I don't know what to say exactly, kellebelle. I would encourage you to go with your gut instinct whether that is changing docs or meds.
Looking up some of the side affects of your meds, Lamactil can cause headache, insomnia, and rash. Imipramine can cause fatigue, insomnia, hypomania, mania, headache, anxiety, constipation, dry mouth, and weight gain, among others.
I don't know if some of your problems are associated with the drugs you are taking or not, but it appears they could possibly be.
I wouldl encourage you to take control of the decision making process in what meds you take versus your doc being in control. I allowed docs to make the decisions for over 20 years and I gradually got worse. Then found the StressCenter.com program, became educated in cognitive behavioral therapy, and took control of my meds. I'm currently on about 10% of the meds I had been on 5 years ago, doing very well. It has been a rough ride getting to where I am, but if I had kept depending on docs I'd still be nonfucntional and on a ton of meds.
Trust yourself and your ability to figure it all out. That's what has worked for me.
Too Many Drugs :(
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JenniPatrice
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Mon Dec 18, 2006 1:27 am
Wow thats quite a list of medications.
First off my best advice to you is to start looking for a different doctor. Ask around if you have freinds or family that have a primary physician they like. I agree with the other poster that you can get stuck in a rut with doctors and you HAVE to find one that understands YOU and doesnt just pile on the RX.
Some people dont feel "Cured" till they walk out of a doctors office with a prescription. Do you have any reasons as to why you have the head pain you do? Has it been tested and no clear cut reason? If so it could be the medications itself if your so drugged up and feeling exhausted from the pills how can you possibly be eating and excersising correctly.
Pain medications can cause some constipation as well as the other symptoms your feeling. But so can simple things like: Anxiety, depression, dehydration, lack of excersise, poor diet, poor sleeping habits, etc....
I would start by calling and talking to you doctor or his/her nurse and see what you can cut out or down on with your meds. If your not getting the help you need start interviewing new doctors. My doctor is a "DO" doctor of osteopathic medicine. Same as a MD but with a little different training in the healing of the body. I think they have a much better approach to the body and what ails it as compared to what I call the pill pushing MD's. Of course this is strictly a personal opinion and nothing more but maybe something you might be interested in reading about and seeing if maybe its for you.
Good luck to you.
Dodger
First off my best advice to you is to start looking for a different doctor. Ask around if you have freinds or family that have a primary physician they like. I agree with the other poster that you can get stuck in a rut with doctors and you HAVE to find one that understands YOU and doesnt just pile on the RX.
Some people dont feel "Cured" till they walk out of a doctors office with a prescription. Do you have any reasons as to why you have the head pain you do? Has it been tested and no clear cut reason? If so it could be the medications itself if your so drugged up and feeling exhausted from the pills how can you possibly be eating and excersising correctly.
Pain medications can cause some constipation as well as the other symptoms your feeling. But so can simple things like: Anxiety, depression, dehydration, lack of excersise, poor diet, poor sleeping habits, etc....
I would start by calling and talking to you doctor or his/her nurse and see what you can cut out or down on with your meds. If your not getting the help you need start interviewing new doctors. My doctor is a "DO" doctor of osteopathic medicine. Same as a MD but with a little different training in the healing of the body. I think they have a much better approach to the body and what ails it as compared to what I call the pill pushing MD's. Of course this is strictly a personal opinion and nothing more but maybe something you might be interested in reading about and seeing if maybe its for you.
Good luck to you.
Dodger
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Guest
Great replies - I definitely think you're on too many drugs. I don't recall from the email - Are they all prescribed by one doctor? I just wanted to mention that taking pills for headaches has the accumulative affect of 'rebound headaches' or so I hear. In other words, going off the meds may be painful in the short run but effective in the long run. Good luck.
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Guest
Hey everyone! Thanks for the great, heart-felt, and intelligent responses. I appreciate your time in reading and replying. 
To set things straight, my headaches have been since I was 7. After catscans, MRIs, chiropract care, massage, aromatherapy, and homeopathic meds, I still have head pain. I can deal with the fact that I have the disease of the migraine.
My mental pills are keeping me sane... and I feel good, so why should I get off them? Because I want to see who I really am! Have I come a long way in the last 2 years I have been on meds? No one knows; but i do know that things in my life are SO much better; however, what happens if something goes wrong?
There are so many "IFs" in life- We all know that- that's why we're here on this site, speaking to each other as friends.
Life is what we make it to be and though I make it filled with pills, how can I want to change? Good question. I have my up days and down days. Somedays I want to hide, others, run freely in the street, with no shoes. Pills do cause me issues, but how worse would my issues be if I am not on them? I guess what I am trying to say is that there is always a domino effect- in everything! Is this domino effect helping or hurting me? Only time will tell.
Again, thanks everyone!
To set things straight, my headaches have been since I was 7. After catscans, MRIs, chiropract care, massage, aromatherapy, and homeopathic meds, I still have head pain. I can deal with the fact that I have the disease of the migraine.
My mental pills are keeping me sane... and I feel good, so why should I get off them? Because I want to see who I really am! Have I come a long way in the last 2 years I have been on meds? No one knows; but i do know that things in my life are SO much better; however, what happens if something goes wrong?
There are so many "IFs" in life- We all know that- that's why we're here on this site, speaking to each other as friends.
