Psychotropic medication discussion thread

David Bishop4 said:Oh, and I promise I will reach out to my psychiatrist this coming Monday.😁

That sounds like a plan. Make sure you follow up and let us know how the appointment went and what the verdict was.👍

redranger2 said:That sounds like a plan. Make sure you follow up and let us know how the appointment went and what the verdict was.👍

I certainly will, don't you worry about that. By the way—I actually didn't feel nauseous at all today!!!! 👍 The only thing I've noticed is that I've been yawning constantly throughout the day and my mouth feels a little dry, but then again, it's only my third day on this. For now, thank you so much for everything, redranger2, and I'll be in touch.🙂

What’s everyone’s experience been like with this? I haven't slept a wink all night because my anxiety was just through the roof, and honestly, I’ve felt like a total zombie all day. I just took my first dose... maybe it's just a placebo effect, but I actually feel okay for once, kind of like my usual self. I completely ran out of my Xanax

Aaron Campbell47 said:What’s everyone’s experience been like with this? I haven't slept a wink all night because my anxiety was just through the roof, and honestly, I’ve felt like a total zombie all day. I just took my first dose... maybe it's just a placebo effect, but I actually feel okay for once, kind of like my usual self. I completely ran out of my Xanax

Is it really possible that absolutely nobody here has tried this???

What could possibly be better than Xanax? Honestly, I thought they were just pushing those herbal gummies again.

Hey everyone, I have another question for the group. For the last six days, I’ve been taking just a quarter of my 10 mg Lexapro dose. Aside from an occasional, strange, and somewhat unsettling sensation in my head that wakes me up at night—though it doesn't happen every single evening—I haven't dealt with any major side effects. Is this kind of sensation normal? Should I stick with the Lexapro for now? My psychiatrist is currently away on vacation, so I don't have anyone else to consult with at the moment.

David Bishop4 said:Hey everyone, I have another question for the group. For the last six days, I’ve been taking just a quarter of my 10 mg Lexapro dose. Aside from an occasional, strange, and somewhat unsettling sensation in my head that wakes me up at night—though it doesn't happen every single evening—I haven't dealt with any major side effects. Is this kind of sensation normal? Should I stick with the Lexapro for now? My psychiatrist is currently away on vacation, so I don't have anyone else to consult with at the moment.

Don't worry, you're fine.

The worst part about Lexapro is how much it tends to make you sleepy and causes weight gain.

Thanks for getting back to me. To be honest, I'm feeling a little anxious because I've only just reached a quarter of my dosage. I'm really worried about potential side effects once I bump it up to a half, let alone moving toward a full dose...

David Bishop4 said:Hey everyone, I have another question for the group. For the last six days, I’ve been taking just a quarter of my 10 mg Lexapro dose. Aside from an occasional, strange, and somewhat unsettling sensation in my head that wakes me up at night—though it doesn't happen every single evening—I haven't dealt with any major side effects. Is this kind of sensation normal? Should I stick with the Lexapro for now? My psychiatrist is currently away on vacation, so I don't have anyone else to consult with at the moment.

If you can tolerate that sensation, then simply endure it, because it will pass. No one is forcing you to jump from a quarter tablet to a half dose overnight. Take it slow. Stick to the quarter dose for a few more days until those side effects settle down a bit. Then, move up to a half tablet for a week. After that, transition from a half back to a quarter for a few days before finally moving to the full tablet. There is absolutely no need to rush. Even a quarter of a pill is certainly enough to be effective. Don't panic; what you're experiencing is perfectly normal. Eventually, you'll be taking the full dose without feeling a thing.🙂

I take Valerian occasionally. Honestly, I don't even know how to put this—I’ve been battling panic disorder (about 90% recovered at this point), and I used to reach for Valerian whenever the anxiety kicked in. If I took it during the day, it would knock me out; I could get things done, sure, but I was yawning constantly and felt totally groggy. The anxiety went away, though. There were even times a single dose just flattened me—had to go lie down for a few hours because I was basically non-functional.

