Psychotropic medication discussion thread

I was prescribed Cogentin because my legs kept swelling and cramping up... it’s just constant tremors in my hands and feet as a side effect from the Zyprexa. ...honestly, I’m telling you, I won't touch that stuff anymore.

What I mean is... I want to taper off my meds gradually... find what actually works for me and slowly reduce the dosage...

Listen, everyone, I've been hanging out on this forum for over a year now... and most of you all feel like the same kind of people... I've managed to change my treatment plan... I've tapered down to almost nothing by now... and I feel sooooo much better. That's what I want for every single one of you. I truly believe that at the end of the day... it's all about having faith... even in the medication you're taking... don't just hope for the best... have actual faith.

George Allen71 said:I was prescribed Cogentin because my legs kept swelling and cramping up... it’s just constant tremors in my hands and feet as a side effect from the Zyprexa. ...honestly, I’m telling you, I won't touch that stuff anymore.

What I mean is... I want to taper off my meds gradually... find what actually works for me and slowly reduce the dosage...

Listen, everyone, I've been hanging out on this forum for over a year now... and most of you all feel like the same kind of people... I've managed to change my treatment plan... I've tapered down to almost nothing by now... and I feel sooooo much better. That's what I want for every single one of you. I truly believe that at the end of the day... it's all about having faith... even in the medication you're taking... don't just hope for the best... have actual faith.

The power of suggestion is such a vital part of recovery, that's true. But the issue is, many people have reached a stage where they can't just "think" their way out of it anymore.
Unfortunately, medications often become the only thing keeping the brain's chemistry somewhat balanced.
By the way, I didn't quite catch the connection between dopamine and Zoloft?
You meant serotonin.☕

Talked to my psychiatrist and she switched me from Zoloft 10mg over to Calvin. She actually agreed with what you guys were saying about the extended release on the old one, so you were right all along...

I've been on the Calvin for the last four nights and I'm honestly just relieved I finally slept (taking 15 mg alongside 1 mg of Clonazepam). I feel pretty wiped out in the morning and sluggish during the day, but I'm not stressing too much yet, assuming it's just a temporary side effect. Had some moderate headaches too, but those cleared up. My appetite is definitely up at night.

The dreams, though... they're really starting to worry me. They are so vivid, intense, and depressing. Last night was a total nightmare—dreams about losing people close to me—and it woke me up at 5:30 AM. I managed to drift back off somehow, but the dreaming just wouldn't stop.

Can someone please tell me if this is just part of the adjustment period, or does anyone else on Calvin deal with these awful dreams continuously? These visions are so heavy they leave me shaken for the rest of the day... :-(

So, counting the Zoloft 10mg, I've been on new antidepressants for a week now (was on Agomelatine before that).

And yeah, my anxiety feels a bit more intense during the day.

Chris Kim7 said:Talked to my psychiatrist and she switched me from Zoloft 10mg over to Calvin. She actually agreed with what you guys were saying about the extended release on the old one, so you were right all along...

I've been on the Calvin for the last four nights and I'm honestly just relieved I finally slept (taking 15 mg alongside 1 mg of Clonazepam). I feel pretty wiped out in the morning and sluggish during the day, but I'm not stressing too much yet, assuming it's just a temporary side effect. Had some moderate headaches too, but those cleared up. My appetite is definitely up at night.

The dreams, though... they're really starting to worry me. They are so vivid, intense, and depressing. Last night was a total nightmare—dreams about losing people close to me—and it woke me up at 5:30 AM. I managed to drift back off somehow, but the dreaming just wouldn't stop.

Can someone please tell me if this is just part of the adjustment period, or does anyone else on Calvin deal with these awful dreams continuously? These visions are so heavy they leave me shaken for the rest of the day... :-(

So, counting the Zoloft 10mg, I've been on new antidepressants for a week now (was on Agomelatine before that).

And yeah, my anxiety feels a bit more intense during the day.

Calixt is a good AD. That’s just my subjective opinion, of course. I’m taking 45 mg plus Effexor, so I can’t say for certain how Calixt works entirely on its own. I don't experience any dreams.
The side effects are transient; they won't last long, and neither will the headaches. Usually, those headaches can be pretty intense, but one pill typically resolves it very quickly.
No anxiety here—my depression has never felt weaker.
It takes about 4 to 6 weeks to really kick in, so don't get too worked up; you've only just started.🙂
If you are taking any anxiolytic, keep in mind that Calixt can enhance the sedative effect, so you need to be careful.
As for an overdose, nothing significant happens. Even the side effects aren't serious and often get confused with the primary illness itself.
I assume the Xanax, which is primarily an antiepileptic but also acts as a sedative, is being amplified by the Calixt, which might explain why you're experiencing these unusual side effects. It isn't dangerous; you would have to take such a combination for a very long time before seeing any worsening.
Calixt is typically taken for about 6 months.
Yes, in my view, the q tab does have an extended release because the mechanism for the standard version and the q tab aren't identical.

