Psychotropic medication discussion thread

Robert Collins2 said:IT’S A FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL, plain and simple. There isn't any bigger goal than just staying alive. I wasn't about to let myself end up in a cemetery when I was only 25 years old, as simple as that...

But why did you want to take your own life in the first place?
I don't get it...🤷

Oh God, does someone really need a specific reason to feel suicidal? 🤷

Robert Collins2 said:Alventa is basically the same thing as "my" Effexor. It’s easily one of the heavy hitters on the market right now—what they call fourth-generation antidepressants because of that dual action mechanism. You want me to shoot you over some info on it? I've got a little write-up, though it's in English.

How long have you been on Effexor, and how are you actually feeling? How much longer do you have to take it? I don't have my follow-up appointment until next week, but I feel okay for now. I was dealing with some senseless depression—f39 episodes of choking sensations, mood swings, and just being tearful. When I got worked up, I even felt this urge to cough... nothing interested me, I had no desire to go anywhere, and I couldn't sleep at night...
Nowadays, I'd say everything is mostly back to how it should be, I guess. I get a bit more bored during the day, but then again, I sleep great at night, provided I take 0.25 Xanax along with a quarter of a Klonopin before bed...
The only downside I've noticed is that it takes me "longer" to get aroused during sex, but from what I've read, plenty of people deal with that. I'm just not sure how much time it takes for that kind of "blockage" to eventually clear up...

Dammit, why am I even asking if I wanted to end it all? It’s like, honestly, such a stupid question. Like, hello? Doesn't anyone realize that depression - the invisible killer comes with suicidal thoughts and attempts baked right in? It’s basic math at this point... about 60% of suicides are people dealing with depression.

slywolf11 said:How long have you been on Effexor, and how are you actually feeling? How much longer do you have to take it? I don't have my follow-up appointment until next week, but I feel okay for now. I was dealing with some senseless depression—f39 episodes of choking sensations, mood swings, and just being tearful. When I got worked up, I even felt this urge to cough... nothing interested me, I had no desire to go anywhere, and I couldn't sleep at night...
Nowadays, I'd say everything is mostly back to how it should be, I guess. I get a bit more bored during the day, but then again, I sleep great at night, provided I take 0.25 Xanax along with a quarter of a Klonopin before bed...
The only downside I've noticed is that it takes me "longer" to get aroused during sex, but from what I've read, plenty of people deal with that. I'm just not sure how much time it takes for that kind of "blockage" to eventually clear up...

I've been on it since October 17, 2009.🙂

I don't know how you're dosing it, but I take 37.5 mg twice a day. I haven't had any side effects at all, not even on the sexual side, haha. Honestly, I started feeling things turn around for the better by the third day of therapy.

So, what else are you taking with it?

Robert Collins2 said:Dammit, why am I even asking if I wanted to end it all? It’s like, honestly, such a stupid question. Like, hello? Doesn't anyone realize that depression - the invisible killer comes with suicidal thoughts and attempts baked right in? It’s basic math at this point... about 60% of suicides are people dealing with depression.

Look, you didn't just fall into depression out of nowhere,
you mentioned having some trauma.
That’s what I meant.

But anyway, never mind.

The main thing is that you're doing better now.
🙂

Oops, totally slipped my mind—I forgot to mention the Xanax and Klonopin... 🙂

Larry Howard8 said:Look, you didn't just fall into depression out of nowhere,
you mentioned having some trauma.
That’s what I meant.

But anyway, never mind.

The main thing is that you're doing better now.
🙂

Nah, I didn't, and clearly you didn't either, because something about your whole vibe and everything going on around you just isn't adding up...

Robert Collins2 said:Nah, I didn't, and clearly you didn't either, because something about your whole vibe and everything going on around you just isn't adding up...

Yeah, honestly? I’ve been unhappy with myself and my life for years now.
I try to push it all down for a while,
but once I hit my limit, everything just falls apart on me.

