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Posts by restlesstrucker15

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Psychotropic medication discussion thread in Psychology & Therapy ·
fadedbear92 said:phew! what a ride😍

I suppose I should take that as a compliment, 😁 though it really just serves my addiction; besides, Ativan never actually worked for me as an anti-anxiety medication—they're just too weak.

Skicka FR
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Psychotropic medication discussion thread in Psychology & Therapy ·
Blue Star said:
Since you aren't taking massive quantities of them, there isn't any inherent reason why you couldn't combine Xanax and Ativan.
If you happen to have an allergy to benzodiazepines, however, you should probably avoid taking them together.
At its core, Xanax functions as an anticonvulsant.
In fact, Ativan is sometimes even added to certain anticonvulsants specifically to help prevent epileptic seizures.

What is the dosage for the Ativan?

Thanks. The dose is 5 mg.

Skicka FR
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Psychotropic medication discussion thread in Psychology & Therapy ·
I believe I will need to coordinate my care between my psychiatrist and my neurologist. Due to a neuropathic condition, I was prescribed Pfizer last night and New York City at 0.5 mg; previously, it was 0.25 mg once or twice daily. Additionally, from my psychiatrist, I take Alice, Samuel, and either Xanax or Apurin as needed. I rarely reach for the Xanax, though I have noticed that New York City seems to effectively manage my anxiety and panic attacks, while I tend to use Apurin to address issues with my back and spine. Now, here is my dilemma. I am aware that one should never mix Xanax with Apurin, but what about combining New York City and Apurin? I do not intend to take them simultaneously; rather, I would take the Apurin around 8:00 PM for my back, and then take the New York City right before bed. Is that sufficient spacing between doses?

Skickas fr
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Psychotropic medication discussion thread in Psychology & Therapy ·
redranger2 said:It pulled me out of my depression, but more importantly, it quelled just about every kind of fear I had. I won't pretend those anxieties have completely vanished from my mind, but now I actually have the capacity to deal with them. I struggle with hypochondria, social phobia, and panic attacks myself.
Personally, I found the brand-name medication significantly more effective than the generic; I could tell the difference quite clearly while I was taking both.
As far as weight gain and libido go, this didn't touch those areas, though I did end up gaining weight from an antipsychotic
that was prescribed to handle my stubborn insomnia. I put on 37 pounds on Vair. It’s absolutely infuriating. 😁

I just wanted to weigh in and say that Lexapro works fine for me; it helps significantly and hasn't touched my libido. However, I wanted to ask you—how exactly did you perceive that difference between the Lexapro brand and the generic? I have already requested that my psychiatrist switch me back to the original, but she insists there is no need to change anything since the current medication is working. Honestly, I'd rather not pay for it myself since I don't have Blue Cross coverage, but instead rely on private insurance. She told me that for insurance purposes, it makes no difference whether it's the brand name or the generic. She mentioned that patients sometimes complain that their Xanax works better than other alternatives because it kicks in faster, which she explains is due to the different inactive ingredients causing variations in how quickly the body absorbs the pill.
If I want to feel even better, should I insist on the brand-name Lexapro? I assume my primary care physician would also need to sign off on that request.

Sent from my iPhone
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Psychotropic medication discussion thread in Psychology & Therapy ·
fadedbear92 said:Valium doesn't really cut it for severe insomnia. I took it back when Effexor was keeping me wide awake, then they switched me to Ambien. That only lasted about an hour—and that's the stuff they usually give you right before surgery.🙄
If we're talking about serious insomnia, doctors often look toward antiepileptics or antipsychotics.

Did you get an official diagnosis? What kind of diagnosis do you have?

Seroquel is an antipsychotic; the name itself implies it's for psychosis, but in higher doses... while in lower doses, it's used for anxiety and insomnia.

What dose are you taking for sleep? I also take an antipsychotic—Quinn at 100 mg for sleep—and I'm happy with it. For anxiety, I take 25 mg, which works great too.

As far as Lorazepam goes—
"Lorazepam belongs to the benzodiazepine group with intermediate onset. It has anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, and slightly muscle relaxant and sedative effects."

They probably should have prescribed you a low dose of Seroquel for the anxiety instead, which might mean you wouldn't even need the Lorazepam. You should try consulting with her about that.

How much Carbamazepine were you taking for your insomnia?

