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Medication...what To Expect?

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Your doctor would know.

Typically, meds are a crapshoot, and you can acclimate easily to a lot of them. Sometimes you acclimate even when it isn't expected (I have done this)-especially if it's a stubborn condition (in my case, it's insomnia).

When I say a "crapshoot" I don't mean there's no process, but that it can be hard finding something that works withg you and sticks, because psychological medication is largely based on brain chemistry, which is difficult to analyze without some pretty invasive surgery. I don't know a single doctor who would go for brain surgery simply to analyze what would be the best medication to use.

Instead, they're left with what you self describe for symptoms (and we're really often not our best judge*) and then pairing it with what medications treat those descriptions. Don't feel discouraged, it can take time, but with a good doctor and some patience, an answer can be found.

There are a few calming sorts of meds, I've tried a few, I'm currently on 50mgs of seroquel (I had to take it down from 100 because it was zonking me out almost all day) and 2mgs of prazosin for recent nightmares and some pretty wild (unprovoked) moodswings. From what I understand low doses of Praz are starting to be pretty standard for PTSD cases-it generally works to help lower one's adrenaline if it's believed to be in excess. Seroquel is an antipsychotic-which isn't as scary as it sounds, it mostly slows you down a bit so you're less likely for your internal thought processes to hit lightspeed-which can often be the case with the hyperawareness portion of PTSD.

As you spend a lot of time on the road, keep in mind many of the medications may make you drowsy or impair your driving if you're not used to them. Be cautious for the first ten days after you start a new medication, because your reflexes might be impaired. Typically it's advised you don't drive even with something as simple as an antihistamine, so take it with a grain of salt.

Because of my personal experiences, I cannot say enough about my prazosin dosages, but I don't find it makes me drowsy in the slightest, even though that's an expected side effect. With your night vocalizations and twitchy issues it might be something you can get your doctor to look at, but not being a doctor, I cannot make any kind of recommendation on medications. Only provide what I have experienced.

Something you may also want to look at-again because of you twitching and night vocalizations-is trying a higher carb diet. I know low carb is the thing for most right now, but it can stimulate dopamines, which can help you keep calmer and less likely to stress, just make sure to do it through healthy means, like veg, whole grains and that sort. That, I can recommend, because it's simply a diet change you can try that, if it doesn't work, can be switched with minimal affects to your health otherwise.

I hope some of this can help you out.
 
psychological medication is largely based on brain chemistry, which is difficult to analyze without some pretty invasive surgery. I don't know a single doctor who would go for brain surgery simply to analyze what would be the best medication to use.
Just adding to this a bit, because its not exactly accurate. In the US, we now have a genetic test available (just a swab) that will do a decent job of analyzing how you as an individual will metabolize psychotropics (and some other medications).

This will not tell you which ones will work, or what you should take; however, it will tell you a range of medications that you are more likely to respond positively to, based on what is known about how those meds are processed by the average human body.

It will also tell you if you are on one of the extreme ends of the metabolization scale. If you are what is known as a 'rapid metabolizer', you will have a very hard time finding a good drug match. In essence, your body processes medication too quickly (that's a gross oversimplification), meaning the half-life is shorter for you, meaning you never can quite maintain a consistent therapeutic level of the drug. Generally, these individuals need to be on the upper-upper end of dosing, and they find that there are meds that seem to have no effect, or the effect wears off after 3, 4, 5 months.

(This has nothing to do with what we think of as food metabolics - in other words, you can have what you'd consider a slow metabolism, and still be a rapid metabolizer as far as psychotropic meds are concerned.)

The other end is the opposite - you will be hyper-responsive to many meds, because your body holds onto them longer. People who experience trying a medication and having horrible early reactions are generally in this category. There are some meds that are better avoided when this is you, and others that you may tolerate but should start low and titrate up very slowly.

This swab test is not a guarantee of anything - but it can be useful for people who are struggling to get a working combination of meds, or for people who are starting out anxious about the whole process.
Instead, they're left with what you self describe for symptoms (and we're really often not our best judge*) and then pairing it with what medications treat those descriptions. Don't feel discouraged, it can take time, but with a good doctor and some patience, an answer can be found.
This is 100% true. It can be rough going. And both those things - a good doctor and patience - are very much required. It can be tough to find a psychiatrist that you click with, but they are worth their weight in gold - if you feel like your psych isn't really listening to you, or won't address your concerns/questions, it's usually worth it to look for a new one (as slow as that can be).
 
I had heard of the swab test, but given the newness of genetic testing and the fact that many doctors aren't trained in how to analyze a lot of the information, it's generally discouraged here in Canada as a means of effective diagnosis beyond genetic based illnesses.

I also heard about how the US recently passed a bill allowing employers to discriminate based on genetic testing, so if you're concerned, you may wish to be cautious (not a political speech just a psa in case folks weren't up on the recent legal implications).
 
