Posted by ClearSkies on December 13, 2006, at 17:00:58
In reply to Wow - great suggestions!, posted by ClearSkies on December 11, 2006, at 8:57:33
A couple of things have transpired...
Rozerem definitely does not work for me. After 10 days I have still not been able to fall asleep. I do not stay asleep. I am plenty tired - mostly due to lack of sleep - but it's my crazy-monkey-mind's jumping around that prevents me from falling asleep. Also, my hair is falling out (I think I shared that already).I happened to see my GYN today for an appointment, and I mentioned these 2 symptoms, wondering if hormones/thyroid might be the problem. She asked about all the other meds I am on, and said, "sounds like you really need an anti-anxiety drug so your mind will rest enough to let you sleep." Sheer brilliance.
So I toodled off to the pdoc to tell her that I wasn't sleeping on Rozerem and my hair is shedding. Hmm, she said, Rozerem can do that sometimes. Better stop taking it. OK, so what next? She suggested Pamelor, about which I know nothing. She said, it causes sedation, and the side effects are constipation and weight gain. Gaaack!!
I started to cry. I can't GET any more constipated than I am - a daily dose of Metamucil is working, but I daren't skip a day. The weight I've gained to date while on antidepressants has afflicted enough damage to my poor self esteem already. I can't willingly take another medication that "should" make me sleepy, and will most likely cause those other 2 side effects.So, here is the BIG mistake I made - I told her about my GYN's suggestion. That an antianxiety med would probably let my mind calm down enough so my natural tiredness would put me to sleep. Oh, no, she said, xanax (or any other benzo) could trigger an increased dependence on alcohol. I did see the hair on the back of her neck stand up as soon as I mentioned this other doctor. I said, can you see that I am frustrated? I went to one doctor with my complaint, who gave me a recommendation and sent me off to my pdoc for treatment.
Yes, she says, but MY specialty is in psychiatry, and your other doctor's specialty is gynocology. I didn't want to start defending my GYN's qualifications, like how she was going to pursue psychiatry as her specialty before finally deciding on being a GYN.Pdoc was completely huffy by this time. Why don't you speak with my doctor, I said, and get this resolved. I really don't want one doctor telling me to do one thing and another doctor telling me to do another. I signed a release form and gave her my GYN's card so they can "chat".
I left the pdoc's office without paying or making another appointment. I was going to leave the scrip for Pamelor behind altogether, but figured that I don't want her to fire me before I can do it first.The lack of appreciation for the unintended impact the myriad of drugs have on our bodies is downright insulting. Giving me a prescription for Pamelor and telling me to take Metamucil and exercise more to deal with the side effects is frankly, an insult to me. Oh, and she suggested that instead of Metamucil that I take a fiber supplement. To this, I just stared at her. It *is* a fiber supplement, I said. Has a laxative effect at higher dosages, and acts as a fiber supplement at lower doses. Besides, I said, my intention is not to take MORE pills and supplements, but less.
Quite a rant I have here.
I'm thinking this stuff through. I am going to ask my therapist if she can recommend a pdoc (this one has never called her for a consult although I have offered for her to do so many times). I can also talk with my GP and ask for him to either take over my treatment or recommend another pdoc.Right now, though, I just want to calm down, and later, to sleep tonight. Just writing all this venom and frustration down has helped a lot.
poster:ClearSkies
thread:712411
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20061212/msgs/713321.html