Psychotropic medication discussion thread

David Bishop4 said:They are, though my doctor prescribed Misar SR, while the Helix 0.25 is just the standard version. To be honest, neither the Helix 0.25, nor Lexapro, nor Paxil ever really did much to calm me down. They were pretty ineffective for my anxiety, so she decided to put me on this Misar SR, with the instruction that if I feel it isn't quite enough, I can take a regular dose of Helix as well. I don't know; she strikes me as a true professional, and I was actually quite impressed by her during our first consultation.

I was taking Xanax SR, but you definitely shouldn't be mixing any "short-acting" anxiolytics in on top of that.

fadedbear92 said:I was taking Xanax SR, but you definitely shouldn't be mixing any "short-acting" anxiolytics in on top of that.

I honestly can't say for sure; I know someone else used to take the SR version along with short-acting doses as needed, but I don't know. This morning, I took just half of my 1 mg Misar SR and ended up heading straight to bed. It made me feel pretty nauseous. I can't even imagine what would have happened if I had taken the whole thing... 😉

First time posting here. 40-year-old male.
I’ve been wrestling with this cocktail of anxious depression and panic attacks for ten years now, and honestly, I still haven't found a way out. Today, though, things hit a breaking point; I sat there seriously contemplating if I could finally just end this whole struggle once and for all.
I’ve been on Zoloft for six and a half years, paired with Xanax for six. I managed to get off the Xanax about six months ago, and this past month, I actually attempted to taper off the Zoloft as well.
Today was one of those days where it felt like a choice between my life and the Zoloft. In the end, I took the pill, and the world just sort of collapsed around me again.

I figured I might be able to offer some insight to anyone else navigating this mess—whether you're dealing with the fallout from Helix, Xanax, Misar, or Zoloft, or trying to figure out what happens when you start them, quit them, or fall back into the cycle after a break. I can share the raw details: the symptoms, the strange sensations, and the side effects I've endured through every season of life and every practical hurdle I've faced. If my own weary experience can help someone else make sense of it all, then I'll share it.

David Bishop4 said:I honestly can't say for sure; I know someone else used to take the SR version along with short-acting doses as needed, but I don't know. This morning, I took just half of my 1 mg Misar SR and ended up heading straight to bed. It made me feel pretty nauseous. I can't even imagine what would have happened if I had taken the whole thing... 😉

You really shouldn't split Misar SR! The instructions say not to, and I guess your doctor should've mentioned that to you.

I also take the SR version in the morning and at night, plus the "fast-acting" kind whenever I get hit with intense panic or something...

Btw, I'm not a bot—I've been lurking on this sub for ages, just finally deciding to join the club now, so bok everyone 😁

Hey everyone!
I’m new to this forum, so I figured I’d introduce myself... I’ve been dealing with panic attacks since I was 14, so we’re looking at about 12 years now. They used to happen maybe once every six months, but once I hit 24, they were hitting me multiple times a day. On top of that, I’m dealing with depression, anxiety, and agoraphobia. I previously tried Paxil (which nearly drove me insane—it killed my appetite and left me unable to even hold a conversation) and Misar at 0.5, 1, or 1 mg. I fought through that for three or four months before deciding to cold-turkey the meds on my own. That was about a year and a half ago. Two months ago, I finally went back to my psychiatrist because I realized I couldn't just white-knuckle this on my own, no matter how hard I tried. I was prescribed Wellbutrin XR 150mg and Xanax at 0.5, 1, or 1 mg. Of course, the Xanax wasn't enough, so I ended up taking three a day. Currently, life is throwing some heavy stuff my way, and while the Wellbutrin helped with the anxiety initially, it isn't doing anything for me now, and the depression is creeping right back in... I feel like I'm sinking again and I just don't have the strength to fight it. I’ve heard that combining Zoloft and Wellbutrin works wonders, since I need something to lift my mood while also dialing down the anxiety, and honestly, I want to get off the Xanax for good. Can anyone offer some advice or share if you've had similar experiences?
Thanks in advance.

Melissa Sanchez59 said:You really shouldn't split Misar SR! The instructions say not to, and I guess your doctor should've mentioned that to you.

I also take the SR version in the morning and at night, plus the "fast-acting" kind whenever I get hit with intense panic or something...

