Psychotropic medication discussion thread

Hi everyone,
I started taking Effexor a week ago (37.5 mg—one in the morning and one in the afternoon). I haven't dealt with any side effects so far, except for the fact that I wake up at 7:00 AM every single morning, regardless of when I actually fall asleep. I feel exhausted, yet I just can't drift back off. Has anyone else gone through this? Is this something that eventually settles down? 🙂
Oh, and I haven't noticed any positive changes yet. Tomorrow, I'll be moving up to two tablets in the morning and one in the afternoon.

Frank King45 said:Hi everyone,
I started taking Effexor a week ago (37.5 mg—one in the morning and one in the afternoon). I haven't dealt with any side effects so far, except for the fact that I wake up at 7:00 AM every single morning, regardless of when I actually fall asleep. I feel exhausted, yet I just can't drift back off. Has anyone else gone through this? Is this something that eventually settles down? 🙂
Oh, and I haven't noticed any positive changes yet. Tomorrow, I'll be moving up to two tablets in the morning and one in the afternoon.

Effexor is just way too stimulating for me—it kept me wired all the time—so we ended up discontinuing it altogether.
Have you been dealing with this drowsiness for a while, or did it only start once you began taking Effexor?
When you're increasing the dose, you really ought to take it slow—maybe just a quarter tablet every three or four days. It's much better than jumping straight in all at once; that way, your body can actually adjust without feeling the shock.

Jason Vaughn482 said:How long were you taking it, and did it actually provide any relief for anxiety? Also, what kind of side effects did you experience?
Look, since I don't work, I actually have plenty of opportunities to rest, yet whenever I take a sedative, I can't seem to drift off for at least an hour. Back when I was working, I was like a hibernating bear; I’d be passed out by 8 PM. If only I could just fall asleep at 11 PM and sleep straight through until 8 AM so I could head down to the beach. Instead, I end up waking up right when the sun is at its most punishing, leaving me with absolutely no chance of finding a spot on the sand in the afternoon.

I took it for about a month and a half before I stopped. During the first week, my sleep was perfectly fine, but after that, I stayed awake and felt constantly intoxicated. The side effects I noticed included muscle weakness, skin sensitivity, and bouts of intense hunger. While it did soothe some of my anxiety symptoms, I felt extremely moody the entire time. It just wasn't the right fit for me.

When I talk about resting, I mean truly lying down in a darkened room for fifteen minutes without the TV, any background noise, or a computer, focusing solely on your breathing. Otherwise, you are merely resting your body rather than your mind, and it is essential to reduce that mental tension. 🙂 In my opinion, summer is the most difficult season for dealing with anxiety, insomnia, and psychosis. Have you considered trying to "force" yourself to get up earlier for a few days, perhaps taking your medication earlier as well?

Michelle Kelly4 said:Anyone have experience using Sanval?

I believe there is an entire dedicated thread regarding Sanval here on the forum. It seems to work well enough as long as you don't become dependent on it, so try to avoid building a tolerance and make sure to maintain good sleep hygiene. For me, the only noticeable issue was a slightly racing heart in the mornings, but nothing too serious.

Had no clue there was even a thread about Sanval

After a long period of back-and-forth, I finally decided to try Mirtazapine for sleep. Figured I’d share my experience here in case it helps anyone else on this great forum 🙂

I've been on Fluvoxamine for nearly two months now (dealing with anxiety and insomnia), but it hasn't quite fixed my ability to sleep through the night. My therapist suggested adding a tiny slice—about 1/8th—of Mirtazapine to the mix.

So, yesterday around 8:30 PM, I took 1/8th of a 15 mg tablet, which works out to roughly 1.875 mg. I slept until about 6:30 AM. I have this hazy memory of waking up briefly in the middle of the night, but honestly, I didn't even have the energy to check the clock.

I drifted back off until 9:00, then took a three-hour nap after lunch. All in all, I clocked a massive 15 hours of sleep. Last time I slept that much, I was basically stuck in a neonatal incubator. 😍

When I finally fully woke up, my head felt a little foggy—kind of like the feeling you get from taking 2 Xanax, for example. I tried to shake it off, and I probably could have if I really tried.

The grogginess and slight dizziness have mostly worn off now, and I'm just leaning into the fact that I got 15 hours of rest. 🙂

Turns out, I totally overreacted to the idea of Mirtazapine; it was actually pure bliss in pill form.

