Meds...yuck.....

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Ok, so I finally got some meds. They're starting me out on Prozac. At least that, I have experience with.

But, for the sleeping problems they prescribed Hydroxyzine. A basic Antihistimine. 25 MG.

I took one about 8 hours ago. I am still so messed up. I mean, I would have to smoke an entire dime bag of killer weed to even feel half this messed up. And, I slept through most of it.

So, the instructions say bedtime only. You betcha....but, damn, it's too strong.

I am very sensitive to that sort of stuff. It's why I never enjoyed downers and any form of speed will have even worse effects (more amplified). I am not happy with the drug hangover I feel. And, I would never have this with Pot.

I woke up to go to the bathroom and was sweaty. Not a happy experience. And, the way I feel this morning is not good. I have a literal drug hangover/still high. And, not a good high. I can't function well with this feeling.

Thank god I don't have to go to work this morning. That would not be good. I really don't know if I could go to a job this morning. I am really that messed up.

I understand they feel you need to be on meds.

This is a time of adjustment. You're not used to this strong stuff. I react pretty strongly even to over-the-counter antihistamines.

If you feel especially drowsy, etc., I would partner with the person who is prescribing the drugs, and maybe try to get a lower dose.

I wish there was a way where you could harness and edit your mind without meds.

Well, it is the first script I've gotten. I was on the Hydroxyzine before to counter the effects of Wellbutrin. So, I think with none of that being countered, I'm feeling the full effects. I am sensitive to these things.

And, they don;t believe me until I become their lab experiment. LOL

I know that sounds horrible, and I understand the problem I present.

Recovering coke addict. Usually not the type to be hypersensitive to OTC drugs.

I wasn't even expecting to be this hungover and dopey this morning, and I know my body. No headaches, just super dopey.

And, they are used to people coming in and trying to get their drug of choice. I'm not so sure that they are used to someone coming in and giving them accurate information. And, there may be that "I'm the authority' on this and we will do it my way. And, then, they have to follow regulations.

But, I'm going to split this sucker in half tonight (If I'm not still dopey) and see how that goes. If no go, then I get through until my follow up on the 10th.

I just keep thinking that they're telling me consider stopping smoking pot because of what it would 'do to my brain' while their way has left me stupid and lethargic this morning. Sorta pisses me off.

I'd cut down on the antihistamine or discontinue altogether. I've always thought antihistamines were a lame pharmacological approach to sleep disorders.

Tell your prescriber that you don't want the side effects of antihistamines. Stick with the prozac though.

Try behavioral approaches to sleep. Tell your prescriber that is your preferred approach. AND keep a journal of things related to sleep (amount and timing of caffeine products, exercise and timing of that, bedtime routine, etc.) so you have something for them to work with.

Good luck, friend!

Gonna have to agree with that completely, especially this morning LOL

I'm trying to get an invoice out right now and it's driving me nuts because of this dopey/slow feeling. LOL

That's a complete affirmative there. That, I do understand how it works, and it really does work well with me. Just gonna take 4-6 weeks for me based on previous experiences. But, we're not battling depression here. Just incredible anxiety. Maybe not so long with less to battle against.

I have been trying to do the behavioural approach, but I think it gets derailed with the other things. I mean, I am forgetting to eat. LOL So, that is presenting a problem with the functioning. I get that and that will just take time.

But, the journal is something I have not done. I make notes, but that is not the same. This may illuminate other issues such as the not knowing when to stop or forgetting to do things.

That is a good idea.

OK...took almost 18 hours for that to wear off. Took out the blade and cut a few in half.

The half worked ok. I just gotta take it closer to the time I want to sleep. It's fast acting in me. I've always been hypersensitive to that.

I also remembered that the amount I was prescribed before was 10MG. The lowest dosage. So, cutting it in half made that about equal.

Kinda bolsters my position of nothing narcotic too. If a basic antihistamine does this to me, what would a narcotic do?

But, while not drugged up this morning, I am a bit lethargic. I chalk this up to having a bit of sleep for the first time in about 2 years or more. I've experienced this feeling when I just collapse at the end of the week and just sleep sooooo long on Friday night into Saturday, late morning.

It's that 'too much sleep' thing.

I'll take all the meds in on the follow up so they can count them if they want.

Most of the side effects will go away within 2 to 3 weeks of continued use. The hydroxyzine will lose most of its sedation, but will continue to work as a decent anxiolytic. You don't acquire tolerance to hydroxyzine's anxiolytic properties, nor is it habit forming and you wont have any withdrawal upon stopping it. Its supposed to be without cognitive impairment as well once you get tolerant to its sedation. It's comperable for anxiety treatment as Lorazepam.

