Psychotropic medication discussion thread

Jason Vaughn482 said:Honestly, that seems to be the standard operating procedure everywhere you go. It’s a systemic pattern. My own daughter ended up in the emergency room because she suffered a massive allergic reaction to some medication for shingles; as soon as one side of her face started swelling, we demanded attention, but they just insisted she wait until both sides were completely blown out before they'd finally admit her to the hospital for eight days. Of course, they wouldn't admit fault, so I should have seen that coming. That said, I don't hold any particular prejudice against mental health issues; my issue lies elsewhere. It deeply unsettles me how things that used to be strictly confidential are now so exposed—you can practically Google any specialist's diagnosis or history the moment they step out of line. And frankly, I have zero patience for people playing games or being shady.

Ah... yeah. It's the dark age of information technology. Facebook. A time where nothing stays private anymore. Not even our own medical history.

Jason Vaughn482 said:Honestly, that seems to be the standard operating procedure everywhere you go. It’s a systemic pattern. My own daughter ended up in the emergency room because she suffered a massive allergic reaction to some medication for shingles; as soon as one side of her face started swelling, we demanded attention, but they just insisted she wait until both sides were completely blown out before they'd finally admit her to the hospital for eight days. Of course, they wouldn't admit fault, so I should have seen that coming. That said, I don't hold any particular prejudice against mental health issues; my issue lies elsewhere. It deeply unsettles me how things that used to be strictly confidential are now so exposed—you can practically Google any specialist's diagnosis or history the moment they step out of line. And frankly, I have zero patience for people playing games or being shady.

i get it. i don't have any judgment either, but i also don't want just anyone poking around my medical records, seeing my diagnoses, or knowing exactly what meds i'm on. some things are private. it's the same way i wouldn't want everyone knowing i'm infertile. there's nothing shameful about it—it's just personal, plain and simple.

Jason Vaughn482 said:I’ve been taking Mirtazapine on and off for two years now—I’ve already shared my reasoning for doing so elsewhere, but I do intend to taper off eventually... For the most part, I initially gained about six or seven pounds, but lately, it doesn't seem to affect my appetite at all; in fact, I've lost my appetite entirely and have actually dropped weight...

Lucky you, Jason Vaughn482. Calixta worked wonders for me when I was taking Velafax, but I was eating everything in sight and my doctor pulled it. Now I miss it; my morning anxiety spiked—not a ton, but enough to make things unpleasant compared to how it felt with Calixt. I’ll call my doctor after Easter to see about a new anti-anxiety med for nighttime. Hopefully there's one out there that won't cause weight gain. You could try the 30mg dose; it’s decent for anxiety, though it made me gain weight and gave me bloating and constipation. But hey, if it works for you, go for it.

Brandon Lopez6 said:i get it. i don't have any judgment either, but i also don't want just anyone poking around my medical records, seeing my diagnoses, or knowing exactly what meds i'm on. some things are private. it's the same way i wouldn't want everyone knowing i'm infertile. there's nothing shameful about it—it's just personal, plain and simple.

I couldn't agree more, and I say this with the added perspective of having gone through nursing school myself. I know quite a few hospital staff members personally—some doctors are even friends of mine—and I certainly don't hide the fact that I struggle with anxiety. Even when I show up completely shaken up to have my stitches removed, I'll be upfront and say, "Look, I'm anxious and I'm terrified, so I'd really prefer a senior surgeon handle this rather than a resident." There's nothing wrong with that honesty. But to have them scrolling through my file and seeing notes about psychotic elements? That would be incredibly uncomfortable for me. I don't suffer from hallucinations or any kind of mania... (though I did happen to read a definition of what psychosis actually entails the other day, so I had a general idea of what they were referring to)

Paul Newman5 said:Lucky you, Jason Vaughn482. Calixta worked wonders for me when I was taking Velafax, but I was eating everything in sight and my doctor pulled it. Now I miss it; my morning anxiety spiked—not a ton, but enough to make things unpleasant compared to how it felt with Calixt. I’ll call my doctor after Easter to see about a new anti-anxiety med for nighttime. Hopefully there's one out there that won't cause weight gain. You could try the 30mg dose; it’s decent for anxiety, though it made me gain weight and gave me bloating and constipation. But hey, if it works for you, go for it.

