Started by Robin Myers91 · · 👁 72 views · 10K replies
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granitefalcon26 said:Unfortunately, one of the side effects of antidepressants is a lower libido.😢
That’s why I make sure to talk about sex with my partner. I try to bring a little bit of stress-relief therapy into our relationship. 😉
granitefalcon26 said:Is anyone here taking Lexapro? If you are, I wanted to point out something important. There’s a drug called Citadel that some doctors prescribe as a substitute for Lexapro. With Citadel, you don't have to pay an extra copay, whereas Lexapro can run you about $17 extra per box. But here's the catch: they aren't actually the same thing. Citadel uses the generic name (citalopram), while Lexapro is escitalopram. So, there really is a distinct difference between the two.
As for how well they work—honestly, I was being a bit cheap and switched over to Citadel. Big mistake. My anxiety and panic attacks actually got worse. I've since moved back to Lexapro, and I'm feeling much better now.👍
Linda Taylor11 said:Hey Zeus, I've been taking Citadel myself (I can't really afford much since I'm just a student still living off my parents), but I used to take Lexapro and it worked perfectly for me. I only stopped taking it because I was being stubborn—back when things were a little more comfortable financially, I guess. I started the Citadel three days ago and I've felt sick from the very first dose. It completely kills my appetite and I can barely keep anything down in my stomach.
I'm wondering if anyone else has had these kinds of issues with Citadel?
granitefalcon26 said:Nausea is a side effect for both Cipralex and Citalon. So, if you haven't taken these meds in a while, you really should start with tiny doses. Try starting with just a quarter of a pill, then slowly work your way up to the full dose.
Linda Taylor11 said:Thanks!
Is it okay if I ask you one more thing?
So, right now I'm dealing with some pretty intense mood swings and I really need something that can help me out on a short-term basis. Everyone knows these SSRIs take like a month—sometimes even longer—to actually kick in.
And my psychiatrist isn't even back in the office until August 6th. Until then, I'm basically just left hanging. 😳
fadedbear92 said:Either find another therapist who isn't totally out of it right now—because waiting this long is just ridiculous.http://imagesforum.doctissimo.fr/ima.../delphewen.gif
restlesshawk122 said:Hey everyone.
I'm wondering which of these two medications works better for anxiety, and what the big differences are between them?
Thanks.
fadedbear92 said:That doesn't necessarily mean you'll be on meds forever. Are the sessions 45 minutes long or just a few minutes? How does it actually work? If you don't mind sharing, tell me a little more about it...
restlesshawk122 said:Hey everyone.
I'm wondering which of these two medications works better for anxiety, and what the big differences are between them?
Thanks.
wiredharbor18 said:Valium is bromazepam, while Xanax is alprazolam. Both belong to the benzodiazepine class, so they differ primarily by their active chemical components.
Since both act as anxiolytics, they are both used to manage anxiety and provide a calming effect.
Typically, Xanax is prescribed for patients dealing with more severe symptoms; in addition to its anti-anxiety properties, it's often used specifically to prevent or treat panic attacks.
Ultimately, your doctor or psychiatrist will be the one to decide which medication is right for your specific situation. Please don't try to self-medicate, as both carry a significant risk of dependency.
wiredharbor18 said:My sessions vary quite a bit; sometimes they run for an hour, and other times they wrap up in about 15 minutes.
They're classified as supportive therapy, and her approach is such that she somehow manages to dig my underlying issues right out of my subconscious.
On the surface, I present as someone incredibly composed and steady, but once I sit down for a session, I usually end up crying my eyes out over everything I've been through.
We'll light a cigarette (though she makes sure to remind me how bad it is for me every single time🙂).
She has this knack for helping me ask the right questions—the kind where I actually end up surprising myself with the answers.
Most of the time, I'm the one doing the talking while she gently nudges me along.
She managed to pull some incredible realizations from my subconscious, including the things I feared most: that the core of the issue likely stems from my mother, which then leads into the broader family dynamic regarding our history with alcoholism.
