Mario77: Multiple medication mishaps

[Altostrata]

On 2/11/2022 at 5:35 PM, Altostrata said:

TRY GOOGLING AMLODIPINE AND THIRST.

 

TRY GOOGLING AMLODIPINE AND MUSCLE PAIN.

 

Did you bother to do this, @Mario77?

 

We offer peer support, but we cannot serve as parents or medical providers and make decisions for you. Every member has to bring the willingness to help themselves.

 

If you're trying drugs such as gabapentin for the pain caused by amlodopine, we can't help you. We can't fix the adverse effects of amlodopine, and we cannot recommend or monitor drugs you might take to counter those adverse effects. That's your doctors' job. You are remiss in not reporting adverse effects, and they are remiss if they are ignoring them.

 

We have tried to guide you in managing clonazepam, but you have not been cooperative. Only you can do this. We can't come to your home and make it happen, you have to do it.

 

On 2/9/2022 at 2:29 PM, Altostrata said:

You seem very wary of tapering and much more inclined to switch drugs or add drugs. Meanwhile, although it appears some of your symptoms are from the drugs, it takes an extraordinary amount of coaching to get you to reduce your drugs, or even to address your symptoms with non-drug means. When people register on this site, they are usually far more interested in tapering.

 

I don't think we can help you here. I must ask you to stop trying to exploit peer support. Work with your doctors.

[Mario77]

Thank you anyway for the "peer support".

[Altostrata]

There's been 11 pages of it, Mario. You're welcome.

[Mario77]

I am back...and feel worse

 

Humble, with my tail between my legs, I am back after one year of conventional treatment.

Not sure how to update my signature , but right now, for my anxiety and depression I am on:

Quetiapine XR 50mg at bedtime

Diazepam 6 +5 +5 mg at 7, 11 and 3pm

Escitalopram 25mg at 11

Pregabalin 75 x2 (at 11 and 3pm or so).

I was planning to taper Quetiapine to 45 (maybe with liquid).

PLEASE, PLEASE HELP, I am desperate.

Edited February 11, 2023 by Shep
added title after merging from another thread

[Gridley]

Welcome to SA, Mario77.

 

Before we can make suggestions about starting a taper, we need for you to go through your signature and update it to make it clearer.  It's difficult to tell what's current.  For example, post states you're on Quetiapine XR 50mg at bedtime; Diazepam 6mg, 5mg, 5mg at 7 (am?), 11 (am?), 3pm; Escitalopram 25mg at 11 (am? pm?) and Pregabalin 75mg 11am and 3pm. This should definitely go at the end of your signature at the end in a vertical list format.

 

However, your current drug signature indicates that you switched from Diazepam to Ativan in June (2022?) 2-3mg and that you're also taking Mirtazapine.  

 

So I'd go through make sure that it's clear what you're taking right now--date started and mg dose and any dose changes since you started that drug.  I'd try to get the signature down to no more than 12 vertical lines for the sake of clarity.

 

Use this link:

 

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature.

 

Once we've got a clear picture what you're taking, we can go from there.

 

 

 

[Mario77]

Done. 

[Shep]

@Mario77I moved your latest posts onto your original intro / update thread. Please keep posting here so all of your information is in one place.

[Shep]

3 hours ago, Mario77 said:

Quetiapine XR 50mg at bedtime

Diazepam 6 +5 +5 mg at 7, 11 and 3pm

Escitalopram 25mg at 11

Pregabalin 75 x2 (at 11 and 3pm or so).

I was planning to taper Quetiapine to 45 (maybe with liquid).

 

Please add your drugs to this drug interaction checker and copy and paste the results:

 

Drug Interaction Checker

[Mario77]

https://www.drugs.com/interactions-check.php?drug_list=1979-0,862-0,1937-0,1013-0

[Altostrata]

@Mario77 what happened to amlodipine?

[Mario77]

Forgot about the hypertension meds...Sorry.

