Posts by Jason Vaughn482

Gregory Anderson4 said:I wasn't sure if I should start a whole new thread for this or just post it here, but let's try it here first.

So, my partner has been struggling big time for years now. We're talking anxiety attacks, panic, paranoia, aggression, insomnia, and he’s constantly miserable at his job. On top of that, he carries some heavy childhood trauma, and his dad has been battling alcoholism and pill addiction for a long time. He and I have only been together for about a year and a half (I'm 34, he's 39). It was really tough getting him to open up emotionally, but we've been living together for a few months now and things are actually going pretty well. I finally earned his trust, and along with his mom, I managed to talk him into seeing a psychiatrist. They gave him two diagnoses—Borderline and something else they'll pin down once he finishes some psych testing. In the meantime, he was prescribed Risperdal and Faverin (for sleep and depression). He’s been on them for about five weeks, and honestly, a lot of his symptoms have eased up or disappeared entirely. He’s more social, less high-strung, his headaches have cleared up, we're traveling more, and he's much more affectionate and emotionally present. There's just one catch: our sex life has completely vanished. 😕 In all that time, we've only hooked up twice. The affection is still there, but as soon as we start getting intimate, he just totally relaxes, rolls over, and snores.

I don't want to make a huge deal out of this because, frankly, after all those sleepless nights, I’m actually happy whenever he finally falls asleep. But I am wondering: is the low libido a side effect of the meds, and will it eventually get better?

I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who has dealt with something similar.

Best,

It is widely recognized that SSRIs, which include medications like Faverin, can cause a decrease in libido, so it is certainly a possibility.

frozenorca63 said:I guess it’s not even about the actual dollar amount, it’s more about the principle of the thing. Like, if your employer or the government is already covering your basic health insurance and you're paying out of pocket for extra coverage on top of that, it just feels totally unfair to be hit with even more fees.

That’s nothing compared to my experience last month, when I actually had to pay out of pocket for my Concor—something that was never supposed to require a co-pay$3.25 just because I picked up a 50-count bottle; meanwhile, all my other prescriptions are covered for free. Since I was already standing there at the CVS pharmacy, I figured I might as well pay it, but it’s pure madness. It’s the same ridiculous logic with Sanval: if you get 20 pills, you pay, but if you get 30, it’s covered? Who in their right mind designed a system this nonsensical?

Yes, I clearly got my wires crossed somewhere, but I did a bit of digging just now and apparently, it’s categorized as being most similar to tricyclic antidepressants, which is why I assumed it fell under that umbrella... but regardless of the technicalities, if it works for someone else, fine by me. I was searching for an alternative again, though I won't be asking about that specific one; lately, I’ve been feeling utterly exhausted, as if I'm dragging myself through sludge. Even when I manage to drag myself out of bed at 9:00 AM, I feel like I could sleep for another eternity, and the fatigue just clings to me all day long. Yesterday, I took a dose of Prozac, and honestly, it felt like it made everything even worse—I truly have no idea what is happening to my body. Today, I went out and picked up some B-complex

Jessica Fowler4 said:I guess I could try to theorize about it here. Coax is an SSRE, and since serotonin plays a role in signaling pain along with everything else, maybe the Coax shifted your pain threshold a little bit... though, I don't know, I'm not totally sure if that's really how it works...

Anyway, just from my own experience, I didn't really feel much of anything... I played around with the dosages quite a bit, too. I'd take 6 or 7 at once, sometimes 15 in a single day, or I'd do 6 a day for two weeks and then 4 a day for another two weeks, and all sorts of things like that... eventually, I just quit cold turkey...
I didn't really notice any major side effects... I might have felt a little more upbeat at the very beginning, but that passed after just a couple of days...

So, I'd say that since you were only at one or two pills, you really shouldn't be having side effects, and if you are feeling things, it might just be that anxiety about lowering the dose.

In the end, personally, I concluded it wasn't doing much for my mental state... the only thing it actually helped with was my asthma and IBS.

From what I've read about it, you shouldn't be having issues; it's probably the safest antidepressant out there when it comes to the typical side effect profile...

To set the record straight, Coax isn't actually an SSRI; it belongs to those early tricyclic antidepressants, and it wouldn't be accurate to claim it has the fewest side effects—in fact, it’s often quite the opposite. But that's beside the point for Maggi; there is no way you are feeling worse simply because you took a single pill. That window of time is far too brief, and even if you had been on it longer, you wouldn't feel an immediate impact after just one dose.

Robert Kim6 said:I'll definitely send it over... I'm just a little unsure if they'll respond since the Aktivin H is from Belupovac.

It is perfectly safe to drink; my doctor actually prescribed it to me alongside some valium, though I never ended up taking the medication itself.

Paul Newman5 said:Jason Vaughn482, I'm trying to reply to your DM, but it won't let me. Your inbox is probably full or something else is just broken.

