Psychotropic medication discussion thread

rowdyhawk152 said:I took a spoonful of Ashwagandha this morning and man, it was like a miracle. Anxiety? Gone. I was smiling, energized, focused... absolutely incredible. I'm still on Zoloft for my OCD, but I don't need the Xanax or Sanval anymore.

Took the Ashwagandha before bed last night and fell asleep way easier. Sure, I woke up at 5 AM again—got about 7 hours of sleep—but that's probably because it wore off after 7 hours... either way, the quality of sleep was way better.

Can you DM me how you manage that and what the cost is? I'd love to give it a shot... maybe it'll work for me too? 🤷

Larry Lewis said:I called my primary care doctor today to get a refill on my Seroquel 300 XR—which I've been taking for quite a while now—and she just tells me I've been on it too long and that the medication is way too expensive. She flat-out refused to write the prescription without even suggesting a generic alternative! It’s ridiculous. I have a psychiatrist's recommendation for this specific med, and I’ve been steady on it for about two years; usually, she doesn't give me any trouble, but now she's just digging her heels in.

I know there have been some shifts in how the healthcare system works lately, but I find it hard to believe a GP can just deny a prescribed medication without even mentioning a cheaper option—just a straight-up refusal.

Has anyone else dealt with this? Is this becoming a thing?

Good grief, at this rate, they might as well just finish us all off. What's the point of paying for supplemental insurance if we end up having to cover everything ourselves anyway? This is absolutely insane—honestly, the whole system needs to be torn down and rebuilt from scratch.

Kevin Nguyen3 said:My doctor is Martić Biočina. She is truly an exceptional physician.

She really is a wonderful woman—she goes above and beyond everything, truly willing to meet you halfway. I actually attended a group therapy session she facilitated alongside another psychotherapist, and get this—she wasn't even getting paid for it.

fadedbear92 said:Good grief, at this rate, they might as well just finish us all off. What's the point of paying for supplemental insurance if we end up having to cover everything ourselves anyway? This is absolutely insane—honestly, the whole system needs to be torn down and rebuilt from scratch.

I mean, seriously, look at what they're doing to us. Social Security checks are a joke—absolute peanuts—leaving poor retirees scavenging through trash cans just to get by. You can't find a decent job anywhere, and trying to get actual medical care? Forget about it. It's impossible.

Meanwhile, those bureaucrats are cruising around in their BMWs and Audis, complete with private drivers and security details—because, you know, they're just *so* incredibly important. They spend every cent making sure they and their families are set for the next ten generations while everyone else struggles.

rowdyhawk152 said:I took a spoonful of Ashwagandha this morning and man, it was like a miracle. Anxiety? Gone. I was smiling, energized, focused... absolutely incredible. I'm still on Zoloft for my OCD, but I don't need the Xanax or Sanval anymore.

Took the Ashwagandha before bed last night and fell asleep way easier. Sure, I woke up at 5 AM again—got about 7 hours of sleep—but that's probably because it wore off after 7 hours... either way, the quality of sleep was way better.

Where can you pick that up around here, and what's the damage to my wallet?

fadedbear92 said:Good grief, at this rate, they might as well just finish us all off. What's the point of paying for supplemental insurance if we end up having to cover everything ourselves anyway? This is absolutely insane—honestly, the whole system needs to be torn down and rebuilt from scratch.

👍 That is precisely my point; I find myself saying the same thing constantly. It feels like several times a day, I'm being pushed to the very edge of my sanity, and now they want to pull the rug out from under my medical care? Fine, let them. If they're going to deny me treatment after everything, then so be it...

I don't even know where to start with this one. Honestly, I’m just sitting here fuming. You see some of these people online and you wonder if they've actually lived a single day in the real world. It’s absolute nonsense. Just pure, unadulterated garbage. I’m tired of seeing it, and I’m definitely tired of pretending it's okay. It’s exhausting! kaže:
Send me a DM! I'll tell you exactly how I do it and what it costs... I’d love to try it myself. Maybe it’ll actually help me out too? 🤷

Jason Vaughn482 said:Where can you pick that up around here, and what's the damage to my wallet?

