Posts by Jason Vaughn482

shadowbear9 said:Thanks so much. So, it's a bit weaker than Ambien? That sounds perfect since once I mix everything together, I really need to pass out. Just to confirm, I should take it two hours before I plan to head to bed?
😁

I wouldn't say it's weaker than Ambien; honestly, I can't say for sure because I usually take my Ambien at 5 or 10 mg alongside this. If you opt for 15 mg, you might find you don't even need the Ambien anymore, though personally, I prefer cutting my dose in half just so I don't feel like a complete zombie the next morning. You can take it about an hour before you head to bed.

shadowbear9 said:Would one or two people be willing to provide a concise breakdown of how Mirtazapine actually works? Specifically, I'm curious about its effect on sleep. How quickly does it kick in? And so on. Thanks.

Well, I can speak from experience having taken it for a full year; nowadays, I only take half of a 15 mg dose strictly to combat insomnia. As far as anxiety goes, it doesn't do much for me. When I was on the full 15 mg, I’d drift off almost instantly, but the trade-off was a brutal morning grogginess—I felt completely hungover, if you know what I mean. At least, that was my reality. Now that I’ve scaled down to a half-dose, it feels perfectly manageable. One thing to watch out for, though, is the weight gain; it definitely causes it, and I’ve put on a few pounds that just refuse to budge. You asked about the sleep aspect? Honestly, you'll be out like a light within thirty minutes of taking it.

Paul Newman5 said:Asked at the health clinic and they said Activin H doesn't interfere with Unknown, so it shouldn't neutralize it. Might try it to see if weaning off the Unknown goes smoother. Besides that, I'm doing therapy, meditating, Kundalini bioenergy, crystal healing... basically convincing myself everything will be fine. Doesn't mean it will, but I'll try it all before I head back to the psychiatrist for more meds. Not that I'll have a choice. It's not the drugs I'm afraid of—it's reading these forums and talking to people. I rarely hear about anyone being on them for a year and actually standing on their own two feet. Most people are on them for years, plus taking various antipsychotics just to sleep. Maybe I'm wrong, but I haven't seen many stories where the meds actually "cured" someone long-term. So I'll try everything first. I'm not claiming I won't end up back on them eventually. Who knows. My only mistake was going to the doctor first. I should have tried all this stuff before she put me on those meds that made me feel like a total wreck. Now I'm stuck with the Unknown. Whatever. I'm fighting it. We'll see. Are you scared to go to work? That's my only real fear. I'm terrified something will happen while I'm there and I'll lose my job. Everything else is fine. I drive, I do Pilates, I shop. It's just the mornings. After 11 AM, it's like I become a different person.

Why are you taking both Unknown and Lexapro when they belong to essentially the same class of anxiolytics? I struggle with intense anxiety as well, though mine manifests as a constant, obsessive fear of illness; I am perpetually studying symptoms and hyper-analyzing every sensation in my body. In my experience, Prozac worked quite well for me, and I didn't require Xanax except for those initial three weeks to manage the side effects you mentioned—perhaps your course was simply too brief? Ultimately, I stopped taking it after four months. Like you, my mornings are the most grueling part of the day; it seems to be a hallmark characteristic of those of us living with anxiety.

redranger2 said:The reality of the situation is that Xanax shouldn't be the primary tool in any treatment plan. It’s meant to be a temporary bridge until the antidepressant actually kicks in and starts doing its job, though unfortunately, we often see patients who remain anxious despite the antidepressant, leaving Xanax as their only means of relief.
Benzodiazepines and similar drugs ought to be treated as short-term fixes, much like taking ibuprofen for a toothache; you use it while the pain persists, but once the dentist fixes the underlying issue, the medication becomes unnecessary. That is how all anxiolytics should ideally be managed.
My psychiatrist is staunchly opposed to using Xanax, Mirtazapine, or other anxiolytics because he argues they depress the central nervous system and ultimately damage the nerves themselves. Similarly, he refuses to prescribe hypnotics like Valium, Zan, or Ambien for insomnia, citing the inevitable development of tolerance and the risk of exacerbating an existing depression. Consequently, I take antipsychotics to manage my sleep issues instead.

