:(

[A.E.V.]

omg, I could just cry...
I went through a list of psych meds for the "fun" of it, to see how many I have tried since december 2008, and I have tried SEVENTEEN different meds, in different combos...

[imsosad]

That is a lot of meds but maybe that means you're closer than ever to finding the right combo for you Are you noticing any improvement from the increase in abilify?
I hope you feel better soon.

[paul m]

Hello Anne. That's a lot of meds, but as imsosad has said, hopefully it moves you that much closer to finding the right combo.

Not to frighten you, but I took over 30 different meds in over 80 different combos before I got it right. The good news part of that is that I have only meet one other person who had to try as many different meds as I did, so hopefully you will find what works before you get to that number. Good Luck and Take Care. paul m

[astronaut]

Hi Anne,

I know how you feel. I haven't been through as many meds as you (about 11, plus many combinations), however; I have been taking meds for years without a break and I feel dirty inside. Only two of those meds ever worked for me and one of them didn't work for me the second time around, and the other one may have to be discontinued due to another health complication.

Hey, I was reading this article in a medical newspaper that there is a clinic in Scarborough? I think, or North York Region? --anyhow, there is a clinic somewhere in the Toronto region where doctor's send in saliva samples from patients to a lab where the lab screens the patient's DNA and makes a list of suggested medications that are most likely to produce the least side effects for that patient. It is based on looking at how particular liver enzymes break down different chemicals in medications. Some people's genes code for enzymes that are better at metabolizing certain drugs. My understanding is that this is a very new science and is only practiced at this one clinic in all of Canada, but in the article I read, the author suggested that if the practice works well, it will be expanded across the country and become a regular practice for doctors to try and figure out what drugs might be most successful to try first with their patients. This might help reduce the number of med trials some of us have to go through before finding a good med.

astronaut

[A.E.V.]

how do you make pdoc listen again?

I went to see my pdoc yesterday, and was quite disappointed when I left.
try as I might to say that something is not working anymore (been on abilify about a year, on prozac for two years), and I think it might be the abilify because for all the year I've been on it, we've been upping, lowering, tinkering, and messing with it some more.

when I tried to tell him this, he just stubbornly said we would up the abilify. I'm feeling depressed. I've been on an emotional roller coaster for about two to three weeks now. I actually feel like I did before I started meds!

how do you get the pdoc to listen again? I've not had this problem with him in a few years now, he had started listening to me.

...sigh...

[astronaut]

Hi Anne,

I'm sorry to hear that your last appointment didn't go so well. I agree that it is very demoralizing to have the doctor not listen to you. I have a few suggestions you could try:
-bring in your mood chart to show your pdoc so that he can see on paper that you are not improving on the med. If you don't keep a mood chart, start now!
-write down your symptoms and changes in your symptoms on a paper to give to the pdoc. Sometimes seeing things in writing makes it more real for them
-Bring in a parent or someone who is around you a fair amount so that they can back you up when you say that you are not getting better with this drug. Some doctors will be more convinced if they hear the same thing coming from a few different people
-Ask the pdoc or your GP for a referral to someone else for a second opinion. Even if you just go to a clinic for a one-time assessment and have that assessment and the new pdoc's recommendations sent back to your primary pdoc, at least you will have another source of input into your treatment, and you might not even have to change doctors.

hang in there,
astronaut

[Lost@40]

I feel for you A.E.V. Every time I tried to get my Pdoc to change my meds he tells me 'you're on the best combination of meds out there'. I wish my Pdoc wasn't all about stats, no one has studied me so how does he know that's the best combination of meds for ME?! Clearly, it isn't.

I've got my therapist and my GP on my side now and we're finally making some changes. Me and my therapist went through a list of my meds and my genuine reasons for wanting off them so I could make my argument factually. I don't recommend this for everyone but I also finally called my Pdoc out on his behaviour toward me and my previous requests for change, just cuz I was so fed up of being on so many meds and not feeling any benefit. Surprisingly, he took it quite well and even asked if we could talk about it in depth at one of my next appts.

Once I get through with the 'easy' ones, I'll work on him to change that magnificent combo that doesn't work for me.