Robert Collins2 said:Oops, totally slipped my mind—I forgot to mention the Xanax and Klonopin... 🙂

Yeah, my current routine is 0.25mg of Xanax plus 75mg of Effexor in the morning, then 0.25mg of Xanax and a quarter of a Klonopin at night. Getting decent sleep is really the priority here, since I need to stop those episodes where I just lie there staring at the ceiling in the middle of the night, stuck in some endless loop of overthinking... which usually just makes everything feel worse. I suppose I'm just not entirely sure how long these kinds of medication regimens are supposed to last. This is actually my first time ever seeing a psychiatrist, so I guess I got a little overwhelmed and didn't ask all the questions I probably should have. It feels a bit easier to just "talk" through things with people like you guys... any insight or experience would be appreciated.

Look, it’s all different for everyone, I get that, but you’ve gotta prepare yourself for months of meds and therapy sessions. My plan is to taper off the Helix in about two weeks, but then I’m looking at a solid six-month stretch of staying on Luvox and Effexor just to stay ahead of things. Dealing with depression - the invisible killer requires a massive amount of patience and some serious soul-searching work...

Check out this interesting stuff from an article by Ozren Podnar, Depression - the invisible killer, in Health Magazine:

What you actually need to know about depression
- depression is basically a malfunction in the parts of your brain that handle mood regulation
- there’s definitely a genetic component to why some people are more prone to it than others
- being depressed doesn't mean you're "crazy" or losing your mind
- it isn't just someone being spoiled or acting out for attention
- you can't just "willpower" your way out of it or decide to be happy through sheer effort
- it's not a lifestyle choice
- it isn't caused by just having a "negative mindset"
- there is no such thing as "unjustified" or "baseless" depression
- you can fall into a depressive episode even if nothing stressful is happening in your life
- both medication and psychotherapy are effective ways to fight it
- generally, the more severe or long-lasting the depression, the more effective meds tend to be compared to talk therapy alone

Larry Howard8 said:I'm not talking about skipping days; I've been on them daily for two years now.
I am seeing a therapist.
It’s just frustrating because the increased dosage hasn't really kicked in yet.
🤷

Man, I totally feel you. It’s like I’m living it myself... when my doctor bumped my Zoloft up to 100mg, nothing happened at first. My therapist eventually suggested I take an extra half pill, so now I'm just sitting here praying it actually works. I'm starting to get hit with this massive wave of panic that nothing is ever going to help, and honestly, I just really wanted to be through this whole mess a few months ago...

My therapist mentioned things should start looking up once spring hits and the weather gets nice, and maybe then we can talk about tapering down if everything stays steady...🙂

Since you've been on the increased dose for about 13 days now, just try to hang in there a little longer...🙂

coastalowl7 said:Man, I totally feel you. It’s like I’m living it myself... when my doctor bumped my Zoloft up to 100mg, nothing happened at first. My therapist eventually suggested I take an extra half pill, so now I'm just sitting here praying it actually works. I'm starting to get hit with this massive wave of panic that nothing is ever going to help, and honestly, I just really wanted to be through this whole mess a few months ago...

My therapist mentioned things should start looking up once spring hits and the weather gets nice, and maybe then we can talk about tapering down if everything stays steady...🙂

Since you've been on the increased dose for about 13 days now, just try to hang in there a little longer...🙂

I've been on it for two weeks now. Hopefully, it kicks in soon.

I hope so.

Robert Collins2 said:I ended up hitting a massive serotonin storm after taking way too much Zoloft, which pretty much led to a suicide attempt. I’m doing okay now, thank God, but honestly, it pisses me off how many indifferent, incompetent psychiatrists are out there. They can look a potential suicide victim right in the face and just screw them over without even blinking. In my opinion, they should have their licenses stripped and be thrown straight into prison. Absolute bottom-feeders.

Man, that sounds terrifying. How much Prozac were you on at the time...

Larry Howard8 said:I've been on it for two weeks now. Hopefully, it kicks in soon.

