I usually post on the depression board but I have an anxiety question. I take a number of meds which are suppose to help both the depression and anxiety. But lately I have become really jumpy, headaches,stiff neck etc. So which med is not doing his job: effexor, wellbutrin, remeron, zyprexa, lithium or trazodone. I have a severe form of major deppresive disorder and GAD which is why I take so many. Thanks for your help

take care
trg247

what a cocktail :jester:
several psychs I know would be horrified and say you are taking far too many meds, they may well be fighting against eachother in you
your doc must have a shotgun approach or perhaps he believes everything the drug co salespeople tell him??

I have been on this combo for four months or so. It was working well for the anxiety but not very good for the depression. Problem now is the anxiety is rearing its ugly head again

take care
trg247

perhaps take any benzo as needed

the big thing now is I don't want to have to add to the list but fix the ones I already have. With each new med I worry for the next month that it is not going to interact with the ones I am already taking

take care
trg247

Too many meds, anyone's guess. It could be culmative side effects appearing from the stimulating drugs aka wellbutrin and effexor, but more likely the downer drugs aka zyprexa, trazodone that keep those stimulating ones in line are failing (tolerance) to do so.

You might have to up the zyprexa but it can cause depression so that might be a problem since you already have depression.

This is exactly why psych meds are getting such bad press these days. They are all highly addictive (physical), stop working (tolerance) have disturbing side effects , can actually over time worsen pre-existing conditions(downregulation) and are dangerous to come off of unless very slow and vigilate tapering is used.

Sorry to be such a downer but it really bugs me. I hope you can get an answer from your doctor; maybe even just dropping one of the stimulating drugs might help(with extremely slow taper however) or else you might have to up the dose of one of the sedating ones to counter the anxiety.....nobody here can really advise you at this point you need to consult the doctor.

I know all the side effects to the meds I take and it bothers me. Unfortunately without them I can not function. Wish there was a middle ground.

take care
trg247

Sorry, wish there was something else that could be done, maybe someday..

I thought the Zyprexa was an antipsycotic. I figured the one to up is either wellbutrin or effexor?

take care
trg247

trg247,

You thought right. Zyprexa is an antipsychotic, usually prescribed to treat the symptoms of psychosis in schizophrenics and those with bi-polar, however, is prescribed as well for those who suffer with depression with psychotic features.

But lately I have become really jumpy, headaches,stiff neck etc. So which med is not doing his job: effexor, wellbutrin, remeron, zyprexa, lithium or trazodone.
take care
trg247

You asked which is not doing the job, but it seems more likely that one of the more stimulating drugs is the cause of the muscle tension, jumpiness, and anxiety. My guess is either Wellbutrin or Effexor would be causing this.

I thought the Zyprexa was an antipsycotic. I figured the one to up is either wellbutrin or effexor?

take care
trg247

Antipsychotics have a side effect of sedation; actually, most AD's are meant to be stimulating....certainly not what one needs when they have anxiety... but I guess they can have a paradoxal effect for some people so they prescribe for anxiety. But the neuros that AD's work on....serotonin, dopamine and norepinphrine are not inhibitory(sedating) but rather excitatory. In fact, norepinphrine is a form of adrenaline. Serotonin and dopamine are pre-cursers to adrenaline...this is why me and the other poster suspect your AD's are causing your anxiety and the Zyprexa might not be holding it down anymore.

Even if you don't have the anxiety side effect initially, it can be culmative and appear later in treatment. Nervousness and anxiety are listed side effects of most SSri's.

Antipsychotics are major tranquilizers, they really knock the nervous system down but they can loose effect and cause some rebound anxiety. They also can cause very serious nervous system/movement disorders. Not the best thing to be on.