pirateking
@pirateking
@pirateking
Posts: 3
Joined: Jul 23, 2016
Need help! Depression and anxiety
I don’t know where else to go without going to a hospital. I’ve always had issues with depression and anxiety. It is tough to deal with, but I have a grasp of what it is at least. I’ve been taking 10MG of Lexapro and 1-1.5 MG of Klonopin to treat it. My psych doctor died in January and I started with a new doctor that upped my Lexapro to 20MG and put me on Buspar for anxiety.
She then decided to take me off the Klonpin. She had me go from 1-1.5 to only .5 a day a month ago and then cut me off. My anxity was already starting to increase that month, and a few days after I stopped the klonopin I faced massive panic attacks among a ton of other issues. It took some begging for help until she eventually put me on .5MG of Atavan but I don’t think it is working.
My current symptoms are this horrible brain fog that is impairing my basic functions. I forget things easily, I can’t concentrate. It feels like I’ve literally got dumber. I am clumsier. I keep almost walking into poles and today I almost got run over by a bus. I’m beyond irritable. I almost attacked a man on an elevator because of his breathing, and I’ve never had such violent thoughts before. I’ve had brief sucidical thoughts that I had to talk myself out of because I rationally know I don’t want to do that.
When I stretch my neck it hurts. It feels like my neck or back is violently ripping in two. I’m having out of body experinces. I am sitting at work and suddenly I am not sure if I am dreaming or not
I also have headaches, I’m pacing constantly. I am having muscle spasims, twitching, my hands tremble.
This is terrifying. I’ve never felt like this in my entire life and I don’t know what is going on. Is it the Buspar? The Atavan? The lack of Klonopin and should I go to the hosptial? My doctor isn’t around on the weekends. Any help will be appericated.
Liked by Scott, Volunteer Mentor, susanlorrie
safetyshield
@safetyshield
@safetyshield
Posts: 215
Joined: May 24, 2016
susanlorrie
@susanlorrie
@susanlorrie
Posts: 13
Joined: Sep 21, 2016
@susanlorrie I took Klonapin (aka clonazapam) .5 mg at bedtime for at least 20 years. It helped with anxiety and insomnia. I can no longer take it because I also take pain medication for Thoracic Outlet Syndrome and a Chronic nerve disorder. The government in it’s infinite wisdom thinks it knows more about medication than my doctors and the doctors are too scared to go against their advisory even though it is not a law. I stopped taking Ambien at the same time. To top it all off my pain med was also cut down in the same month. I have not been the same since. I had surgery to remove a rib so the nerves were no longer cut off and started to receive an increased blood flow. Unfortunately the nerves have not regenerated and I am left with some bad pain at times. Stopping the pain meds are not an option so I can’t work and rely on my husband to drive and cook. For that I am very grateful.
I am sorry to ramble, thank you so much for listening if you still are.
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, aka (Paget-Schroetteter’s), is a disorder where the veins and arteries that should supply blood to and from your arms and hands (on one or both sides of the body) are cut off. In my case all three, veins, arteries and nerves were stuck between the 1st rib and the clavicle. When my arm was lifted in a certain position pain would occur. It took over 20 years for this to be diagnosed. I eventually saw a pain doctor who recognized the syndrome because he was part of a study at University of Arizona. They Did a special MRI and were able to objectively identify It. I felt vindicated. The syndrome is extremely painful as well as the surgery. When the doctor did the surgery he was also able to visually determine that the nerves where also involved. This is a laymens recollection. Thanx for asking.
Liked by Colleen Young, Connect Director
susanlorrie
@susanlorrie
@susanlorrie
Posts: 13
Joined: Sep 21, 2016
@overwhelmed P.S. Forgot to mention, that I received a call from my drugstore the other day and they advised me that as of October 1, I needed to save my used Fentanyl patches, as the government has implemented a new program that I will get all the details on shortly!!!!
