Ugh. I take 40mg of Ritalin a day (10 4 times, or 20 in the morning, 20 later in the day, sometimes more, sometimes less) and I get kinda delusional when it wears off.
The bottle says “Take 20-40mg daily as needed.”
I’m going to have to bite the bullet, get over drowsiness and taper myself down to 20mg. I can’t stand the delusions. I have PRN Haldol (5-10mg) and I’ve been taking it a LOT lately. Even with the Piportil injections.
I got freaked when they said Piportil was back ordered. I thought I’d have to switch injections, from something that works well, to something else, that I’d never tried before. It scared the shit out of me. Fortunately, my pharmacy contacted the manufacturer and they have a steady supply for me. The legal drug trade. The manufacturer gives my pharmacy the meds, then I give ‘em to my doctor, he loads it into a syringe, gives me a “quick shot in the bum”, and I’m good for 2 weeks.
I barely feel the shots anymore.. I’ve been having to ask “Uh, is it done?” or wait to see my doc throw the syringe into sharps before I pull my pants up.. It’s kinda funny. It’s not a painful injection, nothing like dropping trou and bending over for your GP. I had a different doc administer it on Friday (my GP was gone) and he kinda called out “DONE!” when he finished. It was like he was racing, so it was funny.. I need my GP to call out “DONE!” so I know when it is done.
That’s how non-painful it is. I’ll feel the needle go in, but there is no pain. Just a tiny prick and some pressure, then nothing. I don’t get redness, I don’t bleed, I don’t get sore after. I have no, or just mild (drier mouth) side effects from it. Life saver.
I do have Haldol for breakthrough psychosis though. I find if I nap during the day I get some, especially if I’ve taken Ritalin earlier in the day.
So, in conclusion, psychostimulants, even milder ones like Ritalin, can cause breakthrough psychosis. I see my pdoc on the 18th, in Toronto, so I’ll bring it up then. I take Wellbutrin for quitting smoking (aka, Zyban, and it’s going decently, have hit a few bumps and smoked a pack or two, but I usually throw the pack out after a couple smokes. The Welly makes them taste TERRIBLE.
I saw my new ob/gyn. Half the practice was in the room for the pelvic exam. I know some people feel more comfortable if a female nurse is present (my ob/gyn is male, and I like male docs over female. I have NEVER had a female doc or therapist I’ve got along with or even liked) and there was a med student too. That was fun, let’s have a pelvic party!
Long story short, I haven’t had a period since Feb because I weigh 98lbs from weight loss. I had a manic episode and the topamax is at 400mg now, I barely eat, but all my blood tests are normal. I had a battery of tests at the obgyn’s. He was very respectful, and fortunately, the only one staring at my ladybit’s. He’d just ask his med student questions. The med student and female nurse saw nothing.
I have endometriosis. We’re deciding what to do in September. Since I’ve had a tubal ligation, it doesn’t matter if I’m infertile. Apparently I’ve always had the endometriosis, and the tubal helped a bit because I’m not in the hell I used to be in during my period.. my obgyn kinda chuckled and said, “Good thing you aren’t having periods.. I mean,its not healthy, but you aren’t going through the pain. You do need to get them back, though”.
I still break out in acne around period time and my moods swing. Prolactin from my meds was ruled out.
I had a funny lab tech. While he drew blood, he read my tattoo: “The Devil and God are raging inside of me.” I said I got it because I’m bipolar (easier to say than “schizoaffective”) and he asked if there were 2 of me. I would have facepalmed but there was a needle in my arm.
Better than the lab tech that chatted so much with me, she stuck me, drew a while, pulled the needle out, bandaged it, then realized she had 3 more vials to fill, grabbed another needle, stuck me again and remembered to do ALL OF THEM that time. She’s lucky I’m not scared of needles and don’t bruise. She was also gentle, so it was pressure, not pain, and she hit the veins on the first try. It would been nice if she switched arms though. Enough bitching. She felt terrible and kept apologizing. I just said it was fine, she didn’t hurt me, needles don’t bug me. I felt bad for her!
So, at 98lbs with a BMI of 17.4, all my blood work (the damn sheets have been completely filled out, practically, many times, all tests done, extra tests added, I am in great health. Nothing has come back off, at all. That is a GREAT thing.
I see my pdoc on the 18th. I doubt I’ll be on Topamax (dope-a-max, I keep losing words at 400mg) anymore. I look like a stick. Yes, I’m bitching about losing weight. But when you drop 50lbs in 7 months, there’s a problem.
And I want to eat more. I pick at food a lot. I crave things and then can’t eat them.
So, goals.
- Get the Ritalin down to 10-20mg a day.
- Eat more.