Chris Kim7 said:Talked to my psychiatrist and she switched me from Zoloft 10mg over to Calvin. She actually agreed with what you guys were saying about the extended release on the old one, so you were right all along...

I've been on the Calvin for the last four nights and I'm honestly just relieved I finally slept (taking 15 mg alongside 1 mg of Clonazepam). I feel pretty wiped out in the morning and sluggish during the day, but I'm not stressing too much yet, assuming it's just a temporary side effect. Had some moderate headaches too, but those cleared up. My appetite is definitely up at night.

The dreams, though... they're really starting to worry me. They are so vivid, intense, and depressing. Last night was a total nightmare—dreams about losing people close to me—and it woke me up at 5:30 AM. I managed to drift back off somehow, but the dreaming just wouldn't stop.

Can someone please tell me if this is just part of the adjustment period, or does anyone else on Calvin deal with these awful dreams continuously? These visions are so heavy they leave me shaken for the rest of the day... :-(

So, counting the Zoloft 10mg, I've been on new antidepressants for a week now (was on Agomelatine before that).

And yeah, my anxiety feels a bit more intense during the day.

I experienced the exact same phenomenon—nightmares and a persistent exhaustion that lingers throughout the daylight hours. I even found myself waking up in the middle of the night to eat (though I can't discern if that stems from sleepwalking or the Calixt itself); fortunately, that particular habit has ceased for a few days now. I am undecided whether I will return to it, but given the quality of my sleep, the emptiness is hard to stomach... regardless, I will reiterate that for my anxiety, 15 mg at night simply wasn't sufficient... I continue to struggle significantly with the actual process of falling asleep.

Blue Star said:
so don't sweat it too much, you just started taking it.🙂

😘

Thanks!

Yeah, I’m using Xanax as a sedative before bed, not really as an anti-epileptic...

I don't take anything during the day. But today I'm just a wreck, sleep was terrible, woke up crying. The label mentions weird dreams and nightmares as side effects, and now I'm honestly terrified this won't stop 😢

My OCD has flared up too—it's been there since I was a kid alongside the anxiety—probably just because I'm switching from one antidepressant to another, dealing with the withdrawal from the old one and getting used to the new one, all while the anxiety and depression symptoms hit at once 🤷

I have no idea why I "cracked" on Elontril, I've become so skeptical of it. At first, the side effects felt awful—crying, insomnia, anxiety—then things stabilized for a bit, but then some stress hit and I was right back where I started 🙂

I wonder if the brain just gets "used to" an antidepressant that actually worked, and if changing it eventually becomes inevitable... sometimes I feel so defeated, because going through these crashes again and trying to find the strength to pull myself up is just exhausting...

Jason Vaughn482 said:I experienced the exact same phenomenon—nightmares and a persistent exhaustion that lingers throughout the daylight hours. I even found myself waking up in the middle of the night to eat (though I can't discern if that stems from sleepwalking or the Calixt itself); fortunately, that particular habit has ceased for a few days now. I am undecided whether I will return to it, but given the quality of my sleep, the emptiness is hard to stomach... regardless, I will reiterate that for my anxiety, 15 mg at night simply wasn't sufficient... I continue to struggle significantly with the actual process of falling asleep.

I wouldn't pin that on Sanval, feels more like the Calixta to me...

Chris Kim7 said:😘

Thanks!

Yeah, I’m using Xanax as a sedative before bed, not really as an anti-epileptic...

I don't take anything during the day. But today I'm just a wreck, sleep was terrible, woke up crying. The label mentions weird dreams and nightmares as side effects, and now I'm honestly terrified this won't stop 😢

My OCD has flared up too—it's been there since I was a kid alongside the anxiety—probably just because I'm switching from one antidepressant to another, dealing with the withdrawal from the old one and getting used to the new one, all while the anxiety and depression symptoms hit at once 🤷

I have no idea why I "cracked" on Elontril, I've become so skeptical of it. At first, the side effects felt awful—crying, insomnia, anxiety—then things stabilized for a bit, but then some stress hit and I was right back where I started 🙂

I wonder if the brain just gets "used to" an antidepressant that actually worked, and if changing it eventually becomes inevitable... sometimes I feel so defeated, because going through these crashes again and trying to find the strength to pull myself up is just exhausting...

