Gerald Torres2 said:Well, that’s exactly my concern... how long does this stuff actually last, and how quickly does it kick in? I have a job interview tomorrow and I'm terrified that if I take it tonight, I'll show up looking like a total drunk. Plus, I've got class on Saturday, and I'm dealing with the same anxiety there too... I'm stuck deciding whether I should just skip it for those two days entirely, or maybe try taking it around 5 or 6 PM so it wears off by 11 when my interview starts...😕 Any advice???
Your best bet is to take it around 8 PM. Don't wait until midnight.
Gerald Torres2 said:Well, that’s exactly my concern... how long does this stuff actually last, and how quickly does it kick in? I have a job interview tomorrow and I'm terrified that if I take it tonight, I'll show up looking like a total drunk. Plus, I've got class on Saturday, and I'm dealing with the same anxiety there too... I'm stuck deciding whether I should just skip it for those two days entirely, or maybe try taking it around 5 or 6 PM so it wears off by 11 when my interview starts...😕 Any advice???
I can't give you a definitive answer. It really depends on how sensitive you are to meds. But one thing is certain: most people don't feel the same way after they've slept through the initial effects.
50 milligrams isn't a massive dose—some people are out here taking 800 milligrams of Seroquel.
If you take it tonight, I'd say there's a tiny chance you'll show up looking "drunk." At worst, you might just seem a bit more sluggish than usual... which honestly isn't even a bad thing. It'll definitely keep you from being overly anxious during the interview.
Gerald Torres2 said:So, I was just prescribed Seoquel XR at 50 mg to take at bedtime. I see that some of you seem to be doing fine on it, but you’re all taking the standard version while I’ve been put on the XR formulation. Could someone please explain the actual difference between the two? Also, I’m curious if anyone has dealt with weight gain from this specific version. The instructions mention it’s a common side effect, and frankly, that’s the last thing I want to deal with right now. thanks for the input.
The "XR" just means it's extended-release, so it kicks in slower and lasts longer.
For me, it spiked my appetite for the first three days. After that, nothing.
fadedbear92 said:Seroquel is the name brand, whereas Q-Pin is just a local generic version—it was mainly prescribed to me for severe insomnia, though I take it for anxiety when things get intense.
How many mg of Seroquel are you taking?
I just started recently. Began at 25 mg, now I'm at 50. My doctor will probably bump me up to 100 at my next checkup.
It doesn't kick in immediately—it usually takes about half an hour to really settle in. You don't necessarily "feel" it hitting you like a wave; instead, you just suddenly feel... normal. It’s more like a mental clearing—you feel steady, calm, and totally relaxed. At least, that's how it works for me.
I'm with you on that.
When the anxiety starts hitting me hard lately—it’s honestly been pretty overwhelming—I've found that Quetiapine really helps. It's an antipsychotic that was actually added to the approved medication list for anxiety disorders just about two months ago.
Never heard of Q-Pin. But Seroquel works wonders for my anxiety too, especially since it acts as a sedative. 🙂
Usually, I can't stand antipsychotics. I’ve mentioned before how much they—and other sedatives—tend to numb me out... but Seroquel is different. I don't know what it is, but it doesn't leave me feeling like a zombie; it just relaxes me perfectly. I only take it at night. At first, I had some side effects where I was getting nightmares. Really vivid ones. Like my subconscious was dragging up all the crap I'd suppressed. Thankfully, that's settled down now. The best part is taking it at night so it protects me from anxiety during the day. And as for those intrusive thoughts? It kills them completely. I might talk to my doctor about maybe taking it during the day, too. Though honestly, I probably don't need to since the intrusive thoughts don't hit that often. And even when they do, they're much easier to manage now.
redtiger35 said:Didn't get a reply a little while back, so I figured I’d give this another shot... My doctor wrote me a prescription for Valium to help me taper off the Helix. But honestly, I’m still sticking with the Helix because I’m pretty hooked—even though my doses aren't massive, maybe 1 mg at most, and sometimes just half a milligram keeps me asleep at night, which is what I've been doing for about a year now. I'm just terrified that Valium won't provide that same sense of "support" that Helix does, and since there’s never a perfect time when life isn't hitting me with stress or work craziness, I really don't want to risk going without my Helix.
So, how does Valium actually work? I've heard some people say you can't even feel it and that it's way weaker than Helix.
Personally, I think Valium works way better than Helix, Paxil, or Norvasc... It doesn't leave me feeling drugged or groggy, but it somehow helps everything click into place in my head. Hard to put into words. For OCD, social anxiety, or general panic, it’s absolute magic.
