Psychotropic medication discussion thread

fadedbear92 said:I really only need about 30-40 mg of Ambien to feel anything—truth be told, I shouldn't even be taking it—but the Prozac makes it incredibly hard to actually wake up in the morning. I'll probably have to go back to just using that, because needing this much Ambien just isn't right.😲😲😲

Yeah, that really is a bit much Zolpidem. I know you're taking Prazina for sleep; my doctor told me that was fine, but then she prescribed Qitapin—which leaves me feeling completely out of it—so I haven't been taking it. She mentioned that Seroquel and Qitapin, or similar medications used in low doses for insomnia, are actually better than Prazina because they have a narrower spectrum of side effects. I don't mean the difficulty waking up, but other issues. Have you considered trying a different hypnotic? Personally, I think Halcion is excellent, but if you don't strictly need it, I wouldn't advise it; once you build up a tolerance like I did, there's nothing stronger to switch to. It would be wonderful if Zan worked for you, or perhaps Cerson. They are supposedly milder for those they are intended to put to sleep. I'm not sure what your relationship is like with your therapist, but mine usually hands me a few tablets to try before she writes the official prescription. I find that very kind of her.

Kenneth Scott41 said:How are my fellow pill-poppers doing today? 😁

I can't really find much to complain about, honestly; I'm doing alright. They've actually gone ahead and scaled back my Qitapin—just 50mg in the afternoon and again at night—and they've cut my Normabest down to just once in the evening. It’s a bit of a struggle for me, though, because I've grown quite fond of it. 😁

As someone who's pretty much addicted to these things, I think I'm going to have a hard time sticking to just one Normabest a day.

Bravo! Honestly, that counts as progress, especially since I’m somewhat familiar with your history. Look, it isn't such a disaster with the Normabest; you will eventually adjust to the lower dosage. What amount were you taking previously? For my part, I take Ativan as needed, but truly only when I feel completely overwhelmed. I realize that "as needed" is a very deceptive concept; it is incredibly difficult for us to accurately judge when we actually need it.😉

As for me, I am just sitting here waiting for someone to import some new hypnotic medication. There is one available over in Mexico that they don't carry here, but it is absolute garbage. It's Nembutol, at 0.25. I mean, a hypnotic at 0.25? Who even does that? It's not an anxiolytic; for God's sake, if you need to sleep, you need something that actually works.😠

restlesstrucker15 said:You will have to ask your doctor, but personally, I don't think they clash. In my case, I was prescribed Calixta Elicei for insomnia. However, I found myself unable to function properly throughout the entire day. Now, just to test things out, I was given half of a 25 mg Qitapin, but I still can't seem to pull myself together during the day. I'm seeing my doctor soon, so I'll let you know what we decide regarding the insomnia. Currently, I've gone back to Halcion and it's okay. It's just unfortunate because these hypnotics cause dependency; I don't mean it's bad that a person gets used to them, but it's bad that they become less effective over time. Just tell your doctor everything, and she will adjust your therapy accordingly. It is also possible that you might experience insomnia until your body adjusts to the Zoloft, at which point you can finally address the insomnia that is bothering you now. Don't worry, most psychiatrists know exactly which medications can be combined.

I haven't even started the Zoloft yet, and I'm already struggling with insomnia... I can only imagine what happens once I actually begin. I have Mirzaten sitting here at home, but it's absolutely killing me because I feel like a zombie all day; I can't stand it. How much Nembutol do you usually take—is it half a pill or a full one—to actually get a full night's rest?

Jason Vaughn482 said:I haven't even started the Zoloft yet, and I'm already struggling with insomnia... I can only imagine what happens once I actually begin. I have Mirzaten sitting here at home, but it's absolutely killing me because I feel like a zombie all day; I can't stand it. How much Nembutol do you usually take—is it half a pill or a full one—to actually get a full night's rest?

Since you haven't started the medication yet, it is possible that Zoloft won't exacerbate your insomnia; I don't believe that is its primary side effect. Personally, I take a full dose of Halcion, though its effectiveness has diminished somewhat since I began using it a year and a half ago. However, I do manage to sleep through the night without feeling groggy the next morning, which means I am nowhere near as heavily sedated as Calixta. My advice is to take it right before you get into bed. If your doctor prescribes it, I suggest starting with half a pill. There is a 7.5 mg dose available in the US, whereas we only have access to the 15 mg version here. I was prescribed it after speaking with my provider at Sanval, and it has been quite effective.
Half a pill should suffice for you. If it does not, then try the full dose.

