Psychotropic medication discussion thread

urbanskipper4 said:Are you actually doing alright? Why all this whining?
I'm fine today, sure, but who knows about tomorrow? Today I'm good, tomorrow I might not be, etc.

Not really, things are pretty rough...

Arthur Vaughn2 said:Actually, I am curious about the typical duration. I've been on it for a month now and haven't felt any improvement yet. I'm not sure if it's because it's not the right fit for me, or if it just hasn't kicked in yet...

Hmm, well, you should usually feel something by week three, but then again, they say for any med you need at least three months. I don't know... just talk to your doctor and see if she wants to switch things up or just let it ride for a bit longer.

Arthur Vaughn2 said:Actually, I am curious about the typical duration. I've been on it for a month now and haven't felt any improvement yet. I'm not sure if it's because it's not the right fit for me, or if it just hasn't kicked in yet...

It might be time to switch things up. Based on the latest clinical guidelines, you should give it about two weeks; if there's still no shift, it's time to try something else.

urbanskipper4 said:Hmm, well, you should usually feel something by week three, but then again, they say for any med you need at least three months. I don't know... just talk to your doctor and see if she wants to switch things up or just let it ride for a bit longer.

I suppose I’ll have to. I'm already losing my mind here, and honestly, some pretty stupid ideas have been crossing my mind lately. I'm just hoping they give me something that actually starts working sooner rather than later...☕

urbanskipper4 said:Why does the idea of taking meds bother you so much? They're literally there to help us. You've only been on them for three weeks? Sometimes it takes a full three months before you actually feel the real impact. 🙂
You just gotta have patience. If one doesn't work for you, you switch to another. 🙂
I've been on mine for eight years, so what? I'm still here. And I'm alive! 🙂I spent three weeks in the psych unit once. I used to cry whenever they let me out for the weekend because I didn't want to leave. Then I'd head back from the weekend to the hospital and cry because I didn't want to go back in. Dammit, most people deal with that exact same cycle.
I totally get where you're coming from. Don't worry, it'll be fine. A dreamer said on the forum: "Everything has its beginning and its end."
I actually believe that's true. Sounds optimistic, right?
Honestly, all this bullshit needs to stop for everyone.

But you're home now. What happened with the psych ward? Why aren't you there anymore?
I suppose I just have to stay put, mostly because my parents are terrified I'll do something drastic to myself. My mom calls me every single day from work just to check if I'm okay.
Yesterday, I ended up taking too many pills at once, and I could barely stand; I don't even remember much of it now, except for my parents telling me that if it comes to it, they'll send me to the best specialized clinics in the country to get properly treated, even if it takes a whole year.
Where did you stay, and what was your experience like there?

Kenneth Scott41 said:But you're home now. What happened with the psych ward? Why aren't you there anymore?
I suppose I just have to stay put, mostly because my parents are terrified I'll do something drastic to myself. My mom calls me every single day from work just to check if I'm okay.
Yesterday, I ended up taking too many pills at once, and I could barely stand; I don't even remember much of it now, except for my parents telling me that if it comes to it, they'll send me to the best specialized clinics in the country to get properly treated, even if it takes a whole year.
Where did you stay, and what was your experience like there?

I'm not there because there's no point in just lying around in a hospital bed. I have to work and fight through this. I stayed at a facility in Boston. Maybe you just need a different prescription.
I've learned how to carry my own crap and just live with it. I have bad days too, moments where I feel like I'm about to snap, but I don't let it happen. And man, this OCD is killing me. It's eating me alive, but one day, I'll wash it all away for good. Go to the hospital if you're feeling low. I mean it. You'll be fine, trust me. Just don't start messing with your meds on your own. Don't do anything drastic to yourself because everything can be fixed. It's a huge blessing that your parents actually get you. That's a massive plus.
Hang in there! It’s gonna be okay, I’m sure of it!

urbanskipper4 said:I'm not there because there's no point in just lying around in a hospital bed. I have to work and fight through this. I stayed at a facility in Boston. Maybe you just need a different prescription.
I've learned how to carry my own crap and just live with it. I have bad days too, moments where I feel like I'm about to snap, but I don't let it happen. And man, this OCD is killing me. It's eating me alive, but one day, I'll wash it all away for good. Go to the hospital if you're feeling low. I mean it. You'll be fine, trust me. Just don't start messing with your meds on your own. Don't do anything drastic to yourself because everything can be fixed. It's a huge blessing that your parents actually get you. That's a massive plus.
Hang in there! It’s gonna be okay, I’m sure of it!

