Psychmeds

I've been having some issues with the psychiatric medications I'm currently taking that were prescribed by my psychiatrist. For example, lorazepam (Ativan) helps a lot with my anxiety, however, it makes me feel sleepy which is problematic since being alert during the day is important (especially with full-time college coming up soon for me). Then with antipsychotics, I need to take them but they also either seem to just knock me out and/or cause major weight gain (which is also unhelpful minus with my insomnia, but it causes extreme daytime drowsiness and I've also struggled with an eating disorder on and off for the past 11 years, so that can just trigger me to relapse into unhealthy eating habits).

I would ask my psychiatrist personally but he's very quick during appointments and basically just prescribes a pill then sends me on my way.

Anyways, to go back to the lorazepam/ativan issue, I also worry a bit about the addictive quality of that medication due to my addictive personality & tendencies both in the past and present.

But I don't know of a better alternative and I'm tight on money so (since most psychiatric medications are free in Ontario), my best option financially speaking is to take prescription psychiatric medications, since I don't have to pay for them. I'm on ODSP (Ontario long-term disability), so finances are extremely tight/I'm in poverty (note: I'm not being dramatic here, that is a genuine fact and you can look it up yourself if you don't believe me).

Anyways, basically my question is, how can I determine which psychiatric medications I should take when my psychiatrist isn't thorough or even borderline malpractices (and doesn't even give me drug info when giving me new prescriptions), and there's very long waitlists to get a new psychiatrist? Should I just call a pharmacist and see what they'd recommend maybe or should I not because psychiatric medications aren't necessarily their specialty (since that's what psychiatrists specialize in)?

I don't know what to do and I feel like my doctors don't either.

#MentalHealth #treatment #Doctors
#Psychiatry #Psychiatrists #Psychmeds #medications #MentalIllness #comorbidity #ADHD #Insomnia #SideEffects #comorbid #Anxiety #Mania

I have been working in pharmacy for about 7 years and have been battling with getting the right mental health diagnosis for almost that long. Like many others here I have tried so many different meds and combinations of meds. I just started taking an atypical antipsychotic, in addition to my other psych meds and of course (not thinking) I had the Rx sent to pharmacy where I work; (It's now only my part time job, I have a different full time job). Of course I had questions for my boss about what to expect when starting the meds. He had no idea about my mental health battle because I just moved to this location a couple months ago. He answered all of my questions and I went on my way. I saw my boss today for the first time since and he gave me this weird look, like "I didn't know you have bipolar" kind of look. He is super nice and very professional but I can't help but overthink that he sees me in a different way now.
Am I overthinking this? Has anyone else had a similar experience?

Here's a photo of me at my full time job

A lot of people in mental health have problems taking their medication. My problem is that I love taking my medication. With not distinction between the controlled or uncontrolled substances.
For almost half a year now, my pharmacy has been filling my medication into a lockbox. Which has been helping so much. I get my meds, correctly once a day. For $20 a month.
This month, they did not lock it properly. I could of just gone and told them. I should of. But no, I didn't do that.
I mean my first thought was, you don't need to do this and I meant it but I said to myself fuck you... and I have screwed myself.
I can no longer trust the pharmacy.
I just texted my best friend. I told him I messed up again tonight. He has known. I asked for help. I told him I would follow his rules unwavering.
We came up with a framework for a plan.
A 31 day medication planner, 30 minutes a day for me to talk to him about how I feel about sobriety (although it's not quite that, it's more like an OCD tick for any pill) but I suppose sobriety nonetheless and I thought I would start a journal about it. Also, we would get a lockbox, since I stay at his place so often. And the $20 a month, I would put aside. #medicationmanagement #Askingforhelp #Sobriety #Psychmeds #takingmeds #SubstanceRelatedDisorders #SubstanceUseDisorders #SubstanceAbuse #SubstanceMisuse

I took Latuda for the first time yesterday and I’m pretty sure it knocked me out for the day. I got really sleepy in this weirdly irritable kind of way and just stayed in bed the rest of the day. I’m supposed to take Latuda in the morning, but the insatiable sleepiness I’m pretty sure it causes takes me out of commission. What are other people’s experience with Latuda? My psychiatrist told me it was essentially side effect free.
Trialing meds is exhausting!
#TreatmentresistantDepression #Psychmeds #Depression

Will some of the side effects of psych meds be experienced for as long as you’re taking them? #Psychmeds #Antidepressant #Xanax

See, that’s one thing I’ve gotten really good at – manipulating myself into believing I’ll be OK.

An OK person would not have to take medications just to not fall into the grips of mania, staying awake for days, binge eating, spending like crazy, and not able to sit or concentrate. An OK person would not want to crash using alcohol, just to sleep. An OK person would not want to jump off every bridge they see and overdose on their medications.

#MySymptoms