198 posts shown.
Could someone please share their experiences with Klonopin? If you’ve tried other anxiolytics as well, I’d love a comparison—specifically regarding how fast they kick in, how effectively they knock out anxiety, if they act as a sedative, and so on.
Thanks
David Bishop4 said:Well, that sounds like great news! 🙂 I know it's effective for panic attacks as well, so I am hopeful that it will work for me too. Did you experience any significant side effects when you first started taking it?
Nothing too terrifying on my end regarding side effects—just feeling a bit drowsy for a few hours after taking the meds, which eventually turns into this restless energy and a slight tremor. And, well, there are the sexual side effects, but since I'm single, I can't really complain about that part. I've been on 60 mg of Prozac and 30 mg of Paxil for about two weeks now, and things are looking up slightly.
David Bishop4 said:I would love to be able to provide a clear answer, but I honestly don't know. In the past, I've used Paxil and Lexapro; the former seemed to be most effective for my panic attacks, but lately, the anxiety has been hitting me pretty hard again, so I've gone back on the Paxil. I am really hoping someone with more experience or expertise might chime in soon.
My doctor, who’s been practicing for over 30 years, tends to lean toward Paxil for anxiety, though, well, everyone's biology is different, isn't it? For me personally, a combo of Paxil and Prozac actually worked wonders. I’ve recently restarted that exact pairing, and I'm crossing my fingers because it completely cleared my anxiety the first time around. Now, mind you, mixing Paxil and Prozac isn't exactly standard practice—it's quite a heavy-duty approach. The thing is, both medications inhibit the same enzyme involved in their own metabolism, so when you take them together, the concentration of both drugs in your system ends up climbing higher than usual.
shadowbear9 said:I took it at 7 PM, while waiting for that famous hour-long window to kick in, just trying to get myself ready for bed—you know, showering and all that. By about 9 PM, when I finally crawled under the covers intending to sleep, nothing happened... I didn't sleep. So, really, your claim that I take hypnotics earlier just to "rest" doesn't hold any water... it's based on a total misunderstanding. What I was actually trying to say was how Zan affected me. I wasn't following the instructions to the letter regarding food, so things settled down in the evening and I took it, but I didn't even feel sleepy. I just lay there drifting in and out, but didn't actually fall asleep until late into the night... there's no point arguing about it now; this pill just isn't for me, plain and simple. 🤷
I’m signing my name to everything Eric Jackson11 wrote here. It seems pretty obvious you aren't reading the medication guide carefully enough. You're supposed to take Zan right before hitting the sack—take it and go straight to bed to try and drift off. No showering, no getting ready, nothing. And Zan kicks in within 15 to 30 minutes, which doesn't mean you can spend those 15 minutes browsing the web or hopping in the shower. Basically, finish all your bedtime prep first, then take the pill and head straight to bed to sleep. Zan, much like Valium, isn't one of those pills you take during the day because you're feeling tired and expect a nap. If that's the case, you're better off sticking to something like Nermobel or Bromazepam. And one more thing regarding these Z-drugs—Zan, Valium—they don't necessarily make you feel "sleepy" in the traditional sense; they just induce sleep. They don't create that heavy, drowsy sensation where you feel like you're fading out. They act quickly and selectively, and their sole purpose is the hypnotic effect.
shadowbear9 said:Honestly, I swear, every single damn time it’s a different psychiatrist. Why did you even bother coming to us in the first place? It was because of INSOMNIA, but no, instead we get stuck with Elice, and frankly, screw Elice. I’m taking four 0.5mg pills at once—that is straight-up addiction. Then they have the nerve to suggest I take 1mg of Xanax instead and just double up on those. They are disgusting; they truly nauseate me. I am actually starting to contemplate suicide because I cannot sleep, yet these people simply refuse to understand the agony I'm in... why doesn't it even occur to them to prescribe an antipsychotic? Because I'm YOUNG? Am I supposed to just suffer through this because I'm young? She mentioned Dormicum, and I'll be looking for that just to shut my brain down; I am constantly on edge because of all of this... at this rate, I won't even make it to thirty. A nervous breakdown from this stress will kill me before anything else. I see people out there taking massive amounts of medication, yet she finds it problematic to give me the damn stuff I need just to calm down. Honestly, they can go to hell...😠
Just hang in there, okay? Everything will work out. Did you ever try taking Lexapro or maybe Trittico for sleep? How did that go for you?
shadowbear9 said:I haven't had any appetite since starting it, but my doctor keeps insisting that isn't even a side effect. I don't get any yawning or sleepiness, but I am incredibly irritable because of it... clearly, this isn't working for me, yet I have no idea what else to look for. What kind of antipsychotic should I ask about for sleep? I feel like I'm living in a fog, and honestly, these doctors are just clueless.🙄
Well, if you say your doctor is being clueless, I'm inclined to believe you. It’s perfectly normal to deal with those kinds of side effects while your body is still trying to adjust to the medication.
