Posts by Jason Vaughn482

Melissa Sanchez59 said:I'm taking 0.5 Xanax in the morning and then 0.25 Azure at night—though I guess I don't really bother with the others unless things get super intense or I'm totally panicking.
I don't really know what to say—I just keep hoping my antidepressants will eventually kick in so I won't need any anxiety meds. They probably aren't meant to be a long-term fix, I guess. At night, I take 30 mg of my supplement with dinner, and if nothing else, I usually sleep pretty well—which is actually a huge deal for me since I used to struggle with insomnia all the time.

Thanks! 🙂

Kate Foster26 said:Has anyone tried Calixta? I'd love to hear about your experiences, benefits, or any side effects you noticed. If you have some insight, please shoot me a DM. Thanks so much!
p.s. I'm currently on a regimen of Calixta, Wellbutrin, and Klonopin, but since Calixta is the new addition, I’m curious to see how it stacks up.

Melissa Sanchez59;44380374 said:Right now, I’m taking half a gram in the morning and then about a quarter gram of the pp in the evening (I don't touch the other stuff unless things are truly spiraling out of control).
I honestly don't even know how to respond to that. My entire existence lately has been centered on the hope that my SSRIs will finally do their job so I can stop leaning on anxiolytics altogether. Let's be real: those pills aren't a sustainable long-term fix; they're just a temporary patch on a sinking ship. In the evenings, I take 30 mg of Calixte alongside my Misar, and if nothing else works, I usually manage to get some decent sleep. That feels like a monumental victory to me, considering I used to spend half my life battling chronic insomnia.

So, what’s your take on that Calixte? I personally stick to 7.5 mg right before bed, strictly to combat insomnia, because when it comes to tackling anxiety, it doesn't do a damn thing for me.

Gerald Torres2 said:Don't sweat it... about a week ago, I was also diagnosed with borderline personality disorder... it's not exactly a charming diagnosis, I'll give you that...
And she prescribed Seroquel as a mood stabilizer, but my moods don't actually swing the way they typically do for people with BPD... so I told her I wasn't taking it. There's nothing anyone can do to force me, and she actually admitted she couldn't make me take something I didn't want to, but suggested if I wanted to try, I should. Well, I tried, and it was terrible... I won't touch it again. Taking an antipsychotic felt like getting hit in the head with a shovel. But hey, you have to deal with those numbers and keep working on yourself regardless of whatever those famous F-s say... besides, Seroquel is actually a great substitute for anxiolytics; it knocks you out perfectly, and plenty of people on this forum are really happy with it... I initially turned it down because it made me feel stupid, but now that I'm going through a bit of a crisis due to a breakup, I started taking it again and I'm sleeping like a baby. I'm hitting the sack around 10 PM, and I don't even need anxiolytics anymore... imagine that!

Melissa Sanchez59 said:I have to 🤷 I guess there are days when I feel okay, so I might delay or skip a pill, but that doesn't happen much. I'm pretty much constantly anxious. I'm actually on a different antidepressant now, but without my Lexapro, I'm stuck. I cut my dose in half over a month ago, and I'm barely hanging on—I can't imagine taking any less than this.

I have a quick question. I just realized I'm going to run out of my antidepressants right before the long weekend 🙄 I tried calling my doctor this afternoon, but couldn't get through—she was probably seeing patients all morning. Is there ANY chance I could pick up my meds without a prescription, maybe based on my medical history and stuff? Like, at the pharmacy where I usually go? My psychiatrist wrote my last report last week, so I have that, but I don't have a current script.

Matthew White4 said:Look, don't get ahead of yourself—you aren't losing anything here

You just grab some Xanax or Ativan when you actually need it, you know? Like, when the anxiety starts hitting hard.
It’s not like some supplement you have to "refill" every single morning just to make it through the day!

Brandon Lopez6 said:I get the gist.
Helix works great for me. I thought about trying Xanax, but people say it takes longer to kick in, and sometimes even those 10-15 minutes with regular Helix is way too much for me.🤷
It doesn't make sense for me to take Xanax and then still need a "quick" one on the side. It totally defeats the purpose of tapering down, which is why I'd even consider switching to Xanax in the first place.

Got a psych appointment in May, and who knows how that goes... everyone is already getting on my nerves because they misinterpret every little thing.🙂
They tell me I talk too fast. Like, how are you supposed to listen to someone with schizoaffective disorder who isn't making sense? Seriously. What a stupid standard to hold me to.☕

You guys are waking up at 6, but I'm passing out at 4. My last Helix is at 11 PM, and I don't touch anything else until 4 AM. It’s the same deal if you take your first dose at noon or space it out during the day. I bet you guys drift off before I do, so you could take your last dose at 7 AM. Neither of you really gets the schedule right.

