Psychotropic medication discussion thread

Well, here we go... Got some Xanax. It's for anxiety, 0.25mg three times a day. We'll see how it plays out. Could be useless, could work fine. No clue about sleep, but for these heart palpitations and the rest of this anxiety bullshit... hopefully it helps. If not, I'll need a pacemaker. Just kidding, it hasn't come to that yet... 😁

fadedbear92 is teaching us all 😁

edit: regarding the diagnosis, the substitute doctor told me not to sweat it—said they had to label something just to get the meds approved. And if you look closely, he's right... He tosses around terms like schizophrenia or whatever. To laypeople, it's all the same. Everyone is a psycho, a killer, or whatever else...

Timothy Wood38 said:Well, I wouldn't say they completely nullify dopamine. It’s more that they act on the dopamine receptors—how exactly that mechanism works is still a bit of a gray area in the science. And, if we're being technical, I don't think Haldol is actually the oldest; personally, I’ve always thought chlorpromazine was the very first real antipsychotic.

I was actually keeping those receptor interactions in mind, but I simply didn't feel I had the time to dive into such granular detail at that moment.

Since Rejica already touched on hypnotics, I have a question. Personally, I’ve been struggling with waking up in the middle of the night and finding it nearly impossible to drift back to sleep. For about a year now, following my psychologist's advice, I’ve been taking one Ambien every night, though lately, I’ve had to increase it to one and a half. I am wondering if it is wise to rotate different sleeping pills to combat tolerance, or perhaps if there is something else I could add to boost the effectiveness of my current dose—should I combine them, or is that a dangerous path to take? I am also considering a benzodiazepine, though I am very reluctant to develop a dependency on those, as I rarely use them. Is it more damaging to increase the dosage of a single medication, or to mix different types? Furthermore, is it helpful to switch between them occasionally? Sometimes I take 20 mg of Lunesta, and other times I stick to the Ambien. I keep holding out hope that the same dose will eventually work for me again, but it just hasn't happened.
I wanted to gather some insights from your experiences before I bring this up with my doctor, as it is somewhat difficult for me to admit to myself just how dependent I have become on these.

restlesstrucker15 said:Since Rejica already touched on hypnotics, I have a question. Personally, I’ve been struggling with waking up in the middle of the night and finding it nearly impossible to drift back to sleep. For about a year now, following my psychologist's advice, I’ve been taking one Ambien every night, though lately, I’ve had to increase it to one and a half. I am wondering if it is wise to rotate different sleeping pills to combat tolerance, or perhaps if there is something else I could add to boost the effectiveness of my current dose—should I combine them, or is that a dangerous path to take? I am also considering a benzodiazepine, though I am very reluctant to develop a dependency on those, as I rarely use them. Is it more damaging to increase the dosage of a single medication, or to mix different types? Furthermore, is it helpful to switch between them occasionally? Sometimes I take 20 mg of Lunesta, and other times I stick to the Ambien. I keep holding out hope that the same dose will eventually work for me again, but it just hasn't happened.
I wanted to gather some insights from your experiences before I bring this up with my doctor, as it is somewhat difficult for me to admit to myself just how dependent I have become on these.

Unfortunately, I am an expert when it comes to sleep issues.
No, definitely do not combine hypnotics...
Back in the day, Effexor messed with me so badly that no hypnotic in the world could touch it—even Dormicum, which they often give in hospitals before surgery, would only work for maybe two hours at most...
An excellent sleep aid can be an antiepileptic like Tegretol, or perhaps a low-dose antipsychotic, provided there isn't any psychosis or psychotic elements involved... currently, I'm on Prazin, half a tablet, which—as you can tell by the timestamp on this post—I didn't actually take; instead, I took 10 mg of Normabel, which knocked me out for three hours... Prazin tends to drop my blood pressure, and since I'm prone to low blood pressure, a full 25 mg tablet would be way too much... basically, there's no more experimenting for me because I've realized I sleep thanks to the Prazin... normally, my doctor wouldn't have stopped the Tegretol, but my liver tests were looking bad... though I've sorted that out now with some cholesterol meds, and everything is back within normal limits... they stop Tegretol as soon as those liver enzymes act up... so, yeah... one more vital point: these types of medications work individually, and interactions/synergies with your other meds are crucial... it's anything but harmless, but when you're desperate, it's tough...:😉:
http://dl7.glitter-graphics.net/pub/...e1xho75c6u.gif

For insomnia: Circadin (though it's pricey right now) or Seroquel, an antipsychotic.

