Psychotropic medication discussion thread

restlesstiger49 said:I might have put on a pound or two, but nothing major. Besides, I'm already planning ahead; if my appetite spikes again, I'll just hit the gym or get active. To be honest, I stopped the meds because I thought I knew better than my doctor. 🤣

Please, don't go stopping your treatment without talking to your doctor first!
I truly wish you the best of luck as you get back on track with your medication, and I think if you incorporate some exercise and just keep an eye on what you're eating, everything should turn out fine. 🙂

Michael Hill2 said:If you’re still breathing and actually feeling okay right now, then you clearly didn't overdose. Simple math. 🙂

I’m pretty sure you aren't going to suffer any lasting damage from this, but seriously, don't make a habit of popping doses that big. Taking that much at once—basically like hitting a 2 mg Xanax—is just asking for your body to build up a tolerance. You don't want to end up in a spot where nothing works anymore.

So that's really the only bad thing that could happen to me? And what does "tolerance" actually mean in this context?

Thanks, 😉

restlesstiger49 said:Hmm, that's interesting. When I was on it about four years ago, I actually found my appetite increased. I'm planning to start back up on it tomorrow.

What kind of starting dose are you looking at? I started out on 75 mg XL, but I've bumped up to 150 mg now.

It really is a solid antidepressant since it targets two different neurotransmitters, specifically serotonin and norepinephrine.

That said, even with a dosage this high, I still find myself hitting those occasional low points. Whenever I mess something up at work or feel like I've made a mistake, I don't really deal with guilt so much as I just spiral into a deep depression.

I suppose that might be more of a situation for psychotherapy rather than just relying on medication—at least, that's how it feels to me...

Mark Nelson said:So that's really the only bad thing that could happen to me? And what does "tolerance" actually mean in this context?

Thanks, 😉

Since I don't know how long you've been on benzos or what your typical dosage looks like, I'll just speak in general terms.

Basically, you aren't supposed to take them every single day for more than six weeks—maybe two months at most. If you go beyond that, you run the risk of developing a tolerance, which just means you'll need higher and higher doses to get the same effect. Then there’s the whole dependency issue, where you end up facing withdrawal symptoms once you try to stop taking the anxiolytic.

There are endless forums out there dedicated solely to people trying to kick benzos and survive the aftermath. From what I read, the withdrawal side effects can be pretty brutal.

We're talking insomnia, nausea, diarrhea, brain fog, anxiety, and muscle aches that feel a lot like the flu.

Plus, using benzodiazepines long-term tends to mess with your cognitive functions.

So, if you find yourself needing them daily for anxiety, sleep issues, or whatever else, the real solution should be found elsewhere—usually through antidepressants and psychotherapy. 😉

Michael Hill2 said:Since I don't know how long you've been on benzos or what your typical dosage looks like, I'll just speak in general terms.

Basically, you aren't supposed to take them every single day for more than six weeks—maybe two months at most. If you go beyond that, you run the risk of developing a tolerance, which just means you'll need higher and higher doses to get the same effect. Then there’s the whole dependency issue, where you end up facing withdrawal symptoms once you try to stop taking the anxiolytic.

There are endless forums out there dedicated solely to people trying to kick benzos and survive the aftermath. From what I read, the withdrawal side effects can be pretty brutal.

We're talking insomnia, nausea, diarrhea, brain fog, anxiety, and muscle aches that feel a lot like the flu.

Plus, using benzodiazepines long-term tends to mess with your cognitive functions.

So, if you find yourself needing them daily for anxiety, sleep issues, or whatever else, the real solution should be found elsewhere—usually through antidepressants and psychotherapy. 😉

I've been on them pretty much non-stop for at least eight or nine months now. Usually, I’m just taking two 1 mg tablets a day. I guess that's just how it goes.

Michael Hill2 said:Since I don't know how long you've been on benzos or what your typical dosage looks like, I'll just speak in general terms.