Jason Vaughn482 said:What dosages are you on? Prozac worked well for me too, almost to the point where I felt like myself again, but how much Seroquel are you taking?
Not long ago, I was maxing out on Prozac. I mean 60mg, three pills a day. Now I've dropped down to just one.
Donna Torres5 said:Well, I managed to handle things naturally today—and by that, I mean we’re talking about digestion, which is truly a universal topic, isn't it?😂 I think I finally cracked the code: drink a full liter of water all at once—not just sipping, obviously. And suddenly, everything is moving perfectly!
Look, I told you before: fiber won't do a thing if you aren't drinking enough water. In fact, without hydration, it'll just make you more backed up.
You’re all going to end up miserable... honestly, I don't get why people fight so hard for a medication that clearly does more harm than good.
In my book, chronic constipation is absolute torture for the body and overall health, so I’d switch my treatment in a heartbeat. Thank God we actually have a whole pharmacy's worth of options to choose from these days, almost like picking candy at a convenience store.
My current regimen is Prozac, Xanax, and Seroquel.
I tried Effexor... it just shut me down. I wasn't touching it again. I've also tried Prozac, Zyprexa, Seroquel, and Zoloft... they all left me feeling emotionally numb, so I called it quits. With Xanax, I felt totally depersonalized—like I wasn't even there—and my head just felt "off." I didn't want it. Then there was Ampyra... besides making me feel like a zombie, I slept through basically everything, and when I was awake, I was eating like there was no tomorrow. Just a bottomless pit. I refused to take it because I wasn't about to gain 150 pounds and spend my life asleep. Why? Because being constipated, feeling detached, gaining massive weight, and being an emotional shell felt way worse than the actual condition I'm treating without pills. There's no point in taking meds if there's a better alternative out there. And I found mine.
Eventually, I landed on this specific combo (the ones I mentioned earlier) that actually works for me. I mostly feel great, and the side effects are negligible—sure, it takes me a bit longer to finish, or my appetite is lower... but that’s not a huge deal since you can always force yourself to eat.
It honestly terrifies me to read about someone gaining 20 or 30 pounds from antipsychotics. Forgive me, but I wouldn't touch a drug like that. The antipsychotic I'm on doesn't make me gain any weight at all. It doesn't trigger crazy cravings or turn me into a zombie. It’s solid, and it keeps me stable.
As soon as I told my psychiatrist that Zoloft made me feel numb and lifeless, he told me to toss it immediately. He said the damage outweighed the benefits—there's no sense in treating anxiety by turning someone into a walking vegetable.
Donna Torres5 said:Well, if you aren't actually reading what I wrote—I eat nothing but high-fiber, super light meals. The only thing I'll admit is that I don't drink nearly enough water. I’m going to give Donata mg a shot, though honestly, it feels like trying to put out a forest fire with a squirt gun given how backed up I am. It's like my system is completely set in concrete.
If you're that backed up, just use an enema and then stick to the fiber and those Instagram tips.
Donna Torres5 said:So, I decided to try out some Portalak this weekend—a mix of senna tea and some probiotics. Honestly, I barely managed to make it to the bathroom yesterday, and even then, it wasn't exactly a dramatic situation. It was pretty uncomfortable... so, I think I'll just take some Bekunis today to get things moving properly.
Why aren't you listening to the advice people are giving you here?
Look, the point isn't to just lean on laxatives throughout your whole treatment. You need to adjust what you eat to actually get things moving.
That means... drink eight ounces of prune juice first thing in the morning and again right before bed. It’s not a laxative, so it fits right into a normal diet. During the day, if you're eating high-fiber foods, you have to drink plenty of water—at least two liters. Otherwise, all that fiber is just going to clog you up even more. Water is key. Try to drink it warm rather than ice cold. It’s easiest to just keep a carafe on the counter all day so it stays at room temperature.
Pear or prune juices will help too.
Probiotics are fine, too. They help normalize things, but they aren't a magic fix for constipation. People usually take them for diarrhea or to fix their gut flora after antibiotics. Still, they're good for you and you can take them regularly.
Laxatives and enemas aren't long-term solutions. Use them once or twice a month if you really have to. But if you start relying on them constantly, your gut is going to get lazy, and then even Jesus won't be able to get things moving again.
Matthew White4 said:Look, it’s not even about running to the bathroom with diarrhea; it’s about actually getting your digestion back on track.
As for mixing Probavin with some herbal tea: the tea gets things moving, while the Probavin adds bulk to everything, so you don't end up with a total disaster... instead, you just - well, you just have a nice, productive poop.
