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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by BRC on June 30, 2005, at 21:59:03
Hi,
I am really looking for others input on this particular situation.
For almost three years now I have been on Lexapro, Trileptal, Klonopin, and Remeron. They are used to treat my Major Depression, a pretty bad case of OCD, and anxiety.
Over the years my doses have rose significantly. I take 60mg of Lexapro, 4mg Klonopin, 1,500mg of Triletal, and 60mg of Remeron.
I trust my doctor. But I wonder is this a lot of medication. I am only 29 and I also wonder if the years of swollowing these pills each and everyday has a impact on my body. I mean are they safe for long term use. Is there any risk of liver or kidney problems. Are the doses considered high.
I handle the meds ok. I just would like to know what people who actually take these meds think.
I would really appreciate your opinion and input.
Sinceely,
BRC
Posted by linkadge on June 30, 2005, at 22:06:08
In reply to PLEASE!! Tell me if you think I am on to many meds, posted by BRC on June 30, 2005, at 21:59:03
Your doctor is medicating you based on what appears to be a severe mental disorder. If you believe this is the case, then continue to take your medications.
If you don't fully believe that these high doses have made a significant impact on your condition, then it is worth questioning their necessity.
They are high doses, and these meds can have a negative impact on the function of your kidneys liver etc. No, you won't see problems over night, but just keep in the back of your mind that they are not risk free.
I am not trying to scare you, but this is how I see it. My mother has been on high doses of a lot of medications, for a long time. She is older now, and many of the compications are surfacing.
Never stop questioning and learning about the course of treatment. It is your body.
Take Care.
Linkadge
Posted by Emily Elizabeth on June 30, 2005, at 22:36:20
In reply to Re: PLEASE!! Tell me if you think I am on to many meds, posted by linkadge on June 30, 2005, at 22:06:08
If you trust your pdoc, I would encourage you to directly ask her/him what s/he sees as the long term plan. If you have been stabilized for a while, it might make sense to go down a bit. Many pdocs are quite receptive to discussing this issue with their patients.
I'm young too and on a lot of meds, so I can understand some of the feelings that you are having. I'm still not doing so well though, so it might be a while before I can try to go down.
Best,
EE
Posted by BRC on June 30, 2005, at 23:11:24
In reply to Re: PLEASE!! Tell me if you think I am on to many meds, posted by Emily Elizabeth on June 30, 2005, at 22:36:20
What meds do you take and at what doses?
Posted by med_empowered on July 1, 2005, at 0:11:59
In reply to PLEASE!! Tell me if you think I am on to many meds, posted by BRC on June 30, 2005, at 21:59:03
Hey! I, too, am young (I'm 21) and have done the overmedicated "thing"...right now, I'm not taking any meds, and I'm doing well (meds work for people, though..I'm not raving against medication by any means). The problems you might run into vary by each drug and dose, and then also vary by what you mix with what...polypharmacy is terribly complex, and a whole lot of it guessowrk. You might want to have your sodium levels checked (I took Trileptal and Celexa, both of which can lower your blood sodium levels...my shrink didnt tell me until my GP freaked out about my low sodium levels). Also, get some liver tests done now and then (I had elevated liver enzymes from all the meds I was on, including Klonopin and Trileptal). Also, try to keep your dosages in line with standard practice. Some of your doses seem a bit elevated; Remeron is usually capped at 45mgs, Klonopin is usually kept at 3mgs or below...Trileptal dosages vary wildly, but levels above 1200mgs aren't terribly common. I'm not saying your doctor isn't any good; I'm just saying that, if you're stable and you feel up to it, you may want to work on bringing some of your meds down a bit, so they're more in line with the amounts used in day-to-day psychiatric practice. This should also minimize side effects. Aside from that, you dont really seem to be on "too many meds"...I have Bipolar Disorder, along with secondary issues (insomnia/hypersomnia, anxiety, ADHD, depression-induced fatigue), so I've been on some complicated med "cocktails". The most daily psychiatric meds I've taken is, I believe, 8 or 9 different meds. Before I stopped taking all my meds, I was taking 4 meds daily, just like you are now, and that was a BIG improvement over previous cocktails. Just looking at your med line up, these are some possibilities that popped up: ditch the Trileptal, go for an atypical...my vote would be Abilify, 10-20mgs/daily. OR..go for lamictal, and you might be able to dump one of the antidepressants, maybe the Remeron, so you could be down to 3 meds daily. OR...for ultimate convenience, try Symbyax, the zyprexa+prozac combo. Its a mood-stabilizer/AD combo with some sedating properties. I'd personally keep the Klonopin, and add something for as-needed sedation...Vistaril, Ambien, etc. It might also help to add a kinda large dose of Buspar (30+mgs)...Buspar can boost antidepressants and reduces anxiety..it may also prevent problems with antipsychotics. Good luck!
