are so important. Don't skip them, you can die from Lithium toxicity.
Gabitril: Before I was taken off the Lithium, I took this with it and the Lexapro. It's a dangerous medication with what's called a black box warning. It's an anti-seizure medication that can cause seizures in people who don't have seizures. But at my low dose, I never experienced it. I eventually quit taking this too after I became Lithium toxic, just because I felt like it didn't help with my anxiety like it was supposed to.
So now I am 20 years old and have a new doctor, because I have moved to a different state in the U.S. These are the medications I'm currently on, including the Lexapro:
Lamictal: Another anti-seizure med for my Bipolar being used with Lexapro. It has a black box warning for a severe, life-threatening rash. But it only happens if you skip a couple doses or if you increase your medication too fast. And honestly, after you get it, it takes two weeks to cause physical complications that can kill you. But after you get the rash, you can't take Lamictal anymore. I believe it's helping slightly. My mood swings still exist, but not to the extent as before. Not as good as the Lithium, but it's up there.
Trazodone: Supposed to help me sleep and lessen my anxiety if I take it during the day. Honestly doesn't work for both, so I'm going to see my doctor about being taken off of it.
Compazine: Given to me for anxiety and nausea associated with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. This medication is a life saver. But as with all great miracle medications, there are health complications that arise from taking them. Compazine can cause Tardive Dyskinesia after prolonged usage of high doses. Check it out on Wikipedia.org for an explanation. The most simple explanation I can give is Parkinson's-like body twitches. But once you get them, they're there for the rest of your life, which is the danger of it. It works so great though with my nausea that I'm afraid to quit taking it.
So that's my med history basically. Maybe someone might find it helpful? But remember, med's are different for everyone. I've met plenty of people who have found the meds that harmed me to be a lifesaver for them. It really takes a lot of trial and error (as you can tell :P).
Last edited by romancandle : 15-08-2007 at 05:34 PM.
Reason: Typos :)
1. Lamictal: They put me on this when I was admitted into the hospital. Really didn't do me much good.
2. Mirtazapine: Which I'm on now. 2 reasons the doctor put me on it. 1. weigh gai, cause I lost weight from my jaw surgey. 2. I was complaining about sleeping issues. It does it' job there thats for sure. I don't like it all that much, cause I have this looming feeling of sluggishness, and sometimes I feel numb because of it. The numbness works both ways sometimes. I really don't care for it. I want something that will stop the sleepiness during the day. I bet I could adapt my sleeping time without it...
Like what has been mentioned, this thread is simply to hear others opinoin and see if anyone has had simular experinces! please don't make any desions about any drugs based on these posts
~THANKS
(\__/)
(O.o )
(> < )
mr.bunny
IM SICK OF TRYING, TIRED OF CRYING,YEAH IM SMILING, BUT INSIDE IM DYING!
Effexor XR/Effexor - Worked, stopped working. Of course, I only realized it was working after it stopped working. Side effects, nausea, dizziness if I stood up too fast, but those went away after a while. Didn't really have any discontinuation syndrome though, so I feel lucky :)
Now on Lexapro, which might be working, not sure. No real side effects, which I like and don't like. I mean, at least with side effects, I know its doing something to my body. Yes, warped thinking, I know.
Everyone's crazy; some people just hide it better. I am not one of those people.
zoloft- kept increasing dose for like 6 months, with no change
in combination with zoloft at one time or another --seroquel, abilify, trazodone, geodon, resperdol, sonata, none helped
cymbalta- got rid of chronic headaches, but more depressed than ever, became suicidal, ended up in hospital
effexor xr- the drug from hell. i had graphic nightmares, shaky, dizzy, feverish, right now I'm coming off it, and by the grace of God, I've had no withdrawal
there is a petition to get Wyeth [the manufacturers of effexor] to be forced to put more serious warnings on the box/paper delivered with perscription. If you'd like, you can sign it here: http://www.petitiononline.com/effexor/
Right now I'm on Geodon and Wellbutrin XL.
I hate them both, but I guess they are kind of working.
I'm starting to feel a little bit better, at least.
I just got prescribed Trazodone for sleep, today.
But I haven't taken it yet, obviously.
So I don't know if it's any good. x]
Before this stuff, I've been on Luvox, Lexapro, Wellbutrin SR, Zyprexa, Risperdal, and Lamictal.
I loved the Lexapro and Wellbutrin SR combo, but had to be taken off it because of a manic episode. Hated the Lamictal. I didn't feel like myself when I was on it. Luvox Sucked. Zyprexa made me feel like a zombie. Risperdal was alright.
! so then like a week later i freaked out and had to go back and the same dude put me on a cocktail of welbutrin,trileptal and serouquel. this is what worked for the most part. then like a month ago my doc decided she wanted to try weening me off the trileptal and so far it's all good! but my final goal is to be on NO DRUGS!
