Psychotropic medication discussion thread

Matthew White4 said:Exactly, just stay strong, girl! 😍

Great stuff, girl... haven't heard anything like that in ages.🤣

Jason Vaughn482 said:That sounds wonderful, truly, but I read somewhere that Velafax can spike your blood pressure, and mine is already high, especially when I'm feeling agitated. It's such a shame because I would have tried it, but I saw her yesterday and she didn't prescribe anything new. I'm still stuck on Xanax, and honestly... ugh... things have been incredibly difficult lately.

Low blood pressure here, so that’s not an issue. But I wanted to tell you, things have been... ugh... especially today. Feels like I've been plugged directly into a power line all day long.

Steven Martin13 said:Xanax at the start—zero points.
Paxil—completely useless; neither side effects nor any actual progress.
Zoloft—makes you feel numb, triggers some pretty unpleasant thoughts, and gives me this heavy, trapped sensation (for the second time now)—plus, I end up feeling irritable and aggressive.
Clonazepam—I have never experienced such intense derealization (which lingered after I stopped taking it), along with short-term memory loss, total cognitive fog, and increased agitation.
Ativan—my body feels totally deadened, yet my mind is racing at a hundred miles per hour.
Lexapro—mellows out most of the symptoms quite a bit. I take 0.25 as needed, but I suspect if I took 0.5, that would probably do the trick.

Someone did
recommend Luvox, but I haven't ever actually taken it.

I know I've mixed up antidepressants and anxiolytics in here, but I wanted to give an overview of everything I've dealt with so far—there's more, but I can't recall it all right now.

I get the gist.
Helix works great for me. I thought about trying Xanax, but people say it takes longer to kick in, and sometimes even those 10-15 minutes with regular Helix is way too much for me.🤷
It doesn't make sense for me to take Xanax and then still need a "quick" one on the side. It totally defeats the purpose of tapering down, which is why I'd even consider switching to Xanax in the first place.

Got a psych appointment in May, and who knows how that goes... everyone is already getting on my nerves because they misinterpret every little thing.🙂
They tell me I talk too fast. Like, how are you supposed to listen to someone with schizoaffective disorder who isn't making sense? Seriously. What a stupid standard to hold me to.☕

Paul Newman5 said:No offense, but I agree. I’m up at 6 AM, so by 1 PM, half the day is already gone. I take a 0.5 as soon as I wake up because my nerves are shot in the morning, maybe a 0.25 around noon depending on the day, then another 0.5 at 5, and 4.5 mg of Lexapro at night. Honestly, I’m jealous you get to sleep until 1 PM. If only for one day...

You guys are waking up at 6, but I'm passing out at 4. My last Helix is at 11 PM, and I don't touch anything else until 4 AM. It’s the same deal if you take your first dose at noon or space it out during the day. I bet you guys drift off before I do, so you could take your last dose at 7 AM. Neither of you really gets the schedule right.

Brandon Lopez6 said:I get the gist.
Helix works great for me. I thought about trying Xanax, but people say it takes longer to kick in, and sometimes even those 10-15 minutes with regular Helix is way too much for me.🤷
It doesn't make sense for me to take Xanax and then still need a "quick" one on the side. It totally defeats the purpose of tapering down, which is why I'd even consider switching to Xanax in the first place.

Got a psych appointment in May, and who knows how that goes... everyone is already getting on my nerves because they misinterpret every little thing.🙂
They tell me I talk too fast. Like, how are you supposed to listen to someone with schizoaffective disorder who isn't making sense? Seriously. What a stupid standard to hold me to.☕

You guys are waking up at 6, but I'm passing out at 4. My last Helix is at 11 PM, and I don't touch anything else until 4 AM. It’s the same deal if you take your first dose at noon or space it out during the day. I bet you guys drift off before I do, so you could take your last dose at 7 AM. Neither of you really gets the schedule right.

At the end of the day, it all boils down to the same result; three pills are three pills, regardless of how we choose to distribute them.

Jason Vaughn482 said:At the end of the day, it all boils down to the same result; three pills are three pills, regardless of how we choose to distribute them.

Look, don't get ahead of yourself—you aren't losing anything here

You just grab some Xanax or Ativan when you actually need it, you know? Like, when the anxiety starts hitting hard.
It’s not like some supplement you have to "refill" every single morning just to make it through the day!

Jason Vaughn482 said:At the end of the day, it all boils down to the same result; three pills are three pills, regardless of how we choose to distribute them.

I mean, what did I even say? 🤔
I mentioned in my post about "splitting the dose" and some lady on the board asked me how. So yeah, 4 tablets.

