Over the last week, I've started posting on this blog again- my pdoc thinks that's always a bad sign when I do that, but I've had so many awesome ideas and discoveries, I have to get them down. The last week, I figured out why and how antipsychotics are killing me.
With or without meds, I still hallucinate, have delusions, get hypo/mania and sometimes depression. (Recently, I thought people were in my walls so I hid under the covers in my room. Yes I did - at 47!) Meds have trashed my physical health over the years. I have a list "this long" from a checkout report after I saw my primary doctor recently. (See below.) It includes my "list of complaints"- all the things wrong with me currently- all of my current diagnoses. To read it, you'd think "Geeze! Why hasn't she just dropped dead already?" I attribute these back to one thing: psych meds. (Obese, high blood pressure, high blood sugar... )For instance, lithium carbonate trashed my thyroid. I now have big nodules, hypothyroidism and a metabolism that's in the toilet. Moreover, Zyprexa gave me fatty liver disease and by the time we found it, it was pretty advanced. I'm desperately trying to diet and exercise to reverse this- but its still there and Ive been off zyprexa and Lithium Carbonate for quite a bit now.
These are not all my complaints but today I really don't feel good physically- haven't for several days.
List of medical problems according to my primary doctor:
1. Pulmonary embolism [twice], will need life long anticoagulation. (12/18/2005), no known cause. Possibly side effect from surgery. Treatment: life-long anticoagulant use.
2. Migraine headache. (3/12/2008), Known cause: triggers such as caffeine withdrawal, weather changes, many others. Treatment: Tegretol (intractable migraine/pain admin. by medical professional only) infrequent) and Sumatriptan (As needed. Doesn't work as well as Tegratol.)
3. Hypothyroidism and multinodular goiter. (Unknown). Possible cause: Years of treatment with Lithium Carbonate- mood stabilizer. Effects: Dry, itchy skin, Extremely slow metabolism; disturbance of many bodily functions (including metabolism) which rely on both T3 and T4, extreme tiredness, others. Treatment: T4 replacement (Levoxyl).
4. Obstructive sleep apnea, adult. Effects: Frequent low oxygen saturation levels, heart disease/palpatations, feeling of being unrested, falling asleep while driving. Cause: repeated obstruction of airway due to excessive fat in the throat, weight gain linked to long-term antipsychotic use. Treatment: weight losse; Use of CPAP/BiPap.
5. Food allergy- specifically, seafood. Effects: anaphylaxis. Cause: unknown. Treatment: Epipen, Benedryl, avoid allergen.
6. Thyroiditis, lymphotic. Cause: Hypothyroidism/ling-term use of Lithium Carbonate (Mood stabilizer.)
7. Anxiety disorder. Cause: situational; part of bipolar disorder; treatment: benzodiazepine (discontinued), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy.
8. Schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type. (11/2013- and earlier/no date). Cause: childhood and/or adult trauma possible; genetics; unknown other factors.
8a. Bipolar 1 disorder. (2005- present.) See "8. Schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type.
9. Metabolic syndrome. Cause: High blood pressure, high blood sugar, and obesity. Effects: Extremely slow metabolism, risk of stroke, risk of heart attack, exacerbated obesity and negative effects of such the afforementioned, - causes: atypical antipsychotics, especially Clozaril and Zyprexa (Olanzapine).
10. Akathesia. (2014/2018) (Uncontrollable muscle movements. Frequent and continuous. See "7. Anxiety Disorder.) Cause: side effect to various antipsychotics.) Treatment: benzodiazepines. Removal/decrease of mood antipsychotic.
11. Hypercalcemia. (2016)
12. Colon adenoma. (2016).
13. Dysphonia. (2018). Affects vocal cords; difficulty talking and singing. Cause: unknown. Treatment: voice therapy.
14. Vocal cord paralysis, unilateral partial. Treatment: none. Cause: unknown.
15. Mild intermittent asthma without complication. (1988- present). Cause, unknown. Exposure to allergens to pet dander, seasonal allergies, cigarette smoke, perfume, certain foods and MSG; others. Treatments: albuterol rescue inhaler, steroid inhaler (preventaive). Possible: hospital treatment if episode is severe.
16. Essential hypertension. (2018). Complications: heart attack; stroke. Cause: obesity brought on my antipsychotics, especially Zyprexa (Olanzapine.)
17. Fatty liver disease. (2017?) (Elevated liver enzymes) Cause: obesity. Fat in the liver, brought on by rapid weight gain, especially due to long-term use of Zyprexa (Olanzapine). Complications: cirrhosis of the liver; death.
OVERALL TREATMENT:
Regular exercise (3/4 times a week); diet changes (Fewer calories, more fiber, protein and fresh vegetables and fruits.) Possible discontinuation/ replacement of offending medications. Get vitals checked often; keep doctor appointments.
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