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The downside of drugs

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Apple_in_my_Eye
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20 Apr 2015, 6:35 am

Skurvey wrote:
Apple_in_my_Eye wrote:
I actually did have bad reactions to the prozac-generation of antidepressants, so I'm on a really old one from the 1950's. One upside of that is decades more experience and research. (It's also dirt cheap.) If the drug was going to start a zombie apocalypse we'd know by now. :)


What one is that?


amitriptyline/Elavil



Bustduster
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20 Apr 2015, 8:40 am

Apple_in_my_Eye wrote:
Skurvey wrote:
Apple_in_my_Eye wrote:
I actually did have bad reactions to the prozac-generation of antidepressants, so I'm on a really old one from the 1950's. One upside of that is decades more experience and research. (It's also dirt cheap.) If the drug was going to start a zombie apocalypse we'd know by now. :)


What one is that?


amitriptyline/Elavil


Works pretty well, doesn't it?



trollcatman
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20 Apr 2015, 8:55 am

NobodyKnows wrote:
I'd add "anti-psychotics" (better called tranquilizers) to the list of useless, dangerous drugs. Risperidone is neurochemically similar to alcohol. Would you put a gradeschooler on a 24/7 slow-drip of whiskey?


I'd prefer the alcohol. What's wrong with kids and alcohol anyway? Kids have been drinking alcohol since forever, it's only now that people have become so uptight about it.



NobodyKnows
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20 Apr 2015, 9:11 pm

AspieUtah wrote:
NobodyKnows wrote:
XFilesGeek wrote:
All I know is that I vastly prefer my life on medication than off medication.


I've never denied being happier on the drugs than I was when I first went off them. It's actually taken several years to get to a point that's really better. My reason for going off was that they were too good at making things bearable. I tolerated abusive bosses, nasty relatives and girlfriends calling me at 3 AM on a workday to vent about minor things. I would bike hard enough to get RSI strains in just 90 miles, barely notice, and then go another 40 and end up with an injury that wouldn't heal for weeks.

I stopped the drugs because (a) they were dangerous, and (b) I wanted to live my life, not some drug-induced stupor, even a contented one.

The hardest part of cessation was breaking the bad habits that I developed while drugged. I had the assertiveness and confidence of a 10-year-old, but the responsibilities and risks of a 25 year old. I could probably have worked through that in about a year with a good support network, but I wouldn't have been in that situation in the first place if I'd started with a healthy family and solid friends.

Exactly.


For anyone who's interested in trying (carefully), there's the Harm Reduction Guide to Coming Off Psychiatric Drugs and Withdrawal (published by the Icarus Project):

http://www.theicarusproject.net/alterna ... PsychDrugs

It would also have been a huge help to have someplace safe and peaceful when I was doing it. I've thought about setting up someting like this:

http://dairylandpeach.com/2012/06/veter ... in-august/

Another possible format would be cabins built someplace out-of-the-way. If you're curious about the bill-of-materials/costs, there's a project for the homeless in Madison, WI, that gives a rough idea:

http://www.startribune.com/local/296330391.html



lostonearth35
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20 Apr 2015, 9:16 pm

The downside of drugs is that nearly all of them can cause nausea and/or vomiting as a side effect. And because I'm emetophobic this has terrified me for years. And even though many different psychiatric drugs I was put on before being diagnosed with Asperger's didn't usually cause such symptoms they did things to me that were just as awful. I couldn't eat, sleep, think, concentrate, sit still, my eyes felt like they were full of sand, my salivary glands shut down, I suffered restless leg syndrome where I'd pace for hours until my legs cramped up but if I sat or lay down it was like insects were burrowing under my skin. I broke out in rashes and got fevers and facial tics and every second of my existence was beyond torture. The only way to escape was sleep, if I could. But soon I'd wake up, and wish I hadn't.

However, I think most "alternative medicine" is total nonsense made by quacks who know that when people are really suffering from a disease or the conventional treatment of one they can get desperate. I guess you just can't win.



Non_Passerine
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20 Apr 2015, 9:28 pm

I was once prescribed anxiety meds.

The only thing they did was make me gain weight.



