Psychotropic medication discussion thread

redranger2 said:Well done, David Jackson22—it’s refreshing to finally hear someone who actually grasps the core of the matter.👍

And what do I know? I’m clearly the fool here since I actually managed to recover from my panic attacks. Don't mind me. ☕

What about those living with epilepsy who take antiepileptics that fundamentally alter brain chemistry? We're talking about specific receptors targeted by medications like Valium and Tegretol. Or consider those managing neuropathy through Lyrica and Neurontin—drugs that happen to be approved for bipolar disorder as well. For people like us, these aren't "as needed" pills; they are a constant, daily requirement.
Breaking free from benzodiazepines requires an immense amount of time and dedicated personal work. This is where ADs should ideally step in to assist. In my view, those of us under some level of psychiatric supervision are actually in a better position regarding this transition, simply because we have transitioned onto ADs. On the other hand, I know individuals who rely on Xanax and Normabex every single day just because they refuse to see a psychiatrist.
While being able to live without benzos would be ideal, one has to consider how many more people would be consuming them if ADs weren't available. Eventually, everyone reaches a point where they either taper down to a minimal dose or move away from them entirely.
Regarding the concerns over Lorazepam and memory loss, there is a significant amount of truth to that. It is often administered for sleep or pre-surgery specifically because it can induce a certain type of amnesia, which takes a toll on memory. However, if someone is using it for panic attacks but is already struggling with memory issues, they might find it more practical to switch over to Xanax. From a metabolic standpoint, Lorazepam is often preferred for elderly patients or even nursing mothers when absolutely necessary, as it is less likely to be excreted in breast milk.
The principle with benzodiazepines remains the same: you should attempt to make small adjustments if you have several options that are chemically similar, depending on what specific condition is being treated.

Skickas fr

Hi everyone. During my checkup yesterday, my therapist mentioned that a brand-new antidepressant is hitting the market soon. She didn't give me the name or the manufacturer, but apparently, there's a presentation scheduled for next week. They’re already calling it some kind of "breakthrough drug," which made me chuckle. I did ask her if it had actually been through human clinical trials yet 🤣 So, it looks like we'll have more new chemistry entering our lives quite soon
Supposedly, it's going to be a miracle, haha
By Monday, I'll have been on Lexapro for three weeks
I felt much better last Friday, Saturday, and Sunday—so good, in fact, that I didn't feel any need to take my Helix at all. I was actually feeling optimistic, but then Monday afternoon hit me with a sudden wave of panic and fever, so of course, I had to take it. I skipped the Helix today, but we'll see how it goes
The Lexapro seems to be helping with the dizziness, but I've started experiencing those same side effects I had when I was tapering off Seroxat. My doctor suggested I stay on one tablet a day for now, but if things don't improve, she might suggest dropping back down to a half dose. It's possible my current dosage is too high; she noted that the effect of 5 mg on anxiety is nearly identical, though the side effects might subside. I've also been dealing with occasional involuntary muscle movements, which is something you'd realistically expect if you're sensitive to these meds. We'll wait and see before making a decision
I told her that if the Lexapro doesn't work for what she's treating, I'd rather not jump onto another antidepressant. She pointed out that there are millions of options on the market and a replacement can always be found, but she cautioned against jumping to conclusions since it's too early to judge the full impact of this medication
I just hope I can get back to feeling how I felt for those few days

