Posts by Jason Vaughn482

Dana Hayes3 said:Look, I’m well aware that I don't necessarily need medication because my head feels perfectly fine. The only real issue is that I’ve been feeling aggressive lately—though, obviously, there’s always a reason behind it. As far as drugs go, I’m completely done with them; that experience with Geodon was nothing short of a disaster. Every time I step out the door, it’s like I’m carrying this sort of conditional sentence in my pocket, just waiting for an awkward situation to arise so I can pull it out and face the consequences, haha.

Well, even if the rest of us feel mentally sound, there is still this... lingering issue. For me, it’s a deep-seated fear of illness, though again, it isn't entirely irrational. I find myself recoiling from medication because I fear those too—not all of them, mind you, but enough. And then something happens, like today, where I finally show up for a CT scan I’ve been waiting four months for, only to be paralyzed by the sheer terror of what the results might show or the thought of being exposed to too much radiation. I ended up retreating home with my blood pressure skyrocketing to 170/110. Perhaps my anxiety and your aggression aren't "illnesses" in the traditional sense, but they are certainly classified as disorders in any clinical diagnosis... That is why I urge you to go see your doctor, even if it is just for a conversation; perhaps they won't insist on prescribing anything after all.

Dana Hayes3 said:The person making these points has a point, but I’m not looking for a diagnosis, nor am I interested in seeing a psychiatrist—I’m not crazy. I don't touch pills, whether they're for headaches or antibiotics, but since I'm currently on parole and fully intend to stay out of trouble, I was wondering if any of this could help me manage my aggression. That’s really all there is to it. I listed the therapies currently available to me above, and don't worry about the legal side of things regarding prescriptions... I just need someone with actual experience to tell me how the QR code, Aquarium Co-Op, Valium, and those Depakine Chrono meds actually work and what the deal is with them.

Look, you simply cannot suppress aggressive tendencies if you are fueling that fire with alcohol; mixing booze with any of the medications you mentioned is a recipe for disaster. It can be absolutely fatal, or worse, it could trigger an even more violent surge in your aggression. We are talking about antipsychotics and antidepressants here—they aren't magic switches; they take time to settle into your system. My advice? When you head out, stay sober. I mean, surely you aren't prone to these outbursts when you're stone-cold sober, right?🤷

Kenneth Scott41 said:Still, I suppose some people just want to keep taking certain medications for the rest of their lives. During a recent visit to my doctor, I remember seeing a man in his 60s who was absolutely livid because they had "just decided" to stop his Xanax. He kept insisting that he'd been taking it for twenty years and that the doctors were entirely to blame for him becoming dependent on it; he demanded they give him that exact Xanax because his body was specifically tuned to it. In the end, the doctor just gave in, realizing the old man was a deeply entrenched Xanax addict, and that was that.

It's a sad situation, really. But the man likely wasn't even aware that he had become a severe addict who actually needs a rehabilitation program; though at his age, I guess going through withdrawal is a daunting prospect... and there are so many people out there just like him.

That "old man" sounds more like my ninety-year-old neighbor than this sixty-year-old fellow—I mean, if anyone could set the record straight, it would be someone like Joe Rogan or maybe a seasoned veteran of the medical field. Regardless, you all seem surprised, yet the reality is that most of us will likely find ourselves on psychotropic drugs for the rest of our lives... whether it's Xanax, a Xanax Ad, or Valium... it hardly matters. It's the cycle of life: the illness recedes, then resurfaces under the weight of some new stressor, and before you know it, you're just another old man or woman caught in the grip of dependency. I'm right there in the trenches with you; the only difference is I've "only" been at it for a few years, and I've already been feeling the effects for quite some time now.🙂

Justin Rogers5 said:I'm stuck working night shifts constantly. I get maybe seven hours to eat and crash before I have to head right back into work.🤷Basically, I need something that knocks me out instantly, but if I walked into my doctor's office asking for that, they’d laugh me out the door. I just need sleep. I'm on edge, irritable, and honestly, a danger to everyone around me.🤣I don't know what's wrong with me. I spend all afternoon working, then when I finally sit down to watch some soap opera, I'll pass out for an hour and that's it—then I'm just tossing and turning all night when I really need to be solid.🤷I was going to pick up some Xanax at the pharmacy today (the ladies there always look out for me, usually letting me leave with $100 less than the full price)

Well, let me tell you, Callista hits you hard and fast, but there is one major drawback: waking up in the morning feels like trekking through sludge, and you end up feeling completely hungover...

