drugged: multiple drugs

[drugged]

14 hours ago, Rhiannon said:

 

One possible consolation: I found that as I tapered down to lower doses, I got a lot of relief from the problems caused by the drugs themselves, even though I was not off them entirely.  Lower doses really do make a difference.

 

When I first started I told my doctor that my goal was to get down to the lowest possible doses of the fewest possible meds I could be stable on. I think that's still true. I've gotten back so much of myself just by getting down to lower doses. And I lost about 23 years of my life before getting there, so I can relate.

 

If you want to come down on multiple drugs, I think one way to do it safely and simply is to pick one and taper it for a while, then put it on the back burner and hold it while you taper another one for a while.  Mods, please let me know if you have found this not to be the case. It seems to me that with a large drug cocktail for a long period of time, a history like yours and at your age, this may make more sense than trying to get all the way to zero on one drug before bringing down the dosage on any other drugs. I think at our age, getting to lower and less dangerous dosages is probably a higher priority than getting all the way to zero on any one thing.

 

Just be sure to keep your goals modest and take it slow, and take a long hold after your last cut of the first drug before you make a cut of the next drug, so that any WD symptoms will have time to catch up and resolve before you start something else. 

 

Again, mods, if you think this is dangerous, please contradict me. 

I feel pretty much the same way.  Get off some drugs if I can and get all the other doses as low as possible.  I was alternating tapering the lyrics and the venlafaxine - with both of those drugs my original dose was 300mg/day.  Lyrics is now at 25mg and the ven was 75mg until a nurse practitioner upped it to 150mg back in June.  My body couldn't handle that dose increase so I tried to taper back down to 75mg but I was tapering too fast.  That's when I came out here on this forum.  

[drugged]

September 13, 2019

4:30am get up

100 mg tramadol

75mg venlafaxine

20mg omeprazole 

thyroid meds

Symptoms upon wakening:  pain - neck, upper back, shoulders, arms, fatigued,

brain fog, inability to concentrate, apathy

 

6:00am pain has lessened, other symptoms remain

 

2:00pm ate

15mg buspirone

25mg lyrica

90 beads venlafaxine

Tired, brain fog, unable to concentrate or focus

 

7:00pm 

100mg tramadol

Neck and upper back pain has been increasing throughout the afternoon

Feeling stressed by neighborhood noise.

8:00pm

10mg diazepam

50mg trazodone

5mg zolpidem

 

12:30am woke up but eventually went back to sleep

[drugged]

Current life stresses:  Medicare Advantage plan isn't going to cover any therapy sessions so I won't have that backstop this year.  Other issues with our current plan  mean we'll be looking at switching plans during open enrollment this fall.  

 

Current house is in an extremely noisy location.  Also there's no privacy at all.  Constant traffic noise and college student rentals next door.  I have always had an extreme sensitivity to noise and this is really making things much more difficult for me.  Lack of privacy seems to worsen my agoraphobia.  We might consider moving yet again (3rd time in 12 months) if we find a more peaceful location.  20 miles from my nearest neighbor would be my personal choice but that isn't going to fly with my spouse.

 

Closing the sale of the last house we lived in on Oct. 1st.  

 

Seriously homesick for Arizona.  

[ShiningLight]

2 hours ago, drugged said:

Current house is in an extremely noisy location.  Also there's no privacy at all.  Constant traffic noise and college student rentals next door.  I have always had an extreme sensitivity to noise and this is really making things much more difficult for me. 

 

I relate to this horrible stressor, but with immature adults next door. It's awful. I imagine you already have ear plugs and noise cancelling headphones?

[drugged]

17 hours ago, Altostrata said:

drugged, which drugs are you taking PRN,  how often do you take each one, at what kinds of dosages?

 

Do you often make ad hoc cocktails when you have symptom flare-ups?

 

You're taking such a stunningly terrible combination of drugs, I'm not surprised at the symptoms you report. With your pharmacy background, why have you never called your doctors' attention to your polypharmacy and drug adverse effects?

 

You seem to be fixed on reducing the venlafaxine first, although you are taking what I'd consider a dangerous combination of tramadol, Lyrica, diazepam, trazodone, and zolpidem. If reducing the venlafaxine is what you want to do, what kind of advice are you looking for here? We don't know of any shortcuts out of polypharmacy.

 

See Tips for tapering off Effexor (venlafaxine) This tells you all you need to know. We recommend a taper of 10% per month, but I have a feeling you're going to want to do it your way.

I often called my psychiatrist's attention to the many adverse side effects I was experiencing.  His response was to add another drug or change the dose, usually increasing, of one I was already on.  Every time I mentioned the cocktail to him he wasn't interested.  Mind, he only allowed 10 minutes per session and always did a depression screening within that amount of time.  Also, my own mind had turned to mush within the first couple years of AD use.  I've found it increasingly difficult to communicate verbally.  I developed anomic dysphasia and apraxia.  Eventually I asked my PCP to take over prescribing all of my drugs because of my concerns about polypharmacy.  He was totally supportive of my tapering off as many of the drugs as I could, at my own speed.  He's the kind of doctor that will read literature you bring to him particularly if it touches on an issue he doesn't feel he has enough knowledge of.  Unfortunately we moved from Arizona back to Iowa (a horrible decision that's resulted in an ongoing nightmare) and I don't have that doctor available to me any longer.

 

You say I seem fixated on reducing the AD first.  I've been alternately tapering the Lyrica and the AD over several years now.  I'm working on the AD now because of the adverse reaction I had to the dose increase prescribed for me this last June.  I want to get my AD dose back to where I had it for a couple of years (75mg) while I worked on the Lyrica.    

 

 

[drugged]

37 minutes ago, ShiningLight said:

 

I relate to this horrible stressor, but with immature adults next door. It's awful. I imagine you already have ear plugs and noise cancelling headphones?