Btw, I'm not a bot—I've been lurking on this sub for ages, just finally deciding to join the club now, so bok everyone 😁

Bok to you too! 🙂 Thank you so much for the advice. I honestly had no idea that you weren't supposed to split them; it's the first I've heard of it, and I tend to avoid reading the fine print because I don't want to trigger any side effects through autosuggestion. 🙂 If you don't mind me asking, what was your diagnosis? And which Misar dose are you taking? Does it leave you feeling a bit groggy? Also, how does your combination of the regular dose and the fast-acting version work for you—does it actually help?

Gerald Torres2 said:Hey everyone!
I’m new to this forum, so I figured I’d introduce myself... I’ve been dealing with panic attacks since I was 14, so we’re looking at about 12 years now. They used to happen maybe once every six months, but once I hit 24, they were hitting me multiple times a day. On top of that, I’m dealing with depression, anxiety, and agoraphobia. I previously tried Paxil (which nearly drove me insane—it killed my appetite and left me unable to even hold a conversation) and Misar at 0.5, 1, or 1 mg. I fought through that for three or four months before deciding to cold-turkey the meds on my own. That was about a year and a half ago. Two months ago, I finally went back to my psychiatrist because I realized I couldn't just white-knuckle this on my own, no matter how hard I tried. I was prescribed Wellbutrin XR 150mg and Xanax at 0.5, 1, or 1 mg. Of course, the Xanax wasn't enough, so I ended up taking three a day. Currently, life is throwing some heavy stuff my way, and while the Wellbutrin helped with the anxiety initially, it isn't doing anything for me now, and the depression is creeping right back in... I feel like I'm sinking again and I just don't have the strength to fight it. I’ve heard that combining Zoloft and Wellbutrin works wonders, since I need something to lift my mood while also dialing down the anxiety, and honestly, I want to get off the Xanax for good. Can anyone offer some advice or share if you've had similar experiences?
Thanks in advance.

I know exactly what you mean.
After going through something very similar myself, I can tell you that they offered me a combination too, though they framed it as a single medication (either Mirzaten or Velofax), claiming it was essentially a combo pill from a different manufacturer. This drug, whether it's Mirzaten or Velofax, was supposedly meant to be a direct transition from Zoloft, containing Zoloft plus something else (I never quite grasped what the addition was).

Where the trouble lies (in my experience):

Xanax works fine when it kicks in and during those first two hours, but the moment it wears off, the withdrawal symptoms hit immediately.
The lack of Xanax in your system triggers nausea, dizziness, tremors, and dark thoughts. It’s much like Zoloft, which causes dizziness and depressive dips during withdrawal.

My advice:

Take as little Xanax as possible, but don't make yourself miserable in the process—just whatever you do, stay away from Xanax SR!!!!!!

Instead of using Xanax SR, try taking a standard Xanax 0.25, then split it in half and take those halves throughout the day at your current dosage level.
Every 15, 30, or 45 days, drop one of those 0.25 halves, and eventually, you'll have phased it out entirely.

Hope this helps!

Scott Alvarez22 said:First time posting here. 40-year-old male.
I’ve been wrestling with this cocktail of anxious depression and panic attacks for ten years now, and honestly, I still haven't found a way out. Today, though, things hit a breaking point; I sat there seriously contemplating if I could finally just end this whole struggle once and for all.
I’ve been on Zoloft for six and a half years, paired with Xanax for six. I managed to get off the Xanax about six months ago, and this past month, I actually attempted to taper off the Zoloft as well.
Today was one of those days where it felt like a choice between my life and the Zoloft. In the end, I took the pill, and the world just sort of collapsed around me again.

I figured I might be able to offer some insight to anyone else navigating this mess—whether you're dealing with the fallout from Helix, Xanax, Misar, or Zoloft, or trying to figure out what happens when you start them, quit them, or fall back into the cycle after a break. I can share the raw details: the symptoms, the strange sensations, and the side effects I've endured through every season of life and every practical hurdle I've faced. If my own weary experience can help someone else make sense of it all, then I'll share it.

I don't know, I've been taking Xanax at 0.5 for quite a while now, so what's the big deal? Oh, wait, I just finished reading—I don't experience any of that stuff, none of the shaking or nausea or whatever else was mentioned; I just take two or three 0.5 doses and carry on as usual.