I hope so.

It’s super likely it’ll kick in. I was on a lower dose for months and when nothing changed, I switched to a higher one, so give this increased dosage some actual time to start working its magic.

I totally get where you're coming from. I spent some time reading through your posts and honestly, I'm in a really similar boat. This is my first time ever being on a dose this high, so I started getting pretty anxious about it. I kept wondering why the smaller dose worked fine before, but now even this much doesn't seem to be hitting the spot. My psychiatrist told me not to freak out—it's not like I've become "resistant" to the meds or anything, it's just about finding that chemical balance in my brain. Basically, I just need more support right now, and that doesn't necessarily mean I'll be stuck on this level forever...

coastalowl7 said:It’s super likely it’ll kick in. I was on a lower dose for months and when nothing changed, I switched to a higher one, so give this increased dosage some actual time to start working its magic.

I totally get where you're coming from. I spent some time reading through your posts and honestly, I'm in a really similar boat. This is my first time ever being on a dose this high, so I started getting pretty anxious about it. I kept wondering why the smaller dose worked fine before, but now even this much doesn't seem to be hitting the spot. My psychiatrist told me not to freak out—it's not like I've become "resistant" to the meds or anything, it's just about finding that chemical balance in my brain. Basically, I just need more support right now, and that doesn't necessarily mean I'll be stuck on this level forever...

I’ve been on it for a long time, and honestly, it’s always helped me out,
so I’m really hoping it won't let me down this time either.
The instructions say it can take anywhere from two to six weeks to start working.

So, there’s still plenty of hope.
🙂

Back when I went through the same crisis three years ago,
it took me a full two months before I finally felt things leveling out.
Mind you, I was only on 75 mg back then.
But hey, we aren't giving up.
I really hope it starts working for you soon!

👍

Larry Howard8 said:I’ve been on it for a long time, and honestly, it’s always helped me out,
so I’m really hoping it won't let me down this time either.
The instructions say it can take anywhere from two to six weeks to start working.

So, there’s still plenty of hope.
🙂

Back when I went through the same crisis three years ago,
it took me a full two months before I finally felt things leveling out.
Mind you, I was only on 75 mg back then.
But hey, we aren't giving up.
I really hope it starts working for you soon!

👍

I’m in the same boat, been on it forever too. My therapist mentioned that since I’m already on a steady dose, upping it might actually kick in a little faster than starting from scratch. It hasn't failed me yet, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it stays that way...😉

It’s all gonna be fine, I just need to make it through these next few days...🙂

Robert Collins2 said:Before I started on Zoloft, I wasn't taking anything at all...

Gary Thompson6, you didn't just "make this up" in your head, and neither did I—you're dealing with a CLINICAL ILLNESS, okay? Understand me?

Look, I get that it's a clinical condition, but it still stems from how we process things and how we think.☕ I used to deal with panic attacks, but once I actually sat down and applied some logic to them, they just stopped on their own. Right now, I'm dealing with a bit of derealization, so I went to see a psychiatrist, but honestly, it helps knowing that one day I'll be able to look back at all this and laugh. I’m doing my best to actually enjoy life, and having my wife's support means the world to me, but again—this will all pass. Life is too short to spend it stressing over these sensations. Just lots of exercise and trying not to overthink things. We're young, after all.😉😉😉🙂

Hey everyone!
Here’s my update...

...I've been on a full dose of Zoloft (50 mg) for two weeks now, and I have to admit, I’m actually feeling okay.
When I first started the full dosage, I honestly thought about quitting immediately because I felt completely drugged. It gave me such an intense surge of energy that it actually terrified me.
Still, I decided to grit my teeth and push through it, and now it feels like my body is finally starting to adjust.
I've even regained my appetite; I've actually lost three pounds since I started taking it.
Honestly, it’s a relief... finally!😉

Also, I can't tell if I'm slowly getting over my breakup, or if the Zoloft is just giving me the courage to move on...

Sending love to you all!