Psychotropic medication discussion thread

Honestly, I don’t understand how those pieces of garbage in psychiatry lack any empathy. How can they live with themselves doing this to young people? They deserve nothing but the gutter. And then the psychiatrist acts shocked when a patient is constantly suicidal. 🙂 With trash like that? Who wouldn't be! Let them give me an extra $417 per $100 month for Cialis and whatever else. They should truly be ashamed of what they do to people suffering from chronic illness. I feel the same way whether I'm on meds or not (and I know because I haven't been taking them), yet they insist I have to take them (nothing is mandatory) while they ignore the reality of the disease. SHAME ON THE DOCTORS, THE PSYCHIATRISTS, AND ALL OF MEDICINE. DISGRACEFUL! TO ALL YOU MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS READING THIS: SHAME ON YOU! YOU HAVE NO SOUL AND NO HEART.

Does anyone here have any firsthand experience with Adderall, Ritalin, Concerta, or just psychostimulants in general?

I’ve been reading up on Lurasidone (Latuda). Has anyone here actually tried it? It looks promising to me. Since it hit the market relatively recently, it seems like a solid option for treating psychosis, especially given its safety profile. The side effects seem much milder. It doesn't "numb" you out the way drugs like Risperdal, Olanzapine, or Quetiapine do. It originated in Japan, but that's irrelevant—all that matters is whether anyone here has experience using Latuda.

Edit: Don't just tell me nobody uses it!!!

Of course nobody has.
I doubt anyone will step forward with actual experience, though I wouldn't mind if they stayed quiet.
However, Paliperidone (Invega) is approved; the only question is which Medicare formulary it will eventually land on.

Anyone here taking Fevarin?

crimsonrider0 said:Anyone here taking Fevarin?

Me!😉 What specifically are you looking to find out?

If anyone here has actually survived the hellish withdrawal from Xanax, I was wondering—is running a fever one of those symptoms you have to deal with?

Dg F20. Does anyone actually know what happens when you taper off Haldol? She’s been on 12 mg for 9 months, then 10 mg at month 10, and now for the last two weeks it's been 7 mg, down to a 2 mg tablet this Tuesday.
And she's taking Risperdal too, obviously.
The thing is, my daughter says her head is pounding and the voices are getting louder.

feraljackal152 said:Dg F20. Does anyone actually know what happens when you taper off Haldol? She’s been on 12 mg for 9 months, then 10 mg at month 10, and now for the last two weeks it's been 7 mg, down to a 2 mg tablet this Tuesday.
And she's taking Risperdal too, obviously.
The thing is, my daughter says her head is pounding and the voices are getting louder.

It is obvious that a lower therapeutic dose is failing to control the symptoms. Either that, or a complete change in medication is required. How much Risperdal is she on? I assume somewhere between 2-6 mg.

Hey everyone! How's it going?
Well, here I go again—tapering off my Paxil. Is it always going to be this much of a cycle? 🙄
The last attempt didn't exactly go as planned. I managed to taper down from 20mg to 10mg over several months, but it was such an uphill battle—honestly, just thinking about it now makes me feel uneasy. Was it worth the struggle?
So, I’m finally starting to taper down from 10mg to nothing. Isn't that just the way it goes? 👋
My psychiatrist used to insist that I’d need to stay on this medication for the rest of my life because of the panic disorder I've been managing since 2006. Even though the panic attacks had completely stopped, he just wouldn't budge. I had put in all the work—therapy, breathing exercises, relaxation techniques, visualization—all with the goal of finally being able to step away from the pills and handle things on my own. He simply couldn't grasp why I wanted to stop taking antidepressants. Eventually, I decided to switch doctors, and thank goodness I did, because I finally found an absolutely wonderful woman to take over my care.

