Posts by Scott Alvarez22

My doctor is trying to convince me that Mirzaten and Velafax are essentially identical, just coming from different manufacturers!
Does anyone actually buy that?

I’m not trying to sound like I’m out here playing defense for psychiatrists, but honestly, how was your doctor supposed to catch a physical issue if your own GP sent you straight to them instead of referring you to a specialist?

And besides, nobody was forcing those pills down your throat; you always had the option to just not take them, even if they were on the prescription.

That’s why I didn't hold it against him, but it remains an undeniable fact that I ended up in that office by mistake six years ago, and now I’m stuck being dependent on both him and the medication.
What do you call that—Fate?

redranger2 said:Good grief, Scott Alvarez22, 🤣
why on earth didn't my psychiatrist suggest that same remedy?😁

The thing is, they aren't suffering from the same things we are; their goal is just to squeeze as much money out of us as possible.
Take this for example:
It feels like there isn't a single vet out there who won't try to push some specialized commercial food (like Hills or Pedigree fell...) just because they happen to stock it or can funnel customers toward specific pet stores.

However, when an animal is more than just a pet to you—when they are a lifelong companion—you naturally become close friends with most vets. But wouldn't you know it, none of those vets actually feed their own dogs Pedigree fell and similar cash-grab products; instead, they all mix together homemade meals, much like what they eat themselves.

And it’s easy enough to verify: just take two bowls, one filled with Pedigree fell and the other with homemade food, and set them down when your dog is hungry (which, let's face it, is every day since they aren't on any antidepressants 😁), then just let the dog decide which one is actually better for them.

It’s the exact same story with psychiatrists.

Here is my own experience:

Back in mid-2006, after three grueling months of struggling with balance issues and endless medical testing, I finally went to see a psychiatrist.
He immediately started treating me by throwing Zoloft and Xanax at me.
In the beginning, the Zoloft and Xanax actually made the dizziness even worse, leaving me convinced that I had completely lost my mind—totally.

I somehow managed to limp along until 2011, when my dog developed a severe ear infection, which ended up sending me back into the clinic for testing alongside him.

Both the dog and I tested positive for issues; the dog got his treatment, while I was sent off for further diagnostic testing while staying on my medication. During those follow-up tests, they discovered an old fracture in my eardrum that had healed over with fibrous tissue.
The specialist asked me how on earth I had managed to live with a ruptured eardrum without ever seeking help or mentioning it to anyone.
The reason I hadn't reported it to anyone else was because my previous doctors insisted everything was fine, but they essentially ruined me by prescribing antidepressants and Xanax, to which I eventually developed a dependency.

After five years of seeing him, my psychiatrist offered the deepest of apologies, justifying it by saying he wasn't an ENT specialist and couldn't have known, though he did note that I certainly had my own psychological baggage to clear out. When I asked if there was anyone out there who didn't have "baggage" to clean up, he told me quite plainly that there wasn't!

So, it all traces back to an ear issue treated by a psychiatrist using drugs, which led to depression and panic attacks, and once I finally realized what was happening and tried to taper off, I felt every demon in existence hit me at once. My body has become so accustomed to the medication that I'm still trying to figure out how to fix it, while the psychiatrist? There's no sign of him anymore. As far as he's concerned, the case is CLOSED, Next please.

David Bishop4 said: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.

Ha, honestly, even psychiatrists would be jealous of a logic like that....

redranger2 said:In my experience, a low-dose antipsychotic like Seroquel was the only thing that actually worked for my severe, chronic insomnia.

Honestly, if you want a real cure for any kind of sleep issue, nothing beats spending your entire day working outdoors—whether that's out in the fields, deep in the woods, or down by the coast.
Just let that physical exhaustion and some fresh air completely wear you down, and sleep will come naturally.
If you don't have a job that keeps you out in nature, just find something to do and get moving.

Gerald Torres2 said:Go ahead and look. My boyfriend is incredibly happy with them; xanax doesn't even touch him.😕😕😕😕!!!

honestly, maybe your boyfriend doesn't even need medication at all?
from what I've seen regarding what works and what doesn't, my take is this:
things like xanax or Ativan just don't cut it sometimes; you really need something like Valium or Paxil to see any actual effect

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?

First off: yes, they are addictive, especially if you're using them for three to six months.
The most important thing to understand—and it’s explicitly stated in the prescribing information—is that xanax isn't something you take on a schedule like an antibiotic, whether that's three times a day or twice a day.
Xanax is strictly intended for as-needed use; essentially, you take it only when you actually feel the panic or anxiety hitting you.
Furthermore, xanax has a significant impact on blood pressure, which means its effects can fluctuate depending on atmospheric pressure—it'll hit much harder during low-pressure systems than during high-pressure ones. That's why you can't just follow a rigid routine every few hours like you're finishing a course of penicillin; you use it when necessary, just like the instructions clearly state.

