Psychotropic medication discussion thread

Sean Howard2 said:Has anyone here tried Cymbalta? Please let me know.
I’m having major issues with it...
I feel exhausted all day long, almost like my head is foggy or drunk—it's hard to even describe.
I have to use the bathroom constantly, sometimes up to 20 times a day.
I've gained weight too... though that's the least of my concerns right now.
I get incredibly irritable; most of the time, I don't even want anyone talking to me. 🙂
I can't focus on anything at all.
Basically, everything just gets on my nerves and I feel like crying.
I've been on this for 11 months and I've never felt this way before.

Man, I was on it for two years and it was mostly fine, way better than when I was taking the portal. I had nightmares at first, but that cleared up fast. I guess it just depends on the person. I still deal with panic attacks, though—not sure what your diagnosis is?

So, I had my follow-up appointment with my neuropsychiatrist yesterday, and he decided to adjust my regimen... he prescribed Fluoxetine, suggesting I take half a dose for the first seven days before moving up to a full pill, all while keeping me on > at 2x0.5mg. I’ve actually been taking the > for about 25 days now based on his previous recommendation of 2x0.25mg, but honestly, the fear of becoming dependent on it is absolutely paralyzing... I feel this overwhelming sense of guilt every single time I swallow one.
Has anyone here ever tried >? I’m curious about what your experiences have been like, specifically regarding side effects... And what are your thoughts on the whole dependency issue with >? My next check-up isn't for another month, but the anxiety of taking anything at all is already starting to weigh on me. 🙂

On top of all that, he swapped my medication for vertigo from Ural to Dramamine Forte, and after reading through the list of potential side effects, I’m thinking I might just be better off staying dizzy... 🤷

James Fowler3 said:So, I had my follow-up appointment with my neuropsychiatrist yesterday, and he decided to adjust my regimen... he prescribed Fluoxetine, suggesting I take half a dose for the first seven days before moving up to a full pill, all while keeping me on > at 2x0.5mg. I’ve actually been taking the > for about 25 days now based on his previous recommendation of 2x0.25mg, but honestly, the fear of becoming dependent on it is absolutely paralyzing... I feel this overwhelming sense of guilt every single time I swallow one.
Has anyone here ever tried >? I’m curious about what your experiences have been like, specifically regarding side effects... And what are your thoughts on the whole dependency issue with >? My next check-up isn't for another month, but the anxiety of taking anything at all is already starting to weigh on me. 🙂

On top of all that, he swapped my medication for vertigo from Ural to Dramamine Forte, and after reading through the list of potential side effects, I’m thinking I might just be better off staying dizzy... 🤷

I can't speak to Fluoxetine, but I was on Xanax at 2 x 0.5 for the first three weeks while my antidepressant was still settling in. Once things got a little shaky, I started splitting the 0.5 pills in half and took 0.25 once a night for the following month.

Long story short, I was on Xanax for about two months total, and look at me—alive and well. I didn't get hooked. The truth is, the urge to take it just vanished once my antidepressant actually started doing its job. 😉

In the last month, I’ve only taken 0.25mg of Xanax exactly once, and that was because my husband was snoring so loudly I thought the house might collapse. 😍

Don't beat yourself up over how much Xanax you're taking. Take what you need to get through it. That craving will fade, and then you'll just stop taking it naturally. 🙂

James Fowler3 said:So, I had my follow-up appointment with my neuropsychiatrist yesterday, and he decided to adjust my regimen... he prescribed Fluoxetine, suggesting I take half a dose for the first seven days before moving up to a full pill, all while keeping me on > at 2x0.5mg. I’ve actually been taking the > for about 25 days now based on his previous recommendation of 2x0.25mg, but honestly, the fear of becoming dependent on it is absolutely paralyzing... I feel this overwhelming sense of guilt every single time I swallow one.
Has anyone here ever tried >? I’m curious about what your experiences have been like, specifically regarding side effects... And what are your thoughts on the whole dependency issue with >? My next check-up isn't for another month, but the anxiety of taking anything at all is already starting to weigh on me. 🙂

On top of all that, he swapped my medication for vertigo from Ural to Dramamine Forte, and after reading through the list of potential side effects, I’m thinking I might just be better off staying dizzy... 🤷

From what I can gather, Fluoxetine is essentially just the famous Prozac, unless someone here knows better and can correct me.

redranger2 said:From what I can gather, Fluoxetine is essentially just the famous Prozac, unless someone here knows better and can correct me.

Yes, that is spot on.