Because of what I was going through back then, I was convinced I wasn't "normal" and that I wouldn't even survive another year given how much I was struggling. I felt useless, like I had no purpose and would never amount to anything.
But thanks to consistent therapy and medication, I managed to get through college, graduate, and I'm now nearing my Master's degree. I've also been able to build a stable relationship, and my entire perspective on the things that used to weigh me down has shifted completely.
By the time the depression and panic attacks started, I was still just a child.
In the beginning, it was so hard to open up; I mostly just sat there in silence (even though I was the one who sought help—I remember being in the ER at night, practically screaming because I needed a psychiatrist; I felt like I was dying because I didn't feel sane). But now, as funny as it sounds, I actually find myself looking forward to my next session.
If there's anything else you want to know, please just ask.
Are you planning on starting PT, and how does the process work in your area?
To the outside world, I’ve got it all together—totally composed and steady—but once I sit down for my therapy sessions? Yeah, I usually end up crying through half my life story.
I have a knack for asking the right questions—the kind that actually lead me to answers I didn't even know I was looking for. It’s honestly a little surprising to myself sometimes!
Most of the time I'm the one doing all the talking—though she definitely knows how to egg me on.
restlesshawk122 said:Yeah, but my psychiatrist gives me Lexaurin at 1.5mg (the lowest dose) as needed, while another "top-tier" specialist has me on Xanax three times a day at 0.5mg (which I guess is a medium dose).😕
I'm going through a pretty rough patch right now, so I'll probably talk to one of the doctors tomorrow...
Anyway, for a while there, I was taking both of them in higher amounts constantly. After I stopped abruptly, I didn't really have any issues with withdrawal symptoms...
Not exactly something to brag about, but I'm being honest.
I'm also on Lexapro twice a day at 10mg, consistently.
Anxiety disorder, but with that first doctor...
Things are pretty bad right now, so I don't really know what to do...
fadedbear92 said:Support just means being there with "backing"—it’s about providing help, period.To the outside world, I’ve got it all together—totally composed and steady—but once I sit down for my therapy sessions? Yeah, I usually end up crying through half my life story.
Can you believe how much of a difference these make? Truly life-changing!
Let's light up a cigarette—even if I get lectured about the health risks every single time. 🙂)I have a knack for asking the right questions—the kind that actually lead me to answers I didn't even know I was looking for. It’s honestly a little surprising to myself sometimes!
Most of the time I'm the one doing all the talking—though she definitely knows how to egg me on.
Everything's looking good on my end—same here.
She managed to pull some truly heavy stuff out of my subconscious—things I was terrified to face. It turns out my biggest fear was right: most of this stems from my mother, which then bleeds into our whole family dynamic and her struggle with alcoholism.
After everything I went through, I was honestly convinced I’d lost my mind—and that the sheer terror of it all would probably take me out before the year was up. I felt completely useless, like I had no purpose and no future at all.
Despite constant therapy and dealing with ADHD, I actually managed to get through college, graduate, and now I’m nearly finished with my Master's—it’s been quite the journey! On top of that, I've built a really steady relationship, and honestly, I have a much healthier outlook on all those things that used to weigh me down.
I’ve been dealing with depression and panic attacks since I was just a kid—it's been part of my life for as long as I can remember.
At first, I found it so incredibly hard to open up—I mostly just sat there in silence. And look, I did ask for help—I was actually at the ER in the middle of the night, literally screaming that I needed a psychiatrist because I felt like I was dying from how "not normal" I felt—but now, even though it feels a little silly to admit, I’m actually looking forward to my next therapy session.
If there's anything else you're curious about, just let me know.
Do you go to physical therapy, and how does that process usually work for you?[/I]
I don't have much else to add—my therapy sessions were pretty much the same. Once a week, always 45 minutes, and honestly? It really helped me get to know myself better. It allowed me to finally take my parents off their pedestals—as she puts it—so now, what they think about my life choices just doesn't carry the weight it used to.
