Posted by hildi on August 9, 2002, at 22:13:44
In reply to Re: How Parnate saved my butt » hildi, posted by Ritch on August 9, 2002, at 10:37:49
Hi Mitch. These are the meds I've been on: I tried Buspar, prozac, zoloft, celexa, effexor, and trileptal (sp?). Buspar was 1st- didn't do a thing but alieviate a little anxiety, not much. The prozac made me feel calmer and more focused. The buspar and prozac together was a terrible combo for me, but this dr insisted it was OK. It was after I did research on it that confirmed it can make some people worse (for people with ADD or OCD, I cannot remeber but it said for some this combo worsens symptoms). Dr. didn't believe me so I just quit buspar w/o asking him and I did feel better.
Prozac worked for a while then made me feel worse- more anxious and agitated (I later found out-recently actually- that stuff like prozac is being prescribed at way too high a dose. I think most of us do better on something like 1/8 of what they prescribe- just like your experience).
Anyway, I did somw research again and found that zoloft might work better. Talked to dr. about this and he said hogwash- zoloft is the same as prozac- just up your prozac dose. I begged and begged and he finally ordered me zoloft. It did work better, just as I thought.
Of course I had problems on zoloft, too. The racing thoughts, the hyperness and agitation,sometimes apathy, fainting spells, dizzyness, my moods were getting worse than ever and then I just finally started to feel really sick all the time. Occasionally over the years the dr. would suggest benzos or mood stabilizers but I did not want to add anything else. It wasn't until things really got bad and I got super sick that I went in and said enough- no more zoloft! What does he say? "up the meds"- again! I refused so he gave me celexa- I hated it. Effexor then- it was worse!
Now, I go back in again. Dr. is frustrated and says I am not trying hard enough -expecting too much. "Nothing was wrong with the zoloft- after all you were on it for so long" (7 years).
I have suggestions of things to try- things I have heard about what the meds can do to you physically. I try to tell him the SSRI's are affecting my blood sugar, and that the high doses I have been on are maybe too much for me- Dr. is shaking his head and tells me all this stuff I've learned is nonsense. I try to explain my physical symptoms to him and he says "so what. No med is going to be perfect".
I ask him what to do and he says he gives up on me. I bring up suggestions of things to try and he just shakes his head and doesn't answer me. When pushed for an answer, he says he "doesn't know what to do with me . . . I probably won't like anything anyway".
He did bring up the benzo thing again, and I asked if he really thought it was a good idea for me- and he said he saw no reason why not.
So, we just sat there- him looking digusted at me.
After some crying and yelling on my part (yeah, I fell apart. It didn't help things) dr. gives me paxil.
So, for three weeks or so I'm doing this paxil. I have seen him maybe twice since then, each time he doesn't look real happy to see me. I tried to bring up the benzo thing and he won't talk about it.
I bring up this anxiety issue (the fact that I'm still freaking out) and mention that the paxil at 12.5 mg is making me too sexual.
Dr says "Up the dose". He says the paxil is an ultimate anti-anxiety med- "haven't I seen the commercials?"- he says "give it time, double or triple the dose". Then he practically pushed me out the door.
So, instead of being sensitive to the fact that high doses of SSRI's are maybe NOT what I need, this guy only looks at these meds in regards of higher, not lower, doses. Issues of med sensitivity are not even of importance to him. To him, answers to problems of side effects are just to 'up the dose'- geez- is he getting a 'kickback from these companies??I really do believe I need another dr.
I don't trust this man and I do not like the rapport we have. I read other posts of how people question and discuss things with thier dr.s and I think "wow! Some doctors will discuss things openly with you?"No insurance has been the reason I go to this guy. Plus, I have been seeing him ever since I quit drinking. I used to really like this guy. I used to trust him.
I think I can buy what I need online for a while until I figure out a new plan, find a new doctor. My next job will hopefully have insurance- my last one didn't.
What I am thinking is going off SSRI's completely once I'm on a good anxiety med.
I thought Serzone was discontinued or something? My dr. mentioned something like that. Remeron sounds interesting, but it sounds like everyone gains tons of wieght on it! amitriptyline is a TCA, right?
I tried one TCA (no, dr. didn't prescribe it) lately- cl-something- geez- cannot remember the name. It made me sleepy and bloaty, but no nausea and my mind didn't feel spacey or wired like on some meds I've tried.
Maybe down the road I can try an MAOI. What I have heard from cybercafe about parnate sounds very good. There have been some great nardil posts, too.Mitch, how long have you been on Klonopin and how much do you take? Some of these recent posts about klonopin have scared me.
This is a scary decision that I cannot believe I'm even contemplating.
Hildi
poster:hildi
thread:115196
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020807/msgs/115893.html