Posts by Anthony Lopez8

Kenneth Scott41 said:I can't help but feel like everyone has suddenly developed this massive collective phobia regarding Prozac, and now there’s this sudden rush to distance themselves from it 😁, am I right? :P

On a different note, do you think it’s actually a good idea to downplay what I’ve learned—like things I might have picked up here on the forum—when talking to my shrink? I suppose I worry they might just give me that look, you know? Like, "Oh, look at him, he thinks he's an expert on depression and medication just because he spent a few hours reading stuff online," acting all high and mighty. Or do you think they'll actually listen to me like a normal person?

There might be some truth to that observation. I actually went without it for two days recently, and frankly, it was miserable. If I had stayed off it any longer, I honestly think I would have ended up in the emergency room at a local hospital.
The withdrawal from Velfax is absolutely brutal, no question about it. 😬

Kenneth Scott41 said:Could you tell me specifically what went wrong when you were on Zeldox? (only if you're comfortable sharing, of course). I'm asking because so many people claim Zeldox doesn't work for them, yet they rarely explain the actual reason why.

I took it twice. Both times, I felt as though I were experiencing acute poisoning. I dealt with intense nausea, bouts of cold sweats, muscle spasms, and this overwhelming urge to urinate that I simply couldn't satisfy. For about twelve hours straight, I was just stuck in bed, drenched in sweat, hovering on the edge of a delirium—it wouldn't have been out of place if full-blown hallucinations had joined the party. It isn't exactly a pleasant way to spend one's time, is it? 😁

Kenneth Scott41 said:As soon as you mention Zyprexa, everything makes sense... I guess if avoiding weight gain is a major priority for you, you should probably just keep up with the exercise and stay disciplined with your diet.
Personally, I'm on Zeldox, which is essentially the sibling to Zyprexa, and I haven't noticed any weight gain at all—in fact, it almost kills my appetite. Maybe you could try Zeldox... or perhaps just ask your psychiatrist if switching over to Zeldox might be an option for you.

I have tried Zeldox before, but my body reacts to it so violently that I can't even stay on it for two days straight.
You know, it isn't even that I am obsessing over having a perfect physique, but carrying extra weight still makes me feel... unhealthy. 🤷
What I was really trying to get across is that most antipsychotics don't just trigger hunger; they actively mess with your metabolism as well. That was the point I felt the need to clarify. 😬

"Is there truly any point in continuing this circular debate when the facts remain so stubbornly unchanged? We have been dissecting these specific pharmacological interactions for hours now, yet we seem to be circling the same drain without ever reaching a substantive conclusion. Does anyone actually believe that adjusting a dosage of Prozac will somehow mitigate the underlying instability we are discussing, or are we simply grasping at straws to feel a sense of control over an inherently volatile situation? It seems to me that the conversation lacks the necessary rigor required to address the complexities of these medications properly."

Kenneth Scott41 said:hehehe, well, I guess it isn't the medication making you gain weight, it's the food. It’s probably not the pill's fault if you end up eating more than usual.😁

If you ask me, both of them lead to weight gain. I’ve been sticking to a strict calorie deficit and hitting the gym consistently for quite some time now, yet with Zyprexa, I can't seem to drop a single pound. Is it even possible to lose weight on this stuff? To be honest, I'm not necessarily gaining more weight right now, but I am certain that if I weren't on these pills, my current diet and exercise routine would have me losing weight steadily. It is, quite frankly, incredibly frustrating. 🙂

Douglas King9 said:Yeah, exactly.🙂 Psychologists don't write prescriptions. Just a heads-up for anyone wondering why they aren't walking out with a bottle of meds after a session—it’s just not how the system works here. If you need medication, you've got to see a psychiatrist or a GP. It's a separate lane.🙂 🙂

I’d probably just head to a private psychiatrist and lay it all out during the session. Honestly—one of the doctors at the hospital just wrote it for me without much discussion. Why make it complicated?
Can I do it this way? I don't want to throw money down the drain. Honestly, I’m just not in the headspace to deal with them right now—not for the long haul, anyway. I just need some time to clear my head... I'm going through a massive crisis in my life at the moment.

