Posts by fadedbear92

Please share your experiences and what dosages you're taking. I've been prescribed this for insomnia and as a mood stabilizer—starting tonight at half a 25 mg tablet.😲

restlesstrucker15 said:Yeah, that really is a bit much Zolpidem. I know you're taking Prazina for sleep; my doctor told me that was fine, but then she prescribed Qitapin—which leaves me feeling completely out of it—so I haven't been taking it. She mentioned that Seroquel and Qitapin, or similar medications used in low doses for insomnia, are actually better than Prazina because they have a narrower spectrum of side effects. I don't mean the difficulty waking up, but other issues. Have you considered trying a different hypnotic? Personally, I think Halcion is excellent, but if you don't strictly need it, I wouldn't advise it; once you build up a tolerance like I did, there's nothing stronger to switch to. It would be wonderful if Zan worked for you, or perhaps Cerson. They are supposedly milder for those they are intended to put to sleep. I'm not sure what your relationship is like with your therapist, but mine usually hands me a few tablets to try before she writes the official prescription. I find that very kind of her.

Went to PT yesterday—we're cutting out the Prazina, Sanval, and Fevarin. Now it's just Edronax and Rivotril left, and we're starting... Qitapin, wow!
Half a 25mg pill to start, so 12.5 mg tonight. Brrrr.😲😲 😲

Arthur Vaughn2 said:Can Prazina knock me out on its own if I don't have any Sanval left? What kind of dose would we be talking about?

You really need to run that by your doctor first.

Timothy Wood38 said:Well, that's just zolpidem—basically a generic brand product. For me, only the 15-20 mg dose actually hits. 10 mg is way too low for me, too.

I really only need about 30-40 mg of Ambien to feel anything—truth be told, I shouldn't even be taking it—but the Prozac makes it incredibly hard to actually wake up in the morning. I'll probably have to go back to just using that, because needing this much Ambien just isn't right.😲😲😲

restlesstrucker15 said:It is truly unfortunate that there isn't an antidepressant designed specifically to target anxiety in isolation. What I mean is, I wish there were a medication that could eliminate anxiety without being classified as an anxiolytic. I often get the impression that antidepressants are much more effective at treating depression than they are at managing anxiety, even if they do work reasonably well for mitigating panic attacks. I am well aware of the standard advice regarding psychotherapy and the necessity of doing the internal work, but we cannot simply transform ourselves into entirely different people overnight. I remember once asking my therapist if she had any options—medications that aren't technically anxiolytics but could completely wipe out my anxiety and the constant mental noise. She told me no such thing exists. I am not complaining, per se; heaven knows how anxious I would be if I weren't already on an antidepressant, but sometimes one loses a bit of hope. Personally, I really dislike the feeling of being under the influence of an anxiolytic unless I am facing an actual panic attack or a full-blown crisis. However, I have grown weary of this persistent, albeit manageable, sense of anxiety that seems to surface so frequently. 🙂

My antidepressant is an older generation one, and it definitely has some anxiolytic effects.

Larry Lewis said:And you've got a point there. Honestly, I owe George Allen71 an apology. It wasn't my intention to be malicious—I was simply trying to argue that progress is possible if you actually put in the work. Besides, if I'm being completely candid, I sometimes find it incredibly difficult to sit through someone else's misery; when people are truly suffering, it triggers this irrational flash of anger in me. My bad.

Larry, you're a good guy, really. Where's that sense of humor hiding? I could definitely use a laugh today.

Larry Lewis said:Look, you're sick just like most of us on here. Illness doesn't pick favorites. It might sound harsh, but you're spending far too much time weeping over your own situation, and that isn't going to get you anywhere.
I respect that you're ill and I know it's hard, but wallowing in self-pity brings nothing good to the table—and I'm telling you that from my own life experience.
Sorry, but I had to say it, because whenever I read your posts, it's just constant complaining and self-pity.

Larry, come on, let's be real—how many times have you fallen into that trap of self-pity when things got dark? I know I have. It shouldn't be a habit, obviously, but sometimes it's just our way of letting off steam, right?

