Posts by shadowbear9

restlesstrucker15 said:That’s such a shame 😢
Still, let me know how much it ends up costing; I’d guess it’s somewhere around $100.

Skickas FR

It's 96, plus change... I suppose I'll have to sort this out with my therapist. And if they give me 100, that would be fine since my current dosage feels weak after being on 100mg. Though, based on everything I've read regarding bipolar depression, it seems quite similar to what I'm going through right now—so maybe they won't even need to fake a diagnosis.

I went to see my doctor today to check if she’d approved my coverage, and she told me straight up that she can't just prescribe those depression meds under my Medicare plan without a psychiatrist first providing a formal diagnosis. I guess I have to go through all that extra paperwork now. However, she was actually quite helpful and gave me a private prescription instead, so I'll be picking up some 25 mg Loquen for about $23 🙄. Honestly, though, I suppose anything is better than nothing at this point.

Benjamin Robinson3 said:I'm not psychotic either. My psychiatrist just wrote down bipolar disorder as my diagnosis just so she could prescribe me Quetiapine. All you have to do is say you're cycling between depression and mania, and they'll hand it over. Otherwise, you're paying out of pocket. $83 Look, if you have a private prescription from your own psychiatrist, then you're all set. $33.

Well, thanks a lot. I think I'll try that approach myself. It would be great if it cost around $3.25, but I definitely don't have 250 bucks lying around. I guess I'll just have to go negotiate with my psychiatrist...

So, I tried explaining my situation to the doctor yesterday. I told her straight up that I’d managed to get my hands on some Quetiapine and that it actually works wonders for me. But she was being incredibly stubborn about it, insisting she can't just prescribe it because she doesn't view me as psychotic. She mentioned she’d check in with Medicare to see what the policy is and told me to call her back tomorrow to see if there's any way around it. If not, apparently I'll just have to pay full price out of pocket, or—and this part felt a bit shady—she suggested I talk to a psychiatrist to have them note that I'm experiencing psychosis. I've only got four tablets left, and honestly, God knows how I'm supposed to sleep once they run out.🙄

I have a question for those of you who attend regular follow-up appointments: what is the actual process like? What do you even talk about—or do you even talk at all? DO THEY ACTUALLY LISTEN to your concerns and try to be helpful, or what???

In my experience, I've seen three different doctors, and they basically just glance at my lab results and say, "I'll write you a prescription." Like, they just print out something for Zoloft or Ambien and call it a day. Not long ago, I actually mentioned feeling suicidal, and the doctor just laughed at me... honestly. Now, I've permanently stuck with the psychiatrist who worked with me back when I was fifteen. When they ask how I'm doing, I tell them straight up: "Terribly. I don't feel any effect from the Zoloft at all, and I'm still having depressive episodes." But it feels like they just don't care; it's just "next patient, please" and move on. So, I'm curious to know how things work for the rest of you.

fadedbear92 said:I take 100 mg of Quetiapine to sleep—sometimes I bump it up to 150 because I wake up just as often—and I actually had a long talk with my shrink today. She mentioned she doesn't want to start me on any new sedatives right away, so we’re going to touch base again next time to figure out a plan.

amyzol comes in 25mg—I don't think there's even a higher dose...but if you take 3 or 4 of those, you're out cold and nothing can wake you up... though honestly, I feel like I might need to check into a hospital for a bit; I failed my classes, so I have the time, and maybe they'll just pump me full of massive doses and I'll finally feel better...

Wait, hold on—it says right there that it's a tricyclic antidepressant, not an insomnia med.
"Tricyclic antidepressants include medications like imipramine, amitriptyline, nortriptyline, and desipramine. They were widely used from the 1950s through the 1980s. Nowadays, they are considered a last resort when choosing the right antidepressant."
http://www.mayoclinic.org/antidepress..._depression.php
You can find more info about tricyclics in this post—it's a professional article adapted from Merck Pharmaceuticals' website.

I'm currently on 100 mg too, so you're lucky if you're getting anything better than that.

I don't know, but I remember once hearing a psychiatrist explaining things to a student, saying that it's actually quite effective both as an antidepressant and as a sleep aid.🤷

Brandon Lopez6 said:What would it look like? They're blue and weaker than the 25mg blue ones. Google is your friend.

