Posts by fadedbear92

shadowbear9 said:Thank you all for the input. Now, looking at everything we've discussed, which of these would be considered the most potent hypnotics that could actually be paired with a sedative? I find that the sedatives relax me naturally, and then if I hit a hypnotic on top of that, I might not even wake up... I am planning on asking for Normabex 10mg because, from what I understand, it’s the strongest sedative out there. As far as hypnotics go, I only know about Sanval. Also, I didn't quite grasp the part about antipsychotics—what's the deal with those? Do they also regulate sleep patterns?
Furthermore, I don't understand why my doctor keeps pushing antidepressants on me when my primary struggle is insomnia. 🤷 I realize they are supposed to regulate neurohormones, but I've been taking them for quite some time now and I haven't seen any progress whatsoever... I wonder, would my primary care physician be allowed to prescribe that Normabex while I wait to see a specialist? The waiting lists are massive, and these damn holidays aren't helping the delay.

Please, suggest some combinations I should ask for (and don't worry, I can clearly hold my own against anyone). It feels like they are just experimenting on us, so if something isn't working, they just swap it out.🙄

In my experience with Sanval, I've had minor hallucinations—mostly fun stuff, nothing too serious.🤷 I really like that pill; I just wish I could get at least two boxes of the 10mg version...

I was actually prescribed mine to help with my sleep and to dial down that daytime anxiety--it really made a difference for me.

shadowbear9 said:I am reaching out specifically to those of you who deal with chronic insomnia, because frankly, I can’t take this anymore. Up until now, I’ve been scraping by using a combination of 0.25 mg Misar and 5 mg Sanval, but they just doubled the dosage for both, and it hasn't helped much. To try and regulate my sleep, I’m taking Faverin alongside Elicea, though I suppose that might be irrelevant. What I really want to know is: what are the strongest hypnotics and sedatives out there? I mean the kind of stuff that could practically knock out a horse. I’m looking for real experiences here, because my current regimen feels incredibly weak; I process these meds so fast that I end up needing three or four Sanval doses a day, plus about 5 mg of Misar. I once heard about Normabel at 10 mg, and apparently, if you take two of those, you sleep like a baby. Does anyone have a recommendation on what I should ask for? I realize my doctor probably won't approve it, but I honestly cannot endure this—it's 3:30 in the morning and even after 6 Misar, I still can't fall asleep. Please, tell me which heavy-duty sedatives you use—the kind so potent you almost have to fight them. I'm not very familiar with all the options.
thanks

For sleep, try an anticonvulsant—Tegretol actually saved my life back in the day—or maybe an antipsychotic like Seroquel. Honestly, most standard sleeping pills feel like little pieces of candy to my brain.

Brian Young5 said:Hey there.

Per my psychiatrist's orders, I've been taking Ativan regularly for three years now (alongside two other meds). Back then, they switched my regimen from Zoloft and Xanax over to Depakote and Seroquel (both at very moderate doses), plus 5 mg of Ativan three times a day to manage anxiety. To be fair, I never needed to pop three green pills a day; I managed to grit my teeth through three years on just one, so I’m honestly surprised I haven't built up a tolerance yet. But apparently, luck isn't on my side. Since November, I can feel my body adjusting—even though my head feels clearer and more peaceful than ever—and for the first time, I'm feeling nervous and tense. I'm even getting dizzy and lightheaded after just one dose. I've started adding an extra one once a week, being extremely cautious about it, but I have this intense mental resistance to increasing the dosage of this anxiolytic. I’m terrified that I’ll end up needing more and more, eventually becoming a pill addict—just a bottomless pit. The thought of dependency makes my skin crawl. To make matters worse, my psychiatrist flatly denies that you can get hooked on Ativan, but I'm hearing otherwise from everywhere: it's on the label, the pharmacists tell me, and even my GP is suggesting either stopping it altogether or switching to a different sedative. Regardless of what the "rules" say, my own mind is telling me something else. Maybe I'm wrong, but everyone's body reacts differently; biology doesn't always follow the textbook.

What should I do? Should I try to taper myself off Ativan using those detailed online programs and eventually transition to taking it only as needed, or should I just listen to the doctor? I’ve lost trust in him, and without that trust, making progress feels impossible.
The worst part is that Ativan is one of the milder benzos with a long half-life and stays in your system for a while. I really don't want to find myself in a position where I have to swap it out for some heavy-duty pharmaceutical companion from the same family 🙂.

