Psychotropic medication discussion thread

Aaron Garcia5 said:I started taking Eli Lilly yesterday. My doctor actually prescribed me Celexa, but somehow I ended up with this instead—honestly, I didn't quite catch why from my physician...
Naturally, I’m looking for some insight. What should I be watching out for? Is weight gain really an issue, or what kind of side effects am I looking at? Does this actually help with anxiety? If anyone feels like sharing, I'd appreciate it...

I was on Eli Lilly for about five weeks or so, and since there wasn't any effect—not even a tiny positive or negative one—my doctor just took me off it. I didn't deal with any side effects, but sadly, I didn't see any improvement either. I know five weeks isn't exactly a huge window to judge if a med is working, but my brain was pretty convinced it wasn't doing its job because you'd expect to feel *something* by that point.
That said, there are plenty of people out there on Eli Lilly who feel amazing. It’s all just super individual, I guess.

Jason Vaughn482 said:Why is it unsafe to combine Sanval and Cerner? To be perfectly honest, I find myself in a similar predicament, as I am currently prescribed both, though I make a point of never taking them simultaneously. Instead, I stagger them—perhaps I'll take the Sanval for about fifteen days, then switch over to the Cerner for a period, or sometimes even shorter intervals. Is that actually alright?

From what I understand, every psychiatrist I've encountered advises against mixing hypnotics. It's considered a major red flag. My doctor wouldn't even consider it under any circumstances. She mentioned that if I have a single beer in the evening—and not just any beer—followed by Sanval, that’s a hard no. She actually said she'd rather see someone deal with a hangover than make a habit of mixing alcohol with a hypnotic.

Skicka

Aaron Garcia5 said:I started taking Eli Lilly yesterday. My doctor actually prescribed me Celexa, but somehow I ended up with this instead—honestly, I didn't quite catch why from my physician...
Naturally, I’m looking for some insight. What should I be watching out for? Is weight gain really an issue, or what kind of side effects am I looking at? Does this actually help with anxiety? If anyone feels like sharing, I'd appreciate it...

It varies from person to person. For me, things have been fine—I haven't experienced any side effects, not even regarding my libido, and my appetite remains normal. I do feel just a little bit weak, though. Overall, however, it’s okay.
She didn't give you the Lexapro because that's the brand-name version, which runs about three times more expensive than what Eli Lilly puts out. Plus, she would have ended up overpaying by at least fifty bucks.$20.
Don't let that worry you too much. Eli Lilly makes the exact same medication, and frankly, I've never heard anyone claim there was any noticeable difference between taking Lexapro and the version from Eli Lilly.
Stay strong. 🙂
Don't feel obligated to follow every single instruction to the letter; it can occasionally lead to some discomfort, which is a fairly common side effect. As for everything else, I'd suggest posting your concerns on the forum or simply consulting with your doctor. There's really no need to panic right away.
I am certain that I will end up gaining more weight than she does.

Skicka

Jason Vaughn482, switching between them occasionally can be helpful, though you definitely shouldn't mix them at the same time.
In my case, I ended up taking half a dose of Dalmane along with some Sanval, which resulted in me getting strictly prohibited from doing so. From my perspective, though, it felt incredible. But, oh boy, big mistake.

Skicka

Aaron Garcia5 said:I started taking Eli Lilly yesterday. My doctor actually prescribed me Celexa, but somehow I ended up with this instead—honestly, I didn't quite catch why from my physician...
Naturally, I’m looking for some insight. What should I be watching out for? Is weight gain really an issue, or what kind of side effects am I looking at? Does this actually help with anxiety? If anyone feels like sharing, I'd appreciate it...

A friend's boyfriend was on Lexapro for panic attacks, and it worked wonders for him. It completely wiped out the panic, and he didn't deal with any annoying side effects at all.

He stayed on it for about two years, and now he's been off it for a few years and is still doing great.👍

restlesstrucker15 said:From what I understand, every psychiatrist I've encountered advises against mixing hypnotics. It's considered a major red flag. My doctor wouldn't even consider it under any circumstances. She mentioned that if I have a single beer in the evening—and not just any beer—followed by Sanval, that’s a hard no. She actually said she'd rather see someone deal with a hangover than make a habit of mixing alcohol with a hypnotic.

