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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 linkadge on March 19, 2011, at 16:53:23
Hi,
I'm not doing well again. Another week of cycling insomnia (on night of good sleep followed by total or near total insomnia).
I can't seem to stop this cycle. I went to the ER today after 2 nights of near total insomnia in a row. My psychiatrist is out of town. They gave me zopiclone but I read it was linked to cancer so I'm not sure if I want to take it.
Anyhow, just sharing. Not really looking for advice cause I don't believe there is any viable solution in sight.
I quit the amitriptyline and clonazepam since they are just supressing me. Theres no quality of life, I just feel drugged.
The doctors don't really understand that. They just act so bewildered as to why somebody would stop a medication which is suppressing the symptoms.
I'm probably rapid cycling or something, but I don't want to take an anticonvulsant or antipsychotic.
I just hate my life right now. I have no control.
Linkadge
Posted by Phillipa on March 19, 2011, at 19:26:34
In reply to not good, posted by linkadge on March 19, 2011, at 16:53:23
Link yup the docs think the pills work. Is that lunesta? I will google it. No benzos I suppose even though they work and no long term bad side effects that I know of. Once I ended up in Er after a doc took away the 50mg of luvox upped benzos and I didn't sleep for two weeks. Pamelor plastered me to bed the one time I took it so that's a thought. Phillipa
Posted by morgan miller on March 19, 2011, at 23:54:56
In reply to not good, posted by linkadge on March 19, 2011, at 16:53:23
>I can't seem to stop this cycle. I went to the ER today after 2 nights of near total insomnia in a row. My psychiatrist is out of town. They gave me zopiclone but I read it was linked to cancer so I'm not sure if I want to take it.
Taking it for the time being is unlikely to trigger any kind of cancer growth. Get the sleep under control and then start the meds you feel more comfortable with.
Posted by morgan miller on March 19, 2011, at 23:57:12
In reply to Re: not good, posted by morgan miller on March 19, 2011, at 23:54:56
Sorry you have not been well. Mental illness is a f*ck*ng nightmare. All we can do is to find a way to manage with meds so we can do all the other things to further improve our minds, bodies and emotions and start living again.
Posted by bleauberry on March 20, 2011, at 6:48:09
In reply to not good, posted by linkadge on March 19, 2011, at 16:53:23
Sorry for the tough times, link. You deserve better.
Zopiclone worked ok for me when most others really didn't. I doubt there is even a hint of cancer risk unless taking high doses for extended periods of time.
Sometimes I think if we focus on things that improve overall health, rather than focusing on the symptoms, the symptoms take care of themselves. That's hard to do. But in my experience much more rewarding than drugs. Most people think that means eating healthy and taking vitamins. Which is wrong. That is in fact just the base on which to build. Most people don't even know what "eating healthy" means.
In my own battles I've focused on treating with herbs or supplements all of the major culprits behind psychiatric issues....chronic low level inflammation, chronic low level toxicity of whatever, chronic oxidative stress, chronic disregulation of overall biochemistry, chronic unknown infection, chronic malabsorption and/or mal-metabolizing of what is absorbed. None of the supplements I take have anything to do with treating psychiatric issues. Yet, the psychiatric issues clear up on their own when all of the possible culprits are targeted simultaneously.
Posted by polarbear206 on March 20, 2011, at 9:24:12
In reply to not good, posted by linkadge on March 19, 2011, at 16:53:23
> Hi,
>
> I'm not doing well again. Another week of cycling insomnia (on night of good sleep followed by total or near total insomnia).
>
> I can't seem to stop this cycle. I went to the ER today after 2 nights of near total insomnia in a row. My psychiatrist is out of town. They gave me zopiclone but I read it was linked to cancer so I'm not sure if I want to take it.
>
> Anyhow, just sharing. Not really looking for advice cause I don't believe there is any viable solution in sight.
>
> I quit the amitriptyline and clonazepam since they are just supressing me. Theres no quality of life, I just feel drugged.
>
> The doctors don't really understand that. They just act so bewildered as to why somebody would stop a medication which is suppressing the symptoms.
>
> I'm probably rapid cycling or something, but I don't want to take an anticonvulsant or antipsychotic.
>
> I just hate my life right now. I have no control.
>
> Linkadge
>
>Full moon pobably played some part in it to an extent. I don't mean to sound harsh, but you are your own worst enemy.......
Posted by linkadge on March 20, 2011, at 15:37:56
In reply to Re: not good, posted by polarbear206 on March 20, 2011, at 9:24:12
Somehow I have lost 10 pounds in the last week. 130->120. Not good. This was my march break, I was supposed to be getting better.
Linkadge
Posted by morgan miller on March 20, 2011, at 22:18:54
In reply to Re: not good, posted by polarbear206 on March 20, 2011, at 9:24:12
I think you might be very sensitive to the change in season. I know I am, but the effect it has on me hits hard and fast and then disappears rapidly.
Posted by bleauberry on March 21, 2011, at 4:34:06
In reply to Re: -10lbs OMG, posted by linkadge on March 20, 2011, at 15:37:56
That kind of weight loss tells you something is going on besides just psychiatric. Whatever the something is, is probably causing the psychiatric.
That kind of weight loss was the first clue I got myself that told me, "hey, doctors are missing the boat with me....something's up here." And then of course my own personal journey to try to make sense of it all and deal with it. Pretty easy actually, looking back, and I think everyone should do the same.
