Posted by katekite on May 26, 2002, at 20:45:08
In reply to Re: if I'd known then what I know now...., posted by kpo2002 on May 26, 2002, at 17:30:08
how long were you on it before it became a problem?
I was misdiagnosed BP II. I took neurontin for about 5 weeks before developing paresthesia (a burning sensation in my legs). Since I hadn't just started the drug, no one recommended stopping it -- in fact, they recommended taking additional ones (depakote, lamictal, gabatril). It made it worse. 6 weeks later, legs still burning, I got fed up and stopped everything. 24 hrs later the problem was gone. However, now every time I take any kind of sedating drug the problem returns.
No one can say yes or no whether it was the drug. It may simply have been an underlying problem that was un-masked, like MS. I will always wonder.
And, it turns out, I have ADD only (and a history of major depression). My depression and anxiety are most likely related to the frustration of living with ADD undiagnosed for 30 years. Adderall or ritalin make my life completely different, much more normal. Had I been properly evaluated it could have been found 10 years ago, 6 years ago, 4 years ago, 2 years ago, 1 year ago (the times I switched psychiatrists). All of them missed it because none of them actually evaluated me, they only asked what I thought was wrong -- and I said I felt frustrated, depressed, scared of social situations..... As soon as I presented a problem they medicated it. Rather than trying to find a cause for any of it.
So misdiagnosis can lead to serious consequences.
Only since the words MS, lupus and myasthenia came to me as possibilities, have I looked at the risks of these drugs. I always had assumed risks would be allergy (you either die or are fine, you just don't take it again) or problems that would stop when the drug was stopped (lethargy, nausea, etc). But risks can involve sensitivites that cross over to other medications or to your own organs.... or as in multiple chemical sensitivities to anything containing methyl groups or whatever it is for each individual person who develops a sensitivity.
So hopefully someone will read this thread who was leaning towards just swallowing the pills although they aren't quite sure of their diagnosis: maybe they really should do that complete psychological workup someone once recommended.
kate
poster:katekite
thread:13781
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020525/msgs/107670.html