Just book an appointment with a private psychiatrist, tell them you're struggling with anxiety—give them some actual detail there—and mention that you've used Helix before and found it helpful.
But please, be careful not to develop a dependency; if possible, try not to take it every single day, but rather just when things get overwhelming.
By the way, if you find that these issues are becoming more chronic or severe, you might want to consider antidepressants instead.

boldpilot2 said:Yes, we are all clearly chronic and lifelong cases. Given what I’m currently taking, I can manage a few days at a time. So far, I haven't noticed anything unusual regarding side effects. It isn't even particularly like chemical castration 🤣. Honestly, I feel fine and lucky. Mostly just business as usual. I won't sit here and wallow anymore. It is actually a blessing I was diagnosed BEFORE age 18 rather than after. If it had been later, it would be a hundred times harder. This way, I've already secured my "retirement." Others will likely face their own decline through sudden death or some malignant physical illness. It all ends the same way. For me, less is more. I wouldn't change much. Either perfect health—provided I work like a dog until I'm 65 or 70—or illness, provided it happens before 18, allowing me to do whatever I want (meaning normal things, not the stuff people associate with murder lol). Everything has pros and cons. Health and sickness alike. We make up about 1% of the world with our F20.x diagnoses. There are probably a good billion of us in the "F" section or the V category on IMDb, so it isn't exactly rare. Still, I believe certain issues could be minimized over the next 50 years, if not eliminated entirely. Primarily the antipsychotics, which are incredibly dangerous for the elderly. That's it. I'm done asking questions. It is what it is. It's fine.

I think I follow what you're getting at, but I have to ask: what on earth does an IMDb database have to do with the actual point being made here? 😕 😬

Kenneth Scott41 said:And don't you find Zyprexa to be at least a little bit rough? I mean, I know it has that pleasant lime flavor, but it definitely carries its own set of side effects too.

Honestly, nothing is so unbearable that it would force me to quit my treatment—aside from the weight gain, obviously. Right now, I'm managing four different medications, including 300mg of Effexor, and I don't experience any debilitating side effects, nor do I feel "drugged."
Before I actually tried Zeldox, I truly believed that pills, regardless of the dosage, simply had no effect on me whatsoever. 🙂 😂

Kenneth Scott41 said:I wonder, did you ever give Zeldox a shot?

I actually gave it a shot. Twice. And both times, immediately after that first pill, I felt as though I had overdosed on some kind of lethal poison. I’ve never experienced anything quite like that before—unless, of course, I was actually overdosing on something 😬—and while I am certainly not one to shy away from medication, this was nothing short of a nightmare.
That is precisely why I am on Zyprexa now, fully aware of the reality that with an appetite like this, I’ll probably pack on 25 pounds in no time. 🙂

Personally, I’m feeling quite alright on Zyprexa at the moment. I don’t feel like some mindless zombie, and while the side effects were a bit much during those first five days, they’ve mostly subsided. My only real struggle is that my appetite is still absolutely relentless; I find myself eating like a teenager who just finished a football game, and honestly, I can't seem to get it under control. 😬

redranger2 said:How long have you been on Zyprexa?

Just four days.

redranger2 said:I’m currently on it myself; I was prescribed it for severe insomnia and a brutal depressive episode, and it quite literally saved my life.
I definitely dealt with that heavy, drugged feeling at the start, but it passes, and the brain fog eventually clears up. As far as the depression goes, it pulled me out of the trenches incredibly fast—I was feeling functional again within three or four days.
If you find that the depression isn't lifting, you really ought to tell your doctor—they might need to adjust your prescription or switch you to something else.

It is truly refreshing to finally encounter someone who actually has a positive experience with this medication. 😁

quietgull75 said:Yeah, no kidding—there's zero point in treating depression with something that just tanks your mood further.
I mean, depression kept me tired enough, but once I started the Zyprexa, I was just straight-up exhausted—my only thought was how soon I could crash.
Clearly, this stuff isn't a one-size-fits-all deal; it might help some people eventually, but for others, it just wrecks you.
Maybe the side effects would ease up once my body got used to it, but that's not happening for me—every time my body adjusts, they just bump up the dose.
But honestly, wouldn't it make more sense for your psychiatrist to prescribe something that actually gives you a bit of a lift? Like an antidepressant paired with an antipsychotic that doesn't knock you out quite as hard as Zyprexa does?

I’ve been on the maximum dosage of antidepressants for quite some time now, and I suppose I should admit they’ve managed to lift my head above water somewhat. However, my doctor is adamant that I need to introduce a moderate dose of an antipsychotic into the mix—ostensibly because of the sheer intensity of this depression and these supposed symptoms. Is it really necessary to add more chemicals to the pile when I'm already at the limit with the first set? It feels like we're just layering one medication on top of another without truly addressing the core issue. Does anyone else feel like they're being pushed toward a cocktail of pills just to achieve a baseline level of stability? 😬 The persistent presence of negative psychotic symptoms remains one of the most challenging aspects of this condition to navigate. When we discuss these deficits—the flattening of affect, the loss of motivation, and that pervasive social withdrawal—are we truly addressing the core of the struggle, or are we merely scratching the surface? It often feels as though the person isn't just losing their connection to reality, but is instead losing their very connection to themselves. How does one find the will to engage with a world that feels increasingly distant and colorless? It is a heavy burden to carry, and frankly, it demands a much more nuanced approach than what is typically offered in standard clinical settings.