No. Honestly, no. If the medication has been working steadily for months, then you're seeing the disorder recede because of the treatment itself. Increasing the dosage? That doesn't magically fix anything; it really just ups the risk of side effects.
The brain simply doesn't build a tolerance to antidepressants.
We have to remember this is an illness. My theory? The illness itself evolves over time—it starts affecting you differently—so, naturally, the medication has to change to keep up.

Kevin Nguyen3 said:No. Honestly, no. If the medication has been working steadily for months, then you're seeing the disorder recede because of the treatment itself. Increasing the dosage? That doesn't magically fix anything; it really just ups the risk of side effects.
The brain simply doesn't build a tolerance to antidepressants.
We have to remember this is an illness. My theory? The illness itself evolves over time—it starts affecting you differently—so, naturally, the medication has to change to keep up.

So what, I just stay on them forever???!!!

Could this actually be part of the whole psychotherapy process after being in it for less than a year? It feels like I’ve dragged every single fear, sadness, and ugly memory to the surface, tried to claw my way back toward some sense of "normalcy," and then everything just collapsed on me all at once... Just philosophizing, I guess... ☕

Chris Kim7 said:So what, I just stay on them forever???!!!

Could this actually be part of the whole psychotherapy process after being in it for less than a year? It feels like I’ve dragged every single fear, sadness, and ugly memory to the surface, tried to claw my way back toward some sense of "normalcy," and then everything just collapsed on me all at once... Just philosophizing, I guess... ☕

One-on-one therapy can certainly help—you aren't wrong there—but perhaps expectations need to be recalibrated. The entire approach to healing needs a complete overhaul.
Unfortunately, mental illness is much like taking a bite out of an apple; once you've bitten it, that apple is never whole again. And well, it all depends on how big the bite was.
You can try to fix it, patch it up, polish it, freeze it, or whatever else you fancy, and sure, it might look beautiful and hold together for a while, but at the end of the day, it is still—it is still a bitten apple.
What I mean is, we can treat an illness to the point where we might not even need medication anymore. The real question is: how long can the body sustain itself that way?
Some people manage to go years without therapy, others simply cannot.
As I have mentioned several times before, the goal is to create space for health and push the illness to the sidelines so it returns as infrequently as possible.
The illness might resurface occasionally, but in the meantime, we are learning how to be stronger, more resilient, and better equipped to handle stress.
And *that* is the process. There isn't some magical alternative.
The goal is to raise the overall quality of life. Those are realistic expectations; anything else is just daydreaming or believing that WE are somehow destined for absolute, perfect success.
For someone like me, absolute success is simply being capable enough to write on this forum. And honestly... I wasn't even looking for much more than that.☕

Kevin Nguyen3 said:One-on-one therapy can certainly help—you aren't wrong there—but perhaps expectations need to be recalibrated. The entire approach to healing needs a complete overhaul.
Unfortunately, mental illness is much like taking a bite out of an apple; once you've bitten it, that apple is never whole again. And well, it all depends on how big the bite was.
You can try to fix it, patch it up, polish it, freeze it, or whatever else you fancy, and sure, it might look beautiful and hold together for a while, but at the end of the day, it is still—it is still a bitten apple.
What I mean is, we can treat an illness to the point where we might not even need medication anymore. The real question is: how long can the body sustain itself that way?
Some people manage to go years without therapy, others simply cannot.
As I have mentioned several times before, the goal is to create space for health and push the illness to the sidelines so it returns as infrequently as possible.
The illness might resurface occasionally, but in the meantime, we are learning how to be stronger, more resilient, and better equipped to handle stress.
And *that* is the process. There isn't some magical alternative.
The goal is to raise the overall quality of life. Those are realistic expectations; anything else is just daydreaming or believing that WE are somehow destined for absolute, perfect success.
For someone like me, absolute success is simply being capable enough to write on this forum. And honestly... I wasn't even looking for much more than that.☕

And I wish the apple would actually taste better than it did before the bite...😁

Look, I don't have some delusional fantasies, nor am I against medication, but it really gets under my skin when, despite all the effort—the meds, the therapy, everything—the disorder just resurfaces and makes life bitter again...
It feels like I put in every ounce of effort within my power, and sometimes, it's still just not enough...
It's a constant battle, and I'm just exhausted from fighting... 😢
It's almost as if anxiety and depression are smarter than everyone else, always finding a way to win...

