Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Meds and more logic

Tomorrow I meet with my pdoc whom I haven't seen in two or three months. I get to inform him that I've been off the Zoloft for just as many months and now want off the Seroquel I've been on for over three years. I'm not trying to perpetuate a slide into the suicidal abyss with these moves, there is a logical decision making process behind them.

I went off the Zoloft for two reasons. The first being that it wasn't doing much of anything for me. I was still depressed while on it, and he was never willing to up the dose from 100 mgs, so why bother to continue. The second reason is because of the implant. While I know that it isn't expected to work right away, and it certainly hasn't, I don't want the results being skewed by any unknown benefits I might have been receiving from the Zoloft that I wasn't aware of. I want to know, have the proof, that the implant was the sole reason for my improved mood. To have the empirical data to say yes it worked or no it didn't.

As for the Seroquel, I'm bothered by research showing that it increases your chances for developing diabetes, an unwelcomed side effect the drug manufacturer AstraZeneca acknowledges. I've already been saddled with a genetic predisposition to adult onset diabetes, from both sides of my family. After a slew of diabetic related symptoms and a recent blood test that showed I was borderline diabetic, I would prefer not to be on a medication that could potentially push me over the edge to developing it sooner than nature has intended.

The problem with the Seroquel is that I need something to replace it with. I can't sleep without taking something that will reign in the racing thoughts and make me a bit drowsy. Is there a safe alternative? I'm not so sure there is. Every medication has its risks, its nasty side effects. I'll just have to see what he offers up as an alternative. I already know I can say hell no to other drugs in that class including Zyprexa and Abilify. Not sure about Risperdal as I haven't taken nor researched it yet. We'll just see what transpires tomorrow.

4 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have Risperdal in my current cocktail. I have no idea if that is the one kicking my ass and making me narcoleptic every morning. But I'm all better after I hit the cocaine in the office lunchroom. *snicker

Do you have a favorite research site for meds?

8:50 PM, August 30, 2006  
Blogger katinkab said...

risperdal is an antipsychotic, the same class of meds as seroquel, abilify, and zyprexa. i quit taking it because i didn't want to risk getting diabetes. it helped me to sleep but i'd also usually feel stoned out during the day. i didn't get any negative side-effects from it.

i go to crazymeds.org to research meds.

10:07 PM, August 30, 2006  
Blogger Sandi K said...

I HATE risperdal. I was a zombie on it. I get better results from taking 1.5 mg of Clonipin. It has a short half life and it does not leave you feeling like you are an expressionless flat stanley.
(I also gained a lot of weight on it. Lamictal worked better as a mood stabilizer and I lost weight too)
Good luck

2:07 AM, August 31, 2006  
Blogger Maggs said...

i wish seroquel didn't work so well for me. i'm already a blimp.

10:09 PM, September 01, 2006  

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