Brandon Lopez6 said:I mean, what did I even say? 🤔
I mentioned in my post about "splitting the dose" and some lady on the board asked me how. So yeah, 4 tablets.

I get the schedule now. Honestly, I probably take more than you do. I was just messing with you about waking up at 1:00 PM—from where I'm sitting, that seems like an impossible mission. Just a little joke about your sleep schedule.😉

Hey everyone... for those of you on Zoloft, what kind of maintenance dose are you currently running?
I've been steady at 50mg since day one... I've been on this for over a month now.

Matthew White4 said:Look, don't get ahead of yourself—you aren't losing anything here

You just grab some Xanax or Ativan when you actually need it, you know? Like, when the anxiety starts hitting hard.
It’s not like some supplement you have to "refill" every single morning just to make it through the day!

I have to 🤷 I guess there are days when I feel okay, so I might delay or skip a pill, but that doesn't happen much. I'm pretty much constantly anxious. I'm actually on a different antidepressant now, but without my Lexapro, I'm stuck. I cut my dose in half over a month ago, and I'm barely hanging on—I can't imagine taking any less than this.

I have a quick question. I just realized I'm going to run out of my antidepressants right before the long weekend 🙄 I tried calling my doctor this afternoon, but couldn't get through—she was probably seeing patients all morning. Is there ANY chance I could pick up my meds without a prescription, maybe based on my medical history and stuff? Like, at the pharmacy where I usually go? My psychiatrist wrote my last report last week, so I have that, but I don't have a current script.

Brandon Lopez6 said:I get the gist.
Helix works great for me. I thought about trying Xanax, but people say it takes longer to kick in, and sometimes even those 10-15 minutes with regular Helix is way too much for me.🤷
It doesn't make sense for me to take Xanax and then still need a "quick" one on the side. It totally defeats the purpose of tapering down, which is why I'd even consider switching to Xanax in the first place.

Got a psych appointment in May, and who knows how that goes... everyone is already getting on my nerves because they misinterpret every little thing.🙂
They tell me I talk too fast. Like, how are you supposed to listen to someone with schizoaffective disorder who isn't making sense? Seriously. What a stupid standard to hold me to.☕

You guys are waking up at 6, but I'm passing out at 4. My last Helix is at 11 PM, and I don't touch anything else until 4 AM. It’s the same deal if you take your first dose at noon or space it out during the day. I bet you guys drift off before I do, so you could take your last dose at 7 AM. Neither of you really gets the schedule right.

I'm personally not happy with my treatment plan at all—that's why I'm phasing it out. I'd rather just deal with the anxiety and stay "off the meds" than struggle with an antidepressant that does absolutely nothing. I feel like I've researched every single medication under the sun, but most doctors here just default to SSRIs. Honestly, I've managed to build my own coping mechanisms better than any antidepressant ever did.

That part about the sleep issues hits home—it's not even insomnia, really; it's just how my life is now. For some people, it's a major issue, but for me, this has been the reality for the last few years. My internal clock is just completely trashed. If I have to be up by 7 AM, I'm staying awake until 4 AM, and somehow, I still manage to function.

Steven Martin13 said:I'm personally not happy with my treatment plan at all—that's why I'm phasing it out. I'd rather just deal with the anxiety and stay "off the meds" than struggle with an antidepressant that does absolutely nothing. I feel like I've researched every single medication under the sun, but most doctors here just default to SSRIs. Honestly, I've managed to build my own coping mechanisms better than any antidepressant ever did.

That part about the sleep issues hits home—it's not even insomnia, really; it's just how my life is now. For some people, it's a major issue, but for me, this has been the reality for the last few years. My internal clock is just completely trashed. If I have to be up by 7 AM, I'm staying awake until 4 AM, and somehow, I still manage to function.

I don't know much about meds and I've relied on therapists quite a bit up until now, but lately, I've been losing faith in them. They've messed up during my last two sessions—like, seriously, if you don't understand something, just ask instead of writing complete bullshit in my files. That stuff stays on my permanent medical record forever, it's not a joke, damn it😠😠.

Sometimes (rarely) I'll fall asleep around 1, but usually, I can't drift off before 3. That's just my rhythm, I guess..

Brandon Lopez6 said:I don't know much about meds and I've relied on therapists quite a bit up until now, but lately, I've been losing faith in them. They've messed up during my last two sessions—like, seriously, if you don't understand something, just ask instead of writing complete bullshit in my files. That stuff stays on my permanent medical record forever, it's not a joke, damn it😠😠.

Sometimes (rarely) I'll fall asleep around 1, but usually, I can't drift off before 3. That's just my rhythm, I guess..