It’s been years now, and I’m still staring at the same wall. Even after all this time on the Xanax and Zoloft, there hasn't been any real progress to speak of. It feels like I'm just spinning my wheels.

Scott Alvarez22 said:I know exactly what you mean.
After going through something very similar myself, I can tell you that they offered me a combination too, though they framed it as a single medication (either Mirzaten or Velofax), claiming it was essentially a combo pill from a different manufacturer. This drug, whether it's Mirzaten or Velofax, was supposedly meant to be a direct transition from Zoloft, containing Zoloft plus something else (I never quite grasped what the addition was).

Where the trouble lies (in my experience):

Xanax works fine when it kicks in and during those first two hours, but the moment it wears off, the withdrawal symptoms hit immediately.
The lack of Xanax in your system triggers nausea, dizziness, tremors, and dark thoughts. It’s much like Zoloft, which causes dizziness and depressive dips during withdrawal.

My advice:

Take as little Xanax as possible, but don't make yourself miserable in the process—just whatever you do, stay away from Xanax SR!!!!!!

Instead of using Xanax SR, try taking a standard Xanax 0.25, then split it in half and take those halves throughout the day at your current dosage level.
Every 15, 30, or 45 days, drop one of those 0.25 halves, and eventually, you'll have phased it out entirely.

Hope this helps!

Thanks for the reply, but I’m already well aware of all that. You really have to run from Xanax like it's a bad habit. My main struggle right now is this anxiety. I thought Zoloft was an antidepressant? Now I'm confused... I want an antidepressant that can actually keep both my depression and anxiety under control, using Xanax only for emergencies. Usually, people go for Paxil (which is a popular antidepressant right now), but that didn't sit right with me at all—it actually made everything feel worse and worse even after two months of taking it. Is it even possible to get physically addicted to antidepressants, or is it more of a psychological thing?

Gerald Torres2 said:Thanks for the reply, but I’m already well aware of all that. You really have to run from Xanax like it's a bad habit. My main struggle right now is this anxiety. I thought Zoloft was an antidepressant? Now I'm confused... I want an antidepressant that can actually keep both my depression and anxiety under control, using Xanax only for emergencies. Usually, people go for Paxil (which is a popular antidepressant right now), but that didn't sit right with me at all—it actually made everything feel worse and worse even after two months of taking it. Is it even possible to get physically addicted to antidepressants, or is it more of a psychological thing?

Also, I forgot to mention: I'm taking standard Xanax, not the extended-release version. My goal is to keep the anxiety and panic attacks managed, and using Wellbutrin alone just isn't cutting it for me.

Gerald Torres2 said:Hey everyone!
I’m new to this forum, so I figured I’d introduce myself... I’ve been dealing with panic attacks since I was 14, so we’re looking at about 12 years now. They used to happen maybe once every six months, but once I hit 24, they were hitting me multiple times a day. On top of that, I’m dealing with depression, anxiety, and agoraphobia. I previously tried Paxil (which nearly drove me insane—it killed my appetite and left me unable to even hold a conversation) and Misar at 0.5, 1, or 1 mg. I fought through that for three or four months before deciding to cold-turkey the meds on my own. That was about a year and a half ago. Two months ago, I finally went back to my psychiatrist because I realized I couldn't just white-knuckle this on my own, no matter how hard I tried. I was prescribed Wellbutrin XR 150mg and Xanax at 0.5, 1, or 1 mg. Of course, the Xanax wasn't enough, so I ended up taking three a day. Currently, life is throwing some heavy stuff my way, and while the Wellbutrin helped with the anxiety initially, it isn't doing anything for me now, and the depression is creeping right back in... I feel like I'm sinking again and I just don't have the strength to fight it. I’ve heard that combining Zoloft and Wellbutrin works wonders, since I need something to lift my mood while also dialing down the anxiety, and honestly, I want to get off the Xanax for good. Can anyone offer some advice or share if you've had similar experiences?
Thanks in advance.

