Started by Robin Myers91 · · 👁 396 views · 10K replies
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ironpanther said:I'm skipping psychotherapy; they told me I don't really need it...
Regarding those two relapses you mentioned—how intense were they, and how long did they last?
fadedbear92 said:Depression runs in my family. Honestly, as soon as things get even slightly stressful in my life, I hit a relapse that lasts a few months—basically, however long it takes for me to pull myself back together. I've tried Prozac at 7 mg, Zoloft at 5 mg, and right now I'm on Fevarin at about 3 mg. I also take Tegretol as a mood stabilizer; it helps me fight off those heavy crying spells during the day and keeps me asleep at night. Back when I was on Zoloft, I used Lamictal as a stabilizer. (Those are technically anti-epileptic drugs, but they serve a different purpose in psychiatry).
About a year ago, I dealt with severe GAP while taking Fevarin along with a tapering dose of Xanax—so it was essentially in my system 24/7. If you have more questions, feel free to shoot me a DM.
fadedbear92 said:Depression runs in my family. Honestly, as soon as things get even slightly stressful in my life, I hit a relapse that lasts a few months—basically, however long it takes for me to pull myself back together. I've tried Prozac at 7 mg, Zoloft at 5 mg, and right now I'm on Fevarin at about 3 mg. I also take Tegretol as a mood stabilizer; it helps me fight off those heavy crying spells during the day and keeps me asleep at night. Back when I was on Zoloft, I used Lamictal as a stabilizer. (Those are technically anti-epileptic drugs, but they serve a different purpose in psychiatry).
About a year ago, I dealt with severe GAP while taking Fevarin along with a tapering dose of Xanax—so it was essentially in my system 24/7. If you have more questions, feel free to shoot me a DM.
Harold King8 said:I spent a few months on Mirzaten. I was struggling hard with insomnia, and those depressive thoughts were eating away at me like a tumor. After taking one pill every night for a couple of months, I finally spoke up during my check-up about the side effects—specifically how I suddenly packed on about 45 pounds in just a few months. While the Mirzaten definitely helped me sleep better, the depression itself barely budged, if it helped at all.
My doctor decided to switch me over to Alice, doing it gradually at first by splitting the dose between half a pill of Alice in the morning and half a Mirzaten before bed. Now, I'm strictly on Alice. To be honest, I can't quite put my finger on how it feels, so I'm curious: what is its primary function, how does it actually affect mood regulation, what is it typically prescribed for, and are there any common side effects I should watch out for?
Thanks.
(Also, my liver enzymes were running pretty high, which is an old issue I've been dealing with ever since my injury.)
Best,
ironpanther said:I need some insight from people here—specifically those who have been navigating this for a while. I’ve been on Seroxat for four years now (started at 20 mg, currently up to 30 mg), but I’m being forced to switch antidepressants. My diagnosis is anxiety-depressive disorder... unfortunately, after four relatively successful years of treatment, the symptoms are creeping back in. It feels like my system just hit a plateau. I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone with similar experiences. Based on what my psychiatrist said, the issue might be that Seroxat is often considered the gold standard for this specific disorder, which makes switching tricky.
Thanks in advance to everyone...
Timothy Wood38 said:Hey everyone, just thought I’d check in and give you all an update on my new regimen:
Lexapro 1x20mg
Eglonyl 3x200mg
Zyprexa 1x10mg
Valium 1x50mg
Xanax 1x1.5mg
Normabel 3x10mg
So, I actually went cold turkey on the Paxil—just stopped everything at once without tapering—and honestly? Nothing. No side effects whatsoever, even though I was on 60 mg a day. I suppose I just have one of those weird bodies where things don't react the way they're supposed to... which is its own kind of frustrating, really. It leaves me sitting here trying to convince myself that if I'm not feeling any side effects, then maybe the meds aren't even working. I've started the Lexapro at 20 mg a day too, and again, absolutely zero side effects. To be perfectly honest, I can't even tell if the switch from Paxil to Lexapro has made a dent in anything; I feel like I'm still dealing with pretty much all the same BPD symptoms.
Kenneth Scott41 said:I don't know, I guess I'm a bit worried about what that much Xanax combined with Normabel, plus Valium at night, will do to you; you might end up sleeping like a baby with a cocktail that heavy. Personally, I'm on Lexapro too, and I haven't had any side effects either; it seems to have settled in quite well for me.