My inbox isn't full, so I haven't the slightest clue what the issue might be; perhaps the system will decide to behave itself by tomorrow.🤷

Paul Newman5 said:No worries. Honestly, I wish none of this was familiar to me either. A year ago, I wasn't on anything and wondered why people even needed meds to deal with life. Then reality hit me too, unfortunately, so now I know the drill. Plus, everyone reacts to medication differently. It's all individual. For me, mornings are the worst; afternoons and evenings are easier to manage. That first hour after waking up is always the hardest.

My mornings are a complete fog, a total nightmare where I can barely drag myself into consciousness. Then comes that sensation—those fluttering butterflies in the stomach, which I suspect is just the anxiety migrating through my system. It’s a heavy, paralyzing feeling that makes getting out of bed feel like an uphill battle against gravity itself. I eventually force myself up, grab a coffee, and try to find some semblance of stability, but that process takes at least an hour. And without fail, before I even think about stepping foot outside the house, I have to take some xanax.

Matthew White4 said:Yeah, it felt exactly the same the whole way through—zero change. At first, I actually thought I just needed to wait for it to kick in and finally start helping me, but nope, nothing moved the needle. Honestly, I can’t even remember how long I was on it... maybe two months? Then my doctor switched me over to something else.
I tossed all my old medical records from 2006 through 2012, so now the timeline is a total blur to me.
I do remember that Lexapro worked pretty well for me. On the other hand, Anafranil made me gain like 50 pounds, or maybe it was Lariam. But with Lexapro, I actually dropped all those extra pounds in just a few months.
Callista absolutely wiped me out; I couldn't wake up no matter what I tried, and I could only stomach it for a couple of days. Then Zoloft gave me these intense heart palpitations and a super stiff jaw.
And so on.
The only one I’m actually a fan of is Effexor. For a few years, I took two 37.5 mg pills in the morning, and then eventually transitioned to one 150 mg Effexor XR in the morning.
Throughout all these years, I’ve also been taking Dogmatil, though my new psychiatrist swapped it out for Zyprexa about two or three months ago.

What dosage of Callista were you prescribed? Even at a mere 7.5 mg, I find myself trapped in this perpetual state of lethargy, unable to wake up. I am desperate to move past it once I receive a different sedative, because my current sleep aid doesn't always seem to do the trick.

Since my AFP levels have been hovering consistently between 8 and 11—given that the standard reference limit is 7—I’ve been stuck in this endless loop of monitoring and abdominal ultrasounds. Up until today, the ultrasound results were always perfectly unremarkable, but today the report read like this: The liver is normal in size and shape, showing mild hyperechogenicity suggestive of steatosis; it remains homogeneous with no dilation of the intrahepatic or extrahepatic bile ducts. In segments III and IV of the liver, there are visible cysts measuring approximately 9 mm and 7 mm. The pancreas is homogeneous and clearly demarcated from the surrounding tissue; the spleen is normal in size and homogeneous; both kidneys show normal size and shape with preserved parenchyma and no dilation of the collecting systems; the abdominal aorta appears normally calibrated in the visualized section; no free fluid is detected in the abdomen, nor are there any enlarged lymph nodes.
Now, I am absolutely preoccupied with these tiny little cysts that never showed up on any previous ultrasound scans. What is their clinical significance, and is there any possibility they might simply vanish? Furthermore, should I be pursuing testing for hepatitis? If a test comes back positive, is there an actual treatment available, and can that occur independently of HIV, or does it usually travel in a package deal? I am a deeply anxious individual, and at 50 years old, the sheer panic of this uncertainty is becoming overwhelming.
My hematologist informed me today that this specific AFP value shouldn't actually be a cause for concern since it has remained stagnant for four years now, yet I cannot shake this nagging dread regarding the possibility of hepatitis. The fear of a potential diagnosis is paralyzing—is there even a cure if it turns out I have it? So far, no one has even referred me for the necessary blood work. For what it's worth, my Mayo Clinic labs and liver function tests are all within the normal range. Thank you, vividsailor7.

Matthew White4 said:@ Jason Vaughn482
Look, you don't need to put any kind of pressure on her mental state. Just be real with her—tell her exactly how you're feeling. By the way, I totally blanked on asking: how long have you actually been on this current med?
The thing is, it takes a minute for an AT&T to really kick in and show its "full potential." 🙂 Personally, I’ve cycled through about a dozen different antidepressants over the years. These days, I only touch Helex once in a blue moon, maybe once or twice a month at most.
I’ve also been on antipsychotics for years now. I used to be on Sulpirid 200 for a long stretch, but now I'm on Olanzapine 2.5 mg. Honestly, what’s there to fear if it actually helps? Taking an antipsychotic doesn't mean you're psychotic, haha 🙂

@ Paul Newman5: Hang in there. Focus on yourself, don't give up, and keep pushing... the right medication will eventually find you!