You know, I deal with the same constipation issues; I struggle with chronic constipation normally, and believe me, even if I were eating three servings of fiber a day, it wouldn't help much... yet here we are. I didn't take my /Calixt/ yesterday, and I can tell you right now, I am absolutely wired today. It really does have that numbing effect. I'm genuinely torn between bumping up to the 30mg dose or ditching it entirely. Fevarin is a solid option for nighttime, but it falls into that category of drugs that triggers those specific side effects for you... plus, it can wreak havoc on your stomach. At the end of the day, everything is purely subjective. I'm actually considering switching to it myself. See how complicated this gets? That 15mg of Calixta never actually touched my anxiety levels, but for me, the sedative effect was the holy grail. Now, however, the whole thing has fallen apart; my appetite is gone, it doesn't even help me sleep anymore, and I feel perpetually hungover. I'm completely lost. Then I see what that other doctor suggested—45mg of Calixta combined with 2.5mg of Zyprexa... at that point, you might as well just sleep through the entire day. It doesn't seem worth it to me, especially since I already sleep until 9 or 10 in the morning. Besides, I've seen people take Zyprexa and pack on as much as 60 pounds.
Oh, I nearly forgot to mention: I barely have any appetite during the day and eat very little, yet every single night I find myself wandering to the fridge. I’ll even whip up pancakes at midnight—something I could never dream of doing during the day because I simply lack the energy. I suspect Sanval is the culprit behind those late-night cravings.

Jason Vaughn482 said:You know, I deal with the same constipation issues; I struggle with chronic constipation normally, and believe me, even if I were eating three servings of fiber a day, it wouldn't help much... yet here we are. I didn't take my /Calixt/ yesterday, and I can tell you right now, I am absolutely wired today. It really does have that numbing effect. I'm genuinely torn between bumping up to the 30mg dose or ditching it entirely. Fevarin is a solid option for nighttime, but it falls into that category of drugs that triggers those specific side effects for you... plus, it can wreak havoc on your stomach. At the end of the day, everything is purely subjective. I'm actually considering switching to it myself. See how complicated this gets? That 15mg of Calixta never actually touched my anxiety levels, but for me, the sedative effect was the holy grail. Now, however, the whole thing has fallen apart; my appetite is gone, it doesn't even help me sleep anymore, and I feel perpetually hungover. I'm completely lost. Then I see what that other doctor suggested—45mg of Calixta combined with 2.5mg of Zyprexa... at that point, you might as well just sleep through the entire day. It doesn't seem worth it to me, especially since I already sleep until 9 or 10 in the morning. Besides, I've seen people take Zyprexa and pack on as much as 60 pounds.
Oh, I nearly forgot to mention: I barely have any appetite during the day and eat very little, yet every single night I find myself wandering to the fridge. I’ll even whip up pancakes at midnight—something I could never dream of doing during the day because I simply lack the energy. I suspect Sanval is the culprit behind those late-night cravings.

It isn't the Sanval. I used to do the exact same thing—waking up in a total panic in the middle of the night. At first, I actually thought my blood sugar was dropping. That started even before the anxiety kicked in. It's the anxiety, I think. Using food to fill that internal void.
I actually used to lock myself in my room to stop myself from getting up at night, and I'd stock the front of the fridge with fruit just so that's the first thing I'd see when I opened it... basically, that nighttime bingeing was a massive problem for me.

For me, it stopped once I started intensive physical therapy once a week. Now, maybe once a month, I'll get up and head for the fridge.

Jason Vaughn482 said:You know, I deal with the same constipation issues; I struggle with chronic constipation normally, and believe me, even if I were eating three servings of fiber a day, it wouldn't help much... yet here we are. I didn't take my /Calixt/ yesterday, and I can tell you right now, I am absolutely wired today. It really does have that numbing effect. I'm genuinely torn between bumping up to the 30mg dose or ditching it entirely. Fevarin is a solid option for nighttime, but it falls into that category of drugs that triggers those specific side effects for you... plus, it can wreak havoc on your stomach. At the end of the day, everything is purely subjective. I'm actually considering switching to it myself. See how complicated this gets? That 15mg of Calixta never actually touched my anxiety levels, but for me, the sedative effect was the holy grail. Now, however, the whole thing has fallen apart; my appetite is gone, it doesn't even help me sleep anymore, and I feel perpetually hungover. I'm completely lost. Then I see what that other doctor suggested—45mg of Calixta combined with 2.5mg of Zyprexa... at that point, you might as well just sleep through the entire day. It doesn't seem worth it to me, especially since I already sleep until 9 or 10 in the morning. Besides, I've seen people take Zyprexa and pack on as much as 60 pounds.
Oh, I nearly forgot to mention: I barely have any appetite during the day and eat very little, yet every single night I find myself wandering to the fridge. I’ll even whip up pancakes at midnight—something I could never dream of doing during the day because I simply lack the energy. I suspect Sanval is the culprit behind those late-night cravings.

