Tired of meds and pyschiatrists

[meatloaf]

I've been on a merry go round of AD over the past 12 months...none of them work and the physical side effects are horrendous...I don't want to take any more I feel like a lab rat being tested. I also feel I'm going nowhere with my pysch..we talk about the same crap every time and she thinks I'm pyscholocially sabotaging my recovery. I'm over it all I want to stop all meds and give my body a break ...I'm depressed on anti depressants so can't see I'll be worse off off them.

[white knight]

Hi meatloaf.

Can't advise you about meds but can tell you what I did

Took 12 different meds for 6 years. All were tranquilizers. Didn't work as was falsely diagnosed with bipolar 1.

Next psych was better.

Diagnosed correctly with bipolar 2, depression etc. Prescribed ADs and mood stabilisers. Much better response. Dr approved me to wind down my ADs to a point whereby I felt OK. This allowed the small amount of ADs to do their job....very important that you not stop them entirely.

Hope that helps.

Sure we shouldn't reject Drs directions but we are also good judges for our own minds. Going totally off meds I'd an over reaction with consequences.

Tony WK

[pipsy]

Hi meatloaf. I agree going over 'old ground' all the time doesn't seem a good idea, obviously though, each time you do talk about what's happened, more bad feelings surface. This is part of therapy/counselling. To start feeling better, you need to get the 'poison' out of your system. If you feel the AD's are counter-productive, discuss this with your counsellor. I wouldn't recommend stopping the meds, though without discussing with your Dr/counsellor. If you feel your counsellor is not listening, talk to your Dr where you got the initial referral. Perhaps ask if the AD's can be halved in amount. Try halving (with permission from Dr), if you feel better, you're on the right track. If you feel worse, maybe try asking for different AD's, giving your system a chance to adjust between stopping and starting. Unfortunately taking AD's mean sometimes we have to be 'guinea pigs', till we find one that works for us.

Lynda.

[meatloaf]

Thanks both

i won't stop without weaning off ( I've become an expert at that) I'm dreading the pricess as I have awful side discontinuation effects. I'm prone to paranoia so when I start to think someone is not on my side I get very agitated which is how I feel about my pysch now...I know she's just doing her job but she keeps telling me the same stuff and it's not helping...I actually hate going to see her I'd rather just see my doctor who I've known for 7 years and find much more understanding

[pipsy]

Hi meatloaf. I think at this point, seeing and discussing with your Dr how you feel about your psych might be a good idea. If you feel that continuing with your psych is not helping your recovery, there's nothing wrong with telling your Dr. I take it your Dr referred you originally. How often do you see the psych? The only problem being, your Dr, though good, is not a qualified psych. However, if you're more comfortable with your Dr and you are able to talk to her/him, so be it. Have you thought about a therapist, rather than a psych, therapists will encourage you to talk, they also seem to have a relaxed air about them. Maybe if you talk to your Dr about seeing a therapist, who would possibly be more suitable. It's really your call to make, if you're happier talking to your Dr and they're just as happy seeing you in that way, that's fine too.

Lynda.