Posts by urbanskipper4

Kevin Nguyen3 said:You certainly have quite the list of side effects.
Seroquel has a terrible reputation for exactly those reasons. It might be effective for schizophrenia, but for anything else? Not so much.
I am not sure what your physician will suggest, but I am currently taking an unknown and I am satisfied with it. I actually took Seroquel myself once and managed to drop 40 pounds in 60 days.🙂It seems everyone reacts differently, doesn't it?
Loquex is also a good option. That is just my subjective opinion, of course.☕
As for Ludiomil, I don't know for certain regarding the weight gain, but from what I have heard from others... yes, apparently it does.😢
I took that antidepressant for a very short period and it just didn't sit right with me.🤷

My bad, I totally messed that up. I’m such a klutz. I'm on Zelmid right now and honestly? It's making things even worse than the Seroquel did when it comes to my appetite and putting on weight. Just constant hunger.

I was on Risperdal once, and man, it turned me into a total zombie. But honestly? I dropped 10 pounds just like that. It’s weird because I know some people take it and just pack on the weight immediately.

Prozac just sent me straight into hypomania. Honestly, the only thing that one actually messed with was my appetite—I couldn't eat a damn thing.

Xanax, Seroquel, and Zelmid just turned me into a total tank. All that weight gain... seriously.

My aunt is on Lamictal and she’s put on weight. Like, seriously, she's just getting huge.

Is there any damn antipsychotic out there that doesn't make you gain weight?

Hey unknown!
I seriously need to get off this Seroquel. I’m counting down the days until my next check-up, just praying my doctor finally agrees to taper me off. Fingers crossed.

Here’s the damage so far:-weight gain-I’ve been snacking constantly all day, and honestly, the anxiety gets so bad I find myself raiding the fridge at 4 AM.
-tardive dyskinesia-my muscles won't stop twitching; my arms and legs just jerk uncontrollably sometimes.
-congested nose-it never goes away.
-pins and needles-this weird sensation where it feels like someone is poking my skin with needles, usually just for a second at a time.
-insanely low blood pressure
-dry mouth and shortness of breath
-swollen joints and fingers

Look, I could probably deal with most of this crap, but the weight gain is where I draw the line. I put on 13 pounds in just a month, and I wasn't even overweight before this. My appetite is out of control—honestly, it’s even worse than when I was on Zyprexa. I don't get how my doctor could look me in the face and claim this stuff doesn't cause weight gain or sugar cravings when that is literally what's happening to me. I feel like she totally lied to me.

Do you happen to know if unknown causes weight gain? Because that was the first thing she tried to put me on.
Later,

Bluzara said:
I have no idea how long you’ve been on Sanval, but honestly, it loses its edge after a while. Realistically, if you're trying to actually get some sleep, the dose of Calixte you're taking seems pretty light. I’m not saying you should just crank up the dosage—definitely don't do that without talking to a doctor—but that amount (guessing maybe half of 15 mg?) is just too weak for what you need.
I'm on 45 mg myself and I don't see myself cutting back anytime soon, because, you know, I actually want to sleep. I don't know exactly how much Calixte contributes to that, but it definitely plays a part.🙂

I totally get that feeling where you feel like you can't even close your eyes without Sanval. I used to take 15 mg, then tried dropping down to 10 mg and man, it was a struggle. But eventually, you do get used to it.

David Vaughn75 said:almost every antipsychotic out there is going to spike your appetite

The absolute worst part is how all these APs give me those insane sugar cravings, and then I just pack on the pounds. I have a massive sweet tooth, and my gut is basically just expanding at this point...

Plus I barely move, I've become so incredibly lazy.

My psychiatrist tried telling me Serdolect won't cause weight gain or sugar rushes, but honestly? I think she's totally gaslighting me because that is exactly what's happening to me right now.

Then again, things were going so badly before that I probably would've taken anything just to feel human again.
This time, I only managed to stay off the APs for about six months.
Starting tomorrow, I'm going to try hitting the local community pool, maybe twice a week. Though, deep down, I'm worried it won't actually do much.

So, that was how bad things got. My psychiatrist put me on the Associated Press, Zoloft. A 12 mg dose.
The anxiety? Gone. My OCD isn't running wild anymore, the depression isn't hitting quite as hard, and I actually feel more level-headed.
The only issue is my appetite has kicked up a notch, but I’m really hoping it’s just a temporary thing at the start. I've already put on about 6 or 7 pounds.
But honestly, when I look back at where I was before, I am incomparable—way better now.