shadowfox75 said:Hi everyone. During my checkup yesterday, my therapist mentioned that a brand-new antidepressant is hitting the market soon. She didn't give me the name or the manufacturer, but apparently, there's a presentation scheduled for next week. They’re already calling it some kind of "breakthrough drug," which made me chuckle. I did ask her if it had actually been through human clinical trials yet 🤣 So, it looks like we'll have more new chemistry entering our lives quite soon
Supposedly, it's going to be a miracle, haha
By Monday, I'll have been on Lexapro for three weeks
I felt much better last Friday, Saturday, and Sunday—so good, in fact, that I didn't feel any need to take my Helix at all. I was actually feeling optimistic, but then Monday afternoon hit me with a sudden wave of panic and fever, so of course, I had to take it. I skipped the Helix today, but we'll see how it goes
The Lexapro seems to be helping with the dizziness, but I've started experiencing those same side effects I had when I was tapering off Seroxat. My doctor suggested I stay on one tablet a day for now, but if things don't improve, she might suggest dropping back down to a half dose. It's possible my current dosage is too high; she noted that the effect of 5 mg on anxiety is nearly identical, though the side effects might subside. I've also been dealing with occasional involuntary muscle movements, which is something you'd realistically expect if you're sensitive to these meds. We'll wait and see before making a decision
I told her that if the Lexapro doesn't work for what she's treating, I'd rather not jump onto another antidepressant. She pointed out that there are millions of options on the market and a replacement can always be found, but she cautioned against jumping to conclusions since it's too early to judge the full impact of this medication
I just hope I can get back to feeling how I felt for those few days

Stik, I honestly think the Lexapro started working right when you felt better for those couple of days. That's usually how it plays out—you get a few good days, then everything crashes again, and it's just a slow crawl toward getting out of this hole. You start cycling through better and worse days, and eventually, the good ones start outnumbering the bad. It's a snail's pace, but it's progress. It's been the same for me. I was doing great for a month, now I'm back in the trenches, but my psychiatrist says there's no reason to freak out because it's totally normal and things will stabilize eventually.
As for those side effects, that sounds incredibly annoying, but I'm sure your doctor knows how to manage that stuff.

Jeremy Scott said:Unfortunately, that's a common trend. Some patients refuse to do any actual work on themselves. They just want a pill to solve everything, then they act surprised when the panic attacks never actually stop.

Quincy:

If you take Lorazepam exactly as your doctor prescribed, it won't damage your brain. Lorazepam isn't a street drug; it's a legitimate medication with specific medical uses. It should only be taken and dosed under strict physician supervision. Ignoring anxiety does massive damage to the body and all its organs. Long-term, it can lead to serious, debilitating illnesses.

So I guess I'm some kind of medical anomaly and my psychiatrist lied to me.
I might go sue them. Maybe I'll hit a big settlement.

Drugs like Lorazepam and xanax are nothing more than standard narcotics that create incredibly strong dependencies. I know because I felt it myself while detoxing from Lorazepam. Those three days were pure hell.

People take these medications because they don't have the tools to manage their own panic attacks. The ultimate goal is to teach the patient how to fight back against the panic on their own.

People take meds because they have to, and scaring folks with this kind of misinformation is totally out of line. These aren't just recreational drugs—not Xanax or Lorazepam. Statements like yours just hurt people who are trying to claw their way out of the hell of an illness where they need temporary medication to survive.
I honestly don't know what kind of psychiatrist you're seeing to let them say stuff like that, though maybe it's not even their fault and you're just totally misinterpreting what they were actually trying to tell you.
Obviously, stuff like Lorazepam, Xanax, Ativan, and whatever else shouldn't be taken long-term because everyone KNOWS they cause dependency, which is why they have to be strictly monitored by a doctor. But it's the same deal with other meds, like blood pressure pills or stuff for stomach issues. Did you know you also can't just quit ulcer medication cold turkey? You have to taper off those too. By your logic, would you suggest people just don't take those either because they cause "dependency"?
Anyone taking medication under the supervision of a competent, professional doctor shouldn't be living in fear. For someone like that, the medicine is there to help them manage the struggle, not to create even more problems.
Lorazepam DOES NOT damage your brain if it's taken short-term and following a doctor's orders.
Sure, damage can happen if someone overuses them or uses them inappropriately. That's exactly why doctors exist—to guide patients through the hell of an illness toward recovery. Eventually, with psychotherapy, a patient learns how to handle their condition and gain control, at which point they might not even need the meds anymore, or they might just need a low maintenance dose. And we're talking about antidepressants for that, not benzodiazepines, which don't cause that same dependency.