Posted by Sebastian on July 1, 2005, at 12:45:39
In reply to Re: PLEASE!! Tell me if you think I am on to many, posted by med_empowered on July 1, 2005, at 0:11:59
One thing I like to do is educate mysef on what I'm taking. I do a google search on every med I take an when I find the website that is named what ever drug I'm taking, I read the prescribing info. It tells all there is to know about the effects on your body.
I take a lot of meds also, but I'm cutting down because my liver enzymes were high. I also don't think I need all that I take. I'm cutting it down to the 2 drugs that I think I realy need. Geodon and bupropion sr(wellbutrin). Geodon is the important one, bupropion keeps me from smoking as much and gives me energy. I'm stoping the other 2 that I take celexa and zyprexa. I was also on lamictal, which made me feel worse.
Posted by Emily Elizabeth on July 1, 2005, at 16:36:25
In reply to Re: PLEASE!! Tell me if you think I am on to many meds » Emily Elizabeth, posted by BRC on June 30, 2005, at 23:11:24
> What meds do you take and at what doses?
I take:
1200 Neurontin
15 Dexedrine
125 Desipramine
5 Ambien
40 LexaproI have Major Depression and GAD. My understanding is that people with anxiety disorders often need a little more of a med like Lexapro to have an effect. Hope this helps. My doses have creeped up through the years some too, although occasionally I have gone down again to lessen side effects.
Feel free to ask if you have any more ?'s.
Best,
EE
Posted by mogger on July 1, 2005, at 22:08:02
In reply to Re: PLEASE!! Tell me if you think I am on to many meds » BRC, posted by Emily Elizabeth on July 1, 2005, at 16:36:25
BRC,
perhaps your OCD might be making you hyperaware of medications that you take and doubting the doses. I say this because I do the same thing but am noticing that it is a certain leak where my ocd pops up and makes me ruminate. I have a serious condition of ocd and depression and take high doses of Buspar (90mg), Zoloft (200mg), remeron (45mg), lamictal (300mg), zyprexa (5mg). Now that is a good amount of medication but I need every bit of it and love it. I am young as well and frankly I am much more worried about eating high fructose corn syrup (in all our sodas) and partially and hydrogenated oils (in nearly all our foods)! Take care but try not to worry too much about it, trust your doctor, everyone of us is diffferent!
mogger
Posted by Glydin on July 2, 2005, at 8:46:58
In reply to PLEASE!! Tell me if you think I am on to many meds, posted by BRC on June 30, 2005, at 21:59:03
I can't weight in on some of your meds, but I am on Lexapro (GREAT for me) and I've taken Klonopin (has also been a good med to me) in the past.
I can understand your concern --- but if you trust your doc and it's working for you?
Any number of health condtions require multiple meds to treat. I'm thinking mental - emotional disorders are no different from other health problems in terms of what it can take to control symptoms and provide a decent quailty of life.
This is the end of the thread.
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