Posts by electrichound3

Adam Chase98 said:Yes, the lump appeared right after I started the medication... I'm currently on 150 mg—splitting it into 75 mg in the morning and 75 mg at night. But folks, it's been 9 weeks... I just don't know!!

Maybe try easing off with some Xanax or something similar until things start looking up. I was right on the edge of throwing in the towel myself, but eventually, it kicked in. It’s never an easy ride; it takes time for the meds to actually settle in. For me, Wellbutrin was much easier to handle side effects-wise, unlike Jardiance, which absolutely wrecked me. I just couldn't deal with it anymore.

Adam Chase98 said:Exactly... and I have one more question. I don't experience sudden attacks, nor am I feeling depressed or sad. It’s just that I feel this CONSTANT; EVERY SINGLE DAY; ALL DAY long pain, along with a lump in my throat and dizziness (brain fog). Is there anyone else out there experiencing this? Or am I truly alone in this?

Hey, I'm on it too. Did you have that lump in your throat before, or did it start once you began the Velafax? I started on 75 mg, and that "lump" was easily my most intense side effect. It’s a deeply unpleasant feeling, and the headaches were frequent. For me, things finally started to taper off after about a month and a half. Just hang in there a little longer...

Adam Chase98 said:Greetings! I am seeking some guidance.
Since Lexapro and Paxil didn't work for me, my doctor switched my prescription to Effexor. I struggle with anxiety characterized by restlessness and derealization, along with psychosomatic symptoms like constant pain, nausea, and that tight sensation in my throat. I have been on Effexor for 28 days now. I started with just half a pill—about 35.7 mg—in the evening. My dosage has since been gradually increased to two tablets (35.7 mg) at night plus one tablet (35.7 mg) in the morning, totaling roughly 100 mg. This titration happened slowly over the course of these 28 days. However, I feel absolutely no difference. Every single symptom remains. I am starting to panic that this medication won't help either, leaving me feeling hopeless. What is your perspective? Am I being too impatient? How long does it typically take to feel an actual improvement? Thank you!

I'm on Effexor too for an anxiety disorder... When I first started, I had that exact same lump in my throat. It lasted about a month and a half before finally letting up. The nausea was also a thing. Those are just side effects, they pass. For me, everything started falling into place after two months. It worked incredibly well for me, though it did spike my blood pressure a bit when I was on a higher dose like yours. Just hang in there; you'll see. I really hope it works for you.

Mark Nelson said:I heard that benzodiazepines mess with your brain and cognitive skills, and honestly, it terrified me. I don't even know about painkillers for teeth or headaches; maybe they do damage too, I guess.

I could feel the anxiety starting to creep in, so I took something preventatively before it really hit me. Maybe I shouldn't be so quick to reach for a pill, maybe I should wait it out, but then I’m just miserable, and if I wait until later, it doesn't even matter—it's the same result.

Everyone tells me to focus on other stuff—read more, play music, stay busy, just "do something" and it'll pass. But it's not that simple. When the anxiety hits, it just swallows me whole. I just end up playing the same loop in my head over and over, praying to God that it passes, just this one more time.
I just can't function when it happens.

I get everything you're saying—when it hurts, it hurts—but I'm still scared of those benzos. Is anxiety just as bad for the brain as the medication itself?
It's all a bit confusing, I guess.

