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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 13 of 13. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Phillipa on April 7, 2005, at 1:02:58
Yest wondering. With all the side effects mentioned by fellow Posters, and the problems discontinuing them, do you feel taking meds has improved the quality of your life or hindered it. And if so in what way? I'm sure many would not be functioning at all without meds, but to what degree did they help? Thanks Phillipa
Posted by KaraS on April 7, 2005, at 2:51:54
In reply to Do You Feel Meds Improve Your Quality of Life?, posted by Phillipa on April 7, 2005, at 1:02:58
> Yest wondering. With all the side effects mentioned by fellow Posters, and the problems discontinuing them, do you feel taking meds has improved the quality of your life or hindered it. And if so in what way? I'm sure many would not be functioning at all without meds, but to what degree did they help? Thanks Phillipa
They've allowed me to function. They haven't really given me any enjoyment of life however.K
Posted by banga on April 7, 2005, at 7:58:13
In reply to Re: Do You Feel Meds Improve Your Quality of Life? » Phillipa, posted by KaraS on April 7, 2005, at 2:51:54
At first I wanted to say yes, they have improved quality of life...but it is true a bit, although I feel happy now for a good part of the time, on a more intuitive level I sense some lack of ...genuine warmth towards others. Cognitively I care a lot, I definitely wouldnt go as far as saying I feel emotionally numb, but there is a feeling something is missing....
I could say I have full range of emotions, but there is a lack of DEPTH I would want.
I believe on full doses on SSRIs it was worse, now with only a tiny amount it is not as bad.
I suppose one could say yes, but the emotions are not quite as full and rewarding as an experience as it was those times in the pre-med life when I was feeling good...
But I would still say overall, they have improved my quality of life. But the thing also is --I have less side effects than other people, so maybe it is not fair to answer this quiestion...long answer for a simple question!
Posted by PM80 on April 7, 2005, at 10:46:09
In reply to Re: Do You Feel Meds Improve Your Quality of Life?, posted by banga on April 7, 2005, at 7:58:13
For me, yes.
I think perhaps many doctors are prescribing too many or the wrong drugs to people. If something is only partially working, it seems the tendency is to add another drug on rather than to simply try something different. Honestly, so many people are on 4,5,6 different drugs. To me it seems that a couple of them obviously aren't doing their job correctly or they wouldn't need the others to add to or balance out the effects. But this is just my general opinion, not for any one individual case. The right less is more.
Posted by PM80 on April 7, 2005, at 11:12:37
In reply to Re: Do You Feel Meds Improve Your Quality of Life?, posted by PM80 on April 7, 2005, at 10:46:09
Posted by CK1 on April 7, 2005, at 11:15:31
In reply to Re: Do You Feel Meds Improve Your Quality of Life?, posted by PM80 on April 7, 2005, at 10:46:09
Meds have improved the quality of life for millions of people. You prob asked this question because, at the moment, the meds you are taking aren't helping as well as you'd like.
I guess the only way to find out is get off ALL meds for a few months and see if your quality of life is better off of them! ha! (wouldn't recommend it!) The wrong meds can make everything much worse, no drugs means you'll still have to suffer, but maybe less so than the wrong drugs, and the right drugs significantly improve the quality of your life.
Posted by MidnightBlue on April 7, 2005, at 11:16:24
In reply to Do You Feel Meds Improve Your Quality of Life?, posted by Phillipa on April 7, 2005, at 1:02:58
I would have to say sometimes. I am on two non-psych meds right now I simply don't think I could make it without. Prilosec for GERD and Bextra for arthritis and back pain. I gave up Depakote and Wellbutrin 18 months ago after listening to everyone tell me I shouldn't. I had been on both for probably 10 years and could no longer afford to buy them.
I don't think the Depakote was doing that much for my migraine headaches, and it SURE wasn't helping my mood. The Wellbutrin "may" have still been taking a slight edge off the depression, but it was definitely not worth the financial out of pocket cost. I was still quite depressed taking it, and was too anxious on doses of 400mg or more which I would probably have needed again to respond. My personal opinion is that it "quit" working.
