192 posts shown.
David Bishop4 said:Hey everyone, I have a question for those of you who have experience taking Paxil.
How long did you stick to taking just half a tablet before you felt comfortable moving up to a full dose? I’m currently on my fifth day of the half-dose, and the nausea is really getting to me. It isn't unbearable, but it’s enough to make me nervous about stepping up to the full pill—I'm genuinely worried the nausea might become overwhelming if I increase the dosage. Does anyone have any advice or personal experiences they could share?
In my case, I was told to take a half dose at night for seven days, then switch to a full dose the very next night. I only ended up being on it for two months total. Interestingly, I didn't even feel like I was taking anything during those first two weeks; I just felt jittery and hyperactive.
wiredskipper45 said:I remember the first day of Wellbutrin felt incredible, almost like being on speed. But then that "honeymoon phase" ended, and I actually ended up more anxious and depressed than before because I wasn't sleeping at all... 😢((
To be fair, I'm pretty skeptical about ADs myself. I feel like they mess with our brains in ways we don't fully understand. But right now? I'm at that point where—to use your words—I'd take just about anything... 😢((
See, that high-energy feeling actually works for me. It has lasted all this time, and the lack of sleep doesn't really bother me; I just pop an anxiolytic if I need to crash. If I could just manage my own dosage, I'd bump my Wellbutrin up to 300 mg for a while and pair it with an AD that actually calms things down and kills the anxiety at night, and I'd be golden. But then again, which psychiatrist wouldn't take offense at an idea like that?? 😕
wiredskipper45 said:My biggest fear is starting the CIA again and just feeling stuck in this exact same loop. Right now, I'm just clinging to the hope that when things get too heavy, I can lean on the meds again if I have to.
Doesn't that help you feel any better? Maybe they haven't kicked in yet. 😢
What are you taking?
I've been on Wellbutrin for two months now—the kind prescribed for major depression—along with 0.5mg of Xanax. I also have some Rivotril 2mg at home. Honestly, the Wellbutrin has been great for the depression side of things; it practically brought me back to life. But when it comes to anxiety? It does absolutely nothing. Lately, I’ve hit a rough patch, and everything is just spiraling downward, even though I'm technically medicated. I could take a handful of pills at this point and see zero benefit, other than maybe passing out. My doctor won't authorize anything without a psychiatrist's sign-off because she's generally against prescribing CIA to someone my age. I'm only 27.😂
wiredskipper45 said:I’m really curious if anyone actually managed to get off their meds and ended up feeling better overall?!
Or is everyone else (like me) just in a much worse state after stopping therapy than when they first started?
Not that they even worked perfectly while I was still on them... 😢
I’m currently on some combo involving Lexapro and Depakote, and the insomnia from it is brutal. It feels like my Xanax isn't even doing anything anymore; I just feel drugged out and groggy, but everything is still terrible... I've never felt this kind of total lack of willpower in my life. On top of that, my nerves are just fried—I can feel it throughout my whole body. I’m functioning, I’m working, I’m raising my kid by myself. But it’s all just pure autopilot. There’s zero joy left in anything. :/ Now I’m sitting here wondering if I should go back on the CIA, but I honestly don't even know what I want anymore... and my doctor keeps asking me what I expect these pills to do for me?! wtf??? All I know is that Mirtazapine let me sleep like a log and made the depression feel slightly more manageable, but it did absolutely nothing for the anxiety—that constant nervousness. And Effexor and Prozac caused such bad side effects that I didn't even bother trying them for more than a single day. Citalopram was basically like Bonkers to me—nothing. Wellbutrin felt amazing for the very first day, like a massive adrenaline rush, but then ugh—you can't sleep at all on it. I’m losing it, I’m exhausted, and I’m running on empty. I’m terrified I’m going to snap and end up in a psych ward being pumped full of antipsychotics, which is exactly what I’m trying to avoid at any cost. I’m scared of APs.
Please, if anyone has dealt with similar issues or medications, share your experiences.
thanks.
I'm interested in this too. From what I can see, everyone is on something; certain ones work for some people and others for different folks... but no one ever comes along and says: "HEY GUYS, I'M CURED AND I DON'T NEED MEDS ANYMORE!!!" I stopped taking my CIA and anxiolytics about a year and a half ago, and here I am again. A little bit of stress at work and the anxiety came rushing back right alongside the depression, making it impossible to function... so I'm back on the CIA. I've been taking them, and I was doing okay until a major stressor hit last week, and now I'm back at rock bottom despite the CIA and anxiolytics—honestly, I might even be overdoing it a bit with them right now...
redranger2 said:The issue isn't that you get addicted to antidepressants; it's the benzodiazepines that cause addiction. You never abruptly quit an antidepressant because doing so completely wreaks havoc on your brain chemistry. The reason we taper off gradually is simply to allow the
brain to adjust to a new equilibrium, not because the patient is "addicted" to the medication itself.