Since I'm a late-night snacker too, I might show up for those pancakes. You aren't close, but for pancakes, it's worth it. I don't cook, but I'll polish off some cookies like that.🤣

Paul Newman5 As if I haven't heard this tired old song before. It’s the same predictable melody playing on a loop, isn't it? One would think that after all these years of watching the same patterns repeat themselves like a broken record in a dusty corner of a roadside diner, we might have learned something. But no, here we go again, wading through the same thick sludge of rhetoric that seems to define our modern discourse. It’s almost impressive, in a deeply exhausting sort of way, how consistently we manage to circle the drain of the same outdated arguments without ever actually making any forward momentum. It feels less like a conversation and more like a slow descent into a repetitive, soul-crushing cycle of nothingness.
Since I’m also prone to those late-night scavenging expeditions, I might just find myself drifting toward some pancakes. You aren't exactly close by, but let's be honest—when it comes to a stack of pancakes, any distance is worth the trek. I don't go that far for them personally, but I certainly find myself demolishing a box of cookies in much the exact same fashion.🤣

I’ve only ever attempted that recipe once, really—just a one-off experiment. But if there is any silver lining to my lack of culinary prowess, it’s that I refuse to keep a stash of sweets in the pantry. I strictly buy only what I intend to consume that very day, because frankly, nothing sweet ever survives the night in my house; it simply vanishes. And here is the most absurd part of the whole saga: I can barely make a decent pancake to save my life. They usually turn out to be quite a disappointment, yet somehow, against all odds, the ones I made tonight were absolutely flawless. 😁
It appears I am not alone in this nocturnal culinary struggle; there are clearly others among us who find themselves scavenging the kitchen long after the rest of the country has drifted into sleep.

Jason Vaughn482 said:

Paul Newman5 As if I haven't heard this tired old song before. It’s the same predictable melody playing on a loop, isn't it? One would think that after all these years of watching the same patterns repeat themselves like a broken record in a dusty corner of a roadside diner, we might have learned something. But no, here we go again, wading through the same thick sludge of rhetoric that seems to define our modern discourse. It’s almost impressive, in a deeply exhausting sort of way, how consistently we manage to circle the drain of the same outdated arguments without ever actually making any forward momentum. It feels less like a conversation and more like a slow descent into a repetitive, soul-crushing cycle of nothingness.
Since I’m also prone to those late-night scavenging expeditions, I might just find myself drifting toward some pancakes. You aren't exactly close by, but let's be honest—when it comes to a stack of pancakes, any distance is worth the trek. I don't go that far for them personally, but I certainly find myself demolishing a box of cookies in much the exact same fashion.🤣

I’ve only ever attempted that recipe once, really—just a one-off experiment. But if there is any silver lining to my lack of culinary prowess, it’s that I refuse to keep a stash of sweets in the pantry. I strictly buy only what I intend to consume that very day, because frankly, nothing sweet ever survives the night in my house; it simply vanishes. And here is the most absurd part of the whole saga: I can barely make a decent pancake to save my life. They usually turn out to be quite a disappointment, yet somehow, against all odds, the ones I made tonight were absolutely flawless. 😁
It appears I am not alone in this nocturnal culinary struggle; there are clearly others among us who find themselves scavenging the kitchen long after the rest of the country has drifted into sleep.

Yes, I also wake up to eat, and I have been doing so for the past 15 years, long before I was ever prescribed any medication. My sister does the same thing, though she seems to have much more self-control than I do.
Because of this habit, if guests happen to drop by unexpectedly, I have nothing to offer them; I strictly purchase food for my consumption on that particular day.
There was one time I was so desperate I ended up eating a bowl of plain green salad for dinner. 😁
I am certain this falls under the umbrella of an anxiety disorder, though certain medications seem to exacerbate the issue.
I have attempted to bake pancakes a few times myself; perhaps there is something special in the recipe after all. 😁

Skickas FR

Has anyone else dealt with that total emotional numbness after taking their meds? I'm curious—how long does this usually stick around, and when does it finally lift? Any advice on how to handle feeling so flat?