Yes, I am aware of that, but I haven't cycled through many different antidepressants yet. I intend to bring it up during my next appointment, though last time she was quite hesitant to prescribe Prozac... and while I have no desire to deal with Valium either, reading about the side effects of antipsychotics sends me into a complete tailspin of panic. Specifically, that mention of stroke is terrifying, especially since I already struggle with high blood pressure. My only thought is to take the absolute minimum dose possible, though I honestly don't even know which one to ask for.

Zachary Reed63 said:So, this is my first time posting here, but honestly, after scrolling through so many threads, I’m pretty terrified. About two months ago, I was diagnosed with severe depression... at first, my doctor put me on Celexa and Lexapro, but after about a month, everything just completely fell apart. I ended up overdosing on Lexapro and ended up cutting myself all over. The worst part is that I don't even remember doing it or why I did it. I guess the self-harm wasn't even meant to be a suicide attempt; maybe I just thought if I felt physical pain, I wouldn't have to deal with the emotional side of things. Anyway, that landed me in front of a psychiatrist who switched my meds to Effexor, Lexapro, and Valium, and then sent me off to group therapy. I started the Effexor yesterday, but I am absolutely terrified to touch the Valium because of everything I've read on here. Does it really make you feel like a zombie? I can't sleep to save my life. Lexapro used to help with the insomnia for a while, but not anymore. Is there anyone out there who hasn't had issues with Valium? Also, I'm curious about this group therapy thing. I can't even imagine sitting there talking about my deepest struggles in front of a bunch of strangers, or worse, having to sit there and listen to people with problems even heavier than mine. How is listening to everyone's sad stories actually supposed to help?
Thanks...

Personally, I cannot stand Valium; I find myself hunting for food in the middle of the night, every single night, driven by an insatiable hunger. As for group therapy, it simply isn't my cup of tea either, so I declined the invitation, though I recognize it works for some people.

Brandon Lopez6 said:The whole topic of addiction is its own thing, and honestly, I’m just not feeling the vibe of typing all this out on my phone. We clearly aren't seeing eye to eye, so let's just leave it at that. 🙂

The issue isn't our disagreement; rather, I am genuinely trying to grasp the pharmacological distinction here. Is tapering off Xanax via Norvasc or Rivotril fundamentally different? I fail to comprehend the nuance. In an ideal world, I would attempt such a transition, but I am currently tethered to various sedatives—substances that inevitably lead to dependency if consumed daily—it is merely a matter of differing chemical compositions, which remains unclear to me. Is there truly a difference between taking three Xanax versus three Norvasc? As I mentioned previously, my primary concern at this moment is the Valium; I have reached a point where even 10 mg fails to induce sleep, and since I refuse to increase the dosage, I find myself supplementing with the smallest possible fraction of a 15 mg tablet, which seems to be holding the line for now. It is pure curiosity that drives my questions regarding addiction. Or, perhaps more accurately, it is the creeping realization of my own patterns; for years, I have struggled with insomnia, and where a single Benadryl used to suffice, I now require three, a progression that fills me with genuine trepidation. Curiously, it isn't the Xanax that haunts me—I have taken that steadily for three years, fluctuating between 1 mg and 1.5 mg on my worst days, yet even during my most harrowing episodes requiring daily trips to the ER, I never once crossed that threshold.

Brandon Lopez6 said:Xanax and ADs aren't the same thing. 🙂

Of course they aren't the same thing, but my point was that if you're popping an antidepressant every single day just to maintain basic functionality—much like someone taking daily blood pressure medication—it shouldn't be labeled as "addiction" by your logic. So, I’m genuinely curious about where you draw the line. What is the meaningful distinction between taking 1 mg of Xanax daily to stay level, or perhaps taking 20 mg of Prozac to feel normal? In both scenarios, you are dependent on a chemical to function. If you're on an antidepressant, does that somehow negate the need for Xanax? Because in my experience, even when I was on Mirtazapine, I still found myself reaching for Xanax. I suppose I eventually stopped the antidepressant, but the overlap was real. To me, the true red flag would be a creeping tolerance where the dosage keeps climbing; for instance, I have a real issue with Valium. I absolutely despise it, yet I find myself unable to drift off without it. It started with a single pill, and now I'm struggling to even get through 10 mg, all while dealing with side effects that I find utterly loathsome...

Brandon Lopez6 said:Addiction is basically when you've been on meds for a long stretch and you just can't function without your daily dose, even if the amount stays the same.

