Posts by Donna Vaughn28

My treatment plan just got a shake-up.
About a month ago, my doctor switched things around. I started on Wellbutrin XL and 25mg of Q-pin, but we kept the Mirtazapine at 0.5mg—which I’ve been taking for years now. I used to take the 1mg extended-release version, but lately, I’ve just been adjusting the dose as needed... When I first saw the list of side effects for Q-pin, I actually asked my therapist if this made sense. She just laughed and told me I was on the lowest possible dose you could imagine. Apparently, people usually start much higher, like 600 to 800mg, so the chances of me feeling anything are slim to none. Anyway, the big win is my sleep. It used to be so shallow and brief, but now it’s actually decent. I can even sleep for seven hours straight in the morning. I take my Wellbutrin in the morning per my doctor's orders, and so far, I’m happy with it. I wouldn't say I feel amazing, but those constant depressive dips aren't hitting me quite as hard. The only weird thing is my stomach... it’s been hit-or-miss, either sudden diarrhea or really bad constipation.
The instructions don't mention anything about whether I should take these on an empty stomach, with food, or if it doesn't matter at all. Also, does Q-pin cause dependency? I haven't slept this well in years, and I'd hate to end up addicted...

Kevin Nguyen3 said:And he was absolutely right! Q-pin works wonders as an antipsychotic and won't mess with your glucose levels.
I deal with blood sugar issues myself, yet I'm taking 200 mg without any trouble.

With Q-pin, you’ll be sleeping like a baby...😁

They prescribed me 25 mg. After doing a little digging and seeing that doses can go all the way up to 400, I realized he hit the nail on the head, especially since mine is just for when I need it. I take 0.5 mg of Misar and usually drift off without much trouble, though my sleep is pretty light... any loud noise wakes me right up. One day when I was staying at the hospital, they put me in a room with this guy who snores like a chainsaw. Around 3:00 AM, a nurse and an orderly walk down the hall and find me just sitting there on the edge of my bed. The orderly kindly offers to give me some Q-pin because he knows I won't get a wink of sleep with all that racket. I wasn't exactly thrilled, but I agreed, and it worked, so I know it’s effective 🙂
This morning was particularly rough. Just this overwhelming fear of hurting myself, feeling completely paralyzed... so I took some Misar to keep things from spiraling. Eventually, I managed to get outside and walk my dog for about 45 minutes, then headed back to bed once I was done.
When this depression really takes hold, I wake up way too early, yet I can't nap during the day. I can't get anything done, I have zero motivation, and time just drags on forever. My appetite is non-existent, so I'm barely eating anything at all. Honestly, I'm just exhausted by the cycle... one long episode, a brief moment of feeling okay, and then it's back to total lethargy.

Jason Vaughn482 said:What are your actual numbers looking like? I find myself flirting with the danger zone quite often; my readings occasionally creep past 6.4, and my last lab result sat at 6.6. Most of the time I hover right around 6, which technically falls within the "normal" range, yet it's already signaling that pre-diabetes territory.

Don't panic. Honestly, my glucose intolerance feels almost identical to full-blown diabetes. Your numbers? They're actually goals for me. Mine can spike up to 8.5, while my average sits around 7... most doctors at the clinic don't even blink at those levels. Of course, what you eat and how often matters immensely. You really have to stick to smaller, more frequent meals to avoid overloading your bloodstream... Have you done an OGTT or checked your HbA1c yet? Those are the real indicators of where you stand...

I also picked up some Q-pin to help me sleep. When I actually sat down to read the instructions, I felt this sudden little wave of panic because my blood sugar has been acting up lately. I gave my doctor a call just to be safe, and he told me that those 25mg shouldn't make any difference at all... since the standard doses are usually way higher than that 🤷

After going through one depressive episode after another—it felt like they were just rolling off an assembly line—and having good moods become the exception rather than the rule, I finally checked myself into the hospital for an evaluation. Honestly, when I say "evaluation," it was pretty superficial because I didn't really open up about my condition to anyone except the doctor during intake. For those seven days, I felt absolutely wonderful. I was upbeat, social, and full of energy... only to have everything slide right back to the old way once I got home. That crushing lack of motivation, the exhaustion, just staying in bed all day long...
I was on Lexapro, but now they’ve switched me over to Wellbutrin. I don't have any experience with this stuff, and I haven't even been able to start it since I was discharged last Friday because the local pharmacy is out of stock. I'm stuck waiting until Monday when their shipment arrives. Has anyone here had good results with it? Also, does anyone know if the rumors are true about needing to take something for serotonin alongside it?

