Psychotropic medication discussion thread

wiredskipper45

No, I’ve actually gone back on Zoloft again. It’s been six years, and honestly, I’m just sitting here enduring those same old adjustment symptoms; the only difference is that I recognize them now, which makes them feel slightly less overwhelming.
I’m right there with you—for those entire six years, the medication managed to keep the depression somewhat in check, though the anxiety would dip at least once a day. It wasn't much, just enough of a reprieve to keep me constantly questioning if it was actually working or if I was just imagining things.
"Great," right? I’ll admit, during that ten-day stretch when I was off Zoloft, I felt completely fine—full of warmth and a sense of security—but it all popped like a cheap balloon the second the withdrawal symptoms started kicking in.

I’m seriously considering making the switch from Zoloft to Effexor. Everyone seems to say that Mirtazapine just knocks you out, and I can't deal with being a zombie. From what I hear, Effexor is basically like a hybrid of Zoloft and Mirtazapine.

Scott Alvarez22 said:wiredskipper45

No, I’ve actually gone back on Zoloft again. It’s been six years, and honestly, I’m just sitting here enduring those same old adjustment symptoms; the only difference is that I recognize them now, which makes them feel slightly less overwhelming.
I’m right there with you—for those entire six years, the medication managed to keep the depression somewhat in check, though the anxiety would dip at least once a day. It wasn't much, just enough of a reprieve to keep me constantly questioning if it was actually working or if I was just imagining things.
"Great," right? I’ll admit, during that ten-day stretch when I was off Zoloft, I felt completely fine—full of warmth and a sense of security—but it all popped like a cheap balloon the second the withdrawal symptoms started kicking in.

I’m seriously considering making the switch from Zoloft to Effexor. Everyone seems to say that Mirtazapine just knocks you out, and I can't deal with being a zombie. From what I hear, Effexor is basically like a hybrid of Zoloft and Mirtazapine.

I don't really know what to tell you. :/ How long does the withdrawal crisis actually last after you stop taking CIA meds? I've been "clean" for a month and a half now. Just taking Xanax and Ambien.
Man, maybe I should have stuck with the Effexor longer, but the insomnia is killing me. And the restlessness. It's awful. Are you having trouble sleeping? If not—don't touch the Mirtazapine. It'll absolutely wreck you.

Gerald Torres2 said:I'm interested in this too. From what I can see, everyone is on something; certain ones work for some people and others for different folks... but no one ever comes along and says: "HEY GUYS, I'M CURED AND I DON'T NEED MEDS ANYMORE!!!" I stopped taking my CIA and anxiolytics about a year and a half ago, and here I am again. A little bit of stress at work and the anxiety came rushing back right alongside the depression, making it impossible to function... so I'm back on the CIA. I've been taking them, and I was doing okay until a major stressor hit last week, and now I'm back at rock bottom despite the CIA and anxiolytics—honestly, I might even be overdoing it a bit with them right now...

My biggest fear is starting the CIA again and just feeling stuck in this exact same loop. Right now, I'm just clinging to the hope that when things get too heavy, I can lean on the meds again if I have to.
Doesn't that help you feel any better? Maybe they haven't kicked in yet. 😢
What are you taking?

wiredskipper45 said:My biggest fear is starting the CIA again and just feeling stuck in this exact same loop. Right now, I'm just clinging to the hope that when things get too heavy, I can lean on the meds again if I have to.
Doesn't that help you feel any better? Maybe they haven't kicked in yet. 😢
What are you taking?

I've been on Wellbutrin for two months now—the kind prescribed for major depression—along with 0.5mg of Xanax. I also have some Rivotril 2mg at home. Honestly, the Wellbutrin has been great for the depression side of things; it practically brought me back to life. But when it comes to anxiety? It does absolutely nothing. Lately, I’ve hit a rough patch, and everything is just spiraling downward, even though I'm technically medicated. I could take a handful of pills at this point and see zero benefit, other than maybe passing out. My doctor won't authorize anything without a psychiatrist's sign-off because she's generally against prescribing CIA to someone my age. I'm only 27.😂

wiredskipper45 said:Not at all! Not in the slightest.
The goal is to take the medication first so you can actually find some stability and start the recovery process.
Once that constant anxiety and restlessness finally subside thanks to the meds, that’s when the real work begins—gradually tapering off slowly and steadily. That’s the path out.