Most people seem fine with Diazepam, which personally does nothing for me.🙂
However, I once took 15 mg of Oxazepam, and nothing could have woken me up. I was out cold.🙂

driftinggull21 said:For insomnia: Circadin (though it's pricey right now) or Seroquel, an antipsychotic.

Most people seem fine with Diazepam, which personally does nothing for me.🙂
However, I once took 15 mg of Oxazepam, and nothing could have woken me up. I was out cold.🙂

What "most people"? Honestly, I'm actually jealous of folks who find relief with anxiolytics. I've developed such a massive tolerance to them that my psychiatrist basically told me there's no point in even bothering anymore. For instance, I can knock back 60 mg of Diazepam and feel absolutely nothing—just like I swallowed a glass of water. Same goes for 5 mg of Alprazolam, 7 mg of Lorazepam, and so on. These days, I tackle my insomnia by taking 300 mg of Prazosin about two hours before bed, having a glass of wine in the meantime, and then finally topping it off with 30 mg of Ambien right as I'm turning in. I just build a tolerance to almost everything way too fast. And apparently, once you hit that level of tolerance, it stays with you forever—at least, that's what my doctor claims.

Timothy Wood38 said:What "most people"? Honestly, I'm actually jealous of folks who find relief with anxiolytics. I've developed such a massive tolerance to them that my psychiatrist basically told me there's no point in even bothering anymore. For instance, I can knock back 60 mg of Diazepam and feel absolutely nothing—just like I swallowed a glass of water. Same goes for 5 mg of Alprazolam, 7 mg of Lorazepam, and so on. These days, I tackle my insomnia by taking 300 mg of Prazosin about two hours before bed, having a glass of wine in the meantime, and then finally topping it off with 30 mg of Ambien right as I'm turning in. I just build a tolerance to almost everything way too fast. And apparently, once you hit that level of tolerance, it stays with you forever—at least, that's what my doctor claims.

Thank you all for the input. I will definitely need to consult with my doctor, though I likely won't be mixing hypnotics. By the way, I honestly don't understand how benzodiazepines can put anyone to sleep; I don't use them myself, but if I did, there's no way they would help me drift off—it's a shame.

Ray, I still remember your struggles with Effexor; thank God that chapter is finally closed.

Solid article: http://www.springerlink.com/content/rq208p85657x44r2/ http://medicine-treatment.blogspot.com/20

Honestly, I think insomnia is such a massive field for research and debate—it really deserves its own dedicated thread in the psychology section...

Do psychotropic drugs—specifically Seroquel—actually make your brain and perception even slower? I’ve always been kind of slow, especially compared to everyone else around me. If Seroquel is just adding more lag to my system, would it be smarter to just quit taking it? And what kind of fallout am I looking at if I do?

Timothy Wood38 said:What "most people"? Honestly, I'm actually jealous of folks who find relief with anxiolytics. I've developed such a massive tolerance to them that my psychiatrist basically told me there's no point in even bothering anymore. For instance, I can knock back 60 mg of Diazepam and feel absolutely nothing—just like I swallowed a glass of water. Same goes for 5 mg of Alprazolam, 7 mg of Lorazepam, and so on. These days, I tackle my insomnia by taking 300 mg of Prazosin about two hours before bed, having a glass of wine in the meantime, and then finally topping it off with 30 mg of Ambien right as I'm turning in. I just build a tolerance to almost everything way too fast. And apparently, once you hit that level of tolerance, it stays with you forever—at least, that's what my doctor claims.

300 mg of Prazosin is an enormous dose😲. That isn't even enough to stop an acute psychosis where someone is smashing things around.
The same goes for 60 mg of Oxazepam.
If your insomnia is such a significant issue—which is clearly the case—it would be better for you to be hospitalized so they can properly stabilize and titrate your medication.