briskwolf16 said:Quick question regarding antidepressants. For years now, I’ve been cycling through various options—everything from Lexapro and Celexa to Prozac, and most recently Zoloft and Seroquel. The pattern is always the same: they knock me out and make me feel incredibly sedated, yet they barely touch the anxiety itself. It’s frustrating because my primary struggle isn't even the depression; it's the anxiety that triggers the depressive episodes. Plus, the physical symptoms are brutal—constant stomach issues and this persistent, restless tension. Has anyone else dealt with this specific loop where the meds just act as heavy sedatives without actually calming the nerves? Is there perhaps a different class of medication that might work better for someone with high levels of somatization?

Look, I have zero issues with medication in principle. Honestly, I’d take ten different kinds if it meant finally finding the right fit. I’m just completely burnt out on psychotherapy at this point. I feel like I'm constantly hearing the exact same advice over and over again, and frankly, I’d rather just see if we can solve this through chemistry instead.

It sounds like we're in the exact same boat. I've been on several SSRIs over the years too. My rule of thumb is to give any new one at least six months before moving on. Some psychiatrists want to switch you after only two months, but I think it's better to give the medicine a real chance to settle in... I decided to keep searching until I found something that worked. At one point, Prozac actually gave me a boost, but even then, the symptoms eventually crept back despite staying on it. These don't make me sleepy, but they don't seem to do much either, even though my doctor insists things would be much worse without them. And he's probably right... there really isn't any other way but to experiment until something clicks. There are plenty of options out there, so just keep talking to your doctor and try something new every once in a while...

Eric Mitchell55 said:Has anyone here actually used Velafax before? I'm curious to hear if it's worth it.

It hasn't been anything life-changing for me personally... I’m still feeling pretty low, just like I did when I was on Lexapro and Alice. So many people swear by it, but let's be honest—medication isn't one-size-fits-all. You won't really know if it works until you're actually in the thick of it. Since you've been through this before, you probably already know that it takes more than three weeks to even start seeing a difference...

Jason Vaughn482 said:I didn't quite follow your logic; which one are you chewing? I'm not using the portal because I really can't stomach taking two ADs at once, but I do take Calixte since sleep is my absolute priority, though I suspect I could manage both since I only take a 7.5 mg dose of Calixte along with some Sanval...

The medication is called Vaira, and it isn't actually referring to your post... it's from Dvojbe. You probably just missed that part, so no need to worry about having to chew the portal...😉

darkbison5 said:Even if the facts you're laying out are correct, I still maintain that we simply underinvest in medicine. We see billions of dollars poured into professional sports, and even more into defense spending—yet when it comes to healthcare (be it physical or mental), progress over the last fifty years has been marginal at best.
It seems the priority is advancing cosmetic surgery so that people—mostly the wealthy elite—can look perpetually younger, while mental health issues are "managed" by popping pills for years that often do more harm than good. The reality is that most psychological struggles could be resolved through psychotherapy without medication, but there is a severe shortage of trained professionals capable of providing high-quality care—largely because it requires an immense amount of time. These things aren't fixed in a month or two. This brings us back to those who can afford much more than the average American; for them, paying $400— $167 per hour for private therapy isn't an issue, but what about everyone else? They end up on waiting lists for months just to see a psychiatrist for ten minutes, only to have a prescription handed to them. Naturally, people find themselves stuck in a loop because the underlying issues return; since quality therapy is unavailable, they are left with nothing but more medication... for how long? A year, two, five... or is it for life? Will the drugs remain effective that long, or will the dosage have to double, bringing even more side effects along for the ride? As ironrider11 points out—these are all substances that play very questionable games with our brain chemistry.
Unfortunately, an even larger hurdle is our somewhat backward society that continues to stigmatize anyone seeking psychiatric help... which leads many to suffer in silence for years, refusing treatment just to avoid the label.
But then again, who am I to judge? The choice is ours: attempt to live without medication (which is sometimes impossible if you need to function normally in daily life)... or simply take them for the rest of our lives and let nature take its course. After all, we’re all leaving this planet eventually. 🤷

