By Unwilling addict - 06/06/2017 16:06

Today, I barely drink and have never touched tobacco or drugs, but my body has become so accustomed to my prescription medications that missing even one dose will cause withdrawal-induced chills and vomiting. I take them for a chronic illness, and can't switch to anything else. FML
I agree, your life sucks 5 223
You deserved it 466

MommyMerida tells us more.

MommyMerida 11

OP here, I had posted a lengthy explanation but while one of my comments appeared, that did not. Not sure why... I have a severe form of bipolar disorder. After I was diagnosed, I spent several years in and out of the hospital as my doctor tried me on almost every type of mood stabilizer and antipsychotic in existence. During that time, I was pretty much unable to function. After a long trial-and-error period, we found the medications I'm on now. I've been taking them for several years now and since then, I've been able to go back to school, succeed at my degree, get a job in my field, get married, start a family (after seeing the right specialists and taking all the necessary precautions) and lead a normal life. Considering how long it took to find the right combination and dosages of medication, my psychiatrist and I are both scared switching would upset that balance. Confirming our fear is the fact that every time we've tried to lower the dosage even slightly, I've started getting symptoms and we've had to bring th dosage back up. As to why I would miss a dose, it happens very rarely, but on occasion I've had to skip one because I needed to be 100% awake and present for something and knew I couldn't achieve that with the side effects of my medication. That being said, the half-life is long enough that skipping one dose, once in a while doesn't have a noticeable effect. I'm also very careful about not doing that if I feel fragile, because having dealt with my illness for over a decade now, I know my limits and want to make sure things never go back to the way they were before I was stable. I'm very grateful for having been able to find the right treatment and would never do anything to jeopardize it, like going off my medication without a doctor telling me to. I have no illusions about what's made me stable. It is a little scary, though, thinking that my body needs the medication that much...

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Top comments

Jatok 17

But, don't you need them for your chronic illness anyway? What caused you to miss a dose, and wouldn't missing a dose cause bigger problems?

34 3
Justine Malang 16

Damn. That sucks so bad. Perhaps try to go to another clinic and ask for options. Some clinics have different opinions and knowledge.

15 4

Comments

DaltonZ 9

I understand this more than you know.

2 1
cheshireau 26

I'm on Effexor and if I am even an hour late for my dose, dizziness and nausea happens. I feel you, OP. I'm sorry you also have to experience this.

2 0
I am mee 8

dude your a junkie

0 13
GhostFox 33

Having withdrawals symptoms from a medications that is prescribed to you and you take as prescribed doesn't make you a junkie. A junkie is someone who is psychologically and physically addicted to a drug that they use unnecessarily or incorrectly. Saying those two situations are the same is not just ignorant and rude, but also spreads the idiotic and incredibly incorrect myth that psychiatric medicine is "fake" and just a way for "big pharma" to make money. Comparing the two can lead to people who- surprise!- NEED THEIR MEDICINE being gas lighted by the people around them so badly that they become non-compliant with their meds, leading to their health getting worse. It's not an accurate comparison, it's not a funny comparison, there is nothing vaguely good or humorous in the comparison. It's hard enough for people- especially psych patients- to stay compliant to their medication without people comparing them to junkies or making any of the other ignorant and malicious statements they make.

6 1
kazekai8 11

What chronic illness do you have? I have constant knee pain from my martial art days and opted for cannabist instead of pain meds to avoid dependency.

0 2
giveuptheghost1917 2

I'm in the same boat except I take one in the morning as well as night it truly suck, it's a terrible feeling I make sure to take it

1 0
evilcat244 9

Try something cannabis related. It might really help

2 2
Misoranomegami 16

Bipolar is a chemical imbalance in your brain. Would you say that a diabetic is addicted to insulin if they greet sick if they miss a dose? Taking your medicine to correct a chemical imbalance is not addiction. Also while lowering the dosage for an extended period brings on symptoms if you really feel like you need to skip a dose can you try taking a partial dose for that day only? It's got to be better than skipping it entirely. Most psych meds have some potentially dangerous side effects if you suddenly discontinue them.

3 0
MommyMerida 11

To clarify, the reason I sometimes feel I can't take my full dose is that I take a very high dose of this particular med in the evening and it it strong enough to leave me feeling drowsy and dazed for a good half-day after I take it. For that reason, getting up is always extremely difficult for me, and if I can't take my pills early enough for whatever reason and I have something important going on early the next morning, I know I will be unable to get up and will spend all morning in a daze. In those cases where I can't afford to be in that kind of state, what I've been doing since I realized taking nothing made me throw up is taking a partial dose that I adjust depending on how late it is and when I need to be up (never less than 450-600 mg of my 750 mg dose). This also ensures that I get a proper night's sleep, since I never seem to fall asleep properly without the medication. Obviously I try to do this as rarely as possible and take as much of my regular dose as possible when I do. I've come to know my limits over the years. :-)

0 0
R_L_Jack 11

Sorry Man OR Woman sorry I am sorry best of luck to you.

0 1
psychoRN 4

Just remember that mental illness is like any other illness. You wouldn't question needing insulin every day if you were diabetic. This is no different. No one questions someone with high blood pressure taking medications every day, it should be the exact same for any form of mental illness. Be glad you found what works for you and hold your head high. You're controlling your illness, not letting it control you.

1 0