Hi everyone,
I used to be a happy go lucky girl. I am now a grumpy old b___h. I am currently taking 10 mg. of oxys. for bulging discs in my neck. I have noticed lately that I get very moody, I yell at my dog, I yell at my son, I get very anxious and I'm very impatient. I also would like to throw something if I can get away with it , but I know that I would have to clean it up. But I don't know what has happened. I'm under alot of stress because of financial problems. I have been looking for a job for the past year with no luck. We are overdrawn big time at the bank, we had a vehicle repod., we are really behind on bills, and my son's deadbeat dad is behind 2 mts. on his child support, which now means going to court again. I'm a total wreck. I'm not happy at all with my life. I just wish it would get better and I wish that I could get better. I hate being the way that I am. I don't know what else to do. I'm at my wits end. I don't know if it's the medication, but I am also taking Wellbutrin 300 mg., klonopin 1 mg. 3 x's a day, and the Oxys. I just feel that I'm anxious all the time. It's seems that I don't get any rest. I can't sleep at night and I don't get up the next day until 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. because I have nothing to do or I don't have the energy to do anything or I'm just to depressed. If I had my way I would just stay in the bed all the time, but I make myself get up and get going because there's things that have to be done. I hate myself because lately it seems that I yell at my son, which he's not well either because of his Epileptic seizures, I worry about hem all the time, but I find my self getting angry at him. My husband is trying to hang in there for me, but I know that he is getting tired of it all. All I need is some advice, or can someone tell me that things will get better. Should I talk to my pmd. and tell him everything that I told you all? Please can someone help give me some hope!

To the last question. Definentally go to your family doctor Ma'am! I worked at an ER for a long time and my guess is he might suggest you see a therapist to help to reorganize and remotivate your life goals. Their are people that want to help you! Utilize that. Best wishes. Perhaps a bit of the old Marijuana might calm you down and replace the need for the oxys. It can be medically prescribed these days. I have been on medications similar in the past and I felt almost bi-polar at times, such mood swings. Might check to see if your mood lately could be connected to your medication? Best wishes Ma'am

Welcom Dizzybigred... I think you've come to the right place to get some answers to your questions. Without giving any specific advice, I'd just like to share with you my experience. When I was a single Mom and in a similar financial situation as you find yourself, with chronic pain, no support systems, etc., my life seemed so horribly out of control that I wanted to end it all. The only reason I carried on was for my daughter who was about 3 or 4 at the time. She's now 26, married, teaching school and expecting her first child in 4 months! Now I thank God every day that I didn't take the easy way out. But, back to your situation. Someone pointed out to me at the time that I could probably handle each problem if it was the ONLY problem I had to deal with. But 3 or 4 major crisis in your life at once with chronic pain added into the mix is almost paralyzing in its enormity. I've been on certain medications that have made me a raving bi**h as well! I hated the person I became when I was on oxycontin as well as percocet. You should sit down with your doctor and lay it all on the table the way you've explained it to us on the board. What saved me was having a doctor see that I was clinically depressed to the point where I couldn't even begin to make basic decisions about my life. I was put on Prozac at that time and it really was a miracle drug for me. Over the years I've switched anti depressants, but I'm still taking them and I'm glad to have them in my arsenal. As for the sleeping...there are some pain medications that actually have stimulant properties. I'm sure others will post with the exact drugs. But if you are taking a pain med that keeps you up all night, it would make sense that you want to sleep until 1 or 2 in the afternoon. But depression can also cause the sleeping problem. It seems like you need to have a professional figure out the cause of all your symptoms from the personality changes to the sleeping difficulties to your inability to deal with the normal day to day events of the average home with kids. I know you must hate yourself everytime you react to your son with anger and negativity! That causes more guilt and more depression. I would suggest that after you get some professional help with your depression and sleep issues that you ask your county resource center for referals to support groups that might help you with chronic pain issues, parenting support (if you think that's a really big issue). Also, could your husband take some of the responsibility of finding credit counselors (the FREE ones) to sit down and help draw up a plan to get out of debt. I really think if you can take each problem and write it on a piece of paper and below it list the positive steps you are going to take to at least get the process rolling toward solving the problem you will start feeling like you are more in control. Sorry to have gone on so long, but I could relate so much to what you had to say and wanted to share with you that I've been there more than once and there really is light at the end of the tunnel. All the best, Kathy Mac

W-Hellbutrin 300 mg!! THAT'S IT!!

When I took Wellbutrin I turned into a total b___h too!! My best friend was the same way when she tried it! I could tell it in myself and in her. Trust me that medicine will do that!!!

The added stress and pain doesn't help but trust me when I say that changing over to another antidepressant will change your life!!! It did for both of us!! ((HUGS)) I now take Lexapro! Works great!! Good luck!!