People invest a lot more into medicine than they care to admit or even realize...
The endless searching and the experiments run by top-tier experts in high-tech labs are really just the starting line for developing a drug that might ultimately turn out to be useless or riddled with side effects. New breakthroughs don't just happen every morning. Even when they do, there's a massive amount of testing and time required before they actually reach patients. It's similar to how we're still using advanced weaponry to kill each other just like we were fifty years ago, only now it’s just faster and much more efficient. Mental health issues are incredibly widespread. Some are treated successfully, some partially, and some not at all because we're still essentially stumbling around in the dark regarding the complex chemistry and mechanisms of the human brain... and psychotherapy only helps certain groups. There are places in the US with plenty of therapists, yet people still struggle because many of these conditions are products of our modern lifestyle, pushing our minds past their limits. When someone finally snaps, it doesn't look the same for everyone since we all perceive problems differently. A diagnosis might be the same, but treatment depends on so many variables. For now, psychotropic drugs are simply what we can offer as a society at our current stage of development. Since we haven't mastered the technology needed to pinpoint and fix the exact electrical currents and chemical processes in the brain, we can't produce "perfect" medications—even if pharmaceutical companies are trying hard enough to compete, which often leads us to swallow pills with questionable efficacy. You actually wrote exactly what I used to think myself. Don't stress about it...
That would be my EOD since we've drifted away from the main topic...

ironrider11 said:Everything you're saying is true... but...
You have to care. This is your life we're talking about. When you've got drugs playing games with your brain in a world driven entirely by profit...
it might not be the "healthiest" thing to put in your body. "Yesterday," antibiotics were the "silver bullet"; now, because everyone uses them, we're
dealing with mutations and all these terrifying superbugs like MRSA... Or is that all just scientific nonsense? Just propaganda and fear-mongering?
fear....... You have to care. There's no such thing as being isolated. Eventually, through "medical progress" and "healthcare reform"... isolation will find you anyway. Not exactly what anyone wants, but......
Psychiatry finally became a profitable wing of medicine [pharmacology]; wouldn't it be great if it were actually recognized as "real" science.
Who's the "crazy" one at the end of the day? The guy who just nods along and swallows everything an "expert" tells him... or the individual who
sees "conspiracy theories" in everything... regardless of the undeniable fact that in this world, you are only... as much... as what you have.....
You have to care.. Or maybe you don't.. but that "maybe you don't" attitude is just "phase 2"........... ["the illness"]..........

Believe me, I would be the happiest person alive if I could just function normally.
We are far too small to fight back individually, and the chances of forming a massive movement to change anything are basically zero. After all, what can you actually change besides shouting and making threats? I know the conspiracy theories, and sure, there's truth in some of them, but we have to face reality. When you're sick, you go to a doctor who gives you medication based on whatever pharmacology has managed to scrape together regarding that illness. There isn't anything better, and it's up to you to accept it or not because there is no third option. Think about it like a car; even when a mechanic with years of experience tries to fix a common engine issue, they might struggle, yet we built the machine ourselves. Nature, which created us, didn't account for our attempts at "repairs." Its laws dictate that the sick perish while the healthy carry on the species—something we try to bypass with these "fixes," and the result is just more sickness. The reaction to antibiotics is nature's direct response to the attack we launched against it; through its own mechanisms, it created strains that are more resistant to the invaders we created. Instead of instinctively eating herbs when we feel unwell, we took a shortcut and created something "better" than wild plants. Some herbs work and the illness vanishes, but those are rare. Most things, especially those targeting mental health issues, just keep the condition under control because we are still only beginning to understand the underlying mechanisms. To reach a point where we develop technology capable of predicting and locating every process occurring within a patient to successfully return them to their original state... we are unimaginably far away from that.

darkbison5 said:I was wondering if anyone could shed some light on a specific question of mine;
Is there actually such a thing as a PERMANENT solution to the struggles caused by antidepressants—
specifically regarding panic disorder?
I am talking about individuals who successfully tapered off their medication years ago and have seen no return of their symptoms.
Based on what I’ve been reading on various forums, that seems like an impossibility—as if antidepressants merely act as a veil, masking the underlying issues rather than curing them. If that is the case, what is the actual purpose of the treatment? Why don't psychiatrists simply admit that these drugs only work while you are taking them, rather than suggesting that a few months or perhaps two years of use will lead to long-term stability?
Psychotherapy can offer a lot of insight—you might even uncover the root cause—but understanding the "why" doesn't necessarily provide the "how" when it comes to being permanently free from mental distress. I personally understand the triggers that led to my panic disorder, but knowing the cause feels hollow when the symptoms keep resurfacing despite all my hard work and four years of medication. It looks like I’ll be heading back to the pharmacy soon enough.🤷
It is difficult to wrap my head around the fact that medical science remains so stagnant in the 21st century while technology advances at breakneck speed. We are approaching an era where teleportation might feel plausible, yet we still haven't found a definitive cure to liberate millions from psychological suffering, let alone physical ailments.
It seems far more profitable to pour money into the NFL or pay a pop star $50,000 to headline a New Year's Eve party than it is to invest in genuine medical breakthroughs.🙂
It is quite disheartening.

