To many meds

[Jrw2608]

Hi, I have been in a state of Anxiety, depression for over 20 yr. I am currently taking
Depakote 750mg day
Venal faxing 225mg day
Half beta blocker, not for heart condition, but to aid Anxiety
Zopiclone 7.5 mg bed time
Diazepam 5mg 2xdaybas needed
I am quite tired during day, self a steam very low, Depression is still bad, and low mood.
Was contemplating reducing depikote by 250 mg to see if I get more energy ?
This was my main question, then I have seen posts regarding Lamictal, and good reports of this drug.
As far as I know I am taking the Depikote for depression/ Anxiety, as no Gp has ever told me I have Bipolar.
Any imput appreciated

[specialmom]

You are on quite the cocktail of meds.  I think what happens is two fold.  Over time, the new meds started starts to accumulate and if we go to multiple doctors, they don't always pay attention to what other doctors prescrie.  We have to be vigilant about telling them and making sure they are aware.  Do not, on your own, EVER go off medication.  You need to talk to a doctor.  Especially any mental health medication.  They will guide you.  They deal, all the time, with people that want to reduce or cease a medication.  they will talk to you about whether it is wise or not and then help you do it under their care.  This is the way to go. So my best and heartfelt advise is to speak to the physician that oversees your general health or the prescribing physician for the med you want off.  good luck

[Paxiled]

Depakote is used for depression or anxiety in people for whom nothing else worked, or when you have a quack for a psychiatrist.  Either is possible, no way for us to know.  You're on a lot of drugs but you've been suffering a long time, so I'm guessing you got to this point because other things didn't work.  I wouldn't decrease any drug on your own without discussing it with your psychiatrist and doing it on a taper, not abruptly, but experimenting with dosage is one way to deal with side effects, so it's certainly worth a try, but you're taking a bunch of drugs that cause sedation so there's no way of knowing if that's the one causing you to be tired.  But one thing that concerns me is you talk about your GP, and at this level of medication, and way before that, I hope you're doing this with a psychiatrist who specializes in such treatment, not a GP who has a very cursory training in both mental illness and using these drugs.  As for good reports from a drug, remember, you're taking a lot of drugs, so the effects you get from any one of them will be different from those who aren't taking a ton of drugs, besides the differences we all have as individuals on any medication which makes the experience of others interesting and informative but not having a whole lot to do with how it will affect you.  The big question I have is, is this working as far as your anxiety and depression are going?

[Jrw2608]

Thank you for your comments, I would not just stop the use of any one of my drugs.
I stumbled onto this site, and it was encouraging to see some positive remarks, and how others had seen a difference in changing from one med to another.
It could well be a combination of drugs that make me tired, but the last med added was the Depikote , about two years ago, when a neurologist took me off tegritol (carbomazipan) and started me on the Depakote.
He signed me off after 4 months on depikote, and said any problems go back to GP.
That's the way it works now in uk, the mental health part of NHS , is very poor. I haven't seen a psychiatrist for 12 years.
Here it's a case of take the pills, go away don't bother me unless you try suicide, then , and then only you may get to see one.
I don't have the money to go,private. So you get handed back to the GP.
Thing is , if I'm taking all these drugs I think I should have some freedom from the depression and anxiety, for more than three or four days a month.
I can't go out the house, unless it's with my hubby, shopping, social life, are none.

[Paxiled]

Your drugs aren't working then.  So your cocktail was poorly constructed.  Here's how it's supposed to work, in a theory called augmentation:  you take a drug.  It helps, but not completely.  So you add another drug.  Usually augmentation studies stop at three drugs.  You can find some on the NIH website -- that's a health agency in the US.  If the first drug doesn't work, you don't augment it, you taper off and try another.  If you're on this many meds and you're still this badly affected, I'm guessing the first drug didn't help much and they just kept adding.  It would be great if you could find the money to see a psychiatrist -- because you don't see them very often they aren't that expensive in the long run, and even in the US all the best ones don't take insurance -- most plans here have very few mental health professionals on them and once anyone of them develops a clientele they usually stop taking insurance.  Also, neurologists don't really do this stuff on a regular basis -- psychiatrists do.  I'm hoping you find a way to see a psychiatrist and start all over again and find an answer.  Good luck.

[Jrw2608]

Thank you for your very helpful comments.
Think we are going to take your advice and source a psychiatrist and charges