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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 16 of 16. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by rjlockhart04-08 on November 11, 2011, at 15:53:50
I don't know how exactly this can be possible but I was watching something on TV the other day about a man who developed a immunity to snake venom and it had no effect on him when he was injected with it. I have the same problem exept this effects my health because I am immune to medications. I don't know if anyone here understands this but I am very tolerant to medications. Its like I develeloped this antibodie that causes them not to take effect. I have no effect from Prozac Wellbutrin and Zyprexa. It's very hard to put this in words but my body is either not absorbing them or is not passing the brain blood barrier or their is an immunity that has developed. I've tested this by taking some caffeine supplements and its confirmed I am very resistant to anything right now. Even a MAOI. I don't know what to do.
I don't think there is a awnser for this....because its too complicated and it has to be studied under some studies to be understood. I just don't know why my body react to mind altering substances. Maybe I should find some amphetamines too and try them ;) im joking.
It's ok if you don't have an awnser because I pretty much knew no one is going to know what is going on with this situation. I just wished I knew WHY this is happening.
Posted by Solstice on November 11, 2011, at 16:47:55
In reply to Immunity to medications., posted by rjlockhart04-08 on November 11, 2011, at 15:53:50
immunity and tolerance are two very different things. Immunity is where your body's system for warding off invading organisms is deactivated. So you don't become immune to medications. You can, however, develop a tolerance for some types of medications. What you're experiencing fits more under tolerance.
Have you had your appointment for the testing yet?
Solstice
Posted by Phillipa on November 11, 2011, at 18:16:35
In reply to Re: Immunity to medications. » rjlockhart04-08, posted by Solstice on November 11, 2011, at 16:47:55
Soltice I kind of understand I think? What Matt means. I do have autoimmune disease of thyroid and the synthroid that worked well doesn't anymore. So more testing Tuesday. Seems I've become a non converter per endo. Seems also earlier in life that meds gave me horrible side effects ad's that is and couldn't tolerate them now can take any one of them and feel nothing? Strange? I also don't know what to make of this. When for instance lexapro was new I was given it at 5mg and nearly flipped out with anxiety. Now years later take lexapro 5mg with luvox feel nothing good or bad? Matt is this what you mean? Phillipa
Posted by Solstice on November 11, 2011, at 21:05:31
In reply to Re: Immunity to medications. » Solstice, posted by Phillipa on November 11, 2011, at 18:16:35
Hi Phillipa -
I have a basic understanding of the myriad ways medications can reset our body's natural systems, feedback loops, etc. But I am ill-equipped to try to explain it. Others on the board here are much more knowledgeable about how it works - maybe one of them will step in and give a clear explanation of the types of things that come into play with building a tolerance to medications.
Solstice
> Soltice I kind of understand I think? What Matt means. I do have autoimmune disease of thyroid and the synthroid that worked well doesn't anymore. So more testing Tuesday. Seems I've become a non converter per endo. Seems also earlier in life that meds gave me horrible side effects ad's that is and couldn't tolerate them now can take any one of them and feel nothing? Strange? I also don't know what to make of this. When for instance lexapro was new I was given it at 5mg and nearly flipped out with anxiety. Now years later take lexapro 5mg with luvox feel nothing good or bad? Matt is this what you mean? Phillipa
Posted by Phillipa on November 11, 2011, at 22:05:53
In reply to Re: Immunity to medications. » Phillipa, posted by Solstice on November 11, 2011, at 21:05:31
I'd say tolerance to synthroid definitely but as for SSRI I never took one long enough to develop tolerance. Chemistry just changed during menopause. Phillipa
Posted by rjlockhart04-08 on November 11, 2011, at 23:17:55
In reply to Re: Immunity to medications. » Solstice, posted by Phillipa on November 11, 2011, at 18:16:35
Phillipa,
No what I mean is the medications litterly have "no-effect" and im starting to think that its may be this way with MAOI's. I took two caffeine tablets earlier today and NOTHING. It's very strange because in the past two caffeine 200mg tablets would give me energy and wake up. And I felt NOTHING. It's like my body resist them like it doesnt even cross the blood brain barrier in the brain. Yes I have no buisness taking caffiene tablets I just did it to see if I was immune to it and If I wasnt then It would be like 3 cups of coffee at 3 in the afternoon. I personally don't like caffeine, sometimes I do but its not a very mentally strong stimulant, it just wakes you up that's all.
Phillipa what medications are you on?? do you they work?? like the luvox you take I mean does it provide anxiety relief??
