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Med decrease?

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Posted 7/12/2011 5:35 PM (GMT 0)
I still have to get back into taking my meds EVERY day.  And for quite a while.

I'm thinking about asking my pdoc about medication decrease.  Like go from 250mg Lamictal to 225 mg.  400 mg Seroquel to 300.  Leave lithium the same.  Leave clonasepam the same.  See how it goes for a month?  3 months?  I don't know.

I'm not constantly trying for a job and screwing myself over.  I've been at the same job for 4 months.  I do have issues with my triggers, but mild enough that it isn't causing true episodes.  Little ups and downs is all.  Therapy should help with that.  Need to get in with a new therapist too.

Posted 7/13/2011 6:53 AM (GMT 0)
I think my problem with taking meds on time, every time is because I'm having issues with meds.  Too much meds?  Too complicated!

Tonight I said "heck with it"  I took 200 mg Lamictal (sick of splitting pills for the extra 50 mg).  Took all Lithium - 600mg, p.m.  Took 400 mg Seroquel.  (I have 300 mg tablets too).  I did not take citalopram or clonazepam.

I felt free-er.  Like I could comply to med schedule again.  I need to take a step back.  I'm only having minor mood issues that don't warrant continuous med increases.  My pdoc's dialogue is starting to sound like "can't increase dose to solve problems."  Makes me feel like I have nowhere to go!

Less meds is better than sporatic meds.  If I can still work and relationship stuff is OK, then I am OK?

Posted 7/13/2011 3:36 PM (GMT 0)
Do you forget to take them, or just don't take them all the time? I use a pill box so I don't forget any meds. I take like eight or nine different things. And it gets confusing if I don't use the pill box. It holds a weeks worth of meds.

Hugs, Karen
Posted 7/13/2011 11:01 PM (GMT 0)
I was forgetting to take them about 1/4 of the time. Missing almost all my morning doses (lithium).

I had been using a pill box. Too complicated. Sounds stupid. I've accepted having bp, I'm OK with taking meds for the rest of my life. Just not *so much*. Worst case scenario is the lower meds don't maintain me and I ease back up to prescribed doses and tell my pdoc about it.

We'll see what happens?
Posted 7/14/2011 2:04 AM (GMT 0)
 

  Hey tortoise, i live on the razor edge of control. Thats what the meds do, they keep me just on the right side of the law, so to speak. But i have to work hard to keep on the right track.

  But i would rather have to work hard than to have more meds in my system. Its just a life choice for me.  Hard doesnt scare me. In fact since i have been single, i have had more leeway for when i fail. I havnt failed but for a hand full of times, and the next morning i get up and try harder.

  I just want to keep the meds to a minimun in my life.

 Bill

Posted 7/14/2011 7:59 AM (GMT 0)
hi tortoise,
I think I understand a little more about your med issue now - it might just be a bit too complex, and that is fair enough. Our illness plays havoc with all that regularity, routine stuff but our health depends on keeping on top of it. Go figure???? It is pretty ironic, hey!!
I feel for you - and I have renewed gratitude for the simple med routine I'm on. I take 75mg Efexor, 100mg Tegretol, 25mg Agomelatine, 100mg Seroquel and 30mcg Microleut - all at night at 7pm and am out like a light by 8pm usually. If I take them any later I have too much of a Seroquel hangover to get up at 6am the next day. (Remembering fatigue and hypersomnia is a big component of my illness). I imagine if you could take them all at night, you would do so... Good luck with finding something you are comfortable with. LWx
Posted 7/14/2011 8:13 PM (GMT 0)
Haven't missed a dose in 2 days. That's a victory. On my way back to taking them every day. I skipped an appt with my pdoc a while back. No point in going if I'm not taking my meds regularly!
Posted 7/15/2011 12:09 AM (GMT 0)
I imagine you and your pdoc have some kind of understanding there. Otherwise, wouldn't not taking your meds regularly be an issue that you would tackle together? Congrats on the recent consistency, you must feel pretty good about that :)
Posted 7/16/2011 11:50 PM (GMT 0)
Doing OK. Went to a chiropractor this morning for my sore neck and back. He's doing nutritional also. So more motivation to stick to my meds and try to eat better.

