Psychotropic medication discussion thread

Chris Kim7 said:Thanks for the reply!

Man, that's a lot of weight to pack on that fast. I'm guessing it's either because you were eating everything in sight or it just slowed down your metabolism...

Did you have trouble sleeping before starting it? That's mainly what I'm trying to figure out, if it actually helps with sleep.

I'm still weighing my options with Calixt, because honestly, it feels pretty heavy during the day, kind of sedating, and leaves me feeling wiped out...

I can sleep on 6 mg of Lexapro for now. Luckily, no insomnia issues, didn't gain any weight from it either. It helped me sleep fine, and I wasn't groggy in the morning, except for the first week. Again, I was taking the absolute lowest dose, so I wouldn't know about higher amounts.
Weight? Probably food intake combined with a slower metabolism. I have gastritis, so I usually have to be careful, but while on Ladiomila, nothing bothered me. I felt like I could eat twice as much as I do now. Everything sat well, and I just wanted to eat constantly. The scale was ruthless.🤣Minds you, it might not happen to everyone. But for calming down, it worked great for me.

Kevin Nguyen3 said:Are those really the only pills you're taking?
You shouldn't be feeling this way for such an extended period. Is it even safe to stay on them this long? I know everyone reacts differently, of course, but this seems excessive. Could it be some sort of interaction with another medication? Or perhaps your body just isn't responding quite right to the Calixt?
Do you feel any better when you aren't on the Calixt?

I've been taking Klonopin for years, also right before bed, just a tiny dose—currently at 0.75 mg. That shouldn't really have anything to do with it.

I started Calixta because of the insomnia, and it helped there, though it's been four weeks now since I began. Still, my dreams are wild, and they aren't exactly pleasant...

A neuropsychiatrist once told me that plenty of people don't do well with Calixta because it leaves them feeling completely sedated all day. Apparently, that's a pretty common side effect...

I'm also noticing that I wake up feeling pretty groggy, my heart is racing a bit, and there's just this lingering sense of restlessness...

Paul Newman5 said:I can sleep on 6 mg of Lexapro for now. Luckily, no insomnia issues, didn't gain any weight from it either. It helped me sleep fine, and I wasn't groggy in the morning, except for the first week. Again, I was taking the absolute lowest dose, so I wouldn't know about higher amounts.
Weight? Probably food intake combined with a slower metabolism. I have gastritis, so I usually have to be careful, but while on Ladiomila, nothing bothered me. I felt like I could eat twice as much as I do now. Everything sat well, and I just wanted to eat constantly. The scale was ruthless.🤣Minds you, it might not happen to everyone. But for calming down, it worked great for me.

Thanks again 😉

I'm going to talk to my psychiatrist about Calixt and potentially switching up my meds (though I'll hang onto Calixt for a little longer)...

Chris Kim7 said:I've been taking Klonopin for years, also right before bed, just a tiny dose—currently at 0.75 mg. That shouldn't really have anything to do with it.

I started Calixta because of the insomnia, and it helped there, though it's been four weeks now since I began. Still, my dreams are wild, and they aren't exactly pleasant...

A neuropsychiatrist once told me that plenty of people don't do well with Calixta because it leaves them feeling completely sedated all day. Apparently, that's a pretty common side effect...

I'm also noticing that I wake up feeling pretty groggy, my heart is racing a bit, and there's just this lingering sense of restlessness...

Well, look, it's hard to play prophet, isn't it? But if you ask me, it seems like Calixta just hasn't sat right with your system.
I used to have those dreams too—frequent, dark ones—but they've stopped for me now. I finally stumbled upon my own little formula for how to feel less depressed, less suicidal, while still sleeping soundly and waking up feeling actually fit.
The trouble is, some of the side effects from Calixta can overlap so much with the actual illness that it becomes incredibly difficult to tell what is truly causing what. Is it the condition, or the medication? It's a puzzle.
In my opinion, the best course of action is to have a real, honest conversation with your doctor about all of this.

