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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 13 of 13. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by w8lifter on November 13, 2001, at 6:51:25
Hi, I myself, am not on any antidepressants, however I have a roommate who I share a house with who is on Wellbutrin and Zoloft. I'm not sure if he takes these meds consistantly but I do see them on the kitchen shelf. I was wondering if the following characteristics are common for users of these drugs:
Sleep a lot
Binge eat (Ice cream, sweets, comfort foods, etc.)
Short attention span/ Chatty (jumping from one topic to another topic to another in the space of a 3 minute conversation)
Lower back painHe's rather messy and leaves the kitchen and common areas a mess which has upset me and the landlord. It's as if he expects us to clean up after him or he just forgets he made the mess to begin with.
Everything I've read on these two drugs say that they are suppose to help you control your appetite, give you energy and relax your back pain. But these things are not happening with my roommate. Could he not be taking the meds?
Also a new drug has appeared on the kitchen shelf, it's Busiperone. I looked that up and it looks like it's for pets (dogs and cats). He does have a dog that is not housebroken and the landlord has asked him to keep the dog locked up in his room so he doesn't urinate all over the place. Can Busiperone be used by humans as well?!?
Has anyone else had similar experiences or know how to effectively deal with someone on these two drugs?
Thanks,
Dave
Posted by tensor on November 13, 2001, at 7:14:22
In reply to Depressive Roommate on Wellbutrin Zoloft, posted by w8lifter on November 13, 2001, at 6:51:25
Hi,
well hard to say, I don't know why he has these meds prescribed for him. Antidepressants can make you sleepy and can often raise your apetite(especially Remeron), it is very individually how you respond to pmeds. The new med you found, well, hehe I hope it can be used by humans since thats the one my pdoc recently prescribed me.. and it is used against anxiety and/or depression, but, it is not impossible that it can be prescribed for pets.> Hi, I myself, am not on any antidepressants, however I have a roommate who I share a house with who is on Wellbutrin and Zoloft. I'm not sure if he takes these meds consistantly but I do see them on the kitchen shelf. I was wondering if the following characteristics are common for users of these drugs:
>
> Sleep a lot
> Binge eat (Ice cream, sweets, comfort foods, etc.)
> Short attention span/ Chatty (jumping from one topic to another topic to another in the space of a 3 minute conversation)
> Lower back pain
>
> He's rather messy and leaves the kitchen and common areas a mess which has upset me and the landlord. It's as if he expects us to clean up after him or he just forgets he made the mess to begin with.
>
> Everything I've read on these two drugs say that they are suppose to help you control your appetite, give you energy and relax your back pain. But these things are not happening with my roommate. Could he not be taking the meds?
>
> Also a new drug has appeared on the kitchen shelf, it's Busiperone. I looked that up and it looks like it's for pets (dogs and cats). He does have a dog that is not housebroken and the landlord has asked him to keep the dog locked up in his room so he doesn't urinate all over the place. Can Busiperone be used by humans as well?!?
>
> Has anyone else had similar experiences or know how to effectively deal with someone on these two drugs?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Dave
Posted by Roo on November 13, 2001, at 15:19:05
In reply to Re: Depressive Roommate on Wellbutrin Zoloft, posted by tensor on November 13, 2001, at 7:14:22
Sounds to me like you just have some normal, human
irritating issues with your roomate that you need
to talk with him about and resolve. If he leaves
the kitchen a mess, I don't really see what that
has to do with taking an antidepressant--couldn't
it just be that maybe he's a messy person?
Posted by kitty-layne on November 13, 2001, at 18:02:52
In reply to Depressive Roommate on Wellbutrin Zoloft, posted by w8lifter on November 13, 2001, at 6:51:25
> Everything I've read on these two drugs say that they are suppose to help you control your appetite, give you energy and relax your back pain. But these things are not happening with my roommate. Could he not be taking the meds?
Of course he _might_ not be taking them, or _might_ not have been on them long enough, but I reckon he's probably just got "treatment resistant" depression like everyone else.