I have already attempted a different antipsychotic, but the physical side effects were simply unbearable, which is why we decided to pivot toward Zyprexa instead. I suppose I can endure a few more days of this, but if things don't start looking up soon, I’ll be forced to switch medications yet again, and that will be the end of it. 🤷

quietgull75 said:Hey, I’ve already posted about this before—what you’re feeling on Zyprexa is totally normal.

Fine, I read what you had to say, but was the experience with Zyprexa consistently miserable for you, or did those side effects eventually start to taper off?
Isn't there a certain level of irony in taking a medication that leaves me feeling depressed, especially considering that depression is the very thing I am trying to treat in the first place? 😵

Has anyone here ever experimented with Zyprexa (olanzapine)? Is it actually standard to feel this depressed, completely spaced out, and stuck in this perpetual state of morning brain fog where I just can't seem to snap out of it all day long?

Does this kind of heavy sedation eventually taper off after a few days on the medication? Because, quite frankly, I feel significantly worse now than I did before I ever started taking any drugs at all... 🙂

Arthur Vaughn2 said:I'm taking Misar SR, the extended-release version. My Psihićka told me it was the best move, even if she completely ignores my whining that it isn't working...

Ahaa. So that explains why those 3 mg didn't knock you out instantly. 😁 With the SR version, the release is much more gradual, isn't it?

Arthur Vaughn2 said:I actually have a bit of a technical question. What’s the absolute ceiling on milligrams of benzodiazepines (Alprazolam) I can take at once to get maximum sedation and finally pass out? I tried 3 mg, but it didn't really do the trick...

Three milligrams would knock an average person without a developed tolerance to benzodiazepines into a full-day coma. 😁 If you haven't been taking them for years, isn't it somewhat unusual that such a dose fails to provide any relief?
The maximum recommended daily dosage is typically around 5-6 mg. One really shouldn't venture beyond that limit.
Besides, if your primary issue is insomnia, you should keep in mind that there are specific sleep aids available—which Alprazolam is not designed to be.

urbanskipper4 said:Yeah, they did. I'm also doing acupuncture to try and kill the hunger pangs and stop the shaking.
I am starving. Like, seriously.
Mixing Seroquel with this diet... honestly, I don't think they play well together.

When you're taking Seroquel, maintaining your weight is hard enough, let alone trying to drop pounds, but I honestly cannot wrap my head around this 500 calorie limit. No matter how you look at it, that is dangerously low and simply isn't sustainable for your health. 🤷
Please, just take a moment to read this:
http://www.healthline.com/nutrition/is-a-500-calorie-diet-safe

urbanskipper4 said:So, I’m on Seroquel now, and man, I have put on a ridiculous amount of weight in just six weeks. My appetite is through the roof, even though everything else feels okay. I just find myself constantly craving chocolate.
Starting today, I’m on this crazy 500-calorie diet my nutritionist set up for me.
I’ve actually worked with him before and managed to drop a ton of weight—I kept it off for two whole years back when I was just on Anafranil. My appetite was totally fine then. But things have gone downhill lately since they put me on Seroquel. It seriously just opens the floodgates for hunger. Trying to eat light while on Seroquel is basically impossible, but whatever, I'm going to lose these pounds. Acupuncture helps take the edge off the hunger, too.

Are you seriously telling me a nutritionist actually put you on a 500-calorie-a-day regimen? 😲

Robin Hernandez8 said:So, I'm currently taking Xanax... about 3 times a day, and I was just wondering, is there supposed to be a specific amount of time that needs to pass between doses, or does it really not matter much?

One could argue that the timing isn't strictly critical. However, does it make any sense to burn through all three pills before lunch, only to find yourself completely crashing by the afternoon or staring at the ceiling unable to sleep tonight?😁

fadedbear92 said:Did she just pass her driving test, or did she become a public menace on the road?😂😂

Nathan Kim10 said:Watch out—public menace is officially behind the wheel. Better stay inside today.
😂🤣

While you all are busy making jokes, I’ll be over here driving perfectly fine. 🥳 🤣
I have already mentioned that my main struggle is simply the high-pressure nature of the exam itself—you know, being a bit socially anxious can make things feel more intense than they really are. If I ever truly felt like I was posing a threat to other drivers on the road, would I even bother getting behind the wheel in the first place?
I still have a few days left before the big test, so I will let you all know how it goes 😬 (though I plan to stick to just one small glass of wine, and quite early in the evening at that).

Nathan Kim10 said:What, you planning on cutting yourself before your finals? That'll definitely help you relax.😉😍

Do you honestly believe that sex is some kind of universal panacea for all of life's problems? It’s a rather naive assumption to make, isn't it? I have personally heard accounts where people claim it can even help mitigate something as severe as a brain tumor, which just goes to show how much misinformation is floating around out there. 😍
Furthermore, even if I actually wanted to, who exactly would I have to turn to? 😳 😂