I have earplugs in 24/7 but haven't been able to afford noise cancelling headphones as I had to spring for a new laptop after the old one died.  I'm not overly comfortable with not being able to hear natural sounds like my cat purring and talking to me or my spouse's voice.  

[Altostrata]

As you know, you have been experiencing adverse effects for years from your incompetently prescribed horrible drug cocktail.

 

I have a feeling that no matter what you reduce, it's going to be quite a while before you feel anywhere near "normal." It may be difficult to distinguish between withdrawal symptoms from the drug you're tapering from the adverse effects of the other 9 drugs or whatever you throw in on occasion.

 

Just the interactions and side effects of diazepam, Lyrica, zolpidem, and Tramadol are extraordinarily complex.

 

How do you feel after a venlafaxine reduction? Why do you take it twice a day?

 

Since you seem to have very definite ideas about how you want to proceed, not sure how much I or the staff can offer. I don't believe anything we can suggest will give you immediate relief. Please explain what you want from us.

 

FY, ChessieCat went to the trouble of running a drug interactions report for you:

 

On 8/17/2019 at 3:29 AM, ChessieCat said:

From http://www.drugs.com/drug_interactions.html

Drug Interaction Report

This report displays the potential drug interactions for the following 10 drugs:

• Lyrica (pregabalin)
• buspirone
• venlafaxine
• diazepam
• tramadol
• trazodone
• zolpidem
• omeprazole
• levothyroxine
• liothyronine

 

Major (8)

Moderate (13)

Minor (3)

Food (8)

Therapeutic Duplication (5)

Interactions between your drugs

Major

busPIRone traMADol

Applies to: buspirone, tramadol

Using narcotic pain or cough medications together with other medications that also cause central nervous system depression can lead to serious side effects including respiratory distress, coma, and even death. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. Your doctor may be able to prescribe alternatives that do not interact, or you may need a dose adjustment or more frequent monitoring to safely use both medications. Do not drink alcohol or self-medicate with these medications without your doctor's approval, and do not exceed the doses or frequency and duration of use prescribed by your doctor. Also, you should avoid driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how these medications affect you. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.

 

Major

busPIRone venlafaxine

Applies to: buspirone, venlafaxine

Using busPIRone together with venlafaxine can increase the risk of a rare but serious condition called the serotonin syndrome, which may include symptoms such as confusion, hallucination, seizure, extreme changes in blood pressure, increased heart rate, fever, excessive sweating, shivering or shaking, blurred vision, muscle spasm or stiffness, tremor, incoordination, stomach cramp, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Severe cases may result in coma and even death. You should seek immediate medical attention if you experience these symptoms while taking the medications. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. Your doctor may already be aware of the risks, but has determined that this is the best course of treatment for you and has taken appropriate precautions and is monitoring you closely for any potential complications. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.

 

Major

busPIRone traZODone

Applies to: buspirone, trazodone

Using busPIRone together with traZODone can increase the risk of a rare but serious condition called the serotonin syndrome, which may include symptoms such as confusion, hallucination, seizure, extreme changes in blood pressure, increased heart rate, fever, excessive sweating, shivering or shaking, blurred vision, muscle spasm or stiffness, tremor, incoordination, stomach cramp, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Severe cases may result in coma and even death. You should seek immediate medical attention if you experience these symptoms while taking the medications. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. Your doctor may already be aware of the risks, but has determined that this is the best course of treatment for you and has taken appropriate precautions and is monitoring you closely for any potential complications. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.

 

Major

zolpidem traMADol

Applies to: zolpidem, tramadol

Using narcotic pain or cough medications together with other medications that also cause central nervous system depression can lead to serious side effects including respiratory distress, coma, and even death. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. Your doctor may be able to prescribe alternatives that do not interact, or you may need a dose adjustment or more frequent monitoring to safely use both medications. Do not drink alcohol or self-medicate with these medications without your doctor's approval, and do not exceed the doses or frequency and duration of use prescribed by your doctor. Also, you should avoid driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how these medications affect you. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.

 

Major

diazePAM traMADol

Applies to: diazepam, tramadol

Using narcotic pain or cough medications together with other medications that also cause central nervous system depression can lead to serious side effects including respiratory distress, coma, and even death. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. Your doctor may be able to prescribe alternatives that do not interact, or you may need a dose adjustment or more frequent monitoring to safely use both medications. Do not drink alcohol or self-medicate with these medications without your doctor's approval, and do not exceed the doses or frequency and duration of use prescribed by your doctor. Also, you should avoid driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how these medications affect you. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.

 

Major

traZODone traMADol

Applies to: trazodone, tramadol

Talk to your doctor before using traMADol together with traZODone. Combining these medications can increase the risk of a rare but serious condition called the serotonin syndrome, which may include symptoms such as confusion, hallucination, seizure, extreme changes in blood pressure, increased heart rate, fever, excessive sweating, blurred vision, muscle spasm or stiffness, tremor, stomach cramp, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Severe cases may result in coma and even death. You should contact your doctor immediately if you experience these symptoms while taking the medications. Using traMADol with traZODone may also increase the risk of seizures not related to the serotonin syndrome. The interaction may be more likely if you are elderly, undergoing alcohol or drug withdrawal, have a history of seizures, or have a condition affecting the central nervous system such as a brain tumor or head trauma. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with these medications. Avoid driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how the medications affect you. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.

 

Major

venlafaxine traMADol

Applies to: venlafaxine, tramadol

Talk to your doctor before using traMADol together with venlafaxine. Combining these medications can increase the risk of a rare but serious condition called the serotonin syndrome, which may include symptoms such as confusion, hallucination, seizure, extreme changes in blood pressure, increased heart rate, fever, excessive sweating, blurred vision, muscle spasm or stiffness, tremor, stomach cramp, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Severe cases may result in coma and even death. You should contact your doctor immediately if you experience these symptoms while taking the medications. Using traMADol with venlafaxine may also increase the risk of seizures not related to the serotonin syndrome. The interaction may be more likely if you are elderly, undergoing alcohol or drug withdrawal, have a history of seizures, or have a condition affecting the central nervous system such as a brain tumor or head trauma. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with these medications. Avoid driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how the medications affect you. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.

