How do you deal with pressure from others to stay on meds?

Shal416 · Post by **Shal416** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 3:46 am

Hi everyone,

A little history: I've been a sufferer of anxiety for almost all my life and have been treated for it with drugs for the past 12.

About a year and a half go I tried to wean myself off the drugs and I fell back into an anxious state. I was seeing a great doctor at the time who helped me address a lot of issues that had been pent up inside of me over the years, and that helped considerably.

I've found myself back into an anxious state after going off my meds cold turkey (not a smart idea), and I've been put back on a new med which I'm currently on a low dose on. I still have anxiety--but nothing overpowering.

My question: I get a lot of pressure from my family, my doctor, and my friends to stay on medication and not to try to 'beat this thing on my own'. My doctor says that some people are just biochemically different and will have to be on drugs for the rest of their lives, and I just need to accept it.

But a huge part of me wants to stop relying on medications and work on the tactics introduced by this program. I know it's a slow process, but I find myself getting discouraged often and thinking about what my doctor says whenever I feel anxious again. It's hard to trust in the program all by myself when the feedback I'm getting from everyone around me is for me to take the medications.

Anyone have any advice on how to get through this despite all the pressures to just medicate? I'm at a point where I want to experience some anxiety so I no longer run from it, but I'm wondering if I'm genetically designed in a way where I'm prone to being anxious all the time and I'm just unnecessarily making things harder for myself.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 4:00 am

How many meds are you on? I would love to get off mine but really wonder if it's possible. If you're only on one I think it would be easier than a bunch. I'm on Lamictal twice a day for Bi-Polar and Cenestin (menopause) and Ativan (anxiety) as needed. I did go off the lamictal once and it was not good. I've tried going off my menopause one. It's OK for a while, probably till it's totally out of my system then I have other problems that once again I have to go on. There are many on her who have gone off. It all depends on your situation. It's good to taper off slowly and definitely let your Dr.monitor you. As far as family and friends let it be someone monitoring you who would be a support not a hindrance.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 4:01 am

By the way, it's very important you complete your program, working it daily and after you complete it maybe doing it a 2nd or 3rd time. But remember the program is a lifelong thing. The tools are there to help when needed.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 4:10 am

I would say try to wean off the drugs with the supervision of your doctor. It has to be a gradual thing so the brain can withdraw slowly. Then see how you feel once you are off the meds using this program. I was on antidepressants for 7 years and am happy to say I am drug free now. I just went off of cymbalta at the beginning of this year. There is a little bit of a relapse and you will feel depressed for a while depending upon what you are on but it does pass and the program helps. I know there is a chance that I am chemically imbalanced, but I just wanted to give a crap about something. Anti-depressants made me so one dimensional. Now I am passionate again, and using that passion to complete this program. I hope this helps and good luck to you with your choice.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 4:24 am

Thank you for your responses.

Barb G: I am only on one med for anxiety, and yes, I will definitely taper off next time.

jugray: I absolutely know what you mean about losing that passion...this is why I want off my meds so badly. For me it's the sexual side effects...I'm only 32 years old and to lose that part of me is such a quality of life issue.

In fact, this is why I went off my meds cold turkey. I started dating a guy and just wanted to feel that important connection between two people, so I went off of it thinking I could go back on again after a bit.

I'm wondering if I should go on the full dose--feel better, and then taper off. Or if I should stay at this medium level and work through the anxiety that's there.

The thing is, I've gotten pretty good about not running from my panic..but I'm having a hard time coming down from the anxious state that I'm in. Tiny stressors that normally wouldn't register a blip on the emotional radar, now make my heart soar...and I'm just allowing it to be there and not react to it. I'm trying to just accept it as a part of who I am.

I know the program ensures that with time the anxiety will go down and I'm hoping it will, but I don't want to make things unnecessarily hard on myself if it's something I really can't control.

I think my best bet is to give it a try and see what happens. If it gets to be too much for me to handle, than going up on my medications will be the key.

Carolyn Dickman · Post by **Carolyn Dickman** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 7:02 am

I just wondered if anyone else had any wise words to offer?

