Psychotropic medication discussion thread

shadowbear9 said:When and why exactly are you all taking Zoloft? And when I say why, I mean whether you're on it daily or just reach for it whenever you feel the need. Also, what about Eglonyl?

I am trying to gather some insights because I honestly have no idea which of these two medications actually targets those sudden symptoms I deal with—the complete lack of motivation, stomach pains, nervousness, and that general sense of torment... just that awful feeling. Sometimes I take an extra dose of Zoloft, and other times I go with Eglonyl, but I’m really not sure which one would be more appropriate for easing these specific symptoms...

I really hope you're joking here. You can't just play doctor with an antidepressant and an antipsychotic by dosing yourself whenever you feel like it. You take the exact dose your doctor prescribed, every single day, period.

Don't go doubling up on Zoloft either; you're asking for serotonin syndrome. Do a little Google search.

Seriously, I'm hoping this is just some kind of joke. 😕

Tyler Anderson12 said:I'm glad it worked for you. I imagine that feeling of silence—no more internal monologues or "what if" scenarios—must be extraordinary. 😍

I plan to stick with therapy and hope for the best. I'll check back in with my final results (hopefully positive ones) once enough time has passed. 🙂

Hope you find some peace soon. Honestly, the best way I can describe my current headspace is that I'm basically on an unpaid vacation from my own crazy mind. 😍

Hey there... first time posting here, so I have a quick question...

What’s the actual difference between Normabel (say, 2 or 5 mg) and 0.5 mg of Xanax? Are we talking about the same level of effect here?

Also, I'm curious... what do you all think the real-world difference in how they feel is?

Up until now, I've just used Normabel here and there to take the edge off when I get anxious, and honestly, it works pretty well for me... I know Xanax is alprazolam and everyone says it's essentially the same thing, but I haven't actually tried it yet—it's just what I have on hand right now.

Mark Nelson said:Does Seroquel fall under that category? My cycle has been totally wonky since my doctor bumped up my Seroquel dose, even though I’ve been on it for three months already without noticing anything... until now. Should I be calling my doctor right away because of this, or is it fine to just wait until my scheduled appointment?*

Thanks for the detailed breakdown 🙏

Edit- *my appointment isn't until late September.

Why are you guys messing around with all those chemicals during late-stage pregnancy anyway...🤷

🤷

casualgardener17 said:Hey there... first time posting here, so I have a quick question...

What’s the actual difference between Normabel (say, 2 or 5 mg) and 0.5 mg of Xanax? Are we talking about the same level of effect here?

Also, I'm curious... what do you all think the real-world difference in how they feel is?

Up until now, I've just used Normabel here and there to take the edge off when I get anxious, and honestly, it works pretty well for me... I know Xanax is alprazolam and everyone says it's essentially the same thing, but I haven't actually tried it yet—it's just what I have on hand right now.

A 0.5 mg dose of Xanax is roughly equivalent to 10 mg of Normabrel.

They aren't the same. Xanax hits much faster and harder—you'll feel it within 20 minutes—but because of that, it wears off quicker, maybe in 4 to 6 hours depending on stuff like how long you've been taking it or if you're mixing it with anything else.

That rapid onset and quick drop-off is exactly why it has such a high potential for addiction.

Honestly, if you just need something occasionally to calm down and Normabrel does the trick, I wouldn't mess around with Xanax if I were you.😉

Michael Hill2 said:🤷

A 0.5 mg dose of Xanax is roughly equivalent to 10 mg of Normabrel.

They aren't the same. Xanax hits much faster and harder—you'll feel it within 20 minutes—but because of that, it wears off quicker, maybe in 4 to 6 hours depending on stuff like how long you've been taking it or if you're mixing it with anything else.

That rapid onset and quick drop-off is exactly why it has such a high potential for addiction.

Honestly, if you just need something occasionally to calm down and Normabrel does the trick, I wouldn't mess around with Xanax if I were you.😉

Man, if 0.5 mg is equal to 10 mg of Normabel, then what the hell does a 2 mg Xanax dose even do?🙄🙄

No, I'm not taking anything else besides that... I've just been on the Normabel... I don't know... 2.5 mg every 10 days or so, usually with coffee...

You kind of shocked me there... I was actually thinking about grabbing 0.5 mg. Thanks for the heads up. I'll stick with the Normabel. Normabel rules.🙂

Michael Hill2 said:I really hope you're joking here. You can't just play doctor with an antidepressant and an antipsychotic by dosing yourself whenever you feel like it. You take the exact dose your doctor prescribed, every single day, period.

Don't go doubling up on Zoloft either; you're asking for serotonin syndrome. Do a little Google search.

