Psychotropic medication discussion thread

Well, I suppose it’s my turn to chime in with my own little saga regarding psychotropic meds. Back at the start, I was diagnosed with an anxiety-depressive disorder and prescribed Paxil 20 mg, Dogmatil 200 mg, and Xanax 0.25 mgx3. Regarding the Paxil... well, I didn't feel any side effects whatsoever—absolutely nothing—but because of that, I didn't get much benefit out of it either, aside from it dampening my anxiety and social phobia. The depression, however, just sat there. Stubbornly. As for the Dogmatil, I didn't feel a thing from that either, though the Xanax helped me catch some sleep initially. In the meantime, they switched things up and gave me Valium 10 mgx2 for sleeping. It worked fine at first, but then I started experiencing these bizarre side effects—total amnesia, essentially. I wouldn't remember the moments leading up to falling asleep or what I had been doing right before; I’d wake up in the morning completely blindsided to find I'd spent an hour chatting with friends on my phone without a single memory of the conversation. But anyway, moving on. Since the Paxil wasn't quite cutting it for the depression, they bumped my dose up to 40 mg daily and added Effexor 150 mg to the mix. Much like the Paxil, I felt zero impact from the Effexor, and sadly, I can't offer a single positive word about it. Eventually, my diagnosis was updated to F60.3 (borderline), so I stopped the Dogmatil and Effexor and was put on Prozac 40 mg and Zyprexa 10 mg daily, all while continuing the Paxil. I took every one of these for at least a month, so I really should have felt even a slight improvement by now. Honestly? I still have this nagging suspicion that these antidepressants are little more than placebos, regardless of how much my psychiatrist insists otherwise. Currently, my regimen consists of Paxil 20 mgx2, Prozac 20 mgx2, Zyprexa 10 mg, Xanax and Normabel as needed, plus Valium if sleep decides not to come. I've been on this specific cocktail for about a month and a half now and still haven't felt any real shift, though I am sincerely hoping that with some solid psychotherapy, I might actually start feeling better soon.

Timothy Wood38 said:Well, I suppose it’s my turn to chime in with my own little saga regarding psychotropic meds. Back at the start, I was diagnosed with an anxiety-depressive disorder and prescribed Paxil 20 mg, Dogmatil 200 mg, and Xanax 0.25 mgx3. Regarding the Paxil... well, I didn't feel any side effects whatsoever—absolutely nothing—but because of that, I didn't get much benefit out of it either, aside from it dampening my anxiety and social phobia. The depression, however, just sat there. Stubbornly. As for the Dogmatil, I didn't feel a thing from that either, though the Xanax helped me catch some sleep initially. In the meantime, they switched things up and gave me Valium 10 mgx2 for sleeping. It worked fine at first, but then I started experiencing these bizarre side effects—total amnesia, essentially. I wouldn't remember the moments leading up to falling asleep or what I had been doing right before; I’d wake up in the morning completely blindsided to find I'd spent an hour chatting with friends on my phone without a single memory of the conversation. But anyway, moving on. Since the Paxil wasn't quite cutting it for the depression, they bumped my dose up to 40 mg daily and added Effexor 150 mg to the mix. Much like the Paxil, I felt zero impact from the Effexor, and sadly, I can't offer a single positive word about it. Eventually, my diagnosis was updated to F60.3 (borderline), so I stopped the Dogmatil and Effexor and was put on Prozac 40 mg and Zyprexa 10 mg daily, all while continuing the Paxil. I took every one of these for at least a month, so I really should have felt even a slight improvement by now. Honestly? I still have this nagging suspicion that these antidepressants are little more than placebos, regardless of how much my psychiatrist insists otherwise. Currently, my regimen consists of Paxil 20 mgx2, Prozac 20 mgx2, Zyprexa 10 mg, Xanax and Normabel as needed, plus Valium if sleep decides not to come. I've been on this specific cocktail for about a month and a half now and still haven't felt any real shift, though I am sincerely hoping that with some solid psychotherapy, I might actually start feeling better soon.

