Psychotropic medication discussion thread

Hi everyone,

I'm 33 years old, and I've been battling panic attacks and anxiety for 13 years now. For most of that time, I was on Paxil, followed by a few months of Prozac and Lyrica, and lately, I’ve been taking Enriched Uranium and Lyrica. To be honest, Paxil didn't do much for me—maybe during those first couple of years—but I just didn't have the guts to switch medications. I haven't really pursued psychotherapy either, so instead of actually facing my issues, I just kept suppressing them. Last November, I finally worked up the nerve to change my medication. Well, things just went downhill from there. By February, I ended up quitting my job, and since then, I've been stuck at home with my parents on a small island. I've actually lived in Washington, D.C. for 15 years.
Anyway, about 15 days ago, I stopped taking my pills (after consulting with my psychiatrist) because I was feeling absolutely terrible. The side effects were brutal for the first few days, though they've subsided somewhat. What's left is this overwhelming anxiety. I've been drinking St. John's Wort tea and just waiting for it to kick in. 🙂
My psychiatrist wants to put me on Effexor, but I'm hoping I can hold out a little longer without any medication. Honestly, I don't feel much better now than I did while I was on them...
Oh, and two months ago, I started seeing a psychologist based in ZGA for therapy. We do our sessions over the phone 🙂 so I'm hoping that might provide some relief.

redranger2 said:You are navigating quite a chaotic cocktail of medications. Let's approach this methodically. I have been on Lexapro for six years now, and I consider it to be among the superior, more modern antidepressants available. Whatever you do, do not jump straight to a half tablet; in fact, start even lower, with a quarter pill. Take that 1/4 pill for three days. After three days, move up to a half tablet for another three days. Then, transition to a half plus a quarter, and after another three days, move to the full dose. This way, your system acclimates to the medication and the side effects remain manageable. You might experience slight dizziness, mild nausea, yawning, or drowsiness, but in my experience, those subside within a week or two. As for weight, I haven't gained a single ounce while on Lexapro. Regarding the Valium for sleep, try taking it an hour or two before you actually intend to get into bed.
Xanax is an effective medication for anxiety and panic attacks, and it is typically used on an as-needed basis, primarily to bridge the gap until the antidepressant takes full effect.
I would advise against Faverin for now; give the Lexapro a chance first. Faverin belongs to an older generation of drugs and tends to carry much harsher side effects.

Thank you so much for the reply. Since you've been on Lexapro for six years already, I was wondering... do your periods stay regular? I read somewhere that antidepressants can mess with your cycle, and I'm not sure if that applies to Lexapro too. I'm 36 now, and so far, my cycles have been fine, so I really wouldn't want Lexapro to interfere with that. I fell into depression after losing my mother, which is why my psychiatrist prescribed the Lexapro. I've also been following the doctor's orders regarding the Xanax—taking 0.5 mg, half a pill, in the afternoon—and the 15 mg of Valium before bed, but I feel so incredibly groggy from everything. It doesn't even feel like I'm getting any actual rest. Honestly, I don't even feel like I'm sleeping well despite the Valium.

Also, I'm curious—does your doctor schedule your follow-ups for you? For instance, if there's a holiday coming up next week, I'd really love to go in for a consultation about these meds before the break, since I'm feeling so drugged up. But I don't have a scheduled appointment right now. It feels sort of awkward to constantly email or call the doctor's cell phone and bother them, even though they did tell me I could call. Isn't it more logical to just be given the next appointment date immediately? My paperwork just says "follow-up in 3 weeks," but it doesn't even give a specific day. I don't know, maybe I am overthinking things, but it feels like all these medications are just... too much for me. Maybe I could just manage with the Lexapro without all the extra stuff. Regarding the antidepressant Faverin, I actually thought it might be better than Lexapro because of its sedative effect, so I wouldn't have to take anything else for sleep, and I've been sleeping terribly since my mom passed. I just feel so dazed by these three different types of medication. On top of that, I have dark circles under my eyes and I'm just exhausted, even with the 15 mg of Valium I take at night; I can't even get decent sleep. Talking to my psychiatrist was actually very helpful, but the meds just make me feel numb—I don't even see the point of the Xanax or the Valium. I mean, I guess I am a little calmer than before, but this cloudiness is awful. I know Lexapro takes a while to work. Right now, I've only been taking half of a 10 mg Lexapro pill for two days, even though my prescription says to take one full 10 mg tablet in the morning. He didn't mention anything about tapering up slowly so my body could adjust. I'm not even sure if Lexapro causes drowsiness, because I feel so out of it. Today, I only took half of my 10 mg Lexapro after breakfast, and I don't plan on taking anything else today because I'm scared of that constant grogginess. My blood work came back fine, though: liver enzymes, thyroid, CBC, and ESR are all okay. I haven't checked my electrolytes yet, but I saw that's important when starting antidepressants because hyponatremia can be a concern.