Seriously, I'm hoping this is just some kind of joke. 😕

No, I am not joking. That is exactly why I came here to ask instead of looking for a lecture. My doctor prescribed me a very low dose, so I suppose if I'm an hour or two late, the world isn't going to end...
I would appreciate it if someone could actually provide a useful answer.

shadowbear9 said:No, I am not joking. That is exactly why I came here to ask instead of looking for a lecture. My doctor prescribed me a very low dose, so I suppose if I'm an hour or two late, the world isn't going to end...
I would appreciate it if someone could actually provide a useful answer.

I wasn't being skeptical; I was just worried about you.

Anyway, look, I know for a fact you shouldn't take an extra dose of Prozac like you mentioned. You have to keep that dosage consistent every single day.

As for the Depakote, I don't know what they prescribed it for or if you're even allowed to take it "as needed."

For those anxiety spikes you described, people usually take something like Ativan or Valium.

Michael Hill2 said:I wasn't being skeptical; I was just worried about you.

Anyway, look, I know for a fact you shouldn't take an extra dose of Prozac like you mentioned. You have to keep that dosage consistent every single day.

As for the Depakote, I don't know what they prescribed it for or if you're even allowed to take it "as needed."

For those anxiety spikes you described, people usually take something like Ativan or Valium.

Magnesium isn't a bad idea either... seriously... 200 or 300 mg can help a person feel a bit more relaxed.

Plus, hitting a stationary bike or getting a solid workout in for an hour—it almost feels like a total reset for anxiety.

casualgardener17 said:Magnesium isn't a bad idea either... seriously... 200 or 300 mg can help a person feel a bit more relaxed.

Plus, hitting a stationary bike or getting a solid workout in for an hour—it almost feels like a total reset for anxiety.

I'm with you on the magnesium. I take it too, but I don't bother with that cheap magnesium oxide junk you see everywhere in the States; I stick to chelated magnesium because it actually absorbs properly.

It was the only thing that saved me from those brutal headaches when I first started taking my Prozac.🙂

Michael Hill2 said:I'm with you on the magnesium. I take it too, but I don't bother with that cheap magnesium oxide junk you see everywhere in the States; I stick to chelated magnesium because it actually absorbs properly.

It was the only thing that saved me from those brutal headaches when I first started taking my Prozac.🙂

Man, how do you know so much about all this chemistry stuff?? Are you studying something related??

casualgardener17 said:Man, how do you know so much about all this chemistry stuff?? Are you studying something related??

Nah, I just went through a massive hypochondriac phase once. Spent about two years basically getting a mini medical degree from Dr. Google.😁

My treatment plan just got a shake-up.
About a month ago, my doctor switched things around. I started on Wellbutrin XL and 25mg of Q-pin, but we kept the Mirtazapine at 0.5mg—which I’ve been taking for years now. I used to take the 1mg extended-release version, but lately, I’ve just been adjusting the dose as needed... When I first saw the list of side effects for Q-pin, I actually asked my therapist if this made sense. She just laughed and told me I was on the lowest possible dose you could imagine. Apparently, people usually start much higher, like 600 to 800mg, so the chances of me feeling anything are slim to none. Anyway, the big win is my sleep. It used to be so shallow and brief, but now it’s actually decent. I can even sleep for seven hours straight in the morning. I take my Wellbutrin in the morning per my doctor's orders, and so far, I’m happy with it. I wouldn't say I feel amazing, but those constant depressive dips aren't hitting me quite as hard. The only weird thing is my stomach... it’s been hit-or-miss, either sudden diarrhea or really bad constipation.
The instructions don't mention anything about whether I should take these on an empty stomach, with food, or if it doesn't matter at all. Also, does Q-pin cause dependency? I haven't slept this well in years, and I'd hate to end up addicted...

Can anyone share their own experience regarding which antidepressant worked best for PMDD? I'm actually going through a period of grieving for my mom right now—it hasn't even been a full year since her sudden passing. I think the stress from losing her triggered this disorder, which I’ve honestly never dealt with before. I was on Lexapro 10 mg for about three weeks and felt a bit better, but I had to stop because of some pretty intense and unusual side effects... specifically frequent urination. From what I've read, almost all antidepressants seem to cause that issue. Out of the ones used for this syndrome, Prozac is the only one where I haven't seen much mention of it affecting urination. Paxil, for instance, seems to have a huge impact according to what I've read. Lexapro—well, I already tried that—but maybe something like Zoloft? It doesn't seem to affect urination as much based on my research, though it might not be the primary choice for this specific syndrome. I'll be asking my doctor about it tomorrow.

What I really want to know is if anyone here has personal experience with an antidepressant for this syndrome that *doesn't* lead to frequent urination. Doctors tell me that this specific side effect is often the reason people have to quit their meds entirely. On top of that, I've been struggling with insomnia since my mom died, and I'm sleeping terribly. I try to avoid sleep aids as much as possible, but if I miss two nights of sleep in a row, I get these massive headaches. Since I'm not working at the moment, I can nap during the day, but once I start a job again, that won't be an option.