Best regards,
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Psychotropic medication discussion thread in Psychology & Therapy ·
James Fowler3 said:So, what kind of issues are you dealing with—is it the same panic stuff? My doctor actually told me to take it for two weeks and then head back for a follow-up, though I haven't even started yet... It might sound like a bit of a foolish question, but how quickly can someone develop a dependency on Xanax 2 x0? And is weaning yourself off of it more difficult than, say, coming down from Ativan?

Yes, panic. When those intense waves of anxiety and panic hit, I rely on my antidepressants and Eglonyl; otherwise, it’s just the AD and Xanax as needed.

I wouldn't say I'm addicted to either Xanax or Ativan, but then again, you take the antidepressants specifically so you don't have to be on Xanax constantly. Unless you only experience a panic attack once a month, in which case it basically functions like a painkiller.

The dosage isn't high, but it's still not something you should be taking every single day for, say, three months straight. It is much better to rely on your antidepressants or Eglonyl instead.

Skickas fr
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Psychotropic medication discussion thread in Psychology & Therapy ·
It’s been a nightmare; insomnia has me completely wiped out. I even tried taking some Calixta, but it didn't touch it. I know exactly what's causing this, though—they administered a higher dose of corticosteroids via spinal injection, and those things will keep just about anyone awake, regardless of how much sleep medication they take.

Skickas fr
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Psychotropic medication discussion thread in Psychology & Therapy ·
James Fowler3 said:Well, look, first of all, they prescribed me Ativan during my pregnancy to manage contractions, so I don't have any fear regarding that specific medication, you see... everything else... I've done far too much reading, which I realize now was probably a mistake. You know exactly what those warnings say about weaning yourself off Xanax...
Are you only taking that one, or...? I was reading up on the side effects of certain antidepressants, and it seems to me there are even more listed there than there are for Eglonyl. I'm not sure. Even today, I didn't quite have the nerve to take anything.
And please, tell me, since you've tried both Ativan and Xanax, what is the actual difference?

Don't let Effexor intimidate you; during my worst episodes, I've taken two weeks' worth at that dosage. It mostly just takes the edge off without making you feel totally sedated—though maybe that's just my first experience with it. My main gripe is that it kills your libido, but it isn't something you're stuck on indefinitely.

Lorazepam and Xanax are prescribed for entirely different reasons. While they both help calm your nerves, Xanax doesn't typically cause drowsiness. On the flip side, Lorazepam isn't particularly effective for panic attacks.

Talk soon,
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Psychotropic medication discussion thread in Psychology & Therapy ·
Medicare responded saying they cover exams and prescribed treatments only when they come from network providers, or something to that effect.

Sorry for going off-topic, I won't dwell on it, but I just wanted to mention that you don't really have any recourse if your doctor refuses to prescribe medication based on a specialist's findings—unless that specialist is part of the public system. If your primary doctor is a network provider, they'll never just hand you a prescription, whereas a private practitioner always will.

Skickas fr
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Psychotropic medication discussion thread in Psychology & Therapy ·
Daniel Gomez10 said:signature 👍

You can find just about anything on the internet.
Escitalopram and ecstasy don't work the same way.

Is that actually in the handbook?
A specialist is still a doctor, whether they work privately or at a Medicare facility, and I don't think the medical board makes any distinction between them, at least not from what I've heard.

Regarding accessing medical records, that part is true, but employers often ask candidates for a medical clearance from the doctor that lists whatever conditions the candidate is being treated for.

I see, you're thinking in terms of work capacity. However, I would hope a general practitioner wouldn't specifically list neurotic disorders.

I agree with you; a specialist is a specialist. My doctor mentioned she had received instructions from Medicare, so I assumed she was being vague, but after reaching out to them directly, they confirmed her account. I even contacted the Patient Advocate Foundation, and unfortunately, they confirmed it as well.
Fortunately, most doctors do write things down. Furthermore, I know that nurses don't enter private practice findings into the company system; they tell me every time, "Show those results to your doctor—not just the psychiatrist—because I can't log this." I have no idea what the doctor does with that information afterward, but they ask for a copy to file in the physical folder. That said, since the software includes a directory of all physicians, they probably just enter the doctor's credentials without revealing their specific practice location. At least, that is my assumption.

