Psychotropic medication discussion thread

Kimberly Morris said:Day 27 on Zoloft and honestly? Nothing. It’s actually getting worse. A few days ago I even bumped up to the full 50 mg pill.
I feel like I’m poisoning myself and my kid, and I’m literally praying every single day for some kind of relief, but... nothing. Zip. Zero.
My psychiatrist keeps insisting things will eventually turn a corner... Okay, fine, maybe I just need more time to feel human again, but the fact that I don't feel even a tiny bit better yet is absolutely killing me.

Maybe ask her if she can prescribe something else to help you bridge the gap while you wait for this to kick in... I am so incredibly sorry you're going through this nightmare right now. 😢 Hang in there!

I’m really liking this Fevarin, but man, it’s definitely a bit of a splurge...

Eric Mitchell55 said:I’m really liking this Fevarin, but man, it’s definitely a bit of a splurge...

Pricey? Are you kidding me? I managed to snag mine for next to nothing...

restlesstiger49 said:Pricey? Are you kidding me? I managed to snag mine for next to nothing...

I paid $20... 🤔

Maybe prices jumped up in the meantime. I wouldn’t be surprised, honestly, given how this country is falling apart lately. You can't even afford to be "crazy" without getting hit by a bill. 🤣

Exactly. Honestly, I feel like they’re just trying to drive me up the wall at this point...

I guess I'm just a veggie now. Or maybe I'm just tired of the meat sweats. Honestly, after that steakhouse run last week, my stomach was basically staging a full-scale protest. Might be time to lean into the salads and see if things settle down. kaže:
Thanks, hun... but I actually work in the medical field, so I know my way around this stuff. Add a little bit of hypochondria to the mix, throw in an elevated liver tumor marker, and—boom—there goes my sanity. 🤦
I’ve been on Calixtu for three years now, but I only take half the lowest dose. On top of that, I’m taking 4g of Sanval and some Valium. It doesn't seem like much, so I figured adding AP wouldn't hurt. Last night, I tried a tiny piece—maybe 25mg, since it's such a pain to break off—but it didn't knock me out at all. So, I just took my usual rotation: the Sanval and the Calixtu. Honestly? I slept pretty poorly, and waking up this morning was a total struggle. I’m just pissed at myself. I really just want to function like a normal person. 🙂

What’s up with your stomach? I deal with that stuff on and off, usually just popping some Nexium to settle things down. Same goes for my blood pressure and those laxatives—I end up taking way too much throughout the day. My liver tests have been fine so far, but I’ve got another round of bloodwork scheduled for next week to check my markers. Are you finally tapering off the Amizol? Is it actually bothering you, or are you feeling alright?

Man, I'm sorry. 😢

So, I've started packing on the pounds like crazy. I'm sitting at about 45 pounds heavier than I was just a year and a half ago. Seriously, this has gotta stop now.

Is there any kind of pick-me-up I don't have to take daily, but can just grab whenever I'm hitting rock bottom? I'm currently on Prozac (I need to hurry, because they bumped the price from $30 to $17, and this tiny little box only lasts me a week...) and 100mg of Paxil to help me sleep. It feels like I'm sinking more often lately for no apparent reason, so if there’s anything out there that could lift my spirits—something proven that I could tell my therapist I'd like to try—I would really appreciate it 🙂

Eric Mitchell55 said:I’m really liking this Fevarin, but man, it’s definitely a bit of a splurge...

What makes it work so well for you? I'm looking for a newer generation antidepressant that helps with insomnia without being known for causing weight gain. I'm on Zoloft right now, but it just isn't cutting it for me.
I'd love to hear from anyone who actually knows their stuff about this.

I might have phrased my last question a bit clumsily. I'm currently taking Prozac for anxiety and depression, but I'm also struggling with constant insomnia and staying up way too late. Since I can't be taking any more sleep aids at this point, could switching my medication help with the sleeplessness?

steeltrucker3 said:I might have phrased my last question a bit clumsily. I'm currently taking Prozac for anxiety and depression, but I'm also struggling with constant insomnia and staying up way too late. Since I can't be taking any more sleep aids at this point, could switching my medication help with the sleeplessness?

