Psychotropic medication discussion thread

So, for about six months, I was on this routine—taking my portal in the morning, Normabel 2mg three times a day, and then finishing the night with one and a half Prazin.
Everything was going pretty smoothly, you know? Relatively fine... until everything just hit the fan. I lost my job, things went totally sideways, and I ended up being hospitalized...
Now, looking at my discharge papers, they’ve got me staying on the portal and Normabel, but instead of the Prazin, they switched me over to SeroquelXR at night and added Cerson 5mg as needed.
Has anyone here actually dealt with this specific combo before?
I’ve heard stories about how Seroquel can make you pack on the pounds, and honestly, that is the last thing I need right now... 🤷

Jack Johnson47 said:So, for about six months, I was on this routine—taking my portal in the morning, Normabel 2mg three times a day, and then finishing the night with one and a half Prazin.
Everything was going pretty smoothly, you know? Relatively fine... until everything just hit the fan. I lost my job, things went totally sideways, and I ended up being hospitalized...
Now, looking at my discharge papers, they’ve got me staying on the portal and Normabel, but instead of the Prazin, they switched me over to SeroquelXR at night and added Cerson 5mg as needed.
Has anyone here actually dealt with this specific combo before?
I’ve heard stories about how Seroquel can make you pack on the pounds, and honestly, that is the last thing I need right now... 🤷

Well, Cerson is intended for sleep; since it’s "as needed," you can take it over a longer period, provided you don't overdo it by needing it three times every single day.🙂
Think of Cerson as a bridge while the Seroquel starts working properly.
If there were any psychotic elements involved, Seroquel should be fine, but if things aren't that severe, it might leave you feeling quite sedated. Be careful with it; it’s a heavy-duty medication.
In this particular mix, Normabel seems redundant.
You didn't mention what your Seroquel dosage is.

And neither did you mention the Prozac dose. Now, Prozac is an excellent medication for those intense depressive episodes.
As for Seroquel, it doesn't necessarily cause weight gain—in fact, it can actually suppress appetite—but really, it's all subjective. You'll just have to see how your body reacts over time.

I'm currently on 150 mg of Seroquel.
I don't know, honestly... I think the smartest move is just to run this by my psychiatrist over at Massachusetts General—I mean, they actually know my whole history and all my specific issues, so they're definitely the ones to ask...

graniteorca62 said:Look, I was on 10 mg of Zyprexa too, and yeah, that total brain fog was real. Now I’m down to 6.5 mg and honestly... I still don't feel 100% sharp or sober, so it's pretty obvious that this is just part of the deal with this medication. We just have to grit our teeth and push through it.🙂

As for me, Zyprexa made me gain weight like crazy—I mean, seriously, I blew up!—so my doctor finally pulled it off and switched me over to a milder dose of Seroquel.

Paul Newman5 said:

restlesstrucker15 Quote:
Not me. 🙂
I think we’re talking about people using it as their primary medication for different diagnoses—those high doses over 200.
Great. No side effects. 🙂 Yeah.

That’s what I thought too. Didn't really look into whether people actually gain weight on sulpiride, but hey, we'll see.
And here come the side effects. Just two days on Sulpiride and four on an increased dose of Effexor. If that Sulpiride actually kicks in, we can all howl together. I’ll be doing it for days if I have to.

As for me? Sulpiride gave me milk production. Like... seriously.

Lisa Reyes4 said:As for me, Zyprexa made me gain weight like crazy—I mean, seriously, I blew up!—so my doctor finally pulled it off and switched me over to a milder dose of Seroquel.

My doctor actually suggested Seroquel specifically because I was struggling with my weight, blood sugar levels, and cholesterol.

How many milligrams of Zyprexa were you on? (I’m currently on 15) And did you deal with any insomnia once you made the switch to Seroquel?

Zyprexa has this incredibly frustrating side effect where it just ramps up your appetite. In my case, it actually led to a 30-pound weight gain. It was awful. I felt like I was sinking even deeper into a hole during that time. My doctor switched me over to Zelnorm, but unfortunately, I just couldn't tolerate that one either. I honestly feel like almost all antipsychotics trigger cravings... sadly. Thank God I'm not taking any of them anymore.
The portal was mentioned... it’s essentially the same thing as Prozac. That medication was my saving grace. It was the only antidepressant that actually managed to get me moving again... maybe because of the dopamine levels... I don't know... but I am so grateful to my psychiatrist for working with me and agreeing to make the switch... prescribing me Prozac.
I've been through the ringer with medications—Zyprexa, Seroquel, Xanax, Zelnorm, Paxil, Lexapro, Trintellix, even Dormex... but today, I can finally say I am an okay person. I'm still taking Prozac, though I've tapered down to a very low dose since I'm currently weaning myself off of it. Good for me.
I just want to tell you all to never lose hope... because it really is possible...

David Vaughn75 said:My doctor actually suggested Seroquel specifically because I was struggling with my weight, blood sugar levels, and cholesterol.

How many milligrams of Zyprexa were you on? (I’m currently on 15) And did you deal with any insomnia once you made the switch to Seroquel?

