Psychotropic medication discussion thread

fadedbear92 said:Well, I'd say either scale back the dose of Vaira or try a different medication entirely. Honestly, it had me shaking all over—my doctor cut me off it immediately because I was dealing with some pretty intense psychotic thoughts for a bit. Brrr.😲Real psychos don't just drift off to sleep on it; it hits them hard, you know?

You were actually shaking? 🙄 hmm...
For me, it works fine, though it feels just a tiny bit too strong at times, and I suppose I just really like that lemon flavor.😁
I didn't quite follow what you meant there—are you saying actual psychotics don't just fall asleep, or that it's even too potent for them and they just slip away?

I’ve been tethered to medication for eleven years now—eleven long, weary years—and I have cycled through just about every therapeutic option available on the market. We’re talking everything from Zoloft to Risperdal, then Zyprexa, and honestly, the list goes on and on...
It is frankly nothing short of miraculous that I haven't experienced a single side effect from any of them—not one. I suppose I’m some kind of statistical anomaly, a total freak of nature. 🙂

Kenneth Scott41 said:You were actually shaking? 🙄 hmm...
For me, it works fine, though it feels just a tiny bit too strong at times, and I suppose I just really like that lemon flavor.😁
I didn't quite follow what you meant there—are you saying actual psychotics don't just fall asleep, or that it's even too potent for them and they just slip away?

People suffering from genuine psychosis DON'T just drift off from this medication easily; it isn't "too strong" for them—if anything, it's exactly what they need.

Larry Lewis said:I’ve been tethered to medication for eleven years now—eleven long, weary years—and I have cycled through just about every therapeutic option available on the market. We’re talking everything from Zoloft to Risperdal, then Zyprexa, and honestly, the list goes on and on...
It is frankly nothing short of miraculous that I haven't experienced a single side effect from any of them—not one. I suppose I’m some kind of statistical anomaly, a total freak of nature. 🙂

Well, you really are a miracle worker!
But why did they switch your meds so many times? Were you dealing with relapses? What's the diagnosis? Personally, I've been battling depression for 14 years—it'll probably be a lifelong thing for me. I started out on Prozac, then moved to Zoloft, and now I'm on Paxil. Basically, my doctors adjust my prescription whenever a depressive episode hits. I also take Tegretol—which is technically an anti-epileptic—but for me, it mostly just helps me get some sleep.

Larry Lewis said:I’ve been tethered to medication for eleven years now—eleven long, weary years—and I have cycled through just about every therapeutic option available on the market. We’re talking everything from Zoloft to Risperdal, then Zyprexa, and honestly, the list goes on and on...
It is frankly nothing short of miraculous that I haven't experienced a single side effect from any of them—not one. I suppose I’m some kind of statistical anomaly, a total freak of nature. 🙂

I suspect you are less of an anomaly and more of a living textbook case for psychiatric misconceptions and a dedicated test subject for pharmacotherapy.

wiredfalcon21 said:I suspect you are less of an anomaly and more of a living textbook case for psychiatric misconceptions and a dedicated test subject for pharmacotherapy.

What was that for, Rob?!🤷>

wiredfalcon21 said:I suspect you are less of an anomaly and more of a living textbook case for psychiatric misconceptions and a dedicated test subject for pharmacotherapy.

For crying out loud, get serious—psychosis isn't something you joke about for kicks.

fadedbear92 said:Well, you really are a miracle worker!
But why did they switch your meds so many times? Were you dealing with relapses? What's the diagnosis? Personally, I've been battling depression for 14 years—it'll probably be a lifelong thing for me. I started out on Prozac, then moved to Zoloft, and now I'm on Paxil. Basically, my doctors adjust my prescription whenever a depressive episode hits. I also take Tegretol—which is technically an anti-epileptic—but for me, it mostly just helps me get some sleep.

My diagnosis is F20—so, yeah, everyone’s favorite, schizophrenia.🙂They’ve cycled through my prescriptions constantly because even when things weren't "bad" per se (aside from that one stretch back in 2008 when I ended up hospitalized), they just couldn't seem to kill off those intrusive thoughts. They were relentless. Right now, I seem to be doing okay—it looks like they finally stumbled upon a combination that works—though I still deal with those intrusive thoughts, just much more muted.
As for me, I'm looking at a lifetime of pills too. But hey, whatever—there are certainly worse ways to go.

p.s. I’ve been down in the trenches of depression myself, so I know how it feels, but thank God, I’ve come out the other side.

So, I’m currently on a regimen of Zyprexa, Risperdal, and Lamictal—and honestly, everything seems to be holding steady, except for one nagging issue: getting out of bed is an absolute uphill battle lately. It's like my body is made of lead in the mornings.

Larry Lewis said:So, I’m currently on a regimen of Zyprexa, Risperdal, and Lamictal—and honestly, everything seems to be holding steady, except for one nagging issue: getting out of bed is an absolute uphill battle lately. It's like my body is made of lead in the mornings.