Justin Rogers5 said:Anyone got any sleep recs? Zonadin isn't doing squat, and neither is Zan. No clue why. Haven't touched sleeping pills in two years, so I'm definitely not hooked or anything.🤷The GP won't even write a script without a referral from a psychiatrist. Tried seeing a social worker, but there were 20 people ahead of me and I didn't even get a turn before he had to bail because his ferry was leaving.🙂

It’s a bit of a catch-22, isn't it? You need a prescription to get relief, but nobody is willing to hand one over without a specialist's sign-off. Some people swear by Mirzaten (calixta) for knocking you out instantly... others mention Prazina... but honestly, you know the whole spectrum of hypnotics better than I do. You might try Praxiten, though I’m skeptical it would move the needle for you; back in the day, I could drift off with just a single pill, but that was long before I started using Xanax and Sanval, so I highly doubt my chemistry would respond the same way now.

Justin Rogers5 said:You think that's normal? Sanval is supposed to knock you out, not leave you running around like a manic squirrel.🤷That drug is basically designed for someone to slip it to you and walk away. If you're flipping pancakes, you could probably burn the whole house down for all you know. Better to stick with Normabell or Xanax. Even then, it's hit or miss. Personally, I'd rather stay up half the night watching Edward Westwick in every movie possible than have my neighbor asking me why I look like a total wreck the next morning.🤣And the dog is inside.🤣

Why would anyone "give" it to me? I just take 10 mg and call it a day; it's done. But no, it isn't "normal"... it's just that it's incredibly rare for me to actually cook anything. Most nights, I just end up getting up and eating absolutely everything in sight, provided it's sweet. Some days it's a massive haul of chocolate... it's certainly not healthy, but I simply refuse to suffer through insomnia. Ever since I realized how much it affects me, sleep has become my absolute priority. To manage it, I try to keep nothing sugary in the house, which means I have to face the struggle of trying to drift off without a midnight snack.

Justin Rogers5 said:Did you actually read the side effects for Sanval or Praxiten ???! I've told you before—the midnight wandering, people ending up in doghouses, some guy walking straight through a door, or my friend who thought she was part of an African tribe and tried to dance on a third-story balcony railing. These things are dangerous because if you leave them within reach and wake up in the middle of the night, you're going for another hit (maybe in a doghouse). That stuff should only be handled by a doctor or a responsible adult, which clearly I'm not, nor am I half the people on this subforum.☕Addiction is a separate issue. You're asking how you'd even fall asleep on a half dose? You wouldn't.☕

Look, my experience with Sanval hasn't been quite that cinematic or terrifying, though I suppose the most intense part is when the effects actually kick in. I'll suddenly find myself stumbling into the kitchen, searching for anything to eat; I'll even go as far as whipping up a batch of pancakes, something I wouldn't dream of doing during the day because I simply can't be bothered. And yes, that's exactly why I want to kick the habit, but the problem remains: I don't have a single alternative to turn to.🤷

Justin Rogers5 said:I'm heading to the appointment; my doctor gave me a referral, but honestly, I'll probably just end up getting the endoscopy anyway. We're pretty far off right now and I really don't want another medical file on my record.🤣

Just get it done at the hospital; book an appointment with Dr. Mavrinac. He’s absolutely top-tier, but if you truly can't stomach the idea of going under without anesthesia, then go see him over at Tagora.

Justin Rogers5 said:I don't have one. I went to the Mayo Clinic because they're the only ones I know with a specialist. I called Sun City, but they don't do it, and the Mayo Clinic is pricey. I just assumed $200 included sedation.🤷So you mean just the endoscopy $500 under anesthesia? Dammit.

That’s precisely why I’m suggesting you go to the Cleveland Clinic for the initial consultation first, and then if you decide you want the actual gastroscopy done privately... but wait, who even referred you for a gastroscopy if you haven't even had an exam yet? Just get a referral from your doctor and book an appointment at the hospital; paying $75 for a basic checkup is an absolute rip-off...

Justin Rogers5 said:We'll see how this exam goes. If it turns out to be a nightmare, I'll just say "no thanks" and head to a private clinic.
🤷

It isn't actually as terrifying as one might imagine, believe me, but much like what I mentioned before, I find myself gripped by apprehension nonetheless. I remember boasting to anyone who would listen about how I breezed through my gastroscopy without a single hitch, claiming it was nothing to fear—and while that’s true, it doesn't change the reality of other procedures. For instance, I wouldn't even dream of attempting a colonoscopy while fully conscious; I had to have mine done under general anesthesia two years ago just to get through it.