Basically, you aren't supposed to take them every single day for more than six weeks—maybe two months at most. If you go beyond that, you run the risk of developing a tolerance, which just means you'll need higher and higher doses to get the same effect. Then there’s the whole dependency issue, where you end up facing withdrawal symptoms once you try to stop taking the anxiolytic.

There are endless forums out there dedicated solely to people trying to kick benzos and survive the aftermath. From what I read, the withdrawal side effects can be pretty brutal.

We're talking insomnia, nausea, diarrhea, brain fog, anxiety, and muscle aches that feel a lot like the flu.

Plus, using benzodiazepines long-term tends to mess with your cognitive functions.

So, if you find yourself needing them daily for anxiety, sleep issues, or whatever else, the real solution should be found elsewhere—usually through antidepressants and psychotherapy. 😉

Michael Hill2 said:Since I don't know how long you've been on benzos or what your typical dosage looks like, I'll just speak in general terms.

Basically, you aren't supposed to take them every single day for more than six weeks—maybe two months at most. If you go beyond that, you run the risk of developing a tolerance, which just means you'll need higher and higher doses to get the same effect. Then there’s the whole dependency issue, where you end up facing withdrawal symptoms once you try to stop taking the anxiolytic.

There are endless forums out there dedicated solely to people trying to kick benzos and survive the aftermath. From what I read, the withdrawal side effects can be pretty brutal.

We're talking insomnia, nausea, diarrhea, brain fog, anxiety, and muscle aches that feel a lot like the flu.

Plus, using benzodiazepines long-term tends to mess with your cognitive functions.

So, if you find yourself needing them daily for anxiety, sleep issues, or whatever else, the real solution should be found elsewhere—usually through antidepressants and psychotherapy. 😉

Man, that really spooked me. I've noticed lately that I’m having a much harder time focusing on what I'm reading. It’s like my brain just won't latch onto the words. Does this mean I've actually done some permanent damage to my brain? I guess I'm just spiraling a bit here.

Michael Hill2 said:Since I don't know how long you've been on benzos or what your typical dosage looks like, I'll just speak in general terms.

Basically, you aren't supposed to take them every single day for more than six weeks—maybe two months at most. If you go beyond that, you run the risk of developing a tolerance, which just means you'll need higher and higher doses to get the same effect. Then there’s the whole dependency issue, where you end up facing withdrawal symptoms once you try to stop taking the anxiolytic.

There are endless forums out there dedicated solely to people trying to kick benzos and survive the aftermath. From what I read, the withdrawal side effects can be pretty brutal.

We're talking insomnia, nausea, diarrhea, brain fog, anxiety, and muscle aches that feel a lot like the flu.

Plus, using benzodiazepines long-term tends to mess with your cognitive functions.

So, if you find yourself needing them daily for anxiety, sleep issues, or whatever else, the real solution should be found elsewhere—usually through antidepressants and psychotherapy. 😉

Should I ask my doctor to switch me over to an antidepressant? She bumped up my Solian dose because of the anxiety, but that isn't even an antidepressant. I don't do psychotherapy—just check-ins with my psychiatrist—but from what I can tell, she doesn't actually do any therapy work. That feels like a huge downside to me, even if she is a decent doctor, I guess.
Look, I’m not exactly an expert here, so I don't want to step on anyone's toes, but if there’s actually a better way to handle this, why wouldn't we try it? I’ve been taking Lorsilan for my anxiety, but after reading all of this... honestly, I think I'm done with it. Whatever happens, happens.

Mark Nelson said:I've been on them pretty much non-stop for at least eight or nine months now. Usually, I’m just taking two 1 mg tablets a day. I guess that's just how it goes.

Man, that really spooked me. I've noticed lately that I’m having a much harder time focusing on what I'm reading. It’s like my brain just won't latch onto the words. Does this mean I've actually done some permanent damage to my brain? I guess I'm just spiraling a bit here.

