Suicide Warning

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Replies

  • LMT2012
    LMT2012 Posts: 697 Member
    If you do not trust medical professionals to know more than you, why go see one? There is a pervasive trend of paranoia over Western medicine that is worsening. This is not directed at the OP, but more generally. A doctor should address concerns, but anyone who goes in assuming it's about kickbacks, worsening your symptoms, wanting to shut you up is either seeing the wrong doc or should consider visiting a sage on the side of a mountain somewheres. Save the time and resources for people who are willing to put a modicum of faith in modern medicine.
    Offa soap box.
    PS for the OP. A 1/4 dose of antihistamine works for me every time. Talk about inexpensive and safe...
  • Junken_Diraffe
    Junken_Diraffe Posts: 716 Member
    I take an anti-psychotic med meant for those with schizophrenia for migraines. It is the only thing that helps every time. It has to be administered in a hospital through an iv. I would recommend talking with your Dr. again to find out more on it. It is likely it can help you.
  • FootballGamer58
    FootballGamer58 Posts: 1,310 Member
    google melatonin, it is used as a sleep aid and is natural, maybe it is an alternative for you.

    http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/tc/melatonin-overview

    I asked about this and she said over the counter meds were not as safe.

    I've been very pleased with the doc and the care I received up until this point that I didn't think to question it. The drug was Trazadone.


    then your doc is a moron....... melatonin is beyond safe...
  • Jersey_Devil
    Jersey_Devil Posts: 4,142 Member
    I don't get how u filled a prescription not knowing what it was before u paid for it. The pharmacy should have asked if u have any questions about the meds when unpicked them up. Sounds like u didn't ask any questions. Also doctor should have explained the drug to u before calling it in. That's 2 different licensed professionals. This just doesn't add up. Hope u figure out how to get some sleep but this sounds bogus.
  • Erica_theRedhead
    Erica_theRedhead Posts: 724 Member
    And trazodone is less addictive than the others out there, ambien, lunesta, etc.
  • Bobbie63
    Bobbie63 Posts: 55 Member
    I love subliminal tapes for sleep problems, I mean I love them. After studying it a bit, I can do it for myself. Its fantastic :)
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    First I agree and know that anti-depressants in small doses can have multiples uses. The Op is over reacting and should talk to her doctor directly.

    I also agree that it's up to you to decide whether or not you want to take a drug. Especially when it is addictive and has unpleasant side effects, but that is not the case with the op. Of course, people with true psychiatric problems need their meds, that's not what I am talking about. But, so often doctors try to deal with every problem by prescribing pills (when there are other options for minor problems), and certainly doctors make other kinds of mistakes as well. And now there are so many people addicted to prescription drugs (I'm sure everyone has seen first hand the crazy cycle some people can get into with doctors just prescribing more and more meds to deal with a spiral of increasing problems, I am talking about the anxiety meds). Sometimes doctors do prescribe a med that is not the best for that person's situation (without a proper evaluation). Doctors are not infallible. I would talk to the doctor if I were you. It's a different when it's a straight forward medical issue with a clearly understood reason behind it as well as a well understood treatment.

    Now, with that said, I love my doctor and I am not afraid of western medicine. My mother has Leukemia and I want her to listen to her doctor and take the meds. But, even she developed liver damage because they overdosed her (she is tiny and weighs 95 pounds and they admitted they don't know how to dose her). So, she stopped and now the doctor agrees she is doing better off the meds for now, and he is monitoring her.

    I also do not think they are getting kickbacks.