I struggle with anxiety too, and believe me, I know how paralyzing and draining it can be. I didn't seek treatment at first, and it dragged me straight to rock bottom—total physical exhaustion. Once my body finally gave in after being under long-term stress, everything fell apart: insomnia, weight loss... just pure chaos in my head. Now, I'm on Effexor and I'm functioning really well. I'm in college, tackling a pretty brutal curriculum, and passing my exams. I used to sleep terribly before stressful periods, barely anything at all, but now I can actually get a solid 6 or 7 hours of sleep. The anxiety isn't raging like it used to; it's still there, but it's manageable. Leaving your body to suffer without treatment for a long time is basically suicide for your system. If you haven't been through it, you won't understand. For me, herbal remedies and things like melatonon didn't help at all—they were like Tic Tacs. So, you see, you have to actually do something to stabilize yourself. As for the benzos, they calm me down completely—that mellow sense of peace. However, I have noticed my memory slips a bit, probably due to the sedation, though it could be the underlying issue too. I definitely avoid them before exams. Don't overtax your brain trying to figure out exactly how every drug works; it doesn't help the healing process. We're all different, and no two people react to the same medication in the same way.

restlesstiger49 said:Over the last month, I’ve noticed a real decline in my cognitive sharpness. My memory is slipping, I'm becoming increasingly forgetful, and I even find myself blanking on basic names and terms more often than not.. 😵 Honestly, I have a nagging suspicion that Velax might be the culprit here. Is it possible that AD-ov could be playing a role in this? Does anyone have any insight?

It’s probably the drug. I’m on it too, and during those first few months, my cognitive function was a total wreck... exactly what you're describing. I eventually cut my dose down to the bare minimum and I can actually see some progress. I have a big exam at university coming up in two months, and since I started taking Omega Neuro from Natural Wealth, it's been much easier to cram all this info into my head.☕

Michael Hill2 said:I’m with you—diagnosing mental health issues is a total crapshoot.

I used to think there wasn't any objective way to diagnose anything, but I saw this killer documentary explaining that you actually *can* detect depression via brain MRIs. They showed how the amygdala—the part of the brain handling emotional responses—shows up significantly enlarged, and after the right medication kicks in, it shrinks back to a normal size.😉

Personally, I think the most important thing is finding a solid psychiatrist with actual clinical experience—someone who actually has the time to sit down and have a real conversation with you. In our healthcare system, that’s a rare find. I didn't mind paying a premium to see a private specialist because I finally got exactly what I needed: an expert who actually focused on me.

Even my doctor admitted that for any given psychiatric drug, there's only about a 50/50 shot it’ll work for a specific person. A good psychiatrist is supposed to use their experience to guess which med might fit your symptoms, but at the end of the day, it feels like a coin flip whether you land in that successful 50% or not.

I think I even read somewhere that they’re working on DNA testing here in the States to predict how someone will react to certain drugs. I can't remember if it's still in the testing phase or already being used in clinics, though.

But knowing how things work with the government around here... we probably won't see that kind of progress for another five hundred years.😵

Exactly..

Laura Castillo6 said:Here’s what I think about treating depression as a medical condition that needs medication:

Man... just looking at how many pills that kid was being pumped with is terrifying. It feels like America is a nation that prefers to keep its people sedated. Psychiatry is expanding rapidly, especially psychopharmacology, but it makes me wonder. It’s a field where you can't exactly peer inside a brain to verify what's happening; instead, they just rely on trial and error. We’re essentially walking test subjects. I’ve been there myself. Dealing with various medications was easily the darkest chapter of my life. I never suffered from depression naturally, but I experienced it firsthand after being put on an antidepressant. That feeling of helplessness—like you're frozen inside your own skin, unable to move—is pure horror. I truly empathize with anyone fighting this, even if my ordeal only lasted a few days. It’s impossible to tell if these drugs are helping or hurting, because everyone reacts so differently.

