Psychotropic medication discussion thread

Chloe Hughes6 said:Exactly! It is all fundamentally the same stuff. They discontinue one version and suddenly they're offering you another. Sometimes there's even a ridiculous little surcharge just so it falls under a specific administrative category where it isn't technically considered the "same" drug from a different manufacturer. If that happens, the doctor has to write a whole new prescription, allowing the pharmacy to upcharge you instead of giving you the cheaper brand. It's all just pharmaceutical politics!

But oh, wouldn't it be wonderful if they'd just stop this nonsense for once? 🙂

What's even bothering you so much, man?

Blue Star said:
There is really no reason to be intimidated by Quincy; it isn't quite the monster people make it out to be.😁
I am not entirely sure if your doctor suggested this or if you are just deciding to take matters into your own hands, but regardless, it doesn't change much. If you have already made up your mind, I would suggest starting with the lowest possible dose.
I wonder where @Rachel is; she has significantly more experience managing lower dosages.
They do come in 25 mg versions, though I personally have never taken them.
How are you even managing to get your hands on these types of medications?😕

I agree that it might be time for her to try Quincy.
In my case, I experimented with 25 mg and then eventually cut that in half; while I slept soundly, I felt like a total zombie until the evening rolled around. We ended up stopping altogether. However, I am probably not the best example to follow—my psychiatrist mentioned that most people tolerate those doses well for insomnia. If you can handle coming back to yourself after being in California, you can likely handle this. Personally, I can't even recover from being in California.😢

Hopefully Rachel will chime in soon, as she takes smaller doses and, from what I understand, is quite satisfied with the results.

Skickas fr

restlesstrucker15 said:I agree that it might be time for her to try Quincy.
In my case, I experimented with 25 mg and then eventually cut that in half; while I slept soundly, I felt like a total zombie until the evening rolled around. We ended up stopping altogether. However, I am probably not the best example to follow—my psychiatrist mentioned that most people tolerate those doses well for insomnia. If you can handle coming back to yourself after being in California, you can likely handle this. Personally, I can't even recover from being in California.😢

Hopefully Rachel will chime in soon, as she takes smaller doses and, from what I understand, is quite satisfied with the results.

Skickas fr

There is no way she is sourcing those herself—that wouldn't make sense. Besides, if you have to go through a private pharmacy, Q-Pin is incredibly expensive and costs significantly more than $50. In my case, I was actually given one by my psychiatrist just to test it out.

Sent from my iPhone

I find myself wondering about the necessary duration of the transition period when switching from one antidepressant to another. I have been on Zoloft 5 for five months now, and it has provided a certain level of relief. My doctor has now prescribed Effexor XR 37.5 mg. My concern lies in whether I should expect side effects similar to those experienced with Zoloft, or perhaps something even more pronounced. Given that I have been taking the first medication for five months—meaning it is undoubtedly established within my system—how long should I wait before starting the second?

Personally, I don't think you need to wait around. Both of those options are essentially 🤷
. Every person processes substances differently, and everyone reacts to medication in their own unique way. So, I honestly don't see why you'd assume you'll deal with the same side effects you had with Zoloft while on must have. After all, your psychiatrist likely switched your
for that exact reason.

Michael Harris20 said:Can someone explain the difference between the diazepam alkaloid (those little yellow 5 mg pills) and the green Normabal tablets (also 5 mg)? Is there actually any real difference at all, or is it basically the same thing in terms of how they work?

Don't listen to the hype; they aren't the same. I'm telling you from my own experience, and my therapist actually confirmed it too. On paper, they should be identical, but in practice, they just aren't. That Diazepam from Alkaloid feels way weaker compared to, say, the Diazepam made by Johnson & Johnson or even the Normabell, even though they all technically fall into the same category as Ativan.

redcrane22 said:Personally, I don't think you need to wait around. Both of those options are essentially 🤷
. Every person processes substances differently, and everyone reacts to medication in their own unique way. So, I honestly don't see why you'd assume you'll deal with the same side effects you had with Zoloft while on must have. After all, your psychiatrist likely switched your
for that exact reason.

All right, so the plan is set: I took my Zoloft 50 mgx2 today, and tomorrow I’ll just get back to my usual routine with the Effexor, and that should be that.