Has anyone here had a positive experience staying on the same minimal dose for years without having to increase it due to resistance or tolerance? Is that even a realistic possibility?

Has anyone here actually had success staying on the same tiny dose for years without needing to increase it due to tolerance or resistance or whatever else? Is that even a realistic goal?

Just find a new psychiatrist—if you don't trust them, you aren't going to get anywhere.

shadowbear9 said:I requested that my doctor take me off Faverin because I honestly don't feel like it's doing anything for my insomnia. I figured if I have to stay on medication, they might as well prescribe something covered by my insurance. Well, they switched me over to Elicea, and now I'm stuck wondering if it's actually safe to take both at the same time. I still have about a week's worth of Faverin left, and I usually take that in the evening, while the Elicea is meant for the morning. I guess I'm debating whether I should just finish the old prescription first before starting the new one, or if there's a way to transition?

Your psychiatrist is really the only one who can give you a solid answer on that—you know that already.

Jason Vaughn482 said:But how does one actually taper using Normabagel? And more importantly, why? I struggle to wrap my head around the logic; if you are simply swapping one dependency for another, isn't that just moving the goalposts? It feels like the same cycle all over again. Furthermore, I’m left wondering if I even need to face the music regarding my xanax use, considering it's currently the only medication in my cabinet. I've been taking 0.5mg about two or three times a day for roughly three years now, and frankly, for the moment, that dose seems perfectly sufficient to keep me level.

I wouldn't know the answer to that myself; you really ought to check with your doctor.🤷

Brandon Lopez6 said:I was wondering if it’s actually safe to mix Parsley (that herbal calming stuff) with Xanax.

I'm trying to get off the Xanax, but man, it's tough. I managed to taper down from 5 or 6 of those 0.5 mg pills to just four 0.25 mg doses a day—basically taking half of a 0.5 mg pill four times daily—but I've hit a wall. I can't go any lower.😢

Yesterday, I had this thought about using Parsley to bridge the gap... like, maybe cycle them? Xanax - Parsley - Xanax - Parsley... eventually cutting out the Xanax entirely while keeping the Parsley going. It shouldn't matter much since it's just an herbal supplement, right?

The big question is, will the Parsley interfere with how the Xanax works? I don't have my meds on me right now, and trying to read the fine print on my phone is a total pain, so I figured I'd just ask here.🙂

Why aren't you asking your doctor? Generally speaking, you shouldn't mix unverified herbal remedies with actual pharmaceutical chemistry.

I was addicted to Xanax for 15 years—it's basically what they call Helex in other places—but I finally managed to get off by using Normabrel. However, you really need a verified tapering program for these kinds of drugs—taking it incredibly slow, reducing the dose step-by-step.
That program was developed by a British physician named Ashton.

Here is the full tapering guide:

http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/bzcha00.htm

restlesstrucker15 said:To be honest, I am reaching my breaking point with this insomnia, the sheer difficulty of falling asleep, and these constant middle-of-the-night awakenings. To make matters worse, I’ve developed a significant tolerance to hypnotics. Even when I push myself physically—like going for a long swim or something similar—it helps at first, but within a week, my body just adjusts to the fatigue and I’m right back where I started.
So, after years of relying on Valium and spending the last eighteen months on Ambien, they honestly don't seem to be doing much for me anymore.
In coordination with my psychiatrist, I tried taking Lexapro twice a week for a week at a time, combined with Xanax (varying the dosage each time), but I felt like I was in a coma for the entire duration of those weeks. We decided to discontinue that approach because, for me, it results in more of a delayed sedation rather than immediate relief.
Honestly, Zoloft, Ativan, and Xanax have been total failures. A friend from the States even gave me a tablet of Benadryl that was registered over in Mexico, but it did nothing for me.
As it stands, I take 20 mg of Valium in the morning.
Right now, I’m alternating between small doses of Valium and Ambien.
Sometimes I’ll take 5 mg of Ativan an hour or two before bed, but it rarely makes a difference.
Oh, and we also experimented last night by adding a bit of Xanax and Xanax to the mix, but that didn't help me sleep; it just left me feeling sedated the following day.
My doctor says there isn't even any point in trying Trintellix, as none of her patients have managed to resolve their insomnia with it.
Of course, the ultimate solution is that the insomnia will vanish once I fully resolve the underlying issue...
My main goal was to move away from Ambien, because when I'm traveling, I find myself needing to take up to two pills just to function, so now I'm struggling while trying to stick to 10 mg of Valium.
I realize you probably don't have any answers, but I just needed to vent. Perhaps I should ask my doctor about ordering a hypnotic from overseas? Though, in all honesty, I know that isn't a real solution.

