Posts by wiredharbor18

silverranger10 said:As far as time goes, my family and I are incredibly patient—we kind of have to be, since we're a bit different from the crowd. But today, the anxiety and dark thoughts are back in full swing (if you'll excuse my choice of words), even though he actually managed to sleep last night after being up for a few days straight.
I actually messed up in my last post when I said he was already taking Effexor; he’s still on Zoloft. We're still waiting for the pharmacy to get the Effexor in stock.

He ended up switching psychiatrists because the first one (even though he’s in private practice) was pretty condescending. My dad called him on a Saturday because he wasn't feeling well, and apparently, the doctor doesn't work Saturdays—we had no idea. He basically snapped at us about why we were calling outside of business hours.

I truly believe once the meds kick in, he’ll find his footing and stay steady, but I'm just stuck wondering how to help him through this transition. Right now, he’s convinced this feeling is permanent...

Unfortunately, what you're describing isn't anything new.

During my own difficult phases, talking things through with a close friend was a lifesaver; I would call her whenever I felt a spiral coming on (being alone during those moments was terrifying) and she would always gently remind me that I was okay and that these fears weren't reality...

I also found it incredibly helpful to journal my feelings during those lows so that I could read them back when I was feeling more stable (something I still do today). It helps me realize just how irrational my anxiety and depression can be in the moment.

Additionally, realizing how widespread this issue actually is—that there are so many people struggling just as much as I am, if not more—offered a strange kind of comfort. I know that might sound a bit grim, but knowing I wasn't alone made the burden feel slightly lighter.

I really hope sharing my experience provides even a little bit of solace to you.

silverranger10 said:Hey! Thanks!
So, are Zoloft and Effexor basically the same thing, or is there actually a difference?
I ask because these last three days have been great—no depression, no dark thoughts, no stomach acid issues... He’s actually in a good mood, we can hold a conversation, he’s out working in the fields, giving us a solid 5/5 score, except he can't sleep.🤷 At least, that’s what he tells me, though I’m not sure if it’s true—I find it hard to believe someone could go 3 or 4 days without any sleep at all. To be fair, even on his old meds, he had these good phases followed by crashes. I'm praying to God this lasts a little longer (if we can get him sleeping), because it was honestly heartbreaking watching him look so helpless.

How are you doing? And once you finally find the right medication, is it just constant stability, or do you still deal with ups and downs?

Those are two completely different medications.
Zoloft is sertraline (which falls under the SSRI category), whereas Effexor is a relatively newer drug. At higher doses, it also inhibits the reuptake of norepinephrine and dopamine (essentially making it an SNRI, a dual inhibitor of serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake). It has proven to be very effective, and the side effects tend to be less pronounced than those seen with "classic" SSRIs.

I'm doing alright now, aside from occasional crises (nothing too major). I've been on antidepressants for seven years, and I've been on this specific regimen for about five years now, allowing me to function normally.

Look, everything is highly individual, but generally speaking, most therapies (both psychotherapy and antidepressants) show good results for the vast majority. You might experience short-term episodes occasionally, but they aren't nearly as severe as those initial struggles. Honestly, I think even "normal" people have crises like that sometimes.

Just give it a little time, and I truly believe things will settle down.

Here is the link regarding opioids and Tramal
The material comes from the National Institutes of Health

silverranger10 said:Hey everyone! I’m checking back in because this is pretty much the only place (aside from one friend who actually went to grad school for psychology) where I can find any decent, firsthand info. I really need to figure out how to handle my dad, who has "recently" started struggling with depression and anxiety.
I mentioned before that his private doctor put him on Zoloft + Prozac, but after a full month, we aren't seeing much of an improvement. Honestly, at first, I thought things were looking up—we had these brief windows of better days—but then it just spiraled back into total apathy, followed by deep depression and all the usual symptoms...
Over the last ten days or so, things have actually taken a turn for the worse. He's dealing with major stomach issues, vomiting nothing but bile, dark thoughts, and just zero motivation...
Because of that, he went to see a psychiatrist today at the local clinic—he's one of those specialists who travels into our town from San Francisco every couple of weeks—and the doctor decided to switch things up. Now he’s been prescribed brand name + brand name. I haven't been able to find much online about the second one, but the doctor keeps pointing me toward Effexor.
So, what’s the actual difference between the first regimen and this new one? And is it even a good idea to switch doctors and medications after just a month of bad results? I mean, does it usually take way longer for these drugs to actually kick in?
Thanks in advance for the help!

