Over Prescribing Drugs

[Garmund]

I believe that my husbands Dr. is over prescribing his medications and that they are making him crazy. He is taking 2 antidepressant,(cymbalta and wellbutrin) xanax, lorazapam and suboxone. He has been on the lorazapam for years and the others for several months with the exception of the suboxone just a little over a month. Over the course of the last several months I have seen him change. He is not only getting very forgetful, he talks to himself all the time and he seems to be in his own world and loosing touch with reality. Can you give me any advise.

[Harlake]

I am not a psychiatrist, however, he is probably on too many benzos.  I suggest you transfer the responsibilities for medication to a psychiatrist or pharmaceutical understanding physician instead of an internist who does not understand the interaction of medications.

I think you are correct and I would wager the internist is prescribing these medications.  Find someone that understands the interactions more clearly.

Very truly yours,

Paul D. Friedman, M.A., Ph.D., J.D.