Kevin Bailey2 said:Kenneth Scott41, I don't see what's so weird about prescribing Cogentin to people who are on a heavy cocktail of various antidepressants and stabilizers. I know a few folks dealing with much tougher mental health issues than mine—people on way 😬 heavier regimens than I am—who actually take Cogentin just to deal with the side effects of their meds.

Well, it's because the fine print on the packaging explicitly states that Cogentin is indicated for Parkinson's disease, or rather, Parkinsonian syndrome. And unless I'm mistaken, you certainly don't have Parkinson's, do you?☕

Chris Kim7 said:Are you still feeling that exhaustion even without the Calixta?

You really ought to sit down with your psychiatrist and discuss the possibility of combining Klonopin and Amyzol; there was a period in my life when that specific pairing felt like a lifeline. It might offer you similar relief, as it certainly helped manage both my anxiety and depression—I struggle with an anxiety-depressive disorder that originally manifested as pure anxiety before spiraling into reactive depression.

It breaks my heart to see us wrestling with this insomnia; those who haven't endured it simply cannot grasp the sheer weight of it.
The most useless advice I ever receive is the sort that suggests, "Well, just take a nap in the afternoon," or "Try to tire yourself out during the day," as if our entire existence were merely a matter of adjusting a circadian rhythm or physical fatigue!
I'm just venting a little here; I know everyone means well, but sometimes the well-meaning comments can be incredibly grating.

Have these nightmares been haunting you for a long time?

I am certainly no medical expert, but I suspect you might be doing more harm than good by fluctuating with the Calixta—skipping doses or tapering off inconsistently. Since it is an antidepressant, it generally requires either steady, continuous use or a complete withdrawal; otherwise, you're essentially just playing games with your brain chemistry.

I am truly rooting for you to find the right therapeutic balance soon, because this constant struggle is nothing short of torture.

No, I had been taking it consistently for a year before I dropped down to 7.5 mg just to have any hope of falling asleep... I've always dealt with anxiety, specifically leaning toward hypochondria, and I have this irrational, overwhelming fear of getting sick.
In truth, I feel perpetually exhausted and lethargic, and this relentless heat isn't helping at all; it makes me miserable because I desperately want to go swimming, but I lack the strength. By the time I actually muster the energy to move, it’s already too late for the beach, and by the afternoon, the heat is so oppressive that nothing moves. I don't know... my GP prescribed Amyzol and I have it sitting here at home, but I am dreading the side effects listed, especially the constipation, which is something I already struggle with... how much did you typically take? I have the 10 mg tablets; is that considered a high dose for nighttime?
And regarding your question about the Calixta, I haven't actually been taking it for a few days now; instead, I've switched to Prazine-Praznina, though I'm not fond of that either. I just don't know... I wake up feeling utterly spent, as if I've been digging trenches all night instead of sleeping.

Jason Vaughn482 said:No, I had been taking it consistently for a year before I dropped down to 7.5 mg just to have any hope of falling asleep... I've always dealt with anxiety, specifically leaning toward hypochondria, and I have this irrational, overwhelming fear of getting sick.
In truth, I feel perpetually exhausted and lethargic, and this relentless heat isn't helping at all; it makes me miserable because I desperately want to go swimming, but I lack the strength. By the time I actually muster the energy to move, it’s already too late for the beach, and by the afternoon, the heat is so oppressive that nothing moves. I don't know... my GP prescribed Amyzol and I have it sitting here at home, but I am dreading the side effects listed, especially the constipation, which is something I already struggle with... how much did you typically take? I have the 10 mg tablets; is that considered a high dose for nighttime?
And regarding your question about the Calixta, I haven't actually been taking it for a few days now; instead, I've switched to Prazine-Praznina, though I'm not fond of that either. I just don't know... I wake up feeling utterly spent, as if I've been digging trenches all night instead of sleeping.

Yeah, I caught that you're anxious, and I see why you're tapering off Calixta, I just wanted to mention it might be time to switch to a different antidepressant with a sedative effect.

It’s possible your fatigue is coming from the underlying disorder itself. I doubt it's the Sanval making you tired. It could be the Calixta, but if you're still wiped out without it (like if it's been at least 2 days since your last dose), then the anxiety is probably the culprit... because constant worrying and fear just drains everything out of you.

