Something to give me more energy? Pls help

[BabyGurl3171]

I'm on a lot of medicines for bi-polar, depression and anxiety/panic.

However, I have NO energy. It takes all I have to get my butt out of bed and even move to the couch, literally.

What kind of prescription could I ask my doctor for that I could take in the morning to make me *hyper* without causing insomnia, which I already have.

I was looking into Adderal but I'm not sure he'd prescribe that to me because I'm on all downers basically.

Right now I take Trazodone, Geodon, Xanax, Neurontin, Metformin, Insulin, Requip, Percocet, Effexor XR and I think that's it LOL

So what would be a good script to ask my dr for to get my energy level back up so I can function like a normal person and not some lazy bum?

 

[Pillthrill]

Sounds like you don't need more meds but to try to wean of some of the ones that you are on...

 

[BabyGurl3171]

I've mentioned that but my psych insists I need the meds I'm on for the bi-polar and anxiety. He has me on so many downers that I'm just not me anymore. I'm lazy and that's so not me.

*edit* - I wonder if there is a pill that could combine multiples of what I'm already on so I could take less meds?

 

[psychomimetic]

^Psychiatrists are often wrong, a lot of psychiatrists over-medicate the hell out of their patients.

I take Phenylalanine and sometimes Rhodiola Rosea for energy. Both of them are legal and over the counter. Rhodiola is sold at most grocery stores and health food stores, phenylalanine is a bit harder to find but is sold at many health food stores and online of course.

Your doctor probably won't give you adderall for your problems. Maybe a different stimulant pill, but I doubt they'll give you anything euphoric simply because your other pills make you tired. I might be wrong though, your doctor sounds like they like writing prescriptions. Adderall would definitly wake you up, as would methylphenidate or vyvance.

Also, adderall, methylphenidate, vyvance, etc., will make your anxiety worse and could very well also make your bi-polar worse (it could also trigger manic behaviour). In the case of adderall and vyvance and other possible prescriptions for you that are neurotoxic, the depression could also get worse over time. I wouldn't recomend use of amphetamines to soemone suffering from your problems.

 

[BabyGurl3171]

Thanks psychomimetic! That was very helpful. I definitely don't want any more manic spells (I finally got those under control). I also don't want my depression to get worse or to get panic attacks even more so.

He definitely loves writing scripts. The first time I saw him I walked out with like 5 scripts! Wasn't expecting that. And it seems every time I see him he's either giving me a new script or changing my meds!

I may try the OTC meds you mentioned. I just know I need to get more energy in me. I can't stand the way I feel now. It takes everything I have to do normal every day things like playing with the kids, showering, going to the store, etc. I just want to be me again, active and happy!

 

[Violenza666]

Vitamin B12 injections or sublingual tabs. You are also on alot of downers.

Also keep the benzos as needed.. it should give you more energy... you have a hefty list there.

As another poster said it sounds like you need to ween off some of the ones you are on.. you might be over treating your issues.

 

[woamotive]

I'd see another psychologist/psychiatrist. As mentioned they are not always right. You ARE on a lot of meds and I have a feeling your routine meds could be shifted a bit. Another prescription is NOT the answer - horrible idea, actually. Not horrible; I can see how you'd think it was good - but it's not

B12 is a great one - might give a slight boost. Make sure your diet is decent, too. But seriously try to see a different doctor about your current intake of meds and try to work your way down or off of one/some.

 

[BabyGurl3171]

Thank you everyone for your replies. I'm going to talk to him about lowering my list. It's an insane amount of pills. Sure, I don't have manic spells anymore, but hell I couldn't muster up the energy to have one if I wanted too!

There's gotta be a way to wean me off some of these meds. Or at least a pill that can combine treatment without having to take 80 different meds LOL.

I've been looking into seeing another doctor and I think I'm honestly going to put forth the effort to make an appt with another one and see what he/she thinks.