 

Major

traZODone venlafaxine

Applies to: trazodone, venlafaxine

Using traZODone together with venlafaxine can increase the risk of a rare but serious condition called the serotonin syndrome, which may include symptoms such as confusion, hallucination, seizure, extreme changes in blood pressure, increased heart rate, fever, excessive sweating, shivering or shaking, blurred vision, muscle spasm or stiffness, tremor, incoordination, stomach cramp, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Severe cases may result in coma and even death. You should seek immediate medical attention if you experience these symptoms while taking the medications. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. Your doctor may already be aware of the risks, but has determined that this is the best course of treatment for you and has taken appropriate precautions and is monitoring you closely for any potential complications. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.

 

Moderate

traZODone pregabalin

Applies to: trazodone, Lyrica (pregabalin)

Using traZODone together with pregabalin may increase side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, and difficulty concentrating. Some people, especially the elderly, may also experience impairment in thinking, judgment, and motor coordination. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with these medications. Also avoid activities requiring mental alertness such as driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how the medications affect you. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.

 

Moderate

diazePAM omeprazole

Applies to: diazepam, omeprazole

Omeprazole may increase the blood levels and effects of diazePAM. This can increase the risk of side effects including excessive drowsiness and breathing difficulties. You may need a dose adjustment or more frequent monitoring by your doctor to safely use both medications. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.

 

Moderate

zolpidem venlafaxine

Applies to: zolpidem, venlafaxine

Using zolpidem together with venlafaxine may increase side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, and difficulty concentrating. Some people, especially the elderly, may also experience impairment in thinking, judgment, and motor coordination. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with these medications. Also avoid activities requiring mental alertness such as driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how the medications affect you. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.

 

Moderate

zolpidem pregabalin

Applies to: zolpidem, Lyrica (pregabalin)

Using zolpidem together with pregabalin may increase side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, and difficulty concentrating. Some people, especially the elderly, may also experience impairment in thinking, judgment, and motor coordination. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with these medications. Also avoid activities requiring mental alertness such as driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how the medications affect you. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.

 

Moderate

venlafaxine pregabalin

Applies to: venlafaxine, Lyrica (pregabalin)

Using venlafaxine together with pregabalin may increase side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, and difficulty concentrating. Some people, especially the elderly, may also experience impairment in thinking, judgment, and motor coordination. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with these medications. Also avoid activities requiring mental alertness such as driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how the medications affect you. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.

 

Moderate

traZODone zolpidem

Applies to: trazodone, zolpidem

Using traZODone together with zolpidem may increase side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, and difficulty concentrating. Some people, especially the elderly, may also experience impairment in thinking, judgment, and motor coordination. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with these medications. Also avoid activities requiring mental alertness such as driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how the medications affect you. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.

 

Moderate

diazePAM pregabalin

Applies to: diazepam, Lyrica (pregabalin)

Using diazePAM together with pregabalin may increase side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, and difficulty concentrating. Some people, especially the elderly, may also experience impairment in thinking, judgment, and motor coordination. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with these medications. Also avoid activities requiring mental alertness such as driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how the medications affect you. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.

 

Moderate

traMADol pregabalin

Applies to: tramadol, Lyrica (pregabalin)

Using traMADol together with pregabalin may increase side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, and difficulty concentrating. Some people, especially the elderly, may also experience impairment in thinking, judgment, and motor coordination. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with these medications. Also avoid activities requiring mental alertness such as driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how the medications affect you. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.

 

Moderate

diazePAM traZODone

Applies to: diazepam, trazodone

Using diazePAM together with traZODone may increase side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, and difficulty concentrating. Some people, especially the elderly, may also experience impairment in thinking, judgment, and motor coordination. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with these medications. Also avoid activities requiring mental alertness such as driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how the medications affect you. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.

 

Moderate

busPIRone pregabalin

Applies to: buspirone, Lyrica (pregabalin)

Using busPIRone together with pregabalin may increase side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, and difficulty concentrating. Some people, especially the elderly, may also experience impairment in thinking, judgment, and motor coordination. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with these medications. Also avoid activities requiring mental alertness such as driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how the medications affect you. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.

 

Moderate

busPIRone zolpidem

Applies to: buspirone, zolpidem

Using busPIRone together with zolpidem may increase side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, and difficulty concentrating. Some people, especially the elderly, may also experience impairment in thinking, judgment, and motor coordination. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with these medications. Also avoid activities requiring mental alertness such as driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how the medications affect you. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.

 

Moderate

diazePAM zolpidem

Applies to: diazepam, zolpidem

Using diazePAM together with zolpidem may increase side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, and difficulty concentrating. Some people, especially the elderly, may also experience impairment in thinking, judgment, and motor coordination. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with these medications. Also avoid activities requiring mental alertness such as driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how the medications affect you. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.

 

Moderate

diazePAM venlafaxine

Applies to: diazepam, venlafaxine

Using diazePAM together with venlafaxine may increase side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, and difficulty concentrating. Some people, especially the elderly, may also experience impairment in thinking, judgment, and motor coordination. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with these medications. Also avoid activities requiring mental alertness such as driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how the medications affect you. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.

 

Minor

traZODone liothyronine

Applies to: trazodone, liothyronine

Consumer information for this minor interaction is not currently available. Some minor drug interactions may not be clinically relevant in all patients. Minor drug interactions do not usually cause harm or require a change in therapy. However, your healthcare provider can determine if adjustments to your medications are needed.
 

Minor

levothyroxine traZODone

Applies to: levothyroxine, trazodone

Consumer information for this minor interaction is not currently available. Some minor drug interactions may not be clinically relevant in all patients. Minor drug interactions do not usually cause harm or require a change in therapy. However, your healthcare provider can determine if adjustments to your medications are needed.
 

