Lady Lee or anyone that knows about meds w/anxiety (page 3)

Thunder Rider

Blondie,

My sister says she isn't depressed, but how can anyone that is afraid to even go out of the house not be.

Her insurance is paying for all the new meds but won't pony up for a shrink, and I think that might be the missing piece to the puzzle.

Thunder ===]>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

little witch

You are right Blondie. I guess I assumed anxiety was a symptom of underlying depression such is my case.

I do wonder though, because of the subjects circumstances of feeling guilt (another big symptom of depression) coupled with her inability to voice her feelings...

Sorry about that Sheila and Thunder.

blondie

My sister says she isn't depressed, but how can anyone that is afraid to even go out of the house not be.

That might make her agoraphobic, Thunder.

Here is a good site to look at.

http://my.webmd.com/medical_information/condition_centers/anxiety_panic_disorders/default.htm

I would suggest search on this site for anxiety and panic disorders too.

Her insurance is paying for all the new meds but won't pony up for a shrink, and I think that might be the missing piece to the puzzle.

Since lithium is used to treat mental illness, it is surprising that the more qualified medical doctor, a psychiatrist (not a psychologist or a therapist--not medical doctors) isn't a choice.

If she had kidney disease or an eye ailment, a GP would rule out anything simple and refer to a specialist.

I would gently push the doctors and the insurance on this. Remind them that wrong diagnoses and adverse effects can lead to expensive lawsuits, tactfully of course if it is necessary to bring up.

Blondie (no doctor but lots of experience working with the medical system and insurance)

wednesday

yes i have seen lithuim used for any number of things, including anxiety. My guess is the doc feels there is something more is wrong with her and is just not being straight with her. i always question why I am being given a med. I am on a fibromylgia list and many on there take the anti-psychotics, or neuroleptics and anti seizure drugs, for mood swings and sleep. My own doc uses all sorts of drugs to treat mental problems. Case in point, a common use of the anti-seizure drugs is for bipolar mood swings. 16 years ago it was just in its infancy, but today it is first line drug for that. I wish I could take lithium, it is good for me, but has some nasty side effects(i get yellow vision-a bad side effect that precludes u using it). Not everyone reacts the same to the standard drugs used for depression and anxiety. I can't take antidepressants. They cause me to go into a manic phase. currently i take 1 mg of a very old drug that was once used to treat psychosis, but in the 1 mg increment, it is only effective for severe anxiety. For psychoses u would need 5-15 mgs at least. clonidine is also used to treat anxiety and helps with sleep. It is actually a blood pressure med. Lithium is a good drug, but can have serious side effects. They are so many other safer drugs now available, that i wouldn't think the doc would not start with that. But he may have a reason, and it would be good to just tell him u wonder why this drug is being used. He may feel she has agitated depression instead of anxiety(that would be his call, he may feel it is more than anxiety). But still treating it with LIthum as a first line drug, question him as to why..Doctors are using all kinds of drugs for all kinds of things. I have chronic pain, and very commonly the anti-seizure drugs are used.. Neurontin especially helpful with neuropathy pain. Lamictal is also helpful for pain. these drugs have side effects too, and u have to weigh with your doc the need and potential side effects of a drug.

LyinEyes

Very well put Wednesday....... I also have fibromyaligia , the bipolar II,,,,,,,the kind that is not as severe as Bipolar 1, and the small amount of Klonopin,,,,,( which is also antianxiety, antiseizure drug) helps with the sleep cycle and pain centers. It works for me and helps both things.

I finally went to a pshc doc and he wasnt near as good as my GP who has treated me for years.....yeah I was a guinea pig in alot of ways.....but he worked with me because I didnt want to go to the pshc doc either.

Maybe there are things the doctors see's in Sheila's sis in law that point to more than depression. Depression can go along with any other conditions, even just physical pain can trigger depression. It is hard for any doctor,,,,even the $200 a hour pshc doc told me that alot of diagnosis is watching symptoms and history and so many of the disorders overlap.

Is is depression, or a thyroid problem? Is it depression as in a chemical imbalance or a severe trauma that happened, in the past or recently? Is there more of a mental illness than the typical kind of depression that you can test yourself with on a check list of symptoms? There are so many factores ,,,,,,,there is atypical depression,,,,where someone sleeps too much and eats too much,,,,,and they may not even feel they are depressed at all,,,,,,,,when they really can be.

It is confusing ,,,,,,,,for the paitent and even for the best trained doctor ,,,,,,,it takes time to get to know the patient and find out alot of history. Alot of getting better takes alot of trail and error.

But it is always better to be on the safe side and take the lowest dose possible for whatever the problem is and Sheila and Thunder's sis,,,,is lucky to have someone concerned with her like they are.

imallgrowedup

I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV (!), but I know lithium is an extremely "serious" medicine. IMHO, it should be used as a last resort after other medications have failed. I would defininitely encourage her to get a second opinion and a different prescription. On the other hand, if I were the doctor, I would prescribe her to get out of the WT and her abusive relationship. That ought to fix the whole problem right there. Of course, I know that the odds of that happening are slim to nothing, but she is not doing herself any favors by keeping with the status quo. It's like stepping on a nail that stays lodged in your foot. You can have a tetnus shot, take anti-biotics and pain medication and live your life on crutches, which would make the situation a bit more tolerable. However, the entire problem could be eliminated if the nail were simply removed. *wishful thinking*!

Hope she can find something that makes her life easier.

growedup

Rabbit

I would stress again, like Blondie,...a specialist really needs to be involved. They have the real expertise to understand how the body responds to meds and the interactions. They also don't have nearly the case load a GP can have, a specialist will have more time to ask specific questions and make observations. My insurance - Aetna - will not even allow a GP to precribe certain drugs, a specialist must first see you and periodically. The GP can Rx refills only.

And like Wednesday said, many drugs have multiple uses. I take Depakote & Neurontin for my epilepsy and it works, my neurologist took over 1.5 years before he found the right combo of Rx's to control my seizures. Normally, Depakote is used as a treatment for Bi-polar, my Rx is a much smaller dosage.

Also, I was able to get off anti-depressants altogether a year ago, a lot of good things started happening in my life...I had had some time away from the WTS, went thru and recovered some from a hideous divorce and then best of all -- best of all , met and fell in love with a great gal, we've since married.

As somebody said, sorry don't remember who, "the Doctor should give an Rx to the person -- to get out of the JW's."

Yep...that would do it...

shamus

My doctor wanted to try me on lithium; NO THANK YOU! I have seen the side-effects from clients that I work with; unquenchable thirst, groggy feeling, NOPE. I don't want to be a zombie.

I take Paxil, and it works, but say a complete and final goodbye to any sex life that you may have enjoyed. If you think I'm kidding, just try it.

Work on other things other than meds FIRST; exercise (walking is great!) daily! Cod liver oil, zinc, don't believe the hype about meds until you have exhausted each and every thing that you can.

Marijuana helps me calm down, if I use one of the "downer" strains. Something that is not acceptable in the states, but sure is in Canada. Use whenever you get stressed out and it calms you down right now, unless you smoke too much of it.

czarofmischief

Lithium is a disaster drug - it could ruin your kidneys! Last resort, last resort, last resort!

CZAR

got my forty homey?

Your benziodes are really good for anti-anxiety and really dont have very bad side effects. Clorazepam, valium, larazepam, I've taken all of these, in fact I think I took all of these in the last 24 hours and I feel great!

Lady Lee or anyone that knows about meds w/anxiety

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