I'm speaking from my own lived experience here, so look at it this way:

After spending six years on Zoloft, I realized about two months ago that I had reached a plateau, even though I hadn't quite conquered my social phobia yet.
I started the taper, and within two months, I was off it entirely. I had already finished weaning myself off Xanax about six months prior, so I figured, "Hey, this should be a breeze," especially since getting off Xanax took me an entire year of very gentle adjustments.
For the first fifteen to twenty days, I felt like a brand-new person—full of life, warmth, and genuine enjoyment. But then, once the withdrawal symptoms really started hitting, everything sank like a lead weight in the middle of the ocean right before... well, you know how it goes.

The bottom line is you have to calm down first and accept that these drugs come with daily side effects. Once things stabilize, you begin a very slow, deliberate taper, and eventually, everything settles back into place.

Could you maybe go into more detail about what your experience was like with Mirtazapine and Effexor? I’m seriously considering making the switch.

Not at all! Not in the slightest.
The goal is to take the medication first so you can actually find some stability and start the recovery process.
Once that constant anxiety and restlessness finally subside thanks to the meds, that’s when the real work begins—gradually tapering off slowly and steadily. That’s the path out.

I'm speaking from my own lived experience here, so look at it this way:

After spending six years on Zoloft, I realized about two months ago that I had reached a plateau, even though I hadn't quite conquered my social phobia yet.
I started the taper, and within two months, I was off it entirely. I had already finished weaning myself off Xanax about six months prior, so I figured, "Hey, this should be a breeze," especially since getting off Xanax took me an entire year of very gentle adjustments.
For the first fifteen to twenty days, I felt like a brand-new person—full of life, warmth, and genuine enjoyment. But then, once the withdrawal symptoms really started hitting, everything sank like a lead weight in the middle of the ocean right before... well, you know how it goes.

The bottom line is you have to calm down first and accept that these drugs come with daily side effects. Once things stabilize, you begin a very slow, deliberate taper, and eventually, everything settles back into place.

Could you maybe go into more detail about what your experience was like with Mirtazapine and Effexor? I’m seriously considering making the switch.
I only took Effexor for exactly one day; nausea, tremors, jitters, insomnia... I honestly thought I was going crazy (which, let's face it, is a frequent thought of mine 😁). I told myself; screw this, if the side effects are this bad immediately, it's just not for me. :/

I was on Mirtazapine for three years. In the beginning, it basically brought me back from the dead because I finally started sleeping after nearly a year and a half of insomnia! 🙂
And then I started recovering. Everything felt a little brighter, a little easier, though I never quite reached that feeling of being "fully alive," if you know what I mean... 😉
But about a year ago, I was under a hellish amount of stress and started getting anxious again—just terribly tense and worried most of the time. Mirtazapine didn't do anything for that part; it just kept me sleeping, and it wasn't like everything was hopeless, like it at least kept the depression under control. Then I turned toward alternative stuff and quit Mirtazapine pretty abruptly... now I feel like I should probably start taking it again because of the insomnia, but somehow that feels like a defeat. :/ So I just push through and suffer. And believe me, I am suffering.

