Psychotropic medication discussion thread

shadowbear9 said:Just calm down for a second. Nobody is spreading misinformation; I am simply repeating what she said. Her words were basically, "I could write that prescription for you, but I’d have to note that you have psychosis," which isn't necessary at your age unless you actually have it. Besides, your doctor won't give it to you just because I say so, since all you have is insomnia... next time, I'll just go to my own psychiatrist and ask her the exact same thing... btw, I've been using Sanval for years and I've seen all kinds of psychiatrists, so it really makes it seem like our entire healthcare system is broken.😉

You’ve seen all kinds of psychiatrists. It just seems like you haven't run into one who actually knows what they're doing.

Whoever decided you should be on Sanval for years needs to be fired immediately. Seriously.
Especially if you're still in that younger stage of life, like you mentioned.

Sanval doesn't actually fix why you can't sleep. It doesn't give you real, restorative rest, either. Honestly? It’s just brain poison.
Don't even get me started on Xanax or Helex.

Trust me, you wouldn't be the first or the last person to get handed an antipsychotic just because... Insomnia. It’s the worst..

I'm not going to tone it down. There are a ton of people reading this forum who actually need the help.
Look, everyone who posts here carries their own weight for what they say. You're responsible for your own words.
When you tell me you’ve been on Sanval for years, I feel like I have an obligation to tell everyone else reading this: psychiatrists like yours should probably have their medical licenses revoked.
Man, listen... your psychiatrist is treating you exactly like a GP would prescribe Lupocet for pneumonia. Just handing it out and letting you take it... for years. It’s a total disaster.

Kevin Bailey2 said:What are you guys even talking about? What kind of psychosis do you need to qualify for this medication?

I was prescribed a perfectly standard 400mg daily dose of Seroquel just to manage my depression and anxiety.
My medical records don't even show a single sign of psychosis.

Why are people spreading such misinformation?

I can't tell if people on this forum just love making things up or if they're visiting some total hack psychiatrist.
Good grief... no competent American psychiatrist is going to prescribe Sanval for anything longer than a week.

Do yourselves a favor and find a doctor who actually knows what they're doing.

We're talking about what we actually went through, not spreading rumors. I see the psychiatrist I have available because I can't drive across the whole country just to switch doctors every single week. If you have the luxury to shop around, good for you, since your old posts make it pretty clear you can afford better care.
We weren't attacking you, so it’s not cool to call us liars or our doctors hacks. I was just sharing my own experience, and I wasn't even talking to you—I was talking to someone else. You tend to act pretty condescending on this forum, which isn't great. Based on what I've read, you think you know everything—won't take anything that causes weight gain, won't take meds for longer than a week, all that.

Paul Newman5 said:We're talking about what we actually went through, not spreading rumors. I see the psychiatrist I have available because I can't drive across the whole country just to switch doctors every single week. If you have the luxury to shop around, good for you, since your old posts make it pretty clear you can afford better care.
We weren't attacking you, so it’s not cool to call us liars or our doctors hacks. I was just sharing my own experience, and I wasn't even talking to you—I was talking to someone else. You tend to act pretty condescending on this forum, which isn't great. Based on what I've read, you think you know everything—won't take anything that causes weight gain, won't take meds for longer than a week, all that.

If you were dealing with serious heart issues, would walking to a specialist in a bigger city even be an issue for you?

Paul Newman5 said:We're talking about what we actually went through, not spreading rumors. I see the psychiatrist I have available because I can't drive across the whole country just to switch doctors every single week. If you have the luxury to shop around, good for you, since your old posts make it pretty clear you can afford better care.
We weren't attacking you, so it’s not cool to call us liars or our doctors hacks. I was just sharing my own experience, and I wasn't even talking to you—I was talking to someone else. You tend to act pretty condescending on this forum, which isn't great. Based on what I've read, you think you know everything—won't take anything that causes weight gain, won't take meds for longer than a week, all that.

There are millions of drugs on the market. A patient just needs to work with their doctor to find the right fit—the one that actually works for them. You have to remember that everyone is different; no two bodies react to the same medication in the exact same way.
For instance, a friend of mine put on 65 pounds while on Seroquel.
Me? On Seroquel, I was still 20 pounds underweight for my height.