Mark Nelson said:Do psychotropic drugs—specifically Seroquel—actually make your brain and perception even slower? I’ve always been kind of slow, especially compared to everyone else around me. If Seroquel is just adding more lag to my system, would it be smarter to just quit taking it? And what kind of fallout am I looking at if I do?

If you experienced a psychotic break, Seroquel is currently serving as your protection. If you stop it on your own initiative, you could face another decompensation.
It is generally considered a "light" antipsychotic, but it does possess sedative and sleep-inducing effects.
How long have you been taking it, what is the dosage, and at what time of day? If it has been at least one month and the side effects are making life difficult, tell your psychiatrist at your next check-up so they can reduce the dose or switch your medication.

driftinggull21 said:For insomnia: Circadin (though it's pricey right now) or Seroquel, an antipsychotic.

Most people seem fine with Diazepam, which personally does nothing for me.🙂
However, I once took 15 mg of Oxazepam, and nothing could have woken me up. I was out cold.🙂

I think you might be onto something regarding the Diazepam; for me, it also feels totally ineffective.
😁 Oxazepam is actually a weaker benzodiazepine, but it's strange—I always seem to end up with a headache after taking it, specifically just from the Oxazepam.
🙂

Timothy Wood38 said:What "most people"? Honestly, I'm actually jealous of folks who find relief with anxiolytics. I've developed such a massive tolerance to them that my psychiatrist basically told me there's no point in even bothering anymore. For instance, I can knock back 60 mg of Diazepam and feel absolutely nothing—just like I swallowed a glass of water. Same goes for 5 mg of Alprazolam, 7 mg of Lorazepam, and so on. These days, I tackle my insomnia by taking 300 mg of Prazosin about two hours before bed, having a glass of wine in the meantime, and then finally topping it off with 30 mg of Ambien right as I'm turning in. I just build a tolerance to almost everything way too fast. And apparently, once you hit that level of tolerance, it stays with you forever—at least, that's what my doctor claims.

Well, everything you mentioned regarding anxiolytics—specifically the benzodiazepines—is pretty much my exact situation as well.
I suppose I took too many over time and mixed them with alcohol, so now I could take 10 Xanax or Oxazepam without any real issue, yet it would feel no different than if I had only taken four.

driftinggull21 said:300 mg of Prazosin is an enormous dose😲. That isn't even enough to stop an acute psychosis where someone is smashing things around.
The same goes for 60 mg of Oxazepam.
If your insomnia is such a significant issue—which is clearly the case—it would be better for you to be hospitalized so they can properly stabilize and titrate your medication.

If you experienced a psychotic break, Seroquel is currently serving as your protection. If you stop it on your own initiative, you could face another decompensation.
It is generally considered a "light" antipsychotic, but it does possess sedative and sleep-inducing effects.
How long have you been taking it, what is the dosage, and at what time of day? If it has been at least one month and the side effects are making life difficult, tell your psychiatrist at your next check-up so they can reduce the dose or switch your medication.

So, officially, I've been on 200mg XR of Seroquel since late July this year. Before that, I was on Loquen for just under a month—but honestly, that's basically the same thing, 100mg. I take it right before bed, pretty late at night.

I'm not even sure if these are actual side effects. This issue has been bugging me for ages, I guess. I've just become more aware of it over the years. Even though it's always been suppressed, it's becoming a much bigger problem now, so I'm wondering if the meds are making it worse. I wouldn't change anything on my own, obviously. I'd wait to talk to my doctor first.

driftinggull21 said:300 mg of Prazosin is an enormous dose😲. That isn't even enough to stop an acute psychosis where someone is smashing things around.
The same goes for 60 mg of Oxazepam.
If your insomnia is such a significant issue—which is clearly the case—it would be better for you to be hospitalized so they can properly stabilize and titrate your medication.

If you experienced a psychotic break, Seroquel is currently serving as your protection. If you stop it on your own initiative, you could face another decompensation.
It is generally considered a "light" antipsychotic, but it does possess sedative and sleep-inducing effects.
How long have you been taking it, what is the dosage, and at what time of day? If it has been at least one month and the side effects are making life difficult, tell your psychiatrist at your next check-up so they can reduce the dose or switch your medication.

