Psychotropic medication discussion thread

So, which meds actually fall under the alprazolam umbrella? I only know xanax/Klonopin/etc.—is that all just the same stuff?

lonetiger98 said:So, which meds actually fall under the alprazolam umbrella? I only know xanax/Klonopin/etc.—is that all just the same stuff?

What exactly do you mean by "which ones fall under alprazolam"? I assume you're asking which specific brand-name drugs use alprazolam as their active ingredient. In that case, the ones you listed are exactly right.

Timothy Wood38 said:What exactly do you mean by "which ones fall under alprazolam"? I assume you're asking which specific brand-name drugs use alprazolam as their active ingredient. In that case, the ones you listed are exactly right.

It's just because I was reading this article and it said something like "Xanax and other alprazolams..." so it made me think there might be other meds containing it that aren't all exactly the same thing.🤣

Lisa Myers said:So, did you actually have an increased appetite or not? 🤣

From your post, I gather that you did, even if you weren't eating much. Basically, you're saying the pills caused the weight gain, not the food?

It’s pretty obvious, isn't it? She claimed she was "hungry as a wolf," yet she wasn't even eating nearly what her usual intake used to be—and even then, she was still gaining weight. Let’s be real here: people don't just put on pounds by eating a single apple and a bowl of granola a day. In fact, if that were actually the case, they'd hit a body weight that would make an anorexic look healthy by comparison.

Lisa Myers said:So, did you actually have an increased appetite or not? 🤣

From your post, I gather that you did, even if you weren't eating much. Basically, you're saying the pills caused the weight gain, not the food?

honestly, my appetite didn't even spike. once I noticed the scale creeping up, I basically stopped eating entirely... I was literally starving myself.
And yeah, the meds definitely caused the weight gain.
Because the second I switched over to Velafax or Cipralex—I can't even remember which one it was—I just wasted away. I dropped like 55 pounds in just a few months!

Has anyone here actually dealt with anxiety and those random panic attacks using Elicea? My neurologist put me on it, claiming I’m not really "psychiatric material" and just need a little boost to get going. Honestly, I’m still just sitting here on my porch wondering if I should even be messing with antidepressants at all, especially since nothing seems to be changing. I don't feel great, but I don't feel terrible either... it's just this constant, nagging sense of worry and dread hanging over me, and those sudden panic attacks are honestly the absolute worst.

I suppose I should probably mention that there isn't much left to say about this particular situation. It feels like we've all just been circling the same drain for a while now, hasn't it? I guess it’s just one of those things where you realize how little actually changes, no matter how much we talk about it. Maybe it's just me, but it feels like we're all just waiting for the next inevitable disappointment to roll around. kaže:
I found that Velafex really killed my appetite; I could barely bring myself to eat anything unless I took some Lorazepam or another anti-anxiety med. Especially during those first few weeks of treatment, I felt constantly nauseous and most food just seemed completely unappealing. Everyone around me kept commenting on how much weight I’d lost. Back then, I mostly just survived on coffee and cigarettes. Currently, I've transitioned over to Wellbutrin, which is fine in terms of side effects, though I feel like it makes me significantly more sensitive. Everything seems to get under my skin lately, and I find myself feeling unexpectedly aggressive. My doctor might switch me over to Cymalta soon—maybe that will be the right fit for me, assuming I don't end up having to go back to Velafax.😍

I was on Wellbutrin myself, though I only lasted about two days before calling it quits. It made me feel incredibly jittery and on edge, which is exactly the kind of sensation I can't stand. I guess the only redeeming quality was that it didn't cause any weight gain, but honestly, that wasn't enough to make it worth the agitation.