I was on Lamictal for a long time myself. As long as those antipsychotics keep the schizophrenia under control, that's what really matters—that's a win. Just remember you have to be incredibly disciplined; you can't go skipping doses or, heaven forbid, just stop taking your meds altogether.

fadedbear92 said:I was on Lamictal for a long time myself. As long as those antipsychotics keep the schizophrenia under control, that's what really matters—that's a win. Just remember you have to be incredibly disciplined; you can't go skipping doses or, heaven forbid, just stop taking your meds altogether.

Quit my meds? Please. I wouldn't do that even if you paid me. Back before I was hospitalized in 2008, I went without medication for about three weeks—and let me tell you, the absolute chaos happening inside my head was indescribable. It got so bad that when I finally realized I couldn't handle it anymore, I actually called an Uber—because I didn't dare face the public and the ER wouldn't send an ambulance out to me—just to get to the hospital. I was so far gone that the doctor actually sent me to the addiction ward—I suppose he figured someone that crazy couldn't possibly be sober.🙂

Now I'm back on Risperdal as my secondary antipsychotic alongside Zyprexa, and honestly, it fits me perfectly.

Just my luck, picking up all the genetic baggage I definitely didn't ask for!

My sister dealt with mental health issues too, but she managed to pull through completely—she hasn't needed any kind of medication for years now.

fadedbear92 said:Well, you really are a miracle worker!
But why did they switch your meds so many times? Were you dealing with relapses? What's the diagnosis? Personally, I've been battling depression for 14 years—it'll probably be a lifelong thing for me. I started out on Prozac, then moved to Zoloft, and now I'm on Paxil. Basically, my doctors adjust my prescription whenever a depressive episode hits. I also take Tegretol—which is technically an anti-epileptic—but for me, it mostly just helps me get some sleep.

fadedbear92—you're saying you've been dealing with depression for fourteen years?!😲
That actually caught me completely off guard... I mean, I guess you have to wonder how it wasn't resolved sooner?
Fourteen years!? Just imagining myself being on those pills for that long... man.🙄
And honestly, this is the first time I've even heard about those stabilizers...

Kenneth Scott41 said:fadedbear92—you're saying you've been dealing with depression for fourteen years?!😲
That actually caught me completely off guard... I mean, I guess you have to wonder how it wasn't resolved sooner?
Fourteen years!? Just imagining myself being on those pills for that long... man.🙄
And honestly, this is the first time I've even heard about those stabilizers...

Just to simplify things—it’s hereditary depression, passed down from my mom. What does that actually mean for me? Getting rid of it.What does that actually mean? It just needs to work. Whenever a new depressive episode hits—or what people call a relapse—I just completely shut down. I end up stuck in bed all day, only getting up for bathroom breaks. That’s just how it is, unfortunately.
I’m doing okay now, but back in the spring, I was in a truly terrifying place. It wasn't even really depression—more like a constant, crushing state of General Anxiety Disorder. You feel like you're living in fear 24/7, and honestly, you start losing your mind unless someone steps in with medication or a hospital stay. In my case, the meds were what saved me.

I suppose I should start by saying that I’m just sharing my own perspective here, though I realize how much weight people tend to put on these kinds of discussions. It feels like we’re all just circling the same drain, isn't it? Every time I look at how things are trending lately, I can't help but feel a sense of weary resignation. It’s almost as if we expect the chaos, yet we still act surprised when it finally arrives. I don't know, maybe I'm just being overly cynical, but it seems to me that the patterns are becoming impossible to ignore if one is actually paying attention. Perhaps it’s better to just sit back and watch it unfold, rather than exhausting ourselves trying to make sense of something that might simply be beyond our control.

fadedbear92 said:Just to simplify things—it’s hereditary depression, passed down from my mom. What does that actually mean for me? Getting rid of it.What does that actually mean? It just needs to work. Whenever a new depressive episode hits—or what people call a relapse—I just completely shut down. I end up stuck in bed all day, only getting up for bathroom breaks. That’s just how it is, unfortunately.
I’m doing okay now, but back in the spring, I was in a truly terrifying place. It wasn't even really depression—more like a constant, crushing state of General Anxiety Disorder. You feel like you're living in fear 24/7, and honestly, you start losing your mind unless someone steps in with medication or a hospital stay. In my case, the meds were what saved me.

The way you describe things, I guess it sounds a bit like someone struggling through withdrawal while stuck in bed. I actually have a colleague who describes their physical state in much the same way you do, so please don't take the comparison to a junkie as an insult; I truly didn't mean it that way. Just try to hang in there... hopefully, those episodes start to subside soon. I still vividly remember when I dealt with my very first anxiety attack. It was absolutely terrifying—I genuinely thought I was going to die right then and there. Eventually, though, I managed to get through it using Helex, and it just took some time. It was quite a long road, but thank God, I don't have to deal with those kinds of attacks anymore.