Man, it sounds like they’ve overhauled your meds just as much as mine! Setting the diagnosis aside for a second, what kind of symptoms are you actually dealing with?

fadedbear92 said:Man, it sounds like they’ve overhauled your meds just as much as mine! Setting the diagnosis aside for a second, what kind of symptoms are you actually dealing with?

Well, the symptoms feel pretty textbook BPD to me. I'm dealing with the depression, suicidal ideation, self-destructive streaks, being paranoid... I have a hard time attaching to people, too. On top of all that, there's the anxiety and social phobia. It’s a lot. Honestly, if things don't look up regarding the depression within a month, I'm going to ask my doctor about swapping out the Prozac for Lexapro. I'll definitely stick with the Paxil and Zyprexa, though; those two really help settle the anxiety and let me actually get some sleep.

Timothy Wood38 said:Well, the symptoms feel pretty textbook BPD to me. I'm dealing with the depression, suicidal ideation, self-destructive streaks, being paranoid... I have a hard time attaching to people, too. On top of all that, there's the anxiety and social phobia. It’s a lot. Honestly, if things don't look up regarding the depression within a month, I'm going to ask my doctor about swapping out the Prozac for Lexapro. I'll definitely stick with the Paxil and Zyprexa, though; those two really help settle the anxiety and let me actually get some sleep.

Hang in there—I'm really pulling for you.👍 Are you doing any psychotherapy? Sorry, I think I saw on that other depression thread that you were.

fadedbear92 said:Hang in there—I'm really pulling for you.👍 Are you doing any psychotherapy? Sorry, I think I saw on that other depression thread that you were.

Yeah, I am in therapy, and honestly, it helps. It’s not some magic bullet, I wouldn't go that far, but for the most part, I'm satisfied with how it's going. I guess I'm just... skeptical about the medication side of things. I don't know, maybe I'm just being too demanding of what a pill is supposed to do for me. When I read those success stories online about people finding relief through meds, I think I end up setting these impossibly high expectations for myself.

I’ll be the first to admit I was always a skeptic when it came to medication—I honestly thought pills were a lazy fix that didn't actually solve anything. But lately? I’m starting to think they might be my absolute last resort. This cloud of depression just keeps washing over me, or at least that's what I tell myself. It’s depression. Almost every single night, I’m sitting there with these suicidal thoughts circling my head, even if I doubt I’d ever actually go through with it. I just want to kill this feeling... I want to stop this endless, exhausting loop of worrying about what tomorrow is going to look like. Because the truth is, as the years crawl by, my anxiety is only getting worse. I can see the future I always feared—this bleak, miserable version of life I envisioned—actually starting to manifest right in front of my eyes.

And don't get me started on "working on yourself," having self-belief, or praying to God to make things better—as if any of that hasn't failed me already. What I really want to know is: can I just take some pills to numb the edges? Can I just forget how much of a wreck I am and how miserable this whole life has become?

Well... depression can actually be managed quite effectively with medication. I know it’s brutal because it feels like it's consuming your very soul, but please don't throw your life away over a phase like this; it will pass. In my view, most people living in today's world—especially those young, unweathered souls who haven't been hardened by life yet—will encounter a depressive episode at least once.

Years ago, I was hit by it so hard that looking at the faces of people around me felt impossible. There were other things happening too; I remember having mono, and then just three or four days later, my blood work came back perfectly clean. It felt as if the devil himself had taken hold of me, and I am not exaggerating.

I eventually managed to pull myself out of that particular hole in record time, essentially navigating my way through entirely on my own without any meds.

And as if my life hasn't been miserable enough already! That bout of depression was really just a drop in the bucket, merely the beginning. I feel like I've been fighting for nothing since the day I was born. At this rate, I might as well just stick a sign on my front door that says Hell II.
Five years ago, I spent nearly an entire year confined to my bedroom. I developed a severe level of psychosis, to the point where my parents couldn't believe a word I said, and they left the doctor's office in tears after the psychiatrist mentioned the possibility of schizophrenia.

