Psychotropic medication discussion thread

restlesstrucker15 said:In my experience, 🙂 nothing really worked for me from the Dormicum. They gave me three different injections in the operating room to try and get me to sleep. After the second one, everyone was staring at me because I was still wide awake, until the anesthesiologist finally admitted they needed to give me more. It was a surreal sensation. One moment you're conscious, and then suddenly, there is just a total blackout—sleep and beautiful dreams. 🙂

Skicka FR

I am truly relieved that the ordeal is finally behind you... When I underwent my surgery, they gave me something similar to Dormicum, but let me tell you, nobody actually falls asleep from it if it’s administered in the early morning hours. Usually, they just use it as a pre-anesthetic to help you calm down and settle into a sort of haze before they deliver the real stuff in the OR. Regardless of the method, the important thing is that it's over. I know how much you were dreading the whole sedation process, but they always find a way to make it work. Wishing you nothing but the best during your recovery! 👏

David Jackson22 said:Ray, look, I've actually been on Tegretol for ten years straight. I get my labs checked every six months, and even though one of my liver enzymes went up a little bit, it wasn't anything major, so I'm still taking it. My doctor thinks there's no reason to stop the treatment because of that, and my internist backed him up too. It's only if those enzyme levels shoot way up that you actually have to quit.

David, I honestly can't remember why we stopped using it—maybe it was during that rough patch when Effexor completely wrecked me and no hypnotics would touch it, I don't know
but I do recall we tried bringing it back into the routine once, only for me to develop a hell of an allergy. I had this intense itching all over my body, so my doctor, naturally, had to take me off it.

So I was at this birthday party today and somehow the conversation drifted toward health and medication. God, it was so incredibly awkward. The big takeaway from the group was that people who take a ton of pills aren't doing it for their health—they’re basically just getting high. If I had dared to open my mouth, everyone would have immediately started interrogation mode about my own "count," so I just sat there feeling stupid and listening to all that nonsense.
Some guy was talking about how he takes 20 different meds because he's had three heart surgeries, but no, according to these geniuses, he's just using them to get buzzed. Like, seriously? Give me a break.
(For the record, I'm looking at 12 pills on a normal day, and don't even get me started on how many I was popping during my absolute worst stretch.)

Brandon Lopez6 said:So I was at this birthday party today and somehow the conversation drifted toward health and medication. God, it was so incredibly awkward. The big takeaway from the group was that people who take a ton of pills aren't doing it for their health—they’re basically just getting high. If I had dared to open my mouth, everyone would have immediately started interrogation mode about my own "count," so I just sat there feeling stupid and listening to all that nonsense.
Some guy was talking about how he takes 20 different meds because he's had three heart surgeries, but no, according to these geniuses, he's just using them to get buzzed. Like, seriously? Give me a break.
(For the record, I'm looking at 12 pills on a normal day, and don't even get me started on how many I was popping during my absolute worst stretch.)

Honestly, what do people like that even know about real life? It’s so easy for them to play amateur psychologist when they clearly haven't dealt with a single actual hardship themselves. Don't even waste your brainpower wondering what they think; they aren't worth a single second of your attention...

I want to thank everyone for the kind wishes 🙂. The anesthesia went smoothly, and waking up was much the same; I’ll just be feeling a bit groggy for a few more hours. They gave me some Ambien last night to help me sleep, but honestly, I didn't feel a thing 😢
. Now begins a somewhat lengthy recovery process.
Thankfully, my liver is in perfect shape. I wasn't actually worried about my liver because of the psych meds, but rather because of the opioids I had to take for quite a while—and will have to continue for a little longer.
The doctor mentioned yesterday that for sleeping, I should use Cerson instead of Valium; apparently, there's no other way to go about it. When she checked in on me this morning, I told her everything felt pretty much the same. She emphasized that I shouldn't return to using Ambien, and according to the anesthesiologist, I really shouldn't. I assured her that I have no intention of doing so.
I once accidentally ended up with some 0.5 mg Xanax South Dakota due to a prescription error, but it just didn't work for me at all. I only take it rarely when I'm dealing with a panic attack and need immediate relief, and the South Dakota version just doesn't cut it for me.

Best, fr

Jason Vaughn482 said:As for me, I've been on Mirzaten for three years now, with a brief hiatus included. I spent a year on 15 mg, stopped, and then because I couldn't sleep without something like Ambien, I returned to the fold—though this time it was actually Calixt, which is essentially the same thing. I've transitioned to a half-dose, so I'm currently taking 7.5 mg twice a day along with either Ambien or Cerston. During the day, I take Xanax only as needed; in fact, I didn't even think to take it today. So, in my experience, the idea that you can't get off it or that tolerance builds up instantly doesn't quite hold true—I suppose it depends on the individual's biology. I've been using it for five years, never exceeding 1.5 mg at a time, and I take 20 mg of Portal every other day. That might sound like a lot, especially since I'm also managing blood pressure medication, but despite all of this, my liver function tests always come back clean. I get my blood drawn frequently specifically to monitor my liver markers, so I find it quite strange that your values increased from 15 mg of Mirzaten. Exactly how much did they rise? And are you taking anything else? Those elevations could easily be attributed to painkillers or even alcohol.