Worst part of all though is that this stuff messes with my blood pressure, so I get these dizzy spells.
Best,

Paul Newman5 said:I didn't mean to hurt you or "discredit" your 20 years of experience with medication (I'm just a novice here, having struggled with mild depression and anxiety for just under a year). I was just stating my opinion. You say psychiatrists aren't pharmacologists and make mistakes, but GPs are even worse, and pharmacists can't dispense anything without a doctor's order anyway. So who is actually treating us? Other people's experiences aren't necessarily ours. Researching drugs and reading stories online often just makes me feel worse, to the point where I don't want to take anything at all. Besides, this woman has been on that specific combination for two years and asked about starting AP. Online links and forums can help, but they shouldn't be absolute guides (anyone can write anything on the internet). From my own experience, Lexapro worked great for a friend, but it gave me severe restlessness and suicidal thoughts... should I have trusted my own experience or the doctor who prescribed it?
I don't know much about pharmacology, but my take is that the doctor comes first. If it isn't working, you change the meds or the doctor. The internet and forums come last.

My psychiatrist actually has a postgraduate degree in pharmacology.

Paul Newman5 said:"Quote:"

Your doctor has been treating you for ten years. You’ve been on this specific combo for years. Why would you trust some random person on a forum over your own physician? It’s honestly sad how some people here act like they graduated from Harvard Medical School and finished three different psychiatry residencies. All their "advice" just ends up scaring the person asking the question. I was supposed to start Wellbutrin at the beginning of the year, but I asked around here first. Based on what everyone told me, I didn't even try it. Maybe it would have worked for me. People claim they gained 25 pounds on Lexapro, but after seven weeks on mine, I've only gained three. No offense intended, but some people really overstep with their "expert knowledge" about medication. Just go to your follow-up appointment and ask the professional. If you haven't personally taken a specific combination of drugs, how can you possibly know if it’s bad? Even something like Aspirin can cause GI bleeding—it's literally in the warnings—yet people take it by the handful for heart health. Sorry if anyone feels called out, but if you haven't taken it, you shouldn't be commenting just because you read something online.

Yeah, it's wild how differently these drugs hit everyone!
Some people pack on weight from Risperdal, but me? I lost weight! I felt totally sluggish and stiff. Like a literal mushroom!
Then you've got people who gain weight on Prozac, which is super rare since most people usually lose it.
For me, I couldn't eat a thing on it and I was feeling totally hypomanic. John Doe!

Kevin Nguyen3 said:I included two links in my post; did you actually read them to the end, or do you just find someone's tone unpleasant?🤷
It isn't about asking people to believe me... it's about reading or evaluating the experiences of people who have gone through similar situations, or are still going through them right now.
Do I care if I am liked by you or anyone else? Not really! I am simply speaking about the effects of completely different medications that should never be combined.
Can you offer me a different interpretation?!
I have been taking medication for twenty years—medications that would give a healthy person an arrhythmia in ten minutes!—and I am still taking them, still monitoring them, and still reading everything there is to read about them.
Psychiatrists aren't pharmacologists; they make mistakes. And honestly, we are an even bigger problem because we don't bother reading anything about our own meds.

''Patients being treated with Aurorix must exercise caution, as they may need additional medications that increase serotonin levels, much like many other antidepressants, especially when used in multi-drug combinations. This is particularly relevant regarding clomipramine.
Treatment with tricyclics and other antidepressants can begin immediately after stopping Aurorix—that is, without a 'washout' period—provided that the same precautionary measures are taken.''

Just a thought...

''Pharmacotherapeutic group and action

Anafranil contains clomipramine, a tricyclic antidepressant that acts on depressive syndromes as a whole, including typical features such as psychomotor retardation, depressed mood, and anxiety.

It wouldn't be a bad idea to go to your doctor and demand an explanation.

Whatever, it's all a 5 out of 10, no big deal. Don't get worked up!🙂
What happens if I end up with too much serotonin in my brain? Are there consequences?

Kevin Nguyen3 said:Look, I'm not saying you definitely have dyskinesia right now, but the risk factor is massive.
I actually just looked this up... you aren't supposed to mix Aurorix with that group of drugs known as the clomipramine-types.
And that is precisely what you are doing.
Which means, you really shouldn't be boosting those serotonin levels (or whatever the value is).
It’s what happens when people aren't properly educated about their meds—though, honestly, it isn't your fault. Your psychiatrist should have known better or at least double-checked the interactions.

Are you kidding me???? I actually trust my psychiatrist; she’s been treating me for 10 years.😲
I seriously thought she knew which combinations were okay to use?!

She’s an older, more experienced doctor. I won't say where she works or who she is, it doesn't matter.