I have been well today. Well and stable. Nice. Getting ready for a vacation which is a huge trigger for me. So far, so good.
Posted 7/17/2011 5:24 PM (GMT 0)
My pdoc had reduced my 400 mg Seroquel to 300 mg because of weight gain. I FINALLY lost the weight and he put me back to 400 mg. Gaining weight like craziness! :( I'm going to split pills or something.
Posted 7/17/2011 9:49 PM (GMT 0)
yeah, I cut my seroquel tabs. there are also 25mg one's avail if you want to take a couple of them instead of cutting tabs. I hope your neck feels better soon.
Posted 7/17/2011 10:18 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Tortoise11,

It sounds like you are doing good. I am happy for you. Glad that you are remembering to take your meds. It is so important and necessary to become stable. You sound good. I am very happy for you. Keep up the fantastic work!!!

Hugs, Karen
Posted 7/17/2011 10:23 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Karen. Y'know I will be here for support and a kick in the pants if this doens't work well. I felt overwhelmed today with vacation stuff (big trigger). Watched TV, tried to nap, played Uno with my fiance and son. Feeling better now and getting ready for dinner and more laundry, packing, etc.
Posted 7/18/2011 4:10 AM (GMT 0)
I split my 400 mg XR Seroquel. So 200 mg. I had really bad reaction to regular Seroquel (not XR). I'm a little concerned if breaking the coating will cause problems.

I'm having some anxiety and taking Klonopin as needed. NOT looking forward to work tomorrow. I'll def. have to take Klonopin in the morning to get through the day. I forgot to talk to my babysitter so I have to drag my son to work with me. :/

Getting ready to leave, getting the house clean is taking away a lot of stress. But I am starting to get to the I-don't-want-to-go-on-vacation anxiety. Have to spread out the stress over the next 2 days and use Klonopin.
Posted 7/18/2011 9:37 PM (GMT 0)
hi everyone,
recently had vision problems from carbamezipine XR 400mg. pdr.decreased me from 1600mg to 1200mg daily to see if that would help.
she also increased my seroquel XR 300mg from 700 mg to 800mg daily. which i take 200mg early evening, then additional
600mgs at bedtime.
so far working pretty well for me.
seroquel at first made me gain about 45lbs. hopefully not any more weight gain with the new increase.
this med gave me instant relief for my rapid thoughts that would often keep me from sleeping.


bipolar I, with anxiety,arthiritus in neck,hands,feet
other meds agreenox (TIA stroke), liptor,losaratin,estrace, omeprazole (GERD)

i like this site, jcd
Posted 7/18/2011 9:53 PM (GMT 0)
comment on taking meds as perscribed that's something that i rarely mess up.
i'm one that uses a big pill box. keeps them straight for me by the week, day, and by hourly for those i take more than once a day.
i take my meds regularly because i would rather deal with their side effects than the synptoms of my bipolar.
i fi
ll the pill box 1 time a week, that's the only way for me to remember when and if i take them.

check it out, there are many different types of pill containers out there.

works for me, jcd
Posted 7/19/2011 5:47 PM (GMT 0)
haha!  I go to 200 mg Seroqul (from 400 mg) and have lost 1 lb per day for 2 days.  No change in eating and my diet is horrible.  I'll start watching calories better and hope for a little more weight loss.  I put on 5 pounds FAST on that dose of Seroquel.  It really messes with me.  Only 3 to lose to get back to my pre-Seroquel weight.  And then "only" 30 to be at a healthy weight.

Crunch time for vacation prep.  My fiance ticked me off this afternoon.  I went shopping for a few necessities and a couple things I thought would make the 18 HOUR drive with a 4 year old easier.  He was quite to the point that "for being someone who thinks [consumerism] is wrong, you sure buy a lot of things".  mad   Made for a very quiet lunch and he went right back to work after eating. ^%&U

OK,. Got that out of my system.  My goal is to have bedrooms competely clean, laundry done, trash cans empty, dishes washed and put away.  Truck and boat packed.  Everything except the coolers!  So we can leave early, early in the morning.

Stressed out.  Think if I take double Klonopin now, I'll be OK.  Maybe.

Posted 7/19/2011 5:47 PM (GMT 0)
Clean out the fridge too! :/
Posted 7/19/2011 10:11 PM (GMT 0)
have a fantastic time away tortoise.
Posted 7/19/2011 11:12 PM (GMT 0)
Took another Klonopin and doing better. :)
Posted 7/19/2011 11:53 PM (GMT 0)
Hi tortoise,

I hope you have a good vacation. Hopefully you can find the right balance with the meds. They are the tricky part of this whole thing that is for sure. Taking them regularly and getting to a dose you can stick to is key.

I need to lose weight so I dropped my seroquel dose too. Now I just gotta step up the exercise.

Watch out for mania with vaycay. It bit me this summer when I was off for a week. Hopefully your anxiety gives you a break. Remember to breathe and take breaks.

Hugs,
Mogs
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