At my new pain Doctor I now have to bring in the bottles every month. Is this the same thing? Maybe it’s just coincidental that happened at the same time I changed clinics. Lorrie
susanlorrie
@susanlorrie
@susanlorrie
Posts: 13
Joined: Sep 21, 2016
@overwhelmed Hey folks, I agree with most of what has been said. The drug companies push new “improved”, drugs, which subsequently were under patent for 10 years, (which for those that may not know, means that the drug cannot be copied and/or sold generically). The doctors then prescribe them to their patients (often with little discussion as to the side effects, including potential addiction! Then with all of the deaths going on throughout North America, including cities & towns that often had never been heard of before! This prompted MEDIA attention to the issue..which included the addition of doctors either now denying drugs that they had previously prescribed to their patients (with most offering no support in terms of transition etc.) which left many of them seeking anything (more often than not it is heroin, as it is widely available and cheap) they could get their hands onto stave off of the withdrawl effects. Other more seedy doctors opened up pill pushing offices, which as you can guess, prescribed large amounts of the pills which had them making money not only from the pills themselves but also in billing the insurance companies for the “appointments”.
So to deduce the the above, you were either pulled off your pain medicine because your doctors were afraid to leave you on any of the types of pain medication, which they clearly did not know enough about! You do the illegal thing & may choose heroin as your substitute to rid yourself of pain. Or as a yet another alternative to this ( some may misinterpret the often deadly result of the illegal drugs or the misuse of legal drugs) What I am talking about is suicide. In Canada this prompted a group of experts in relation to pain (scientists, pain doctors, etc.) to get together & discuss this topic. It was ultimately decided that the regular every day GP (General Physician or in some cases Practitioner) needed to be better educated in the area of “PAIN”. That with some proper guidance they would feel more comfortable in prescribing it to their patients rather than just denying it all together!
The group & is known as the National OPIOD use Guideline Group or “NOUGG” (for the safe & effective use of OPIODS for Chronic Non-Cancer Patients (CNCP).
The problem as someone previously mentioned, was the Government’s MISuse of the Guidelines that NOUGG had written in order to provide a practical resource to doctors; with the best available information, research & consensus of opinion on this topic. The Guideline was/is NOT intended to be used as a Policy or Standard of Practice, but as a practical resource to provide physicians with the best available information, research & consensus of opinion on this topic.
My experience recently has shown that the insurance companies are also using the Guideline as their Policy as they reviewed my list of medications using the Guideline and DENIED me my meds based on this!!! It was only after escalating my case and telling them that I have no other options other than these medications to help control my pain. Denial of them would lead me to my final option ,,,,,,Suicide. They asked me for my records from the onset of my CRPS 8 years ago to ensure that I indeed had exhausted all other options for treatment of my CRPS.
In waiting for my records I offered up another option… the use of a pain pump which would not only be more effective, it would also use less medication due to this. However, they,( as too ) had my GP and previous pain doctor denied me as they ALL gave me the same response….”That is used for cancer patients only”. None of them could give me a response as to WHY??? Do I really have to be dying in order for you to care about how much pain I am in??
It’s kind of ironic in a way, since denial of or perhaps in the near future the ineffectiveness of my pain meds will most likely lead me to suicide as a result. But then it will be too late for the pain pump!!!
I thought we were in the age of progress and technology, however it seems that when it comes to the area of chronic pain & its meds both the Guidelines as well as, the use of pain pumps for use in cancer patients only is CARVED in STONE!!!!
Pain doctors consider “Guidelines” the same as “Rules and Regulations”. They are not. However I understand their predicament. If a person overdoses and they are following the “guidelines” there is a much smaller chance of sanctions and even the possibility of losing their license. Still, it leaves those of us with Pain issues left to fend in large degree for themselves.