For those of you currently on Valdoxan, please, do yourselves a favor and take a moment to read this. It’s important stuff.
www.halmed.hr/?ln=hr&w=novosti&d=2013&id=761&p=1
Robin Hernandez8 said:Wait, so you were taking 10 mg of Sanval along with all those other pills and none of it actually worked for you? (I know I went through the exact same thing.)
Does that olanzapine require insurance coverage or is it something out of pocket?
Olanzapine is just the generic version of Zyprexa... I'm assuming the dose is 2.5 mg, which would be half of a 5 mg pill. And honestly, I'm not sure if my insurance covers the full cost of the prescription.
shadowbear9 said:So, I went to see my doctor today, and she tried swapping out my Sanval for Xanax, though it was a bit of a struggle. I guess she just couldn't quite figure out what else to prescribe without jumping straight to the heavy-duty stuff... and that’s basically it. Still absolutely zero progress on my end.🤷What even is Xanax? I've never heard of that medication before.
So, look, I actually have quite a bit of experience with Xanax. It isn't as aggressive as Sanval, but on the bright side, the side effect profile is much better. For me, it doesn't trigger those weird parasomnias like Sanval used to. I take it strictly on an empty stomach; personally, I don't eat anything at least four hours before hitting the sack. Once I take it, I head straight to bed to try and drift off—no TV, no reading, no scrolling through my phone or browsing the web. That's the rule. To me, it feels a bit slower than Sanval. With Sanval, I could feel it kicking in within 15 minutes, whereas Xanax takes about 30. I usually stick to 20 mg, though I occasionally take a break here and there just so I don't build up a tolerance. And in the morning? I don't get that bizarre, foggy amnesia feeling because Xanax leaves my system relatively quickly.
Edward Long4 said:Morning, everyone. Honestly, I’m walking around like a total zombie today—I think I managed maybe two hours of sleep all night? I’m losing my mind.
My head is absolutely killing me today, too. 😢 Just popped some Tramadol, so let's see if my brain actually explodes or not. Once I finish lunch, though, I'm heading out for a walk to clear my head.
Just a heads up, if you're on AD, you really shouldn't be taking Percocet. Just something to keep in mind for the future.🙂
Arthur Vaughn2 said:So, I have a question for those of you who’ve been through this before. I'm currently juggling quite the cocktail of psych meds—Calixta, Arvind, Prazine, Seroquel, Eglonyl, and Normabel—and I just added Seroquel to the mix about four days ago. Today, I was at my university lecture supposed to read and present a paper, and I honestly couldn't get through a single coherent sentence. I was tripping over my words constantly, and the whole day just felt like I was walking through a fog... totally disoriented. Now I'm wondering, is this just the Seroquel talking, or is it some weird interaction from the whole combination? And will this feeling actually go away, or am I stuck like this? I feel like it's probably too early to go running to my psychiatrist to ask for a switch since the Seroquel hasn't even really kicked in yet. Does anyone have any advice, or even just some insight? Help me out... 😁
Yeah, that’s most likely the Seroquel. It’s easily one of the heaviest hitters on the market, usually prescribed when the more conventional antipsychotics just aren't cutting it. It can carry some pretty serious side effects, and you really need to have your blood work checked weekly during that initial phase. I don't want to alarm you, but in my opinion, out of everything we discuss here, Seroquel is definitely the most intense one to handle. You have to approach it with extreme caution. I really hope you're staying in close contact with your doctor, especially right now while you're starting out.
driftinggull21 said:It's a standard antipsychotic—potent and quite effective.
I don't have personal experience with it, but perhaps someone currently taking it will weigh in.🤷
Actually, from what I gather, Leponex isn't your run-of-the-mill type; it's an atypical antipsychotic. It's widely considered one of the most effective options on the market right now. That said, doctors don't prescribe it all the time because there's a risk of agranulocytosis. You basically have to get regular blood work done—usually every two weeks—just to keep an eye on things and make sure those white cell counts stay safe.
urbanskipper4 said:Has anyone here actually tried Zoloft, and how is the experience?
I mean, does it make you sleepy or cause weight gain?
It’s in the same class as Zyprexa, Seroquel, Zoloft, and those kinds of things. If my memory serves me right—and it usually doesn't—I think I read somewhere that it can carry some pretty serious side effects.
Benjamin Martin65 said:I was wondering if it’s actually okay to switch up my antidepressant schedule—the one I usually take at night—and start taking it first thing in the morning instead? It seems to be keeping me wide awake lately, which makes it pretty useless right before bed...🙂
Well, sure, you can do that—provided you don't mind dealing with the side effects during the day.
Eric Mitchell55 said:Like I was saying, I usually stick to about 50mg, which is two of the yellow ones. Maybe try starting with a lower dose first; if that doesn't work, then move up to the higher amount.🙂
Anyway, that's my take on Prazina.
As for me, Prazosin was basically a total wash for sleep. I took three red ones—300 mg altogether—and absolutely nothing happened. I guess it works for some people, though.