I cannot recall specifically who asked whether it is better to use Xanax, Ativan, or Normabest for sleep. In my opinion, whoever can fall asleep on just 10 mg of Normabest is incredibly lucky. That would be ideal. While psychiatrists generally prefer prescribing hypnotics over anxiolytics for insomnia, they likely have valid reasons for doing so. However, as we are all aware, hypnotics tend to create a greater risk of dependency than anxiolytics, or so I would argue.

Now, regarding another matter. As you may have gathered from my previous posts, you might also be prescribed a low dose of an antipsychotic (such as Prazina, Zyprexa, or Seroquel) to assist with sleep. In my experience, however, those medications affect me even more severely than Calixta describes. I tend to be somewhat wary of antipsychotics. That said, my doctor suggested that a low-dose antipsychotic for sleep is preferable to taking two doses of Halcion. Such is the dilemma.

Good luck with the Halcion, and please let me know how it works out for you. It isn't expensive, usually around $8.25.

restlesstrucker15 said:Since you haven't started the medication yet, it is possible that Zoloft won't exacerbate your insomnia; I don't believe that is its primary side effect. Personally, I take a full dose of Halcion, though its effectiveness has diminished somewhat since I began using it a year and a half ago. However, I do manage to sleep through the night without feeling groggy the next morning, which means I am nowhere near as heavily sedated as Calixta. My advice is to take it right before you get into bed. If your doctor prescribes it, I suggest starting with half a pill. There is a 7.5 mg dose available in the US, whereas we only have access to the 15 mg version here. I was prescribed it after speaking with my provider at Sanval, and it has been quite effective.
Half a pill should suffice for you. If it does not, then try the full dose.

I cannot recall specifically who asked whether it is better to use Xanax, Ativan, or Normabest for sleep. In my opinion, whoever can fall asleep on just 10 mg of Normabest is incredibly lucky. That would be ideal. While psychiatrists generally prefer prescribing hypnotics over anxiolytics for insomnia, they likely have valid reasons for doing so. However, as we are all aware, hypnotics tend to create a greater risk of dependency than anxiolytics, or so I would argue.

Now, regarding another matter. As you may have gathered from my previous posts, you might also be prescribed a low dose of an antipsychotic (such as Prazina, Zyprexa, or Seroquel) to assist with sleep. In my experience, however, those medications affect me even more severely than Calixta describes. I tend to be somewhat wary of antipsychotics. That said, my doctor suggested that a low-dose antipsychotic for sleep is preferable to taking two doses of Halcion. Such is the dilemma.

Good luck with the Halcion, and please let me know how it works out for you. It isn't expensive, usually around $8.25.

I have some at home, but I've been hesitant to even swallow the half-dose because I can't get past the side effects listed in the warnings—specifically those reported cases of cardiac arrest and heart failure... I tried Prazina for a short stint, but it was hit or miss at best. Then there was a period where I took 10 mg of Sanval along with a 5 mg Normabest, and that felt alright enough..

Jason Vaughn482 said:I have some at home, but I've been hesitant to even swallow the half-dose because I can't get past the side effects listed in the warnings—specifically those reported cases of cardiac arrest and heart failure... I tried Prazina for a short stint, but it was hit or miss at best. Then there was a period where I took 10 mg of Sanval along with a 5 mg Normabest, and that felt alright enough..

Wait, you haven't even started yet??? Talk about a betrayal. 🙂

Jason Vaughn482 said:I have some at home, but I've been hesitant to even swallow the half-dose because I can't get past the side effects listed in the warnings—specifically those reported cases of cardiac arrest and heart failure... I tried Prazina for a short stint, but it was hit or miss at best. Then there was a period where I took 10 mg of Sanval along with a 5 mg Normabest, and that felt alright enough..

