Psychotropic medication discussion thread

Jason Vaughn482 said:Well, Celexa is essentially the same class as Zoloft, which is sertraline. I’ve personally taken Zoloft, though only for a brief stint; I ended up stopping after about twenty days and now I'm starting the whole process over again. It carries its own set of side effects, too—things like nausea and heightened anxiety—but according to the literature, those should subside within three weeks. How is she planning to make the switch? Doesn't she need an actual appointment with her doctor to officially change the prescription?

No. Her notes say if Cipralex doesn't work, switch to Luxeta, so the GP can swap it instantly. Nervousness? Was it manic or just regular anxiety? She had her right on the edge of mania with the Cipralex. Prescribed 3x25 mg.

urbanpilot said:I finally got taken off diazepam and I'm just staying on Sonalia 50 mg now.

Instead of the diazepam, my doctor prescribed Valium, which isn't even stocked at our local pharmacies and costs a fortune out of pocket. Apparently, they switched me because Valium is supposedly herbal-based and won't cause dependency—that was the whole reason for cutting the diazepam. In the end, I just ordered some herbal nerve and calming tincture from a woman who makes her own botanical supplements, and honestly, it actually works.

I take it before bed and during the day whenever things get heavy.
The real issue is how the antidepressant is nuking my libido. Since I started this (about 4 months ago), my sex drive has been sitting at absolute zero.🙂
We try. We really do. We make an effort and it’s fine, I guess, but I can't reach orgasm. It’s incredibly frustrating, and obviously, it’s frustrating for my husband too. We’re both just irritable. There’s no more tenderness left. We climb into bed like two eighty-year-olds, exchange a quick kiss, and turn our backs to each other. It’s killing my mental state even more.
I’ve only just hit my thirties, yet I feel exhausted, pathetic, undesirable, and totally listless...
How do I fix this? I don't want to wreck my marriage. Things were genuinely great before this. Sure, we have ups and downs, little issues, and stress like any couple, but there was always compromise and respect. Now, I feel like the ground is slipping out from under us. Take today: we haven't exchanged more than two sentences all day. I made lunch, he and the kids ate, then I just sat in the living room staring into space. Later I napped while he sat at his computer and the kids played. When I woke up, I did the dishes, fed the kids, and went back to sit in front of the TV while he kept gaming. Once I got the kids to bed, he fell asleep in the living room and here I am, posting this. Now I’m going to shower, wake him up so he can head to bed, and that's it. A kiss, then turning our backs.🙂

Since they tell me Lexapro is basically the same as Zoloft, what has your experience been like starting it? I took Cipralex for two days and almost had a manic episode today, even though I've never been manic. Called my psychiatrist and she switched me to Lexapro, but people on the forums say it's just the same thing as Zoloft.

Paul Newman5 said:No. Her notes say if Cipralex doesn't work, switch to Luxeta, so the GP can swap it instantly. Nervousness? Was it manic or just regular anxiety? She had her right on the edge of mania with the Cipralex. Prescribed 3x25 mg.

It wasn't manic, per se, but let me tell you, it’s a deeply unsettling sensation... and as for that dosage, 3 x 25 mg? If you start at 25 mg for a couple of days and then jump straight to 50, you're going to find that's far too much to swallow all at once at the beginning.

Jason Vaughn482 said:It wasn't manic, per se, but let me tell you, it’s a deeply unsettling sensation... and as for that dosage, 3 x 25 mg? If you start at 25 mg for a couple of days and then jump straight to 50, you're going to find that's far too much to swallow all at once at the beginning.

Even if she suggested that, the doctor actually wrote 3x25 on my prescription, despite explaining it the way you just did. I'm stuck without anything until Monday. We'll see. I have my own ways of dealing with nerves, even if they aren't from this medication. Honestly, the more I think about it, the more I feel like sticking with psychotherapy—actually doing the work, clearing out the mental clutter, and getting on hormone therapy. If I can manage the menopause symptoms properly, maybe I won't even need the AD.

Does anyone happen to know what the current going rate is for Seroquel (or quetiapine, generally speaking) when buying it at the pharmacy?

Paul Newman5 said:Even if she suggested that, the doctor actually wrote 3x25 on my prescription, despite explaining it the way you just did. I'm stuck without anything until Monday. We'll see. I have my own ways of dealing with nerves, even if they aren't from this medication. Honestly, the more I think about it, the more I feel like sticking with psychotherapy—actually doing the work, clearing out the mental clutter, and getting on hormone therapy. If I can manage the menopause symptoms properly, maybe I won't even need the AD.

