Looking for some practical advice. I’m very heavily medicated but very well and stable. At my last psychiatrist review I asked if my clozapine could be reduced at all because my morning dose makes me incredibly hazy. But he didn’t want to reduce the dose because of how well I am. I agree not to rock the boat but I just don’t know how to battle through and it’s getting me down a bit.
Fighting medication haze, practical advice?
- Thread starter Butterfly
- Start date
No suggestions on what to do, but I have experienced similar. Medical providers are notorious for not wanting to take a risk. If you’re doing okay, they won’t want to risk changing anything and then you go downhill.
My provider has said that he thinks that I am feeling better because of my meds, and changing anything would disturb my equilibrium. In other words, my feeling better is not a reason to reduce medication, although I would absolutely love to be taking fewer gd pills every day.
My provider has said that he thinks that I am feeling better because of my meds, and changing anything would disturb my equilibrium. In other words, my feeling better is not a reason to reduce medication, although I would absolutely love to be taking fewer gd pills every day.
The sticking point seems to be that what your psychiatrist is recommending has some compelling logic behind it, but at the same time it's understandable that the side effects are a big burden.
In principle, you could get a second opinion, but even if you found another psychiatrist willing to adjust your medication, the underlying risk of making adjustments would remain. Ultimately you have a right to put your foot down about what you're prescribed no matter who is prescribing it, but that could create more problems than it solves.
The only alternative to a medication change that I can imagine would be to make a change or get a treatment not prescribed by your psychiatrist, but that would also not interfere with your medication.
Some possibilities might be:
1 Lowering your stress level. I don't know if that would influence what you're experiencing, but possibly.
2 Dietary changes. Diet can certainly influence how you feel, but I don't know of any particular foods that would be recommended.
3 Acupuncture. You wouldn't need a psychiatrist to approve this, though if you got this treatment your acupuncturist should know what meds you're taking.
4 Chinese herbal medicine. You'd need your psychiatrist to sign off on this because of the possibility of drug interactions. I don't think the risk of interactions would be high, but he still might object.
5 Aerobic exercise, or something like yoga. Similar to 1&2, it could help but it's also not clear if it would address the specific symptoms that you have.
In principle, you could get a second opinion, but even if you found another psychiatrist willing to adjust your medication, the underlying risk of making adjustments would remain. Ultimately you have a right to put your foot down about what you're prescribed no matter who is prescribing it, but that could create more problems than it solves.
The only alternative to a medication change that I can imagine would be to make a change or get a treatment not prescribed by your psychiatrist, but that would also not interfere with your medication.
Some possibilities might be:
1 Lowering your stress level. I don't know if that would influence what you're experiencing, but possibly.
2 Dietary changes. Diet can certainly influence how you feel, but I don't know of any particular foods that would be recommended.
3 Acupuncture. You wouldn't need a psychiatrist to approve this, though if you got this treatment your acupuncturist should know what meds you're taking.
4 Chinese herbal medicine. You'd need your psychiatrist to sign off on this because of the possibility of drug interactions. I don't think the risk of interactions would be high, but he still might object.
5 Aerobic exercise, or something like yoga. Similar to 1&2, it could help but it's also not clear if it would address the specific symptoms that you have.