Kenneth Scott41 said:If you feel like that depression is starting to creep back in—and I notice quite a few people here mentioning they’re struggling with relapses, sometimes even feeling worse than before—I can't help but wonder why you stopped doing the things that actually helped you get through it in the first place.
Personally, I don't see any issue with someone just taking a single AD indefinitely if that's what works for them.
I mean, look at my elderly mother; she’s been taking her heart medication for years now without anyone batting an eye...

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.

Justin Rogers5 said:When my anxiety kicks in, I get this intense urge to throw up, especially in the morning. Had to head out today to drop off a seasonal job application and the urge hit me so hard—not even nausea, just a sudden, violent impulse to vomit. Dealing with GERD and stomach ulcers doesn't help either, but lately, it's been getting worse. Even when I take xanax or some kind of relaxant, it eventually settles down. That morning urge is pretty much a constant for me; my grandmother used to deal with the same thing every single morning. Plus, my fear of pregnancy isn't helping the stress levels. Any advice on what might help?

Try practicing diaphragmatic breathing—focus on your belly, not your chest;
inhale slowly and count to five while letting your abdomen expand
then exhale even more slowly, counting to ten as your belly settles
YOU HAVE TO BE EXTREMELY PRECISE WITH THIS

In about a minute or two, you'll feel like a whole new person.

Mark Nelson said:Ugh, yeah, the physical stuff can be absolutely brutal. :/

Regarding the actual mental symptoms of depression—you know, that heavy, low mood—how did it actually help you? And is it possible caffeine plays a role in how the meds work? I mean, just up to two cups a day.

Thanks, Mark Nelson. I'm hoping Zoloft eventually pulls its weight.🙂
It worked wonders for me once I started taking it consistently.👍
Anyway, you really have to listen completely to your psychiatrist when it comes to adjusting doses. I learned that the hard way, unfortunately.

The golden rule is to listen to yourself—to what your body is telling you and what your needs are—and then you have to be able to describe all of that very accurately to your psychiatrist so they can actually help you. Tell your doctor everything, even the things you think are trivial.
COFFEE, CAKE, NUTS, WALNUTS, and so on... these things can seriously mess with anxiolytics (like Xanax or Helex) by essentially neutralizing them. In other words, if you have coffee or a handful of walnuts and then take your Helex, you might as well forget the Helex is even working. It took me years of experience and trial and error to finally realize that.
Also, the summer heat—that heavy, sweltering humidity from the South or those hot winds from the West—can significantly decrease your need for anxiolytics because the heat effectively doubles their impact, causing dizziness, lightheadedness, and similar issues by dropping your blood pressure too much.

VELOFAX

I'm looking for some honest feedback on this medication;
specifically, how long did it take before you actually felt something? Does it tend to cause nausea, dizziness, or drowsiness, and if so, for how long does that phase last?
Has it actually helped manage depression for anyone here—and if so, when did the shift happen—and how does it hold up against anxiety?

thanks

David Bishop4 said:I really appreciate that. Until then, I'll just be getting by on Xanax. 😉

Look, if you can, try to scale back on the Xanax. It gives you that initial little lift, but once it wears off about an hour or two later, you get hit with this mini-withdrawal—drowsiness, nausea, all that good stuff—which just leaves you feeling more on edge, so you end up taking another dose, and then you're stuck in this endless loop.

That crash after the Xanax stops working usually hits within two hours of the dose wearing off, so you really just have to grit your teeth and wait for it to pass.

I don't know exactly how much you're taking, but try to keep it to a minimum; eventually, the AD should start doing its job and level things out.

David Bishop4 said:Guys, I really need some support right now. Is it normal to be hit this hard by nervousness, anxiety, and nausea? Just to give some context—it’s my seventh day on an AD, specifically Paxil, and yesterday was the first time I took the full tablet. Will this intense, constant anxiety eventually subside, or am I just dealing with a side effect?

The worst part is behind you; from here on out, things should start looking up every single day.

fadedbear92 said:I was on 5 mg of Zoloft, but I actually switched off it after just one week by moving to a different AD.
(I've never tried Prozac myself)

Which AD did you switch to, and did you end up dealing with the same symptoms from the Zoloft that I am?

Mark Nelson said:That sucks. I really hope things turn around for you soon. 😉

And, if you don't mind me asking, what actually went down on that day when you missed your Zoloft? Did everything eventually settle back down, or was it just a mess?

I've touched on this before;

For me, Zoloft has a massive impact on how I perceive the weather—specifically atmospheric pressure.
When the barometric pressure drops, I deal with nausea and dizziness, whereas high pressure brings tension and headaches.