You have to realize that $50,000 is practically pocket change in the grand scheme of medical research. It won't move the needle. The pharmaceutical industry dealing with mental health is worth billions, and the number of patients keeps climbing every year. From a purely business standpoint, creating a definitive "one-and-done" cure would be financial suicide... and that isn't the goal for any major corporation, especially when you consider how many psychiatrists and psychologists would lose their jobs overnight.
That's the cold, hard business side of things. As for the scientific side, we haven't even mastered cures for many much simpler physical ailments yet, let alone mental ones. Mental science is still just scratching the surface of the human brain... it's incredibly complex.
So, you're left with a bitter truth. Humans don't possess a universal toolkit capable of fixing every single thing they've created. Trying to build a tool to fix one of Mother Nature's most sophisticated creations is nothing more than wishful thinking...
So, whether you take the meds or not, don't exhaust yourself over these kinds of theories.

rustymaker682 said:The doctor gave him a pill from her own stash... I think it's called Vaira... please, can you explain these EF-oeves to me?

I'm not sure if she’s thought of this yet, but if you just type any EF code into Google—like F 42.1, for instance—you'll find plenty of results. They usually go into great detail about what it actually means, plus you can see questions from other people who have been given the same diagnosis...

Kevin Nguyen3 said:I am aware that they do prescribe dual AD regimens, but generally speaking, doctors try to avoid doing that, and most psychiatrists aren't exactly thrilled when they "have" to admit that such a combination actually works.
The real issue lies in how the drugs interact. Doctors often say, in a sort of metaphorical way... "if side effects start popping up, just wash your hands of the whole thing..."
In fact, I am currently taking two ADs myself.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I’m off to go kneel in a cornfield in the corner of town.🙈

And the reason? It's the same old story—it's the only way they work the way I envisioned them working.
I don't know anyone else who was recommended a dual AD regimen at the start of treatment (and I am referring here to a "good friend" of mine)

This guy, who is 44 years old, deals with the usual, politically correct EF-oeves.. recurring anxiety (based on our conversations...) and a severe depressive episode.
That is what is listed for him regarding his medications.
I don't even know of a single sleeping pill that you... chew.
I know of some things used for asthma prevention, or for stomach issues, or certain vitamins, like a B-complex or similar, or maybe something effervescent that dissolves in water.🤷

I feel like I read this somewhere once... maybe even right here on this forum. I stumbled upon a thread where a group of people were actually suing a manufacturer over some pretty nasty side effects from a sleeping pill. There was all this talk in the comments about how you could potentially avoid those issues if you just dissolved the pill in your mouth first... then there wouldn't be any trouble...

rustymaker682 said:Someone very close to me has been struggling for the last two months—feeling completely drained, moody, pulling away from everyone, avoiding friends, and dealing with some pretty dark thoughts. He finally decided to see a psychiatrist for the first time, and they prescribed him Effexor at 37.5 mg (1, 1, 0) and Calista at 15 mg... plus some Valium to help him sleep. But honestly? It feels like everything is just ten times worse now. We’re only five days into this, and he’s dealing with intense fear and anxiety, an absolute aversion to people and his job, and he can't sleep a wink despite all the medication. His mind is racing—he’s even thinking things like "this might be my last night." Then there are the physical symptoms: sudden chills, random hot flashes, and this stinging sensation in his chest. I'm looking for anyone who has navigated this before... is there actually any hope that this will settle down while he's on these meds?

Is it possible to go back to the psychiatrist? It's quite likely they're experiencing side effects from more than one medication, so it would be good for him to figure out exactly what's causing it. I actually went through that exact same thing with the hot and cold flashes. One second I'm shivering and bundling up, then two minutes later I'm burning up and peeling the covers off, then back to freezing again... As for my chest, it wasn't a sting for me, more like a sharp pain and tightness right in the center, and if I touched it, it would hurt. That part eventually eased up once my body got used to it.
BTW. There's an entire thread here on the forum dedicated to Valium where plenty of people complain about hallucinations and other issues.

brighthawk0 said:Hey everyone.

