Psychotropic medication discussion thread

Anthony Lopez8 said:That’s a question I’d love to have answered myself. Every time I read a news report about someone—usually by complete accident—dying from mixing benzos and booze, I find myself wondering how on earth they manage to pull that off.
During one particular suicidal episode, I washed down two entire bottles of Xanax with a bottle of vodka, and the only outcome was waking up two days later face-down in my own vomit. 😕 🤷 😂

There’s just no way! You would’ve been dead.
Unless your memory is failing you, do you even realize what a bottle of vodka and two boxes of Xanax actually entails?!

I suspect you must have downed a massive amount of vodka, or maybe you just happen to have an incredibly high tolerance for Xanax.
I’m genuinely curious though... which Xanax were you taking? What was the dosage in milligrams?

Kenneth Scott41 said:There’s just no way! You would’ve been dead.
Unless your memory is failing you, do you even realize what a bottle of vodka and two boxes of Xanax actually entails?!

I suspect you must have downed a massive amount of vodka, or maybe you just happen to have an incredibly high tolerance for Xanax.
I’m genuinely curious though... which Xanax were you taking? What was the dosage in milligrams?

Well, I was just as convinced I wouldn't make it, which is exactly why I went through with it. I don't quite understand why this surprises you so much—I wasn't playing games with that amount; my intention was to end it. 🙂

I certainly hope you aren't asking for specifics out of some morbid curiosity. It is better to learn from the mistakes of others, because based on everything I've read from you here, it seems you've already learned plenty from your own... All I know for certain is that I will never again attempt anything involving pills.

The Xanax were 0.5mg tablets. I had developed some level of tolerance, but nothing extreme—it wasn't as if I was using them recreationally out of boredom. As for the vodka, I had finished about 80% of the bottle before losing consciousness, and I suspect that was precisely where things went wrong. Since I don't typically drink at all, the sheer volume of liquid caused my body to reflexively purge everything, which likely saved me.

All things considered, it's clear that my body is still functioning far more reliably than my mind. 🙂

redcrane22 said:Yeah, that’s the consensus. You hear it from patients and doctors alike. For some reason, though, it hasn't happened to me.🤣

It probably comes down to how it triggers your appetite. Take me, for instance; if I'm on it for a couple of days, I start eating like there's no tomorrow. Last night, I polished off five eggs, half a loaf of bread, two large containers of yogurt, and a full liter of milk, and I *still* felt hungry. It isn't necessarily that the medication itself causes weight gain; it just turns your hunger switch to high, and before you know it, you're growing like a weed. hahaha

Alright everyone, has anyone actually tried Valdoxan before? Is it just me, or am I the only one who ended up being prescribed this?

I dropped down to about 136 pounds on Prozac. I'm 5'11".
My psychiatrist actually noticed the weight loss, but he didn't really say much else about it.

My mom keeps nagging me, acting like I'm headed straight for an eating disorder.

lol..omg...

George Allen71 said:Alright everyone, has anyone actually tried Valdoxan before? Is it just me, or am I the only one who ended up being prescribed this?

There aren't many patients on Valdoxan yet. It’s still on the supplemental list, meaning you have to pay a significant portion out of pocket because Medicare doesn't cover the full cost. That said, it belongs to a newer generation of ADs and should theoretically work faster with fewer side effects than traditional ADs. Hopefully, it works for you.

driftinggull21 said:There aren't many patients on Valdoxan yet. It’s still on the supplemental list, meaning you have to pay a significant portion out of pocket because Medicare doesn't cover the full cost. That said, it belongs to a newer generation of ADs and should theoretically work faster with fewer side effects than traditional ADs. Hopefully, it works for you.

Thanks, Scarlett. I really wish I could hear from someone who is actually taking it. I know it's rare... but I was holding out hope. I also realize how individualistic things are with ADs... I honestly don't know what to expect. But anyway, I'll post an update later so you all know how it affects me... who knows, maybe it'll help someone else too.
Why does everyone get so skinny on Prozac?
If only it could help me drop these pounds I put on from Zyprexa...

George Allen71 said:Thanks, Scarlett. I really wish I could hear from someone who is actually taking it. I know it's rare... but I was holding out hope. I also realize how individualistic things are with ADs... I honestly don't know what to expect. But anyway, I'll post an update later so you all know how it affects me... who knows, maybe it'll help someone else too.
Why does everyone get so skinny on Prozac?
If only it could help me drop these pounds I put on from Zyprexa...

Be sure to update us on your experience with Valdoxan. I don't believe anyone has posted about it yet.

The pills themselves don't cause weight gain or loss; side effects can manifest as either an increased or decreased appetite. Regardless of whether you are still on Zyprexa, you should begin a structured diet and exercise routine. (Your body will thank you.)😉

driftinggull21 said:There aren't many patients on Valdoxan yet. It’s still on the supplemental list, meaning you have to pay a significant portion out of pocket because Medicare doesn't cover the full cost. That said, it belongs to a newer generation of ADs and should theoretically work faster with fewer side effects than traditional ADs. Hopefully, it works for you.

One more thing... I was reading up on it and how it relates to melatonin and the pineal gland... I don't quite grasp the mechanism behind the melatonin part. Do you know how it affects mood, specifically regarding my diagnosis of F60.3 and F33.2?
I get how the other ADs work by targeting serotonin and dopamine... but this whole melatonin connection... would it be like that feeling you get after a session at a tanning salon? Like you just feel slightly better somehow... it's a silly comparison, but I'm trying to wrap my head around the logic. Thanks.

