Keith Cox6 said:Since we’re already picking through all this... why aren't we just going with Citalopram? If it's fully covered by the fund, what's the point in paying a copay for Lexapro? It's not like it's some miracle drug that works significantly better anyway.🤣 Man, you're being way too naive. Have you ever actually looked into how pharmaceutical sales reps work? They spend their whole lives cruising around, visiting specialists and family doctors, trying to get their foot in the door. So, what exactly is the "reward" for letting someone talk you into believing that Zoloft is the absolute gold standard? The second time you drop by Sakoman’s office—right after some rep from a different pharma company decided to "reward" him—that list of the best, most ethical Ad reps is going to look a whole lot different.😁
See, this is exactly what I mean... it just goes to show how much therapy is a total "you" thing. There's no one-size-fits-all approach, and honestly, neither is how long you have to stay on it. It’s all deeply personal.😉
Eric Richardson49... no way. The only way that makes sense is if an ADH deficiency is triggering polydipsia, which would then lead to polyuria. Was their kidney function actually normal before they started the meds? Honestly, they should probably get their blood sugar checked too.
Look, kid—of course I've heard about it. In fact, he told me himself that Lexapro was expensive and required an extra copay, so I just said, "No, then just give me the Elicee from Krka." That's what I'm taking now, and honestly, every AD affects everyone differently. You clearly missed it, but I think I mentioned this in my previous posts.
Robert Collins2 said:Kurosawa, look, I wasn't even aiming at you. We’re good. Honestly, you asked that in such a civil way, and your posts are actually super well-argued and chill. It's just that I'm a little high right now, so I'm probably acting a bit wild. 😛
And now you're turning on dustygardener25 too... I mean, how much further are you going to take this? You just keep retreating behind those little emoticons. grow up!!!☕
Douglas Long10 said:Robert Collins2, my colleague 🙂 Nessada, look, I’m all for a good conspiracy theory, but this stuff about psychopharmacologists is reaching the level of claiming they replaced Marshall with a body double. Personally, I don't care what you think about depression or medication; there will always be people who view depression and anxiety as some sort of fragile emotional crisis—not to mention the total snowflakes out there. The biggest issue with your post is that plenty of people read threads like this looking for advice, help, or some comfort, and this kind of rhetoric might just completely discourage them.
You forgot to factor in that certain level of aggression and that "I know everything" attitude she carries, which usually shows up in her posts while she's sitting at home under her parents' roof feeling frustrated. Let's be realistic... it's pretty obvious.
jadewalker63 said:I’m definitely one of those people who thinks psychotropic meds can be useful—they’ve helped me get through some pretty rough patches in my life—but what I just read today is honestly pretty alarming:
Sorbet, I find myself in that same category, though I’ve come to realize that once you reach a certain level of dependency, you almost have to adopt a certain pragmatism about it. It’s just the reality of the situation, I guess. You sort of have to learn how to live with that fact rather than letting articles like this weigh on your mind too heavily. It's a bit like health in general—some people never touch a cigarette and end up with lung cancer anyway, while others smoke two packs a day and live to be ninety from natural causes.
Robert Collins2 said:I work at a university, I hold myself to a certain standard, and frankly, I have plenty of reasons to be a bit stuck-up. Besides, I’m not just popping Ambien like it's candy.
You really should have just led with that instead of acting superior toward someone like me—someone who has actually lived through some things and doesn't still live under their parents' roof. Honestly, with an attitude that aggressive, you’re probably just going to end up alone, kid.☕ Farewell!
Robert Collins2 said:Heh, did he give you the heads-up about what Sertraline does to your drive and... well, everything else down there? You seem a little on edge lately, so I’m just hoping that isn't what's eating at you. ☕
Are you actually directing that at me? I'm not even taking sertraline! Maybe try being a little more careful and realize that this is just a generic version of Lexapro. ☕
Let me get one thing straight right off the bat: I actually follow the treatment plan my psychiatrist here in Chicago 😁 laid out for me. I’m not just popping pills for fun like you are, and honestly, I’d advise against that approach because you might find yourself hooked before you even realize what happened—and you won't even feel it coming, given how long the half-life of diazepam lasts. You should probably ask Robert Collins2 what that term actually implies; they ought to know 😉 . The key, I suppose, is that you shouldn't be taking them every single day in a row; doing it once over the weekend is probably fine. As for sleep aids, you have options—Ambien is quite potent, not to mention Dormex (I tried two of those once and slept like... well, I don't even have the words for it). Now, I can see Robert Collins2 is probably going to be surprised by that 😁, but I guess it just shows I have a bit of knowledge myself, even if I don't go around flaunting everything I know on this forum like Robert Collins2 does.