 

[edgewise1]

A good multi vitamin would help in the long run. The B12 injections would be worth looking into as a booster. A big boost would be some type of physical activity, i.e. exercise. Doesn't have to be anything but walking 30 mins a day 3 or 4 days a week. May take a few weeks, but it will pay off and the more it does the more you will find yourself doing it. Know it sounds old school, in this age of "meds for every condition", but it will work! Good luck.

 

[Nikolai]

Adderall IMO. is the best prescription other than that or a similar speed Im not sure what else there is.

I use E-Pharm Clear Shot which is the best energy drink by a mile, but you most likely have to get it from an online supplement store such as Netrition, its worth it though. Cytosport fast twitch is ok as well, but nothing really comes close to Clear Shot, I believe the Geranamine is the difference. The energy drinks such as red bull and monster and others you can get anywhere all suck IMO.

 

[JamtasticX]

Just because a Dr writes scripts doesn't mean you have to take them. I've been "prescribed" paxil for years, have never taken a single pill. Just say I do, and take the ones I want.

Everyones happy at the end of the day.

 

[psychomimetic]

Thanks psychomimetic! That was very helpful. I definitely don't want any more manic spells (I finally got those under control). I also don't want my depression to get worse or to get panic attacks even more so.

He definitely loves writing scripts. The first time I saw him I walked out with like 5 scripts! Wasn't expecting that. And it seems every time I see him he's either giving me a new script or changing my meds!

I may try the OTC meds you mentioned. I just know I need to get more energy in me. I can't stand the way I feel now. It takes everything I have to do normal every day things like playing with the kids, showering, going to the store, etc. I just want to be me again, active and happy!

I'd highly recomend trying out Phenylalanine especially. Rhodiola could make you tired or it could make you awake, generally low doses provide stimulation and high ones provide sedation. I always take 500 mg. as a dose for stimulation, but I know people who are put to sleep by that amount.

I've only started Phenylalanine recently, and I'm totally amazed at how great it is. I also have depression and anxiety, and the phenylalanine really helps with my energy levels. I've tried a lot of different OTC stimulants, and Phenylalanine is definitly the best I've tried. It's pleasent and gives a strong boost in both mood and energy, for me at least. I think it's definitly worth checking out because it's a lot safer then any prescription stim I know of, and it's also healthy.

I'd definitly work at reducing your meds, the benzos could also make the anxiety and depression worse in the long term if you use them a lot. I definitly understand wanting to keep benzos around, but you really shouldn't use them daily.

You should see another psychiatrist. You should really only get one script at a time unless the two have special effects when combined in my opinion, that way you can see the improvement or lack thereof with each addition med. You can also change your dose of individual meds and remove ones that aren't working as well as you'd like much better if you know what each one does for you instead of getting a pile of pills thrown at you and ending up with a lot of extra shit in you.

Taking stims would make you more awake, but you wouldn't be treating the problem, you'd be treating the symptom. The problem is that you're on too many meds and they're doing things you don't want them to. The only way to really solve your problem is to take less meds, because you're on a lot of downers and they're knocking you out, which is a sign that you're on too many downers. Medicine really shouldn't interfere with your ability to function unless absolutly neccesary.

 

[John_Burrows]

A good diet, enough sleep and some exercise can really work miracles.

I know the feeling you're talking about, where it seems like a monumental effort to just drag your butt out of bed onto the couch, but forcing yourself to get some physical activity will help A LOT.

There were days when I was withdrawing and felt like crap and had absolutley ZERO energy, but if I forced myself out the house and went for even just a walk Down the block, it made me feel SO much better! A brisk mile or two will completely change you.

Do you work? Or are you home a lot?

Of course, sex is a great way to fix a lot of problems, but that's a little trickier to discuss in the forums.

PM me for help with that ;-)

 

[belfort]

il just say this, if i were on that laundry list of meds i wouldnt have any energy either...lol..seriously, i would be a zombie...adding another script like provigil would help short term but then you have to deal with the side effects from that....look for a natural way..

