Posts by David Bishop4

redranger2 said:I find myself staring at this empty space where a thought should be, much like I stare at an empty prescription bottle on a Tuesday morning. It is quite a peculiar thing, isn't it? To have nothing to say, yet feel the heavy, lingering pressure to say something of substance. One spends half a lifetime waiting for a meaningful conversation only to realize that most of what passes for discourse in this digital age is little more than static. There is a certain exhaustion that comes with expecting depth from a shallow pool.

I am under the impression that this specific course of treatment would prove beneficial to all of us, offering particular effectiveness for those struggling with chronic insomnia as well as the various manifestations of panic attacks. 🤣

I couldn't agree more! 😁 It feels like almost every struggle we're facing would just melt away. 😉 🙂

Scott Alvarez22 said:Ha, honestly, even psychiatrists would be jealous of a logic like that....

I can't say for sure, but I know I'm certainly not the only one who feels this way. As redranger2 pointed out, though, everyone responds to medication differently.

redranger2 said:I’m doing alright, thanks for asking. I’ve been on various antidepressants for five years now, and I've dealt with antipsychotics for a little over two.
I've had my share of relapses—it's just the way things go when a condition becomes chronic—but my psychiatrist always manages to
pull me back from the edge during a crisis, mainly because he's an incredibly skilled pharmacologist.😉

I’m really glad to hear you're doing okay. 🙂 Honestly, life is funny; some people struggle with blood sugar, others deal with high blood pressure, and then there's us dealing with this, yet we keep moving forward. It's good to see you here; I actually remember you from an anxiety thread about five years ago. You were a big help to me back then. 🙂

Scott Alvarez22 said:A healthy person experiences emotions on a scale from 1 to 10, whereas someone on antidepressants usually finds themselves stuck somewhere between a 3 and a 6 at most.
Without those meds, everything has a scent, a flavor, a certain warmth or a sense of love, but when you're on them, you're left with nothing but hollow memories of what those feelings used to be like. Taking ADs is like living your entire life inside a sheet of plastic.

That’s really why people fight so hard to taper off; they just want to feel something real again—whether it's the bond with a child, a partner, a parent, a grandparent, or even just a hobby. It doesn't matter what it is, they just want to feel that spark one more time.

I have to disagree with the idea that life feels like it's trapped in plastic while on medication. At least, that certainly wasn't my experience. I was able to love and laugh, and I did so with complete sincerity and from the bottom of my heart.

redranger2 said:Your therapist is absolutely right.
You’ve only been on the medication for four weeks and you’re already seeing improvement, which is an excellent sign.
And yes, that fear of heading out the door alone will fade away, no matter
how impossible that mission feels to you right now.
For instance, it took me two full months before the panic attacks finally receded, though for some people it
moves much faster since everyone reacts differently and we aren't all on the exact same prescriptions. After
six months, I could finally say I had moved past all that bullshit.😁
So, just be patient; you are still in the early stages. Just deal with Misar when you feel a surge
of panic or anxiety hitting you; once the antidepressant fully kicks in, you won't need it nearly as much.🙂

Thank you so much, you've truly encouraged me. But you haven't told me anything about how you're doing?

Brandon Lopez6 said:Yeah, totally. Since I stopped taking Cipralex, those heavy side effects—the suicidal thoughts and the deep depression—have cleared up. But man, I’m still left with this stupid morning "hangover." It hits me so hard I feel like I'm about to pass out almost every single damn day. 🙂

I went back to my usual dose of Xanax, just 4x0.25mg like before. 👋

Honestly, I’m not even sure if I’ll bother looking for new meds right now. Based on how things are going, probably not. Everyone kept raving about Paxil and Cipralex, but for me? They just made everything worse. 🙄

I guess I'll wait until May rolls around and see how I'm feeling then. That's when I'll make a call on what to do next. 🙂

How are you doing? Looks like you settled into the Paxil routine pretty well. Really happy to hear that. 👍

The main thing is that you're feeling better. How are you managing with going out and being on your own lately? Personally, I force myself to get out of the house just to survive, so I suppose that's progress in its own way. As for me, the Paxil is okay for now, but I definitely still have some work to do. 😉

Brandon Lopez6 said:It’s kind of hilarious watching someone who’s popping Lexapro try to lecture people about being against antipsychotics.

Hey Brandon, where have you been hiding? How are things going with you? Are you feeling any better lately?

redranger2 said:Honestly, there is no reason to be intimidated by a 0.5 mg daily dose. My previous point was directed at those taking multiple pills a day, which is where you start seeing that tolerance build up
where the dosage has to keep climbing just to achieve the same level of anxiety relief. When it comes to panic attacks, nothing quite beats Misar or similar medications.
Are you also taking any kind of antidepressant?

In that case, that sounds promising. 😉 I am currently taking Paxil, exactly 4mg today. It has been three weeks now, and while I definitely feel better, I still struggle with the idea of going out anywhere, especially by myself. My mind keeps telling me that this part will pass too, if I just give the medicine enough time to work. What is your take on that? Because honestly, I have seen a significant shift; I was a total wreck just three weeks ago.

