Psychotropic medication discussion thread

David Bishop4 said:Thank you so much, you've truly encouraged me. But you haven't told me anything about how you're doing?

I’m doing alright, thanks for asking. I’ve been on various antidepressants for five years now, and I've dealt with antipsychotics for a little over two.
I've had my share of relapses—it's just the way things go when a condition becomes chronic—but my psychiatrist always manages to
pull me back from the edge during a crisis, mainly because he's an incredibly skilled pharmacologist.😉

redranger2 said:Just please, whatever you do, don't try to quit antidepressants cold turkey. You have to taper off gradually—maybe go half a pill for a few days, then move to a quarter for at least ten days, then every other day, and eventually every third day until
you're completely off them.

Too late for that, I haven't touched my Lexapro since Tuesday.😬
I went cold turkey on much heavier stuff before, so this feels like a walk in the park.🥳

Eric Mitchell55 said:I haven't had any issues with it so far, honestly.
It does a great job helping with the muscle spasms and jaw tension, and even when I deal with a little extra drooling here and there, taking another dose of Cogentin usually settles things right back down...
The only thing is my hands still shake constantly; even the Cogentin doesn't seem to touch that part.

I didn't really feel anything physically, but my head definitely noticed. The worst part was realizing I’d started drooling. Honestly, it made me feel so stupid—just sitting there with my mouth hanging open and saliva leaking (okay, maybe not *that* bad, but you know what I mean 😁).
Glad it's working for you. For me, the nausea was the absolute worst, so I eventually stopped taking the Cogentin even though it was prescribed. It would hit me hard a few hours after taking it, and since I have a massive phobia of throwing up, the nausea just triggered total anxiety and panic. The "side effect" was basically the last thing I needed. 😁

David Bishop4 said:The main thing is that you're feeling better. How are you managing with going out and being on your own lately? Personally, I force myself to get out of the house just to survive, so I suppose that's progress in its own way. As for me, the Paxil is okay for now, but I definitely still have some work to do. 😉

I'm getting by on Xanax and it helps.🥳
I know it's probably not the smartest move, but I plan my outings around when I need to take the Xanax. I'll take it and then about 15 minutes later, I'm out the door like a pro. Yeah, I don't go out solo, but I used to get hit with so much anxiety even when someone was with me. Now, that rarely happens, and I haven't dealt with derealization while out in ages.🙂

Scott Alvarez22 said:A healthy person experiences emotions on a scale from 1 to 10, whereas someone on antidepressants usually finds themselves stuck somewhere between a 3 and a 6 at most.
Without those meds, everything has a scent, a flavor, a certain warmth or a sense of love, but when you're on them, you're left with nothing but hollow memories of what those feelings used to be like. Taking ADs is like living your entire life inside a sheet of plastic.

That’s really why people fight so hard to taper off; they just want to feel something real again—whether it's the bond with a child, a partner, a parent, a grandparent, or even just a hobby. It doesn't matter what it is, they just want to feel that spark one more time.

I have to disagree with the idea that life feels like it's trapped in plastic while on medication. At least, that certainly wasn't my experience. I was able to love and laugh, and I did so with complete sincerity and from the bottom of my heart.

David Bishop4 said:I have to disagree with the idea that life feels like it's trapped in plastic while on medication. At least, that certainly wasn't my experience. I was able to love and laugh, and I did so with complete sincerity and from the bottom of my heart.

I have to agree, my experience was identical. In fact, if anything, being on antidepressants actually provided an emotional liberation for me,
allowing me to finally be my true self instead of constantly suppressing everything I felt.
Of course, perhaps the effects manifest differently for everyone else.