Skicka

I didn't quite follow that part about the "green light" followed by "not in a million years"?
And you still haven't actually answered my question regarding the mixing itself—are we talking about combining them within the same night, or taking one thing and then following it up with Sanval later on? I never actually asked for clarification on that specific timing.

Jason Vaughn482 said:I didn't quite follow that part about the "green light" followed by "not in a million years"?
And you still haven't actually answered my question regarding the mixing itself—are we talking about combining them within the same night, or taking one thing and then following it up with Sanval later on? I never actually asked for clarification on that specific timing.

I was looking into combining Sanval and Xanax, and I was told there is absolutely no way that works. As for why... well, I guess I just don't know.

Jason Vaughn482 said:I didn't quite follow that part about the "green light" followed by "not in a million years"?
And you still haven't actually answered my question regarding the mixing itself—are we talking about combining them within the same night, or taking one thing and then following it up with Sanval later on? I never actually asked for clarification on that specific timing.

My apologies...
She was very clear that you should absolutely never mix different sleep aids in a single night or consume them all at once.
As for the green light, she mentioned that it’s less problematic if I have a beer in the evening, say five or six hours before I take my Ambien. It isn't exactly ideal, but it certainly isn't as dangerous as trying to combine different prescription hypnotics.
Furthermore, much like a general practitioner might advise, she suggested that it is beneficial to rotate your sleep medication periodically—perhaps switching every month or so. However, she did note that simply rotating them isn't a permanent cure for chronic insomnia.😢

Talk soon

I see a lot of you are on Seroquel, but are you dealing with weight gain? (I’m on the 100 mg dose, taking half twice a day)
I’m beyond frustrated. My athletic, lean build—which was never an issue before I started these hardcore meds (Depakote and Seroquel)—is gone, vanished into thin air. Or rather, I’ve ballooned up to some ridiculous proportions. Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating slightly, but I've put on at least 10-15 pounds, give or take. I eat healthier now than I ever did; back when I was living on booze, pizza, and fast food, I stayed much thinner. Now, my diet is almost entirely vegetables, legumes, fruit, nuts, stews, fish, and poultry. I use probiotics and strictly limit bread to just the morning, sticking to whole grain or rye.

I try to work out whenever it crosses my mind—ideally every single day. I cycle, do thirty minutes of aerobic workouts in my living room, and even use a hula hoop, but the weight just won't budge. I've hit a plateau where I'm just oscillating at this new weight. My limbs haven't changed drastically, but my midsection has expanded; I've developed this semi-flabby stomach that makes me look like a total muffin top.

I’ve scoured international forums looking for ways to lose weight while on Seroquel, and 98% of the replies basically say it’s a lost cause—a total pipe dream.

Does anyone have actual advice? Specific drinks? Should I be chugging massive amounts of water? Do I need at least an hour of exercise daily? And is all this extra weight actually fat, or is it just bloating from water retention? Are there any "magic" teas? Certain types of workouts? Should I cut out sweets forever? (Honestly, I think I’d snap; I never used to care for sugar, but since starting Seroquel, I’ve developed this craving for chocolate that I can only manage in tiny amounts). What about specific diets? Like the diabetic diet—is that dangerous? What about Metformin? (By the way, I asked my psychiatrist about it, mentioning how much I'm struggling with my waistline, but they refused to prescribe it, even though I've read online that you don't have to be diabetic to take it).

I just want to get rid of this round silhouette and achieve the impossible: an hourglass figure (even if I don't have much hip to work with). I just don't know if it's even possible on this regimen.
I’ve considered liposuction, but it’s expensive and clearly isn't a permanent fix. I've also thought about wearing a waist trainer constantly to cinch myself back into shape.

Advice, please.

Oh, and I have PCOS. I'm not sure if that's making things worse or just adding fuel to the fire.

