New consultant! Oh this should be fun!!!

[tracey.f]

I HAVE JUST BEEN GIVEN A NEW LOCAL CONSULTANT, THE 1 I DID HAVE HAS JUST SPENT THE LAST FEW YEARS ASKING ME WHAT I THINK WE SHOULD TRY NOW!?! HE IS RIGHT WHEN HE SAYS I KNOW MY ILLNESS BETTER THAN ANYONE BUT I'M NO DOC! LET ME TELL YOU, I HAVE BEEN ON A LOT OF DIFFERENT MEDICATIONS OVER THE LAST 8 YEARS.

I WONT BORE YOU WITH THEM ALL BUT TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, I'VE HAD 16 ECT TREATMENTS,I HAVE BEEN ON AROUND 12+ DIFFERENT ANTI-DEPRESSANTS,

TRIED A NUMBER OF MOOD STABELIZERS, I WENT TOXIC ON 1 AND ENDED UP IN HOSPITAL, REALLY ILL! MY BLOODS HAVE GONE WRONG IN THE PAST YEAR,MY WHITE BLOOD CELLS AND BONE MARROW WENT REALLY LOW, HAS ANYBODY ELSE OUT THERE HAD THOSE PROBS BEFORE? I AM AT PRESENT ON 2 MOOD STABLELIZERS, AN ANTI-PSYCHOTIC FOR AGGITATION AND DIAZEPAM! I NEED TO BE BACK ON A 3RD MOOD STABELIZER BUT THEY NEED TO FIND ONE I CAN TAKE.

I'M NOT EASY TO TREAT !:confused:

[confused12]

Hi there tracey.f

I understand your point on the questioning of what to try next. I find it frustrating. I guess I stopped counting at trialling 20 different medications and even tried a retrials of meds I had been on. I was told this last one was a last option, well that sounded real hopeful, not. My bloods etc have been messed up and reactions to certain med have now seen me require hospitalization. I have to enter inpatient for two weeks if they want me to trial a new drug now.

I have not had ECT but have tried CBT last year and made some improvements.

I really don't know what the answer is when one's body just does not like synthetic (or some natural) material entering it, as well as feeling depressed. It does just add to the hopeless feeling. I would try psychotherapy again but not CBT at first. At least while engaged in some treatment there is hope. At the moment I am exisiting, waiting, trying to keep busy bit of a false reality, is getting me through. (Some survival instinct)

Do you still have hope?

confused12

[Guest ASchwartz]

Hi Traceyf. and Confused,

Tracey, have you been to psychotherapy? There are too many people who believe, incorrectly, that it's a matter of medication. There is more to it than that. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, yoga, relaxation and exercise all help a lot.

Besides medine, what therapy, if any, have you had?

Allan

[paula]

Hi All

Yeah, I know where your coming from with your meds, I am in the middle of swapping and changing. Well, Thats all I ever seem to do is be a Guinea Pig!

I was on Diazapam till I OD on them, among tranquilizers and paracetamol. I am on Dosulepin 150mg, Dicloflex 50mg 3x times a day, an Antipschotic drug, cant be arsed getting up and looking for the name of it, and a Heart B/P tablet as well as Mertazapine 45mg.

Shit happens doesn't it!

[tracey.f]

Thank you to confused12, aschwartz and paula for your time and your questions!

Confused12, if i had answered this yestrtday? I would have told you that i didn't think or know if i could do this anymore or how i was going to make it through the day !!!!!

My husband has managed to get hold of the consultant that i had in the maudsley hospital,in london. It's the top psychiatric hospital in england. He contacted a local consultant to tell them to increase my lamotrigine to 700mg, stay on 600mg of trgretol retard, 800mg of seroquel and valium. What a mix! I couldn't get a doctor down here to even talk or see me yesterday,the local consultant can't see me until the end of june, though he at least called to see how i was today!,my family doctor wont touch my medication as she doesn't treat me and doesn't want the responsibility, so until his e-mail,i was hung out to dry!

I have had 1 1/2 years of cbt therapy, with a wonderful dr at the maudsley. He saved my life, i'm still here because of him! Have any of you done any research trials? I have! Hope i anserwed everthing.

Hope 2 catch up with you all soon. Bye,tracey.

[mscat]

Keeping up with therapy +meds go hand in hand. Switching all the time the meds around /I depise. I know where your coming from alll too well. my Psych Dr. Does the same thing> Different mood Stabilizers too, increases, changes , and all kinds of stuff every time I have an appointent. right now the latest mood stabizler is Zonegram... Have you tried this one yet? I am on the anti deprressant's, clonidine, thyroid, anxiety, restless legs, vicodon, geez, I may have forgotten some:confused:.

I hope things start getting easier for you! a new consultant? what's that supposed to do for you? I have to comment on something, because there are some people , such as myself who have been treated for 25 years if not more for mental illness , and are "use to the system", Hospitals, nurses, Dr's whatever they throw out on us. it is like we are "old timers" When somebody new comes along, I Know this person is only anther apple in the barrel.

I really wish the best for you. You have been through so much. Things need to get easier for you. I understand you, and it sucks .

Cathy

[Patti S.]

I am sensitive to anti-convulsants, anti-psychotics, anti-depressants and most of the new mood stabilizers. My physician also told me recently that lithium may be my last hope. I am on it in a very low dose. Actually so far it is working and is working better than anything I've tried. Now , will it continue that way, I don't know. I can just hope. I am tired of not being a productive part of society and would like to go back to work. I used to help people until I fell over the cliff. I hope you find something that works for you and have faith if you can. I know that's harder said than done.