Posts by restlesstrucker15

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Jason Vaughn482 said:I don't quite follow your logic. Personally, the moment they administer anesthesia, I am out like a light. For instance, during my last colonoscopy, even though the sedation was brief, I drifted off into a deep sleep in a heartbeat.

I understand; I don't anticipate any issues there. They didn't actually need to put me under last time, but I have heard it isn't ideal if you have developed a tolerance to Dormicum, as they might administer that prior to the general anesthesia. My only concern is that we really ought to avoid relying on it long-term; it simply wouldn't be wise.

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Jason Vaughn482 said:So, what is your actual routine for finally drifting off? What truly does the trick for you? Right now, I've been taking something at 10:00 PM and then Calixta at either 7.5 or 15 mg... I manage to fall asleep, sure, but I spend half the night tossing and turning. Even though I can drift back off quickly, I wake up feeling like I've spent the entire night digging ditches rather than resting, despite getting up at 9:00 AM.

As for me, I struggle with the Sanval, so things are just hit or miss.
I have no desire to touch Dormicum because it doesn't even seem to work anymore—well, maybe slightly better than before, but my psychiatrist told me a few months ago, after I had already stopped taking Dormicum, that I would need to have a serious discussion with an anesthesiologist regarding my upcoming surgery (we ended up just using local anesthesia and morphine, which worked wonders).
Essentially, you have to be careful what you ask for; you never know how it will play out...

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shadowbear9 said:I'll just ask my psychiatrist and then let you know. 😉

Ask away. 🙂
Theoretically, a primary care physician could write those prescriptions for you, but there’s a catch. If they get audited and find they've been prescribing certain medications without a formal diagnosis on file to back it up, they're going to be in hot water.
To be fair, my doctor was quite organized when prescribing my sleep aids. I only had one instance where a particular medication didn't sit right with me, but overall, things have been manageable. I haven't experienced any issues with psychosis or anything of that nature, so I really can't say for certain how others might feel.

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redcrane22 said:Don't listen to the hype; they aren't the same. I'm telling you from my own experience, and my therapist actually confirmed it too. On paper, they should be identical, but in practice, they just aren't. That Diazepam from Alkaloid feels way weaker compared to, say, the Diazepam made by Johnson & Johnson or even the Normabell, even though they all technically fall into the same category as Ativan.

You see, that is an interesting perspective. My understanding was that the active ingredients are identical, but because the inactive fillers and binders in the tablets can vary, the absorption rates differ; for some people, it hits the bloodstream quickly, while for others, it might be slower.
Personally, I have always preferred the name brands, though I am not entirely sure which one qualifies as the "original" here—perhaps Ativan? That specific version isn't covered by my insurance and ends up costing three times as much as the generics. It seems somewhat illogical to me, considering the 10mg Ativan costs about the same as any other 10mg brand.

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briskwolf16 said:Don't mean to lecture you here, but I've heard that when switching between certain antidepressants, you actually need a washout period. It’s usually noted on the medication guide for pretty much everything, but honestly, it wouldn't hurt to double-check with your psychiatrist or even just a pharmacist at CVS. Better safe than sorry, right?

As far as I know, some require spacing while others don't—unless you're dealing with that thing where you take half a pill one time and then a whole one later.

But please, don't stress too much. Spacing out doses is basic training for any psychiatrist; there is absolutely no way they would have overlooked that when they gave you your prescription.

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shadowbear9 said:So it really does cost money then? Does that mean someone like me, just a college student, is going to have to shell out 150-$67 too? She already offered me some pills for that kind of amount, though she conveniently left out the name of the medication.

I'm not entirely sure. 😢 I mentioned earlier that if you're dealing with psychosis, things might be covered, but I don't know if they extend that coverage to anxiety and depression either; your primary care physician would be the one to tell you that.

It all comes down to how insurance companies like Blue Cross Blue Shield handle things. I once had to pay out of pocket for a medication because my insurance only covered one specific diagnosis, even though that single drug was effectively treating three different conditions at once.

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restlesstrucker15 said:I agree that it might be time for her to try Quincy.
In my case, I experimented with 25 mg and then eventually cut that in half; while I slept soundly, I felt like a total zombie until the evening rolled around. We ended up stopping altogether. However, I am probably not the best example to follow—my psychiatrist mentioned that most people tolerate those doses well for insomnia. If you can handle coming back to yourself after being in California, you can likely handle this. Personally, I can't even recover from being in California.😢

Hopefully Rachel will chime in soon, as she takes smaller doses and, from what I understand, is quite satisfied with the results.

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There is no way she is sourcing those herself—that wouldn't make sense. Besides, if you have to go through a private pharmacy, Q-Pin is incredibly expensive and costs significantly more than $50. In my case, I was actually given one by my psychiatrist just to test it out.

