Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 214082

Shown: posts 1 to 13 of 13. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

How many meds do U take? Me-alot-freaking out!

Posted by Janelle on March 29, 2003, at 14:09:20

I've been on these meds for months now, well, one was added a few weeks ago, and suddenly I'm freaking out about how *many* I take - 7 - and two of these are repeats in am and pm, so I guess it's more like 5 DIFFERENT meds. Even my pdoc observed last visit that I'm taking "low doses of many meds" and he wants to streamline (reduce) if possible.

How many DIFFERENT meds do you folks take? I just want to get a feel for my cocktail, if it's a lot, *average*, or even a little. THANKS!

 

Re: How many meds do U take? Me-alot-freaking out! » Janelle

Posted by elbee on March 29, 2003, at 14:48:05

In reply to How many meds do U take? Me-alot-freaking out!, posted by Janelle on March 29, 2003, at 14:09:20

Hi. I take 3(depacote, lithium, seroquel) (plus thyroid med. for thyroid condition).

I'm sure you can try to streamline your meds if that works best for you. It has to be workable. Otherwise, if it works... :)
Good luck w/meds.

 

Re: How many meds do U take? Me-alot-freaking out! » Janelle

Posted by Ritch on March 29, 2003, at 15:17:35

In reply to How many meds do U take? Me-alot-freaking out!, posted by Janelle on March 29, 2003, at 14:09:20

> I've been on these meds for months now, well, one was added a few weeks ago, and suddenly I'm freaking out about how *many* I take - 7 - and two of these are repeats in am and pm, so I guess it's more like 5 DIFFERENT meds. Even my pdoc observed last visit that I'm taking "low doses of many meds" and he wants to streamline (reduce) if possible.
>
> How many DIFFERENT meds do you folks take? I just want to get a feel for my cocktail, if it's a lot, *average*, or even a little. THANKS!

I've been on up to five different meds a couple of times. Let's see.. at one time I was on Depakote+Neurontin+Klonopin+Celexa+Buspar. I'm trying to streamline mine as well. Now, I'm on Depakote+Klonopin+Wellbutrin. If I increase my Depakote up another notch (to 500mg ER) and go from WBSR 100mg 1 1/2 tabs to a single 150mg SR, I could be looking at three tablets to take all day! whew-hoooo

 

Re: How many meds do U take? Me-alot-freaking out!

Posted by the blue professor on March 29, 2003, at 22:19:46

In reply to Re: How many meds do U take? Me-alot-freaking out! » Janelle, posted by Ritch on March 29, 2003, at 15:17:35

I take:

cardizem
toprol
wellbutrin
effexor
dexedrine
fosimax
lortab 10
a multivitamin
an aspirin
a calcium supplement
some other supplement(forget what it is at the moment)
-------------------------
for:

Depression, ADD, osteomylitis, acute osteoporosis and chronic pain (30 major operations).

 

Re: How many meds do U take? Me-alot-freaking out!

Posted by Viridis on March 29, 2003, at 23:57:15

In reply to How many meds do U take? Me-alot-freaking out!, posted by Janelle on March 29, 2003, at 14:09:20

For me, small doses of several meds are much better than large doses of any one. My psychiatrist calls it "fine tuning". I take Klonopin, Adderall, and Neurontin daily, plus Xanax as needed. I also take a bunch of vitamins and supplements (at very reasonable doses); fish oil seems to be the most effective of the lot.

Polypharmacy can be an appropriate treatment for some people, although it can be complicated. But it seems to work for me; it just takes a good pdoc to get it right.

 

Re: How many meds do U take? Me-alot-freaking out! » Janelle

Posted by noa on March 30, 2003, at 10:31:58

In reply to How many meds do U take? Me-alot-freaking out!, posted by Janelle on March 29, 2003, at 14:09:20

I take a lot too, including supplements--some are for my depression, some for other health problems, some address both the depression and the other health problems, some counteract unwanted effects of the antidepressants, some both counter the unwanted effects of another med and act as antidepressant, etc. etc... (Effexor, Serzone, Adderall, synthroid, cytomel, glucophage, lorazepam, fish oil, folic acid, chromium picolinate, oral b-c, tetracycline). It is inconvenient, sure, and there are days when I hate taking so many different things. But it seems to be working fairly well for me.

I don't know if streamlining is right for you or not, or whether you need the different meds you are on.

However, some people do need "low doses of many meds" if they have unwanted effects from higher doses of the meds. Effexor works as an antidepressant for me but I don't tolerate high doses. Sure, it would be more efficient and "streamlined" to take fewer at higher doses, but it doesn't work for me.

When my pdoc first wanted to add another med to the one I was taking, I did not like the idea. I had reactions like this to the idea of polypharm each time a new one was recommended. But I've come to see it as the best strategy for me since I don't do well at higher doses of some meds.