Minor

omeprazole traZODone

Applies to: omeprazole, trazodone

Consumer information for this minor interaction is not currently available. Some minor drug interactions may not be clinically relevant in all patients. Minor drug interactions do not usually cause harm or require a change in therapy. However, your healthcare provider can determine if adjustments to your medications are needed.

Drug and food interactions

Moderate

diazePAM food

Applies to: diazepam

Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with diazePAM and lead to potentially dangerous side effects. Discuss the use of grapefruit products with your doctor. Do not increase or decrease the amount of grapefruit products in your diet without first talking to your doctor. Do not drink alcohol while taking diazePAM. This medication can increase the effects of alcohol. You may feel more drowsy, dizzy, or tired if you take diazePAM with alcohol. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions or concerns.

 

Moderate

busPIRone food

Applies to: buspirone

You should avoid the use of alcohol while being treated with busPIRone. Alcohol can increase the nervous system side effects of busPIRone such as dizziness, drowsiness, and difficulty concentrating. Some people may also experience impairment in thinking and judgment. Patients receiving busPIRone should preferably avoid the consumption of large amounts of grapefruits and grapefruit juice. If this is not possible, the busPIRone dose should be taken at least 2 hours before or 8 hours after grapefruit or grapefruit juice. Large amounts of grapefruit and grapefruit juice may cause increased levels of busPIRone in your body. This can lead to increased adverse effects such as drowsiness. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions or concerns.

 

Moderate

levothyroxine food

Applies to: levothyroxine

The timing of meals relative to your levothyroxine dose can affect absorption of the medication. Therefore, levothyroxine should be taken on a consistent schedule with regard to time of day and relation to meals to avoid large fluctuations in blood levels, which may alter its effects. In addition, absorption of levothyroxine may be decreased by foods such as soybean flour, cotton seed meal, walnuts, dietary fiber, calcium, and calcium fortified juices. These foods should be avoided within several hours of dosing if possible. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.

 

Moderate

traZODone food

Applies to: trazodone

Alcohol can increase the nervous system side effects of traZODone such as dizziness, drowsiness, and difficulty concentrating. Some people may also experience impairment in thinking and judgment. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with traZODone. Do not use more than the recommended dose of traZODone, and avoid activities requiring mental alertness such as driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how the medication affects you. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions or concerns.

 

Moderate

zolpidem food

Applies to: zolpidem

You should avoid the use of alcohol while being treated with zolpidem. Alcohol can increase the nervous system side effects of zolpidem such as dizziness, drowsiness, and difficulty concentrating. Some people may also experience impairment in thinking and judgment. Taking zolpidem with food may delay the onset of sleep. For faster sleep onset, zolpidem should not be taken with or immediately after a meal. This will make it easier for your body to absorb the medication. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions or concerns.

Moderate

venlafaxine food

Applies to: venlafaxine

Alcohol can increase the nervous system side effects of venlafaxine such as dizziness, drowsiness, and difficulty concentrating. Some people may also experience impairment in thinking and judgment. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with venlafaxine. Do not use more than the recommended dose of venlafaxine, and avoid activities requiring mental alertness such as driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how the medication affects you. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions or concerns.

 

Moderate

traMADol food

Applies to: tramadol

Alcohol can increase the nervous system side effects of traMADol such as dizziness, drowsiness, and difficulty concentrating. Some people may also experience impairment in thinking and judgment. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with traMADol. Do not use more than the recommended dose of traMADol, and avoid activities requiring mental alertness such as driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how the medication affects you. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions or concerns.

 

Moderate

pregabalin food

Applies to: Lyrica (pregabalin)

Alcohol can increase the nervous system side effects of pregabalin such as dizziness, drowsiness, and difficulty concentrating. Some people may also experience impairment in thinking and judgment. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with pregabalin. Do not use more than the recommended dose of pregabalin, and avoid activities requiring mental alertness such as driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how the medication affects you. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions or concerns.

Switch to professional interaction data

Therapeutic duplication warnings

Central Nervous System (CNS) Drugs

Therapeutic duplication

The recommended maximum number of medicines in the 'Central Nervous System (CNS) Drugs' category to be taken concurrently is usually three. Your list includes six medicines belonging to the 'Central Nervous System (CNS) Drugs' category:

• Lyrica (pregabalin)
• buspirone
• venlafaxine
• diazepam
• trazodone
• zolpidem

Note: The benefits of taking this combination of medicines may outweigh any risks associated with therapeutic duplication. This information does not take the place of talking to your doctor. Always check with your healthcare provider to determine if any adjustments to your medications are needed.

Duplication

Psychotropic agents

Therapeutic duplication

The recommended maximum number of medicines in the 'psychotropic agents' category to be taken concurrently is usually three. Your list includes five medicines belonging to the 'psychotropic agents' category:

• buspirone
• venlafaxine
• diazepam
• trazodone
• zolpidem

Note: The benefits of taking this combination of medicines may outweigh any risks associated with therapeutic duplication. This information does not take the place of talking to your doctor. Always check with your healthcare provider to determine if any adjustments to your medications are needed.

Duplication

Antidepressants

Therapeutic duplication

The recommended maximum number of medicines in the 'antidepressants' category to be taken concurrently is usually one. Your list includes two medicines belonging to the 'antidepressants' category:

• venlafaxine
• trazodone

Note: The benefits of taking this combination of medicines may outweigh any risks associated with therapeutic duplication. This information does not take the place of talking to your doctor. Always check with your healthcare provider to determine if any adjustments to your medications are needed.

 

Tranquilizers

Therapeutic duplication

The recommended maximum number of medicines in the 'tranquilizers' category to be taken concurrently is usually one. Your list includes two medicines belonging to the 'tranquilizers' category:

• buspirone
• diazepam

Note: The benefits of taking this combination of medicines may outweigh any risks associated with therapeutic duplication. This information does not take the place of talking to your doctor. Always check with your healthcare provider to determine if any adjustments to your medications are needed.