Richard Diaz50 said:Well, essentially, whatever you learn, the fear or the nerves—whatever it is—forces you to forget it or makes you feel like you're blanking. So, with Xanax, I just relax; I get this sort of high—kind of a "nothing matters, I'm untouchable" vibe—and then it's done. 😉
It's like just completely surrendering to the moment. 🙄
But my issue is different—I have to memorize so much stuff that doesn't even seem logical (formulas, definitions, theorems, proofs, etc.), which moves a bit slow for me. Then there's all the theory I have to grasp just to solve problems. You need long periods of focus for all that, but I... I just drift off into space, lose myself in thought, everything hits me too hard... I really overthink things way too much. 😵☕

I think I might understand that feeling of losing consciousness; I've been in that state for the last 15 days. I barely remember anything. I'm just going through the motions—walking, forgetting to eat—I'm not even aware of what's happening. Panic sets in because I'm truly losing control over myself. And the worst part is, I'm supposedly still expected to keep up with my responsibilities, even though I can't anymore... seriously, I just can't. It feels awful, watching myself sink deeper every single day. 😢
I was the best at everything my whole life, and now I'm becoming a lost cause. If only I could take a little break from life... I'm already starting to cry. 🤦
I don't really have much support from my family—it feels like I’m mostly fighting this battle on my own. I'm out here navigating psychiatrists, deciding on different therapies, vetting psychologists, and bouncing between hospitals to get my lab work done... there were days when I'd be at my university classes in the morning, then head straight to the clinic for checkups and results, and then dash right back to campus. It’s all because something just isn't right; I know I'm not okay, and I'm desperate to figure out what's actually going on.
I don't even know where this ends—honestly, there are times I just wish I could die, because I've had enough of this pain in every sense of the word. 🙂

My college is nothing but theory... just cramming a million sentences into my head for an exam. I get that same feeling when I stand in front of the professor—that sudden sense that I know absolutely nothing, even though I know I do. I've always been a perfectionist, but sometimes life just tells you to stop. For years, I bottled up all these toxic emotions caused by people who lack empathy for themselves, let alone others. I endured human rudeness, malice, and more. Eventually, the body just breaks down. I kept it all inside for way too long—huge mistake. Now, I spit it all out, give everyone exactly what they deserve, and honestly, I feel much better. As for support, it's the same story: the moment people see you aren't functioning perfectly, they bail on you. But you have to realize you are unique. No one is worth your tears. We live in a world where everyone is calculated to the extreme. Take a break from life. Your health is the only thing that matters. Make your only goal getting back to yourself, and you'll manage the rest later. It isn't easy, but you have to fight. 🙂

shadowbear9 said:Just make sure you don't overdo it to the point where you're practically falling asleep on us...

I know Xanax can make you drowsy... I'm just going to take a minimal dose.

shadowbear9 said:I once wrote a philosophy essay for a state competition while high on Misar. I have zero memory of what I actually wrote, but somehow I made it to the regional finals and took first place.🤣
I did the exact same thing during my college entrance exams for philosophy; whenever there was an essay to write, I’d just pop some Misar, and I'd walk away with a decent passing grade.🙂

Great... maybe I'll just knock back a Xanax before my exam. Hopefully, that'll kill the nerves once and for all. 🎉

fadedbear92 said:Well, Effexor is a real powerhouse, whereas Fever falls more into the anxiolytic category. For me, switching worked wonders because Effexor absolutely wrecked my sleep. After three weeks, I managed to taper off—it was just too intense for my system. It's different from Zoloft; even though Zoloft can be a bit of a stimulant too, it isn't nearly as aggressive and actually kept my energy steady throughout the day.

It's true, Effexor is a powerhouse. I had major issues with insomnia while on it, though things finally stabilized a few months ago and I can actually sleep through the night now without waking up. But Paxil? Ugh. I have never experienced that kind of total energy depletion with any other psychiatric med. It was a nightmare. I struggled on it for nearly a month... it practically pinned me to my bed. My ability to function like a normal human being was basically zero. Of course, everyone is different—it was prescribed specifically to target my anxiety.