You can find that powder at Whole Foods and Dick's Sporting Goods—it's about a 150g container. $27 I’m looking at $300 around the eyes. Seriously? $47And I’m also grabbing those capsule extracts—the 100-count bottle. $40.

There’s actually an entire thread over on Reddit about Ashwagandhi if you want to go down that rabbit hole and do some actual digging.

Jason Vaughn482 said:Where can you pick that up around here, and what's the damage to my wallet?

It actually worked for me for a little while, though I think I need to take a break from it for a few days. It wasn't exactly life-changing or anything, but it did seem to help with my blood pressure and general physical stamina.
By the way, I take Helex 0,5 whenever I feel the need.
If you're struggling to sleep, maybe grab some melatonin 3 mg; it helps me drift off quite a bit... plus, you don't need a prescription for it.

I’m not sure which thread this fits best in, but I’m dealing with this constant tug-of-war between staying sober and actually having a social life.
Ever since I started on some heavier meds—think Seroquel, Depakote, and Normabates—I’ve been strictly avoiding booze. But man, there are endless opportunities where people push it on you. You’re just sitting around, or you’re at a launch event or a promotion, and suddenly everyone’s asking what you want to drink. Every time I say "no thanks," or ask for a soda or water, I get the eyebrow raise. Either they hit me with a barrage of questions, or they start lecturing me about how "one beer or one glass of wine won't hurt."

Usually, I try to dodge it by saying I’m doing a detox, or if I actually trust the person, I’ll admit I overdid it in the past and need to stay healthy now (which is true). Sometimes I go full "confessional mode" with people I’ve known for nearly a decade—telling them about the times I completely embarrassed myself, doing weird yoga poses at parties, saying things I can't even remember later, or sending furious texts to people I was clearly having a volatile moment with.

But honestly, this whole culture of drinking at every single break, celebration, birthday, or even a casual hangout really grates on my nerves. This obsession with being hammered, or at least smelling like a brewery... it’s exhausting. When I tell people no, I constantly feel like they’re looking at me like I have a stick up my ass. Their interest just vanishes, or they look disappointed, and then they give me these suspicious looks when I insist I can have fun without the alcohol. It’s like they think I’m judging them.

I’m running out of ways to decline gracefully without looking like a total buzzkill or making them think I’m on rehab. To be fair, nobody has actually asked me if I'm an addict yet, except for one old friend. How do I turn down a drink while remaining easygoing, witty, and polite instead of sounding like a total killjoy? My doctor and therapist suggest I just tell them I don't like drinking, but I hate lying. Especially because, truth be told, I actually love the taste of a good dry red. There's also this nagging fear that if I'm honest, they'll just write me off as some boring puritan.

All this psych and pharma therapy is supposed to improve my social life, not wreck it through forced prohibition. What do you guys do in my shoes? It’s fine when I’m with my lifelong friends, but it’s a nightmare when meeting new people, which happens all the time lately. I’ve even had two relationships fall apart because of this. People want to be around someone on their level, and those who live to party don't want a "teetotaler" in their circle—one guy even told me he felt judged because I was watching their drunken antics from a sober vantage point.

And one more thing: whenever I’m at a party, I always have to be the first to leave. I take my evening Seroquel, which makes me incredibly sleepy, so I usually stretch it out until about 2 AM before heading to bed. Of course, people always ask why I’m leaving early, probably thinking I’m bored, and they likely wonder if they should even bother inviting me next time.

Just today, some guy invited me "for a beer" for a first date, or whatever. I’m debating whether to tell him right now that I don’t drink, or just surprise him when we meet (though I can already see the look of discouraged indifference in his eyes if I do).