Yeah, I hate my body and I’m ashamed of it, and I’m only in my thirties. I used to be beautiful. Now, even though everyone tells me I look like a college kid—fresh face, zero wrinkles—this heaviness (more like a volatile, borderline obese state) makes me feel like a total wreck. It’s disgusting. I might seem like I’m glowing to others (apparently, ever since I quit drinking), but these extra pounds drive me to despair. As long as I look like this, I don't want to strip for anyone or even be physically intimate with someone, because I don't want to traumatize them with how I look. 😁 😢 😢 😢 (The fact that guys still hit on me doesn't change how tragic my own physical experience feels). I don't want to be "curvy" or "voluptuous"; I want that fragile, lean delicacy I used to have.
I don't consider the packaging more important than what's inside, but we aren't talking about minor imperfections here. To me, this looks like the visible side effects of psychotropic meds from an airplane view. My face is swollen, my neck is thick, my upper arms are puffy, and my stomach is just a glob. Only my legs have seen any minimal change. I feel old, ugly, and prematurely broken. I feel these deposits like a nauseating foreign object—something that isn't me, something that isn't part of my identity, and I just want to cut these layers off with a knife. (I finally get why mystics said the body is a prison for the soul. How blissful and carefree it must be to walk through the world thin, light, and airy, without the weight, the burden, and the dark cloud of this oversized, intrusive, metastasized, rotting, temporal physicality and grotesque distortion of sensuality.) Is anyone else dealing with this?

I don't want Seroquel in my life because I can't imagine living without medication anymore, but I also don't want to walk through the world like this—a mere shadow of my former vivacity, elasticity, and vitality.
Oh, and damn female vanity.

🙂

Here’s the real kicker: the meds saved my life. They stabilized me, and honestly, I haven't been this calm or happy in years. But now, the weight gain is kicking in and dragging me straight back into depression. So, what’s the move? It feels like one of those damn vicious cycles.

I want to actually live my life, not just hide away at home. And I can't just sit here and swallow the intense shame of showing up looking like a completely different person.

Brian Young5 said:Here’s the real kicker: the meds saved my life. They stabilized me, and honestly, I haven't been this calm or happy in years. But now, the weight gain is kicking in and dragging me straight back into depression. So, what’s the move? It feels like one of those damn vicious cycles.

I want to actually live my life, not just hide away at home. And I can't just sit here and swallow the intense shame of showing up looking like a completely different person.

Perhaps there is an antidepressant out there that doesn't carry such a heavy metabolic tax; I recall seeing someone mention a specific option once... personally, I haven't had the chance to test the waters myself, though the common consensus seems to be that even something like Lexapro can cause a massive 30 to 40-pound surge. In my case, I've only put on about five pounds, and that's after three years of intermittent use.

Jason Vaughn482 said:Perhaps there is an antidepressant out there that doesn't carry such a heavy metabolic tax; I recall seeing someone mention a specific option once... personally, I haven't had the chance to test the waters myself, though the common consensus seems to be that even something like Lexapro can cause a massive 30 to 40-pound surge. In my case, I've only put on about five pounds, and that's after three years of intermittent use.

Right, it just clicked—I remember reading somewhere that maybe Abilify is the only one that doesn't cause weight gain as a side effect. I'm just not sure if it's widely available here or if anyone in this group actually uses it. Honestly, the thought of switching meds terrifies me. Seroquel worked perfectly for me, unlike that nightmare Zyprexa that kept me knocked out for three days straight, or Risperdal, which just left me feeling like a total zombie or completely wasted. Still, I'll run it by my doctor.
Anyone using Abilify?

Brian Young5 said:Right, it just clicked—I remember reading somewhere that maybe Abilify is the only one that doesn't cause weight gain as a side effect. I'm just not sure if it's widely available here or if anyone in this group actually uses it. Honestly, the thought of switching meds terrifies me. Seroquel worked perfectly for me, unlike that nightmare Zyprexa that kept me knocked out for three days straight, or Risperdal, which just left me feeling like a total zombie or completely wasted. Still, I'll run it by my doctor.
Anyone using Abilify?

It seems like Seroquel caused weight gain for me too, I guess. But I am certainly not going to reject it as a treatment option because, for once, I am actually sleeping normally. Besides, there isn't anyone in my life right now that I would care to look good for anyway. I only eat twice a day—early in the morning (IF I EVEN GET OUT OF BED), usually two crackers and maybe three donuts, and that’s it. Other than that, I eat vegetables, so there is no way that's making me gain weight. I've been on birth control for three years and it hasn't changed my weight at all; it is just the Seroquel. Regardless, I sacrificed so much just to get prescribed this, so I am sticking with it... even if I get fat. Honestly, my life doesn't exactly have some grand higher purpose right now anyway...

shadowbear9 said:It seems like Seroquel caused weight gain for me too, I guess. But I am certainly not going to reject it as a treatment option because, for once, I am actually sleeping normally. Besides, there isn't anyone in my life right now that I would care to look good for anyway. I only eat twice a day—early in the morning (IF I EVEN GET OUT OF BED), usually two crackers and maybe three donuts, and that’s it. Other than that, I eat vegetables, so there is no way that's making me gain weight. I've been on birth control for three years and it hasn't changed my weight at all; it is just the Seroquel. Regardless, I sacrificed so much just to get prescribed this, so I am sticking with it... even if I get fat. Honestly, my life doesn't exactly have some grand higher purpose right now anyway...

