Psychotropic medication discussion thread

restlesstrucker15 said: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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As for me, I find myself taking Xanax on a daily basis, though I have a strong suspicion that most people out there who rely on antidepressants are also supplementing their routine with various sedatives or sleep aids just to get through the night.

Jason Vaughn482 said:As for me, I find myself taking Xanax on a daily basis, though I have a strong suspicion that most people out there who rely on antidepressants are also supplementing their routine with various sedatives or sleep aids just to get through the night.

Yes, I am aware of your usage. My point was simply that we all take much smaller doses because the antidepressants handle the heavy lifting, which makes it perfectly legitimate. If you weren't on those, you would likely be relying on Xanax constantly.
I don't quite understand why people are so afraid of medication. I get the hesitation, but if you choose to avoid it, you shouldn't complain when things feel difficult.
It is especially valid when the pills were prescribed by a doctor and paired with therapy. If someone prefers drugs or alcohol instead, that is their choice.
In my view, everyone here is actually quite strong because we are taking action; at least we are self-aware about what we are dealing with.

Skickas fr

restlesstrucker15 said:Yes, I am aware of your usage. My point was simply that we all take much smaller doses because the antidepressants handle the heavy lifting, which makes it perfectly legitimate. If you weren't on those, you would likely be relying on Xanax constantly.
I don't quite understand why people are so afraid of medication. I get the hesitation, but if you choose to avoid it, you shouldn't complain when things feel difficult.
It is especially valid when the pills were prescribed by a doctor and paired with therapy. If someone prefers drugs or alcohol instead, that is their choice.
In my view, everyone here is actually quite strong because we are taking action; at least we are self-aware about what we are dealing with.

Skickas fr

😍Exactly, restlesstrucker15!!! Even if we stumble sometimes, we always find our way back up.

restlesstrucker15 said: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,

Yeah, I totally feel you on that... I realized it myself recently because I used to think these were like "happy pills" that would just suddenly wipe out every negative thought in my head and make sure they never came back. But nope, it was actually the opposite! It triggered a panic attack or two within a few days, and then I started counting how many days in a row I felt like crap, and the whole cycle of negativity just started spinning again.

I know calming meds help, but before I even started the antidepressants, I popped two Xanax and I honestly felt a hundred times worse. Now I still have this huge aversion to them, especially since my psychiatrist prescribed me Miser, which is basically just a different brand of Xanax.

It feels like you have to fight way harder than just taking the pills. Even with them, there are those stretches where everything feels pointless and I wish they'd just vanish, but like you guys said, I'm not quite that desperate..

Gonna jump in here and just vent... I had another panic attack. Total nightmare last night...

Quick update regarding Xanax.
I’ve been on it for a month now—side effects haven't been terrible, honestly, they seem minimal at best. My panic attacks are already down by about 50%, which is huge. I’m still a bit nervous about sleeping without Klonopin, but I figure taking one before bed isn't going to kill me... especially since it actually helps ease some of the pain from my neck issues.
Anyway, this is just an encouraging post for anyone still feeling skeptical about Xanax—it really is a unique antidepressant when you consider how effective it is compared to the rest.
Best to everyone. I hope you’re dealing with less stress, fewer panic attacks, and all the other crap life throws at us!!
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PRIORITIZE MENTAL HYGIENE ABOVE ALL ELSE!!!

I have a question for anyone who has used Fevarin in the past or is currently using it. Does anyone experience issues when getting out of bed in the morning—specifically things like dizziness or feeling lightheaded? For context, I take a 50mg dose in the evening.

restlesstiger49 said:I have a question for anyone who has used Fevarin in the past or is currently using it. Does anyone experience issues when getting out of bed in the morning—specifically things like dizziness or feeling lightheaded? For context, I take a 50mg dose in the evening.

I certainly did. I can't recall the exact dosage I was on at the time, but the dizziness would persist well enough to linger until lunchtime. I felt completely foggy, sluggish, and physically uncoordinated all morning. To make matters worse, I started feeling incredibly jittery and on edge. I ended up switching my medication quite quickly because Paxil just wasn't the right fit for my system.

restlesstiger49 said:I have a question for anyone who has used Fevarin in the past or is currently using it. Does anyone experience issues when getting out of bed in the morning—specifically things like dizziness or feeling lightheaded? For context, I take a 50mg dose in the evening.

