Go see a doctor to get meds re-adjusted or changed. See another doctor for a 2nd opinion.

If he wanted off the meds, he would have to be withdrawn gradually under medical supervision,

otherwise he could have life-threatening seizures. He likely needs to research and find the best doctor he can to re-evaluate.

PROBIOTICS can change a lot of that. Get natural ones, sold in a health food store that need to be refrigerated. Some have tons of probiotics in them and can really change you for the good.

For me, I've never had a prescription for anything in my adult life. Maybe needed something from time to time, but I just refuse to be part of big pharma that way. I get it, some people need it, benefit from it. I'm not judging that. Just stating my own conviction.

And if you want to come off drugs, def don't go cold turkey. Talk to your doctor about it, and if they want you to stay on it, find another doctor. There is more to life's solutions than another pill.

The seriousness of the types of medications cannot be emphasized enough. Many pills used for sleep/anxiety etc are addictive and the body becomes accustomed to them which is why they can't be stopped cold turkey...seizures. He also likely should not be driving at all.

This person likely needs to be talking to a therapist regarding anxiety/sleep etc.

Why is a young person on 12 medications??

Good nutrition, daily exercise, talk therapy should be part of his/her life as well as gradual, supervised withdrawal of the unnecessary meds per an MD. He needs to get a second opinion by an MD who is well-respected.

I'm a bit rattled by this story as it seems dangerous on many levels

Most Steelers fans.

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[Edited 2/4/21 6:39am]

Is he taking Ambien for insomnia? It's a horrible drug that should be taken off the market.

TrivialPursuit said:

PROBIOTICS can change a lot of that. Get natural ones, sold in a health food store that need to be refrigerated. Some have tons of probiotics in them and can really change you for the good.

For me, I've never had a prescription for anything in my adult life. Maybe needed something from time to time, but I just refuse to be part of big pharma that way. I get it, some people need it, benefit from it. I'm not judging that. Just stating my own conviction.

And if you want to come off drugs, def don't go cold turkey. Talk to your doctor about it, and if they want you to stay on it, find another doctor. There is more to life's solutions than another pill.

Probiotics aren't going to do squat for someone who is overusing (and probably addicted to) the kinds of medications being discussed here. Sorry to be so blunt - but it's true.

I do agree that the friend is going to need professional help getting off this stuff. I took a miniscule dose of fluoxetine (I'm talking 10 mg/day - which is barely a therapeutic dose, at all) for four years, and I still had to be weaned off. I had palpitations and felt like I was coming out of my skin for a good month. It's going to take a long time and be very difficult.

I don't know what sleeping pill he takes, but I had a couple frightening experiences with Ambien. Nothing as extreme as getting in a car and driving, but lapses in memory that were enough to convince me that my correct dosage was a quarter of what my doctor prescribed. (Seriously. Where most people take 5 mg or even 10 of that stuff, I cut a 5 mg tablet into four tiny pieces.)

kitbradley said:

Here's the thing: the shorter acting a medication is (for example, Ambien has a half-life of three hours), the more potentially addictive it is. I hope that if your friend is on short-acting meds for anxiety and insomnia, his doctor not only tries to wean him off - but can maybe switch some to longer-acting alternatives.

Genesia said:

Genesia said:

luv4u said:

Go see a doctor to get meds re-adjusted or changed. See another doctor for a 2nd opinion.

doctors are the problem...theyve become nothing more than drug runners for the pharmaceutical companies...im pretty sure the friend's doctor is who got them hooked in the first place... they need a natural cleansing...lots of flouride free water...plenty of bananas and avocados and spinach... and isolation from stress anddistractions...there is no drug that can help you get off another drug... youre just asking for more problems like that.... everything that friends needs for help is already in his/her body or easily available at a health food store...its just gonna require ALOT of discipline and sacrifice...more doctors and more drugs will only exacerbate the problems

RJOrion said:

luv4u said:

Go see a doctor to get meds re-adjusted or changed. See another doctor for a 2nd opinion.

doctors are the problem...theyve become nothing more than drug runners for the pharmaceutical companies...im pretty sure the friend's doctor is who got them hooked in the first place... they need a natural cleansing...lots of flouride free water...plenty of bananas and avocados and spinach... and isolation from stress anddistractions...there is no drug that can help you get off another drug... youre just asking for more problems like that.... everything that friends needs for help is already in his/her body or easily available at a health food store...its just gonna require ALOT of discipline and sacrifice...more doctors and more drugs will only exacerbate the problems

Some mental health issues have to be treated with medication, which should be non-addictive.

Benzos (Xanax, Valium, Ativan, Klonipin etc) are often prescribed for anxiety, insomnia etc., are particularly addictive and difficult/dangerous to wean from.

alphastreet said:

Genesia said:

Probiotics aren't going to do squat for someone who is overusing (and probably addicted to) the kinds of medications being discussed here. Sorry to be so blunt - but it's true.