"People like you are the best"? Wow, love the tone. Truly. I'm just here like everyone else, quoting other people's experiences. My bad for quoting and addressing your highness. 👋

Just chill out. I asked a perfectly polite question. I had never heard of there being a lower dose, which is why I was surprised...

Brandon Lopez6 said:I'm on Navecet at 10mg four times a day, and frankly, you guys scaring me about poisoning is getting old😢.
It does absolutely nothing for my sleep. Not for falling asleep, not for the quality of it. Either the impact of Maltene is just too subtle for me to notice, or it's just not working.
As far as Anafranil goes, it's been great, though on the other hand 🙂

Well, if that's your prescribed therapy, I guess there isn't much to be afraid of. People like you are always the most stubborn, though I suppose your doctor knows what you need and how much, right? And what kind of 10mg Amyzol is that anyway?😕 My doctor warned me about toxicity when I mentioned I was taking four at once.
I mean, how could you possibly not notice an effect? Maybe try biting a pill straight and you'll see how numb your mouth gets, let alone what it does to your brain... Unfortunately, they won't let me take more than one for sleep and as an antidepressant. It all feels like a joke trying to manage schizophrenia, especially when you're dealing with a whole family history of it and still getting these kinds of medications...

fadedbear92 said:What dose are you taking to get some sleep? It sounds way too low—honestly, my cousin told me that with APs, you can actually bump up the dosage without having to worry about getting hooked.

I was prescribed 25 mg, but last night I ended up taking 50+50 and I still woke up after only four hours...

Amyzol comes in 25mg, and if I recall correctly, there isn't even another strength available... but when you take three or four of those, you just stay completely knocked out and nothing wakes you up. Honestly, I feel like I might need to check into a hospital for a while. I failed my classes at college, so I have the time, and maybe they'll just pump me full of massive doses; hopefully, that actually makes things better....

I suppose I should address what restlesstrucker15 was getting at earlier. Honestly, it’s just frustrating how people try to oversimplify things when we know better. I mean, maybe they think they have a point, but I find the whole argument to be incredibly shortsighted. It’s almost laughable, really. If you actually look at the facts—and I do suggest doing that before jumping to conclusions—you’ll see how flawed the logic is. I guess some people just prefer an easy answer over the truth, which is just exhausting to deal with.

fadedbear92 said:No, it isn't, but it falls under the same category as Q-pin in terms of antipsychotics.

Q-pin is Quetiapine.

Regarding types of antipsychotics...

From the same article: "High-dose Quetiapine therapy"

It happens that if there isn't a proper response to the prescribed therapy with other antipsychotics, then prescribing high doses of Quetiapine becomes clinically significant for patients who haven't responded well to previous treatments (we were using daily doses ranging from 300 mg to 1200 mg).
Quetiapine is considered an excellent choice for treating psychotic episodes in patients living with Alzheimer's disease."

Well, I don't know about that... I suspect it isn't quite that simple.

"Contains the active ingredient Quetiapine"... yeah, that's exactly what it says on the box, too.

So, here’s how it went down. I took half a dose around 8:00, and I kept studying until about 8:30 without noticing any real change. Since nothing was happening, I decided to take the second half. Suddenly, this wave of exhaustion just hit me out of nowhere, so I laid down. I was tossing and turning a bit, and then, I guess just to be safe, I took some Amyzol... and I didn't wake up again until 2:00. 🙂 Is it even possible that absolutely nothing is working for me? I mean, seriously, how am I supposed to actually get hold of anything if nothing seems to have any effect?🙂 I’m going to take that canister of gas from beside my bed just to act like some kind of anesthesia to knock me out... because honestly, when it comes to actually sleeping, I feel like I’m constantly waking up mid-cycle. It isn't deep sleep at all. Right now, I don't even feel groggy or tired. Up until this point, the only thing that seemed to work was taking 4 or 5 milligrams of Amyzol, but if I'm not allowed to do that, I might as well just poison myself. 🙄 I suppose it’s highly probable that the Amyzol will end up being toxic, if you ask me. 🤣

So, my Quetiapine finally arrived. Is that actually a longer name than Q-pin? 😕 Anyway, I’m officially set for a while, whether this stuff actually works or not. There are 60 tablets per box, and I have four boxes, which means 240 tablets total—basically enough for 240 nights. Just wonderful. 😁

restlesstrucker15 said:Persuade her.
Just check if your mom's supply is the extended-release version or not.