I used to take mine in the mornings—it took my body a little while to adjust and shake off that grogginess, but once it kicked in, it worked perfectly fine. I stayed on it for quite a few months.
your dose is pretty low, btw

I started taking it yesterday, and I’m really hoping it doesn't leave me feeling totally wiped out in the morning—I have to be sharp for work. As for the dosage, my therapist set it this way for now, though there might be an increase down the road. I'll just follow the instructions provided. Anyway, thanks everyone for the input.

restlesstiger49 said:I have a question for anyone who has used Fevarin in the past or is currently using it. Does anyone experience issues when getting out of bed in the morning—specifically things like dizziness or feeling lightheaded? For context, I take a 50mg dose in the evening.

Look, I'm on 100 mg, which is way higher than what you're taking, and yeah, I totally dealt with the dizziness and that weird, floaty feeling in my head while my body was trying to adjust. It took forever for me to actually get used to it... seriously, ages. But honestly? No more issues now. If anything, I feel super refreshed when I wake up. I sleep like a baby—my alarm barely even touches me. My advice? Crank that volume up way higher and put your phone somewhere across the room so you actually have to stand up to kill the noise. If you just started taking it, those side effects are totally normal. And since you're on such a tiny dose, I wouldn't sweat it too much in the long run.

Hey everyone, hope you're all doing alright. 🙂

Alright, let me try to wrap my head around this and summarize the whole saga.

It all kicked off about two months ago. I was staring at the ceiling one night, unable to drift off, and I just started spiraling. I had this massive presentation at work the next morning, so the more I realized I wasn't sleeping, the more my brain went into overdrive. Before I knew it, I was right on the edge of a full-blown panic attack. My heart was hammering against my ribs, I couldn't catch my breath, I was restless, sweating... the whole works. It was pretty intense.
I barely managed about thirty minutes of sleep last night. Total joke.
To be honest, I never used to have any issues with sleep before this.

I already decided I was hitting the sack early tomorrow night, thinking there was no way I'd deal with a repeat of last night's disaster. And wouldn't you know it? It happened exactly the same way.

The third night was the absolute worst. I didn't sleep a single wink, which led me to the logical conclusion that the universe had personally decided to screw with me. I ended up heading down to my GP, and they finally put me on 0.5mg of Xanax.

Took some Xanax last night and slept like a log for nine straight hours. Honestly, felt like being knocked out by a freight train.

It’s been two weeks and my sleep schedule is still a total wreck. I haven't found any kind of rhythm yet, so I’ve actually had to take one or even two Xanax just to stand a chance at drifting off. I ended up seeing a private psychiatrist about it.

So, here I am. Diagnosis: anxiety, insomnia, and those lovely intrusive thoughts—specifically the ones that loop endlessly about whether or not I’ll actually be able to fall asleep tonight. Real fun stuff.

So, I finally started on 100 mg of Trintellix. I’ve somehow managed to survive the first two weeks of side effects—headaches, brutal anxiety, nausea, zero appetite, the whole nine yards. I'm still leaning on Xanax until the antidepressant actually kicks in.

I've never actually taken Xanax during the day. When I first started, I was doing two 0.5mg pills at night, but eventually, I scaled it back down to just one.

It’s been almost six weeks since I started Febair, and my sleep schedule is still a total disaster. I can actually drift off without an issue, but then I wake up after three or four hours because I have to pee—and honestly, the constant trips to the bathroom since I started this stuff have been a nightmare. Sometimes I manage to fall back asleep, but other times I just toss and turn for two hours until I lose my mind. At that point, I just give in, chew on half a Xanax—0.25mg—and finally pass out until morning.

So, here’s the deal. Both my therapist and I have finally admitted that I’ve been leaning way too hard on Xanax lately. He's not exactly thrilled about me waking up in a panic in the middle of the night, so he switched things up. He put me on Zoloft instead. The plan is to start tiny—like a quarter or even an eighth of a pill before bed. Apparently, at that super low dose, Mirza just acts as a sedative by hitting those histamine receptors, without any of the actual antidepressant effects kicking in yet.

So, I was on vacation last week. Totally stress-free, which meant I wasn't obsessing over my sleep schedule like usual. Honestly? It was almost normal. I’d drift off without much drama, wake up after maybe three or four hours to hit the bathroom, and then just head back to bed. Sometimes it took a minute to settle back down, sometimes not, but I actually managed to get some rest.
In that entire week, I only had to reach for 0.25mg of Xanax one single night.

