Posts by Larry Lewis

Robert Gomez26 said:Yes, I'm aware of that... but I was really wondering if anyone here has some firsthand experience with it...

What's the catch?

Robert Gomez26 said:We’re dealing with a schizophrenia diagnosis in our family right now. The main struggle is that she’s experiencing constant auditory hallucinations—hearing people whispering about her or talking behind her back all day and night, even when we’re sitting right there with her... It’s incredibly distressing for everyone involved. We actually saw a psychiatrist a few days ago, and she was prescribed some medication intended to help ease those fears and quiet the voices. I was wondering if anyone here has gone through something similar, or if you might know how long this process typically takes and whether recovery is truly possible...

Schizophrenia isn't something you "cure" in the traditional sense, but it is highly manageable with the right combination of medication and psychotherapy.

If I can offer a bit of advice—try to spend as much time as possible with your family member. You really don't want to let them slip into total isolation; solitude can be a dangerous thing in these circumstances.

The auditory hallucinations—the voices—can sometimes subside quite quickly, though other times they linger for a long while. From what I've gathered from listening to others living with schizophrenia, it varies wildly from person to person.

Robert Gomez26 said:I was wondering if anyone here, or perhaps someone you might know, has ever experienced symptoms involving hearing voices...

Well, come on then—what's actually on your mind?

fadedbear92 said:I'm mentally gearing up (in my head, at least😁) to start running—I am just so done with this sluggishness and the extra weight...🙂🙂🙂

That’s a good move. Honestly, that post-run high is unbeatable—though, let’s be real, it doesn't last nearly long enough. For me, it’s just become part of the routine now. My advice? Take it easy at first—don't go out there trying to break any records right away or you'll regret it.

Kenneth Scott41 said:I’m being incredibly careful about my weight, really watching what I eat, yet I seem to be gaining pounds regardless. It’s been happening ever since I started taking Seroquel, and the packaging explicitly lists weight gain as a side effect.🙂
It feels like I’m forced to go out for a run every single day just to maintain my current weight rather than actually losing anything at all.
It’s honestly exhausting.

What on earth are you talking about? Since I started on Seroquel, I've actually dropped over 15 pounds—though, admittedly, I've been running quite a bit. For me, it was Zeldox that absolutely wrecked my stomach.

Kenneth Scott41 said:I suppose I get asked that quite often myself. 😁

And honestly? I’m hardly any better off when it comes to that particular mess myself.🙂

I just absolutely love those comments along the lines of "Oh, you're fine, just toss your meds in the trash and grab a drink..."—seriously, give me a break.

Kenneth Scott41 said:Man, I tried Cymbalta once and it just didn't sit right with me at all.

Kenneth Scott41, give me a break... seriously, is there any medication left on this planet that you haven't cycled through yet?

I’ve always felt that anxiolytics should really just be reserved for those absolute crisis moments—you know, those sudden, overwhelming spikes where you need a quick fix to level things out—rather than being some long-term crutch. That’s why I only take them when things get genuinely intense.

Ever since I started taking Prozac, I’ve felt absolutely nothing—just this total emotional numbness, a complete void where my feelings used to be—and even my girlfriend at the time noticed it immediately once I finally stepped off the stuff.

Then just write them a letter and find a new doctor. I figured out one private practitioner right away was nothing but a total fraud—just someone playing games—so I stopped showing up, and that was that. There’s no point in all this "talking" nonsense; that's for people who can't handle their own lives—people who need a hand to hold—whereas real therapy should be about fighting your own battles. Honestly, I’d much rather pay for a coffee with a buddy than shell out money for $100 some psychiatrist just to sit there and chat.

Justin Rogers5 said:Anyone here actually used Seroquel? My psychiatrist put me on it for insomnia and anxiety. Now I’m reading up on the side effects and, man, is this stuff even normal?! She also prescribed Effexor. Claims it’s for depression, but I just have stomach issues—she thinks it's all just masked depression though.

Look, she's probably acting normally enough—she's just trying to help you get through this.

Seroquel is a solid medication, really.

Kenneth Scott41 said:Has anyone else ever dealt with a sister who refuses to hand over a new dose of normabel or some other medication? She just tells me, "You still have 19 days left, I can't give you more," which is just typical. 😳
I mean, I don't strictly follow the prescription every single day—sometimes I take a bit more than what's listed, and honestly, I don't see it being much of an issue. But I feel like I can't function without my normabel, and she’s just standing there blocking me... I swear, sometimes I get so incredibly frustrated I feel like I might actually snap at her just out of sheer nerves.🙂

Basically, they track every single pill like they're working for the FDA or something. It's ridiculous. I've had the exact same thing happen to me more than a few times.

wiredmarlin29 said:The group and occupational therapies at the state hospital are just
for show, just enough so they can say
that they exist... there, you're just a number swallowing pills,
smelling bad, passing gas, and sleeping most of the day... everyone is just playing along,
what kind of occupational therapy is that... it's just a cosmetic term.

You have to realize that when people are in the middle of an acute crisis, they aren't exactly capable of doing much of anything.

From my own experience at the local mental health facility, all the doctors and the rest of the staff are actually quite decent.

driftinggull21 said:"Quote:"

Run away from that. You're a fraud.

That’s exactly what I was thinking—because honestly, it seems just too good to be true.

Is anyone else here actually taking Lorazepam? I’ve been trying to wrap my head around what kind of pill this really is—what is the actual purpose behind it? I tried one the other day and, honestly... 🙂I felt like I was floating off the planet.

Jason Nelson3 said:I honestly feel like if I could just invite some of you folks who are on these medications out for coffee in the morning, a long lunch in the afternoon, and some gaming sessions in the evening, those prescriptions might just become unnecessary 😬
🤷

And there you have it—this guy just discovered the cure for psychosis.🙂

Bro, patent that thing and go get rich. hehe

That doesn't carry much weight coming from me—I mean, I’ve been living with schizophrenia my whole life and I'll be tethered to medication until the day I die, so take my word with a massive grain of salt.

Kenneth Scott41 said:Man, that Zeldrin! That stuff used to leave me barely able to stay upright; my eyes would just shut and I'd be out instantly...
I couldn't help but notice you're on pretty high doses, though. It might get a little unpleasant for you when you eventually decide to taper off....

Zelnorm didn't sit right with me either, though I'm not losing sleep over the withdrawal part. I'm feeling pretty stable now, so I've stopped obsessing over the exact milligram counts—but if things get to the point where we have to scale back, I trust my doctor to manage the transition and make sure the process isn't too brutal.

Kenneth Scott41 said:I’ve been taking it three times a day; I split the morning dose in half, take the other half in the afternoon, and then finish off with the full 100mg at night.

I suppose I started out on 300mg a day—three 100mg doses—but that felt a bit too intense for me, so I adjusted my routine to this instead. It’s worth noting, though, that I’m not using the XR extended-release version, just the standard ones.

Anyway, how has the Seroquel been treating you? 🙂

Ah, okay—you're taking the standard ones. That explains everything. I thought you were on the VR, which makes a massive difference because those are supposed to be taken only once a day—at least, that’s what I’ve gathered from what people say.

As for me, I’m running 600mg at night and it’s actually fine. Sleep isn't an issue, and frankly, this works better for me than Serdolect, Zeldox, or any of the other stuff I've cycled through over the years. My only real gripe—the one nagging thing—is how incredibly difficult it is to drag myself out of bed in the morning.