Posts by Paul Newman5

Matthew Clark3 said:Right now I'm on 0.25mg of Helix, but it isn't cutting it anymore and it feels like it's losing its edge. My therapist recently recommended bumping up to 0.5mg, but I haven't seen my doctor yet to get the prescription. I’m constantly torn... part of me wants to increase it, but the other part is terrified of becoming addicted. But given how bad things are right now, I know I’m going to have to take a higher dose eventually. Since I keep taking this 0.25mg every so often anyway, I might as well just move up to 0.5...

The addiction fear is real. But what's the alternative? Hopefully, once this period passes, I can taper off slowly over months if needed. People stay on Helix for years... not an excuse, obviously, but sometimes you just don't have a choice.

Richard Anderson33 said:Stop asking about those toxins right now instead of doing it bit by bit.

Which poisons specifically? The AP, the AD, or the anxiolytics. Personally, I'm off the AP entirely, I take Messer, and the AD by day three. I'd love—really love—to not need any of it. But I have to. I’d give anything to be back where I was a year ago, just bursting with energy, before all these pills were even on my radar.

Jason Vaughn482 said:But what actually pulled you out of the depths? Because, if I’m being honest, it feels like I am currently in the midst of a total meltdown. Oh, wait, I see now—was it Coaxil? I have some Seroquel and Abilify sitting here at home, but I'm terrified to take them. I also have Lexapro, though it never seemed particularly effective for me; perhaps I should bump the dose up to 15 mg? It's all I have on hand, since when I saw my psychiatrist the other day, they didn't prescribe anything at all... I'm going through a particularly rough patch with health anxiety right now, and I desperately need something just to steady my nerves.

Vegetable, just try that AP you have. I know you're nervous, but this collapse isn't sustainable either. Try a little AP. If you're really struggling as much as you say, just go for it.

Matthew Clark3 said:For those of you using Helix in your treatment—whether it's just as needed or on a set schedule—are you sticking to 0.25 mg or moving up to 0.5 mg?
Also, is anyone else taking Normabel to help with sleep? I use it to take the edge off so I can drift off, though it doesn't work every single time...

I’m on 0.5 mg three times a day. My doctor at the Mayo Clinic just switched me to the 1 mg extended-release version and said I could take that three times daily too, but that sounds like overkill to me, so I’m skipping it. When things get really bad, I usually boost my morning 0.5 mg with an extra 0.25 mg. Since I started taking Wellbutrin three days ago, the 0.5 mg in the morning is plenty. For sleep, I use Lexapro; it works for me. I used to use Ambien, but I guess it’s too weak now. Try the Xanax—if 0.25 mg does the trick, great. If not, go to 0.5. It's not quite as rigid as being on antidepressants, at least in my experience.

Andrew Peterson14 said:Oh yeah, I was in a total meltdown—couldn't even make it into work, so I ended up on medical leave for about three months. Anxiety, depression, just feeling completely sick... it was pretty rough, but thank God, I pulled through.
The anxiety will definitely dial down over time, for sure. What are you taking for those flare-ups alongside the AD?
Therapy helped me out a ton, too...

Personally, therapy didn't do much for me. Then again, I never really spiraled that hard—never missed work or spent all day stuck in bed. I started out on Lexapro, but my doctor switched me over to Brintellix, saying it was better. I’ve been strictly on Brintellix since last December because I was terrified of anxiety after a horrible experience with Cipralex and Lexapro. Things took a turn for the worse toward the end of March, though. Extreme nerves, too much Brintellix, so I decided to try something else (my psychiatrist suggested this or Wellbutrin back in December, but I stayed away from Wellbutrin because of the side effects). I went to my GP with her referral and he wrote the prescription. We'll see how it goes. He wants me back in seven days to check in and decide if we need to bump up the dose. Currently on Brintellix SR, 0.5mg three times a day.