As for me, I only took them for a short stint, but Xanax has always been my constant companion; it's my universal safety net. Fortunately, I haven't fallen into the trap of addiction where the dosage needs to climb higher and higher just to feel level... I've managed to stay steady on the exact same dose every single time.

Anthony Lopez8 said:Does anyone happen to know what the current going rate is for Seroquel (or quetiapine, generally speaking) when buying it at the pharmacy?

It’s pretty pricey. Someone mentioned it might be around $167 but don't quote me on that, I could be off by a mile.
Just keep in mind you can't exactly pick it up off a shelf without a prescription.

redcrane22 said:It’s pretty pricey. Someone mentioned it might be around $167 but don't quote me on that, I could be off by a mile.
Just keep in mind you can't exactly pick it up off a shelf without a prescription.

Thanks for the heads-up, at least now I have a rough idea...

I have a prescription, obviously (I mean, why wouldn't I? 😬), it's just from a private doctor.

My experience with Zoloft, hm. It doesn't actually start kicking in until you've been on it for maybe 2 or 3 weeks. At the same time, I was taking Xanax at 5 mg, four times a day (as needed). Back then, my "attacks" used to hit two or three times a day—I’d be gasping for air, shaking uncontrollably, unable to speak or even move... I'd take the Xanax, and about 20 minutes later, things would settle down. Whether that was the Zoloft or just my mental state at the time, who knows? I was basically in a vegetative state most of the time. After two weeks, I dropped 3 pounds and finally forced myself out of the house for a walk—fighting my way back, my own way. Now I'm 10 pounds lighter (one of the few "pros" for me), and I feel significantly better. Aside from the terrible sex life, but we'll manage through that.
I talk to my husband about everything eating at me, as well as friends and family. It helps a lot; keeping everything bottled up is what landed me in this mess in the first place.
I think my husband is exhausted by all of this. He never knows when I'm going to crash, and I'm left alone with the kids, especially when the oldest is in middle school. One time I felt so sick that the kids actually called him to say I was fading; he rushed home from work instantly just to give me a pill because I literally couldn't make it the 2.5 miles to the medicine cabinet to grab a glass of water.

urbanpilot said:My experience with Zoloft, hm. It doesn't actually start kicking in until you've been on it for maybe 2 or 3 weeks. At the same time, I was taking Xanax at 5 mg, four times a day (as needed). Back then, my "attacks" used to hit two or three times a day—I’d be gasping for air, shaking uncontrollably, unable to speak or even move... I'd take the Xanax, and about 20 minutes later, things would settle down. Whether that was the Zoloft or just my mental state at the time, who knows? I was basically in a vegetative state most of the time. After two weeks, I dropped 3 pounds and finally forced myself out of the house for a walk—fighting my way back, my own way. Now I'm 10 pounds lighter (one of the few "pros" for me), and I feel significantly better. Aside from the terrible sex life, but we'll manage through that.
I talk to my husband about everything eating at me, as well as friends and family. It helps a lot; keeping everything bottled up is what landed me in this mess in the first place.
I think my husband is exhausted by all of this. He never knows when I'm going to crash, and I'm left alone with the kids, especially when the oldest is in middle school. One time I felt so sick that the kids actually called him to say I was fading; he rushed home from work instantly just to give me a pill because I literally couldn't make it the 2.5 miles to the medicine cabinet to grab a glass of water.

Anxiety and fears are my biggest struggle. I'm anxious, though I still get my stuff done. Not sure after being on Lexapro, though. Why don't you try psychotherapy? We'll see if Lexapro brings any improvement. I see a psychologist, but only briefly. I don't know what to say or think. Xanax works best for me, regardless of the brand.🤷