Woke up in the middle of the night and just couldn't catch any more sleep. Ended up taking another Xanax.

Here’s what I’m wondering:

How often can you actually take Xanax before it stops being "as needed" and starts becoming a habit? Is hitting 0.25mg two or three times a week pushing it too far?

I’m honestly pretty terrified about starting Zoloft. Everything I read online makes it sound like this pill just turns you into a literal zombie—like you're stuck in wet concrete. Has anyone actually tried a super low dose, maybe around 1-3 mg? I need to know if that "brain fog" feeling is real, because I can't afford to be non-functional at work. My job doesn't exactly leave much room for being a vegetable.

I’m honestly spiraling a little because I’ve been reading these horror stories about people who finally quit taking Zoloft and suddenly can't sleep a wink without it. It’s creepy. Now I'm sitting here wondering if I'm just doing long-term damage to my own brain.

So, turns out Paxil actually works pretty well for those intrusive thoughts. I’m not constantly spiraling about whether I’ll ever sleep again, my mood is way up, and my appetite is back to normal. Everything is great, really—except for the random headaches and the fact that I’m still not sleeping straight through the night.

Thanks for being patient with me. I’m officially opening the floor, so please, hit me with your best advice and comments.😍

My questions are:

1. How often can you take Xanax while still calling it "as needed"? Is doing 0.25mg about 2-3 times a week pushing it?

2. I'm honestly terrified of starting Zoloft because everything I read online says it just turns you into a total zombie—like you're stuck in cement. Has anyone tried a low dose like this (1-3 mg)? What does that "brain fog" actually feel like? I can't afford to be non-functional because of my job.

2. Also, I've read some horror stories about people who stopped taking Zoloft and suddenly couldn't sleep at all without it. I'm scared I'll just make things worse for myself in the long run.

On the bright side, Paxil works pretty well for those intrusive thoughts. I don't constantly worry about whether I'll sleep anymore, my mood is way better, and my appetite is great. Everything is awesome except for the occasional headache and the fact that it hasn't quite given me that solid, unbroken sleep through the night yet.

Thanks for being patient with me, and please, let me know what you guys think!😍

We're on the same dose! I got that same 0.25 mg bottle, but honestly, I haven't even touched them because I was so paranoid about getting hooked or feeling out of it, haha. Looking back, I'm glad I just toughed it out. But seriously, taking it a few times a week isn't going to kill you, trust me. My therapist even told me that in the beginning, 2-3 times a day is totally fine since you're dealing with such intense anxiety.

And regarding the sleep stuff, I went through the exact same struggle. I didn't get more than four hours of sleep at a time for two and a half months. Basically, Paxil has these mild sedative qualities, which is why some people prefer taking it in the evening. For the first four weeks, I had a hard time falling asleep, but now? I sleep like a baby. I really think it’ll help you with that once it settles in, especially if you take it at night.

As for the sleeping pills, I don't have any experience there. Honestly, your best bet is probably asking your therapist or your doctor. They'll know way more about the specifics than we will here on the forum. If I can give any advice, it's just hang in there. Once the meds fully kick in, I bet that sleep issue will resolve itself. Just try not to overthink it too much. 🙂

Jamie Martin37 said:My questions are:

1. How often can you take Xanax while still calling it "as needed"? Is doing 0.25mg about 2-3 times a week pushing it?

2. I'm honestly terrified of starting Zoloft because everything I read online says it just turns you into a total zombie—like you're stuck in cement. Has anyone tried a low dose like this (1-3 mg)? What does that "brain fog" actually feel like? I can't afford to be non-functional because of my job.

2. Also, I've read some horror stories about people who stopped taking Zoloft and suddenly couldn't sleep at all without it. I'm scared I'll just make things worse for myself in the long run.

On the bright side, Paxil works pretty well for those intrusive thoughts. I don't constantly worry about whether I'll sleep anymore, my mood is way better, and my appetite is great. Everything is awesome except for the occasional headache and the fact that it hasn't quite given me that solid, unbroken sleep through the night yet.