Duplication

Thyroid hormones

Therapeutic duplication

The recommended maximum number of medicines in the 'thyroid hormones' category to be taken concurrently is usually one. Your list includes two medicines belonging to the 'thyroid hormones' category:

• levothyroxine
• liothyronine

Note: The benefits of taking this combination of medicines may outweigh any risks associated with therapeutic duplication. This information does not take the place of talking to your doctor. Always check with your healthcare provider to determine if any adjustments to your medications are needed.

 

 

PS My guess is you could quickly go off buspirone over 2-3 weeks and hardly notice.

[drugged]

I have a feeling that no matter what you reduce, it's going to be quite a while before you feel anywhere near "normal." It may be difficult to distinguish between withdrawal symptoms from the drug you're tapering from the adverse effects of the other 9 drugs or whatever you throw in on occasion.

 

Just the interactions and side effects of diazepam, Lyrica, zolpidem, and Tramadol are extraordinarily complex.

 

How do you feel after a venlafaxine reduction? Why do you take it twice a day?

Since you seem to have very definite ideas about how you want to proceed, not sure how much I or the staff can offer. I don't believe anything we can suggest will give you immediate relief. Please explain what you want from us.

 

 

 

I have been concentrating on getting the venlafaxine dose back to 75mg because the dose increase the nurse practitioner prescribed really destabilized me.  I became quite ill with constant nausea, headaches, anxiety, insomnia, anhedonia, etc.  At 75mg of ven along with the rest of the cocktail my body felt more stable and I had some good days.  I've been hoping, probably foolishly, that I could at least get back to that relative stability.  That plus getting back to where I was in May seems like a manageable goal at a time when my life doesn't seem very manageable.

 

I don't remember how the venlafaxine dose came to be divided.  I have noticed that taking the second dose earlier in the day reduces my early morning anxiety.  

 

Since I've been reducing the venlafaxine by bead counting I have only once noticed any of the symptoms I relate to ven withdrawal which is primarily increased anxiety. When that happened I held the dose steady for a few days until the anxiety diminished. Apparently, so far, my cuts have been small enough that I haven't noticed any major changes. 

 

I haven't any set ideas how to proceed once I reach my minor goal of getting to 75mg of venlafaxine.  I've considered cutting the zolpidem or I could do as you suggested and cut the buspirone.  I could finish tapering the Lyrica.  I'm not expecting immediate relief but I admit it would be nice to feel any tiny improvement in my motivation or my ability to concentrate.  

 

What do I want from the forum?  Emotional support number one.  I don't have anyone in my life who I feel has my back so to speak.  No one I can turn to and say, "I did X and now I'm feeling Y and Z.  Anybody have an idea what's going on here?" If I go to my doctor with any symptoms he'll want me to up my AD dose or change to another AD or add a completely new drug.  

 

I want to be part of a community of people who can relate to what I'm going through. A community of people who will maybe give me encouragement and an occasional pat on the back.  I have already accomplished a fair amount of tapering of the Lyrica going from 300mg/day down to 25mg/day.  I've also managed to taper the venlafaxine from 300mg/day down to 75mg/day until this recent updose.  I didn't have any source of advice at all when I was doing that.  I just made small cuts and paid close attention to what my body was telling me.  I don't want to continue to be alone with my tapering.  

 

I want someplace to go for information that I feel I can trust and that sure as h*ll isn't the medical community. 

 

If you think I'd be better off reducing/coming off one of the other drugs before continuing to taper the venlafaxine then that's what I'd probably do.  I've just been trying to start with the more 'activating' drugs, leaving the 'inactivating' drugs for last.    

[ChessieCat]

14 hours ago, Altostrata said:

PS My guess is you could quickly go off buspirone over 2-3 weeks and hardly notice.

 

You might have missed this.  It below the drug interaction quote.

[drugged]

2 hours ago, ChessieCat said:

 

You might have missed this.  It below the drug interaction quote.

No, I saw it.  I think I said I could certainly try the buspirone.  I said that, if the moderators thought I'd be better off by concentrating on one of the other drugs I'd do it.

 

If I do taper the buspirone do I continue the taper of the AD at the same time?

 

[drugged]

August 14, 2019

2:00am wake up

pain - neck, upper back, shoulders, arms, wrists, hands

headache, fatigue, apathy

100mg tramadol

75mg velafaxine

20mg omeprazole

 

4:00am note that muscle pain has lessened but still have headache

 

2:00pm ate

90 beads venlafaxine

25mg lyrica

15mg buspirone

headache, fatigue, apathy, irritability

 

6:00pm 

sleepy tired, upper body muscles ache

7:30pm

100mg tramadol

10mg diazepam

50mg trazodone

5mg zolpidem

 

11:30 woke up but went back to sleep

[Happy2Heal]

hi drugged,

I am so sorry you are going thru this.

you've come to the right place, you'll get the best advice available for tapering off these drugs.

 

I'm about your age too and have a long drug history as well, over 40yrs but thankfully was never on as many drugs at once as you are.

It's a long slow process but from where I am now, off all drugs, and 60+lbs lighter and having reversed multiple health issues (including IBS, NAFLD, allergies of all kinds, severe joint pain, GERD, high blood pressure, and more that I can't recall now) 

anyway, the process was well worth it!

I had no idea how much the psych drugs were affecting my physical health, I also didn't realize how much my poor diet was affecting both my emotional and physical health.

I don't take any drugs now for ANY thing (except the rare occasional aspirin for a headache)

 

I bet you'll be surprised at how much better you feel as you reduce your drug load. You will probably also find that you are much stronger than you ever imagined and that you can take control of your health and therefore your  life, in ways you never thought possible.

I no longer let ANYONE tell me what to put into my body- that is totally and 100% up to me.  It  was scary at first but it's liberating to know that all of this is within my control.