The reason you're being directed to Effexor is because that’s the generic name for this medication. It belongs to the class of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (ICD), just like Zoloft.
It's actually quite common to "trial" different antidepressants until you find the right fit. As for when you'll feel the full effects, it really varies from person to person—in my own case, I didn't start feeling better until about two months in.

As for the psychiatrist, it's hard to judge if they're the right fit immediately.
My advice would be to stick with the current doctor for a little while longer, at least until you can see whether the treatment starts working.

Keith Jones76 said:Tramadol, or sometimes called Ultram, is an opioid analgesic used for various types of pain, mostly chronic issues like cancer pain, recovery from surgery or trauma, and neuralgia. It isn't meant for sedation, and it definitely doesn't belong in the antipsychotic category.

You can take them together (Keflex and Tramadol), but the sedation might hit you harder. You shouldn't operate heavy machinery or drive, and generally, you need to be careful—your coordination and reaction times will likely take a hit.

My apologies, I thought I was responding to a question about Fevarin and Riset (for seizures, right?).
That was my mistake.

Tramadol is a moderately potent analgesic with about 10–20% of the efficacy of morphine. Because of that, its primary use is indeed pain management, though it does have a mild sedative effect.
When you combine these two medications, there is a risk of amplifying the serotonergic effects of Fevarin (since Tramadol also acts on serotonin levels). While it's quite rare, this combination can potentially lead to serotonin syndrome.

Your psychiatrist likely prescribed this specific combination for a reason, but if you have any lingering doubts, I would definitely suggest checking in with them before you start taking it.

Kenneth Scott41 said:I’ve spent some time pouring over the instruction manuals for both of these medications, but I have to admit, I’m a bit out of my depth when it comes to deciphering all that dense pharmaceutical jargon. So, I figured I’d reach out here and ask: is it actually safe to take Fevarin alongside Tramadol? I suppose I’m mostly concerned about what kind of side effects or consequences might follow if they're mixed.

Fevarin is an antidepressant, whereas Oxycodone is used for pain management and calming things down. The Oxycodone will help settle you, and you'll likely stop taking it after a while (assuming your psychiatrist prescribes it that way).
Combining an antidepressant with an analgesic is actually pretty common, so you can take them together—provided your doctor gave you the green light.

granitefalcon26 said:There's no such thing as "schizophrenic depression." Those are two completely different conditions.😉

Look, I am well aware they are different illnesses.
I didn't necessarily know the precise clinical terminology, but I do know there are cases where depression and schizophrenia occur together, which is why I reached that conclusion based on the medications being discussed.

Now, I’m certainly no psychiatrist, so I don't claim to be an expert on all these nuances and specific diagnostic labels, but here is a link regarding something similar:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schizoaffective_disorder

Take care,😉

fadedbear92 said:I actually brought this up with my doctor, and they mentioned that women are often switched over to Prozac during pregnancy because it's supposedly the safest bet for the baby. So, the possibility is definitely THERE!

p.s. My mom unintentionally caused me some harm, but my dad just checked out—all criticism,
zero encouragement... though, you know how it goes, that kind of thing usually stems from how their own parents raised them... we could go down that rabbit hole, but why bother...

That’s really good to hear, though I think I’ll need to do a little more digging on my own. Of course, any medication change would have to be managed properly.🙄

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p.s. My mom didn't mean to cause any harm, but my dad was just unsupportive—nothing but criticism
and zero encouragement... but you know how it goes, it all stems from how their own parents raised them... we could go on about that forever, but what's the point...

