@pfbacon

I make it a habit to read the paperwork that comes with my meds, even though I've read it many times before. A high percentage of them indicate that they are CNS suppressants in some people. The warning for each one is that the effects of these medications are increased, taken with other meds. And, there are always in my own interactions list warnings that one medication may reduce the effectiveness of another one.

A compelling reason for the warnings and interactions and possible side effects is to reduce the manufacturer's exposure to litigation, and the word, "possible", always accompanies the information. It's been interesting to me to observe the similarities between the warnings on almost every medication.

Drowsiness, dizziness, lightheadedness, increased depression, suicidal thoughts, confusion, dry mouth, constipation, diarrhea, loss of appetite, increased appetite, fever, mood changes, urinary, rash, hives are symptoms to watch for on nearly every medication. Of course, not everything on every medication, but they're pretty much universal.

At first, I was pretty worried about all of the possible problems with any and every medication, and I have experienced a small number of them, mostly temporarily. My antidepressants are also seizure meds.

As far as breathing goes, it could be an issue for me when I'm sleeping, so I asked my sleep doctor about it, and he agreed with me that using a cpap or Bipap machine could lower that risk. The cpap in particular essentially forces me to restart breathing, though there's no guarantee, of course.

Over the years I've learned to be aware of the risks, but I've also learned that I can't be and don't need to be fearful or paranoid. One thing that is important is that whenever a specialist prescribes something new, my pcp is notified, and once the dosage is established, the specialist passes off the prescribing to my pcp. It's important that one doctor supervises all of my meds, so he keeps close tabs on possible problems and when it's appropriate has labs done to monitor liver, kidney, etc.

Bottom line - every person is unique.

Jim