Thanks for being patient with me, and please, let me know what you guys think!😍

We're on the same dose! I got that same 0.25 mg bottle, but honestly, I haven't even touched them because I was so paranoid about getting hooked or feeling out of it, haha. Looking back, I'm glad I just toughed it out. But seriously, taking it a few times a week isn't going to kill you, trust me. My therapist even told me that in the beginning, 2-3 times a day is totally fine since you're dealing with such intense anxiety.

And regarding the sleep stuff, I went through the exact same struggle. I didn't get more than four hours of sleep at a time for two and a half months. Basically, Paxil has these mild sedative qualities, which is why some people prefer taking it in the evening. For the first four weeks, I had a hard time falling asleep, but now? I sleep like a baby. I really think it’ll help you with that once it settles in, especially if you take it at night.

As for the sleeping pills, I don't have any experience there. Honestly, your best bet is probably asking your therapist or your doctor. They'll know way more about the specifics than we will here on the forum. If I can give any advice, it's just hang in there. Once the meds fully kick in, I bet that sleep issue will resolve itself. Just try not to overthink it too much. 🙂

We're on the same dose! I got that same 0.25 mg bottle, but honestly, I haven't even touched them because I was so paranoid about getting hooked or feeling out of it, haha. Looking back, I'm glad I just toughed it out. But seriously, taking it a few times a week isn't going to kill you, trust me. My therapist even told me that in the beginning, 2-3 times a day is totally fine since you're dealing with such intense anxiety.

And regarding the sleep stuff, I went through the exact same struggle. I didn't get more than four hours of sleep at a time for two and a half months. Basically, Paxil has these mild sedative qualities, which is why some people prefer taking it in the evening. For the first four weeks, I had a hard time falling asleep, but now? I sleep like a baby. I really think it’ll help you with that once it settles in, especially if you take it at night.

As for the sleeping pills, I don't have any experience there. Honestly, your best bet is probably asking your therapist or your doctor. They'll know way more about the specifics than we will here on the forum. If I can give any advice, it's just hang in there. Once the meds fully kick in, I bet that sleep issue will resolve itself. Just try not to overthink it too much. 🙂

We're on the same dose! I got that same 0.25 mg bottle, but honestly, I haven't even touched them because I was so paranoid about getting hooked or feeling out of it, haha. Looking back, I'm glad I just toughed it out. But seriously, taking it a few times a week isn't going to kill you, trust me. My therapist even told me that in the beginning, 2-3 times a day is totally fine since you're dealing with such intense anxiety.

And regarding the sleep stuff, I went through the exact same struggle. I didn't get more than four hours of sleep at a time for two and a half months. Basically, Paxil has these mild sedative qualities, which is why some people prefer taking it in the evening. For the first four weeks, I had a hard time falling asleep, but now? I sleep like a baby. I really think it’ll help you with that once it settles in, especially if you take it at night.

As for the sleeping pills, I don't have any experience there. Honestly, your best bet is probably asking your therapist or your doctor. They'll know way more about the specifics than we will here on the forum. If I can give any advice, it's just hang in there. Once the meds fully kick in, I bet that sleep issue will resolve itself. Just try not to overthink it too much. 🙂
Thanks for the kind words. 🙂

I honestly thought that after almost six weeks on Prozac, I'd be sleeping through the night without waking up, but I guess I'm just hoping it needs a little more time to settle in.

I really wish I didn't have to add Zoloft into this whole mess, but I also know Xanax is bad news and incredibly easy to get addicted to. Unfortunately, I just can't function on three or four hours of sleep. 😢

Are you also dealing with having to pee all the time because of the Prozac?

Michael Hill2 said:We're on the same dose! I got that same 0.25 mg bottle, but honestly, I haven't even touched them because I was so paranoid about getting hooked or feeling out of it, haha. Looking back, I'm glad I just toughed it out. But seriously, taking it a few times a week isn't going to kill you, trust me. My therapist even told me that in the beginning, 2-3 times a day is totally fine since you're dealing with such intense anxiety.

And regarding the sleep stuff, I went through the exact same struggle. I didn't get more than four hours of sleep at a time for two and a half months. Basically, Paxil has these mild sedative qualities, which is why some people prefer taking it in the evening. For the first four weeks, I had a hard time falling asleep, but now? I sleep like a baby. I really think it’ll help you with that once it settles in, especially if you take it at night.