It’s pretty obvious from your post that you actually have a sense of purpose in life. See, I don't have that, and I think that makes a massive difference. Beyond that, you're dealing with OCD. I'm not trying to diminish your struggle, but nobody has ever ended it all because of OCD alone—it's the depression that usually does the damage, and that's far more common.👎👎
We could probably sit here and dissect this for hours, but truthfully, depression has pushed me toward the edge three times already. If I hadn't been unsuccessful in those attempts, I wouldn't even be here to type this.

Kenneth Scott41 said:I can't quite remember if I mentioned the Reo or the spray bottle earlier... it’s been nagging at the back of my mind all day. What was I actually rambling about? Which medication was I referring to again?

Sorry, I didn't see this earlier... I've been totally buried... I've just been dying to curl up with some big, fluffy white pillows... 🤷you know, specifically those massive, cloud-like white pillows😁

ambermason16 said:Sorry, I didn't see this earlier... I've been totally buried... I've just been dying to curl up with some big, fluffy white pillows... 🤷you know, specifically those massive, cloud-like white pillows😁

Well, I imagine that’s all sorted out now 🙂

Kenneth Scott41 said:It’s pretty obvious from your post that you actually have a sense of purpose in life. See, I don't have that, and I think that makes a massive difference. Beyond that, you're dealing with OCD. I'm not trying to diminish your struggle, but nobody has ever ended it all because of OCD alone—it's the depression that usually does the damage, and that's far more common.👎👎
We could probably sit here and dissect this for hours, but truthfully, depression has pushed me toward the edge three times already. If I hadn't been unsuccessful in those attempts, I wouldn't even be here to type this.

Look, everyone thinks their own struggles or symptoms are somehow "easier" than someone else's. Trust me, I deal with bouts of depression too. But for me, OCD is a chronic, brutal disease. You think this is easy for me? It isn't.
But unlike you, I'm a fighter! I don't quit! And I never will!
And honestly, I'm done arguing over who has it worse. I'm just saying: fight. Good luck.

I deal with a really, really mild case of OCD—it’s subtle, sure, but honestly? It is incredibly aggravating. I mean, seriously—what is the point of having a condition if you don't even get the "full" experience? It's just frustrating enough to be a nuisance without being anything else.🙂

urbanskipper4 said:Look, everyone thinks their own struggles or symptoms are somehow "easier" than someone else's. Trust me, I deal with bouts of depression too. But for me, OCD is a chronic, brutal disease. You think this is easy for me? It isn't.
But unlike you, I'm a fighter! I don't quit! And I never will!
And honestly, I'm done arguing over who has it worse. I'm just saying: fight. Good luck.

Thanks, though it seems my depression is just hitting harder, or maybe I'm just a particularly difficult case since I can't find any sense in anything, nor do I have much will left... but I suppose that doesn't matter right now. I truly do wish you all the best in feeling better.👍

See, I actually doubt my mother has OCD—one minute she's perfectly happy and giving me a hug, then ten minutes later, she's a completely different person. She gets incredibly agitated, almost like she's lost her mind, turning on people with the intensity of a dictator.
I'm not sure if that qualifies as OCD... but the way her moods shift so drastically is certainly strange.

Emma, it can’t really be right that it’s just you and me hanging out here, can it? 😁
Everyone else seems to be busy firing up their grills, while I find myself without any company—and honestly, I’m probably lacking the motivation to seek it out anyway...😢

Kenneth Scott41 said:Emma, it can’t really be right that it’s just you and me hanging out here, can it? 😁
Everyone else seems to be busy firing up their grills, while I find myself without any company—and honestly, I’m probably lacking the motivation to seek it out anyway...😢