Should I ask my doctor to switch me over to an antidepressant? She bumped up my Solian dose because of the anxiety, but that isn't even an antidepressant. I don't do psychotherapy—just check-ins with my psychiatrist—but from what I can tell, she doesn't actually do any therapy work. That feels like a huge downside to me, even if she is a decent doctor, I guess.
Look, I’m not exactly an expert here, so I don't want to step on anyone's toes, but if there’s actually a better way to handle this, why wouldn't we try it? I’ve been taking Lorsilan for my anxiety, but after reading all of this... honestly, I think I'm done with it. Whatever happens, happens.

I don't know which doctor you're seeing, but mine told me straight up that I shouldn't be on benzos for more than maybe two months and that anxiety needs to be handled with an AD.

Honestly, I think your doctor is being pretty irresponsible prescribing anxiolytics for that long without actually digging for a real solution to your issues.

Thank God there are plenty of antidepressants with anti-anxiety effects that totally replace benzos. They cover the whole anxiety spectrum without causing dependency or forcing you to hike up the dose after constant use.

I'm on Fevarin myself and it completely handled my anxiety. I don't even think about Xanax anymore because I genuinely don't need it.

So yeah, it might be smart to get a second opinion from someone who will give you actual therapy rather than just patching holes with benzos that don't fix anything and cause damage in the long run.

🙂

Michael Hill2 said:I don't know which doctor you're seeing, but mine told me straight up that I shouldn't be on benzos for more than maybe two months and that anxiety needs to be handled with an AD.

Honestly, I think your doctor is being pretty irresponsible prescribing anxiolytics for that long without actually digging for a real solution to your issues.

Thank God there are plenty of antidepressants with anti-anxiety effects that totally replace benzos. They cover the whole anxiety spectrum without causing dependency or forcing you to hike up the dose after constant use.

I'm on Fevarin myself and it completely handled my anxiety. I don't even think about Xanax anymore because I genuinely don't need it.

So yeah, it might be smart to get a second opinion from someone who will give you actual therapy rather than just patching holes with benzos that don't fix anything and cause damage in the long run.

🙂

If I hadn't asked, I probably would've kept believing that my doctor knew best.🙄
She's been managing me for almost a year and a half now. I've seen some improvement, but clearly, it isn't enough.
She had me on Lorsilan PP the whole time, so I figured there wasn't any danger... Thanks for opening my eyes.😍 🙂

Not every medication hits everyone the same way.

Just because I have some harsh things to say about a drug that works wonders for someone else doesn't mean the med itself is bad.

I actually just took my Ziprex about 15 minutes ago, so I'm curious to see how it stacks up against Loquen.😁

It’s not that Loquen is garbage—it actually knocked out a bunch of my symptoms quite well—but man, it leaves me feeling absolutely wiped out. My therapist mentioned Ziprex should be pretty similar, so we'll see.🙂

Mark Nelson said:If I hadn't asked, I probably would've kept believing that my doctor knew best.🙄
She's been managing me for almost a year and a half now. I've seen some improvement, but clearly, it isn't enough.
She had me on Lorsilan PP the whole time, so I figured there wasn't any danger... Thanks for opening my eyes.😍 🙂

Maybe your doctor just assumed you were taking the Lorsilan sporadically instead of every single day. 😉

At the end of the day, I honestly think you'd get way more out of a real, systematic antidepressant treatment than just popping Lorsilan. That stuff barely does anything for me. 😉

Harold Anderson3 said:What kind of starting dose are you looking at? I started out on 75 mg XL, but I've bumped up to 150 mg now.

It really is a solid antidepressant since it targets two different neurotransmitters, specifically serotonin and norepinephrine.

That said, even with a dosage this high, I still find myself hitting those occasional low points. Whenever I mess something up at work or feel like I've made a mistake, I don't really deal with guilt so much as I just spiral into a deep depression.

I suppose that might be more of a situation for psychotherapy rather than just relying on medication—at least, that's how it feels to me...