I had heard of the swab test, but given the newness of genetic testing and the fact that many doctors aren't trained in how to analyze a lot of the information, it's generally discouraged here in Canada as a means of effective Diagnosis beyond genetic based illnesses.
Here in the US, it's not discouraged; whether it has traction in the OP's region or not, I would not know. My psych works through a hospital, where the testing is now considered standard as part of the diagnostic process. It all depends on where you are.

I also heard about how the US recently passed a bill allowing employers to discriminate based on genetic testing, so if you're concerned, you may wish to be cautious (not a political speech just a psa in case folks weren't up on the recent legal implications).
Not true. A bill recently (beginning of March) was approved by a House committee, and has moved up to consideration by the house at large - though, I can't find anything on it since the failure of a vote on the repealing of the ACA, so it may be a dead issue. It's certainly far from becoming law. The bill is called HR1313:
Under HR 1313, GINA [Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, 2008] wouldn’t apply to anything voluntarily collected through wellness programs, and companies would have access to genetic data. That information would be stripped of identifiers, but in small companies, it could be fairly easy to match certain genetic profiles to specific employees.
Link Removed

I'd personally be surprised if HIPPA fell so entirely. The bill as written still stipulates that the detail of genetic information remains contained between the individual and their health care providers, and the pros and cons are rather nuanced. This article does a great job, I'd suggest everyone who is interested in the bigger conversation about US health care read it.
Would Proposed Law Require Genetic Testing for Employees?

As far as this thread goes, genetic testing is just one other option for people considering medication to take advantage of or not, as they choose.
 
It is useful-I wasn't doubting that. In fact, I find the potential very ecouraging. I'm a bit of science fan so hearing about things like advances in DNA testing and practical applications makes me quite pleased. I just also advocate caution, after I've seen a few folks go crazy with DNA test kits without realizing that a lot of the info isn't really practically applicable yet. It's good to know the limitations while appreciating the advances-keeps folks from getting discouraged at amazing new stuff. :)

As for the bill-I was merely making others aware if they weren't that hijinks were in the offing if they weren't up on recent events. I'll stop there as the rest could be defined as a political commentary, other than I wouldn't count anything dead until it is, in fact, killed.
 
Greetings and thanks.

I am on a very low carb diet 100g or less per day, this is for my preexisting conditon (s).... Conns syndrome

I'm due for an appt in a week or so and will make note of your observations.

Thank you so much.
G
 
No problem. If you are on a low carb diet it could be affecting you, certainly. There are other ways around it, but they're not as easy, I'm sure your doctor can help you come up with alternatives if they believe that it is exacerbating the situation you're already in.

Keep in mind, I'm not a doctor, just someone with a lot of time on her hands who reads up on pretty much anything that strikes my interest-while research has answers, I do not have the degree to apply them, and I'm also just a person on the internet. I can suggest but your doctor will know better than I.
 
Greetings
Dr's appointment went well, stayed at 30mg celexa and permission to go to 40 if I felt that it was needed.

The next step after that will to introduce Buspar to go along with the Celexa.

Well, a week of nasty night driving, a desision to go public soon, and a nasty one way fight on going public (I just scowled at her, I knew better that to state my case because of the chance to lose control of my anger)

So now I'm at 40mg.

Question, is there a bottom? Or are we doomed to freefall downward and meds are our parachutes?
G
 
Greetings All
Wow been almost 3 months since my last post.

So 40mg celexa didn't help very much, flash anger was starting to show again.
So buspar was added 5mg twice a day. And I can increase up to 15mg, just have to let Dr know.

Well its working fantastic, several have commented that I look relaxed, driving is one handed again, bp normal., sugar is fine as is the diet.

It feels like a lifetime since I felt like this.

G
 
Greetings all

Update:
Still at 40mg celexia once a day
Buspar 15mg a day can use up to 30 depending what is in store for me at work.

New med, adivan, .5mg as needed. If I take this no hylands little helpers.

Job scope I drive 400 miles a night, work hours 6pm to 6am 4 nights a week.

Taking a experemental dose in the morning, I have the day off and my Dr recommended I do this.

Will post tomorrow on how I did.
G
 
Greetings
Had to use adivan last night, remains of Irma passed by, upped buspar by 3mg and got through the night without any problems.

My biggest tell is how I hold the steering wheel.
G
 
Greetings

Thpught I was more current on this, apparently not....

So current meds are...
40 mg celexa in evening

Sliding scale on buspar 5mg to 15mg twice a day. depending on anticipated road stress.

.5 mg atavan as needed, nasty weather.

Hylands little helpers as needed icky weather, not to be used with atavan.
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I took my fitst atavan last night, it helped a lot. hylands is fine for dry ttaffic but add thunderstorms and snow it is not helpful at all.

The down side is mega sleep after the atavan.

I drive a full size van 400 miles overnight 4 days a week.
Getting to the point of wondering if I can still do this for a living.

G
 
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