Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 7418

Shown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

4 drugs at once?

Posted by sandy on June 15, 1999, at 13:47:25

My brother is taking 4 different drugs at the same time for depression. After seeing him last weekend I asked for their names because he is seriously over drugged, to the point that he lost bladder control in the car didnt tell anyone and didnt remember it the next morning. The 4 drugs are, clonazepam, trazodone, remeron and celexa. I believe some of these perform the same functions. I finally begged him for the name of his psychiatrist whom I think I should call and ask some questions to, or at least explain the state my brother is in. Is this a normal drug treatment for depression?

 

Re: 4 drugs at once?

Posted by Sean on June 15, 1999, at 16:56:02

In reply to 4 drugs at once?, posted by sandy on June 15, 1999, at 13:47:25

> My brother is taking 4 different drugs at the same time for depression. After seeing him last weekend I asked for their names because he is seriously over drugged, to the point that he lost bladder control in the car didnt tell anyone and didnt remember it the next morning. The 4 drugs are, clonazepam, trazodone, remeron and celexa. I believe some of these perform the same functions. I finally begged him for the name of his psychiatrist whom I think I should call and ask some questions to, or at least explain the state my brother is in. Is this a normal drug treatment for depression?

I'm not a doc, but....

your brother is certainly taking quite a
cocktail of meds. Clonazepam is usually used
as an anxiolyitc so it isn't an antidepressant
per say. Still, as a CNS depressant, is could
very well be adding to the #1 side effect of
trazodone which is sleepiness. I would suspect
these two drugs before the others.

Remeron and celexa are fairly new antidepressants
(in this country) but seem to have different
ways of working, so a combination of these two
drugs is certainly justifiable provided either drug
alone did not work.

I'm suspicious of the clonazepam/trazodone ganging
up on his CNS. Good luck,

Sean.


 

Re: 4 drugs at once?

Posted by JD on June 16, 1999, at 0:27:26

In reply to 4 drugs at once?, posted by sandy on June 15, 1999, at 13:47:25

Sandy,

Combining meds can definitely be useful for certain patients, but treating depression with four different ones (three of them antidepressants, one basically an anti-anxiety/anti-panic one) does sound like a bit much! My immediate reaction is just as much to the *particular* combo he's on: remeron, trazodone, and klonopin are all extremely sedating when used alone and are only likely to be more so in combination. (Celexa may counteract this somewhat depending on the dosage, but it would seem not enough given your description!) I would certainly try to find out from his doctor what the rationale is behind this treatment, especially if it
doesn't seem to be bringing much in the way of improvement. Since you don't say much about the specifics of your brother's mood problems (depression takes many forms!), it's hard to know what reasons there might actually be for it, but I think you would certainly be justified in trying to solicit a good explanation and/or a second opinion from another psychiatrist.
Best to you,
JD


> My brother is taking 4 different drugs at the same time for depression. After seeing him last weekend I asked for their names because he is seriously over drugged, to the point that he lost bladder control in the car didnt tell anyone and didnt remember it the next morning. The 4 drugs are, clonazepam, trazodone, remeron and celexa. I believe some of these perform the same functions. I finally begged him for the name of his psychiatrist whom I think I should call and ask some questions to, or at least explain the state my brother is in. Is this a normal drug treatment for depression?

 

Re: 4 drugs-i have read your posts

Posted by sandy on June 17, 1999, at 20:36:13

In reply to Re: 4 drugs at once?, posted by JD on June 16, 1999, at 0:27:26


First I want to thank you for replying to this post and to my post later on. I guess from what I am reading here there really is no set "drug combo" that works for everyone like amoxicillian on a nasal infection.... it also sounds like you all come up with your own combinations of drugs based on side efeects or just how they are working (or not working in most cases). And I also suppose most peoples docs are not to responsive to the oral explanation of symptoms and the feelings that go along with that and it is much easier to go by the book and prescribe what they think should work. I guess the only way they could understand is to spend a week in your life, with you listening to how you feel when you feel it and being there when sleep does not come or the anxiety/nervous behaviors kick in , and in the extreme cases to hold your hand as you contemplate suicide and fall farther into despair. I have really gained alot of knowledge from your posts and will be discussing all these opportunities with my brother. He is willing to accept the answers from the docs but I am not. He is in such a state that he will not argue or recommend or even tell the doc what the adverse effects of the drugs have been. I think he does not know that there is more then one "cure" if you will. He does not have a computer to read through your glorious postings, i wish he did he may find some of the support he needs here!!! So I will become the ambassador to depression for him and guide him (hopefully) to the promised land. Or at least a land where he can live and be happy on most days. Not really knowing what this is like myself (depression) it is kinda weird to look into this web-site. I feel like I am peering into a private place that outsiders do not understand and should not go but....I have always been under the notion that depressed people (or so they say!) were just making an excuse to not join the rest of the world. I think now I have seen the light : ) and as I read on I now know my ideas of this illness have been very wrong. I can now see my brother in a different light and maybe I can share this with the rest of the family so we can all be supportive, loving and forgiving of him and reach out to help in his time of need. I just want to thank all who have responded and to let you know I am a much smarter lady then I was a week ago and I will go to all lengths to be sure my brother gets the care and correct meds to make his life work again. I only wish that you all had someone to support you as I will my brother. Much love and may God be with you all.
As many cloudy days as we see in a lifetime we always need to remember the sun does shine again, maybe for an week or a day or an hour, maybe it just peaks out between the clouds, but knowing that it is just beyond the clouds is always something to look forward to.
sandy


This is the end of the thread.


Show another thread

URL of post in thread:


Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ


[dr. bob] Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD, bob@dr-bob.org

Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.