Psychotropic medication discussion thread

Jessica Fowler4 said:I didn't have those issues, but I definitely noticed I was way more irritable and quick to snap during the first two days.. I didn't notice any positive effects right away, so I stopped taking it because of the negative stuff.

I just don't do pills that require waiting two or three weeks to hit a plateau or reach receptor density levels. If a pill doesn't show positive results immediately, I'm out, especially if it shows negative side effects. Like, it would be just great to spend three weeks taking something that makes me feel "wired up" from the jump... maybe after three weeks I'll end up murdering someone over a parking spot.

Maybe read some stories about people for whom Wellbutrin didn't work.. they're a little concerning.. I'm not saying that's going to happen to you, it's a small percentage of cases. If it works for you, it works, it won't change... but I'm just saying, you should be careful.

Wellbutrin is actually prescribed for all sorts of things. It doesn't have to be major depression. They use it for ADHD and other stuff too.

Wellbutrin, under the name Zyban, is sold as a prescription drug to help people quit smoking. So—you don't really need a specific diagnosis to get it. You just tell your doctor you want to stop smoking. That's pretty much it.🙂

btw. regarding that combo of meds you mentioned, I'll give my totally uneducated opinion

Wellbutrin (bupropion) is a "norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibition."
Zoloft is an SSRI, which is "serotonin reuptake inhibition."

A combo like that would make anyone happy, I guess? You're boosting all three. It's sort of like being on MDMA/ecstasy. Not exactly the same, since MDMA is a releaser and not a reuptake inhibitor... but similar... boosting all three definitely causes that intense euphoria, depending on the dose... it's a no brainer... but I don't really see the therapeutic value... maybe as a short-term patch or something... but hey, I'm no psychiatrist...

I remember feeling like I was on speed once; MDMA is a completely different beast. I've tried both pure stuff and pills....😍(That was a long time ago, though. I'm a good kid now; these days I just engage in legal recreational activities!)
Regarding your aversion to meds that take a few weeks to kick in... here is my two cents. I spent three months on Paxil, and those were easily the worst three months of my life. The side effects were unbearable. I was constantly nervous, foggy, dealing with more AP per day, and constant heavy anxiety. I quit. A year later, I had to go back for medication because I deal with severe postpartum depression. I started Wellbutrin with a lot of fear, obviously, given my history. For about five days, I felt even more anxious and jittery than usual (which is standard when adjusting to an AD for the first two weeks), so I managed that with anxiolytics—Xanax, in my case. Eventually, that agitation faded, and so did the depression. I finally felt alive again and actually had the willpower to get out of bed.
The reality is that no antidepressant works the second you swallow it. The instructions explicitly state it takes about two weeks to settle, and that you might experience initial side effects. If they don't subside within that two-week window, that's when you switch.
I don't know your specific situation or diagnosis, but I'm willing to bet you've had five or six depressive episodes lasting two or three months each over the last two years, just like me. When you're in that hole, you'll take anything just to get out.🤷

Gerald Torres2 said:😍 I actually stopped taking them. I quit a few months before I started on the ADOv, though they aren't directly related (I was only on them because my cycles were irregular and incredibly painful).... Interestingly, since starting the ADOv, my condition has stabilized, and my periods have become regular and much less painful. 😍😍
(Who would have thought an ADOv could impact that, right?)

I’ve been dealing with irregular cycles for years, too. I actually talked to my OB-GYN about getting some help to stabilize everything and to have some reliable protection at the same time. So, I'm really hoping this all works out for the best. 😍

Eric Mitchell55 said:I’ve been dealing with irregular cycles for years, too. I actually talked to my OB-GYN about getting some help to stabilize everything and to have some reliable protection at the same time. So, I'm really hoping this all works out for the best. 😍

From my experience, birth control pills were a lifesaver for managing both my cycle frequency and the cramps. Just a word of caution: watch out for side effects. If you start gaining weight unexpectedly, feel generally off, or deal with breakthrough bleeding when you shouldn't be bleeding... go straight to your doctor and ask to switch brands. The first ones they put me on (Yasmin) absolutely wrecked me. I gained 20 pounds in six months and couldn't drop it to save my life. Plus, I was bleeding constantly—even during ovulation, which was miserable—and I dealt with this dull, nagging pain in my right ovary. Eventually, my doctor switched me to a different brand, and it was like a total rebirth. I dropped the extra weight effortlessly without having to go on some ridiculous diet or anything. It’s exactly like taking an antidepressant; one specific med isn't going to work for everyone. You just have to find the right fit, and once you do, everything works out perfectly. 😍😍😍