First off: it would be nice if you actually wanted to (and had the motivation to) look good, inside and out, primarily for yourself. And I'm sure you aren't a total wreck—I'm certainly not—but I fear the escalation. My whole situation with men has become a joke; I haven't had a serious relationship in over a decade, yet whenever some decent guy comes along—someone I might actually want to impress—I start working out like a maniac right before the date, as if that's going to make up for all the sitting around and neglecting myself. Maybe the reason you're feeling so desperate is precisely because you've given up on yourself, and by extension, everyone else (though I might be wrong). My life has meaning, but small hurdles like lousy body image push me toward bad decisions and spiraling. It's like everything has to be perfect. At first, I related—it's painful, Seroquel is my god, and I'd sacrifice everything at its altar—but now, I'm just fed up. And honestly? I'm jealous (or admiring, it's a mix) of Hollywood icons like Catherine Zeta-Jones who deal with bipolar disorder but also have gold bars to pay for extravagant treatments that keep them looking uber-sexy and tip-top despite any medication.

Brian Young5 said:First off: it would be nice if you actually wanted to (and had the motivation to) look good, inside and out, primarily for yourself. And I'm sure you aren't a total wreck—I'm certainly not—but I fear the escalation. My whole situation with men has become a joke; I haven't had a serious relationship in over a decade, yet whenever some decent guy comes along—someone I might actually want to impress—I start working out like a maniac right before the date, as if that's going to make up for all the sitting around and neglecting myself. Maybe the reason you're feeling so desperate is precisely because you've given up on yourself, and by extension, everyone else (though I might be wrong). My life has meaning, but small hurdles like lousy body image push me toward bad decisions and spiraling. It's like everything has to be perfect. At first, I related—it's painful, Seroquel is my god, and I'd sacrifice everything at its altar—but now, I'm just fed up. And honestly? I'm jealous (or admiring, it's a mix) of Hollywood icons like Catherine Zeta-Jones who deal with bipolar disorder but also have gold bars to pay for extravagant treatments that keep them looking uber-sexy and tip-top despite any medication.

it is all relative

Brian Young5 said:Right, it just clicked—I remember reading somewhere that maybe Abilify is the only one that doesn't cause weight gain as a side effect. I'm just not sure if it's widely available here or if anyone in this group actually uses it. Honestly, the thought of switching meds terrifies me. Seroquel worked perfectly for me, unlike that nightmare Zyprexa that kept me knocked out for three days straight, or Risperdal, which just left me feeling like a total zombie or completely wasted. Still, I'll run it by my doctor.
Anyone using Abilify?

Yeah, well, specifically Azolar—that's what they call it here. It doesn't cause any weight gain at all. If anything, I actually lost some weight while taking it.

Sam Newman8 said:Yeah, well, specifically Azolar—that's what they call it here. It doesn't cause any weight gain at all. If anything, I actually lost some weight while taking it.

I almost gave you a huge virtual hug out of pure gratitude, but then I stumbled upon this old post from back in 2013. Who knows if things have changed since then:

"Azolar, or aripiprazole, is an excellent medication and one of the newer antipsychotics out there. It’s approved for schizophrenia, but it’s used way more often as an add-on therapy for neurotic disorders that just won't budge with standard treatments. Unfortunately, I have to warn you that Azolar was pulled from the market because the manufacturer violated the patent rights of the original drug (Abilify), which hasn't expired yet. That means there aren't any cheap generics available, and Abilify itself is incredibly expensive and isn't covered by most major insurance providers.."

😢🙂

So, I've been on Azolar for a few months now, and honestly, it’s been feeling pretty alright... 🙂

Sam Newman8 said:Yeah, well, specifically Azolar—that's what they call it here. It doesn't cause any weight gain at all. If anything, I actually lost some weight while taking it.

Are you still taking it, and is it covered by insurance?