But from what I've seen, it’s entirely different for everyone. Some people find it impossible to get off Zoloft even with a slow taper, while others just cut their dose in half every week until they're done... I guess... who knows which category I fall into.
redranger2 said:Whenever these setbacks occur, we are looking at a relapse.
You need to be just as blunt with your psychiatrist as you are with us: tell them clearly that the Wellbutrin isn't touching your anxiety.
At that point, they will either introduce a new AD to supplement what you're already on, or they might even prescribe
an antipsychotic just to settle that anxiety down.
My therapist actually told me to stick with the Xanax, claiming that only a third of people end up getting hooked on it. That's not good enough for me. I spent eighteen months trying to get off Misar, and I have absolutely zero desire to go through that cycle all over again—it's the exact same trap. Honestly, I'd much rather they just add Zoloft to my treatment. Even though it's in the same class as Seroxat, which I couldn't stand, there's no guarantee it'll affect me the same way. My regular doctor is too busy right now, so I'm stuck dealing with the social worker for the time being...🙂
Kenneth Scott41 said:I suppose you could call Wellbutrin a sort of "stimulant" among antidepressants. It feels like you always have to be doing something; I could never just sit still while taking that stuff. My therapist eventually switched me over to Effexor, which I've been on for about a year and a half now, and honestly, it seems to suit me perfectly. I don't deal with the depression quite like I used to.😉div>
I absolutely love these mood lifters. Honestly, without them, I wouldn’t even be able to crawl out of bed most days. Wellbutrin works perfectly for me as an antidepressant, but I still have this lingering anxiety that I need to tackle. Now I'm trying to figure out how to combine things effectively without ending up on a cocktail of all those stupid pills you can get scammed into taking—the ones that just leave you feeling depressed and sluggish. I'm actually feeling pretty great right now, sort of riding a bit of a high. 😍
Scott Alvarez22 said:Gerald Torres2
please, don't let yourself get worked up over this!
Zoloft is exactly that, but it’s a slow burn; it takes time to kick in. If you were looking to step things up from Zoloft, you might look toward Pfizer or Eli Lilly, though I haven't personally ventured down those paths yet.
Regarding Effexor, the documentation states something like this:
Effexor tablets are indicated for the treatment of depression, including cases where depression is accompanied by anxiety.
Effexor is utilized in the treatment of:
All types of anxiety disorders: generalized anxiety disorder, panic attacks, social phobia…
Mixed forms, specifically anxious-depressive disorder.
Various neurotic depressive disorders (I say neurotic because in bipolar disorder, or what used to be called manic-depressive psychosis, the depression and anxiety are entirely different in terms of psychodynamics and everything else).
Hypochondriasis—which is a notoriously difficult disorder to treat and a heavy burden for the patient to live with. I really ought to write a more detailed post about that in a separate thread. These are individuals who constantly feel they are suffering from various ailments—one day it's this, the next it's that—they go for medical checkups far too often, yet there's no organic evidence of illness. Still, they persistently experience symptoms like stinging pains, shortness of breath, or chest tightness.
Recent studies also suggest the medication might be useful for severe forms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (I'll touch on that topic more deeply some other time).
Certain conditions manifesting within categories of various "personality disorders," such as Borderline Personality Disorder or similar emotional instability profiles.
Furthermore, with Zoloft and similar drugs (after about six months), you definitely develop a dependency, which is why you need to taper off very gradually over several months. Apparently, with Effexor, you can transition immediately if you stop Zoloft on the same day, meaning you don't necessarily face that agonizing withdrawal period.
So, HOW do you keep depression and anxiety under control? That's precisely why I posted here in the first place—because I honestly don't know!