George Allen71 said:One more thing... I was reading up on it and how it relates to melatonin and the pineal gland... I don't quite grasp the mechanism behind the melatonin part. Do you know how it affects mood, specifically regarding my diagnosis of F60.3 and F33.2?
I get how the other ADs work by targeting serotonin and dopamine... but this whole melatonin connection... would it be like that feeling you get after a session at a tanning salon? Like you just feel slightly better somehow... it's a silly comparison, but I'm trying to wrap my head around the logic. Thanks.

Melatonin is intended to help regulate sleep cycles, regardless of a specific diagnosis.

driftinggull21 said:Melatonin is intended to help regulate sleep cycles, regardless of a specific diagnosis.

I don't actually have any trouble sleeping. When my psychiatrist asked if I had issues with my sleep patterns, I told her no, because I sleep quite regularly. However, she prescribed it to me yesterday due to severe depression. She noted in my chart that I'm dealing with oscillatory mood, decreased willpower and drive, along with projectivity and interpretativity.
What does all that last part even mean?
She also mentioned my weight and said this might help with that, too.
I can't remember every single detail of what was said because I was at the psychiatric ER yesterday in a really terrible state. She decided to take me off the medication I've been on for a year and a half since the depression just isn't lifting.
Thank you so much for your answers. They really mean a lot to me.

George Allen71 said:I don't actually have any trouble sleeping. When my psychiatrist asked if I had issues with my sleep patterns, I told her no, because I sleep quite regularly. However, she prescribed it to me yesterday due to severe depression. She noted in my chart that I'm dealing with oscillatory mood, decreased willpower and drive, along with projectivity and interpretativity.
What does all that last part even mean?
She also mentioned my weight and said this might help with that, too.
I can't remember every single detail of what was said because I was at the psychiatric ER yesterday in a really terrible state. She decided to take me off the medication I've been on for a year and a half since the depression just isn't lifting.
Thank you so much for your answers. They really mean a lot to me.

It is difficult to say for certain right now; perhaps you are projecting and interpreting reality through those very projections. 🤷

driftinggull21 said:It is difficult to say for certain right now; perhaps you are projecting and interpreting reality through those very projections. 🤷

Haha... look, I have both a bachelor's and a master's degree... and I still have absolutely no clue what that's supposed to mean... goodness. I am embarrassed for you.

George Allen71 said:Haha... look, I have both a bachelor's and a master's degree... and I still have absolutely no clue what that's supposed to mean... goodness. I am embarrassed for you.

Don't be embarrassed. You aren't expected to interpret a psychiatrist's findings on your own...🙂

Valdoxan......

I started taking Ad Valdoxan on Friday, so I've only been on it for four days now. It hasn't kicked in yet, though of course an antidepressant usually takes two to three weeks to start working (even if the label says Vladoxan can show effects within just one week of therapy). To anyone else starting their meds: please don't lose hope.... transitioning from my last antidepressant to this new one... it's been a nightmare. Waking up in the middle of the night... the depression is catastrophic, involving hysterical crying fits that last for hours... and these terrible mood swings where I flip from sadness to rage to happiness in an instant (though I am also taking the stabilizer Lamal). This morning, on day four, it feels like things are maybe a tiny bit easier. I'm not giving up; I'm fighting through it and hoping for the best.
Switching antidepressants... this transition period... oh boy... it's just pure misery.... how do you all handle changing medications?

So, I went to my primary care doctor today to get a referral for a psychiatrist, just in case this stomach issue is actually all in my head. She told me that the psychiatrist I called a couple of weeks ago—the one who wanted to charge me $100 for an hour session—is actually working under a referral. Which means I shouldn't have to pay $100 out of pocket. Honestly, she should've mentioned that when I asked. Since her office is at the local community health center and she’s contracted with them to handle outpatient cases, they basically cover her just for seeing 20 patients a day.

Justin Rogers5 said:So, I went to my primary care doctor today to get a referral for a psychiatrist, just in case this stomach issue is actually all in my head. She told me that the psychiatrist I called a couple of weeks ago—the one who wanted to charge me $100 for an hour session—is actually working under a referral. Which means I shouldn't have to pay $100 out of pocket. Honestly, she should've mentioned that when I asked. Since her office is at the local community health center and she’s contracted with them to handle outpatient cases, they basically cover her just for seeing 20 patients a day.

Psychotherapy can still be sought privately after work hours.

driftinggull21 said:Psychotherapy can still be sought privately after work hours.

But I asked her if I could use insurance and she said no. She knows damn well I don't have any $100 money left—spent it all this summer, and honestly, she made a killing off me over the last few years. 🙂Then she has the nerve to act insulted because I didn't call to cancel. Like, sorry, I forgot, she works 15 hours a day. I know this is the wrong thread. OT: What's Lexapro? People say taking it at night helps with sleep.

Justin Rogers5 said:But I asked her if I could use insurance and she said no. She knows damn well I don't have any $100 money left—spent it all this summer, and honestly, she made a killing off me over the last few years. 🙂Then she has the nerve to act insulted because I didn't call to cancel. Like, sorry, I forgot, she works 15 hours a day. I know this is the wrong thread. OT: What's Lexapro? People say taking it at night helps with sleep.

She likely performs check-ups under insurance while charging privately for psychotherapy.
Regarding Lexapro, it is an SSRI, an older antidepressant also used for OCD. It helps regulate sleep, so many people use it to get off hypnotics.

Effexor? A psychiatrist over at the Mayo Clinic mentioned a few different options, so I guess I'll just pick one and see.🤷