Posts by fadedbear92

Kevin Bailey2 said:Antipsychotics definitely do the trick for anxiety, and lately, doctors have been prescribing them more often than antidepressants for depressive disorders. People especially swear by Seroquel, praising it as a top-tier antipsychotic that packs a serious antidepressant punch.

Seroquel is the real deal—it's basically our gold standard.

Kevin Nguyen3 said:That’s the thing, isn't it? It all comes down to knowing where that line is—distinguishing a little bit from a lot. And wouldn't you agree that those higher doses also help keep the psychotic elements at bay?

It's all right there in the manual.😉

Jason Vaughn482 said:Has anyone here actually found success using an AP to manage anxiety? I’m starting to weigh my options and consider it... I’m well aware they can be a godsend for sleep, but when it comes to tackling the constant, gnawing dread of anxiety, I’m still largely in the dark.

Of course—low doses can work wonders for anxiety, whereas higher doses are usually more for getting some decent sleep.

shadowbear9 said:I usually just have standard student health insurance🤷 does that even cover these things? I honestly have no idea...
...?

Just head to a local CVS or Walgreens and ask them

Noah Watson32 said:First time posting here, so I’m kind of flying blind on how to even start this... I've been living on antidepressants since back in 2006. Started out on Paxil, Helex, and Sanval. Over the years, I pretty much stuck with just the Paxil. I tried tapering off a few times with my doctor, but honestly, the second we started dropping the dose, I felt like absolute trash. Plus, I put on a lot of weight. But hey, whatever, I’d basically made peace with the idea that I’d just be popping these pills for the rest of my life. Then, everything hit the fan this year. Back in February, my son—he's in elementary school—got diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Even with the Paxil, I just crumbled. Between that, a rough marriage, money troubles, and all those other everyday stressors most people deal with, I just couldn't take it. "I barely made it through" that whole hospital stretch with him. Once we finally got home, I saw my psychiatrist, and he switched me over to Effexor 35.5 plus some Helex as needed. I started the Effexor about a month ago. For the first week, I was taking one Effexor in the evening while still doing one Paxil in the morning. Now, it’s been 24 days of taking one Effexor in the morning and one at night. And look, I can't say it's going great. I’m constantly trying to force myself to get moving, but I just can't. My stomach is in knots—it feels like it's been through a blender—and my head just feels heavy. I’m spiraling a bit wondering what to do. I have to stay functional for my kids, but I feel like there's this invisible brake being pulled on me. Are these just side effects? Will it pass? Should I switch meds, or should I just grit my teeth and wait for things to get better? Maybe it’s a mistake on my part, but I try to avoid the Helex whenever I can, though I don't even know why. The only thing is, I do sleep, though I wake up twice a night to check my son's blood sugar levels. I fall back asleep, but then the mornings and the days just absolutely wreck me. I have so many responsibilities I’d love to just skip, but I have zero motivation. During the day, I can't even lie down to rest because I feel this constant restlessness. I feel so alone in this and I don't know how to help myself after all this time. The daily stress from a thousand different things just makes everything ten times harder, regardless of the meds. Sorry, I know this is a massive wall of text... please, if anyone has experience with Effexor, I really need some advice.

I would strongly advise you to consult with your doctor.
My experience with Effexor—it completely wrecked my sleep, so after three weeks, I talked to my shrink and we discontinued it.
What you're feeling is likely side effects.
Wait for someone else to chime in, but definitely check in with your doctor.

helpful links

http://www.drsandic.net/archives/284

shadowbear9 said:Well, I went ahead and asked at the local pharmacy. If you have insurance coverage, there shouldn't be a cost, but if not, you'll just have to pay the copay $3.25 😉 for both the QPin and the Seroquel. I suppose the price depends on the dosage, though I doubt it's going to be anything too crazy...