The active ingredient, fluoxetine, is used across this whole spectrum of medications, including Prozac, though it all depends on which manufacturer you're looking at.

Fluoxetine is produced by Pfizer in the States.

It goes by several different names too, like Fluoxetine, Fluoxetine, Framex, or Fluoxetine...

Me? I wonder what everyone else’s take is on this particular medication... I recall stumbling upon some rather scathing articles once, criticizing Prozac, Zoloft, and a handful of other antidepressants quite mercilessly...
Is it actually more potent than, say, Lexapro?

James Fowler3 said:Me? I wonder what everyone else’s take is on this particular medication... I recall stumbling upon some rather scathing articles once, criticizing Prozac, Zoloft, and a handful of other antidepressants quite mercilessly...
Is it actually more potent than, say, Lexapro?

Prozac is a classic for a reason. As for all the criticism leveled against these kinds of medications, there will always be skeptics and critics; it's an old story that never changes.
Ultimately, everything comes down to individual chemistry and how a specific antidepressant sits with your system. For me, Lexapro worked right away, whereas someone else might feel terrible on it. There really aren't any universal rules when it comes to this stuff.

Lexapro is escitalopram, whereas Prozac... that's fluoxetine.

Is one more potent than the other? Honestly, how can anyone say for sure? They are distinct medications with unique chemical profiles, even if they’re all aiming for the exact same goal.
The issue often boils down to the dosage.

Look at it this way... any antidepressant should work effectively, provided you're following a psychiatrist's recommendation. It shouldn't matter what the brand name is or how much buzz it gets in commercials; most of that "reputation"—whether it's being praised or maligned—is just clever marketing anyway.

Usually, an anxiolytic is prescribed alongside an antidepressant for a short period, mostly just to bridge the gap until the antidepressant actually kicks in properly.
But here is the real danger: we often end up with the "wrong" antidepressant for our specific chemistry. What happens then? We keep taking those anxiolytics indefinitely, spiraling until we're essentially addicted.

In my view, if you don't see any improvement after a month, maybe six weeks, or two months at the absolute maximum... well, it's time to taper off that antidepressant while simultaneously tapering the anxiolytic.
In the meantime, you absolutely must contact your psychiatrist to find a suitable alternative. Once you switch to that new medication, you go back to the same process with the anxiolytics, applying those same cautious rules as before.

It isn't as simple as just getting "hooked" on a pill, regardless of the type, because the standard doses are typically quite low, which minimizes extreme risk. The far greater problem is when we take matters into our own hands and start bumping up our own dosages whenever we feel like it.

Sean Howard2 said:This works for me because it treats my trigeminal neuralgia. It’s honestly the only thing that actually killed those horrific nerve pains. Plus, it helps with the anxiety triggered by the neuralgia itself—it’s a vicious cycle where one feeds the other. The pain caused the fear, which led to the anxiety. Everything is interconnected. Believe me, they treated me like a lab rat, cycling through pill after pill. I’ve already vented about this on the forum. They had me on everything from Amyzol and Lyrica to Zaldiar, Tramadol, Tegretol, and Venlafaxine. I even had Neurobion injections that felt like they were burning me alive.🙂 Man, thinking back to when I was on Lyrica is just the absolute worst. Ugh. It was supposed to help with my severe depression by boosting my serotonin levels quickly, but it did nothing of the sort. I couldn't even last a full week on it. Between the nerve pain and feeling like a complete zombie for five days straight, it was brutal. Honestly, I don't even want to think about it.
So, looking back, Cymbalta ended up being the saving grace in all of this. It was easily the best option available.
I've been thinking about just quitting everything entirely. Honestly, I'm terrified that the pain will come rushing back, and I just don't think I have the strength to go through all of that again. I wouldn't wish it on anyone.
Man, I really wish someone here had actually taken this and gotten through it so they could share their experience. It would mean the world to me.🙂

I used to take something for irritability
http://www.cvs.com/shop/vitamins
and it worked immediately...
People might laugh, but if you can hold out until your doctor's appointment, it might just be a vitamin or mineral deficiency.

quietwalker5 said:I used to take something for irritability
http://www.cvs.com/shop/vitamins
and it worked immediately...
People might laugh, but if you can hold out until your doctor's appointment, it might just be a vitamin or mineral deficiency.

It isn't funny at all! Magnesium is actually a total lifesaver.🙂

People, what happened to restlesstiger49?!? He’s gone silent.
restlesstiger49, please check in and let us know you're alright.

redranger2 said:Prozac is a classic for a reason. As for all the criticism leveled against these kinds of medications, there will always be skeptics and critics; it's an old story that never changes.
Ultimately, everything comes down to individual chemistry and how a specific antidepressant sits with your system. For me, Lexapro worked right away, whereas someone else might feel terrible on it. There really aren't any universal rules when it comes to this stuff.