Kevin Nguyen3 said:Well, look, it's hard to play prophet, isn't it? But if you ask me, it seems like Calixta just hasn't sat right with your system.
I used to have those dreams too—frequent, dark ones—but they've stopped for me now. I finally stumbled upon my own little formula for how to feel less depressed, less suicidal, while still sleeping soundly and waking up feeling actually fit.
The trouble is, some of the side effects from Calixta can overlap so much with the actual illness that it becomes incredibly difficult to tell what is truly causing what. Is it the condition, or the medication? It's a puzzle.
In my opinion, the best course of action is to have a real, honest conversation with your doctor about all of this.

Yeah, obviously, they're just getting back from vacation now. Still, I'm leaning towards it being the Calixta... I'll hang in there a little longer, maybe my body will adjust 🤷

Chris Kim7 said:Yeah, obviously, they're just getting back from vacation now. Still, I'm leaning towards it being the Calixta... I'll hang in there a little longer, maybe my body will adjust 🤷

Yes, that's likely the case. When I was dealing with this, my doctor told me to try it for five days, and if the hangover effect didn't subside, we would discontinue the treatment entirely. At the time, I was taking 15 mg. It might be worth asking for advice on cutting your dose in half.

Chris Kim7 said:I take 30 mg of Calixta right before bed, and it's not just the waking up part that sucks, I feel groggy and wiped out all damn day...

Exactly, and that is precisely the point I was trying to drive home to you earlier.

restlesstrucker15 said:Yes, that's likely the case. When I was dealing with this, my doctor told me to try it for five days, and if the hangover effect didn't subside, we would discontinue the treatment entirely. At the time, I was taking 15 mg. It might be worth asking for advice on cutting your dose in half.

As for my own experience, my physician has kept me on Lexapro for two years now; I feel absolutely lethargic from the 15 mg dose, though the 7.5 mg felt significantly more manageable. However, things took a turn today when I found myself rushing to the ER. I never imagined I'd be prone to panic attacks, but a sudden toothache sent me spiraling. Then, after a bit of bleeding gums a couple of days later, I was gripped by such intense anxiety that I had myself packed and ready to head back to the emergency room within two minutes flat. I ended up requesting a referral to the psychiatric emergency unit, where I was seen by a specialist—and frankly, I've never been particularly fond of those types.
It wasn't anything groundbreaking, really, except that she was actually quite accommodating and prescribed the Coaxil I was looking for. When it comes to sleep aids, they don't seem to offer much beyond Ambien or Seroquel... oh goodness, it just slipped my mind that I should have asked about Xanax; I haven't ventured down that path yet. I'm feeling quite scattered right now... I wonder if a local pharmacy would even dispense Xanax in place of something like Ambien?

restlesstrucker15 said:Yes, that's likely the case. When I was dealing with this, my doctor told me to try it for five days, and if the hangover effect didn't subside, we would discontinue the treatment entirely. At the time, I was taking 15 mg. It might be worth asking for advice on cutting your dose in half.

15 mg doesn't even touch my insomnia, it's just not enough for me...

Jason Vaughn482 said:Exactly, and that is precisely the point I was trying to drive home to you earlier.

Yeah, I get it, I remember now.

It’s just these symptoms that are throwing me off, they weren't nearly this bad when I was out on vacation... Back then, I'd occasionally need to take Sanval alongside my 30 mg of Calixte just to catch some sleep. 🤷

Jason Vaughn482 said:As for my own experience, my physician has kept me on Lexapro for two years now; I feel absolutely lethargic from the 15 mg dose, though the 7.5 mg felt significantly more manageable. However, things took a turn today when I found myself rushing to the ER. I never imagined I'd be prone to panic attacks, but a sudden toothache sent me spiraling. Then, after a bit of bleeding gums a couple of days later, I was gripped by such intense anxiety that I had myself packed and ready to head back to the emergency room within two minutes flat. I ended up requesting a referral to the psychiatric emergency unit, where I was seen by a specialist—and frankly, I've never been particularly fond of those types.
It wasn't anything groundbreaking, really, except that she was actually quite accommodating and prescribed the Coaxil I was looking for. When it comes to sleep aids, they don't seem to offer much beyond Ambien or Seroquel... oh goodness, it just slipped my mind that I should have asked about Xanax; I haven't ventured down that path yet. I'm feeling quite scattered right now... I wonder if a local pharmacy would even dispense Xanax in place of something like Ambien?

