Finally, I think my prayers are answered

[struggles]

I had my appt with the addiction psychiatrist, she is amazing. I am going to post her regimine she has me on and hopefully some of you can give me some of your experiences or views. I am terrified as I hate to take medications, yet don't think twice of slamming 30 beer daily...what a messed up brain I was given.

So, on Tuesday, she decided I needed to detox. She wanted me to go to inpatient for two weeks, but that is not possible with my job and I have two young children and am a single mom trying to hold onto my home. She gave me a prescription for Ativan for 24 hours. It was 1mg and I took 2 tablets at 4pm, 8pm, 7am, 11am and had my follow up with her yesterday, Wednesday at 5pm. I followed it exactly and added a 12pk of beer! That voice in my head said, you are so calm, you can enjoy one! I was sooo wasted I don't remember most of the day and my boyfriend thought it was just the Ativan....what a liar and cheat and deceiver I am!

At my appointment I told her exactly what I did and although she seemed disappointed, she told me the Ativan would not work for me and gave me a new regime to follow. I see her again in two weeks. This is what I would love input on:

-300 mg of neurontin. Take 2-3 caps four times a day, as needed for anxiety. (I have never heard of neurontin and was using xanax for the anxiety, but she had me dump them and told me they were evil.)

-25mg of Topamax. one tablet, twice a day for one week. At week two, one tablet in the morning and two at bedtime. At week three, two tablets, two times a day.

- 15mg of remeron. half to one tablet at bedtime as needed for insomnia.

I know early on, I have trouble sleeping, so she prescribed this...afterall, this is ALL she does. She only treats alcoholism and opiate addictions. So, i'm okay with the remeron, I think.

The topamax scares the crap out of me because I heard it causes memory loss, slurred speech, dizziness and some other nasty side effects, but I don't know how my dosage is compared to how much others had that suffered that.

I'm afraid on the Topamax, I will be driving and forget where I am going, or forget how to do my job....things like that....I hope I am just worrying for nothing....after all, she is a dr. and prescribed it to me.

The only thing I have taken for anxiety, except the ativan is xanax and i'm scared of the neurontin as well.

PLEASE, PLEASE, has anyone had any experience with any on these? I told her about this program and how Topamax is recommended and she smiled and said she has been using it to treat alcoholism for years, so i have faith that she knows what she is doing, but I am still scared.

Thanks for listening, as my name says...I have been struggling for a long, long time and i hope i have finally found my answer.

Tammy: anyone:

[rubywillow]

Finally, I think my prayers are answered

Struggles, I'm on Topomax for several issues. I'd have to go check on the doseage, but I have NO side effects, and it completely quells my cravings. Now, that's just for me, understand. But I understand about you having faith in someone you like who specializes in a particular issue. It's the same with me and my pain specialist. We've become very good friends.
Also, always check with you druggist about additional meds and interaction, don't experiment, and start off slowly with the sleep meds. They really should be a last resort, IMHO.
Best of wishes to you with your journey, and I hope this helps.

[K9Lover]

Finally, I think my prayers are answered

Hi Struggles,
I've only had experience with Xanax and Ativan. My doctor also told me to dump the Xanax (which I haven't, I'm embarrassed to admit). I only take 0.75mg of Xanax at the most per day. I was prescribed 0.5mg of Ativan 3x a day. I have no experience with the other meds you mentioned, so I'm sorry I can't be of more help!
K9

[sunshinedaisies]

Finally, I think my prayers are answered

Hi Struggles - welcome.... I can only answer the Topa questions. Also if you go to the meds forum and look for "new Here and Starting Topa With a Question" there are lots of good posts to read about Topa! I had no SE's and did quit one time with it. The only difference that I can see with her titration schedule is that she is having you start on 50mg - the usual is to start on 25mg for a week. Some people get no SE's - read the last few posts of the Topa thread and you will see what I mean. Please feel free to post there - the more the merrier !! It took a high dosage for me to get to the quit point but for others, 50mg has done it. Different for everyone. Good luck with it -you are very fortunate to have found such an understanding therapist!!

Sun X