But anyway, thanks for the heads-up.
Glad I asked.

Maybe it was just some random oversight on her part.
Luckily, I have a follow-up appointment this week, so I'll bring up this combination and see what she says.

Kevin Nguyen3 said:What exactly does a 150 mg daily dose look like?
No, well.
Try talking to them about Q-pin or Loquen instead. They work similarly to Seroquel (or at least they feel very similar), but they are much easier to tolerate, and you don't spend the entire morning feeling like a zombie.
They don't cause weight gain.
On what basis would you increase the Anafranil?
Just on your own whim?
Anafranil carries quite a few side effects; it isn't the most thoroughly researched option and is usually just prescribed as a general antidepressant at the start.
Hmm, when you take Aurorix, an antipsychotic is often prescribed alongside it. Any kind.
If you ask me... those two medications should never be taken together!!!
I suspect certain hormones get flushed out more intensely, which could trigger a complete counter-effect.
It is frankly unclear to me which doctor prescribed you such a regimen.
Do a little digging into those drugs and ask your physician about the interaction between those two antidepressants. And please, don't avoid AP; there are plenty available on the market today, and I’ve already suggested two that I know from experience actually work.
Don't be surprised if they hand you an anticonvulsant (like Lamal or something similar).

I think I was supposed to be taking 300 mg, but the Seroquel made me so dizzy that they dropped it to 200, and then finally down to 150 mg.
I'm not just messing around with my Anafranil; I've been on it for about 9 years.
I've been on Aurorix for about 2 years. My psychiatrist is the one who put me on this combination.

Now I'm actually a bit stunned. Those two aren't supposed to go together?😲

I was taking Tegretol and it made me feel sick to my stomach, like I was gonna puke.🙂

Thanks, take care.

Kevin Nguyen3: This whole tardive dyskinesia thing... it honestly looks pretty nasty.😲

Thank God there are newer APs out there that don't cause that. It's just sad—people are already struggling with their mental health, and then they have to deal with these involuntary facial grimaces, smacking their lips, and all that twitching. It's awful. I wouldn't wish that on anyone.

Kevin Nguyen3 said:Exactly how much are you taking? What's your dosage?
If you look at the fine print in the instructions, it clearly states that weight gain is one of the side effects.
And then there's tardive dyskinesia. Just... go Google it. A little.
By the way, this medication is typically used for treating schizophrenia.
I haven't personally taken it, but I know someone who switched from Seroquel to Serdolact (they were on over 600 mg of Seroquel, if I recall correctly—though I can't be entirely certain).
It's a heavy-duty drug. Lots of side effects.

I'm not on it yet, just trying to do my homework beforehand. My doctor wanted to put me on it once to replace Seroquel because I gained 30 lbs from that stuff. For the last year, I haven't been on any AP, just antidepressants: Anafranil 1,1,2 and Aurorix 1,0,1. And honestly, I managed to drop 15 lbs, but I still have another 15 to go.
But my OCD has been getting worse. So now, I guess, I might need some damn AP.
🙂 I'm terrified of putting the weight back on.

I'd probably stick to a lower dose of Serdolect anyway since I was only doing 150 mg of Seroquel a day. But what good is a lower dose if I start eating like a starving dinosaur?🙂

I'll try bumping up the Anafranil, but knowing myself and how my symptoms act, I'm scared that won't be enough.

Thanks for the info, cheers from burnt-out urbanskipper4.🙂

I know I’ve probably asked this before, but has anyone here actually tried Serdolect, or do you know someone who has?

Did they deal with any side effects? Specifically, I'm wondering if it caused weight gain or if they ended up feeling all stiff and zombie-like.
Thanks for the help, urbanskipper4.

Susan Edwards8 said:Eglonyl completely trashed my cycle, gave me breakouts, and even made my breasts swell up and leak🙄, plus that Seroxat had me in a total fog for the first two weeks—just constant nausea and drowsiness. I couldn't eat, couldn't watch TV, couldn't even pick up a book... I just slept through everything.

I lost my period because of Eglonyl and had that same lactation issue, so they ended up taking me off it. As for the Paxil, I actually adjusted to it without any trouble. It was my first AD, though honestly, it didn't really do much for what I'm dealing with.

shadowbear9 said:I take them, and I happened to be switching both my pill and my antidepressant at the exact same time, so I suppose everything just collided at once. I had a sort of breakdown that lasted maybe ten days... but there is no way I am stopping the birth control; that's far more important to me than this stupid Lexapro. The only thing is, I haven't been able to eat anything at all since everything got mixed up, and who knows what caused that... I know it wasn't from the old medication since I've been on the new one, but I spent a whole week stuck in bed unable to eat. I'm seeing a psychiatrist this Friday to check things out. I wonder if it's the Lexapro, or if it's the pills, which I'll be switching back to the old brand soon enough...

