Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 136399

Shown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

Ame Sans Vie---are you sure

Posted by lostsailor on January 18, 2003, at 10:11:44

Ame Sans Vie>>>> Just thought I'd throw in here that my current dosing schedule of clonazepam is actually 4mg bid, and two doses of thirty milligrams every other Sunday. This is in addition to 20mg diazepam bid, 2mg alprazolam qid, and sublingual lorazepam 4mg prn. It sounds like a really bizarre presribing tactic to employ, I know, but my God does it work.

--Michael <<<<

Are you sure of your daily dose??? The amount of bezos and combos is, well, almost unheard of at least to my ears. Why would you take 30mg of klonopin every other sunday??? If all this is right , tell your doc that you are entitled to some of the freebies he get from drug reps. I"d say one anual vacation and all the cool pens and coffee mugs you can handle would be fair. lol

stay tuned and awake, ~Tony

 

Re: Ame Sans Vie---are you sure

Posted by Ame Sans Vie on January 18, 2003, at 21:38:22

In reply to Ame Sans Vie---are you sure, posted by lostsailor on January 18, 2003, at 10:11:44

Actually yes, all of these doses are correct. It seems I naturally have quite a high tolerance to tranquilizers, and then on top of that, people with avoidant personality disorder tend to be very poor responders to anxiolytics. The 60mg Klonopin every 14 days is just something we're trying based on research my doctor has done... I'm not really expecting much from it, but I'm not averse to trying it. I've never had a problem with tolerance to benzos, and have taken *well* over 60mg at a time in the past. Oh, and they have also never made me sleepy, which is great. I sleep enough as it is.

The annual vacation (and maybe a Marinol coffe mug, lol) would be nice, lol.

--Michael

 

Re: Ame Sans Vie---are you sure

Posted by lostsailor on January 19, 2003, at 12:50:24

In reply to Re: Ame Sans Vie---are you sure, posted by Ame Sans Vie on January 18, 2003, at 21:38:22

Ame,

In the social bored I asked if you were for real or a prankster. Sorry about that. I just read that post we are chatting about know and found it totally unbelievable.

It's funny, I really do not get tired from bezos either, but doc thinks that 80 mg Valium and 2 mg xanax as needed is a lot. I often switch between valium and xanax depending on the amount of panic attack I am having. If panic is very pronounced, I take 20mg Valium and up 2mg xanax either tid or qid (that is four times, correct?)

Can you tell me a bit about your avoidance? I thought I had social phobia, with the panic but doc says treatments are so similar and it is probably part of my agoraphobia b/c I was a very gregarious person in the past.

Sorry for thinking of you as a "devil's advocate"

Peace,
~Tony

 

Re: Ame Sans Vie---are you sure

Posted by Ame Sans Vie on January 19, 2003, at 13:28:23

In reply to Re: Ame Sans Vie---are you sure, posted by lostsailor on January 19, 2003, at 12:50:24

lol, don't worry about it. How could I expect anything *but* skepticism with a med regimen like that?

Hmm... about my avoidance. It's very difficult for me to describe... maybe because it's such a deeply ingrained personality trait that I tend not to notice it. That is, not until it gives me a swift kick in the ass. Which it likes to do at any given opportunity.

Concerning the etiology of my current diagnosis... Christ, even that's a tough one. I mean, growing up I was dx'd ADHD. But recently my mother had me read an article in some magazine ('Time' maybe?) about bipolar children, and the traits they tend to exhibit. It was strikingly similar to ADHD in so many respects, yet seemed to make a lot more sense in my case. I still don't know what to make of that. If anything, I have a mild cyclothymic disorder and irrational outbursts of anger... but I'm certainly not bipolar.

I played in very popular local bands and had hundreds of friends up until I was about 17 (I'm 20 now). That was around the time I got heavy into drugs (mostly pot, liquor, coke, LSD, ecstasy, mushrooms, narcotics, other pills... well, okay, damn near everything, lol). The dx of AvPD was pretty easy to come to, as I was consistently making excuses not to go to appointments with my pdoc.

It seems like I can function just fine on a 'business' level (though I'm a little nervous), even maintaining eye contact with waiters, cashiers, etc. But when introduced to somebody on a more informal level, I just freeze up. I feel so stupid and inadequate... can never think of anything interesting or witty to say. So unless I'm cornered into it, I avoid this type of interaction at all costs... even with close family, sadly enough. But the benzos have completely relieved me of my symptoms-- my new friends actually consider me to be an extrovert and the life of the party. I couldn't be happier. =)

--Michael

P.S. Yes, it means four times a day, ;-)

 

Ever read The Introvert Advantage, sounds like you (nm)

Posted by River1924 on January 19, 2003, at 17:33:50

In reply to Re: Ame Sans Vie---are you sure, posted by Ame Sans Vie on January 19, 2003, at 13:28:23

 

Re: Ever read The Introvert Advantage, sounds like you

Posted by Ame Sans Vie on January 20, 2003, at 1:58:18

In reply to Ever read The Introvert Advantage, sounds like you (nm), posted by River1924 on January 19, 2003, at 17:33:50

Can't say I have; I'll have to look into it. Thanks!