I find myself unable to align with that perspective; I would argue that true dependency manifests when you require ever-increasing doses just to maintain a sense of equilibrium. If you reach a point where you cannot function at all without these medications for years on end, then you are effectively addicted to antidepressants—so, really, what is the fundamental distinction? 🤷

wiredskipper45 said:Klonopin is actually an anticonvulsant, not an anxiolytic. 😉
So, it actually helps your anxiety? Hmm... I guess I'll ask my doctor about that today. I'm really trying to get off the xanax. 🙂

How much Xanax are you taking? Personally, I've been steady at about 1 mg a day for three years now. Addiction? Please. In my view, if you find yourself needing more and more of something just to function—much like how I once needed one dose of Miralax but now find myself reaching for three—that's just reality. With the Xanax, my dosage hasn't budged, but I might give that Clonazepam a shot.

I made the switch from Xanax over to Ativan simply because it was more budget-friendly $2.25 but I think I’ll eventually find my way back to Xanax; there's just something about that bitter aftertaste of the alternative that I can't quite stomach.

wiredskipper45 said:Alright, one more question for everyone on Wellbutrin; has anyone actually felt... amazing? And I mean consistently, over years?
I’m not talking about those standard bad days everyone deals with. I mean a long-term lift where the symptoms just sort of recede into the background. 😢(((

For me, things were going swimmingly on Prozac, but after about three months, it was as if something inside me just snapped. I woke up feeling like I had stepped straight into a waking nightmare—crippling anxiety, tingling sensations, a complete inability to even get out of bed. I have no idea what happened, but I eventually stopped taking it... and that period of pure agony dragged on for months.
As for myself, I’m currently just taking Xanax, two or three times a day at 0.5mg, along with some Sanval Plus. I take a tiny dose of Calixte—it's a dose they usually wouldn't even prescribe, but I insist on cutting those 15mg pills down, even though my doctor told me to stick to 30mg. It seems that 15mg is really the sweet spot for me to finally drift off to sleep.

wiredskipper45 said:Not at all! Not in the slightest.
The goal is to take the medication first so you can actually find some stability and start the recovery process.
Once that constant anxiety and restlessness finally subside thanks to the meds, that’s when the real work begins—gradually tapering off slowly and steadily. That’s the path out.

I'm speaking from my own lived experience here, so look at it this way:

After spending six years on Zoloft, I realized about two months ago that I had reached a plateau, even though I hadn't quite conquered my social phobia yet.
I started the taper, and within two months, I was off it entirely. I had already finished weaning myself off Xanax about six months prior, so I figured, "Hey, this should be a breeze," especially since getting off Xanax took me an entire year of very gentle adjustments.
For the first fifteen to twenty days, I felt like a brand-new person—full of life, warmth, and genuine enjoyment. But then, once the withdrawal symptoms really started hitting, everything sank like a lead weight in the middle of the ocean right before... well, you know how it goes.

The bottom line is you have to calm down first and accept that these drugs come with daily side effects. Once things stabilize, you begin a very slow, deliberate taper, and eventually, everything settles back into place.

Could you maybe go into more detail about what your experience was like with Mirtazapine and Effexor? I’m seriously considering making the switch.

Not at all! Not in the slightest.
The goal is to take the medication first so you can actually find some stability and start the recovery process.
Once that constant anxiety and restlessness finally subside thanks to the meds, that’s when the real work begins—gradually tapering off slowly and steadily. That’s the path out.

I'm speaking from my own lived experience here, so look at it this way:

After spending six years on Zoloft, I realized about two months ago that I had reached a plateau, even though I hadn't quite conquered my social phobia yet.
I started the taper, and within two months, I was off it entirely. I had already finished weaning myself off Xanax about six months prior, so I figured, "Hey, this should be a breeze," especially since getting off Xanax took me an entire year of very gentle adjustments.
For the first fifteen to twenty days, I felt like a brand-new person—full of life, warmth, and genuine enjoyment. But then, once the withdrawal symptoms really started hitting, everything sank like a lead weight in the middle of the ocean right before... well, you know how it goes.

The bottom line is you have to calm down first and accept that these drugs come with daily side effects. Once things stabilize, you begin a very slow, deliberate taper, and eventually, everything settles back into place.