When I saw the list of side effects for Amyzol, I was terrified, but not nearly as desperate as I was from the insomnia 🙂 If it had said I'd grow a third arm or a leg or an ear, I would've taken it anyway. And honestly, it ended up being the only antidepressant that didn't mess with me 😁 Aside from gaining 3 lbs, but I lost that later (which might not even have been the meds, I tend to put on weight during this time of year regardless).
I think I started on 10 mg, but that wasn't cutting it so I bumped it up to around 30 mg. I was taking Klonopin with it too.
I was actually pretty happy with it for a good while, maybe it'll work for you too.

I'm sorry you're feeling so miserable and down, most of us here get it.

Have you thought about psychotherapy?

If you don't mind me asking, did Calixta give you nightmares for a long time?
I'm still reeling from how well I slept last night 😢

@Jason Vaughn482

I’m really sorry to hear you’re feeling so utterly drained, to the point where even basic things like taking a shower feel impossible. I’ve definitely been in that same dark place before. There were times when I couldn't bring myself to eat, let alone get out of bed—I’d just drift in and out of sleep until noon or even 1:00 PM. It seems like almost everyone in this community deals with anxiety, and honestly, there are countless people out there dealing with massive amounts of stress at their jobs who don't even realize they're struggling.
As for me, I struggle quite often with that sense of being trapped, mostly because so many of these medications come with side effects like a crushed libido. And then there's Prazine-Praznina... man, that old reliable antipsychotic... 🤣
anyone who has actually dealt with it or tried it usually gives the exact same response: Prazine-Praznina! 😂 It just leaves you feeling completely hollowed out inside. I think most of us have avoided it for that very reason; it can absolutely break you, especially if you're on a 100mg dose. Personally, I wouldn't touch it again. I guess there are just far better, more modern options available these days.

Chris Kim7 said:Yeah, I caught that you're anxious, and I see why you're tapering off Calixta, I just wanted to mention it might be time to switch to a different antidepressant with a sedative effect.

It’s possible your fatigue is coming from the underlying disorder itself. I doubt it's the Sanval making you tired. It could be the Calixta, but if you're still wiped out without it (like if it's been at least 2 days since your last dose), then the anxiety is probably the culprit... because constant worrying and fear just drains everything out of you.

When I saw the list of side effects for Amyzol, I was terrified, but not nearly as desperate as I was from the insomnia 🙂 If it had said I'd grow a third arm or a leg or an ear, I would've taken it anyway. And honestly, it ended up being the only antidepressant that didn't mess with me 😁 Aside from gaining 3 lbs, but I lost that later (which might not even have been the meds, I tend to put on weight during this time of year regardless).
I think I started on 10 mg, but that wasn't cutting it so I bumped it up to around 30 mg. I was taking Klonopin with it too.
I was actually pretty happy with it for a good while, maybe it'll work for you too.

I'm sorry you're feeling so miserable and down, most of us here get it.

Have you thought about psychotherapy?

If you don't mind me asking, did Calixta give you nightmares for a long time?
I'm still reeling from how well I slept last night 😢

I actually started psychotherapy, but I’m far from satisfied because the sessions only last fifteen minutes, 🙄
that's news to me... and they only happen every two or three weeks... I've gone three times now, and it has been utterly pointless.
Yes, it is quite possible that I am exhausted from the core illness itself, as I spend a vast amount of energy obsessing over whether or not I am actually sick. It's partially justified, given that I've had an elevated tumor marker for four years now, which has kept me anxious ever since, though I suppose I always had a tendency toward it anyway. But who can say for certain? The nightmares are a frequent occurrence, and as for whether they stem from the Calixta, I will let you know if they finally cease. I've only been off it for a short while, and I might even go back on it just so I can finally get some decent sleep.

Kenneth Scott41 said:@Jason Vaughn482

I’m really sorry to hear you’re feeling so utterly drained, to the point where even basic things like taking a shower feel impossible. I’ve definitely been in that same dark place before. There were times when I couldn't bring myself to eat, let alone get out of bed—I’d just drift in and out of sleep until noon or even 1:00 PM. It seems like almost everyone in this community deals with anxiety, and honestly, there are countless people out there dealing with massive amounts of stress at their jobs who don't even realize they're struggling.
As for me, I struggle quite often with that sense of being trapped, mostly because so many of these medications come with side effects like a crushed libido. And then there's Prazine-Praznina... man, that old reliable antipsychotic... 🤣
anyone who has actually dealt with it or tried it usually gives the exact same response: Prazine-Praznina! 😂 It just leaves you feeling completely hollowed out inside. I think most of us have avoided it for that very reason; it can absolutely break you, especially if you're on a 100mg dose. Personally, I wouldn't touch it again. I guess there are just far better, more modern options available these days.