Oh, and just like people say on those American forums, the dreams were intense. It was like watching a massive action movie in a theater; I was part of some elite combat squad protecting the Holy Grail or something. 😁

Kind regards and good morning to everyone 🙂

Michael Hill2 said:After a long period of back-and-forth, I finally decided to try Mirtazapine for sleep. Figured I’d share my experience here in case it helps anyone else on this great forum 🙂

I've been on Fluvoxamine for nearly two months now (dealing with anxiety and insomnia), but it hasn't quite fixed my ability to sleep through the night. My therapist suggested adding a tiny slice—about 1/8th—of Mirtazapine to the mix.

So, yesterday around 8:30 PM, I took 1/8th of a 15 mg tablet, which works out to roughly 1.875 mg. I slept until about 6:30 AM. I have this hazy memory of waking up briefly in the middle of the night, but honestly, I didn't even have the energy to check the clock.

I drifted back off until 9:00, then took a three-hour nap after lunch. All in all, I clocked a massive 15 hours of sleep. Last time I slept that much, I was basically stuck in a neonatal incubator. 😍

When I finally fully woke up, my head felt a little foggy—kind of like the feeling you get from taking 2 Xanax, for example. I tried to shake it off, and I probably could have if I really tried.

The grogginess and slight dizziness have mostly worn off now, and I'm just leaning into the fact that I got 15 hours of rest. 🙂

Turns out, I totally overreacted to the idea of Mirtazapine; it was actually pure bliss in pill form.

Oh, and just like people say on those American forums, the dreams were intense. It was like watching a massive action movie in a theater; I was part of some elite combat squad protecting the Holy Grail or something. 😁

Kind regards and good morning to everyone 🙂

Must be nice. Having used Mirtazapine for over two years now, I can drift off easily with 7.5 mg combined with Sanval... and truthfully, I'll sleep straight through until 10:00 AM. I have attempted lower doses than 7.5 mg, but there is simply no way I can fall asleep. That said, in the very beginning, I fell asleep like a light switch immediately, but over time a tolerance developed, even though I still take it almost every night alongside Sanval. As for the dreams, they are mostly nightmares—crying, running away, being chased by something... occasionally I dream of being in love, but pleasant dreams are a rare occurrence.

I honestly wonder how you even managed to slice such a tiny little piece. 🙂

fadedbear92 said:Effexor is just way too stimulating for me—it kept me wired all the time—so we ended up discontinuing it altogether.
Have you been dealing with this drowsiness for a while, or did it only start once you began taking Effexor?
When you're increasing the dose, you really ought to take it slow—maybe just a quarter tablet every three or four days. It's much better than jumping straight in all at once; that way, your body can actually adjust without feeling the shock.

My sleep has been worse since I started Effexor. Although, last night was actually a bit better.🙂 I don't usually have any issues sleeping, normally speaking.
As for bumping up the dosage, my psychiatrist prefers making sudden changes, 🙂 but I took half a pill today.

Can anyone tell me if increased urination is a side effect of Celexa? It feels like I'm heading to the bathroom way more often since I started taking Celexa 10mg daily, and I've been on it for about three weeks now. I guess... should this be a reason to stop taking Celexa altogether? I had my blood work done right before starting Celexa about a moon ago, and everything looked totally fine regarding my kidneys and general blood count.

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Has anyone here actually managed to lose weight while on Olanzapine?

If you did, please just tell me how you pulled it off 🙂
It’s just not happening for me, and I'm trying to figure out why. I'd really appreciate some insight so I can at least confirm if Olanzapine is the culprit or if it's something else entirely. Just a rough idea would help. 🙂

mistyjackal842 said:Can anyone tell me if increased urination is a side effect of Celexa? It feels like I'm heading to the bathroom way more often since I started taking Celexa 10mg daily, and I've been on it for about three weeks now. I guess... should this be a reason to stop taking Celexa altogether? I had my blood work done right before starting Celexa about a moon ago, and everything looked totally fine regarding my kidneys and general blood count.

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Hey mistyjackal842, 🙂

I saw your question about the frequent bathroom trips related to Celexa.

Personally, I don't take Celexa—I'm on Fluvoxamine (which is also an SSRI antidepressant)—and I deal with that exact same side effect.

I've been on them for two months now, and until recently, I was peeing constantly. Now I'm noticing it's settling down a bit, so just hang in there; things usually regulate themselves. It definitely isn't a reason to quit your meds.

I also read what you wrote on Healthline about how poorly your mom was treated at the hospital. I am so incredibly sorry you had to go through that and that it ended the way it did. My heart goes out to you; I went through something very similar with my granddad.