Gerald Torres2 said:Look, here’s the deal: take the one you have, but pack the other one in your pocket just in case you hit a wall and need it. That said, you've been on Seroxat for about four or five weeks now, so honestly, you shouldn't be leaning on Misar anymore... that's just a trap. Seriously, try to move away from it.

I hear you, and you're absolutely right. That's exactly what I plan to do—take it one step at a time and see how it goes.

Gerald Torres2 said:Look, those antidepressants usually spike your anxiety right at the start. But you've adjusted now, and since the anxiety isn't hitting quite as hard, just give it a shot. Try staying local—just stay home or nearby while you test the waters. It really isn't worth getting hooked on Misar if you don't have to; trust me, trying to taper off is a miserable experience.

When I'm back home, I usually find that I don't even really need it; if I am feeling tense, I can generally manage to stay in control of it. I'm heading over to the guys' place today, so I'll likely finish off that remaining half-dose, but starting tomorrow—or perhaps Monday—I am going to try stepping down to the 0.25mg dose, and we shall see how that goes.

Gerald Torres2 said:It might actually be smarter to just grab the standard 0.25 mg dose. You could take it twice a day, then start breaking those pills in half to gradually taper down by half every week or two...

Back when things were at their absolute worst, even that 0.25mg dose didn't feel like enough to help me, but now I find myself terrified of leaving the house without that tiny dose. Honestly, I'm just not sure what to do.

redranger2 said:Exactly, everything is highly subjective, and there is no such thing as a universal neuroleptic, much like antidepressants or
any other class of medication.

I agree, every medication affects people differently. Though, I have to admit, what your psychiatrist mentioned regarding Misar actually gave me a bit of anxiety. I’ve already been taking Misar at 0.5 mg once a day for about a month now.

redranger2 said:It really depends on the specific medication you're taking. Personally, I found myself becoming dependent on Misar, which my psychiatrist fought tooth and nail against because he argues it can trigger depression in certain people and tends to
be quite harsh on the nervous system. When my anxiety hits a peak, I'll take a minimal dose of
an antipsychotic, and it settles me down perfectly, whereas I've completely moved away from Misar. That said, I still use antipsychotics to deal with insomnia, mainly because my doctor insists that the long-term use of psychotics carries its own set of pathological risks.

You see how much this varies from person to person? I used to take Eglonyl, starting at 1 x 0.50 and then moving to 2 x 0.50, primarily to deal with gastritis, but it didn't do a single thing to soothe my nerves.

Gerald Torres2 said:Exactly. My therapist actually told me that about a third of people don't end up addicted to xanax; they can just stop taking it without any withdrawal symptoms at all. And mind you, xanax is arguably the most addictive drug among anxiolytics!!! So, it’s highly individual, and it also matters whether you quit cold turkey or taper off gradually.

That is precisely the point. I find myself in complete agreement with you on this.

Brandon Lopez6 said:So far, tapering off the Lexapro is going pretty smooth for me. Honestly? Zero issues, nothing at all.👋

awesome !!! Are you using Xanax to help manage things, or have you found you don't really need it?

I definitely hear what everyone is saying regarding how easy it is to develop a dependency on anxiolytics, but I truly believe it all comes down to the duration of use and the specific dosage involved. It isn't a one-size-fits-all situation either; everyone reacts differently. For instance, my father used to take multiple doses of benzodiazepines every single day for years because he never actually transitioned to an antidepressant, yet when he finally decided he had had enough and stopped, he didn't experience any major issues. At the end of the day, it really just depends on the individual.

Brandon Lopez6 said:I’m starting to feel like my Lexapro is doing more harm than good at this point. Honestly, the jitters I get from it are driving me up the wall—I feel like I’m on the verge of a total breakdown just dealing with the side effects. I’d love to just stop taking it altogether, but I’m terrified of messing around with my dosage on my own. My next appointment isn't until May, and if I have to white-knuckle it until then, I might actually lose it.

Do you think reaching out to LOM would help? Like, would it be enough to just ask him for advice on what to do? Because staying on this stuff feels completely pointless right now.

Hey Dawn, what's been happening? How can you tell it's not working for you? Regardless of the specifics, please make sure you consult with your mental health professional. 😉

I have a question for anyone who has taken Paxil to manage agoraphobia!

Did you find that the medication actually helped with those symptoms, and if so, about how long did it take before you started feeling a difference?

shadowbear9 said:Hi, I was prescribed 10mg of Valium today along with 0.5mg of Xanax, even though I really should have been given two doses of the Xanax. I honestly don't know what to ask for because I feel absolutely terrible, and this just isn't going to cut it since I take Xanax for both my stress and my insomnia. I’m heading in for my follow-up appointment tomorrow morning, so what should I bring up regarding this sleeplessness? Maybe Mirataz? Or perhaps some antipsychotics? Please, give me some advice... and please don't just ignore me; I'm dealing with my own struggles just like everyone else here... thanks.

I would truly love to be able to help you out, but I don't personally struggle with sleep issues. I'm hoping someone with more experience in that area might chime in soon.

fadedbear92 said:It started at 3x 0.25 and ended up at 8x 0.5!!!!😲😲😲

Oof, that sounds like quite a lot. Was that other version I mentioned not quite what you were looking for?