I totally relate to this first part. My very first doctor at the Mayo Clinic tried to prescribe me Loquene for insomnia, even though I told her three different times that sleep isn't the issue—it's that I simply DON'T WANT to go to bed early. I asked for Rivotril instead because the other stuff makes me feel foggy and forgetful, but she just kept pushing it on me. It was like talking to a wall. So, I went to see a different specialist, and through that therapy, she actually helped me clear things up. Look, I know it sucks—I get anxious—but I am working incredibly hard to change, and I know I’ll get through this. This isn't my first rodeo; I've walked this path before.

Most doctors just focus on killing the symptoms rather than digging for the actual cause—which is exactly why I switched providers. She even told me after a few sessions, "Don't waste your money here," and gave me advice on how to fight through it. She even said if I ever felt low, she’d give me her personal number or tell me to just drop by. She cured me the first time, and I truly believe she will again.

EDIT: I'm done posting about psychotropic meds on this forum. People either misquote me or try to drag my name through the mud for their own reasons. Plus, as my colleague Azure mentioned, so many people read these posts, and I have no desire to be blamed for someone else's misinterpretation—after all, we're all individuals.

Steven Martin13 said:I totally relate to this first part. My very first doctor at the Mayo Clinic tried to prescribe me Loquene for insomnia, even though I told her three different times that sleep isn't the issue—it's that I simply DON'T WANT to go to bed early. I asked for Rivotril instead because the other stuff makes me feel foggy and forgetful, but she just kept pushing it on me. It was like talking to a wall. So, I went to see a different specialist, and through that therapy, she actually helped me clear things up. Look, I know it sucks—I get anxious—but I am working incredibly hard to change, and I know I’ll get through this. This isn't my first rodeo; I've walked this path before.

Most doctors just focus on killing the symptoms rather than digging for the actual cause—which is exactly why I switched providers. She even told me after a few sessions, "Don't waste your money here," and gave me advice on how to fight through it. She even said if I ever felt low, she’d give me her personal number or tell me to just drop by. She cured me the first time, and I truly believe she will again.

EDIT: I'm done posting about psychotropic meds on this forum. People either misquote me or try to drag my name through the mud for their own reasons. Plus, as my colleague Azure mentioned, so many people read these posts, and I have no desire to be blamed for someone else's misinterpretation—after all, we're all individuals.

Now they've slapped me with a personality disorder diagnosis (😕), but according to my psych tests, the only thing even remotely outside the norm is depression 😬
I won't get into the details because just thinking about it makes me sick to my stomach, but let's just say the woman wrote my birth year as 1995 when I was actually born in 1990. 😁! Man, if she hadn't asked my age, she probably would've guessed something else entirely. It just shows she wasn't listening to a single word I said. 🤣

The diagnosis itself isn't everything, but it's hard to ignore. The worst part is that in the main stage—which is the medication—they treat the label, not the actual problem. If someone told me I had Schizoaffective, I'd be getting prescribed AP, but what I actually need is just something to take the edge off. That's why treating a personality disorder scares me—because I don't even have one. 🙂

Matthew White4 said:Look, don't get ahead of yourself—you aren't losing anything here

You just grab some Xanax or Ativan when you actually need it, you know? Like, when the anxiety starts hitting hard.
It’s not like some supplement you have to "refill" every single morning just to make it through the day!

For me, it’s been a three-times-a-day necessity for three years straight... I don't touch anything else, yet the anxiety still clings to me.

Melissa Sanchez59 said:I have to 🤷 I guess there are days when I feel okay, so I might delay or skip a pill, but that doesn't happen much. I'm pretty much constantly anxious. I'm actually on a different antidepressant now, but without my Lexapro, I'm stuck. I cut my dose in half over a month ago, and I'm barely hanging on—I can't imagine taking any less than this.

I have a quick question. I just realized I'm going to run out of my antidepressants right before the long weekend 🙄 I tried calling my doctor this afternoon, but couldn't get through—she was probably seeing patients all morning. Is there ANY chance I could pick up my meds without a prescription, maybe based on my medical history and stuff? Like, at the pharmacy where I usually go? My psychiatrist wrote my last report last week, so I have that, but I don't have a current script.

How many milligrams are you currently on? That is precisely why I am hesitant to switch to a new antidepressant; it seems like so many people end up needing an anxiolytic on top of it anyway, so what is the point of taking both? If I could be certain that I wouldn't end up needing Xanax, I might actually consider it.