Kevin Nguyen3 said:Lexapro is escitalopram, whereas Prozac... that's fluoxetine.

Is one more potent than the other? Honestly, how can anyone say for sure? They are distinct medications with unique chemical profiles, even if they’re all aiming for the exact same goal.
The issue often boils down to the dosage.

Look at it this way... any antidepressant should work effectively, provided you're following a psychiatrist's recommendation. It shouldn't matter what the brand name is or how much buzz it gets in commercials; most of that "reputation"—whether it's being praised or maligned—is just clever marketing anyway.

Usually, an anxiolytic is prescribed alongside an antidepressant for a short period, mostly just to bridge the gap until the antidepressant actually kicks in properly.
But here is the real danger: we often end up with the "wrong" antidepressant for our specific chemistry. What happens then? We keep taking those anxiolytics indefinitely, spiraling until we're essentially addicted.

In my view, if you don't see any improvement after a month, maybe six weeks, or two months at the absolute maximum... well, it's time to taper off that antidepressant while simultaneously tapering the anxiolytic.
In the meantime, you absolutely must contact your psychiatrist to find a suitable alternative. Once you switch to that new medication, you go back to the same process with the anxiolytics, applying those same cautious rules as before.

It isn't as simple as just getting "hooked" on a pill, regardless of the type, because the standard doses are typically quite low, which minimizes extreme risk. The far greater problem is when we take matters into our own hands and start bumping up our own dosages whenever we feel like it.

I appreciate the input.
I think I'll take it... and promptly ignore the instructions 🙂

quietwalker5 said:People, what happened to restlesstiger49?!? He’s gone silent.
restlesstiger49, please check in and let us know you're alright.

Holy shit!! Somebody actually gives a damn about me. 🙂
Anyway, I'm done with Fevarin... honestly, I think this stuff has just spiked my anxiety and made my life a total nightmare over the last month. For a while now, I've been waking up with these god-awful stomach pains and nausea. Since it seems like every doctor in the country is out on vacation right now, I've started tapering myself off on my own—though I'm being incredibly inconsistent about it. I probably should have stuck to 25mg for another two weeks, but I haven't touched it in two days, so screw it. I have no clue what I should switch to next. Long story short, this is the list:
http://s27.postimg.org/r9pt7mvir/lekovi.jpg

Edit: Just to be clear, (and I really need to say this) it is incredibly irresponsible for my therapist to prescribe a medication and then disappear for two months. Seriously, people have taken their own lives because of side effects from antidepressants. I've even had some dark thoughts creeping in lately, but I just try to focus and tell myself it’s likely just the medication talking.

restlesstiger49 said:Holy shit!! Somebody actually gives a damn about me. 🙂
Anyway, I'm done with Fevarin... honestly, I think this stuff has just spiked my anxiety and made my life a total nightmare over the last month. For a while now, I've been waking up with these god-awful stomach pains and nausea. Since it seems like every doctor in the country is out on vacation right now, I've started tapering myself off on my own—though I'm being incredibly inconsistent about it. I probably should have stuck to 25mg for another two weeks, but I haven't touched it in two days, so screw it. I have no clue what I should switch to next. Long story short, this is the list:
http://s27.postimg.org/r9pt7mvir/lekovi.jpg

Edit: Just to be clear, (and I really need to say this) it is incredibly irresponsible for my therapist to prescribe a medication and then disappear for two months. Seriously, people have taken their own lives because of side effects from antidepressants. I've even had some dark thoughts creeping in lately, but I just try to focus and tell myself it’s likely just the medication talking.

Look... I know things are rough... but when you look at the big picture, it always comes back to us being in control... even though it shouldn't be that way... because we are supposed to be treated by professionals...

We need help, and we seek help... after trying so many different medications, there should be a discernible pattern emerging regarding how each one affects us. Yet, once again, the burden falls on us to figure it out. I don't know what comforting words to offer, but you mentioned that Effexor used to help?
Have faith that things will improve, even if they don't feel that way right now. Hang in there.

Edit: It is clearly the medication, and it is irresponsible of your doctor not to provide an alternative or a backup plan if things take a turn for the worse, such as guidance on what to do or who to contact.

From a psychiatrist's website:

When is it appropriate to prescribe Effexor?