Zachary Stewart2 said:Has anyone else dealt with that total emotional numbness after taking their meds? I'm curious—how long does this usually stick around, and when does it finally lift? Any advice on how to handle feeling so flat?

For me, it lasted the entire time I was on them. It didn't finally lift until I stopped taking the medication altogether.

Zachary Stewart2 said:Has anyone else dealt with that total emotional numbness after taking their meds? I'm curious—how long does this usually stick around, and when does it finally lift? Any advice on how to handle feeling so flat?

Yeah, definitely. For me, it happened specifically while I was on Zyprexa, and honestly, the numbness stuck around until they switched me over to a different AP.🙂

Happy Easter, everyone!
I've been on Alice for almost four months now, and honestly, it’s been great—I feel way more upbeat, and those mental breakdowns have definitely calmed down, both in how often they happen and how intense they get.
The catch? I've put on some weight—about 13 pounds since I started taking Alice.
Look, my mental health is obviously more important than a few extra pounds, but I can't help wondering: will my appetite finally settle down once I stop taking Alice?
I'm not talking about quitting on my own or anything crazy, I just want to know if anyone else who was on antidepressants managed to lose the weight after they finished their prescription?

Maria Wood8 said:Happy Easter, everyone!
I've been on Alice for almost four months now, and honestly, it’s been great—I feel way more upbeat, and those mental breakdowns have definitely calmed down, both in how often they happen and how intense they get.
The catch? I've put on some weight—about 13 pounds since I started taking Alice.
Look, my mental health is obviously more important than a few extra pounds, but I can't help wondering: will my appetite finally settle down once I stop taking Alice?
I'm not talking about quitting on my own or anything crazy, I just want to know if anyone else who was on antidepressants managed to lose the weight after they finished their prescription?

I put on about 40 pounds myself. Went from 132 to 172. I held steady for the first year, but things really started spiraling around month 11.

Chris Robinson25 said:I put on about 40 pounds myself. Went from 132 to 172. I held steady for the first year, but things really started spiraling around month 11.

So basically, these pills definitely have a tendency to make you gain even more weight—I honestly thought four pounds was the limit before the scale just kept climbing and climbing.🙂
Hopefully, I can finally get myself off them next month.🤷

It varies for everyone. I’ve heard stories from people who have been on them for over a year and only gained maybe 6 pounds. For me, though, the weight gain was sudden and pretty significant, even though I used to be a scrawny kid back in the day. Honestly, there are just so many different factors at play.

Hey everyone... is anyone else here on Lamotrigine? Since my doctor started me on this stabilizer, I feel like things have just been spiraling in the wrong direction. I’ve been dealing with this intense, constant anxiety every single day. To top it off, I’m waking up drenched in sweat every morning. This has been going on for two weeks now. It’s frustrating because my doctor told me the whole point was that it should be calming me down, not making everything worse.😕😕

Brandon Lopez6 said:For me, it lasted the entire time I was on them. It didn't finally lift until I stopped taking the medication altogether.

Eric Mitchell55 said:Yeah, definitely. For me, it happened specifically while I was on Zyprexa, and honestly, the numbness stuck around until they switched me over to a different AP.🙂

Anyone else feel like they’ve just built up a massive tolerance to their meds? Honestly—I’ve been on mine for a while now, and it feels like they barely even touch the surface anymore. It's like my body just stopped listening.

Zachary Stewart2 said:Anyone else feel like they’ve just built up a massive tolerance to their meds? Honestly—I’ve been on mine for a while now, and it feels like they barely even touch the surface anymore. It's like my body just stopped listening.

Yeah. Honestly, my Xanax doesn't do anything for me lately. Same goes for Ativan or Klonopin... nothing really works anymore.

brighthawk0 said:Yeah. Honestly, my Xanax doesn't do anything for me lately. Same goes for Ativan or Klonopin... nothing really works anymore.

☕It’s true—the neurotransmitters have simply become desensitized. Now they’ll just prescribe a different chemical cocktail to compensate. Isn't that just how it goes?