Comments by Theresa Trevor

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  • Hello Dr. Hassman,

    If I’m reading your response correctly, you’re asking about the details of the Vyvance and Adderall prescriptions? She prescribed me all the drugs I was on including the stimulants — 100mg of Vyvance and 35mg of Adderral if memory serves me correctly. Because the pharmacy only allows paper prescriptions for narcotic drugs, I had to call Dr. Fox to write me my Rx and then pick it up at her office.

    Several times she questioned me in a way that I think was supposed to seem innocuous – to make sure I wasn’t abusing these drugs. For example, she would write out my prescription on occasion and ask me “which pharmacy” I wanted it to go to when she knew very well which pharmacy I used. I believe she was making sure I didn’t have more than one prescription being filled at more than one pharmacy. There were other subtle questions she asked me to make sure I was not abusing my prescriptions (the humor is that I could always pick those questions out and indeed I WAS abusing my medication).

    The sad thing is, the Adderral and Vyvance did indeed help my focus — probably a lifelong and legitimate problem as well as one that was exacerbated by the depression. But these drugs cause a depressed person to feel like they are OK — happy even. And when a depressed person tastes happiness after days, months or even years of depression, that depressed person will go to any length to stay happy. And in my case, that was by taking more narcotics.

    And narcotics deadened my spirit, rendered me unable to socialize (previously I was an extremely social person), made me MORE sad, and caused me to become an addict who cared about nothing more than the next pill.

    The whole experience spiraled out of control over time — I believe that a person on any narcotic or psychological medication needs to be CLOSELY monitored every single month regardless of how “fine” they say they are. My story is not original — these drugs are potent; change people’s ways of functioning and alter our life experiences. This is a BIG DEAL. They shouldn’t be doled out like Tylenol.

    I appreciate you asking me for more information; if I didn’t answer your question, do let me know.

    Best,
    Theresa

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  • Thanks Erin. I am actually weaning off the Pristiq – the last medication I am currently taking – right now. I am down to 25mg from my original 100. It is a rather crazy journey but I am dedicated to experiencing the full-range of emotions and to knowing whoever I am “off drugs.”

    Thank you for the well wishes and motivation to keep moving forward.

    Theresa

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  • Dave,
    I’m really sorry to hear that. When I read what you wrote (as I have so many times on so many forums), it leaves me stumped. How and why is this experience so widespread and so pronounced yet we don’t talk about WHY.

    Doctors don’t say, “So how are those drugs working, Dave? Oh, you feel like crap and are afraid they’ve ruined your life? Let’s figure out how to change this system — it’s failing us.”

    Patients are by definition and necessity at times, in the passenger’s seat — and for whatever reason we feel we can’t challenge all-knowing doctors and pharmacists and pharmaceutical companies. But blogs and pubs like this one are starting to do just that, and I hope and pray the effect continues to make a difference.

    Be well — and know that things will and do get better even if it takes longer than we wish it would.

    Theresa

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  • Alex – thank you for your thoughts. I often wonder how much these doctors do know about the side effects of some of these drugs. I don’t want to believe they don’t give a damn, but at times it certainly seems so.

    As for developing the right tools, it’s an ongoing journey isn’t it? I am still working on it every day. It’s not easy but I have to believe that drugs are not the right answer. This isn’t to say that I believe drugs are wrong for everyone in all cases; in some cases they save lives. But ongoing use in my case, caused more pain than they were worth.

    I appreciate you taking the time to read my story.

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