Psychotropic medication discussion thread

I wake up way too easily. Anxiety just washes over me and boom—I’m wide awake, reaching for my APAP immediately. 🤣

Sometimes I'll take some Norvasc to help me sleep, but otherwise, I don't take anything during the day. 🤷

And it helps.

Oh, right—I recently tried Zoloft (or whatever that sleep one is called)... man, it calms me down a bit, but my brain stays wired. It's the same deal with Seroquel; those antipsychotics 🤔 just don't do anything for me. ☕

God, I miss those days when I could actually get a good night's rest. 🙂

Dennis Turner6 said:I wake up way too easily. Anxiety just washes over me and boom—I’m wide awake, reaching for my APAP immediately. 🤣

Sometimes I'll take some Norvasc to help me sleep, but otherwise, I don't take anything during the day. 🤷

And it helps.

Oh, right—I recently tried Zoloft (or whatever that sleep one is called)... man, it calms me down a bit, but my brain stays wired. It's the same deal with Seroquel; those antipsychotics 🤔 just don't do anything for me. ☕

God, I miss those days when I could actually get a good night's rest. 🙂

Ambien. 😁

Jason Vaughn482 said:What dosage of Callista were you prescribed? Even at a mere 7.5 mg, I find myself trapped in this perpetual state of lethargy, unable to wake up. I am desperate to move past it once I receive a different sedative, because my current sleep aid doesn't always seem to do the trick.

There we go. I'm back on 45 mg (plus Mary 2x0.5) and I don't feel totally wiped out at all.

Honestly, I don't even know who I am before my morning coffee—but then again, I guess I was pretty much the same way even before all this medication stuff.😁

Michelle Evans said:Ambien. 😁

Man, sleeping pills... 🤣

😂

Does anyone know what's going on with the availability of Fluzepham 30? My dad takes it to sleep along with a whole stack of other meds—it’s a mess—and right now we can't find it in any pharmacy. He's down to just a few days' worth, and frankly, it's the only thing that helps him get even a few hours of decent sleep at night.

I’m only on day four of taking Lexapro and I honestly don't feel anxious at all. Is that even a thing? To be fair, I was almost through the worst of it just using St. John's Wort tea, but then everything started sliding backward so I figured I'd give the Lexapro a shot. After dealing with some pretty nasty side effects for the first couple of days, I ended up coming down with a brutal cold, but now that it's day four, even though I still feel under the weather, the anxiety and that heavy chest pressure have just completely vanished...

frozenorca63 said:I’m only on day four of taking Lexapro and I honestly don't feel anxious at all. Is that even a thing? To be fair, I was almost through the worst of it just using St. John's Wort tea, but then everything started sliding backward so I figured I'd give the Lexapro a shot. After dealing with some pretty nasty side effects for the first couple of days, I ended up coming down with a brutal cold, but now that it's day four, even though I still feel under the weather, the anxiety and that heavy chest pressure have just completely vanished...

Hi, I’ve been taking Lexapro for five months now and Mirataz for two, and while the Mirataz has definitely helped my sleep, the Lexapro isn't doing a single thing for me. I’m constantly on edge and struggling with depression. I honestly don't know what else to ask for because it feels like they just throw these pills at us blindly. Maybe Zoloft? I have no idea what else is out there. Or maybe I could use an antipsychotic to calm this constant nervousness? I really don't know.

shadowbear9 said:Hi, I’ve been taking Lexapro for five months now and Mirataz for two, and while the Mirataz has definitely helped my sleep, the Lexapro isn't doing a single thing for me. I’m constantly on edge and struggling with depression. I honestly don't know what else to ask for because it feels like they just throw these pills at us blindly. Maybe Zoloft? I have no idea what else is out there. Or maybe I could use an antipsychotic to calm this constant nervousness? I really don't know.

Don't know about antipsychotics—never tried them. But why have you been on something for 5 months if it's making things worse or just isn't working? Just my take, but I've read online and heard from psychiatrists that you really should switch meds if they aren't hitting the mark. I've been on ExxonMobil for 12 days and honestly, I feel terrible. My stomach is a mess, I'm constantly drugged out, my muscles ache, and I just want to stay in bed. No intention of staying on this long; no point in suffering through side effects for months with zero results. That's just how I see it, others might disagree. You've got to tell your doctor how you're feeling... you shouldn't be stuck taking something that doesn't suit you for years while depression runs rampant. Just a suggestion, though. Do what you think is best.

shadowbear9 said:Hi, I’ve been taking Lexapro for five months now and Mirataz for two, and while the Mirataz has definitely helped my sleep, the Lexapro isn't doing a single thing for me. I’m constantly on edge and struggling with depression. I honestly don't know what else to ask for because it feels like they just throw these pills at us blindly. Maybe Zoloft? I have no idea what else is out there. Or maybe I could use an antipsychotic to calm this constant nervousness? I really don't know.