I'm on 15 mg Mirtazapine, 0.25 mg xanax, and I was on birth control when I had my blood drawn. I don't bother with painkillers in the summer because my sinuses settle down. Also taking magnesium and calcium supplements from Naturalvelth, and I wasn't really drinking much at the time. I know people who pop 20 pills a day without an issue. Honestly, it doesn't seem worth panicking over—just a slight increase. I'm just wondering what caused it. What kind of pills were they? So I can avoid them.

restlesstrucker15 said:I want to thank everyone for the kind wishes 🙂. The anesthesia went smoothly, and waking up was much the same; I’ll just be feeling a bit groggy for a few more hours. They gave me some Ambien last night to help me sleep, but honestly, I didn't feel a thing 😢
. Now begins a somewhat lengthy recovery process.
Thankfully, my liver is in perfect shape. I wasn't actually worried about my liver because of the psych meds, but rather because of the opioids I had to take for quite a while—and will have to continue for a little longer.
The doctor mentioned yesterday that for sleeping, I should use Cerson instead of Valium; apparently, there's no other way to go about it. When she checked in on me this morning, I told her everything felt pretty much the same. She emphasized that I shouldn't return to using Ambien, and according to the anesthesiologist, I really shouldn't. I assured her that I have no intention of doing so.
I once accidentally ended up with some 0.5 mg Xanax South Dakota due to a prescription error, but it just didn't work for me at all. I only take it rarely when I'm dealing with a panic attack and need immediate relief, and the South Dakota version just doesn't cut it for me.

Best, fr

It's the same story for me; I tried the SR version once and found it completely ineffective.
They gave you Ambien last night, whereas they gave me mine just thirty minutes before the procedure.
Regarding Sanval, my doctor won't prescribe it under any circumstances unless I'm paying for a private prescription; instead, we stick to Cerson. At first, I was skeptical and thought it wouldn't work, but eventually, combined with a little Calixta at 7.5 mg, I can manage to fall asleep, though it takes a frustratingly long time to kick in... that's what gets under my skin the most. Once I am finally out, however, I sleep straight through until 9 in the morning.

Jason Vaughn482 said:It's the same story for me; I tried the SR version once and found it completely ineffective.
They gave you Ambien last night, whereas they gave me mine just thirty minutes before the procedure.
Regarding Sanval, my doctor won't prescribe it under any circumstances unless I'm paying for a private prescription; instead, we stick to Cerson. At first, I was skeptical and thought it wouldn't work, but eventually, combined with a little Calixta at 7.5 mg, I can manage to fall asleep, though it takes a frustratingly long time to kick in... that's what gets under my skin the most. Once I am finally out, however, I sleep straight through until 9 in the morning.

I understand he isn't prescribing it. I honestly don't get why, especially since even for Cerson, the literature states it's only intended for short-term insomnia treatment. Well, I will likely be on medical leave again for about six months due to my upcoming surgery, so perhaps I will try taking a quarter of a 15 mg Calixta/Sanval/Cerson combo just to see if I can sleep without feeling completely groggy. I'll just have to track down some Calixta.

Yes, it was at night, but it did nothing. And then there was the half tablet thirty minutes before the procedure. I'm not sure if it actually relaxed me—probably, it did—but after a sleepless night followed by a restless morning, I was already too exhausted to care about the surgery itself.

Skickas FR

restlesstrucker15 said:I understand he isn't prescribing it. I honestly don't get why, especially since even for Cerson, the literature states it's only intended for short-term insomnia treatment. Well, I will likely be on medical leave again for about six months due to my upcoming surgery, so perhaps I will try taking a quarter of a 15 mg Calixta/Sanval/Cerson combo just to see if I can sleep without feeling completely groggy. I'll just have to track down some Calixta.

Yes, it was at night, but it did nothing. And then there was the half tablet thirty minutes before the procedure. I'm not sure if it actually relaxed me—probably, it did—but after a sleepless night followed by a restless morning, I was already too exhausted to care about the surgery itself.

Skickas FR

Give Cerson a shot, but please don't throw in the towel immediately; when I first started, I felt like my heart was ticking like a metronome, but things have stabilized now. I take 10 mg along with Calixta, and those 7.5 mg doses don't knock me out like they used to. I feel a bit groggy in the morning until I finally sit down with a cup of coffee, but once that kicks in, everything settles down perfectly....

