I was diagnosed with both borderline personality disorder and major depression two years ago, and have been on what seems to be a ton of meds. I think I've gotten the combination that works for me (finally!), although there are times when I still go through the typical symptoms of BPD. '

Anyway, I look forward to learning more about the disorder and perhaps make a few friends along the way. God bless you!

Anyone on Cogentin(sp?).  I just got put on it when my doc upped my Seroquel to 1000mg. She said it will help with side effects I have now(mostly slured speach) and ones I could get. She didn't say if there were any side effects to this med. And I was too tired, frustrated and exhausted to even ask.

Does anybody but me take mellaril (an old school antipsychotic) any more? I don't have issues with it, am in fact pleased with it, I just ask out of curiosity. If you don't take it have you ever heard of it? It is cheap, and I having been reading a lot of posts about how the U.S. pharmacy industry controls the market. My brother-in-law is a doctor, and he substantiates this. He won't take bribes from the pharmaceuticals to prescribe certain medications  and sometimes they won't give him money for research because of his refusal. His research interest is back pain.

Can Seroquel XR cause dental problems?  My wife  was on Seroquel XR for 2 years (300-600mg) and just recently backed herself off.  However, in the past couple years her dental issues have worsened, particularly in the past 6 months.  She is getting a lot of cavities, gum recession, sensitivity to hot and cold, and staining of the teeth.  Dentists are not sure why, because my wife brushes twice a day, flosses daily, uses flouride rinse daily,  and takes calicum (last dental appointment recommendation) and a multi vitamin daily.  She takes excellent care of her teeth, but she cant stop any of the problems.  The dentist just filled 4 cavities last month and today they found another 3, plus an old filling that is falling apart.  Plus they dont know why she is getting the gum recession on one tooth or the staining of the teeth (she doesnt even drink coffee or tea).  As of today the dentist decided on top of everything else that she is already doing he wants  her to use an electric toothbrush and to keep an eye on everything and see how things progress. 

Any one have any ideas?  Could the damage occurred from the 2 years of Seroquel?  She's no longer on it, however, now that she is off of that she has to take an over the counter sleeping pill at night to fall asleep.  However, I don't think the sleeping pill would cause any of these problems.

Please any advice would be helpful.  

Thanks!

For anyone on Lamictal, has your dose always gotten upped 25mg at a time or can it be done with say 50mg at a time? At 225mg right now. I see my med doc tomorrow. She said it will got to 225mg. This is the last time I am seeing her, start with a new med doc next time I go. Was just curious after all this time of moving up slowly if there is a possibility of moving up a bit quicker. Gotta get this rapid cycling under control!

Author's note and disclaimer:
I never dreamed this little post would cause so much controversy. I would like to state for the record that I do not advocate dumping your meds. I never did. I merely wanted us to all think outside the box...specifically, the little sample boxes our "new" meds come in. I wanted us to think about what was best for us as whole human beings, not just as melanges of chemicals to be manipulated by psychiatrists, often ineptly. I wanted us to think of new ways to care for ourselves, and each other. I believe that sometimes the industry is killing us to save us. I want that to stop. I want us to be able to say no, you don't have the right to poison me just because I am marginalized. I wanted to give us hope, especially the kids trapped in a prison not of their making. I never want my son to go through what I did, or what any of us do, or die the way Chuck Lauricella did. I think there has to be a better way in which meds are part...but not all...of the answer.
Namaste,
Zon



I've been reading posts and watching commercials and been through the mental health grinder for a long time now and have come down to ask a single, really important question.

What if we don't need more medications? What if the world we're in just sucks?

What if we don't need our chemicals rebalanced, we need our lives rebalanced? Is it functional to medicate yourself to the point of zombification so you can keep going on a life track that you hate, in a living space you hate, in a relationship that may be dysfunctional, in a job that sucks but you keep it because the ceo's robbed the country blind so now we're in a depression....

Is it "functional" to force yourself to function in circumstances that make you profoundly unhappy?

Is it "functional" to believe the American Dream of rapacious consumerism?

I came to this late one night while watching a drug company pitch Abilify as an add-on for anti-depressants. Abilify! I've seen friends go on Abilify; it was designed for schizophrenia and manic-stage bipolar disorder. It's an absolutely BRUTAL drug, but for that which it was designed, it does what it has to. But now we're giving it to people with depression? To what end? So that you're so doped you'll say and do whatever your P-doc or therapist wants you to?

We even do it to our CHILDREN. Our schools now resemble the American prison system more closely than they resemble any other institution. But instead of changing the institution to fit our childrens' needs, we put them on Ritalin and Abilify, often at the-not request-but demand-of the school system. It's not only a grave disservice to our kids, it often starts them on a lifetime habit of drug dependency of one type or another.

I think we need to change what's around us and allowed within us, not our med cocktails. Think HARD about what it is you want for yourself, and whether this next pill or treatment will get you there.

Maybe we're not really crazy at all. Maybe, we've just figured out what the hell's going on around here, and we don't like it.

renaissance2010
Turning to photography as a creative outlet during a valiant fight with breast cancer at age 34, renaissance10 survived and set up a photo contest to help raise funds for the Lavender Trust, a nonprofit that provides information and support to younger women with breast cancer. In the first two years, the competition brought in over £65,000 (that's $107,260.73 U.S.!), with entries from 130 countries last year. Renaissance10 recently joined LiveJournal to meet other passionate photographers and find supportive friends.

curiouscupcakes
Holy buttercream frosting! If you have a sweet tooth for sugary goodness or a wandering eye for whimsical confection, this is pure ecstasy iced in deliciousness. Hailing the beloved cupcake as the artisinal canvas of choice, you'll enjoy recipes, photos, and bountiful tips to bake up a batch, whether your taste leans toward French classics or funky and flavorful.

mission101
With New Years in the offing, it's an ideal time to reflect on past accomplishments, make peace with disappointments, and refocus the lens on future goals. This community welcomes you to create a bucket list of 101 things you plan to accomplish in the next 1,001 days. Offering support, guidance, and inspiration, this is a great way to jumpstart those pesky resolutions.

I'm on venlafaxine(effexor) 150mg, and though I'm not as depressed as I was, I think it may be working too well. I can't cry when I'm sad. I was wondering if anyone else has had this problem? There are times where I'm sad or something bad has happened and I have the urge to cry and can't....it's weird. anyone know anything about this?

Does anyone know which antipsychotics are weight neutral? I'm currently on Geodon and Risperdal, but have gained 25 pounds so far on the Risperdal (after gaining 60 on Seroquel).

I've just filled a prescription for pumicort, a puffer for asthma. Reading about it, it says it can interact with SSRI's and SNRI's, but it doesn't say how... so i can't make an educated choice about taking this puffer! Can anyone shed some light on what the interaction might be? I tried googling but no info on the actual interactions came up.

Thanks!!!