Posts by fadedbear92

http://yoursmiles.org/tsmile/med/t118001.gif

I included an extra table with all the drug prices... does anyone happen to know what it means when a medication's name is highlighted in blue?http://www.medicare.gov/

Timothy Wood38 said:Of course not; it can definitely help you. I was honestly just curious about the reasoning behind the prescription, so now I get it. Beyond that, what can I say? Good luck.

thanks...http://yoursmiles.org/ksmile/monster/k3020.png😍

Timothy Wood38 said:What was the reason they put you on Wellbutrin in the first place? For me, I was on 300 mg a day for about two months and, frankly, I didn't feel a thing.

It’s because after everything that went down recently, I started sinking again—and my main depression symptom, that crushing fatigue, just came right back...

So my doctor thought Wellbutrin would give me an energy boost during the day, while the Paxil helps me wind down at night...

And we aren't going to go off on a tangent about how you didn't feel anything, are we?...😍

Angela Price45 said:To be honest, I don't even know the official term for it—I've mostly just seen it mentioned in movies. Is that actually something covered by our health insurance here in the States, or is it strictly a private thing you have to pay out of pocket for?

You're kidding, obviously! But here's the deal:
it's available through the public health system too... check out the thread regarding psychiatrist referrals

you can find out where and who to see there... good luck! You might need to adjust your therapy as well...🤷

Angela Price45 said:Hey everyone, I’ve been on Paxil 1 x for three years now, paired with Ativan 0.5 mg 2 x daily.

My mood tends to fluctuate quite a bit, swinging between decent stretches and pretty dark ones. Generally speaking, I’m doing okay, but over the last two weeks, the depression and anxiety have hit me so hard I feel like I’m losing my mind—though, honestly, I always seem to spiral like this around the holidays. It’s almost impossible to put the sensation into words, but I suspect most people who deal with this know exactly what I mean...

I was thinking about picking up yoga or maybe trying some meditation to help steady things out; does anyone have thoughts on that?

Anyway, I have my follow-up appointment scheduled with my psychiatrist on January 15th.

Honestly, you really need to look into psychotherapy!

Richard Martinez3 said:A close friend of mine tried taking Wellbutrin, and while it didn't really do much to lift her mood, she actually ended up dropping a few pounds because of it!

Do you happen to know what dosage she was on? I’m currently taking it for depression and anxiety... thanks!😉

So, I’ve been doing a ton of reading on this stuff—I know all about those "nightmare" side effects people warn you about—but honestly, I only care about hearing directly from people who are actually taking it...thanks...today is actually my first day, http://yoursmiles.org/bsmile/wonder/b0708.gifI'm starting Wellbutrin 150 mg in the morning and I've got Faverin at night (150 mg) plus some Ativan and Prazosin to help with that restless, tight sleep feeling... the rest is just my "old" regimen, just playing around with the dosages a bit...

Laura Ortiz83 said:Hello,

I have a question. Does anyone here have experience taking antidepressants while also choosing to drink? I’ve been on my medication for about two weeks now, and while I feel a slight sense of relief compared to how I felt before, I still find myself reaching for a drink—driven by the same impulse that led me to the meds in the first place, the belief that alcohol will offer some temporary reprieve. However, there are consequences; I am waking up in the middle of the night gripped by panic attacks, sweating, and plagued by nightmares. By the following morning, I am dealing with suicidal ideation, facial tics, hand tremors, and a complete sense of hitting rock bottom.

This has happened about three times now. At the time, I was also having significant issues with my boyfriend, so perhaps there is a connection there, or perhaps it is simply that alcohol and antidepressants are a volatile combination.

I am going through a very dark period right now, and with New Year's Eve tomorrow, I honestly don't know if I'll be able to stay sober...

Thanks in advance.

Let the others jump in if they've dealt with this—I'll just add this: Shrink once told me that after people finish their treatment, they often go out for drinks together, and she just put it bluntly: "It's at your own risk; I can't stop you."

wanderingcyclist20 said:Is anyone else here taking antidepressants—specifically Zoloft—and dealing with this constant noise? Or rather, more like a non-sound? It’s this weird sensation in my head, almost like when you turn on a TV but there's no audio coming out. Just that static-like presence. Anyone else going through this?😕
It’s like my brain is a TV that someone left on mute. Everything is happening, the picture is there, I can see all the movement, but there's just... nothing. No sound, no clarity, just this weird, silent static playing on loop in my head. I guess that's one way to describe it. 🤷
It’s like this weird sensation... some kind of pressure or tension, I don't even know what to call it exactly. It doesn't really bother me during the day, per se, but once I'm lying there trying to drift off and I start focusing on it? Man, it just drives me a little crazy. I guess that's just how it goes sometimes, right? 🙂

I guess I should probably start by saying that I’m definitely not a doctor or anything like that—just someone sharing what’s been on my mind lately. But honestly, I've been thinking a lot about how much our mental health can be influenced by the little things we do every day, or even just the way we talk about it. It feels like there's such a massive spectrum of experience when it comes to things like anxiety or just feeling "off," and maybe we don't talk enough about the messy middle parts. Anyway, I was reading through some old threads, and it really struck me how much we all lean on each other here. It’s kind of wild, isn't it? You find these tiny pockets of connection in the middle of nowhere, and suddenly you feel a little less alone in the chaos. I don't know, maybe I'm just being overly sentimental today. It’s just something that's been rattling around in my head.