Justin Rogers5 said:I'm on 15 mg Mirtazapine, 0.25 mg xanax, and I was on birth control when I had my blood drawn. I don't bother with painkillers in the summer because my sinuses settle down. Also taking magnesium and calcium supplements from Naturalvelth, and I wasn't really drinking much at the time. I know people who pop 20 pills a day without an issue. Honestly, it doesn't seem worth panicking over—just a slight increase. I'm just wondering what caused it. What kind of pills were they? So I can avoid them.

It really isn't that significant, and frankly, I'm at a loss. I can't say for certain about the birth control, but truly, 15 mg of Mirzaten shouldn't be the reason for such a shift. In my own experience, I was taking 1.5 mg of Xanax daily alongside 10 mg of Sanval, on top of the Mirzaten, yet my liver enzyme tests came back perfectly fine. Now, I've managed to cut both my Xanax and Mirzaten doses in half, leaving only the Sanval/Cerson at its original strength.

Jason Vaughn482 said:Give Cerson a shot, but please don't throw in the towel immediately; when I first started, I felt like my heart was ticking like a metronome, but things have stabilized now. I take 10 mg along with Calixta, and those 7.5 mg doses don't knock me out like they used to. I feel a bit groggy in the morning until I finally sit down with a cup of coffee, but once that kicks in, everything settles down perfectly....

I see, so 10 mg is an option; I was under the impression they only came in 5 mg doses. I think I'll start with five and see how it interacts with the Calixta.

Skickas FR

Jason Vaughn482 said:It really isn't that significant, and frankly, I'm at a loss. I can't say for certain about the birth control, but truly, 15 mg of Mirzaten shouldn't be the reason for such a shift. In my own experience, I was taking 1.5 mg of Xanax daily alongside 10 mg of Sanval, on top of the Mirzaten, yet my liver enzyme tests came back perfectly fine. Now, I've managed to cut both my Xanax and Mirzaten doses in half, leaving only the Sanval/Cerson at its original strength.

I doubt it's the Mirzaten, or the painkillers, or even birth control. My OBGYN said it wasn't the pill, but who knows if I can trust him when he's probably getting kickbacks for prescribing it.🕺No clue how long it takes for the liver to actually recover from all this.

fadedbear92 said:You really don't need to worry about the Q-pin; I've been using it for quite a while now and it completely cleared up my insomnia.
I used to take Tegretol, which worked wonders for getting me to sleep—though you have to be incredibly careful with it. You have to keep a close eye on your liver enzyme levels via regular blood work every three months; if those numbers spike, you have to stop taking it immediately.

Thanks, fadedbear92 🙂.

No, the plan is to wait and see what happens in two weeks after my follow-up. My doctor mentioned that starting a mood stabilizer might actually help me sleep better anyway. She suggested Depakote, saying it's good for sleep, so she wants me to try that along with 플루페이담 (Flurazepam) and Eglonyl before we even think about introducing Q-pin.

Honestly, I'm just stuck. I don't know what to think or even what to say about all this.

restlesstrucker15 said:I see, so 10 mg is an option; I was under the impression they only came in 5 mg doses. I think I'll start with five and see how it interacts with the Calixta.

Skickas FR

Laughing at 10 mg? Honestly, that's about the same level of efficacy as Sanval to me. My psychiatrist actually mentioned that back in the day, versions like Cerson used to be much more potent, which might explain why people complain today that nothing seems to work anymore. As for myself, I've been on this for months now and I am still struggling; even with Sanval, I could never just flip a switch and fall asleep instantly. At this point, the sensation feels remarkably similar.

Justin Rogers5 said:I doubt it's the Mirzaten, or the painkillers, or even birth control. My OBGYN said it wasn't the pill, but who knows if I can trust him when he's probably getting kickbacks for prescribing it.🕺No clue how long it takes for the liver to actually recover from all this.

Taking silymarin might be a good move for you.
You really ought to sit down and scrutinize the medication inserts; every single one lists the potential side effects for a reason.

David Jackson22 said:Honestly, what do people like that even know about real life? It’s so easy for them to play amateur psychologist when they clearly haven't dealt with a single actual hardship themselves. Don't even waste your brainpower wondering what they think; they aren't worth a single second of your attention...

The worst part is that it’s family. Extended family, sure, but still family.
I really held out hope that one day we’d all just be able to sit down and talk things through, but clearly, that's never happening.

Hey everyone, how are you all doing? I was wondering what kind of treatment plans you're on and how you're actually managing them?

