How do we,who need to take medications daily,stay compliant,(take them as prescribed) and why do we go off them, knowing the results if we do.

J_9

Abilify huh? And you are wanting Ativan? Hmmm, Abilify is much stronger.

Glad to hear you finally got 12 hours of sleep, it's about time isn't it?

Well, I just popped in to get your update.

Test went very well hopefully. I was the first done in the class and that NEVER happens. The only thing that bothers me is that whenever I feel I do really well, I fail the test. When I feel that I failed it, I ace it. Scores are usually in by 4 pm that day, but we won't be getting our scores until later this morning.

Take care Ken, I won't be on today as I it is Tuesday and I will be in clinicals until 5:30

Glad everything went well for you.

asking

I'll say! Sounds like a good thing to me, too. Glad Ken's appointments went well, too and I hope the Abilify works well.

K, Thanks for taking over the hard work of beating up on me. I need to put the cudgel down now and then to let my arm rest. I forget a fair amount, although I don't mean too. Just a day dreamer, I guess. I will get one of those pill dispensers from the pharmacy and see if that helps.

J-9, I hope your test went well, too.
a

KBC

Sleep comes and goes, either both medications are overwhelming or its just me,,I am sure I need the rest at times, but who knows, it could be that SAD beginning.(Doc made reference to it, before I did even, knowing the increase in anti-d's isn't too far off,which will effect the sleep again anyway)

Going from 2 meds to 4 in less than 2 weeks, whats next I wonder?

TEST RESULTS??(Tapping foot,,,tap,tap,tap...LOL )

Anyway,, HAPPY TURKEY DAY EVERYONE

Ken

KBC

OK, have sleep down to a science.(whew)

Lessening off the Ambilify and hoping the anger/aggression isn't too bad(??don't know where this came from,like alcohol withdraws...)

Had a stressful day yesterday and vented properly(and maturely,not common for me)I am happy with the results.

Family is finally starting to get read to leave,(out of the 13 total,3 no shows,4 already here full time,3 leave today, 3 Sunday afternoon)YES, the holidays are full of stress.

Hope everyone else had a nice,pleasant thanksgiving(those that celebrate it)

Ken

J_9

Hi, Ken, good to hear you are getting some sleep. Over the past few days I have gotten probably too much sleep. Just catching up from all the times I had to get up and out of the house before the rooster crowed.

So, were you just to take the Abilify for a certain amount of time? Is this just a short term med when you are in a manic phase?

Oh, the test. Yeah, I passed. Didn't get the grade I had hoped for, but I still passed. Next test is going to be very tough so our study group is going to start meeting twice a week.

I had a great Thanksgiving, thank you. Sounds like yours went well.

TTFN

KBC

For a certain amount of time,,,no,I am self medicating again,in a sense.

Yes during the manic phase I for sure needed the meds, now I am sleeping,almost like a normal person, and don't feel the need to take this or the Atarax,Yes it sounds like self medication,and probably is.Being on the holidays I am unable to contact therapist/doctor but I will when Monday comes.

Reason for not taking meds:I have shown signs of lethargy in the daytime as well as the morning, due to over medication, I am not a doctor, but the recipient of a treatment which I can feel is over the top for this phase,I am almost back to steady, I don't want to be too groggy nor too manic.(like any other time) just regulated.

Hope this is a rational explanation,(self doubt still creeps in and makes me wonder if I am setting myself up for SAD, or more chaos than I truly want.)

Twice a week study group,you must really want this profession,,just to work with the likes of us loonies?? ( but at a better pay rate,,, )

TTYL

Ken

J_9

Ken, I don't consider it self medicating when you have been on the meds as long as you have been and you know your body's chemistry. After all this time, you pretty much know what works for you and what doesn't.

You will know when the time comes to up the meds so that you will stay on an even keel.

You are sleeping again, you are off of the peak of the manic phase and that is good. Just remember, and I know you will, when you start taking that uphill ride on that rollercoaster to start back on the same dosage you have been on. It worked so well for you this time.

Please call the doc tomorrow and let him know of your plans.

Study group did not happen today, too cold and rainy, everyone just wanted to stay home with their families. Oh, well, no big deal, I have been planted at the kitchen table since Wednesday with all my books and notes. So, I'll be okay.....I hope!!!

TTFN, take care

asking

KBC, I agree with J-9 about it being reasonable to regulate your medications but to tell your doctors what you are doing. Nice that you are sleeping again and not too sleepy during the day. I know that feeling of wondering if the good feeling is just an intermediate nice stage that you are going to pay for later. I worry about that kind of thing all the time. But your reasons sound totally right to me. The idea is to function as well as you can. The medications are supposed to help you do that, not make things worse. (I have to remind myself of that a lot.) Some doctors are really rule oriented and don't react well to self regulating--they see it as non compliance. But a lot of health professionals do understand. I try to be honest with my doctors, though some of them make it hard...

My pharmacy switched generics on me last week and I have been having a really hard time with the new patch, which is 3 or 4 times as big as the old one and gives me a nasty rash. I'm small and am running out of places on my body that aren't inflamed or even bleeding to put a new patch. It has to be a place that doesn't bend when I move, or the patch wrinkles and doesn't stick. The bigger the patch, the worse the problem. The pharmacy won't let me trade the patches in because they don't carry the old brand anymore, so I'm going to try to find a pharmacy that does. Then I'll turn in my unopened boxes to the old pharmacy (Walgreens) and try to get the prescription back and take it to the new pharmacy. And that's if things work out. Every time I think I've got things streamlined, there's some new hitch. Last month, the date on the prescription was wrong and the HMO wouldn't pay for the drug. Both the pharmacy and the HMO said if I filled out the right paperwork, I'd be reimbursed the $200. But when I got the paper work and filled it out, the HMO turned me down. I get discouraged. This month they paid for it, but now I'm covered with icky sores.. But I think I'm pretty lucky. Yesterday, I went out on a whale watching trip with friends and family. We saw orcas and a humpback whale. :-) I doubt I could do that without pain control.

J-9, What kind of class are you taking? Glad to hear you passed the test!
Asking

J_9

Asking, I am a second level RN nursing student. I graduate in May and plan on specializing in mental health.

asking

I'm happy to hear that. You sound like you will be a good one.
a