Here is the update: https://www.drugs.com/interactions-check.php?drug_list=172-0,862-0,1013-0,1937-0,1956-0,1979-0

 

Thanks.

[Chlo]

Hello @Mario77 

Welcome back!

[Mario77]

Thanks Chloe,. How are you? Unfortunately, I have had to come back. I am not feeling good.

[Mario77]

Sorry for misspelling , Chlo!

[Mario77]

@

Quote

 

@Chlo

[Mario77]

I forgot how this works, @Altostrata@Shep...:)

Thanks.

[Chlo]

1 hour ago, Mario77 said:

Thanks Chloe,. How are you? Unfortunately, I have had to come back. I am not feeling good.

That's what we are all here for, to help and support each other. 

[Mario77]

@Chlo Correct. I really need that. Thanks.

[Altostrata]

Here are your last daily notes, from a year ago:

On 2/11/2022 at 10:48 AM, Mario77 said:

@Altostrata@Frogie

2/10

6:20 AM woke up anxious

7 AM out of bed, taking care of pets

7:15 breakfast, propranolol 40

8:30 Clonazepam 0.75

9:00 Anxiety, uneasiness, hyperventilation, thirst, brain fog

9:15 Escitalopram 12.5 Agitation, restlessness, stiff muscles, hyperventilation, thirst, brain fog

10:20 Amlodipine 5 Same as above

1100 Lunch sandwich

12 Increased back pain, agitation, thirst, brain fog

2 PM clonazepam 0.375

3  PM Still pacing agitation, anxiety, rumination, bad back pain, brain fog

4 PM resting in bed

5 PM back pain gone, but rumination, depression

7 PM Crying

9 PM clonazepam 0.75, a bit of TV

10:30 liquid mirtazapine 18.75mg

 

 

Here are the drugs you're currently taking, according to your new drug interactions report at  https://www.drugs.com/interactions-check.php?drug_list=172-0,862-0,1013-0,1937-0,1956-0,1979-0

 

amlodipine

diazepam

escitalopram

pregabalin

propranolol

quetiapine

 

Your cocktail appears only slightly different, with diazepam probably swapped for clonazepam and pregabalin added God knows why. 

 

On 2/11/2023 at 4:26 PM, Mario77 said:

Forgot about the hypertension meds...Sorry.

Here is the update: https://www.drugs.com/interactions-check.php?drug_list=172-0,862-0,1013-0,1937-0,1956-0,1979-0

 

Thanks.

 

It's curious that you forgot about amlodipine since it was such a problem a year ago.

 

Given what our conversations over the previous 11 pages of this topic, what do you think is going on?

[Mario77]

@Altostrata

I think I am dependent on diazepam. But I am more scared of quetiapine, even I am not sure how I'll sleep without. Mornings are awful, a bit more so after diazepam (based on my wife's observation). Pregabalin was added against anxiety, but I did not want to use the big doses prescribed. I switched to diazepam for tapering purpose, but I am stuck on 16mg for 6 weeks.

Should I ask my doc to increase the propranolol and ditch the amlodipine?

 

Thank you very much.

[Altostrata]

Should you ditch amlodipine? Did you ever discuss this with your cardiologist?

 

We've known since August 2021 that you are dependent on benzos. And then you added a similar drug, pregabalin. If you go back to the beginning of this topic, what do you think you should do?

 

I'm not going down the rabbit hole of reviewing your daily symptom pattern again. 

 

On 2/8/2022 at 6:05 PM, Altostrata said:

@Mario77, way back when, we discussed how your drugs may be interacting and how that might be causing some of your symptoms. I have explained many, many times how taking too much escitalopram and clonazepam may be contributing to this.

 

All of your drugs cause "brain fog". You've been taking some kind of benzo off and on since 2005. In 2021, it was wall-to-wall benzos. Depression and fatigue are adverse effects of long-term benzo use.

 

Every day, you have some kind of complaint that to you means you need to take more drugs. You decline other methods of self-care. Since you joined in August, you have shown yourself to be far more comfortable increasing dosage or adding drugs than you are with tapering anything.

