I know many here take medications and many do not. My therapist keeps bringing up starting medication but I have kept saying no. Now I am tempted to consider it due to holidays coming up, family drama, husband coming home from deployment and many other stressors. I was wondering if you regret starting medication, had a good experience with meds helping, or how it went to get off of them? I am also afraid to tell my regular doc I am dealing with PTSD. Do you have your regular doc prescribe it or a psychiatrist? Thanks for your awesome input.
-
We are a multilingual website again. Read the notice about this.
-
Understand AI use at MyPTSD: all AI use is explained in our AI help page. AI use is by choice here. It exists if you want it, but does nothing unless you choose to use it.
Therapist Keeps Bringing Up Starting Meds
- Post starter Lee2001
- Start date
- Status
Hi,
A lot of us get "worse" around the holidays. PTSD lowers our regular stress tolerance and with holidays being stressful enough as they are, it can just put us over the top. I'm glad your considering medication since it sounds like you're hitting a rough patch. It's better to get ahead of the symptoms than to let them take over. It's much worse when that happens.
I've been on medication for about 15 years. I do not foresee discontinuing any time soon because any time I try my symptoms get bad and I find them unacceptable. I can become what I consider verbally abusive when triggered. Sadly it still happens on the medication (all symptoms are still there for me) but to a much lesser degree. My ptsd is more complex from childhood trauma and abandonment.
Needless to say, I'm very pleased with the results after finding the right medication for me.
My primary does not know about my PTSD that I'm aware of.... I've never told him and he's really terrible at reading patient charts. So I see a psychiatrist for my medication. If you don't already, I really recommend that anyone/ everyone with ptsd see a therapist as well. :)
A lot of us get "worse" around the holidays. PTSD lowers our regular stress tolerance and with holidays being stressful enough as they are, it can just put us over the top. I'm glad your considering medication since it sounds like you're hitting a rough patch. It's better to get ahead of the symptoms than to let them take over. It's much worse when that happens.
I've been on medication for about 15 years. I do not foresee discontinuing any time soon because any time I try my symptoms get bad and I find them unacceptable. I can become what I consider verbally abusive when triggered. Sadly it still happens on the medication (all symptoms are still there for me) but to a much lesser degree. My ptsd is more complex from childhood trauma and abandonment.
Needless to say, I'm very pleased with the results after finding the right medication for me.
My primary does not know about my PTSD that I'm aware of.... I've never told him and he's really terrible at reading patient charts. So I see a psychiatrist for my medication. If you don't already, I really recommend that anyone/ everyone with ptsd see a therapist as well. :)
D
Deleted member 541
My opinion.... if you don't want to then don't. It's that simple.
desiderata310
VIP Member
So I keep ativan around for the bad days. I don't take it on a regular basis. A long time ago I got an OB/GYN who prescribed something for when I was going through my divorce. It doesn't HAVE to be your primary but it can be OR you can go to get a p-doc but that's really if you need/want to be on something on a daily basis... is my experience. There's more than one way to skin that cat.
expectingbetter
Diamond Member
I refuse taking meds and I don't regret my decision. It is mine decision and my T respects it.
I am sure yours would respect it too.
I would tell them not to force that any more as I had already told my attitude about it.
You have been doing well without meds so far and you have certainly the reason why you don't want to take them so if the reasons haven't changed and if you are not worse now then don't change anything just because holidays are approaching.
I am sure yours would respect it too.
I would tell them not to force that any more as I had already told my attitude about it.
You have been doing well without meds so far and you have certainly the reason why you don't want to take them so if the reasons haven't changed and if you are not worse now then don't change anything just because holidays are approaching.
Friday
Sponsor
If you've never taken Mood & Mind altering drugs? I strongly recommend you see someone who specializes in those medicines (psychiatrist, or prescribing psychiatric nurse, which is a doctorate level degree), and spends all their time with them, instead of (GP) 2% of their time with psychiatric meds, 2% with dermatology meds, 2% wih fertility meds, 2% with GI meds, 2% with blood pressure meds, etc. on down the line.
There are hundreds of psychiatric medications. 80 commonly Rx'd for ADHD, alone. About 3 times that many for BipolarDisorder. And on down the line. PTSD doesn't have any meds specifically "for" it, so it's trying to alleviate symptoms based on off-label use of other medications (anxiety, mood stabilizers, antidepressants, nightmares, etc.).
So, again, working with someone who has a very good understanding of the few hundred available options? Knows what side effects to expect & look out for, gets all the news & study & alert updates each week. Keeps up on their education? Knows whether it would be a better idea to have you try so e emergency fast acting meds for the holidays, so you aren't in the middle of starting a new series of meds during a hugely stressful time, or whether a slow to act but steady dose during a hugely stressful time...Very, very strongly recommend.
