60 posts shown.
Jason Vaughn482 said:How exactly do you imagine you could have caused some sort of systemic failure within my biology? What specific catastrophe are you envisioning here? Please, spare me the melodrama; I certainly don't need you attempting to frighten me with such baseless theatrics.
I just mean that every medication is a double-edged sword. It helps one thing, but it messes with another. :/
Calixta slows down your metabolism—probably by messing with thyroid hormones or something. Who knows. Unfortunately, I still can't function without it. And honestly, that’s what triggers the panic. How am I supposed to get off this stuff when I can't even sleep without it?
Jason Vaughn482 said:Whatever you do, please don't go Googling your symptoms; I made the mistake of doing just that once, and it sent me into a complete tailspin—I ended up convinced I had every rare condition imaginable. Now, I strictly limit my research to necessary things, like an ultrasound for my thyroid. For instance, I’ve actually had a small growth for eleven years now, but since it hasn't changed, I leave it be.
I get that Googling is a trap. It's just that my anxiety keeps spiking every time I think about all the potential new illnesses and disorders I've managed to diagnose in myself... 🙂
Kate Ramos93 said:I was wondering if there are any other people here dealing with S&P Global who could reach out, because I’m starting to feel really overwhelmed and discouraged by my diagnosis 🙂
I would truly appreciate finding someone to talk to about this, maybe to share experiences regarding medications and side effects...
Also, one more thing—regarding those on this forum who take Calista—I’m currently on 15mg a day in the evening, and if I miss a dose, I can't even sleep. My doctor re-prescribed it, so I'm making sure to take it regularly now ☕
Every little while I try to quit Calista because I'm convinced it's messing something up inside me. Then I spend two weeks suffering through insomnia and basically living like a zombie. Eventually, I just crawl back to the 15mg. Is this just what life is now?🙂
Jason Vaughn482 said:What dosage are you currently on? Because at 15 mg, I find it’s no longer enough to actually get me to sleep; I end up having to supplement with half a dose of Ambien just to function. Honestly, though, I’m terrified of increasing the dosage because I don't want to deal with the weight gain... for now, my thyroid levels are holding steady, even though they're only testing one marker instead of the three they used to check before.
I'm on 15, and it does the trick. But the second I stop, my sleep disappears. I can't tell if it's just a placebo effect at this point or what...
They checked all three of my hormone levels, and one of them is low, but my primary care doctor insists everything is totally fine. I spent way too much time falling down Google rabbit holes about it, and frankly, I couldn't disagree with the info I found more. 🙄
I’ve been on Calista for about four years now. It did wonders for my insomnia, honestly—fixed that right up—but now my thyroid hormones are basically in a coma. Specifically my T3. I can't help but think this medication might be the culprit. I’m just exhausted, lethargic, barely dragging myself through the day, and the weight gain is real. I originally figured it was just a side effect of Calista, but who knows at this point... anyone else dealing with something similar?
Jason Vaughn482 said:I just read this for the first time, and honestly, I feel a bit nauseous:
Using benzodiazepines for anything longer than a month—up to six months even—while following prescribed dosages has been linked to an elevated risk of developing ovarian cancer. [ 79 ] There have been fifteen separate epidemiological studies indicating that hypnotic drugs are associated with increased mortality rates, primarily driven by higher cancer death rates in humans. These carcinomas include brain, lung, intestinal, breast, and bladder cancers, among other neoplasms. It isn't just that benzodiazepines themselves are tied to an increased cancer risk; the studies also suggest that Z-drug agonists are connected to human cancer. Initially, reviewers at the FDA were actually hesitant to approve Z-drugs due to these very cancer concerns, yet they ultimately changed their minds and granted approval despite the red flags. The data clearly shows that subjects participating in trials involving hypnotic drugs faced a heightened risk of developing cancer. The review author concludes with a sobering warning: "The probability of cancer causality is significant enough that physicians and patients should now be cautioned that hypnotics may potentially place a patient at a greater risk for cancer."
I guess we all have to break from something eventually... 😂
Jason Vaughn482 said:I’m in the exact same boat—unable to actually sleep despite feeling like I'm perpetually nodding off all day long. How on earth did you manage to get a referral for an MRI? My doctor won't even authorize a visit to a cardiologist, even though my blood pressure is through the roof.
Honestly, I basically begged for a neurology referral. I ended up seeing this young, decent doctor who didn't make a fuss and just handed me the orders for an EEG and an MRI right away...