Richard Diaz50 said:I really have to hand it to you—managing to pull this off without them is truly impressive. 🙏 I can’t even wrap my head around an exam without them—honestly. When I try to study, my thoughts start buzzing like a swarm of bees in a hive—it's total chaos—and they just ground me back to reality. An oral exam is a whole different beast, though. Without Xanax, there's no way I'd stand before a professor with the confidence of a mountain range, talking away as if I’ve mastered all the wisdom in the world. Last time, I actually talked my way into a higher grade—apparently, I was just debating the validity of certain theorems! 🤣
To be honest—if I wasn't on my medication—I wouldn't even have the courage to show up for my exam... the thoughts are just too overwhelming. It’s like trying to navigate a storm without an anchor; only someone living through it truly understands. 🙂🙂

Wait—you were actually hospitalized? You mean at a psychiatric ward?? 😢

I honestly respect that you can handle exams while on them. 👍 Personally, my anxiety hits such a peak before tests that my body just loses it. Headaches, nausea... it's horrific. I know nothing life-threatening is actually happening, but I can't fight it. It's stronger than me. I made a mistake once; instead of taking some Normabel to level me out before an exam, I took nothing, and my nerves just went through the roof. I'm not making that mistake again. So, does your memory actually stay sharp while you're on Xanax?

Richard Diaz50 said:If you wouldn't mind sharing a few thoughts with me 🙄
Has anyone here experienced any memory gaps while taking antidepressants or anti-anxiety meds???

With antidepressants, the gaps are less frequent... mostly just when you first start them up. But trying to recall specific information? That’s a total nightmare, especially on higher doses. As for antipsychotics—honestly, if I were still on those, I wouldn't be able to pass a single exam. I wouldn't even know my own name, let alone memorize a mountain of data. Mad respect to anyone actually pulling it off.👍

restlesstiger49 said:Has anyone else on venlafaxine experienced that heavy morning fatigue, even after getting a solid 7 or 8 hours of sleep? I can't shake the feeling that this medication is making my sleep restless. Every morning, I wake up with this muscle lethargy and a slight wave of anxiety that usually clears up after about 40 minutes. I’m currently taking 37.5mg in the morning.

I’m on the same dose—37.5mg in the morning—and I've been at it for a year now. In the beginning, the exhaustion was brutal. Sleep was hit-or-miss, I kept waking up in the middle of the night, and my dreams were straight out of a horror movie. As for that anxiety, I still deal with it every morning right after I wake up, though it usually clears out after an hour or so. The heavy fatigue isn't there anymore, though; my energy levels stay pretty high all day. It's a massive improvement over when I was on Fevarin; back then, I could barely crawl out of bed for the entire day.😵

mistyjackal842 said:I’ve officially given up on antidepressants. For me, they definitely mess with my urination—specifically that antidiuretic hormone (ADH) released by the pituitary gland. It actually caused a mild case of hyponatremia in my blood; my sodium levels dropped, and my potassium was right on the edge of being too low, too. I honestly think it's pretty rare for someone to deal with this many side effects from an antidepressant. I had been taking the Zoloft syrup recently. If it hadn't caused all this, maybe I would have stayed on it a bit longer. I don't know... I actually felt somewhat calmer when I was on Lexapro for three weeks. That was my first medication, and I felt better then. But then, after those three weeks, that issue with frequent urination started for the first time. I thought about getting my ADH levels checked, but I can't find any private labs around here that actually run that specific test. I just don't know. I feel like I probably need an antidepressant, but clearly, I can't take them. I've read some articles online saying that certain side effects don't just go away over time. That obviously isn't common, but it seems to be happening to me.