Also, what exactly do you mean by the acronym BPD?
Timothy Wood38 said:Well, my body just works in its own strange way, I suppose. Take Valium, for instance. They say it doesn't cause physical dependency, but with me? Not so much. I started at 20 mg and somehow wound up at 50 mg or even higher—last night I actually took 100 mg. Currently, I take Normabel during the day and then combine Xanax with Valium at night. As for BPD, that’s just shorthand for Borderline Personality Disorder. To be honest, I'm really hoping Lexapro does the trick for me, too.
analogorca33 said:Prozac 20mg in the morning
Lexapro 1/2, 1/2, then 1 of 3mg
I've been on a similar regimen. Regarding Lexapro—personally, I find it works better than Xanax because it doesn't leave me feeling so dead inside that everyone else notices I'm medicated.
fadedbear92 said:oh, they absolutely do! Every single one of those hypnotics and benzos causes dependency if you take them long-term.
I seriously cannot believe you downed 10 Valiums!!!!!!!! hey!!!
If you can't sleep, find an alternative!
Valium is just meant to knock you out for about three hours anyway! Trust me, I've tried every hypnotic under the sun before they finally put me on an anticonvulsant—a mood stabilizer, Tegretol! Good grief, and you're taking Normabale and Xanax too!!! Is your shrink actually monitoring what you're taking, or are you even telling them about your dosages?!
Do yourself a favor and read up on these meds.
Timothy Wood38 said:Valium is actually quite specific since it isn't part of the benzodiazepine group. And yes, my shrink monitors everything I'm on, plus I go to psychotherapy sessions regularly. My shrink says I'm practically an alien because my body reacts so hypersensitively to medication. Honestly, I'm getting pretty sick of Valium. I'm seeing my doctor this Thursday and I'm going to suggest switching to Dormicum or Flurazepam instead of Valium.
Kenneth Scott41;33551571 said:Timothy Wood38 said:Valium is actually quite specific since it isn't part of the benzodiazepine group. And yes, my shrink monitors everything I'm on, plus I go to psychotherapy sessions regularly. My shrink says I'm practically an alien because my body reacts so hypersensitively to medication. Honestly, I'm getting pretty sick of Valium. I'm seeing my doctor this Thursday and I'm going to suggest switching to Dormicum or Flurazepam instead of Valium.
I take Lexapro at 3 mg to help me sleep.
ironpanther said:I need some insight from people here—specifically those who have been navigating this for a while. I’ve been on Seroxat for four years now (started at 20 mg, currently up to 30 mg), but I’m being forced to switch antidepressants. My diagnosis is anxiety-depressive disorder... unfortunately, after four relatively successful years of treatment, the symptoms are creeping back in. It feels like my system just hit a plateau. I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone with similar experiences. Based on what my psychiatrist said, the issue might be that Seroxat is often considered the gold standard for this specific disorder, which makes switching tricky.
Thanks in advance to everyone...
Jonathan Edwards69 said:About a year ago, I had a similar run-in with Paxil. Back then, it was major depressive disorder, and honestly, I was dealing with suicidal thoughts too. Paxil actually helped quite a bit. I stayed on top of my checkups, but then the doctor I was seeing left the clinic and isn't practicing here anymore, and I just... stopped. Stopped taking the meds and stopped going to appointments altogether. In hindsight, I think that was a massive mistake, but god, I just couldn't face the idea of hunting down a new psychiatrist and having to sit there and explain my whole life story all over again. It felt exhausting.
The way I feel right now? It's constant insomnia. And there's this heavy lack of interest in my work, plus I'm incredibly distracted and forgetful, which is starting to really freak me out. For instance, I'll have a clear mental image of something—like a chainsaw—and I just can't find the word for it when I need it! It’s like I’ve suddenly become incredibly dim-witted. There are moments where I'm so spaced out it’s genuinely worrying; losing track of things has basically become my new normal.😲
Kenneth Scott41 said:I have a friend who struggles with depression just like I do, though he also deals with manic episodes. He’s currently on Zyprexa; he tells me it works well enough for him, but the weight gain has been a real issue.
He was taking Zeldox before—which is actually what I’m on right now—but it just didn't seem to do much for him.
I suppose I'm wondering, in your experience, which medication tends to be more effective for managing depression?