Stik, seriously, why don't you just ask your therapist what that new ad is actually called? I'm dying to know...

David Jackson22 said:Stik, I honestly think the Lexapro started working right when you felt better for those couple of days. That's usually how it plays out—you get a few good days, then everything crashes again, and it's just a slow crawl toward getting out of this hole. You start cycling through better and worse days, and eventually, the good ones start outnumbering the bad. It's a snail's pace, but it's progress. It's been the same for me. I was doing great for a month, now I'm back in the trenches, but my psychiatrist says there's no reason to freak out because it's totally normal and things will stabilize eventually.
As for those side effects, that sounds incredibly annoying, but I'm sure your doctor knows how to manage that stuff.

I hope so. Let's hope your optimism is well-founded.
I am also hoping this marks a turning point. Panic attacks are terrible. I wouldn't wish them on anyone, but if things improve, I'll be thrilled. I'm starting psychotherapy now, so we'll see how that goes. It all feels a bit like a lottery. :-)

David Jackson22 said:People take meds because they have to, and scaring folks with this kind of misinformation is totally out of line. These aren't just recreational drugs—not Xanax or Lorazepam. Statements like yours just hurt people who are trying to claw their way out of the hell of an illness where they need temporary medication to survive.
I honestly don't know what kind of psychiatrist you're seeing to let them say stuff like that, though maybe it's not even their fault and you're just totally misinterpreting what they were actually trying to tell you.
Obviously, stuff like Lorazepam, Xanax, Ativan, and whatever else shouldn't be taken long-term because everyone KNOWS they cause dependency, which is why they have to be strictly monitored by a doctor. But it's the same deal with other meds, like blood pressure pills or stuff for stomach issues. Did you know you also can't just quit ulcer medication cold turkey? You have to taper off those too. By your logic, would you suggest people just don't take those either because they cause "dependency"?
Anyone taking medication under the supervision of a competent, professional doctor shouldn't be living in fear. For someone like that, the medicine is there to help them manage the struggle, not to create even more problems.
Lorazepam DOES NOT damage your brain if it's taken short-term and following a doctor's orders.
Sure, damage can happen if someone overuses them or uses them inappropriately. That's exactly why doctors exist—to guide patients through the hell of an illness toward recovery. Eventually, with psychotherapy, a patient learns how to handle their condition and gain control, at which point they might not even need the meds anymore, or they might just need a low maintenance dose. And we're talking about antidepressants for that, not benzodiazepines, which don't cause that same dependency.

I am not sure who you think you are arguing with or which specific part of my posts you find inaccurate.
My memory was impaired by Lorazepam, and that is a fact confirmed by a specialist.
At no point did I say anxiolytics should never be taken.

I suspect you are reacting aggressively just to mask your own weaknesses.

Panic can be overcome without anxiolytics. Anyone can do it. Some people just prefer an instant fix for all of life's problems.
Why bother working on yourself when there is a pill 🙄

Jeremy Scott said:I am not sure who you think you are arguing with or which specific part of my posts you find inaccurate.
My memory was impaired by Lorazepam, and that is a fact confirmed by a specialist.
At no point did I say anxiolytics should never be taken.

I suspect you are reacting aggressively just to mask your own weaknesses.

Panic can be overcome without anxiolytics. Anyone can do it. Some people just prefer an instant fix for all of life's problems.
Why bother working on yourself when there is a pill 🙄

See, I get the feeling you're just out here throwing hate at anyone taking meds without consequences, just because things went south for you. Besides, looking at what I bolded, did you even ever take anything? 🍿

Brandon Lopez6 said:See, I get the feeling you're just out here throwing hate at anyone taking meds without consequences, just because things went south for you. Besides, looking at what I bolded, did you even ever take anything? 🍿

It’s not my fault you’re misinterpreting everything. I doubt you even read the whole thing.