The current plan is to take half a tablet every other day—so 10 mg. I’m on day five now, and honestly, I feel like I'm in a complete fog. My doctor keeps insisting that this dose is far too low to cause any kind of physical dependency, but how am I supposed to explain that feeling to my own brain?
Someone above was asking about how to taper off. Is anyone else currently taking Helexa? I'm curious to hear how everyone is finding it.I'm not sure if it’s even possible to compare tapering off two different medications, but I’ve been running a fever for three days now. Is anyone else dealing with something similar? 🤷
My vision is blurring, my head is pounding, and I’m dealing with sweats and intense nausea. It’s the same thing I went through last time, only this feels much more intense. Now, I’m just sitting here waiting to see how things unfold.
My mom tells me to just stop overthinking it because my brain is doing its own thing, but how can I not? I’m absolutely buzzing at the thought of finally tapering off these meds, yet at the exact same time, I am terrified.

So, does anyone have any advice if you’ve ever gone through something similar?
I’ve been sleeping terribly lately—maybe three or four hours at most. Could that be why I’m feeling so worn out?

Fingers crossed that I can finally be done with these tablets once and for all. Wouldn't that be something? 🙂

Roger Rodriguez said:Hey everyone! How's it going?
Well, here I go again—tapering off my Paxil. Is it always going to be this much of a cycle? 🙄
The last attempt didn't exactly go as planned. I managed to taper down from 20mg to 10mg over several months, but it was such an uphill battle—honestly, just thinking about it now makes me feel uneasy. Was it worth the struggle?
So, I’m finally starting to taper down from 10mg to nothing. Isn't that just the way it goes? 👋
My psychiatrist used to insist that I’d need to stay on this medication for the rest of my life because of the panic disorder I've been managing since 2006. Even though the panic attacks had completely stopped, he just wouldn't budge. I had put in all the work—therapy, breathing exercises, relaxation techniques, visualization—all with the goal of finally being able to step away from the pills and handle things on my own. He simply couldn't grasp why I wanted to stop taking antidepressants. Eventually, I decided to switch doctors, and thank goodness I did, because I finally found an absolutely wonderful woman to take over my care.

The current plan is to take half a tablet every other day—so 10 mg. I’m on day five now, and honestly, I feel like I'm in a complete fog. My doctor keeps insisting that this dose is far too low to cause any kind of physical dependency, but how am I supposed to explain that feeling to my own brain?
Someone above was asking about how to taper off. Is anyone else currently taking Helexa? I'm curious to hear how everyone is finding it.I'm not sure if it’s even possible to compare tapering off two different medications, but I’ve been running a fever for three days now. Is anyone else dealing with something similar? 🤷
My vision is blurring, my head is pounding, and I’m dealing with sweats and intense nausea. It’s the same thing I went through last time, only this feels much more intense. Now, I’m just sitting here waiting to see how things unfold.
My mom tells me to just stop overthinking it because my brain is doing its own thing, but how can I not? I’m absolutely buzzing at the thought of finally tapering off these meds, yet at the exact same time, I am terrified.

So, does anyone have any advice if you’ve ever gone through something similar?
I’ve been sleeping terribly lately—maybe three or four hours at most. Could that be why I’m feeling so worn out?

Fingers crossed that I can finally be done with these tablets once and for all. Wouldn't that be something? 🙂

Good luck! You're a powerhouse, Roger Rodriguez, definitely not some pushover!😂🤣😍

Kenneth Scott41 said:It's good that someone finally brought this up. I'm actually dealing with the exact same issue, which is becoming a massive headache, to be honest. My libido is basically non-existent; I just don't feel like it, or maybe I just can't. I am in a relationship, I should mention that, and naturally, my partner is feeling the effects too... and I think the older folks here understand exactly how much of a struggle that can be.🙂
I've been weighing the idea of just buying some Epimen capsules myself rather than going to the doctor for it... I don't know...🤷

