![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by janejj on June 18, 2002, at 12:31:52
Hi,
My drug cocktail: 2mg Lorazepam, 100mg Trazodone, 40mg Prozac.
I have been trying to cut down on my meds. First I completely stopped taking Lorazepam, which was easy, thought I'd have withdrawal but this didn't happen. I had been taking Trazodone for sleep, cos I've always had insominia! I thought I NEEDED them to sleep, but I was wrong for the last few nights I have been sleeping by myself with no aids!!! I'm cured ?
Next I am going to try and go down to 20mg of Prozac, but I figure this is a bit risky, I don't want to get depressed..my diagnosis is dysthymia. I have already been taking less over a period of a month and feel happy, but i know prozac takes a long time to get out of the body.
I guess this could just be encouragment for those trying to quit. Although you should see your doc first. I didn't though cos I'm bad !!
Its a nice feeling to feel less drugged up, but I really thank God for these medications, cos they saved me from alot of pain.
Janejj
Posted by BarbaraCat on June 26, 2002, at 19:11:26
In reply to Quitting meds, no more trazodone, Lorazepam......., posted by janejj on June 18, 2002, at 12:31:52
Hi Jane,
I'm also weaning myself way down. Don't know if I can expect to do it completely since I've tried before and always came crawling back. However, I'm tired of adding yet one more drug to deal with the depression, the anxiety, the insomnia, the tiredness, the achiness, etc, etc. I'm on Remeron, lorezapam, lithium, Ambien and natural thyroid. Just got off Neurontin and am now in the midst of a 10 day juice fast to clear things out and get my sense of health back. The thyroid will stay and I'm even going to up my dosage since I'm suspecting that alot of my symptoms are due to a resistant hypothryoid.Like you, I am very grateful that these meds are here for us, but there comes a point when you just have to say 'Enough!'. Much as most doctors want to help and have the best of intentions, I can't put my confidence in anyone who can only fit me in for 20 minutes every 2 months and then prescribe yet one more drug. Good luck to us both! - BarbaraCat
Posted by zoey73 on July 11, 2002, at 10:43:57
In reply to Re: Quitting meds - me too. » janejj, posted by BarbaraCat on June 26, 2002, at 19:11:26
I'm not quitting, but being new to this group I'm discovering I don't have to feel quite so bad about myself. I thought I was a terrible failure having to take prozac and lorazepam to control chronic depression, anxiety, insomnia. But now I'm on Effexor, starting to feel better, and after reading these discussions, feeling like I'm not so different after all. My doctors though, are reluctant to prescribe lorazepam or anything for sleep and they told me not to take it while on effexor. But I'm having trouble sleeping and the anxiety is not gone yet. should i ask dr. for something else?
Posted by BarbaraCat on July 12, 2002, at 12:28:15
In reply to Re: Quitting meds - me too., posted by zoey73 on July 11, 2002, at 10:43:57
Oh, no, no, no. You're not a failure at all. You'd be absolutely amazed at the numbers of people taking meds for mood disorders, including many physicians, both psych and regular. The times we live in are especially stress provoking and we're very lucky to have help.
I don't agree with your doctor's recommendation to not take lorezapam, unless it's to gauge how the effexor is working without anything else. A benzo, like lorezapam or clonazapam, is very frequently given along with an SRRI, and works very well for reducing anxiety, allowing sleep, etc. This is especially true for the more activating SSRI's, like Effexor. If lorezapam was helping you before and you're feeling the lack, discuss it with your doctor and don't settle for any explanation that doesn't feel right. I'm not a doctor, but unless I'm missing something there's no reason for you to be feeling uncomfortable and not getting good sleep when lorezapam is such a simple remedy.
> I'm not quitting, but being new to this group I'm discovering I don't have to feel quite so bad about myself. I thought I was a terrible failure having to take prozac and lorazepam to control chronic depression, anxiety, insomnia. But now I'm on Effexor, starting to feel better, and after reading these discussions, feeling like I'm not so different after all. My doctors though, are reluctant to prescribe lorazepam or anything for sleep and they told me not to take it while on effexor. But I'm having trouble sleeping and the anxiety is not gone yet. should i ask dr. for something else?