Liked by Kim
susanlorrie
@susanlorrie
@susanlorrie
Posts: 13
Joined: Sep 21, 2016
Hang in there. I don’t know what your pain level has been but I take a similar amount of a morphine equivalent. I think your comment about weaning off 90mg but then going back on because of the pain is an enlightenment for me. I do have to wean down per doctors instructions to adhere to guidelines, but I don’t have to wean all of it. I really want to, but I don’t want to get myself it trouble. My husband continues to tell me to take it slow. Let us know how it works out.
ThinkTherapy.org
@thinktherapy
@thinktherapy
Posts: 16
Joined: Sep 02, 2016
@susanlorrie Hang in there. I don’t know what your pain level has been but I take a similar amount of a morphine equivalent. I think your comment about weaning off 90mg but then going back on because of the pain is an enlightenment for me. I do have to wean down per doctors instructions to adhere to guidelines, but I don’t have to wean all of it. I really want to, but I don’t want to get myself it trouble. My husband continues to tell me to take it slow. Let us know how it works out.
Slow and steady…
I practiced healthy breathing before the drugs take effect –
Takes work – Good Luck!!!
Jim, Alumni Mentor
@jimhd
@jimhd
Posts: 1338
Joined: Aug 10, 2016
@susanlorrie Hang in there. I don’t know what your pain level has been but I take a similar amount of a morphine equivalent. I think your comment about weaning off 90mg but then going back on because of the pain is an enlightenment for me. I do have to wean down per doctors instructions to adhere to guidelines, but I don’t have to wean all of it. I really want to, but I don’t want to get myself it trouble. My husband continues to tell me to take it slow. Let us know how it works out.
I weaned off at 15mg every 2 weeks, because I wanted to see if the Cymbalta would do the job on its own. I found that it doesn’t, so took 15mg for 10 days, then 15mg in the morning and 15 at bedtime. I still have a fair amount of pain, but I won’t go any higher until I talk with the pain specialist next week. I intend to discuss medical Marijuana, as well.
Liked by safetyshield
Minnie1971
@lesbatts
@lesbatts
Posts: 101
Joined: Jul 07, 2016
@IndianaScott I don’t want to argue here, but I believe it is not the government who got us into the opioid drug mess we are in but the doctors who listened, were namby pamby at first, and went lockstep with big pharma’s lies about those drugs. The government is now trying to control the barn door after far too many horses have gotten out.
Just my two cents plain,
The same thing happened to me but my doctor said that it was time to change doctors even though I was a model patient. I can see the doctor talking to me about not weaning myself off your pills but to have my doctor dump me for a first time offense is ridiculous. I was really shocked! The reason I weaned myself off by myself is because I was having some terrible side effects and I knew I wouldn’t hear from her right away and I just couldn’t wait that long.
Have a wonderful day everyone, or at least try to.
safetyshield
@safetyshield
@safetyshield
Posts: 215
Joined: May 24, 2016
I am a practicing therapist and I am very concern about law suits. Ironically the suites are based on what I say and how the client interpreted it. But all the cautions that doctors take the end result seems to be if someone takes a medication or advice from their doctor and something goes wrong as much precaution the doctor takes he may still be sued. I have personally experienced mistakes by doctors and hospitals. But before I consider legal action I will talk to the doctor about the mistake and work it out before legal action. But of course in any situation things are different
safetyshield
@safetyshield
@safetyshield
Posts: 215
Joined: May 24, 2016
@IndianaScott I don’t want to argue here, but I believe it is not the government who got us into the opioid drug mess we are in but the doctors who listened, were namby pamby at first, and went lockstep with big pharma’s lies about those drugs. The government is now trying to control the barn door after far too many horses have gotten out.
Just my two cents plain,
First as the patient it is not your fault that the doctor wanted you to change doctors. Your doctor should of discussed with you the reasons he wanted you to change doctors. To the point you would understand and no need for guessing on your part. It’s a burden that YOU not have to go through. Doctors choose to depart with a patient for many reasons and not being the patience fault. It upsets me and angers me when a doctor is so uncaring of their patients. I hope you can find another doctor that treats you more as a person than a body. Please continue in these conversations and bring your thoughts etc with you it will at least be helpful to me.