***
Psychiatrists generally bill at $400-700 an hour for medication management, which frightens people way... But they aren't also doing counseling, which makes even more people leave very confused. Med management appointments are typically 5-15 minutes long.
It's generally best to have a team, IME. A therapist you do counseling with (and can write up a list of the symptoms you'd really like addressed with meds, if you don't feel comfortable rattling them off in 5 or 10 minutes all shotgun style), and a psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse who prescribes & follows your med treatment. Most therapists have a short list of prescribing physicians that they already work with, but if they don't, or theirs aren't covered by your insurance? It's pretty easy to sign an exchange of info form signed for each of them so they're allowed to talk to each other about you (otherwise confidentiality prohibits them talking to each other). I find it saves a lot of time to have my providers do the medical short speak together, and then just fill in the blanks as necessary.
***
I don't happen to take meds at present, although when I'm being smart I keep a bottle of Valium in a drawer, somewhere. Because I know -Valium- I feel comfortable getting anyone under the sun to Rx it. But being ADHD, and moving all the time, and trying many many many different ADHD meds over 20 years? (And trying new meds mean I revert back to a psychiatrist/specialist, rather than hitting up anyone I know for something specific). ^^^ Is what I've learned from doing that.
There are hundreds of psychiatric medications. 80 commonly Rx'd for ADHD, alone. About 3 times that many for BipolarDisorder. And on down the line. PTSD doesn't have any meds specifically "for" it, so it's trying to alleviate symptoms based on off-label use of other medications (anxiety, mood stabilizers, antidepressants, nightmares, etc.).
So, again, working with someone who has a very good understanding of the few hundred available options? Knows what side effects to expect & look out for, gets all the news & study & alert updates each week. Keeps up on their education? Knows whether it would be a better idea to have you try so e emergency fast acting meds for the holidays, so you aren't in the middle of starting a new series of meds during a hugely stressful time, or whether a slow to act but steady dose during a hugely stressful time...Very, very strongly recommend.
***
Psychiatrists generally bill at $400-700 an hour for medication management, which frightens people way... But they aren't also doing counseling, which makes even more people leave very confused. Med management appointments are typically 5-15 minutes long.
It's generally best to have a team, IME. A therapist you do counseling with (and can write up a list of the symptoms you'd really like addressed with meds, if you don't feel comfortable rattling them off in 5 or 10 minutes all shotgun style), and a psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse who prescribes & follows your med treatment. Most therapists have a short list of prescribing physicians that they already work with, but if they don't, or theirs aren't covered by your insurance? It's pretty easy to sign an exchange of info form signed for each of them so they're allowed to talk to each other about you (otherwise confidentiality prohibits them talking to each other). I find it saves a lot of time to have my providers do the medical short speak together, and then just fill in the blanks as necessary.
***
I don't happen to take meds at present, although when I'm being smart I keep a bottle of Valium in a drawer, somewhere. Because I know -Valium- I feel comfortable getting anyone under the sun to Rx it. But being ADHD, and moving all the time, and trying many many many different ADHD meds over 20 years? (And trying new meds mean I revert back to a psychiatrist/specialist, rather than hitting up anyone I know for something specific). ^^^ Is what I've learned from doing that.
EveHarrington
VIP Member
If you decide on meds, DEFINITELY get a psychiatrist. Preferably one who is trauma knowledgeable.
A GP won't know the intricacies of psychiatric meds. Mine won't prescribe benzodiazepines.
What symptoms are you wanting to control or improve? How severe are these symptoms?
Medication is very much an individual thing, especially so when dealing with PTSD. It took me some time to find what works best for me.
:hug:
A GP won't know the intricacies of psychiatric meds. Mine won't prescribe benzodiazepines.
What symptoms are you wanting to control or improve? How severe are these symptoms?
Medication is very much an individual thing, especially so when dealing with PTSD. It took me some time to find what works best for me.
:hug:
- Post starter
- #9
Thanks everyone... so very helpful:) I learned a lot From this! I like what you all shared and will only start meds if I feel I really need it. And only get those meds from an experienced p-doc. I do believe T respects my decisions; I just think due to my symptoms he thought it would be helpful. I know that so many medications have side effects etc that can be a challenge. I also know they probably are truly helpful as some of you have shared!
- Status
Similar posts
Donation drives
Trending content
-
-
What Are You Feeling Today? Not Thinking, Rather Feeling! Can You Identify Yours?
- goingonhope
Comments: 34K -
-
-
-