Could you maybe go into more detail about what your experience was like with Mirtazapine and Effexor? I’m seriously considering making the switch.
I only took Effexor for exactly one day; nausea, tremors, jitters, insomnia... I honestly thought I was going crazy (which, let's face it, is a frequent thought of mine 😁). I told myself; screw this, if the side effects are this bad immediately, it's just not for me. :/

I was on Mirtazapine for three years. In the beginning, it basically brought me back from the dead because I finally started sleeping after nearly a year and a half of insomnia! 🙂
And then I started recovering. Everything felt a little brighter, a little easier, though I never quite reached that feeling of being "fully alive," if you know what I mean... 😉
But about a year ago, I was under a hellish amount of stress and started getting anxious again—just terribly tense and worried most of the time. Mirtazapine didn't do anything for that part; it just kept me sleeping, and it wasn't like everything was hopeless, like it at least kept the depression under control. Then I turned toward alternative stuff and quit Mirtazapine pretty abruptly... now I feel like I should probably start taking it again because of the insomnia, but somehow that feels like a defeat. :/ So I just push through and suffer. And believe me, I am suffering.

So, aren't you on anything right now? How are you holding up?
I only took Effexor for exactly one day; nausea, tremors, jitters, insomnia... I honestly thought I was going crazy (which, let's face it, is a frequent thought of mine 😁). I told myself; screw this, if the side effects are this bad immediately, it's just not for me. :/

I was on Mirtazapine for three years. In the beginning, it basically brought me back from the dead because I finally started sleeping after nearly a year and a half of insomnia! 🙂
And then I started recovering. Everything felt a little brighter, a little easier, though I never quite reached that feeling of being "fully alive," if you know what I mean... 😉
But about a year ago, I was under a hellish amount of stress and started getting anxious again—just terribly tense and worried most of the time. Mirtazapine didn't do anything for that part; it just kept me sleeping, and it wasn't like everything was hopeless, like it at least kept the depression under control. Then I turned toward alternative stuff and quit Mirtazapine pretty abruptly... now I feel like I should probably start taking it again because of the insomnia, but somehow that feels like a defeat. :/ So I just push through and suffer. And believe me, I am suffering.

So, aren't you on anything right now? How are you holding up?
What dose of Mirzaten were you taking? I used it solely for insomnia, but it didn't really work for me; I was on 15 mg, and now, after a year, I’m cutting that 15 mg in half just to get some rest, and I only use it for that purpose, even though I take Sanval alongside it... Did you notice any weight gain from it? I put on about six pounds and can't seem to shed them, even though I didn't have any other side effects.

Scott Alvarez22 said:First time posting here. 40-year-old male.
I’ve been wrestling with this cocktail of anxious depression and panic attacks for ten years now, and honestly, I still haven't found a way out. Today, though, things hit a breaking point; I sat there seriously contemplating if I could finally just end this whole struggle once and for all.
I’ve been on Zoloft for six and a half years, paired with Xanax for six. I managed to get off the Xanax about six months ago, and this past month, I actually attempted to taper off the Zoloft as well.
Today was one of those days where it felt like a choice between my life and the Zoloft. In the end, I took the pill, and the world just sort of collapsed around me again.

I figured I might be able to offer some insight to anyone else navigating this mess—whether you're dealing with the fallout from Helix, Xanax, Misar, or Zoloft, or trying to figure out what happens when you start them, quit them, or fall back into the cycle after a break. I can share the raw details: the symptoms, the strange sensations, and the side effects I've endured through every season of life and every practical hurdle I've faced. If my own weary experience can help someone else make sense of it all, then I'll share it.

I don't know, I've been taking Xanax at 0.5 for quite a while now, so what's the big deal? Oh, wait, I just finished reading—I don't experience any of that stuff, none of the shaking or nausea or whatever else was mentioned; I just take two or three 0.5 doses and carry on as usual.

David Bishop4 said:I’ve started a new medication regimen: Seroxat 1 tablet in the morning and Fevarin half a dose in the evening. I also have Misar SR 1 mg and Helex 0.25 mg on hand to take as needed.