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Blue Star said:
There is really no reason to be intimidated by Quincy; it isn't quite the monster people make it out to be.😁
I am not entirely sure if your doctor suggested this or if you are just deciding to take matters into your own hands, but regardless, it doesn't change much. If you have already made up your mind, I would suggest starting with the lowest possible dose.
I wonder where @Rachel is; she has significantly more experience managing lower dosages.
They do come in 25 mg versions, though I personally have never taken them.
How are you even managing to get your hands on these types of medications?😕

I agree that it might be time for her to try Quincy.
In my case, I experimented with 25 mg and then eventually cut that in half; while I slept soundly, I felt like a total zombie until the evening rolled around. We ended up stopping altogether. However, I am probably not the best example to follow—my psychiatrist mentioned that most people tolerate those doses well for insomnia. If you can handle coming back to yourself after being in California, you can likely handle this. Personally, I can't even recover from being in California.😢

Hopefully Rachel will chime in soon, as she takes smaller doses and, from what I understand, is quite satisfied with the results.

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Jason Vaughn482 said:I'm in the exact same boat. Nothing seems to effectively curb my anxiety. To be fair, I haven't experimented with a vast array of options yet, but it feels like most of what's available is heavily skewed toward treating depression rather than the panic side of things. I'm looking for answers too.

It is unfortunate that we don't have a psychologist readily available here to step in and offer guidance. My therapist once explained to me that there isn't a single medication on the market that can completely eliminate anxiety; at best, these drugs can simply dial it down to a manageable level. When I pressed her for clarification, she noted that anxiety is essentially a reaction to the internal conflicts we wage within ourselves. Resolving those underlying issues requires dedicated therapy. Changing those deep-seated patterns can take several years, depending entirely on how much effort one is willing to put into the process.
I even jokingly asked her about getting a lobotomy—just kidding, of course—but she insisted that even then, my anxiety would remain 😁

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David Vaughn75 said:Honestly, doctors who go around handing out antipsychotics just to help people sleep should have their medical licenses stripped immediately. It’s absolute madness.

In my experience, they typically prescribe the absolute minimum dosage. If that doesn't provide relief, nobody is forcing you to continue the regimen. I believe most practitioners only resort to this in extreme circumstances; it isn't some sort of malicious intent on their part.

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shadowbear9 said:Excuse me, but I get it—really, I do—but sometimes it feels like I'd rather kill myself than endure this level of exhaustion...

Look, if anyone actually knows whether Q-pin and Seroquel are covered by insurance, please speak up... and I might just start taking Fevarin as soon as I hear it's actually effective for sleep...

Please, don't talk like that—don't even think about it!
You should go see a psychiatrist as soon as possible; once you speak with them and get those prescriptions, you'll finally be able to 🙂
As for the cost... honestly, I suspect you would give anything just to get a decent night's sleep, so don't let the price tag weigh on your mind right now.

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shadowbear9 said:Pearson is out of the question, but what about Dormicum? Also, does that Quincie or Seroquel stuff cost a fortune? And how strong are they really?

I think Dormicum would definitely work for you, but the catch is that your body will quickly build a tolerance to it. My advice is to avoid looking for it.

As for Q-pin or Seroquel, they will certainly knock you out, I can say that for sure. You should just ask your psychiatrist during your next appointment. I am not entirely certain if there is a co-pay involved. When I was given a trial dose, my doctor provided me with an insurance card, so it was covered. It shouldn't cost you anything, though I am unsure if major insurance providers cover it for insomnia since it is technically classified as an antipsychotic.

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shadowbear9 said:I have tried Lexapro, and also Mirzaten, which helped me at first, but now I have switched to Zoloft and it isn't doing anything for my insomnia. I just know that one time I took Valium and Xanax and slept better than I ever have in my life. Now I have replaced the Valium with Flurazepam, but it’s expensive and I really don't feel like going for a prescription every ten days... What other hypnotics are out there? I won't touch Ambien, at least not yet... I am far too young to go down that road... Ideally, I would look for prazosin, but I doubt they will give it to me... I'll have to come up with something; I'm seeing her tomorrow. I just took 9 Praxitens and I cannot sleep... it's terrible 😢 As for Normabel, it's absolute garbage; one day I took 15mg of the 5mg dose and still couldn't sleep... My best bet has been Misar/Helex...

Go look into Q-pin or Seroquel; those options seem much 'healthier' than Prazosin when you're dealing with insomnia.
Please stop taking so much Praxiten and Normabel; it is clearly not working for you.
You still have Cerson as an option, though I highly doubt it will provide the relief you need.