George Allen71 said:I'm trying... but dealing with BPD makes it so hard... it's exhausting to endure. Sooner or later, everyone just ends up running away from me

I can't stay on here anymore... I have to go... I'm at the office right now and my employees can see me crying... and I'm supposed to be the one in charge... yet here I am, breaking down... okay, I'm going to pull myself together and head to the ER psychiatric ward, at least for today....

I'll let you know how it goes... if I'm still around🙂

I don't know much about living with BPD personally, but reading through these threads, it's clear how brutal it is for both the person struggling and those who care about them—please, whatever you do, don't give up.😉

George Allen71 said:I’m starting psychotherapy... finally moving to individual sessions, but now that I'm switching my AD... with everything hitting me at once... my therapist is basically telling me to hang in there... honestly, after nine months of nothing, it's just great...
That’s why I went to see the specialist... because I am completely falling apart at the seams.

I was tapering off Lexapro... I was at a max of 20 mg... spent a few days at 10 mg then dropped to 5 mg... and only after that did I start Valdoxan.

As far as I know, it took three weeks total, but I'm really hoping what is written about Valdoxan is true—that you can see some progress in just one week...

I have nowhere to go after work today... I'm just sitting here in my office crying. I don't even have anyone to call... I have nowhere to turn... I can't go home because I'm in such a terrible state that I can't be alone at the house... I'm heading back to the ER. I'll just lie down there for a bit, talk to someone, and hopefully they'll give me something to help me calm down.

I'm so sorry you can't just reach out to your psychiatrist by phone. My doctor usually prefers tapering by a quarter tablet every 3 or 4 days—who knows if things moved too fast for you? It's also possible that whatever happened in your personal life just completely shook your foundation; I felt something very similar after my divorce... I truly hope these heavy moments pass for you quickly. Please write back—don't bottle it up, just talk...

George Allen71 said:Valdoxan

Seventh day.

It’s awful. I honestly can't tell if this is coming from tapering off my previous antidepressant or if it's the Valdoxan. I just don't know.

Physically... I'm dealing with dizziness... it feels like I have an internal fever... like I'm burning up on the inside but nothing will break through to the surface... it feels as though my brain is spinning on its own axis... if I move my head even slightly too fast, it feels like everything inside is going to turn into mush.

Psychically... well, that's harder to pin down... is it the medication or just life hitting me all at once? To be honest, external factors have been hitting me hard. A massive shock recently has made it impossible to be objective about what's causing what. Mostly, I'm experiencing bouts of hysterical crying, deep depression, and daily suicidal ideation... plus constant outbursts and threats toward everyone around me. I have absolutely no control over my emotions right now... I suppose it might not be the Valdoxan, but how am I ever supposed to know for sure???

I am so incredibly sorry you're going through this. Are you seeing a therapist alongside your doctor to help process everything happening?

Which specific antidepressant were you tapering off of—that old, outdated stuff?

If the side effects are really this intense, they should hopefully taper off within two weeks at most.

Larry Lewis

To felt a bit weaker than Xanax to me—plus, it seems to process through the liver much faster.

Kenneth Scott41 said:So, what exactly are these "brain zaps" people keep talking about?

Neurological Symptoms described as...

Neurological Symptoms described as brain zaps, head shocks, or those weird little cranial zings—honestly, they're just unsettling. When people start tapering off their antidepressants—either by cutting back the dose or stopping altogether—they often run into withdrawal symptoms. It's a bit of a wildcard, honestly; everyone describes them differently, and even doctors aren't entirely sure why they happen. Most folks report feeling dizzy—it can be pretty disorienting, to say the least. I’ve been dealing with these weird electric shock-like sensations lately—it's honestly such a bizarre feeling! The side effects can be brutal—we're talking sweating, nausea, insomnia, tremors, confusion, nightmares, and vertigo. It’s a lot to handle. In medical terms, specifically when filing adverse drug reaction reports, the MedDRA "preferred term" is used to code these kinds of symptoms.

I was reading up on SSRI discontinuation syndrome earlier—it’s one of those things people rarely talk about until they’re actually dealing with it. It’s wild how much your brain chemistry can react when you try to step away from certain medications. If anyone here has gone through the ringer with this, I'd love to hear your experience.