I'm done here. I can't help you anymore.

Jeremy Scott said:Unfortunately, that's a common trend. Some patients refuse to do any actual work on themselves. They just want a pill to solve everything, then they act surprised when the panic attacks never actually stop.

Quincy:

If you take Lorazepam exactly as your doctor prescribed, it won't damage your brain. Lorazepam isn't a street drug; it's a legitimate medication with specific medical uses. It should only be taken and dosed under strict physician supervision. Ignoring anxiety does massive damage to the body and all its organs. Long-term, it can lead to serious, debilitating illnesses.

So I guess I'm some kind of medical anomaly and my psychiatrist lied to me.
I might go sue them. Maybe I'll hit a big settlement.

Drugs like Lorazepam and xanax are nothing more than standard narcotics that create incredibly strong dependencies. I know because I felt it myself while detoxing from Lorazepam. Those three days were pure hell.

People take these medications because they don't have the tools to manage their own panic attacks. The ultimate goal is to teach the patient how to fight back against the panic on their own.

I have to disagree here; I’ve been taking Xanax for years, at one point consuming three 0.5mg pills every single day, but after tapering down, I now take either 0.5mg or nothing at all, and I don't feel a single thing like what people are describing here... absolutely nothing. In fact, I didn't even taper gradually; I just jumped from 1.5mg to 0.75mg overnight, and now I just take a 0.5mg dose occasionally when needed.

Jeremy Scott said:It’s not my fault you’re misinterpreting everything. I doubt you even read the whole thing.

I'm done here. I can't help you anymore.

Was the question really that complicated?

I'm sorry, but I can't make it any simpler than that.

Has anyone here experimented with melatonin to help catch some shut-eye? I'm curious if it actually delivers on its promises, and more importantly, whether it’s safe to mix into the cocktail of other psychiatric medications I'm currently navigating.

Well... both the extended-release version and the 3 mg Kalov. Don't waste your money. It might have been more effective if you hadn't relied on sleep aids in the first place.

shadowfox75 said:I hope so. Let's hope your optimism is well-founded.
I am also hoping this marks a turning point. Panic attacks are terrible. I wouldn't wish them on anyone, but if things improve, I'll be thrilled. I'm starting psychotherapy now, so we'll see how that goes. It all feels a bit like a lottery. :-)

It will work out fine 🙂 though I suspect the effects are quite gradual.

Let me know if you find out any more details about this new medication.

Sent from my

Mark Nelson said:I heard that benzodiazepines mess with your brain and cognitive skills, and honestly, it terrified me. I don't even know about painkillers for teeth or headaches; maybe they do damage too, I guess.

I could feel the anxiety starting to creep in, so I took something preventatively before it really hit me. Maybe I shouldn't be so quick to reach for a pill, maybe I should wait it out, but then I’m just miserable, and if I wait until later, it doesn't even matter—it's the same result.

Everyone tells me to focus on other stuff—read more, play music, stay busy, just "do something" and it'll pass. But it's not that simple. When the anxiety hits, it just swallows me whole. I just end up playing the same loop in my head over and over, praying to God that it passes, just this one more time.
I just can't function when it happens.

I get everything you're saying—when it hurts, it hurts—but I'm still scared of those benzos. Is anxiety just as bad for the brain as the medication itself?
It's all a bit confusing, I guess.

