Psychotropic medication discussion thread

Could someone tell me how you all started taking Prozac capsules? Since they're capsules, I assume you can't really split them in half. I'd honestly rather just switch to the capsules right away because this liquid version is just awful—it burns my throat so badly. Also, has anyone experienced side effects from the Prozac capsules? Specifically, frequent urination? I know it’s all very individual, I guess.

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I was wondering... could anti-epileptic drugs be used as mood stabilizers for PMDD instead of antidepressants? I know, I know, this is really more of a question for a pharmacologist. It’s just that I’m honestly terrified of those side effects—specifically the frequent urination you get from antidepressants. I actually asked my doctor about it today, and she advised against it, saying those side effects can be pretty significant. Apparently, that pituitary hormone, ADH, which causes the increased urination, isn't even something they test for at any of the private labs here in Washington, D.C.

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casualgardener17 said:I just spiraled a bit—saw the nine-month mark listed and totally panicked 🙄

Ah, okay, fine 😁 The appointment was actually for a psychiatric evaluation at the Mayo Clinic 😁
It’s got nothing to do with pregnancy or anything like 😳

mistyjackal842 said:I was wondering... could anti-epileptic drugs be used as mood stabilizers for PMDD instead of antidepressants? I know, I know, this is really more of a question for a pharmacologist. It’s just that I’m honestly terrified of those side effects—specifically the frequent urination you get from antidepressants. I actually asked my doctor about it today, and she advised against it, saying those side effects can be pretty significant. Apparently, that pituitary hormone, ADH, which causes the increased urination, isn't even something they test for at any of the private labs here in Washington, D.C.

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Not sure about the answer, but I take an anticonvulsant (plus an antidepressant) and I haven't dealt with that specific issue. Actually, the anticonvulsant alone was doing the trick for me until my PMS symptoms flared up, then we had to add the AD.

mistyjackal842 said:Could someone tell me how you all started taking Prozac capsules? Since they're capsules, I assume you can't really split them in half. I'd honestly rather just switch to the capsules right away because this liquid version is just awful—it burns my throat so badly. Also, has anyone experienced side effects from the Prozac capsules? Specifically, frequent urination? I know it’s all very individual, I guess.

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This thread is mostly just about Prozac. It isn't huge, but you might find something helpful in there...
Thread

Michael Hill2 said:I do. In Washington, D.C., there's the Mayo Clinic, specifically working with Andrej Kostelić-Martić, who's a Master of Psychology.

I've been seeing her since May, and honestly, the progress has been massive. She taught me how to actually handle anxiety, and right now we're tackling cognitive restructuring—basically rewiring my broken thought patterns.

Seriously, she’s top-tier. Highly recommend. 🙂

Thanks so much for the suggestion,
but I think I might actually look for a combination of a psychiatrist and a therapist instead, since most of my health struggles really revolve around managing my medication.

Hey everyone!
I just set up my account yesterday, and honestly, I’m sitting here scrolling through your posts in total disbelief...
It seems like so many people here are just playing doctor with their psychotropic meds!
You really shouldn't touch antipsychotics without a specialist's direct supervision, though I suppose a general practitioner might prescribe those milder antidepressants—the ones I like to call "baby drugs"—to some folks.
And I see you all suggesting mood stabilizers to one another... BIG MISTAKE!
Every single person reacts to these medications differently based on a huge web of individual factors, and none of us have the professional training required to tailor a treatment plan for ourselves or anyone else.
It would be much safer if we stopped trying to act like medical experts, especially since this field is so complex that even many doctors struggle to stay on top of everything!

Is a daily dose of 4 mg of Lorsilan too much? Yesterday, because my anxiety was hitting me hard, I took 4 tablets—one in the morning and then three more at night within a pretty short window.

Is there any chance I actually overdosed? And could this stuff mess with my brain in the long run? 😢

Mark Nelson said:Is a daily dose of 4 mg of Lorsilan too much? Yesterday, because my anxiety was hitting me hard, I took 4 tablets—one in the morning and then three more at night within a pretty short window.

Is there any chance I actually overdosed? And could this stuff mess with my brain in the long run? 😢

If you’re still breathing and actually feeling okay right now, then you clearly didn't overdose. Simple math. 🙂

I’m pretty sure you aren't going to suffer any lasting damage from this, but seriously, don't make a habit of popping doses that big. Taking that much at once—basically like hitting a 2 mg Xanax—is just asking for your body to build up a tolerance. You don't want to end up in a spot where nothing works anymore.