I thought about posting this in the recovery threads, but people post here way more often, and unlike some of the folks in those groups, I’m on medication just like you guys.

I used to always go with the "I'm taking some medication so I have to watch my liver" excuse—it worked every time. It wasn't even a total lie, really! Plus, most decent people won't push you for details about your health issues unless you actually volunteer them.

Melissa Sanchez59 said:I used to always go with the "I'm taking some medication so I have to watch my liver" excuse—it worked every time. It wasn't even a total lie, really! Plus, most decent people won't push you for details about your health issues unless you actually volunteer them.

They act all "it doesn't suit me," basically implying that *you're* the weirdo if they keep pushing or making comments after you've already shut it down.

Melissa Sanchez59 said:I used to always go with the "I'm taking some medication so I have to watch my liver" excuse—it worked every time. It wasn't even a total lie, really! Plus, most decent people won't push you for details about your health issues unless you actually volunteer them.

True. I might mention having an overworked liver or just say I have health reasons for skipping a drink. Generally. Though, there were always those obnoxious, pushy, annoying types who would hear that and still insist one little drink wouldn't hurt. A few times, out of nowhere and almost proudly, I’ve snapped at someone to back off by claiming I was a recovering alcoholic (which isn't entirely false), but nobody actually believed me. They just laughed.

rowdyhawk152 said:They act all "it doesn't suit me," basically implying that *you're* the weirdo if they keep pushing or making comments after you've already shut it down.

Yeah, basically. As it stands, the best move is to act like they’re the problem if they can't handle me turning down a drink—which is really just my own damn business.

Quincy:

Altec777 As Brian Young5 says... I called my primary care physician today to request a refill for my Seroquel 300 XR, which I’ve been taking for quite some time. She told me that since I've been on it so long, it's just too expensive, and she flatly refused to write the prescription... She didn't even bother suggesting a generic alternative. I have the official recommendation from my psychiatrist, and having used this medication for two years now, I expected much more support than this... I know there have been some changes to the healthcare system lately, but I find it hard to believe a GP could just flat-out refuse to prescribe a specific medication without even mentioning a generic alternative... It seems unlikely... Does anyone know anything about this? Has this happened to anyone else...

I missed this at first, but I nearly fell out of my chair when I finally read it...

Altec, didn't they tell you they weren't going to write any more prescriptions for him? Or maybe they're just waiting until you finish this current bottle... Sorry to ask, but I'm honestly baffled...

The standard guideline is that primary care physicians should write prescriptions for more affordable alternatives to what a specialist prescribes, provided the cheaper option wasn't already specified in the initial findings. This doesn't always mean switching to a generic—sometimes those can actually cost more—but in most cases, it's about finding the generic version...

Regarding that point you made, my colleagues over at the health clinic mentioned—and I’ve seen some things online too—that there might not be any cheaper alternatives for the Seroquel in South Dakota form. They aren't entirely sure if one even exists... so take that with a grain of salt...

Could you take a quick look at those two threads regarding the healthcare "reforms" in the Health PDF...I don't see a link provided here... could you please share it?, I'll get that link over to you shortly...Perhaps someone here in the medical or pharmaceutical field who works with these PDFs might have more specific insight... I'm also wondering who exactly handles formal complaints against a physician, and what the actual grounds for doing so would be...

Brian Young5 said:I’m not sure which thread this fits best in, but I’m dealing with this constant tug-of-war between staying sober and actually having a social life.
Ever since I started on some heavier meds—think Seroquel, Depakote, and Normabates—I’ve been strictly avoiding booze. But man, there are endless opportunities where people push it on you. You’re just sitting around, or you’re at a launch event or a promotion, and suddenly everyone’s asking what you want to drink. Every time I say "no thanks," or ask for a soda or water, I get the eyebrow raise. Either they hit me with a barrage of questions, or they start lecturing me about how "one beer or one glass of wine won't hurt."