 

and when it's left up to me, guess what? I tend to make the right decisions. I no longer look to pills for quick fixes, I've learned that there are so many other ways to deal with things that have zero side effects and work better, too.

 

 

anyway just wanted to drop by and offer you some support on your journey.

 

 

[drugged]

I recognize some of those drugs from when I was hospitalized as a teenager.  Stelazine, haldol, elavil, lithium ... I was put on a bunch of different TCAs, too.  Every single one of them made me sick.  

 

Thanks for the support.  

 

Edited September 15, 2019 by ChessieCat
removed quote

[Altostrata]

Good to hear the venlafaxine tapering is going well. How often are you reducing it, by how many beads? You are taking about 165mg right now, correct?

 

9 hours ago, drugged said:

If you think I'd be better off reducing/coming off one of the other drugs before continuing to taper the venlafaxine then that's what I'd probably do.  I've just been trying to start with the more 'activating' drugs, leaving the 'inactivating' drugs for last.    

 

Your drug burden is so excessive, my guess is that any way you can simplify it as soon as possible will help. Every single drug you take, including an occasional aspirin, contributes. Your combination of "brakes" is highly risky, but you may be a fast metabolizer and be able to handle ridiculous polypharmacy until your liver or kidneys give out.

 

I don't know if expedited removal of the buspirone over 2-3 weeks from your collection of "brakes" will cause destabilization or not -- but look at the drug interactions report. This is like pick-up sticks or Jenga, you don't know what you can remove without a problem. You've got such high duplication of "brakes," my guess is you can do without this particular dumb drug.

 

Honestly, you've gotten yourself in such a pickle, I don't think there's any easy way out. I don't understand how, knowing you're at risk for drug-drug interactions, you continued to augment your drug cocktail to this extent. But I seem to be a lot more worried than you about it. It's up to you to decide how long you want carry an excessive drug burden. Your guess is as good as mine.

 

You'd change only one drug at a time, and keep notes while doing so.

[drugged]

17 hours ago, Altostrata said:

Good to hear the venlafaxine tapering is going well. How often are you reducing it, by how many beads? You are taking about 165mg right now, correct?

 

 

Your drug burden is so excessive, my guess is that any way you can simplify it as soon as possible will help. Every single drug you take, including an occasional aspirin, contributes. Your combination of "brakes" is highly risky, but you may be a fast metabolizer and be able to handle ridiculous polypharmacy until your liver or kidneys give out.

 

I don't know if expedited removal of the buspirone over 2-3 weeks from your collection of "brakes" will cause destabilization or not -- but look at the drug interactions report. This is like pick-up sticks or Jenga, you don't know what you can remove without a problem. You've got such high duplication of "brakes," my guess is you can do without this particular dumb drug.

 

Honestly, you've gotten yourself in such a pickle, I don't think there's any easy way out. I don't understand how, knowing you're at risk for drug-drug interactions, you continued to augment your drug cocktail to this extent. But I seem to be a lot more worried than you about it. It's up to you to decide how long you want carry an excessive drug burden. Your guess is as good as mine.

 

You'd change only one drug at a time, and keep notes while doing so.

I am in the fifth generation of a family of alcoholics and heavy smokers.  No one on that side of my family ever died of either liver or kidney failure so maybe I have genetically superior liver and kidney function.  I've never smoked, I've never used any illicit drug, and I don't drink.  I'm not looking for an easy way out and I AM obviously concerned or I wouldn't be here trying to explain myself again.  

 

How did "I" do this to myself? The very first thing that happened to me when I started the venlafaxine was cognitive impairment. I became hypomanic, I was suffering from delusional thinking.  Then my mother died suddenly and unexpectedly.  She died on 9/11/2001.  In AZ, not in New York but I was in Iowa and her closest kin and the funeral home wouldn't do anything with her body until I showed up, in person, to sign the paperwork.  There were no flights for what, two weeks after 9/11?  I wasn't fit to drive by myself so my husband took time off work and we drove straight through.  A couple of months later my husband was retired and we were living in Arizona by Thanksgiving of 2001.  In going through my mother's papers I discovered that I had a half-sister.  That was just part of the situation I found myself in when I was referred to this great psychiatrist and he started adding drugs.  I had stopped sleeping, stopped eating, I was exercising a lot.  My doctor told me that if I didn't start being able to sleep he'd have to hospitalize me.  My husband wanted a divorce.  I just simply gave up.  

 

So, yeah, it's all my fault that I'm in this pickle.  I shouldn't have succumbed to the effects of the initial antidepressant, shouldn't have become delusional, shouldn't have cared what happened to my mother's remains (she was dead, what did she care), I shouldn't have let myself ... fill in the blank.  But you know what?  I did.  I did all those things.  I accepted all those prescriptions with only minimum protest and so here I am, a day late and many thousands of dollars short.  This is where I am RIGHT NOW - fighting to get off these drugs and hoping there's something left of the intelligent, active woman I used to be underneath it all.  

[drugged]

September 15, 2019

1:30am woke up 

1:45am got up

Pain - neck, upper back, shoulders, arms, hands

Blepharitis flaring up - eyelids stuck together, pain, blurry vision

 

2:30am 

100mg tramadol

75mg venlafaxine

20mg omeprazole

 

6:00am ate

Pain not as bad, vision still blurred, eyes painful and itchy

 

2:00pm ate

90beads venlafaxine (~30mg?)

10mg buspirone (down from 15mg)

25mg lyrica

 

3:30pm

pain in mid to lower back

 

6:00pm

Pain returning in upper back, neck, and arms

 

8:00pm

100mg tramadol

10mg diazepam

50mg trazodone

5mg zolpidem

 

Woke up several times during the night.

[ShiningLight]

Hey drugged. It's not your fault. Hang in there. ❤

[drugged]

13 hours ago, ShiningLight said:

Hey drugged. It's not your fault. Hang in there. ❤

 

I know I got myself into this mess.  I ask myself everyday why did I trust the doctors.