Gerald Torres2 said:I remember feeling like I was on speed once; MDMA is a completely different beast. I've tried both pure stuff and pills....😍(That was a long time ago, though. I'm a good kid now; these days I just engage in legal recreational activities!)
Regarding your aversion to meds that take a few weeks to kick in... here is my two cents. I spent three months on Paxil, and those were easily the worst three months of my life. The side effects were unbearable. I was constantly nervous, foggy, dealing with more AP per day, and constant heavy anxiety. I quit. A year later, I had to go back for medication because I deal with severe postpartum depression. I started Wellbutrin with a lot of fear, obviously, given my history. For about five days, I felt even more anxious and jittery than usual (which is standard when adjusting to an AD for the first two weeks), so I managed that with anxiolytics—Xanax, in my case. Eventually, that agitation faded, and so did the depression. I finally felt alive again and actually had the willpower to get out of bed.
The reality is that no antidepressant works the second you swallow it. The instructions explicitly state it takes about two weeks to settle, and that you might experience initial side effects. If they don't subside within that two-week window, that's when you switch.
I don't know your specific situation or diagnosis, but I'm willing to bet you've had five or six depressive episodes lasting two or three months each over the last two years, just like me. When you're in that hole, you'll take anything just to get out.🤷

man, I've been through just about everything over the last 3 or 4 years. I don't even know how to describe it.

I guess I'll just list the symptoms that have been cycling through me over the past few years.

First, it started with this pain in my upper back and neck, like every single muscle was constantly clenched—it's been happening every day for 5 years now. Then came the chronic insomnia, the constant spiraling with negative thoughts, being super sensitive, feeling rejected so easily, mood swings, just breaking down crying for half an hour at a time, asthma for maybe 3 or 4 months plus that feeling of never being able to catch my breath, losing focus, shivering at the slightest hint of cold—like teeth chattering—terrible memory, irritability, sweating through my armpits, heart palpitations or skipped beats, high blood pressure, chronic diarrhea four times a day that burns like lava for weeks, that constant "adrenaline dump" feeling in my gut (you know, that sensation you get right before a car accident or when the ground drops out from under you? I feel that for 3 or 4 hours every single day), chronic external hemorrhoids from straining, sweating even when I'm cold, weird appetite issues during the day, chronic muscle fiber issues without even working out, zero energy, waking up screaming at 2 in the morning, body temperature dropping below 96 degrees...

Most of these things were chronic for 2 or 3 months, then they'd fade just so some other symptom could jump in... and it's been going on like that for years...

So, yeah, I have plenty of reasons to be desperate. Because I have to stay functional as a lead IT architect on the most intense project ever, and I've been doing this for over a year now. Despite all this crap, I'm pulling in about 250 to 300 hours a month. I only had seven days off total this past year, and I worked full shifts every Saturday and 28 Sundays.

For one thing, I can't afford to take pills that will absolutely wreck me for 2 or 3 weeks just so they might finally start working after 4 weeks—and if they don't work, then I'm stuck with another 2 or 3 weeks of hell trying to get off them.

Second, I know these drugs aren't even close to what a real cure would actually be if one were ever discovered. I've studied this stuff quite a bit and, honestly—it's just not it.

So, I've taken just about anything. But not what you're taking. Out of all the ADs, I found one that actually works immediately and long-term—Coaxil—the only SSRE.

But honestly, I don't think messing with serotonin is even on the right track to solving my problems, or the problems of many other people with depression or bipolar disorder, etc. I think the key is actually in the NMDA network. That's why right now I'm taking Memantine (which, by the way, is officially only approved for Alzheimer's here in the US)—and it also works right away.

Yesterday, I spent three hours jumping around and dancing to music. I wasn't depressed at all, I wasn't ruminating, I was actually hyper and having fun all day. And you get that instantly from Memantine, from the very first day you take it.