I would stick with it if I were you. You asked in another thread for a med that helps with anxiety that doesn't cause cognitive impairment that you would get with a benzodiazepene. I would still look into alternative ways to deal with your sleeping difficulty such as CBT for insomnia, and exercise. I find passion flower tincture to be pretty damn good for sleep and I have tried dozens of different meds for sleep. I haven't formed any tolerance to it after using it for months. You don't need a prescription obviously.

My daughter reported, after spending a year abroad, that in Germany, everything medical is the reverse of here (USA). You can buy all kinds of pharmaceuticals over the counter - but you need a written prescription to buy herbal teas!

We're just beginning to dig through this old mess of a meat bag.

As for sticking with it, I'm going to do what they tell me.

But, I can tell you that Monday night and way into Tuesday, I was 'drunk'.

It hit me so hard on Monday night that it felt like when I was first trying drinking. You drink too much too quickly because you don't know how it works and, well, you're young and impatient, and not really drinking much. Couple of good shots.

Then, WHAM! you realize you;re drunk and ill feeling.

When a party animal, as I truly was when younger, tells you that the effects are really bad, well, you can believe it. LOL

But, that is why I am taking the meds in. I want them to be able to track my actual usage, switch out the meds if they need to. I don;t know. They prescribed a 30 day dosage, cut in half, now 60 days. Is that kosher for their tracking systems now?

I dunno. I'll just report the effects and symptoms. Gotta work together for this to work at all.

As for the anxieties, we shall see. I am hoping that just getting things moving will help with that as well.

The sleep patterns are a great concern too. I can say thought that for the first time in about 2 years (time of sleep problems) I remembered actually dreaming. I cannot remember a dream for that time period, or even dreaming. I did have a dream. Finally.....

I do not know how to process that....LOL

No worries - it was a non sequitur!

So anyway, you need to fess up to getting drunk while on these meds. You know in your sneaky little heart that you're not supposed to do that and in fact, you could kill or badly damage yourself this way. So it was a self-harm behavior, if not an actual suicide attempt. It's relevant information for your prescribers.

I got the non-sequitor part. I live in nonsequitoria where a statue is erected of me near center court. I know that center court is reserved for the true masters.

It was the concept that boggled my mind. LOL

And, you betcha. I'm going to let them know. But, I did not get drunk on it on purpose. I took the prescribed dosage and it was just that one time. That's why I took the half. If it had been too much, I would have notified the doctor on my follow up and just stopped taking it.

But, any and all drug interactions will be noted and discussed.

And, the lethargy is going away at a decent rate.

The half just knocked me out too quickly and therefore, up early as a result.

I was taking a shower and thought about this:

This post has made it clear to me that I need to work on my ways of communicating. I went back and read the way I put things and could see how Bea would think that I may have abused it by they way I spoke of the 'drunk' feeling and the example.

And, with anybody who is recovering, it is of paramount importance to recognize these things.

So:
Monday night, took prescribed dosage. about 30 minutes later...the WHAM hit me.
Took 18 hours to get straight and feeling ok again. Slept a lot too. uggghhhh.

Tuesday night, cut one in half and took it. Still knocked me out quickly, but no drunk feeling. A bit more than 'relaxed' though, but not scary.

Monday night did scare me. It was a physical effect I haven't felt in many, many years. And, it was not a good thing. If anything, it reminded me about how bad it did get before.

But, the lack of sleep, poor diet and exercise may have also increased its effects.

But, I will report all to them on the follow up next week.

I can't believe I used to enjoy that sensation. A buzz is one thing. But, wow...I used to enjoy that wasted feeling. Uggghhhh

My psych med helps me sleep half the week so I don't complain since I would go days without any sleep all my life or be taking all sorts of weird stuff just to get some serenity but it doesn't half stone me out at times, I've had better hallucinations on it than I have from anything I've ever tried lol, I once saw a crystalline moth burst out of the damn wall and flutter through the ceiling, that usually only happens if I've not been sleeping well and take my tablet, you get double tired and if you don't sleep you have a strange journey.

I wonder how long it will take me to not be 'sleep deprived'. It's been about two years. Takes a while to get evened back out.

But, I must say, I've never heard of people hallucinating on psych meds though.

Sleepy or agitated yes, but not hallucinations.

I take Benadryl OTC and it makes me feel awful in the morning. I can't wake up, and I'm drowsy for hours afterward.

My doctor is trying a different approach now.