I also noticed in some of your other posts on the psych forums that you've mentioned several times how much you want to be on antidepressants for as short a time as possible.

If you don't mind me being blunt, I have a bit of advice.

You've been through a hell that would break anyone, and right now, you need support.

Antidepressants will help you. Celexa is a good one, so don't fight it so hard. Just lean into it and give it a chance to actually do its job.

You generally need to be on these for at least six months to a year. You're dealing with a chemical imbalance in your brain right now and you need the help.

Don't stress so much about how long you'll be taking them. You'll take them for exactly as long as you need to and as long as your doctor thinks is necessary. That’s not the issue here.

The important thing is that they help you feel better.

Your mom is in a better place now, watching over you, and she wouldn't want to see you suffering.

There's nothing you can change now. What happened, happened. It's a massive tragedy, but there's no sense in dwelling on it anymore. It's time to let go.

Kind regards, 🙂

Frank King45 said:My sleep has been worse since I started Effexor. Although, last night was actually a bit better.🙂 I don't usually have any issues sleeping, normally speaking.
As for bumping up the dosage, my psychiatrist prefers making sudden changes, 🙂 but I took half a pill today.

On the other hand, Effexor let me sleep like a baby.🙂
I’ve been on various doses (up to 300 mg a day sometimes) for nearly 10 years.
I tried switching over to Prozac to get off it—didn't work at all!
I went totally cold turkey on Effexor three months ago, and I'm still dealing with pretty bad insomnia; honestly, that's the only side effect left from weaning off it (besides all those other nasty ones everyone knows about). I’ve been trying some herbal stuff with valerian and melatonin to help me sleep; they aren't terrible, but they just don't do the trick...😢

Frank King45 said:Hi everyone,
I started taking Effexor a week ago (37.5 mg—one in the morning and one in the afternoon). I haven't dealt with any side effects so far, except for the fact that I wake up at 7:00 AM every single morning, regardless of when I actually fall asleep. I feel exhausted, yet I just can't drift back off. Has anyone else gone through this? Is this something that eventually settles down? 🙂
Oh, and I haven't noticed any positive changes yet. Tomorrow, I'll be moving up to two tablets in the morning and one in the afternoon.

Positive results usually show up after about three weeks on it.
Side effects should clear up within a week or two.

fadedbear92 said:Effexor is just way too stimulating for me—it kept me wired all the time—so we ended up discontinuing it altogether.
Have you been dealing with this drowsiness for a while, or did it only start once you began taking Effexor?
When you're increasing the dose, you really ought to take it slow—maybe just a quarter tablet every three or four days. It's much better than jumping straight in all at once; that way, your body can actually adjust without feeling the shock.

You don't necessarily need to take such tiny steps; theoretically, you could increase it every 4 days up to 75mg (which is the max).
Also, there's Effexor XR 75mg, where you can just start with one pill a day instead of splitting up the 37.5mg tablets.

Mark Nelson said:Has anyone here actually managed to lose weight while on Olanzapine?

If you did, please just tell me how you pulled it off 🙂
It’s just not happening for me, and I'm trying to figure out why. I'd really appreciate some insight so I can at least confirm if Olanzapine is the culprit or if it's something else entirely. Just a rough idea would help. 🙂

Olanzapine tends to increase weight.

Back on the Coaxil again.
Everything just went south about a week ago—extreme fatigue, tremors, feeling dizzy as a corpse... I just can't shake this exhaustion!
Just to be clear, I started taking it on May 27th. There were some side effects at first, but this is unbearable!! I’m constantly bedridden and can't function normally because of how tired I am!??? I don't get it—I actually felt better for a while. Is it even possible to start feeling these side effects all over again?

Michael Hill2

Thank you so much for those kind words. It’s not that I’m against antidepressants or anything. In fact, I think I actually feel better since I started taking Celexa. I spoke with this young, lovely doctor today—I switched to her for private consultations—and she mentioned that increased urination could be related to the autonomic nervous system, but then again, the fact remains that it can also be a side effect of Celexa; it's right there in the instructions. My doctor also suggested I get some blood work done. Usually, my urea and creatinine levels have always been fine. I've been on Celexa for three weeks now and I do feel better, I don't cry about my mom as much. But... this side effect really worries me. Tomorrow I'm going back to get my urea, creatinine, electrolytes for the first time, and prolactin checked. Before, I could go half a day without even thinking about needing a restroom, but now, since starting Celexa, the moment I step outside, I'm scanning the area for the nearest bathroom. My mom had kidney issues long before she passed, and she ended up dying from urosepsis. She was sick, sure, but she was stable when she arrived at the hospital and didn't have cancer. I know this isn't strictly on topic, so I hope I don't get penalized for drifting. I asked my doctor today about lowering my Celexa dose, and she said if I'm going to take it, I really need to stay at 10mg because 5mg is just a subtherapeutic dose. She asked if the Celexa was helping me. I told her I think it is, because my mood is definitely improved, except for the fact that I can't sleep at night. It’s not a huge issue since I'm not working, so when I'm exhausted, I just sleep during the day.