Usually, I try to dodge it by saying I’m doing a detox, or if I actually trust the person, I’ll admit I overdid it in the past and need to stay healthy now (which is true). Sometimes I go full "confessional mode" with people I’ve known for nearly a decade—telling them about the times I completely embarrassed myself, doing weird yoga poses at parties, saying things I can't even remember later, or sending furious texts to people I was clearly having a volatile moment with.

But honestly, this whole culture of drinking at every single break, celebration, birthday, or even a casual hangout really grates on my nerves. This obsession with being hammered, or at least smelling like a brewery... it’s exhausting. When I tell people no, I constantly feel like they’re looking at me like I have a stick up my ass. Their interest just vanishes, or they look disappointed, and then they give me these suspicious looks when I insist I can have fun without the alcohol. It’s like they think I’m judging them.

I’m running out of ways to decline gracefully without looking like a total buzzkill or making them think I’m on rehab. To be fair, nobody has actually asked me if I'm an addict yet, except for one old friend. How do I turn down a drink while remaining easygoing, witty, and polite instead of sounding like a total killjoy? My doctor and therapist suggest I just tell them I don't like drinking, but I hate lying. Especially because, truth be told, I actually love the taste of a good dry red. There's also this nagging fear that if I'm honest, they'll just write me off as some boring puritan.

All this psych and pharma therapy is supposed to improve my social life, not wreck it through forced prohibition. What do you guys do in my shoes? It’s fine when I’m with my lifelong friends, but it’s a nightmare when meeting new people, which happens all the time lately. I’ve even had two relationships fall apart because of this. People want to be around someone on their level, and those who live to party don't want a "teetotaler" in their circle—one guy even told me he felt judged because I was watching their drunken antics from a sober vantage point.

And one more thing: whenever I’m at a party, I always have to be the first to leave. I take my evening Seroquel, which makes me incredibly sleepy, so I usually stretch it out until about 2 AM before heading to bed. Of course, people always ask why I’m leaving early, probably thinking I’m bored, and they likely wonder if they should even bother inviting me next time.

Just today, some guy invited me "for a beer" for a first date, or whatever. I’m debating whether to tell him right now that I don’t drink, or just surprise him when we meet (though I can already see the look of discouraged indifference in his eyes if I do).

I thought about posting this in the recovery threads, but people post here way more often, and unlike some of the folks in those groups, I’m on medication just like you guys.

I deal with that too. Everything you mentioned hits way too close to home.

I'm a recovering alcoholic (had a recent relapse—about eight months ago). I was sober for nearly four years before that. Since May 26th of this year, I've been back on track. Taking Normabax as therapy. 2x5mg.

I could probably write ten pages on how many stupid—driving me insane—idiotic situations I've found myself in just because I don't drink. My go-to excuse in social settings would still be my damaged liver (which isn't far from the truth). In some cases, the response to that reason is usually something like, "Well, the liver is a regenerative organ." At one wedding, I'm sipping a Coke, and the guy sitting across from me asks why I'm not drinking. I give him the answer. He then proceeds to give me an explanation of how the liver actually functions (as if I'm some moron who doesn't know that). I tell him it doesn't matter. He keeps trying to convince me that Coke is just as harmful. Ad infinitum. If I hadn't been in the specific crowd I was in, I would have punched him right in the face. Or, during those agonizingly awkward dinners with my ex-girlfriend's family, her mother would regularly offer me wine (even though she didn't drink herself) despite the fact that I'd told her a million times I don't drink. 🙂 Just a disaster.

Since I don't really know what else to tell you besides the fact that we share a similar struggle, here is my recipe: moving forward, I don't plan on hanging out with such immature punks as much. Once you get older and gain some life experience, these kinds of stupid situations happen much less frequently. It's not that they vanish entirely, but at least they're rarer. And I think I'll start taking a harder stance. First, I'll be polite, but if they react like an idiot the first time, I'll give them a look of pure confusion. If they double down, I'll probably just tell them where to shove it... and yeah, my nerves have been pretty thin lately.

