Posts by restlesstiger49

It’s pretty clear Zoloft isn't doing anything for me, so I wanted to reach out and see if anyone has other recommendations. I'm looking for something for someone who's really struggling to find a reason to keep going, but I'd prefer to avoid Paxil, Effexor, or Wellbutrin.

fadedbear92 said:That's a pretty low dose—honestly, you probably should have felt some relief by now if you were up at 100mg.

It’s definitely possible. My therapist actually had to cancel our session recently, so maybe they’ll suggest bumping up the dosage when we finally meet. Who knows, whatever...

As for the medication itself, I was on it a few years back. Those first two weeks were brutal—the nausea really messed with me—but once that passed, it actually started working. I was taking it for anxiety. It definitely made me hungrier, though. Eventually, I just quit cold turkey on my own accord, which was a mistake. I ended up dealing with a week of depersonalization and derealization. Seriously, take it slow when you're tapering off.

fadedbear92 said:Are you taking it for depression? If that's the case, it really should have "lifted" you by now—you ought to be feeling more energy and less lethargy. I'm not sure what your specific diagnosis is, but I was on 5 mg, and it helped me immensely... plus, it cut my anxiety down by at least 70%.

I’m actually taking it for anxiety rather than full-blown depression, though there's definitely a hint of dysthymia there. Honestly, I don't feel any relief from the symptoms yet. Maybe I need a higher dose? I'm currently at 50mg, but who knows.

Week five on Zoloft. Current status:🤷 I honestly have no clue! I’m not even sure what the "right" feeling is supposed to be, so how am I meant to tell if it's actually working? Should I look into switching medications, or just hang in there a bit longer?

I’ve started dealing with this sudden wave of anxiety during the mornings and afternoons. It’s been about a month since I started taking Zoloft, and now it’s hitting me out of nowhere. Has anyone else experienced something similar with antidepressants? Specifically, is it possible that the medication is actually starting to kick in, and this increased anxiety is just a side effect? It wasn't really an issue when I first started the treatment.

George Allen71 said:F-150 refers to BPD, or Borderline Personality Disorder... we actually have a thread for that right here. Psychotropic meds used to stabilize that kind of condition usually include anxiolytics... and very often a combination of antidepressants and antipsychotics. With this specific disorder, you don't necessarily have psychotic breaks, but antipsychotics are prescribed to help manage those intense emotional outbursts.
Keep a close eye on how the Zyprexa affects you and watch out for side effects... if you notice them getting worse, make sure to contact your psychiatrist right away. Usually, Zyprexa can really spike your appetite... be careful that it doesn't end up pulling you down further instead of lifting you up. Also, watch out for tremors or twitching in your hands and legs; I dealt with that myself and had to use Akineton to manage it. It's generally a good medication, but there are plenty of side effects... the key is to react quickly.
Good luck.

Heh, I feel pretty level right now. I don't really have much of an emotional reaction to anything at all.🤷

George Allen71 said:F-150 refers to BPD, or Borderline Personality Disorder... we actually have a thread for that right here. Psychotropic meds used to stabilize that kind of condition usually include anxiolytics... and very often a combination of antidepressants and antipsychotics. With this specific disorder, you don't necessarily have psychotic breaks, but antipsychotics are prescribed to help manage those intense emotional outbursts.
Keep a close eye on how the Zyprexa affects you and watch out for side effects... if you notice them getting worse, make sure to contact your psychiatrist right away. Usually, Zyprexa can really spike your appetite... be careful that it doesn't end up pulling you down further instead of lifting you up. Also, watch out for tremors or twitching in your hands and legs; I dealt with that myself and had to use Akineton to manage it. It's generally a good medication, but there are plenty of side effects... the key is to react quickly.
Good luck.

I haven't noticed any major side effects, just some drowsiness and a lack of motivation the next morning if I take it before bed.

Michelle Kelly4 said:Anyone here have experience with Zoloft?