I mean, that’s exactly what I’m getting at, too. It makes me wonder—is my serotonin just going to bottom out? Like, am I looking at some kind of chemical yo-yo effect once this wears off? I guess it's hard to say for sure, but the thought definitely crosses my mind.😕

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngi4Hyzp11k

I was on a 5 mg dose myself—just for a short stretch this past summer—and man, it actually ramped up my anxiety through the roof... definitely talk to your therapist about it; how long have you been on it and what's your current dosage?

Ashley Morales said:Hey everyone,

My doctor just put me on half a pill of Zoloft daily, plus some Xanax twice a day.
Most people seem to swear by Zoloft, so I’m kicking things off tomorrow.
Anyone else dealt with this stuff? What was your experience like?

THANKS A MILLION

🙂

My doctor prescribed Zoloft—half a tablet—and some Xanax.
I'd honestly prefer Lexapro since I've had great luck with it, but apparently, Zoloft is the go-to recommendation during pregnancy.

I can tell you're feeling pretty anxious since you keep circling back to this topic... though I'm not quite sure what you're hoping to find here—I've already done some Googling and found plenty of relevant info myself.

Maybe try asking over here too:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/topics/pregnancy-medication
http://www.psychologytoday.com/us/forums
http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/pregnancy-and-antidepressants

I actually already posted a reply regarding anxiety over at the other board: I'm not entirely sure where the info comes from saying Zoloft is the preferred choice during pregnancy... my doctor once mentioned that Prozac is generally considered the safest for the baby if it needs to be used, but according to one scientific study, if you've dealt with clinical depression, it's actually better not to stop taking your antidepressants mid-stream...

Andrew Lopez10 said:Ugh, trying to map out my whole psychotherapeutic journey is honestly way too complicated for a single post 🤣 😁

So, I bounced from Gestalt therapy over to psychoanalysis for maybe two or three months before circling right back to Gestalt again.
Look, I get that a year might not seem like a massive amount of time to some people, but I feel like I’ve already hit the core of it—or at least, I finally see the big picture. Honestly, there’s no point in me rehashing every single specific instance because they all followed the exact same pattern: just me feeling embarrassed and alienated.

I can't tell you how many times I felt like life was actually better during that initial phase when I was still blissfully living a lie. The second I walked into therapy and finally admitted, "Everything is fake, I'm finally feeling myself," everything just went south. I became a total neurotic wreck, drowning in this sense of worthlessness that had been buried deep down until then, and now I can't even find my way back to that old sense of self-worth I used to have. It feels like I'm stuck in this loop forever 🙂

Anyway, I don't know. It sucks. 😁

PS Regarding the therapy itself, I seriously feel like we've hit a wall. There's nothing left to say, and we're just digging through the same dirt and obsessing over the same old topics over and over. We have a great rapport and we know each other inside and out, which is exactly why I'm sitting here wondering what else I'd even be doing there.

dragec, you've barely even scratched the surface! You've finally built that foundation of trust, and now comes the real heavy lifting. Don't throw in the towel yet!😉

WebMD

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programme...ma/2310197.stm

Check out those yellow links on the right...

WebMD

Features
Addiction claims
Problems denied
How the drug works
My struggle with Paxil
Ploughing The Archives

Help and advice
Paxil advice and helplines
Self harm and stress groups
Useful websites

Your comments

What The Papers say

Forum
WebMD: ask us

James Young87 said:Thanks for all the input!
Honestly, I’m at a point where I don't even know what to think anymore. This is actually the third time I've had to go back on Prozac. Both previous times, as soon as I stopped taking it, my panic attacks and fears came rushing back even harder than before. And it feels like every single time I start up again, my body reacts to the medication differently; the first time, I started with just a quarter tablet and peaked at three-quarters, which worked wonders for me. The second time, I started with half a pill and moved up to the full dose pretty quickly. But now, this f**king third time around, I managed to stay off antidepressants longer than ever before, and I guess my system just didn't recognize the drug anymore, because the side effects have been pretty rough. Just when I finally feel like I'm stabilizing after two weeks—when the anxiety starts to mellow out and I begin to feel okay—that dose increase just knocks me two steps back.
God, everything sounds so messy when I say it out loud, but I really am just completely lost...

