Psychotropic medication discussion thread

restlesstiger49 said:I started feeling a lot better by the second or third day. I’ve only been on it for six days now, so things can only go uphill from here.

That's great.🙂

I am truly, genuinely happy to hear that for you.😉

restlesstrucker15 said:Taylor Swift, you're loaded with pills. I’m not criticizing you; on one hand, I’m glad you finally found a regimen that works, but on the other, I’m almost envious that you're still functioning despite all that. If you don't mind me asking, what is your diagnosis? With the Lamal and Q-pin, there must be some psychotic elements involved.

I actually have an old box of Calixta and Q-pin sitting at my house. I tell my doctor that whenever I lose touch with reality, I take them to sleep. You might think I'm lying, but two nights ago I took 7.5 Calixta and it took me two and a half days to fully come to.
I was already called in for an appointment at that sleep clinic over in Seattle, but I didn't go. Honestly, I was afraid the doctor there would disappoint me; my psychiatrist knows him, and she was hoping he might be more insightful regarding sleep issues than she was, but it turned out to be nothing. Just keep taking those (Elicea in the morning, and Pfizer for years at night).
Even John Doe didn't work for me; I’ll talk to my doctor about perhaps giving it another shot.
By the way, I was in contact with my former psychiatrist, and she mentioned that if she were treating me, she would put me on Elicea along with Seroxat, and perhaps Prazine or Ziprex for sleep.

Why prescribe two nearly identical antidepressants? I didn't follow through with that. Aside from Prazine, I tried it and tossed it.

Maybe try Ambien for sleep? I have so many questions...
Or perhaps some intense relaxation exercise before bed, and then let the Pfizer do its job.

I know I'm being tedious, but what can I do.

Send it to you

That's interesting, but did you actually manage to get any rest from those 7.5 mg of Calixta? I've been taking it for three years now with occasional breaks. If I take 15 mg—which is rare—I feel completely drugged, but with 7.5 mg combined with 10 mg of Sanofi, it's not quite like that; I just sleep for a long time. I go to bed at midnight, struggle to fall asleep until about 1 AM, and then sleep until 10 AM. Once I've had my coffee, I'm fine... I wish I could ditch both Calixta and Sanofi and just fall asleep with something like Paxil like I used to, but it's just not possible... so here I am, relying on that duo for years. At least I'm glad I've significantly cut back on Xanax; I can manage 0.25 mg twice a day without any trouble, and I didn't even realize how much less I needed. I was taking 1.5 mg a day for three years... I tried Prazin too, but 25 mg didn't really knock me out and I didn't care for it... who knows, maybe something like Amantila Relax would work? haha
Oh, yeah, I used to take Ambien once in a while and I’d sleep like a log. I've had a box sitting at home for a year now; the expiration date is approaching soon. I deal with constipation, so I'm hesitant to take it because of that, though they say it's good for anxiety too.

restlesstiger49 said:I started feeling a lot better by the second or third day. I’ve only been on it for six days now, so things can only go uphill from here.

So, the insomnia finally cleared up? That's awesome news!!!😉

Jason Vaughn482 said:That's interesting, but did you actually manage to get any rest from those 7.5 mg of Calixta? I've been taking it for three years now with occasional breaks. If I take 15 mg—which is rare—I feel completely drugged, but with 7.5 mg combined with 10 mg of Sanofi, it's not quite like that; I just sleep for a long time. I go to bed at midnight, struggle to fall asleep until about 1 AM, and then sleep until 10 AM. Once I've had my coffee, I'm fine... I wish I could ditch both Calixta and Sanofi and just fall asleep with something like Paxil like I used to, but it's just not possible... so here I am, relying on that duo for years. At least I'm glad I've significantly cut back on Xanax; I can manage 0.25 mg twice a day without any trouble, and I didn't even realize how much less I needed. I was taking 1.5 mg a day for three years... I tried Prazin too, but 25 mg didn't really knock me out and I didn't care for it... who knows, maybe something like Amantila Relax would work? haha
Oh, yeah, I used to take Ambien once in a while and I’d sleep like a log. I've had a box sitting at home for a year now; the expiration date is approaching soon. I deal with constipation, so I'm hesitant to take it because of that, though they say it's good for anxiety too.