I find myself constantly having to balance it out with Xanax; when there's high pressure—like during a bright, sunny day—I feel like I need more Xanax just to cope, but during those rainy, humid days from the south, I barely need any at all.

In my experience, Zoloft and Xanax share a surprisingly similar set of side effects—shaking, jitters, nausea, and so on. The main difference is the timing: with Zoloft, everything hits within thirty minutes to two hours, whereas with Xanax, the symptoms tend to flare up once it wears off after a couple of hours. It took me years to finally realize that the symptoms are almost identical, almost as if Zoloft somehow has Xanax baked right into it.

wiredskipper45 said:I feel like I’ve already rambled on about Prozac quite a bit here. 🙂
For me, it actually had the fewest side effects. Well, except for that first time I took it—I think I slept for like 36 hours straight. After a week, though, that heavy feeling was gone. I was sleeping like a baby, and the depression finally started backing off after a few months of use (mostly, anyway). Sadly, the anxiety ended up ramping up over time, but honestly, that was mostly just due to some stuff going on in my life...
With Effexor and Zoloft, I was constantly nauseous. I felt aggressive, restless, wired, and my heart would just race... the anxiety was physically painful. And that was after only taking one dose of each. I don't think I could have survived two days of those side effects.

Thanks,

Did you also deal with dizziness, nausea, or restlessness from the Prozac, and what kind of dosages were you starting on versus what you moved to later?

If I understood correctly, you were on Zoloft 1 day? That’s exactly what the instructions suggest, and I can personally confirm that those "very common" side effects are almost a guarantee during those first 3 to 15 days. Once you get past that, the anxiety stays fairly well managed, but it never truly lets go of you completely.

Mark Nelson said:So, what’s it like when you start taking it again? Are the side effects way worse than they were the first time, or does things eventually level out?
And did you actually feel that sense of relief after you quit, or was it after you started the Zoloft again?

Unfortunately, for me, it feels exactly like I'm starting from scratch all over again.

Prozac

I'm looking for some firsthand accounts regarding Prozac, if anyone has them—specifically how it stacks up against Zoloft or Effexor?

Mark Nelson said:Quote: I'm replying to your post because I want to hear from someone who was on Zoloft for a long time. You were on it for six years; I've only been on it for a year or so.

In what sense did the depression and anxiety pull back? Like, how specifically did it help, or maybe make things harder?
And regarding that sudden withdrawal—does everything eventually settle back to normal
once you start the therapy again?

I stopped my 100mg dose about 20 days ago after taking it consistently, mostly because I messed up with another medication and ended up being terrified to take anything at all.

Since yesterday, I've been taking 50mg on my doctor's advice (I won't tell you how horrified she was 🤣), but in a week, I'll be back to my old 100mg dose. For the most part, the med helped me; I became more open, more carefree... and I could actually focus on my responsibilities. 😍

Look, nobody asks me, but I'm dying to know how everyone else is handling this stuff, so I figured we might as well be on equal footing. 🙂

Zoloft Experience

I first started taking it six years ago when I was in a pretty dark, highly anxious state.
Naturally, nobody warned me that it would initially make me feel even more jittery, cause nausea, tremors, lack of focus, and all that good stuff...
After a while, I just learned to live with that initial phase, but the restlessness and dizziness have been following me around for the entire six years.
At the beginning, I took it for exactly one year and one day before dropping it, but then I had a major lapse four months later and found myself right back at square one.
Recently, I tried tapering down from 50mg daily—which I'd done for five years—by taking 0.25mg for two months before finally quitting.
The sense of relief, which I hadn't felt in six years, was absolutely incredible, but it only lasted fifteen days. Now, here I am again, dealing with the exact same symptoms I had when I first started six years ago. It turns out the real issue is finding the courage to start again, because you really have to plan your exit strategy very carefully.

My takeaway: if you're coming off Prozac, expect it to take at least 6 to 12 months.

wiredskipper45

No, I’ve actually gone back on Zoloft again. It’s been six years, and honestly, I’m just sitting here enduring those same old adjustment symptoms; the only difference is that I recognize them now, which makes them feel slightly less overwhelming.
I’m right there with you—for those entire six years, the medication managed to keep the depression somewhat in check, though the anxiety would dip at least once a day. It wasn't much, just enough of a reprieve to keep me constantly questioning if it was actually working or if I was just imagining things.
"Great," right? I’ll admit, during that ten-day stretch when I was off Zoloft, I felt completely fine—full of warmth and a sense of security—but it all popped like a cheap balloon the second the withdrawal symptoms started kicking in.

I’m seriously considering making the switch from Zoloft to Effexor. Everyone seems to say that Mirtazapine just knocks you out, and I can't deal with being a zombie. From what I hear, Effexor is basically like a hybrid of Zoloft and Mirtazapine.