As for the sleeping pills, I don't have any experience there. Honestly, your best bet is probably asking your therapist or your doctor. They'll know way more about the specifics than we will here on the forum. If I can give any advice, it's just hang in there. Once the meds fully kick in, I bet that sleep issue will resolve itself. Just try not to overthink it too much. 🙂

We're on the same dose! I got that same 0.25 mg bottle, but honestly, I haven't even touched them because I was so paranoid about getting hooked or feeling out of it, haha. Looking back, I'm glad I just toughed it out. But seriously, taking it a few times a week isn't going to kill you, trust me. My therapist even told me that in the beginning, 2-3 times a day is totally fine since you're dealing with such intense anxiety.

And regarding the sleep stuff, I went through the exact same struggle. I didn't get more than four hours of sleep at a time for two and a half months. Basically, Paxil has these mild sedative qualities, which is why some people prefer taking it in the evening. For the first four weeks, I had a hard time falling asleep, but now? I sleep like a baby. I really think it’ll help you with that once it settles in, especially if you take it at night.

As for the sleeping pills, I don't have any experience there. Honestly, your best bet is probably asking your therapist or your doctor. They'll know way more about the specifics than we will here on the forum. If I can give any advice, it's just hang in there. Once the meds fully kick in, I bet that sleep issue will resolve itself. Just try not to overthink it too much. 🙂
Thanks for the kind words. 🙂

I honestly thought that after almost six weeks on Prozac, I'd be sleeping through the night without waking up, but I guess I'm just hoping it needs a little more time to settle in.

I really wish I didn't have to add Zoloft into this whole mess, but I also know Xanax is bad news and incredibly easy to get addicted to. Unfortunately, I just can't function on three or four hours of sleep. 😢

Are you also dealing with having to pee all the time because of the Prozac?
Thanks for the kind words. 🙂

I honestly thought that after almost six weeks on Prozac, I'd be sleeping through the night without waking up, but I guess I'm just hoping it needs a little more time to settle in.

I really wish I didn't have to add Zoloft into this whole mess, but I also know Xanax is bad news and incredibly easy to get addicted to. Unfortunately, I just can't function on three or four hours of sleep. 😢

Are you also dealing with having to pee all the time because of the Prozac?
Now that you mention it, yeah, I have to hit the bathroom more often too, but I'm not really sweating it 😁 as long as it helps us feel better.

And seriously, it took me nearly two months of slowly bumping up my dose before I even hit the full amount, so trust me, we all react differently. Some people just need way more time for everything to click into place...
and honestly, just try not to obsess over the sleep thing. Maybe head to bed a little earlier, chill out, light a scented candle, or grab a good book to read. For me, if I'm not feeling super anxious, a book is a total lifesaver—I'll be reading and then suddenly just drift off mid-page. 🙂

Michael Hill2 said:Hey everyone, hope you're all doing alright. 🙂

Alright, let me try to wrap my head around this and summarize the whole saga.

It all kicked off about two months ago. I was staring at the ceiling one night, unable to drift off, and I just started spiraling. I had this massive presentation at work the next morning, so the more I realized I wasn't sleeping, the more my brain went into overdrive. Before I knew it, I was right on the edge of a full-blown panic attack. My heart was hammering against my ribs, I couldn't catch my breath, I was restless, sweating... the whole works. It was pretty intense.
I barely managed about thirty minutes of sleep last night. Total joke.
To be honest, I never used to have any issues with sleep before this.

I already decided I was hitting the sack early tomorrow night, thinking there was no way I'd deal with a repeat of last night's disaster. And wouldn't you know it? It happened exactly the same way.

The third night was the absolute worst. I didn't sleep a single wink, which led me to the logical conclusion that the universe had personally decided to screw with me. I ended up heading down to my GP, and they finally put me on 0.5mg of Xanax.

Took some Xanax last night and slept like a log for nine straight hours. Honestly, felt like being knocked out by a freight train.

It’s been two weeks and my sleep schedule is still a total wreck. I haven't found any kind of rhythm yet, so I’ve actually had to take one or even two Xanax just to stand a chance at drifting off. I ended up seeing a private psychiatrist about it.

So, here I am. Diagnosis: anxiety, insomnia, and those lovely intrusive thoughts—specifically the ones that loop endlessly about whether or not I’ll actually be able to fall asleep tonight. Real fun stuff.