Oh, so it's all just moving from one void to another!!!🙂
You get hooked on one med that helps, then you try to wean yourself off it using another one, and it just goes on forever!! There has to be a better solution for all this suffering. I've been battling Panic Disorder for 13 years and have dealt with a phobia level of 41.2 for the last five (even though I was only officially diagnosed about two years ago). It doesn't work with meds, and it doesn't work without them... even though I've genuinely changed my lifestyle, cut out negative people, and tried focusing on positive thinking, nothing sticks. When a panic attack hits, I honestly feel like swallowing every single pill I've ever taken just to end it all once and for all!!🙂
restlesstrucker15 said:Hmm... I must admit I find it somewhat unusual that they prescribed you Wellbutrin. As far as I am aware, it is primarily intended for depressive symptoms, but it isn't typically given to people suffering from panic attacks because it can increase dopamine levels. However, I suppose your psychiatrist knows the reasoning behind it; surely Zoloft is meant to be your primary Zoloft Advertisement.
No, that’s actually the whole problem. I’m only taking Wellbutrin and Xanax, and my goal is to get off the Xanax entirely and just stick to an antidepressant. The thing is, Wellbutrin doesn't touch my anxiety or my panic attacks at all.
Gerald Torres2 said:Thanks for the reply, but I’m already well aware of all that. You really have to run from Xanax like it's a bad habit. My main struggle right now is this anxiety. I thought Zoloft was an antidepressant? Now I'm confused... I want an antidepressant that can actually keep both my depression and anxiety under control, using Xanax only for emergencies. Usually, people go for Paxil (which is a popular antidepressant right now), but that didn't sit right with me at all—it actually made everything feel worse and worse even after two months of taking it. Is it even possible to get physically addicted to antidepressants, or is it more of a psychological thing?
Also, I forgot to mention: I'm taking standard Xanax, not the extended-release version. My goal is to keep the anxiety and panic attacks managed, and using Wellbutrin alone just isn't cutting it for me.
Scott Alvarez22 said:I know exactly what you mean.
After going through something very similar myself, I can tell you that they offered me a combination too, though they framed it as a single medication (either Mirzaten or Velofax), claiming it was essentially a combo pill from a different manufacturer. This drug, whether it's Mirzaten or Velofax, was supposedly meant to be a direct transition from Zoloft, containing Zoloft plus something else (I never quite grasped what the addition was).
Where the trouble lies (in my experience):
Xanax works fine when it kicks in and during those first two hours, but the moment it wears off, the withdrawal symptoms hit immediately.
The lack of Xanax in your system triggers nausea, dizziness, tremors, and dark thoughts. It’s much like Zoloft, which causes dizziness and depressive dips during withdrawal.
My advice:
Take as little Xanax as possible, but don't make yourself miserable in the process—just whatever you do, stay away from Xanax SR!!!!!!
Instead of using Xanax SR, try taking a standard Xanax 0.25, then split it in half and take those halves throughout the day at your current dosage level.
Every 15, 30, or 45 days, drop one of those 0.25 halves, and eventually, you'll have phased it out entirely.
Hope this helps!
Thanks for the reply, but I’m already well aware of all that. You really have to run from Xanax like it's a bad habit. My main struggle right now is this anxiety. I thought Zoloft was an antidepressant? Now I'm confused... I want an antidepressant that can actually keep both my depression and anxiety under control, using Xanax only for emergencies. Usually, people go for Paxil (which is a popular antidepressant right now), but that didn't sit right with me at all—it actually made everything feel worse and worse even after two months of taking it. Is it even possible to get physically addicted to antidepressants, or is it more of a psychological thing?
Hey everyone!
I’m new to this forum, so I figured I’d introduce myself... I’ve been dealing with panic attacks since I was 14, so we’re looking at about 12 years now. They used to happen maybe once every six months, but once I hit 24, they were hitting me multiple times a day. On top of that, I’m dealing with depression, anxiety, and agoraphobia. I previously tried Paxil (which nearly drove me insane—it killed my appetite and left me unable to even hold a conversation) and Misar at 0.5, 1, or 1 mg. I fought through that for three or four months before deciding to cold-turkey the meds on my own. That was about a year and a half ago. Two months ago, I finally went back to my psychiatrist because I realized I couldn't just white-knuckle this on my own, no matter how hard I tried. I was prescribed Wellbutrin XR 150mg and Xanax at 0.5, 1, or 1 mg. Of course, the Xanax wasn't enough, so I ended up taking three a day. Currently, life is throwing some heavy stuff my way, and while the Wellbutrin helped with the anxiety initially, it isn't doing anything for me now, and the depression is creeping right back in... I feel like I'm sinking again and I just don't have the strength to fight it. I’ve heard that combining Zoloft and Wellbutrin works wonders, since I need something to lift my mood while also dialing down the anxiety, and honestly, I want to get off the Xanax for good. Can anyone offer some advice or share if you've had similar experiences?
Thanks in advance.