So, I've managed to find a way to get results immediately without those insane side effects that drag on for weeks.🙂 And eventually, I'll probably find even better options.

Go read my thread about Ketamine, maybe it's already been moved to another section.

I mean, there are basically all these substances out there right now that seem to be driving depression levels up. One example is ketamine. And then you've got other things too, like cortisol... maybe even various different anti-inflammatory supplements, I guess.

Jessica Fowler4 said:man, I've been through just about everything over the last 3 or 4 years. I don't even know how to describe it.

I guess I'll just list the symptoms that have been cycling through me over the past few years.

First, it started with this pain in my upper back and neck, like every single muscle was constantly clenched—it's been happening every day for 5 years now. Then came the chronic insomnia, the constant spiraling with negative thoughts, being super sensitive, feeling rejected so easily, mood swings, just breaking down crying for half an hour at a time, asthma for maybe 3 or 4 months plus that feeling of never being able to catch my breath, losing focus, shivering at the slightest hint of cold—like teeth chattering—terrible memory, irritability, sweating through my armpits, heart palpitations or skipped beats, high blood pressure, chronic diarrhea four times a day that burns like lava for weeks, that constant "adrenaline dump" feeling in my gut (you know, that sensation you get right before a car accident or when the ground drops out from under you? I feel that for 3 or 4 hours every single day), chronic external hemorrhoids from straining, sweating even when I'm cold, weird appetite issues during the day, chronic muscle fiber issues without even working out, zero energy, waking up screaming at 2 in the morning, body temperature dropping below 96 degrees...

Most of these things were chronic for 2 or 3 months, then they'd fade just so some other symptom could jump in... and it's been going on like that for years...

So, yeah, I have plenty of reasons to be desperate. Because I have to stay functional as a lead IT architect on the most intense project ever, and I've been doing this for over a year now. Despite all this crap, I'm pulling in about 250 to 300 hours a month. I only had seven days off total this past year, and I worked full shifts every Saturday and 28 Sundays.

For one thing, I can't afford to take pills that will absolutely wreck me for 2 or 3 weeks just so they might finally start working after 4 weeks—and if they don't work, then I'm stuck with another 2 or 3 weeks of hell trying to get off them.

Second, I know these drugs aren't even close to what a real cure would actually be if one were ever discovered. I've studied this stuff quite a bit and, honestly—it's just not it.

So, I've taken just about anything. But not what you're taking. Out of all the ADs, I found one that actually works immediately and long-term—Coaxil—the only SSRE.

But honestly, I don't think messing with serotonin is even on the right track to solving my problems, or the problems of many other people with depression or bipolar disorder, etc. I think the key is actually in the NMDA network. That's why right now I'm taking Memantine (which, by the way, is officially only approved for Alzheimer's here in the US)—and it also works right away.

Yesterday, I spent three hours jumping around and dancing to music. I wasn't depressed at all, I wasn't ruminating, I was actually hyper and having fun all day. And you get that instantly from Memantine, from the very first day you take it.

So, I've managed to find a way to get results immediately without those insane side effects that drag on for weeks.🙂 And eventually, I'll probably find even better options.

Go read my thread about Ketamine, maybe it's already been moved to another section.

I mean, there are basically all these substances out there right now that seem to be driving depression levels up. One example is ketamine. And then you've got other things too, like cortisol... maybe even various different anti-inflammatory supplements, I guess.

I’m pretty new to all this. Since you mentioned Coaxil, I never really felt it kick in right away. For me, it just made my muscles feel heavy; for five weeks, it felt like I was walking on carrots instead of feet. It killed my anxiety, sure, but it killed my will to do anything, too. I used to call it "my little depressant" because I ended up feeling more indifferent than I did before the meds. Anyway, that wasn't even my point. What you're saying might be fine, but my situation is different. My job makes these side effects impossible—I can't exactly take medical leave. I need something that works immediately because the anxiety is much worse than the depression for me. But honestly, how do people even get the drugs you're talking about? How do you even ask a psychiatrist for them? If I went to my doctor asking for Alzheimer's medication when I'm actually just anxious, they'd think I was crazy. It doesn't seem doable unless you have a close friend in the medical field helping you out under the table. I'm not trying to argue—I don't know enough about pharmacology—but I've seen two psychiatrists and cycled through three antidepressants already. I'm on four now, but it's always an antidepressant. I was just curious where people actually find the stuff you mentioned.🤷

Honestly, Magdalena, you’re stuck in the exact same bind I am—I’m in a line of work where taking sick leave or even a decent vacation is essentially off the table, which inevitably leads to an overwhelming amount of stress.😢

It’s worth getting your cortisol levels checked; I dealt with an elevation myself and the symptoms were nothing short of terrifying, especially since I couldn't get access to a hospital at the time. Now, the whole thing is washing over me again because I've been pushing myself far too hard at work.