So, I finally started on 100 mg of Trintellix. I’ve somehow managed to survive the first two weeks of side effects—headaches, brutal anxiety, nausea, zero appetite, the whole nine yards. I'm still leaning on Xanax until the antidepressant actually kicks in.

I've never actually taken Xanax during the day. When I first started, I was doing two 0.5mg pills at night, but eventually, I scaled it back down to just one.

It’s been almost six weeks since I started Febair, and my sleep schedule is still a total disaster. I can actually drift off without an issue, but then I wake up after three or four hours because I have to pee—and honestly, the constant trips to the bathroom since I started this stuff have been a nightmare. Sometimes I manage to fall back asleep, but other times I just toss and turn for two hours until I lose my mind. At that point, I just give in, chew on half a Xanax—0.25mg—and finally pass out until morning.

So, here’s the deal. Both my therapist and I have finally admitted that I’ve been leaning way too hard on Xanax lately. He's not exactly thrilled about me waking up in a panic in the middle of the night, so he switched things up. He put me on Zoloft instead. The plan is to start tiny—like a quarter or even an eighth of a pill before bed. Apparently, at that super low dose, Mirza just acts as a sedative by hitting those histamine receptors, without any of the actual antidepressant effects kicking in yet.

So, I was on vacation last week. Totally stress-free, which meant I wasn't obsessing over my sleep schedule like usual. Honestly? It was almost normal. I’d drift off without much drama, wake up after maybe three or four hours to hit the bathroom, and then just head back to bed. Sometimes it took a minute to settle back down, sometimes not, but I actually managed to get some rest.
In that entire week, I only had to reach for 0.25mg of Xanax one single night.

Woke up in the middle of the night and just couldn't catch any more sleep. Ended up taking another Xanax.

Here’s what I’m wondering:

How often can you actually take Xanax before it stops being "as needed" and starts becoming a habit? Is hitting 0.25mg two or three times a week pushing it too far?

I’m honestly pretty terrified about starting Zoloft. Everything I read online makes it sound like this pill just turns you into a literal zombie—like you're stuck in wet concrete. Has anyone actually tried a super low dose, maybe around 1-3 mg? I need to know if that "brain fog" feeling is real, because I can't afford to be non-functional at work. My job doesn't exactly leave much room for being a vegetable.

I’m honestly spiraling a little because I’ve been reading these horror stories about people who finally quit taking Zoloft and suddenly can't sleep a wink without it. It’s creepy. Now I'm sitting here wondering if I'm just doing long-term damage to my own brain.

So, turns out Paxil actually works pretty well for those intrusive thoughts. I’m not constantly spiraling about whether I’ll ever sleep again, my mood is way up, and my appetite is back to normal. Everything is great, really—except for the random headaches and the fact that I’m still not sleeping straight through the night.

Thanks for being patient with me. I’m officially opening the floor, so please, hit me with your best advice and comments.😍

I’m currently on Zoloft. I started out at 15 mg, which honestly felt like being hit by a freight train; it just completely numbs you, making it an absolute struggle to drag yourself out of bed in the morning. Now, I’ve scaled back to half that—about 7.5 mg—but even then, the sleep is heavy and prolonged. Even though I don't have to clock in for work, I still find myself waking up at 5:00 AM after a deep slumber. It’s a bit of a double-edged sword: if I take it in the evening, I sleep soundly, but sometimes it feels like too much. However, on those nights when sleep feels like a distant dream, it works perfectly, even if it feels like overkill. Regarding the dose you mentioned, I doubt it will leave you feeling totally incapacitated; 3 mg should be fine, though I can't say for certain how drowsy it might make you. As for me, I'm also taking Xanax three times a day.

Jason Vaughn482 said:I’m currently on Zoloft. I started out at 15 mg, which honestly felt like being hit by a freight train; it just completely numbs you, making it an absolute struggle to drag yourself out of bed in the morning. Now, I’ve scaled back to half that—about 7.5 mg—but even then, the sleep is heavy and prolonged. Even though I don't have to clock in for work, I still find myself waking up at 5:00 AM after a deep slumber. It’s a bit of a double-edged sword: if I take it in the evening, I sleep soundly, but sometimes it feels like too much. However, on those nights when sleep feels like a distant dream, it works perfectly, even if it feels like overkill. Regarding the dose you mentioned, I doubt it will leave you feeling totally incapacitated; 3 mg should be fine, though I can't say for certain how drowsy it might make you. As for me, I'm also taking Xanax three times a day.