I rerember Prozac would give me a since of clarity when It did work and it was being properly absorbed. Wellbutrin would give me a energy kick when I took it. But now, my body is very tolerant to what ever enters it. It's very strange thing that is happening. I know many people here don't have a solution or an awnser to it. I'll have to figure it out on my own, do some self made tests to see whats causing this.
Love ya 2nd mom!!
Matt
Posted by Phillipa on November 11, 2011, at 23:27:40
In reply to Re: Phillipa, posted by rjlockhart04-08 on November 11, 2011, at 23:17:55
Matt added even lexapro to luvox and feel nothing just tired where used to be anxious. I'm still anxious but the benzos like candy. Keep taking less as why take if they don't work? Is this more what you mean? love Phillipa
Posted by rjlockhart04-08 on November 11, 2011, at 23:33:28
In reply to Re: Immunity to medications. » rjlockhart04-08, posted by Solstice on November 11, 2011, at 16:47:55
Hey soltice,
im still on a investigation on what is going on. I just don't know know what to put into google, i've tried "not working medications" "tolerance to medications" "medications not working after admin" I can't think of the correct phrase to desribe this ... its like I take them and then they are absorbed but they have no psychological effect at anymore. They did in the past...but its like my body became tolerant and moderated its functions to counteract the effects of the drugs. I really would love to take some amphetamines and see what happens.
I can't do anything until I can fully support myself on my own and have my own place and things are solid foundation. It doesnt look optimistic from this point BUT the DARS program is going to call me very soon about testing. Now this is what he told me. He could find a psychiatrist that would treat for ADHD. I just think I shouldnt do it because I need to get on my own feet on my own foundation of solid facts that I can handle myself without any assistance. It's going to be very hard, and I may need assistance from parents. I mean im 100% dependent on them. Every thing they pay for it. And I have develeoped some graditude for what I do have. Still 75% im not happy because all my friends have their lives and live on their own. Its going to be such a big leap to get out on my own. And then to have integrity to take medication correctly, not abuse or take any extra pills when im upset about something, usally i did this in the past with lorazepam and xanax which im not prescibed to anymore.
UUUUUUUUUUUUUUGH,...putting my hands through my hair and looking out the window thinking what im going to do to get out on my own.
Anyways, thanks soltice I'll keep you updated
with love,
Matt
Posted by Christ_empowered on November 13, 2011, at 11:34:32
In reply to Re: Soltice, posted by rjlockhart04-08 on November 11, 2011, at 23:33:28
To me, it sounds like a couple of things. 1)Your brain adjusts to medication. If you're using an antipsychotic to treat, say, psychosis or bipolar, the adjustment isn't always a bad thing. Sometimes there's a need for an additional medication, sometimes there's a need for a dosage increase, and sometimes the adjustment is a good thing--maybe the patient is less sedated, there's fewer EPS, whatever. In your case, you're using a high dose antipsychotic as a tranquilizer. It seems to me its acting as a band aid to cover up what are essentially non-psychiatric problems. Eventually, between medication tolerance and the build up of problems and certain life experiences, you're going to find that the medication doesn't "work" as expected.
2) A lot of your problems, like I wrote above, are more about finding meaning and purpose than they are related to some psychiatric disorder (and those often involve the same issues, too). You can only get so far medicating yourself to deal with your situation. I mean, look at the middle- and upper-class housewives of the 50s. Tranquilizers and uppers only got them so far, as anyone who has read "The Feminine Mystique" can see.
3) I think, personally, that some of your meds might be working against you. Not only are there very real health issues involved in taking high dose antipsychotics+high dose antidepressants, the medications your doctor has selected are basically functioning like emotional novocaine; they're numbing you up big time. I mean, I have the same thing going on with my Lamictal and Abilify (more with the Abilify). My emotions definitely aren't as intense as they would be if I wasn't taking these medications, but for me the trade off (less emotional intensity, but no more stints in a mental hospital or jail) is worth it. For you, someone who doesn't experience psychosis or severe bipolar and who is in the process of getting your life together, I don't know (speaking as someone who only "knows" you through the internet) that the trade off is really in your favor.
I hope things work out for you. Maybe this is a sign that you should lower the doses of some of your meds or eliminate some of them altogether. Can you get therapy or do some kind of group therapy? That might be helpful.
Posted by Zyprexa on November 14, 2011, at 7:31:07
In reply to Immunity to medications., posted by rjlockhart04-08 on November 11, 2011, at 15:53:50
Maybe you should try going off all meds and see what happens? Then go back on them after a bit and see if they work then. Thats sort of what I did and it seems the zyprexa works better now. Although I didn't go compleatly off them just decreased a lot. Now I know what they are doing.