Cortisol can trigger a wide array of adverse effects on the body—we're talking about everything from depression and hypertension to osteoporosis and metabolic syndrome X, which manifests as abdominal obesity, insulin resistance despite adequate secretion, elevated blood lipids, clotting issues, and high blood pressure. Cortisol surges during periods of stress, and whether that stress is chronic, constant, or even intermittent, it can lead directly to panic disorder and clinical depression. When cortisol levels remain chronically high, you face increased blood pressure and disrupted sugar metabolism, which can ultimately culminate in diabetes. Furthermore, excessive cortisol suppresses thyroid function, potentially leading to hypothyroidism, while simultaneously inhibiting growth hormone secretion—a critical factor for children and adolescents—and diminishing reproductive hormone production. Ultimately, it cripples the immune system, leaving you significantly more vulnerable to infections.

redranger2 said:It’s worth getting your cortisol levels checked; I dealt with an elevation myself and the symptoms were nothing short of terrifying, especially since I couldn't get access to a hospital at the time. Now, the whole thing is washing over me again because I've been pushing myself far too hard at work.

Cortisol can trigger a wide array of adverse effects on the body—we're talking about everything from depression and hypertension to osteoporosis and metabolic syndrome X, which manifests as abdominal obesity, insulin resistance despite adequate secretion, elevated blood lipids, clotting issues, and high blood pressure. Cortisol surges during periods of stress, and whether that stress is chronic, constant, or even intermittent, it can lead directly to panic disorder and clinical depression. When cortisol levels remain chronically high, you face increased blood pressure and disrupted sugar metabolism, which can ultimately culminate in diabetes. Furthermore, excessive cortisol suppresses thyroid function, potentially leading to hypothyroidism, while simultaneously inhibiting growth hormone secretion—a critical factor for children and adolescents—and diminishing reproductive hormone production. Ultimately, it cripples the immune system, leaving you significantly more vulnerable to infections.

How do you even treat high cortisol? And how do you check if it’s actually up? You on some kind of adaptogen now? Can't keep track of everything.

Paul Newman5 said:How do you even treat high cortisol? And how do you check if it’s actually up? You on some kind of adaptogen now? Can't keep track of everything.

They run blood tests—usually one in the morning and another in the afternoon. Naturally, your morning levels are always going to be higher than the afternoon ones; in my case, the morning reading was well beyond the threshold while the afternoon stayed within range. You can also do a 24-hour urine collection test. I didn't bother with that one, frankly, because I simply couldn't face the hassle of dragging myself over to the Mayo Clinic to get it done.
They also use a dexamethasone suppression test at midnight to get a true picture of where your cortisol stands.

I’m currently taking adrenal and anti-inflammatory supplements, but after being subjected to such relentless stress and pulling 10 to 15-hour shifts, I've essentially collapsed, and I can feel the physical tremors from how much this hormone is wrecking me.
I haven't delved deeply into the specifics of treatment, but I know the standard procedure starts with a CT scan of the adrenal glands, and then you move forward based on those results.

redranger2 said:They run blood tests—usually one in the morning and another in the afternoon. Naturally, your morning levels are always going to be higher than the afternoon ones; in my case, the morning reading was well beyond the threshold while the afternoon stayed within range. You can also do a 24-hour urine collection test. I didn't bother with that one, frankly, because I simply couldn't face the hassle of dragging myself over to the Mayo Clinic to get it done.
They also use a dexamethasone suppression test at midnight to get a true picture of where your cortisol stands.