I get that pills hit everyone differently, but man, I really wasn't expecting such polar opposite results.
Jason Vaughn482, I know you deal with much heavier insomnia than I do, so if you're saying something actually knocks you out, I totally believe you. My experience has just been the complete opposite.

I feel like this whole thread is kind of losing its point for me—personally, anyway—since it's obvious my experience doesn't really apply to most of you.

Aaron Garcia5 said:I stopped taking Paxil on my own about a year ago—maybe a few months less than that. I didn't deal with any fallout since I wasn't on it for long. I realize that's a huge mistake, obviously, but honestly... seeing a psychiatrist just stresses me out—it gets under my skin. I'm seeing a private therapist instead.
So, here’s the thing: can I just start back up on Paxil without a prescription? I'm starting a new job where I have to keep a total poker face—lots of confidence, no showing any cracks in the armor. I feel like being back on antidepressants would be the smart move here. What are your thoughts?🤷

Hey, can someone please weigh in based on their own experience or knowledge? I don't start my therapy until next week—I'm honestly just falling apart right now... I don't know if I can actually hold it together until then to ask my psychiatrist.

Aaron Garcia5 said:Hey, can someone please weigh in based on their own experience or knowledge? I don't start my therapy until next week—I'm honestly just falling apart right now... I don't know if I can actually hold it together until then to ask my psychiatrist.

Why did you wait this long without getting it sorted with your doctor? You can't really expect anyone here to take responsibility and just tell you, "Yeah, go ahead, don't worry about it"—you ultimately have to make these calls yourself, just like you did when you decided to stop your meds. We aren't doctors, even though I totally get how hard this is and that you need support. Just head to the psychiatric ER at the hospital; they'll definitely prescribe something for you. Make sure to bring your medical records along if you have them—which you really should.

I heard that if you stop taking an antidepressant and switch to a new one, it takes another four weeks for the new one to actually kick in. But what if you just missed a dose or two? Does that count as stopping?
It's regarding Calixta 45 mg.

Benjamin Robinson3 said:I heard that if you stop taking an antidepressant and switch to a new one, it takes another four weeks for the new one to actually kick in. But what if you just missed a dose or two? Does that count as stopping?
It's regarding Calixta 45 mg.

Heh, I can probably answer that since I went down a total rabbit hole researching Calixta before I started taking it—I’m on 1/6 of a pill for insomnia.

Calixta (Remeron) is pretty unique among antidepressants because its half-life is incredibly long, sitting somewhere between 20 and 40 hours.

Source:
http://www.aafp.org/afp/1999/0101/p159.html

So, if you just missed a dose or two, the substance is still hanging out in your system. It basically counts as if there was no break in your treatment at all.🙂

fadedbear92 said:So, the insomnia finally cleared up? That's awesome news!!!😉

Unfortunately, not quite. I'm really hoping it's just around the corner, though.

restlesstiger49 said:Unfortunately, not quite. I'm really hoping it's just around the corner, though.

When are you switching to 75? Is the insomnia wearing you down? Are you managing to get any sleep, and are the dreams vivid?