Jason Vaughn482 said:I deal with anxiety disorder myself, and for the last couple of years, I’ve also been taking Mirtazapine—either 15 mg or 7.5 mg occasionally at night—primarily because of insomnia, though I need Lamictal alongside it as well... unfortunately, it does absolutely nothing for the anxiety. For the anxiety, I use Xanax as needed, though lately I've cut my dose in half (we shall see how long that lasts), meaning three doses of 0.25 mg.
It is also incredibly frustrating to feel so profoundly sleepy and exhausted during the day; I suspect it might be a byproduct of the Mirtazapine combined with the Lamictal, but I truly cannot say for sure.
I also experienced a blackout one night—I suspect my blood pressure plummeted, as I have a history of hypotension.
However, I didn't go for an MRI or any diagnostic imaging; nobody referred me for anything, and that happened around Christmas. To be honest, I am a massive hypochondriac myself; in fact, that is practically my only real issue.
I wouldn't even call what I have "sleepiness." It's more like someone poured industrial glue into my brain. I can't do anything. Can't concentrate, can't walk, can't even think straight. And yet, I can't fall asleep! That's the worst part—being that wiped out but sleep still won't come. When it gets like that, I just choke down 0.5 of a Xanax and finally pass out... man, I really am a hypochondriac. I'm practically vibrating with excitement waiting for my MRI. Yay. 😂
Hey everyone. So, I’ve been dealing with BPD for about seven years now. For the last couple of years, my routine has just been 15 mg of Mirzaten before bed and taking Xanax whenever things get too much. Honestly, I’m functioning fine. My biggest struggle has always been insomnia, but the Mirzaten pretty much fixed that for me. Lately, though, I’ve been dealing with these physical symptoms that are slowly driving me insane—this sharp, stabbing pain on one side of my head that radiates down into my ear, constant exhaustion, and this daytime sleepiness so paralyzing that I actually start feeling nauseous and seeing black spots. My blood pressure stays steady at 110/70, but I still managed to pass out last week. Given how much of a hypochondriac I am, obviously, this was the perfect trigger for another anxiety spiral and all the chaos that comes with it. So, what do you guys think? Is this just Mirzaten side effects, some kind of psychosomatic stuff, or something else entirely? Luckily, I managed to badger my doctor into giving me referrals for a brain MRI; otherwise, my GP's standard response to everything is just: "When was the last time you saw your psychiatrist?" 🙂
But hey, maybe they have a point. I’m actually heading in next week—after more than a year of avoiding it! 👋
Matthew Clark3 said:Hey everyone,
I'm curious about your experiences with Effexor. For those of you taking it, when did you actually start feeling a difference? How long have you been on it, and what dosage are you currently at? Also, do you find it works better if you take it in the morning or at night?
For me, I started with 37.5 mg at night for five months, then moved to 75 mg in the morning for three months... now I've just been bumped up to 150 mg in the morning, though I've only been at this level for two days.....
To be honest, I haven't felt any real improvement during this whole stretch, but my psychiatrist keeps insisting I stick with it.
I also have Lexapro and some stuff for as-needed use. Otherwise, I'm mostly struggling with anxiety, depression, and panic attacks.
It’s honestly weird that it hasn't kicked in yet; it really should have started working by now. :/
You should probably look into something else yourself. It's pretty obvious Valerie isn't doing it for you. No point in just suffering through it.
I only took it once before the side effects absolutely wrecked me...
Jason Vaughn482 said:How much Xanax are you taking? Personally, I've been steady at about 1 mg a day for three years now. Addiction? Please. In my view, if you find yourself needing more and more of something just to function—much like how I once needed one dose of Miralax but now find myself reaching for three—that's just reality. With the Xanax, my dosage hasn't budged, but I might give that Clonazepam a shot.
I’m at about the same milligram count. But the whole Xanax thing is weird to me—sometimes a 0.5 mg dose hits and I’m relaxed for hours, then other times I’ll take 1 mg and I’m still wound up tight as a drum. 😢
As for group therapy—yeah, obviously it isn't everyone's cup of tea. It helped me sort through a lot of stuff, even if it didn't exactly "cure" me. 😁
Gerald Torres2 said:Go ahead and look. My boyfriend is incredibly happy with them; xanax doesn't even touch him.😕😕😕😕!!!
My doctor isn't going to switch up my meds just yet. They want me to start combining Lexapro with Wellbutrin first before making any big moves. 🙂
But man, these mood swings are hitting me hard. I tried taking Lamictal for them, but it didn't really do anything for me...