Of course I'm not taking something that causes massive weight gain. Here’s why:
1. There's no reason to. There's always another psych med out there that could help without causing pathological weight gain as a side effect.
2. What's the point of treating depression if I end up developing diabetes?

I don't think I'm being arrogant. I'm just weighing the consequences. I look at the pros and cons of a drug versus the illness before I swallow anything.
At the end of the day, this is my life and my health we're talking about. It's not like I'm picking out floor tiles for my living room.

Kevin Bailey2 said:If you were dealing with serious heart issues, would walking to a specialist in a bigger city even be an issue for you?

There are millions of drugs on the market. A patient just needs to work with their doctor to find the right fit—the one that actually works for them. You have to remember that everyone is different; no two bodies react to the same medication in the exact same way.
For instance, a friend of mine put on 65 pounds while on Seroquel.
Me? On Seroquel, I was still 20 pounds underweight for my height.

Of course I'm not taking something that causes massive weight gain. Here’s why:
1. There's no reason to. There's always another psych med out there that could help without causing pathological weight gain as a side effect.
2. What's the point of treating depression if I end up developing diabetes?

I don't think I'm being arrogant. I'm just weighing the consequences. I look at the pros and cons of a drug versus the illness before I swallow anything.
At the end of the day, this is my life and my health we're talking about. It's not like I'm picking out floor tiles for my living room.

But in the end, it all boils down to that "maybe another medication might work" scenario, which is so unfortunate. By the time a doctor finally tracks down that alternative, we've been fundamentally changed by the struggle.
We're talking about permanent changes to this or that part of us. And yet, hitting that perfect medication feels impossible.
The truth is, we can be quite timid when it comes to looking a doctor in the eye and saying, "Hey, man, let's please move away from this medication..." instead, we act like ninjas or some kind of phantom, fighting silently.
When you add it all up, you just take the pills and pray to God that things start working... and just like that, years fly by in vain.
Then, boom—everything starts all over again. It isn't easy, and it certainly isn't simple.😢

Kevin Bailey2 said:You’ve seen all kinds of psychiatrists. It just seems like you haven't run into one who actually knows what they're doing.

Whoever decided you should be on Sanval for years needs to be fired immediately. Seriously.
Especially if you're still in that younger stage of life, like you mentioned.

Sanval doesn't actually fix why you can't sleep. It doesn't give you real, restorative rest, either. Honestly? It’s just brain poison.
Don't even get me started on Xanax or Helex.

Trust me, you wouldn't be the first or the last person to get handed an antipsychotic just because... Insomnia. It’s the worst..

I'm not going to tone it down. There are a ton of people reading this forum who actually need the help.
Look, everyone who posts here carries their own weight for what they say. You're responsible for your own words.
When you tell me you’ve been on Sanval for years, I feel like I have an obligation to tell everyone else reading this: psychiatrists like yours should probably have their medical licenses revoked.
Man, listen... your psychiatrist is treating you exactly like a GP would prescribe Lupocet for pneumonia. Just handing it out and letting you take it... for years. It’s a total disaster.

So... you’re claiming to be some kind of psychiatrist too? Do you actually hold a license that gives you the authority to spout such utter nonsense? It’s honestly infuriating how you can just step into a space meant for sharing personal experiences and immediately start escalating the tension with statements like that. I guess some people just feel entitled to act superior, even when they have no business doing so.

If you ask me, you should probably just back out of this argument entirely. It honestly isn't worth it, and I suspect the moderators might step in if things escalate any further. There’s really no point in letting this turn into a massive blowout. I mean, she can think whatever she wants and distribute her little indictments to whoever she pleases, but why let us get caught in the crossfire? She’s clearly trying to act like some kind of martyr, stepping up to save everyone from herself, but it’s all just quite unnecessary. It seems we’ve reached a point where misinformation is spreading like wildfire, and frankly, it's infuriating. I guess it’s just become the norm these days, isn't it? People are throwing around claims without a shred of evidence, and I find the whole situation absolutely maddening. It feels like we can't trust anything we read online anymore. Maybe I'm being too harsh, but when falsehoods are presented as absolute facts, it undermines everything. It’s truly exhausting to navigate this landscape of constant deception.

