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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 25 of 32. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by dondon on January 20, 2005, at 9:48:24
I'm on paxil, remeron, zyprexa and lamictal.
Posted by Bill LL on January 20, 2005, at 12:43:28
In reply to what's everyone on?, posted by dondon on January 20, 2005, at 9:48:24
> I'm on paxil, remeron, zyprexa and lamictal.
How are you doing on those drugs?I take Lexapro and Strattera and am doing pretty good.
Posted by JACJ on January 20, 2005, at 14:42:32
In reply to Re: what's everyone on?, posted by Bill LL on January 20, 2005, at 12:43:28
Absolutely nothing. :)
Posted by tensor on January 20, 2005, at 14:59:39
In reply to what's everyone on?, posted by dondon on January 20, 2005, at 9:48:24
Zoloft, remeron, clonazepam and lithium.
/Mattias
Posted by mattw84 on January 20, 2005, at 15:55:34
In reply to what's everyone on?, posted by dondon on January 20, 2005, at 9:48:24
Good thread! I am also curious as to what everyone's indications are for their meds.
Adderall 10mg 3x Daily - ADHD
Xanax XR 3mg 2x Daily - Social Anxiety w/Panic DisorderIt's the perfect mix for me at this time! Though I still consistently worry about what will happen when I stop taking them!
Matt
Posted by tensor on January 20, 2005, at 15:59:09
In reply to Re: What meds -- and your dx??, posted by mattw84 on January 20, 2005, at 15:55:34
Posted by dick hunt on January 20, 2005, at 17:08:59
In reply to what's everyone on?, posted by dondon on January 20, 2005, at 9:48:24
PAXIL + KLONOPIN = FEEL GOOD! :)
Posted by redscarlet on January 20, 2005, at 17:43:02
In reply to what's everyone on?, posted by dondon on January 20, 2005, at 9:48:24
Zonegran, Abilify, Cymbalta, Xanax ~ Bipolar
Posted by thinkfast on January 20, 2005, at 18:13:24
In reply to Re: what's everyone on? » dondon, posted by redscarlet on January 20, 2005, at 17:43:02
gabitril, doxepin, and maybe zoloft in the near future....OCD, social anxiety, panic disorder, major depressive, maybe a mood disorder or BP? a couple of personality disorders, a couple I can't think of >>>>> and a partridge in a pear tree....
Posted by griswald on January 20, 2005, at 18:35:31
In reply to Re: what's everyone on?, posted by thinkfast on January 20, 2005, at 18:13:24
Lithium, Wellbutrin, Xanax or Ativan to sleep. Just stopped Lamictal and starting Depakote
Posted by jerrympls on January 20, 2005, at 19:17:54
In reply to Re: what's everyone on?, posted by tensor on January 20, 2005, at 14:59:39
Lexapro - 20mg
Dexedrine 15mg TID
Klonopin - 1mg am, 1mg PRN, 2mg HS
Ambien - 20mg
Oxycontin - 10mgMajor Depression/GAD - recurrent/treatment-resistant
Posted by Michael Bell on January 20, 2005, at 21:03:39
In reply to what's everyone on?, posted by dondon on January 20, 2005, at 9:48:24
Posted by pretty_paints on January 21, 2005, at 5:38:00
In reply to what's everyone on?, posted by dondon on January 20, 2005, at 9:48:24
Efexor - 225mg
Remeron - 15mg
Seroquel - 750mg
(changing to Abilify at the end of next week)
Posted by mattw84 on January 21, 2005, at 11:35:43
In reply to Why would you stop taking them? (nm) » mattw84, posted by tensor on January 20, 2005, at 15:59:09
I have no intention of either the adderall or xanax xr being 'long-term' solutions for my dx's. Though both have relatively low risk long term side effects... they really just 'mask' the actually cognitive problems thusly associated. I firmly believe that in the end learning to cope is better than depending on pharacology to solve these problems. Also, both Xanax and Adderall are considerably addictive in nature, so in the least I would prefer eventually stepping down to something with less risk thereof (Ideally nothing) -- mostly due to family history of substance abuse.
I have no doubt that these drugs have changed my life for better, but I want to learn to cope with my symptoms cognitively and be able to live without visits to doctors and remembering to take pills just to be a functional member of society... not a very short answer, and I have numerous other reasons why I would elect to discontinue.
However, I have no plan to do so in the near future. I have been on both for quite some time now, so the thought of discontinuing and having to go through withdrawals from both is quite anxiogenic in itself! Hope that made some sense =)
Matt
Posted by ed_uk on January 22, 2005, at 10:44:09
In reply to Re: what's everyone on?, posted by jerrympls on January 20, 2005, at 19:17:54
At the moment, nothing!