I’ve been on it for about four weeks now. I haven't dealt with any side effects, but honestly, I don't feel like it's doing anything yet—though I suppose it should be helping with my anxiety... The only thing is, I feel pretty wired in the evenings (I take my 50mg dose around lunchtime), which makes falling asleep a real struggle.
A quick question for the group: Along with the Zoloft, I'm also prescribed Zyprexa at night. To be honest, I'm not even sure why. Sometimes it knocks me out, and other times it does nothing at all. But the next morning, I feel even more lethargic than usual—it feels like it just drains whatever dopamine I have left. My diagnosis is F60.3. Does anyone have an idea what that medication is for? I don't experience any psychotic episodes that would require that kind of sedation. I totally forgot to ask my therapist about this during our last session, so maybe someone here has some insight. I'll definitely make sure to bring it up at my next appointment.

Thanks!

restlesstrucker15 said:Hang in there 🙂
People say the nausea from Lexapro can be pretty nasty, but it usually passes.
Try to cling to those moments when you're feeling even slightly better; it might make dealing with the side effects a bit easier to stomach.
Personally, I didn't experience any side effects from Lexapro or Ellie, but I know how brutal they can be—both physically and mentally—because I’ve dealt with them from other meds, so I truly empathize with you. 😢

Ships FR

Honestly, I just gave up on that medication. Those side effects made me feel like I wasn't even human anymore.

Brandon Lopez6 said:primary care

That's exactly why I'm terrified to start anything else.

You know, I'm right there with you in that fear. But honestly, I can't bring myself to give up the search for the right medication. It feels like Lexapro is finally starting to kick in during the afternoons; for the first time in ages, I actually felt like a human being again—you know, like I actually wanted to live and all that. My only issue is that the cost for that feeling is just way too high. It's becoming impossible to sustain. 😢

@magdalena1967, @Brandon Lopez6, and @fadedbear92, thanks for the replies! It really helps to know I’m not the only one dealing with such brutal side effects. To be honest, after going through this, I don't even have the energy to think about trying other medications, but we'll see what the doctors have to say.

Now I just have to power through this nausea...🙂 damn it!!!

I have a question for anyone who has used Lexapro. I'm curious if you experienced anything beyond just nausea—which seems to be a pretty common side effect—such as heightened anxiety, intense psychomotor agitation (like being unable to sit still), trouble concentrating, or dizziness. Based on your experience, how long does this usually last? Everything hit me all at once, and honestly, it's becoming unbearable. I'd love to stop taking this medication as soon as possible.

Kimberly Smith6 said:Why is there such a massive bias toward kids from prep schools?
Well, it’s simply because you can't just wander into a high-end preparatory academy; you need an GPA hovering somewhere between a 4.5 and a perfect 5.0!
And of course, almost every teacher in our elementary schools graduated from those same elite academies and went on to prestigious universities, which leads to this constant, repetitive conditioning where they tell the children that a kid with a 5.0 is some kind of genius. Meanwhile, if a student falls even slightly below that 4.5 mark, they are practically invisible, receiving absolutely zero recognition or praise. It reminds me of how most famous authors came from that same academic track—and we all know the unspoken social hierarchy regarding writers who merely read the classics for a grade versus those who actually live them!

At least in my old elementary school, things worked exactly like that; any student who managed to finish with a 5.0 would be called up in front of the whole class to receive a formal certificate, along with flowers and various little gifts. To me, it felt like pure brainwashing for the rest of the students who didn't hit that 5.0 mark, essentially drilling into their heads that only the "perfect" student is smart. It sends this heavy, indirect message to everyone else that they are somehow dim-witted just because they didn't get a fancy piece of paper or a public shout-out!