I struggle with anxiety too, and believe me, I know how paralyzing and draining it can be. I didn't seek treatment at first, and it dragged me straight to rock bottom—total physical exhaustion. Once my body finally gave in after being under long-term stress, everything fell apart: insomnia, weight loss... just pure chaos in my head. Now, I'm on Effexor and I'm functioning really well. I'm in college, tackling a pretty brutal curriculum, and passing my exams. I used to sleep terribly before stressful periods, barely anything at all, but now I can actually get a solid 6 or 7 hours of sleep. The anxiety isn't raging like it used to; it's still there, but it's manageable. Leaving your body to suffer without treatment for a long time is basically suicide for your system. If you haven't been through it, you won't understand. For me, herbal remedies and things like melatonon didn't help at all—they were like Tic Tacs. So, you see, you have to actually do something to stabilize yourself. As for the benzos, they calm me down completely—that mellow sense of peace. However, I have noticed my memory slips a bit, probably due to the sedation, though it could be the underlying issue too. I definitely avoid them before exams. Don't overtax your brain trying to figure out exactly how every drug works; it doesn't help the healing process. We're all different, and no two people react to the same medication in the same way.

So, I finally got my hands on the pharmacologist's report. It’s like three whole pages of jargon, but honestly, who has the time? I’m just gonna dump the conclusion right here and see what you guys think:

If the psychiatrist thinks medication is absolutely necessary to manage the patient's panic attacks, I’d suggest either Mirtazapine (categorized as B3 under standard US classifications) or Escitalopram—since the patient has already used this SSRI before and it kept things under control. Just a heads-up though: both Mirtazapine and Escitalopram can lead to withdrawal symptoms in newborns, and with SSRIs, there’s also a risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension. If the mother's clinical situation allows for it, these meds should be tapered off gradually during the final stage of pregnancy. For benzodiazepines, I’d recommend Diazepam, and even then, only at the lowest possible dose, strictly as needed. As for the usual risk of congenital anomalies—which sits around 1-3% in our population—using Mirtazapine, Escitalopram, or Diazepam shouldn't bump those numbers up any higher.

Kimberly Morris said:So, I finally got my hands on the pharmacologist's report. It’s like three whole pages of jargon, but honestly, who has the time? I’m just gonna dump the conclusion right here and see what you guys think:

If the psychiatrist thinks medication is absolutely necessary to manage the patient's panic attacks, I’d suggest either Mirtazapine (categorized as B3 under standard US classifications) or Escitalopram—since the patient has already used this SSRI before and it kept things under control. Just a heads-up though: both Mirtazapine and Escitalopram can lead to withdrawal symptoms in newborns, and with SSRIs, there’s also a risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension. If the mother's clinical situation allows for it, these meds should be tapered off gradually during the final stage of pregnancy. For benzodiazepines, I’d recommend Diazepam, and even then, only at the lowest possible dose, strictly as needed. As for the usual risk of congenital anomalies—which sits around 1-3% in our population—using Mirtazapine, Escitalopram, or Diazepam shouldn't bump those numbers up any higher.

Not much to say here. According to the pharmacologist, there are certain specific potential side effects for the baby you're carrying if you take the meds. And I mean POTENTIAL, not guaranteed. Personally? I think it's better to take the pills than to subject a kid to the constant stress of your panic attacks, which is definitely going to affect them—stop with the "maybe" stuff. To comfort you, my sister took diazepam—basically like taking Xanax or something similar—throughout her entire pregnancy just to relax her muscles and prevent contractions, and today I have a healthy, normal, happy three-year-old niece. So if you ask me, forget what we think; just listen to the doctors. They're the ones who matter.

I’ve seen plenty of women on these forums who were taking both antidepressants and anti-anxiety meds while pregnant, and they all say the same thing—they had perfectly healthy babies. Like, totally fine, healthy kids. Everything looks great on paper: perfect health scores, hitting all the milestones, sleeping through the night, eating well... you name it. But how are we supposed to know if that same kid isn't going to run into issues down the road because of those meds their mom was on? Honestly, I'm terrified, and I'm just constantly fighting this internal battle about it.

restlesstrucker15 said:It will work out fine 🙂 though I suspect the effects are quite gradual.

Let me know if you find out any more details about this new medication.

Sent from my

Just got a text from my therapist—apparently the drug is called Brintellix, which falls under the vortioxetine category. That’s basically all I know so far.🙂