Posts by fadedbear92

Michelle Kelly4 said:Is it normal to take both 50mg Zoloft pills together in the morning, or should I be splitting them up—one in the AM and one at night?

Don't take it at night—you won't be able to sleep, because Zoloft can be quite stimulating.

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restlesstrucker15 said:How much Carbamazepine were you taking for your insomnia?

Best regards,

Oh man, I can't quite recall—it was ages ago, restlesstrucker15—sorry!😢

Mark Nelson said:I tried Valium once—don't really know the dose—and it didn't make me sleepy at all. Seroquel was plenty for me; I slept way too much on that, even though I wasn't even taking it specifically for sleep.
I take Lorazepam regularly for the anxiety that hits me sometimes, but even that doesn't help me sleep. My dad used to nag me about my sleep issues, and he thought it worked 🤷
I'm a little scared of getting addicted to Lorazepam, but what am I supposed to do when I'm totally non-functional because panic and fear are tearing me apart? They say you shouldn't use it for more than four weeks straight. My doctor doesn't complain about me taking it every day, so I just kind of ignored that warning.

Valium doesn't really cut it for severe insomnia. I took it back when Effexor was keeping me wide awake, then they switched me to Ambien. That only lasted about an hour—and that's the stuff they usually give you right before surgery.🙄
If we're talking about serious insomnia, doctors often look toward antiepileptics or antipsychotics.

Did you get an official diagnosis? What kind of diagnosis do you have?

Seroquel is an antipsychotic; the name itself implies it's for psychosis, but in higher doses... while in lower doses, it's used for anxiety and insomnia.

What dose are you taking for sleep? I also take an antipsychotic—Quinn at 100 mg for sleep—and I'm happy with it. For anxiety, I take 25 mg, which works great too.

As far as Lorazepam goes—
"Lorazepam belongs to the benzodiazepine group with intermediate onset. It has anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, and slightly muscle relaxant and sedative effects."

They probably should have prescribed you a low dose of Seroquel for the anxiety instead, which might mean you wouldn't even need the Lorazepam. You should try consulting with her about that.

restlesstiger49 said:Man, I took some Xanax XR today and ended up sleeping through the entire damn day. On top of that, a fellow member mentioned in the previous post:

But that’s exactly why you take an antidepressant—so you aren't constantly relying on Xanax just to function.

Yeah, I’m a little confused here. I really don't want to be popping anxiolytics every single day. For crying out loud, after four weeks, you'd think the antidepressant would actually start kicking in by now. Either that, or we just keep on experimenting. 🤷 Honestly, I’d rather just be dead. I am completely at my wit's end with everything right now. 🙂

If things haven't improved in a month, it’s unlikely they will after that—you either need to bump up the dose or switch antidepressants entirely. You definitely need to have a real talk with your doctor.

restlesstiger49 said:Hey everyone, is it actually possible for anxiety to kick in after being on Paxil for a few weeks? It feels like it's starting to mess with my head again lately... 😢 Or could this just be because of all the emotional stress I've been dealing with recently?

It's definitely the second one. An antidepressant isn't going to magically strip away your anxiety or any other emotion—they don't numb you out like benzos do. Think of an AD as more of a "tailwind" that gives you the actual WILL and STRENGTH to function better. If you need to take the edge off the anxiety quickly, you could always try some Xanax.

Kevin Nguyen3 said:Why is that?

I've been on it for ages—75 mg—and I haven't run into any major issues. In fact, if I'm being honest, I actually feel better while taking it... I mean, I don't feel like a brand-new person, but... well, you know how it is.

Well, look, you know every antidepressant hits differently—I'm not sure why this one seems weird to you now, since it worked great for you, but it just hasn't done much for me.
It's the exact same deal with any other AD; it works for some people and doesn't work for others.
When I read stuff about how people react badly to Prozac, it's the same story—for me, the only thing was feeling sleepy, which went away once I reached the same conclusion mentioned above.

Ethan Cruz4 said:Wow. 😲

That's really interesting, thanks for the insight, fadedbear92.
I'm on what I’d consider a "small" dose—37.5mg—and honestly, I feel like I just downed several Red Bulls mixed with vodka. My head feels completely cluttered. I've noticed my need for sleep has dropped significantly lately, though I originally assumed it was caused by something else entirely. This information is actually incredibly helpful; I think I'll bring this up with my psychiatrist.
I had been considering restarting melatonin to help with my sleep issues, but I'm feeling pretty hesitant because of how it might affect my serotonin levels. 😢 If it isn't going to be effective when combined with this, then there's really no point in trying.
edit: Michelle Kelly4, Sanval doesn't seem to have any effect on me anymore.
It might become effective again after a sufficiently long break, but as of right now, it's doing absolutely nothing for me.

watch how this unfolds; just try your best to avoid ending up where I am
Quinn:

I was thinking about starting melatonin again to help with sleep, but I'm honestly a bit paranoid about the serotonin levels... 😢 If it doesn't work alongside this, then what's even the point? edit: little bluebird, Ambien just doesn't do anything for me anymore. Maybe it'll start working again after a long enough break, but right now, it's useless.

That could be because of the Wellbutrin—I'm crossing my fingers you don't end up dealing with the same crap I did; I've seriously cursed Wellbutrin.

Michelle Kelly4 said:Feeling just a little bit better today
...

And honestly, I'll take that over nothing any day.😉

Ethan Cruz4 said:Oh boy, 😢

Let's all just take a moment to practice some deep breathing together.
Inhale (two, three, four, five) — Exhale (two, three, four, five).