So, I also deal with anxiety and depression, and for the last few years (or however long this stretch has lasted), I've had non-stop issues getting to sleep—it’s like my brain just refuses to "shut off" at night, and then in the morning, it just "flips on" before I even open my eyes, whether it's 4:00 or 5:00 AM, and I just can't drift back off.

I've actually been on Nexium (which is agomelatine) for about a month now, and it's a newer type of antidepressant that doesn't really fit into any of the "classic" categories.
You might want to look into it a bit; you take it right before bed because it stimulates melatonin receptors, so besides being an antidepressant, it actually helps with insomnia by helping normalize your sleep cycle. It's primarily for clinical depression, but it helps with anxiety too. Of course, just like with any medication, everyone's experience is totally different—it works wonders for some and does nothing for others.

In my case, since starting this therapy, I haven't dealt with panic attacks or even those heavy "lows" in my mood, and I honestly sleep like a baby. I'm actually working on tapering off my anti-anxiety meds now, so I'm hoping waking up in the morning will get even easier (since I'm still on a moderate-to-high nightly dose). Naturally, I won't know for sure how the anxiety holds up once I'm strictly on the antidepressant alone, but I'm feeling pretty optimistic that it'll be fine.

The only downside is that it's a bit pricey, roughly around $33 for a box of 28, and you take one tablet a day. But personally, I think it's worth every penny. Oh, and from what I can tell, it doesn't seem to cause weight gain or increased appetite, which is a huge plus.

Thanks, I'll look into this and follow up if I have questions. $33 Is the prescription covered under my supplemental insurance plan?

steeltrucker3 said:Thanks, I'll look into this and follow up if I have questions. $33 Is the prescription covered under my supplemental insurance plan?

I don't actually carry supplemental insurance myself, but from what I gather, I think the price would end up being about the same anyway.

Jason Vaughn482 said:So, you aren't taking anything else alongside it? Fine, I suppose I will give it a shot tonight. To be honest, my fear of pharmaceuticals has always been a point of contention with my previous doctor, so I’ve transitioned to a younger male psychiatrist for a change of pace. He has a private practice outside of the major hospital networks, which feels much more manageable and convenient... thank you, I will report back with my initial reactions. Like you, I do eventually get seven hours of sleep, but my struggle lies in the agonizing hours spent tossing and turning before I finally drift off; if I hit the pillow at 11:00 PM, I won't actually fall asleep until 2:00 AM, which completely wrecks my entire biological rhythm.

P.S. Do you monitor your liver enzymes and blood sugar levels after starting Qviba? I'm wondering if those labs stay within a normal range for you.

Oh, and just to clarify—I haven't noticed any negative changes or side effects since starting the Q-pin.🙂

Jason Vaughn482 said:I appreciate the sentiment, dear... but I happen to have a medical background, which gives me a certain level of insight—not to mention my penchant for hypochondria and the fact that my liver tumor markers came back elevated, so naturally, the anxiety has set in.🤦
I’ve been taking Calixta for three years, though I strictly stick to half of the minimum prescribed dose; I also take Sanval at 4mg alongside Xanax, so my regimen isn't exactly light. When I decided to add an AP last night—I only took a tiny fragment, maybe 25mg, though the pill is notoriously difficult to split—it didn't do a thing to help me sleep. I ended up taking my usual combination of Sanval and Calixta instead, and I must say, it was a miserable night. Waking up this morning felt like dragging myself through sludge, and I'm just incredibly frustrated with myself; I just want to feel like a functioning human being again.🙂

What kind of stomach issues are you dealing with? I deal with them occasionally myself, usually reaching for some Prilosec, and I use laxatives too if things get backed up during the day... but so far, my liver enzymes have stayed within range. I'm scheduled to go back in two weeks for more bloodwork and to check those markers again. By the way, when are you planning to taper off the Amyzol? How are you feeling—is it bothering you, or are you doing alright?

If you pop 100 mg of Quetiapine, you’ll be out cold in about 30 minutes—just straight sleep without any tossing and turning. Honestly, skip the Ambien and the Xanax; you really shouldn't be mixing three different sleep aids at once.😒

How much does aspirin actually help with anxiety?

