Medication Analysis

A question please for any of those that might know a bit about medicine.

What disorders may a doctor perscribe the following combination of drugs for

Venlafaxine 150mg
Quetiapine 25mg?

Thanks

reply to post by michael1983l


Depression and
schizophrenia
In that order.

reply to post by michael1983l


Oh, I almost forgot, also for Pharmaceutical kick backs.

Well yes that is the obvious answer as that is what the drugs are designed for stand alone. But I also see they could be used for various other uses like Bi-polar disorder. I was just wondering if the combination and dosage might give away a more specific diagnosis, bucause the doctor themselves sure do not give it away.

reply to post by michael1983l


Are you trying to diagnose someone based on the contents of their medicine cabinet...just curious....

Des

reply to post by michael1983l

It sounds like you are trying to find out what someone else's diagnoses is without there consent. If it was prescribed to you then you would know why. If you want to know what someone's medications are prescribed for, ask them.

reply to post by michael1983l

At very low doses quetiapine acts primarily as a histamine receptor blocker (antihistamine) and α1-adrenergic blocker. When the dose is increased quetiapine activates the adrenergic system and binds strongly to serotonin receptors and autoreceptors. At high doses quetiapine starts blocking significant amounts of dopamine receptors.[45][46] Use of low-dose quetiapine is not recommended except temporarily during drug titration period (less than 30 days).[47]

Source

Then:

For individuals age 13 years and older, the recommended starting dose of Seroquel for schizophrenia is Seroquel 25 mg, taken twice a day. Generally, your healthcare provider will increase your dose quickly within a few days, up to Seroquel 800 mg (taken in two or three smaller doses per day), if needed.

Source

I would guess it is not for schizophrenia. Are you the one being prescribed?

Originally posted by MattiasDesigns
reply to post by michael1983l

 

It sounds like you are trying to find out what someone else's diagnoses is without there consent. If it was prescribed to you then you would know why. If you want to know what someone's medications are prescribed for, ask them.

It is my medication but the psychiatric doctors will never give you a diagnosis of what they think you have, not in the NHS at least anyway.

Originally posted by LightSpeedDriver
reply to post by michael1983l

 

At very low doses quetiapine acts primarily as a histamine receptor blocker (antihistamine) and α1-adrenergic blocker. When the dose is increased quetiapine activates the adrenergic system and binds strongly to serotonin receptors and autoreceptors. At high doses quetiapine starts blocking significant amounts of dopamine receptors.[45][46] Use of low-dose quetiapine is not recommended except temporarily during drug titration period (less than 30 days).[47]

Source

Then:

For individuals age 13 years and older, the recommended starting dose of Seroquel for schizophrenia is Seroquel 25 mg, taken twice a day. Generally, your healthcare provider will increase your dose quickly within a few days, up to Seroquel 800 mg (taken in two or three smaller doses per day), if needed.

Source

I would guess it is not for schizophrenia. Are you the one being prescribed?

I'm only taking the 25mg for a week then the dose is to increase.

reply to post by michael1983l

I ended up quoting the wrong paragraph, apologies. If you look slightly further down on the linked source, they mention bi-polar too.

reply to post by LightSpeedDriver


Yes it appears given the dosage that it could be for Bi-polar

reply to post by michael1983l


Were these medications given to you without a *complete* explanation of what you were given them for? If yes, then get a second opinion for whatever you went to the Doctor for in the first place. Your Doctor should not be prescribing meds to you unless you know what, and why they were prescribed.

Des

As said above, depression and schizophrenia (mainly). From personal experience I can speak for venlafaxine...the brand name version of that drug (Effexor), in extended release is ONLY available from Effexor and is very expensive.

Also, the withdrawal from that drug is the worst withdrawal I have ever experienced. I have come down off of a great many drugs (illegal and legal) and Effexor was the worst and most difficult. Also, I can't speak for women, but if you are a guy and on venlafaxine, say goodbye to your ability to orgasm.

SSRI's and SNRI's alike, are really horrible...I mean, I went through some tough times and would like to say that they helped me through them, but...really, they brought on some really hard times themselves.

It's good to ask questions, LOTS of them, before you decide to take or not take these drugs.

reply to post by Destinyone


The doctors in the NHS avoid giving diagnosis if they can get away with it in case you sue them if it is wrong. I have been to see various doctors and they initially said it might be bi-polar but then changed their mind for an entire year and said it was just depression. I went to see the head psychiatric doctor today and he has changed my medication completely as he says the stuff I was currently on wasn't helping (Citalopram). But even if you try and get a prognosis out of them they do not. They just tell you what symptoms the drugs will help with, how to take them and what the dangers/side effects are.

reply to post by michael1983l


NHS?
If your in the U.S. they are required to. I don't know about other countries.

You should study up on them, psychiatric doctors, in my opinion, should not be considered doctors. They prescribed medications that usually have side effects worse than the "diagnosis". I guess a lot of M.D.s do that too..

reply to post by MattiasDesigns


The NHS is the National Health Service in the UK i.e. its all free. I have private medical insurance through my work and I am trying to get a referal to go Private instead. The NHS treatment has been pretty poor to be honest.

I had a doctor (PsyD) once, after my questioning him about the mechanism of action of the drugs he was prescribing me, tell me that it is all pretty much a 'crap-shoot' (his words) and that we just experiment with drugs until we find something that 'works' for you.

This was not reassuring for me, but, I know that sometimes we need "something" to get us through our day. But be wary. The more you ask, and research yourself, the more you will find that no one knows how these things work OR don't work. Or why, or how, or what the long-term effects may be....

Best of luck to you, my best advice, keep the doses low and short-term.

reply to post by michael1983l

I don't know if you like the guy but you have a famous fellow sufferer who just happens to work for the BBC and made a (2 part?) docu for the BBC about his bi-polarity. Stephen Fry, I forget the name of the program but it was very "good" for want of a better word. Who's the other guy, American actor from Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind, the possessed one who discovers it all. Richard Dreyfuss.

What I'm trying to say is you aren't alone and a great many great people suffer as you do. I hope things improve, and if possible, without too much medication.

ETA The Stephen Fry docu is called Stephen Fry: The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive. It's a very moving but informative watch.

Originally posted by michael1983l
reply to post by MattiasDesigns

 

The NHS treatment has been pretty poor to be honest.

They must like you then.
My treatment for the most part has been [insert offensive, derogatory expletives here] or plain non-existent.

Why do you ask?