I know the frustration of rapid unexplained weight loss. Scary. I feel for you. You're smart and tough, so I think you'll figure it out. Don't rely on the doctors to do it.
Posted by polarbear206 on March 21, 2011, at 17:21:28
In reply to Re: not good, posted by morgan miller on March 20, 2011, at 22:18:54
> I think you might be very sensitive to the change in season. I know I am, but the effect it has on me hits hard and fast and then disappears rapidly.
Same here..for a couple weeks...then resolves.
Posted by morgan miller on March 21, 2011, at 23:54:26
In reply to Re: -10lbs OMG, posted by bleauberry on March 21, 2011, at 4:34:06
>That kind of weight loss tells you something is going on besides just psychiatric. Whatever the something is, is probably causing the psychiatric.
If you are not eating due to depression, and you have a fast metabolism, psychiatry/psychology certainly can be the main cause for rapid weight loss. At 38, I can drop weight very very fast, just like I always have, regardless of how healthy or unhealthy I was mentally or physically.
Posted by 49er on March 27, 2011, at 6:29:31
In reply to not good, posted by linkadge on March 19, 2011, at 16:53:23
> Hi,
>
> I'm not doing well again. Another week of cycling insomnia (on night of good sleep followed by total or near total insomnia).
>
> I can't seem to stop this cycle. I went to the ER today after 2 nights of near total insomnia in a row. My psychiatrist is out of town. They gave me zopiclone but I read it was linked to cancer so I'm not sure if I want to take it.
>
> Anyhow, just sharing. Not really looking for advice cause I don't believe there is any viable solution in sight.
>
> I quit the amitriptyline and clonazepam since they are just supressing me. Theres no quality of life, I just feel drugged.
>
> The doctors don't really understand that. They just act so bewildered as to why somebody would stop a medication which is suppressing the symptoms.
>
> I'm probably rapid cycling or something, but I don't want to take an anticonvulsant or antipsychotic.
>
> I just hate my life right now. I have no control.
>
> Linkadge
>
>
Linkadge,If I am violating your request of no advice, my apologies. Just disregard.
I could be wrong but your situation reminds me so much of what I faced in 2006. I felt meds were causing horrific side effects but that I had no choice but to stay on them since I supposedly needed them for life.
Well, after I decided that the cure was worse than the disease, I got off of them all last year after starting my taper in 2006.
My life certainly isn't a rose garden and I am not going to pretend that it is. But I definitely have control even though it may not feel like it right now for various reasons.
Anyway, the issue I see in your life is that you need to decide if the benefits of the drugs outweigh the risks and if so, accept whatever negatives come with that. No matter what psychiatry says about better drugs down the road, I remember this one blog post by a psychiatrist who was definitely pro-meds who said that isn't happening.
If the negatives outweigh the positives in your mind, it is time to get off the meds.
So yes, there are viable solutions. None of them are going to be perfect so it is an issue of picking the one that best suits you.
49er
Posted by Phillipa on March 27, 2011, at 19:13:54
In reply to Re: not good » linkadge, posted by 49er on March 27, 2011, at 6:29:31
49er so true just was talking to a neighbor who researches meds reported to FDA. He was an ER Physician for six years prior. Got out of Doctoring as couldn't handle lack of staffing and attitude stabalize and get them out of here. He said he also tells people to research the meds and weigh benefits vs risks and then decide if you should take or not. No he doesn't work for a drug company the FDA reports of adverse effects from med. Phillipa
Posted by linkadge on March 27, 2011, at 19:39:05
In reply to Re: not good » 49er, posted by Phillipa on March 27, 2011, at 19:13:54
Yeah, I've been kind of doing without meds.
The only thing I take is lorazepam to try and reduce bouts of unremitting insomnia,
The main issue is that I don't feel in control at all. I'm scared and frightened most of the time, I fear food and have little appetite often.
I feel weak and often think I have some disease.
Amitriptyline psudo-worked for a little while, but its still just not getting to the heart of the problem. Anything that boosts monoamines just eventually revs me up.
I don't need extra energy, I need something that will just calm my nerves to the point that they can start to heal themselves. S/NRI's just jar my nerves.
Sedatives help a bit, but they do seem to make the depression worse and theres always rebound excitation.
Theres no peace in my life. Its very painful, and it just seems to go on and on.
Linkadge
Posted by Phillipa on March 27, 2011, at 21:47:23
In reply to Re: not good, posted by linkadge on March 27, 2011, at 19:39:05
Link you sound a like how I also feel. Thyroid okay? It's what messed me up. Phillipa
Posted by morgan miller on March 28, 2011, at 0:44:19
In reply to Re: not good, posted by linkadge on March 27, 2011, at 19:39:05
Linkage, there has to be something out there that is tolerable and helps enough to get you to the point of doing everything else that needs to be done to enrich your body, mind and life. There's gotta be something. Low dose lithium? Low dose Lexapro(2.5 mg)? Several supplements-holy basil, ashwagandha, rhodiola, magnesium, fish oil, astragalus(this calmed me today), reishi, bacopa, cordyceps? Low to moderate dose of Depakote? N Acetyl Cysteine(yes anther supp)? Yoga? Exercise? Diet? Have you really exhausted all options and tried all combinations? What about a rotating arsenal? Getting out and having a few beers with good friends?(I guess this would come after feeling baseline better)
Morgan
This is the end of the thread.
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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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