So, aren't you on anything right now? How are you holding up?
I only took Effexor for exactly one day; nausea, tremors, jitters, insomnia... I honestly thought I was going crazy (which, let's face it, is a frequent thought of mine 😁). I told myself; screw this, if the side effects are this bad immediately, it's just not for me. :/

I was on Mirtazapine for three years. In the beginning, it basically brought me back from the dead because I finally started sleeping after nearly a year and a half of insomnia! 🙂
And then I started recovering. Everything felt a little brighter, a little easier, though I never quite reached that feeling of being "fully alive," if you know what I mean... 😉
But about a year ago, I was under a hellish amount of stress and started getting anxious again—just terribly tense and worried most of the time. Mirtazapine didn't do anything for that part; it just kept me sleeping, and it wasn't like everything was hopeless, like it at least kept the depression under control. Then I turned toward alternative stuff and quit Mirtazapine pretty abruptly... now I feel like I should probably start taking it again because of the insomnia, but somehow that feels like a defeat. :/ So I just push through and suffer. And believe me, I am suffering.

So, aren't you on anything right now? How are you holding up?
Did you feel this right away, or was it actually the opposite at first? I switched over to Mirtazapine about a week ago—my psychiatrist mentioned it might knock me out a bit too hard initially—but it’s been the total reverse... just feeling anxious, edgy, and unable to sleep. Once I finally do drift off, I’m waking up like 17 times a night. My boyfriend says I’m constantly grinding my teeth, talking in my sleep, and just tossing and turning... 🤷

Gerald Torres2 said:I've been on Wellbutrin for two months now—the kind prescribed for major depression—along with 0.5mg of Xanax. I also have some Rivotril 2mg at home. Honestly, the Wellbutrin has been great for the depression side of things; it practically brought me back to life. But when it comes to anxiety? It does absolutely nothing. Lately, I’ve hit a rough patch, and everything is just spiraling downward, even though I'm technically medicated. I could take a handful of pills at this point and see zero benefit, other than maybe passing out. My doctor won't authorize anything without a psychiatrist's sign-off because she's generally against prescribing CIA to someone my age. I'm only 27.😂

I remember the first day of Wellbutrin felt incredible, almost like being on speed. But then that "honeymoon phase" ended, and I actually ended up more anxious and depressed than before because I wasn't sleeping at all... 😢((
To be fair, I'm pretty skeptical about ADs myself. I feel like they mess with our brains in ways we don't fully understand. But right now? I'm at that point where—to use your words—I'd take just about anything... 😢((

Melissa Sanchez59 said:I only took Effexor for exactly one day; nausea, tremors, jitters, insomnia... I honestly thought I was going crazy (which, let's face it, is a frequent thought of mine 😁). I told myself; screw this, if the side effects are this bad immediately, it's just not for me. :/

I was on Mirtazapine for three years. In the beginning, it basically brought me back from the dead because I finally started sleeping after nearly a year and a half of insomnia! 🙂
And then I started recovering. Everything felt a little brighter, a little easier, though I never quite reached that feeling of being "fully alive," if you know what I mean... 😉
But about a year ago, I was under a hellish amount of stress and started getting anxious again—just terribly tense and worried most of the time. Mirtazapine didn't do anything for that part; it just kept me sleeping, and it wasn't like everything was hopeless, like it at least kept the depression under control. Then I turned toward alternative stuff and quit Mirtazapine pretty abruptly... now I feel like I should probably start taking it again because of the insomnia, but somehow that feels like a defeat. :/ So I just push through and suffer. And believe me, I am suffering.

So, aren't you on anything right now? How are you holding up?

Did you feel this right away, or was it actually the opposite at first? I switched over to Mirtazapine about a week ago—my psychiatrist mentioned it might knock me out a bit too hard initially—but it’s been the total reverse... just feeling anxious, edgy, and unable to sleep. Once I finally do drift off, I’m waking up like 17 times a night. My boyfriend says I’m constantly grinding my teeth, talking in my sleep, and just tossing and turning... 🤷
It knocked me sideways immediately. I remember taking it for the first time on a weekend, slept for 14 hours straight, tried to get up and walk around, but couldn't. I was stumbling with every single step... so I just crawled back into bed and crashed for another 17 hours. 😁 And it used to knock me out perfectly while I was on it. Even when I was incredibly tense... so now I'm thinking about going back to it, even though if you ask me, it didn't do anything for my anxiety. If anything, it made it worse. 😢

