Victoria Posted November 19, 2007 Share Posted November 19, 2007 Ok, I am on a fairly stiff cocktail, treating for a few things. Let me start off by saying that I am doing okay. I'm not overly energetic, which I truly miss (but not manic either - which my DH DOES NOT MISS). Currently, I am being treated for BP disorer - was cycling fairly often until July. Also, neuropathic pain and muscle spasms from spinal surgery, migraines, anxiety and so on... My meds: Lithium 1650mg Lamictal 200mg Tomamax 200mg Cymbalta 120mg Lyrica 450 mg Seroquel Varied prn Trazodone 50mg HS prn Amrix 15mg HS prn (not to be mixed with Traz) Soma 350-700mg prn Ultram 50-100mg prn Then I have 3 Inhalers, a Nebulizer when needed, different decongestants to use, "if needed", Allegra-D (<-the one I use), Singulair and Nexium. In addition to the above, I have situation meds to use for my IBS and espophageal spasms. Getting the picture? I use the minimum, if you can call the above a minimum. But, it works, finally. So, I push the water, keep my face clean, get out and move around in the morning with my dogs for circulation and I just finished a 10 day course of Probiotics. I am still having a really bad time with the water retention, the distention, the acne and the GI back ups. Does anyone have a suggestion(s)? TIA, Victora Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mel1 Posted November 19, 2007 Share Posted November 19, 2007 Did you have tests done to determine you have esophageal muscle spasms? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victoria Posted November 19, 2007 Author Share Posted November 19, 2007 Did you have tests done to determine you have esophageal muscle spasms? I've had a few upper endoscopies (and lower, as well). All in all, I also have Barrett's esophagus, GERD, diverticulosis and wonderful hemorrhoids... Oh, and the oh so great, ever present IBS! More than you asked for, sorry.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victoria Posted November 19, 2007 Author Share Posted November 19, 2007 p.s. if you're asking bc you're concerned for yourself, they may be able to determine at time of scoping and/or by presenting symptoms (which can be quite scary). I'd talk to your GI if this is the case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnneMarie Posted November 19, 2007 Share Posted November 19, 2007 What I know... Both Lamictal and Lithium are known for acne problems. Get some serious topicals from your gp or dermatologist if the OTC stuff isn't helping. You could also go to antibiotics, but to be honest, your cocktail already is substantive. I wouldn't add. Lithium can cause water retention in some. Any I had seemed to go away within a week or so. Steroids can cause puffy, but yours are topical. They probably aren't playing a role. A decongestant is apt to act as a diuretic if anything. If you've varied the dose on Seroquel w/no noticeable changes, it's probably not a factor. Same would hold for the pain meds if you've gone w/o for a long enough period. For some reason, Lyrica is sticking out, but I can't put a finger on why. That's about it. Unless any issues started in a clear cut way w/addition of a particular med, my guess would be it's synergistic. As you probably know, med effects (good and bad) change with the introduction of another med. When it's possible to start dropping stuff out, I'd go there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mel1 Posted November 19, 2007 Share Posted November 19, 2007 Victoria, I asked because I have had unexplained nausea for a long time - about 2 months and I went to a GI. got an upper GI and an ab. ultrasound. Both were negative-didn't show anything abnormal. So, i'm wondering , like you, if it's a meds. related problem. The only change in meds in recent months has been abillify, but i was taking it without the symptoms before the problems started. I have lost weight and am on ante-nausea meds because of it. Hope I'm not hi'jackin', just wanted to know if you are having the same issues. If you find a solution, let me know. you can pm me. hope you feel better . mel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnneMarie Posted November 19, 2007 Share Posted November 19, 2007 Hey, I just remembered something. I got nauseous and fever-like when I stayed on Claritin-D 24hr for a couple months. I had a more mild effect to Sudafed-D 12 hour after taking daily for a number of months. (I've alternated back to sprays, so this wasn't so fresh in my mind.) Dropping the decongestant out for a few weeks might be worth the trial. The other one that comes to mind is codeine. I once took this for well over a year. Then, my stomach rebelled. Since then, I can only take it for a short period without stomach issues. Same with Vicodin. Maybe try switching out your pain meds for a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victoria Posted November 19, 2007 Author Share Posted November 19, 2007 What I know... Both Lamictal and Lithium are known for acne problems. Get some serious topicals from your gp or dermatologist if the OTC stuff isn't helping. You could also go to antibiotics, but to be honest, your cocktail already is substantive. I wouldn't add. Lithium can cause water retention in some. Any I had seemed to go away within a week or so. Steroids can cause puffy, but yours are topical. They probably aren't playing a role. A decongestant is apt to act as a diuretic if anything. If you've varied the dose on Seroquel w/no noticeable changes, it's probably not a factor. Same would hold for the pain meds if you've gone w/o for a long enough period. For some reason, Lyrica is sticking out, but I can't put a finger on why. That's about it. Unless any issues started in a clear cut way w/addition of a particular med, my guess would be it's synergistic. As you probably know, med effects (good and bad) change with the introduction of another med. When it's possible to start dropping stuff out, I'd go there. Thanks for the reply. I need to recheck the Lyrica insert - now I'm wondering too... Hmmm.. I'll reread and let it play around regarding the rest. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victoria Posted November 19, 2007 Author Share Posted November 19, 2007 Victoria, I asked because I have had unexplained nausea for a long time - about 2 months and I went to a GI. got an upper GI and an ab. ultrasound. Both were negative-didn't show anything abnormal. So, i'm wondering , like you, if it's a meds. related problem. The only change in meds in recent months has been abillify, but i was taking it without the symptoms before the problems started. I have lost weight and am on ante-nausea meds because of it. Hope I'm not hi'jackin', just wanted to know if you are having the same issues. If you find a solution, let me know. you can pm me. hope you feel better . mel Not hi-jacking - just want to give a more thorough reply, but don't have the time right now. For now, my experience with the spasms has been much like a distinct pain in the chest, almost paralyzing (imagine when your leg spasms, etc). It feels like your chest is gripped by a vice and you can't move until it subsides - or have meds that facilitate the motion. I had an attack in a Starbuck's once and sat bent over - couldn't move - from the pain from the spasms, until my DH arrived (I went there with a friend), helped me bent over to the vehicle, to the pharmacy, took a pill, back home and knocked out. Hope this helps, will write more on you later. V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loon-A-TiK Posted November 19, 2007 Share Posted November 19, 2007 i don't really know, honestly. i just want to post to let you know i read your post and will continue to think about your problem, and run it by some of my crazy friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victoria Posted November 19, 2007 Author Share Posted November 19, 2007 i don't really know, honestly. i just want to post to let you know i read your post and will continue to think about your problem, and run it by some of my crazy friends. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
december_brigette Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 hi, when i was on lithium i got the back acne. neutrogena's acne body wash solved the problem. this was the only time in my life ive had acne. good luck!! december Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victoria Posted November 21, 2007 Author Share Posted November 21, 2007 Victoria, I asked because I have had unexplained nausea for a long time - about 2 months and I went to a GI. got an upper GI and an ab. ultrasound. Both were negative-didn't show anything abnormal. So, i'm wondering , like you, if it's a meds. related problem. The only change in meds in recent months has been abillify, but i was taking it without the symptoms before the problems started. I have lost weight and am on ante-nausea meds because of it. Hope I'm not hi'jackin', just wanted to know if you are having the same issues. If you find a solution, let me know. you can pm me. hope you feel better . mel If you have no detectable physiological damage, it sounds like you may want to discuss med related nausea/GI problems with your pdoc. You'd know the spasms when you had them. Also, just be sure that you're taking them appropriately - with or w/o food - a certain amount of time before/after food - not in association with certain types of food (ie, grapefruit, calcium-containing, etc) - it should be on the labels and online. And, some meds shouldn't be taken together, perhaps if they both cause nausea - meaning you could alternate times in taking them. These are things you can plug into a drug/food interacting check site (listings on this site) and then also speak with pdoc. Hope this helps. Vic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victoria Posted November 21, 2007 Author Share Posted November 21, 2007 hi, when i was on lithium i got the back acne. neutrogena's acne body wash solved the problem. this was the only time in my life ive had acne. good luck!! december Way back when I first started lithium, I had the mini acne, but in time it subsided mostly. Now, I have little acne sites and (big) cysts - a few at a time. I had adult onset cystic acne as a freshman in college and used Accutane to "get it all out". These acne break outs consist of the teenager T-Zone crap and then a few of the cysts. I do know that having GI "back ups" can cause acne - kind of a bodily toxic signature displayed on your face.. :shrug: :theskyisfalling: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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