Trying to put this into words is a challenge, but I'll give it my best shot. At first, it felt like this sudden, sinking sensation deep inside my head. It’s similar to that dizzying drop you get in your stomach when you stand on the edge of the Grand Canyon or look down from the top of a skyscraper—that weird "falling" sensation your brain triggers even though you're perfectly steady. These little jolts would hit me in quick, intense bursts of maybe two or three seconds, which was honestly enough to completely derail my focus, my job, and my headspace. I'd just find myself sitting there thinking, “Wait... what was that?”

People always say "brain zaps" are impossible to describe if you haven't felt them firsthand—but honestly, it's like this sudden, jarring jolt, almost like an electric shock firing right inside your skull—and it leaves you feeling totally disoriented for a few seconds. Most folks describe it as a quick, wave-like pulse of electricity racing through the brain; some even feel those waves ripple through their entire body, though the sensation usually vanishes just as fast. I've noticed they can be paired with a bit of ringing in the ears or a dizzy, vertigo-like sensation, followed by a bout of light-headedness that can linger for about ten seconds. It’s like a literal flashbulb going off inside your head! Also, a little heads-up: moving your eyes too quickly from side to side can actually trigger them, sometimes even causing them to hit you in rapid succession. It's widely thought to be a type of neuro-epileptiform activity.

The more time passes since my last dose, the less often those shocks hit—it's definitely a downward trend. When they were at their absolute worst, those brain zaps were practically inseparable from these brutal, pounding headaches. Usually, things settle down within a few weeks of stopping, and most people find they’re totally clear within a month or two. That said, I've heard plenty of stories about people dealing with these "zaps" during a long-term withdrawal that stretch out for a year or even longer.

To get through it, I actually started opening my capsules—yeah, I know, sounds crazy—to count out the individual beads. I’d manually create smaller doses, tapering down much more gradually over six weeks instead of sticking to that standard, rushed two or three-week window most doctors suggest. It worked wonders to kill that awful sensation, though—it really did. You could even try asking your doctor for a 37.5 mg immediate-release tablet and just breaking those into smaller bits to taper off at the very end. Either way you slice it, Effexor was a total nightmare; it taught me more about managing side effects than any FDA package insert ever could.

I can’t help but wonder if anyone else has dealt with those sudden "brain zaps" when trying to taper off a medication—it feels like a literal electric shock hitting your head out of nowhere! It’s such an unsettling sensation, almost like a momentary glitch in your nervous system that leaves you feeling totally disoriented for a second. I remember once, while I was adjusting my dosage, I was just sitting there having coffee and suddenly felt this sharp jolt—it was genuinely startling. Has anyone else navigated this, or am I just uniquely sensitive?

It feels like total fireworks!!!
The symptoms are described as brief but repeated electric shock-like sensations in the brain and head, or originating in the brain but extending to other parts of the body. Sometimes moving one's eyes quickly from side to side can trigger these brain zaps—it's wild. You might also deal with disorientation, tinnitus, vertigo, or feeling lightheaded at the same time.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/...-or-brain-zaps

Justin Rogers5 said:Strong?? My boyfriend's dad is on it and he’s basically singing its praises. He used to be a total shut-in, but now he’s out there building his own scaffolding and repainting the whole house by himself. No joke. I don't know who to believe anymore.

If it works for you, it'll be a total game changer—but if it doesn't? You're headed straight to hell. It completely wrecked my sleep schedule; it took me ten whole days just to get it out of my system. Ugh, gross!!!!!!!!

Hannah Foster6 said:So I'm sitting here sipping on some coffee... but it got me thinking, does anyone know which antidepressants won't make you put on a bunch of weight?