Has anyone here ever taken or currently taking Velasquez?
I've noticed that I feel quite, shall we say, disoriented about an hour after taking my pill, and my face feels somewhat "wooden" when I wake up lately—specifically over the last two or three days. I have a strong suspicion it's being caused by the medication.😕

It actually made me feel so wired that my doctor had to take me off it entirely—it honestly took nearly a month for my system to reset enough to sleep again, and none of the standard sleeping pills would touch it.

Michelle Kelly4 said:Guys, I need some help here...

What happened, Michelle?😲😢

restlesstiger49 said:I’m sitting here right now, just nursing a cup of coffee and reading up on fever. It’s funny how much time you can lose when you get sucked into a rabbit hole like this. I can't believe I'm even typing this, but here's the link.:
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If you're taking Fevarin, you might want to keep an eye on your coffee habit. It looks like this medication can actually bump up the levels of caffeine circulating in your system. If you’re someone who lives on espresso or heavy energy drinks, you might notice those side effects hitting a bit harder—think shaky hands, heart palpitations, feeling nauseous, or struggling with anxiety and insomnia. I’d suggest dialing back the caffeine intake while you're on this treatment just to stay comfortable.

but if you look closely, it mentions "large quantities", not just having one or two cups a day like most of us.

Michelle Kelly4 said:Whenever I grab a coffee, or just whenever else

then the reflux kicks in
Coffee used to be such a massive trigger for my panic attacks back in the day—I actually avoided it entirely for a long time.

Michelle Kelly4 said:Honestly, I was worried right away because I started feeling this restless sensation, like my hands were shaking or something... even though I'm drinking decaf.

When does that restlessness kick in—is it specifically after you have your coffee? Or is it just a general feeling you get regardless?

Caffeine doesn't actually have anything to do with ADHD
The real issue is just that caffeine can trigger irritability, jitters, or tension— but if you haven't had trouble with it before, the medication shouldn't change that either . In fact, anxiolytics might even help dial that down
As long as everything is kept in moderation—we aren't talking about chugging liters of coffee or high-caffeine energy drinks here
.

quietwalker5 said:My doctor prefers a gradual approach. One week at 1/4, then the second week at 1/2. I am currently on day nine. However, the depression still feels overwhelming, so I take 1/2 Xanax in the morning. I spoke with her yesterday, and she said we will start 3/4 Luxet this Saturday.
And she mentioned we shouldn't expect real progress until we hit a full tablet and stay there for three weeks.

Thank you for sharing your experience. I'm struggling with some intense fatigue today.
Did the pills cause you any stomach issues?

That sounds like an even better approach, and your doctor gave you solid advice.😉

Brandon Murphy5 said:Since you've been around this forum for quite a while, I was hoping you might be able to point me in the right direction, because I’ve gone through Zoloft during two different stretches in the past, always pairing it with Lexapro, and eventually, things seemed to settle down and feel okay enough.
At first, it felt like trying to climb a mountain in a blizzard—just incredibly difficult to adjust—but I managed to push through it.

Now I'm starting back up on Zoloft on my own, beginning with a half dose in the morning (though I'm not entirely sure if taking it at night would be more effective), and I'm wondering if I should go ahead and combine it with Lexapro again, and if so, what kind of dosage makes sense?

Do you have any solid advice or personal insight you could share?

Thanks so much

Check your PMs

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restlesstiger49 said:In principle, yes—it should spark the drive to actually make something of my day. I want to wake up feeling like there's a reason to get moving. For me, the main thing is getting both my serotonin and dopamine levels back up.

I don't know, the very term "side effect" carries such a negative weight. Personally, I really like my brain, and if I'm going to have to mess with it using chemicals, I’d much rather use them for their intended purpose.

No, nothing was mentioned about increasing the dose. My therapist just said, "Let's try 50mg and see how it goes". I was supposed to have a session in a week and a half—maybe we would have adjusted the dosage then—but I was told he’s unavailable and taking his vacation, so I should check back in September. I am absolutely not going to play chemist with my meds on my own. I'll try to find another provider for a check-up.

True, because of that sedative effect, I was actually advised to take it at night.

I’ve had a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to finding that "wind in my sails" feeling—different meds have hit differently for me at different stages. Zoloft gave me a boost, then I tried Fevarin and Prozac... now I'm on Edronax (an SNRI) to help get those norepinephrine levels up.
I've got it. Here. There are several different types of ads out there—it really depends on what you're trying to achieve! tu

I haven't heard a single word about any potential raises—not even a whisper. My therapist actually said: Let's give the 50mg dose a shot first—we'll just see how it goes from there.I was supposed to have my session about ten days ago—maybe we could have split the dose then—but I just got word that he’s unavailable and heading out on vacation, so I'm told to check back in September. Honestly, I really don't want to mess around with my dosage on my own. I'll try to figure out some way to get a check-up sooner.

Is anyone actually switching to it, or should I just go find something else entirely?

restlesstiger49 said:Fair point. I actually told my therapist straight up that the anxiety is killing me, so I guess that’s part of the problem. It isn't even classic depression; it's more like I'm just miserable being alive at all. I laid it all out for the therapist, and honestly, who could possibly say anything smart or helpful after hearing that? At this stage, I feel like I can only rely on medication. Since you clearly know your stuff when it comes to pharmaceuticals, which antidepressant would you say is the heavy hitter? Thnx!

That really depends on the person—what does "super strong" even mean to you? For me, it’s all about finding the one that actually clicks and helps you get through.
Different antidepressants have worked for me at different points during my depressive episodes.

Fevarin acts as an anxiolytic, so it actually helps dial down that anxiety. Maybe you should look into switching up your med

@ restlesstiger49
I take 100 mg of Q-pin to help me sleep. Just a heads up—Fevarin is an antidepressant, not a sleeping pill. A 50 mg dose is really just the bare minimum starting point; it’s practically nothing, so you'll likely need to bump it up to 100 mg by increasing it by 1/4 every three or four days.