I know a few people who fixed their whole situation just by taking a spoonful of olive oil on an empty stomach first thing in the morning.
Sometimes a glass of orange juice does the trick too.
Anyone else dealing with zero appetite on Prozac? For me, after a few months on it, my appetite has just vanished. It’s like I’ve lost the ability to feel hungry. I have to force myself to eat just to stay functional, and sometimes when things get busy, I’ll completely forget to eat all day. My stomach stays empty, yet I’m still buzzing with energy and don't feel any urge to grab food.
I’ve dropped some weight. I’m sitting at about 132 lbs right now, standing 5'11".
My mom is riding my back about it.
But how am I supposed to explain that I physically can't stomach those huge meals?
Would it be a bad idea to take an antidepressant at night alongside Prozac—something that actually stimulates an appetite—just to balance things out? I'm not even sure if you're allowed to mix antidepressants like that... for instance, Amyzol. I remember that one used to really kickstart my appetite.
Maybe the best move is talking to my doctor, but honestly... I'm terrified they'll just pull the plug on the Prozac altogether. It works wonders for everything else, so I don't want to lose that progress. 😢
Prozac... maybe 4, 5, or 6 months now... honestly, I lost track. Things just keep getting better.
I can actually feel the full spectrum of emotions again. That’s the big one for me. I don't feel numb at all. That was my biggest fear with antidepressants.
And my focus? It’s unreal. I’m taking a quick break from studying right now, but man... after three years of doing nothing, I'm actually sitting down and hitting the books. Like, wait... am I actually learning things? Is this even happening? 🙂 😁
My social anxiety is gone. I finally sorted out my stuff at college, too. Even had a totally civil, polite sit-down with the Dean to get things settled. I’ve even started writing articles for a campus magazine. I'm finally tackling everything I've been putting off for years. I've made a ton of new friends... I feel alive... wow... 😁
There was one phase where I felt pretty disoriented, though. After being stuck in this deep sadness for so long, when happiness finally hits, you start wondering... damn, do I even deserve this? Can I actually handle being happy?...
And don't even get me started on sex... My God... I have never experienced anything like it in my life. 😲 It baffles me when people say Prozac kills your libido, because I am feeling... absolutely wild. 😳
One more thing... just a tiny bit of a bother... I have plenty of energy, but zero appetite. Almost never feel hungry. At all. I mostly just force myself to eat so my body doesn't start eating itself. LoL. But whatever. It's the least of my worries.
I should also mention that breastfeeding was a huge help for me. It triggers this massive oxytocin release in the brain, which really helps ward off depression. While I was nursing, my head was just... totally in the clouds. Everything felt light and airy. 😁
Maybe it sounds cliché or overly sentimental... but... don't forget the power of touch. Make it a point every single day, every hour if you can, to show them how much you love them. Especially during that first year, physical contact is everything to a baby. Don't listen to all that nonsense about them "learning to be independent" or "not needing to be held." Let them learn that later. Carry them as much as you possibly can. If you can't carry them, just lie down on the bed with them.
Kiss them often.
I notice some parents try way too hard to perform their love for their kids instead of just feeling it.
Why go through all that effort?...
Don't be afraid to let them know they are your whole world and that you absolutely adore every part of who they are.
That doesn't mean you let them get away with everything.
But kids need to feel, constantly, that their parent sees them and that they truly, deeply matter.
If someone struggling with mental health is self-aware, wants to fix things, and actually views their issues as problems worth solving... then yeah, I believe they can be a great parent.
Then again... what even defines a "good parent"? That’s a whole different philosophical debate that could go on forever.
I’ve dealt with my own share of OCD, depression, social phobia, and anxiety disorders... But none of that rubbed off on my kid. I fought tooth and nail to keep my fears from leaking out whenever it mattered most for my child's well-being.
Now I have a three-year-old who—to be fair—is pretty attached to me... but he's also incredibly social, free-spirited, confident, and totally fearless. He’s just an open book with people. He thrives in group settings. His preschool teachers have even pointed out how fulfilled he seems, noting that he dives headfirst into everything he does with pure joy.
It was a constant battle to make sure my anxieties didn't pass down to him. It’s tough because kids can sense the stuff you don't even show on the surface.
But I think I did enough to raise a kid who, for all intents and purposes, is genuinely healthy. 🙂
One more thing... raising a child doesn't mean you're done being raised yourself. Actually, while we're busy raising our kids, we have to be ready to re-parent ourselves. And honestly? Re-parenting yourself is way harder than raising anyone else. Be ready for that.