Brandon Lopez6 said:Now they've slapped me with a personality disorder diagnosis (😕), but according to my psych tests, the only thing even remotely outside the norm is depression 😬
I won't get into the details because just thinking about it makes me sick to my stomach, but let's just say the woman wrote my birth year as 1995 when I was actually born in 1990. 😁! Man, if she hadn't asked my age, she probably would've guessed something else entirely. It just shows she wasn't listening to a single word I said. 🤣

The diagnosis itself isn't everything, but it's hard to ignore. The worst part is that in the main stage—which is the medication—they treat the label, not the actual problem. If someone told me I had Schizoaffective, I'd be getting prescribed AP, but what I actually need is just something to take the edge off. That's why treating a personality disorder scares me—because I don't even have one. 🙂

Which personality disorder did they slap on you?

Are you seeing someone privately or heading into a hospital setting? And what kind of meds are they putting you on?

Brandon Lopez6 said:Now they've slapped me with a personality disorder diagnosis (😕), but according to my psych tests, the only thing even remotely outside the norm is depression 😬
I won't get into the details because just thinking about it makes me sick to my stomach, but let's just say the woman wrote my birth year as 1995 when I was actually born in 1990. 😁! Man, if she hadn't asked my age, she probably would've guessed something else entirely. It just shows she wasn't listening to a single word I said. 🤣

The diagnosis itself isn't everything, but it's hard to ignore. The worst part is that in the main stage—which is the medication—they treat the label, not the actual problem. If someone told me I had Schizoaffective, I'd be getting prescribed AP, but what I actually need is just something to take the edge off. That's why treating a personality disorder scares me—because I don't even have one. 🙂

Don't sweat it... about a week ago, I was also diagnosed with borderline personality disorder... it's not exactly a charming diagnosis, I'll give you that...
And she prescribed Seroquel as a mood stabilizer, but my moods don't actually swing the way they typically do for people with BPD... so I told her I wasn't taking it. There's nothing anyone can do to force me, and she actually admitted she couldn't make me take something I didn't want to, but suggested if I wanted to try, I should. Well, I tried, and it was terrible... I won't touch it again. Taking an antipsychotic felt like getting hit in the head with a shovel. But hey, you have to deal with those numbers and keep working on yourself regardless of whatever those famous F-s say... besides, Seroquel is actually a great substitute for anxiolytics; it knocks you out perfectly, and plenty of people on this forum are really happy with it... I initially turned it down because it made me feel stupid, but now that I'm going through a bit of a crisis due to a breakup, I started taking it again and I'm sleeping like a baby. I'm hitting the sack around 10 PM, and I don't even need anxiolytics anymore... imagine that!

Melissa Sanchez59 said:I have to 🤷 I guess there are days when I feel okay, so I might delay or skip a pill, but that doesn't happen much. I'm pretty much constantly anxious. I'm actually on a different antidepressant now, but without my Lexapro, I'm stuck. I cut my dose in half over a month ago, and I'm barely hanging on—I can't imagine taking any less than this.

I have a quick question. I just realized I'm going to run out of my antidepressants right before the long weekend 🙄 I tried calling my doctor this afternoon, but couldn't get through—she was probably seeing patients all morning. Is there ANY chance I could pick up my meds without a prescription, maybe based on my medical history and stuff? Like, at the pharmacy where I usually go? My psychiatrist wrote my last report last week, so I have that, but I don't have a current script.

You might be able to get it if you show them your medical records.

Jason Vaughn482 said:How many milligrams are you currently on? That is precisely why I am hesitant to switch to a new antidepressant; it seems like so many people end up needing an anxiolytic on top of it anyway, so what is the point of taking both? If I could be certain that I wouldn't end up needing Xanax, I might actually consider it.

I'm taking 0.5 Xanax in the morning and then 0.25 Azure at night—though I guess I don't really bother with the others unless things get super intense or I'm totally panicking.
I don't really know what to say—I just keep hoping my antidepressants will eventually kick in so I won't need any anxiety meds. They probably aren't meant to be a long-term fix, I guess. At night, I take 30 mg of my supplement with dinner, and if nothing else, I usually sleep pretty well—which is actually a huge deal for me since I used to struggle with insomnia all the time.

granitefalcon26 said:You might be able to get it if you show them your medical records.

Thanks! 🙂

So, I tried to head out for a weekend getaway without my meds, and let me tell you, nobody in town would even look at me twice. I showed up with all my official paperwork, everything clearly stating that I’m on a permanent prescription and absolutely cannot be without them!
They actually looked me in the eye and told me—literally—that they could help if it were for blood pressure or something with my blood sugar, but this? This was a hard no.

I mean, what am I supposed to do? Just push my depression aside until Monday morning and hope for the best??

"Sorry, we can't help you. You aren't an EMERGENCY!"