Anyway. Ciao 🙂

Brian Young5 said:I’m not sure which thread this fits best in, but I’m dealing with this constant tug-of-war between staying sober and actually having a social life.
Ever since I started on some heavier meds—think Seroquel, Depakote, and Normabates—I’ve been strictly avoiding booze. But man, there are endless opportunities where people push it on you. You’re just sitting around, or you’re at a launch event or a promotion, and suddenly everyone’s asking what you want to drink. Every time I say "no thanks," or ask for a soda or water, I get the eyebrow raise. Either they hit me with a barrage of questions, or they start lecturing me about how "one beer or one glass of wine won't hurt."

Usually, I try to dodge it by saying I’m doing a detox, or if I actually trust the person, I’ll admit I overdid it in the past and need to stay healthy now (which is true). Sometimes I go full "confessional mode" with people I’ve known for nearly a decade—telling them about the times I completely embarrassed myself, doing weird yoga poses at parties, saying things I can't even remember later, or sending furious texts to people I was clearly having a volatile moment with.

But honestly, this whole culture of drinking at every single break, celebration, birthday, or even a casual hangout really grates on my nerves. This obsession with being hammered, or at least smelling like a brewery... it’s exhausting. When I tell people no, I constantly feel like they’re looking at me like I have a stick up my ass. Their interest just vanishes, or they look disappointed, and then they give me these suspicious looks when I insist I can have fun without the alcohol. It’s like they think I’m judging them.

I’m running out of ways to decline gracefully without looking like a total buzzkill or making them think I’m on rehab. To be fair, nobody has actually asked me if I'm an addict yet, except for one old friend. How do I turn down a drink while remaining easygoing, witty, and polite instead of sounding like a total killjoy? My doctor and therapist suggest I just tell them I don't like drinking, but I hate lying. Especially because, truth be told, I actually love the taste of a good dry red. There's also this nagging fear that if I'm honest, they'll just write me off as some boring puritan.

All this psych and pharma therapy is supposed to improve my social life, not wreck it through forced prohibition. What do you guys do in my shoes? It’s fine when I’m with my lifelong friends, but it’s a nightmare when meeting new people, which happens all the time lately. I’ve even had two relationships fall apart because of this. People want to be around someone on their level, and those who live to party don't want a "teetotaler" in their circle—one guy even told me he felt judged because I was watching their drunken antics from a sober vantage point.

And one more thing: whenever I’m at a party, I always have to be the first to leave. I take my evening Seroquel, which makes me incredibly sleepy, so I usually stretch it out until about 2 AM before heading to bed. Of course, people always ask why I’m leaving early, probably thinking I’m bored, and they likely wonder if they should even bother inviting me next time.

Just today, some guy invited me "for a beer" for a first date, or whatever. I’m debating whether to tell him right now that I don’t drink, or just surprise him when we meet (though I can already see the look of discouraged indifference in his eyes if I do).

I thought about posting this in the recovery threads, but people post here way more often, and unlike some of the folks in those groups, I’m on medication just like you guys.

Person A: Why don't you drink?
Me: Uh-uh...
Person A: What do you mean?
Me: It doesn't sit right with me. (Option A) / It doesn't work for me. (Option B)

🤷

I’ve only managed to keep a conversation going once...

Person A: How come you don't?
Me: How come you do?

And that was that.
😁

I haven't really touched alcohol in over a decade, maybe twice total during that whole time. So, I've had plenty of these conversations...

I've given my friends more detailed explanations, obviously. This is just for the random strangers who stick their noses where they don't belong.

So now, if anyone wants to roll their eyes in disbelief, go ahead until you pull a muscle. That's their issue...