I am not entirely sure if you are afraid of taking Halcion or Zoloft. Honestly, there is no reason to fear either. As for Zoloft, I don't believe it will cause you any trouble, and you certainly shouldn't be nervous about the Halcion. If Sanval didn't affect you, then the Halcion won't either—especially since you are only taking half a dose.

Is anyone else here mixing diazepam with Sonalia?

Up until now, I’ve been on 50mg of Sonalia once a day, plus Normabest at 5mg three times a day and another 5mg right before bed. Problem is, I haven't managed to get a wink of sleep thanks to the Normabest for over two and a half months. 🙂
I went to the pharmacy to ask if Sanval might work better than the Normabest, and they told me it was perfectly fine to try. Well, I took it for two days and it was the same old story—didn't sleep for even thirty minutes while we were staying at the cabin, though I did spend the night talking nonsense. Poor husband. 🤣

Yesterday, I started diazepam—7.5mg at bedtime and then some during the day as needed—while still keeping up with the Sonalia in the mornings. And finally, I actually slept. 🙂

My doctor mentioned that Normabest and diazepam are basically the same thing chemically; she just switched me to diazepam so I could split the dose to hit 7.5mg instead of taking 10mg of Normabest.

The first night went smoothly. We'll see how it holds up.
If you've dealt with this specific combo, let me know.

restlesstrucker15 said:Yeah, that really is a bit much Zolpidem. I know you're taking Prazina for sleep; my doctor told me that was fine, but then she prescribed Qitapin—which leaves me feeling completely out of it—so I haven't been taking it. She mentioned that Seroquel and Qitapin, or similar medications used in low doses for insomnia, are actually better than Prazina because they have a narrower spectrum of side effects. I don't mean the difficulty waking up, but other issues. Have you considered trying a different hypnotic? Personally, I think Halcion is excellent, but if you don't strictly need it, I wouldn't advise it; once you build up a tolerance like I did, there's nothing stronger to switch to. It would be wonderful if Zan worked for you, or perhaps Cerson. They are supposedly milder for those they are intended to put to sleep. I'm not sure what your relationship is like with your therapist, but mine usually hands me a few tablets to try before she writes the official prescription. I find that very kind of her.

Went to PT yesterday—we're cutting out the Prazina, Sanval, and Fevarin. Now it's just Edronax and Rivotril left, and we're starting... Qitapin, wow!
Half a 25mg pill to start, so 12.5 mg tonight. Brrrr.😲😲 😲

Please share your experiences and what dosages you're taking. I've been prescribed this for insomnia and as a mood stabilizer—starting tonight at half a 25 mg tablet.😲

Hi everyone! I'm new here and was wondering if anyone uses Zoloft? I have a few questions about managing anxiety and how this medication works.

Jason Garcia2 said:Wait, you haven't even started yet??? Talk about a betrayal. 🙂

No, it isn't some grand act of betrayal; I actually started on day one, but I had to pause because I resumed taking Mirzaten last night—which, as we know, acts like a heavy curtain dropping over my consciousness—and I was paralyzed by the uncertainty of whether mixing the two was safe. However, after a consultation with my doctor today, she assured me that combining them is perfectly fine, provided I don't rely on the Mirzaten as an emergency fix but rather take it daily, though I ultimately decided to stick to just Prozac during the day and save the Valium for the evening... and well, here I am, having wandered through the door a moment ago and already swallowed a third of my Prozac dose even though it’s been three hours since my scheduled time... so, I'm continuing this dialogue with you... tell me, how is your sleep holding up? And which combination seems to offer you the most reliable rest?

restlesstrucker15 said:I am not entirely sure if you are afraid of taking Halcion or Zoloft. Honestly, there is no reason to fear either. As for Zoloft, I don't believe it will cause you any trouble, and you certainly shouldn't be nervous about the Halcion. If Sanval didn't affect you, then the Halcion won't either—especially since you are only taking half a dose.

Man, last night was an absolute train wreck... I ended up taking half my Ambien and just tossed and turned in bed for two hours straight. Eventually, around midnight, I swallowed 15 mg of Calixte and somehow drifted off, but I spent the entire night waking up, and today has been a total fog... I actually sleep better without the Valium. And don't even get me started on whether I should try Benadryl for sleep tonight; it's meant for allergies, anyway, and apparently, local pharmacies have been claiming they haven't had it in stock for three years. So, it's back to Valium tonight... lately, the insomnia and the whole chaotic mess of managing these pills are becoming a much bigger headache than the actual anxiety itself.😠

urbanpilot said:Is anyone else here mixing diazepam with Sonalia?