I honestly don't get why psychiatrists push such heavy-duty meds so aggressively. For me, talking things through with a professional was actually incredibly helpful, but that whole drugged, zombie-like feeling from the medication... it was just awful. I really regret ever taking them. I mean, if Lexapro alone is enough to make me drowsy, why on earth would they prescribe both Valium and Xanax on top of it? I managed to get through my mom's passing and her serious illness without any medication at all, so this level of sedation is definitely not something I need right now. I only ended up seeking professional help because I hit a breaking point a few months after she passed.

mistyjackal842 said:I honestly don't get why psychiatrists push such heavy-duty meds so aggressively. For me, talking things through with a professional was actually incredibly helpful, but that whole drugged, zombie-like feeling from the medication... it was just awful. I really regret ever taking them. I mean, if Lexapro alone is enough to make me drowsy, why on earth would they prescribe both Valium and Xanax on top of it? I managed to get through my mom's passing and her serious illness without any medication at all, so this level of sedation is definitely not something I need right now. I only ended up seeking professional help because I hit a breaking point a few months after she passed.

He probably just made a call based on his gut feeling about you or just what you told him. You said you couldn't sleep? Makes sense they'd hand over sleeping pills. You're scattered and anxious? Boom, there's Ativan on the list. You hit a crisis? Voila, here's an antidepressant.

If you were seeing a state-funded clinic, don't go expecting much in the way of actual psychotherapy or deep conversation.

Personally, neither Lexapro nor Paxil worked for me. They were awful. Both had terrible side effects. Just felt drugged and out of it almost 24/7.

Does anyone happen to know if it’s actually possible to have an AD sent over from overseas via the postal service?

Jason Vaughn482 said:Does anyone happen to know if it’s actually possible to have an AD sent over from overseas via the postal service?

If it isn't available here in the States but you have a valid prescription, they usually just ship it to the main pharmacy in Washington, D.C., and you pick it up there.

Jason Vaughn482 said:Does anyone happen to know if it’s actually possible to have an AD sent over from overseas via the postal service?

Unfortunately, it isn't possible. I once tried to mail a private prescription for some medication to a friend in Washington, D.C., because the prices there were about a third of what we pay here. He was ready to buy them, but when I went to the post office, they told me there was absolutely no way they would allow it.
If you live close enough to the country, you could always carry them with you personally. Otherwise, your best bet is to order officially through a pharmacy, though they tend to add quite a significant markup. Furthermore, most major US pharmacies don't facilitate business with places like Mexico or Canada, where costs can be much lower.

Skickas fr

Does AD have to be taken at the exact same time every single day? 🤔 For instance, I usually take mine in the morning, but on weekends I sleep in later than I do during the week, so I end up taking it up to three hours later than usual. Is that actually okay or am I messing things up?

wearycyclist17 said:Does AD have to be taken at the exact same time every single day? 🤔 For instance, I usually take mine in the morning, but on weekends I sleep in later than I do during the week, so I end up taking it up to three hours later than usual. Is that actually okay or am I messing things up?

It’s fine.

Is there actually another way to describe emotional numbness? From what I've gathered so far, anhedonia seems to be the closest thing to it. Am I totally off base here?

I was thinking maybe apathy is what's going on here.
Or is that basically the same thing? 🤔

Me too. Are you dealing with depersonalization and derealization as well?

I don't know.
If those three things are bugging you, they don't necessarily have to be linked. It's totally possible for someone to deal with multiple different issues that aren't even related to each other.

Zachary Stewart2 said:Is there actually another way to describe emotional numbness? From what I've gathered so far, anhedonia seems to be the closest thing to it. Am I totally off base here?

Technically, anhedonia is that specific inability to feel pleasure, and it usually shows up as a hallmark symptom of depression.
Emotional numbness can definitely happen at the same time as anhedonia, but they aren't the same thing—not even close, really. If you're looking for a better fit for emotional numbness, "apathy" is probably closer to the mark.

Matthew Castillo5 said:Technically, anhedonia is that specific inability to feel pleasure, and it usually shows up as a hallmark symptom of depression.
Emotional numbness can definitely happen at the same time as anhedonia, but they aren't the same thing—not even close, really. If you're looking for a better fit for emotional numbness, "apathy" is probably closer to the mark.