Alright, one more question for everyone on Wellbutrin; has anyone actually felt... amazing? And I mean consistently, over years?
I’m not talking about those standard bad days everyone deals with. I mean a long-term lift where the symptoms just sort of recede into the background. 😢(((

wiredskipper45 said:I remember the first day of Wellbutrin felt incredible, almost like being on speed. But then that "honeymoon phase" ended, and I actually ended up more anxious and depressed than before because I wasn't sleeping at all... 😢((
To be fair, I'm pretty skeptical about ADs myself. I feel like they mess with our brains in ways we don't fully understand. But right now? I'm at that point where—to use your words—I'd take just about anything... 😢((

See, that high-energy feeling actually works for me. It has lasted all this time, and the lack of sleep doesn't really bother me; I just pop an anxiolytic if I need to crash. If I could just manage my own dosage, I'd bump my Wellbutrin up to 300 mg for a while and pair it with an AD that actually calms things down and kills the anxiety at night, and I'd be golden. But then again, which psychiatrist wouldn't take offense at an idea like that?? 😕

wiredskipper45 said:Not at all! Not in the slightest.
The goal is to take the medication first so you can actually find some stability and start the recovery process.
Once that constant anxiety and restlessness finally subside thanks to the meds, that’s when the real work begins—gradually tapering off slowly and steadily. That’s the path out.

I'm speaking from my own lived experience here, so look at it this way:

After spending six years on Zoloft, I realized about two months ago that I had reached a plateau, even though I hadn't quite conquered my social phobia yet.
I started the taper, and within two months, I was off it entirely. I had already finished weaning myself off Xanax about six months prior, so I figured, "Hey, this should be a breeze," especially since getting off Xanax took me an entire year of very gentle adjustments.
For the first fifteen to twenty days, I felt like a brand-new person—full of life, warmth, and genuine enjoyment. But then, once the withdrawal symptoms really started hitting, everything sank like a lead weight in the middle of the ocean right before... well, you know how it goes.

The bottom line is you have to calm down first and accept that these drugs come with daily side effects. Once things stabilize, you begin a very slow, deliberate taper, and eventually, everything settles back into place.

Could you maybe go into more detail about what your experience was like with Mirtazapine and Effexor? I’m seriously considering making the switch.

Not at all! Not in the slightest.
The goal is to take the medication first so you can actually find some stability and start the recovery process.
Once that constant anxiety and restlessness finally subside thanks to the meds, that’s when the real work begins—gradually tapering off slowly and steadily. That’s the path out.

I'm speaking from my own lived experience here, so look at it this way:

After spending six years on Zoloft, I realized about two months ago that I had reached a plateau, even though I hadn't quite conquered my social phobia yet.
I started the taper, and within two months, I was off it entirely. I had already finished weaning myself off Xanax about six months prior, so I figured, "Hey, this should be a breeze," especially since getting off Xanax took me an entire year of very gentle adjustments.
For the first fifteen to twenty days, I felt like a brand-new person—full of life, warmth, and genuine enjoyment. But then, once the withdrawal symptoms really started hitting, everything sank like a lead weight in the middle of the ocean right before... well, you know how it goes.

The bottom line is you have to calm down first and accept that these drugs come with daily side effects. Once things stabilize, you begin a very slow, deliberate taper, and eventually, everything settles back into place.