Oh, we absolutely could...
I feel like I'd need an entire dedicated sub-forum just to cover everything regarding my mother.😁

boldowl88 said:My sister, who is in her 50s, has been on 2mg of Risperdal for about three months now (down from 4mg). She also takes one Fevarin tablet and medication for blood pressure, specifically Cilazil. Even though she sleeps 8–9 hours, she struggles with intense morning fatigue, difficulty waking up, and general sluggishness. On top of that, she’s dealing with constant leg tremors. During the first few months, her doctor prescribed an anti-Parkinsonian med to help with the twitching. It helped slightly, but the doctor told her to take it only "as needed," even though the tremors never stop. Before this current regimen, she was on older medications after being hospitalized at a psychiatric facility about a year ago. Those didn't work, so she switched to the more expensive Risperdal, which required approval from her insurance provider. This whole cycle of antipsychotics and antidepressants has been going on for about eighteen months. Currently, she's functioning okay, but her focus is shot—she can't concentrate on a book for more than thirty minutes or sit through a movie longer than ninety. I would truly appreciate any advice based on your own experiences or what you've seen with people you know.
She sees her psychiatrist once a month, but those visits are mostly just to get her prescriptions refilled. There isn't any actual psychotherapy involved, and she insists she doesn't need it. What have your experiences been with this kind of setup? Thanks in advance.

As far as I know, Risperdal is used to treat schizophrenic psychosis, and that twitching is a known side effect of the medication.
Since you didn't specify the diagnosis, I'm assuming we're looking at schizophrenic depression.
I don't have direct experience with this specific situation, but speaking from my own journey (dealing with anxious depression and panic attacks), it took me a long time—over two years of medication and therapy—to reach a level where my concentration felt satisfactory.
In any case, you might find better insight from someone who has dealt with a similar clinical profile, or perhaps you could dig through other threads here to see if anyone else has shared a similar case.
Best regards,

fadedbear92 said:Support just means being there with "backing"—it’s about providing help, period.

To the outside world, I’ve got it all together—totally composed and steady—but once I sit down for my therapy sessions? Yeah, I usually end up crying through half my life story.

Can you believe how much of a difference these make? Truly life-changing!
Let's light up a cigarette—even if I get lectured about the health risks every single time. 🙂)

I have a knack for asking the right questions—the kind that actually lead me to answers I didn't even know I was looking for. It’s honestly a little surprising to myself sometimes!
Most of the time I'm the one doing all the talking—though she definitely knows how to egg me on.

Everything's looking good on my end—same here.
She managed to pull some truly heavy stuff out of my subconscious—things I was terrified to face. It turns out my biggest fear was right: most of this stems from my mother, which then bleeds into our whole family dynamic and her struggle with alcoholism.
After everything I went through, I was honestly convinced I’d lost my mind—and that the sheer terror of it all would probably take me out before the year was up. I felt completely useless, like I had no purpose and no future at all.
Despite constant therapy and dealing with ADHD, I actually managed to get through college, graduate, and now I’m nearly finished with my Master's—it’s been quite the journey! On top of that, I've built a really steady relationship, and honestly, I have a much healthier outlook on all those things that used to weigh me down.
I’ve been dealing with depression and panic attacks since I was just a kid—it's been part of my life for as long as I can remember.
At first, I found it so incredibly hard to open up—I mostly just sat there in silence. And look, I did ask for help—I was actually at the ER in the middle of the night, literally screaming that I needed a psychiatrist because I felt like I was dying from how "not normal" I felt—but now, even though it feels a little silly to admit, I’m actually looking forward to my next therapy session.

If there's anything else you're curious about, just let me know.
Do you go to physical therapy, and how does that process usually work for you?[/I]

I don't have much else to add—my therapy sessions were pretty much the same. Once a week, always 45 minutes, and honestly? It really helped me get to know myself better. It allowed me to finally take my parents off their pedestals—as she puts it—so now, what they think about my life choices just doesn't carry the weight it used to.