Matthew White4 said:f 33.2, f 41.2
For the most part, I managed to juggle everything alongside my job. It's totally doable. You shouldn't spiral just because of some nasty side effect; it's not like we're going to drop dead from it. I used to see my psychiatrist about every two weeks, though if a specific med was making me feel like garbage, I’d just show up unannounced. I mean, it's literally her job to monitor how I'm doing.
She could usually tell how I was feeling better than I could myself, and she'd adjust my meds accordingly based on that.
Nowadays, I'm functioning perfectly on my current meds. Honestly? I accept it—and I'd happily take them for the rest of my life. Every once in a while, anxiety tries to creep back in, but the second I feel it coming, I just pop 0.5 mg of Xanax... and there it is, the little lifesaver. I know it'll pass. Sometimes a depressive episode hits me out of nowhere, so I'll take a little extra Xanax or maybe some Ambien to sleep it off, but hey, it passes...
I don't have any trouble speaking my mind or disagreeing anymore. I joke around with everyone, I'll strike up a conversation with a complete stranger, and nobody feels "above" me anymore—we're all just people. If something bugs me, I say it. I don't stress or obsess over what other people think of me; I just do my thing. If I mess up, I own it. I’ve become genuinely happy at my core!
I'm not some mindless zombie; I still have emotions, and I still have choices. I refuse to stay angry. I don't waste a single second on negative people. At work, I'm polite, social, and I'll even listen to the idiots—you can learn something from anyone if you try. My patience is basically infinite now. And finally, I actually love myself, and I actually like the world...
I wish the same for you. Don't give up, keep fighting!

Brandon Lopez6 said:I take four 0.25mg doses:
one when I get up (maybe two)
one at 4 PM (if I took two when I woke up, I skip this one)
one at 7 PM
one at 11 PM

All assuming I’m up by 1 PM. If I sleep in later, I shift the whole schedule, but I've been sticking to this routine for almost a year now.😁

Here's what I've tried:
Eglonyl — zero points for panic relief, though it helped with stomach issues (nausea).
Paxil — zero points for anything. It just made me sleep through the night without waking up too much, but the panic and phobias were still right there. It numbed me out painfully.
Lexapro — actually made my anxiety worse. I had to "detox" from it for three weeks just to get rid of all those stupid side effects that were making everything feel even more intense. Zero help.

It feels to me like there isn't an antidepressant out there that will stop the panic attacks; it just seems like Xanax is the only thing that can "kill" them once they start. 🤷

Paul Newman5 As stated by:
The dosage variations—0.5 mg, 1 mg, or even 1.5 mg—it’s all such a moving target. To be perfectly honest, I started my journey on Lexapro, and for a while, it felt like a decent fit for me. The only real downside was that it made me far more lethargic than the Paxil ever did. Around the twelve-month mark, I had one of those days where I just felt absolutely terrible, so I sought medical advice. My doctor insisted that Paxil was the superior choice, specifically because it functions somewhat as an antidepressant and tends to handle anxiety more effectively. I suppose I deferred to his expertise, assuming he knew better than I did, so I made the switch to Paxil. He was quite blunt about it, too—essentially telling me to stick with the Paxil, face my anxieties head-on through sheer willpower, and try to phase out the Lexapro entirely. I can't begin to fathom why he took such a hardline stance. Have you actually sat down and had a real conversation with your physician about this? Or are you like me, just grabbing whatever Xellex is available at the pharmacy based on what you're currently prescribed? Three years is a lifetime in this struggle, though there is a small comfort in knowing you've maintained a consistent dosage. As for what to do next, I am completely lost; I feel like I'm just wandering aimlessly through the fog myself. Like you, I find myself trying to distance myself from Alphabet's influence, as I have this nagging suspicion that Paxil isn't a permanent solution either, nor is it the ultimate answer. I’ve even tried holistic approaches, spending three months on bioenergy therapy, but if I’m being candid, the benefits were negligible. I’ve even dabbled slightly in crystal healing. I spent five months seeing a psychologist, but even that didn't yield much fruit; she actually suggested we take a break in March so I could clear my head and decide on a path forward. I don't feel qualified to offer you any real guidance when I am standing right there in the dark with you, unsure of my own next step.🤷

Paul Newman5 said:I didn't think three years was bad. I'd be happy if I could maintain this state indefinitely without antidepressants, but I panicked thinking I was already a hardcore addict after just three months. That actually gave me the courage to keep taking them longer. And yeah, nothing would be best, I agree. But I feel like I can't skip my morning dose before work, otherwise I'll definitely hit a panic attack or something. Mornings are the hardest for me. I wake up jittery and it's rough. In the afternoon, sometimes 0.25mg is enough, and at night I sleep with Xanax; that's what helps me pass out best. Usually, though, it's 3 x 0.5mg a day. Sometimes I think every illness is hard, but when that real anxiety hits... I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.