How much Xanax were you taking? During my worst bouts of insomnia, I was doing 4x25 mg and it worked—now I feel like I need that much, though sometimes even 3 pills do the trick.😍

Rebecca Booth4 said:So, in your honest opinion, what’s the "best" antidepressant out there??

The truth is—there isn't one single "best" medication that works for everyone—it really just depends on the individual person.

silentcanyon15 said:Hey guys, can anyone share their experiences with Seroxat? I’m about to start taking it and I really want to know what it's actually like before I dive in. Thanks in advance.

You can find some info right here: http://www.depresija.org/forum/index...pic=1095&st=20

I actually take the generic version—it's great for helping me sleep—but what was it prescribed for you? For me, it works wonders at night.

Hey everyone—if anyone happens to have any extra Valafax lying around, I’m looking for some for a friend of mine who’s paying an absolute fortune for it overseas. Shoot me a DM if you can help out. Thanks!😉

Paul Newman5 said:It’s not that easy. I'm nowhere near Washington, D.C., and if she's brushing me off now, I can only imagine how they'll treat me at the public hospital. Maybe she was just having a bad day. Besides, she's the only private practitioner in my area. But thanks for the advice. Tell me though—would you keep taking the meds or just stop?

I have to agree with what azure said—she gave you some solid advice.
As for me, last time I checked, I was still definitely female😍

Paul Newman5 said:Can someone please weigh in if you've dealt with this? I’ve posted about this before, but nobody replied. I've been on Lexapro for four weeks now. Started at 25mg, now up to 50mg. Physically, it's helping a bit—I actually managed to get out of bed this morning instead of staying stuck there all day, and that stinging sensation near my heart has stopped. But the restlessness is still there. I'm also on at least 10mg of Prozac. My Psychic told me to take a two-day break, but then after those two days, she just snapped at me. Said these aren't even antidepressants for me and if I want anything, I should just go to the hospital. I see her privately and pay her plenty, so the way she blew up at me made me decide to just keep taking the Lexapro out of spite. Is it normal to still feel this restless in the afternoon after four weeks? And should I keep going? She was the one who diagnosed me with anxiety and depression, prescribed the meds, and claimed there are like thirty different types we might have to try until we find the right one. Now suddenly they aren't even antidepressants for me. 🤷Those two days without Lexapro were even worse. She just brushed me off and told me to take Xanax or Ativan whenever I feel like it. I didn't go to her because I was "nervous"; I went because I could barely move and my head was spinning with panic. I don't know what to do or what her problem is. My therapist says I should stay on it and that maybe the doctor was just having a bad day. So, I'm asking you guys: is this restlessness normal after four weeks? What am I supposed to do now? For now, I'm sticking with the Lexapro and seeing what happens. Any advice or experiences would help. 😕

To put it simply—just switch doctors.

wiredmason56 said:So, I’ve been on Wellbutrin for a few months now. Side effects? A bit of nausea, some heart palpitations, and dilated pupils—but nothing like the restlessness I dealt with back when I was on Effexor. Currently, I’m taking Lorsilan along with Clonazepam whenever I need it, which replaced my old Tegretol after that whole scary reaction I had. The depression is starting to lift a little, though I still have those rough days. Honestly, I just feel really sensitive lately; I’ll snap at people out of nowhere or get hit with sudden bursts of aggression, but then a minute later, everything just seems hilarious... My mood is swinging all over the place, and man, the dreams are incredibly vivid, almost like watching a movie. Since Wellbutrin focuses on dopamine and norepinephrine rather than serotonin—and since serotonin is the big player for mood—I’m thinking about asking my psychiatrist at the clinic if we could add an SSRI into the mix. He mentioned before that they might not be the best combo, but I’ve heard plenty of people combine them without issues. I was wondering if anyone here has had good luck mixing this kind of antidepressant with something that hits the serotonin side, or maybe something like Devidon (trazodone), which acts as an antidepressant but also has that calming, sedative effect? For me, Wellbutrin helps the depression, but it doesn't touch my anxiety at all.☕