Good luck to you, I agree with Astronaut, get someone on your side and have them advocate for you or get them to help you write out how you're feeling and your reasons for wanting changes. Pdocs seem to like facts and stats so its hard to argue with them based on your feelings.

[paul m]

Hello Lost@40. I can understand your frustration. Here is a small story that may amuse you. I wouldn't suggest that anyone out there try the following, but one time when I was a more than a little manic my doc dropped that line on me. " 'you're on the best combination of meds out there'. I got up and wandered over to his dipolma and said " funny, that doesn't look fake"

He got upset, but then I turned to him and said, I know lots of people that have gotten better and none were using what I'm using. I ended up with a new pdoc. Fortunately the new pdoc didn't have this antiquated logic of what works best.

Pdocs were a little easier to find back then.

I talk with 100's of people every year with mental illnesses, some are doing well, some are not. However not one of the people that I know who take multiple meds take the exact same combination as the next person. Each cocktail has to be individually tailored to the person.

There are reasons for that. Staring with a persons weight(lithum is weight dependant), their metabolism and how well they metabolize a medication, their reaction to the medications(some people have an adverse reaction to a simple med like ativan), what exactly is wrong with them and what is lacking in their brain. Wellbutrin and celebrex work two different ways in the brain. prescribing one may work well for one person and have no effect on the next. Some meds just don't work period for some people. Give me lamicital and I may as well be eating smarties, other meds may try and kill the patient. Epival is a well respected medication,but it tries to kill me when I take it(really adverse reaction).

So there is no one cocktail that works best for everyone. No matter what doctors say. For example Penecillen is a well tried mediation, used by millions. But if you are allergic to it,it is of no use to you. Or if the bug that it is being used to fight is penecillen resistatant, than penecillin is also no good for that person. It may be the best medication in the world,but of zero use to some people. Our psych drugs are like that. I'm just not sure how to get doctors to understand that. Take Care. paul m

[Lost@40]

Hey Paul m. I wish I heard that story before my appt, I would have used that move!

And I totally agree with you about med combos. I remember him asking me at one of my prior appts what I expected the drugs to do. Work!!! Make me feel better!!! I know there is no magic drug but surely there has to be something that can improve my quality of life even a little bit!

If it wasn't for my therapist being part of the package in the treatment program I'm in, I would have walked away from my Pdoc a long time ago. I think my GP was better at managing my meds than my Pdoc is.

Today is a bad day for me. But I know if he knew that he'd say it's cuz I'm tapering off Seroquel completely and that if I hadn't started making changes today wouldn't be a bad day.

[A.E.V.]

my mood is totally all over the map... tried to call the pdoc yesterday because I felt so low, and he said to wait until my next appointment (next week) before we discuss changing meds.
the nurse told me to call the crisis centre if need be. I don't know about anybody else, but being told to go take a bath to change my mind is not exactly what I need to hear...

[Kaight]

Sorry to hear your moods are so all over the place... it must be exhausting!
Kaight

[Stjesha]

I don't know about anybody else, but being told to go take a bath to change my mind is not exactly what I need to hear...

I know exactly what you mean.. I was told yesterday to lie down and try to sleep to change my mind.. Easier said than done, right. Hope you feel better soon

[paul m]

Hello Anne. Soory to hear about the poor treatment that you got. Life is tough enough without being told foolish things. Take Care. paul m

[Lizzy]

I am glad that people here get it . Sometime you have to wonder at that kind of advice. Long time in the tub for all of us!

[A.E.V.]

saw the pdoc yesterday.
I don't know if it's wishful thinking, but my mind seems clearer, just having taken 5mg of abilify this morning instead of 12mg.
so the pdoc finally agreed that if we are constantly playing with dosages for the last year, then it's not working. after consideration and lots of questions (well... more like confirmations to what CrazyMeds says), we decided to go with zeldox. I am to start it tomorrow.

I vaguely remember someone having experience with the zeldox, but cannot remember where that thread would be... it was probably a year ago!

also, Paul, you had posted last year some time (or the year before) a thread with the different AP's and where they stood on different side effects. basically you had listed them from which is worse, to which is not as bad. do you happen to remember where that is?

as always, thank you all for your kind words, your understanding and your help during this difficult time!