Medication cuts... anyone else? (Veteran Poster)

Good Saturday, all--I have not been around for some time--so hi all new folks. Has anyone had conversations with their doctor recently about cutting back on medication?

I have been working on making cuts to my daily meds--on my own suggestion and with my doctor's okay. I cut out the opiates completely, and lessened the ambien by half. I kept to the same dose of tramadol (a step down just didn't work,) and the same dose of a muscle relaxer.

A few months ago, I started to get notes on the bottle reading "Start working on reducing this." I ignored it, until this month i picked it up and there was half the pills. I contacted my doctor--and apparently they are getting prompted to try to reduce certain medications. I contacted her and she agreed to raise it back up until we can talk for an appointment. Some discussion on taking more muscle relaxers so that I could reduce the ambien...

I was rather put off by this. I have been with this doctor for some time (Nearly four years,) so it is not like I am new to her. I do not take all the muscle relaxers I am prescribed. But I have been on sleep medication since I was diagnosed in 2003/4, and am really not interested in quitting it. If I do not have quality sleep, I have lots of trouble the next day. I still work and I do a lot of intense mental work, so going without sleep is not an option. Though I might have to at some point, since I have insurance on the ACA.

Myself, I know you aren't as old as I am but my rheumy has to fill out a form to request my muscle relaxer because "they" don't think it's safe for people over 65. You mean if I'm 64 years and 11 1/2 months old, it's safe for me? 😁 But all my doctor does is submit a form once a year to my drug plan and I can have the muscle relaxer for one year only.

Congratulations on getting off the opiod and other medication. I know you have always taken as little as possible. Do you have a drug plan or is it the pharmacy that won't fill it? It might be the combination of medication too. Ambien is like a sedative and muscle relaxers have that same affect. You need to sit down with your doctor and have a serious talk. The fact that you have weaned off several things speaks volumes.

Sherrine