--Michael

 

Glad for your success! » Ame Sans Vie

Posted by jay on January 21, 2003, at 17:38:42

In reply to Re: Ame Sans Vie---are you sure, posted by Ame Sans Vie on January 19, 2003, at 13:28:23


Hi:

I just wanted to say..congratulations...and even with your unique med consumption, I have started doing some research into anxiety disorders, and have even come to the conclusion that treating anxiety often treats and relieves depression.

I am really bothered by a few things about anxiety treatment (or *lack* of it), and that is the over-hype of antidepressants for anxiety, which I think can make anxiety *worse*...despite the drug company adverts. I am starting to think *both* bipolars and anxiety prone people should *not* take antidepressants. If they do, a potent anti-anxiety med like Xanax should be used (at *effective* levels), and the antidepressant should be used at the smallest dose.

Anyhow...sorry for rambling...but am happy all is well for you!

Best,
Jay

 

Re: Glad for your success! » jay

Posted by Ame Sans Vie on January 21, 2003, at 17:55:49

In reply to Glad for your success! » Ame Sans Vie, posted by jay on January 21, 2003, at 17:38:42

Firstly, thanks a bunch-- nice to see that people on this forum actually give a damn... that's rare nowadays, but I'm sure glad I found this place. :-)

And I absolutely couldn't agree with you more concerning the place of antidepressants in treating anxiety (though I feel it's specifically the SSRIs that are the problems; the SNRIs, TCAs, and MAOIs have proven helpful pretty often, and at least the SARIs don't have all those nasty SSRI-type SFX). I feel my anxiety (actually, I'm *sure* about this) was worsened by the constant administration and inevitable discontinuation of antidepressant after antidepressant, anticonvulsant after anticonvulsant, antipsychotic after antipsychotic... and even a few pstims and beta blockers thrown in for good measure. I'm absolutely not the type to wish ill upon *anyone* (I'm Pagan... though to avoid confusion, I prefer 'agnostic polytheist' :-), but those doctors really screwed with my head all those years... starting seven years ago, when I was only thirteen and didn't have much choice in the matter. But it has restored my faith in psychiatry somewhat to find a doctor who is willing to prescribe *THERAPEUTIC* doses of benzodiazepines to those among us who truly need them. I feel blessed to finally be symptom-free, and have now made the decision to devote my life to the study and treatment of 'idiosynchracies of the psyche'.

Anywho, thanks again-- always nice to hear from someone who genuinely cares. :-)

--Michael

 

Re: Glad for your success!

Posted by lostsailor on January 22, 2003, at 10:12:44

In reply to Re: Glad for your success! » jay, posted by Ame Sans Vie on January 21, 2003, at 17:55:49

Hi there.

I was so gregarious at the ages you mentioned and experimented/ over used (I don't think truly abused all of the things you mentioned + some you haven't -lol) Doc. says he does not believe that this teen collage of substances resulted in my problems like many like to blame--you've probably heard the same rap...bla, bla bla. He did admit, rather, that the use may have facilitated or helped “kindle” emotional problems that I was already predisposed of having. Even this opinion, he reiterated, could never be said with certainty.

So my diags are BP1 disorder virtually totally controlled. Panic disorder w/ Agoraphobia, perhaps GAD and other anxiety related diags but says they usually appear in a “constellation” and that many overlap so additional diags are not really necessary.

You are true freaking me out with your meds though. I could never get all that from my doc and he writes fairly liberally and also writes for me months worth of xanax/valium which he allows me like one pill +/- what is prescribed. So it’s not a fear of his of my overuse but just his personal guidelines I guess. He has been the only doc I have ever seen for psych issues and has an incredible reputation in the area. I have had many 'second opinions" but most only indicates similar combos with only slight variants that have always been ok'ed with my doc except using a MAOI and that is for my benefit due to the side effect profile, which I could never handle as outdoor activities (running, cycling, mt biking...ect) are about all I have to cling to any longer aside from music. Even these are a treatment option, but I agree only as a last resort.

When my anxiety truly originated is hard to say. It was, though, promptly treated. It's that now while my anxiety per see is better, I still have panic attacks occasionally and the agoraphobia reminds me of that poor Greek mythological figure (his name always escapes me but it sound like syphilis) pushing a rock up a gill to only see the crest and slide back in decent.

Reading you postings are a bit inspiring. How bad was your APD how did you find a doc to treat is so aggressively. You are obviously well read and bright. What is the logic of huge bi-weekly doses of klonopin when the half-life would in theory deteriorate with in what 12-26 hrs or something? Is your doc a specialist in anxiety disorders only??? What states do you hale from? It is in the US I presume, as you know all the meds by US trade as well as generic names. How bad where you>? You truly feel you are symptom free, or worried it is only a remission. Any web sites with solid long-term studies for me to give to him so he can evaluate?

Thanks tons
~Tony
So micheal, "the decision to devote my life to the study and treatment of 'idiosynchracies of the psyche'" is infering what> Planing on med shcool,counseling, shamonism...post back, K?

 

The Introvert Advantage

Posted by River1924 on January 25, 2003, at 19:18:48

In reply to Ever read The Introvert Advantage, sounds like you (nm), posted by River1924 on January 19, 2003, at 17:33:50

"The Introvert Advantage"


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