Hi everyone! 🙂 I’ve been dealing with anxiety and occasional depressive episodes since I was 24. Unfortunately, I tried to "manage" it all on my own by playing chemist with pills. It started with 2.5 mg of Ativan—who knows how many of those I took daily, though they were clearly just a temporary fix. When there was a shortage of Ativan here in the States back in April, I switched over to Xanax and eventually to more Xanax, where I ended up hitting a staggering 8mg a day 😢 . During that transition from Ativan to Xanax, I spent a few days completely disoriented; I felt terrible, couldn't sleep for 72 hours, and couldn't even eat. It was like one of those junkies you see in the movies—it was honestly eerie 😢 . On top of that, I developed this intense panic about being outdoors, constantly fearing I’d just collapse right in the middle of the street (thankfully, I never did). Once I realized how far I had spiraled, I finally went to see a psychiatrist—one of the most sought-after specialists in the country (he doesn't take private patients, he only works out of the major university hospital). Fortunately, my GP is a close friend of his, so I didn't have to wait through the usual three-month backlog; I was seen that very same day thanks to a little bit of 😉 . I was terrified, honestly—I felt like he was going to tear me apart. I was scared of whatever diagnosis he would hand down. As it turns out, he is a wonderful human being and an exceptional doctor; I was genuinely impressed. He is decisive, efficient, and doesn't waste time coddling you—he just tells you the truth. He told me straight up that I had made a massive mistake by self-medicating, and that my dosage had become dangerously high. I was diagnosed with panic disorder (with no psychotic symptoms) and prescribed 2 mg of Klonopin (split as 1/2 + 1/4 + 1/4) and 10mg of Zoloft from Eli Lilly (split as 1/2). I had my two-month follow-up yesterday and I feel fantastic; I can finally walk down the street again without the fear of fainting 🙂 . I thank God every single day for leading me to this doctor. My treatment remains the same, though I am tapering the Zoloft down to 1/2 every other day after these two months. I truly hope we all find our way to recovery and get back to being ourselves and feeling happy 🙂 . And, of course, please don't play around with medication on your own. Go straight to a professional; the consequences can be devastating. Best wishes to you all! 🙂

urbanpilot said:My experience with Zoloft, hm. It doesn't actually start kicking in until you've been on it for maybe 2 or 3 weeks. At the same time, I was taking Xanax at 5 mg, four times a day (as needed). Back then, my "attacks" used to hit two or three times a day—I’d be gasping for air, shaking uncontrollably, unable to speak or even move... I'd take the Xanax, and about 20 minutes later, things would settle down. Whether that was the Zoloft or just my mental state at the time, who knows? I was basically in a vegetative state most of the time. After two weeks, I dropped 3 pounds and finally forced myself out of the house for a walk—fighting my way back, my own way. Now I'm 10 pounds lighter (one of the few "pros" for me), and I feel significantly better. Aside from the terrible sex life, but we'll manage through that.
I talk to my husband about everything eating at me, as well as friends and family. It helps a lot; keeping everything bottled up is what landed me in this mess in the first place.
I think my husband is exhausted by all of this. He never knows when I'm going to crash, and I'm left alone with the kids, especially when the oldest is in middle school. One time I felt so sick that the kids actually called him to say I was fading; he rushed home from work instantly just to give me a pill because I literally couldn't make it the 2.5 miles to the medicine cabinet to grab a glass of water.

So, how long have you actually been taking Zoloft? And what dosage are we talking about?

"Quote:"

Steven Miller15 said:Hi everyone! 🙂 I’ve been dealing with anxiety and occasional depressive episodes since I was 24. Unfortunately, I tried to "manage" it all on my own by playing chemist with pills. It started with 2.5 mg of Ativan—who knows how many of those I took daily, though they were clearly just a temporary fix. When there was a shortage of Ativan here in the States back in April, I switched over to Xanax and eventually to more Xanax, where I ended up hitting a staggering 8mg a day 😢 . During that transition from Ativan to Xanax, I spent a few days completely disoriented; I felt terrible, couldn't sleep for 72 hours, and couldn't even eat. It was like one of those junkies you see in the movies—it was honestly eerie 😢 . On top of that, I developed this intense panic about being outdoors, constantly fearing I’d just collapse right in the middle of the street (thankfully, I never did). Once I realized how far I had spiraled, I finally went to see a psychiatrist—one of the most sought-after specialists in the country (he doesn't take private patients, he only works out of the major university hospital). Fortunately, my GP is a close friend of his, so I didn't have to wait through the usual three-month backlog; I was seen that very same day thanks to a little bit of 😉 . I was terrified, honestly—I felt like he was going to tear me apart. I was scared of whatever diagnosis he would hand down. As it turns out, he is a wonderful human being and an exceptional doctor; I was genuinely impressed. He is decisive, efficient, and doesn't waste time coddling you—he just tells you the truth. He told me straight up that I had made a massive mistake by self-medicating, and that my dosage had become dangerously high. I was diagnosed with panic disorder (with no psychotic symptoms) and prescribed 2 mg of Klonopin (split as 1/2 + 1/4 + 1/4) and 10mg of Zoloft from Eli Lilly (split as 1/2). I had my two-month follow-up yesterday and I feel fantastic; I can finally walk down the street again without the fear of fainting 🙂 . I thank God every single day for leading me to this doctor. My treatment remains the same, though I am tapering the Zoloft down to 1/2 every other day after these two months. I truly hope we all find our way to recovery and get back to being ourselves and feeling happy 🙂 . And, of course, please don't play around with medication on your own. Go straight to a professional; the consequences can be devastating. Best wishes to you all! 🙂