Tell your psychiatrist you want to switch up your meds.
How do you think they can just prescribe stuff blindly?
If you don't trust them, go find a different shrink.
Besides, every antidepressant hits everyone differently.

You mentioned being stuck in a depressive state—if you're in a big city like Chicago, you should look for a psychiatrist psychotherapist and start actual psychotherapy because pills alone aren't going to solve everything.

Paul Newman5 said:Don't know about antipsychotics—never tried them. But why have you been on something for 5 months if it's making things worse or just isn't working? Just my take, but I've read online and heard from psychiatrists that you really should switch meds if they aren't hitting the mark. I've been on ExxonMobil for 12 days and honestly, I feel terrible. My stomach is a mess, I'm constantly drugged out, my muscles ache, and I just want to stay in bed. No intention of staying on this long; no point in suffering through side effects for months with zero results. That's just how I see it, others might disagree. You've got to tell your doctor how you're feeling... you shouldn't be stuck taking something that doesn't suit you for years while depression runs rampant. Just a suggestion, though. Do what you think is best.

The standard approach is to give it about two weeks, and if you aren't seeing progress by then, the doctor switches things up—that's just how modern psychiatrists operate, staying on top of the latest clinical research and findings.

fadedbear92 said:The standard approach is to give it about two weeks, and if you aren't seeing progress by then, the doctor switches things up—that's just how modern psychiatrists operate, staying on top of the latest clinical research and findings.

Same here. You can stomach two weeks, maybe three, but months? No thanks. I was on LVMH for a month once and felt terrible. My psychiatrist actually told me to quit immediately because side effects shouldn't drag on that long. Totally agree with you. I remember reading some psychiatrist's take saying that for someone with ADHD, side effects shouldn't last more than 7 to 10 days. Who knows if that's still the standard, though. They probably know what they're talking about after all those years in school.

Paul Newman5 said:Same here. You can stomach two weeks, maybe three, but months? No thanks. I was on LVMH for a month once and felt terrible. My psychiatrist actually told me to quit immediately because side effects shouldn't drag on that long. Totally agree with you. I remember reading some psychiatrist's take saying that for someone with ADHD, side effects shouldn't last more than 7 to 10 days. Who knows if that's still the standard, though. They probably know what they're talking about after all those years in school.

My therapist told me the exact same thing—she’s been in the field for quite a while now. Apparently, Americans reached that conclusion after tons of clinical research; she actually heard it firsthand at a psychiatric symposium where they were discussing the optimal window for starting new ADHD meds.

fadedbear92 said:My therapist told me the exact same thing—she’s been in the field for quite a while now. Apparently, Americans reached that conclusion after tons of clinical research; she actually heard it firsthand at a psychiatric symposium where they were discussing the optimal window for starting new ADHD meds.

I’ve read about this online too, including articles by American psychiatrists. I agree with what you said; consider me signed on. Eventually, people end up needing meds for blood pressure or diabetes... once they realize a specific drug isn't working, they switch. Not everyone responds to the same thing. Sure, antidepressants are more nuanced, but five months on a med that doesn't suit you? Seems pointless. If your therapist is the type who won't let you try something else, you're stuck—and there are plenty of those out there. It's harder when you live in a small town, but even then, you find a way.

fadedbear92 said:Tell your psychiatrist you want to switch up your meds.
How do you think they can just prescribe stuff blindly?
If you don't trust them, go find a different shrink.
Besides, every antidepressant hits everyone differently.

You mentioned being stuck in a depressive state—if you're in a big city like Chicago, you should look for a psychiatrist psychotherapist and start actual psychotherapy because pills alone aren't going to solve everything.

Well, here’s an example: they tried to stabilize my insomnia by throwing Prozac and Elavil at me, even though I specifically asked for Mirzaten, which was the one thing that actually worked for me. And honestly, Elavil just makes me feel incredibly moody, angry, and irritable—it leaves me with zero motivation. I frequently have these episodes where I can't even bring myself to get out of bed, which is something I never dealt with before. I suppose I don't know what else to ask for to stay calm during the day while still regulating this... I don't know, this depression? It isn't quite classic; it feels more like constant agitation and lethargy. I guess I'll just have to head in for an earlier follow-up appointment.

shadowbear9 said:Well, here’s an example: they tried to stabilize my insomnia by throwing Prozac and Elavil at me, even though I specifically asked for Mirzaten, which was the one thing that actually worked for me. And honestly, Elavil just makes me feel incredibly moody, angry, and irritable—it leaves me with zero motivation. I frequently have these episodes where I can't even bring myself to get out of bed, which is something I never dealt with before. I suppose I don't know what else to ask for to stay calm during the day while still regulating this... I don't know, this depression? It isn't quite classic; it feels more like constant agitation and lethargy. I guess I'll just have to head in for an earlier follow-up appointment.