I read somewhere that if you start getting side effects, it just means your body is responding to the medication and you just need to hang in there... I don't know... if they stick around forever though, I guess it's not worth it...

" For Prozac, some patients may experience a worsening of symptoms, but this is very rare. The benefits of the medication far outweigh the risks, which is why it is indicated alongside other antidepressants in this class for treating your condition; it remains highly effective provided you are regularly monitored by your doctor and follow their guidance. The dosage should be increased gradually until you find the specific level that works best for you, and sometimes long-term use is necessary. The medication should be tapered off slowly under a physician's supervision—never stop abruptly, as this can cause a sudden relapse (the "rebound phenomenon"). Every person is unique, so the drug will affect everyone individually. Again, please begin the therapy, as the overall benefit is much greater than the described side effects. You should feel significant results within 14 to 21 days of regular use, so please don't give up during the initial stages when it might feel like the medication "isn't working."

Good luck, sincerely

Viola Macolić Šarinić"

http://cybermed.com/specialty/psychiatry/prozac

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paroxetine

http://www.healthline.com/discussion/thread/218995

http://www.depression.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=629

James Young87 said:Thanks for all the input!
Honestly, I’m at a point where I don't even know what to think anymore. This is actually the third time I've had to go back on Prozac. Both previous times, as soon as I stopped taking it, my panic attacks and fears came rushing back even harder than before. And it feels like every single time I start up again, my body reacts to the medication differently; the first time, I started with just a quarter tablet and peaked at three-quarters, which worked wonders for me. The second time, I started with half a pill and moved up to the full dose pretty quickly. But now, this f**king third time around, I managed to stay off antidepressants longer than ever before, and I guess my system just didn't recognize the drug anymore, because the side effects have been pretty rough. Just when I finally feel like I'm stabilizing after two weeks—when the anxiety starts to mellow out and I begin to feel okay—that dose increase just knocks me two steps back.
God, everything sounds so messy when I say it out loud, but I really am just completely lost...

I read somewhere that if you get side effects, it’s just a sign your body is responding to the medication and you just have to hang in there... I don't know... if they stick around, then I guess it's not worth it in my opinion...

" For Prozac, some patients may experience an aggravation of symptoms, though this is quite rare. The benefits of the medication far outweigh the risks, which is why it is indicated alongside other antidepressants in this class for treating your condition. It is highly effective as long as you stay under regular supervision by your doctor and follow their guidance. The dosage is increased gradually until we find the sweet spot that works best for you personally, and sometimes the medication needs to be taken over a long period. We taper the dose down slowly when the doctor decides it's time; please never stop therapy on your own, as that can lead to a sudden relapse (the "rebound phenomenon"). Every patient is unique, so the drug will affect everyone individually. Again, please begin therapy because the overall benefit is much greater than the described side effects. You should begin to feel the full effect within 14 to 21 days of consistent use, so don't give up during the initial stages when it might feel like the medicine "isn't working."

Best of luck, sincerely

Viola Macolić Šarinić"

http://cybermed.com/specialization/psychiatry/prozac

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paroxetine

http://www.healthline.com/discussions/paroxetine

http://www.psychologytoday.com/forums/depression

hollowfalcon2 said:Hey there! I'm currently taking Vaira and Citram. Has anyone here had much experience with Citram? It's pretty new to my routine, so I'm just curious—maybe if someone could share their thoughts.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escitalopram

Escitalopram was developed in close cooperation between Lundbeck and Forest Laboratories. Its development was initiated in The Summer of 1997, and the resulting new drug application was submitted to the U.S. FDA in March 2001. The short time (3.5 years) it took to develop escitalopram can be attributed to the previous extensive experience of Lundbeck and Forest with citalopram, which has similar pharmacology. The FDA issued The approval of escitalopram for major depression in August 2002 and for generalized anxiety disorder in December 2003. Escitalopram can be considered an example of "evergreening" (also called "lifecycle management")—the long-term strategy pharmaceutical companies use in order to extend the lifetime of a drug, in this case of the citalopram franchise. Escitalopram is an enantiopure compound of the racemic mixture citalopram, used for the same indication, and for that reason it required less investment and less time to develop. Two years after escitalopram's launch, when the patent on citalopram expired, the escitalopram sales successfully made up for the loss. On May 23, the FDA approved a generic version of escitalopram by Teva. However, on July 14 of that year, the Court of Delaware decided in favor of Lundbeck regarding the patent infringement dispute and ruled the patent on escitalopram valid.
In 2006 Forest Laboratories was granted an 828 day (2 years and 3 months) extension on its US patent for escitalopram. This pushed the patent expiry from December 7, 2009 to September 14, 2011. Together with the 6-month pediatric exclusivity, the final expiration date is March 14, 2012.

