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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by tina on May 30, 2001, at 10:07:32
Just wondering what symptoms you have to have to be given an anti-psychotic. I've seen lots of psychiatrists in my life and I've never been given one but some people I know think i could benefit from one. Anybody know what behaviors I would have to exhibit in order for a doc to prescribe something like that?
Posted by Cam W. on May 30, 2001, at 10:17:46
In reply to How do you know if you need an anti-psychotic?, posted by tina on May 30, 2001, at 10:07:32
Teeny - Usually docs will go by excessive ruminations on a particular topic (ie thought cycling) or by mood incongruent emotions (ie emotional responses that out of line with the trigger - eg. crying at one of my jokes - well, maybe that's a bad example). Antipsychotics are also used for bizarre thought patterns (eg. delusions of grandeur, T.V. sending personal messages, CIA monitoring thoughts, etc).
Hope this is of some help, sweetie. - Cam
Posted by SalArmy4me on May 30, 2001, at 10:40:25
In reply to How do you know if you need an anti-psychotic?, posted by tina on May 30, 2001, at 10:07:32
I say that Olanzapine can be used for a wide spectrum of disorders, and possibly yours, regardless of whether you have psyhosis or not.
Olanzapine's actions on the 5HTP2A receptor creates antidepressant efficacy, increased REM sleep, and anti-anxiety efficacy. Then, Olanzapine's actions on the 5HTP2C receptor produces anti-anxiety efficacy, increased appetite, and decreased motor restlessness. All that stuff is very helpful to someone going through depression, OCD, anxiety, dysthymia, etcetera.
Posted by jimmygold70 on May 30, 2001, at 17:24:55
In reply to Re: How do you know if you need an anti-psychotic? » tina, posted by SalArmy4me on May 30, 2001, at 10:40:25
It's hard to give you an answer for that. If you do 100% really need one, you are unlikely to be in a state you can decide on that (and believe me, I've been there). If you 80% need one, this might be another story. As Sal noted, some antipsychotics are helpful for a wide variety of disorder. Since the side effects are not always that encouraging, and you might feel nothing yourself though you might be objectively improving, I would trust a PDoc to prescribe one for me. The least I can say, PDocs were wrong in every aspect of my diagnosis and treatment so far, but they have never been wrong when coming to prescribe or stop an AP.
Jimmy
> I say that Olanzapine can be used for a wide spectrum of disorders, and possibly yours, regardless of whether you have psyhosis or not.
>
> Olanzapine's actions on the 5HTP2A receptor creates antidepressant efficacy, increased REM sleep, and anti-anxiety efficacy. Then, Olanzapine's actions on the 5HTP2C receptor produces anti-anxiety efficacy, increased appetite, and decreased motor restlessness. All that stuff is very helpful to someone going through depression, OCD, anxiety, dysthymia, etcetera.
Posted by Noa on May 31, 2001, at 7:22:52
In reply to Re: How do you know if you need an anti-psychotic?, posted by jimmygold70 on May 30, 2001, at 17:24:55
Yes, but there are plenty of folks who don't have psychosis and benefit from antipsychotic medications. Remember, I think it might have been Cam who once said that "the medication doesn't KNOW it's an antipsychotic." It is a particular combination of chemicals that affects various neurotransmitters, and it was developed by the company for the purpose of reducing psychotic symptoms, but, as happens with a number of different types of medications, the neurotransmitter effects also provide benefit for other problems (anticonvulsants developed to treat seizures turned out to be great mood stabilizers; antihypertensives sometimes are used to treat anxiety and other disorders; sometimes mood stabilizers are great antidepressants, etc, etc).
There have been people here who have reported that some antipschotics help with depressive ruminations, mood swings, intense preoccupying thoughts, etc.
Whatever the reason you are considering it, don't get hung up on the designation "antipsychotic". It sure is ominous sounding but really it isn't that big a deal.
Posted by sl on May 31, 2001, at 11:27:22
In reply to Re: How do you know if you need an anti-psychotic?, posted by Noa on May 31, 2001, at 7:22:52
Hey! Thanks a lot! I'd been wondering about that anticonvulsant thing...it makes sense I guess. "Anticonvulsant" or "Antipsychotic" is just a label they give certain drugs. And if they figure out LATER that it does something else, it might hold that label for a LONG time.
I made my chart for terra miller on what drugs affect what chemicals in the brain and I figured out I want to try Zyprexa if this stuff I'm on now doesn't work out, because the chemicals it works on look promising, compared to what's worked in the past. :)
sl
> Yes, but there are plenty of folks who don't have psychosis and benefit from antipsychotic medications. Remember, I think it might have been Cam who once said that "the medication doesn't KNOW it's an antipsychotic." It is a particular combination of chemicals that affects various neurotransmitters, and it was developed by the company for the purpose of reducing psychotic symptoms, but, as happens with a number of different types of medications, the neurotransmitter effects also provide benefit for other problems
This is the end of the thread.
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