Psychotropic medication discussion thread

I’ve been tapering off my Prozac for a few weeks now... at first, I was just taking half a pill, but lately, I’ve started splitting those halves even further, essentially taking a dose one day and then skipping the next
To be honest, about two months ago, I accidentally ran out of my Prozac for maybe three or four days, and let me tell you, it was absolutely miserable—just a complete disaster. Now that I’m lowering my dosage, on those days when I don't take anything at all, I still get these dizzy spells and this strange buzzing sensation in my head, especially if I'm walking around or standing up too quickly. But THEN, the moment I take my dose, everything seems to settle back down.
I’m just really struggling with how to actually finish this process... 🤷 My doctor suggested a much more structured schedule—like one week at half a dose, then one week at three-quarters, and just being done with it—but I think I’d much rather stick to this slower, more gradual approach of my own making...

Benjamin Martin65 said:I’ve been tapering off my Prozac for a few weeks now... at first, I was just taking half a pill, but lately, I’ve started splitting those halves even further, essentially taking a dose one day and then skipping the next
To be honest, about two months ago, I accidentally ran out of my Prozac for maybe three or four days, and let me tell you, it was absolutely miserable—just a complete disaster. Now that I’m lowering my dosage, on those days when I don't take anything at all, I still get these dizzy spells and this strange buzzing sensation in my head, especially if I'm walking around or standing up too quickly. But THEN, the moment I take my dose, everything seems to settle back down.
I’m just really struggling with how to actually finish this process... 🤷 My doctor suggested a much more structured schedule—like one week at half a dose, then one week at three-quarters, and just being done with it—but I think I’d much rather stick to this slower, more gradual approach of my own making...

You should drop it by 1/4 pill every 3-4 days, not by half

I suddenly stopped taking my Lexapro because of a side effect—I was urinating way too much. I had been taking 10 mg, just one pill every single morning, for about three weeks. Honestly, I haven't had any major issues from stopping so abruptly. I always assumed you had to taper off slowly, but maybe three weeks isn't long enough for that to matter? The frequent urination subsided a little after I quit, though it still feels like I'm going more often than usual. I'm actually heading in for some blood work tomorrow. I don't think I'll go back on antidepressants; I’d rather just try talk therapy instead. I just really hope the Lexapro didn't cause any lasting damage to my kidneys. My mom struggled with kidney issues, but I never had any problems until I started the medication. My previous doctor actually told me to just stop cold turkey. Now, my new doctor is asking if the medicine even helped me at all. Well, I was incredibly depressed for a while and cried constantly after my mom passed away... but looking back, I almost regret starting the Lexapro in the first place. Never again. I truly believe that kind words and real conversation mean so much more than any antidepressant ever could.

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From what I hear, you’ll be on a very solid treatment plan. You can certainly trust your doctor if she suggests switching to a different medication; she will make those adjustments based on how you're actually doing. Honestly, you stand to gain a lot just from having these discussions

Skickas FR

Mark Nelson said:So, is that because you end up eating way more than usual, or does the medication itself just cause weight gain on its own? I guess it’s hard to tell which one it is.

Regarding the spike in testosterone levels as a side effect of taking Seroquel, it's thought to be tied to how the drug works:
- by blocking histamine H1 receptors in the brain
- by blocking muscarinic M3 receptors in the pancreas, which can throw off insulin regulation (meaning besides hormone shifts, you could also see issues like high cholesterol or diabetes)

Well, it doesn't explicitly say if it's more about the increased appetite or the metabolic shift, but I'd bet it's a bit of both.

restlesstrucker15

Thanks so much for the kind words. Honestly, I’m going to this session mostly just to talk... maybe hoping it helps me finally process my mom's tragic passing. The doctor is actually wonderful. It's such a relief because I had a really terrible experience before with a male physician whom I wouldn't recommend to anyone, really. As for medication, I don't think I need it. I wasn't even looking to take this Lexapro once I saw the list of side effects. But the doctor was pretty pushy about it, constantly checking in to see if I was taking it. I mean, you can't actually measure serotonin levels in the brain anyway, so there's no way to truly know if there's a deficiency or not.