P.S. If there's interest in continuing this discussion and sharing experiences, I might put something together and move these posts to a separate thread. 🙂

I’ve always considered alcohol to be a pretty good companion.
I wouldn't say I'm in recovery (not 😁), and while I'm still relatively young, I think I've lived enough to have an opinion on the matter.
Every now and then I'll have a drink. I know, technically I probably shouldn't given the sheer volume of medications I'm currently taking, but there are those stretches where I just decide to treat myself to a couple of beers.
Mostly, though, I don't drink. When people corner me asking why, I usually just tell them I don't feel like it. Why? Just because. Why? Just so they have something to gossip about.
Amen.
I try not to get into long debates with all the Vegetas out there who feel the need to weigh in on everything. The people close to me understand my reasons for staying sober. They respect it—though, honestly, sometimes when I'm feeling a bit impulsive, I'll reach for a simple Radler, and they won't even let me have that. So, it is what it is.

Still, reading through your responses is pretty interesting. I could probably spin a whole story about being a recovering alcoholic just to get people to back off; they tend to get on my nerves regardless. 😁

I only touch alcohol on New Year's Eve—maybe two sips of champagne, and that’s really the extent of it.
Since I started taking my medication, alcohol has been completely off the table for six years running. Before the pills, I used to drink; it was honestly the only way I could manage to settle my panic attacks and anxiety.

When someone tries to offer me a drink, I shut it down immediately. If they push for a reason, I just tell them that I have zero tolerance and that even a single glass of wine turns me into a rambling mess that embarrasses everyone involved. It’s a foolproof excuse, and once I say that, people usually stop digging.

Yet, it remains truly remarkable how, the moment you mention you don't drink, there is always that inevitable follow-up question: "Oh, why not?"😁

redranger2 said:I only touch alcohol on New Year's Eve—maybe two sips of champagne, and that’s really the extent of it.
Since I started taking my medication, alcohol has been completely off the table for six years running. Before the pills, I used to drink; it was honestly the only way I could manage to settle my panic attacks and anxiety.

When someone tries to offer me a drink, I shut it down immediately. If they push for a reason, I just tell them that I have zero tolerance and that even a single glass of wine turns me into a rambling mess that embarrasses everyone involved. It’s a foolproof excuse, and once I say that, people usually stop digging.

Yet, it remains truly remarkable how, the moment you mention you don't drink, there is always that inevitable follow-up question: "Oh, why not?"😁

Interesting. I move in various circles with all kinds of people I consider high-quality—mature, interesting, funny, educated, empathetic, etc.—but even they have managed to (unpleasantly) surprise me. Even after explaining that alcohol turns me into a complete clown and leaves me cringing in shame the next morning, some react by commenting on how it's such a shame I don't drink anymore, because they find watching other people's embarrassments "entertaining." Before this, I didn't even think they were malicious. Either people are just more colorful to them when they're buzzed, or they'd rather watch a spectacle instead of being genuinely glad that I've fought so hard to conquer my demons from a dark past. (That part is what actually hurts.)

Then there was that guy from yesterday. He was drinking heavily (while I was sipping sparkling water like a good little girl), and even though he seemed perfectly fine—smart and perceptive—and even though I was honest with him (sometimes I crave that freedom) and told him that mixing my medication with soda could trigger an epileptic seizure, he kept insisting he wanted to meet the version of me that used to party. He said he was dying to see what I was like back then and would love to witness my "devilish wild side" firsthand (clearly, he prefers unhinged, unleashed hedonists). Of course, my gut feeling from yesterday's post wasn't wrong. In his eyes, I'm basically a nun. It seems I constantly run into either penitent adventurers or adrenaline/escapism junkies. 😁

Cymbalta 90mg - 1,0,0
Helex 0.5mg - 3x1
Haldol 2mg - 1,0,2
Akineton 2mg - 1,0,0 + 1 prn
Prazina 25mg - 3x1 + 1 prn

Drug. Honestly, I could probably start selling these pills on the side at this rate.
Also, the Haldol is hitting me hard—I am just incredibly sleepy.