Functions are being disrupted by a sophisticated kind of lobotomy; instead of healing people, psychiatry seems to focus on aggressive manipulations of the brain's centers.
Since you're caught up in these processes—perhaps because you haven't found better support for your issues, or simply because your mind and body are in such a different state due to all those pills—I might suggest looking into dietary changes. Maybe they could yield results over time. Certain herbal roots possess potent properties that help overall bodily alertness, both mentally and libidinously.
Things like celery, ginseng, parsley, ginger...
In Chinese medicine, you can easily find more options.
They certainly aren't as aggressive as medication, but even subtle shifts can work without side effects or dependency.

driftinggull21 said:It is obvious that a lower therapeutic dose is failing to control the symptoms. Either that, or a complete change in medication is required. How much Risperdal is she on? I assume somewhere between 2-6 mg.

They bumped her Risperdal from 4 to 5 mg because it seemed to be working, but she's only been on it for two weeks.
She's dealing with brutal side effects from the Haldol: muscle stiffness, tremors, and a prolactin 1900.
On top of all that, she was trying to wrap up her freshman year of high school, so being around other kids was just incredibly awkward for her.

feraljackal152 said:They bumped her Risperdal from 4 to 5 mg because it seemed to be working, but she's only been on it for two weeks.
She's dealing with brutal side effects from the Haldol: muscle stiffness, tremors, and a prolactin 1900.
On top of all that, she was trying to wrap up her freshman year of high school, so being around other kids was just incredibly awkward for her.

If she's taking Haldol, they should also prescribe Cogentin to manage those stiffness issues. As for the prolactin, that's caused by the Risperdal, not the Haldol.

fadedbear92 said:Good luck! You're a powerhouse, Roger Rodriguez, definitely not some pushover!😂🤣😍

Thanks 🙂

No way—there's no chance Roger Rodriguez is going to let a measly dose of Paxil get the better of her. I've certainly faced much tougher battles than this, haven't I? 🙂

Roger Rodriguez said:Hey everyone! How's it going?
Well, here I go again—tapering off my Paxil. Is it always going to be this much of a cycle? 🙄
The last attempt didn't exactly go as planned. I managed to taper down from 20mg to 10mg over several months, but it was such an uphill battle—honestly, just thinking about it now makes me feel uneasy. Was it worth the struggle?
So, I’m finally starting to taper down from 10mg to nothing. Isn't that just the way it goes? 👋
My psychiatrist used to insist that I’d need to stay on this medication for the rest of my life because of the panic disorder I've been managing since 2006. Even though the panic attacks had completely stopped, he just wouldn't budge. I had put in all the work—therapy, breathing exercises, relaxation techniques, visualization—all with the goal of finally being able to step away from the pills and handle things on my own. He simply couldn't grasp why I wanted to stop taking antidepressants. Eventually, I decided to switch doctors, and thank goodness I did, because I finally found an absolutely wonderful woman to take over my care.

The current plan is to take half a tablet every other day—so 10 mg. I’m on day five now, and honestly, I feel like I'm in a complete fog. My doctor keeps insisting that this dose is far too low to cause any kind of physical dependency, but how am I supposed to explain that feeling to my own brain?
Someone above was asking about how to taper off. Is anyone else currently taking Helexa? I'm curious to hear how everyone is finding it.I'm not sure if it’s even possible to compare tapering off two different medications, but I’ve been running a fever for three days now. Is anyone else dealing with something similar? 🤷
My vision is blurring, my head is pounding, and I’m dealing with sweats and intense nausea. It’s the same thing I went through last time, only this feels much more intense. Now, I’m just sitting here waiting to see how things unfold.
My mom tells me to just stop overthinking it because my brain is doing its own thing, but how can I not? I’m absolutely buzzing at the thought of finally tapering off these meds, yet at the exact same time, I am terrified.

So, does anyone have any advice if you’ve ever gone through something similar?
I’ve been sleeping terribly lately—maybe three or four hours at most. Could that be why I’m feeling so worn out?