I still get a kick out of my coffee and good food, so I guess I don't really have anhedonia.
But man, I am bored out of my mind lately, even with the SP going on. Nothing really grabs my interest no matter what I try. Honestly, I just want to lay around and do absolutely nothing. I'm pretty much counting down the days until my doctor's appointment next week so I can ask about switching meds or maybe just stopping the treatment altogether.

Hey guys..

I’ve got some things weighing on my mind.. especially for anyone else dealing with OCD or panic attacks. I’ve been on my antidepressants for almost five months now, right? So, a few days ago, some super stressful thing happened and triggered a full-on panic attack. And honestly, I’ve been feeling that pre-panic dread for like three days straight now. It hasn't reached its peak though, mostly because I'm trying to stay chill. I just let it wash over me instead of thrashing around in bed thinking I'm actually losing my mind—I mean, I've already felt like I was going crazy a billion times, so I'm kind of over the drama, haha. Anyway, is it normal to still have a panic attack even while on meds? Like, I hadn't had one in forever and was actually feeling pretty good, so now I'm spiraling into this paranoia that I'm sliding right back to square one, and I really don't want that 😢 so please, if you've been through this, give me some encouragement! I really don't want to bump up my dosage, and I haven't touched any anti-anxiety pills since I started, so I'd rather not go down that road either.

Also, can someone please—for the love of god—post something positive about antidepressants? Seriously. Everywhere I look online, people are claiming they just wreck your brain or cause even more disorders and stuff. For those of us who are extra sensitive, reading all that negativity is so discouraging; it feels like taking ten steps backward

Thanks, sorry if this is a total mess, I hope you guys get what I'm trying to say here 🙂

My heart actually started hurting after I began taking Lexapro. It honestly terrified me. I've decided to stop taking it altogether. I think I feel much better without it.

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Jamie Martin37 said:Hey guys..

I’ve got some things weighing on my mind.. especially for anyone else dealing with OCD or panic attacks. I’ve been on my antidepressants for almost five months now, right? So, a few days ago, some super stressful thing happened and triggered a full-on panic attack. And honestly, I’ve been feeling that pre-panic dread for like three days straight now. It hasn't reached its peak though, mostly because I'm trying to stay chill. I just let it wash over me instead of thrashing around in bed thinking I'm actually losing my mind—I mean, I've already felt like I was going crazy a billion times, so I'm kind of over the drama, haha. Anyway, is it normal to still have a panic attack even while on meds? Like, I hadn't had one in forever and was actually feeling pretty good, so now I'm spiraling into this paranoia that I'm sliding right back to square one, and I really don't want that 😢 so please, if you've been through this, give me some encouragement! I really don't want to bump up my dosage, and I haven't touched any anti-anxiety pills since I started, so I'd rather not go down that road either.

Also, can someone please—for the love of god—post something positive about antidepressants? Seriously. Everywhere I look online, people are claiming they just wreck your brain or cause even more disorders and stuff. For those of us who are extra sensitive, reading all that negativity is so discouraging; it feels like taking ten steps backward

Thanks, sorry if this is a total mess, I hope you guys get what I'm trying to say here 🙂

Don't worry, this can happen and it's all part of the process. There is no magic pill that will change your fundamental character; we all have to learn to live with the reality that a panic attack might hit us, especially during a terrible situation. Just compare how the panic felt before the antidepressants versus how it feels now. For me, it’s much better. When I stopped taking them on my own and suffered a panic attack, it was a total disaster.
Antidepressants don't ruin your brain. Not every medication is perfect for the body. In the end, we're all going to die of something when we're 70 or 80 anyway, so my choice is to live as high-quality a life as possible until then, whether that means taking antidepressants or pills for kidney issues, epilepsy, or whatever else.

Best regards,

Exactly. If a list of calming medications is provided for situational relief, it doesn't hurt anyone. As I’ve mentioned before, there are people living with chronic pain who essentially have to take an analgesic every third day just to function, so what is the issue? If you need to take something when an episode hits, that is perfectly reasonable. It just shouldn't be a daily habit. Besides, I haven't heard a single doctor argue against taking medication "as needed."

I’ve come to realize that there are people all around me who are popping pills every single day without ever having even stepped foot in a psychiatrist's office. In that sense, I suppose we have it better; ADHD medication is meant to be a long-term treatment, not some quick fix you grab on a whim. I think we just tend to overthink things, worrying that taking something occasionally is wrong because we are officially on a prescribed regimen, which somehow makes it feel more significant when we do decide to take a dose.

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