Psychotropic medication discussion thread

Kevin Bailey2 said:I’m also staying far away from Normaban and all those other anti-anxiety meds. I used to pop them here and there whenever a panic attack hit, especially during the early stages of starting Prozac. But once the Prozac actually kicked in, I cut the anxiety meds out completely. I don't need them anymore, and honestly, they just drain my energy too much.

Prozac is a killer. Just think back to the whole Prozac Nation era...🙂

Anyone here actually used Seroquel? My psychiatrist put me on it for insomnia and anxiety. Now I’m reading up on the side effects and, man, is this stuff even normal?! She also prescribed Effexor. Claims it’s for depression, but I just have stomach issues—she thinks it's all just masked depression though.

Justin Rogers5 said:Anyone here actually used Seroquel? My psychiatrist put me on it for insomnia and anxiety. Now I’m reading up on the side effects and, man, is this stuff even normal?! She also prescribed Effexor. Claims it’s for depression, but I just have stomach issues—she thinks it's all just masked depression though.

Look, she's probably acting normally enough—she's just trying to help you get through this.

Seroquel is a solid medication, really.

Larry Lewis said:Look, she's probably acting normally enough—she's just trying to help you get through this.

Seroquel is a solid medication, really.

If she was actually trying to help, maybe. But my wife totally trashed my life—one hundred percent. She kept handing me meds that pushed me deeper into depression instead of pulling me out. I saw her for a year and just went from bad to worse, thinking, "Hey, she's a professional." You can't even imagine. Now a friend tells me patients are miserable because she prescribed the wrong stuff and sped up some old lady's dementia. She charges $100 for every single session, and she was pulling meds straight out of her desk drawer—stuff she took from the hospital where she still works. In one year, she cycled me through five different antidepressants and four antipsychotics like they were Tic Tacs. And there I was, the idiot, believing her. I ended up in such a mess because of her bad prescriptions that I gained 55 pounds in a few months. She should've warned me. I stopped showering, stopped dyeing my hair, my hygiene was non-existent, and my sex life was dead. Then, after the last med, the suicidal thoughts started—something I've NEVER dealt with before. They vanished the second I quit that drug. Coincidence? I don't think so, Sherloc! Not to mention how she kept calling and texting me for months after I stopped seeing her.🙄I went to her for anxiety and she turned my life into... a wreck. I can't sleep and she just keeps pushing antipsychotics when I told her I just needed someone to talk to. So please, don't tell me... you have no idea what this past year was like for me. I’d see someone else if I could, but I live on a remote island and she's the only option.

Then just write them a letter and find a new doctor. I figured out one private practitioner right away was nothing but a total fraud—just someone playing games—so I stopped showing up, and that was that. There’s no point in all this "talking" nonsense; that's for people who can't handle their own lives—people who need a hand to hold—whereas real therapy should be about fighting your own battles. Honestly, I’d much rather pay for a coffee with a buddy than shell out money for $100 some psychiatrist just to sit there and chat.

Larry Lewis said:Then just write them a letter and find a new doctor. I figured out one private practitioner right away was nothing but a total fraud—just someone playing games—so I stopped showing up, and that was that. There’s no point in all this "talking" nonsense; that's for people who can't handle their own lives—people who need a hand to hold—whereas real therapy should be about fighting your own battles. Honestly, I’d much rather pay for a coffee with a buddy than shell out money for $100 some psychiatrist just to sit there and chat.

Look, I've tried actual therapy. Deprozel, Wellbutrin, Xanax, Egoniyl, Sulpiride, Risset, etc.—all within two years. Stress is what kills me, plus being my own worst enemy because I care way too much about what people think. I'm a total softie. I cry over nothing, and everyone's words hit me hard, even though those people are worse off than I am. I just swallow everything and bottle it up because I hate confrontation, and then you end up with a massive mess. She was giving me meds meant for schizophrenics; I was a walking corpse, taking six different pills at once 😲. Seriously, who gives these people that kind of power? I helped myself more than anyone else, and it looks like that'll be the case again. Once I deal with this stomach disaster—whether it's cancer, an ulcer, gastritis, or whatever else—we'll see.🤷

Kenneth Scott41 said:Prozac is a killer. Just think back to the whole Prozac Nation era...🙂

It works for me. It wiped out fears I honestly thought would haunt me forever. Those anxieties used to hold me back so much that I was failing my classes and losing friends. I’d pick fights with people for no reason and end up hurting them badly. Now, it helps me rationalize things and actually make sense of how people react. Honestly? It’s basically stopped me from turning into a bitter, frustrated old lady. And I get that with hardly any side effects.