I was hospitalized once. They ran basically every test imaginable—endocrine panels, brain MRIs, you name it—and, naturally, nothing turned up. The psychiatrists at the local university hospital told me that in all their years of practice, they had never encountered a system quite like mine. I develop a tolerance to almost everything far too quickly, yet I don't seem to develop a dependency on any of them. Oh, and they even did psychological testing, which led them to conclude that I was just using my intelligence to manipulate both them and myself... essentially, they had no clue what was actually going on with me. I've cycled through so many of those "f" diagnoses; the last one was F60.9—unspecified personality disorder. Eventually, I just gave up on the psychiatrists here in America. I read several good books on psychiatry, reached out to some world-renowned experts, and now I'm managing things myself. My family doctor prescribes the meds, and honestly, I can say with total confidence that I've helped myself much more than any psychiatrist I ever saw. With the current cocktail of medications, I finally have a perfectly normal life. Dr. Barondes' books were incredibly helpful, too. All in all, I'm happy with how things are going.

Mark Nelson said:So, officially, I've been on 200mg XR of Seroquel since late July this year. Before that, I was on Loquen for just under a month—but honestly, that's basically the same thing, 100mg. I take it right before bed, pretty late at night.

I'm not even sure if these are actual side effects. This issue has been bugging me for ages, I guess. I've just become more aware of it over the years. Even though it's always been suppressed, it's becoming a much bigger problem now, so I'm wondering if the meds are making it worse. I wouldn't change anything on my own, obviously. I'd wait to talk to my doctor first.

That isn't a high dose. If you were experiencing this beforehand, I doubt the Seroquel is the cause. Every treatment carries side effects; the goal is to find one where the patient remains functional with minimal issues.
Discuss it at your next check-up.

Look, I know Seroquel isn't the direct cause here, but if it starts making things worse, I'm probably just going to drop the meds altogether. I mean, if the dose isn't actually that massive like you're saying, then maybe the side effects aren't such a huge deal after all. I guess I'll just have to wait and see how it plays out.

Mark Nelson said:Look, I know Seroquel isn't the direct cause here, but if it starts making things worse, I'm probably just going to drop the meds altogether. I mean, if the dose isn't actually that massive like you're saying, then maybe the side effects aren't such a huge deal after all. I guess I'll just have to wait and see how it plays out.

Personally, back when I was taking Seroquel, I felt quite alright, and I actually found the medication to be quite helpful.🙂

Is anyone here actually taking Concert, and if so, what kind of dosage are we talking about? I’m really curious to hear how it hits. Also, does anyone know if it's covered by major US insurance providers? Does it actually sharpen focus and give you that energy boost? I mean, at the end of the day, it is a psychostimulant, after all. I would honestly love to hear some real-world experiences from people using Concert.

Timothy Wood38 said:Is anyone here actually taking Concert, and if so, what kind of dosage are we talking about? I’m really curious to hear how it hits. Also, does anyone know if it's covered by major US insurance providers? Does it actually sharpen focus and give you that energy boost? I mean, at the end of the day, it is a psychostimulant, after all. I would honestly love to hear some real-world experiences from people using Concert.

http://www.springerlink.com/content/rq208p85657x44r2/

http://medicine-treatment.blogspot.com/20...ilfenidat.html

http://medicine-treatment.blogspot.com/20...ilfenidat.html

I don't think it's included in the standard FDA-approved drug lists we usually see.

1. Drug List - Manufacturer Excel file
2. Supplemental Table
3. Supplementary Drug Lists Word doc

fadedbear92 said:http://www.springerlink.com/content/rq208p85657x44r2/

http://medicine-treatment.blogspot.com/20...ilfenidat.html

http://medicine-treatment.blogspot.com/20...ilfenidat.html

I don't think it's included in the standard FDA-approved drug lists we usually see.

1. Drug List - Manufacturer Excel file
2. Supplemental Table
3. Supplementary Drug Lists Word doc

Thanks, fadedbear92. That’s what I was thinking. I'll actually head over to the pharmacy today and see what the damage is going to be regarding the price.🙂