New drugs cocktail

[Grandma]

Hi

Sorry been away for a few days, been trying to deal with things in my own mind!

Saw the psych team yesterday, and came away with a new cocktail of drugs, which I started last night;

Venlafaxine 150xl - reduced from 225xl
Tegretol (Carbamazepind) 400mg - new med
Quetiapine 25mg - reduced from 50mg

So far the only noticeable side effect is restlessness (withdrawal Venlaxafine?), and really bad breathlessness (I am always breathless but this is worse than usual), oh and I could sleep for England except I'm probably too fidgety! Oh and I'm a bit dizzy when I stand too!

Is anyone else on this cocktail? Am I likely to have problems reducing Venlafaxine this way?

Big hugs xxx

[Catbrian]

Hi Grandma, nice to hear from you. We all need that time alone, so never feel sorry for being unable to post.

I haven't been on this particular cocktail.  I do take Quetiapine x 400mg per day and Mirtazapine x 30mg.  Oddly, I also suffer breathlessness that I believe might be coming from the Quetiapine.

Can I ask why the Psych Team are changing your meds?  I have never taken Venlafaxine.  Apparently it is a very good antidepressant but it is maybe one of the most difficult to come off, but that probably depends how long you've been on it.  I imagine it is too soon for you to be feeling any adverse effects from reducing the Venlafaxine and Quetiapine.  It must be the additional new med, Tegretol, that is making you feel like this.

I've just looked up Tegretol on the net.  It is used for epilepsy.  Did they prescribe it for anxiety?  Here is the link for the pharmaceutical info on Tegretol http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/brain-and-nervous-system/medicines/tegretol.html

I hope you find it useful.

[Grandma]

Hi Cat

They have changed the meds because apparently Tegretol is also used as a mood stabiliser and is well tolerated (funny enough I have had it before as a teenager /  young adult to treat epilesy and tolerated it really well (stopped all meds when I was pregnant with oldest daughter 5 miscarriages / still births was enough to make mme try everything), I never went back on meds and was fit free from then.

Apparently my mood was too high yesterday (personally I thought it was pretty ok), and they have decided that I have Type 2 bi-polar. Apparently the Quetiapine is ok for now for sleep (I was on low dose for anxiety and sleep), and the Tegretol is to balance my mood. They have reduced my Venlafaxine because I was too high (I think), it was working well!

Literally over the last few hours I have started to feel as though my black shroud is coming down over me, I'm getting tearful, and going down fast!

Not sure I can face another down...

[Catbrian]

Hi Grandma

I understand now why they are changing the meds, although, I fear these MH workers do jump the gun sometimes.  I was diagnosed with Bipolar type 2, hence the high dose of Quetiapine. It's weird, but when we are on a high, we are usually the last to realise it.  I am on one today and my GP asked this afternoon if I was taking my meds.  Up until that point, I was feeling fine.

I'll be honest, Grandma, I wouldn't be happy if anyone started messing around with my medication; it's not them who have to go through the downward turn, like you are now.  Maybe they should have only reduced one of them by a small amount and introduced the Tregretol to chill you out a bit.  Is there any chance you can make contact with them asap?  Explain how you are feeling and tell them you want to reduce one med at a time.  Have you taken some Tegretol today?

Hope you're okay, Grandma, we're here for you

[Buttercup]

Hi Grandma.

Quetiapine can be used as a mood stabiliser for bipolar. They'll want to get you off or on a lower dose of the venafaxine as bipolars can react badly to anti depressants. I'm bipolar & banned from anti ds as they send me way up very quickly.

Xxxx

[Catbrian]

There might be some AD's people with Bipolar can take, although I'm not 100%.  They were diagnosing me with Bipolar at the same time as putting me on Quetiapine and Mirtazapine, which is one of the AD's that make you very sleepy.  I remember using Prozac and one other; both sent my head spinning.

[Buttercup]

Hi Cat, I don't think all bipolars are sensitive, but I think they can be cautious until they know. My Pdoc won't let me take any of them, they didn't really work anyway, which is my Pdoc said was common if you react.

[Grandma]

It's all very confusing isn't it!

I did speak to my psych this evening, she said that if I was telling her about the nose dive after 2-3 days she would be suggesting I go back up on the AD's, but that because I'm on the Venlafaxine xl, although it leaves body quickly it won't be affecting me that quickly. She thinks it is most likely the down that they could all see was going to come!

I am going to see how I get on, she's asked me to call her tomorrow mid afternoon. She also offered me an inpatient bed, I would almost welcome it, but I hate the idea of a dormitory style ward. If I was going to have my own room I would have said yes. I just want to feel better for long enough to catch my breath.

Oh well, onwards and upwards, my bed is calling!

[Catbrian]

Hi Grandma.... it is all very confusing.  Buttercup knows a lot more about Bipolar than me.

I'm pleased you spoke to the psych.  I totally agree about the community wards, I just couldn't do it, especially when I'm depressed!!  It's a tough one when you realise you need to just ride the low.

I hope today is kind to you

[Buttercup]

That would make sense grandma, lows normally follow the highs.

I was a tadge up a few weeks ago, followed by the inevitable low, which I was on my way out of until recent events. Don't know where I am at the moment.

Round my way, hospital beds are like gold dust. They rarely admit for depression more for mania & other psych illnesses.

[Got]

Hi, I understand your predicament, I have the same problems, I go a little too high, but if I reduce the meds I sink straight back down.

Stick with it.

Steve XX