Has anyone actually found success using 20mg of Zoloft for social anxiety?

Thanks.

After trying Anafranil, Ladioamil, and Melleril, I finally felt like I was pulling out of depression.
Even though I stayed on top of my meds, the darkness crept back in... so I switched things up to Portal, Lexapro, and Eliceu. Right now, I'm taking two 37.5mg Effexor pills and have been on Misar SR 1 mg yesterday for three years already...
I saw my psychologist yesterday to run some tests. According to the results, I've been dealing with moderate depression that fluctuates quite a bit for over four months now. My motivation is just gone... everything I manage to do requires such intense mental effort, so mostly I just end up lying down because that's all I can handle...
My psychiatrist mentioned that things would be much worse if I wasn't on medication. And honestly, while it was bad before, it's definitely better now. I've been on Effexor for over 45 days, so if I don't see progress in another month, I'll ask about trying a different combo. I tried taking Depakote along with those other two, but it just wiped me out, so we dropped it...

Kevin Nguyen3 said:Where on earth are you getting these ideas from?
"Self-work" alone isn't going to change a thing.
If you had been focusing on this before the illness took hold, then sure, maybe... but right now? The medication has to do its job first, stabilizing things until you're actually ready for psychotherapy.
And let me tell you, that is an entirely different ballgame altogether... just like fadedbear92 told you, it's all about time. And nothing but time.

From what I gather, he isn't actually sick. He’s just young and wants to be better than he currently is by his own standards. He’s looking for an instant fix through medication because he saw a friend do it and thought it worked. But he’s being cautious and sensible, asking if this is really the way to go since he cares about his future. He senses that these quick fixes offer temporary success and satisfaction, but they ultimately destroy you in the long run by creating a massive imbalance in such a delicate part of the psyche. There’s usually no turning back once that happens; you just end up dealing with a chronic condition for the rest of your life. So, if he truly wants to improve, the only real path forward is doing the actual work on himself.

Rebecca Sanders37 said:I truly believe our mental state—whether we're stable or spiraling—is all down to brain chemistry. Everything is basically just chemistry, even our thoughts! By doing "inner work," I'm essentially trying to change my brain chemistry naturally. But what exactly do you mean when you talk about "working on your psyche"? Like, what am I supposed to actually *do*?

Look for where you're most vulnerable. Find those spots where you seem indecisive or feel like you could improve. Once you do that self-analysis, start looking for ways to fix it—find books, articles, or online resources that can guide you. If you see someone who seems more balanced than you, try to figure out why. Just don't try to compete with the absolute best if you don't have the genetic makeup for it, or try to mimic a friend who relies on medication. We are all so incredibly different. Even something as basic as Aspirin doesn't affect everyone the same way, let alone substances that regulate your psyche. That 5-HTP is essentially a serotonin generator, which people consider vital for mood, but it works wonders for one person, does nothing for another, barely touches a third, and some people even deal with side effects. Some find it works for ten days and then suddenly stops. There's even a recommended timeframe for taking it. It all depends on how much serotonin a person has and how their receptors receive it. You can't just eat iron filings to fix low iron in your blood because your stomach can't process them into something useful; it has to be in a specific form with other substances so the body can actually utilize it. Sometimes, serotonin receptors get dulled, die off, or get blocked by some unknown process. You might think you aren't lacking the substance itself, but your body simply isn't capable of processing or transporting it further through the system. In those cases, you might end up causing more problems, like serotonin syndrome, which is anything but harmless. There are tons of serotonin inhibitors on the market, and doctors honestly struggle to predict how any of them will work because we are all so unique. They try one, then another, then a tenth... until the patient finally responds, though some people don't respond to any at all. So, stay away from the chemicals unless you are truly ill. Instead, study yourself. Try to understand your own framework, or strive to climb one more rung up the ladder through learning and practice...

Rebecca Sanders37 said:Ugh, you guys have totally steered me away from antidepressants... 🙂
But wait, does anyone here actually have experience with 5-HTP supplements? Like, is that a much safer bet? Does anyone here actually know their stuff when it comes to this kind of thing?