I’m struggling to wrap my head around the distinction here—saying both Misar and Helix are "as needed" feels like describing two different tools for the exact same job.🤷

I find myself wondering... what exactly happened to cause the sudden closure of that lounge bar?

shadowbear9 said:Does anyone else in this group take Elicea? I’m trying to figure out if it's okay to take it in the late afternoon or evening. I guess I've been so exhausted lately that I completely forgot my dose over the last few days, and now I'm worried that if I take it around 8 PM, it might mess with my sleep.
And honestly, I am still wide awake 😢 5 hours later. I have to give credit to whoever suggested that one pill is enough—they were clearly wrong. Does anyone have any actual advice? This is clearly some pretty intense insomnia 😢

In my experience, a 10 mg dose of Ambien usually does the trick, though occasionally I’ll supplement it with half of a 15 mg Lunesta tablet. Even then, I tend to wake up around 5 in the morning, so I'll take a 0.25 mg Xanax to bridge the gap until about 9 or 10 o'clock.

Brandon Lopez6 said:So I got prescribed Lexapro. Plan is half a pill in the morning for the first week, then moving up to a full dose...
I’m supposed to start this Tuesday, but my internal clock is a total wreck. Some days I'm rolling out of bed at noon, other days it's 3 PM 🤦
and yeah, for me, noon is basically sunrise 😁
I didn't really get a chance to ask her what the move is—like, should I set an alarm, take the pill and crash back out, or just stay up? She didn't even tell me what she was actually prescribing or when to take it, let alone mention side effects or anything.
She did suggest I go get a bunch of tests done, including a brain CT (which takes forever to schedule), and said I shouldn't come back until all that's wrapped up. That could be months, so I won't be seeing her anytime soon, plus she didn't give me her number...
So, how am I supposed to handle these antidepressants? Does it make sense to pop one and just go right back to sleep, or do I actually have to stay awake? Waking up early is honestly the worst part of my day...

Why on earth would they order a brain CT?

Robin Hernandez8 said:I usually take my Zoloft in the morning. It just... it doesn't really play nice with sleep if I take it later.
I’ve been having such a hard time actually getting any rest lately. My current nightly routine involves 10 mg of Ambien, 45 mg of Remeron, 10 mg of Xanax, and 50 mg of Seroquel.
And honestly? Even that isn't doing much anymore. Sometimes I'll swap out the Xanax for Ativan instead. I guess that combination works a little better for me on certain nights.

Good grief, and here I was thinking my little regimen of 10 mg Sanval and maybe half a 15 mg Mirtazapine was heavy lifting... are you perhaps a bit on the younger side?
To manage during the daylight hours, I take two 0.5 mg doses of Xanax, but for actually drifting off, I rely on the aforementioned list.

Robin Hernandez8 said:Yeah, tell me about it... I'm on 45 mg of Mirzaten and I have definitely put on quite a bit of weight from it.

I have to ask, how much Zoloft are you taking alongside that Mirtazapine? My own approach was quite different; I started Zoloft and then just take a tiny 7 mg dose of Mirtazapine at night strictly to knock myself out. It strikes me as somewhat excessive to be juggling Sanval, Cerson, and a full 45 mg of Mirtazapine all at once—honestly, do you even manage to wake up at all?😕

wiredskipper45 said:So, I’m heading back to Lexapro this weekend. Honestly, I know I need the break because it’ll probably hit me like a sledgehammer. I'm not exactly thrilled about getting back on antidepressants—I feel like I could handle everything on my own if I could just manage to sleep. But I can't. Not without help. Sleep deprivation kills me. It makes me useless. I actually had to leave work early yesterday because there’s zero point in being there after only two and a half hours of shut-eye. 😢(((
Is anyone else taking Lexapro? What’s your experience been like? When I was on it, I slept like a log and the depression was barely even there, but over the last year, the anxiety became absolutely crushing. Then, once I stopped, the anxiety kind of retreated? Anyone else dealt with something similar? And does Lexapro actually touch GAP, or is it strictly for depression? I mean, I know what my psychiatrist told me—that it works for both—but we all know how they love to oversell everything for every little thing. :/

As for me, I took Mirzaten for nearly a year (I know I’m repeating myself, but it bears mentioning), and it did absolutely nothing for my anxiety at the 15 mg dose. However, much like you, I only used it to ensure I got decent sleep. After a break, I’ve started back on it, though only taking half of a 15 mg tablet if I can't drift off with the 10 mg dose; otherwise, it doesn't touch the sides for anything else. Now, I find myself wondering if I’ve become somewhat dependent on it... that's been weighing on my mind lately. In short, for me, it functions merely as a hypnotic, even if it is technically classified as an antidepressant. Also, did you notice any weight gain from it, and what dosage were you on or are you currently taking?