Psychotropic medication discussion thread

Lisa Reyes4 said:I’ve been on this combination of Celexa and 37.5 mg Effexor for exactly one week now—taking them both together in the morning—and for the last two days, I have been feeling absolutely wiped out. It’s ridiculous. I can barely even force my eyes open in the morning; all I want to do is faceplant into my pillow and sink into some deep, heavy sleep for three or four hours at a time. Then I’ll struggle myself up, grab a bite to eat, and immediately pass out again.
Is this just a side effect that’s going to pass, or am I stuck like this?! I’m currently on 20 mg of Celexa.

I took Celexa once, and honestly, it was one of the worst experiences I've had with antidepressants. I spent entire days asleep and felt constantly exhausted—it was truly awful. My psychiatrist kept insisting that it would take some time to adjust and that the drowsiness would eventually pass, blah, blah, blah. So, I let it run its course for two months, and during that time, I gained weight like crazy and slept through most of the day. For me, it was absolutely miserable. It wasn't even the weight gain that bothered me as much as that relentless lethargy and apathy. I know it's rarely prescribed because of this, but I was put on it for mixed anxiety and depressive disorder. By the way, how did your doctor prescribe this to you if Effexor didn't work for you? I seem to recall you mentioning before that you were doing quite well on it.

I need some advice, thanks in advance.. 🙂

Basically, after my first psychiatry appointment, I was prescribed this:
Calixta, 15mg before bed for the first week, then Helix 0.5mg (3x daily).

Well, yesterday, sometime after midnight, I took the Calixta for the first time to deal with insomnia. This morning was rough—I could barely wake up. To be specific, I actually slept about 8.5 hours for the first time in months.
The problem is, I've been dealing with extreme drowsiness, brain fog, and a headache all day. I expected some side effects, but not this intense.

Why I'm worried: I have a major event on the 10th, and I need to be somewhat "functional" by then.

Question: Is it okay to stop taking Calixta on my own for a few days, then resume the regimen after my event? Right now, I’m functioning like a zombie, which is worse than my usual state..
Second question: Does my body need time to adjust, or should I contact my psychiatrist regarding a change in medication?

Has anyone dealt with Calixta before? Did you have to switch? If so, what did they put you on instead?

Paul Gonzalez71 said:I need some advice, thanks in advance.. 🙂

Basically, after my first psychiatry appointment, I was prescribed this:
Calixta, 15mg before bed for the first week, then Helix 0.5mg (3x daily).

Well, yesterday, sometime after midnight, I took the Calixta for the first time to deal with insomnia. This morning was rough—I could barely wake up. To be specific, I actually slept about 8.5 hours for the first time in months.
The problem is, I've been dealing with extreme drowsiness, brain fog, and a headache all day. I expected some side effects, but not this intense.

Why I'm worried: I have a major event on the 10th, and I need to be somewhat "functional" by then.

Question: Is it okay to stop taking Calixta on my own for a few days, then resume the regimen after my event? Right now, I’m functioning like a zombie, which is worse than my usual state..
Second question: Does my body need time to adjust, or should I contact my psychiatrist regarding a change in medication?

Has anyone dealt with Calixta before? Did you have to switch? If so, what did they put you on instead?

I'm not sure if you were prescribed Calixta as an antidepressant where you'll eventually bump up to something like 45 mg, or if it's strictly for sleep.

If it's just for sleeping, maybe try a lower dose—like 7.5 mg, or even better, just half of that—until you get used to it.

Also, try taking it earlier in the evening. From what I've read, Calixta has a long half-life, like 20 hours, so it hangs around in your system and keeps that sleepy, exhausted feeling going.

I don't think one dose will cause any issues, so you could probably pause it until the 10th and then start again. If I were you, I'd try to find the lowest effective dose for sleep; my shrink says that can be as low as 1-3 mg.