Jason Vaughn482 said:That's interesting, but did you actually manage to get any rest from those 7.5 mg of Calixta? I've been taking it for three years now with occasional breaks. If I take 15 mg—which is rare—I feel completely drugged, but with 7.5 mg combined with 10 mg of Sanofi, it's not quite like that; I just sleep for a long time. I go to bed at midnight, struggle to fall asleep until about 1 AM, and then sleep until 10 AM. Once I've had my coffee, I'm fine... I wish I could ditch both Calixta and Sanofi and just fall asleep with something like Paxil like I used to, but it's just not possible... so here I am, relying on that duo for years. At least I'm glad I've significantly cut back on Xanax; I can manage 0.25 mg twice a day without any trouble, and I didn't even realize how much less I needed. I was taking 1.5 mg a day for three years... I tried Prazin too, but 25 mg didn't really knock me out and I didn't care for it... who knows, maybe something like Amantila Relax would work? haha
Oh, yeah, I used to take Ambien once in a while and I’d sleep like a log. I've had a box sitting at home for a year now; the expiration date is approaching soon. I deal with constipation, so I'm hesitant to take it because of that, though they say it's good for anxiety too.

Jason Vaughn482, why didn't you mention you were starting Feosol?

Didn't sit well with you?

As for that constipation issue with the Ambien, you could probably fix that easily with some decent magnesium—maybe magnesium citrate or magnesium gluconate. That way you could give the Ambien another shot alongside the magnesium. Just don't bother with that cheap effervescent magnesium junk you find at CVS or something. 😉

restlesstiger49 said:Unfortunately, not quite. I'm really hoping it's just around the corner, though.

Keep a close eye on how you're feeling—if those sleepless nights start getting worse, you'll probably have to head back to the doctor for a new prescription, unfortunately.😢

quietwalker5 said:When are you switching to 75? Is the insomnia wearing you down? Are you managing to get any sleep, and are the dreams vivid?

I’m still on the fence about whether I should bump my dose up to 75; I guess we’ll just have to see how things play out. It takes me a good while to actually feel human in the morning, especially on those days when sleep just isn't happening. My rest has been pretty fragmented lately—I usually don't drift off until around 1:00 AM. To make matters worse, my dreams were incredibly intense last night. I had way more of them than usual, and honestly, they left me feeling completely wiped out.

I can't quite make sense of that last bit—it looks like a typo or some shorthand I'm not familiar with. Could you clarify what you meant? I want to make sure I'm following you! kaže:
Keep a close eye on how things are going. If that insomnia starts getting any worse, you’re probably going to have to switch up your medication, unfortunately.😢

And I truly hope it doesn't come to that...

electrichound3 said:I had the exact same thing happen when I was on Fevarin, precisely what you're describing. It felt like my upper body was on fire—like my lungs were actually burning. For me, that sensation lasted about two weeks, hitting me every single day right after I took the pill. It’s a revolting side effect. You just have to find a way to push through it; I found that taking some Normabel helped a little, but it wasn't much.

Exactly! I'm on day 6 of the antidepressant now and honestly, no side effects at all. For now, I just take the Xanax and Citalon together and I'm fine. I just hope I start feeling better soon.

Brandon Lopez6 said:I get that pills hit everyone differently, but man, I really wasn't expecting such polar opposite results.
Jason Vaughn482, I know you deal with much heavier insomnia than I do, so if you're saying something actually knocks you out, I totally believe you. My experience has just been the complete opposite.

I feel like this whole thread is kind of losing its point for me—personally, anyway—since it's obvious my experience doesn't really apply to most of you.

Not at all; you mentioned yourself that Amyzol works wonders for anxiety, and I've heard similar things from others. My primary struggle is actually falling asleep—which is what my doctor always asks about—but once I finally drift off, I sleep for ages. As for the pills, what can you say? Our bodies are all wired differently; one thing works for one person and fails for another. It’s just how it goes. That stuff, whether it's Helex or Xanax, is often treated like a heavy temptation for most, but it hasn't been that way for me. While I do take them, I don't find myself craving higher doses... in fact, I've even managed to cut my intake in half now.
I genuinely enjoy coming to this forum; I find the shared experiences regarding various medications and the nuances of anxiety symptoms absolutely fascinating.

Benjamin Robinson3 said:I heard that if you stop taking an antidepressant and switch to a new one, it takes another four weeks for the new one to actually kick in. But what if you just missed a dose or two? Does that count as stopping?
It's regarding Calixta 45 mg.