But then came the breaking point, the final straw that led to my first suicide attempt—I was truly at rock bottom. I swallowed a handful of tranquilizers and drifted off, praying to God to let me slip away. I woke up in the hospital, in the ICU, undergoing a stomach pump.

Afterward, there was a period of temporary improvement followed by a quiet, lingering suffering. People look at me strangely on the street now when I don't acknowledge them, simply because I don't recognize them anymore after how much they've aged and changed during those few damn, incredibly long years I spent in agony.

And I was always supposed to be such a good boy... the irony isn't lost on me. Well, there's a song in there somewhere. :-)

Anyway, that's just a small slice of it. And I'm only 24. You think you're the only one going through hell? 🙂

Hang in there and try talking to a psychologist or a psychiatrist (a psychologist will refer you to a doctor if they see you need medication). Try seeing someone privately if you can.

Good luck!! 👋

Hey everyone! So, I’m currently on a 10mg dose of Lexapro and taking Xanax whenever I really need it. Since I struggle with pretty intense anxiety and some depressive symptoms, honestly, just thinking about these pills is adding a whole extra layer of fear to my plate. I was scrolling through some info online recently and stumbled upon this terrifying claim that Lexapro can cause brain hemorrhages, which is absolutely driving me up the wall because, well, I'm a massive hypochondriac. Has anyone else here dealt with this specific medication, and does anyone know if that scary information is actually true? Also, if I'm being totally honest, I am definitely noticing one side effect right now—my sex drive is basically non-existent, if you know what I mean. Does that part eventually go away with time? Thanks so much for any insight!

don't even sweat it🙂
ugh, tell me about it—I've read through those side effect lists on the pamphlet a hundred times myself, so trust me, you aren't alone here 😁--I mean, at the end of the day, you could have a bad reaction to a basic Advil, so...
as for the sex stuff, I've heard things can get a little rocky there too...

Bradley Smith3 said:don't even sweat it🙂
ugh, tell me about it—I've read through those side effect lists on the pamphlet a hundred times myself, so trust me, you aren't alone here 😁--I mean, at the end of the day, you could have a bad reaction to a basic Advil, so...
as for the sex stuff, I've heard things can get a little rocky there too...

How am I supposed to just switch off my brain and stop worrying about this stuff?😂It wasn't even explicitly listed on my paperwork, but I saw someone mention online that it could happen, and now that I actually have to take my dose, I'm totally panicking.
Are you taking any specific antidepressants right now?
I was on Zoloft before and had that exact same feeling, though it eventually leveled out for me. Does anyone know if it works the same way with this medication? If you've been through this personally, would you mind sharing what your experience was like?🤷

I’m currently on Zoloft and a bit of Xanax, though I suppose I don't really touch the Xanax much anymore since it doesn't feel necessary.
To be honest, Zoloft has been a total game-changer for me, almost like it completely turned my life around.😍

Olivia Cox77 said:I’m currently on Zoloft and a bit of Xanax, though I suppose I don't really touch the Xanax much anymore since it doesn't feel necessary.
To be honest, Zoloft has been a total game-changer for me, almost like it completely turned my life around.😍

It’s been a long time for me too😉

Ashley Thomas5, look, I don't touch any antidepressants, but I am hitting up therapy once a week—plus, I'll occasionally pop a little Xanax here and there, just a tiny dose because I’m terrified of getting hooked.
I think the mental health work helps a ton, but man, some days I'm just completely losing my mind.😁

Bradley Smith3 said:Ashley Thomas5, look, I don't touch any antidepressants, but I am hitting up therapy once a week—plus, I'll occasionally pop a little Xanax here and there, just a tiny dose because I’m terrified of getting hooked.
I think the mental health work helps a ton, but man, some days I'm just completely losing my mind.😁

It’s clear your doctor thinks you don't need meds, and thank God for that. But you're doing the most important thing by sticking to that weekly session—just keep it up!👍👍👍

thanks for the support 🙂
and man, this whole thing isn't easy either.
sometimes I feel like I just ran a marathon—totally wiped out😁 from all these resurfaced feelings and memories... and then there are those moments where I wonder if I'm even bothering...