Just a little quick update regarding my Velafax dosage, which is currently 37.2 mg twice a day:
I am definitely losing weight, which I suppose is fine, but — my chest is disappearing!! 😲

To reiterate, because I’ve been slimming down, my bust size has shrunk quite a bit.
Personally, I am actually really happy about dropping those extra two or three pounds, and I can truly feel my metabolism kicking into high gear (it feels almost like back when I used to work out every single day, which is how much the Velafax seems to be affecting my body), but I do find myself missing my feminine curves.
I mentioned before that I was dealing with some hair loss, but that has calmed down now since I started taking some supplements for it.
As far as other side effects go, there aren't any. I haven't felt any anxiety or depression, even though I did find myself tearing up today while listening to a song by Nina Badrić. But honestly, that’s alright; it was just a moment of sadness. Not actual depression. ☕

Honestly, you guys are making me so paranoid about Calixta 😲 that I’m starting to feel a massive wave of resistance building up toward taking it... I really need someone to tell me that it actually worked fine for them at some point 🤷

goldenbison31 said:Just a little quick update regarding my Velafax dosage, which is currently 37.2 mg twice a day:
I am definitely losing weight, which I suppose is fine, but — my chest is disappearing!! 😲

To reiterate, because I’ve been slimming down, my bust size has shrunk quite a bit.
Personally, I am actually really happy about dropping those extra two or three pounds, and I can truly feel my metabolism kicking into high gear (it feels almost like back when I used to work out every single day, which is how much the Velafax seems to be affecting my body), but I do find myself missing my feminine curves.
I mentioned before that I was dealing with some hair loss, but that has calmed down now since I started taking some supplements for it.
As far as other side effects go, there aren't any. I haven't felt any anxiety or depression, even though I did find myself tearing up today while listening to a song by Nina Badrić. But honestly, that’s alright; it was just a moment of sadness. Not actual depression. ☕

Everything is fine, provided the depression stays away.😉
Tell me (since I am also on this medication), do you struggle with sleep? Specifically, I wake up at 7 AM every morning, yet I stay awake until 2 or 3 AM at night, feeling no need for sleep during the day. I wonder if this will pass?

Around 8 AM, after taking my morning dose, I get hit with restlessness about ninety minutes later; it feels like a bout of anxiety that lingers all day. I am unsure whether to take some Xanax.🤷

Do you experience these issues? Or did you? Are you taking anything else alongside this?

goldenbison31 said:Just a little quick update regarding my Velafax dosage, which is currently 37.2 mg twice a day:
I am definitely losing weight, which I suppose is fine, but — my chest is disappearing!! 😲

To reiterate, because I’ve been slimming down, my bust size has shrunk quite a bit.
Personally, I am actually really happy about dropping those extra two or three pounds, and I can truly feel my metabolism kicking into high gear (it feels almost like back when I used to work out every single day, which is how much the Velafax seems to be affecting my body), but I do find myself missing my feminine curves.
I mentioned before that I was dealing with some hair loss, but that has calmed down now since I started taking some supplements for it.
As far as other side effects go, there aren't any. I haven't felt any anxiety or depression, even though I did find myself tearing up today while listening to a song by Nina Badrić. But honestly, that’s alright; it was just a moment of sadness. Not actual depression. ☕

Hmm, that's interesting. When I was on it about four years ago, I actually found my appetite increased. I'm planning to start back up on it tomorrow.

restlesstiger49 said:Hmm, that's interesting. When I was on it about four years ago, I actually found my appetite increased. I'm planning to start back up on it tomorrow.

I hope this works out for you.😉 Even if not, you will know within 7 to 10 days if it functions. Good luck.🙂

restlesstiger49 said:Hmm, that's interesting. When I was on it about four years ago, I actually found my appetite increased. I'm planning to start back up on it tomorrow.

Good luck, man. It really helped me out a lot, 😉

quietwalker5 said:Everything is fine, provided the depression stays away.😉
Tell me (since I am also on this medication), do you struggle with sleep? Specifically, I wake up at 7 AM every morning, yet I stay awake until 2 or 3 AM at night, feeling no need for sleep during the day. I wonder if this will pass?

Around 8 AM, after taking my morning dose, I get hit with restlessness about ninety minutes later; it feels like a bout of anxiety that lingers all day. I am unsure whether to take some Xanax.🤷

Do you experience these issues? Or did you? Are you taking anything else alongside this?