I've got American supplemental insurance, so I don't pay anything for the Q-pin (either the 25 mg or 100 mg doses)—but apparently, under this new prescription I'm using, it isn't covered.🙂

restlesstrucker15 said:I agree that it might be time for her to try Quincy.
In my case, I experimented with 25 mg and then eventually cut that in half; while I slept soundly, I felt like a total zombie until the evening rolled around. We ended up stopping altogether. However, I am probably not the best example to follow—my psychiatrist mentioned that most people tolerate those doses well for insomnia. If you can handle coming back to yourself after being in California, you can likely handle this. Personally, I can't even recover from being in California.😢

Hopefully Rachel will chime in soon, as she takes smaller doses and, from what I understand, is quite satisfied with the results.

Skickas fr

Here I am, fellow insomniacs.😉

So, for sleep, I take 100 mg of Q-pin, but if I'm under heavy stress, I'll toss in an extra 2x25 mg—though only during those specific times.

brighthawk0 said:At my checkup today, they swapped out my Prozac for Fevarin. Apparently, it’s to deal with these obsessive thoughts and social anxiety. My diagnosis is some kind of generalized anxiety and depressive disorder, I guess.

Has anyone here actually used Fevarin before?

I had a really positive experience with it. For me, it kicked in within just a few days—though I was pretty drowsy at first since it’s an anxiolytic antidepressant—but then my body just adjusted. Good luck!😉

F diagnoses

shadowbear9 said:I have tried Lexapro, and also Mirzaten, which helped me at first, but now I have switched to Zoloft and it isn't doing anything for my insomnia. I just know that one time I took Valium and Xanax and slept better than I ever have in my life. Now I have replaced the Valium with Flurazepam, but it’s expensive and I really don't feel like going for a prescription every ten days... What other hypnotics are out there? I won't touch Ambien, at least not yet... I am far too young to go down that road... Ideally, I would look for prazosin, but I doubt they will give it to me... I'll have to come up with something; I'm seeing her tomorrow. I just took 9 Praxitens and I cannot sleep... it's terrible 😢 As for Normabel, it's absolute garbage; one day I took 15mg of the 5mg dose and still couldn't sleep... My best bet has been Misar/Helex...

Zoloft is an antidepressant, so it actually tends to be stimulating. You should ask your doctor about Q-pin—that's what works for my severe insomnia. Everything else is basically just candy. Or you could try the brand-name Seroquel.

restlesstrucker15 said:After everything you've been through, you truly deserve this.
For me, side effects usually kick in on the second day. After that, they either taper off or they don't show up at all.
So, if you've gone two days without any issues, that's a really great sign.
As for the sulpiride, it almost seems to start working immediately. You should hopefully notice a reduction in your anxiety within a few days.🙂

Skickas FR

My sister actually told me about this patient she had back when she was working at a clinic—this woman walked in and straight up said she was going to jump in front of a subway train the second she left the office. My doctor was absolutely terrified—I mean, she nearly lost it—so she immediately handed her 50 mg of Eglonyl right then and there, if I remember correctly, specifically because it works so fast—thankfully, the woman didn't end up jumping.🙏

Gregory Fox53 said:Hey everyone,

I'm pretty new to this thread, so I guess I'll just give a quick rundown of where I'm at:
I was on Zoloft for about three years to deal with depression and anxiety, and then my doctor decided it was finally time to try tapering off, which took about three months. I took my last dose of Zoloft at the end of November, and things actually seemed fine for maybe two weeks or so.

But after that, I started feeling those low moods creeping back in—just general lethargy and this mild anxiety that feels more like restlessness. Since things weren't really improving, my doctor put me back on 50mg of Zoloft daily, plus some Xanax (0.25mg twice a day). I've been back on the Zoloft for three weeks now, and I think I started feeling my spark come back and my mood lift a few days ago. The restlessness disappeared about two days after I started the Xanax, though my doctor wants me to stay on it for a little while longer until the Zoloft fully kicks in.