Sent from my iPhone 13 using Reddit

Why are you stressing so much about the frequent urination? I've been dealing with the exact same thing since I started psych meds. I went through all sorts of testing, and it turns out it's a mix of the pills and my own anxiety—my whole system just runs too fast. I don't obsess over it anymore. I used to be exactly like you, hyper-analyzing every tiny change in my body, which obviously just fueled the panic. Eventually, I had to learn to live with it. If I let every side effect get to me, I’d never take anything, and my psychiatrist already confirmed that I react poorly to most meds. Just think carefully before you quit entirely; talk to your doctor. Sometimes we really do need help to get through the dark chapters of life. That's better than completely breaking down mentally.

jadehawk8 said:I'm on my fourth day of taking Citalopram, and about an hour after my dose this morning, I suddenly felt incredibly dizzy. I started sweating and actually got pretty scared, so I just laid down. Then, out of nowhere, it felt like I was burning up from the inside—like this intense acid was eating through my whole body, especially my upper torso. It was awful... I'm still feeling it. Has anyone else ever dealt with this? I tried calling my psychiatrist, but they aren't picking up, so I'm just waiting for a text back. Honestly, I'm pretty shaken up.😢

I had the exact same thing happen when I was on Fevarin, precisely what you're describing. It felt like my upper body was on fire—like my lungs were actually burning. For me, that sensation lasted about two weeks, hitting me every single day right after I took the pill. It’s a revolting side effect. You just have to find a way to push through it; I found that taking some Normabel helped a little, but it wasn't much.

Chris Robinson25 said:You've got it wrong, Chris Robinson25. 😢I can't even begin to describe the side effects properly.

My heart was racing at like 200 beats per minute. 😢Plus, I started having these extra hallucinations from that crap—it felt almost exactly like the panic attacks you get from a Lexus. 😢

Wait, was it Zyprexa? Not Ziprex? I took it once for a short stint... I had the exact same thing—insane heart palpitations and this nasty sense of derealization. I practically forgot my own name. The anxiety was just spiraling out of control. I'll never forget that drug... I felt like a total zombie.

quietwalker5 said:Everything is fine, provided the depression stays away.😉
Tell me (since I am also on this medication), do you struggle with sleep? Specifically, I wake up at 7 AM every morning, yet I stay awake until 2 or 3 AM at night, feeling no need for sleep during the day. I wonder if this will pass?

Around 8 AM, after taking my morning dose, I get hit with restlessness about ninety minutes later; it feels like a bout of anxiety that lingers all day. I am unsure whether to take some Xanax.🤷

Do you experience these issues? Or did you? Are you taking anything else alongside this?

I'm feeling the exact same way from the Velafax... especially that morning anxiety, it's the worst. And if I have coffee? Ugh, it's even more intense. I had to cut coffee out in the afternoons entirely. Before I started ADs, I only felt anxious during stressful situations, but now it's practically there 24/7. It isn't totally unbearable, but it's definitely present.😂

quietwalker5 said:I have a headache today, the first one since starting Effexor. Perhaps it is due to the weather changes🤷. But the tremor is constant. It subsides slightly before I take my dose at 8:00 PM. Thank you for sharing😉

Was the evening dose scheduled because of the nighttime waking or the morning anxiety?

I used to get those headaches constantly when I first started, too. Are you on anything else besides Effexor? As for the evening dose, yeah, it was because of that morning anxiety. There’s this weird sensation that lingers; it’s still there, just weaker now. I never felt that before I started psychiatric meds.

quietwalker5 said:Forgive me if I am being a nuisance. It is my 10th day. My mental state is better, but the tremors are still bothering me (did you experience that?) and I have the usual trouble falling asleep and waking up during the night, just like before the Effexor. I take 37.5mg in the morning and evening, and I get the impression it makes me sleepy at first. Then, after about an hour, the tremor kicks in. After how much time did you feel the side effects subside and realize this was just the new normal?

Thank you for the response...

I don't recall having tremors... though my sleep was a disaster for about three months. I was waking up constantly, and every morning I'd be hit by this intense anxiety. I eventually told my doctor, and they switched me off the nighttime dose of Effexor. For me, the side effects started tapering off after four months. I've been on it for nine months now and I'm doing alright; the depression is gone, though there's still a lingering bit of anxiety and some memory issues. My worst symptom was that "lump in the throat" feeling—it was incredibly distracting at first, but that cleared up after three months. Are you dealing with anything else?