Sent fr
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Psychotropic medication discussion thread in Psychology & Therapy ·
Lisa Myers said:Does your primary care doctor actually prescribe the medications your specialist recommended, or are you just buying them out of pocket? I’m not asking if you prefer keeping things off the radar by self-medicating. I want to know if your GP refuses to write the script or if they simply won't authorize what the specialist ordered.

Well, yes. For your own safety—and because of how other medical conditions can interact—your primary doctor absolutely needs to know if you are on psychotropic medication, regardless of whether you want that noted in your official medical record or not.

Skickas fr
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Psychotropic medication discussion thread in Psychology & Therapy ·
mistyjackal842 said:I was doing some digging online after dealing with what I honestly feel are some pretty rough side effects from Lexapro, and I came across this claim that the drug actually shares certain characteristics with ecstasy in how it works on the brain. Someone wrote a whole comparison between the two. I have to say, I was genuinely taken aback—and a little uncomfortable—when I read that. Since Lexapro is just escitalopram, I don't really see how that comparison is supposed to be helpful, though I did read somewhere that ecstasy was originally studied for medical purposes before they banned it once they realized it wasn't actually providing any real benefit.

Sent from my iPhone 13 using Reddit

On Reddit, most other medications feel like ecstasy to me, whereas Lexapro is the only one that feels okay. Mind you, I am taking the generic version from Alice.

Sent from my
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Psychotropic medication discussion thread in Psychology & Therapy ·
Lisa Myers said:Does your primary care doctor actually prescribe the medications your specialist recommended, or are you just buying them out of pocket? I’m not asking if you prefer keeping things off the radar by self-medicating. I want to know if your GP refuses to write the script or if they simply won't authorize what the specialist ordered.

I made sure to look into this thoroughly. Generally speaking, a primary care doctor isn't strictly required to agree with a specialist's findings, though in practice, that disagreement is quite rare.
Under Medicare regulations, a doctor technically shouldn't be prescribing medications recommended solely by a private specialist, yet most doctors do it anyway, treating it as part of their standard service. They will handle anything that doesn't have a strict clinical guideline attached—essentially following the specialist's lead. Most psychotropic drugs don't fall under those rigid guidelines. However, they absolutely cannot prescribe a medication used for a specific condition if Medicare only recognizes one particular diagnosis for that drug, which might not match yours.
My doctor informed me that no one can access my medical records except for other physicians, unless there is a court order involved. As for partners, children, or parents, I'm not entirely certain about the legal specifics there. But employers and insurance companies? There is no way they get access.

Sent from my iPhone 13
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Psychotropic medication discussion thread in Psychology & Therapy ·
restlesstiger49;50871832 said:Essentially, yes—it helps spark the motivation to actually make something of my day. I find that without it, getting out of bed in the morning feels like an uphill battle. I basically have to manually force my serotonin and dopamine levels back up.

You might want to look into the medications that target norepinephrine as well, often referred to as SNRIs. Drugs like Cybalta, Velafax, or Edronax, for instance.

Best regards,
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Psychotropic medication discussion thread in Psychology & Therapy ·
Jason Vaughn482 said:So, just how much Calixt were you knocking back to be essentially in a coma all day? Personally, I wake up feeling a bit groggy in the morning, but it wears off eventually. I spent some time on 15 mg before tapering down to 7.5... though at this point, it isn't doing much for my sleep issues anymore, even if I have been using it on and off for three years now. Besides, what actually puts you under better than Devidon?

I mean, if you took 20 mg of Sanval? Good grief.

I only take 15 mg. The 7.5 mg dose doesn't do anything for me. My psychiatrist actually mentioned that I'm a bit of an outlier because the sedative effect lingers so heavily into the next day.
Usually, I take 10 mg of Ambien, but if I realize after two hours that I'm still wide awake, I'll take another one.
Have you ever tried Devon?

Sending it over now
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Psychotropic medication discussion thread in Psychology & Therapy ·
Jason Vaughn482 said:Two doses of Sanval—what’s the milligram count on those?
My Devidon finally arrived, and I’m slated to begin the regimen tomorrow. Should I be looking at a 50 mg dose in the evening? And honestly, if you ask me, do you truly believe this will outperform Calixt?

The 10 mg ones. It's great that your shipment arrived. Yes, go with 50 mg. Personally, I found it more helpful because it knocked me out by noon, whereas with Calixt, I was still feeling wired until about 6 PM.