Posted by rjlockhart04-08 on November 14, 2011, at 21:59:27
In reply to hey man, posted by Christ_empowered on November 13, 2011, at 11:34:32
That is a very good theroy about them because I have grown tolerant to the Zyprexa. I rerember vaious times I took it, it caused so much sedation I could not function the day after and that was at 10mg. I'm now at 20mg and have been on it long enough and I'm ready to stop the treatment because I feel normal without the medication. The Zyprexa and the Prozac did serve their time while I needed them but they are not needed much anymore. They are just their because my pdoc thinks I should be on them. I think I could do much better without having to take these medication because they have no effect like they used to. My brain grew with these medications and adapted to them so equilibrium would level out.
These are my psyciatric disorders in chronicalogical order from Psychiatrists that I've seen over the years
around 1999 I was placed as ADHD and put on Ritlin 20mg
2000 I was moved to Adderall 20mg
2002 I began having depression and was treated with Cymbalta, later zoloft, then wellbutrin.
2003 Depression and ADHD grew worse. I was moved to Adderall 30mg and Wellbutrin 300mg
2004 was the same and this was the same year my addiction began to manifest with abuse of adderall. I would crush the pellets of XR form and down them and get an effect of 60mg of amphetamine at once.
2005 Generalized Anxiety and Panic disorder from the abuse of amphetamine and was put on Klonopin
2005 Later in the year I was moved Ativan 1mg X 3 daily. Later I was moved 2mg X 3 daily because of anxiety caused by drug abuse of amphetamine but I didnt tell the doctor that It was adderall that I was abusing because I didnt want him to know.
Late 2005 I was moved back to Klonopin 2mg three times daily.
2006 I went on dextrostat 2 10mg X 2 DAILY and this was also the same year I was taken off amphetamines for the first time.
2007 Pretty stable but I posted many posts for attnetion. There was nothing wrong with me I just wanted people to pay attention to me. I no longer to this foolishness here.
2008 I got charged with something and went to a psychiatrist and he diagnoised me with Aspberger's[misspelled] syndrome because of social difficulities. Later that year I got prescibed Dexedrine Spanusules 2 15mg twice daily and it stayed that way until april of 2009 when I was taken off the 2nd time, my doctor concluded I needed to go to rehab, he wrote me one last scipt of dexedrine to supply me until I got another doctor.
2009 Rehab taken off dexedrine and xanax and put on xanax XR 2mg daily and was diagnosed bipolar with anxiety sympmtoms. I was put on Geodon 160mg and Zyprexa 10mg. Later on I was taken off Geodon because it made me feel like sh*t with the Zyprexa. I also started Nuerontin 800mg FOUR times daily. And ambien 10mg
2010 had testing done again and they did a SPECT scan and confirmed I had ADD and was put on Vyvanse and then later on during year I abused it again and was taken off it for good. Went to rehab again then another after that. That's where I met my doctor I see today and she tested me and concluded I had low processing speed. She took me off nuerontin and ambien and put me on buspar, then intuniv then clonodine.
2011 is where I am today.
Prozac 60mg
Zyprexa 20mg
Wellbutrin 300mg
Clonodine .1 three times daily.I tried to put everything as truthful as I could. But now you have an idea of my history.
Cheers,
Matt
Posted by Phidippus on November 15, 2011, at 19:42:41
In reply to Immunity to medications., posted by rjlockhart04-08 on November 11, 2011, at 15:53:50
Maybe you're not as mentally ill as you think you are. What exactly are you trying to treat?
Eric
Posted by Zyprexa on November 16, 2011, at 6:15:27
In reply to Re: here's my history, posted by rjlockhart04-08 on November 14, 2011, at 21:59:27
Since the amphetamins are the only meds that work for your ADD. And you abuse them. What if your mom could go to pharmacy with you and ration them out to you one at a time? When I was sick in the beggining I would not take the meds. My parents would fill script and give them to me one at a time.
Posted by BiggyFrank on November 16, 2011, at 14:44:37
In reply to Re: here's my history, posted by rjlockhart04-08 on November 14, 2011, at 21:59:27
i was asperger diagnosed few years ago lol. i recongnise myself in the 10 years explanation i read b4. Don't give up
Posted by Phillipa on November 16, 2011, at 18:43:06
In reply to Re: here's my history, posted by BiggyFrank on November 16, 2011, at 14:44:37
Really? What type of meds do you take? I hear very intelligent people with Aspergers. Phillipa
Posted by BiggyFrank on November 21, 2011, at 10:53:58
In reply to Re: here's my history » BiggyFrank, posted by Phillipa on November 16, 2011, at 18:43:06
i take effexor 300mg, bupropion 450mg, dexedrine 60mg, modafinil 200mg, clonazepam 2mg.
This is the end of the thread.
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