Sending strength

She said she sent over all the instructions and the lab results so I’d know exactly what I’m taking and how to be careful with it, because obviously, she's worried about me... even though I once took her 100mg Quetiapine in the afternoon and woke up two or three hours later feeling totally fine, zero side effects. Meanwhile, my brother—who is 34 years old, so don't go thinking he's some kid—took half of it, just 50mg, and came back to her the next day absolutely losing his mind over her pill. I mean, seriously, we are all different. Everyone has a unique body, a different liver, whatever... For me, high doses don't really bother me, and honestly, some medications don't even seem to affect me at all, which I've mentioned before, whereas someone else might pass out from a standard dose of Norvasc...

hollowcrane95 said:Honestly, it’s pretty straightforward when you look at the chemistry—quetiapine is a core component found in both Seroquel and Loquex, and it's clearly the main ingredient in that Q-pin too.

Quentin:

I tried taking 25mg the other day, and honestly, within about half an hour, it pretty much knocked me straight out of commission and sent me crashing into bed, though I have to say that the side effects were exactly what you described. It took me a good half a day to finally feel like myself again.

Yeah, it was honestly a nightmare. I have no idea why I even thought taking that medication would help with my insomnia, because it was just a total disaster.

Quentin:

Personally, I think this dosage works perfectly for me when I need to manage my anxiety, especially since I take it in the morning. To be honest, I’ve actually never tried taking it at that time before because I was always worried it would just knock me out right in the middle of my shift at work.

Just a little bit of everything! 🤷

I was having a conversation with my psychiatrist this morning about how I simply cannot tolerate Quetiapine—it’s just not working for me. And then, out of nowhere, I run into some guy on the street around 10:00 PM who starts giving me unsolicited advice. He tells me I should just call my other psychiatrist, explain the situation, and apparently, she'll just hand it over if they happen to have some extra in their donations pile. Honestly, I guess people really do think they know everything, don't they? It's absolutely ridiculous.
Of course, they didn't have it in stock. She actually had the nerve to tell me I should go back and consult with the psychiatrist who originally prescribed it... Honestly, I’m going to try talking things through during my psychotherapy session tomorrow, but if she still refuses to cooperate, I might just have to tell her exactly where she can shove it. I can find ways to get my medication elsewhere if I have to. My mother is completely schizophrenic, so I suppose I’m "lucky" to be in this situation; she sent me a whole box of Quetiapine, which is the exact same thing as Seroquel. For some reason, she hasn't been taking them herself. Since she takes 100 mg and I’m only prescribed 25 mg, I’ll be set for at least two months. Problem solved. She can just give them to me whenever she needs to; there was a time when I used to take them from her since she wasn't using them anyway. I really just hope the nightmares stop soon. I haven't slept without any medication for three nights now, and the dreams are absolutely horrific. I wake up drenched in sweat, shaking... it’s a total disaster. All of this is happening simply because she wouldn't approve my treatment plan because she claimed I was asking for it too early. 🙄 I only have enough Zoloft left to last me about a week. I’m really hoping they actually follow through and give me my Normabel or amyzol tomorrow; otherwise, I might just lose my mind and snap at everyone before I run out.

mistyjackal842 said:I just take 15 mg of Valium to help me sleep. That's enough for me, I guess. It isn't really an every night thing, but it definitely makes drifting off a bit easier when I do take it.

Sent from my iPhone 3G using Reddit

hahahahahha, man, I wish I had it as easy as you. I could take ten 30 mg Valium pills and still not sleep for shit. Plus, I wake up the next day with this horrible bitter taste in my mouth. I've been taking those extra-strength Zana capsules—like, 14 of them at once—for God knows how long, and even then, it doesn't do a damn thing for me. I just lie there staring at the ceiling... hahaha, I swear, I have to laugh at my own misery....