Hmm... I must admit I find it somewhat unusual that they prescribed you Wellbutrin. As far as I am aware, it is primarily intended for depressive symptoms, but it isn't typically given to people suffering from panic attacks because it can increase dopamine levels. However, I suppose your psychiatrist knows the reasoning behind it; surely Zoloft is meant to be your primary Zoloft Advertisement.

restlesstrucker15 said:Hmm... I must admit I find it somewhat unusual that they prescribed you Wellbutrin. As far as I am aware, it is primarily intended for depressive symptoms, but it isn't typically given to people suffering from panic attacks because it can increase dopamine levels. However, I suppose your psychiatrist knows the reasoning behind it; surely Zoloft is meant to be your primary Zoloft Advertisement.

No, that’s actually the whole problem. I’m only taking Wellbutrin and Xanax, and my goal is to get off the Xanax entirely and just stick to an antidepressant. The thing is, Wellbutrin doesn't touch my anxiety or my panic attacks at all.

Gerald Torres2 said:Thanks for the reply, but I’m already well aware of all that. You really have to run from Xanax like it's a bad habit. My main struggle right now is this anxiety. I thought Zoloft was an antidepressant? Now I'm confused... I want an antidepressant that can actually keep both my depression and anxiety under control, using Xanax only for emergencies. Usually, people go for Paxil (which is a popular antidepressant right now), but that didn't sit right with me at all—it actually made everything feel worse and worse even after two months of taking it. Is it even possible to get physically addicted to antidepressants, or is it more of a psychological thing?

Gerald Torres2
please, don't let yourself get worked up over this!
Zoloft is exactly that, but it’s a slow burn; it takes time to kick in. If you were looking to step things up from Zoloft, you might look toward Pfizer or Eli Lilly, though I haven't personally ventured down those paths yet.
Regarding Effexor, the documentation states something like this:

Effexor tablets are indicated for the treatment of depression, including cases where depression is accompanied by anxiety.
Effexor is utilized in the treatment of:

All types of anxiety disorders: generalized anxiety disorder, panic attacks, social phobia…
Mixed forms, specifically anxious-depressive disorder.
Various neurotic depressive disorders (I say neurotic because in bipolar disorder, or what used to be called manic-depressive psychosis, the depression and anxiety are entirely different in terms of psychodynamics and everything else).
Hypochondriasis—which is a notoriously difficult disorder to treat and a heavy burden for the patient to live with. I really ought to write a more detailed post about that in a separate thread. These are individuals who constantly feel they are suffering from various ailments—one day it's this, the next it's that—they go for medical checkups far too often, yet there's no organic evidence of illness. Still, they persistently experience symptoms like stinging pains, shortness of breath, or chest tightness.
Recent studies also suggest the medication might be useful for severe forms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (I'll touch on that topic more deeply some other time).
Certain conditions manifesting within categories of various "personality disorders," such as Borderline Personality Disorder or similar emotional instability profiles.

Furthermore, with Zoloft and similar drugs (after about six months), you definitely develop a dependency, which is why you need to taper off very gradually over several months. Apparently, with Effexor, you can transition immediately if you stop Zoloft on the same day, meaning you don't necessarily face that agonizing withdrawal period.

So, HOW do you keep depression and anxiety under control? That's precisely why I posted here in the first place—because I honestly don't know!

@ Scott Alvarez22

How the hell am I supposed to keep this depression and anxiety under control? That’s exactly why I’m posting here—because honestly, I’m totally lost!

You gotta put in the work on yourself, man. Don't stop looking for the right therapy, and if you can, definitely try psychotherapy... once you finally track down the meds that actually work for your system, those symptoms will start to back off, which makes the actual self-work way less of an uphill battle. Just don't quit on yourself!

😉

Hey everyone, quick question. I have an orthodontist appointment coming up soon to get my bite adjusted, and I am honestly terrified. I deal with a really intense gag reflex, and that specific procedure always triggers it. Last time I even tried to go through with it, I ended up fleeing the office and breaking down in tears for an hour. Does anyone have a recommendation for something to help calm my nerves, since this is full-on panic territory? My primary care doctor prescribed some Paxil, but I’ve heard that might be a bit too heavy-handed for this.

Bradley Parker said:Hey everyone, quick question. I have an orthodontist appointment coming up soon to get my bite adjusted, and I am honestly terrified. I deal with a really intense gag reflex, and that specific procedure always triggers it. Last time I even tried to go through with it, I ended up fleeing the office and breaking down in tears for an hour. Does anyone have a recommendation for something to help calm my nerves, since this is full-on panic territory? My primary care doctor prescribed some Paxil, but I’ve heard that might be a bit too heavy-handed for this.