I honestly can't recall my exact dosage of Zyprexa anymore, but I’ve been steady on 400 mg of Seroquel for over ten years now—and let me tell you, I sleep like a baby every single night. During the day, I just stick to Effexor, but the Seroquel? It basically rocks me to sleep; it’s this incredibly soothing sensation that just lulls me right into a deep slumber. Honestly, if it weren't for that medication, I have no idea how I'd manage to get any rest given how wired this crazy Effexor makes me feel (crazy in a good way, mind you!).😁

It’s almost been four months since I started my meds. I’m currently on Prosper, Citram, and Xanax, and honestly? I don’t feel any better. Instead of actually feeling the benefits or seeing some improvement—which is what I expected by now—I just feel this constant wave of anger and confusion. The usual side effects like being exhausted, drowsy, foggy, dry mouth, or feeling weak have mostly cleared up. But instead, I’m stuck with this massive lack of motivation, zero energy, and I can't focus for anything. People keep telling me I'm forgetful, and frankly, I’m acting like a total zombie. It’s hard to even explain what’s going on because it feels so foreign to me. Even the stuff I used to love when I was dealing with depression—like going for walks, gaming, or hitting the gym—all feels like such a chore now. I just don't have the will to do anything. Everything is just... boring. I'm basically just counting down the minutes and hours until the day ends. The only thing that's actually okay is sleep. I sleep like a baby, though lately it feels like the meds are wearing off and I'm having a little trouble drifting off. I'm trying so hard to figure out what's happening to me, but I'm just pissed off and honestly, I just want to quit this whole treatment. This situation sucks and I'm really worried it isn't going to end anytime soon. I keep wondering how much longer I have to stay on this, because I don't know if I can handle this miserable state much longer. Reading through the posts here, I can't even wrap my head around how anyone manages to stay on these things for years. How do people even deal with that?

Zachary Stewart2 said:It’s almost been four months since I started my meds. I’m currently on Prosper, Citram, and Xanax, and honestly? I don’t feel any better. Instead of actually feeling the benefits or seeing some improvement—which is what I expected by now—I just feel this constant wave of anger and confusion. The usual side effects like being exhausted, drowsy, foggy, dry mouth, or feeling weak have mostly cleared up. But instead, I’m stuck with this massive lack of motivation, zero energy, and I can't focus for anything. People keep telling me I'm forgetful, and frankly, I’m acting like a total zombie. It’s hard to even explain what’s going on because it feels so foreign to me. Even the stuff I used to love when I was dealing with depression—like going for walks, gaming, or hitting the gym—all feels like such a chore now. I just don't have the will to do anything. Everything is just... boring. I'm basically just counting down the minutes and hours until the day ends. The only thing that's actually okay is sleep. I sleep like a baby, though lately it feels like the meds are wearing off and I'm having a little trouble drifting off. I'm trying so hard to figure out what's happening to me, but I'm just pissed off and honestly, I just want to quit this whole treatment. This situation sucks and I'm really worried it isn't going to end anytime soon. I keep wondering how much longer I have to stay on this, because I don't know if I can handle this miserable state much longer. Reading through the posts here, I can't even wrap my head around how anyone manages to stay on these things for years. How do people even deal with that?

It’s quite simple, really—you feel better.
But you haven't even mentioned what kind of dosage we're talking about here.
What was the actual diagnosis? Was it some sort of psychotic episode or perhaps bipolar disorder?
Taking Xanax for four months straight is just nonsense.
As for Citram, it’s a decent medication; besides, I didn't notice you complaining about depression.
Well, that was the whole point, wasn't it?
That emotional numbness... it will pass eventually, though I suppose it can be a rather serious issue at times.

I've been on Alice's meds for exactly 25 days now, though I spent the first week tapering up with a lower dose just to get used to it. Had some minor side effects during that first week, nothing crazy, but they cleared up pretty fast.
Honestly, I’m not feeling much better—if anything, the last two days have been rough, with these heavy depressive episodes hitting me out of nowhere.
So, if anyone here has experience with this specific med, should I go see my psychiatrist to switch things up or just hang in there a bit longer? (I'm dealing with anxiety-depression and mild bipolar II)

I’m on the lowest possible dose—at least, that’s what I’ve been told. I take my Prozac twice a day, 1 mg in the morning and again at night. Then there's my Citram in the morning (10 mg) and half a pill of Xanax at night, just 0.25 mg. My diagnosis is BPD. So, why do you think Xanax is a joke? Honestly, reading your description of "emotional numbness" was such a massive relief because I literally didn't have the words to explain how I feel. I'm going to try to look more into that, since I really want to wrap my head around what's actually happening with me. Sometimes... things get dark enough that I've had suicidal thoughts.