Brandon Lopez6 said:Too late for that, I haven't touched my Lexapro since Tuesday.😬
I went cold turkey on much heavier stuff before, so this feels like a walk in the park.🥳

I didn't really feel anything physically, but my head definitely noticed. The worst part was realizing I’d started drooling. Honestly, it made me feel so stupid—just sitting there with my mouth hanging open and saliva leaking (okay, maybe not *that* bad, but you know what I mean 😁).
Glad it's working for you. For me, the nausea was the absolute worst, so I eventually stopped taking the Cogentin even though it was prescribed. It would hit me hard a few hours after taking it, and since I have a massive phobia of throwing up, the nausea just triggered total anxiety and panic. The "side effect" was basically the last thing I needed. 😁

I'm getting by on Xanax and it helps.🥳
I know it's probably not the smartest move, but I plan my outings around when I need to take the Xanax. I'll take it and then about 15 minutes later, I'm out the door like a pro. Yeah, I don't go out solo, but I used to get hit with so much anxiety even when someone was with me. Now, that rarely happens, and I haven't dealt with derealization while out in ages.🙂

Yeah, totally. I know exactly what you’re talking about.
That’s how it felt for me back when I was on Prozac; my stomach would just flip the second I swallowed it, making me feel like I was going to throw up.
At least I don't have much of an issue with vomiting itself, since I deal with chronic acid reflux, so I end up regurgitating something every couple of days anyway 🤷

redranger2 said:In my experience, a low-dose antipsychotic like Seroquel was the only thing that actually worked for my severe, chronic insomnia.

Honestly, if you want a real cure for any kind of sleep issue, nothing beats spending your entire day working outdoors—whether that's out in the fields, deep in the woods, or down by the coast.
Just let that physical exhaustion and some fresh air completely wear you down, and sleep will come naturally.
If you don't have a job that keeps you out in nature, just find something to do and get moving.

redranger2 said:I’m doing alright, thanks for asking. I’ve been on various antidepressants for five years now, and I've dealt with antipsychotics for a little over two.
I've had my share of relapses—it's just the way things go when a condition becomes chronic—but my psychiatrist always manages to
pull me back from the edge during a crisis, mainly because he's an incredibly skilled pharmacologist.😉

I’m really glad to hear you're doing okay. 🙂 Honestly, life is funny; some people struggle with blood sugar, others deal with high blood pressure, and then there's us dealing with this, yet we keep moving forward. It's good to see you here; I actually remember you from an anxiety thread about five years ago. You were a big help to me back then. 🙂

David Bishop4 said:I have to disagree with the idea that life feels like it's trapped in plastic while on medication. At least, that certainly wasn't my experience. I was able to love and laugh, and I did so with complete sincerity and from the bottom of my heart.

Ha, honestly, even psychiatrists would be jealous of a logic like that....

Scott Alvarez22 said:Ha, honestly, even psychiatrists would be jealous of a logic like that....

I can't say for sure, but I know I'm certainly not the only one who feels this way. As redranger2 pointed out, though, everyone responds to medication differently.

Scott Alvarez22 said:Honestly, if you want a real cure for any kind of sleep issue, nothing beats spending your entire day working outdoors—whether that's out in the fields, deep in the woods, or down by the coast.
Just let that physical exhaustion and some fresh air completely wear you down, and sleep will come naturally.
If you don't have a job that keeps you out in nature, just find something to do and get moving.

Good grief, Scott Alvarez22, 🤣
why on earth didn't my psychiatrist suggest that same remedy?😁

David Bishop4 said:I’m really glad to hear you're doing okay. 🙂 Honestly, life is funny; some people struggle with blood sugar, others deal with high blood pressure, and then there's us dealing with this, yet we keep moving forward. It's good to see you here; I actually remember you from an anxiety thread about five years ago. You were a big help to me back then. 🙂

I'm glad to hear I was.🙂

Scott Alvarez22 said:A healthy person experiences emotions on a scale from 1 to 10, whereas someone on antidepressants usually finds themselves stuck somewhere between a 3 and a 6 at most.
Without those meds, everything has a scent, a flavor, a certain warmth or a sense of love, but when you're on them, you're left with nothing but hollow memories of what those feelings used to be like. Taking ADs is like living your entire life inside a sheet of plastic.

