Okay, so now I have met the head of the lung transplant team, and am feeling very anxious about the prospect of a transplant. As I am anxious I read about various meds. Apparently atypical antipsychotics are also given for anxiety and depression because they act quickly...then I read about the horrors of tardive dyskenisia...scaRY!
aNYONE HAD THIS EXPERIENCE?
Hey Barb
The first psychiatrist I ever saw (in the early 90s) put me on a cocktail of meds, including old-school anti-psychotics. I turned into a total zombie and after about 6 months my eyeballs started to involuntarily roll upwards. I'm guessing this was a form of Tardive Dyskenisia and it was extremely scary. My mother decided enough is enough, and found a new psych (who I still see now). He took me off everything the other guy prescribed (apart from Xanax) and started again.
The atypical anti-psychotics do the same kind of thing, which is why in your other post I said Zyprexa does help with anxiety but it has a lot of side-effects, including twitchiness. That was after only a few weeks but I reckon the twitchiness is related to Tardive Dyskenisia. They do work fast but so do benzos, and you don't get that nasty stuff with benzos (in my experience anyway).
I've been on a heap of different psych meds and the anti-psychotics (old and new) have had the worst side effects in my opinion. I've stopped taking the Zyprexa regularly and just saved it for extreme episodes of anxiety. I'd rather stick with SSRIs and benzos.
All the best,
Gypsy x
"You're the worst thing that ever happened to me." --Marla Singer
As always thank you Gypsy. Personally I can't understand how benzo's get such a bad wrap from the docs but antipsychotics don't.
Cheers
Here's an example of why benzos get a bad wrap: Some people can get addicted or dependent on them. Others don't.
Gypsy can tell you more. For example, she has had some issues with them but I haven't. Of course, I have my own person addiction.
I love all things sweet. As my Psychiatrist tells me, you would cross enemy lines to get to some Oreos. True!
Hi Anne
Benzos are a mystery to me. They have been demonized in England. Some people take for one month then need to raise the dosage to get the same effect (addiction). Others like yourself can take for 12 years effective at same dose
Benzos are life savers for me, I am on them for ages for decades, I have anxiety from early childhood caused by traumatic expierences. I tried to be off and it worked then I went back, Maturity brought the awareness, and I am very careful now. I am on the same dose of clonazepam for I think it is like 5 years or so. Never needed to up it. the smallest dose.
I tried not to take it, or forgot to take, and always i ended in panic attack. So for the year I had not have panic attack, It is good, one small dose keeps me calm. I would rather keep addiction to my small does of benzo, my safety blanket that the other additions I quit long time ago.
One of our members is on xanax for 18 years and he never upped it either.......... England, yeah there is a lot of things demonized, and a lot that need the attention is seeped under the rag..
''“If you cry because the sun has gone out of your life, your tears will prevent you from seeing the stars.”
''
― Rabindranath Tagore
Thank you everyone for your responses. I have come across two schools of thought...One doctor (GP here in Australia, or Primary care physician overseas), believes that ativan, given my health issues, is better tolerated and easier to get off than taking something like abilify. He hasn't had a patient have serious problems stopping it, but has had patients have trouble coming off abilify. On the other hand a psychiatrist I visited thinks abilify (he didnt prescribe this for me) is better than ativan for long term use and can be stopped easier than ativan! Confused! Dahila I think my doctor thinks along your lines. He says that given the seriousness and complexity of my health problems, getting addicted to ativan is the least of my problems!
Addictions arent the end of the world. You hear about cocaine and heroin addicts holdhng down high pressure jobs. Not to mention tons of alcoholics.
When the time comes, any addiction can be broken with the will and the guidance.
Whatever keeps you functioning is the right course.
Thank you Boo Bass, you have a point. I usually like to do things naturally but things are stacking up. I hope things are better for you.
Hi barbimay
Thanks for your nice reply.
I hope you too get through your current challenge OK
Don't forget "And this too shall pass."
It always does if we let it
BB
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