When it comes to finding the "best" antidepressant, it’s almost impossible to give a straight answer because everyone’s brain chemistry is just... different. It's incredibly individual. In my view, most of the newer antidepressants on the market are actually top-tier medications; there’s usually a right fit out there for everyone if you look hard enough. Unfortunately, a major issue here in the States is that some psychiatrists seem pretty poorly educated when it comes to psychopharmacology. Too often, they’d rather just swap one pill for another instead of carefully adjusting the dosage—even though fine-tuning the dose is absolutely vital. Generally speaking, you need about six to eight weeks of consistent use, alongside gradual dosage adjustments, before you can truly decide if a specific antidepressant isn't working. Sadly, in many American clinics, they tend to make that call after only a month. Of course, sometimes you need a combination of drugs to get things right, so the possibilities are endless. I won't go too deep into dosages, but just as an example, Velafax is frequently prescribed at a maximum of 150 mg here, even though that’s really just the starting effective dose. You can actually go up to 375 mg daily, and doses around 225 mg are arguably the gold standard. It’s a similar story with other drugs in the class; they have very low toxicity, and fatal overdoses are incredibly rare. There is so much room for maneuver in psychopharmacotherapy that the idea that "no antidepressant works for me" just doesn't hold water.

Lisa Myers said:I think that’s the same thing as Zoloft, too (someone please correct me if I'm wrong). I know that much.

So, does anyone know of an anti-anxiety med that actually helps with weight loss? Or do they all just make you gain weight? Does everyone gain weight from psych meds in general, or is it just specific groups?

It isn't quite the same thing; they belong to the same class, sure, but there are nuances... I was on Zoloft for a short stint, maybe twenty days, and I didn't notice any dip in my appetite, but with Prozac, I felt the difference by the very next day. Plus, Zoloft just made me feel nauseous... And no, you don't gain weight from everything; the consensus is that it's primarily the antipsychotics that do that.

[QUOTE=Victor;42639136]Obesity isn't any less of a threat to one's life than mental illness, even if I catch your drift. Once you're overweight—largely because you're eating to cope with psychological struggles—you end up developing psychosomatic issues, and then treating the underlying mental health problem leads to even more weight gain. You find yourself trapped in this vicious, inescapable cycle where nothing actually gets better. I've tangled my own thoughts a bit there, but hopefully, the point lands.

I'm not exactly hunting for a weight-loss miracle disguised as a psychotropic drug; I just want something that won't make me gain weight. And honestly, if the side effect happens to be losing weight, well, that would just be the icing on the cake. That was my only real concern.[/QUOTE

Prozac was originally developed with weight management in mind before they eventually categorized it as an antidepressant... personally, within two days of starting it, my appetite plummeted. It’s true that during those first three weeks, it can ramp up your anxiety levels, but once you clear that hump, it’s fantastic—at least, that was my experience. On the flip side, things like Ambien work terribly for my appetite; if I take it at night, I’ll find myself stumbling straight to the fridge fifteen minutes later. Of course, that leads to weight gain, but I simply can't sleep without it. Similarly, Lexapro tends to cause weight gain too... though, look, I haven't become obese or anything; I went from about 128 pounds at 5'4" to roughly 136 pounds, and frankly, those extra few pounds are starting to bother me.[/QUOTE]

Timothy Wood38 said:When it comes to finding the "best" antidepressant, it’s almost impossible to give a straight answer because everyone’s brain chemistry is just... different. It's incredibly individual. In my view, most of the newer antidepressants on the market are actually top-tier medications; there’s usually a right fit out there for everyone if you look hard enough. Unfortunately, a major issue here in the States is that some psychiatrists seem pretty poorly educated when it comes to psychopharmacology. Too often, they’d rather just swap one pill for another instead of carefully adjusting the dosage—even though fine-tuning the dose is absolutely vital. Generally speaking, you need about six to eight weeks of consistent use, alongside gradual dosage adjustments, before you can truly decide if a specific antidepressant isn't working. Sadly, in many American clinics, they tend to make that call after only a month. Of course, sometimes you need a combination of drugs to get things right, so the possibilities are endless. I won't go too deep into dosages, but just as an example, Velafax is frequently prescribed at a maximum of 150 mg here, even though that’s really just the starting effective dose. You can actually go up to 375 mg daily, and doses around 225 mg are arguably the gold standard. It’s a similar story with other drugs in the class; they have very low toxicity, and fatal overdoses are incredibly rare. There is so much room for maneuver in psychopharmacotherapy that the idea that "no antidepressant works for me" just doesn't hold water.