I’m currently taking adrenal and anti-inflammatory supplements, but after being subjected to such relentless stress and pulling 10 to 15-hour shifts, I've essentially collapsed, and I can feel the physical tremors from how much this hormone is wrecking me.
I haven't delved deeply into the specifics of treatment, but I know the standard procedure starts with a CT scan of the adrenal glands, and then you move forward based on those results.

Personally, I don't think that applies to me. It's pure anxiety for me—even specific phobias. I'm jittery, sure, but I've always been a high-strung perfectionist by nature. What do you mean by "shaking"? Is it nerves or something else?

Paul Newman5 said:Personally, I don't think that applies to me. It's pure anxiety for me—even specific phobias. I'm jittery, sure, but I've always been a high-strung perfectionist by nature. What do you mean by "shaking"? Is it nerves or something else?

Cortisol floods the system whenever a person is under stress. Even though I’m not currently facing a crisis, the cortisol keeps pumping out regardless. Consequently, I feel like I'm constantly under siege, and the physical manifestations are truly wonderful: back pain, shallow breathing, tingling in my hands, tremors, and this profound, unrelenting restlessness. I'm heading to see my doctor soon to figure out what to do about this entire mess once and for all.

Double trouble. I guess you could call it that... maybe? It’s just one of those things that stays on your mind, you know? Like, it hits you all at once and then you're just sitting there trying to make sense of it. It's heavy. Really heavy. kaže:
So, cortisol kicks in when you're stressed out, right? Well, I’m not even feeling particularly stressed at the moment, but my cortisol levels are still through the roof. It’s like... I feel like I'm in constant fight-or-flight mode, and the physical stuff is just wonderful. Truly lovely. My back is aching, my breathing is all shallow and fast, my hands are tingling and shaking... and there's this intense, restless feeling I just can't shake. I'm heading to see my doctor soon, so hopefully we can figure out what to do about all this crap.

Honestly, this is one of those super common misconceptions that I think has led so many people down the wrong path. It’s everywhere. You see these endless articles all over the internet—like on Buzzfeed or some health blog—all making the exact same claims about stress and cortisol levels. And it feels like people just blindly swallow whatever they read there without questioning it. I mean, it's tough, because it's just so widespread.

So, I was reading up on this, and apparently cortisol is that anti-stress hormone... or, well, it’s supposed to help manage stress, I guess? It's kind of wild how much it affects everything, right? Like, it's meant to keep things steady, but sometimes I feel like my body just goes overboard with it. Anyway, just some random thought I had while looking stuff up today.

So, I was reading this thing earlier—I think I copied it from somewhere online—about how cortisol actually works when it hits your system suddenly. It's like... okay, here's what it does:

Just a little hit of adrenaline... you know, like a quick burst of energy just to make it through the day? I guess it's purely for survival at this point. Maybe? It’s just... yeah. Survival.
I guess... I don't know how to describe it properly, but lately, my memory feels like it’s been dialed up to eleven? It’s almost strange. Everything is just so much sharper. Like, I can remember tiny, random details from weeks ago that I usually would've completely blanked on. It’s weirdly intense. Maybe it’s just one of those things where my brain finally decided to cooperate, or maybe there's something else going on... I’m honestly not sure. It's just this sudden, heightened sense of recall. It’s kind of overwhelming, actually. Just really vivid.
I guess... maybe it’s just me, but I feel like there was this sudden, massive surge in my immune system lately? Like, out of nowhere. It’s almost weird how it happened. One minute everything feels sluggish, and then—bam—it's like my body just decided to gear up and fight. I don't know if it was something I ate or just some random shift in my biology, but man, it really felt like a total boost. Just a sudden burst of strength, I suppose. Anyway, I'm just noticing it. It's strange.
I guess I’ve been noticing that my pain threshold feels... different lately? Like, maybe it's just me, but it feels like there's this lower sensitivity to pain happening. It’s hard to explain, really. I don't know if it's the meds or just how my body is acting up, but everything just feels sort of muted? Maybe that's a good thing for some people, I suppose, but it's a little weird for me. Just kind of strange.

So, you can actually take cortisol in pill form... like, the most well-known one is Cortef, I think? And if you look at the effects of taking a cortisol tablet, they’re basically all the ones listed above—they seem to be positive, one after another, and they really help with managing stress. I guess that makes sense, maybe.