I suppose she feels entitled to act that way. Maybe she thinks she’s somehow owed something, but honestly, it just seems like she's making herself out to be some sort of victim when she really isn't. It's quite frustrating to watch. 😂 It’s an absolute disaster, if you ask me.

shadowbear9 said:So... you’re claiming to be some kind of psychiatrist too? Do you actually hold a license that gives you the authority to spout such utter nonsense? It’s honestly infuriating how you can just step into a space meant for sharing personal experiences and immediately start escalating the tension with statements like that. I guess some people just feel entitled to act superior, even when they have no business doing so.

If you ask me, you should probably just back out of this argument entirely. It honestly isn't worth it, and I suspect the moderators might step in if things escalate any further. There’s really no point in letting this turn into a massive blowout. I mean, she can think whatever she wants and distribute her little indictments to whoever she pleases, but why let us get caught in the crossfire? She’s clearly trying to act like some kind of martyr, stepping up to save everyone from herself, but it’s all just quite unnecessary. It seems we’ve reached a point where misinformation is spreading like wildfire, and frankly, it's infuriating. I guess it’s just become the norm these days, isn't it? People are throwing around claims without a shred of evidence, and I find the whole situation absolutely maddening. It feels like we can't trust anything we read online anymore. Maybe I'm being too harsh, but when falsehoods are presented as absolute facts, it undermines everything. It’s truly exhausting to navigate this landscape of constant deception.

I suppose she feels entitled to act that way. Maybe she thinks she’s somehow owed something, but honestly, it just seems like she's making herself out to be some sort of victim when she really isn't. It's quite frustrating to watch. 😂 It’s an absolute disaster, if you ask me.

Not to save the world from our "misinformation," but to tell us what to take and which doctors to see. Personally, I've had to switch through several psychiatrists and even drive to different cities just to find the right fit, and I'm still not fully there yet. I think Kevin Nguyen3 is actually right this time—he told us things exactly as they are.

Seriously guys, did absolutely nobody actually read my post? I’m being dead serious here—I really need some advice if anyone out there has any 🙂

Ashley Morales said:Hey guys,

So, here’s my deal. I really need some advice or just a little guidance from anyone who's been through this. 🙂

Back in 2009, I started on Lexapro and Xanax (1.5 tabs of Lexapro and 2x 0.25mg Xanax) because my anxiety was out of control. We're talking intense intrusive thoughts, constant panic, and heavy dissociation.
The meds worked, so after about a year, my doctor tapered me down to 1 Lexapro and 1 Xanax.
Then in 2011, I got pregnant and had to stop everything. About a month after quitting, all those symptoms came crashing back, making my entire pregnancy a total nightmare.
As soon as the baby was born, I jumped right back onto them. I've been taking 1 Lexapro and 1 Xanax daily for two years now, and I also see this amazing therapist at least once a month.
We figured out that most of what I'm dealing with stems from childhood trauma, plus smoking weed—which was always a huge trigger for my episodes. Thank God it didn't get even worse than it did.
Right now, I'm doing okay. I still get some intrusive thoughts and dissociation, especially around my period, but it's way more manageable with the meds.

But honestly? I think it's time to quit. I just don't want to be on these anymore, but I'm terrified the symptoms will come back just as hard as they did before.

Actually, yesterday when I took my dose, I felt super weird for a bit. Now I'm spiraling, wondering if these are new side effects popping up even after all this time. IS THAT EVEN A THING?

I know you're supposed to taper off slowly—like, one day half a Lexapro, the next day a full one, just easing into it.

SO PLEASE, ANYONE, HELP ME OUT OR SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE.

On one hand, I'm terrified to stop because I can't handle those brutal side effects again, especially since I have a two-year-old daughter 🙂 who needs me to be fully present, strong, and focused.
On the other hand, I'm scared of what these meds might be doing to me after taking them for so many years...

Help me please! 🙂

🙂

If you want to stop taking medication, do it under professional supervision.
If you can take some time off work and leave your kid with someone... check yourself into a facility like Massachusetts General Hospital or a similar psychiatric unit for observation. They might put you in intensive care for a few hours or maybe a couple of days initially. There, a psychiatrist will evaluate whether you're actually ready to taper off. If they decide you still need the meds after hearing your situation, they won't even ask if you want to stop—they'll just insist. You can't just say "I don't want these anymore" without considering what that does to your mental and physical state. If they determine you don't need them, the professionals will handle it. You'll get 24/7 support and supervision, so you can just focus on getting better.