haha, how could you think I lack the will to shower? I manage to do that every single morning without fail. My struggle isn't with hygiene; it's that I lack the momentum to head down to the beach. By the time I finally drag myself up and finish my coffee, it's already 11 AM, and that window of opportunity seems to have slammed shut... even though I’d love nothing more than to be by the coast. I’m holding onto hope that I can make it happen, since there's still plenty of the month left... I've been taking 25 mg of Prazine-Praznina along with Sanval for the last ten days, but it hasn't been anything transformative regarding my sleep, and I still wake up feeling utterly exhausted.

Jason Vaughn482 said:I actually started psychotherapy, but I’m far from satisfied because the sessions only last fifteen minutes, 🙄
that's news to me... and they only happen every two or three weeks... I've gone three times now, and it has been utterly pointless.
Yes, it is quite possible that I am exhausted from the core illness itself, as I spend a vast amount of energy obsessing over whether or not I am actually sick. It's partially justified, given that I've had an elevated tumor marker for four years now, which has kept me anxious ever since, though I suppose I always had a tendency toward it anyway. But who can say for certain? The nightmares are a frequent occurrence, and as for whether they stem from the Calixta, I will let you know if they finally cease. I've only been off it for a short while, and I might even go back on it just so I can finally get some decent sleep.

That isn't even psychotherapy. Real one-on-one therapy lasts an hour once a week. I'm guessing you went through your insurance provider. If there is any way at all, treat yourself to private therapy with a high-quality, vetted therapist. Unfortunately, it’s incredibly expensive, but if you can manage it, sacrifice something else and go to therapy...

Maybe there's depression underneath it all too—what they call masked depression—it often goes hand-in-hand with anxiety, sometimes the anxiety drains you so much that depression becomes inevitable...

The fear of illness... we could talk about that for hours, just like any other phobia. You'll keep monitoring that marker, but in the meantime, find a solid psychiatrist-psychotherapist who can figure out the right med combo for you and teach you how to deal with these fears and actually uncover what's driving them...

Ugh, so it's definitely possible the nightmares will keep happening... 😢
Oh well, time will tell, and if things don't improve, we'll just try something else...

Jason Vaughn482 said:haha, how could you think I lack the will to shower? I manage to do that every single morning without fail. My struggle isn't with hygiene; it's that I lack the momentum to head down to the beach. By the time I finally drag myself up and finish my coffee, it's already 11 AM, and that window of opportunity seems to have slammed shut... even though I’d love nothing more than to be by the coast. I’m holding onto hope that I can make it happen, since there's still plenty of the month left... I've been taking 25 mg of Prazine-Praznina along with Sanval for the last ten days, but it hasn't been anything transformative regarding my sleep, and I still wake up feeling utterly exhausted.

Everything is relative! Just grab some sunscreen, find some shade, and get in the water! You don't have to bake in the sun. That time spent swimming will actually do you good, it's not like you'll be exposed to UV rays forever...

Staying cooped up inside and being miserable is doing you way more harm. Forget about the clock, just head straight to the ocean right after your coffee... 🙂

EDIT: When was the last time you took Calixta?

Chris Kim7 said:Everything is relative! Just grab some sunscreen, find some shade, and get in the water! You don't have to bake in the sun. That time spent swimming will actually do you good, it's not like you'll be exposed to UV rays forever...

Staying cooped up inside and being miserable is doing you way more harm. Forget about the clock, just head straight to the ocean right after your coffee... 🙂

EDIT: When was the last time you took Calixta?

I think I had a five-day window where I tried taking Prozac—something I’d used once before and felt fine on—but since those initial side effects can be so jarring, I just don't have the stomach for it; I tend to be quite particular when it comes to medication... I was on Mirzaten Q tabs for about a year, but it didn't sit right with me because of the aspartame, though by then I had already realized the issue. Calixta feels almost identical in its effect, which is problematic because even while taking an antidepressant, I am still relying on Xanax three times a day; clearly, it isn't doing the job, or if it is, I certainly don't feel it. It seems to me this specific antidepressant is designed for depression rather than anxiety. You'll see for yourself after the fifteen-day mark, but the weight gain is also a major concern, and that is something I simply cannot afford.