Thanks for the reply, Vega. 😘

The thing about Mirza is—my therapist told me, and I've seen people talking about it on US forums too—that lower doses often work better for falling asleep. So, maybe 3 mg would be the sweet spot for you. Might be worth a shot just to see how you react; maybe you could finally ditch the Ambien.

Just one thing: can you describe that "statue" feeling? Does it wear off once you actually force yourself out of bed?

Any side effects from the Mirza (you know, the notorious weight gain and all that)?

I’m looking for some serious advice here. Currently, my regimen consists of Effexor at 37.5 mg and Celexa at 20 mg in the morning, another 37.5 mg dose of Effexor at noon, and then Seroquel at night. Regarding this new addition, Celexa—does it actually fall into the same SSRI category as Prozac, or is it something else entirely? I haven't really "felt" it yet, so I'm wondering if I have to wait just as long for it to kick in? Interestingly enough, it *has* managed to strip away that constant sense of panic and that paranoid feeling of being watched. On top of that, I’ve been diagnosed with ADHD, and my psychiatrist told me I'd be starting Concerta. However—and this is just infuriating—during our last session, he completely forgot to include the Concerta on my official medical letter. I went back to see him a week later only to find out the man has retired! He told me to reach out to my primary care physician to help me out, saying he'd follow up in a month to recommend a new psychiatrist. So, now I'm stuck wondering: can a regular GP actually write a prescription for Concerta? And are they even allowed to file the insurance paperwork with Blue Cross Blue Shield to get it covered? I desperately need this medication because things are slipping through my fingers—I start chores out of sheer boredom and only ever finish half of them; the house is a disaster because I can't seem to complete a single task, let alone sit down to read a book or even watch a movie like a normal person without losing focus... Please, please, please, can anyone recommend an incredible psychiatrist? My only request is that they be male—I just don't click with female doctors. My previous psychiatrist had been treating me since I was 18, and now that I'm 40, he knew my soul; he was truly wonderful. Help!!!!🙂 🙂 🙂

I’ve been on this combination of Celexa and 37.5 mg Effexor for exactly one week now—taking them both together in the morning—and for the last two days, I have been feeling absolutely wiped out. It’s ridiculous. I can barely even force my eyes open in the morning; all I want to do is faceplant into my pillow and sink into some deep, heavy sleep for three or four hours at a time. Then I’ll struggle myself up, grab a bite to eat, and immediately pass out again.
Is this just a side effect that’s going to pass, or am I stuck like this?! I’m currently on 20 mg of Celexa.

Michael Hill2 said:Thanks for the reply, Vega. 😘

The thing about Mirza is—my therapist told me, and I've seen people talking about it on US forums too—that lower doses often work better for falling asleep. So, maybe 3 mg would be the sweet spot for you. Might be worth a shot just to see how you react; maybe you could finally ditch the Ambien.

Just one thing: can you describe that "statue" feeling? Does it wear off once you actually force yourself out of bed?

Any side effects from the Mirza (you know, the notorious weight gain and all that)?

Goodness, I am in a state of absolute panic today; I have been nursing a headache for three days now, and today it is accompanied by dizziness and a tightening sensation around my heart that kept me housebound, leaving me torn over whether I should head straight to the ER.
But, returning to the subject of Muhammad Ali, when I was maintaining a 15 mg dose, waking up felt like pulling teeth, which is why I scaled back to 7.5 mg. Even then, while I do sleep for extended periods, the core issue remains that falling asleep is an uphill battle, leading to those restless bouts at 1:00 or 2:00 AM... and once the medication finally takes hold, I find it impossible to rise before 9:00 or 10:00 in the morning. As for weight gain, it was negligible—perhaps a mere five or six pounds—but currently, it doesn't stimulate my appetite during the day; the only issue is that I tend to wake up in the middle of the night craving sweets or anything else. I suspect that tendency stems from the Valium, a substance I am desperate to rid myself of once and for all, yet sleep remains elusive.
Regarding your question about whether the "concrete" feeling lifts after getting up? Honestly, no; in fact, I spend the entire day feeling somewhat numb and perpetually exhausted... I tire quite easily in general, and whenever I venture outdoors, I find myself counting the minutes until I can return home. That is the gist of it, I suppose.