Psychotropic medication discussion thread

Bryan Reyes60 said:blackx, thanks for getting back to me!

So, after those few months on 300mg, did you stick with it—maybe even bump the dose up?
Or did you decide to call it quits and switch to a different antidepressant altogether?

In my case, I was taking Wellbutrin as an add-on to Paxil. I was on 60 mg of Paxil at the time, and while it felt like it was helping, it just wasn't quite doing the trick—so they brought in the Wellbutrin. When that didn't end up being the answer for me, they switched me over to Prozac.

I wonder if Effexor really is the most potent antidepressant out there. I suppose it’s safe to say that Lexapro is on the weaker side of the spectrum, isn't it?

fadedbear92 said:The antidepressant should actually be introduced right at the start of treating panic disorder...

In cases where someone is hooked on Xanax, you might introduce another benzodiazepine instead—but that’s strictly for actual dependency issues (which, in my case, was the situation)...

Like I mentioned earlier, panic disorder is treated with an antidepressant and psychotherapy; anxiolytics (like Xanax, Ativan, or Klonopin) are basically just given for those first 3-4 weeks. After that, they should be tapered off gradually because the antidepressant should already be kicking in and helping stabilize things—meaning fewer panic attacks...

Xanax and stuff like that are just quick fixes to calm you down, but they don't solve the underlying issue long-term...

There's no need to be scared—you haven't been on it for long...

Try doing it this way: use a knife to break off a quarter of a pill and take that for a week or two, then take another quarter—so you're down to half a pill, or 0.125—and just taper off from there... It's slow enough that your system won't freak out too much...

Good luck! 😉

Hey everyone... looks like people have all sorts of experiences when tapering off Ativan or Xanax. I've been taking mine since '99 and decided to finally quit last year. I always stayed at the same dose, usually between 2.5 and 3 mg (yeah, heavy dependency here), so I can tell you from experience that you don't necessarily need an antidepressant to get off it. They offered me one twice, but I started it and gave up after a week or two. You don't need anything else to quit—just willpower. Honestly, I haven't had even a tiny withdrawal symptom while lowering my dose so far. It just takes grit. And don't follow that advice about cutting the dose every two weeks like everyone says; I drop by 0.25mg every 3 to 4 months, and there is ZERO crisis. None. Just go slow and you'll be fine. Over the last year, I've made it down to three 0.25mg steps. No rush, since I've been on it since '99 anyway... but I am curious, if you don't mind sharing, fadedbear92, how did you handle your taper? How long did it take, how many years were you on it, and how are you holding up now without the Ativan (are you on anything else)? Thanks.

Kenneth Scott41 said:I wonder if Effexor really is the most potent antidepressant out there. I suppose it’s safe to say that Lexapro is on the weaker side of the spectrum, isn't it?

Not really. And honestly, I feel like we've covered this ground a few times already—there’s no such thing as a single "strongest" med. It’s all just... highly individual. Everyone reacts differently. Actually, if you look at the science, escitalopram (Lexapro) might actually be considered "stronger" in its own way because it's the only allosteric SSRI. But again, I'll say it once more: it's all about how your specific body handles it.

gentlebadger8 said:Hey everyone... looks like people have all sorts of experiences when tapering off Ativan or Xanax. I've been taking mine since '99 and decided to finally quit last year. I always stayed at the same dose, usually between 2.5 and 3 mg (yeah, heavy dependency here), so I can tell you from experience that you don't necessarily need an antidepressant to get off it. They offered me one twice, but I started it and gave up after a week or two. You don't need anything else to quit—just willpower. Honestly, I haven't had even a tiny withdrawal symptom while lowering my dose so far. It just takes grit. And don't follow that advice about cutting the dose every two weeks like everyone says; I drop by 0.25mg every 3 to 4 months, and there is ZERO crisis. None. Just go slow and you'll be fine. Over the last year, I've made it down to three 0.25mg steps. No rush, since I've been on it since '99 anyway... but I am curious, if you don't mind sharing, fadedbear92, how did you handle your taper? How long did it take, how many years were you on it, and how are you holding up now without the Ativan (are you on anything else)? Thanks.

I was on it for 15 years...

I eventually reached a dose of 6-8 tablets of 0.5 mg each...

They introduced Normabest, but I ended up taking it somewhat impulsively—meaning I didn't

gradually taper off my Xanax dose; instead, right after a massive panic attack,

I just grabbed the Normabest and thought, "Whatever happens, happens, because I can't

stand this anymore..." I would occasionally slip back to the old stuff, but in smaller amounts... eventually

I was prescribed Rivotril, which brought my anxiety and fears down to almost nothing, and

I haven't reached for Xanax again (at least not yet)... I think my doctor and I

hit the sweet spot with therapy: two different types of Effexor ("the lifter") in the morning,

and Paxil ("the downsizer") in the evening, plus Rivotril three times a day and Prazin, one pill at night for

sleep... but I am still managing things—basically keeping my hereditary depression under control,

since I deal with depressive-anxiety disorder...

By the way, I really like your method for tapering off Xanax...

fadedbear92 said:I was on it for 15 years...

I eventually reached a dose of 6-8 tablets of 0.5 mg each...

They introduced Normabest, but I ended up taking it somewhat impulsively—meaning I didn't

gradually taper off my Xanax dose; instead, right after a massive panic attack,

I just grabbed the Normabest and thought, "Whatever happens, happens, because I can't

stand this anymore..." I would occasionally slip back to the old stuff, but in smaller amounts... eventually

I was prescribed Rivotril, which brought my anxiety and fears down to almost nothing, and

I haven't reached for Xanax again (at least not yet)... I think my doctor and I

hit the sweet spot with therapy: two different types of Effexor ("the lifter") in the morning,

and Paxil ("the downsizer") in the evening, plus Rivotril three times a day and Prazin, one pill at night for

sleep... but I am still managing things—basically keeping my hereditary depression under control,

since I deal with depressive-anxiety disorder...