Good for you, but that Eli Lilly med—Lexapro, basically—nearly drove me insane by the second day. Restlessness, heart palpitations, pure nerves... just thinking about yesterday makes me sick. I could barely settle down on 6 mg of Lexapro. My doctor suggested I take a two or three-day break before trying Zoloft, but once you've been burned, you're wary. Who knows if Zoloft will be any better? It’s great when the prescription actually hits the mark, but I was messaging someone who said Lexapro worked wonders for them while it almost sent me over the edge.

I apologize if this topic is considered inappropriate for discussion here.
Has anyone found Agomelatine helpful for insomnia? The literature suggests it works on melatonin receptors, but I’ve found most melatonin supplements to be nothing more than expensive water. My doctor mentioned that, at least among her own patients, she hasn't observed a link between Agomelatine and insomnia.

I am struggling significantly with insomnia. I seem to be resistant to almost all hypnotics (including Ambien, Valium, Celexa, and Flurazepam, or even Xanax). I have had to abandon everything from Lexapro to low doses of antipsychotics because the next day I feel like I'm in a coma. My doctor maintains that none of the older ADs still on the market are effective for sleep; they just provide mild sedation. Look, I could easily take two 10 mg doses of Valium to pass out, but that isn't a sustainable solution.

Do you have any pharmacological advice or, perhaps, personal experience to share? For context, I have been taking Eli Lilly medication in the morning for quite some time. My issue isn't the morning dose; rather, I can't sleep due to racing thoughts and what feels like a growing dependency on hypnotics. Has anyone else dealing with chronic insomnia found an AD that actually aids sleep, specifically excluding Lexapro or Faverin, both of which caused me terrible side effects?

restlesstrucker15 said:I apologize if this topic is considered inappropriate for discussion here.
Has anyone found Agomelatine helpful for insomnia? The literature suggests it works on melatonin receptors, but I’ve found most melatonin supplements to be nothing more than expensive water. My doctor mentioned that, at least among her own patients, she hasn't observed a link between Agomelatine and insomnia.

I am struggling significantly with insomnia. I seem to be resistant to almost all hypnotics (including Ambien, Valium, Celexa, and Flurazepam, or even Xanax). I have had to abandon everything from Lexapro to low doses of antipsychotics because the next day I feel like I'm in a coma. My doctor maintains that none of the older ADs still on the market are effective for sleep; they just provide mild sedation. Look, I could easily take two 10 mg doses of Valium to pass out, but that isn't a sustainable solution.

Do you have any pharmacological advice or, perhaps, personal experience to share? For context, I have been taking Eli Lilly medication in the morning for quite some time. My issue isn't the morning dose; rather, I can't sleep due to racing thoughts and what feels like a growing dependency on hypnotics. Has anyone else dealing with chronic insomnia found an AD that actually aids sleep, specifically excluding Lexapro or Faverin, both of which caused me terrible side effects?

Trintellix is a newer generation AD, and unlike the older ones, it targets melatonin. I’ve personally taken it. And yes... you definitely sleep well with it. You take one in the evening and it's lights out.
I didn't personally deal with insomnia... it was prescribed to me as an AD for depression... but it wasn't strong enough.
I can only repeat what the literature says about it being an AD with the mildest side effects, and that's what doctors tell you too... unfortunately, I experienced quite severe side effects, including dizziness and nausea. If you look through this specific thread, you can find my posts from late August and September of this year where I wrote specifically about how Trintellix affected me, since it's relatively new and not many people had even tried it yet. Good luck.

restlesstrucker15 said:I apologize if this topic is considered inappropriate for discussion here.
Has anyone found Agomelatine helpful for insomnia? The literature suggests it works on melatonin receptors, but I’ve found most melatonin supplements to be nothing more than expensive water. My doctor mentioned that, at least among her own patients, she hasn't observed a link between Agomelatine and insomnia.