That’s really why people fight so hard to taper off; they just want to feel something real again—whether it's the bond with a child, a partner, a parent, a grandparent, or even just a hobby. It doesn't matter what it is, they just want to feel that spark one more time.

I couldn't agree more.

Eric Mitchell55 said:Yeah, totally. I know exactly what you’re talking about.
That’s how it felt for me back when I was on Prozac; my stomach would just flip the second I swallowed it, making me feel like I was going to throw up.
At least I don't have much of an issue with vomiting itself, since I deal with chronic acid reflux, so I end up regurgitating something every couple of days anyway 🤷

Nausea is easily my absolute worst side effect from any pill I’ve ever taken. I haven't actually thrown up since my senior year of high school—it'll be June, four years later this time (yeah, I'm counting lol)—but whenever that wave of nausea hits and starts getting intense, the panic sets in immediately.
I finally got things under control so I don't feel like I'm gonna pass out every single time my stomach flips. It used to be brutal, though. I’d end up pacing around outside for three or four hours straight just waiting for the nausea to die down. Honestly, being stuck indoors when I felt like that was just impossible.
Akineton was the only one that ever made me feel like I was gonna throw up. Seriously, the nausea was unreal. I really hope I never find myself in a position where I actually have to take it again.

Brandon Lopez6 said:Nausea is easily my absolute worst side effect from any pill I’ve ever taken. I haven't actually thrown up since my senior year of high school—it'll be June, four years later this time (yeah, I'm counting lol)—but whenever that wave of nausea hits and starts getting intense, the panic sets in immediately.
I finally got things under control so I don't feel like I'm gonna pass out every single time my stomach flips. It used to be brutal, though. I’d end up pacing around outside for three or four hours straight just waiting for the nausea to die down. Honestly, being stuck indoors when I felt like that was just impossible.
Akineton was the only one that ever made me feel like I was gonna throw up. Seriously, the nausea was unreal. I really hope I never find myself in a position where I actually have to take it again.

Nausea is honestly such a horrible sensation; it's just awful.
Luckily, I've never had issues quite like that with Akineton, which is a huge relief because I really rely on it. 🙄

Eric Mitchell55 said:Nausea is honestly such a horrible sensation; it's just awful.
Luckily, I've never had issues quite like that with Akineton, which is a huge relief because I really rely on it. 🙄

Mine was too. The others—the ones who weren't afraid to be blunt—used to tell me I looked like I’d been run over by a truck. Slumped over, totally stiff, and then there was that damn drooling. Aside from the drooling, I didn't even realize how bad I actually looked.
I was taking Risperdal three times a day at 4 mg. Hey, at least it actually worked. 😁

Brandon Lopez6 said:Mine was too. The others—the ones who weren't afraid to be blunt—used to tell me I looked like I’d been run over by a truck. Slumped over, totally stiff, and then there was that damn drooling. Aside from the drooling, I didn't even realize how bad I actually looked.
I was taking Risperdal three times a day at 4 mg. Hey, at least it actually worked. 😁

I know those comparisons so well. It’s like I was a literal walking zombie or moving around like some kind of slow-motion robot. My eyes were half-shut, I was drooling everywhere, my jaw would lock up, and sometimes my muscles would just seize so I couldn't move. It was a total disaster.

And this was all happening when I was only 16 years old.

redranger2 said:Good grief, Scott Alvarez22, 🤣
why on earth didn't my psychiatrist suggest that same remedy?😁

The thing is, they aren't suffering from the same things we are; their goal is just to squeeze as much money out of us as possible.
Take this for example:
It feels like there isn't a single vet out there who won't try to push some specialized commercial food (like Hills or Pedigree fell...) just because they happen to stock it or can funnel customers toward specific pet stores.

However, when an animal is more than just a pet to you—when they are a lifelong companion—you naturally become close friends with most vets. But wouldn't you know it, none of those vets actually feed their own dogs Pedigree fell and similar cash-grab products; instead, they all mix together homemade meals, much like what they eat themselves.