If it's being used as an AD and you increase the dosage, that drowsiness should taper off because at higher doses, Calixta doesn't just hit the histamine receptors; it also works on serotonin and... something else, I forgot. 😉

Personally, I've been too scared of being overly drowsy to even start Calixta, so I've just been scraping by on half a Xanax, even though I know I shouldn't be doing that for long. 😢

As for Trazodone, I've seen people on US forums saying it's great for knocking you out.

Best,

Jason Vaughn482 said:To be perfectly honest, Mirzaten is effective for sleep, but for me, it doesn't work unless it's paired with 10 mg of Valium. Now I'm stuck in this agonizing limbo where I sit on the edge of the bed, paralyzed by indecision: what should I take? Ideally, I wouldn't take either, especially since I read somewhere that Valium is linked to cancer, which has ironically made me more anxious due to the sheer fear of the disease.
Mirzaten isn't intended for anxiety...
Last night, I took both Valium and 7.5 mg of Mirzaten, and I lay there staring at the ceiling from 10:30 until 1:30 in the morning—three wasted hours. Then, once I finally succumb to sleep, I am a total wreck in the morning, forced to drag myself out of bed at 10:00. It's infuriating.🙂
My shipment of Devidon should arrive soon; do you suppose the 50 mg dose will actually help with sleep?

If you look at all the research out there, you could argue that almost anything can cause cancer, so please try not to let that weigh on you too heavily. Stress and lack of sleep are far more likely triggers for your condition, so it is much better to focus on getting some rest.

It will work; the Devidon should put you to sleep. You might want to try 25 mg first, but if that fails, the 50 mg dose is the standard recommendation for insomnia anyway.

Skickas FR

restlesstrucker15 said:If you look at all the research out there, you could argue that almost anything can cause cancer, so please try not to let that weigh on you too heavily. Stress and lack of sleep are far more likely triggers for your condition, so it is much better to focus on getting some rest.

It will work; the Devidon should put you to sleep. You might want to try 25 mg first, but if that fails, the 50 mg dose is the standard recommendation for insomnia anyway.

Skickas FR

Have you ever looked into Q-pin? It’s been a while since I thought about it. It is quite expensive, and you will likely need to see a private psychiatrist to get a prescription, given how strict things are these days.

Skickas FR

Jason Vaughn482, I am keeping my fingers crossed that you manage to get some decent sleep and that the Trazodone works exactly the way you need it to. 👍

I noticed a couple of people have already mentioned that Trazodone should help with sleep, so please forgive me if I inadvertently provided any misleading information earlier. Medication doesn't affect everyone in the same way. In my own experience with Trazodone (Trittico, at a 50mg dose), it didn't actually solve my insomnia; instead, it just left me feeling incredibly relaxed and borderline lethargic. It was either that, or I would crash into bed only to wake up abruptly after three or four hours. 🤷

On the other hand, Quetiapine completely knocked me out for about 10 to 14 hours, but I still felt totally wiped out the following day, along with several other side effects. It might be wiser to start with the Trazodone once it arrives, as it tends to be a gentler option with fewer side effects.

briskwolf16 said:I took Celexa once, and honestly, it was one of the worst experiences I've had with antidepressants. I spent entire days asleep and felt constantly exhausted—it was truly awful. My psychiatrist kept insisting that it would take some time to adjust and that the drowsiness would eventually pass, blah, blah, blah. So, I let it run its course for two months, and during that time, I gained weight like crazy and slept through most of the day. For me, it was absolutely miserable. It wasn't even the weight gain that bothered me as much as that relentless lethargy and apathy. I know it's rarely prescribed because of this, but I was put on it for mixed anxiety and depressive disorder. By the way, how did your doctor prescribe this to you if Effexor didn't work for you? I seem to recall you mentioning before that you were doing quite well on it.