Walter Fowler5 said:All right, so the plan is set: I took my Zoloft 50 mgx2 today, and tomorrow I’ll just get back to my usual routine with the Effexor, and that should be that.

Don't mean to lecture you here, but I've heard that when switching between certain antidepressants, you actually need a washout period. It’s usually noted on the medication guide for pretty much everything, but honestly, it wouldn't hurt to double-check with your psychiatrist or even just a pharmacist at CVS. Better safe than sorry, right?

restlesstrucker15 said:There is no way she is sourcing those herself—that wouldn't make sense. Besides, if you have to go through a private pharmacy, Q-Pin is incredibly expensive and costs significantly more than $50. In my case, I was actually given one by my psychiatrist just to test it out.

Sent from my iPhone

So it really does cost money then? Does that mean someone like me, just a college student, is going to have to shell out 150-$67 too? She already offered me some pills for that kind of amount, though she conveniently left out the name of the medication.

shadowbear9 said:So it really does cost money then? Does that mean someone like me, just a college student, is going to have to shell out 150-$67 too? She already offered me some pills for that kind of amount, though she conveniently left out the name of the medication.

I'm not entirely sure. 😢 I mentioned earlier that if you're dealing with psychosis, things might be covered, but I don't know if they extend that coverage to anxiety and depression either; your primary care physician would be the one to tell you that.

It all comes down to how insurance companies like Blue Cross Blue Shield handle things. I once had to pay out of pocket for a medication because my insurance only covered one specific diagnosis, even though that single drug was effectively treating three different conditions at once.

Skickas FR

briskwolf16 said:Don't mean to lecture you here, but I've heard that when switching between certain antidepressants, you actually need a washout period. It’s usually noted on the medication guide for pretty much everything, but honestly, it wouldn't hurt to double-check with your psychiatrist or even just a pharmacist at CVS. Better safe than sorry, right?

As far as I know, some require spacing while others don't—unless you're dealing with that thing where you take half a pill one time and then a whole one later.

But please, don't stress too much. Spacing out doses is basic training for any psychiatrist; there is absolutely no way they would have overlooked that when they gave you your prescription.

Skickas FR

restlesstrucker15 said:I'm not entirely sure. 😢 I mentioned earlier that if you're dealing with psychosis, things might be covered, but I don't know if they extend that coverage to anxiety and depression either; your primary care physician would be the one to tell you that.

It all comes down to how insurance companies like Blue Cross Blue Shield handle things. I once had to pay out of pocket for a medication because my insurance only covered one specific diagnosis, even though that single drug was effectively treating three different conditions at once.

Skickas FR

I'll just ask my psychiatrist and then let you know. 😉

redcrane22 said:Don't listen to the hype; they aren't the same. I'm telling you from my own experience, and my therapist actually confirmed it too. On paper, they should be identical, but in practice, they just aren't. That Diazepam from Alkaloid feels way weaker compared to, say, the Diazepam made by Johnson & Johnson or even the Normabell, even though they all technically fall into the same category as Ativan.

You see, that is an interesting perspective. My understanding was that the active ingredients are identical, but because the inactive fillers and binders in the tablets can vary, the absorption rates differ; for some people, it hits the bloodstream quickly, while for others, it might be slower.
Personally, I have always preferred the name brands, though I am not entirely sure which one qualifies as the "original" here—perhaps Ativan? That specific version isn't covered by my insurance and ends up costing three times as much as the generics. It seems somewhat illogical to me, considering the 10mg Ativan costs about the same as any other 10mg brand.

Skickas FR

shadowbear9 said:I'll just ask my psychiatrist and then let you know. 😉

Ask away. 🙂
Theoretically, a primary care physician could write those prescriptions for you, but there’s a catch. If they get audited and find they've been prescribing certain medications without a formal diagnosis on file to back it up, they're going to be in hot water.
To be fair, my doctor was quite organized when prescribing my sleep aids. I only had one instance where a particular medication didn't sit right with me, but overall, things have been manageable. I haven't experienced any issues with psychosis or anything of that nature, so I really can't say for certain how others might feel.