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mistyjackal842 said:restlesstrucker15

Thanks so much for the kind words. Honestly, I’m going to this session mostly just to talk... maybe hoping it helps me finally process my mom's tragic passing. The doctor is actually wonderful. It's such a relief because I had a really terrible experience before with a male physician whom I wouldn't recommend to anyone, really. As for medication, I don't think I need it. I wasn't even looking to take this Lexapro once I saw the list of side effects. But the doctor was pretty pushy about it, constantly checking in to see if I was taking it. I mean, you can't actually measure serotonin levels in the brain anyway, so there's no way to truly know if there's a deficiency or not.

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I understand that you are going for the therapy, and that is incredibly important. I just wanted to reassure you that you are in very good hands; even if she does suggest medication, it will be with your best interests at heart. She isn't forcing anything on you. 🙂 Keep your head up—the healing process takes time, and very few people are able to navigate it entirely on their own.

FedEx

I know she’ll want to, and I’m going to follow whatever she advises because I really trust her. Honestly, when you're dealing with medical treatment, building that trust is just... it's everything. Even back when my mom was in the hospital, the residents there told me straight up that I didn't trust them—and they were right. I just didn't. Anyway, thanks so much for the support. And, of course, thank you for the recommendation.

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Daniel Gomez10 said:Regarding the spike in testosterone levels as a side effect of taking Seroquel, it's thought to be tied to how the drug works:
- by blocking histamine H1 receptors in the brain
- by blocking muscarinic M3 receptors in the pancreas, which can throw off insulin regulation (meaning besides hormone shifts, you could also see issues like high cholesterol or diabetes)

Well, it doesn't explicitly say if it's more about the increased appetite or the metabolic shift, but I'd bet it's a bit of both.

Maybe this is a pretty dumb question, but can you offset all that junk by sticking to a strict diet?

Thanks for the deep dive. 🙂

Mark Nelson said:Maybe this is a pretty dumb question, but can you offset all that junk by sticking to a strict diet?

Thanks for the deep dive. 🙂

Hmm, honestly, I'd say that's a tough one.
It’s probably more realistic to aim for keeping your current weight steady or at least preventing any big jumps.

But hey, nothing is impossible—how a medication interacts with your body is super personal.

Best, 🙂

Lexapro has been pretty terrible for me. I realize everyone’s body reacts differently to medication—it’s not one size fits all, I guess. But for me, it took several days just to feel like the stuff was finally out of my system after I stopped taking it. Now, I’m actually sleeping much better. I’m napping during the day and sleeping through the night, too. And this was even though I was only taking 10 mg of Lexapro in the morning. After about three weeks on it, I could barely sleep at all at night. Everything seems to have normalized now, though. It was clearly keeping me wide awake. On top of that, the Lexapro was causing issues with frequent urination. I really don't think I want to go back on any kind of medication. My plan is to just stick to therapy sessions, which I think should be enough. Of course, I’ll listen to whatever my doctor suggests, but if there's a way to avoid meds, I'd prefer that. Although, I did read that people are sometimes prescribed medication even for prolonged grief.

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It’s been such a strange experience... at first, taking Lexapro in the morning actually made me drowsy, but once my body adjusted, it started waking me up instead. I guess maybe my previous doctor played a part in all this, too, because seeing him became a total nightmare. I honestly still can't wrap my head around the fact that some doctors actually mock someone else's pain or try to patronize me just because I'm a woman. I have an appointment with a new female doctor soon, so hopefully, those issues will be behind me. He also insisted that any urinary issues from the medication would show up immediately. I don't really buy that; I think Lexapro builds up in your system over several days before causing increased urination. Of course, he couldn't know for sure, since everyone's body reacts differently to medication. Honestly, I wouldn't recommend that doctor to anyone, even though he claimed women specifically ask for him. I'm still just so shaken by how he treated me, considering I'm a younger woman.