Anyway, good luck with the Coaxil, I'm crossing my fingers that it works for you!

I doubt the pharmacist would just swap them for you, but your primary care doctor could probably write a script for Zan instead of Sanval...

Jason Vaughn482 said:As for my own experience, my physician has kept me on Lexapro for two years now; I feel absolutely lethargic from the 15 mg dose, though the 7.5 mg felt significantly more manageable. However, things took a turn today when I found myself rushing to the ER. I never imagined I'd be prone to panic attacks, but a sudden toothache sent me spiraling. Then, after a bit of bleeding gums a couple of days later, I was gripped by such intense anxiety that I had myself packed and ready to head back to the emergency room within two minutes flat. I ended up requesting a referral to the psychiatric emergency unit, where I was seen by a specialist—and frankly, I've never been particularly fond of those types.
It wasn't anything groundbreaking, really, except that she was actually quite accommodating and prescribed the Coaxil I was looking for. When it comes to sleep aids, they don't seem to offer much beyond Ambien or Seroquel... oh goodness, it just slipped my mind that I should have asked about Xanax; I haven't ventured down that path yet. I'm feeling quite scattered right now... I wonder if a local pharmacy would even dispense Xanax in place of something like Ambien?

Good luck with the Coaxil. Hope it works out. What dose did they put you on—was it 12.5 three times a day right off the bat? I've got a follow-up in about ten days. Citram isn't really doing it for me either. Two good days, two bad ones. It’s like it isn't touching the anxiety at all, and I've been on it for six weeks now. Honestly, sometimes I feel like the meds only work depending on how we feel that day. I don't even know what to think anymore. Yesterday was great, but today the anxiety started first thing this morning... I'll see what my doctor says.

restlesstrucker15 said:I take Trazodone; that is both the medication and its active ingredient. It isn't available locally anymore (like Devidon used to be), so I have to order it from abroad. Usually, I take 100 mg, though 50 mg is typically prescribed for insomnia. You might want to ask your psychiatrist to write a prescription for something specific, depending on their clinical opinion and how it fits with your current regimen.
In my experience, this works much better than Calixt or Q-pin when it comes to avoiding that debilitating "hangover" sedation the next day—though, to be fair, I still deal with some sedation. It feels like someone is trying to keep us all asleep. 😉

There is no point in asking for Halcion, as it won't provide a long-term solution for insomnia, and there really isn't a stronger hypnotic than Halcion once you've reached that limit. 😢

I just got off the phone with a pharmacy that handles international orders for Zoloft, and they told me they can't get it right now because of some supply chain issue or whatever... 😢

So what else is there, how am I supposed to find this stuff?

I'm probably giving up on California, so I figured I'd just try switching to Zoloft instead...

Chris Kim7 said:I just got off the phone with a pharmacy that handles international orders for Zoloft, and they told me they can't get it right now because of some supply chain issue or whatever... 😢

So what else is there, how am I supposed to find this stuff?

I'm probably giving up on California, so I figured I'd just try switching to Zoloft instead...

So, I found out they have Effexor available in Austria, but it only comes in 150 mg doses, and I read online somewhere that those 150 mg ones are extended-release, whatever that actually means... if anyone knows anything about that, please let me know. Thanks.

Chris Kim7 said:I just got off the phone with a pharmacy that handles international orders for Zoloft, and they told me they can't get it right now because of some supply chain issue or whatever... 😢

So what else is there, how am I supposed to find this stuff?

I'm probably giving up on California, so I figured I'd just try switching to Zoloft instead...

Are you serious? I was actually planning on asking my doctor for a new prescription this week. That’s frustrating... If you're in New York City, did you try calling the one near Pike Place Market? I'm not entirely sure, but I know there is an extended-release version available for order, though honestly, even the standard ones seem to last a long time for me 🤣... You should check with them and consult your doctor.