Ambien for me has been cost effective. I do build a tolerance to it so I only take it one or two nights a weeks. That way it keeps working. A decent night's sleep can make all the difference.
Posted by Spriggy on April 7, 2005, at 11:23:39
In reply to Re: Do You Feel Meds Improve Your Quality of Life?, posted by MidnightBlue on April 7, 2005, at 11:16:24
Right now, I would have to say "no" not particurlarly. BUT, there are so many underlying physical things that have yet to be treated (thyroid) that I can't really blame the psych drugs just yet.
If they get the rest of me fixed and I'm still this way, THEN I will be ranting and raving. Trust me. LOL
Posted by MidnightBlue on April 7, 2005, at 13:49:36
In reply to Re: Do You Feel Meds Improve Your Quality of Life?, posted by MidnightBlue on April 7, 2005, at 11:16:24
They just banned my Bextra! How does anyone expect me to cope with depression when I am in chronic pain! Years of psych meds and non-steroidals almost destroyed my stomach. I don't think any of that is spelled right either. Oh woe is me!
Posted by Phillipa on April 7, 2005, at 16:35:20
In reply to Re: Do You Feel Meds Improve Your Quality of Life?, posted by MidnightBlue on April 7, 2005, at 13:49:36
CK1, No my meds are working fine. I've just had some surgery [cosmetic] and am banned to my house so I've had lots of time to think and read this Board. So I just started to wonder. Take care of yourself. Fondly Phillipa
Posted by JKL on April 7, 2005, at 17:37:52
In reply to Do You Feel Meds Improve Your Quality of Life?, posted by Phillipa on April 7, 2005, at 1:02:58
I feel meds can improve life quality, have no effect at all, or make things worse...all depending on how well the particular med is matched to the individual.
In my experience trying tons of different meds, there are a bunch that sort of fix some problems a bit, but create other worse problems. There are a few that truly improve things a lot. The only way to find out is trial and error. We all respond differently.
Paxil...I was on it for a year. Horrible sleep. Horrible sex. But it rescued me from a deep scary depression and allowed me to go out and get a regular job and do real well at it.
Remeron...I was on it for a year. I slept awesome. And it kept me from a deep depression, but still left me not quite right. It improved life quality, but not enough.
Nortriptyline or desiprimine...they felt great in just a few days, but the incredible side effects or dry mouth and urination problems made it impossible.
Tons of other meds...either neutral on mood or worsened mood or bad side effects.
Zyprexa...ahhh, nothing has been better for me, in combination with st johns wort. I sleep great, wake up feeling decent, I have good drive and ambition at work, good motivation. I am comfortable in a crowd, first time in my life. I can approach important people and be completely at ease about it. I'm fine. No side effects. It took a while, but this is the winning combination that was like ten times better than anything else I've every tried.
Yes meds can improve quality of life. The trick is finding the right ones. If I could go back and do it all over again, I would have sampled different meds for a few weeks each instead of months and gathered a list of those that I could tolerate and that had good initial effects. Then I would have focused just on those for longer term trials. I mean, I was depressed the whole time anyway, so what would it have mattered.
Posted by chili on April 7, 2005, at 21:39:10
In reply to Re: Do You Feel Meds Improve Your Quality of Life?, posted by MidnightBlue on April 7, 2005, at 11:16:24
I feel as if I'm missing something. No joy at all, no heart felt joy, I have no interests, I have no energy. But if I do not take any of the many medications I do take, I lay down like a dog, whos aobut to die. No food, no water, no nothing. So i just breathe, and dream about how life is supposed to be. Wish things were better.
Posted by Colleen D. on April 7, 2005, at 22:11:01
In reply to Do You Feel Meds Improve Your Quality of Life?, posted by Phillipa on April 7, 2005, at 1:02:58
after wondering what the heck was wrong with me for so many years. My old GP dx'ed me with bordline hypothyroidism but Synthroid gave me little more energy and lots of heart palpatations. I'm so glad I decided to see a psychologist then a pdoc and got a wonderful new GP who is very educated about depression, etc.
:-) Colleen
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