Walking medicine cabinet?

[Sue357]

Hi.  I have suffered from clinical depression since the age of 9.  Back then, I am 52 now, they did not prescibe meds to kids, I guess.  Anyway, I had another episode at age 16 and again at 38 ( ended up in the hospital).  At that time, I was also having panic attacks.  I have been on psych meds since then ( 1995).  I did pretty well until about 2 years ago. That's when my shrink, whom I love, starting adjusting and adding/deletin meds.  I guess it was probably when I hit menopause.  Anyway, now the symptoms have come back and my meds have been adjusted again.  I am on Celexa 60 mg. Klonopin .5 tid, Wellbutrin 200 mg and Abilify 2mg ( at night).  I feel like I am on too many meds...I also take Estrogen and Provera ( I tried to quit those cold turkey...not a good idea I can tell you).  My question is for anyone, but especially for the moderators as your posts are so helpful.  Do these seem like high dosages?  I also have GERD so take Prevacid.  Something is bothering my stomach but I am hoping it is just side effects as it has only been 2 weeks since Wellbutrin and almost a week since Abilify.  Would love feedback from fellow med takers.  Also, I want to say that I have a BS in Pscyh and understand the need for the meds and have some understanding of brain chemistry.  I am okay with meds, but this seems like overload....Thanks...Sue

[Sue357]

Thanks.  I am noticing a reduction in my anxiety and depression.  So I am very happy about that.  Also an increase in my energy, especially in the am.  I am a teacher so it is hard to be there for the kids and not feel well.  The biggest side effect I am experiencing in stomach upset.  I am prone to gastritis and have GERD.  I am taking Prevacid for that as well as honey and chamomile tea as well as Carafate. bid.  It seem alittle better today.  I have read that about wellbutrin:  that it can cause anxiety. I was experiencing the anxiety before he put me on it, plus I was on it before.  Maybe I am one of the lucky ones, I hope....

[Paxiled]

Keep in mind wellbutrin can cause anxiety -- it's a pure antidepressant so it can rev you up.  For some, this results in anxiety.  

[Sue357]

Thanks.  How long does menopause last?  I have not had a period in almost 2 years.  As for the meds, they seem to be working.  I have noticed some stomach problems, but I am prone to gastritis so am using home remedies:  honey and chamomile tea. Am hoping that it is just a side effect that will pass.  Also taking Carafate, which was prescribed for gastritis.  I usually hardly ever take it, before, just until my stomach feels better.  I had been on Wellbutrin before, but only 150 mg, for years.  The reason he added and ramped is I am diagnosed GAD as well as clinical depressive and the anxiety was breaking through big time..... I have had some medical issues which I think is what brought it on in the first place.  I am glad you mentioned the HRT.  I discussed, with my shrink, having my fsh levels checked again.  Also, on top of everything, I had a sleep study and found out I have periodic limb movement disorder.  I am following up with my pcp on that one.  What a mess, huh?  lol.

[nursegirl6572]

Hi Sue,

Menopause is one of the hardest times for an anxious person.  Like Paxilled said...you are dealing with raging out of control hormones, and even WITH HRT, you still have symptoms.  This is going to be a rough time for you until the worst of the menopause starts to improve.  It doesn't have to be as bad as it is though.

I think you need to really take a proactive stance with your p-doc about the current med regimen that you are on.  The combo of meds you are taking can be pretty rough.  I personally am NOT a fan of either Abilify or Wellbutrin, and definitely not together.  This is just from my experience of seeing patients on similar regimes, I am not saying that they maybe do not help some people.  I also think for one, they were added WAY too close together.  You will have a difficult time determining if one is or isn't working...or if one is causing troublesome side effects.

Ask your doc to sit down with you, break down what you are taking for what....what he/she expects to accomplish by having each med on your plate.  Then, discuss how you are feeling, including any side effects.  Try keeping a journal for a few weeks to share with him/her at your next appt.

Until you see him/her again...don't make any changes.  Any change at this point is going to need to be carefully thought out....considering the multiple meds you are on.

You may end up finding that this is the best course for you, although, if you are still suffering with significant symptoms, I would venture a guess that it isn't.  Also, be sure to keep in close communication with the doc who prescribes your HRT, as often times, adjustments need to be made there, and that ends up being enough to fix a lot of the problems

Best of luck to you, hang in there...it will get better, it just may require some time and work.

[Sue357]

Thanks so much for your feedback.  No, I was not put on all of them at once.  I was on Celexa, first and the Klonopin.  Wellbutrin was added a month ago and Abilfy a week ago.  You are right.  The original meds were not worried and I was having horrible anxiety attacks again as well as depression.  I am glad to hear that these are not terribly high doses.  As for the hormones, I tried to get off of them a few months ago, but that is when I first started to feel the anxiety.  I am hoping that as I get use to the meds, I can get off of those.  I am not happy taking hormones as I know the risks.  I have not had a period in almost 2 years but not sure how long menopause lasts.  Again, thanks so much.

[Paxiled]

It's your life.  If you think it's too much, then maybe it is.  Were you put on them all at once, or one at a time?  If one at a time, I assume it was because whatever you were using wasn't working.  If all at once, there's no way to know what was working and what wasn't.  Also, caution about using the hormones -- you might want to try a natural method of balancing, since what you're taking has risks.  It's also difficult to be diagnosed when you're going through menopause -- the hormonal changes will produce emotional effects that aren't related to your original problem, and can be treated naturally to bring a very natural process of life into its proper balance.  As for GERD, all Prevacid will do is suppress stomach acid, which you need to digest protein, so the stomach will just produce more.  Again, better to deal with this in a natural way than with medication, such as aloe juice or DGL and digestive enzymes, and of course dietary changes, that won't push you into a cycle of suppressing stomach acid, which then just causes greater production of it, which requires more suppression.

But these are just suggestions for thought on your part.  You're the boss of your health, not your psychiatrist or your doctor.  They're not trained in nutrition or in non-allopathic medicine, so they do what they know, which is to see what the pharmaceutical companies recommend.

[bosnianworrier]

If ur Ok with meds and no sereous side effects then whats the problem? I've heared people taking many more than u do. The celexa, wellbutrin and klonopin are not too high doses.

But again, if you feel these meds are too much then talk to your doc.