Seriously, it is a total nightmare—it acts so incredibly sedative. What on earth am I supposed to do? I'm already struggling just to stay functional, and what good does it do me to be drugged into a stupor when I already have such a hard time getting out of bed and feeling productive? And yeah, you hit the nail on the head—my appetite is like an elephant's right now; I can't stop snacking. There is absolutely no way I am staying on this. I'm stopping on my own starting tomorrow. Thank you so much, you have truly helped me... believe me, I have no idea why my doctor shoved this useless junk on me. Pusaaaaa

Michael Hill2 said:I'm not sure if you were prescribed Calixta as an antidepressant where you'll eventually bump up to something like 45 mg, or if it's strictly for sleep.

If it's just for sleeping, maybe try a lower dose—like 7.5 mg, or even better, just half of that—until you get used to it.

Also, try taking it earlier in the evening. From what I've read, Calixta has a long half-life, like 20 hours, so it hangs around in your system and keeps that sleepy, exhausted feeling going.

I don't think one dose will cause any issues, so you could probably pause it until the 10th and then start again. If I were you, I'd try to find the lowest effective dose for sleep; my shrink says that can be as low as 1-3 mg.

If it's being used as an AD and you increase the dosage, that drowsiness should taper off because at higher doses, Calixta doesn't just hit the histamine receptors; it also works on serotonin and... something else, I forgot. 😉

Personally, I've been too scared of being overly drowsy to even start Calixta, so I've just been scraping by on half a Xanax, even though I know I shouldn't be doing that for long. 😢

As for Trazodone, I've seen people on US forums saying it's great for knocking you out.

Best,

I attempted 3 mg of Calixt, but there was absolutely no chance of drifting off—not even with 7.5 mg if taken alone. If I take 15 mg, I can manage to fall asleep, but only for a few days before I find myself needing to supplement with Valium again... after two years, I finally decided to stop taking it, and now, whether I will actually be able to sleep, I truly have no idea. Last night I managed, but perhaps tonight will be a different story. Insomnia is a massive burden for me, not to mention the exhaustion that blankets my entire day after I take everything at night... besides, Xanax doesn't actually put me to sleep; I end up taking it three times a day.

Paul Gonzalez71 said:I need some advice, thanks in advance.. 🙂

Basically, after my first psychiatry appointment, I was prescribed this:
Calixta, 15mg before bed for the first week, then Helix 0.5mg (3x daily).

Well, yesterday, sometime after midnight, I took the Calixta for the first time to deal with insomnia. This morning was rough—I could barely wake up. To be specific, I actually slept about 8.5 hours for the first time in months.
The problem is, I've been dealing with extreme drowsiness, brain fog, and a headache all day. I expected some side effects, but not this intense.

Why I'm worried: I have a major event on the 10th, and I need to be somewhat "functional" by then.

Question: Is it okay to stop taking Calixta on my own for a few days, then resume the regimen after my event? Right now, I’m functioning like a zombie, which is worse than my usual state..
Second question: Does my body need time to adjust, or should I contact my psychiatrist regarding a change in medication?

Has anyone dealt with Calixta before? Did you have to switch? If so, what did they put you on instead?

When I first took 15 mg of Calixt, I was out like a light within fifteen minutes after so many long, restless nights... now, two years later, it’s incredibly difficult... I’ve had breaks where I stop, and then when the insomnia returns, I reach for it again... and yes, the hangover effect and the exhaustion linger all day long... since I don't work, I just spend the whole day dragging myself around the house...

restlesstrucker15 said:If you look at all the research out there, you could argue that almost anything can cause cancer, so please try not to let that weigh on you too heavily. Stress and lack of sleep are far more likely triggers for your condition, so it is much better to focus on getting some rest.

It will work; the Devidon should put you to sleep. You might want to try 25 mg first, but if that fails, the 50 mg dose is the standard recommendation for insomnia anyway.

Skickas FR

Why on earth did you stop taking Ambien if it was actually working for you?

restlesstrucker15 said:Have you ever looked into Q-pin? It’s been a while since I thought about it. It is quite expensive, and you will likely need to see a private psychiatrist to get a prescription, given how strict things are these days.