I wouldn't recommend the rehab ward.

Kevin Nguyen3 said:But in the end, it all boils down to that "maybe another medication might work" scenario, which is so unfortunate. By the time a doctor finally tracks down that alternative, we've been fundamentally changed by the struggle.
We're talking about permanent changes to this or that part of us. And yet, hitting that perfect medication feels impossible.
The truth is, we can be quite timid when it comes to looking a doctor in the eye and saying, "Hey, man, let's please move away from this medication..." instead, we act like ninjas or some kind of phantom, fighting silently.
When you add it all up, you just take the pills and pray to God that things start working... and just like that, years fly by in vain.
Then, boom—everything starts all over again. It isn't easy, and it certainly isn't simple.😢

I've always worked with my psychiatrists, but I was never some obedient little puppy. I told them straight up what was killing me. I did my own homework on the meds and swapped stories with plenty of other patients. Based on that, I negotiated my way through treatment with my doctors.

shadowbear9 said:My doctor wouldn't even write it for me... she claims she won't put psychosis in my diagnosis if I don't actually have it, and if she doesn't, then my insurance isn't going to cover it. So now I'm just stuck suffering through the Sanval and Xanax. 🤷 It’s incredibly frustrating because I can't exactly order this high-end American sleep medication online easily... three different types of hypnotics and all that nonsense. 😢 Honestly, I'm quite envious of people who have access to it.

Man, seriously, under the new guidelines, Q-PIN is prescribed for tension or anxiety!!!

Tell your doctor to get up to speed on the latest info. 🙄

fadedbear92 said:Man, seriously, under the new guidelines, Q-PIN is prescribed for tension or anxiety!!!

Tell your doctor to get up to speed on the latest info. 🙄

Honestly, you all act like you're some kind of experts. I guess I should just hand over my full legal name so you can go lecture my physician on how to do their job.

shadowbear9 said:Honestly, you all act like you're some kind of experts. I guess I should just hand over my full legal name so you can go lecture my physician on how to do their job.

What do you mean "high and mighty"? I'm just passing along some info—it's up to you whether you actually use it or not.

fadedbear92 said:Man, seriously, under the new guidelines, Q-PIN is prescribed for tension or anxiety!!!

Tell your doctor to get up to speed on the latest info. 🙄

In your experience, did you find more relief from taking Prozac or this Seroquel when it comes to tackling both insomnia and that constant knot of anxiety in your chest?
And what kind of dosage actually does the trick for both?

If there's already a thread about this somewhere, sorry in advance.

Since I'm pretty far from my regular doctor, I ended up being without any medication or actual therapy for about 15 days.

I was wondering—is it actually possible to gain weight aggressively during a gap like that? While I’ve been on my regular meds, I haven't had any issues at all, but over the last few days, I feel like a literal balloon. And I'm not even kidding—the scale is just going up, despite the fact that I'm exercising and eating well.🤣

If anyone out there has dealt with something similar, could you please tell me how to literally "deflate" and get back to normal? Because at this rate, I feel like I might actually float away one day from all this bloating.😢

Maybe you just caught it at the wrong time in your cycle. I don't know, personally, I'm already on my third antidepressant and haven't noticed any difference in bloating, whether I'm taking them or not. I notice it with the pill, but with the ADs? Not really.

Well, there’s always going to be some debate regarding weight gain and certain antidepressants. But if you ask me? I don't believe the medication itself is the culprit behind the scale moving up. Rather, isn't it more likely that the weight change is just a byproduct of shifts happening within the brain? We end up gaining—or losing—weight because our subconscious habits shift, leading us to either overeat or eat poorly.
The drugs themselves aren't capable of making someone gain or lose weight on their own.
I mean, if you were swallowing 18 pounds of pills, sure, that would explain something! But at the dosages we are actually prescribed? It’s simply impossible.
Certain antipsychotics can trigger intense cravings for sweets or salty snacks, and people just start devouring everything in sight—just like I do, for instance, with ice cream. 🙂
I have been on various antidepressants for nearly twenty years now—some of them have been around practically forever and aren't even on the market anymore—and yet, my weight has remained relatively stable throughout the whole ordeal.
Ultimately, the variable is us, isn't it? It’s about our own behavior, not the medicine.