AspieUtah
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21 Apr 2015, 8:27 am

NobodyKnows wrote:
For anyone who's interested in trying (carefully), there's the Harm Reduction Guide to Coming Off Psychiatric Drugs and Withdrawal (published by the Icarus Project):

http://www.theicarusproject.net/alterna ... PsychDrugs

It would also have been a huge help to have someplace safe and peaceful when I was doing it. I've thought about setting up someting like this:

http://dairylandpeach.com/2012/06/veter ... in-august/

Another possible format would be cabins built someplace out-of-the-way. If you're curious about the bill-of-materials/costs, there's a project for the homeless in Madison, WI, that gives a rough idea:

http://www.startribune.com/local/296330391.html

These are great ideas; and they work. I wish I had had the Icarus book when I tapered off SSRI antidepressants.


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Diagnosed in 2015 with ASD Level 1 by the University of Utah Health Care Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinic using the ADOS-2 Module 4 assessment instrument [11/30] -- Screened in 2014 with ASD by using the University of Cambridge Autism Research Centre AQ (Adult) [43/50]; EQ-60 for adults [11/80]; FQ [43/135]; SQ (Adult) [130/150] self-reported screening inventories -- Assessed since 1978 with an estimated IQ [≈145] by several clinicians -- Contact on WrongPlanet.net by private message (PM)


XFilesGeek
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22 Apr 2015, 11:27 am

NobodyKnows wrote:

I've never denied being happier on the drugs than I was when I first went off them. It's actually taken several years to get to a point that's really better. My reason for going off was that they were too good at making things bearable. I tolerated abusive bosses, nasty relatives and girlfriends calling me at 3 AM on a workday to vent about minor things. I would bike hard enough to get RSI strains in just 90 miles, barely notice, and then go another 40 and end up with an injury that wouldn't heal for weeks.

I stopped the drugs because (a) they were dangerous, and (b) I wanted to live my life, not some drug-induced stupor, even a contented one.

The hardest part of cessation was breaking the bad habits that I developed while drugged. I had the assertiveness and confidence of a 10-year-old, but the responsibilities and risks of a 25 year old. I could probably have worked through that in about a year with a good support network, but I wouldn't have been in that situation in the first place if I'd started with a healthy family and solid friends.


Well, I'm happy you've been able to find alternate ways to cope and be happy. It's always nice to hear success stories.

However, all I can say I'm just glad I had my Concerta this morning to help me deal with 10,000 spam bots.... :lol:


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AspieUtah
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22 Apr 2015, 11:50 am

XFilesGeek wrote:
...all I can say I'm just glad I had my Concerta this morning to help me deal with 10,000 spam bots.... :lol:

Hehe. Whiskey and shotgunning roadsigns might have the same calming effect. :)


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Diagnosed in 2015 with ASD Level 1 by the University of Utah Health Care Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinic using the ADOS-2 Module 4 assessment instrument [11/30] -- Screened in 2014 with ASD by using the University of Cambridge Autism Research Centre AQ (Adult) [43/50]; EQ-60 for adults [11/80]; FQ [43/135]; SQ (Adult) [130/150] self-reported screening inventories -- Assessed since 1978 with an estimated IQ [≈145] by several clinicians -- Contact on WrongPlanet.net by private message (PM)


NobodyKnows
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22 Apr 2015, 11:50 am

XFilesGeek wrote:
NobodyKnows wrote:

I've never denied being happier on the drugs than I was when I first went off them. It's actually taken several years to get to a point that's really better. My reason for going off was that they were too good at making things bearable. I tolerated abusive bosses, nasty relatives and girlfriends calling me at 3 AM on a workday to vent about minor things. I would bike hard enough to get RSI strains in just 90 miles, barely notice, and then go another 40 and end up with an injury that wouldn't heal for weeks.

I stopped the drugs because (a) they were dangerous, and (b) I wanted to live my life, not some drug-induced stupor, even a contented one.

The hardest part of cessation was breaking the bad habits that I developed while drugged. I had the assertiveness and confidence of a 10-year-old, but the responsibilities and risks of a 25 year old. I could probably have worked through that in about a year with a good support network, but I wouldn't have been in that situation in the first place if I'd started with a healthy family and solid friends.


Well, I'm happy you've been able to find alternate ways to cope and be happy. It's always nice to hear success stories.

However, all I can say I'm just glad I had my Concerta this morning to help me deal with 10,000 spam bots.... :lol:


And boy did you deal with them! You must have channeled your avatar :)