Kenneth Scott41 said:I suppose I should start by saying that I’m just sharing my own perspective here, though I realize how much weight people tend to put on these kinds of discussions. It feels like we’re all just circling the same drain, isn't it? Every time I look at how things are trending lately, I can't help but feel a sense of weary resignation. It’s almost as if we expect the chaos, yet we still act surprised when it finally arrives. I don't know, maybe I'm just being overly cynical, but it seems to me that the patterns are becoming impossible to ignore if one is actually paying attention. Perhaps it’s better to just sit back and watch it unfold, rather than exhausting ourselves trying to make sense of something that might simply be beyond our control.

The way you describe things, I guess it sounds a bit like someone struggling through withdrawal while stuck in bed. I actually have a colleague who describes their physical state in much the same way you do, so please don't take the comparison to a junkie as an insult; I truly didn't mean it that way. Just try to hang in there... hopefully, those episodes start to subside soon. I still vividly remember when I dealt with my very first anxiety attack. It was absolutely terrifying—I genuinely thought I was going to die right then and there. Eventually, though, I managed to get through it using Helex, and it just took some time. It was quite a long road, but thank God, I don't have to deal with those kinds of attacks anymore.

So does that mean you're healthy and haven't been diagnosed? Wait, why the Vair then? What's actually going on with you?

Hey, I’ve got a question—not just for you, but for anyone else out there who unfortunately ended up with a diagnosis and is stuck on meds. When you’re actually doing "well"—I mean when there aren't any episodes, outbursts, or those other nasty bits—do you truly feel okay? Or can you still sense the "ghost" of the illness lingering inside? For me, personally, I haven't been in a severe state for a while now, but I just can't seem to hit that sweet spot of stability. It’s exhausting. I’ll be fine for maybe two hours in the morning, then my entire afternoon is total garbage, then I'm okay again in the evening, only to have everything go to hell right before bed. I’m talking about that deep, internal sensation. I find myself wondering if that healthy, steady feeling I had before all this started is gone forever—because these mood swings have been dragging on for ages, and despite my doctors constantly tweaking my treatment to try and fix it, nothing works. Because when I say I'm "doing well," I just mean the psychosis has cleared up... but the rest of it...

I’ve been on 2.5mg of Zyprexa, but honestly, it only really helped me drift off at the very beginning; now, it doesn't do much of anything, though I can't say I've found anything significantly better than it.
I’m also on a prescription for it.
Lately, I’ve started taking Cipralex, and I’m just praying to God that it helps take the edge off this social anxiety and the constant fear of having a panic attack.
I actually took Cipralex about two years ago, but back then, it didn't really do much for me. However, things are looking a lot bleaker now than they were back then, so I'm really hoping it actually works this time around.

Larry Lewis said:Hey, I’ve got a question—not just for you, but for anyone else out there who unfortunately ended up with a diagnosis and is stuck on meds. When you’re actually doing "well"—I mean when there aren't any episodes, outbursts, or those other nasty bits—do you truly feel okay? Or can you still sense the "ghost" of the illness lingering inside? For me, personally, I haven't been in a severe state for a while now, but I just can't seem to hit that sweet spot of stability. It’s exhausting. I’ll be fine for maybe two hours in the morning, then my entire afternoon is total garbage, then I'm okay again in the evening, only to have everything go to hell right before bed. I’m talking about that deep, internal sensation. I find myself wondering if that healthy, steady feeling I had before all this started is gone forever—because these mood swings have been dragging on for ages, and despite my doctors constantly tweaking my treatment to try and fix it, nothing works. Because when I say I'm "doing well," I just mean the psychosis has cleared up... but the rest of it...

I have to admit, even though I managed to get rid of the panic attacks, I still carry this underlying fear that makes me bail on certain activities or plans. That internal feeling you're describing? I don't think it will ever feel quite the same as it did before my first panic attack.

velvetsailor26 said:I’ve been on 2.5mg of Zyprexa, but honestly, it only really helped me drift off at the very beginning; now, it doesn't do much of anything, though I can't say I've found anything significantly better than it.
I’m also on a prescription for it.
Lately, I’ve started taking Cipralex, and I’m just praying to God that it helps take the edge off this social anxiety and the constant fear of having a panic attack.
I actually took Cipralex about two years ago, but back then, it didn't really do much for me. However, things are looking a lot bleaker now than they were back then, so I'm really hoping it actually works this time around.

What do you mean, a 2.5 milligram dose? Either take the full 10 mg like a normal patient or don't bother at all.🙂Just kidding... mostly.

Roger Rodriguez said:I have to admit, even though I managed to get rid of the panic attacks, I still carry this underlying fear that makes me bail on certain activities or plans. That internal feeling you're describing? I don't think it will ever feel quite the same as it did before my first panic attack.

Exactly... that's precisely what I mean. It's like this illness just strips away a piece of who you are—that fundamental sense of well-being that everyone needs to function. It’s incredibly cruel, really.😢>