The thing is, for the last two weeks, I've been feeling incredibly exhausted, sleepy, and just totally drained of energy. I actually went to get blood work done about a week ago, and everything—iron levels, all the usual stuff you'd check for these symptoms—came back totally normal. It seems like this all started right around the same time I began taking the Xanax.

Is it possible that being tired all day, feeling drowsy, or having that "weak muscle" sensation could be side effects from the Xanax?
I mean, I've always been a bit of a hypochondriac, so I’m already spiraling and trying to imagine every possible illness that starts out with these kinds of symptoms. 😁

Thanks in advance to everyone for any insight you can share. 🙂

pure depression symptoms

shadowfox75 said:Reading your post reminded me of something my therapist mentioned. Whether she was right or not, she claimed Eglonyl was even used in gastroenterology for patients with ulcers because it supposedly had a "protective" effect on the stomach lining. It was meant to coat and soothe the mucosa. Looking back, I can see how that connects to your comment about the nausea

Yeah, I actually just dealt with that while I was studying for my "stomach issues"—then the nausea kicked in as a side effect from the Eglonyl, so I had to call it quits.

So, just to clarify—Eglonyl forte tablets actually contain sulpiride, which falls under the category of antipsychotics. It basically works on the brain to settle anyone feeling restless, helping them get back to their usual selves.
At the recommended dosage, Eglonyl tablets actually function quite a bit like an antipsychotic—it’s a pretty striking effect.

I haven't personally tried it—but I’m sure plenty of people have.

I've got it. tu Has anyone here actually tried Temu? I’m curious to hear about people's experiences with it—what was the verdict?

Those neuroleptics—they really do something to you.

Mark Nelson said:Is xanax actually more effective than Lorazepam when you're dealing with panic attacks?

For me, both worked fine—provided I was also doing psychotherapy alongside them.

Eric Mitchell55 said:Is anyone else taking Xanax?
I used to be on about 6-8mg a day, but honestly, I didn't feel much of anything when I took it—just zero change in how I felt. My psychiatrist eventually bumped me down to 3mg and suggested I try testing out the lowest possible dose, so I just went ahead and dropped straight down to 1mg. Still, nothing changed.
When I take my Xanax, it feels like I just popped a flavorless Tic Tac. 🤷

Yeah, I take 0.5mg twice in the morning, then 0.5mg twice at noon, and the same again before bed—0.5mg twice.

Every once in a while, I'll take one extra pill if I'm feeling way too sensitive; it helps level me out nicely.

Maybe your body has just built up a tolerance to the higher doses—it's basically meant to act as a mood stabilizer and help with anxiety.

Have you noticed your mood swinging more heavily throughout the day?

restlesstrucker15 said:

I am currently observing that the discussions regarding the efficacy of these specific medications seem to be shifting quite rapidly. It is important to approach these topics with a certain level of gravity, as we are discussing matters of significant personal health. I have noticed several users attempting to simplify complex physiological responses, which I find somewhat concerning. One must remain diligent when monitoring any changes in one's own chemistry. restlesstrucker15 says:
Honestly, just move on and find someone else. This one is completely out of her mind.🙂

You have a point there. I suppose I’ll just wait and see how she reacts when this comes up again. It honestly seems like she’s struggling because I happen to be dealing with an illness that requires a specialist's touch, yet she feels pressured by the fact that she can't provide those answers herself. She gets overwhelmed trying to interpret MRI results and things of that nature, and it clearly gets under her skin.

My apologies if I drifted off there; I wanted to share an observation regarding how certain general practitioners tend to prescribe antidepressants. It seems some doctors will hand them out based solely on anecdotal evidence—essentially because they’ve seen it work for one patient—without ever consulting a psychiatrist. In my own experience, I haven't had any issues with my specific medication, nor have I lodged a complaint against my psychiatrist, though finding a decent one in this country can be an absolute nightmare, to say the least.

Skickas FR

It sounds like you ran straight into someone with a massive ego and huge gaps in their medical knowledge—run from her like a devil from a holy site!😛 for goodness sake!🙂

restlesstrucker15 said:Should I switch my primary care physician?