I think I have enough chaos going on in my head already, so I really can't stand it when my GP keeps insisting that this one is just another version of the last...
She can sing it to me in any key she wants, but if I feel like it's different, then it's different.
By the way, Valium actually works for me... 😁
Actually, she caught on to that, so now she won't prescribe it... 🙂
So, I'm currently begging my mom to have her doctor write it for me (since at my clinic, I'm always stuck waiting five hours just to get a single prescription 😢),
haha 😂 and honestly, whenever I see my doctor, I just tell her I want unknown. She tried to push some 10mg Normabel on me at first, but I was like, no, no, I think unknown just fits my needs better 😁, and naturally, I've been getting the ten-milligram dose ever since 😁
Robert Collins2 said:Helped you? Yeah, right. He handed you a bottle of Prozac and called it a day. ☕The courts should be handing out subpoenas to patients being misled by all these lies about antidepressants.
Actually, no. After about 50 minutes of talking, we were just hashing out what I might or might not need, and only then did he actually prescribe the unknown, which is basically just Lexapro.
p.s. maybe he gave me some leeway because we both grew up in the Midwest 🙂, plus we even shook hands 🙂
I suppose I should probably address what was said by Roger Rodriguez.
Robert Collins2 As I was saying: It seems like they just focus on aggressive marketing, peddling nothing but smoke and mirrors to patients who don't know any better. People end up falling for those massive, artificial hype cycles surrounding these overhyped, "celebrity" alternative practitioners who aren't actually worth the breath they use to promote themselves. 😉
Look, ladies, it’s pretty clear you've got some serious anger issues bubbling up right now, but I'd suggest taking it out on someone else—because you're definitely aiming that frustration at the wrong person here. Enough is enough.
Maybe you should just give Sakoman a call directly and tell him off, or perhaps file a formal complaint. I really can't understand why he feels the need to constantly target me every single time his name even comes up in conversation.
Just because he was able to help me doesn't mean it won't be an issue for you. I suppose everyone's experience is different, after all.
Robert Collins2 said:Look, it’s technically diazepam, but you can't just assume every pill is identical. The inactive ingredients and fillers they use are different from brand to brand, so those generics aren't always a perfect 1:1 match.
Well, at least you finally made one accurate observation.😉
ambermason16 actually hit the nail on the head regarding the quality ranking of diazepam. It seems pretty obvious to me—and I'm not just speaking for myself here, but for the dozens of people I talk to—that our local Normabest is the weakest version out there. I mean, if you think otherwise, maybe try convincing those fifty people who rely on it every day that it's just as good as the big brands. By the way, do you even take it yourself? Have you actually tried the different versions? Hmm? ☕If you haven't, then your theoretical knowledge pulled straight from some textbook isn't really worth much and might as well be tossed aside right now.
Angela Cox said:It is all just diazepam. Whatever you're feeling is happening in your head. 😉
ambermason16, I honestly feel the same way about Oxazepam; it seems to me that the diazepam from Pfizer is significantly more intense than our usual Normabest—you can actually tell the difference. And as for Robert Collins2, well, I suppose all pharmacists will always insist that they are identical. It’s true that there are plenty of people who complain that Normabest feels weaker, but doctors and pharmacologists tend to act like they're infallible gods, looking down on you as if you're just some patient who doesn't have a clue what they're talking about. ☕
Robert Collins2 said:Oh, please, stop talking nonsense. I showed up feeling completely suicidal, and then he just shoved Zoloft down my throat without any warning or extra support, and I ended up hitting a serotonin overload from just TWO pills, so don't try to lecture me. ☕
I wouldn't go back to that "doctor" for anything, thanks but no thanks; he's clearly only interested in high-profile celebrity patients like Doris Vrečko.