I suppose I should probably address this situation before things get any more out of hand. It seems like there’s been some unnecessary noise lately, and frankly, I find the whole thing quite aggravating. I don't want to sound like I'm overreacting—maybe I am—but it feels like certain people just can't seem to follow basic logic or maintain a shred of decorum. It’s honestly exhausting. I might be wrong, but I have a strong feeling that if we don't get a handle on this immediately, we're all going to end up dealing with even more chaos. It's just ridiculous. kaže:
Right. So, what exactly did they tell you to take for the insomnia? How much Amyzol are we talking about? Is it just the Amyzol on its own, or are you supposed to be taking it with something else?

Skickas fr

They switched me over to Amyzol instead of my usual Mirzaten, and I have quite literally gained weight like a pig. I mean, I put on nearly 20 pounds in just twenty days. My psychologist actually had the nerve to suggest that this was the goal—that it would stop me from gaining any more weight—and claimed he personally prefers prescribing Mirzaten for insomnia. Okay, fine, maybe he thinks he knows best, but I can't even fit into half of my wardrobe anymore. So, absolutely not.

To combat my insomnia, I’m currently taking a combination of Normabel (in doses of 5, 5, and 10), Sanval at 10, and amyzol. I did mention that I’ve been feeling pretty on edge lately—which isn't exactly an exaggeration—so I take the Normabel in the evening. My doctor gave me a stern warning regarding the amyzol; he insisted that I absolutely must not exceed one tablet. Apparently, it’s an older antidepressant that is incredibly effective, but he warned that if I were to take two or three at once like I have been doing, I would essentially be poisoning myself. I guess, truthfully, there is something quite tempting about taking more. When you're desperate to just knock yourself out and crash immediately rather than sitting there waiting for a single pill to kick in, the idea of a higher dose feels almost logical. I honestly don't know if anyone would even notice the difference, but if the risk is actual toxicity, I suppose I should listen to him. Though, I must admit, if I ever find myself spiraling into a truly suicidal headspace, I might just swallow all thirty at once and call it a day. It was certainly helpful of him to point out how easy that would be. 🤣

So, it’s Sanval plus amyzol for the insomnia, and now there's this whole messy situation regarding Quetiapine. I suppose he probably assumed I was taking it alongside both the Sanval and amyzol, too. I guess we'll just have to see what happens on Monday.

restlesstrucker15 said:If your current doctor won't provide one, you could ask your psychiatrist for a private prescription and explain that they aren't covering it through insurance. You might also ask if, in their experience, a primary care physician would prescribe it if psychotic symptoms aren't present. If so, find a GP who isn't afraid of dealing with insurance companies. However, I suggest first asking your specialist for a private script to see if the medication actually works for you before you start arguing with your GP or looking for a new provider.
In my own case, my doctor refused to prescribe Cymbalta because my diagnosis didn't explicitly state Major Depressive Disorder—which technically isn't the case, as I explained that my symptoms stem from neuropathic pain. She told me, "I understand, but we need to list it as MDD because insurance won't cover it for neuropathic pain." Eventually, my psychiatrist wouldn't change the official diagnosis, so she just gave me a couple of boxes herself since she had samples on hand. Honestly, you can just scour the insurance company's drug formulary spreadsheets online; they usually include guidelines for which conditions justify coverage.

Best regards,

Thank you so much for the advice. I'll be seeing my psychiatrist this Monday with my results, and if she refuses, I'll see if she can contact the other doctor or take some kind of action. Last time, it was listed as severe depression without psychosis, though they somehow changed it to moderate-severe yesterday... but I suppose the main thing is that it specifies NO PSYCHOSIS.

restlesstrucker15 said:Well, it's good news about the Amyzol; I'm glad to hear that. As for the Quetiapine, it really isn't possible to get that covered by insurance unless you have a psychotic diagnosis on file. If she gets audited, she'll face a fine. Even my psychiatrist told me straight up that I wouldn't be able to get it through my standard prescription. Back then, she just gave me a single box herself, but you know my history with those things. I would offer you mine, but it's expired. And I know it isn't cheap. Look at it this way: try purchasing it out-of-pocket through a private clinic. If it works for you, a good night's sleep is worth the cost. You could ask at a local pharmacy; I believe it goes for about $33.

