I need a second opinion on my mother's 7 medications!

[shoxkay]

17 years ago, mt mother started to hear voices and she had anxiety attacks, and deep depression. In the first few years of her illness, she spent weeks in psychiatric hospitals at a time. She called the paramedics to our home many times. She had her good days, but her life became captivated with her illness. Doctors perscribed medication after medication until one day they found one that controlled her anxiety and depression. Although the side effects were great. Over the last ten years, she gained 150 lbs. She developed Insomnia, has high blood pressure, and recently the doctor told her she might have diabetes- she'll know for sure after an appointment tomorrow. Since a child, she's always eated extremely healthy and she raised my brother and I very healthy also. She never eats white flour, white rice, processed sugar, red meat, soda, milk, fried foods, fast food ect. NEVER! My mother and father have enjoyed a diet of salads everyday, fresh fruit, tofu, chicken, fish and whole grains for the past 25 years! All that just to say her health prolems are not a result of her diet by any means. My mother exercises as much as possible, but often one leg will go numb, or she just to tierd. Everytime she tells her doctor she has a problem, she gets another medication. a lot of her meds are to treat side effects of other meds. Meds mother is on: blood pressure- diovan, norvas, Triamterine AZTZ; Psychiatric-zyprexa, clonipin, geodon, trazadone; Sleep- sonata. She also takes two herbal supplements- somatrol, sound sleep. I am worried for her life. I positive if we were a wealthy family, we could find alternitive healthcare for my mother. But, we're not, however we are concered and involved in her life. If there was some way her body could be de-toxed and she could be admitted to a facility where they will monitor and treat the root of her illness, maybe she could get her life back after all these years. This message is sent out in urjency to anyone who has an inkling of an idea. HELP!! My mother and father live in Philadelphia. I live in Los Angeles. 310-967-3953 or ***@****. Thank you.

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

You might start with the diabetes.  150 weight gain is probably the cause, and weight loss is probably the cure.  Use that doctor to help focus on weight loss.  Here's the connection...at least half of the drugs you mentioned cause weight gain.  Your mother needs one good doctor to take over and gradually take her off all the medications and start over.  Look for that one doctor.

[KittyMeghanLeah2]

I've looked high and low for detox for pills you mentioned, it's not out there.

[KittyMeghanLeah2]

that's why the online MD said look for that one doctor! that's "out there."  It's very risky for a doctor to take on a patient and try to wean them off medications purely because it is very difficult and risky. Let me know when and if you find that "ONE doctor" that's "out there."  Make sense? and read btwn the fine line of what our online MD states.

[scared88]

I have suffered from psychotic major depression for 9 years now. Taken a lot of meds, also gained 100lbs, total weight gain of 130lbs from start to now. Anyway I now might have diabetes from the ZYPREXA that caused the last 60lb gain. I am really afraid of starting the Geodon and making the switch. I usually end up in the hospital, this time I am afraid of what will take place. My question is, can someone suffer from PMD for 9 years or do u think that the diagnosis must be wrong? Also I am having trouble at work as I cannot concentrate and I am making stupid errors from all the paperwork. Do people with this type of illness usually end up on disability?

[bellingen]

Dear Shoxkay,
I read your post and It reminds me of myself and what I have been through, I am a 35 yrs old male with Schizophrenia and I was taking Zyprexa and put 28kg on "not sure what that is in pounds" from this i devepoled insulin diabetes at age 28 and then I started on an Antipsychotic called Seroquel, it has changed my life completley.
I lost all my weight and started to get my old life back, It assisted me so much that I have completed my degree at UNI and recemtly married,  but the motto of this post is Zyprexa, it is known worldwide the affects it has on people taking it, it puts sooooooo much weight on its outrageous, not all people gain weight on Zyprexa but most people do and from this it changes the world for them from high blood pressure, putting on weight, high cholesterol, heart trouble, lack of exercise and can promote depression within a person.
I look back now and if i knew what I know now about it, I would not have touched for the life of me.
Take care & best wishes.
bellingen

[Tees packo]

I KNOW your pain...  10 yrs ago I was medicated for depression, etc.  The whole combo of meds aswell as the depressing things in my life (parents death, etc) also made be gain 95 lbs in one yr.  I also, was always eating healthy, herbal, & natural.  But when I had a hystorectomy combined with ALL those meds I became a zomby!  Then I became more depressed as I couldn't get out of the meds & Depression rut.  I went to a mental health facility that helped me detox.  When I came out I threw out ALL meds and went strickly on vits & minerals and my life is much better.  I still suffer with depression but not near as bad.  However, big problem I now suffer from major long tern memory loss from that time frame of my life.  I wish I could fix that part of my recovery aswell as the wieght gain.  Going clean is the way to go, detox now!

[SandraG]

I think Zyprexa could have caused your mother's diabetes. She should get off that medication as soon as possible. It also causes movement disorders that are disabling and can ruin your life.

[cbsr]

I might have a solution on losing weight but first let me explain something.  My wife had back surgery a few months ago and she suffers from depression and anxiety.  Also she is on a total of 12 different medications ranging on medicines for her back, blood pressure, cholestrol, depression, anxiety and such.  Since her surgery she has gained weight even though the spine surgeon has her on an aggressive exercise and I will explain her exercise program.  On the very first day from getting home from the hospital she had to walk 5 times for 5 minutes each.  Each day she had to increase the walks by one minute and walk 5 times daily until she was up to 5 walks daily for 30 min. each.  Yes that is 5x30= 2 and a half hours a day walking!  No amount of puttering around the house counts, it has to either be outside or in a shopping mall.  There is no such thing as her sleeping in, she sets the alarm clock for 5:30 A.M. and WE start our walks.  The spine surgeon will not allow her to use a treadmill as he thinks that would do her more harm than good.  WALK WALK WALK.

The exercise isn't the only thing!  She is on a 1000-1200 calorie diet a day.  She has to plan what she eats a day and she has educated herself by looking online how many calories each thing she eats has.

Hopefully someday this will all pay off and it will be worth it.  Maybe a similiar exercise program and diet will help someone else here.  cbsr