I agree, but it's not the patient's fault that things aren't working; it's the doctor's. It's rare to find a doc (especially private practice ones) who will actually listen to your suggestions regarding medication. At least, that’s been my experience. 🤷

For me, I was on an AD for about 8 months straight—every single day, same time, strictly by the book—but it did nothing. My doctor kept insisting I just stick with it and that it would eventually kick in. It didn't. He wouldn't bump the dose, and he wouldn't switch the med, always hitting me with lines like, "This one is best for you because of [some technical jargon I don't understand]," or "The others definitely won't help you as well as this one." That was just how it went. So, yeah... my med usage (after those 8-9 months) and all those doctor visits.

An antipsychotic was what finally changed things for me within two months, after I told him sixteen different times that I wasn't feeling any improvement whatsoever. Like, zero. Then he hit it right on the money with a second therapy, but he still refused to touch the antidepressant. (Just to be clear, I told him every single time that I wasn't doing well, but he just had this canned response ready that I couldn't even argue with.) And since he was a private doctor, he definitely wasn't cheap. 🙄🙄

Timothy Wood38 said:When it comes to finding the "best" antidepressant, it’s almost impossible to give a straight answer because everyone’s brain chemistry is just... different. It's incredibly individual. In my view, most of the newer antidepressants on the market are actually top-tier medications; there’s usually a right fit out there for everyone if you look hard enough. Unfortunately, a major issue here in the States is that some psychiatrists seem pretty poorly educated when it comes to psychopharmacology. Too often, they’d rather just swap one pill for another instead of carefully adjusting the dosage—even though fine-tuning the dose is absolutely vital. Generally speaking, you need about six to eight weeks of consistent use, alongside gradual dosage adjustments, before you can truly decide if a specific antidepressant isn't working. Sadly, in many American clinics, they tend to make that call after only a month. Of course, sometimes you need a combination of drugs to get things right, so the possibilities are endless. I won't go too deep into dosages, but just as an example, Velafax is frequently prescribed at a maximum of 150 mg here, even though that’s really just the starting effective dose. You can actually go up to 375 mg daily, and doses around 225 mg are arguably the gold standard. It’s a similar story with other drugs in the class; they have very low toxicity, and fatal overdoses are incredibly rare. There is so much room for maneuver in psychopharmacotherapy that the idea that "no antidepressant works for me" just doesn't hold water.

Well, in my experience, nothing worked. And I really needed it to work.

To mention FedEx, I was taking it at 300mg for a short while, then bumped up to 375mg. I have cycled through all sorts of combinations involving multiple antidepressants and antipsychotics. At one point, I was juggling as many as five different medications simultaneously. Of course, I haven't exhausted every single drug on the market, but I can't help feeling like I've tried nearly everything available.😬

Brandon Lopez6 said:I agree, but it's not the patient's fault that things aren't working; it's the doctor's. It's rare to find a doc (especially private practice ones) who will actually listen to your suggestions regarding medication. At least, that’s been my experience. 🤷

For me, I was on an AD for about 8 months straight—every single day, same time, strictly by the book—but it did nothing. My doctor kept insisting I just stick with it and that it would eventually kick in. It didn't. He wouldn't bump the dose, and he wouldn't switch the med, always hitting me with lines like, "This one is best for you because of [some technical jargon I don't understand]," or "The others definitely won't help you as well as this one." That was just how it went. So, yeah... my med usage (after those 8-9 months) and all those doctor visits.

An antipsychotic was what finally changed things for me within two months, after I told him sixteen different times that I wasn't feeling any improvement whatsoever. Like, zero. Then he hit it right on the money with a second therapy, but he still refused to touch the antidepressant. (Just to be clear, I told him every single time that I wasn't doing well, but he just had this canned response ready that I couldn't even argue with.) And since he was a private doctor, he definitely wasn't cheap. 🙄🙄

Of course the blame doesn't lie with the patient. But modern psychiatry is supposed to involve the patient actively in their own treatment plan—within reason, obviously. You have every right to switch doctors if yours isn't listening.

Anthony Lopez8 said:Well, in my experience, nothing worked. And I really needed it to work.