I do agree that the friend is going to need professional help getting off this stuff. I took a miniscule dose of fluoxetine (I'm talking 10 mg/day - which is barely a therapeutic dose, at all) for four years, and I still had to be weaned off. I had palpitations and felt like I was coming out of my skin for a good month. It's going to take a long time and be very difficult.

I don't know what sleeping pill he takes, but I had a couple frightening experiences with Ambien. Nothing as extreme as getting in a car and driving, but lapses in memory that were enough to convince me that my correct dosage was a quarter of what my doctor prescribed. (Seriously. Where most people take 5 mg or even 10 of that stuff, I cut a 5 mg tablet into four tiny pieces.)

I’m on prozac/fluoxetine as well, sorry to hear it didn’t work out

Oh, the medication worked fine. It was getting off that was the problem.

Of course, I had a reaction when I stopped taking Zyrtec (an antihistamine), too. I had a junkie itch that lasted a good month - even though I took only half of the standard dose. I may just be someone whose system amplifies or hangs onto medications.

Margot said:

Benzos (Xanax, Valium, Ativan, Klonipin etc) are often prescribed for anxiety, insomnia etc., are particularly addictive and difficult/dangerous to wean from.

and thats exactly (especially in the psychiatric field) how doctors create addicts and virtual zombies by KNOWINGLY prescribing medications that the patient cant capably function without...no different than a crack/cocaine/heroin/opiate dealer, except for the legality of the hustle... there have ALWAYS been natural and holistic remedies for whatever ails the human mind & body.... but at this point in history, almost everyone is brainwashed to trust a total stranger with their life and health, just because he has a nice office with plaques on the wall and he's wearing a nice white robe, and has a beautiful home and car (thanks to "sick" people)...no surprise that the Universal symbol (The Caduceus} for doctors, medicine, and pharmacies and hospitals, is two serpents wrapped around a winged staff... a dark ANCIENT symbol associated with Alchemy, Wisdom, Thieves, Trade, Liars and Eloquence

RJOrion said:

Margot said:

Benzos (Xanax, Valium, Ativan, Klonipin etc) are often prescribed for anxiety, insomnia etc., are particularly addictive and difficult/dangerous to wean from.

and thats exactly (especially in the psychiatric field) how doctors create addicts and virtual zombies by KNOWINGLY prescribing medications that the patient cant capably function without...no different than a crack/cocaine/heroin/opiate dealer, except for the legality of the hustle... there have ALWAYS been natural and holistic remedies for whatever ails the human mind & body.... but at this point in history, almost everyone is brainwashed to trust a total stranger with their life and health, just because he has a nice office with plaques on the wall and he's wearing a nice white robe, and has a beautiful home and car (thanks to "sick" people)...no surprise that the Universal symbol (The Caduceus} for doctors, medicine, and pharmacies and hospitals, is two serpents wrapped around a winged staff... a dark ANCIENT symbol associated with Alchemy, Wisdom, Thieves, Trade, Liars and Eloquence

There are some conditions that do require medication such as bi-polar, psychosis,

extreme trauma/PTSD.

But I agree that many just have difficulty w/the everyday ups and downs of life and want a pill.

Doctors and ER'S are besieged w/demands from patients who demand drugs for 'pain', 'nerves' etc.

This behavior swallows up an inordinant amount of an MD's time and sometimes they aquiesce just to get them out of the ofc/ER.

[Edited 1/29/21 9:45am]

purplethunder3121 said:

In the past couple of years, I found myself amassing more and more pill bottles on my nightstand.

I finally had a heart-to-heart with my (new) doctor & told him that I did NOT want to live popping 6 pills a day.

Eating right and exercise should allow me to remain off a few. The blood pressure and cholesterol pills will be reevaluated in a couple of months.

...and I refused a sleeping pill. My pre-bedtime routine had to change and I have been sleeping soundly for the most part.

PurpleJedi said:

In the past couple of years, I found myself amassing more and more pill bottles on my nightstand.

I finally had a heart-to-heart with my (new) doctor & told him that I did NOT want to live popping 6 pills a day.

Eating right and exercise should allow me to remain off a few. The blood pressure and cholesterol pills will be reevaluated in a couple of months.

...and I refused a sleeping pill. My pre-bedtime routine had to change and I have been sleeping soundly for the most part.

I am guilty of late night screen time which can disrupt sleep

RJOrion said:

luv4u said:

Go see a doctor to get meds re-adjusted or changed. See another doctor for a 2nd opinion.

doctors are the problem...theyve become nothing more than drug runners for the pharmaceutical companies...im pretty sure the friend's doctor is who got them hooked in the first place... they need a natural cleansing...lots of flouride free water...plenty of bananas and avocados and spinach... and isolation from stress anddistractions...there is no drug that can help you get off another drug... youre just asking for more problems like that.... everything that friends needs for help is already in his/her body or easily available at a health food store...its just gonna require ALOT of discipline and sacrifice...more doctors and more drugs will only exacerbate the problems

So are the drug companies

jfenster said:

Coffee count?