Skickas FR

No, because I have absolutely no desire to touch AP... at least not right now. And even if I did concede to that, I wouldn't be able to afford a private specialist since my bank account is looking pretty grim.
Speaking of diagnoses, when I went in for my follow-up, my doctor recorded the exact same old diagnosis: GAD and depressive disorder in remission. That has been sitting there in my file for four years straight. In reality, the depression was incredibly fleeting once she finally realized I wasn't actually depressed; it's more that I am perpetually living in a state of high anxiety. But that diagnosis from that incompetent fool stayed lodged in the computer system. I couldn't even get a hold of her those days because she was constantly out on PTO or traveling somewhere, so now I’m left wondering: after three months of silence, does it even make sense to ask her to scrub it from my record? Especially since I suspect she wouldn't bother doing it anyway.🤷

Ethan Cruz4 said:Jason Vaughn482, I am keeping my fingers crossed that you manage to get some decent sleep and that the Trazodone works exactly the way you need it to. 👍

I noticed a couple of people have already mentioned that Trazodone should help with sleep, so please forgive me if I inadvertently provided any misleading information earlier. Medication doesn't affect everyone in the same way. In my own experience with Trazodone (Trittico, at a 50mg dose), it didn't actually solve my insomnia; instead, it just left me feeling incredibly relaxed and borderline lethargic. It was either that, or I would crash into bed only to wake up abruptly after three or four hours. 🤷

On the other hand, Quetiapine completely knocked me out for about 10 to 14 hours, but I still felt totally wiped out the following day, along with several other side effects. It might be wiser to start with the Trazodone once it arrives, as it tends to be a gentler option with fewer side effects.

How long were you taking it, and did it actually provide any relief for anxiety? Also, what kind of side effects did you experience?
Look, since I don't work, I actually have plenty of opportunities to rest, yet whenever I take a sedative, I can't seem to drift off for at least an hour. Back when I was working, I was like a hibernating bear; I’d be passed out by 8 PM. If only I could just fall asleep at 11 PM and sleep straight through until 8 AM so I could head down to the beach. Instead, I end up waking up right when the sun is at its most punishing, leaving me with absolutely no chance of finding a spot on the sand in the afternoon.

Jason Vaughn482 said:Why on earth did you stop taking Ambien if it was actually working for you?

It made me far too drowsy throughout the entire day, though certainly not nearly as much as Calixta or Q-pin, which left me feeling completely disoriented for almost two days straight.
I suspect you might be hesitant about taking AP, but the dosages are quite minimal, and many people find it helpful for insomnia. On average, they don't cause significant issues.
I remember that foolish doctor; please try not to let her influence you any longer.🙂
And I am keeping my fingers crossed that Trazodone works out for you; it really should.

Skickas FR

Lisa Reyes4 said:Seriously, it is a total nightmare—it acts so incredibly sedative. What on earth am I supposed to do? I'm already struggling just to stay functional, and what good does it do me to be drugged into a stupor when I already have such a hard time getting out of bed and feeling productive? And yeah, you hit the nail on the head—my appetite is like an elephant's right now; I can't stop snacking. There is absolutely no way I am staying on this. I'm stopping on my own starting tomorrow. Thank you so much, you have truly helped me... believe me, I have no idea why my doctor shoved this useless junk on me. Pusaaaaa

Don't suffer through it; just stop taking it and ask your doctor for a different antidepressant. There are plenty of options out there, so you'll find one that works. 🙂 I went through the ringer with just about every kind available before finally settling back on the same one. My rule of thumb was that if the side effects were unbearable, I’d quit after seven days; if it just didn't feel right overall, I'd wait two or three weeks.
That is, assuming you don't typically taper off that quickly—though that two or three-week window usually applies if it's your first antidepressant, and looking at your situation, it clearly isn't, since you likely already have some serotonin reserves (if that's what you require).