Paul Newman5 said:I've been reading a lot about Prozac lately. What kind of side effects did you get? I was on Lexapro and Luvox once, and they just sent me straight into mania... makes no sense. I'm terrified and wired, yet they prescribe stuff that pumps me up even more. No logic there. Anyone have experience with psychiatrists at the Mayo Clinic? Any chance I could get in through some connections? Not my finest moment saying that, but I'm being honest. Three years? Compared to that, my few months on this stuff is nothing.😂Did your doctor ever try to bump up the dose or refuse to write it? I'm lucky enough to just pick mine up without a prescription, but honestly, I'm scared to even see a doctor because I'm worried they'll chew me out for taking it. At least you made me feel better—it'll take me a long time to reach your three-year mark.😍

frozenorca63 said:My doctor prescribed Lexapro for my anxiety, but I never actually took it. Back then, I was constantly terrified I was going to die—my anxiety was basically bordering on hypochondria. I had dizzy spells all the time, barely left the house unless it was a super quick trip, and dealt with panic attacks every now and then. Instead of the pills, I started drinking three cups of chamomile tea a day along with two cups of lemon balm. If things got really bad, I'd just take a little bit of Normabale. That was pretty much my whole routine. Personally, I think doctors hand out antidepressants way too easily. Looking back now, after five months of dealing with all that, I feel like I'm almost totally cured. Honestly, I can drive into New York City without a second thought now, and I even sat through a whole USA-Mexico game without feeling dizzy or hitting a panic attack once... it was nothing.

Paul Newman5 said:How long have you been on 3x0.5 xanax? I've been taking Lexapro at that same dose for about three months now, and honestly, the duration is starting to scare me. Also, a question for the group... I was on antidepressants, but we couldn't find the right fit even after three tries. I gave up, and now I'm debating whether to bother seeing a psychiatrist again. Why do people take antidepressants if they're just anxious and high-strung? Do meds for anxiety even exist? I'm not depressed, and everything I've tried so far just sent my tension through the roof. Has anyone else dealt with this? I could use some encouragement because the fear of going to work—or even just leaving the house—is becoming unbearable.

Justin Rogers5 said:5mg Zodac, plus 25mg Xanax. Sometimes at night. I take a quarter of an Albonil in the morning too, though I'm phasing it out since it doesn't do much. My stomach handles the Mirzaten and Xanax just fine.

Justin Rogers5 said:The Associated Press says they slow down your metabolism and digestion. I ditched the unknown because I hadn't been to the bathroom in six days after stopping. And don't even get me started on Seroquel—it felt like someone smacked me upside the head and then handed me some Xanax on top of it.🙂
Mirzaten doesn't do much for my sleep, but it helps with the anxiety. It also helped me kick my painkiller habit and stopped those daily headaches, so I'm sticking with it.

Matthew White4 said:Jason Vaughn482, I’m genuinely curious about this whole fear thing regarding meds. Like, how does that actually play out for you? What goes through your head when you see a pill sitting there, or when you realize you actually need to take it? Are you worried it’s gonna mess with your brain or wreck your body? Or maybe you're just stressed about people judging you for taking something? Did you have some kind of bad experience in the past? What happened?

Personally, I’ve never really dealt with that anxiety. I never sat around obsessively researching side effects or anything; if my doctors prescribed something, I just took it without a second thought, assuming they actually knew what they were doing. I don't spend any time worrying about it damaging an organ—you know, like how everyone loves to bring up liver damage all the time...

I’ve mostly just always wondered why things work the way they do. Like, if I take an Advil for a headache and the pain goes away, why doesn't it just fix every single ache in my body at once? 😁:

Donna Torres5 said:I feel the same way. We breathe polluted air, drink questionable tap water, and eat meat loaded with hormones and antibiotics—so I’d be a hypocrite if I claimed medication was the only thing poisoning us. At the end of the day, we all have to go eventually. I’d much rather pass away peacefully while I'm still young at heart than struggle through old age with my mind completely gone.

Kevin Bailey2 said:I'm not scared of anything. My grandma lived her whole life on nothing but herbal tea and Valerian, then switched to Paxil and lived to be over 90. A damn good 90 years, too. 😁