Could you maybe go into more detail about what your experience was like with Mirtazapine and Effexor? I’m seriously considering making the switch.
I only took Effexor for exactly one day; nausea, tremors, jitters, insomnia... I honestly thought I was going crazy (which, let's face it, is a frequent thought of mine 😁). I told myself; screw this, if the side effects are this bad immediately, it's just not for me. :/

I was on Mirtazapine for three years. In the beginning, it basically brought me back from the dead because I finally started sleeping after nearly a year and a half of insomnia! 🙂
And then I started recovering. Everything felt a little brighter, a little easier, though I never quite reached that feeling of being "fully alive," if you know what I mean... 😉
But about a year ago, I was under a hellish amount of stress and started getting anxious again—just terribly tense and worried most of the time. Mirtazapine didn't do anything for that part; it just kept me sleeping, and it wasn't like everything was hopeless, like it at least kept the depression under control. Then I turned toward alternative stuff and quit Mirtazapine pretty abruptly... now I feel like I should probably start taking it again because of the insomnia, but somehow that feels like a defeat. :/ So I just push through and suffer. And believe me, I am suffering.

So, aren't you on anything right now? How are you holding up?
I only took Effexor for exactly one day; nausea, tremors, jitters, insomnia... I honestly thought I was going crazy (which, let's face it, is a frequent thought of mine 😁). I told myself; screw this, if the side effects are this bad immediately, it's just not for me. :/

I was on Mirtazapine for three years. In the beginning, it basically brought me back from the dead because I finally started sleeping after nearly a year and a half of insomnia! 🙂
And then I started recovering. Everything felt a little brighter, a little easier, though I never quite reached that feeling of being "fully alive," if you know what I mean... 😉
But about a year ago, I was under a hellish amount of stress and started getting anxious again—just terribly tense and worried most of the time. Mirtazapine didn't do anything for that part; it just kept me sleeping, and it wasn't like everything was hopeless, like it at least kept the depression under control. Then I turned toward alternative stuff and quit Mirtazapine pretty abruptly... now I feel like I should probably start taking it again because of the insomnia, but somehow that feels like a defeat. :/ So I just push through and suffer. And believe me, I am suffering.

So, aren't you on anything right now? How are you holding up?
What dose of Mirzaten were you taking? I used it solely for insomnia, but it didn't really work for me; I was on 15 mg, and now, after a year, I’m cutting that 15 mg in half just to get some rest, and I only use it for that purpose, even though I take Sanval alongside it... Did you notice any weight gain from it? I put on about six pounds and can't seem to shed them, even though I didn't have any other side effects.

wiredskipper45 said:Alright, one more question for everyone on Wellbutrin; has anyone actually felt... amazing? And I mean consistently, over years?
I’m not talking about those standard bad days everyone deals with. I mean a long-term lift where the symptoms just sort of recede into the background. 😢(((

For me, things were going swimmingly on Prozac, but after about three months, it was as if something inside me just snapped. I woke up feeling like I had stepped straight into a waking nightmare—crippling anxiety, tingling sensations, a complete inability to even get out of bed. I have no idea what happened, but I eventually stopped taking it... and that period of pure agony dragged on for months.
As for myself, I’m currently just taking Xanax, two or three times a day at 0.5mg, along with some Sanval Plus. I take a tiny dose of Calixte—it's a dose they usually wouldn't even prescribe, but I insist on cutting those 15mg pills down, even though my doctor told me to stick to 30mg. It seems that 15mg is really the sweet spot for me to finally drift off to sleep.

I made the switch from Xanax over to Ativan simply because it was more budget-friendly $2.25 but I think I’ll eventually find my way back to Xanax; there's just something about that bitter aftertaste of the alternative that I can't quite stomach.

Jason Vaughn482 said:I only took Effexor for exactly one day; nausea, tremors, jitters, insomnia... I honestly thought I was going crazy (which, let's face it, is a frequent thought of mine 😁). I told myself; screw this, if the side effects are this bad immediately, it's just not for me. :/

I was on Mirtazapine for three years. In the beginning, it basically brought me back from the dead because I finally started sleeping after nearly a year and a half of insomnia! 🙂
And then I started recovering. Everything felt a little brighter, a little easier, though I never quite reached that feeling of being "fully alive," if you know what I mean... 😉
But about a year ago, I was under a hellish amount of stress and started getting anxious again—just terribly tense and worried most of the time. Mirtazapine didn't do anything for that part; it just kept me sleeping, and it wasn't like everything was hopeless, like it at least kept the depression under control. Then I turned toward alternative stuff and quit Mirtazapine pretty abruptly... now I feel like I should probably start taking it again because of the insomnia, but somehow that feels like a defeat. :/ So I just push through and suffer. And believe me, I am suffering.