Cortisol is... well, if you go back and look at that other thread I started about Ketamine, you'll see what I mean. It’s honestly one of those rare substances out there right now that actually seems to touch the heavy stuff—you know, those really deep, crushing bouts of depression where nothing else works? Like, when people have tried everything from standard meds to ECT and just feel stuck... maybe this is one of the few things that actually makes a dent.

I guess the most realistic way to look at depression right now—and this is just my take, but it feels right—is seeing it as actual brain inflammation that's tied directly to the immune system. It’s all connected, you know? If you follow that logic, it makes total sense why cortisol plays such a huge role in managing it, which has pretty much been backed up for a long time now. And, uh, it’s also worth noting that cortisol can actually trigger a switch into mania for people dealing with bipolar disorder. It's all part of the same complicated picture, I suppose.

So, I was thinking about this thing people deal with when they’re totally stressed out... and honestly, it might be that they don't actually have enough cortisol. Like, that whole awful feeling—you know, when the anxiety just washes over you, or that intense pressure, or when your brain just stops working right and your hands start shaking? I guess maybe all of that is just a result of an acute lack of cortisol. And, well, it seems like you can actually address that and confirm it by taking exogenous cortisol, like hydrocortisone. Or at least, that's how I see it.

So, how does this whole misunderstanding even start? I mean, it’s kind of wild when you think about it. Basically, constant stress keeps your cortisol levels spiked. At first, everything works exactly how it’s supposed to—it does its job, right? But then, over time, the body just... adapts. It gets used to those high levels, and suddenly, those elevated numbers become the new "normal" for you. So, your adrenal glands have to work at absolute maximum capacity just to make you feel baseline steady. Then, because of all that ongoing stress, they just can't keep up anymore. That’s when you hit this weird, relative acute deficiency. It's a long-term thing, really... just the body trying to adjust itself, which ends up requiring way more cortisol than the adrenals can actually pump out. I guess it's just a cycle.

Taking cortisol supplements is, like, incredibly dangerous. I mean, really, really risky. Because of how the body’s feedback loops work, if you start pumping that stuff in, your system just... shuts down its own natural production. And once that happens, your adrenal glands can atrophy super easily. That kind of adrenal insufficiency is seriously scary—it's a life-threatening situation, plain and simple. It's hard to explain, but trying to replace the hormones your adrenals normally make is such a nightmare because the dosage is so tricky. Your adrenals aren't just constant; they react to stress, so the difference between your levels when you're chill versus when you're under massive pressure can be up to a hundred times higher. So, yeah, I guess trying to self-medicate that is just almost impossible to get right.

Also, I was thinking... cortisol plays such a huge role in how our bodies manage sugar. And when you deal with those chronically high levels—you know, that constant state of being stressed out—your body starts building up this kind of "resistance" to the cortisol. It’s wild, really. I guess that resistance ends up messing with the whole system that regulates your blood sugar. It's all connected, I think. Maybe.

So, one of the biggest jobs cortisol actually has—I think it's pretty huge—is basically just putting out fires, you know? Like, shutting down inflammation. A lot of you probably have run into different kinds of corticosteroids before... mostly the stuff you just rub on your skin for rashes or whatever. But that’s essentially what cortisol does. It just tells the immune system to chill out and stops the inflammation. And I guess, if you look at it that way, it can also help shut down the inflammation happening inside the brain... which is what we call depression. So, in a sense, it’s treating the depression by calming that internal fire. Maybe that's how it works? I don't know, but it makes sense to me.

So, I guess the thing about having chronically high cortisol levels is that your receptors eventually just... get used to it? Like, they start to "adapt" or whatever. They actually decrease in number just to try and find some kind of balance in how the signaling works—basically, the body tries to make those sky-high levels the new "normal." So, yeah, your system basically becomes less sensitive to the cortisol itself. It’s kind of wild how the body tries to compensate like that, I guess.
Different systems in our bodies reach different levels of adaptation, I guess. From what I’ve seen, things like peripheral vasoconstriction just don't really adapt, and it feels like one of those lingering effects of cortisol after the good stuff starts to fade away. The positive effects—you know, like better focus, feeling calm, and working memory (that thing you need to react to stress)—those are usually the first things to go. And those high blood sugar levels caused by cortisol? They probably just get countered by rising insulin levels and stuff like that, which eventually leads to hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance, and then finally insulin deficiency (I'm not making this up). So, that's basically how it works...