If this stuff is a killer, then I'm more than happy to be its victim.

Ever since I started taking Prozac, I’ve felt absolutely nothing—just this total emotional numbness, a complete void where my feelings used to be—and even my girlfriend at the time noticed it immediately once I finally stepped off the stuff.

Larry Lewis said:Ever since I started taking Prozac, I’ve felt absolutely nothing—just this total emotional numbness, a complete void where my feelings used to be—and even my girlfriend at the time noticed it immediately once I finally stepped off the stuff.

See... I actually had the exact opposite experience. It was the Faverin that everyone raves about that left me feeling totally hollow. I didn't stay on it long because as soon as I told my doctor I felt emotionally blunt, he pulled me off it. He figured being numb was worse than the actual illness. Honestly, that Faverin hit me so hard I didn't even care about food or water.
Amyzol was similar, though that one just made me starving and emotionally empty.

If Prozac were going to numb me out, there's no way I'd touch it. I can't stand that feeling of being a zombie.

Right now, I just feel balanced. It’s funny looking back at all the nonsense I used to stress over. 🙂

It's true I dropped a lot of weight on Prozac, but eventually my appetite leveled out and the nausea went away.

But arguing about it is pointless. Everyone's body reacts differently. That's why some people find the right fit instantly while others spend years searching.

At the end of the day, I still think long-term use of anti-anxiety meds isn't healthy for anyone. They aren't meant to fix the root cause; they just mask the symptoms. Constantly treating the symptoms just delays dealing with the real issue. You're just running in circles.

I’ve always felt that anxiolytics should really just be reserved for those absolute crisis moments—you know, those sudden, overwhelming spikes where you need a quick fix to level things out—rather than being some long-term crutch. That’s why I only take them when things get genuinely intense.

Jason Vaughn482 said:I just picked up my Zoloft today, and right as I was about to ask about the side effects, I realized I start my regimen tomorrow.

During those first 10 days, it was a nightmare: dry mouth, an overwhelming surge of energy, feeling hyperactive—like I just couldn't stop moving even though my body felt completely exhausted. My appetite also plummeted; I developed this intense aversion to anything solid or crunchy. And if I tried to sit still or slow down, I honestly thought my heart was going to leap right out of my chest.

But after exactly 10 days—pure bliss. It helped me tremendously and turned out to be an absolutely stellar 👍

Is it even possible that these pills aren't doing anything for me at all?
I mean, 6 mg of Xanax does absolutely nothing—not a single bit of calm, not a hint of relief, just zero change whatsoever.
Sure, the Prozac hasn't kicked in yet; I know that takes longer to build up.
But now my psychiatrist has me taking 1.5 mg doses of Xanax spread out throughout the entire day.
Then tonight, I took the Sanval 5 mg he prescribed for the first time, and... nothing. Just me staring blankly at the ceiling—and they tell you this stuff is supposed to knock you out instantly!
What is wrong with me? Why isn't any of this working?

Does Zyprexa (olanzapine from a different manufacturer) cause weight gain regardless of what you eat? Like, will you put on pounds even if you aren't eating anything?😲 I’m honestly lost here since I just started taking these yesterday. It’s a huge concern for me because I struggle with bulimia, and gaining more weight feels like it would just push me completely over the edge.😢 I'm just feeling really overwhelmed by everything right now.

Melissa Campbell3 said:Does Zyprexa (olanzapine from a different manufacturer) cause weight gain regardless of what you eat? Like, will you put on pounds even if you aren't eating anything?😲 I’m honestly lost here since I just started taking these yesterday. It’s a huge concern for me because I struggle with bulimia, and gaining more weight feels like it would just push me completely over the edge.😢 I'm just feeling really overwhelmed by everything right now.

I can't speak to those specific pills since I haven't taken them myself... everything seems to depend on the individual... but even without being a medical expert, one thing is clear: you can't magically gain weight from the medication alone—I highly doubt any pill contains a few thousand calories per dose.... the reality is likely that they spike your appetite, so you end up consuming more and *that* is why you gain weight... at least, that's my logic.

Then again, for some people, it doesn't trigger that increased appetite at all.