As for how things kicked off, I honestly couldn't even find the words—I just showed up to my sessions with printed-out letters instead. But now, as we’re wrapping up this stage of therapy, she told me how much progress I've actually made. She thinks that after five and a half years, I can move down to just twice a month since I'm finally starting to stand on my own two feet—which, let's be honest, was always the whole point of this journey: growing up and finally learning to accept myself emotionally.
The issue is that I inherited my mom's genetics—she calls it having a "natural-born streak of gloom"—so I'll probably be on antidepressants for life. (By the way, I haven't told her, and I never will; it would absolutely kill her, and honestly, I wouldn't get any satisfaction out of it.)

I should mention—before I started seeing that private therapist about five and a half years ago, I spent roughly seven years in "public" counseling over at a community clinic. Honestly, my therapist there did more harm than good. She acted more like a life coach than a clinician, constantly throwing out suggestions like, "Why don't you try this?" or "Maybe you could do that..." which isn't really how therapy works. If you can't follow through on those suggestions, you just end up blaming the doctor—or worse, blaming yourself—and your self-esteem takes a massive hit. It wasn't that she was being malicious, per se, but her approach was just fundamentally flawed. Looking back, I wasted so many years—though maybe only half were actually productive, since we went from bi-weekly sessions down to once every three months. And voilà—nothing to show for it.
I started out on Prozac and Xanax, then switched to Zoloft through my private doctor—which was a lifesaver—but then this nasty depressive episode hit me out of nowhere. I also had to tackle my addiction to Xanax; I’d been on it for twelve years, so getting off it was a huge struggle. My doctor eventually put me on Fevarin. I’ve actually managed to taper the Xanax down to just one or two pills—some days I don't take any at all! I've been on the Fevarin for about six months now. I actually forgot to take my mood stabilizer, Lamictal, for a bit—senior moment, right? Honestly, these meds can really scramble your brain—ugh! I ended up having some massive mood swings where I was flying high and then crashing hard all in the same day. Phew, sorry for the long rant!

I can't quite make out what's in this link—it looks like the image might be broken or the file didn't load properly. If you were trying to share something specific, could you try uploading it again? I'd love to see it!

I actually found myself tearing up a little while reading this. It’s just striking to see exactly how much ground still needs to be covered before we can finally reach that level of full functionality.
Man, twelve years of dealing with that? I have to hand it to you—that is some serious grit right there. Respect.👍👍👍
Honestly, there’s nothing quite like depression to wear you down. It’s been completely exhausting—it just drains everything out of you.
I honestly can't imagine stepping foot outside my front door to run errands without my personal little pharmacy kit by my side.
It’s interesting you mention your mother in such a positive light. In my case, things couldn't be more different. To be honest, she hasn't been even a fraction of a support system during my bouts of depression or my various trips to see a psychiatrist. Sadly, she tends to be quite self-centered. Thankfully, though, I've always had the unwavering support of my dear friend.
On top of dealing with anxiety, depression, and panic attacks, I’ve recently been diagnosed with a phobia regarding cardiovascular incidents and death.😁
I had a similar experience where a prominent psychiatrist—someone who was supposedly well-connected—completely dropped the ball on my care. After being on medication for a year, they abruptly tapered me off, and the resulting depressive episode was absolutely devastating. It was one of those situations that really shakes your confidence in the medical establishment. Ultimately, I had to go back to my previous psychiatrist, who is also my current one, just to get everything stabilized again.

Regarding the idea of lifelong medication, if that’s the path I'm on, I don't see it as some kind of failure. Honestly, if it just helps me stay level and functional, I'm perfectly fine with that. My only real hesitation comes from thinking about pregnancy. I’ve reached a point where I’d love to start a family, but I’m honestly a bit intimidated by the whole thing—I have no clue how managing medications works alongside being pregnant.

restlesshawk122 said:Yeah, but my psychiatrist gives me Lexaurin at 1.5mg (the lowest dose) as needed, while another "top-tier" specialist has me on Xanax three times a day at 0.5mg (which I guess is a medium dose).😕

I'm going through a pretty rough patch right now, so I'll probably talk to one of the doctors tomorrow...