Look, missing a couple of days of Lexapro isn't going to wreck your progress, but I wasn't quite sure what you meant—are you actually planning to switch to something else, or just asking about the missed doses?

Michael Hill2 said:Jason Vaughn482, why didn't you mention you were starting Feosol?

Didn't sit well with you?

As for that constipation issue with the Ambien, you could probably fix that easily with some decent magnesium—maybe magnesium citrate or magnesium gluconate. That way you could give the Ambien another shot alongside the magnesium. Just don't bother with that cheap effervescent magnesium junk you find at CVS or something. 😉

Oh man, it absolutely did not agree with me. I honestly can't tell if it was just bad luck or the drug itself, but I felt utterly wretched all week; I was incredibly restless, couldn't even catch a wink of sleep, and my stomach was in knots. I have no idea how that happened since I was only taking 50 mg... so I went back to Calixta. I actually wanted to try Devon because of the insomnia and anxiety combo, but I can't get a steady supply of it—a friend of mine visiting from Switzerland gave me a single box of 100 tablets at 50 mg (I did check with my psychiatrist first, of course).
Please, tell me exactly which dosage I should buy; the constipation is becoming unbearable, and I'd rather not admit how many laxatives I'm currently relying on...

Jason Vaughn482 said:That's interesting, but did you actually manage to get any rest from those 7.5 mg of Calixta? I've been taking it for three years now with occasional breaks. If I take 15 mg—which is rare—I feel completely drugged, but with 7.5 mg combined with 10 mg of Sanofi, it's not quite like that; I just sleep for a long time. I go to bed at midnight, struggle to fall asleep until about 1 AM, and then sleep until 10 AM. Once I've had my coffee, I'm fine... I wish I could ditch both Calixta and Sanofi and just fall asleep with something like Paxil like I used to, but it's just not possible... so here I am, relying on that duo for years. At least I'm glad I've significantly cut back on Xanax; I can manage 0.25 mg twice a day without any trouble, and I didn't even realize how much less I needed. I was taking 1.5 mg a day for three years... I tried Prazin too, but 25 mg didn't really knock me out and I didn't care for it... who knows, maybe something like Amantila Relax would work? haha
Oh, yeah, I used to take Ambien once in a while and I’d sleep like a log. I've had a box sitting at home for a year now; the expiration date is approaching soon. I deal with constipation, so I'm hesitant to take it because of that, though they say it's good for anxiety too.

Well, 7.5 mg sounds a bit underwhelming to me.
I am sure you will figure something else out eventually.🙂

Skickas FR

shadowbear9 said:I’ve actually started increasing my own dosage on my own terms because I noticed it helps me sleep; it basically knocks me out so I can finally get some decent rest. I usually take three or four, and sometimes I even crush them up so they kick in faster—which, frankly, seems fine to me. I have no idea what my psychiatrist is going to say about it tomorrow, but honestly, I don't care. My priority is SLEEPING so I can actually function like a normal human being during the day instead of feeling like a total zombie. I think I read somewhere in a medical book that a 75 mg dose is permissible—which would be three tablets—so I guess I am pushing it slightly, but I have this deep-seated fear of insomnia. Sometimes I end up mixing Amaryl, Sanval, and Normabel just to make sure I don't wake up in the middle of the night...

Man, please be careful with mixing those medications, and definitely let us know what your therapist says; we're all waiting for an update.
I'm glad you're finally getting some sleep, but you should really ask your doctor which combination is the safest to use.

Skickas FR

jadehawk8 said:Exactly! I'm on day 6 of the antidepressant now and honestly, no side effects at all. For now, I just take the Xanax and Citalon together and I'm fine. I just hope I start feeling better soon.

It's good news regarding those side effects; they shouldn't be coming back. 🙂 Just keep moving forward. 🙂

Skickas FR