Psychotropic medication discussion thread

Does anyone happen to know how many hours I should wait after having a couple of drinks—maybe two glasses of wine or two beers—before it’s safe to take a Sanval dose, like 5mg or even just half of that?

restlesstrucker15 said:What kind of medication do you currently have on hand? You might try taking two Zonadin, but please, do not exceed that amount under any circumstances. Since you don't have a physician overseeing your care right now, you won't be able to access anything more potent, though I believe Dormicum is no longer covered by insurance in the US. I am just uncertain whether a general practitioner would actually write you a prescription for it.

Right now I just have some herbal stuff I bought $33.Tried two 5mg Zonadin, but no luck. Maybe Praxiten.😕

Hannah Foster6 said:Does anyone happen to know how many hours I should wait after having a couple of drinks—maybe two glasses of wine or two beers—before it’s safe to take a Sanval dose, like 5mg or even just half of that?

Honestly, you're better off not drinking anything at all with Sanval. But if you have to, maybe wait half a day. If you finish those drinks around 4 PM, you might be okay by 11.

For me, half a pill of Trazodon
actually does the trick.

I’m dealing with some pretty heavy anxiety and a whole bunch of physical symptoms. For the last few months, the worst part has been this constant feeling of suffocation and like I just can't catch my breath. I've been on Elice for about six months now, along with either Xanax or normabel as needed, but these symptoms are still absolutely killing me. Is it even normal to feel this way while being on an antidepressant? Has anyone else here had experience using Elice?

How much normabel and Xanax are you guys taking on a daily basis?

Justin Rogers5 said:Anyone got any sleep recs? Zonadin isn't doing squat, and neither is Zan. No clue why. Haven't touched sleeping pills in two years, so I'm definitely not hooked or anything.🤷The GP won't even write a script without a referral from a psychiatrist. Tried seeing a social worker, but there were 20 people ahead of me and I didn't even get a turn before he had to bail because his ferry was leaving.🙂

It’s a bit of a catch-22, isn't it? You need a prescription to get relief, but nobody is willing to hand one over without a specialist's sign-off. Some people swear by Mirzaten (calixta) for knocking you out instantly... others mention Prazina... but honestly, you know the whole spectrum of hypnotics better than I do. You might try Praxiten, though I’m skeptical it would move the needle for you; back in the day, I could drift off with just a single pill, but that was long before I started using Xanax and Sanval, so I highly doubt my chemistry would respond the same way now.

Chloe Garcia10 said:I’m dealing with some pretty heavy anxiety and a whole bunch of physical symptoms. For the last few months, the worst part has been this constant feeling of suffocation and like I just can't catch my breath. I've been on Elice for about six months now, along with either Xanax or normabel as needed, but these symptoms are still absolutely killing me. Is it even normal to feel this way while being on an antidepressant? Has anyone else here had experience using Elice?

How much normabel and Xanax are you guys taking on a daily basis?

They really ought to scale back—or just pull the plug entirely.

restlesstrucker15 said:What kind of medication do you currently have on hand? You might try taking two Zonadin, but please, do not exceed that amount under any circumstances. Since you don't have a physician overseeing your care right now, you won't be able to access anything more potent, though I believe Dormicum is no longer covered by insurance in the US. I am just uncertain whether a general practitioner would actually write you a prescription for it.

Wait, what do you mean it's free? My psychiatrist prescribed mine, then my primary care doctor wrote out a handwritten script, and I still end up paying $26.50 every single time...
😲

Don't touch the Ambien if you value your sanity. It's a nightmare.

Matthew White4 said:Wait, what do you mean it's free? My psychiatrist prescribed mine, then my primary care doctor wrote out a handwritten script, and I still end up paying $26.50 every single time...
😲

Ambien was actually added to the standard insurance formulary, I believe back in May. I am currently using a private prescription myself, but I intend to ask my family doctor to issue a standard one instead, so I can finally stop paying out of pocket.

