Prescriptions that have helped you?

[Walilamdzi]

So I'm going to try changing doctors, and seeing if I can get them to prescribe me a more appropriate medication or maybe something that will help me. I don't agree with medication in the first place, but whenever I've had what medical professionals classed as a 'manic episode', it's started out with problems which are much more related to anxiety, each time ending up with me losing at least 4 entire days sleep before experiencing extreme symptoms. The fact that they ignored the circumstances around it and told me I would be continually psychotic unless I took an enormous dose of quetiapine for the rest of my life is extremely annoying.

My plan is to outline all the side effects that I got from the other medications, and the fact that I don't experience extreme shifts in mood and ask for something that I could take if I start experiencing insomnia, or something related to anxiety. From my experience though, doctors really don't like it if they can sense you pushing for an outcome or being told how to do their job.

Does anyone have any ideas about how to get the best result? I was thinking lorazepam or something like that might be helpful, or zopiclone and I don't know if there's something that I could take all the time that would help with the anxiety and be worth any side effects.

 

[EddieAllenPoe]

Lorazepam is a benzodiazepene. I had a love hate relationship with this class of drugs. I was given Klonopins like they were candy. It was an absolute fucking nightmare going through withdrawal. You're gonna find several people who disagree because they love their benzos, but you can also find people that love their heroin. I'd stay away from medicines like this.

If you have bipolar I'd ask about an antipsychotic such as Invega. My sleep normalized after an injection of that drug and my mania went away. When you can sleep normally, things like anxiety become manageable and less of a problem. I didn't feel drugged on it. I could barely tell I took it (other than I clearly got my mind back). It just simply worked and I could tell it was working. In my 20 years or so of being a psychiatric guinea pig, I've never seen a medicine nail my problems square on the head like that.

Keep in mind though I'm not you. It's unfortunate but just because it worked for me doesn't mean it will work for you. I'd stay clear of benzos though. In my opinion, they create more problems than they help. It's better for situational scenarios, like being hospitalized for a panic attack.

 

[intheweeds]

I agree with Eddie mostly. Benzo's are a double edged sword, they definitely work, but you're going to likely take them for the rest of your life. If you ever do decide to stop the medication you'll then have to come up with a long term withdrawal plan and stick to it. I personally managed to get off them without any withdrawal symptoms but it was a slow process that took almost 6 months..

 

[Cubashii]

I am on seroquel, depakote, prazosin, and benztropine. They work on keeping my mood stable. But nothing is a miracle pill. plus i get an abilify shot in my arm for my schizophrenia.

 

[ArtsyDrawer]

I don't know about what might help you since I'm no qualified psychiatrist/neurologist, I can share what gave me shit, though. In no particular order...

• Levetiracetam (Keppra) - An alleged antidepressant that also acts as an antiepileptic. Kepprage. Imagine becoming The Hulk without that super strength, green hue, or a need for many custom-made pairs of boxers. Also depression. Lots and lots of depression. It works far better as a depressant.
• Lamictal - Another alleged antidepressant+antiepileptic. Lots of out of body experiences and after a while made things taste like copper, I think. Don't remember if copper specifically, definitely metallic, though. Dropped because seeing yourself in third person is fucked up.
• Vimpat - Antiepileptic. My neuro seems to really like those two-in-one things. "Mild", according to the pamphlet, "mild reduction of sex drive/urge". If that's mild, I don't want to know what "acute", or "heavy", or "great" means. I have to remind myself to masturbate to keep my dick functioning. Also, more depression.
• Depalept - Antiepileptic, and is used to treat migraines and bipolar disorder. It was fairly decent, actually. Relatively. I had less auras, but more seizures when I took it with Keppra. Unpleasant in that regard, so I got off.
• Topitrim (Topamax) - Antiepileptic, migraines, supposedly depression, according to IDF. Stay... the fuck... away! Fucked me up, I don't even remember HOW. Must've repressed that shit. Stay the FUCK away!

Again, this is what happened to me! Your response might be different.

 

[Walilamdzi]

I would rather be medication-free, like I am currently but I still thought it might be worth having a small prescription for something in case of insomnia. I don't really know why I'm bothering since I want to ctb, but I guess I'm just going through the motions to not look like someone who wants to ctb, for the benefit of those around me. At the moment, though, I'm definitely more on the depressed side and don't need any help sleeping. I'm sleeping plenty and then feel tired all day. Meh.

Interesting hearing all of your experiences, though.

I also think I may not be able to learn to drive, unless I can justify that I'm on some kind of medication... I was planning to learn to drive soon.