QUIT ALL MEDICATION

[shy5454]

I have been on Seroquel, Depacote, Trileptal, Doxipin, Effexor since my vacation stay recently in our local mental hospital back in June 07.  I have been off these med's for three weeks now, not to my choice, but to the lack of income to be able to go to the doctor and fill these expensive medications.  As of the last three days I have been extremely out of it.  Disoriented and way dizzy.  I know these are mostly ani-seizure medications.  Does this mean that I will have side effects of seizure for quiting these medications? My doctor is will not refill scripts until I come and see him, even if I could afford it, there is not way to fill these meds. If anyone has any comments please help me.  I feel lost each day goes by.  Like I am an alien leaving this body.  My spouse keeps telling me to go tothe ER, but if I do that I am scared that they will send me on another vacation which will not be in a resort of my choosing.

Allie

[shy5454]

Thank you mark and everyone for responding to my insanity..

You into voodoo man?? I feel your relaxation through your written words.  On one hand it is calming and on the other I want to shake the world and say "the sky is falling, why didn't it hit you".  How can you explain this to anyone.  I disassociated myself from friends and family.  I don't know how to be normal, and didn't want them to know where I had been for two mths and what is going on with me. So I do not talk to anyone.  I tryed to explain to my spouse, who happens to be bipolar as myself but has not a clue that he does, he said just dont worry about life. But then he turns around and the sky hits him and he wonders what it was.  I seems the only the people who understood me where those in the hospital.  What was so sad about that was I finally felt comfortable, I didn't want to leave. And how do you tell people that?

[Mark TX]

I'd be very careful about coming to an internet forum to get reassurance that you won't have a seizure, or any other adverse side effects.  None of us here are qualified to tell you that.  And I suspect the medical experts here would be hesitant to give out any but the most general of advice either, since they aren't privy to your detailed history, health, or circumstances.

What you might take away from this forum is the knowledge that you aren't alone.  That many of us have been in similar situations... even though the details of our situations probably were quite likely different than yours.  The bottom line is most of us understand what it feels like to be in the midst of a crisis.  We've all been there to some extent at one point or another.  And I feel it might help you to know that many of us who've been in similar shoes are now feeling much better.  And that's all I or anyone else can really offer you at this point... hope.  And to whatever extent that bit of hope can offer you some peace of mind right now, that's all I can offer.

mark

[Happy2girls]

This is not a doctor moderated forum, you can try the Mental Health forum.  But I think you need to be SEEN by a doctor and quickly.  I do understand you fears though.  Good luck to you.  

[shy5454]

I guess I went to one of these forums in hopes that someone would just tell me the side effects will subside.  I was in my vacation resort for 2 mths.  I can go back and have my household turned upside down again.  I called my dr, the nurse wanted to know what I excepted them to do for me.  I flipped!! I told her I am shacking, I go from freezing to sweats, to crying to anger constant dizzy feel and feel disconnected. I said all that I was worried about was have a seizure since all the medication I was taking was all anti-seizure medication.  She had the nerve to ask me if I read all the pamplets that the pharmacy gave me at the time I picked up my medication.  It took everything I had not to reach through the phone and drag her to me.  I had to hang up. I am at work and trying as hard as I can to keep it together.  I was hopeing that the dr on this forum would just tell me everything will be fine once it all gets out of my system.  I want to scream.  You say I have my witts, but I feel unplugged.

[Mark TX]

If you are concerned enough to come here and ask for help, then that's a good sign that you are not losing your mind.  Recognizing that something is very wrong is a good indication that we still have our wits about us.

You're in a very vulnerable position right now.  If you have a good relationship with your family, discuss the options with them, listen to them and take their advice.  If you have a good relationship with your physician, then listen to your physician as well.  

Here's where it gets tough... I can certainly understand the reluctance anyone has to check into a hospital.  As far as I'm concerned, that kind of worry is perfectly normal.  Anyone who WOULDN'T be very concerned about checking into a psychiatric facility would be of questionable mind, IMHO.  Don't let anyone fool you into believing that NOT wanting to go to the hospital is in itself a sign of illness.  That's hogwash.

I do believe that when given the choice, many people who feel they're better off at home than in a hospital are truly better off at home with their loved ones.  And I believe that even in the worst of times most of us are capable of making these types of difficult decisions.  Don't sell yourself short.

Ultimately, you and your family and your doctor, working together, know what the best course of treatment for you is.  And before anyone prescribes any medications for you in the future, I feel you and they BOTH have some responsibility to know your ability to afford those medications and what arrangements can be made to ensure you aren't suddenly cut off from those medications.   My family has helped me through a couple of extremely difficult times, both emotionally and financially.  To this day, I'm positive that staying with my family was much more beneficial than checking into a hospital.  I know there are those who will strongly disagree.

All that said, getting off any medication abruptly can be dangerous to your health.  Do make sure you get the help you need.

Best of luck,

mark

[tostressed]

I too think that you should listen to your husband and get help. It is not good to just stop taking those drugs cold turkey.

Please get the help that you need!!!

[spade22]

You need medical help.  Abruptly stopping medications like these (especially a cocktail like you describe) is VERY dangerous and can lead to very serious side-effects.

Please listen to your husband.