Yeah, those combinations are definitely possible; your doctor will suggest adding another antidepressant if they decide it's necessary.

northerncyclist2 said:I mean, why would a therapist actually be able to analyze my psyche any better than I can? I guess they probably have a much deeper grasp of how everything works, especially since they’re looking at things from a sort of... neutral standpoint, if you want to call it that. But then again, their entire insight is limited to just what the patient chooses to tell them, which is really only a tiny fraction of the whole picture we carry around in our heads. Plus, everything gets filtered through our own words, so if there are some built-in glitches in our own self-reflection, those are bound to mess with the therapist's assessment too.

A psychotherapist also needs time to actually get to know you

frozengardener57 said:I could really use some encouragement right now.

I’ve used Lexapro before, so I know what those initial side effects feel like, but they always hit me hard—and this time, they are even more brutal. It honestly feels like I'm being punished because I have a habit of stopping the medication as soon as I start feeling better after a couple of months.

I am currently on my 8th dose of 7.5 mg, and I'm supposed to bump up to 10 mg tomorrow.
I am absolutely losing it. All that initial anxiety—which is why I'm taking this in the first place, since I don't have depression... yet—has just skyrocketed. If I didn't have Xanax, I think I would actually lose my mind.
And the insomnia! Lately, I’m only getting about one to four hours of sleep per night.
I wake up in a state of pure dread and panic, with tingling sensations and hot flashes all over my body, and my head is just throbbing.
I realize this is expected and that it’s way too early for the medicine to actually kick in, but this is truly terrifying.
What has your experience been like with this? Were you even able to function at work during this phase?

Whenever I switched to a new antidepressant, I usually timed it around my summer vacation—otherwise, things would get messy—though there were two specific ones that actually clicked for me pretty quickly, even within a week or two.

I also had a bad run with Lexapro—could barely stick with it for three weeks because the side effects were just as persistent, so my therapist and I decided to pull the plug on it.

The thing I wanted to ask is, when was the first time you took this kind of med, and how long did it last? I ask because if a lot of time has passed since then, brain chemistry changes—so it's possible the same med might not work for you a second time, though don't hold me to that; it's not a rule, just a possibility.

I don't need to tell you that stopping an antidepressant just because you felt better was a mistake, right? That's often when things take a turn for the worse, especially if you aren't pairing the meds with regular psychotherapy, which is absolutely vital.

If you can afford to take some sick leave, you should definitely do it.

Your body is having some really intense reactions, but it makes me wonder what else has been going on in your life lately.

Of course you can't function without sleep, but just a heads-up: Xanax, like other benzos, isn't recommended for long-term use beyond three weeks because of how addictive they are.

If I were you, I'd call my psychiatrist immediately, lay everything out, and see what they recommend.

Sending you good vibes—I know all too well how grueling the insomnia and side effects can be when transitioning to a new (or old) antidepressant!🙂👍

Paul Newman5 said:Just wanted to share a win. For two days now, that restless feeling and chest tightness from Lexapro—which I've complained about here a few times—has finally stopped. Hopefully, my body is adjusting. I haven't even taken my afternoon dose, which used to be my ritual. I feel great this afternoon. Hope you guys are rooting for me too. Thanks for the support so far. Glad I didn't quit. Heading to my Psychiatrist for a check-up today.

That's awesome!😍😉

Jason Vaughn482 said:God, honestly, I feel like I might actually sleep better tonight now that this is on my mind, though it’s a double-edged sword because lately, any little thing that happens triggers a panic response; once I notice a symptom, I obsess over it, and suddenly it’s all I can think about... thank you, truly, there is some small comfort in knowing I'm not alone in this... I often get the sinking feeling that this anxiety is simply my new permanent reality—if it isn't one thing, it's another—it feels as though fear has become the very fabric of my daily existence. On top of that, my digestion has been a total wreck lately, which I suppose could easily be another byproduct of the constant stress.🙂

Whenever I dealt with stuff like that, my stomach would go absolutely haywire—I was basically sprinting to find the nearest restroom!