I find myself increasingly weary of this incessant, droning chatter that permeates these digital corridors. It feels as though we are all just circling the same drain, offering nothing but hollow echoes of thoughts already exhausted by better minds. One begins to wonder if the very concept of meaningful discourse hasn't been rendered obsolete by this relentless tide of mediocrity. It is quite frankly exhausting to witness. kaže:
If you pop a 100 mg Quetiapine, you’ll be out like a light within thirty minutes and stay under until morning—no tossing, no turning, just pure, uninterrupted slumber. Honestly, you might as well toss that Ambien and the Xanax straight into the trash; there is absolutely no sense in playing chemist with three different sleep aids when one heavy hitter does the job perfectly well.😒

No, let us be clear: not everyone uses these medications solely for sleep. For instance, my doctor prescribed Lexapro to manage my anxiety, specifically at the 15 mg dosage, though I typically opt for a mere 7.5 mg because taking it alongside my sleep aid tends to knock me out entirely. As for Xanax, I certainly don't touch that at night; I save it strictly for daytime use when the need arises. Depending on how intense my current phase of agitation is, I might take anywhere from 0.5 mg to 1.5 mg—it all depends on the severity of the moment.
I haven't touched a single dose of my oxycodone—neither the 100s nor the 50s—since that last incident. I’m holding steady because I have to undergo a K-segment extraction, so I’ve decided to hold off on everything until Friday. 🤔

Well, I must admit, a certain sense of relief has finally settled over me now that you’ve confirmed all your medical results came back clean. It is truly a weight off my shoulders to hear that everything is looking normal on your end. 👍

coppereagle3 said:How much does aspirin actually help with anxiety?

Well, before I finally got my "official" diagnosis (anxiety and depression), I had been taking AktivinH on my own for about eight weeks. Honestly, I wasn't expecting any miracles from it, but after just two weeks, I started noticing that I felt generally a bit more level-headed—which, back then, felt like a massive win—and that little shift really helped ease both my anxiety and my depressive moods.

By the third week on AktivinH, I hadn't experienced a single panic attack, whereas they had been hitting me pretty frequently for about a year and a half prior, regardless of how intense they were.

After finishing my initial eight-week stretch of AktivinH, I finally went in for a checkup, and my doctor immediately switched me over to a standard prescription antidepressant because she felt AktivinH was just too mild for what I was dealing with. Even so, it still provided some relief, so overall, my experience with it was quite positive.

Since I definitely went through that "I can handle this all by myself" phase, my best advice would be to please go see a doctor if you haven't already. It was such a hard step for me to take, and I put it off way longer than I should have until things got pretty dark, so looking back, I really wish I’d just reached out for professional help sooner.

There is one other thing to keep in mind, especially since summer is right around the corner: AktivinH (specifically the hypericin in it) is phototoxic. This means being out in the sun can cause things like rashes, allergic reactions, or even vision issues in some cases. The pharmacists were really careful to warn me whenever I bought it, and the last one actually suggested I stop taking it before summer hit, particularly since my job requires me to spend a lot of time outdoors.

If you have any other questions, feel free to shoot me a private message!

Jason Sanchez3 said:Yeah, but everyone here makes it sound so casual, like taking meds is just part of a normal routine...

How long do people actually stay on them, and when do you finally stop?

Go talk to a real doctor. Don't listen to the amateur herbalists on this forum.

steeltrucker3 said:What makes it work so well for you? I'm looking for a newer generation antidepressant that helps with insomnia without being known for causing weight gain. I'm on Zoloft right now, but it just isn't cutting it for me.
I'd love to hear from anyone who actually knows their stuff about this.

Faverin is solid for sleep because it acts as an anxiolytic, even though it's technically an SSRI just like Zoloft or Prozac. It has this mild sedative effect, so most people take it at night before hitting the hay.

I was prescribed it for anxiety and insomnia. For the first few months, I was also taking a tiny dose of Mirzaten—which works as a histamine blocker at low doses, helping you pass out—but now I'm just on Faverin, maybe taking a 1/6th dose of Mirzaten once a week if I really need to sleep.

Faverin is a great option for anxiety, intrusive thoughts, and insomnia. It actually managed to quiet down my hyperactive brain and make it somewhat tolerable. 😁