[Shep]

50 minutes ago, drugged said:

 

I know I got myself into this mess.  I ask myself everyday why did I trust the doctors.

 

We're conditioned to trust doctors from cradle to grave. Plus, the mental health system has virtually no other options for most people. 

 

But once you realize the mental health system is geared toward social control and not healing, it's much easier to understand the need to taper off the drugs in order to avoid it.

 

There are over 100 million people globally on these drugs and only a very small subset ever make the connection, as Dr. Breggin puts it, that "your drug may be your problem." 

 

You've made the connection now. You're in that small subset of those in the know. Best to not dwell on the past but simply channel your thoughts to a life free without drugs. 

[drugged]

September 16, 2019

3:00am woke up

Pain: neck, upper back, shoulders, arms, wrists, hands

Malaise, brain fog, apathy

100mg tramadol

75mg venlafaxine

20mg omeprazole

 

6:00am ate

Pain slightly less, malaise and apathy the same

 

2:00pm ate

90 beads venlafaxine

25mg lyrica

10mg buspirone

 

3:30pm

GI cramping, stomach pain, eyes hurt and burn, tired

 

8:00pm

100mg tramadol

50mg trazodone

10mg diazepam

5mg zolpidem

 

 

[Happy2Heal]

 

 

it will get better

 

I know first hand that beating yourself up is totally counter productive.

 

we all do the best we can with the information we have *at the time*.
 

you've overcome great adversity in your life, draw on  your obvious strengths, they'll help you get thru this and so will the members here

sending you a virtual hug💕

[Rhiannon]

Just stopped by to say hi and give you a virtual hug, if you're a hugger, or a handshake if that's more your style. (I'm a hugger. Bet that's a surprise LOL.)

 

DO NOT BEAT YOURSELF UP. We were all told that these drugs were good. There's a whole system set up to teach us, starting in childhood, that anything a doctor gives us (including psychiatrists) is good for us and that they know everything and are smarter than we are. Then once you start taking the meds your judgment is affected and in my case (and lots of other people I have known and strangers I see on the Internet) I believed that the drugs were the only thing keeping me alive and that I needed them. I was actually quite defensive about it. It took me a long time to figure out that the drugs really were causing the problems I thought they were curing.

 

Have you seen the book Medication Madness by Peter Breggin? It's been a great help to me, because I did a lot of crazy, self-destructive things during my years on the drugs. I am still learning to trust myself and my own judgment. I doubt I will ever be able to trust myself fully, but I'm starting to more.

 

When we're polydrugged, it's a very long and winding path to reduce that drug burden and get off some of the meds. Not everyone can stick with it. But I get the impression that you have the intelligence and determination to do it. You're already doing it with the venlafaxine, and getting down to 25 on the Lyrica is also great.

 

As far as Alto's suggestion about the Buspar-- her bedside manner may not always be the most delicate, but she's very knowledgeable about these drugs and she cares deeply about the suffering they cause. My impression is that she believes buspirone isn't really doing you any good, that whatever effect it's having is covered or masked by multiple other drugs you're on, so it might be a good place to get a chunk of the drugs out. My own thoughts? I don't know. I took Buspar for a while and discontinued it abruptly but that was back when I was taking so many drugs and switching them around so much, and completely unaware of the dangers of what I was doing, and pretty much cognitively dysfunctional, that I have absolutely no idea what kind of WD effect I got from that. 

 

I can't offer a ton of knowledge about different drugs and WD. There is probably a thread or section somewhere on this forum dedicated to buspirone. Maybe check it out...?

 

What I can offer, and do want to offer, is this:  I have spent a lot of time on this forum in the past, and seen and heard a lot of stories. The polypharmacy ones are always the hardest. I've seen a lot of them come and go. From following your thread so far, I think, like I said, that you have what it takes to make this work. I wish I could say "it's going to be a magical journey and it will be so wonderful and you'll get your old self back." Maybe that's true. I don't know. It's not exactly how I'd describe it for myself. It's been vastly worthwhile, but life is still life with all its ups and downs, and I'm still dealing with aging regardless.

 

What I do know is that if I had it to do over again (that is, starting with when I realized that the drugs were causing my problems)-- the only thing I would do differently is take the first part slower and respect the drugs more and keep things very consistent and stable. I suffered a lot more in the first couple of years of tapering than I probably really needed to. But I would definitely still go down this path.

 

And there is nowhere to start but right where you're standing. Hang in there. Keep going.

 

[Rhiannon]

Reading your daily diary thingy I see you did cut the buspirone from 15 down to 10.  Keep us posted on how that goes. I'd be inclined not to make any more cuts in the venlafaxine for a while. Keep everything steady. 

[ShiningLight]

14 hours ago, drugged said:

 

I know I got myself into this mess.  I ask myself everyday why did I trust the doctors.

 

How 'bout keepin' it factual and value-neutral--at least towards yourself ? In that sense, we can say that we took medication and had adverse experiences. That's it.

 

[drugged]

Thanks Rhi, 

I am a hugger so I'll take all I can get.  

 

When I started the buspar I couldn't tell that it was doing anything but I tried a rapid taper years ago and had some withdrawal.  The dose I'm taking now (10mg) is down from 60mg/day I was taking several years ago.  

 

I'm leaving the venlafaxine at 75mg/morning and 90 beads/early afternoon.  

[drugged]

September 17, 2019

3:30am got up

Pain:  headache, neck, upper back, shoulders, arms, hands

Feelings of malaise, fatigue, apathy, 

Eyes hurt and burn

100mg tramadol

75mg venlafaxine

20mg omeprazole

thyroid meds

 

8:00am

Headache about the same, slight lessening of muscle pain, eyes and mood the same.