So, aren't you on anything right now? How are you holding up?

What dose of Mirzaten were you taking? I used it solely for insomnia, but it didn't really work for me; I was on 15 mg, and now, after a year, I’m cutting that 15 mg in half just to get some rest, and I only use it for that purpose, even though I take Sanval alongside it... Did you notice any weight gain from it? I put on about six pounds and can't seem to shed them, even though I didn't have any other side effects.
I was only on 15 mg for sleeping, too. Maybe that's why it wasn't even working the way it was supposed to.
And yeah, I did. I gained a few pounds almost immediately once I started. My appetite went through the roof—total opposite of how I feel now. Nowadays, just the thought of food makes my stomach turn, so I finally managed to drop all the weight I put on while I was on the medication. 😢

Are you taking any other Apple Inc. alongside it?

sorry, the forum's been acting up and glitching out on me, so I’m just now seeing that you already jumped in with an answer. 😁

Gerald Torres2 said:See, that high-energy feeling actually works for me. It has lasted all this time, and the lack of sleep doesn't really bother me; I just pop an anxiolytic if I need to crash. If I could just manage my own dosage, I'd bump my Wellbutrin up to 300 mg for a while and pair it with an AD that actually calms things down and kills the anxiety at night, and I'd be golden. But then again, which psychiatrist wouldn't take offense at an idea like that?? 😕

Too much Xanax just makes me feel more depressed. 😢
I mean, I could use a boost too, but the Wellbutrin only gave me that kick on day one. After that, it wasn't energy—it was just pure jitters.

There are definitely doctors like that. My therapist actually asks me what I want to be taking. Like... how should I know? Honestly. 😢 Don't go trying to play doctor with your own meds, though. 😁

Hey everyone, I have a question for those of you who have experience taking Paxil.
How long did you stick to taking just half a tablet before you felt comfortable moving up to a full dose? I’m currently on my fifth day of the half-dose, and the nausea is really getting to me. It isn't unbearable, but it’s enough to make me nervous about stepping up to the full pill—I'm genuinely worried the nausea might become overwhelming if I increase the dosage. Does anyone have any advice or personal experiences they could share?

David Bishop4 said:Hey everyone, I have a question for those of you who have experience taking Paxil.
How long did you stick to taking just half a tablet before you felt comfortable moving up to a full dose? I’m currently on my fifth day of the half-dose, and the nausea is really getting to me. It isn't unbearable, but it’s enough to make me nervous about stepping up to the full pill—I'm genuinely worried the nausea might become overwhelming if I increase the dosage. Does anyone have any advice or personal experiences they could share?

In my case, I was told to take a half dose at night for seven days, then switch to a full dose the very next night. I only ended up being on it for two months total. Interestingly, I didn't even feel like I was taking anything during those first two weeks; I just felt jittery and hyperactive.

Gerald Torres2 said:In my case, I was told to take a half dose at night for seven days, then switch to a full dose the very next night. I only ended up being on it for two months total. Interestingly, I didn't even feel like I was taking anything during those first two weeks; I just felt jittery and hyperactive.

That's interesting to hear. In my case, the instructions were quite specific about taking it in the morning, but I usually end up taking it around 2:00 PM, and by about 5:00 PM, I start feeling pretty nauseous.

David Bishop4 said:That's interesting to hear. In my case, the instructions were quite specific about taking it in the morning, but I usually end up taking it around 2:00 PM, and by about 5:00 PM, I start feeling pretty nauseous.

My therapist actually suggested I take it right before bed, specifically so I could just sleep through that potential nausea. The idea was that after two or three weeks once my body adjusts, I could transition to taking it in the morning... though you can always just stick to nighttime if that works better for you.