Honestly, enough with the constant bashing of Xanax and similar medications. These are incredibly effective drugs that serve a vital purpose in medicine when used correctly. They aren't some "street drugs" or whatever labels you want to throw at them. Take Ativan, for instance—it belongs to the same class, and it isn't inherently better or worse; it just has its own specific niche. For example, Xanax is far superior for managing panic attacks and acute anxiety compared to almost any other benzodiazepine on the market, which is why it’s consistently the first line of defense for that diagnosis. The issue isn't the quality of the medication itself; it's how people choose to use it. Telling someone to go looking for Ativan instead of Xanax or Valium is just plain wrong. Please, just stop. You aren't doctors.
Jason Vaughn482 said:Calixta? I’ve been taking 15 Milligram for nearly a year now, though I always make a point to mention that. It does wonders for my sleep, but when it comes to anxiety, it hasn't done a single thing for me—not even a dent. Then again, the label specifies it's for depression, which isn't even my struggle. It also tends to cause weight gain and a bit of a hangover effect, but because my sleep was so abysmal, I'd end up taking a 15 Milligram dose just to pass out immediately. I honestly can't wrap my head around what makes it so powerful.
15 Milligrams is actually a pretty low dose. Usually, you're looking at 30 to 45 Milligrams, though some people need more—sometimes even pushing up to 90 Milligrams. It’s pretty common knowledge that when dealing with anxiety disorders, you generally need a higher dosage than you would for pure depression. Anyway, what I was actually getting at was combining Wellbutrin (or Cymbalta) with Calixta. That is arguably one of the most powerful and effective combinations out there. Dr. Phil actually made it famous; he's probably the most renowned psychopharmacologist on the planet. He calls that specific combo "California rocket fuel." I mean, the name really says it all, doesn't it? 🙄
Anthony Lopez8 said:Well, in my experience, nothing worked. And I really needed it to work.
To mention FedEx, I was taking it at 300mg for a short while, then bumped up to 375mg. I have cycled through all sorts of combinations involving multiple antidepressants and antipsychotics. At one point, I was juggling as many as five different medications simultaneously. Of course, I haven't exhausted every single drug on the market, but I can't help feeling like I've tried nearly everything available.😬
It isn't just about the dosage. You could be taking ten different pills and still get zero results if they aren't the right fit. You might have been on a combination of Wellbutrin and something else—that can be one of the heaviest hitter combos out there. Just don't give up. Good luck.
Brandon Lopez6 said:I agree, but it's not the patient's fault that things aren't working; it's the doctor's. It's rare to find a doc (especially private practice ones) who will actually listen to your suggestions regarding medication. At least, that’s been my experience. 🤷
For me, I was on an AD for about 8 months straight—every single day, same time, strictly by the book—but it did nothing. My doctor kept insisting I just stick with it and that it would eventually kick in. It didn't. He wouldn't bump the dose, and he wouldn't switch the med, always hitting me with lines like, "This one is best for you because of [some technical jargon I don't understand]," or "The others definitely won't help you as well as this one." That was just how it went. So, yeah... my med usage (after those 8-9 months) and all those doctor visits.
An antipsychotic was what finally changed things for me within two months, after I told him sixteen different times that I wasn't feeling any improvement whatsoever. Like, zero. Then he hit it right on the money with a second therapy, but he still refused to touch the antidepressant. (Just to be clear, I told him every single time that I wasn't doing well, but he just had this canned response ready that I couldn't even argue with.) And since he was a private doctor, he definitely wasn't cheap. 🙄🙄
Of course the blame doesn't lie with the patient. But modern psychiatry is supposed to involve the patient actively in their own treatment plan—within reason, obviously. You have every right to switch doctors if yours isn't listening.
When it comes to finding the "best" antidepressant, it’s almost impossible to give a straight answer because everyone’s brain chemistry is just... different. It's incredibly individual. In my view, most of the newer antidepressants on the market are actually top-tier medications; there’s usually a right fit out there for everyone if you look hard enough. Unfortunately, a major issue here in the States is that some psychiatrists seem pretty poorly educated when it comes to psychopharmacology. Too often, they’d rather just swap one pill for another instead of carefully adjusting the dosage—even though fine-tuning the dose is absolutely vital. Generally speaking, you need about six to eight weeks of consistent use, alongside gradual dosage adjustments, before you can truly decide if a specific antidepressant isn't working. Sadly, in many American clinics, they tend to make that call after only a month. Of course, sometimes you need a combination of drugs to get things right, so the possibilities are endless. I won't go too deep into dosages, but just as an example, Velafax is frequently prescribed at a maximum of 150 mg here, even though that’s really just the starting effective dose. You can actually go up to 375 mg daily, and doses around 225 mg are arguably the gold standard. It’s a similar story with other drugs in the class; they have very low toxicity, and fatal overdoses are incredibly rare. There is so much room for maneuver in psychopharmacotherapy that the idea that "no antidepressant works for me" just doesn't hold water.