Relying on meds

[DaisyDexterMom]

I know my meds are doing me so much good...in fact, I was feeling so good I stopped taking them. Now I am struggling. I went back on them today. Wish I didn't have to be dependent on them. Lexapro, Latuda, Wellbutrin, and Remeron. How come it takes so much to make me function normally??

[brokenlight]

💙

[Dolphin14]

We are all unique. Our body chemistry and our journeys are different.

I'm on a few meds myself. Sometimes I ask the same question... why? ... why so many?

Then I realize I have quality of life with them. I need them now. Mayb some day I won't. But for now I am just grateful I have a functional life.

Be gentle with yourself.

[DaisyDexterMom in reply to Dolphin14]

Thank you for the reminder to be gentle to myself. It's an important thing I so often forget to do.

[Greenpopcorn]

I feel like Wellbutrin is the one med that allows me to still feel. I was on Zoloft to get me through a very tough bout of depression and then I tapered off completely right before the pandemic started. I felt myself falling again and every day I thought about getting back on Zoloft but I was able to do the work to not need it anymore. Regardless, different medications work for different people. Some are very long term and some are for getting you through something. Don't feel bad about it. Just make sure you are taking the combination that makes you feel the best, and like yourself as much as possible.

[DaisyDexterMom in reply to Greenpopcorn]

It took a long time to come up with the combination that works best for me...I need to remember that struggle and be grateful for the meds that do work. Thank you.

[LilyAnnepuppy]

“I was feeling so good I stopped taking them.” Oh how I relate to that type of thinking. And then I realize how crazy that sounds. Of course I’m feeling good. It’s because the meds are working. I also wish I didn’t have to take the “cocktail “ of chemicals just to have an even playing field. But thank goodness I can have that. A lot of people don’t. I just work every day to enjoy the peace of mind I cannot achieve without the help.

[DaisyDexterMom in reply to LilyAnnepuppy]

It's not easy for me to ask for help, so it's important I let the meds do their job. Thank you for making me feel that I am not alone with this struggle.

[LilyAnnepuppy in reply to DaisyDexterMom]

You’re definitely not alone.

[Ashimaly86]

First, it’s very normal to feel really good and to decide you don’t need your meds any more and then to go off them... then crash. Feeling really good is the goal. Then what you could do is work with your doctor to pick ONE of the medication, and very very very slowly titrated to see how your doing. This has worked for me to get off benzos and other meds. However it might now work for all of them. I have tried to get off Lexapro at least 5 times. One was even over the course of a year. I’m still on it. And that’s okay.

Some people just need more meds. And thank god They are all there for us right? I shamed myself for a long time about the meds that I was taking. At one point, I was on Clonzapam, Gabapentin, Lexapro, Hydroxyzine, Propranolol and Buspar. All for anxiety. These helped me function as a mom and a nurse. Sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do. But that doesn’t mean you get to stop working on your stuff. Counseling with a really good doc, a great psychiatrist... you need these things when on a lot of meds like I was. Read books, exercise, cut the high sugar and processed foods out. Make really good sleep habits. A book I always recommend is “At last a life” by Paul David. It’s all about acceptance. And if your still questioning the Why, you haven’t accepted yet. Your brain wants you to accept so it can heal. Promise!

[DaisyDexterMom in reply to Ashimaly86]

Thank you for the sound advice. I stopped going to my therapist about a year ago...maybe it's time to start back up. I am very fortunate to have a great psychiatrist, who I will see tomorrow. I will check out the book recommendation! I am a librarian, so I absolutely love title suggestions!

[rsacdoolittle in reply to Ashimaly86]

Those last 3 sentences were profound and I have something new to think about. Thank you for sharing your journey!