Feeling Like A Human Guinea Pig

[MainerMikeBrown]

Their are lots of components required for a person with mental illness to go from being overwhelmed by it to being able to defeat it and live a happy, productive life.

For many individuals, one of those components is to get on psychiatric medication(s) that works well for him or her.

Everyone's brain chemistry is different. So one psychiatric medication may work quite well for one person, and not at all for another.

And for some people, it can take a long time for the psychiatrists to get a person on the right medication(s). It's trial and error.

It took doctors a long time to get me on the right medication. I'd try pills under the psychiatrists orders after another. And most of those meds didn't help me.

As a result, the doctors would have me take pills. And when they weren't working, they'd have to take me off of those pills and try other meds. This kept happening.

Hence, I started feeling like a human guinea pig.

However, the doctors had to in order to find me the right medication. It had to be done.

Lots of psychiatric patients, especially ones who are medication resistant, feel like human guinea pigs. But they must realize that it often has to be done. After all, some people can't survive without being on the right medication(s).

[Ponder]

Glad it's working for you. That merrygoround trip never worked for me or anyone in my family. All the doctors and kings horses could never settle us in the way the medical model advertises. It's not for everone.

I have paccification meds. Thats about it. Works well enough when I am at my end. The lessor of two evils. That's the nutshell, be end and all at the end of my list of labels.

Once again, glad you have found somthing that works well for you.

[salvator here]

Good to hear Mike. I'm 46 (closer to 47) and they still haven't even a clue what to do with me.

[Kirk]

My wife is a pharmacist and she told me that in many instances it comes down to trial and error when using medications.

[MainerMikeBrown]

When I was put on yet another new psychiatric medication(s) back in the day, I worried about having new side effects since it was a new pill(s).

[Dahila]

I quit all meds except Clonazepam

[Kuma]

I quit all meds except Clonazepam

Clonazepam works well at least for me. But I won’t take it often because I’m concerned about dependence. So I save it for desperate times.

[Dahila]

Clonazepam works well at least for me. But I won’t take it often because I’m concerned about dependence. So I save it for desperate times.

I take it for the last 7 years the smallest dose, many times I forget to take it, I am not depended on it , in years I take it I had never higher the dose, Mine is 0.5 mg once in 24 hours (if I remember to take it)
I prefer to take it when stressed out so panic attack never arrives :)

[Kuma]

I take it for the last 7 years the smallest dose, many times I forget to take it, I am not depended on it , in years I take it I had never higher the dose, Mine is 0.5 mg once in 24 hours (if I remember to take it)
I prefer to take it when stressed out so panic attack never arrives :)

I took .25 mg or .5 mg. If I felt like I was going to have a panic attack I would take it again or maybe Xanax. Benzodiazepines have potential problems but they sure do work!

[Dahila]

yes I have ativan for panic attacks but honestly my last panic attack was like 3 years ago when my good friend passed away.

[salvator here]

Hey Dahila and Kuma..

Hope you both are doing okay.

Tbh.. Its not so that much the concern about dependence (not saying you shouldn't be concerned about that), its more of a concern that even after being on it long-term (as I was), doctors can pull it right from under you - just like that. It happened to me and I never ever abused them (Benzos). At least that is what is happening here in the states to countless people. Its a sad situation here, but we pay the price for those that do abuse meds I guess.

[Dahila]

I am in good situation; in my age who cares if I get addicted to them. I will be gone soon enough ;))
I know doctors sometimes like stupid beings. This is why I have a lot of spare pills. Just remember; pharma likes to have sales but benzos have such long life time, you can easily keep the spare. I only do not keep antibiotics cause they have a shorter life time