Someday, perhaps we'll have tailor-made pills that combine just the right mixture for our individual needs. But for now, it's multiple meds, and the extra costs that go with that (more insurance co-payments for different meds as opposed to one co-payment for more of the same med).

But I don't know if you need the polypharm approach or not, so maybe streamlining is right for you.

 

Re: How many meds do U take? Me-alot-freaking out!

Posted by Mikey_C on March 30, 2003, at 11:48:20

In reply to How many meds do U take? Me-alot-freaking out!, posted by Janelle on March 29, 2003, at 14:09:20


I currently take 125mg of Depakote plus a Multi-Vitamin in the morning

Then around 8:00PM I take 375mg of Depakote plus 20mg of Celexa.

Then around 9:00PM I take 25mg of Seroquel.

Then around 10:00, just before bed, I take 1mg of Klonopin.

It's a messed up schedule, hard to follow, but it's had me feeling very good for about a month now. I'm hoping it holds...

 

Re: How many meds do U take? Me-alot-freaking out!

Posted by juanantoniod on March 30, 2003, at 14:04:27

In reply to How many meds do U take? Me-alot-freaking out!, posted by Janelle on March 29, 2003, at 14:09:20

Hi Janelle,

I'm a little freaked out too by all the meds I must take. I won't go into the entire list here but I thought it might be supportive to let you know you're not alone. I take 3 ADs, Ambien, Ativan, Strattera, 3 blood pressure meds, 4 pain meds, insulin and testosterone.

Seeing your post has motivated me to work with my docs to see if we can 'streamline' (eliminate anything).

Hang in there,

Antonio

> I've been on these meds for months now, well, one was added a few weeks ago, and suddenly I'm freaking out about how *many* I take - 7 - and two of these are repeats in am and pm, so I guess it's more like 5 DIFFERENT meds. Even my pdoc observed last visit that I'm taking "low doses of many meds" and he wants to streamline (reduce) if possible.
>
> How many DIFFERENT meds do you folks take? I just want to get a feel for my cocktail, if it's a lot, *average*, or even a little. THANKS!

 

Re: Chromium picolinate » noa

Posted by Ame Sans Vie on March 30, 2003, at 14:16:42

In reply to Re: How many meds do U take? Me-alot-freaking out! » Janelle, posted by noa on March 30, 2003, at 10:31:58

Just thought I'd mention that I've had several pharmacists stop me from buying the picolinate form of chromium, citing evidence that it does damage to DNA. They advised me to switch to chromium polynicotinate.

 

Re: Chromium picolinate

Posted by noa on March 31, 2003, at 2:45:49

In reply to Re: Chromium picolinate » noa, posted by Ame Sans Vie on March 30, 2003, at 14:16:42

Really? OK. I'll check that out with my pdoc and my pharmacist. I know that the polynicotinite is touted as better for the carbo metabolism, but my pdoc says the picolinate is the one that was studied for depression. I'll let you know what I find out.
Thanks.

 

Re: How many meds do U take? Me-alot-freaking out!

Posted by Festus on March 31, 2003, at 22:53:28

In reply to Re: How many meds do U take? Me-alot-freaking out!, posted by juanantoniod on March 30, 2003, at 14:04:27

Well,let,s see,not counting vitamins and supplements,theres:
Methadone-80mg.
Dexedrine-40mg
Paxil-30mg
Xanax-1.5mg
Restoril-15mg
They are taken for treatment of Chronic Pain and ADD.It,s strange that almost all of them work together for both ailments,even though they are totally different.Festus

 

Re: How many meds do U take? Me-alot-freaking out!

Posted by fallsfall on April 1, 2003, at 13:14:28

In reply to Re: How many meds do U take? Me-alot-freaking out!, posted by Festus on March 31, 2003, at 22:53:28

I take these for depression:
Lithium
Prozac
Provigil
Strattera

I take these for the side effects of the above:
Synthroid
Neurontin
Sonata

I take these as needed for the side effects:
Inderal
Ginger

And this as needed:
Lorazapam

I also take:
Multi-Vitamin
Calcium
Asperin

And Omega-Brite.

What a lot of pills! At least the Calcium comes in Chocolate!

 

Re: How many meds do U take? Me-alot-freaking out! » Janelle

Posted by Simcha on April 1, 2003, at 21:47:46

In reply to How many meds do U take? Me-alot-freaking out!, posted by Janelle on March 29, 2003, at 14:09:20

I take:

Celexa
Wellbutrin
Neurontin
Allegra
Flonase
Albuterol

and I might add azmacort

The first three are to treat the depression

The rest are for allergies and athsma

I seem to be collecting prescripions... Oh well


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