Now, look at my own situation—I graduated from a vocational high school and I am currently attending a technical university, and let me tell you, seeing those prep school graduates walk into a technical college lab is quite the sight to behold.
Those prep school kids stare at the lab equipment like newborn calves staring at a colorful gate, and they almost always try to sit next to the students who came from vocational backgrounds just to ride their coattails and scrape by with a passing grade.
Because when they see an oscilloscope, a multimeter, or a voltmeter for the first time—not to mention resistors, chips, or capacitors—they honestly just stand there asking, "Wait, what is this? What does this thing do?"
They have a thousand questions about how to connect a single wire, whereas the students who spent four years in vocational training just look at them and say, "How do you not know this? It's this, it's that," and then they assemble the entire circuit perfectly in a minute because they've been practicing the exact same material consistently for four straight years.
In contrast, a prep school student is expected to cram that entire four-year vocational curriculum into a single semester lasting maybe three or four months!
So, I really want someone to explain to me how a student from that background can possibly be a high-quality professional when they've only touched the material for a few months—and that's not even counting the time they spend cramming for exams. How can they compete with someone who has been absorbing and repeating that knowledge steadily over a four-year period?

It ultimately results in a situation where even the lowest-performing student from a vocational school ends up being far more capable than a prep school graduate when it comes to actual, practical expertise.

Listen, you're acting like some master technician who knew exactly how to assemble a three-stage audio amplifier the second you laid eyes on electronics. At the end of the day, whether you went to a vocational school or a prep school doesn't matter; what matters is having the drive to actually learn and master the subject. Sure, technicians are great—they know exactly what a wire is and how to spot the positive side of a capacitor. But Joe Biden, give me a break; broaden your horizons a bit and stop looking down on people.

Edit: Do you actually have any statistical data proving that prep school grads make poor employees?

It really comes down to tribalism. It just depends on the scale you're looking at: locally, it’s about hating the rival team down the street, but when things ramp up, it shifts toward hating another country. Honestly, you can't be surprised by it.
LP

rowdytiger said:So what, everyone who starts a new thread is just venting their frustration?

Not necessarily, and certainly not for every topic. However, when someone kicks off a thread like this one, it feels like they're being rattled by everyone else's selfishness. It seems like they're looking for a fight online, probably hoping other users will just nod along and give them a pat on the back for their views. But let's stop drifting off-topic.

rowdytiger said:So what, everyone who starts a new thread is just venting their frustration?

Because it feels good.🤷

rowdytiger said:Who on earth said I was frustrated?

I’m just taking the initiative to start this discussion.

rowdytiger said:Why are people constantly on these massive ego trips? Why does everyone act like they’re the center of the universe? Why is there this desperate, pathetic need to force an impression on everyone else—like, love me or hate me, just please, for the love of God, acknowledge that I'm special? 😉Seriously?

What’s even the point? Who actually cares about making an impression? 🤷And why can't people just be themselves for once?

Counter-question:
Why does it bother you so much?

Ronald Nelson2 said:Look, maybe start by picking up a few books... just enough to get up to speed. And please, let those who actually have something intelligent to contribute do the talking.

Listen, if you aren't capable of answering the question, then don't resort to these kinds of responses that are just subtle attacks on your interlocutor. Don't let them rattle you; your logic seems a bit shaky right now, but if you put in the effort, maybe you'll actually write something meaningful. You mention certain books—well, go ahead and name the authors and the titles.

Zachary Gonzalez8 said:Are you just talking out of your ass here, or is this actually based on something you've lived through?

Experience, naturally.

Ronald Nelson2 said:If Satan or God didn't exist, there would be no balance in the world. It would be either absolute evil or absolute good. If God were to completely wipe out evil, life itself would lose its meaning. Everything would be perfect. That is why a person has to fight against Satan on their own.
Satan pushes a person to commit evil. God never sleeps. If you turn to Him, He is there. It is we who need to stay vigilant, not Him.

Why does perfection strip away all sense of meaning?

Benjamin Taylor6 said:You are being completely dense. Honestly, I don't even know why I bother—I've actually started two separate threads just to cover this specific topic. 🙂
1. Thread: http://www.forum.com/showthread.php?p=37412456
2. Thread: http://www.forum.com/showthread.php?t=697057

At the end of the day, the whole thing comes down to autosuggestion...☕