I have been taking Mirzaten for over a year now. I started at the absolute minimum dose of 15 mg, and currently, I’ve even scaled back to just half of that. To be perfectly honest, it doesn't seem to impact anything for me except my sleep, and since sleep is my primary concern, I stick to those 7.5 mg.
I am not afraid of an AT&T in the sense of fearing I'm schizophrenic or anything of the sort. If, for example, 50 mg of Eglonila worked for me, I would take it, but I find myself more concerned with the side effects. When you read warnings about strokes, pulmonary embolisms, or blood clots in the leg, and you're already dealing with high blood pressure... well, that is my hesitation. That is the reason. But as far as antidepressants go, I would much rather use a portal.

Paul Newman5 said:Must be nice. What exactly are you taking? And if you were dealing with anxiety, did it actually clear it all up? You're lucky—really. I mean it. It’s just good to hear someone say they’re doing better or that their antidepressant is finally working. Are you even working? For me, it's a phobia. Sometimes I feel like if I didn't have to show up to the office, I’d probably be fine without the meds. Not that I actually would, obviously, but that's how it feels.

He's on Lexapro and honestly, he's living the dream... if my medical tests were coming back normal, I’d be perfectly fine without a single dose of Xanax. If my tumor markers were within a healthy range and all my lab results were pristine, I’d be golden. But instead, there's always that lingering shadow of doubt, that constant uncertainty that wreaks havoc on my mental state. The reality is, when you spend your life constantly chasing doctors and running tests, you're practically inviting them to find something wrong with you.😢

restlesstrucker15 said:Listen, from a strictly medical standpoint, I am not entirely certain whether it is more harmful to take an AT or an anxiolytic, but I believe both fall under the umbrella of "every pill carries some risk." However, any psychiatrist will tell you that it isn't ideal to rely on an anxiolytic for an extended period without being on an AT. To clarify, if someone is navigating a life crisis—a divorce, job loss, or similar stressors—taking an anxiolytic or a sedative is perfectly reasonable. But three years? An anxiolytic won't resolve anxiety in its true sense; it merely eases the symptoms while creating a dependency. In that regard, it is better to utilize an AT and reserve the anxiolytic for occasional use. Anxiety is a complex beast, though; unless it is specifically Panic Disorder or OCD, there isn't really a silver bullet. Psychotherapy remains the primary priority, alongside an AT. From my own experience, finding the right AT is difficult, and none of them have ever fully cured my anxiety. That is simply the reality of it. They did, however, reduce my symptoms by maybe 20 to 30 percent, and when a crisis hits, I recover more quickly. I would advise you to consult your doctor about starting an AT. A mild sedative won't help much unless you are dealing with severe sleep issues, in which case she might put you back on that portal. Just explain clearly how you feel and what you hope to achieve, and she will select an appropriate AT for you.

I find myself agreeing with everything you've laid out, yet I am acutely aware of how many people cannot function without an anxiolytic alongside their antidepressant, nor can many manage without an AT&T... for instance, a close friend of mine requires all three just to navigate daily life. As for myself, I currently rely solely on Xanax, but don't mistake that for a lack of desire for an antidepressant; I absolutely want one, and I intend to pursue it if nothing else works from my primary care physician.

granitefalcon26 said:Medicine isn't math. One antidepressant might work wonders for one person and do absolutely nothing for someone else.
For me, Elicea helped dial down the panic, but that doesn't mean it'll be your magic fix.

I am well aware of that, but it feels like I have to cycle through these medications endlessly until I finally stumble upon the right one; it’s an exhausting process of trial and error where I'm constantly forced to pivot. Take Elicea, for example—it felt as though I had been drinking heavily for two days straight, leaving me with such a nasty allergic reaction and skin rash that I wouldn't dare touch it again, even though there are so many options out there. Since I've only actually tried two or three of them, my experience is limited, but I did find that the local health portal was quite helpful initially, though everything seemed to short-circuit after a few months. I ended up feeling so unwell that I had to stop using it entirely, yet part of me still wishes I could go back to how things were before the breakdown.

Brandon Lopez6 said:Fair enough. Honestly, I can't even keep track anymore of who's actually on a prescription and who's just popping stuff from their medicine cabinet.😬
She probably didn't give you anything because you won't take the AT&T, so why bother prescribing something else?

Oh, believe me, I am well aware of that, but she could have at least offered me some AT&T or even something from the Helex portal if she wanted to be helpful. She wouldn't give me access to the site, yet here she is, constantly shoving that Mirzaten down my throat when it doesn't do a single damn thing for me.

Brandon Lopez6 said:Jason Vaughn482, don't go taking stuff you have lying around the house if your psychiatrist didn't specifically prescribe it for you. You can't just swap pills with people; it doesn't matter if someone else has a prescription for them. Who knows how your body is going to react to those?