Skickas FR

Bluzara said:
There’s really no reason to be terrified of Q-pin; it isn't the monster people make it out to be.😁
I’m not entirely sure if your doctor actually put this on your prescription or if you're just taking matters into your own hands—but honestly, it doesn't much matter now. If you’ve already set your mind on it, my advice is to start with the absolute lowest dose possible.
I wonder where @fadedbear92 has wandered off to; she has far more experience navigating those micro-doses than I do.
They actually make 25 mg versions, though I’ve personally never touched them.
How on earth are you even managing to get your hands on these kinds of medications?😕

Oh, I haven't "acquired" anything, dear; you clearly aren't reading my posts closely enough. Once, she suggested that Q-pin to me and I flatly refused, but I have been taking Calixta for a very long time, and now she’s added something else to the mix... typically, I can't get anything—not even Xanax or Ambien—without a direct order from my psychiatrist. The only thing she tried to push was bumping me up to 30 mg of Calixta, but I’m staying at 15... I already feel like I'm walking through a fog with just 15 mg; I can't even imagine what 30 would do to my head.

restlesstrucker15 said:I agree that it might be time for her to try Quincy.
In my case, I experimented with 25 mg and then eventually cut that in half; while I slept soundly, I felt like a total zombie until the evening rolled around. We ended up stopping altogether. However, I am probably not the best example to follow—my psychiatrist mentioned that most people tolerate those doses well for insomnia. If you can handle coming back to yourself after being in California, you can likely handle this. Personally, I can't even recover from being in California.😢

Hopefully Rachel will chime in soon, as she takes smaller doses and, from what I understand, is quite satisfied with the results.

Skickas fr

Honestly, I’m not so sure; even on Calixta, I feel pretty wiped out during the day. If that fatigue is coming from the medication, or if it's just the weight of the anxiety itself, who can truly say? All I know is that I wake up feeling terrible, still dealing with those butterflies in my stomach despite the Calixta, which suggests it isn't doing much to help at all.

restlesstrucker15 said:Ask away. 🙂
Theoretically, a primary care physician could write those prescriptions for you, but there’s a catch. If they get audited and find they've been prescribing certain medications without a formal diagnosis on file to back it up, they're going to be in hot water.
To be fair, my doctor was quite organized when prescribing my sleep aids. I only had one instance where a particular medication didn't sit right with me, but overall, things have been manageable. I haven't experienced any issues with psychosis or anything of that nature, so I really can't say for certain how others might feel.

Skickas FR

So, what is your actual routine for finally drifting off? What truly does the trick for you? Right now, I've been taking something at 10:00 PM and then Calixta at either 7.5 or 15 mg... I manage to fall asleep, sure, but I spend half the night tossing and turning. Even though I can drift back off quickly, I wake up feeling like I've spent the entire night digging ditches rather than resting, despite getting up at 9:00 AM.

So, I’m taking 100 mg of Lamictal in the morning and again at night. I read somewhere online that you aren't supposed to mix Lamictal with other meds, but I'm also on Lamal and Solian. Am I totally messing this up? Like, what are the actual odds that I'm putting myself in danger here? Everything I do is strictly per my doctor's orders—she's the one prescribing all of this—but she hasn't mentioned anything about these specific interactions. Does anyone out there actually know anything about these drugs, or maybe have some firsthand experience with this combo?

restlesstrucker15 said:I agree that it might be time for her to try Quincy.
In my case, I experimented with 25 mg and then eventually cut that in half; while I slept soundly, I felt like a total zombie until the evening rolled around. We ended up stopping altogether. However, I am probably not the best example to follow—my psychiatrist mentioned that most people tolerate those doses well for insomnia. If you can handle coming back to yourself after being in California, you can likely handle this. Personally, I can't even recover from being in California.😢

Hopefully Rachel will chime in soon, as she takes smaller doses and, from what I understand, is quite satisfied with the results.

Skickas fr

Here I am, fellow insomniacs.😉

So, for sleep, I take 100 mg of Q-pin, but if I'm under heavy stress, I'll toss in an extra 2x25 mg—though only during those specific times.

Does anyone know if Remeron is just for nighttime, or can you take it in the morning too? I'm on the lowest dose at night and it's fine, but by the afternoon, I can already feel it wearing off.