 

[BabyGurl3171]

A good diet, enough sleep and some exercise can really work miracles.

I know the feeling you're talking about, where it seems like a monumental effort to just drag your butt out of bed onto the couch, but forcing yourself to get some physical activity will help A LOT.

There were days when I was withdrawing and felt like crap and had absolutley ZERO energy, but if I forced myself out the house and went for even just a walk Down the block, it made me feel SO much better! A brisk mile or two will completely change you.

Do you work? Or are you home a lot?

Of course, sex is a great way to fix a lot of problems, but that's a little trickier to discuss in the forums.

PM me for help with that ;-)

LOL *quietly hits PM button*

I work from home right now and thankful that I do b/c getting up and out would probably kill me right now! It's bad enough to listen to people bitch about their satellites not working over the phone, I'd probably punch them in person

I'm going to force myself to start walking again. I was for awhile and at first I thought omg I'm going to die! But it started getting better lol.

I'm also going to look into some of the natural methods mentioned.

I'd like to come off some of these pills and play oh yea they're working great mr idiot dr but I'm not sure how bad withdrawals would be, especially from the Geodon and Effexor XR.

 

[MgmtBlue]

Nice responses all the way through on this thread. I've noticed a reasonably healthy diet really does make a difference along with a multivitamin. I used to work out 5 days a week before my knees decided to crap out, for lack of a better phrase. You don't have to go crazy with exercise but as others have said even a brief walk will help.

I'd also echo what others have said about the amount of meds you are on, but only a doctor can really help you understand what you need and if you can consolidate some of those. I also completely understand that you will need to be on some sort of regimen to control the anxiety, bipolar, etc.. Good luck!

 

[AlCaponeUser]

juicer...i love it

 

[JamtasticX]

I know you said that you're on these for bi-polar/anxiety, but

Trazodone, Geodon , Requip, Effexor XR together, to me atleast, would seem to put quite a stress on the brain, and almost certainly tire you out. You might want to ask your Dr. if you can switch, and preferably combine two.

Nothing you can really do about the insulin, and metformin, so leave those alone.

Xanax,Neurontin,Percocet: You probably already have a tolerance to the neurontin, but sometimes lowering the dose a little will help if that's tiring you. Not sure you're xanax dosage scheldule, but perhaps switching to clonazepam or diazepam - a longer acting benzo - you could take less pills/be less tired. As for the percocet, do you have pain associated with depression? Or nerve pain? Just curious because of the gabapentin/perc, and I'd guess you probably aren't prescribed a high dose since it's perc and not oc, so that probably isn't making you tired, however, if you take several maybe you could go to a time released oc.

Not really sure if any of that helps, but perhaps some simple substitutions/adjustments could help. It probably won't because you're on a combination, so I doubt that just one will do it, but it might make an improvement atleast.

 

[Z Y G G Y]

therapy (for example CBT) and exercise can help you get rid of some of the meds which will eventually help your situation.

Also, a second opinion wouldn't hurt. I am not a doctor. I could give you some suggestions, but I just wouldn't be that comfortable doing that since you seem to have a lot going on and really need a great doctor to help you figure this out.

Neurontin supposedly isn't that great for anxiety. Why are you taking percocet? Some of the anxiety meds and anti depressants can be taken off with the help of therapy.

Get a new doctor. See what he/she says, come back, let us know and we'll try to help. With your symptoms I'd try to get at least one or two opinions more than the original one. It's a lot of meds to be taking. As someone said, psych docs often over medicate their patients. With psychiatry there is really no right or wrong...one doctor can treat you one way and another a totally different way. So what if your current doctor is totally off on what is wrong with you?

 

[Violenza666]

Just because a Dr writes scripts doesn't mean you have to take them. I've been "prescribed" paxil for years, have never taken a single pill. Just say I do, and take the ones I want.

Everyones happy at the end of the day.

I do this too with my celexa!! lol I hate anti depressants..