-
--
---k
Posted by petey on November 13, 2001, at 18:06:29
In reply to Re: Depressive Roommate on Wellbutrin Zoloft, posted by Roo on November 13, 2001, at 15:19:05
>
> Sounds to me like you just have some normal, human
> irritating issues with your roomate that you need
> to talk with him about and resolve. If he leaves
> the kitchen a mess, I don't really see what that
> has to do with taking an antidepressant--couldn't
> it just be that maybe he's a messy person?
Not necessarily, since I've been on zoloft there are many times my kitchen is a mess along with the rest of the house. My house was always as neat as a pin ! Sometimes these medications just make you feel like doing nothing. Doesn't mean your a messy person!
Posted by Roo on November 14, 2001, at 9:01:45
In reply to Re: Depressive Roommate on Wellbutrin Zoloft, posted by petey on November 13, 2001, at 18:06:29
Everyone's different I guess. When I'm depressed,
I feel like doing nothing...my house and life
are a mess...if my meds are working
right...then I can pick myself up and take walks,
clean house, etc. I guess it's true that some people
have a different experience and feel very apathetic
and listless on their drugs...but if that's the case,
it seems like they're probably on the wrong drug.
Posted by petey on November 14, 2001, at 10:00:43
In reply to Re: Depressive Roommate on Wellbutrin Zoloft, posted by Roo on November 14, 2001, at 9:01:45
> Everyone's different I guess. When I'm depressed,
> I feel like doing nothing...my house and life
> are a mess...if my meds are working
> right...then I can pick myself up and take walks,
> clean house, etc. I guess it's true that some people
> have a different experience and feel very apathetic
> and listless on their drugs...but if that's the case,
> it seems like they're probably on the wrong drug.I agree!
Posted by Pamela Lynn on November 14, 2001, at 14:26:42
In reply to Depressive Roommate on Wellbutrin Zoloft, posted by w8lifter on November 13, 2001, at 6:51:25
Have you talked to your roommate? Maybe you should try to communicate with him and ask him yourself...I mean, if the pill bottles are all out in the open on the shelf, he must not want to hide his depression (if that is it). I think some communication might clear things up...I have roommates myself, and believe me, if something is bothering you about your roommate(s) and you keep it bottled up inside of you, there is eventually gonna be a blowup of sorts and things get said and things can get nasty or out of hand.
Good luck.
P.L.
> Hi, I myself, am not on any antidepressants, however I have a roommate who I share a house with who is on Wellbutrin and Zoloft. I'm not sure if he takes these meds consistantly but I do see them on the kitchen shelf. I was wondering if the following characteristics are common for users of these drugs:
>
> Sleep a lot
> Binge eat (Ice cream, sweets, comfort foods, etc.)
> Short attention span/ Chatty (jumping from one topic to another topic to another in the space of a 3 minute conversation)
> Lower back pain
>
> He's rather messy and leaves the kitchen and common areas a mess which has upset me and the landlord. It's as if he expects us to clean up after him or he just forgets he made the mess to begin with.
>
> Everything I've read on these two drugs say that they are suppose to help you control your appetite, give you energy and relax your back pain. But these things are not happening with my roommate. Could he not be taking the meds?
>
> Also a new drug has appeared on the kitchen shelf, it's Busiperone. I looked that up and it looks like it's for pets (dogs and cats). He does have a dog that is not housebroken and the landlord has asked him to keep the dog locked up in his room so he doesn't urinate all over the place. Can Busiperone be used by humans as well?!?
>
> Has anyone else had similar experiences or know how to effectively deal with someone on these two drugs?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Dave
Posted by Waterlily on November 15, 2001, at 4:31:23
In reply to Depressive Roommate on Wellbutrin Zoloft, posted by w8lifter on November 13, 2001, at 6:51:25
I have not had those experiences with either of the medications. I agree with the others that either your roomate is naturally difficult to live with and/or the medications are not working. The other medication you mention - busiperone - is that perhaps Buspar? I was on Buspar several years ago, so I forgot what its generic name is. Buspar is an antianxiety medication. Zoloft is often used for anxiety as well. If it hasn't been on the shelf long, maybe he's taking it but it hasn't kicked in yet. Zoloft and Wellbutrin often take several weeks before they start working.