Skickas FR

Just wanted to let you know that the side effects from the Zoloft have finally cleared up. I'm feeling great. What I’m noticing is that I feel way more relaxed when talking to people—that awkwardness I used to struggle with is just gone. It's only been about 8 or 9 days, but I can already see things improving. I even managed to catch a solid two-and-a-half-hour nap yesterday afternoon since I’m an early riser and was pretty wiped out. It feels like I'm slowly coming back to life. I put this off for so long because I was scared to start them, but honestly, it wasn't the monster I thought it would be. I tried herbal supplements before—not really the topic here—which helped calm me down, but they didn't touch the actual cause. Using the antidepressants made me realize I actually had a mild social phobia I wasn't even aware of. I realized it because now I can express my opinions without all that heavy baggage, and I feel sharper when responding to things. I'm the type of person who notices the little details, and even though it's early days, I'm hoping it only gets better from here. Thanks to everyone who comforted me and helped me stick it out despite those awful side effects at the start. I did some Googling... turns out the fallout from my untreated anxiety, dissatisfaction, depression, and now this social phobia included a weakened immune system. I've burned through four boxes of antibiotics over the last few months. I'm convinced it's all connected to my mental state; the body needs to release stress, and energy flow matters. You can't just "positive think" your way out of a serotonin deficiency with pep talks, no matter how much I tried that over the last year. First, get the meds right, then deal with the underlying issues and the self-work.😉🙂

redpilot37 said:Just wanted to let you know that the side effects from the Zoloft have finally cleared up. I'm feeling great. What I’m noticing is that I feel way more relaxed when talking to people—that awkwardness I used to struggle with is just gone. It's only been about 8 or 9 days, but I can already see things improving. I even managed to catch a solid two-and-a-half-hour nap yesterday afternoon since I’m an early riser and was pretty wiped out. It feels like I'm slowly coming back to life. I put this off for so long because I was scared to start them, but honestly, it wasn't the monster I thought it would be. I tried herbal supplements before—not really the topic here—which helped calm me down, but they didn't touch the actual cause. Using the antidepressants made me realize I actually had a mild social phobia I wasn't even aware of. I realized it because now I can express my opinions without all that heavy baggage, and I feel sharper when responding to things. I'm the type of person who notices the little details, and even though it's early days, I'm hoping it only gets better from here. Thanks to everyone who comforted me and helped me stick it out despite those awful side effects at the start. I did some Googling... turns out the fallout from my untreated anxiety, dissatisfaction, depression, and now this social phobia included a weakened immune system. I've burned through four boxes of antibiotics over the last few months. I'm convinced it's all connected to my mental state; the body needs to release stress, and energy flow matters. You can't just "positive think" your way out of a serotonin deficiency with pep talks, no matter how much I tried that over the last year. First, get the meds right, then deal with the underlying issues and the self-work.😉🙂

Wooo, I am so glad you pushed through the worst of it 😍

Now just enjoy the progress and keep doing that inner work 🙂

Michael Hill2 said:Wooo, I am so glad you pushed through the worst of it 😍

Now just enjoy the progress and keep doing that inner work 🙂

Thanks. Things are going to be different now. My prolactin levels—that hormone from the pituitary gland—are actually sitting below the normal range. Low prolactin is often linked to mental health issues like depression, psychosis, or schizophrenia. So, I'm thinking maybe fixing the prolactin issue by boosting serotonin could work. In my case, I'm using Zoloft.
Basically, that the depression might have been triggered by the low prolactin. 😉

redpilot37 said:Thanks. Things are going to be different now. My prolactin levels—that hormone from the pituitary gland—are actually sitting below the normal range. Low prolactin is often linked to mental health issues like depression, psychosis, or schizophrenia. So, I'm thinking maybe fixing the prolactin issue by boosting serotonin could work. In my case, I'm using Zoloft.
Basically, that the depression might have been triggered by the low prolactin. 😉

It's possible. Hormones pretty much dictate everything happening in your body. 😉

Has anyone here had any experience using Azolar (15mg twice a day)?

Anyone have experience using Sanval?