Jason Vaughn482 said:Quoth:

Paul Newman5 As I have observed through countless cycles of human folly, there exists a certain predictable pattern to these discussions, much like the repetitive, grinding gears of an old industrial engine that refuses to catch. One finds oneself staring at the screen, waiting for a spark of genuine insight, only to be met with the usual deluge of superficial observations. It is, quite frankly, exhausting to witness the same arguments recycled as if they were profound revelations, rather than the stale leftovers of a conversation that ended years ago. One cannot help but feel a sense of weary resignation when faced with such intellectual stagnation. And if I may add one more observation to the record: I can finally sense the anxiety receding. That paralyzing, existential dread—the constant, gnawing fear that I was actually losing my mind—has finally begun to lift. For the longest time, that was my primary phobia, a shadow that followed me everywhere. The sudden, violent panic attacks, those terrifying moments where I was certain something catastrophic was about to happen, have ceased entirely. What remains is merely this lingering restlessness and a persistent, stinging sensation around my heart that persists daily. Its intensity fluctuates wildly; today it was quite manageable, whereas yesterday, it felt absolutely maddening. If it weren't for that specific physical discomfort, I would happily take this medication for the next hundred years.🤣

I find myself in a state of profound uncertainty. For fifteen days, I maintained a regimen of half-doses, yet here I am on my third day of that same halved dosage, and frankly, the experience is nothing short of disagreeable. I am plagued by this persistent sense of nausea—a heavy, churning discomfort in my stomach—and if anything, I feel more restless than before. I have reached the conclusion that I simply cannot continue this. I am struggling to discern whether this physical rebellion is a direct consequence of being on this half-dose for three days, or if I am merely experiencing a recurrence of the same nausea that haunted me during my previous attempt. Furthermore, there is this constant, unrelenting bloating that refuses to subside. I am left wondering if this is a side effect of the medication itself, or if it is merely the visceral manifestation of my own mounting anxiety. It is a frustratingly blurred line between the chemical and the psychological.

Anxiety can trigger pretty much any symptom you can imagine
and I definitely remember feeling bloated whenever my anxiety was peaking

Paul Newman5 said:I'm taking Lexapro—they say it's like Zoloft. Been at it for about 16 days. I was on 25 mg until Friday because adjusting was a nightmare. At certain times of day, it hits me with this restlessness and a weird burning sensation near my heart. Since starting, I haven't gone a single day without taking up to 10 mg of Lexapro. Since Friday, I moved up to 50 mg. It was okay until today, when the agitation hit again so hard I had to take three Lexapro pills plus 5 mg of Normabell. I feel like I'm heading straight for a manic episode. My head is clear, but my body feels like it's being electrocuted. I called my Psychiatrist, and she claims this is "normal" and that the dosage doesn't matter, just that I need to calm down. When I first saw her a month ago, I was just anxious and lethargically depressed. I've never been manic in my life. I used to work two jobs if needed, lived life at a hundred miles an hour, but I never needed stuff like Normabell. If this keeps up, I actually will become manic. She says I have to wait a full month before we can see anything. Has anyone else dealt with this? Is this really normal? I've never been a restless person, but now she's acting like my restlessness is a disorder itself, just to keep me medicated until I actually lose it. All I wanted was to stop feeling tired and paranoid. Help. Is my Psychiatrist right?🤷

Zoloft can definitely be stimulating, and if you're feeling that level of agitation, you probably should be on an anxiolytic

crimsonpuma23 said:Anyone else feeling this? 🤷

Look, I’ve been popping this stuff for over a month now and honestly? I feel absolutely zero difference. It’s like I’m taking expensive sugar pills because I haven't even noticed any side effects, let alone any actual help. Everyone keeps preaching my ear off about how you need to "give it time" to kick in, but at this point, I'm just spinning my wheels. I’ve reached that stage where I can't even tell if I'm acting totally normal or if I'm losing my damn mind... 🙂

It sounds like Zoloft just isn't clicking for you—it clearly wasn't meant to be your go-to since it should have given you that much momentum by now, especially considering it's supposed to be such a heavy hitter.
I was on a 5 mg dose myself. You really need to ask your doctor about switching medications; staying on this is just wasting your time.