Andrew Peterson14 said:Well, when I say "storms" and "symptoms breaking through," I mean those heavy phases of depression and anxiety—basically, it wasn't like everything just vanished overnight, it's been a hell of a ride. My doctor actually mentioned it's a good thing the antidepressants haven't masked everything, because now I'm forced to actually deal with the root cause. And she's right, the worst periods have passed... I'm hoping to start tapering down in a few months, but I don't want to rush it... So, I guess it's best to just listen to your doctor and trust the process. Plus, you've got psychotherapy and all that grueling self-work to do... The pills are just there to give us enough strength to tackle the actual issues, not to magically fix everything on their own...
plus I take some Xanax if I really need to...

I did psychotherapy for five months, then my psychologist suggested taking a break in early March—says that's just how it has to be. There aren't any psychiatrists near me who offer therapy, just psychologists. Thanks for the replies. We'll see. It's only day three... no point debating how things work right now. My biggest hurdle is the anxiety—the fear that I'll lose my mind and lose my job and my livelihood. That makes going into the office the hardest part. Luckily, I work from home part of the time, so I don't have to go in every single day... otherwise, I don't know. Were you dealing with anxiety too?

Andrew Peterson14 said:So, I've been on it for about a year and a half now. My symptoms were still poking through at first, but my therapist was pretty set on not switching things up—so, yeah, I'm doing alright. Survived the worst of it, I guess. I take it twice a day (the pharmacist told me that way and I didn't really catch the mistake, so I just stuck with it),
it basically knocked all my symptoms down to almost nothing. No side effects for me either, though I will say it's probably one of the milder antidepressants out there—so, well, if you can handle that... good luck...

I'm just starting one, per my doctor. We'll see how it goes in a week. Dealing with some headaches and constipation. I don't get the part about symptoms breaking through, or the "rough patches"—was that from the meds or the illness? And that last bit about who can endure it. Endure what? The side effects? Sorry, just asking. Honestly, it doesn't matter if other drugs work faster or harder; when I was spiraling, I tried Lexapro and Lexus, and they were terrifying. Lexus actually gave me suicidal thoughts, even though I've never been suicidal before or now.

Matthew White4 said:Yeah, Coaxil helped a bit, but honestly? It was pretty weak...

My doctor thinks this combo works better for me than Lexus or Lexapro. We'll see. If I can even manage that. Anyway, thanks for the info. Just hoping the side effects don't hit too hard.

Where did everyone go? Forum's been dead for two days. Everyone finally get healthy? Hopefully. I started Coaxil today. Nothing special yet, just day one, but at least the restlessness from the Lexus and Lexapro is gone, so I'm feeling okay about it. We'll see. Fingers crossed this actually works, though it's a long road before I can even tell if it's doing anything. For now, I'm just hanging out and eating some snacks.

Matthew White4 said:So, I was on it for a few months. Honestly, it’s one of those weaker antidepressants—for me, my symptoms were basically cutting right through it, so I ended up needing something a bit more heavy-duty. I was taking it three times a day. Didn't deal with any side effects, though. That's about it...

Do you deal with anxiety too? Did it help at all?

I’m doing alright, except for this constant sense of unreality and the phobias. As long as I don't have to go anywhere, I'm fine.😬
I’m high as a kite... fine at home, but once I have to head into work? Total chaos. I end up hitting the restroom five times; honestly, I feel like I won't make it back in one piece, like I'll be rushed straight to the ER. Just acting crazy, confused—trying to act normal, but without actually feeling normal.🤣

Anyone here used Coaxil before? Would love to hear some feedback if you have any experience with it. I know everyone reacts differently, but I'd still like to know what's been the consensus.

Brandon Lopez6 said:I was wondering, could taking AP help with that feeling of unreality? 😠
Honestly, I’ve been stuck in this weird headspace for days now—just constant, mild depersonalization. It’s driving me nuts. It just ends up fueling my phobias, too. It basically keeps me housebound because, even though I feel just as out of it at home, being in a familiar space feels way more manageable than stepping out onto a busy street in Chicago.