By the way, I really like your method for tapering off Xanax...

Look, Reggie, it works perfectly. Trust me, just by cutting back, I already feel way more motivated and alive. Things are okay right now, but I’m still planning to kick the habit entirely since I don't actually need it (I only drank it because I was hooked). I honestly believe anyone dealing with panic attacks or whatever could pull this off flawlessly too—though they’d probably need to start an antidepressant or something first, not for the taper itself, but to handle the actual panic. This way of quitting is going great... I don't feel like I'm some special case here. And Reggie, you said you're doing good now? I hope it stays that way forever.

Anyone here actually have some real-world experience using Traduce?

Chloe Garcia10 said:Anyone here actually have some real-world experience using Traduce?

Hmm, I guess this is the first time I've even heard of that one.

gentlebadger8 said:Look, Reggie, it works perfectly. Trust me, just by cutting back, I already feel way more motivated and alive. Things are okay right now, but I’m still planning to kick the habit entirely since I don't actually need it (I only drank it because I was hooked). I honestly believe anyone dealing with panic attacks or whatever could pull this off flawlessly too—though they’d probably need to start an antidepressant or something first, not for the taper itself, but to handle the actual panic. This way of quitting is going great... I don't feel like I'm some special case here. And Reggie, you said you're doing good now? I hope it stays that way forever.

Thanks!😉

Chloe Garcia10 said:Anyone here actually have some real-world experience using Traduce?

http://www.biochemia-medica.com/category/tags/trazodon 😲😲😲

http://depression.emedtv.com/trazodone/trazodon.html

The woman I was planning to marry cheated on me 😢 ,is there an antidepressant out there that actually works for this?
I am in a total downward spiral right now. Yesterday, I ended up taking three Xanax, one Zeldox, and one Faverin all at once, but it didn't really do anything... I just fell into a deep sleep.

Kenneth Scott41 said:The woman I was planning to marry cheated on me 😢 ,is there an antidepressant out there that actually works for this?
I am in a total downward spiral right now. Yesterday, I ended up taking three Xanax, one Zeldox, and one Faverin all at once, but it didn't really do anything... I just fell into a deep sleep.

Pavaj, pavaj.

fadedbear92 said:Faverin is my absolute favorite... it works wonders for anxiety. You might feel a bit drowsy at first while your body adjusts, though... break a leg!😍

I guess I’m the complete opposite. I was on Faverin, and honestly, during that first week, I couldn't even close my eyes at night. Just total insomnia. Plus, I kept having these massive crying fits out of nowhere. It was a mess.
Clearly, this med isn't doing anything for me. Total bust.

I’m also taking Faverin, and honestly, I haven't run into any side effects, aside from that pesky drop in libido I mentioned before. But I won't go into it again—I don't want people thinking I'm just an old lady obsessed with sex.

urbanskipper4 said:I guess I’m the complete opposite. I was on Faverin, and honestly, during that first week, I couldn't even close my eyes at night. Just total insomnia. Plus, I kept having these massive crying fits out of nowhere. It was a mess.
Clearly, this med isn't doing anything for me. Total bust.

Isn't that wild? You take a drug like Faverin, which is supposed to help with anxiety, and yet it keeps you wide awake... it really goes to show how much these antidepressants vary from person to person.😲

Donna Torres5 said:I’m also taking Faverin, and honestly, I haven't run into any side effects, aside from that pesky drop in libido I mentioned before. But I won't go into it again—I don't want people thinking I'm just an old lady obsessed with sex.

I completely understand where you're coming from. Believe me, you aren't alone in this. It's the same for me, except for us men, there’s also that other issue to deal with (if you catch my drift)...
I find myself constantly scouring Google, searching for an alternative medication that doesn't come with that specific side effect. 😁

Kenneth Scott41 said:I completely understand where you're coming from. Believe me, you aren't alone in this. It's the same for me, except for us men, there’s also that other issue to deal with (if you catch my drift)...
I find myself constantly scouring Google, searching for an alternative medication that doesn't come with that specific side effect. 😁

There's just no avoiding the Mirtazapine issue.

Mirtazapine is out of stock, but man, if you aren't careful with that stuff, you'll pack on like 20 pounds in a month or so 🙂

http://www.depresija.org/forum/index...pic=763&st=105

http://www.thehealthjournals.com/ima...do_490X327.jpg

Roger Bennett62 said:Mirtazapine is out of stock, but man, if you aren't careful with that stuff, you'll pack on like 20 pounds in a month or so 🙂

So, how does it work for everyone else? I can't really speak for the crowd, though I hear plenty of people complaining about feeling completely wiped out by it. For me? Not so much. And honestly, back when I was grinding through Paxil Wellbutrin, my libido didn't even take a hit. Maybe I’m just that one outlier that proves the rule, who knows? The main reason my doctor put me on Mirtazapine was to deal with those manic bouts of insomnia—plus, it has that nice sedative effect. Since I struggle with BPD, I tend to deal with those sudden, intense outbursts of rage quite often, so this actually worked as a decent replacement for the Paxil Wellbutrin. That old stuff used to leave me feeling like I was constantly wired on speed. Have you ever felt that? Just totally jittery? It's a hell of a thing.