Liked by Minnie1971
overwhelmed
@overwhelmed
@overwhelmed
Posts: 36
Joined: Apr 06, 2016
@IndianaScott Hi all! I have been following this discussion with interest. My wife was on a cocktail of medications during her entire 14 year journey with her brain cancer, which was accompanied by chronic pain, sky-high anxiety, and a multitude of other symptoms. Drugs came and went in that regimen, Dosages went up and down. Combinations were attempted, used, and often discarded. With each person and their metabolism being unique it’s not always perfect, especially at first. Plus I learned it can take quite awhile for some drugs to achieve a therapeutic level in the blood stream. One of our sacrosanct rules was that we would never alter a dose of her medication without first talking with her doctors and nurses. Perhaps some of this was due to the complexity of her multiple drugs, perhaps some of it was due to her anxiety, but most definitely the vast majority was because we knew the doctors, as a team, were far more knowledgeable on her drugs, their interactions, etc. than we could ever hope to be. If we thought a dosage could be, or needed to be, adjusted we always asked first. Plus if we felt one of her docs was out of the loop or over their head, we queried all her other doctors and nurses for their opinions. We never, ever acted alone or as our own doctors. Plus we can study what we can about our drugs, but still, at least in my case, I know I am not an RN, NP, MD, or PharmD and I don’t have access to the same volume of information they do.
Someone mentioned pain pumps and I have to say I do not believe there is one chance in a hundred million billion anyone will ever give out pain pumps for basic home use. I saw them in action in many hospital settings over the years and they needed constant monitoring, incessant maintenance, adjustments, and at times were prone to failures of a variety or types.
As to the new regulations regarding opioids, the abuse numbers of just prescription opioids is astounding, affecting every corner of America, and not always the areas where you might think. It is truly an epidemic in our country and has led far too many onto a life of desperation and loss. No matter who we view as at fault, it is out of control so there are many avenues being pursued to attempt to get a handle on this. And it is not just deaths, but the gigantic increases in ER visits for Rx overdoses, family traumas, costs to our society in general, etc.
Whether we might view it as right or wrong, actions are being taken at points in the stream where chokeholds and reviews can be applied. Yes, they are a PITA at times. I know it was a real hassle when it changed so I could only get my wife’s opioid Rx’s when she was down to one day’s dose, but I understood why. That was actually one of the nicest benefits of home hospice that her Rx’s were delivered to us. Also Fentanyl is do dang powerful it is highly sought after for a lot of wrong reasons. Even when my wife was in home hospice I had to carefully account for each patch, pill, and dose and how I disposed of the used patches, oral syringes, etc. was dictated and very specific. There have been cases in our county of people sorting through hospital trash to find used Fentanyl patches to be licked! I was also instructed to be sure to remove every single piece of identifying information before I discarded any pill bottle, pharmacy bag, or bag tag into the garbage stream.
It is a different world out there now and Dr. Welby left the building a long time ago. Yes, much of this affects those of us dealing with chronic pain, but it unfortunately is our new reality.
Just my two cents plain.
Hi Indiana Scott, May I first say that I am sorry for the situation you had to endure with your wife. I am glad you were there for her throughout her years of need.
I understand a lot of what you have said in your “two cents worth”, especially when seen from your perspective.
However, I just wanted you to understand a couple of things from someone that is experiencing what some pain doctors, as well as The Neuroscience Center call “The Most Painful Thing In The World”. I suffer from Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), for which there is no cure. Though not deadly itself, I can assure you that there have been times that I have wanted to die, the pain was so bad. I know that I am not the only one either.