I actually know more about psych meds than you do, so let's not go down that road, okay? ☕
🙂 Well, you were the one who took that tone in the first place by writing this post like some condescending politician acting like they have all the answers while lecturing me like a child. 🤣 It seems people like that usually have their own issues to deal with, and in your case, you admitted exactly what yours are... ☕
Robert Collins2 said:Heh, please. It’s like listening to Gruden all over again—that guy practically forced Zoloft down my throat and ended up giving me a serotonin shock so bad I almost ended it all. Honestly, I just don't trust these so-called "experts" who are still stuck on SSRI AD-ims that were launched thirty years ago, back when pharmacotherapy was miles ahead of where they're living now... ☕
Effexor is what actually saved my life, especially when I paired it with Luvox and Helix, so... yeah, Sakoman is overgeneralizing big time and honestly just misleading people. There's no way I'd ever fall for that kind of rhetoric again, seriously! 🙄
Honestly, I wouldn't touch Effexor ever again! And if you ask me, it's your own fault for not realizing sooner that Zoloft just isn't right for you; it's not the doctor's fault. You should have just told him, and he would have switched you to a different AD. As for how I handle Effexor? Well, it made me start vomiting immediately! From the very first pill!
It’s been quite a while since I’ve checked in here, so I’m not entirely sure if someone else has already posted something similar lately. To give you some context, Dr. Sakoman suggested I switch over to taking Elice instead of Lexapro. When I asked him why, his reasoning was pretty straightforward: they are essentially the same thing, but with Lexapro, you're just paying a massive premium for the brand name. Anyway... I’ve been on this Elice for about two months now, and honestly, I can't tell if I'm actually feeling any better or not🤷. All I know for certain is that things haven't gotten worse. It makes me wonder, though—what specific symptoms are supposed to indicate whether an antidepressant is actually working? It feels like such a vague, difficult question to answer, I know, but🙄
I had already mentioned to Sakoman beforehand that I had previously tried Zoloft and Effexor (which was easily the worst experience of my life). He immediately recommended Zoloft because, as a top-tier neuropsychiatrist, he considers Zoloft to be the gold standard, followed closely by either Lexapro or Elice. Since I view him as a premier expert in the field, I tend to trust his judgment, though I suppose we all know that what works perfectly for one person might not work at all for someone else.
So, in case anyone else is curious,I'll provide a Quote from Dr. Sakoman: "The number one antidepressant in the world has proven to be Zoloft, followed by Lexapro." Basically: 1. Zoloft 2. Lexapro. Just something to keep in mind before you head off to see your primary care physician.
I was on Zoloft and Paxil for months before I finally decided to stop. It’s been a couple of months since I stepped away from them, and honestly, I feel better—significantly better, actually. 🙂 I haven't had to deal with any of those ridiculous side effects that used to plague me. It feels like I managed to pull myself out of that depressive funk entirely on my own... I don't know... maybe I was just stubborn, or perhaps I somehow shifted my perspective on things. You don't necessarily need antidepressants. It is possible to get through this without them! 🙂
I spent months cycling through Zoloft and Paxil before finally deciding to stop. It’s been a few months now since I stepped away from them, and I have to say, I feel significantly better—much better, actually. 🙂 I'm no longer dealing with those ridiculous side effects that used to plague me. I suppose I just managed to pull myself out of that depressive funk on my own... I don't know... maybe I was just stubborn enough, or perhaps I eventually found a way to shift my perspective on things. The truth is, you don't necessarily need antidepressants. It is possible to make it through without them! 🙂
I’ve spent some time pouring over the instruction manuals for both of these medications, but I have to admit, I’m a bit out of my depth when it comes to deciphering all that dense pharmaceutical jargon. So, I figured I’d reach out here and ask: is it actually safe to take Fevarin alongside Tramadol? I suppose I’m mostly concerned about what kind of side effects or consequences might follow if they're mixed.
I suppose there’s a certain irony to these pills; they certainly offer some relief, but I can't help feeling they do just as much harm as good. It feels like every time you try to fix one issue, you end up inadvertently sabotaging another part of your health. Personally, I don't think anyone should be reaching for something like Viagra in their thirties, especially since I spent five years dealing with the side effects of Zoloft.😠:
cosmictinker21 said:That’s a pretty common side effect with fluvoxamine. You might want to look into Lexapro (escitalopram). Patients usually have great results, and it doesn't typically mess with your sex life as much...
I actually started out on the Zoloft 🤣 and, if I'm being honest, I felt significantly worse on that than I did on the Luvox. With the Luvox, everything else feels fine and I suppose I'm doing alright, aside from the whole sexual dysfunction issue...