Posted by Geezer on July 12, 2002, at 13:22:02
In reply to Re: Quitting meds - me too., posted by zoey73 on July 11, 2002, at 10:43:57
Hi Zoey 73,
I have to agree with Barbara Cat on this. The illness is not your fault. As for the pdocs and benzos, please remember one important rule, there are two things doctors no nothing about - addiction and nutrition. I had a bad abuse problem with Valium in the early 80s but I now take 0.5 of Klonopin (just makes me sleepy-no euphoria) and Ambien. Ambien is a good sleep aid but only lasts 4 hours.
If the Effexor is doing the job stick with it. I will be restarting Prozac next week (I have been through most of the ADs), Prozac was the only thing that ever gave me relief. I also take Depakote and Lamictal.
Keep posting, reading, and asking questions - you will find more answers here than anywhere else.
Best wishes,
Geezer
Posted by Mr Beev on July 12, 2002, at 14:42:32
In reply to Re: Quitting meds - me too., posted by zoey73 on July 11, 2002, at 10:43:57
I am currently taking Effexor and am independently afflicted with insomnia. I have found ambien (a sleeping pill) intermittently effective. Neurontin (an anti-convulsant with soporific properties) and Effexor almost landed me in the hospital. Zyprexa (a sedating anti-psychotic) has worked best for me with Effexor. Not only does it tend to induce sleep, but it greatly reduced my generalized anxiety.
I found that Effexor @ 150mg immediately vanquished depression, but took about six weeks to conquer the anxiety. I do not know why there was such time lag, however.
I take Effexor first thing in the morning and Zyprexa shortly before bedtime. Zyprexa's side-effects were annoying, but rapidly dissapated - except for weight gain, alas.
Best Regards,
Mr Beev
Posted by Iago Camboa on July 12, 2002, at 16:53:42
In reply to Re: Quitting meds - me too., posted by zoey73 on July 11, 2002, at 10:43:57
Hi Zoey,
Barbara is right, yes. I think you should feel comfortable to take a benzo for sleep (and/or anxiety) if you need it. President Bush (the father) is known to have at one time taken a 'benzo' himself for sleep...
Best wishes,
Iago
Posted by cybercafe on July 12, 2002, at 22:56:34
In reply to Re: Quitting meds - me too., posted by Geezer on July 12, 2002, at 13:22:02
euphoria) and Ambien. Ambien is a good sleep aid but only lasts 4 hours.
hey Geezer what do you think about trazodone as a sleep aid?
Posted by Geezer on July 13, 2002, at 8:41:24
In reply to Re: Quitting meds - me too., posted by cybercafe on July 12, 2002, at 22:56:34
> euphoria) and Ambien. Ambien is a good sleep aid but only lasts 4 hours.
>
> hey Geezer what do you think about trazodone as a sleep aid?Hey cybercafe,
I took traz. many years ago under the trade name Desyrel. It was first promoted as an AD, if I remember correctly I did sleep well but had the blind staggers most of the day (can't remember at what times of day I took it-remember then it was an AD not a sleep aid), also gained 50 lbs in a hurry.
Geezer
Posted by Josh1956 on December 26, 2010, at 2:07:14
In reply to Quitting meds, no more trazodone, Lorazepam......., posted by janejj on June 18, 2002, at 12:31:52
i would leave the prozac alone if i were you. when it comes to antidepressants, if it's working for ya don't stop taking it. it will mess you up seriously. I have taken quite a bit of antidepressants, anti anxiety meds including lorazepam, and trazodone for a few years now.
the quitting of lorazepam is fine. i wouldnt reccomend cold turkey for trazodone since it is an antidepressant as well as sleep aid so your chemistry will get a little off if you go cold turkey.
the main thing is to NOT try to wean off prozac all the sudden. i have been on 3 antidepressants lowest mg over the years and took 2 months to wean off lexapro 10mg and i had serotonin syndrome as well as im not as happy as i ever was, my personality is slightly more dull and overall quitting antidepressants will forever change you. if you are happy and things are good stay on the prozac cause trust me the side effects are worse when you quit. i did the exact same thing as you, i was on 300mg wellbutrin and thought getting off would be better for me. i was wrong im back on wellbutrin and things are getting better but it still messed me up and changed me. stay on the prozac.
i would like to say good job getting off lorazepam and trazzy :)
but when it comes to antidepressants be careful please i speak from experience i cant reverse the brain damage i have due to quitting antidepressants and i will never be the same.don't do what i did.
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.