I was the one that had mentioned the pain pump earlier. I know the pain pump that you have seen is the setup. at the hospitals that is on a pole & constantly beeping and sounding off and really noisy. I am sorry to tell you that there is more than “one chance in a hundred million billion”, because pain pumps are already available for home use. They are different than the ones that you see in the hospital. They are small units a little smaller than an iPad mini. A cartridge of the medicine goes into the unit and it is all contained in a small pouch. The allowable dosage is already preset within the unit and it secure by both codes and a lock to the pouch itself if needed.
I made use of one for my husband as we chose to have him at home in the final stage of colon cancer. This may or may not be seen as “basic” depending who you are and how you look at it. I do not believe that everyone should be given a pump. I do believe that there are cases beyond EOL care for cancer patients only. I am on the maximum dosages for ALL of the medications that I am on. This includes all medications beyond just narcotics & opiates. I just finished going through the list again with my doctor. There is no where to go from here to manage my pain as it continues to spread in my body. The only option, if it was available, would be a pump which would actually allow me to lower the dosages on my medications, since they are much more effective when given directly into the bloodstream.
I agree that something has to be done to address the current situation that has become what appears to be an epidemic.
However, I am talking beyond the hassle of having to wait to get your wife’s opioid Rx’s when she was down to one day’s dose.
I have to do that as well, as many others. But I am talking about doctors and/or insurance companies denying you medication at all !!
That is why the NOUGG came up with the Guideline and made it clear that the Guideline was/is NOT intended to be used as a Policy or Standard of Practice. They knew that there is and will always be cases that do not “fit” into the Guidelines. There is a need to for some discretion. You cannot punish those who are in need and use the drugs properly by denying them their drugs because of those who don’t! I have already been on the verge of suicide because of the pain that I endure from this condition. I also believe that there are many more like me who actually were denied and were forced to go to the street to buy whatever drugs they could get to help ease their pain or maybe to take their life in order to get away from the pain and not have to endure using the streets as their pharmacy!
amberpep
@amberpep
@amberpep
Posts: 691
Joined: Jul 02, 2012
Hi to all of you …. I just caught up with this thread and this disease sounds awful. To have no end in sight would be very discouraging, I would think.
I do plead ignorance, though. Could one of you please tell me …. in “people” terms (not doc.’s terms) just exactly what it is, how it manifests itself, how you got it, is it hereditary, etc.? I feel so sorry for you folks with this, but I would like to know more, right from your own minds and hearts.
Bless you,
Abby
safetyshield
@safetyshield
@safetyshield
Posts: 215
Joined: May 24, 2016
@amberpep Hi to all of you …. I just caught up with this thread and this disease sounds awful. To have no end in sight would be very discouraging, I would think.
I do plead ignorance, though. Could one of you please tell me …. in “people” terms (not doc.’s terms) just exactly what it is, how it manifests itself, how you got it, is it hereditary, etc.? I feel so sorry for you folks with this, but I would like to know more, right from your own minds and hearts.
Bless you,
Abby
amberpep as in it are speaking about depression and anxiety?
amberpep
@amberpep
@amberpep
Posts: 691
Joined: Jul 02, 2012
@amberpep Hi to all of you …. I just caught up with this thread and this disease sounds awful. To have no end in sight would be very discouraging, I would think.
I do plead ignorance, though. Could one of you please tell me …. in “people” terms (not doc.’s terms) just exactly what it is, how it manifests itself, how you got it, is it hereditary, etc.? I feel so sorry for you folks with this, but I would like to know more, right from your own minds and hearts.
Bless you,
Abby
No, I mean the CRPS. (if those are the right letters)
Abby
@jimhd
In reply to @IndianaScott
I’ve been taking Morphine sulfate for a few years, and was up to 90mg daily. I weaned off it, with the pain specialist’s instructions, but after being off for 3 weeks, I was in too much pain, so I started back on the morphine sulfate, per doctor’s instructions. My pcp screwed up the last prescription, and wrote it for 1per day instead of 2, so now I’m sitting in the clinic, waiting for someone to figure it out. My pcp isn’t in today. I only have 2 days worth of pills left, so I hope they’ll be able to get me going.