Chris Kim7 said:So, I found out they have Effexor available in Austria, but it only comes in 150 mg doses, and I read online somewhere that those 150 mg ones are extended-release, whatever that actually means... if anyone knows anything about that, please let me know. Thanks.

Listen, this whole extended-release thing can be tricky; now that you mention it, I see why you asked. The catch is that you aren't supposed to break those tablets, because if you do, you lose that controlled-release mechanism entirely. Honestly, a 150 mg dose feels quite high if it’s intended for insomnia combined with an extended-release formula. 🤷 Regardless, you can't really do anything without consulting a doctor, so it's best to ask them first before trying it out.

Jason Vaughn482 said:As for my own experience, my physician has kept me on Lexapro for two years now; I feel absolutely lethargic from the 15 mg dose, though the 7.5 mg felt significantly more manageable. However, things took a turn today when I found myself rushing to the ER. I never imagined I'd be prone to panic attacks, but a sudden toothache sent me spiraling. Then, after a bit of bleeding gums a couple of days later, I was gripped by such intense anxiety that I had myself packed and ready to head back to the emergency room within two minutes flat. I ended up requesting a referral to the psychiatric emergency unit, where I was seen by a specialist—and frankly, I've never been particularly fond of those types.
It wasn't anything groundbreaking, really, except that she was actually quite accommodating and prescribed the Coaxil I was looking for. When it comes to sleep aids, they don't seem to offer much beyond Ambien or Seroquel... oh goodness, it just slipped my mind that I should have asked about Xanax; I haven't ventured down that path yet. I'm feeling quite scattered right now... I wonder if a local pharmacy would even dispense Xanax in place of something like Ambien?

Oh, you poor thing, you've really been through the wringer. Good luck with the new medication; remember that it takes some time for these things to actually kick in, so please don't be alarmed if a panic attack strikes in the meantime. It's just part of the process, unfortunately.

Yes, definitely mention to your primary care physician that you want to try Zane since Samuel isn't working for you anymore; they certainly have the authority to switch your prescription. Then, once your psychiatrist is back in the office, follow up with them directly. Wishing you the best—please let us know how it goes. 🙂

restlesstrucker15 said:Are you serious? I was actually planning on asking my doctor for a new prescription this week. That’s frustrating... If you're in New York City, did you try calling the one near Pike Place Market? I'm not entirely sure, but I know there is an extended-release version available for order, though honestly, even the standard ones seem to last a long time for me 🤣... You should check with them and consult your doctor.

Yeah, at Pike Place Market. They're claiming there's a shortage, but who knows if that's true.

Did you ever get my DM from a few days ago?

restlesstrucker15 said:Listen, this whole extended-release thing can be tricky; now that you mention it, I see why you asked. The catch is that you aren't supposed to break those tablets, because if you do, you lose that controlled-release mechanism entirely. Honestly, a 150 mg dose feels quite high if it’s intended for insomnia combined with an extended-release formula. 🤷 Regardless, you can't really do anything without consulting a doctor, so it's best to ask them first before trying it out.

If breaking them ruins the extended release, then we might actually be onto something here... 😁

Paul Newman5 said:Good luck with the Coaxil. Hope it works out. What dose did they put you on—was it 12.5 three times a day right off the bat? I've got a follow-up in about ten days. Citram isn't really doing it for me either. Two good days, two bad ones. It’s like it isn't touching the anxiety at all, and I've been on it for six weeks now. Honestly, sometimes I feel like the meds only work depending on how we feel that day. I don't even know what to think anymore. Yesterday was great, but today the anxiety started first thing this morning... I'll see what my doctor says.

It's such a shame, because I was just thinking about how well the Citram seemed to suit you; seeing it fail like this makes me quite skeptical about medication in general. While they might hold their own against depression, when it comes to managing pure fear and panic... well, I'm not so sure. How does that morning anxiety manifest for you?
My doctor prescribed Coaxil three times a day, but you know me—I'll probably cap it at two doses max before deciding how to proceed. I think I'll skip the evening dose tonight, mostly because I'm terrified I won't be able to catch any sleep at all.