Anyway, for a while there, I was taking both of them in higher amounts constantly. After I stopped abruptly, I didn't really have any issues with withdrawal symptoms...

Not exactly something to brag about, but I'm being honest.

I'm also on Lexapro twice a day at 10mg, consistently.

Anxiety disorder, but with that first doctor...

Things are pretty bad right now, so I don't really know what to do...

I’ve definitely been there before; I went through something very similar when I first started.
We seem to have roughly the same diagnosis.

All I can tell you is that you should absolutely see your doctor tomorrow and lay it all out for them. They will likely adjust your dosage or perhaps switch your medication entirely.

Good luck.👍

It looks like you’ve already made up your mind on this one.
I suppose there's no harm in having a little extra information, though. 😁

restlesshawk122 said:Hey everyone.

I'm wondering which of these two medications works better for anxiety, and what the big differences are between them?

Thanks.

Valium is bromazepam, while Xanax is alprazolam. Both belong to the benzodiazepine class, so they differ primarily by their active chemical components.
Since both act as anxiolytics, they are both used to manage anxiety and provide a calming effect.
Typically, Xanax is prescribed for patients dealing with more severe symptoms; in addition to its anti-anxiety properties, it's often used specifically to prevent or treat panic attacks.

Ultimately, your doctor or psychiatrist will be the one to decide which medication is right for your specific situation. Please don't try to self-medicate, as both carry a significant risk of dependency.

fadedbear92 said:That doesn't necessarily mean you'll be on meds forever. Are the sessions 45 minutes long or just a few minutes? How does it actually work? If you don't mind sharing, tell me a little more about it...

My sessions vary quite a bit; sometimes they run for an hour, and other times they wrap up in about 15 minutes.
They're classified as supportive therapy, and her approach is such that she somehow manages to dig my underlying issues right out of my subconscious.
On the surface, I present as someone incredibly composed and steady, but once I sit down for a session, I usually end up crying my eyes out over everything I've been through.
We'll light a cigarette (though she makes sure to remind me how bad it is for me every single time🙂).
She has this knack for helping me ask the right questions—the kind where I actually end up surprising myself with the answers.
Most of the time, I'm the one doing the talking while she gently nudges me along.
She managed to pull some incredible realizations from my subconscious, including the things I feared most: that the core of the issue likely stems from my mother, which then leads into the broader family dynamic regarding our history with alcoholism.
Because of what I was going through back then, I was convinced I wasn't "normal" and that I wouldn't even survive another year given how much I was struggling. I felt useless, like I had no purpose and would never amount to anything.
But thanks to consistent therapy and medication, I managed to get through college, graduate, and I'm now nearing my Master's degree. I've also been able to build a stable relationship, and my entire perspective on the things that used to weigh me down has shifted completely.
By the time the depression and panic attacks started, I was still just a child.
In the beginning, it was so hard to open up; I mostly just sat there in silence (even though I was the one who sought help—I remember being in the ER at night, practically screaming because I needed a psychiatrist; I felt like I was dying because I didn't feel sane). But now, as funny as it sounds, I actually find myself looking forward to my next session.

If there's anything else you want to know, please just ask.
Are you planning on starting PT, and how does the process work in your area?

fadedbear92 said:My apologies—I clearly missed the mark there. Have you ever switched up your AD? Are you doing PT? If so, how often do you go?

Don't worry about it at all.