Nervousness has had me housebound for a few days... pure anxiety and tension. Heading to my doctor this afternoon because even Misar isn't calming me down anymore, and if I take too much, I just sleep the day away. Not sure if my GP will prescribe something stronger or maybe an antipsychotic, but this agitation is wearing me down... feels like I'm going to snap any second. Been like this since Friday.

Melissa Sanchez59 said:I've been on it for about a month and a half now, doing 30 mg at night—it helps me drift off most nights, I guess, but it hasn't done much for my daytime anxiety. Honestly, I feel a bit more low than when I was on Prozac, which I stopped taking. I mostly quit Prozac because of the side effects, though even that didn't really help the anxiety much. No weight gain so far, though.

It really just goes back to how everything is so different for everyone 🤷

What does that "wired" feeling actually feel like for you? Because I get it. I constantly feel like I'm about to snap and end up in the ER. Lexapro works best for me, but then I just want to sleep all day. How do you deal with that constant buzz? That's exactly how it feels.

Steven Martin13 said:That’s exactly what I was getting at—though, honestly, I think it’s probably wiser to keep things under wraps. Given how our society tends to look at anyone dealing with mental health struggles or psychological issues, there’s still such a heavy stigma hanging around... it's like people immediately jump to judgment instead of offering a hand, you know? It’s better to just protect your privacy.

Yeah, unfortunately, you're spot on. It's like every other illness is fine, but we just make ours up. If you're working on a drug for blood pressure, diabetes, or chemo, everyone thinks it's legitimate. But as soon as you mention an antidepressant or an AD, people judge you. I'm going through it myself. I stay silent at work and hide everything—just take a slightly higher dose of Misar if I have to, just so nobody notices. I'm lucky my husband is actually understanding... though even he lets things slip sometimes, telling me to "snap out of it" or "just fight through it." I try, really, but when you're stuck, you're stuck. We're treated like pariahs.

Matthew White4 said:Seriously, over those 25 years in the industry, they’ve pumped out like a hundred new ads. Give me a break.

Look, I'm no expert, and sure, Luxottica isn't for everyone—just like any other big eyewear brand—but private companies aren't automatically better than government ones. Honestly, I've been feeling terrible since Friday. Just pure, constant anxiety. This morning, I actually thought about walking into the nearest ER just begging them to take me in.🤣I don't think this stuff from Misar is going to cut it much longer; I’ll probably need to find some actual help and more serious medication... Anyway, Happy Easter to anyone celebrating. To those who aren't, I hope you all stay healthy and well.😍

Brandon Lopez6 said:Man, I tried seeing a private specialist once and he wasn't even that much better.🙄
I’m actually thinking about heading over to that KBT center. I don't really need the meds (except for my Xanax), and honestly, every time I've been to KBT, things have gone great.👍

I went to a private specialist thinking I’d get more thorough care, more effort—nothing. She actually had the nerve to tell me during my last visit that there are 500 psychiatrists in the whole country, and apparently, I’m the only one who doesn't like her style after her 25-year career. Like I’m just being difficult. So much for "private" service. If I have to go back, I'm sticking to the public clinics using my insurance; at least it won't cost me extra.

Brandon Lopez6 said:I mean, what did I even say? 🤔
I mentioned in my post about "splitting the dose" and some lady on the board asked me how. So yeah, 4 tablets.

I get the schedule now. Honestly, I probably take more than you do. I was just messing with you about waking up at 1:00 PM—from where I'm sitting, that seems like an impossible mission. Just a little joke about your sleep schedule.😉

Jason Vaughn482 said:That sounds wonderful, truly, but I read somewhere that Velafax can spike your blood pressure, and mine is already high, especially when I'm feeling agitated. It's such a shame because I would have tried it, but I saw her yesterday and she didn't prescribe anything new. I'm still stuck on Xanax, and honestly... ugh... things have been incredibly difficult lately.

Low blood pressure here, so that’s not an issue. But I wanted to tell you, things have been... ugh... especially today. Feels like I've been plugged directly into a power line all day long.

Matthew White4 said:Exactly, just stay strong, girl! 😍

Great stuff, girl... haven't heard anything like that in ages.🤣