This medication can be used as a primary option for specific mental health conditions, which I will list shortly. It may also be prescribed if treatment involving two drugs from the SSRI class (such as Paxil and Zoloft / Celexa / Lexapro) has proven ineffective, or if an atypical antidepressant like Remeron (Calixte) failed to provide relief, among other scenarios. Your psychiatrist will determine the timing, selection, and reasoning behind the prescription. It is helpful to stay informed via the internet, but please leave the final clinical decisions to the specialized professionals.

Read more here:http://www.drsandic.net/archives/284

I suppose I finally mustered the courage to take my dose yesterday and again today, though they gave me a quarter of Prozac instead of the Flunil I was expecting... since it was from a different manufacturer... and I find myself spiraling again over the potential side effects. If I were actually allergic to it, would I have noticed some sort of reaction by now?
Yesterday seemed relatively fine, though I did experience some nausea about five hours in—not entirely sure if that was the medication or something else—and a brief bout of dizziness last night...

Greetings.

I started taking Faverin four days ago to manage my OCD (50 mg at bedtime). Since then, my appetite has vanished, I feel completely disoriented and exhausted, and the frequency and intensity of my obsessive thoughts have actually spiked. On top of that, my mood feels significantly lower.
To put it bluntly, things have taken a turn for the worse. 😢

Has anyone here dealt with Faverin before? Is this kind of volatility typical during the initial weeks, and did you push through the side effects or stop?

🤷

It is all right there in the patient information leaflet.

''During the initial weeks of treatment, before the medication takes full effect, you may experience an onset or
worsening of restlessness—for instance, an inability to sit or stand still (akathisia).
Notify your doctor immediately regarding this. Adjusting the dosage may provide relief.''

See? That is what it says.

But it also states this...
-suicidal thoughts
-self-harm

Those thoughts can actually be intensified ( !!! ) when you first start taking Faverin..

A 50 mg dose is standard, and you won't truly know if it's working for you until about 4 to 5 weeks have passed.
You've only been on it for 4 days; it is far too early to draw any conclusions... just try to hang in there through this initial phase and please, keep reading the medication guides.

Tyler Anderson12 said:Greetings.

I started taking Faverin four days ago to manage my OCD (50 mg at bedtime). Since then, my appetite has vanished, I feel completely disoriented and exhausted, and the frequency and intensity of my obsessive thoughts have actually spiked. On top of that, my mood feels significantly lower.
To put it bluntly, things have taken a turn for the worse. 😢

Has anyone here dealt with Faverin before? Is this kind of volatility typical during the initial weeks, and did you push through the side effects or stop?

🤷

Kevin Nguyen3 covered everything quite thoroughly, though I would suggest that the 50 mg dose itself might be the issue.
It might have been more prudent to start with half a tablet, or ideally just a quarter, gradually increasing the dosage until reaching 50 mg. Taking that approach usually makes the side effects far less overwhelming and much easier to manage. 😉

Kevin Nguyen3 said:It is all right there in the patient information leaflet.

''During the initial weeks of treatment, before the medication takes full effect, you may experience an onset or
worsening of restlessness—for instance, an inability to sit or stand still (akathisia).
Notify your doctor immediately regarding this. Adjusting the dosage may provide relief.''

See? That is what it says.

But it also states this...
-suicidal thoughts
-self-harm

Those thoughts can actually be intensified ( !!! ) when you first start taking Faverin..

A 50 mg dose is standard, and you won't truly know if it's working for you until about 4 to 5 weeks have passed.
You've only been on it for 4 days; it is far too early to draw any conclusions... just try to hang in there through this initial phase and please, keep reading the medication guides.

Thanks. 🙂 I read through the instructions when I was first prescribed an antidepressant, but deep down, I kept hoping I’d be one of those lucky people who could skip the suicidal ideation entirely. No luck there. I guess I'll just have to be patient and see if this actually does anything for me in the long run. 🤷

redranger2 said:Kevin Nguyen3 covered everything quite thoroughly, though I would suggest that the 50 mg dose itself might be the issue.
It might have been more prudent to start with half a tablet, or ideally just a quarter, gradually increasing the dosage until reaching 50 mg. Taking that approach usually makes the side effects far less overwhelming and much easier to manage. 😉

I honestly have no idea. My psychiatrist just prescribed this and scheduled a follow-up in four weeks to see how I handle it. Look, let’s be real: psychopharmacology is essentially just a high-stakes game of trial and error until you stumble upon something that actually works for your specific brain chemistry. But I do remember when I was on Zoloft five years ago for anxiety and depression—I definitely didn't deal with these kinds of symptoms back then. 😢