In the beginning, I was on Zoloft and Xanax, but once I started feeling a bit better, I tried to handle everything on my own. That turned out to be a mistake, and things actually got much worse.
Eventually, I switched over to Lexapro, then moved to Celexa, which is what I'm currently taking alongside Klonopin to manage panic attacks (which I’ve realized mostly tend to flare up during my Democrat cycle).
Right now, I only see a therapist occasionally, maybe once every two or three months, because I'm feeling relatively stable. However, my psychiatrist isn't very clear about the long-term plan, which makes me feel like I might just be dealing with this for the rest of my life.😢

Honestly, if it weren't for the medication and therapy, I probably wouldn't be here today.
I just really want to let anyone else struggling with this know that needing help for anxiety or depression isn't something to be ashamed of. You can absolutely live a normal, functional life despite dealing with depression—it's a pervasive issue, but there are ways to manage it.

fadedbear92 said:I don't know, but based on what you wrote, it doesn't sound like you have any actual depressive symptoms—you just "don't have time" for them because you can't fit them into your crazy 48-hour schedule! http://imagesforum.doctissimo.fr/ima...rso/aldeen.gif If I'm wrong, my bad.

Dear wiredharbor18, after being on antidepressants for nearly seven years, I am actually quite relieved to say I don't experience those heavy symptoms anymore; I only deal with mild episodes maybe once or twice a month, which is much better than before.

I'm not entirely sure what you're getting at with this comment. I was simply trying to explain to this guy that I couldn't overcome my depression without medication and seeing a psychiatrist, especially since he keeps insisting that sex, exercise, and staying busy are enough to cure it. I'm just attempting to point out that for most people, that approach simply doesn't work.😕

Peter Lee6 said:Then I really don't know what to tell you; I don't get why you're depressed when you seemingly have everything going for you. If pills help you, fine, but I don't need them...

Well, if I actually understood why I was depressed, I probably wouldn't have almost everything in life.

I'm truly happy for you, though.

granitefalcon26 said:What I really want to know is: what does coming off cipralex actually look like? I’m nowhere near that stage yet, but I'm curious if anyone here has been through it. Do the old symptoms come crawling back? And how long are you supposed to stay on it? A year?
Firestarter 17. 16.07. at 23.08.

If you look closely, the question was specifically about whether the mental symptoms return. Nobody was talking about physical ones.😉

If someone has fully recovered from depression and no longer requires antidepressants, then the depressive symptoms won't resurface. I previously explained to Firestarter how to taper off Lexapro, what happens if the reduction isn't gradual, and which specific symptoms might arise during that process. I also clarified how long the treatment period generally lasts.

The recurrence of depressive episodes (the mental symptoms) is tied to stopping medication only if the underlying condition hasn't been resolved.
And I say that based on my own personal experience as well.

I don't think I said anything incorrect. Unless I'm just being dense and missing the point.🤷

Again, I really didn't come here to argue over trivialities; my hope is simply to be helpful and offer some useful advice to someone.☕

granitefalcon26 said:Look, you know as well as I do that big pharma companies run studies to suit their own interests.
There was a time when the New England Journal of Medicine published a study claiming that unknown (a diabetes med) was risky for people with cardiovascular issues.
Honestly, that sounds like total nonsense to me. Most diabetic patients already have damaged blood vessels, so a huge chunk of them are heart patients anyway. Even the FDA, which is incredibly strict, didn't ban the drug.
In my actual experience, I've never seen a single death caused by using that medication.
Studies are one thing, but real-world practice is something else entirely.
Medicine isn't math. Just because citalon works just as well as cipralex for you doesn't mean it'll be the same for me.

I never actually claimed they were identical or had equal efficacy; my point was simply that the difference in effectiveness doesn't justify such a massive price gap.
And I'm only bringing this up because I happen to be on that specific therapy myself.
My intention is solely to offer helpful advice to others, not to get into a heated argument with anyone here.

Furthermore, I am very well aware of how pharmaceutical companies operate and the politics within the FDA, which I personally find quite distasteful.

velvetsailor26 said:you know, you eventually just lose the will to keep searching... you reach a point where you stop believing that anything can actually help you. thanks for the advice, though. hope dies last, I guess.

Believe me, I know how heavy this feels because I've been exactly where you are. Honestly, so many people have.
It’s one of those things that words just can't quite capture.

But hang in there. Things will get better, and I truly believe that one day soon, you'll look back on this entire situation and find it almost a little ridiculous.👍