Ed.
Posted by jujube on January 22, 2005, at 12:34:24
In reply to Re: what's everyone on?, posted by ed_uk on January 22, 2005, at 10:44:09
Hope you are hanging in there. Are you looking into alternative med options?
Whatever you decide to do, I am thinking of you and wishing you all the best.
Take good care of you!
> At the moment, nothing!
>
> Ed.
Posted by ed_uk on January 23, 2005, at 9:02:14
In reply to Re: what's everyone on? » ed_uk, posted by jujube on January 22, 2005, at 12:34:24
Hello,
>Are you looking into alternative med options?
I'm not seeing a pdoc at the moment but a friend has agreed to give me some selegiline so I might try that in a few weeks time.
>I am thinking of you and wishing you all the best.
Thank you for your kindness :-)
Ed.
Posted by yxibow on January 24, 2005, at 1:09:04
In reply to Re: what's everyone on?, posted by Bill LL on January 20, 2005, at 12:43:28
Neurontin (gabapentin gen.) 900mg tid
Cymbalta 30mg bid
Klonopin (clonazepam gen.) ~6mg qd
<Topomax, tapering to zero>
Seroquel 1100mg qd
Ambien 20mg qdAnxiety induced visual conversion disorder or anxiety induced psychosis NOS + concommittant minor leftovers of a lifetime of OCD.
Posted by ed_uk on January 24, 2005, at 7:13:03
In reply to Re: what's everyone on?, posted by yxibow on January 24, 2005, at 1:09:04
Hi,
>Anxiety induced visual conversion disorder or anxiety induced psychosis NOS...
What are your symptoms?
Ed.
Posted by yxibow on January 25, 2005, at 0:51:36
In reply to Re: what's everyone on? » yxibow, posted by ed_uk on January 24, 2005, at 7:13:03
> Hi,
>
> >Anxiety induced visual conversion disorder or anxiety induced psychosis NOS...
>
> What are your symptoms?
>
> Ed.Oh its a long story but I'll try to make it as concise as possible. Ever since mid November 2001, my visual experience in the world as I knew it has never been the same. We still dont know exactly why though one can hypothesize that my extreme (it was pretty bad) hysteria after 9-11 and anthrax and every other thing that I had some sort of conversion disorder.
In short the symptoms and then in long the road taken -- in short, traffic lights (esp the LED variety which are increasingly common here), rear brake lights, etc, extremely miserably bright... fluorescent lights an intense distraction (going down supermarket aisles the soap boxes lit up almost and shopping for clothes knocking over the racks almost), patterns in clothing extremely distractive and miserable, contrast and brightness in general off, 60hz easily visible, in fact 70hz possibly, in monitors, the list went on.
Now the long story --
It was extroardinarily intense (in my view anyway) at that point, I first noticed it driving down a narrow forest highway to see the Leonids that I was nearly blinded by oncoming traffic and I couldnt find my way to a parking spot. I saw maybe one meteor and gave up and hightailed it back home as best as possible. A month passed waiting for an opthamologist's appointment, since (and there had been previous bizarre histories in the past year of unexplained fevers that werent fevers, i.e., under 100 that lasted nearly through the end of 2001 for which I had -every- battery of test and no conclusion but that I was healthy) that was about the only test left. Well, the test proved that I had two eyes and the optic nerve, etc, was fine, so I wasnt going blind. I wasnt sure what to do next.. I was getting more hysterical in general...I have been seeing a psychiatrist for general depression since I came home from college, which has been far too long.
Anyhow finally it got to a point that he reduced my experience to an overabundance or activity at the D2 receptor, and I reluctantly had little trials of Zyprexa (which made my hands shake and still probably has never completely stopped) and Risperdal (which made me crazy at night when I took it and caused one of my fingers to twich, which has never stopped, but that is all water over the dam, I give twitchy fingers for this problem these days)
Anyway new years past medicine free and then went on to Luvox which slowly started to actually downregulate the dopamine by increasing serotonin, at some point Remeron was added by chance because im an insomniac and it acted in my belief as a partial antipsychotic due to its blockade, the change was dramatic in my disorder for the better.
To assuade me, and a new GP that I had, I had an MRI done... which greatly relieved my concerns, all was normal.