And it’s easy enough to verify: just take two bowls, one filled with Pedigree fell and the other with homemade food, and set them down when your dog is hungry (which, let's face it, is every day since they aren't on any antidepressants 😁), then just let the dog decide which one is actually better for them.

It’s the exact same story with psychiatrists.

Here is my own experience:

Back in mid-2006, after three grueling months of struggling with balance issues and endless medical testing, I finally went to see a psychiatrist.
He immediately started treating me by throwing Zoloft and Xanax at me.
In the beginning, the Zoloft and Xanax actually made the dizziness even worse, leaving me convinced that I had completely lost my mind—totally.

I somehow managed to limp along until 2011, when my dog developed a severe ear infection, which ended up sending me back into the clinic for testing alongside him.

Both the dog and I tested positive for issues; the dog got his treatment, while I was sent off for further diagnostic testing while staying on my medication. During those follow-up tests, they discovered an old fracture in my eardrum that had healed over with fibrous tissue.
The specialist asked me how on earth I had managed to live with a ruptured eardrum without ever seeking help or mentioning it to anyone.
The reason I hadn't reported it to anyone else was because my previous doctors insisted everything was fine, but they essentially ruined me by prescribing antidepressants and Xanax, to which I eventually developed a dependency.

After five years of seeing him, my psychiatrist offered the deepest of apologies, justifying it by saying he wasn't an ENT specialist and couldn't have known, though he did note that I certainly had my own psychological baggage to clear out. When I asked if there was anyone out there who didn't have "baggage" to clean up, he told me quite plainly that there wasn't!

So, it all traces back to an ear issue treated by a psychiatrist using drugs, which led to depression and panic attacks, and once I finally realized what was happening and tried to taper off, I felt every demon in existence hit me at once. My body has become so accustomed to the medication that I'm still trying to figure out how to fix it, while the psychiatrist? There's no sign of him anymore. As far as he's concerned, the case is CLOSED, Next please.

Eric Mitchell55 said:I know those comparisons so well. It’s like I was a literal walking zombie or moving around like some kind of slow-motion robot. My eyes were half-shut, I was drooling everywhere, my jaw would lock up, and sometimes my muscles would just seize so I couldn't move. It was a total disaster.

And this was all happening when I was only 16 years old.

Me, thank God, I didn't feel the muscle stiffness myself, but people definitely noticed. Especially my old neighbor who'd only see me once a week since I was living in another city at the time; she’d be genuinely shocked every weekend seeing what I’d become. The people seeing me daily probably didn't catch the muscle changes as clearly because it wasn't like I suddenly froze one day—it just crept up on me. And before the psychiatrist caught on, I had zero clue what was happening. I just blamed the drooling on a cold because I had to breathe through my mouth, so I figured that was why.

Seriously, props to you for how you're handling all this.🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏

Scott Alvarez22 said:The thing is, they aren't suffering from the same things we are; their goal is just to squeeze as much money out of us as possible.
Take this for example:
It feels like there isn't a single vet out there who won't try to push some specialized commercial food (like Hills or Pedigree fell...) just because they happen to stock it or can funnel customers toward specific pet stores.

However, when an animal is more than just a pet to you—when they are a lifelong companion—you naturally become close friends with most vets. But wouldn't you know it, none of those vets actually feed their own dogs Pedigree fell and similar cash-grab products; instead, they all mix together homemade meals, much like what they eat themselves.

And it’s easy enough to verify: just take two bowls, one filled with Pedigree fell and the other with homemade food, and set them down when your dog is hungry (which, let's face it, is every day since they aren't on any antidepressants 😁), then just let the dog decide which one is actually better for them.

It’s the exact same story with psychiatrists.

Here is my own experience:

Back in mid-2006, after three grueling months of struggling with balance issues and endless medical testing, I finally went to see a psychiatrist.
He immediately started treating me by throwing Zoloft and Xanax at me.
In the beginning, the Zoloft and Xanax actually made the dizziness even worse, leaving me convinced that I had completely lost my mind—totally.