Look, my doctor did prescribe them originally, but you know I’ve always avoided taking AT&T, so they just sat there gathering dust. Now, however, I find myself spiraling into this crisis, and I'm seriously considering my options. I'm not exactly rushing back to her office immediately, though—I went by just the other day and she didn't offer me any real help at all.

granitefalcon26 As follows:
Just keep going down that path. At this rate, you’re well on your way to becoming a full-blown junkie.🙄
Let’s be honest: Xanax is nothing more than a temporary bandage for a gaping wound. It might serve as your first line of defense when things get chaotic, but don't mistake a quick fix for a cure. In my experience, that pill hasn't actually healed a single soul; it just masks the symptoms while the underlying issues continue to fester right under the surface.🙄

I am acutely aware of the reality here—that nearly everyone on an AT&T regimen is also juggling some form of anxiolytic just to stay afloat. It is a disheartening cycle, isn't it? I see so many people who have been cycling through these medications for years, yet they remain trapped in the same mental loops, never truly finding that elusive shore of recovery. I find myself yearning for a different path, a different chemical architecture altogether, but I feel adrift without a compass. What exactly are you taking, and did you ever actually reach a state of remission? You possess a distinct advantage in this regard; being a physician means you have the agency to pivot and swap out your AT&T every single month, whereas my doctor remains stubbornly fixed in her ways. Since she refuses to budge, I am turning to you for guidance. Could you recommend an AT&T that actually targets anxiety, panic, and this relentless hypochondria? I am willing to experiment if it means finally finding relief. So far, my experience with Zoloft was a total wash, and even the small dose of Calixium I’m currently managing seems to have absolutely zero impact on my anxiety levels. I would be profoundly grateful for any insight you can offer.

P.S. And let me be perfectly clear: I am not suggesting that I have descended into the ranks of the true junkies. Regardless of how others might perceive my situation, I remain firmly convinced that there is a far more profound level of damage inflicted by consuming something like AT&T over a three-year stretch. That said, one has to tip their hat to the potency of Dawn; it’s truly something else.
What is your take on Solian—or amisulpride, to be precise? I currently have a small stash sitting here at home: about twenty 100 mg tablets.

Matthew Clark3 said:For those of you using Helix in your treatment—whether it's just as needed or on a set schedule—are you sticking to 0.25 mg or moving up to 0.5 mg?
Also, is anyone else taking Normabel to help with sleep? I use it to take the edge off so I can drift off, though it doesn't work every single time...

Look, I’ve been riding the Xanax/Helix wave at 0.5 mg three times a day for three years now, so please, don't lose any sleep over it; sticking to 0.25 mg three times a day should be perfectly fine for you.

Richard Anderson33 said:Stop asking about those toxins right now instead of doing it bit by bit.

And what exactly is the alternative? Are we all expected to pace around our living rooms in a state of complete mental collapse? Besides, I have to wonder—what exactly is your own poison, and how on earth did you even stumble upon this corner of the internet in the first place?

Paul Newman5 said:Vegetable, just try that AP you have. I know you're nervous, but this collapse isn't sustainable either. Try a little AP. If you're really struggling as much as you say, just go for it.

Aha, so you're talking about antipsychotics? Yes, I'll take one tomorrow, but tonight I’m sticking to my standard dose of antidepressants because I usually only take half, and while I’m not entirely convinced it’ll pull me out of this funk, at least it might sustain me until someone can convince me that everything is going to be alright. My doctor insists this is nothing to lose sleep over, but frankly, my psyche hasn't quite accepted that reality yet... which brings me back to my point: I tend to function best when I'm staying far away from medical professionals. I skipped my appointments for six months and felt remarkably steady, but the moment I start seeing doctors again, my condition takes a massive dive. Now, I'm supposed to schedule a gastroscopy, but I honestly don't know if I can summon the nerve to actually go through with it.🙂

Andrew Peterson14 said:Oh yeah, I was in a total meltdown—couldn't even make it into work, so I ended up on medical leave for about three months. Anxiety, depression, just feeling completely sick... it was pretty rough, but thank God, I pulled through.
The anxiety will definitely dial down over time, for sure. What are you taking for those flare-ups alongside the AD?
Therapy helped me out a ton, too...

But what actually pulled you out of the depths? Because, if I’m being honest, it feels like I am currently in the midst of a total meltdown. Oh, wait, I see now—was it Coaxil? I have some Seroquel and Abilify sitting here at home, but I'm terrified to take them. I also have Lexapro, though it never seemed particularly effective for me; perhaps I should bump the dose up to 15 mg? It's all I have on hand, since when I saw my psychiatrist the other day, they didn't prescribe anything at all... I'm going through a particularly rough patch with health anxiety right now, and I desperately need something just to steady my nerves.