Posted by bleauberry on November 16, 2008, at 14:44:41
In reply to Is this person overmedicated?, posted by NKP on November 16, 2008, at 10:57:50
I wouldn't say she is overmedicated in terms of dose sizes, but yes likely overmedicated in terms of too many drugs. And likely overmedicated in terms of taking drugs that are bad for her. Those meds can work well to calm down someone who is wild and manic. But for someone who doesn't need them, or someone misdiagnosed, or someone who those meds just are not correct for, yeah, serious out-of-it-ness could be expected.
Drugs take on whole new powers and behaviors when combined. Kind of like 1 + 1 = 3. It's called synergy. It can work for the benefit of the patient, if the synergy is in the direction that helps them feel better. Or it can work against them if it is in the wrong direction. Her current cocktail has lethargy and cognitive disfunction written all over it. No wonder she is so out of it. I feel for her.
I generally shy away from the antipsychotics, but not always. I don't even know her symptoms or history, but I can get a clue from the drugs the doctor has chosen. Based on the little I know, I wonder why they didn't go with something simpler like Zyprexa? Of all the things to add to Prozac for depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, mania, or bipolar, I can't think of anything better than Zyprexa. And the side effect profile of that combination would be practically nill compared to what she is experiencing now. And at least the Prozac/Zyprexa combination has a strong scientific body of robust success behind it, where the cocktail she is on doesn't.
Just the .5mg klonopin alone can knock some people for a loop.
The doctor probably had some particular train of thought when doing this, but it looks like bad polypharmacy to me. As is often true in life, simpler is better, I believe anyway. Personal bias here, but I do not believe anyone needs more than 3 meds in a cocktail, assuming that the ones they are taking prove themselves worthy and life-improving choices. The ones she is on don't sound like that.
poster:bleauberry
thread:863345
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20081114/msgs/863399.html