Frustrated By Medications

[Spero3]

Last week I reached the end of my rope with drugs. After taking me off Remeron because of bad restless legsyndrome problems off and on, I was prescribed Paxil, Buspar and Trazadone. After a week on Paxil, I lost my ability to have an orgasm. I immediately went off of it, because sex is really important to me, and my partner and I have a great sex life. I discovered the Buspar makes me shaky and my heart feel weird. The only thing that doesn't have side effects is the Trazadone.

Every damn drug I go on either makes me really sick to my stomach, increases my anxiety, or has some other side effect that I refuse to put up with. I also realize I am someone who is very sensitive to drugs. Even the smallest dose causes me issues. At this point, I think my psychiatrist thinks I am nuts and is frustrated with me.

I took myself off Remeron, off Paxil and have decreased the Buspar to just half a pill twice a day (instead of one whole pill three times a day). Even at that reduced amount, the Buspar still makes me shaky. I take 75 mg of Trazadone at night to sleep and have added in L-Tyrosin, L-Glutamine, GABA and L-Trytophan to help with anxiety and sleep. I have to say that I feel really good. The Buspar definitely helps, but I just can't tolerate it at normal levels.

Does anyone else have issues with being so sensitive?

Spero

 

[intothelight]

Hi Spero,

Same here. The only thing I do take is the Trazadone.

Debbie

 

[Srain]

I can't ADs at all, I found a dr that took me off them all put me on mood stabilizers and poof! instant relief!! I've never been so grateful to a shrink in my life!! I'd been on every single on of those damned drugs and more, I was an accordion with my weight - up down up down - it was purely ridiculous. So I mostly the meds I take are for my migraines but fall into the psyche arena Topamax and I use Seroquel for sleep, with Ativan to help me get started. Trileptal for mood swings.

Sensitive...yeah, with ADs.. Hated them. Ruined my sex life.

 

[Spero3]

Thanks for your replies! I think most psychiatrists just push whatever is being marketed to them by the damn pharmaceutical companies. It makes me so mad.

Spero

 

[Gamereign555]

Sounds like some of you are doing well without the anti-depressants, maybe I should start coming off mine some time soon.

 

[missd84]

I'm terrified to possibly go off my Lexapro here in a few weeks (unless I get a job and insurance). The couple times I have forgotten to take them, I can feel the increased anxiety by the middle of the day.

 

[Gamereign555]

Perhaps it's just a case of feeling the pain and learning to cope. Perhaps it isn't and you do need the Lexapro. I have noticed the same thing you have with Celexa. But one has to think that these kind of drugs have some impact on you just when you stop taking them, it's after you get past that initial weening that I wonder if I really need it anymore.

 

[missd84]

Good point. I'm really looking forward to the day that I won't feel like I need them. I just don't think that day is here yet. If I were in therapy tho, it might be a different story...

 

[Gamereign555]

I hear you there, I myself have been toying with the idea lately so I think eventually I will give it a try.
My therapist told me I should look into it someday, maybe that's what put the idea in my head.
She must know how broken some of these drugs can be.

 

[Spero3]

I can tell you that I was definitely nervous coming off the meds (especially the Remeron). I found myself worried that whenever I felt anxious or a little sad it was because I was off the meds and I was going to crash. We do become emotionally dependent on the drugs. In saying this, I am not saying you should, or shouldn't, come off your meds. But, psychologically it is hard because of the fear of what might happen. I am down to taking only Trazadone, because even the Buspar was causing me chest pain and shaking. At first I thought it was my imagination, but every time I went on the Buspar I had weird feelings in my chest and heart, and when I came off it, they disappeared. I am also taking L-Tryptophan, GABA, and L-Tyrosine. I don't know how much they help. I am meditating for 20 minutes a day, and that has made a big difference. Only time will tell if I am okay. I may crash weeks or months down the road, but I am fed up with psychiatrists and meds.

Spero

 

[mmir]

Very sensitive to meds too...I think I'll be better when I'm off all meds!

 

[Kb3]

I was dx'd with bipolar II about ten years ago by a psychiatrist who is well known for dxing every person who comes through her office with bipolar. Something about insurance and drug company kickbacks, I hear.

Anyway, I labored under the delusion that I WAS bipolar for most of that time and basically was medicated out of my mind. To put it this way, it would have been hard to tell that I WASN"T bipolar and possibly from another planet, so erratic were my moods and flat was my affect. I had just come off of all the meds and was setting about living my life as a psychiatric survivor when I was traumatized.

I fought against going on ANY meds for a long time, but finally gave in when I had a breakdown. As much as I hated taking it, 100mgs of Seroquel restored my sleep and relieved some of my anxiety and depression.

I am now at the point where I feel that Somatic Experiencing therapy has resolved my trauma enough for me to consider coming off meds again. I have accordingly decreased my dose by 25mgs to 75mgs and will go down another 12.5mgs next week.

I'll see how it goes for about 10 days and if I'm miserable I'll go back up. If I'm okay, I'll hang out there for a little while and go down again by 12.5mgs when I feel ready again.

So, go slow and keep decreases low is my motto (and it rhymes!). I also think that it doesn't hurt to not think of this issue in black and white terms. Sure it would be great if I can come off of Seroquel, but in the end all that matters is that I am well and have a good quality of life. I'm really not into suffering anymore:). Also Seroquel is due to come off patent in a little while and it would be great to experience renewing my prescription without having to mortgage the house;).