Met with Tdoc today... moved up my appointment with Pdoc to August 4th... (1st available appointment)

Tdoc contacted one of the Pdocs from the main hospital... they want another thyroid test and some other blood/urine tests..

Pdoc believes that I most likely need an increase in my thyroid medicine and that my body is not metabolizing my medicines correctly.

They don't want to increase my Cymbalta as 120mg sends me in to a constant mixed state.

The old Pdoc did mention Abilify... I will have to remember to ask about this when I see the new Pdoc. The Pdoc also mentioned another medicine that started with an "L" but I can't recall what it was.... I believe he wanted to switch me off of the Seroquel.


Abbie

thanks for checking in abbie,
maybe it is just your thyroid acting up...tests will help to sort that out.
(((((HUGS)))))
beth

Abbie,

could the "L" medicine your old pdoc mentioned be Lyrica (pregabalin)? Lyrica is used to treat neuropathic pain, seizures and Generalized Anxiety Disorder. It is a successor to Neurontin (gabapentin) which you've probably heard of. Here's a page of info on pregabalin development:

http://www.drugdevelopment-technolog...ts/pregabalin/

The Abilify was probably suggested to replace the Seroquel, esp. as Abilify is also used to potentiate antidepressant action.

it would be good for you get off Seroquel which carries a high diabetes risk (there have been lawsuits regarding non-disclosure of the close association, just as there were with Zyprexa).

i'm glad they are ordering thyroid tests... but emmm...

INCREASE in your thyroid medicine? OK WAIT.

ok, were you diagnosed with a thyroid disorder, or were you given thyroid supplements only to aid with mood stabilization / antidepressant treatment??? Sometimes pdocs do that, but it is unorthodox and not very safe in the long run.

If you don't remember what they said about your thyroid, to be sure, look at your labs when they come back. Check the value for TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone or thyrotropin). If it shows as within normal range, your thyroid function "would be" normal. Supplements are needed if one has high TSH because this means the body is prompting the thyroid to make more hormone, yet the thyroid can't keep up. High TSH is the indicator for hypothyroidism more so than low T4.

If you are euthyroid (normal) and given supplements, your pituitary gland which is the thyroid's "boss," will gradually reduce its TSH output - this amounts to telling the thyroid to "turns down" its output of T4. the rebalancing continues until the T4 matches your baseline levels. eventually, if enough T4 is received externally, the thyroid will be shut down. If this occurs, it is not always reversible.

I went through this. My internist told me the last part about possible non-reactivation of the thyroid - she was very concerned. I was euthyroid and my pdoc was treating me with thyroid supplements... i periodically needed "increases" while my TSH was getting lower and lower...

good luck sweetie

~ waves ~

It wasn't Lyrica... I've been on that for about 4 years for the RSD...

It was something that was to replace the Seroquel...

I'm quite "brain fried" right now... I am off to find my xanax and disappear from the concious world for a while...

Love to all of you,
Abbie

Take Care, Abbie.

Hi Abbie,

I hope you are resting well.

For when you wake up... regarding the L medication:

I am going on the premise that he would want to replace Seroquel with another antipsychotic (AP).

The only AP i can think of which begins with L is Loxitane (generic: loxapine). This med is not considered an atypical antipsychotic but it is more evolved than the traditional ones. While it does carry risk of EPS comparable to the traditional antipsychotics, it "behaves" like an atypical in the brain in various ways. Also, it is often effective in lower doses than traditional AP's such that the risk of EPS is also lowered.

I would not consider it a bad alternative, depending on dose. I took tiny doses of it for a while, simply for sleep.

The other possibility is that he said olanzapine and you didn't hear the initial 'o'? But that seems unlikely as he probably would have referred to it with the trade name Zyprexa. Also this med carries equal or greater diabetes risk to Seroquel.



~ waves ~ wondering if either name rings a bell

Thanks Waves...

I wish I could recall the name my old Pdoc was taking about... I'm completely lost... For some reason the name Lamictal keeps popping into my head.

Abbie

hi abbie,
lamictal is a mood stabilizer, anticonvulsant med used well for bipolar folks who swing on the more depressive side. as it has some antidepressant qualtities to it.
I take it but also take geodon as my anti manic med.
WEre you able to rest?
beth

Abby

I take cymbalta also. And I have to say at times I wonder if my cymbalta
has stopped giving the amount of pain help it was. I believe I've been on
the 120 mg for about 3 or 4 years now.

And I am one that at times will forget a dose so I do know this is part of the problem. But its not usually the cymbalta I forget, because this has been one
of the few things that helps my fibro very much. That and the one I'm waiting
to get renewed. I have to work out how to get the pain doctor's nurse to
call me back on Tuesday better.

They just aren't returning calls and I ran out of my neurotin generic.
Ugh.

The only L drug I can think of is Lexapro.

Donna

Well, now Lamictal... that IS a possibility ... but I could not see it as a substitute for Seroquel. totally different function, non-sedating, not anti-psychotic.

However it sure would be a plausible addition to augment your antidepressant medication. It wouldn't be activating like the Cymbalta and tends to slow down cycling overall.

Perhaps since he talked about Abilify as well, it sounded like the both of them were intended as alternatives to Seroquel? hmmmmm... dunno.



I guess we'll never know. Hopefully the new pdoc will be BRILLIANT and get you straight soon. Glad they are getting that bloodwork too.

BTW, were you in fact ever dx'd with hypothyroidism or other thyroid disturbance?

Wellll.... I hope you are feeling "ok" or better than that, and are able to get some sleep here and there, somehow.



~ waves ~

p.s. someone said Lexapro... no way... that is an SSRI... very activating with Cymbalta especially. also not replacement for AP.