Posted by ed_uk2010 on August 13, 2010, at 15:37:43
In reply to Re: I feel horrible, posted by Dima on August 13, 2010, at 13:58:49
>I see my doctor next Thursday. It all seems so hopeless, like my brain is irreparably messed up.
At 19, I don't think that's likely. It's a difficult time because there is so much change and so many expectations. It's difficult to cope with all the pressure when you're not feeling well.
>What options are there??
You mean in terms of medication? I'm sure there are many treatments that you haven't tried. Just as an example, there's clomipramine (Anafranil). Clomipramine is a tricyclic antidepressant which has a good reputation for being effective in severe depression, and also for anxiety disorders. This is not a recommendation, I don't know you well enough to make a recommendation. It's just an example of something that you haven't tried. Also, I'm no expert in psychology but I do know there are many different types of therapy these days. There is probably one which would suit you :)
Before you try any new medication you need to establish a baseline. You've been making a lot of changes to your medication within a short period. You don't really know what each medication was doing. When you make so many changes, you end up in a situation where you have no idea which symptoms are side effects, which are withdrawal symptoms from previous meds, which are symptoms of your condition, which are due to drug interactions etc.
I think you should keep a chart/diary of how you are feeling. Fill it in every day. At the top of each page list your current medication. In time, the diary will help to reveal the effects of different medications on your mood and anxiety. Because a lot of meds take time to work, it's not always obvious whether or not a med is working. When you're trying a lot of medications, it all gets very confusing. It's difficult to remember the effects of so many different drugs without some kind of record. This is where the diary comes in.
>I feel like she'll just up the dosage of something like Seroquel, which I'm not taking anymore. I don't even feel like I can be honest about that, saying I stopped the drugs.
If you're not honest, how will your doctor be able to help you? For example, if Seroquel was making you feel worse, you should tell that to your doctor. This will help her decide what to do next.
Here are some tips which might help you to benefit more from medication.
1. Start new medication at a low dose. Increase the dose gradually up to a therapeutic dose. If you increase too fast and experience side effects as a result, you might give up on a med which could have helped.
2. Do not start, stop or change the dose of more than one psych medication at once. If you feel worse, you will not know which medication is to blame..........and if you feel better, you will not know which medication is helping.
3. Do not stop any psych med abruptly, unless you've only been on it for a few days. Stopping abruptly can cause withdrawal symptoms.
4. Try to get into a regular schedule of taking your medication at the same time each day, this reduces the likelihood that you will miss doses.
5. Do not take combinations of medication without first checking for drug interactions. Some meds can't be taken together. Others may require a different dose if used in combination. Your doctor should check for interactions but it doesn't hurt to double check yourself. There is plenty of information on the internet.
Hope this help. Take care.
poster:ed_uk2010
thread:958455
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20100811/msgs/958469.html