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Itchiness, anxiety & medication

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I worked 15 hour days for many, many years in new warehouses where the heat index exceeded 135 in steel toed boots and hard hats in the southwest. A few times a week I needed meetings with VP's wearing a suit with high heals. I wrote 5 million dollar contracts for building warehouses for many of the dollar stores in the US and Australia and was the Project Manager to bring in my contracts under budget and on time.

I feel that my current doctors do not take me seriously now that I am 52 with NO insurance (lost my job and insurance after 2nd bypass, this country does dump old ladys!) I need help with stabilizing my medications. I take the Ativan and Atarax for severe itching (Menapause 3 years no period?).

I may have lost my health, job, home, husband, (and my mother), in the last 2 years but, I DID NOT LOOSE MY MIND!!!!. My current doctor (clinic uninsured) thinks I an delusional. If I am, put me in the hospital, If not I need to be diagnosed. All I do is SLEEP!! HELP!!


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replied April 16th, 2007
Menopause Answer A2554
It seems to me that the point in your letter is that you are confused about the medications you are taking, itching and sleepiness.
About the medications:
1. lisinopril is a drug for treating high blood pressure;
2. Metoprolol is a beta-blocker used for treating high blood pressure and heart failure;
3. Lipitor (atorvastatin) and Tricor (fenofibrate) are used for treating hyperlipidemia (increased blood fats);
4. Protonix (pantoprazole) is a proton inhibitor that is used for decreasing the stomach acidity in cases of peptic ulcers and stomach inflammations;
5. Reglan (metoclopramide) is used for treating nausea and vomiting;
6. Synthroid (levothyroxine) is a thyroxin supplement used for treating hypothyroidism;
7. Effexor (venlafaxine) is a serotonin- norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) used for treating depression;
8. Remeron (mirtazepine) is noradrenergic and specific serotonergic antidepressant (NaSSA);
9. Ativan (lorazepam) is a benzodiazepine used for treating anxiety;
10. Atarax (hydroxyzine hydrochloride) is antihistaminic drug used for treating allergies;
11. Plavix (clopidogrel) is an antiaggregation drug used for prevention of heart attack and brain insult, and
12. Warfarin is an anticoagulation medicine used for preventing thrombosis.
The itching you are experiencing could be due to allergy or anxiety. The relationship between itching and anxiety is an inverse relationship. Itching causes anxiety and anxiety can be manifested with itching. Nonetheless, a possible allergy should be considered and excluded before diagnosing anxiety as the cause of itching.
Sleepiness could be due to depression, hypothiroidism or a side effect of Ativan and Atarax. Hypothyroidism could be the main reason for your mental disorders (depression and anxiety).

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