Man, I wish I couldn't eat. How am I supposed to drop these 30 extra pounds when it's all because of the Seroquel?
I recently managed to get off it, but my appetite is still through the roof. The only thing I don't have are those insane sugar cravings. But I can't even attempt a diet.😛Because that means eating tiny portions, and honestly, I am starving.😛
Also, let me ask you guys—what's your libido like, on a scale of one to ten? For me, it's like once a month, obviously right around ovulation. I don't even have a boyfriend right now, so it doesn't really matter for the time being.

Just had my follow-up appointment. I told the doctor that 10 mg of Ambien just isn't cutting it anymore—I can't sleep for anything. So, she told me to bump it up to 15 mg. Honestly, I was kind of shocked because I thought you weren't supposed to go over 10 mg. At least, that’s what the instructions on the bottle say. Anyway, I’m finally sleeping through the night again... at least until this dose stops working and the next disaster hits.😛
Man, it really doesn't take long to get hooked on this stuff. Work has been a total nightmare lately too—they're basically bullying me at the office, so I guess that's why I can't shut my brain off.

Anthony Lopez8 said:I went through the process of tapering off a massive dose of Effexor—which is notorious for its revolting withdrawal symptoms, including those very "brain zaps" you mentioned—and somehow, I made it out the other side. My approach was to gradually reduce the dosage, though I won't lie, it was an incredibly unpleasant experience. In fact, the "electrical" sensations became secondary to the other physical symptoms I had to endure. But, the trade-off is that I am currently entirely medication-free, and once those symptoms finally subsided, they stayed gone. Taking a full year to do it is a sensible strategy, especially if your symptoms are as intense as yours sound.

One thing many people in our situation consider a "miracle cure" for those brain zaps is taking high doses of Omega-3 fatty acids. I discovered this relatively late in my journey (and it was a bit difficult to source quality supplements since I don't eat animal products), so I can't say for certain if they are truly miraculous, but I would strongly suggest you look into it. Many people find it remarkably effective at mitigating those specific issues. If you decide to go that route, I might be able to help you look up which dosages tend to be most effective, though I don't have the specific numbers memorized right now...

As for psychiatrists, you hit the nail on the head—most of them seem to have absolutely no concept of the physical dependency these psychotropic drugs create (or perhaps they simply choose to ignore the reality of it, though I couldn't say which...).

Hmm, I was on a small dose of Seroquel recently and honestly thought it was making me feel more stable and helping to dial down my anxiety.
At my last check-up, my doctor pulled me off that dose because I was still putting on weight, but she told me that at that level, it was basically acting like a placebo—that there’s hardly any effect compared to a higher dose.

Though, I guess even a placebo isn't a bad thing if you believe in it.
Still, I think she was right; I've been living and working for two weeks now without Seroquel.
I'm holding up pretty well so far.
I'm just taking Anafranil and Fevarin.

Justin Rogers5 said:Has any of you ladies ever taken Eglonyl, or maybe you're on it right now? Did it mess with your period or cause any other issues down there?

I was on Eglonyl for about six months, and for the first two months, I was getting my period twice a month.
Like, what even is that? As if I don't have enough to deal with, now I get to go through PMS twice a month. Just great.
Then, after those two months passed, my period just stopped altogether. Aside from that, I actually handled the meds pretty well.
It definitely helped with my temper—it calmed me right down, and I became totally chill about everything.

Anyone else here messed around with Serdolect?
Been off my AP for about 6 days now and I’m actually holding up alright.
My doctor mentioned that if things start going south, she might try switching me over to Serdolect.

Frank Campbell said:I really need some advice here!
After about a month on Zoloft 100 mg, I started feeling totally manic. To help balance things out, I began taking Tegretol 200 split between morning and night. It worked like a charm—honestly, Tegretol feels like a total lifesaver!
Now, since I didn't want to go cold turkey on the Zoloft, I've tapered down to 50mg a day.

Is it actually common to take Tegretol and Zoloft at the same time? It feels like one handles the depression while the other manages the mania... 🙄

I know I should be checking in with my psychiatrist, but I just can't make it to an appointment right now....

I went completely out of control while I was on Prozac, and obviously, they took me off it. I even snapped verbally at two patients who hadn't even done anything wrong when I showed up for a checkup.
God knows what was going on with me back then. I would never do that today. So, I totally get where you're coming from. At least the Tegretol is keeping you steady for now.