I am curious if anyone here has experience using Agomelatine as an add-on therapy to an SSRI. To be clear, my primary struggle is with anxiety disorders rather than clinical depression, though I have read that it can be effective for insomnia. My ultimate goal is to gradually phase out my reliance on hypnotics. I intend to consult with my psychiatrist about this, but I would value hearing from others who deal with anxiety—has anyone here tried it? I noticed some mentions regarding its noradrenergic effects, which makes me wonder if it might be counterproductive for someone whose main issue isn't depression.🤷

Looks like I'll have to pick up some Ambien this winter. Can't seem to drift off before 4 AM, and being unemployed just makes everything feel heavier.🙂

I'm stuck working night shifts constantly. I get maybe seven hours to eat and crash before I have to head right back into work.🤷Basically, I need something that knocks me out instantly, but if I walked into my doctor's office asking for that, they’d laugh me out the door. I just need sleep. I'm on edge, irritable, and honestly, a danger to everyone around me.🤣I don't know what's wrong with me. I spend all afternoon working, then when I finally sit down to watch some soap opera, I'll pass out for an hour and that's it—then I'm just tossing and turning all night when I really need to be solid.🤷I was going to pick up some Xanax at the pharmacy today (the ladies there always look out for me, usually letting me leave with $100 less than the full price)

Justin Rogers5 said:I'm stuck working night shifts constantly. I get maybe seven hours to eat and crash before I have to head right back into work.🤷Basically, I need something that knocks me out instantly, but if I walked into my doctor's office asking for that, they’d laugh me out the door. I just need sleep. I'm on edge, irritable, and honestly, a danger to everyone around me.🤣I don't know what's wrong with me. I spend all afternoon working, then when I finally sit down to watch some soap opera, I'll pass out for an hour and that's it—then I'm just tossing and turning all night when I really need to be solid.🤷I was going to pick up some Xanax at the pharmacy today (the ladies there always look out for me, usually letting me leave with $100 less than the full price)

Well, let me tell you, Callista hits you hard and fast, but there is one major drawback: waking up in the morning feels like trekking through sludge, and you end up feeling completely hungover...

Jason Vaughn482 said:Well, let me tell you, Callista hits you hard and fast, but there is one major drawback: waking up in the morning feels like trekking through sludge, and you end up feeling completely hungover...

It is true that Callista is effective for insomnia, though you should expect to sleep quite heavily during that first week and deal with an intense hunger. I actually used it for a short period as a supplement for Ellie, but my doctor eventually took me off it because I was sleeping far too much; it wasn't even helping me fall asleep at night. Personally, I have a hard time drifting off even when taking Ambien, so you should definitely run it by your psychiatrist first.🙂

Taking antidepressants while you're stuck on methadone... I guess that's just a recipe for a pretty miserable existence.🙄

Hey everyone, I’m looking for some insight on which of these options actually works best without completely wiping you out. I don't want to end up feeling like a total zombie or looking like some spaced-out idiot; I just want to feel steady, relaxed, and actually happy. My main issue is aggression, especially after I've had a few drinks. To make matters worse, I’m currently on probation, so I really need to get this under control. I’m avoiding the doctor because I don't want them flagging me for a psychiatric disorder or trying to slap some heavy diagnosis on my record. These are the meds I have access to right now: Quincy 100mg, Depakote 500mg, Prozac 50mg, and Sarafem 200mg. Honestly, I don't understand how any of this stuff works, but I'm certainly not going to start playing chemist with my own head.

Dana Hayes3 said:Hey everyone, I’m looking for some insight on which of these options actually works best without completely wiping you out. I don't want to end up feeling like a total zombie or looking like some spaced-out idiot; I just want to feel steady, relaxed, and actually happy. My main issue is aggression, especially after I've had a few drinks. To make matters worse, I’m currently on probation, so I really need to get this under control. I’m avoiding the doctor because I don't want them flagging me for a psychiatric disorder or trying to slap some heavy diagnosis on my record. These are the meds I have access to right now: Quincy 100mg, Depakote 500mg, Prozac 50mg, and Sarafem 200mg. Honestly, I don't understand how any of this stuff works, but I'm certainly not going to start playing chemist with my own head.

Medication is prescribed by a physician, not by people on an internet forum. Effects vary by individual; what works for one person may not work for you, and vice versa. Effective treatment requires a personalized approach, a partnership between doctor and patient, and, naturally, trust in your physician.
Furthermore, you stated:

...I don't understand how any of these work, but I won't take anything on my own without guidance...

Look, I’m not exactly looking to walk into a doctor's office and have them start questioning my sanity, you know? I’d rather avoid that whole conversation if possible. I was just wondering how any of the options listed actually work—does anyone happen to have some insight on that?

Dana Hayes3 said:Look, I’m not exactly looking to walk into a doctor's office and have them start questioning my sanity, you know? I’d rather avoid that whole conversation if possible. I was just wondering how any of the options listed actually work—does anyone happen to have some insight on that?

Good grief, these are psychiatric medications. You need a prescription from an authorized medical professional. Once you have that, you receive a diagnosis, which does not mean you are "crazy."