The dental office suggested taking something like Dramamine or even prescription options to help with the gagging during procedures. Personally, my advice? Grab some Aviomarin. It’s basically the same thing as Dramamine, but you get a 5-pack instead of ten, so it ends up being way cheaper. If you actually need ten pills, then whatever. 🙂

That should handle the physical side of things, but for the mental breakdown part, you’d probably be better off with Xanax. Maybe try talking to your doctor about it again.

Scott Alvarez22 said:Gerald Torres2
please, don't let yourself get worked up over this!
Zoloft is exactly that, but it’s a slow burn; it takes time to kick in. If you were looking to step things up from Zoloft, you might look toward Pfizer or Eli Lilly, though I haven't personally ventured down those paths yet.
Regarding Effexor, the documentation states something like this:

Effexor tablets are indicated for the treatment of depression, including cases where depression is accompanied by anxiety.
Effexor is utilized in the treatment of:

All types of anxiety disorders: generalized anxiety disorder, panic attacks, social phobia…
Mixed forms, specifically anxious-depressive disorder.
Various neurotic depressive disorders (I say neurotic because in bipolar disorder, or what used to be called manic-depressive psychosis, the depression and anxiety are entirely different in terms of psychodynamics and everything else).
Hypochondriasis—which is a notoriously difficult disorder to treat and a heavy burden for the patient to live with. I really ought to write a more detailed post about that in a separate thread. These are individuals who constantly feel they are suffering from various ailments—one day it's this, the next it's that—they go for medical checkups far too often, yet there's no organic evidence of illness. Still, they persistently experience symptoms like stinging pains, shortness of breath, or chest tightness.
Recent studies also suggest the medication might be useful for severe forms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (I'll touch on that topic more deeply some other time).
Certain conditions manifesting within categories of various "personality disorders," such as Borderline Personality Disorder or similar emotional instability profiles.

Furthermore, with Zoloft and similar drugs (after about six months), you definitely develop a dependency, which is why you need to taper off very gradually over several months. Apparently, with Effexor, you can transition immediately if you stop Zoloft on the same day, meaning you don't necessarily face that agonizing withdrawal period.

So, HOW do you keep depression and anxiety under control? That's precisely why I posted here in the first place—because I honestly don't know!

Oh, so it's all just moving from one void to another!!!🙂
You get hooked on one med that helps, then you try to wean yourself off it using another one, and it just goes on forever!! There has to be a better solution for all this suffering. I've been battling Panic Disorder for 13 years and have dealt with a phobia level of 41.2 for the last five (even though I was only officially diagnosed about two years ago). It doesn't work with meds, and it doesn't work without them... even though I've genuinely changed my lifestyle, cut out negative people, and tried focusing on positive thinking, nothing sticks. When a panic attack hits, I honestly feel like swallowing every single pill I've ever taken just to end it all once and for all!!🙂

Gerald Torres2 said:No, that’s actually the whole problem. I’m only taking Wellbutrin and Xanax, and my goal is to get off the Xanax entirely and just stick to an antidepressant. The thing is, Wellbutrin doesn't touch my anxiety or my panic attacks at all.

I suppose you could call Wellbutrin a sort of "stimulant" among antidepressants. It feels like you always have to be doing something; I could never just sit still while taking that stuff. My therapist eventually switched me over to Effexor, which I've been on for about a year and a half now, and honestly, it seems to suit me perfectly. I don't deal with the depression quite like I used to.😉div>

Kenneth Scott41 said:I suppose you could call Wellbutrin a sort of "stimulant" among antidepressants. It feels like you always have to be doing something; I could never just sit still while taking that stuff. My therapist eventually switched me over to Effexor, which I've been on for about a year and a half now, and honestly, it seems to suit me perfectly. I don't deal with the depression quite like I used to.😉div>

I absolutely love these mood lifters. Honestly, without them, I wouldn’t even be able to crawl out of bed most days. Wellbutrin works perfectly for me as an antidepressant, but I still have this lingering anxiety that I need to tackle. Now I'm trying to figure out how to combine things effectively without ending up on a cocktail of all those stupid pills you can get scammed into taking—the ones that just leave you feeling depressed and sluggish. I'm actually feeling pretty great right now, sort of riding a bit of a high. 😍