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I’m definitely planning on finding a job this fall, so I really need to get my sleep schedule back on track. I’ll need to be fully focused during the day once I start working. I suppose Lexapro is helping me keep from spiraling into total darkness after losing my mom. But, looking at the Lexapro instructions, it mentions that some patients experience increased urination due to inadequate ADH secretion. That’s exactly what seems to be happening to me. I’m just not sure if that’s enough reason to stop taking Lexapro entirely. I mean, maybe I could just switch to a different antidepressant. My doctor today was honestly wonderful—so incredibly understanding. I really wish I had seen her sooner. She’s brilliant and clearly knows her stuff. I’m just bummed because she’s going on vacation and won't be back until August. I’ll probably see her privately. Honestly, maybe she wouldn't have even prescribed the Lexapro. I was in such a bad place, and I really needed the help.

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Dental anxiety was always such a massive hurdle for me, especially when it came to getting teeth pulled. Honestly, I didn't even mention that I was taking Lexapro because... well, I felt like dentists might actually laugh if they knew I was on something like that. I know, I know—I probably shouldn't have taken that risk, but I just felt so incredibly awkward bringing it up.

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So, I wanted to share this in case anyone else is dealing with an intense increase in urination while taking Lexapro. My previous doctor suggested I try skipping my doses for a couple of days just to see if that makes a difference. It’s apparently a rare side effect, but it is listed on the medication insert, and some patients have reported it. My current doctor, though, says he’s never even heard of it happening. It’s a bit worrying because my mom has had kidney issues in the past, and honestly, I’ve always been pretty resilient—I’ve never even had trouble even after swimming in freezing cold water during the summer.

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Hey everyone, I’m looking for some advice here. I think my main issue is this massive, overwhelming health anxiety that keeps spiraling into depression. It really started after losing people close to me. I was on Zoloft before, but honestly, I didn't feel much of a difference—though, to be fair, my health anxiety is pretty intense—and the hit to my libido was just terrible. I’ve heard that Lexapro might be one of the better options out there. Does anyone have recommendations for an antidepressant that actually works for these kinds of symptoms without completely killing my sex drive? My husband is being pretty skeptical too; he keeps asking why I even need "that chemical stuff" when I'm already feeling like a zombie. I stopped taking the Zoloft about a month ago. I was doing alright until I started noticing some muscle twitching, and ever since then, I’ve been a nervous wreck. I have an appointment with my psychiatrist in a few days, and she’ll likely suggest switching to a different medication, so I’d love to hear your thoughts or any suggestions you might have. Also, if anyone here has successfully managed to break free from these obsessive fears about illness or constant anxiety, please share your advice. I’d really appreciate it.

Daniel Gomez10 said:Positive results usually show up after about three weeks on it.
Side effects should clear up within a week or two.

You don't necessarily need to take such tiny steps; theoretically, you could increase it every 4 days up to 75mg (which is the max).
Also, there's Effexor XR 75mg, where you can just start with one pill a day instead of splitting up the 37.5mg tablets.

Olanzapine tends to increase weight.

So, is that because you end up eating way more than usual, or does the medication itself just cause weight gain on its own? I guess it’s hard to tell which one it is.

My issues with frequent urination have almost completely cleared up now that I've totally stopped taking my 10 mg daily dose of Lexapro. I was on it for three weeks, and it was only during those last few days that these really intense urinary issues started popping up—it felt like I’d taken a diuretic or something, even though I hadn't. I know it's a rare side effect, but clearly, it can happen. I just really hope it hasn't caused any lasting damage to my kidneys. I guess I'll just have to wait and see. From what I've been reading online, other antidepressants in that same class can cause similar bladder problems too. Honestly, I was pretty terrified because I've never dealt with anything like this before, and my mom actually struggled with kidney disease and passed away from urosepsis in the hospital last year.

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