As for me, things have finally started to settle down a bit now that I'm on 60mg of Cymbalta in the morning and 600mg of Seroquel XR before bed. I can honestly say that since I started taking quetiapine—it’s been about three months now—I’ve actually been sleeping. I think I’ve maybe had five nights where I couldn't drift off, but even then, I usually just help myself out with some Sanval.🎉

The only real issue is that I've put on about 20 pounds, so I basically have nothing to wear anymore except for sweatpants.🕺 I guess I've tried cutting back on my meals, but at this rate, I feel like I'm just going to snap, haha.

Jason Vaughn482 said:Laughing at 10 mg? Honestly, that's about the same level of efficacy as Sanval to me. My psychiatrist actually mentioned that back in the day, versions like Cerson used to be much more potent, which might explain why people complain today that nothing seems to work anymore. As for myself, I've been on this for months now and I am still struggling; even with Sanval, I could never just flip a switch and fall asleep instantly. At this point, the sensation feels remarkably similar.

I'll look into it. I was discharged from neurosurgery yesterday, and they prescribed Cerson, so I picked it up at the pharmacy. When I got home, I found some Calixta I had left over. Taking 5 mg of Cerson along with 1/8 of a 15 mg Calixta felt alright. Honestly, though, I'm feeling a bit groggy right now because of the Tramadol I'm taking for the pain. I suspect that lower doses of Cerson will be enough to knock me out. I'm a little foggy, but nothing too serious. It might actually be a good idea to sit down with my therapist and discuss keeping a small dose of Calixta in my routine; since I'm not working right now, I can afford a bit of a hangover, and I imagine it will wear off eventually.

It seems like that Zan medication is completely useless. I don't even know anyone who takes it, and from what I've heard—and what we've discussed here on the forum—it's absolute garbage. They really should have approved something more substantial, which I'm sure exists.

Skickas FR

shadowbear9 said:Hey everyone, how are you all doing? I was wondering what kind of treatment plans you're on and how you're actually managing them?

As for me, things have finally started to settle down a bit now that I'm on 60mg of Cymbalta in the morning and 600mg of Seroquel XR before bed. I can honestly say that since I started taking quetiapine—it’s been about three months now—I’ve actually been sleeping. I think I’ve maybe had five nights where I couldn't drift off, but even then, I usually just help myself out with some Sanval.🎉

The only real issue is that I've put on about 20 pounds, so I basically have nothing to wear anymore except for sweatpants.🕺 I guess I've tried cutting back on my meals, but at this rate, I feel like I'm just going to snap, haha.

Well, good for you. 🙂 Honestly, finally being able to sleep is the most important thing. Don't stress too much about the weight right now; who knows, maybe as you eventually taper down on the Seroquel, it will stabilize.
It's also great that Cymbalta is working for you. It provides such a massive energy boost; personally, it didn't sit well with me, but it really does pick you up when you're feeling dead. That’s just my experience. For me, it helped with the Rejica.
I truly hope you have decent insurance coverage for these medications, because those co-pays can really add up.

Also, I wanted to ask a general question. Do your primary care physicians actually prescribe the specific brand names recommended by specialists? My psychiatrists do, but whenever I deal with pain management, they always push one specific pharmaceutical company over others. I've taken plenty of different brands, even when the prices were identical. I've just noticed a pattern.
My therapist mentioned she heard from patients that Xanax works better than Helex or Misar. Apparently, it’s just because it dissolves faster in the stomach, leading to quicker relief. But of course, that really depends on an individual's digestion. 😁

Skickas FR

restlesstrucker15 said:Well, good for you. 🙂 Honestly, finally being able to sleep is the most important thing. Don't stress too much about the weight right now; who knows, maybe as you eventually taper down on the Seroquel, it will stabilize.
It's also great that Cymbalta is working for you. It provides such a massive energy boost; personally, it didn't sit well with me, but it really does pick you up when you're feeling dead. That’s just my experience. For me, it helped with the Rejica.
I truly hope you have decent insurance coverage for these medications, because those co-pays can really add up.

Also, I wanted to ask a general question. Do your primary care physicians actually prescribe the specific brand names recommended by specialists? My psychiatrists do, but whenever I deal with pain management, they always push one specific pharmaceutical company over others. I've taken plenty of different brands, even when the prices were identical. I've just noticed a pattern.
My therapist mentioned she heard from patients that Xanax works better than Helex or Misar. Apparently, it’s just because it dissolves faster in the stomach, leading to quicker relief. But of course, that really depends on an individual's digestion. 😁

Skickas FR

And I am actually trying to find ways to get more Seroquel because I can't seem to fall asleep otherwise. I did ask her to put in a prescription for Misar and Sanval just in case, though... and she wrote down alprazolam instead. I told her, "No way, please just write Xanax," but she wouldn't budge. It was the same thing when I was in the hospital and they wouldn't prescribe Seroquel; they just kept giving me Loquem. They are so stubborn about sticking to their preferred brands.