Sending prayers,

shadowbear9 said:Is it even legal to mix two different hypnotics at the same time? I actually asked about combining Sanval and Zan—since one is supposed to knock you out and the other keeps you asleep—but I was told it isn't allowed🤷 and now nothing seems to work anymore. Sanval wakes me up after just two hours, Fluzepam only makes me feel calm without sleep, and Zan doesn't even kick in until I'm already out. So basically, I crash at 4 AM and don't wake up until 4 PM... it's completely pointless...

From what I understand, you aren't supposed to. I've never heard of anyone being prescribed a combination like that, and I certainly qualify as a candidate for such issues.
I'll admit, I once took half an Ambien and some Valium and managed to get some sleep, but that isn't a reliable pattern anymore; who knows how all these different substances interact when mixed.

You might be a good candidate for low doses of Calista or Seroquel, but your psychiatrist will likely suggest that once you reach this level of insomnia.

The only combo ever suggested to me—though it didn't really work and was only intended for extreme crises—was taking 5mg of Normabel followed by Valium an hour later. That isn't a great solution because you just end up becoming dependent on the Normabel. Your best bet is the options mentioned above.
Unless, of course, you recently started an AD, in which case that should eventually resolve the insomnia.

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Thank you for sharing your thoughts 🙂 I personally feel they should have ordered an urgent urine culture and potentially even a CT scan, especially since X-rays and ultrasounds were already performed, but the on-call urologist likely decided it wasn't necessary at the time... It might actually be for the best, so I will update everyone once the results come in.

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Maria Fisher46 said:Dear sir,

what is the current status?

In the meantime, has a urine culture been performed that would justify taking a "double" dose of antibiotics?

An abdominal ultrasound or even a standard abdominal X-ray (if that is the type of imaging you are referring to) may not necessarily reveal the presence of stones within the urinary system.

In ambiguous cases where radiological methods fail to identify the cause of visible bleeding from the urotract, one might consider performing urine cytology and, if necessary, a cystoscopy.

It would certainly be prudent to schedule a consultation with a gastroenterologist for further evaluation.

Dear sir,

thank you for your response and your inquiries.
The condition has improved; specifically, there is no longer blood in the urine, at least not visible to the naked eye.
A urine culture has not been conducted yet because, as a precautionary measure, my urologist prescribed an antibiotic. After five days without improvement, my primary care physician has extended the antibiotic course for another ten days.
The pain has subsided somewhat, though it persists, and I am currently taking Zaracet pp.
I plan to provide a urine sample for cytology this coming Monday. I assume a urine culture requires a sample taken without the influence of antibiotics. Furthermore, a renal CT scan is scheduled for the beginning of the month. We shall see whether the CT indicates inflammation or merely stones—or, heaven forbid, more severe changes.

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Excuse me, I should clarify that the reference values for both the leukocyte and erythrocyte counts go up to 3.
The SED and CRP tests haven't been performed yet.

Will send them over shortly.

Hello everyone. Since the kidney inflammation subforum has gone dead, I figured I would ask here regarding some recent blood and urine results.
I’ve been dealing with back pain for a few weeks now; I originally assumed it was just a strained lower back from swimming or muscle issues earlier this summer.
Then, five days ago, things took a turn for the worse—I started seeing actual blood in my urine, accompanied by unbearable pain. It was an absolute emergency. I rushed to see my primary doctor, then an urologist, and finally spent another day in the ER.
The strange thing is that I haven't run a fever (thankfully), but the pain persists, even though the blood in my urine seems to be tapering off slightly. Here are the numbers:

Urine: leukocytes 69
Erythrocytes 4463 !!!

The ultrasound and X-rays didn't show any kidney stones. My urologist says they aren't sure where the bleeding is coming from, so they have me on double doses of antibiotics.
Is it actually possible to bleed this much without running a fever or experiencing that typical burning sensation?

To put it bluntly—and please excuse the language—I am absolutely terrified. There was a moment of pure chaos at the lab when they told me they had misplaced my sample and thought I had only submitted blood, but once I clarified it was indeed urine, panic set in.

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Paul Newman5 said:

restlesstrucker15 Quote:
Not me. 🙂
I think we’re talking about people using it as their primary medication for different diagnoses—those high doses over 200.
Great. No side effects. 🙂 Yeah.

That’s what I thought too. Didn't really look into whether people actually gain weight on sulpiride, but hey, we'll see.
And here come the side effects. Just two days on Sulpiride and four on an increased dose of Effexor. If that Sulpiride actually kicks in, we can all howl together. I’ll be doing it for days if I have to.

After everything you've been through, you truly deserve this.
For me, side effects usually kick in on the second day. After that, they either taper off or they don't show up at all.
So, if you've gone two days without any issues, that's a really great sign.
As for the sulpiride, it almost seems to start working immediately. You should hopefully notice a reduction in your anxiety within a few days.🙂

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