Jason Vaughn482 said:In your experience, did you find more relief from taking Prozac or this Seroquel when it comes to tackling both insomnia and that constant knot of anxiety in your chest?
And what kind of dosage actually does the trick for both?

Prazin worked for a bit, but then I hit a wall—tolerance, or saturation, I can't quite recall the term—but honestly, I’d say the Q-pin is better.

I take it three times a day:

75 mg in the morning 25 mg
75 mg at noon 25 mg
100 mg at night 100 mg

In exceptional cases—meaning when I'm under intense stress—I'll take one or two extra 25 mg doses at night to help me sleep. So, my max dose for sleep would be 150 mg, though again, that's only during high-stress or anxious periods.

It's interesting, though—my doctor mentioned there isn't an addictive quality to Q-pin, or rather, that tolerance doesn't develop; I'll have to ask her why, because I'm genuinely curious about that.

I have a question for anyone who has used Lexapro. I'm curious if you experienced anything beyond just nausea—which seems to be a pretty common side effect—such as heightened anxiety, intense psychomotor agitation (like being unable to sit still), trouble concentrating, or dizziness. Based on your experience, how long does this usually last? Everything hit me all at once, and honestly, it's becoming unbearable. I'd love to stop taking this medication as soon as possible.

I honestly don't get why there's such a heavy reliance on all these medications, or even the logic behind it. Looking through some of the discussions here, it feels like many people shouldn't be taking these pills at all... I'm not sure if this is widely understood, but almost any pill—whether it's Xanax, CVS, or similar—carries a semi-hypnotic effect. Essentially, by taking them, you're lowering your threshold for emotional experience and processing. You're essentially dampening the very parts of yourself that make you healthy, just for the sake of "calming down." But that peace comes at a massive cost, and as everyone seems to be finding out, it's never a permanent fix. Death of Art tried to point out that having a competent psychologist or psychiatrist is vital; finding a truly good therapist matters far more than finding the right prescription. From what I read in these threads, it seems like quality professionals are hard to come by—many seem superficial or even borderline inhumane. The reality is that finding a decent one through Medicare is an uphill battle. If someone can actually afford to see a proven private practitioner, I believe that investment pays off much better in the long run than seeing a "specialist" who treats you like a number and haggles over milligrams without even looking you in the eye as a human being. In my opinion, many of you discussing these meds could likely manage without them... at least for those dealing with anxiety disorders, provided they have consistent psychotherapy... Wishing you all the best...🙂

Michelle Evans said:Regardless of whether you're drinking black, oolong, or white tea, the caffeine content remains tied to the plant itself—with black tea generally being the strongest... If you happen to shop at a local specialty tea boutique and want to try green tea, I’d suggest picking up some Kukicha. Since it's made from stems rather than leaves, the caffeine levels are almost nonexistent, yet the quality is exceptional. It has a very mild flavor profile, making it a perfect choice for anyone who wants the benefits of green tea without that typical bitter aftertaste...

Man, I am in the exact same boat. Dealing with anxiety and depression, I've been on Lexapro for the last two years, and for the past two months, I've added Xanax to the mix.
I also drink green tea—especially when I'm out at a coffee shop—because coffee honestly makes me want to barf. Now, I just ordered some green coffee bean capsules because I'm trying to drop some weight (and please, don't come at me with the "just go for a run" or "watch your portions" lecture). Plus, I read they provide a boost of energy, which is desperately needed since I'm constantly exhausted, sleepy, and sleeping way too much. I'm low-key counting down the days until these arrive, hoping for some magic weight loss 😍 and a bit of alertness. (Just a heads up: nothing has worked for me before, from Guaraná and Red Bull to some expensive stuff I bought $33 at CVS to help me focus while studying.)

Now that I've dumped all that on you, what are the side effects of mixing caffeine with the meds I'm on? The only thing I can think of is even worse jitters and shaky hands.
Thanks for any insight.🤷