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Edited to add: I also wanted to let you know that I was on oxy and klonopin 1 mg 3 X s a day at that time too!

Drewtn
My sister is on Lexapro and she says that it makes her sleepy and tired. She's been taken it for about a week now. I told her it probably hasn't gotten in her system really good yet. I will probably go back to my psycdoc. and tell him to let me try Lexapro. I kinda notice that I get really anxious when I'm on the Wellbutrin, but I wanted on it because it was one of the ad's that wasn't supposed to make you gain weight. Are you still taken the Oxys. and klonopins to? I wen't two days ago and had my first epidural done on my neck and I told him about the Oxys. so he switched me to Vicodins instead, but the epidural hasn't done anything for me. It still feels the same, if not worse. I have taken (3) Vicodins 7.5/500 today and they aren't doing any good either. I don't know what else to try. Maybe if I get my ad's changed then I'll go back on the Oxy's and see how I fell. Thanks.

Right now I am on the Duragesic patch, Diluadid for B.T., Klonopin 1 mg 4 times a day and Lexapro 20 mg at night. I guess I was never really tired with the Lexapro. If I was it went away. I did like the idea of losing weight while on the Wellbutrin too. BUT I got to the point I could barely stand myself!! LOL I am serious!! It got pretty bad. The oxy actually helped me lose weight. Could be that it was because I was nauseous all the time. (Which is why I changed to the patch) Although I did like the energy I had with it. Probably the only thing that didn’t make me tired.

I tried Prozac for a while and couldn’t keep my eyes open! It was really hard to stay awake. Honestly if I were you I would try another A.D. and go back to the oxy if you can. I got much more pain relief from the oxy. Celexa is another A.D. that is close to Lexapro. I have tried most of them and the Lexapro is the best as far as less side effects and effectiveness. (for me anyway) I have been on it for over a year at least.

Does your sister take her Lexapro at night?? That is what I do. It also may get better when she gets used to it. I think they recommend at least 3 weeks to a month before you try to change you’re A.D. To see if it really works. (As long as you can stand the side effects.)

Good luck and let us know how it goes!!

Drewtn,

Thanks for the advice. I talked to my sister today and if I can remember she told me that she takes them in the morning, but I asked her how she was doing today and she said a little better except being a little nauseated. She once was taking Klonopin and the doctor switched her to the Lexapro. She was very upset because she said that the Klonopin made her feel very good and in a good mood all the time. I'm taking the Klonopins also but they make me somewhat down, so I usually try to take is a night to help me sleep. The reason the psychD. switched her is because they have stopped prescribing the Klonopins period. She said that alot of people abused them, such as crushing them and snorting it to get them high faster. I don't think that is fair that they do this especially if it is really helping other people. It looks like they can look at a person and tell if they are a drug addict or not, don't ya think? I had to go to my regular Dr. to get more Klonopins and he put on there 5 refills. That's a big relief. I have an app. with my psychD. next week and I can't wait because I'm going to see if he will let me try the Lexapro because I took a Wellbutrin and a Oxy. this morning and I have been nothing but a total b___h today, and I feel very anxious, that's why I took a Klonopin but that made me very down and tired. So I guess I have rambled on long enough. Oh, by the way. I go to a pain management clinic and they put me on the Oxy's at first, then the hydro's., but if none of them are really helping me should I tell them. I'm afraid that they would think that I'm an addict and I just want something stronger or something, because when I went to see the Dr.s assistant I told the I wanted to try the Methadone and she went to talk to the Dr. and he said no way. I wonder why? I didn't ask no questions. I guess it's because I asked for it, right? Well talk to ya later.

I’m glad your sister is starting to feel better with the Lexapro. I haven’t had any nausea but you never know what the side effects will be for each person. I can’t imagine changing to Lexapro from Klonopin. Yikes that would be tough.

The Klonopins just calm me down. When I feel like I am stressed to the max or am going to be in a stressful situation I take one. They just relax me a bit. I also take them to help me sleep. Glad you got 5 refills. It takes away the stress of not knowing what next month will hold. Right now I get mine 3 months at a time with one refill. I just heard about some that melt in your mouth. Have you ever heard of that?? I would think they would take effect faster. I might ask my doc next visit.

Honestly I would tell them that the medicine they have you on isn’t working well enough. Especially if you are just starting out and trying to find something that works. I can’t believe they told you no to Methadone! What a trip! I would think it would be something they would want you to try! That is really odd.

You might want to tell the pain doc when you change from the Wellbutrin. It could affect the other meds you take. The oxy may work if you take the Wellbutrin away. Never know?

Good luck and let me know how it goes!! I really think you will like the Lexapro. I hope it works for you!! :)