I somehow managed to limp along until 2011, when my dog developed a severe ear infection, which ended up sending me back into the clinic for testing alongside him.

Both the dog and I tested positive for issues; the dog got his treatment, while I was sent off for further diagnostic testing while staying on my medication. During those follow-up tests, they discovered an old fracture in my eardrum that had healed over with fibrous tissue.
The specialist asked me how on earth I had managed to live with a ruptured eardrum without ever seeking help or mentioning it to anyone.
The reason I hadn't reported it to anyone else was because my previous doctors insisted everything was fine, but they essentially ruined me by prescribing antidepressants and Xanax, to which I eventually developed a dependency.

After five years of seeing him, my psychiatrist offered the deepest of apologies, justifying it by saying he wasn't an ENT specialist and couldn't have known, though he did note that I certainly had my own psychological baggage to clear out. When I asked if there was anyone out there who didn't have "baggage" to clean up, he told me quite plainly that there wasn't!

So, it all traces back to an ear issue treated by a psychiatrist using drugs, which led to depression and panic attacks, and once I finally realized what was happening and tried to taper off, I felt every demon in existence hit me at once. My body has become so accustomed to the medication that I'm still trying to figure out how to fix it, while the psychiatrist? There's no sign of him anymore. As far as he's concerned, the case is CLOSED, Next please.

Look, I don't want to sound like I'm making excuses for psychiatrists, but how was your doctor supposed to know there was a physical issue if even your primary care physician sent you straight to them instead of a specialist?

Second thing, nobody was forcing those pills down your throat, so you could have chosen NOT to take them even if they were prescribed.

Brandon Lopez6 said:Me, thank God, I didn't feel the muscle stiffness myself, but people definitely noticed. Especially my old neighbor who'd only see me once a week since I was living in another city at the time; she’d be genuinely shocked every weekend seeing what I’d become. The people seeing me daily probably didn't catch the muscle changes as clearly because it wasn't like I suddenly froze one day—it just crept up on me. And before the psychiatrist caught on, I had zero clue what was happening. I just blamed the drooling on a cold because I had to breathe through my mouth, so I figured that was why.

Seriously, props to you for how you're handling all this.🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏

Look, I don't want to sound like I'm making excuses for psychiatrists, but how was your doctor supposed to know there was a physical issue if even your primary care physician sent you straight to them instead of a specialist?

Second thing, nobody was forcing those pills down your throat, so you could have chosen NOT to take them even if they were prescribed.

As for me, I'm a bit hit-or-miss with how I deal with it all.
Some days I feel like chucking my pills right out the window into the trash, and other days I’m actually looking forward to taking them. I get frustrated with myself sometimes, but then there are moments where I feel pretty good about being so different from everyone else. People can call me a weirdo if they want; I have my own little theories about my condition. Honestly, it almost makes me feel like I'm even crazier than I actually am, but believing in my own logic makes things a little easier to bear.
But man, if it weren't for those little pills, who knows where I'd be right now.

Eric Mitchell55 said:As for me, I'm a bit hit-or-miss with how I deal with it all.
Some days I feel like chucking my pills right out the window into the trash, and other days I’m actually looking forward to taking them. I get frustrated with myself sometimes, but then there are moments where I feel pretty good about being so different from everyone else. People can call me a weirdo if they want; I have my own little theories about my condition. Honestly, it almost makes me feel like I'm even crazier than I actually am, but believing in my own logic makes things a little easier to bear.
But man, if it weren't for those little pills, who knows where I'd be right now.

I pretty much tossed everything else aside except for my Ativan—I’m hooked on that stuff, and honestly, I’d feel fine enough to take a selfie right now. My next goal is finally weaning off it and, if God wills it, getting to a point where I can take something for anxiety OCCASIONALLY, instead of every few hours like I have been. 🙄

If you don't mind, I'd love to hear more about that theory of yours in a DM. 🙂