Jason Vaughn482 said:I find myself unable to align with that perspective; I would argue that true dependency manifests when you require ever-increasing doses just to maintain a sense of equilibrium. If you reach a point where you cannot function at all without these medications for years on end, then you are effectively addicted to antidepressants—so, really, what is the fundamental distinction? 🤷
Jason Vaughn482 said:How much Xanax are you taking? Personally, I've been steady at about 1 mg a day for three years now. Addiction? Please. In my view, if you find yourself needing more and more of something just to function—much like how I once needed one dose of Miralax but now find myself reaching for three—that's just reality. With the Xanax, my dosage hasn't budged, but I might give that Clonazepam a shot.
Addiction is basically when you've been on meds for a long stretch and you just can't function without your daily dose, even if the amount stays the same.
fadedbear92 said:That isn't great—usually, as you start feeling the effects of the antidepressant, your symptoms should ease up, which would naturally lower your need for anxiolytics. Are you planning on starting psychotherapy?
Honestly, I don't feel like the AT&T has even started working yet. My doctor wants me back for therapy once all my tests are cleared, but I don't have my brain CT scheduled until April 24th. By the time those results actually land on her desk... I won't see any real relief until May. Just my luck..
David Bishop4 said:Once the AT&T medication fully takes effect, you'll find yourself tapering down those doses little by little. For me, 0.25mg doesn't really do much right now, whereas 0.5mg knocks me right out. Even so, I don't feel like it's fully settling my nerves. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that the Paxil kicks in soon.
That's the goal. To get the dosage down. I managed to taper from two 0.5 mg pills down to just one dose before settling at 0.25 mg being enough. I really don't want to mess up this progress.
So far I've knocked back 13 Cipralex pills—7 halves and 6 wholes—and honestly, the side effects are finally starting to chill out. Now I'm just stuck waiting for that "magic" moment when it actually kicks in. 🙂
The only real headache is that I’ve been leaning way harder on my Xanax. It was a total nightmare trying to get down to 4x0.25mg, but now I’m up to 5 or 6 doses instead of staying at 4. 😢 I was actually hoping I could taper off the Xanax once the AT&T meds kicked in, but instead, I'm just taking more of it. 😠
Honestly, the hardest part for me is that window right before the blood draw when you can't eat or drink anything but water. My blood pressure and sugar levels are usually pretty low, so I end up feeling like I’m about to pass out by the time morning rolls around. I’ve got to drive to the next city over soon to get my labs done—it’s about an hour's drive plus the usual waiting room grind—and I’m actually pretty nervous about it. Usually, the actual needle part isn't the issue; I can handle the poke and the recovery just fine since I always grab a snack immediately after. It's just that fasting stretch that kills me.
Donna Torres5 said:I'm right there with you—living in constant fear of when those obsessive thoughts will strike. It feels like a pendulum swinging between a few good days and a few bad ones, but finding that steady ground where everything is consistently okay feels impossible. Is anyone else struggling with intrusive thoughts? Or did they eventually fade away for you once you started medication?
Mine actually cleared out after about 9 months on Paxil, and honestly, 9 months later, they haven't come back. 🙂
The downside is Lexapro absolutely wrecks my sleep. I’ll wake up mid-night feeling totally disconnected from reality... like I'm wide awake but my brain is still stuck in a dream state. 😢 I seriously hate it.
Susan Edwards8 said:I was knocking back half a bottle—maybe five days straight—and honestly? I felt like absolute garbage. Just constant nausea, especially after finishing the whole thing, but hey, that’s just one of those side effects that eventually wears off... I used to take mine first thing in the morning right when I rolled out of bed.🤷
Does the Seroxat leaflet not say to take it after a meal anymore? Or am I tripping and it’s actually supposed to be on an empty stomach?
I was sipping on it all morning, but honestly? It just gave me these weird wake-ups around 7:00 AM where I couldn't drift back to sleep if I tried. Other than that, nothing really happened—no side effects, but zero positive vibes either. Just kind of a wash.
Bradley Parker said:Hey everyone, quick question. I have an orthodontist appointment coming up soon to get my bite adjusted, and I am honestly terrified. I deal with a really intense gag reflex, and that specific procedure always triggers it. Last time I even tried to go through with it, I ended up fleeing the office and breaking down in tears for an hour. Does anyone have a recommendation for something to help calm my nerves, since this is full-on panic territory? My primary care doctor prescribed some Paxil, but I’ve heard that might be a bit too heavy-handed for this.
The dental office suggested taking something like Dramamine or even prescription options to help with the gagging during procedures. Personally, my advice? Grab some Aviomarin. It’s basically the same thing as Dramamine, but you get a 5-pack instead of ten, so it ends up being way cheaper. If you actually need ten pills, then whatever. 🙂
That should handle the physical side of things, but for the mental breakdown part, you’d probably be better off with Xanax. Maybe try talking to your doctor about it again.