A lot of therapy sessions and medication changes here and there and fast forward to the present, things are not gone, but they're more managable and I dont have the suicidality I had at the beginning where I felt at times at night that I could just obliterate things by crashing into something. I now have to deal with a large weight problem from the Remeron and the Seroquel although given the choice of lack of appetite and intense disorder and a complete cure and livin large to speak, I'd take the latter. I can always lose the weight. That's the problem now... whenever I increase my metabolism to excercise, it also revs up the visual symptoms that are left, slight electrical snow, damn irritating. But I do anyway for my health. And I suppose I continue to search for the holy grail, although I can't wait for Godot forever -- my life is in stasis at the moment and that's a whole different set of issues.
It's hard to think about working in the capacity you did before a sledgehammer came and raked your frontal cortex like this.I've probably omitted some details here and there but thats the general gist. And although I wandered on to a "visual snow" group on the web, most of their symptoms seem to be a bit different. Its hard when you dont appear in Medline.
Tidings
- J
Posted by ed_uk on January 25, 2005, at 10:00:50
In reply to Re: what's everyone on?, posted by yxibow on January 25, 2005, at 0:51:36
Hi,
Thank you for your summary. The reason that I asked was because I have had many problems which could be thought of as anxiety-induced conversion disorders eg. severe nausea and vomiting at mealtimes, muscle stiffness that made it impossible to write, difficulty speaking etc.
Do you take Seroquel at the moment?
>I have been seeing a psychiatrist for general depression since I came home from college, which has been far too long.
How old are you btw? Are you male or female?
Regards,
Ed.
Posted by Petra on January 25, 2005, at 12:22:55
In reply to what's everyone on?, posted by dondon on January 20, 2005, at 9:48:24
Paxil - 12.5 mg
Risperdal - 1.5 mg
Oxazepam - 10 mg
Posted by yxibow on January 25, 2005, at 19:49:20
In reply to Re: Conversion disorders » yxibow, posted by ed_uk on January 25, 2005, at 10:00:50
> Hi,
>
> Thank you for your summary. The reason that I asked was because I have had many problems which could be thought of as anxiety-induced conversion disorders eg. severe nausea and vomiting at mealtimes, muscle stiffness that made it impossible to write, difficulty speaking etc.They definately could be though of as conversion disorders or more likely some other disorder within the DSM classifications called somatiform disorders.
The most common kind of conversion disorder is a pseudo-seizure, very real seizure like conditions but with the absence of any organic condition. Some views of conversion or somatiform disorders may say that the person is aware or the like leading one to conclude that its hysteria or malingering but in general it can be very disturbing for the person and hard to change from what I understand.
>
> Do you take Seroquel at the moment?
>Yes, as posted before, probably one of the largest doses seen, 1100mg/day. Started down at the 400mg level somewhere between a year and 2 years ago, I forget.
>
> How old are you btw? Are you male or female?Male, 29.
>
> Regards,
> Ed.
Posted by ed_uk on January 26, 2005, at 14:05:35
In reply to Re: Conversion disorders, posted by yxibow on January 25, 2005, at 19:49:20
Hello!
>Male, 29.
I'm 20 :-)
Do you find the Seroquel very helpful for your conversion disorders?
Ed.
Posted by yxibow on January 27, 2005, at 1:51:21
In reply to Re: Conversion disorders » yxibow, posted by ed_uk on January 26, 2005, at 14:05:35
> Hello!
>
> >Male, 29.
>
> I'm 20 :-)I remember 20.... :)
> Do you find the Seroquel very helpful for your conversion disorders?
>
> Ed.(as usual there's a short and a long answer :)
Well, its hard to say whether a drug is targeting the conversion disorder (if it is conclusively one, there isnt a 100% sureness of anything about this blasted mess), or merely acting as a palleative (if you remove it, things come back).
But I can say that the ramp up of Seroquel and the reduction of symptoms for me show that Seroquel (among the other medications I take) has some effectiveness, and maybe the D2 theory is a probability (Seroquel being primarily a antipsychotic, dopamine antagonist, etc.).
So yes.. in a short sense, its helpful.. but I also had been taking Remeron in the past, which was helpful, Luvox, which was initially helpful, and a Klonopin / Neurontin mix which also is helpful. Polypharmacy can get confusing because its hard to tease out the drugs and their effects except to watch when you've started a new one or stopped an old one.
Symptom reduction has slowed down over time, probably if any reason that the leaps and bounds may be less dramatically noticeable.
But I wouldnt suggest to anyone a massive dose of Seroquel unless a) they're schizophrenic/schizoaffective or bipolar or b) their p-doc has some reason to believe that a dopamine antagonist may have some help (which for some off label purposes it does, such as SSRI augmentation in OCD). Seroquel certainly is the mildest of current neuroleptics but even at that I can say that there is a general feeling of "blunting" that is typical of them, for me. Only Clozaril is milder (yet unique in some ways.)
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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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