As for how things kicked off, I honestly couldn't even find the words—I just showed up to my sessions with printed-out letters instead. But now, as we’re wrapping up this stage of therapy, she told me how much progress I've actually made. She thinks that after five and a half years, I can move down to just twice a month since I'm finally starting to stand on my own two feet—which, let's be honest, was always the whole point of this journey: growing up and finally learning to accept myself emotionally.
The issue is that I inherited my mom's genetics—she calls it having a "natural-born streak of gloom"—so I'll probably be on antidepressants for life. (By the way, I haven't told her, and I never will; it would absolutely kill her, and honestly, I wouldn't get any satisfaction out of it.)
I should mention—before I started seeing that private therapist about five and a half years ago, I spent roughly seven years in "public" counseling over at a community clinic. Honestly, my therapist there did more harm than good. She acted more like a life coach than a clinician, constantly throwing out suggestions like, "Why don't you try this?" or "Maybe you could do that..." which isn't really how therapy works. If you can't follow through on those suggestions, you just end up blaming the doctor—or worse, blaming yourself—and your self-esteem takes a massive hit. It wasn't that she was being malicious, per se, but her approach was just fundamentally flawed. Looking back, I wasted so many years—though maybe only half were actually productive, since we went from bi-weekly sessions down to once every three months. And voilà—nothing to show for it.
I started out on Prozac and Xanax, then switched to Zoloft through my private doctor—which was a lifesaver—but then this nasty depressive episode hit me out of nowhere. I also had to tackle my addiction to Xanax; I’d been on it for twelve years, so getting off it was a huge struggle. My doctor eventually put me on Fevarin. I’ve actually managed to taper the Xanax down to just one or two pills—some days I don't take any at all! I've been on the Fevarin for about six months now. I actually forgot to take my mood stabilizer, Lamictal, for a bit—senior moment, right? Honestly, these meds can really scramble your brain—ugh! I ended up having some massive mood swings where I was flying high and then crashing hard all in the same day. Phew, sorry for the long rant!
I can't quite make out what's in this link—it looks like the image might be broken or the file didn't load properly. If you were trying to share something specific, could you try uploading it again? I'd love to see it!
wiredharbor18 said:I actually found myself tearing up a little while reading this. It’s just striking to see exactly how much ground still needs to be covered before we can finally reach that level of full functionality.
Man, twelve years of dealing with that? I have to hand it to you—that is some serious grit right there. Respect.👍👍👍
Honestly, there’s nothing quite like depression to wear you down. It’s been completely exhausting—it just drains everything out of you.
I honestly can't imagine stepping foot outside my front door to run errands without my personal little pharmacy kit by my side.
It’s interesting you mention your mother in such a positive light. In my case, things couldn't be more different. To be honest, she hasn't been even a fraction of a support system during my bouts of depression or my various trips to see a psychiatrist. Sadly, she tends to be quite self-centered. Thankfully, though, I've always had the unwavering support of my dear friend.
On top of dealing with anxiety, depression, and panic attacks, I’ve recently been diagnosed with a phobia regarding cardiovascular incidents and death.😁
I had a similar experience where a prominent psychiatrist—someone who was supposedly well-connected—completely dropped the ball on my care. After being on medication for a year, they abruptly tapered me off, and the resulting depressive episode was absolutely devastating. It was one of those situations that really shakes your confidence in the medical establishment. Ultimately, I had to go back to my previous psychiatrist, who is also my current one, just to get everything stabilized again.
Regarding the idea of lifelong medication, if that’s the path I'm on, I don't see it as some kind of failure. Honestly, if it just helps me stay level and functional, I'm perfectly fine with that. My only real hesitation comes from thinking about pregnancy. I’ve reached a point where I’d love to start a family, but I’m honestly a bit intimidated by the whole thing—I have no clue how managing medications works alongside being pregnant.