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mistyjackal842 said:It’s been such a strange experience... at first, taking Lexapro in the morning actually made me drowsy, but once my body adjusted, it started waking me up instead. I guess maybe my previous doctor played a part in all this, too, because seeing him became a total nightmare. I honestly still can't wrap my head around the fact that some doctors actually mock someone else's pain or try to patronize me just because I'm a woman. I have an appointment with a new female doctor soon, so hopefully, those issues will be behind me. He also insisted that any urinary issues from the medication would show up immediately. I don't really buy that; I think Lexapro builds up in your system over several days before causing increased urination. Of course, he couldn't know for sure, since everyone's body reacts differently to medication. Honestly, I wouldn't recommend that doctor to anyone, even though he claimed women specifically ask for him. I'm still just so shaken by how he treated me, considering I'm a younger woman.

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Don't let him weigh on your mind too much right now, but doctors like that really should be reported to the Chamber of Commerce. Though, in my opinion, having a terrible reputation among patients is a harsher punishment. Frankly, hitting on a patient is the absolute bottom of the barrel. And that "women recommend him" line? Please. I actually decided a long time ago to work with a female psychotherapist because my previous male therapist didn't quite grasp my perspective. Perhaps it's just my view, but some neurotic disorders seem more intuitive to the female brain. Regardless, there is a wonderful sense of relief when someone truly understands the chaos in your head, especially knowing the psychiatrist isn't struggling with those same specific issues 🙂 if I may say so. Ultimately, the choice is personal, but for me, a female practitioner was necessary.

FedEx

restlesstrucker15 said:Don't let him weigh on your mind too much right now, but doctors like that really should be reported to the Chamber of Commerce. Though, in my opinion, having a terrible reputation among patients is a harsher punishment. Frankly, hitting on a patient is the absolute bottom of the barrel. And that "women recommend him" line? Please. I actually decided a long time ago to work with a female psychotherapist because my previous male therapist didn't quite grasp my perspective. Perhaps it's just my view, but some neurotic disorders seem more intuitive to the female brain. Regardless, there is a wonderful sense of relief when someone truly understands the chaos in your head, especially knowing the psychiatrist isn't struggling with those same specific issues 🙂 if I may say so. Ultimately, the choice is personal, but for me, a female practitioner was necessary.

FedEx

That one is actually pretty spot on, restlesstrucker15!!! 😍

I’m honestly a bit stumped—why on earth would I be prescribed Seroquel if I don't have schizophrenia or bipolar disorder? Any thoughts or ideas?

restlesstiger49 said:I’m honestly a bit stumped—why on earth would I be prescribed Seroquel if I don't have schizophrenia or bipolar disorder? Any thoughts or ideas?

It's just because doctors often use that med off-label for other things too.

Daniel Gomez10 said:It's just because doctors often use that med off-label for other things too.

Well, those "other uses" actually interest me. I can't shake the feeling that I'm being handed nothing but heavy sedatives just so my therapist can have some peace and quiet. I've dealt with antipsychotics before, and let me tell you, one single pill used to leave me feeling absolutely trashed for two whole days. Now I see that Q-pin is meant for sleep, yet they're handing it to me for a morning shift? It feels like someone is playing games here...

Daniel Gomez10 said:Hmm, honestly, I'd say that's a tough one.
It’s probably more realistic to aim for keeping your current weight steady or at least preventing any big jumps.

But hey, nothing is impossible—how a medication interacts with your body is super personal.

Best, 🙂

But look, when you're starving, your body has to burn through its own reserves, which usually means losing weight. Could Seroquel mess that up too? 😢

restlesstiger49 said:I’m honestly a bit stumped—why on earth would I be prescribed Seroquel if I don't have schizophrenia or bipolar disorder? Any thoughts or ideas?

I take Q-pin for my anxiety and insomnia—it's actually pretty common to use higher doses for exactly what you're talking about.

fadedbear92 said:I take Q-pin for my anxiety and insomnia—it's actually pretty common to use higher doses for exactly what you're talking about.

Honestly, I envy you if you can actually sleep through that, because you know exactly how much of a zombie you'll be the next day.🙂
But I suppose it’s all mental, isn't it? Over the last two nights, I managed to drift off using 5mg of Xanax. I thought it was a miracle at first, but then the physical pain hit me so hard that I think my brain just couldn't process anything properly. Tonight, I could barely settle down even after taking two Sanval.
Maybe I should try starting some meditation around 8:00 PM to unwind before taking the Sanval at midnight.🙂

Skickas FR