Skickas fr
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Psychotropic medication discussion thread in Psychology & Therapy ·
fadedbear92 said:restlesstrucker15—I can't quite recall if you’ve ever experimented with the Q-pin? You have the original Seroquel available, though I'm not sure if there's a cost involved. There are also various antiepileptics out there—for instance, Tegretol used to help me drift off perfectly fine back in the day. Honestly, what you're describing regarding sleep sounds more like sucking on Tic Tacs than actual medicine. You really ought to sit down and have a real talk with your doctor; I'm certain there's a solution out there for your insomnia!👋

fadedbear92, I intend to. However, I suspect we have already attempted nearly everything. We've gone through Q-pin, Calixt, Fevarin, Ladiomil, and Amyzol. I highly doubt there would be much of a distinction between Seroquel and Q-pin. You know, I can certainly ask about things. Actually, yes—Prazine absolutely crushes me. It seems I am only suited for short-acting medications because while these antipsychotics do put me to sleep, they leave me in a complete coma. I will inquire about Tegretol. At what dosage were you taking it?

Skickas FR
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Psychotropic medication discussion thread in Psychology & Therapy ·
fadedbear92 said:I take Q-pin for my anxiety and insomnia—it's actually pretty common to use higher doses for exactly what you're talking about.

Honestly, I envy you if you can actually sleep through that, because you know exactly how much of a zombie you'll be the next day.🙂
But I suppose it’s all mental, isn't it? Over the last two nights, I managed to drift off using 5mg of Xanax. I thought it was a miracle at first, but then the physical pain hit me so hard that I think my brain just couldn't process anything properly. Tonight, I could barely settle down even after taking two Sanval.
Maybe I should try starting some meditation around 8:00 PM to unwind before taking the Sanval at midnight.🙂

Skickas FR
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Psychotropic medication discussion thread in Psychology & Therapy ·
mistyjackal842 said:It’s been such a strange experience... at first, taking Lexapro in the morning actually made me drowsy, but once my body adjusted, it started waking me up instead. I guess maybe my previous doctor played a part in all this, too, because seeing him became a total nightmare. I honestly still can't wrap my head around the fact that some doctors actually mock someone else's pain or try to patronize me just because I'm a woman. I have an appointment with a new female doctor soon, so hopefully, those issues will be behind me. He also insisted that any urinary issues from the medication would show up immediately. I don't really buy that; I think Lexapro builds up in your system over several days before causing increased urination. Of course, he couldn't know for sure, since everyone's body reacts differently to medication. Honestly, I wouldn't recommend that doctor to anyone, even though he claimed women specifically ask for him. I'm still just so shaken by how he treated me, considering I'm a younger woman.

Sent from my iPhone 13 using Reddit

Don't let him weigh on your mind too much right now, but doctors like that really should be reported to the Chamber of Commerce. Though, in my opinion, having a terrible reputation among patients is a harsher punishment. Frankly, hitting on a patient is the absolute bottom of the barrel. And that "women recommend him" line? Please. I actually decided a long time ago to work with a female psychotherapist because my previous male therapist didn't quite grasp my perspective. Perhaps it's just my view, but some neurotic disorders seem more intuitive to the female brain. Regardless, there is a wonderful sense of relief when someone truly understands the chaos in your head, especially knowing the psychiatrist isn't struggling with those same specific issues 🙂 if I may say so. Ultimately, the choice is personal, but for me, a female practitioner was necessary.

FedEx
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Psychotropic medication discussion thread in Psychology & Therapy ·
mistyjackal842 said:restlesstrucker15

Thanks so much for the kind words. Honestly, I’m going to this session mostly just to talk... maybe hoping it helps me finally process my mom's tragic passing. The doctor is actually wonderful. It's such a relief because I had a really terrible experience before with a male physician whom I wouldn't recommend to anyone, really. As for medication, I don't think I need it. I wasn't even looking to take this Lexapro once I saw the list of side effects. But the doctor was pretty pushy about it, constantly checking in to see if I was taking it. I mean, you can't actually measure serotonin levels in the brain anyway, so there's no way to truly know if there's a deficiency or not.

Sent from my iPhone 13 using Reddit

I understand that you are going for the therapy, and that is incredibly important. I just wanted to reassure you that you are in very good hands; even if she does suggest medication, it will be with your best interests at heart. She isn't forcing anything on you. 🙂 Keep your head up—the healing process takes time, and very few people are able to navigate it entirely on their own.

FedEx
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