Now, here’s the kicker. Every once in a while, I’ll take two tablets to help me sleep before a stressful day. And wouldn't you know it? It hasn't knocked me out a single time. Great. Just great.

I used to take Xanax for the actual panic attacks, so I can pretty much compare the two. In terms of calming you down, they work similarly. The main difference—which is probably obvious—is that Valerian is just a herbal supplement, much like Persen.

I suspect this medication might actually drive me completely insane 😢

shadowtrucker18 said:I suspect this medication might actually drive me completely insane 😢

I find myself wondering about the motivation behind this—is there a specific reason you're considering it? I'm curious to know if you've experienced any side effects, and how long you've been on this regimen, along with the exact dosage you're following.

10 mg, having gone through five weeks now, after starting at 5 mg during that first week.

Everyone, please keep me in your thoughts—after nine days on a quarter dose, I’ve officially moved up to a half tablet of Lexapro today. My biggest fear right now is whether this will actually take hold; what if I don't feel any real improvement even after it fully kicks in? The deadline is looming so incredibly close... I just need to vent for a moment, so please bear with me.

David Bishop4 said:Everyone, please keep me in your thoughts—after nine days on a quarter dose, I’ve officially moved up to a half tablet of Lexapro today. My biggest fear right now is whether this will actually take hold; what if I don't feel any real improvement even after it fully kicks in? The deadline is looming so incredibly close... I just need to vent for a moment, so please bear with me.

What I meant to say was "after taking it longer," not "after it works longer." 🙂 😁I'm such a klutz😍

I suppose I'm wondering how much longer I should hold out before I go complain that my medication isn't working properly. It just doesn't feel right; I think I'm experiencing more panic attacks than ever before.

shadowtrucker18 said:I suppose I'm wondering how much longer I should hold out before I go complain that my medication isn't working properly. It just doesn't feel right; I think I'm experiencing more panic attacks than ever before.

I honestly don't know what the best advice is here... but if you've been on this for five weeks and things are actually trending downward, it might be time to check in with your psychiatrist and see what they think. For me, today marks my tenth day, and I just took half a pill for the first time, which triggered a moderate wave of panic—so I’m still trying to figure things out myself. That said, I truly believe you should reach out to your doctor. I am so sorry you're going through such a difficult time.😢

shadowtrucker18, hang in there for a month or two. When I first started Lexapro, I dealt with these horrible bouts of panic—well, maybe not even full-on panic, just this constant, irrational dread that came out of nowhere. But eventually, the fog cleared. I’ve been on it for almost two years now and honestly? I feel great. 👍

Brandon Thomas89 said:shadowtrucker18, hang in there for a month or two. When I first started Lexapro, I dealt with these horrible bouts of panic—well, maybe not even full-on panic, just this constant, irrational dread that came out of nowhere. But eventually, the fog cleared. I’ve been on it for almost two years now and honestly? I feel great. 👍

Could you walk me through how your progress went on Lexapro? Like, how long did it take before you hit that sweet spot where it actually started working? And what’s your doctor saying about how long you should stay on it?

ironbadger5 said:Could you walk me through how your progress went on Lexapro? Like, how long did it take before you hit that sweet spot where it actually started working? And what’s your doctor saying about how long you should stay on it?

The first month was a total nightmare. I lost my appetite completely, my sleep schedule went out the window, and I was getting these random panic attacks. Plus, I felt freezing all the time—like, I'd be shivering at night and couldn't get warm during the day no matter what. After those first two weeks, the side effects finally started to taper off, and by the end of the month, they were gone. The improvement was gradual; I just felt a little better every single day. Around the three-month mark, I started feeling great—sometimes even *too* great. I had a few bouts of uncontrollable laughter where I'd just start cracking up for no reason (thankfully, I was home alone when that happened). By about eight months in, I finally felt truly okay, just totally calm. Honestly, there are times I think I've never felt this good in my life.
If I had to pick one downside—which is actually a double-edged sword—it's that antidepressants kind of dull the emotional edges of the world. It's like the intensity of love and hate gets dialed down a notch. I don't know if anyone else has noticed that.