Bradley Smith3 said:thanks for the support 🙂
and man, this whole thing isn't easy either.
sometimes I feel like I just ran a marathon—totally wiped out😁 from all these resurfaced feelings and memories... and then there are those moments where I wonder if I'm even bothering...

Of course it isn't easy—in my eyes, the people facing their own emotions head-on are some of the bravest people out there!👍

Guys, what exactly is Lexus? I have this nagging feeling that I made a massive mistake when I accidentally swallowed one of them this morning... :i see dead people:

It looks just like my regular pills, so I didn't think twice before taking it, but my aunt pulled that e-reader out of the box and now she isn't even answering my texts to tell me what on earth it's actually for...

ambermason16 said:Guys, what exactly is Lexus? I have this nagging feeling that I made a massive mistake when I accidentally swallowed one of them this morning... :i see dead people:

It looks just like my regular pills, so I didn't think twice before taking it, but my aunt pulled that e-reader out of the box and now she isn't even answering my texts to tell me what on earth it's actually for...

http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs...0-mg/usage/

So, here’s the deal with Lexus: it’s officially indicated for treating depression, OCD, or PTSD. They even use it to manage OCD in kids starting at age six. Just to be clear, though—these aren't sleeping pills or some quick sedative to take the edge off. The pitch is that Lexus can help you feel better and tackle the anxiety that often hitches a ride with depression... and that’s basically the official line from the pharmaceutical companies making them. As for the side effects? Most of what they list is pretty much the same stuff you see with any other antidepressant. I’m not going to bore you by listing them all here because, honestly, most of it feels trivial. Besides, let's be real: you’re never going to read about the *actual* nasty side effects in the official pamphlet. From a purely business standpoint, the manufacturers wouldn't find it profitable to explain those using plain English. Bottom line? If you want my two cents, stay as far away from those pills as you possibly can. They aren't going to "cure" anything. And whether they actually make an existing condition worse? Well, that's a whole different conversation. Look, I’ll be blunt: I fall into that group of people who have spent a hell of a lot of time dealing with psychotropic drugs and seeing firsthand how they work—or how they backfire. So, if anyone actually wants to dig into the reality of a specific medication or a diagnosis, feel free to reach out. Cheers.

Michelle Evans said:http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs...0-mg/usage/

Carl Jackson85 said:So, here’s the deal with Lexus: it’s officially indicated for treating depression, OCD, or PTSD. They even use it to manage OCD in kids starting at age six. Just to be clear, though—these aren't sleeping pills or some quick sedative to take the edge off. The pitch is that Lexus can help you feel better and tackle the anxiety that often hitches a ride with depression... and that’s basically the official line from the pharmaceutical companies making them. As for the side effects? Most of what they list is pretty much the same stuff you see with any other antidepressant. I’m not going to bore you by listing them all here because, honestly, most of it feels trivial. Besides, let's be real: you’re never going to read about the *actual* nasty side effects in the official pamphlet. From a purely business standpoint, the manufacturers wouldn't find it profitable to explain those using plain English. Bottom line? If you want my two cents, stay as far away from those pills as you possibly can. They aren't going to "cure" anything. And whether they actually make an existing condition worse? Well, that's a whole different conversation. Look, I’ll be blunt: I fall into that group of people who have spent a hell of a lot of time dealing with psychotropic drugs and seeing firsthand how they work—or how they backfire. So, if anyone actually wants to dig into the reality of a specific medication or a diagnosis, feel free to reach out. Cheers.

Thanks... my mom tried telling me it was just ADHD, but honestly, I feel like I got run over by a Humvee. I still haven't quite come to my senses (9 hours and 99 coffees later... 🤔 )