    I agree being anti-western medication for all things is ridiculous. It's also ridiculous to think that all doctors are good doctors and never make mistakes. I was prescribed a medication that a person should not take while breastfeeding when I was breastfeeding (it was for minor bloating and not a serious problem at all, it was only even noticeable because my visceral fat is so low). The drug also had the side effect of becoming slightly intoxicated and having blurred vision (it was not a rare side effect, it was a guaranteed side effect). I called the doctor and he agreed you can't take it while breastfeeding, but he assumed I was going to stop breastfeeding because he thought 8 months old was scandalously too old to be still breastfeeding. Even though it is recommended for a year or more.
  • Willowana
    Willowana Posts: 493 Member
    If you do not trust medical professionals to know more than you, why go see one? There is a pervasive trend of paranoia over Western medicine that is worsening. This is not directed at the OP, but more generally. A doctor should address concerns, but anyone who goes in assuming it's about kickbacks, worsening your symptoms, wanting to shut you up is either seeing the wrong doc or should consider visiting a sage on the side of a mountain somewheres. Save the time and resources for people who are willing to put a modicum of faith in modern medicine.
    Offa soap box.
    PS for the OP. A 1/4 dose of antihistamine works for me every time. Talk about inexpensive and safe...

    Really? Sorry. but it's my body, and I have a say in whether or not I want a specific drug IN my body. Medical professionals do NOT always know best and that's why open dialogue is important between a patient and the one that is prescribing.

    This isn't the old days. People can Google the side effects and contraindictions of all drugs. I've had doctors prescibe cocktails of drugs that contradicted other drugs they previously prescribed. When I brought that to their attention, they immediately realized their screw ups and prescribed me something else. Doctors are not God. I don't blindly follow them anymore than a sage on the side of a mountain.
  • NanaWubbie
    NanaWubbie Posts: 248 Member
    It sounds like you called to inquire about your thyroid medication, and mentioned insomnia, and whoever relayed the issue just heard insomnia, and not thyroid. Yes, if your thyoid levels are out of whack it can cause sleep problems. Call the office back, tell them you need a lab appointment to have your thyroid levels checked.

    All meds have side effects, and it is the duty of the pharmacist to warn you of possible effects. The warnings are for you to be on the lookout for undesired effects, and are not meant to instill fear, but to increase awareness. It is common, and usually quite safe to be treated with an antidepressant, such as trazodone, for sleep issues. It has few side effects the next morning, and has a gerat safety record, and it is not expensive, It does also is used as an antidepressant.

    In your case, I think you should check back with the doc and get him/her on the same page as you. This could be just a simple miscommunication.
  • natalie412
    natalie412 Posts: 1,039 Member
    Trazadone is a common drug that is/was used as an antidepressent, but is used more commonly as a sleep aid now. My husband uses it as needed. It works, and is not addictive. Melatonin doesn't work for him. (Works for me though!)
  • rileamoyer
    rileamoyer Posts: 2,412 Member
    I take an antidepressant for what used to be an off-label use but is now an approved (or whatever) use. It's not necessarily kickbacks, it could be because that particular medication treats what you need without side effects that others might have. You could ask your doctor why that particular medication was prescribed vs whatever other medication you thought should be prescribed.
    I agree. Sometimes a medicene with multiple uses will be prescribed because it works as well as a more expensive 'designer' or 'popular' drug. So check with your doctor if you have reservations. They can explain and work with you to get the results you want.
  • sparkle814
    sparkle814 Posts: 78 Member
    Hi OP! You obviously have every right to decide which meds you do and do not want to take, so I'm certainly not trying to tell you what to do. But I thought I'd offer this tidbit in case it changes your opinion at all about the suicide warning aspect of this:

    The main reason anti-depressants have a warning label (and are related to an increased risk of suicide for some people) is that some people who are severely depressed have not yet killed themselves only because they just cannot work up the energy. When they start taking anti-depressants they start to feel a little better and have more energy - just enough to come up with and follow through with a suicide plan. So this probably would not be an issue in your case. (I'm not a drug expert or anything, but I'm a clinical psych graduate student so I've had a little exposure to discussion about this issue.) It IS surprising that your doc didn't talk to you about what he/she was prescribing and why, and what the potential risks are.