Thanks in advance for any answers or for sharing your experiences.

Sent from my iPhone 8 using Reddit

Donna Vaughn28 said:My treatment plan just got a shake-up.
About a month ago, my doctor switched things around. I started on Wellbutrin XL and 25mg of Q-pin, but we kept the Mirtazapine at 0.5mg—which I’ve been taking for years now. I used to take the 1mg extended-release version, but lately, I’ve just been adjusting the dose as needed... When I first saw the list of side effects for Q-pin, I actually asked my therapist if this made sense. She just laughed and told me I was on the lowest possible dose you could imagine. Apparently, people usually start much higher, like 600 to 800mg, so the chances of me feeling anything are slim to none. Anyway, the big win is my sleep. It used to be so shallow and brief, but now it’s actually decent. I can even sleep for seven hours straight in the morning. I take my Wellbutrin in the morning per my doctor's orders, and so far, I’m happy with it. I wouldn't say I feel amazing, but those constant depressive dips aren't hitting me quite as hard. The only weird thing is my stomach... it’s been hit-or-miss, either sudden diarrhea or really bad constipation.
The instructions don't mention anything about whether I should take these on an empty stomach, with food, or if it doesn't matter at all. Also, does Q-pin cause dependency? I haven't slept this well in years, and I'd hate to end up addicted...

From what I know, Quetiapine doesn't cause addiction in the sense that you'll need higher doses over time just to get the same effect.

Based on this PDF I'm looking at, I think Two-Face has been taking it for years for insomnia, so maybe try sending her a DM. She'll be able to give you the firsthand scoop. 🙂

mistyjackal842 said:Can anyone share their own experience regarding which antidepressant worked best for PMDD? I'm actually going through a period of grieving for my mom right now—it hasn't even been a full year since her sudden passing. I think the stress from losing her triggered this disorder, which I’ve honestly never dealt with before. I was on Lexapro 10 mg for about three weeks and felt a bit better, but I had to stop because of some pretty intense and unusual side effects... specifically frequent urination. From what I've read, almost all antidepressants seem to cause that issue. Out of the ones used for this syndrome, Prozac is the only one where I haven't seen much mention of it affecting urination. Paxil, for instance, seems to have a huge impact according to what I've read. Lexapro—well, I already tried that—but maybe something like Zoloft? It doesn't seem to affect urination as much based on my research, though it might not be the primary choice for this specific syndrome. I'll be asking my doctor about it tomorrow.

What I really want to know is if anyone here has personal experience with an antidepressant for this syndrome that *doesn't* lead to frequent urination. Doctors tell me that this specific side effect is often the reason people have to quit their meds entirely. On top of that, I've been struggling with insomnia since my mom died, and I'm sleeping terribly. I try to avoid sleep aids as much as possible, but if I miss two nights of sleep in a row, I get these massive headaches. Since I'm not working at the moment, I can nap during the day, but once I start a job again, that won't be an option.

Thanks in advance for any answers or for sharing your experiences.

Sent from my iPhone 8 using Reddit

I did a quick search on some American forums, and they mentioned that the FDA has approved Prozac, Paxil, and Zoloft for treating this syndrome.

Most women wrote that for this condition, they only take the medication for 14 days of their cycle leading up to their period, rather than every single day of the month.

Also, a lot of people noted that Prozac worked best for them, so definitely talk it over with your doctor. 🙂

Michael Hill2... can you send me a link showing that 0.5 mg of Xanax is equivalent to 10 mg of Normabel? I’m still having a hard time believing it—I’ve been doing a bit of Googling and most people seem to think 0.5 is a pretty laughable dose... 😉 though I know 10 mg of Normabel is a total powerhouse... basically the go-to for those extreme situations, right?

casualgardener17 said:Michael Hill2... can you send me a link showing that 0.5 mg of Xanax is equivalent to 10 mg of Normabel? I’m still having a hard time believing it—I’ve been doing a bit of Googling and most people seem to think 0.5 is a pretty laughable dose... 😉 though I know 10 mg of Normabel is a total powerhouse... basically the go-to for those extreme situations, right?

Fine, here's an online converter so you can do the math yourself :-D
http://clincalc.com/Benzodiazepine/?example

Michael Hill2 said:Fine, here's an online converter so you can do the math yourself :-D
http://clincalc.com/Benzodiazepine/?example

says 0.5 equals 5... that doesn't sound too bad, I guess...☕ but it's still way too much—basically means you gotta cut it in half😉

Just got some Ambien 5 mg. Depending on how things go, I might bump it up to 10mg. Anyone have any experience with this stuff?😬