Up until now, I’ve been on 50mg of Sonalia once a day, plus Normabest at 5mg three times a day and another 5mg right before bed. Problem is, I haven't managed to get a wink of sleep thanks to the Normabest for over two and a half months. 🙂
I went to the pharmacy to ask if Sanval might work better than the Normabest, and they told me it was perfectly fine to try. Well, I took it for two days and it was the same old story—didn't sleep for even thirty minutes while we were staying at the cabin, though I did spend the night talking nonsense. Poor husband. 🤣

Yesterday, I started diazepam—7.5mg at bedtime and then some during the day as needed—while still keeping up with the Sonalia in the mornings. And finally, I actually slept. 🙂

My doctor mentioned that Normabest and diazepam are basically the same thing chemically; she just switched me to diazepam so I could split the dose to hit 7.5mg instead of taking 10mg of Normabest.

The first night went smoothly. We'll see how it holds up.
If you've dealt with this specific combo, let me know.

I'm not familiar with what Sonalia is, and personally, I don't have much experience with diazepam. I remember once taking Valium and a 5mg Normabel together, which actually worked for me, but I don't have them anymore and I'm not sure if my GP will prescribe them since I already have Xanax, even though that doesn't help me sleep at all.

electricranger93 said:Hi everyone! I'm new here and was wondering if anyone uses Zoloft? I have a few questions about managing anxiety and how this medication works.

Just getting started myself.

fadedbear92 said:Please share your experiences and what dosages you're taking. I've been prescribed this for insomnia and as a mood stabilizer—starting tonight at half a 25 mg tablet.😲

I’ve been running 100mg, and man, the side effects are no joke. I get these intense heart palpitations, cold sweats, and this heavy, crushing drowsiness. But then, it’s inconsistent—sometimes you actually feel a bit more alert, like you have enough energy to hold a conversation. Other times, you’re just sitting there laughing like a maniac at nothing, only for it to hit you all at once. You just crash; you’ll be out for thirty minutes to an hour before that sleepiness finally lifts. The first time I messed around with them, I made a huge mistake. I took four of them, spaced about fifteen minutes apart, while I was out walking through downtown Chicago. It hit me so hard I didn't even know where I was. I had to scramble to get home as fast as possible because I felt like a total zombie. And honestly, those Seroquel pills from the pharmacy? They’re smaller and white, but they’re just as much of a pain in the ass.

Yeah, it definitely lingers for quite a while. There are those days where you just don't have the energy to even force a word out, you know? It’s like you lose that social spark entirely. On top of that, it leaves my mouth feeling incredibly dry, and almost every single time I take it, it triggers this massive, uncontrollable appetite...

Dana Hayes3 said:Yeah, it definitely lingers for quite a while. There are those days where you just don't have the energy to even force a word out, you know? It’s like you lose that social spark entirely. On top of that, it leaves my mouth feeling incredibly dry, and almost every single time I take it, it triggers this massive, uncontrollable appetite...

Man, oh man, you really put my mind at ease😂 😂--😁just what I needed to hear😲--😲.😲

fadedbear92 said:Man, oh man, you really put my mind at ease😂 😂--😁just what I needed to hear😲--😲.😲

I suspect there is a significant physiological difference between taking four 100mg tablets versus a mere half of a 25mg dose. 😁
I experimented with them briefly as an alternative to Zyprexa. While they didn't quite hit the mark for their intended purpose, I do recall how they provided a very pleasant, soothing lullaby that drifted me right into sleep.😍

Anthony Lopez8 said:I suspect there is a significant physiological difference between taking four 100mg tablets versus a mere half of a 25mg dose. 😁
I experimented with them briefly as an alternative to Zyprexa. While they didn't quite hit the mark for their intended purpose, I do recall how they provided a very pleasant, soothing lullaby that drifted me right into sleep.😍

But that's exactly what I'm asking you—it sounds sooo cozy...

Obviously, there is a huge gap between a 100mg dose and 25mg.