Roger Rodriguez said:Hey everyone 😲

I can barely move my head without the vision blurring; I'm getting these intense jolts in my head, almost like electric shocks 🤣

Today marks day 10 of tapering off, and honestly, when is this madness going to end? 🙂

I was thinking, if things don't settle down by the weekend, maybe I could try taking half a pill (10mg) one day, then splitting that half again to just take 5mg 🤷 Just like that for a few days or even weeks...

I have a feeling my doctor will be absolutely thrilled when I pitch this idea to her 🤣

edit: does anyone know if an anxiolytic might help ease these sensations? I'm not even feeling anxious—mentally, I feel great—it's just these weird physical symptoms in my head. I have some Xanax 0.25, but it leaves me totally out of it for two days after I take it 🤷

Definitely talk to your doctor, but yeah, I think an anxiolytic might be the way to go. Ugh, I seriously admire you—I would be terrified!😲

Take something like Paxil, for instance—it’s an older generation of medication. But honestly, does it even matter which one you're on if it actually works for you?

goldensailor61 said:Hey everyone. My problem is pretty obvious from the title. Lately, I’ve become completely addicted to this series. All I do is stare at a screen all day—sometimes all night—just bingeing episode after episode. It feels stupid, but it’s the only thing giving me any sense of fulfillment right now. As soon as I stop, I hit this wall of depression. The truth is, I know it’s all just fantasy, and I simply don't want to deal with reality. I’m stuck because I don't have the willpower to quit, but on the flip side, real life is waiting. Work, responsibilities... I feel like I'm on a fast track to ruining everything. I don't know anyone else dealing with this kind of thing, and I really need some guidance. These characters are starting to feel like part of my actual life, which is dangerous since I already struggle with connecting to people in the real world. You can't build a bond with fictional characters. Anyway, I'll take any solid advice you've got.

If this is all for real... head straight to your doctor to get a referral for a psychiatrist.🙂

goldensailor61 said:I was trying to keep this one to myself, but—Housewives are involved.

Man, honestly, does it even matter which series it is? It’s just a way to escape reality... though, since you seem so incredibly obsessed with it, I'm guessing you've got some serious real-world issues going on—or maybe you're just some clone messing with us all, man. Forgive me, because I guess it's the season for forgiveness.😂🤣😍

Roger Rodriguez said:Hey everyone! How's it going?
Well, here I go again—tapering off my Paxil. Is it always going to be this much of a cycle? 🙄
The last attempt didn't exactly go as planned. I managed to taper down from 20mg to 10mg over several months, but it was such an uphill battle—honestly, just thinking about it now makes me feel uneasy. Was it worth the struggle?
So, I’m finally starting to taper down from 10mg to nothing. Isn't that just the way it goes? 👋
My psychiatrist used to insist that I’d need to stay on this medication for the rest of my life because of the panic disorder I've been managing since 2006. Even though the panic attacks had completely stopped, he just wouldn't budge. I had put in all the work—therapy, breathing exercises, relaxation techniques, visualization—all with the goal of finally being able to step away from the pills and handle things on my own. He simply couldn't grasp why I wanted to stop taking antidepressants. Eventually, I decided to switch doctors, and thank goodness I did, because I finally found an absolutely wonderful woman to take over my care.

The current plan is to take half a tablet every other day—so 10 mg. I’m on day five now, and honestly, I feel like I'm in a complete fog. My doctor keeps insisting that this dose is far too low to cause any kind of physical dependency, but how am I supposed to explain that feeling to my own brain?
Someone above was asking about how to taper off. Is anyone else currently taking Helexa? I'm curious to hear how everyone is finding it.I'm not sure if it’s even possible to compare tapering off two different medications, but I’ve been running a fever for three days now. Is anyone else dealing with something similar? 🤷
My vision is blurring, my head is pounding, and I’m dealing with sweats and intense nausea. It’s the same thing I went through last time, only this feels much more intense. Now, I’m just sitting here waiting to see how things unfold.
My mom tells me to just stop overthinking it because my brain is doing its own thing, but how can I not? I’m absolutely buzzing at the thought of finally tapering off these meds, yet at the exact same time, I am terrified.

So, does anyone have any advice if you’ve ever gone through something similar?
I’ve been sleeping terribly lately—maybe three or four hours at most. Could that be why I’m feeling so worn out?

Fingers crossed that I can finally be done with these tablets once and for all. Wouldn't that be something? 🙂

Good luck! You're a powerhouse, Roger Rodriguez, definitely not some pushover!😂🤣😍