Honestly, it’s completely different for everyone.

restlesstrucker15 said:To return to the topic of insomnia: I had an appointment with my psychiatrist today to discuss everything, particularly since I've developed a bit of a dependency on Rohypnol, which seems to be losing its effectiveness. I inquired about adding Sedatival to my regimen, but she informed me that, in her experience, it hasn't actually helped any of her patients suffering from insomnia. I then asked if, given that I am currently on vacation, it would be acceptable to take 15 mg of Oxazepam if I have a particularly rough night. She advised against using benzodiazepines for sleep issues, noting they wouldn't be particularly effective in this context. Instead, she prescribed a single 25 mg tablet of Quetiapine and suggested I start with half a pill to see how I react, noting that I could increase the dose to a maximum of two tablets. She explained that while it is primarily a mood stabilizer used for other conditions at higher doses, it can be quite effective for chronic insomnia. She requested that I call her in a few days if I notice anything unusual so she can advise me on next steps. So, those are the latest updates. Regardless, please do not attempt to take double doses of Rohypnol or increase your hypnotic dosage on your own; it is a dangerous path that leads nowhere.

I think she gave you some solid advice.

Quetiapine belongs to the antipsychotic class.
Quetiapine is used to alleviate symptoms of schizophrenia such as hallucinations (like hearing voices), intrusive or scary thoughts, behavioral changes, social withdrawal, and confusion.

It’s also used to treat manic episodes where someone feels overstimulated, loses the need for sleep, becomes excessively talkative, experiences racing thoughts, or suffers from extreme irritability.

That's likely why she categorized it under mood stabilizers.

http://medication-info-blog.com/quetiapine.html

Anthony Lopez8 said:I suppose it all comes down to perspective. 😁 If I hadn't been intent on dying, I wouldn't have engaged in anything potentially lethal in the first place, so I struggle to see the stupidity in it...
I am well aware of the risk of choking, but looking back today, that feels like such an unreliable factor; it certainly doesn't justify all the intense rhetoric regarding how "reliable" or "practical" this method is—the very rhetoric that led me to attempt it in the first place.
Ultimately, listen to me: don't do this. It is simply not recommended.

it's essentially about the fact that your liver processes things differently every single day; you truly never know which specific combination is going to hit that breaking point—and obviously, the odds of a fatal outcome skyrocket when you overdo it the way you did.

Anthony Lopez8 said:That’s a question I’d love to have answered myself. Every time I read a news report about someone—usually by complete accident—dying from mixing benzos and booze, I find myself wondering how on earth they manage to pull that off.
During one particular suicidal episode, I washed down two entire bottles of Xanax with a bottle of vodka, and the only outcome was waking up two days later face-down in my own vomit. 😕 🤷 😂

That just means you were luckier than you were smart.

David Harris69 said:Me, personally? I wasn't even wired, just dealing with psychosis... I guess antipsychotics aren't always about calming someone down, since you don't have to be agitated to be in psychosis. Maybe they're more about pulling us back to reality🙂

I don't know much about psychosis myself—so, thanks for sharing that perspective, it's good to know.

Beyond just antipsychotics, people often use anticonvulsants too—I actually tried Tegretol myself, and it was a total lifesaver for my sleep. Right now, I’m on a combo of Prazin and Sanval, but honestly, the Sanval isn't doing much for me at all.
http://www.centar-zdravlja.net/image...898834_32.pdf

This is a really solid read regarding antipsychotics.

Basically, in people with schizophrenia, dopamine levels in the brain are sky-high—they're constantly wired—so they need heavy-duty antipsychotics to bring them back down to earth. On the flip side, a lack of dopamine can trigger depression, and if that deficiency gets severe enough, you're looking at Parkinson's disease.

redcrane22 said:The thing about Quetiapine is that it knocks you out in about an hour, but then you feel like you’re walking through molasses the next morning. You just can't get moving.

Well, obviously—it's an antipsychotic.

1. WHAT IS Q-PIN AND WHAT IS IT USED FOR?
Q-PIN belongs to the class of antipsychotics.
It is used to alleviate symptoms of schizophrenia, such as hallucinations (like hearing voices that aren't there), intrusive or scary thoughts, behavioral changes, social withdrawal, and confusion.
Q-PIN is also utilized in treating manic mood disorders, specifically when someone feels overly hyperactive, needs very little sleep, talks excessively, experiences racing thoughts, or becomes highly irritable.

http://www.mayoclinic.org