coming off meds

 hi. just wanted to let you all know that several weeks ago i was in terrible pain. i thought i was having a bad fibro flare. i also have many other illnesses, so i wasnt sure what was going on. my psych dr. really looked at all the meds i was on and explained i was on way too many meds. 3 of them were benzodiazepams. 3! any way  she prescribed wellbutrin and started weaning me off the other meds. it is difficult and sometimes im so anxious i want to jump out of my skin, but my pain level is so improved! im amazed. in spite of the difficulty i will not go backwards. i was also sleeping way too much. it was a way of escaping the pain. she told me to drink 2 diet drinks with caffeine every day. i wake up much earlier, i have less pain and so much more energy. i cant believe the difference. im going for walks and eating better. ive lost weight, too. i hope this will help someone out there who may be having similar difficulties. i wish all of you could have the same results, but i know thats not possible. i just want you to know that im thinking of all of you and praying that your pain levels will decrease and that you will have improvements in your qualities of life.

thanks white beard, its always nice to get at least 1 response from a post. i really appreciate you taking the time to do so. i am doing so much better. its hard to believe one of my big problems was being over-medicated by one of my drs. i had no idea. my psych is the one who finally discovered this. this is not the 1st time she has "saved me". when i had my psychotic break a few yrs. ago, she was able to recognize my condition and prescribe the right medications to keep me from a hospitalization. lamictal and seroquel. anyway she explained that my meds. were causing my body to stop making its own anti-depressants and pain relievers. i wish this same realization would help others so easily. well its not really easy to come off 3 benzodiazapams. im having a lot of anxiety, but i will not go backwards. anyway thanks again for answering. you take care yourself. i will be thinking of you and wishing you well.

cbear you really did find a wonderful doctor even is its not an MD.  I was told by a doctor I was thinking of taking on as my primary and he said I was over medicated on heart and blood pressure meds.  He wanted to start cutting out many off them, I said no for one wrong opinion could give a stroke or heart attack.

But I agree that many of us are over medicated and that our bodies would run better without so many.  If only mine weren't for my heart I would be jumping on the band wagon of decreasing myself.

I'm so thrilled your feeling better

Laurie

laurie, nice to talk to you. im sorry you have illnesses like those which keep you from ever being able to come off them. i have a few of those too. i guess the best we can do is "keep on keepin' on", always hoping for more and better options for the illnesses we have. best wishes to you.

CBear,
I really can relate to your statement about wanting to sleep most all the time. As I look at the summer, now pretty much behind us, I feel like I've still been waiting for it to come. Yet, we had a gorgeous day here today and all I did was go out and get the mail and walk around the yard a bit. Even now, I'm fighting to stay awake and only just took my first set of percocets not long ago.

It's a struggle - to be in pain or to want to sleep your life away. Finding that middle balance is tricky, but I hope you can achieve it with your new doctor!

Good luck!

PaLady