So, the answer isn't about trying to lower cortisol production. If you can't produce what you actually need—like to counter inflammation, which is part of the nervous system that's pro-inflammatory—you're just going to feel even worse.
And it's not about taking supplements either, because even if you feel better right now, you'll probably just make the whole situation worse in the long run.

The real solution is to reduce the triggers that spike cortisol unnecessarily and keep it chronically high. Basically, we need to lower pro-inflammatory activity. But, unless you have an actual disease or you're overtraining like crazy, most of us just deal with good old-fashioned psychological stress as our main pro-inflammatory driver. And so, we end up right back at that famous "reduce stress" advice. It's like trying to shove a square peg into a round hole.

Just some more thoughts there to help you put the pieces together a bit better... there's still more to figure out, since cortisol is so incredibly important...

I have an appointment with my psychiatrist this Thursday, and I’m really hoping we can finally phase out this 10mg dose of Haldol. It’s honestly just draining the life out of me...
I seem to be doing okay with the Helix, Prazosin, and Cymbalta, but this one is just brutal.
In my opinion, Haldol is pretty awful. My doctor mentioned she might switch me over to Seroquel instead—has anyone here had any experience with that?

Eric Mitchell55 said:I have an appointment with my psychiatrist this Thursday, and I’m really hoping we can finally phase out this 10mg dose of Haldol. It’s honestly just draining the life out of me...
I seem to be doing okay with the Helix, Prazosin, and Cymbalta, but this one is just brutal.
In my opinion, Haldol is pretty awful. My doctor mentioned she might switch me over to Seroquel instead—has anyone here had any experience with that?

I haven't dealt with Haldol, but I’ve tried Moditen and it was brutal. If I took it at night, I’d wake up the next day feeling physically wiped out. It was scary.

Seroquel works for me.
At first, the side effects might feel a bit intense and you might get some weird dreams, but that passes. After that, you sleep like a baby.
The only thing is, if you take it at night, you might feel a little "spaced out" the next morning. You'll need a strong cup of coffee to snap out of it. For me, I drink a massive cup of black coffee alongside my Prozac and Rivotril. And, obviously... I take Centravit Energy and a B complex. Sometimes, if work has totally drained me, I’ll even throw in some B12 that athletes use. 😁
I perk up pretty quickly, and during the day, it feels great. It stays in your system for the whole day after taking it at night, though it isn't as heavy as those first 5 or 6 hours right after bedtime.

I definitely wouldn't take it during the day. I mean, maybe I would, but I think it would slow me down too much. Maybe it would only be for the first couple of weeks, but who knows. There's no point in taking it in the morning when nighttime is plenty.

Also, I find that Seroquel helps lower the amount of anxiety meds I need during the day.

Eric Mitchell55 said:I have an appointment with my psychiatrist this Thursday, and I’m really hoping we can finally phase out this 10mg dose of Haldol. It’s honestly just draining the life out of me...
I seem to be doing okay with the Helix, Prazosin, and Cymbalta, but this one is just brutal.
In my opinion, Haldol is pretty awful. My doctor mentioned she might switch me over to Seroquel instead—has anyone here had any experience with that?

Seroquel? It's a double-edged sword, really. I think I mentioned this somewhere else already, didn't I?
It works fine for psychosis—both schizophrenia and bipolar stuff—but for anything else? It's just bad.
If you find yourself sleeping through the day or feeling totally groggy and hungover when you wake up, then... well, it simply isn't for you.
It's one of those controversial antipsychotics, isn't it?
If there is any other option available, you should seriously consider looking into Quetiapine or Zyprexa.
They offer a similar effect but come with significantly fewer side effects.
With Seroquel, you often end up needing to take something else just to "get moving" enough to actually function the next day, which just drags you into another cycle of more pills.
And aren't we just going in circles here? Instead of letting the body try its best to fight the illness on its own, we force it to behave according to what we *think* is best. Isn't that the tragedy of it all?
Then there's the whole issue regarding suicide risk at the start of treatment, though I suppose that depends entirely on the specific diagnosis.
I was on it for a long time, and frankly, my opinion of the drug is pretty low.
In this day and age, there are much better "modern variations" based on that same formula.😉