Hannah Foster6 said:What do you guys think about tapering off Sanval? I’ve been on 5 mg for quite a while now—I actually started out at 10 mg before dropping down to this dose—but honestly, if I don't take it, I just can't catch any sleep at all. Does anyone know of a good alternative medication that might work better than Sanval? Usually, the way to wean yourself off is by slowly lowering the dose, but I'm feeling pretty stuck and I'm just not sure how much lower I can actually go without losing my mind. 🙂

I find myself in a similar predicament, actually. I’m currently taking 10 mg of Sanval, and frankly, the side effects are exhausting; there’s this relentless midnight snacking where you wake up with crumbs everywhere but absolutely zero memory of ever leaving the bed. It’s like living through a black hole. I haven't found a suitable replacement either—neither Cerson nor Fluzepam seems capable of actually knocking me out. If I could just transition back to a 5 mg dose, I’d be thrilled, but I’m stuck. Plus, the morning grogginess is brutal; I end up sleeping until 10:00 AM like I'm under heavy sedation.

Justin Rogers5 said:I think I’ll just stick to private clinics. At the Mayo Clinic in Cleveland, it’s $55 for an exam, plus maybe another $600 if they need to do a gastro endoscopy. Once, at a different place, they tried to do a throat swab—they shoved a swab down my throat and I started choking, my whole throat just tightened up. Then the nurse had the nerve to tell me I was being dramatic. I told her exactly where she could shove that swab.😉So I went to a private specialist instead. They actually kept me calm, and the whole thing was over in a heartbeat.😍

But why on earth would you pay $183 just for an exam? You could easily get that done at a major hospital, and then if you actually need the gastroscopy, you can schedule it through a specialized Medical Center or perhaps somewhere in Chicago under sedation. Because what you're describing here, $200 sounds like it's being done without anesthesia—at least, that's my impression, you should really double-check... a friend of mine had hers done in Chicago in Tagora with Dr. Mavrinac, and it was all done under anesthesia... 1 $167...who is your gastroenterologist in Cleveland?

feralstag72 said:Look, it isn't actually that scary, it’s just uncomfortable. You've had a swallowing reflex since you were a baby—it's basically muscle memory at this point.

The whole trick is just to relax. Maybe take something to calm your nerves about four hours beforehand—just with a tiny sip of water.

Exactly. I ended up skipping this trip because my mouth gets incredibly dry and I find myself constantly reaching for water, but when you're strictly forbidden from drinking anything for at least four hours prior... well, I simply couldn't resist the urge and overdid it. Plus, if I take my xanax four hours early, the effect wears off long before the actual procedure begins.

Justin Rogers5 said:Give me a break. I'm already having a rough day and now I have to read this.🙂I was thinking about seeing a private specialist to just do it under general anesthesia, or at least have them numb my reflexes. Honestly, I'm terrified.😢 😢 😢

Look, if we are being honest, I am a massive coward and a total panic artist, but I managed to white-knuckle my way through those few minutes. It doesn't actually hurt, but it is incredibly uncomfortable—it’s one of those sensations that makes you feel like you're about to heave. I went through with it twice before, but when I got scheduled for a third time after a seven-year gap, I completely bailed; the fear just gripped me, and now I’ve pushed my next appointment back by another nine months. A close friend of mine had it done under deep sedation, where you simply drift off and feel absolutely nothing, only to wake up in a recovery room... at a private facility $500 in Cincinnati, I actually had my colonoscopy done that way.

Matthew White4 said:Both Ambien and ZzzQuil hit me exactly the same way. I end up raiding the entire pantry, sending those incredibly stupid texts you regret later, misspelling everything, and then waking up with absolutely zero memory of the night before. As far as I can tell, Ambien isn't even a tiny bit stronger than the ZzzQuil stuff
just take one
or maybe half
My doctor told me they last longer so you deal with fewer periods of b

waking up in the middle of the night. But honestly, that hasn't worked for me at all...

