Meeting With Psych

[Flamengo]

Hi All,

I'm meeting with my psychiatrist tomorrow to discuss medication. Since my liver enzymes are up they want to change up my regimen. Although I strongly believe the liver became elevated due to the beta blocker and not so much the remeron. My theory is that the beta blocker was dropping my heart rate down to 40+ BPM, so my liver went into shock with the lack of blood flow causing the elevated enzymes. I seem to be very sensitive to meds, even 10mg of beta blocker drops my blood pressure down into the 50s. Perhaps I need to go down to 5 mg.

What are some suggestion of meds that I could discuss with my psychiatrist? I basically need to work on hyperarousal and extreme anticipatory anxiety / fear.

I'm using klonopin, have been for about a week and half, I find that this along with the beta blocker makes me very depressed. I for sure need something to up my mood. :)

Also, has anyone gotten off beta blockers? Man, they are HARD AS HECK to wean off of! 2 days ago I got thyroid storm and had to increase the dose. Right now I'm on 10 mg 2 times daily down from 4 10mg pills daily.

Doc said ...

10 3 times daily for a week.
10 2 times daily for a week.
10 1 time daily for a week.
stop

I'm thinking of going 10 2 times daily on alternating days.

I find that its like klonopin to stop. But when I dont take it my mood seems much better.

Hope everyone is doing well!

 

[Deleted member 1860]

I've been on beta blockers, but I don't appear to be as sensitive as you. My blood pressure is low, but the beta blocker doesn't drop it any lower. I've abused them (although my doctor at the time looked at me in disbelief as according to him it should have sent me into cardiac arrest), and I've cold turkey'ed them with no issues. But don't do as I have done, as looking back it was stupid, stupid stupid. (I was on atenolol)

Remeron has affected my liver enzymes. I remember the doctors being concerned about it when I was in the psych hospital. That go-round I was only on it for a short while.

And as for the klonopin, it made me horribly depressed. (Perhaps I mentioned that in another thread?) I've found that Ativan doesn't make me quite so depressed, but I tend to stick with .5 to 2mg at most, and try not to take it unless my symptoms are flaring up particularly bad.

 

[Flamengo]

You and I seem to react to medication the same. What worked best for you? I need something that will destroy anxiety.

 

[Flamengo]

They want to switch me to fluvoxamin.Looks to be an older SSRI that is really potent.

 

[Deleted member 1860]

Now I take Ativan, and only Ativan.

I am hesitant to recommend what worked for me as it is an antipsychotic and I don't believe that people should try antipsychotics until they've tried other options such as antidepressants, mood stabilizers, and anxiety meds, simply because they're a very heavy duty class of drugs that were designed to control psychosis in bipolar and schizophrenic people. Why do I say this? Well, while Geodon worked wonders for stabilizing me, it affected my muscles. I had muscle pain one year+ after discontinuing it, and only time will tell if there will be issues in the future. When I started it, I was hypervigilant 24/7, sleeping less than an hour at a time, only a few hours a day, leaving my apartment for nothing, and barely functioning. So while I needed it at the time, I am glad to be off of it now. I cringe whenever I see anyone who is just starting out on meds being prescribed something like Seroquel (even worse IMHO as it is notorious for causing severe weight gain and diabetes). And yes, when I started on Geodon, I had tried almost every other available antidepressant, mood stabilizer, and anxiety drug that was on the market. It literally was a last resort for me.

So I'll get off my soap box. I say all that because I don't want anyone else to take antipsychotics without knowing just how serious a class of meds they are, or how bad the side effects can be. (A side effect such as dry mouth or sexual dysfunction due to antidepressants is a yawn when you consider that antipsychotics can harm your muscles for life, long after you've stopped the med)

I hope you find something that works for you. To say that it's a long process would be an understatement. Its not uncommon for people to go years before finding the right medication or combination of medications.

ETA now I realize I said most of this in another thread of yours....LOL, I guess it bears repeating.

 

[Flamengo]

ScaredOfLonely- thank you so much for the time you take to respond to my posts. I started to exercise and feel a little better. I'm currently only taking Klonopin to help but for the most part I feel pretty good for 2 days. Which is huge for me.


I will read up a lot on Luvox and seems to be a drug that has helped many with OCD and PTSD. After I get my liver rechecked today, I will jump and try it and see how it goes.

Again, thank you!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Wanda]

Believe in your counselor and Psychiatrist, but make sure both on top of reactions and problems with any meds. We have placed our life in their hands.

Glad you exercised!

 

[Flamengo]

Thank you Wanda!!!

I'm coming off Beta blockers, wow, I can feel it 10000%!

I was taking 20mg 4 times daily, then went to 20mg 3 times daily, then went to 10mg 3 times daily, then went to 10mg 2 times daily. Each time I could feel an increase in sensitivity to noise etc, felt more on edge. The issue is that the beta blockers were dropping my heart rate to 40s, and I want to see if this was also causing my liver issues. Anyways, this week I was down to 2 10mg 2 times daily and stopped 2 days ago and man..................I can feel it! Even the klonopin can't calm me down!

I called my pshychiatrist and he said it was fine to just stay off of them and not go to the planned 10 mg 1 time a day. How long do these symptoms last usually? A few days? I remember clonodine I had an immediate rebound, I'm hoping that I can handle this for a few days but feel I will be better off without this short term until I can figure out what is causing my liver enzymes to become elevated.

 

[Ben223]

I've been on seroquel and paxil for 2 years now. I used to be on geodon and was also hyper-vigilant but no muscle pain, but rather unquenched activity. I actually did 3 landscape projects on my street while on geodon. Seroquel, for me, keeps my daily routine under control. As long as I stay on routine things are OK, but it's the down time that the demons move in.

 

[Flamengo]

I'm the same way!!!!! I went camping this weekend. I was busy the entire time. Non stop doig stuff. Fishing. Swimming. In the 103 degree weather. Felt amazing!!!!

I come home today and anxiety is back in a matter of hours. I'm starting to realize that my body does not like being still. It wants to fight. It wants to burn off all this energy.

I'm seeing a somatic experience pratictionet next Tuesday. She said she could help me. I surely hope so!!!!