Same here. That anxiety paired with restlessness is brutal. Lexapro—basically Cipralex—didn't work for me either; it just made me jittery and almost manic, kind of like how Zoloft works for some people on a Lexus. I went three months without anything, and now that I'm on Cox Communications, it looks like I might be stuck. It helps me sleep, sure, but my muscles ache and my stomach is a mess. Constant diarrhea. Dealing with these antidepressants is a nightmare. It's not that doctors are just guessing, it's just that everyone's brain is wired differently. You either spend forever trial-and-erroring meds or try to handle it through therapy alone.

Paul Newman5 said:Same here. That anxiety paired with restlessness is brutal. Lexapro—basically Cipralex—didn't work for me either; it just made me jittery and almost manic, kind of like how Zoloft works for some people on a Lexus. I went three months without anything, and now that I'm on Cox Communications, it looks like I might be stuck. It helps me sleep, sure, but my muscles ache and my stomach is a mess. Constant diarrhea. Dealing with these antidepressants is a nightmare. It's not that doctors are just guessing, it's just that everyone's brain is wired differently. You either spend forever trial-and-erroring meds or try to handle it through therapy alone.

That is exactly it. It feels like PMS every single day. My head hurts constantly and everything just irritates me. This morning, I actually woke up feeling okay for once, but then I remembered everything I had to do and I've been a nervous wreck with zero concentration ever since. I am currently attending CBT sessions with my primary care physician, but I guess I still place more faith in the chemistry side of things...

shadowbear9 said:That is exactly it. It feels like PMS every single day. My head hurts constantly and everything just irritates me. This morning, I actually woke up feeling okay for once, but then I remembered everything I had to do and I've been a nervous wreck with zero concentration ever since. I am currently attending CBT sessions with my primary care physician, but I guess I still place more faith in the chemistry side of things...

No physical pain for me, just constant anxiety and lethargy—especially when it's time to head to work. Been on edge since this morning. Probably from being overworked. Between freelancing, my corporate job, and taking care of a family of five, it's too much. Tried therapy for five months, but it didn't do much; even the therapist said we just needed some space from each other. Tried bioenergy for three months too, but nothing. The guy was decent enough to do it for free, but it didn't work. I'd prefer meds, but I'm on my third attempt at finding something that sticks. Might start looking for a new prescription in a few days. Honestly, I'd rather be on a deserted island where nobody asks anything of me, but that's not happening. Are you taking any anxiolytics or something? For me, Mayer works best, specifically when I mix it with Lexapro to stay calm. It’s not a long-term solution, and I know that after five months, but I don't have many other options.

shadowbear9 said:That is exactly it. It feels like PMS every single day. My head hurts constantly and everything just irritates me. This morning, I actually woke up feeling okay for once, but then I remembered everything I had to do and I've been a nervous wreck with zero concentration ever since. I am currently attending CBT sessions with my primary care physician, but I guess I still place more faith in the chemistry side of things...

CBT with who? From what I've gathered, CBT is handled by psychologists, not psychiatrists—and definitely not family doctors. 😕

Brandon Lopez6 said:CBT with who? From what I've gathered, CBT is handled by psychologists, not psychiatrists—and definitely not family doctors. 😕

It's cognitive behavioral therapy, yes. And it's being done by my primary care physician. I highly doubt she would even suggest it if she weren't properly trained; I assume she takes specialized courses or something. It's not like I sought her out for this—she actually approached me about starting sessions. We are currently holding sessions regularly. I even mentioned this to my psychiatrist, and they didn't say a single word implying that a GP shouldn't be doing this.

Anyway, I take Mayer, but only for sleep. I don't take anything during the day...

shadowbear9 said:It's cognitive behavioral therapy, yes. And it's being done by my primary care physician. I highly doubt she would even suggest it if she weren't properly trained; I assume she takes specialized courses or something. It's not like I sought her out for this—she actually approached me about starting sessions. We are currently holding sessions regularly. I even mentioned this to my psychiatrist, and they didn't say a single word implying that a GP shouldn't be doing this.

Anyway, I take Mayer, but only for sleep. I don't take anything during the day...

First time I've ever heard of the VA running psychotherapy sessions.