 

2:00pm ate

90 beads venlafaxine

25mg lyrica

10mg buspirone

 

5:00pm had popcorn and watched some TV

Muscle pain (same areas) worsening, very tired

 

7:00pm

100mg tramadol

 

8:00pm

50mg trazodone

10mg diazepam

5mg zolpidem

[Nelly]

I hope you are doing ok, thinking of you, and this horrible mess that we are in. X

 

Edited September 19, 2019 by ChessieCat
removed quote

[drugged]

On 9/17/2019 at 6:15 AM, Happy2Heal said:

 

 

it will get better

 

I know first hand that beating yourself up is totally counter productive.

 

we all do the best we can with the information we have *at the time*.
 

you've overcome great adversity in your life, draw on  your obvious strengths, they'll help you get thru this and so will the members here

sending you a virtual hug💕

Thanks for the hug Happy,

My first encounter with psychiatric care was around 1974 also.  I was 16 and spent a year-and-a-half in and out of psych wards.  A result of living in an abusive family.  My psychiatrist had me on the heavy-hitter anti-psychotics and antidepressants of the day.  Stuff like haldol, mellaril, stelazine, and most of the TCAs. The doctor was abusing me while I was in this doped up state.  Lovely man.  Anyhow I got out of the whole mess by leaving home when I was 17 and a half, without a high school degree.  Got my GED, took the ACTs and started at the state university.  Of course I quit all the drugs CT when I left.  Absolutely refused to consider any psychotropic med until I was in my mid-30's when a doctor I really liked and trusted told me about the "new" and "safe" SSRIs.  

 

It's not often a person can look back over 40 years and say, "Boy, I sure wish I had had the good sense I had when I was 17." 

[drugged]

45 minutes ago, Nelly said:

I hope you are doing ok, thinking of you, and this horrible mess that we are in. X

Thank you Nelly.  I'm glad you all are here.  My situation would be infinitely worse without you folks on this forum.

[drugged]

September 18, 2019

3:00am got up

Pain: upper back, neck, shoulders, arms, upper abdomen

Eyes feel irritated and painful

100mg tramadol

75mg venlafaxine

20mg omeprazole

thyroid meds

 

6:00am ate

Muscular pain is less, abdominal and eye pain the same

Very dysphoric, irritable, frustrated

 

10:00am meditated for 30 minutes

 

2:00pm ate 

90 beads venlafaxine

10mg buspirone

25mg lyrica

 

7:00pm

Pain in upper body, very tired

Eye hurt - painful to keep them open

Unable to maintain interest in reading a novel

100mg tramadol

 

8:00pm 

50mg trazodone

10mg diazepam

5mg zolpidem

[drugged]

Antibiotics, tendon damage, and pain.

I've been immersing myself in reading articles and research papers about prescription drugs and their side effects.  I stumbled across some articles about the fluoroquinolone family of antibiotics and their association with tendon damage.  It seems the damage to tendons can come long after the use of the antibiotic.  Anyway, for a number of years cipro was my go-to antibiotic.  I've always suffered from recurrent UTIs and I always took a packet with me on my trips to visit friends in Mexico.  Several years ago I began having a lot of pain in my elbows.  I followed my doctor's recommendations but the pain never went away.  I never could figure out what I'd done to trigger the original problem but I also noticed that I would get minor overuse injuries from running or swimming and the damage would heal but the pain never really went away.  At this point I'm wondering about how, the mechanism by which these antibiotics cause tendon weakness and the mechanisms by which ADs can cause fibromyalgia type chronic pain,  could overlap.  For awhile those antibiotics were prescribed for everything.  Kind of like ADs. 

 

Edited September 19, 2019 by ChessieCat
removed response from quote

[ChessieCat]

cipro-levaquin-azithromycin-z-pack-and-other-antibiotics

 

There are several FDA warnings about fluoroquinolone drugs.

 

[drugged]

September 19, 2019

2:00am 

Pain woke me;  elbows, arms, hands, neck, and stomach

100mg tramadol - drifted into semi-sleep 

 

3:15am got up

75mg venlafaxine

20mg omeprazole

thyroid meds

 

6:30am ate

Still sore and achy, tired, 

 

9:30am spouse and I moved furniture and unrolled 

         new area rug, moved furniture back

Exhausted

 

2:00pm ate

90 beads venlafaxine

25mg lyrica

10mg buspirone

 

3:00pm

Back pain - lower and upper, fatigue

 

8:00pm

100mg tramadol

50mg trazodone

10mg diazepam

5mg zolpidem

 

 

[drugged]

On 9/15/2019 at 5:25 AM, ChessieCat said:

 

You might have missed this.  It below the drug interaction quote.

Just thinking here.  What do you all think if, after I finish tapering the buspirone, I taper off the zolpidem?  The zolpidem definitely knocks me out at night but it leaves me with a noticeable hangover the next morning.  I've gone completely off it various times since it was first prescribed without any problems (probably because I take enough other drugs to sedate a horse).  Anyway I was thinking about tapering it and leaving the venlafaxine on hold for a bit longer.

 

I have extra zolpidem that I could put away just in case insomnia became a major problem when I start tapering the venlafaxine again, especially when I get down under the 37.5mg dose.  From a previous, stone age, attempt to taper the AD, my experience was that I didn't have major problems until I got to a very low dose (I can't remember what that dose was).  Then my worst withdrawal effects were akathisia/anxiety and insomnia.  I know I can't count on it being the same but I've noticed my body has tendencies to react to some of these drugs in characteristic ways.  

[drugged]

September 20, 2019

Lots of pain today.  Whole body pain.  Also, something that's almost allodynia but it's not painful, just that I can feel everything that touches my skin and it's all irritating.

Skin is itchy, too  It's been this way since I woke up.  This drives me crazy.  

[ChessieCat]

From your drug signature: 

 

1996?  Venlafaxine XR to 300mg,  to 150mg this June, now tapered down to 112.5mgs, 75 morning, 37.5 evening

 

Does "this June" mean 2019?  Please add the year.  Thank you.

 

Edited September 20, 2019 by ChessieCat