    Good luck with your sleep! Not sleeping is the worst. Hope you are able to get some rest - by whichever means works best for you. :)
  • lunglady
    lunglady Posts: 526 Member
    Off label use of medications is quite common. Internet forums are not a reliable place to come for medical advice.

    Some of the biggest medical discoveries were by accident; side effects are sometimes beneficial.

    For example, Viagra was developed as an antihypertensive and antianginal. The study physicians were wondering why the men didn't want to give the medication back at the end of the study...it had this "side effect" of better erections. And hence one of the most mass marketed medications was born.

    And so it is with many other medications....
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    My doctor has me taking rat poison. If I don't monitor my dosage I'll die, just like the rats do. But as long as I take the right amount it keeps me alive.

    Many meds have multiple uses. No bonus points given for overacting to warning labels. If you have questions, contact the pharmacist and ask her. Or your doctor. Not the forums.
  • payupalice
    payupalice Posts: 126 Member
    It's actually pretty common to prescribe a medication for what's called an "off-label" use. That being said, I would be leery of taking antidepressants, because they have many dangerous side effects.
  • maiaroman18
    maiaroman18 Posts: 460 Member
    I've taken an anti-epileptic for pain, an anti depressant, blood pressure medication, bipolar medication, and an an anti epileptic for migraine prevention, and an anti depressant for sleep, just to name a few. Those side effects were ridiculous. I would check with the pharmacist or doctor if you're that concerned. But drugs do have multiple usages.
  • ramziabd
    ramziabd Posts: 41
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  • Saucy_lil_Minx
    Saucy_lil_Minx Posts: 3,302 Member
    I totally agree with you! Try tart cherry juice concentrate, or hops extract. Try meditation. A lot of sleep aids have too much melatonin. Tart cherry juice has low levels, and since it has a cumilitive effect it is a much genteeler option over being groggy. All day. It takes some time to get an effect, but it will help. Totally love the sleep study idea way safer than just accepting you need a sleep aid. Try the hops extract mixed with water. Like 1/2 an hour before bed.
  • ramziabd
    ramziabd Posts: 41
    google melatonin, it is used as a sleep aid and is natural, maybe it is an alternative for you.

    http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/tc/melatonin-overview

    I asked about this and she said over the counter meds were not as safe.

    I've been very pleased with the doc and the care I received up until this point that I didn't think to question it. The drug was Trazadone.

    Hi I am a medical student (1st year). Still starting out but my best advice is to find a good sleep medicine doctor (They are becoming more numerous these days). They can actually monitor you sleep and give you an alternative therapy. Every sleep disorder is different (and they are complicated). If you can't find one in your area try a neurologist. Different opinions is a good approach. Hope it gets better!
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
    You can so what you want, personally I'm super anti medications if I can avoid them (except for nose spray, if I'm congested I'll beat a loved one if they get between me and my fix). I use lavender oils to help shut my brain down, it's great for relaxation. Use it on my 3 year old too. Maybe it's a placebo effect, but he's so much easier to coax to sleep after a nice warm bath in lavender oils with lavender soap.
  • payupalice
    payupalice Posts: 126 Member
    I totally agree with you! Try tart cherry juice concentrate, or hops extract. Try meditation. A lot of sleep aids have too much melatonin. Tart cherry juice has low levels, and since it has a cumilitive effect it is a much genteeler option over being groggy. All day. It takes some time to get an effect, but it will help.

    I had a friend who was prescribed 1 cup of cherries per day by her naturopath for sleep issues. It worked for her.
  • iulia_maddie
    iulia_maddie Posts: 2,780 Member
    Hey OP, I'll take those off of your hands if you don't want them...
  • YolieCreator
    YolieCreator Posts: 173 Member
    They gave my husband trazadone to try to help him sleep and he became horrible! He was a zombie within like 10 15 minutes of taking it and would be horrible towards me! I was pregnant at the time and cried all the time because of the things he was saying to me that he NEVER would have other wise. I've had a female friend recently have a bad experience with it as well, and our neighbor started sleep walking once he started the medication. I would use trazadone as a last ditch option for helping with sleep. It can change your mood and actions dramatically
  • professorRAT
    professorRAT Posts: 690 Member
    My doctor has me taking rat poison. If I don't monitor my dosage I'll die, just like the rats do. But as long as I take the right amount it keeps me alive.