See, that's a supplement. Most people hanging out here are dealing with actual prescriptions and clinical treatments, so getting a straight answer might be tough. From everything I've read from folks who use it, it seems to provide a slight mood lift and leads to incredibly intense dreams—could be good, could be bad. Then there are those for whom it does absolutely nothing at all, which most people just chalk up to the placebo effect...
Since it's just a supplement, the call is yours. Personally, though, I don't think you really need it. Since you're already feeling pretty good, maybe try to dial back that urge to be "the best" at everything. And again, I really mean it... try to work on your mental stability. That makes you way more resilient to life's challenges than any chemical ever could...
A mentally stable person knows exactly where they stand. It’s hard to shake them or sway their beliefs. They're tougher against illness, they stay rational when things go sideways, and plenty of other things too. But you need to learn this. It shouldn't be an issue, because from the way you talk, it's clear you're still young and haven't quite lived much yet. Just let yourself live while you aren't facing major problems, and slowly try to test out what you think could be improved...

Rebecca Sanders37 said:I didn't go for it back then because I was such a huge skeptic when it came to meds, you know? But honestly, looking back, I don't see anything wrong with giving it a shot now. That being said, I really wouldn't want to mess around with anything that might throw my brain chemistry out of whack, especially since I actually feel pretty decent as I am! I was mostly thinking about taking something just to level things up a bit—like a little boost to help me feel even more free and keep my mood consistently high. I was even looking into those over-the-counter 5-HTP supplements, since you can just grab them at a CVS without needing a prescription. Has anyone here actually tried those?
I wouldn't say they can't change your personality, though... I've seen it happen firsthand with a buddy of mine who turned into a completely different person.

Don't be foolish and just stay where you are. Be grateful that you're healthy and don't have any issues. Everyone strives for something better, but every extreme is harmful—including what you're looking for. Humans aren't built to be in a constant state of euphoria. If that scale stays tipped in one direction forever, there will be undeniable consequences. Emotions are incredibly complex... if you were perpetually happy, you'd trigger a chemical imbalance in your brain. You wouldn't be able to experience anything besides joy, which would cause those suppressed emotions to eventually explode. You'd end up with a broken psyche... and then you'd truly need medication just to survive an earthly hell, cursing the day you made this choice and whoever helped you do it. As for behaving more freely, just work on yourself... there's plenty of self-help literature out there to help with that.
Science is nowhere near understanding how our minds actually function, and medication is even further behind. Work on your own behavior... when you realize you can't go any further, you'll know you've hit your natural limits. Since you mentioned you feel okay as you are, don't try to find something that isn't there. Just be a human being with all the virtues and flaws nature gave you... perfection doesn't exist, and trying to reach it through chemistry always, without exception, ends terribly.

Kevin Nguyen3 said:Effexor is a relatively newer medication that has proven itself quite effective, specifically when dealing with moderate to severe depressive episodes.
During an active episode, the dosage tends to be higher—say, somewhere in the 150-300 mg range—but once the crisis passes, you can continue taking it preventatively at much lower doses, like 37.5-75 mg. Isn't that a wonderful characteristic for a drug to have?
Throughout the entire course of taking Effexor, it is entirely possible to experience absolutely zero side effects that would necessitate stopping the treatment altogether.
To even mention "fewer side effects" in this context seems almost redundant, does it not? After all, isn't that exactly what we expect?
You are currently in that delicate transitional phase where one medication is being phased out while another is being introduced (if I am understanding your situation correctly), and let me tell you, those are incredibly specific scenarios. There is no universal rulebook or predictable pattern we can rely on here!
I have been on Effexor for years now, and believe me when I say I wouldn't go around calling a medication "good" if it truly wasn't.
The reality is, my struggle is with dysthymia—that chronic, lingering depression—so one must always approach everything with a certain level of caution, right? But, knock on wood 🙂 since I started Effexor, my condition has significantly improved.

It started with me too, this chronic 🙂
This time of year always hits me the hardest. It’s freezing, and even with the heater running, I’m just curled up in bed... zero motivation to do anything. It's dinner time and I have to take the dog out, so I'm not just lying around all day and night, but hey, compared to people who stay in bed all day and only leave to hit a Starbucks, I guess I have it relatively easy 🙂
Regarding the medication, I was just sharing how things kicked off for me. The toughest part is that life has become... boring. I'm fully aware of everything happening around me; I can think clearly and make plans, but I just can't seem to get up without feeling the need to lie back down shortly after. It's a bit frustrating... though I've mostly made peace with it. If I can't fight it, I might as well just rest when the feeling hits.