Zachary Stewart2 said:I’m on the lowest possible dose—at least, that’s what I’ve been told. I take my Prozac twice a day, 1 mg in the morning and again at night. Then there's my Citram in the morning (10 mg) and half a pill of Xanax at night, just 0.25 mg. My diagnosis is BPD. So, why do you think Xanax is a joke? Honestly, reading your description of "emotional numbness" was such a massive relief because I literally didn't have the words to explain how I feel. I'm going to try to look more into that, since I really want to wrap my head around what's actually happening with me. Sometimes... things get dark enough that I've had suicidal thoughts.

All in all, things seem okay.🙂
At least you aren't being completely crushed by depression, which is a great first step, isn't it?
What I meant was regarding how long you stay on the Xanax. Unless your medical records specifically say "as needed," that's usually the concern.
Do some reading on Xanax, or Helix, or those types of medications.
I assume you'll eventually taper off the Prosper in the near future.

To be honest, you won't find much concrete information out there regarding BPD and emotional blunting. There are some articles discussing a reduced emotional response to people and situations, but even if they describe it crudely, we are all different individuals, right?
Given the diagnosis you're dealing with, having suicidal thoughts is actually quite common. If you look into Borderline Personality Disorder just a little bit, everything will start to make sense.
There is an entire, excellent thread dedicated to this topic, so why not go take a look?😉

Larry Barnes10 said:I've been on Alice's meds for exactly 25 days now, though I spent the first week tapering up with a lower dose just to get used to it. Had some minor side effects during that first week, nothing crazy, but they cleared up pretty fast.
Honestly, I’m not feeling much better—if anything, the last two days have been rough, with these heavy depressive episodes hitting me out of nowhere.
So, if anyone here has experience with this specific med, should I go see my psychiatrist to switch things up or just hang in there a bit longer? (I'm dealing with anxiety-depression and mild bipolar II)

Let's be objective here: that is such a short window of time to decide whether or not you're actually seeing real changes.
Everyone is different, right? Some people need more time, others need less... it’s all about how your own body reacts.
Alicia is a solid medication. I know people who have been on it for ages and swear by it.
I haven't personally taken it, though.
Just stay the course and follow exactly what your doctor advised.

Hey everyone.

Has anyone actually found success using 20mg of Zoloft for social anxiety?

Thanks.

brighthawk0 said:Hey everyone.

Has anyone actually found success using 20mg of Zoloft for social anxiety?

Thanks.

After trying Anafranil, Ladioamil, and Melleril, I finally felt like I was pulling out of depression.
Even though I stayed on top of my meds, the darkness crept back in... so I switched things up to Portal, Lexapro, and Eliceu. Right now, I'm taking two 37.5mg Effexor pills and have been on Misar SR 1 mg yesterday for three years already...
I saw my psychologist yesterday to run some tests. According to the results, I've been dealing with moderate depression that fluctuates quite a bit for over four months now. My motivation is just gone... everything I manage to do requires such intense mental effort, so mostly I just end up lying down because that's all I can handle...
My psychiatrist mentioned that things would be much worse if I wasn't on medication. And honestly, while it was bad before, it's definitely better now. I've been on Effexor for over 45 days, so if I don't see progress in another month, I'll ask about trying a different combo. I tried taking Depakote along with those other two, but it just wiped me out, so we dropped it...

Zeldox 160mg
Zyprexa 200mg
Zoloft 100mg
Klonopin 3mg

I honestly can barely walk right now—I feel so sluggish and unsteady on my feet. Everything is just slowed down; I’m sleeping constantly, dealing with an endless amount of congestion, and talking like I've got some kind of built-in slow-motion filter on my voice. It feels like the meds have totally overtaken me. 😢 I'm really hoping these side effects taper off soon, since I only started this regimen yesterday... Does anyone have any experiences or thoughts to share? Sending good vibes to everyone!

Eric Mitchell55 said:Zeldox 160mg
Zyprexa 200mg
Zoloft 100mg
Klonopin 3mg

I honestly can barely walk right now—I feel so sluggish and unsteady on my feet. Everything is just slowed down; I’m sleeping constantly, dealing with an endless amount of congestion, and talking like I've got some kind of built-in slow-motion filter on my voice. It feels like the meds have totally overtaken me. 😢 I'm really hoping these side effects taper off soon, since I only started this regimen yesterday... Does anyone have any experiences or thoughts to share? Sending good vibes to everyone!

Look, you can always ask your doctor to switch things up, but they aren't going to pull the plug on the meds just because you're feeling crappy. Honestly, Zyprexa is brutal, but it's one of the few things out there actually proven to help dial down those suicidal urges.

David Vaughn75 said:Look, you can always ask your doctor to switch things up, but they aren't going to pull the plug on the meds just because you're feeling crappy. Honestly, Zyprexa is brutal, but it's one of the few things out there actually proven to help dial down those suicidal urges.

My doctor mentioned he'd look into adjusting my treatment plan, though he wants to make sure I'm somewhat stabilized first. 🙄

Eric Mitchell55 said:My doctor mentioned he'd look into adjusting my treatment plan, though he wants to make sure I'm somewhat stabilized first. 🙄

Seriously, tell me about it.
The logic is always the same—you have to play it safe for a year or two until you're actually feeling okay, and only then do they even consider tweaking the prescription.