Posted by Sasha on December 13, 2000, at 5:19:23
In reply to Biochemistry; not to be toyed with » mr. man, posted by Rzip on December 8, 2000, at 22:28:00
I have never been satisfactorily diagnosed with having any underlying condition to my mental health concerns, yet I am taking a rather unique cocktail of Neurontin, Klonopin and Adderall. This combination is sometimes augmented with Xanax. The doses are the max listed for each category, and I tend to surpass the listed maximum doses when I feel horrible, just to maintain balance.
So you say that there is chaos in the practice of medicating mental health issues. I agree, it's the seventeenth century, and nobody knows what they are doing. Theories make sense- thorazine certainly took the edge off a lot of schizophrenic patients' families, even if it contributed to the patients' long term nightmare. I think the issue is this: Mental Health, since it is so difficult to compartmentalize and treat, is suffering severly from the current health care system. Until some miracle reform occurs, and money is put into this field (not from a pharmaceutical company interested in creating a better valium or SSRI, but from a truly progressive source), then us mentally confused folk will continue to cost society lots of dough and drop like flies after long battles with the invisible.
These studies you have reviewed as a layman impress me, possibly you or another out there can provide information to me on the effects of long term usage of the drugs I have mentioned, or the combination, and possibly alternatives?
Unfortunately I have done most of the research myself. I have nearly died twice from this whatever it is condition. But I look at the list of diagnosis criteria for Bi-Polar Disorders, PSTD, Borderline PSD, Obsessive-Compulsive disorder, Chronic Depression, Panic Disorders, and I start laughing- I could have any- except for something like paranioid schizophrenia. I cannot tolerate Depakote, the SSRIs I have tried, Trazedone, Serzone, Buspar, and now I am troubled by the dosage of the meds I am taking, particularly my amazing tolerance to Adderall. I have mentioned and gone through all of this to the Doctors, and I have no answers. I'd like to quit the Adderall, but tapering down doesn't work- it's like feeling a day go from 70 degrees to 10 degrees in an hour. I'll probably have to quit cold turkey and go through hell.
I have little faith in alternative medicine- I was in a study for neurofeedback. I sat and did nothing for hours. And nothing happened. I have also had no luck with St. John's wort or Valerian root (be careful with that stuff-yikes!)
Psychotherapy is fine and provides an alternative to having a diary- if you have the money. Counseling is great for emergencies, as long as you get the right counselor on the right day... otherwise it's like talking to anyone on the street...
I'm fighting like a dog here, and there are no experts in this field. Is this the best we can do- post info on the net and read about each other's reactions to drugs? I am sincere and not being facetious or sarcastic. What do I do?
poster:Sasha
thread:49740
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20001130/msgs/50473.html