I've been on Cipralex for a few days now and honestly? Nothing positive to report. If anything, the side effects just cranked my anxiety up a notch. I’m getting hit with panic attacks basically every single time I step out the front door because I just don't feel safe. And of course, I have to head into Chicago this Tuesday—fun times—and then there's an EEG scheduled for Thursday, which will be even more lovely.
My doctor isn't seeing me until after April 24th since I still have to wrap up some other tests, so I'm really crossing my fingers that these pills actually start working. Right now, I just feel worse than I did before I started them. I read through the manual and, aside from the spiked anxiety and this constant feeling of depersonalization, I haven't had any other issues. So, I'm genuinely hoping the weirdness fades. On Tuesday, I'm moving up to the full dose in the morning, so things are about to get messy. But whatever.
To be honest, this caught me off guard. When I was on Paxil, I didn't deal with any side effects at all, though that wasn't doing much for my mood either. Maybe Cipralex is just pushing me "deeper" into the hole so it can eventually pull me back out later? 🙂 Not sure if that makes sense to anyone besides me. 🤣
Benjamin Robinson3 said:I've been on Celest since August 2011, and per my doctor's advice, I should stop taking them once I finish this pack (which is tomorrow). I’m planning to take a three-month break to see how my body reacts without any hormonal pills, as I have some health issues—unrelated to the birth control, though. So, what can I realistically expect from this hiatus? My periods used to be incredibly irregular and heavy, but they've finally stabilized thanks to the tablets. As far as I know, there isn't any supplement out there that can keep them steady during those three months off. Does anyone have experience with this? Feel free to DM me, I just really want to know what to look forward to. Thanks in advance!
Once I quit the pill, my cycle went right back to its old ways—completely unpredictable. My first period didn't even show up on time, and after that, they just kept getting more and more delayed. Look, everyone's body is different, so anything could happen with you. But honestly, it's totally possible you won't see a single period during those three months. It really all comes down to how chaotic your cycle was before you ever started the medication.
They put me on it to help with my stomach issues and nerves. The diagnosis was anxiety disorder. For the mental side of things, I was given Xanax, and Eglonyl just helped out a little bit.
I think I already mentioned this, but if I didn't—as far as I can remember, I felt pretty nauseous for the first few days, maybe 7 to 10 days total. That was really my only side effect. Things finally started settling down after just a couple of days. (I was just taking 50 mg in the morning)
Roughly how long does it take for Lexapro to actually kick in and for the side effects to die down? I’m starting my first pill this Tuesday morning, but I have a trip planned for February 12th—heading out to Chicago, which is about a two and a half hour bus ride. Just wondering if I’ll be feeling okay by then or if I should probably push the trip back.
The only thing popping into my head here is narcolepsy, especially since you mentioned passing out while standing up. Look, I’m obviously no doctor, so this is just my two cents. You really should hit up a physician and tell them what's going on. Even if you've been drinking, there isn't much of an excuse for just conking out mid-conversation (or during a lull, whatever).
Maybe brightranger28 has a point here. A lot of women have dealt with side effects from birth control, sure, but at the end of the day, nobody’s forcing anyone to take them. Like, if a doctor prescribes them to a healthy woman who doesn't actually want them, she can just... not take them. It's not like the doc is gonna show up at her house every morning to make sure she swallows them. 😁
Birth control is basically like any other medication—there's risk involved. But most women taking them are doing so with their eyes pretty much open. If they didn't bother reading the fine print, checking forums, or actually asking their OB-GYN, you can't really blame the doctors (or Big Pharma) for "poisoning" them.
Everyone has their own reasons for being on them or staying off. Personally, I’d never touch them unless I had to because of my PCOS; they don't really sit well with me, but they might be worth it for someone else. 🤷 On the flip side, I’m definitely not judging girls who use them just for acne or protection. If it works for them, who am I to play judge and jury? 🙂
I think we just need to be realistic—which, honestly, most posts on this forum are—and stay aware of what might happen. For every pill out there, there’s a whole thread dedicated to it where people share the bad stuff and the good stuff in equal measure. Everyone has to weigh the pros and cons for themselves, and that's that. 🙂
Any idea what the wait times look like for a CT scan or an EEG? Looking around the Seattle or Washington, D.C. area. Just trying to figure out which city I should be asking for a referral in.
I’ve got a CT coming up soon, but I actually had a chest and spine scan about three months ago. Is that enough of a gap to worry about radiation buildup?
Also, can I take something to chill out before the scan? And how long does the actual imaging take?