To mention FedEx, I was taking it at 300mg for a short while, then bumped up to 375mg. I have cycled through all sorts of combinations involving multiple antidepressants and antipsychotics. At one point, I was juggling as many as five different medications simultaneously. Of course, I haven't exhausted every single drug on the market, but I can't help feeling like I've tried nearly everything available.😬

It isn't just about the dosage. You could be taking ten different pills and still get zero results if they aren't the right fit. You might have been on a combination of Wellbutrin and something else—that can be one of the heaviest hitter combos out there. Just don't give up. Good luck.

Timothy Wood38 said:It isn't just about the dosage. You could be taking ten different pills and still get zero results if they aren't the right fit. You might have been on a combination of Wellbutrin and something else—that can be one of the heaviest hitter combos out there. Just don't give up. Good luck.

Calixta? I’ve been taking 15 Milligram for nearly a year now, though I always make a point to mention that. It does wonders for my sleep, but when it comes to anxiety, it hasn't done a single thing for me—not even a dent. Then again, the label specifies it's for depression, which isn't even my struggle. It also tends to cause weight gain and a bit of a hangover effect, but because my sleep was so abysmal, I'd end up taking a 15 Milligram dose just to pass out immediately. I honestly can't wrap my head around what makes it so powerful.

Timothy Wood38 said:Of course the blame doesn't lie with the patient. But modern psychiatry is supposed to involve the patient actively in their own treatment plan—within reason, obviously. You have every right to switch doctors if yours isn't listening.

I was seeing him every single week. From, I think, July 2011 through March 2012. And honestly? The guy didn't help me one bit. Worst psychiatrist I've ever dealt with, hands down.
I get that I have the right to find someone else, but whether I actually have the means to do that... man, who knows. Life happens.

Find an alternative.
Or just vent and dump everything you're feeling right here.
Tell them straight up that it isn't meeting your needs; I once had a doctor tell me that if a kid is outgrowing their psychiatrist, it’s officially time to find someone new...

Jason Vaughn482 said:Calixta? I’ve been taking 15 Milligram for nearly a year now, though I always make a point to mention that. It does wonders for my sleep, but when it comes to anxiety, it hasn't done a single thing for me—not even a dent. Then again, the label specifies it's for depression, which isn't even my struggle. It also tends to cause weight gain and a bit of a hangover effect, but because my sleep was so abysmal, I'd end up taking a 15 Milligram dose just to pass out immediately. I honestly can't wrap my head around what makes it so powerful.

15 Milligrams is actually a pretty low dose. Usually, you're looking at 30 to 45 Milligrams, though some people need more—sometimes even pushing up to 90 Milligrams. It’s pretty common knowledge that when dealing with anxiety disorders, you generally need a higher dosage than you would for pure depression. Anyway, what I was actually getting at was combining Wellbutrin (or Cymbalta) with Calixta. That is arguably one of the most powerful and effective combinations out there. Dr. Phil actually made it famous; he's probably the most renowned psychopharmacologist on the planet. He calls that specific combo "California rocket fuel." I mean, the name really says it all, doesn't it? 🙄

Matthew White4 said:Find an alternative.
Or just vent and dump everything you're feeling right here.
Tell them straight up that it isn't meeting your needs; I once had a doctor tell me that if a kid is outgrowing their psychiatrist, it’s officially time to find someone new...

How am I supposed to "find an alternative" when I can't even afford the gas or make the drive out to a major city like Chicago? Sometimes there just aren't any options. I've looked everywhere, but nothing fits what I can actually handle right now.

I don't know where you're coming from, but honestly, things like this just have to be fixed...
I totally misspoke in my last post—my doctor actually told me that if my kid keeps coming home in tears after seeing their psychiatrist every single time, then we seriously need to switch providers.
I used to see this amazing psychologist in San Francisco, but then a few years down the line, I tried seeing some doctor out in San Diego. Turns out that guy was useless; he had zero time for anyone and a months-long waiting list, so I ended up seeing this lady in San Diego with the massive hair instead. She bumped up my dosage and ever since then, I've been doing great. DM me for her name.