She’s honestly lost her mind. She contradicts every single specialist's report I bring in. One day she'll try to dismiss a psychiatrist's evaluation—even though I've been seeing my mental health provider for years—and then she starts acting like a psychiatrist herself, interrogating me about why I take every specific medication.
Right, Sanval, I know the feeling; you can't get any sleep.
She suggests Xanax as needed, but when I ask for her reasoning, she just gives these vague conclusions. Like, "maybe you don't have panic attacks," or "I should check your kidneys," which makes zero sense. I'll just tell her she's right even when she isn't just to end the conversation.
Then there's Elicea—she actually suggested I switch to Velafax. When I asked why, she just said, "well, young people take it and they're happy with it."
I was floored. I spend an hour with my actual psychiatrist, who knows my history inside and out, yet here she is. I told her there's no way I'm taking Velafax because I couldn't handle those heavy side effects.

Should I change doctors? She constantly threatens me with more "follow-up exams," and she disputes almost every finding from my specialists. The only time she actually conceded was regarding a neurosurgeon's report; everything else she ignores.
If I were you, I'd say she's just frustrated. Next time, I'm going to push back and demand she puts it in writing that she refuses to follow the recommendations provided by my other doctors.

Skickas FR

Man, just find someone else and call it a day. This one is straight-up crazy.🙂

shadowfox75 said:Thanks so much. This really means a lot to me. Coffee is on me next time. ;-)

sent from hell

thanks☕😍

shadowfox75 said:She mentioned she's aware of SSRI discontinuation syndrome, but hasn't personally treated a patient experiencing these specific symptoms after tapering off Paxil. It's likely because she specializes in neurology and epilepsy, leaving psychiatry to her colleagues. Regardless, she respects the psychiatrists who work specifically with adolescents, and one told her that many patients complain of these exact issues after stopping SSRIs. It isn't documented in medical literature frequently enough to be anything more than a "mild electric sensation," which doesn't capture how patients actually describe it. Doctors are essentially just trying to find the least painful way to manage the transition. For instance, when I brought this up to my first psychiatrist at Mayo Clinic, she claimed she hadn't heard of it either and simply switched me from Paxil to Zoloft. I eventually stopped seeing her because I didn't care for her approach to patient care. It feels as though we are just test subjects for the pharmaceutical industry. Even the official guidelines state that the exact mechanism isn't fully understood. What is there left to say? If we're supposed to feel fine according to them, then I suppose we'll just have to deal with it.

So, she just texted me back—her own words—saying that this is actually a super common thing when you're on Paxil, and you have to taper off incredibly slowly, sometimes even taking a full month to do it properly.

shadowfox75 said:I experience constant "electrical" shocks in my brain. Every time I move my eyes while walking, or even just blink, it triggers this internal surge. On bad days, I can feel them up to 1,000 times; right now, I’m estimating about 800. My psychiatrist claims these aren't documented in the literature, but firsthand experience suggests they are incredibly common when tapering off Seroxat or other SSRIs. Interestingly, while I was on the medication for ten months, my EEG was perfectly normal. However, this past Thursday, it showed dysrhythmic activity in the area of the brain responsible for emotional regulation, according to my neurologist. Physically, nothing catastrophic happens—no fainting or seizures—but if you aren't mentally prepared for it, it can pull you right back into a deep depression. It's clear we don't fully understand the mechanics behind this yet, though experts suggest it typically lasts a few months. That said, there have been cases where people dealt with this for a year or two. My neurologist mentioned she plans to present her findings at an upcoming medical conference to see what others have observed.

sent from hell

Oh, wonderful. So you're basically providing her with free research material for her big presentation—though I'm a bit worried she might end up looking silly in front of her peers by acting like she's discovered something brand new. Honestly, I highly doubt that *every* doctor is that clueless about patient reports. I'll be sure to ask my aunt about it.