    Many meds have multiple uses. No bonus points given for overacting to warning labels. If you have questions, contact the pharmacist and ask her. Or your doctor. Not the forums.

    Thanks for the voice of reason. It is rare around here.

    Many medications have multiple uses and all have risks. The doctor is not getting kickbacks. Seriously, people, get a grip. Ask questions to your doctor if you have them. It is that simple.
  • BurtHuttz
    BurtHuttz Posts: 3,653 Member
    Thanks for the voice of reason. It is rare around here.

    Many medications have multiple uses and all have risks. The doctor is not getting kickbacks. Seriously, people, get a grip. Ask questions to your doctor if you have them. It is that simple.

    EXACTLY what someone on the take would say.
  • nsdodge
    nsdodge Posts: 20 Member
    I would echo what others have said and try melatonin. It is very cheap and safe and doesn't turn you into a zombie like the more intense prescription sleep drugs. Personally, I find a hot bath, melatonin, and a cup of chamomile tea to be the perfect combo for a restful night's sleep.
  • yenilopez1985
    yenilopez1985 Posts: 52 Member
    last year i was trying to lose weight and was getting b12 shots with amino acids to help me, the doctor that was giving me the shots did my consultation and stuff and prescribed some pills, when i went to get them filled i also noticed it was an anti depressant/anxienty... a co worker looked them up and found out that they were also testing them on people trying to lose weight.. i guess so you dont get depressed while dieting???... i didnt take them i was afraid to become addicted to them and end up with bigger problems.. i wonder if they are the same!
  • bregalad5
    bregalad5 Posts: 3,965 Member
    I've taken Amitriptyline (an anti-depressant) for fibromyalgia. It definitely helped me sleep (if I sleep well my pain is much less than if I sleep like crap, so we try to attack my sleep issues first), but I couldn't take it every night because I went all zombie apocalypse, even on low doses, and didn't help the pain. However, I know it works exceptionally well for others! I now take Cyclobenzaprine (a muscle relaxer).

    To echo other posters, anti-depressants have many uses. Your doctor prescribing them for you doesn't mean they think you have an anxiety or depression issue - it means they think it will work to help you with whatever issue it is you're having - be it pain, sleep, or whatever.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    google melatonin, it is used as a sleep aid and is natural, maybe it is an alternative for you.

    http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/tc/melatonin-overview

    if a doctor doesnt mention melatonin first hes an idiot

    Or he does not make any money from mentioning melatonin ;)

    Or neither of you are doctors, neither of you examined the patient, and neither of you know what the eff you're talking about.
  • SpeSHul_SnoflEHk
    SpeSHul_SnoflEHk Posts: 6,256 Member
    I take an antidepressant for what used to be an off-label use but is now an approved (or whatever) use. It's not necessarily kickbacks, it could be because that particular medication treats what you need without side effects that others might have. You could ask your doctor why that particular medication was prescribed vs whatever other medication you thought should be prescribed.

    ^ This. You are taking it for an approved use. It has nothing to do with kickbacks. Especially if there is a generic counterpart.

    The warnings you get from the pharmacy are generic. They don't know why you are taking it. In people who have severe depression, one of the potential problems with anti=depressant use is suicide. Many depressed people have a desire to kill themselves, and may even have a plan to do so. The one thing they lack is the energy to carry out their plans. Once they become medicated, after a little while, they begin to feel better, and find they have the energy to carry out their plans. Hence the suicide risk warning.

    If you are taking it strictly for it's sleep issues, this warning should not apply to you. If you have questions, you should ask your pharmacist.

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