Kevin Nguyen3 said:Seroquel? It's a double-edged sword, really. I think I mentioned this somewhere else already, didn't I?
It works fine for psychosis—both schizophrenia and bipolar stuff—but for anything else? It's just bad.
If you find yourself sleeping through the day or feeling totally groggy and hungover when you wake up, then... well, it simply isn't for you.
It's one of those controversial antipsychotics, isn't it?
If there is any other option available, you should seriously consider looking into Quetiapine or Zyprexa.
They offer a similar effect but come with significantly fewer side effects.
With Seroquel, you often end up needing to take something else just to "get moving" enough to actually function the next day, which just drags you into another cycle of more pills.
And aren't we just going in circles here? Instead of letting the body try its best to fight the illness on its own, we force it to behave according to what we *think* is best. Isn't that the tragedy of it all?
Then there's the whole issue regarding suicide risk at the start of treatment, though I suppose that depends entirely on the specific diagnosis.
I was on it for a long time, and frankly, my opinion of the drug is pretty low.
In this day and age, there are much better "modern variations" based on that same formula.😉

They basically work the same way, but one has way fewer side effects.

Seroquel is the real deal (ranging from 25-300 mg doses), whereas Q-pin is just the generic version—my doctor actually explained it to me by using an analogy, like how Xanax is the brand name while something like generic Alprazolam is the alternative.

Both fall under the quetiapine category.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quetiapine

fadedbear92 said:They basically work the same way, but one has way fewer side effects.

Seroquel is the real deal (ranging from 25-300 mg doses), whereas Q-pin is just the generic version—my doctor actually explained it to me by using an analogy, like how Xanax is the brand name while something like generic Alprazolam is the alternative.

Both fall under the quetiapine category.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quetiapine

I suppose that's true. Though, if I'm being honest, I think there's a noticeable difference when you're actually taking the branded Seroquel versus something like
Loquen. Personally, I feel the impact more significantly with the name brand; it seems to hit harder and the effects tend to linger much longer... I guess you could say the tablet itself is higher quality. If you really want to test it, try taking a 100mg Seroquel tonight, then take a 100mg Loquen at the exact same time tomorrow, and you'll see... or rather, you'll definitely feel the difference. ☕

Kenneth Scott41 said:I suppose that's true. Though, if I'm being honest, I think there's a noticeable difference when you're actually taking the branded Seroquel versus something like
Loquen. Personally, I feel the impact more significantly with the name brand; it seems to hit harder and the effects tend to linger much longer... I guess you could say the tablet itself is higher quality. If you really want to test it, try taking a 100mg Seroquel tonight, then take a 100mg Loquen at the exact same time tomorrow, and you'll see... or rather, you'll definitely feel the difference. ☕

It’s very likely—I definitely felt a massive gap between Xanax and Ativan myself; the Xanax used to have this smooth, mellowing effect, whereas Ativan always felt too intense, too sudden—so whenever I could get my hands on Xanax (that was 😁 a long time ago), I did.

fadedbear92 said:They basically work the same way, but one has way fewer side effects.

Seroquel is the real deal (ranging from 25-300 mg doses), whereas Q-pin is just the generic version—my doctor actually explained it to me by using an analogy, like how Xanax is the brand name while something like generic Alprazolam is the alternative.

Both fall under the quetiapine category.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quetiapine

Well, isn't that obvious? We've known that for ages.
Once a patent expires, a generic version hits the market, and everyone keeps insisting—insisting!—that it's identical to the original brand-name drug (which usually held its patent for about eight years).
But is it really? Is it truly the same? I don't think so... there are individual differences that matter.

Kevin Nguyen3 said:Well, isn't that obvious? We've known that for ages.
Once a patent expires, a generic version hits the market, and everyone keeps insisting—insisting!—that it's identical to the original brand-name drug (which usually held its patent for about eight years).
But is it really? Is it truly the same? I don't think so... there are individual differences that matter.

I’ve definitely felt that too, noticing a real difference between Xanax and Klonopin. When I took the Klonopin, after just a few days, it felt like I was drinking nothing but water, and I actually ended up feeling more on edge. The Xanax worked way better for me, though even that felt different from my absolute favorite.🤷