Skickas fr

Who even do you go to for a private prescription? Because if it is $33, I'd rather do that than stay so sleep-deprived that I end up crashing my car into a pole or falling off a subway platform because I can barely keep my eyes open... I mean, I could seriously get hurt one day. My concentration just bottoms out and I lose all awareness of what's happening around me—I almost got hit by a car the other day because of it. I'm dying to know who would take the blame if I actually ended up in the hospital because of this... 🙄

Bluzara said:
I didn't quite catch half of that; there aren't even any commas...

Perhaps we should attempt to differentiate between Q-pin, Seroquel, and Quetiapine. Even though they are fundamentally intended for the same disorders, they are certainly not identical.
But fine, let’s just set that aside for a moment.

If you are already taking one of those antipsychotics, Sanval is clearly redundant. You don't need it. Sanval is designed to induce sleep; if you aren't facing massive issues, it might keep you under for a little while, but otherwise, that isn't its primary purpose.

Equating Sanval with Seroquel, or any other antipsychotic, is like comparing a paper airplane to a Boeing 747...

You will fall asleep from the Quetiapine, so please, don't worry about that...

Then why did he leave it in the findings? He could have simply removed it from the treatment plan (the Sanval)... Besides, I mean, my doctor asked me if I wanted Sanval or this new Quetiapine, and I said the new one. I've already looked up Sanval online—I can literally take 200mg and still wake up in an hour or two. I've tested it myself... And then she tells me she won't introduce Quetiapine because it doesn't match my diagnosis? How can she decide what my diagnosis is when I'm coming from a specialist who actually knows their job and knows me as a patient? I've already made up my mind; Monday morning I'm going to the psychiatric clinic to explain the situation. Then she can kindly call my doctor and explain why, if she insists on changing things, he decided to give me Quetiapine, which I believe is far more effective than Sanval... And I see plenty of you here taking that med for insomnia, so why should I be the exception suffering through this just because of some incompetent idiot over there... But I'll get the medication regardless, because my mom takes it and she'll make sure I get it anyway. So, refusing to prescribe it doesn't really achieve much; she'll either start it, or I am seriously switching doctors... This behavior from her is just not right.

Benjamin Robinson3 said:My doctor wants me to start taking Seroquel just to help with sleep. That's the situation. I'm not experiencing any psychotic symptoms right now; I'm just dealing with a mild depressive episode and some personality disorder issues at the moment.

Well, fine then. Does anyone have any idea how I can actually convince her? How am I supposed to prove to her that this is strictly for my insomnia? And why on earth won't she just give it to me? I honestly don't understand what the connection is to the local hospital system; it makes zero sense to me.😕

And for the record, my medical report lists Zoloft in the morning, Ativan as needed, and then both Ambien and Valium in the evening along with Quetiapine. It doesn't say "either/or." Yet, she's asking me if I want to stay on the Valium or switch to this new medication. I'm looking at the chart like... 🤷 the doctor clearly used a comma to list both medications, implying a choice between those two specifically. He probably intended to phase out the Valium. Honestly, I'm stuck. I feel ridiculous trying to lecture her, but clearly, she isn't grasping the details here...

redranger2 said:Unfortunately, your primary care doctor lacks sufficient expertise in psychopharmacology and simply shouldn't be questioning a treatment plan laid out by a psychiatrist.

I don't have psychosis either, yet I was prescribed AP (Vairu, though I've also taken Seroquel—Quetiapine) specifically to deal with insomnia. Switch doctors.

Sadly, I feel like if I switch therapists right now, I might just end up with someone even worse. Honestly, I think I’ll just call my psychiatrist on Monday, explain the whole situation, and ask him to get in touch with my therapist to clear things up. He’s been treating me since I was fifteen, so I trust he knows what he’s doing. At the same time, I really don't want to start fighting with my therapist because she's actually quite good and truly cares about my progress; she keeps up with our therapy sessions regularly. It's just incredibly frustrating when one professional says one thing and the other says something completely different. I've even had two female psychiatrists refuse to prescribe this specific medication to me in the past, though I wasn't even asking for it today... so, I guess it makes you wonder who's actually losing it here.😕 🤷