I find myself at a bit of an impasse with my nightly routine, and frankly, the whole situation feels rather futile. When I manage to drift off using a ten-milligram dose of Ambien, the effect tends to linger just enough to carry me through the night without those wretched middle-of-the-night awakenings—but then there is the matter of paying out of pocket for Dormicum, which feels like throwing good money after bad. It is a frustrating cycle; I have tried everything from Lunesta to Prozac, yet they seem to offer nothing more than a placebo effect in my case.

Exhausted... just utterly spent. Is anyone else out there feeling this same heavy, bone-deep fatigue?

Justin Rogers5 said:10 mg is just a starting dose, if you want my advice. Take those 10 mg and give them to someone else—your mom, your dad, your partner. Don't even think about leaving them near you. Otherwise, you'll end up reaching for them in your sleep and reading in the news the next morning that some guy was wandering around Times Square in his pajamas.🤣

I’ve been on them for quite a while now, and I won't deny it—I tend to wander, though my nighttime excursions are strictly limited to pacing around my apartment or hovering by the refrigerator. As soon as that heavy veil of sleep begins to descend, I find myself rising to perform some sort of midnight labor in the kitchen... it's a habit I truly detest. My doctor recently prescribed Ambien, but I have zero interest in taking it; it feels far too potent for my system. Since I don't really know what else to turn to, I just stick with the Sanval.

Andrew Doyle said:During those first 10 days, it was a nightmare: dry mouth, an overwhelming surge of energy, feeling hyperactive—like I just couldn't stop moving even though my body felt completely exhausted. My appetite also plummeted; I developed this intense aversion to anything solid or crunchy. And if I tried to sit still or slow down, I honestly thought my heart was going to leap right out of my chest.

But after exactly 10 days—pure bliss. It helped me tremendously and turned out to be an absolutely stellar 👍

Are you still taking it? And did you deal with side effects like insomnia or a spike in anxiety? To be honest, I’m terrified to even start. I haven't taken anything today; I keep putting it off, but I've been feeling pretty miserable lately... what dose are you currently on?

Justin Rogers5 said:Look, I've tried actual therapy. Deprozel, Wellbutrin, Xanax, Egoniyl, Sulpiride, Risset, etc.—all within two years. Stress is what kills me, plus being my own worst enemy because I care way too much about what people think. I'm a total softie. I cry over nothing, and everyone's words hit me hard, even though those people are worse off than I am. I just swallow everything and bottle it up because I hate confrontation, and then you end up with a massive mess. She was giving me meds meant for schizophrenics; I was a walking corpse, taking six different pills at once 😲. Seriously, who gives these people that kind of power? I helped myself more than anyone else, and it looks like that'll be the case again. Once I deal with this stomach disaster—whether it's cancer, an ulcer, gastritis, or whatever else—we'll see.🤷

Have you actually undergone a gastroscopy yet? And what medication are you currently taking?

Edward Long4 said:Hey everyone, sorry, I totally missed you guys earlier. Let me try this again 🙂 So, I’ve been on Zoloft for 20 days now. I’ve dropped about 9 pounds, but I’m really trying to force myself to eat since I’m also on heart medication—gotta keep my strength up. Anyway, has anyone else here tried Zoloft? I’ve been lurking through the threads, and honestly, if you ask me, stay far away from Xanax or Ativan. I was prescribed those for heart arrhythmias and panic attacks... but they just made everything so much worse. Then I moved on to 2 mg of Diazepam, but the arrhythmias kept happening and I was just constantly, incredibly drowsy. Right now, I'm sticking with Zoloft because having four heart surgeries and all those anesthesias completely wrecked my mental state. It left me feeling so jittery, anxious, constant panic attacks, blah blah blah... long story short, seeing how much experience you guys have with meds, I wanted to know: how long am I actually allowed to be on Zoloft? Oh, and for pain, I'm only permitted to take Percocet, which is basically a mix of acetaminophen and tramadol, and man, it absolutely wipes me out... it's brutal. I sleep like a log, but worst of all, I've taken so many pills in my life—I even had morphine offered after surgery, which I refused the second I was conscious enough because it just knocks me out completely. I have never, ever become addicted to any of these drugs, and I honestly hate them. Truthfully, even this Zoloft is such a struggle for me to swallow... but hey, at least the panic attacks (that whole choking sensation) have stopped. Anyway, I just rambled on, didn't I? :P Thanks for all the advice and for answering my questions... catch you later...

I just picked up my Zoloft today, and right as I was about to ask about the side effects, I realized I start my regimen tomorrow.