Long term effect of meds ---how do we know??

I have had migraines and chronic daily headaches for the last 29 yrs. Have tried all types of treatments and just about all the different meds that are available.

I am currently on Topamax - 100mg, Ami - 35mg, Morphine IMM 15mg, Lorcet 10/650, Robaxin, Promethazine, Xanax (when needed) and Stadol (for breakthrough).

As I wrote in my other post, I am very depressed because of what I went through in the last couple of years. I use to be a very social, outgoing person. Now, I don't want to be around people or go out and meet people. Since I am recently single, I would love to start dating again, but my self-esteem is so low, and I seem to just not have the energy to get back out there and do it!

This makes for a very lonely existence. I don't want to be alone... So, how do we know it's not all these meds that we have been on that makes us feel this way? That makes us feel depressed, have no energy, gives us the "why bother" attitude. Of course, I know some of it has to do with all the pain I am in most days and having to explain or not explain to someone else. But, this just isn't me and I miss the real me.

Anyone else feel this way? Think meds have anything to do with it?

I guess it's quite possible that it could be the drugs. Did you notice the change with the addition of anything new? You could take a look at the listed side effects of what you are taking and see what they say too.

Good luck to you.

Very interesting question.

I had elevated LFT for many years, and was told this was due to fatty liver, the levels where not very high but consistently so. I was not told to stop taking the pain meds but as an experiment I did for six months, surprise surprise my LFTs have returned to normal, the Drs said pain meds at the amounts I was taking them should not have an effect on my liver, seems they don't know the long term effects.

I am a little anxious about the long term effects of Butterbur on my liver, but to be honest I am passed caring, to be honest with each pain free day it is a price I am prepared to pay afterall ALL meds give our liver a hard time even prescribed meds,

Peter

I guess I don't worry about that. I didn't last long enough on any preventative to have long term effects - the short term ones were scary enough. Now trying a combo of butterbur, feverfew, B2, Magnesium and CoQ10 - so far zilch for side effects.

I also don't take the abortives and rescue enough that I'm worried what that'll do. However most drugs they give us, are for a different condition and who knows what the long-term effects are as I doubt that they were designed to have someone on them long term.

Get off the Topamax!!! I have never been depressed in my life, even happier than the average person until I was prescribed Topamax.

Topamax was evil. I can't believe they prescribe this medication even though some do get "some" help from it. Unless you are seeing "dramatic" changes in your migraines, I would recommend getting off this drug. I bet you would notice a difference.

I had a thread running on this subject a while ago, but cant find it now.
We need to be careful, we are lab rats.

Pen

It's definitely possible that these meds could be affecting your mood. From my experience, the less medication I'm on, the better I have felt emotionally. I spent an entire year of my life in a fog from meds without even realizing it. When I got off of them entirely, it was like I had to meet myself all over again, and I enjoyed myself much more than being in that fog.

I would recommend telling your doctor that you would like to reduce the meds to determine their real efficiency one by one. Then, keep a very detailed log of what you're taking, when you're taking it, how your migraines were that day, whether you had any mood triggers (fight with a spouse, etc), the weather, and how your mood was overall.You would think that you could just tell what the meds have changed easily without doing this, but when you struggle with anxiety/depression on regular days, it's hard to tell if it's a new med or just another cycle of moodiness.

estre004 wrote:Get off the Topamax!!! I have never been depressed in my life, even happier than the average person until I was prescribed Topamax.

Topamax was evil. I can't believe they prescribe this medication even though some do get "some" help from it. Unless you are seeing "dramatic" changes in your migraines, I would recommend getting off this drug. I bet you would notice a difference.

I agree 100% with estre, it's a horrible drug that can cause a trainload of problems and depression is just one of them. It's also produces very irrational thinking and when you combine that with depression it can be very bad news.

We have to deal with not only the long term effects but also the immediate effects of combining meds. There is good info on combining most drugs together but when you add a third or a fourth there is little to no info. The numbers are logarithmic and nearly impossible to test. That is what a nurse practitioner told me. And therefore she does not want her patients on more then two drugs.

As Pen mentioned we are certainly lab rats and guinea pigs. Think about all the drugs that have been "FDA approved" only to find out they end up causing some serious and even deadly side effects. Vioxx, viagra, reglan. It's a very disturbing list.

Any OTC drug that was once a prescription only was tested on the general population via doctors prescribing and reporting side effects. Drugs companies make a boat load of money once their drug hits the open market and no longer needs doctor prescribing.

I understand Topamax is a very discussed drug on this forum and I understand why that is. This is my fourth time on it. I have not had any bad experiences with it. The reasons for getting off was because my body became tolerant and it lost its effect. I was also on it with Ami once before. So, now I am on it at a low dosage, and so far, no bad side effects.

All of you brought up some good points. No one really does know what these things are doing to our bodies. For me the meds afford me an opportunity to work and to have some quality of life. Without them, I wouldn't have one. I guess that is what we are all working towards, a life, with or without meds.

I just get so confused sometimes because I didn't use to feel this way, but then again I have always been on medication. So, then I think, well, maybe it's just depression. Oh...this vicious cycle!

Hugs to all of you!