Life is what we make it to be and though I make it filled with pills, how can I want to change? Good question. I have my up days and down days. Somedays I want to hide, others, run freely in the street, with no shoes. Pills do cause me issues, but how worse would my issues be if I am not on them? I guess what I am trying to say is that there is always a domino effect- in everything! Is this domino effect helping or hurting me? Only time will tell.
Again, thanks everyone!
Hey kellbelle,
Try to worry less about the number of meds and the idea of taking meds and focus on the benefits or lack of from the meds.
I think meds alone will never heal you but can be an important part of the process. You need to get rid of all the worrying and stop looking for a "cure". All the anxiety you have is probably contributing to depression and headaches. You are having so much what if thinking, you can't just enjoy the now. Go to lesson 3 and really put it into practice - once you have mastered this technique you will be AMAZED at how much freedom it gives you.
You can worry the rest of your life about should I or shouldn't I be on meds. Bottom line - meds won't change the way you think, but can support you while you learn to change it. Don't go off meds on your own, do it with your dr's support and regular follow ups - they might be able to stop you from going down a bad path if you stay in touch. Use this community for advice.
Stop looking outside yourself for a cure - it is a daily process of learning about yourself, and putting what you learn into useful behaviour/thoughts so you start to feel good again. YOU HAVE THE KEY.
Good luck
Heather
Try to worry less about the number of meds and the idea of taking meds and focus on the benefits or lack of from the meds.
I think meds alone will never heal you but can be an important part of the process. You need to get rid of all the worrying and stop looking for a "cure". All the anxiety you have is probably contributing to depression and headaches. You are having so much what if thinking, you can't just enjoy the now. Go to lesson 3 and really put it into practice - once you have mastered this technique you will be AMAZED at how much freedom it gives you.
You can worry the rest of your life about should I or shouldn't I be on meds. Bottom line - meds won't change the way you think, but can support you while you learn to change it. Don't go off meds on your own, do it with your dr's support and regular follow ups - they might be able to stop you from going down a bad path if you stay in touch. Use this community for advice.
Stop looking outside yourself for a cure - it is a daily process of learning about yourself, and putting what you learn into useful behaviour/thoughts so you start to feel good again. YOU HAVE THE KEY.
Good luck
Heather
Cheri {8^) keep looking up ~!~ BLESSED ARE THE CRACKED FOR THEY LET IN THE LIGHT
'Never allow someone to be your Priority while allowing yourself to be their Option'.
"What you are is God's gift to you, and what you do with what you are is your gift to God" Too Blessed to be Stressed!!! May Grace and Mercy be multiplied to you.
Lord Help me to Finish Strong - COLOSSIANS 1:10-12
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%207&version=AMP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DasqYiQK7HQ
'Never allow someone to be your Priority while allowing yourself to be their Option'.
"What you are is God's gift to you, and what you do with what you are is your gift to God" Too Blessed to be Stressed!!! May Grace and Mercy be multiplied to you.
Lord Help me to Finish Strong - COLOSSIANS 1:10-12
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%207&version=AMP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DasqYiQK7HQ
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Guest
Dear kellbelle,
I'm on...
Lamictal - 150mg/day
Klonopin - 1.5mg/day and 3mg as needed
Lyrica - 150mg/day
For the side effects from these I'm on...
Nexium - 40mg/day [acid reflux]
Imitrex - 100mg/day as needed [migraines]
Esgic Plus - as needed [migraines]
Cephadin - as needed [migraines]
The migraine pills I can use interchangeably, as they lose their efficacy if you're constantly taking the same one often.
With all these medications it's no wonder I have days were I feel extreme sedation.
I know that there will be a day when I can begin cutting down on the amount of medications I'm taking, but for now I know I need them...at least for a little while longer. My anxiety and depression episodes will get better with time and then I can begin the process of removing the medications that no longer have a place in my life. You're doing fine. Just be patient - that's the key to all of this. It's not going to take overnight, but you will get there. To the place where you want to be.
So what if you need these meds for now? It doesn't mean you're going to be on them forever, it's just for the time being.
I'm not one for alternative medicines all in due to my field of study, so I can't help you there, but what I can advise is this:
If you're not happy with the doctor(s) you're seeing now, find another one. Someone who will listen to you. Remember: They work for YOU. Don't just take their word for it. And it's like the program says, be assertive and be proactive. It builds confidence.
xoxo
I'm on...
Lamictal - 150mg/day
Klonopin - 1.5mg/day and 3mg as needed
Lyrica - 150mg/day
For the side effects from these I'm on...
Nexium - 40mg/day [acid reflux]
Imitrex - 100mg/day as needed [migraines]
Esgic Plus - as needed [migraines]
Cephadin - as needed [migraines]
The migraine pills I can use interchangeably, as they lose their efficacy if you're constantly taking the same one often.
With all these medications it's no wonder I have days were I feel extreme sedation.
I know that there will be a day when I can begin cutting down on the amount of medications I'm taking, but for now I know I need them...at least for a little while longer. My anxiety and depression episodes will get better with time and then I can begin the process of removing the medications that no longer have a place in my life. You're doing fine. Just be patient - that's the key to all of this. It's not going to take overnight, but you will get there. To the place where you want to be.
So what if you need these meds for now? It doesn't mean you're going to be on them forever, it's just for the time being.
I'm not one for alternative medicines all in due to my field of study, so I can't help you there, but what I can advise is this:
If you're not happy with the doctor(s) you're seeing now, find another one. Someone who will listen to you. Remember: They work for YOU. Don't just take their word for it. And it's like the program says, be assertive and be proactive. It builds confidence.
xoxo
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Guest