Chloe Thompson9 said:Is it even possible that these pills aren't doing anything for me at all?
I mean, 6 mg of Xanax does absolutely nothing—not a single bit of calm, not a hint of relief, just zero change whatsoever.
Sure, the Prozac hasn't kicked in yet; I know that takes longer to build up.
But now my psychiatrist has me taking 1.5 mg doses of Xanax spread out throughout the entire day.
Then tonight, I took the Sanval 5 mg he prescribed for the first time, and... nothing. Just me staring blankly at the ceiling—and they tell you this stuff is supposed to knock you out instantly!
What is wrong with me? Why isn't any of this working?

Regarding the Sanval, you might need to adjust your dosage. Or perhaps switch to a different hypnotic medication.

Both my psychiatrist and my primary care physician explained to me that 5 mg of Sanval is generally considered a low dose, and most people actually start at 10 mg. For me, even 5 mg put me right to sleep within about 20 minutes, so they were both a bit surprised it wouldn't have an effect on you.

Definitely reach out to the doctor who prescribed it. Let them know it isn't working so you can discuss whether to increase the dose or try something else...

So, I've come to the realization that I'll be on two different medications for the rest of my life, though I suppose I'm not actually in any kind of misery because of it.☕

Chloe Thompson9 said:Is it even possible that these pills aren't doing anything for me at all?
I mean, 6 mg of Xanax does absolutely nothing—not a single bit of calm, not a hint of relief, just zero change whatsoever.
Sure, the Prozac hasn't kicked in yet; I know that takes longer to build up.
But now my psychiatrist has me taking 1.5 mg doses of Xanax spread out throughout the entire day.
Then tonight, I took the Sanval 5 mg he prescribed for the first time, and... nothing. Just me staring blankly at the ceiling—and they tell you this stuff is supposed to knock you out instantly!
What is wrong with me? Why isn't any of this working?

10 mg is just a starting dose, if you want my advice. Take those 10 mg and give them to someone else—your mom, your dad, your partner. Don't even think about leaving them near you. Otherwise, you'll end up reaching for them in your sleep and reading in the news the next morning that some guy was wandering around Times Square in his pajamas.🤣

Justin Rogers5 said:Look, I've tried actual therapy. Deprozel, Wellbutrin, Xanax, Egoniyl, Sulpiride, Risset, etc.—all within two years. Stress is what kills me, plus being my own worst enemy because I care way too much about what people think. I'm a total softie. I cry over nothing, and everyone's words hit me hard, even though those people are worse off than I am. I just swallow everything and bottle it up because I hate confrontation, and then you end up with a massive mess. She was giving me meds meant for schizophrenics; I was a walking corpse, taking six different pills at once 😲. Seriously, who gives these people that kind of power? I helped myself more than anyone else, and it looks like that'll be the case again. Once I deal with this stomach disaster—whether it's cancer, an ulcer, gastritis, or whatever else—we'll see.🤷

Have you actually undergone a gastroscopy yet? And what medication are you currently taking?

Andrew Doyle said:During those first 10 days, it was a nightmare: dry mouth, an overwhelming surge of energy, feeling hyperactive—like I just couldn't stop moving even though my body felt completely exhausted. My appetite also plummeted; I developed this intense aversion to anything solid or crunchy. And if I tried to sit still or slow down, I honestly thought my heart was going to leap right out of my chest.

But after exactly 10 days—pure bliss. It helped me tremendously and turned out to be an absolutely stellar 👍

Are you still taking it? And did you deal with side effects like insomnia or a spike in anxiety? To be honest, I’m terrified to even start. I haven't taken anything today; I keep putting it off, but I've been feeling pretty miserable lately... what dose are you currently on?

Justin Rogers5 said:10 mg is just a starting dose, if you want my advice. Take those 10 mg and give them to someone else—your mom, your dad, your partner. Don't even think about leaving them near you. Otherwise, you'll end up reaching for them in your sleep and reading in the news the next morning that some guy was wandering around Times Square in his pajamas.🤣

I’ve been on them for quite a while now, and I won't deny it—I tend to wander, though my nighttime excursions are strictly limited to pacing around my apartment or hovering by the refrigerator. As soon as that heavy veil of sleep begins to descend, I find myself rising to perform some sort of midnight labor in the kitchen... it's a habit I truly detest. My doctor recently prescribed Ambien, but I have zero interest in taking it; it feels far too potent for my system. Since I don't really know what else to turn to, I just stick with the Sanval.