 

Clearly, you have asked your doctor what he or she thinks about substitution of diazepam for clonazepam. 

 

We don't stand in the way of people and their drugs. If you want to take more or different benzos, please stop bringing that up here for discussion. We're not going to endorse your habit. Talk your doctor.

 

It's not our job to give you a good drug experience. Post here only when you truly want to reduce your drugs.

 

[Mario77]

@Altostrata Yes, my cardiologist doesn't think that the Amlodipine is adversely affect me.

I would like to get rid of Seroquel, since is the most recent one, taken for2-3 months, and with more side effects. I am open to suggestions. Thanks again.

[Altostrata]

Do what you want. Please do not report adverse effects of amlodipine as withdrawal symptoms.

 

Tips for tapering off quetiapine (Seroquel)

[Frogie]

@Mario77

 

It looks like you have increased your Lexapro dose? May I ask why?

 

You switched from Clonazepam to Valium? Why did you make that switch?

 

And now Pregabalin, why did you add this?

 

We tried to help you and now you have added/switched drugs and you are back in the same situation that you were when you first came on here.

 

I don't want to see you get in a bad situation again.

 

 

Edited February 16, 2023 by Frogie

[Mario77]

@FrogieLexapro, my doctor convinced me. Clonazepam to valium, to help with tapering. Pregabalin again, my doc suggested that. I am on quetiapine also, don't ask me how...

 

Thanks a lot!

[farmley0223]

6 minutes ago, Mario77 said:

@FrogieLexapro, my doctor convinced me. Clonazepam to valium, to help with tapering. Pregabalin again, my doc suggested that. I am on quetiapine also, don't ask me how...

 

Thanks a lot!

That’s a lot of medication! Your brain is probably really sensitive to these meds! I’m almost a year off medications and I too am not doing very well as I know my neurological system is trying to awaken again! 
 

I would steer clear of Lyrica and Gabapentin as it really isn’t intended for anxiety at all! The only approved usage is for shingles and epilepsy patients! That’s it! It literally prevents your brain from growing new synapses! 
 

A lot of the meds that you’re taking, especially in concert with one another seem like it’s a lot! So much so that your brain is on overdrive! 
 

I just know Lexapro and Gabapentin can have neurological issues and I can’t imagine taking both together! 
 

Best of luck to you 

[Altostrata]

24 minutes ago, Mario77 said:

@FrogieLexapro, my doctor convinced me. Clonazepam to valium, to help with tapering. Pregabalin again, my doc suggested that. I am on quetiapine also, don't ask me how...

 

Thanks a lot!

 

@Mario77 you paid your doctor for this advice, you followed this advice, strongly suggest you go back to your doctor and continue with his or her tapering plan.

 

We are not unpaid auxiliary staff for your doctor. You cannot keep coming back here asking us to help you reduce drugs after adding drugs recommended by your doctor.

 

We don't volunteer our time to straighten out your doctor's prescribed drug regimen, which you have willingly followed even through discussion here since April 2021. 

 

If you want to minimize drugs, you can decline additional prescriptions. You are not helpless in this. How many times have we been through this cycle? Further counseling is a waste of time for the staff here.

 

PS Your not mentioning amlodopine -- seriously?

[Frogie]

@Mario77

 

That is a lot of medications. 

 

I'm really sorry to hear that you allowed your dr to do this to you and you listened to him? You can always say no. It is ultimately up to you as to what you take.

 

Now you need to hold and wait until you are stable to begin trying to taper off again.

 

 

Edited February 16, 2023 by Frogie

[Altostrata]

On 3/15/2022 at 3:02 PM, Altostrata said:

I don't think we can help you here. I must ask you to stop trying to exploit peer support. Work with your doctors.

 

@Mario77 after all our discussion since April 2021, you recently added quetiapine and pregabalin, and increased escitalopram. If you don't like the results, talk to your doctor.

 

If you want to chat about bridging to diazepam, go to benzobuddies.org.

 

We are not going to give you further peer counseling.