Fingers crossed that I can finally be done with these tablets once and for all. Wouldn't that be something? 🙂

I’m currently on day 10 of weaning myself off, and while the first 5 or 6 days were actually fine, everything is just spiraling downhill from here. Last night, the anxiety woke me right up.😢 Plus, I’ve got these awful stomach cramps and diarrhea.
Does anyone know roughly how long these symptoms hang around? It caught me off guard that they’re only hitting me this late in the game. My dose is actually pretty small to begin with, so I can't even imagine what it would be like if I were on a higher one.🙄

swiftcanyon64 said:I’m currently on day 10 of weaning myself off, and while the first 5 or 6 days were actually fine, everything is just spiraling downhill from here. Last night, the anxiety woke me right up.😢 Plus, I’ve got these awful stomach cramps and diarrhea.
Does anyone know roughly how long these symptoms hang around? It caught me off guard that they’re only hitting me this late in the game. My dose is actually pretty small to begin with, so I can't even imagine what it would be like if I were on a higher one.🙄

Coming off Paxil?
How exactly are you tapering your dose?

Usually, side effects hit early on and then start to fade by the 10th day, though everyone is different, so they might linger a bit longer for you.

Even at my tiny dose—just half a pill—I still feel lousy. And let's not forget how much our mental state can mess with us right when we need stability most.🙂

There’s also the chance you might be dropping the dose too quickly. That happened to me during my first attempt when I went from 20mg down to 10mg; after two weeks, I had to go back up to 20mg just to function again.

Just hang in there for a few more days, and if new symptoms start popping up, definitely check in with your doctor.

Edit: You mentioned Xanax in your quote, so I assume that's what you're referring to? I didn't see it before.😁

I honestly don't understand how doctors are still prescribing Paxil; I mean, in my opinion, it’s just absolute garbage.

Kenneth Scott41 said:I honestly don't understand how doctors are still prescribing Paxil; I mean, in my opinion, it’s just absolute garbage.

I have to disagree there. In my book, Paxil is easily the best SSRI out there, right up there with Prozac. Honestly, combining 60 mg of Paxil with 80 mg of Prozac lets me function perfectly fine—not a single side effect left, though I suppose I might be a bit of a statistical anomaly. If I ever needed to get off a medication, I’d just stop cold turkey. No drama, no tapering, nothing. I’ve never had any withdrawal symptoms at all. I seem to handle just about everything without any issues regarding dependency or those nasty withdrawal effects when I quit... my only real struggle is how incredibly fast I build up a tolerance.

feraljackal152 said:They bumped her Risperdal from 4 to 5 mg because it seemed to be working, but she's only been on it for two weeks.
She's dealing with brutal side effects from the Haldol: muscle stiffness, tremors, and a prolactin 1900.
On top of all that, she was trying to wrap up her freshman year of high school, so being around other kids was just incredibly awkward for her.

I get why she feels awkward about it. It’s stupid having to explain your business to everyone.

Back when I was taking just 2 mg of Risperdal for my OCD, I dealt with that too—feeling stiff, sluggish, and just incredibly, incredibly exhausted. My period basically vanished; I only had it twice a year, and my prolactin levels were through the roof. My thoughts felt totally blocked, which was fine for a while, but my body felt the same way. I couldn't function. Eventually, they took me off it.

Drugs like Seroquel or Geodon have a similar vibe—they don't slow you down quite as much, so you can actually get things done at work, but you still run into issues with low volume and those prolactin spikes.

Anyway, that's just what happened with me. What was a nightmare for one person might work perfectly for someone else.
Plus, it really depends on what you're actually treating.

Kenneth Scott41 said:I honestly don't understand how doctors are still prescribing Paxil; I mean, in my opinion, it’s just absolute garbage.

Honestly, Paxil didn't do anything for me either. After taking it for years, I stopped feeling any effect at all. It was basically like drinking water.