I am struggling significantly with insomnia. I seem to be resistant to almost all hypnotics (including Ambien, Valium, Celexa, and Flurazepam, or even Xanax). I have had to abandon everything from Lexapro to low doses of antipsychotics because the next day I feel like I'm in a coma. My doctor maintains that none of the older ADs still on the market are effective for sleep; they just provide mild sedation. Look, I could easily take two 10 mg doses of Valium to pass out, but that isn't a sustainable solution.

Do you have any pharmacological advice or, perhaps, personal experience to share? For context, I have been taking Eli Lilly medication in the morning for quite some time. My issue isn't the morning dose; rather, I can't sleep due to racing thoughts and what feels like a growing dependency on hypnotics. Has anyone else dealing with chronic insomnia found an AD that actually aids sleep, specifically excluding Lexapro or Faverin, both of which caused me terrible side effects?

I mentioned to you once before that Amyzol helped me sleep somewhat well; admittedly, I only took the 10 mg dose a handful of times, though I believe they offer a 25 mg version as well... you should definitely consult your psychiatrist about that option. I struggle with sleep issues too... yesterday, I took 10 mg of Sanval along with one Praxiten and managed to sleep through the night, though I find Xanax much more effective during the day—though I'm unsure if mixing them is safe. What kind of side effects were you dealing with from Calixta, aside from that heavy hangover feeling?

Believe it or not, you really have to give Coaxil about five to six weeks before you can truly tell if it’s doing its job. I was actually quite surprised when I found out, since I had originally expected it would take closer to three weeks to kick in. My advice? Just be patient and give the medication some real time to work its magic.

It seems to me that most of the discussions on these forums are pretty outdated, even though I know there are so many people out there struggling with psychosis who, just like me, are searching for some real insight into the medication they've been prescribed...

Since I can't find a dedicated community specifically for this particular drug, I was hoping to hear from those of you currently taking it? For now, my doctor has me on a regimen of 150 mg of Seroquel at night (with the possibility of bumping that dose up later). My main struggle, however, is that this medication makes it feel absolutely impossible to wake up. I’m sleeping at least ten hours a stretch, and even then, it takes me a full hour just to physically pull myself out of bed; once I do, I’m hit with this intense dizziness and vertigo. I'll let you in on my little secret for managing it, though. The first thing I do when I finally manage to stand up is brew myself a pretty strong cup of coffee, and after about an hour or so, I start feeling a bit more stable—I still have some lightheadedness, but it isn't nearly as overwhelming as that initial wake-up period. By the afternoon, the sensation usually fades away entirely.

I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences!

In my experience, Coaxil is probably one of the gentlest antidepressants you can find when it comes to side effects; honestly, it feels like they're almost non-existent. While that’s certainly a huge plus for comfort, there's a bit of a trade-off to consider—you might find that if you're dealing with particularly heavy bouts of sadness, it just doesn't pack quite the same punch as some of the more potent options out there.

Bradley Williams74 said:It seems to me that most of the discussions on these forums are pretty outdated, even though I know there are so many people out there struggling with psychosis who, just like me, are searching for some real insight into the medication they've been prescribed...

Since I can't find a dedicated community specifically for this particular drug, I was hoping to hear from those of you currently taking it? For now, my doctor has me on a regimen of 150 mg of Seroquel at night (with the possibility of bumping that dose up later). My main struggle, however, is that this medication makes it feel absolutely impossible to wake up. I’m sleeping at least ten hours a stretch, and even then, it takes me a full hour just to physically pull myself out of bed; once I do, I’m hit with this intense dizziness and vertigo. I'll let you in on my little secret for managing it, though. The first thing I do when I finally manage to stand up is brew myself a pretty strong cup of coffee, and after about an hour or so, I start feeling a bit more stable—I still have some lightheadedness, but it isn't nearly as overwhelming as that initial wake-up period. By the afternoon, the sensation usually fades away entirely.

I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences!

I don't suffer from psychosis myself, but I do have some experience dealing with Seroquel. Among the more modern antipsychotics, this one is undeniably the heaviest hitter when it comes to sedation. For those who take it specifically to help with sleep, I wouldn't recommend doing so unless you are already tucked firmly into bed. Otherwise, simple activities like slicing bread or grabbing a snack could end quite poorly for you. 😲 😁

Ultimately, you have to weigh the pros and cons for yourself. If these side effects persist and you find them intolerable, you really have no choice but to switch to a different antipsychotic. Most alternatives do carry a sedative effect, but generally speaking, it is significantly milder and much easier to manage. Given that your current dose is relatively low and it's already causing you this much trouble, one has to wonder how you will handle it if your doctor decides to increase the dosage...