Gerald Torres2 said:Look, I know it's classified as an antiepileptic—they even prescribe it to toddlers with seizures. But honestly, Clonazepam is frequently swapped in for Xanax because it isn't quite as aggressive and doesn't feel like it builds up a dependency quite as fast. My primary care physician switched me over from Xanax without any hesitation; she actually seemed pretty pleased with the choice... haha. (I actually ended up trying it after a friend gave me some when I was having a rough patch and had run out of my usual stuff). What I noticed is that I don't deal with that frantic, irritable edge once it wears off the way I do with Xanax. That's why I asked for it, and that's why I got it.
Guess I'll be looking for it too.
🙂
ironotter5 said:Just wanted to jump in here and share my own experience with meds, and while I'm at it, maybe pick your brains on a few things. Right now, I’m taking one 0.25 mg xanax pill three times a day, plus half a 10 mg Lexapro tablet, and after seven days, I have to move up to a full pill. I can definitely say things are looking up, but honestly, I still don't feel quite 100%. People keep telling me the therapy doesn't even really kick in for two weeks?!?!?! Is there a real risk of getting hooked on these, and what am I actually looking at once they decide to taper me off?
Xanax definitely causes dependency, though usually after a decent amount of time passes...
Antidepressants supposedly don't. But in my case, it felt different... I mean, my symptoms actually got worse once I stopped taking the ADs. That doesn't necessarily mean it's an addiction—we all know ADs don't actually *cure* anything, they just dull the edge of the symptoms. 😢
Gerald Torres2 said:First off, good morning everyone!
In my opinion, Rivotril is the absolute queen of pills. A 2 mg dose doesn't knock me out nearly as hard as 0.5 mg of Xanax does, but it provides this incredibly smooth, steady relaxation that just makes my anxiety vanish. I honestly love this medication and take it pretty regularly. It doesn't feel as easy to get hooked on compared to other anxiolytics; there isn't that sudden "hit" or a crash when it wears off—I just suddenly feel calm. Plus, it lasts a significant amount of time. I've been taking it for about 3 or 4 months now, averaging every other day, and it can last anywhere from 8 to 12 hours depending on how anxious I am. On an empty stomach, it usually kicks in within 20 to 30 minutes; if I've just eaten, naturally, it takes a bit longer. Honestly, all I can say is hats off to this pill.🙂
Klonopin is actually an anticonvulsant, not an anxiolytic. 😉
So, it actually helps your anxiety? Hmm... I guess I'll ask my doctor about that today. I'm really trying to get off the xanax. 🙂
Melissa Sanchez59 said:Citalopram actually helped lift my mood quite a bit, though I had to take about 2-3 mg of Lexapro along with it and occasionally Ambien to sleep. So, it didn't really touch my anxiety, but I guess it might be more calming if combined with Unknown.
Thanks for sharing. 🙂
I'm still just figuring out how Unknown affects me. It seems to be kicking in lately because I'm finally SLEEPING—and the dreams are wild (honestly, I live for the vivid dreams on this stuff). The depression has backed off a bit, too, but the anxiety is still hanging around, even if it isn't totally unbearable. I’m taking half a Xanax a day and doing alright.
I'll probably start adding Citalopram to the mix soon, so we'll see how that goes...
But if you're saying it doesn't help with anxiety... who knows. 😢
Heading to my doctor today, I'll just ask her...
Michelle Evans said:Discussion regarding N/A (click). You might find what you're looking for there...
Thanks, that actually worked! 🙂
I guess I was right all along—those old remedies don't hit the same way they used to, probably because I started using Sanval in the meantime...
Anyway, maybe this helps someone else make up their mind...
🙂
Day three on the Melatonin, and sleep still isn't happening. 😢
Is this what happens after you stop taking N/A?
Has anyone else been on N/A for a long stretch, quit cold turkey, and had the insomnia come crashing back immediately?
Honestly, I’d love to have another one if I weren't built this way...
Kids are such a massive joy, sure, but the responsibility is heavy. And if you’ve got my kind of temperament—well, you just snap. Like a dry twig. 🙂
But for the girls out there—you’re young. There’s plenty of time to work through things, get healthy, and lean on your family. You've got everything you need.
STAY POSITIVE!!!!!!!
Sophia Moore38 said:Man, I feel for you regarding the attempt. The main thing is that you made it through...
For me, things really hit the fan when my dad passed away suddenly... I was only 15, just a massive shock to the system.
I was in such a dark place back then, my doctor put me on Xanax...
It helped take the edge off, but it didn't fix the underlying mess.
Then I got married, dealt with postpartum depression after having kids, and that’s when I started on
antidepressants.
Mine flared up right after childbirth too, and honestly, I've been struggling with it for six years now. 😢
Plus, right as I was hitting puberty, I lost someone close to me—my sister—and then another death at 18... just one thing after another.
How long have you been on antidepressants, and which ones are you taking?