Posted by Cam W. on November 15, 2001, at 18:01:10
In reply to Depressive Roommate on Wellbutrin Zoloft, posted by w8lifter on November 13, 2001, at 6:51:25
Dave - You will be able to tell if your roommate is taking his drugs by that date on the bottle. You just have to estimate how many pills are left in the bottle; then check the label to see when the prescription was filled and match this to the number of missing pills.
The traits that you mention are not necessarily due to medications, but may just describe his personality, as others have said.
Everyone reacts to medication differently; not everyone will gain energy from Wellbutrin™ (bupropion) and not everyone's back pain is helped by Zoloft™ (sertraline). These could be symptoms of depression, and as someone else has said, if he is taking his meds, they don't seem to be working (at least not for these symptoms; if indeed they are a result of his depression).
Buspirone (BuSpar™) is an anxiolytic. I have not heard of them being used in animals, but I suppose that they could be. Just look at the name on the bottle to see for whom the prescription was filled.As for "dealing" with someone taking these meds, I would suggest treating your roommate the way that you would like to be treated. This may include asking him to clean up after himself.
I hope that this is of some help. - Cam
Posted by w8lifter on November 21, 2001, at 16:15:55
In reply to Re: Depressive Roommate on Wellbutrin Zoloft » w8lifter, posted by Cam W. on November 15, 2001, at 18:01:10
I'd like to thank everyone for their responses.
We (myself and the landlord) had a heart to heart with him (Via e-mail as he tends to avoid confrontation) and now he thinks we hate him and want him out of the house, but his "messy" behavior has improved a little bit. We don't want him to move out or hate him, we just want him to get better as he happens to be our friend as well.
Now since many of you suggested he may be taking the wrong medicine or too much medicine for his depression, is there a way to contact his therapist with out the therapist mentioning I did so?
We are concerned of the overall state of his mental depression and if this doctor is prescribing stuff that isn't working he needs to stop taking the meds or stop seeing the doctor. Agree?
Thanks for all your suggestions.
Posted by janejj on November 21, 2001, at 16:54:59
In reply to Re: Depressive Roommate on Wellbutrin Zoloft, posted by w8lifter on November 21, 2001, at 16:15:55
You have solved your problem, he has stopped being so messy. He's probably feeling pretty bad right now, so why don't you just leave him alone!!! I'm sure he knows whether his medication is working or not and doesn't need someone interfering on his behalf. Poor guy.
> I'd like to thank everyone for their responses.
>
> We (myself and the landlord) had a heart to heart with him (Via e-mail as he tends to avoid confrontation) and now he thinks we hate him and want him out of the house, but his "messy" behavior has improved a little bit. We don't want him to move out or hate him, we just want him to get better as he happens to be our friend as well.
>
> Now since many of you suggested he may be taking the wrong medicine or too much medicine for his depression, is there a way to contact his therapist with out the therapist mentioning I did so?
>
> We are concerned of the overall state of his mental depression and if this doctor is prescribing stuff that isn't working he needs to stop taking the meds or stop seeing the doctor. Agree?
>
>
> Thanks for all your suggestions.
Posted by m3 on November 23, 2001, at 1:09:28
In reply to Re: Depressive Roommate on Wellbutrin Zoloft, posted by janejj on November 21, 2001, at 16:54:59
It's a tough situation when your friend is depressed and you want
to help him, but my feeling is that his illness and issues are between
him and his doctor/therapist, and it's not your responsibility or your
place to talk to them for him. I think if you did talk to the doctor
and/or therapist about your concerns they would tell you the same thing.
It has to be his decision about which meds to take and whether they are
helping.I understand he's avoiding confrontation, but if you
can still talk to him, that's the best thing you can do for him--
let him know you're glad he's seeking help and you're there for him,
and that you're not planning to kick him out. I can't speak for your friend, but
that's what I'd want my friends to do.By the way, if I am feeling listless and having a hard time
keeping up my end of the housework, I find it helps if the whole
house (or at least a roommate or two) has a "cleaning party"
and we do our individual housework at the same time. That way I can
borrow some of their energy. It doesn't mean you have to do his work,
just do your own at the same time and maybe play some music and order
a pizza afterwards. Just a thought.
This is the end of the thread.
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