Well, I actually did have some trouble sleeping during those first two weeks, so my therapist ended up prescribing me some Lunesta to help regulate my sleep cycle. I took about half a pill for a few evenings, and since then, I've been sleeping quite normally.
I've also noticed that how much coffee or tea I consume throughout the day definitely impacts my overall state, so I guess it's best to scale that back to a moderate amount, maybe just one or two cups a day.
I wouldn't recommend taking Xanax... I suspect those types of anxiolytics might not be great for you, and who knows what kind of reactions they might trigger when combined with antidepressants.
As for that restlessness... I do feel a slight sense of agitation sometimes, but I tend to interpret it more as a boost in energy levels. If you know what I mean, the Effexor really helped me feel like myself again.
A little bit of restlessness is sort of my natural baseline, I suppose; it's just who I am. So, in a way, it actually works out quite well for me.
Have you had a chance to talk to your doctor about these sleep issues?
You really ought to mention it to them, because I truly believe getting good sleep is so important...

restlesstiger49 said:Hmm, that's interesting. When I was on it about four years ago, I actually found my appetite increased. I'm planning to start back up on it tomorrow.

So, did you end up putting on any weight? 🙂
I feel like my own appetite has gotten just a tiny bit stronger, too—especially in the mornings, where I feel like I could probably polish off half a roasted brisket, but I suppose that's mostly because my metabolism seems to be running super fast while I'm taking Velafax. 🙂
Of course, I’m not overdoing it or anything, I try to be careful, but I certainly haven't been cutting out things like ice cream, for instance.
I really do think that Velafax helps speed up how the body burns energy by boosting norepinephrine.
If you don't mind me asking, why did you decide to stop taking it in the first place? 🙂

goldenbison31 said:Well, I actually did have some trouble sleeping during those first two weeks, so my therapist ended up prescribing me some Lunesta to help regulate my sleep cycle. I took about half a pill for a few evenings, and since then, I've been sleeping quite normally.
I've also noticed that how much coffee or tea I consume throughout the day definitely impacts my overall state, so I guess it's best to scale that back to a moderate amount, maybe just one or two cups a day.
I wouldn't recommend taking Xanax... I suspect those types of anxiolytics might not be great for you, and who knows what kind of reactions they might trigger when combined with antidepressants.
As for that restlessness... I do feel a slight sense of agitation sometimes, but I tend to interpret it more as a boost in energy levels. If you know what I mean, the Effexor really helped me feel like myself again.
A little bit of restlessness is sort of my natural baseline, I suppose; it's just who I am. So, in a way, it actually works out quite well for me.
Have you had a chance to talk to your doctor about these sleep issues?
You really ought to mention it to them, because I truly believe getting good sleep is so important...

I haven't mentioned it yet. My check-up isn't for another three weeks, and today marks day fifteen. I will call her tomorrow to move the appointment up to next week.😉

quietwalker5 said:I haven't mentioned it yet. My check-up isn't for another three weeks, and today marks day fifteen. I will call her tomorrow to move the appointment up to next week.😉

Awesome! 🙂
I guess you might want to be a little careful about taking sleep aids like Normabest, because they can sometimes trigger feelings of depression or cause all sorts of strange side effects in your system, if you know what I mean. Maybe it would be worth trying to genuinely cut back on the caffeine intake? Like, perhaps just having one cup in the morning and then switching to some chamomile tea in the evening instead might help settle things down. And of course, you should definitely make sure to mention all of this to your doctor during your next visit.

goldenbison31 said:So, did you end up putting on any weight? 🙂
I feel like my own appetite has gotten just a tiny bit stronger, too—especially in the mornings, where I feel like I could probably polish off half a roasted brisket, but I suppose that's mostly because my metabolism seems to be running super fast while I'm taking Velafax. 🙂
Of course, I’m not overdoing it or anything, I try to be careful, but I certainly haven't been cutting out things like ice cream, for instance.
I really do think that Velafax helps speed up how the body burns energy by boosting norepinephrine.
If you don't mind me asking, why did you decide to stop taking it in the first place? 🙂

I might have put on a pound or two, but nothing major. Besides, I'm already planning ahead; if my appetite spikes again, I'll just hit the gym or get active. To be honest, I stopped the meds because I thought I knew better than my doctor. 🤣