Mello Nello · Post by **Mello Nello** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 11:15 am

I agree that if you are going to wean off the meds to do it with the support of a doctor. I definatly knwo that prayer plays a big role...when we trust in God more than ourselves to deal with things...I find that helps. I know that you are in a place where you don't know what the next step should be but maybe once you have gotten through some of the program you can slowly wean off, discuss it with tha doctor or perhaps seek the advice of another Dr. I'm not saying to switch Dr.s but sometimes a second opinion is good. I know I hate it when I feel the pressure from someone else about meds too and I just started them. Whatever your choice I wish you the best, and pray that the strength and guidance you need be at your side.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 4:49 pm

I have two doctors who continuously pressure me to go on medication or go to a counselor but after experiencing both for decades and spending thousands of dollars with very little results and often bad results, I ignore and resist. Only one med helped and got me over the hump and no longer does anything.
I spent too much time on meds that hurt me. It galls me that the doctors didn't care about that. They just prescribe and they felt they were done.
I've gotten most help from caring friends and support groups with members who have the same problems as I do, unmonitored by a "professional".

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 9:38 am

My question: I get a lot of pressure from my family, my doctor, and my friends to stay on medication and not to try to 'beat this thing on my own'. My doctor says that some people are just biochemically different and will have to be on drugs for the rest of their lives, and I just need to accept it.

Just keep hope alive that one day you can be med free. That's all. Keep working the program and learning about yourself, what causes you to be anxious. Maybe there are some people who are biochemically different. I honestly can't answer that.

What I think about your doctors statement, however, is that it is total cow patties. I've heard it a lot by others on the forum and I've heard it from my own psychiatrist who is no longer my psychiatrist. I saw my current doc yesterday, another psychiatrist. He's a good guy, wanting to help, but I honestly think he's way off on what can help me the best. I told him yesterday that I wanted to be completely off of meds at some point. He asked me, "And may I ask why you want to be off of meds?" Well, duh, I wasn't born taking meds and I'd simply like to be off of them. Simple as that. I almost felt like that particular question was asked by the German Gestapo, Hitler's SS. lol. I don't get the conspiracy to keep us on meds, but there certainly appears to be one. I think docs have been brainwashed by the pharmacuetical industry. Getting an anti-depressant or anti-anxiety drug to work is still trial and error. They still don't understand, still can't explain how the drugs work, they just know they do for some people. What they haven't experienced are the side effects of the meds, weight gain, a desire to eat even after being full, the meds agitating you to the point you can't sit still, can't sleep, etc. Why would anyone want to remain on meds if they could function fine without them, that's my question.

My doc still doesn't believe I can be med free. But, I am bringing him along. He still doesn't get it. Just like my Mother who didn't believe I could be a force in helping my high school basketball team reach the state tournament. I told him yesterday that I thought my meds were dropping again on their own, meaning I didn't need as high a dose as I am currently taking. I'm not sleeping well (not a sign of needing to reduce meds but perhaps to increase) but my appetite in the last week has gone out of control (a sure sign of needing to reduce) when it was being well controlled and I had lost weight over the last 4 months. He didn't get it.

I slept almost 10 hours today, plus the out of control appetite. A sure sign I need to cut back on meds. yay!!! I'll reduce, find the right level, wait a week or two, then call the doc and let him know. Another 20 miligrams down and I'm gonna make this guy a believer.

Just let the statements go in one ear and out the other, like water off a duck's back. What someone else says does not determine your destiny. Only you do.

By the way, I went completely off of anti-anxiety meds 4.5 years ago after being on them for 27 years. Still on a low dose of anti-depressants and that is dropping currently. The program and exercise is what is working for me. Good luck to you.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 7:27 am

Barb,
I was on Ativan for maybe 2 and a half months but that is 2 months too long...Doctor tried to taper me and didn't do it right and added Celexa...the Celexa made me really sick so I tossed it...In desperation I found a site that is helping me...
<A HREF="http://www.pointofreturn.com" TARGET=_blank>www.pointofreturn.com</A>
They can help you taper safely, have products to help you replenish the things the drugs have leached from your system and hook you up with a compounding pharmacy to taper slowly...
Best to you,
Karin

Originally posted by Barb G.:
How many meds are you on? I would love to get off mine but really wonder if it's possible. If you're only on one I think it would be easier than a bunch. I'm on Lamictal twice a day for Bi-Polar and Cenestin (menopause) and Ativan (anxiety) as needed. I did go off the lamictal once and it was not good. I've tried going off my menopause one. It's OK for a while, probably till it's totally out of my system then I have other problems that once again I have to go on. There are many on her who have gone off. It all depends on your situation. It's good to taper off slowly and definitely let your Dr.monitor you. As far as family and friends let it be someone monitoring you who would be a support not a hindrance.