I'm absolutely trashed. I told this guy a month ago that I deal with OCD. He tells me yesterday he needs "space" from me right now. We've been together a year. He’s totally confused and doesn't get my condition—he doesn't realize how damn hard it is to recover. Like, just because I decide I want to get better, it magically happens? Hello? I have the desire, but it doesn't work like that! And now he's saying I need therapy. Well, yeah, I'm definitely going to need therapy because he completely wrecked me. I'm stuck at home today in a massive depressive hole. What can I even say? Back to work tomorrow, whatever. I'll be fine, I've dealt with worse shit than this.
I can't sleep at night. Yesterday was the first time I actually slept after a week because I took some Sanval.
If he doesn't get it, then what's the point? I don't need him.
The worst part is, he deals with depression too, had PTSD and all that, and he stopped taking Prozac.
And now *he* can't understand me and can't handle me. It's fine if he needs to focus on himself, but my feelings don't matter? That's not okay.
I should just dump him if he can't empathize. Fuck off!
Am I not a human being? Of course I am.
Maybe he just needs time to process everything... Fine, we'll see, but I don't think there's anything left. He said he doesn't see a future with me, but suggested we could still "see each other."
He can take that "seeing each other" idea and shove it. I'm pissed.

Kenneth Scott41 said:Thanks, though it seems my depression is just hitting harder, or maybe I'm just a particularly difficult case since I can't find any sense in anything, nor do I have much will left... but I suppose that doesn't matter right now. I truly do wish you all the best in feeling better.👍

See, I actually doubt my mother has OCD—one minute she's perfectly happy and giving me a hug, then ten minutes later, she's a completely different person. She gets incredibly agitated, almost like she's lost her mind, turning on people with the intensity of a dictator.
I'm not sure if that qualifies as OCD... but the way her moods shift so drastically is certainly strange.

bipolar disorder

I already brought this up over on the Sanval thread, but I figured there might be more activity here, so hopefully someone can weigh in.
Basically, I tried to get a prescription for Sanval the other day and ran into a wall. They told me doctors aren't allowed to prescribe it anymore, and apparently, they're even patrolling clinics to penalize physicians who still hand it out. 😕I guess I'm just wondering if anyone here actually knows what's going on. 🤷

fadedbear92 said:bipolar disorder

The shifts in bipolar disorder aren't usually that sudden; individual phases typically last for days at a time.😉

@urbanskipper4, you're right to be angry. A guy like that isn't going to provide any kind of support for you.👎

I spent a few months on Mirzaten. I was struggling hard with insomnia, and those depressive thoughts were eating away at me like a tumor. After taking one pill every night for a couple of months, I finally spoke up during my check-up about the side effects—specifically how I suddenly packed on about 45 pounds in just a few months. While the Mirzaten definitely helped me sleep better, the depression itself barely budged, if it helped at all.
My doctor decided to switch me over to Alice, doing it gradually at first by splitting the dose between half a pill of Alice in the morning and half a Mirzaten before bed. Now, I'm strictly on Alice. To be honest, I can't quite put my finger on how it feels, so I'm curious: what is its primary function, how does it actually affect mood regulation, what is it typically prescribed for, and are there any common side effects I should watch out for?
Thanks.
(Also, my liver enzymes were running pretty high, which is an old issue I've been dealing with ever since my injury.)

Best,

I need some insight from people here—specifically those who have been navigating this for a while. I’ve been on Seroxat for four years now (started at 20 mg, currently up to 30 mg), but I’m being forced to switch antidepressants. My diagnosis is anxiety-depressive disorder... unfortunately, after four relatively successful years of treatment, the symptoms are creeping back in. It feels like my system just hit a plateau. I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone with similar experiences. Based on what my psychiatrist said, the issue might be that Seroxat is often considered the gold standard for this specific disorder, which makes switching tricky.

Thanks in advance to everyone...

ironpanther said:I need some insight from people here—specifically those who have been navigating this for a while. I’ve been on Seroxat for four years now (started at 20 mg, currently up to 30 mg), but I’m being forced to switch antidepressants. My diagnosis is anxiety-depressive disorder... unfortunately, after four relatively successful years of treatment, the symptoms are creeping back in. It feels like my system just hit a plateau. I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone with similar experiences. Based on what my psychiatrist said, the issue might be that Seroxat is often considered the gold standard for this specific disorder, which makes switching tricky.

Thanks in advance to everyone...

Seroxat is mostly used for OCD.
If things are getting worse, you either need to swap out the antidepressant entirely or bump up your current dose. I’ve actually had two relapses myself when we tried switching medications. Definitely reach out to your psychiatrist—are you seeing a therapist too?