I started on a 37.5mg dose. I took my very first pill this morning, and let me tell you—about an hour later, breakfast was making a run for it. 🤮 I had a feeling that might be the case. Honestly, I don't mind adjusting if it actually works. I'll just split the dose in half and take it in two separate sittings.

Michael Hill2 said:Maybe your doctor just assumed you were taking the Lorsilan sporadically instead of every single day. 😉

At the end of the day, I honestly think you'd get way more out of a real, systematic antidepressant treatment than just popping Lorsilan. That stuff barely does anything for me. 😉

I told her I take it every single time I leave the house. I was out today and tried to tough it out without the Lorsilan—I felt fine for a bit, really, but then right as we walked into the restaurant, this wave of intense anxiety just slammed into me. I totally folded and ended up taking half a 😢

Should I suggest she prescribe an AD instead? Would that come off as arrogant? Like, is it weird when a patient tells their doctor what they need? I really don't want to keep taking Lorsilan, but my next appointment isn't until September 23rd. I don't know if I can make it that long. Is it even possible to ask them to move the appointment up?

UPDATE:

The nausea from the fever has finally cleared up, and I'm actually getting more sleep—honestly, my physical state is pretty much where it was before I started this. That said, I’ve only gone through 10 pills, so it’s way too early to start making grand predictions or playing doctor. My thoughts are still racing, but frankly, I'll just get tired of them eventually.

I spent some time reading through Michael Hill2's posts, which gave me a bit of comfort; it feels like I might actually get a vacation from my own mind soon.

Patience is the name of the game here. 🥳

Honestly, Elon Musk isn't even that strong. He knocks me out for maybe two or three hours, then I'm wide awake again. It's alright, though.

You've got it wrong, Chris Robinson25. 😢I can't even begin to describe the side effects properly.

My heart was racing at like 200 beats per minute. 😢Plus, I started having these extra hallucinations from that crap—it felt almost exactly like the panic attacks you get from a Lexus. 😢

quietwalker5 said:Everything is fine, provided the depression stays away.😉
Tell me (since I am also on this medication), do you struggle with sleep? Specifically, I wake up at 7 AM every morning, yet I stay awake until 2 or 3 AM at night, feeling no need for sleep during the day. I wonder if this will pass?

Around 8 AM, after taking my morning dose, I get hit with restlessness about ninety minutes later; it feels like a bout of anxiety that lingers all day. I am unsure whether to take some Xanax.🤷

Do you experience these issues? Or did you? Are you taking anything else alongside this?

I'm feeling the exact same way from the Velafax... especially that morning anxiety, it's the worst. And if I have coffee? Ugh, it's even more intense. I had to cut coffee out in the afternoons entirely. Before I started ADs, I only felt anxious during stressful situations, but now it's practically there 24/7. It isn't totally unbearable, but it's definitely present.😂

Chris Robinson25 said:You've got it wrong, Chris Robinson25. 😢I can't even begin to describe the side effects properly.

My heart was racing at like 200 beats per minute. 😢Plus, I started having these extra hallucinations from that crap—it felt almost exactly like the panic attacks you get from a Lexus. 😢

Wait, was it Zyprexa? Not Ziprex? I took it once for a short stint... I had the exact same thing—insane heart palpitations and this nasty sense of derealization. I practically forgot my own name. The anxiety was just spiraling out of control. I'll never forget that drug... I felt like a total zombie.

Mark Nelson said:I told her I take it every single time I leave the house. I was out today and tried to tough it out without the Lorsilan—I felt fine for a bit, really, but then right as we walked into the restaurant, this wave of intense anxiety just slammed into me. I totally folded and ended up taking half a 😢

Should I suggest she prescribe an AD instead? Would that come off as arrogant? Like, is it weird when a patient tells their doctor what they need? I really don't want to keep taking Lorsilan, but my next appointment isn't until September 23rd. I don't know if I can make it that long. Is it even possible to ask them to move the appointment up?

If you're dealing with social phobia, there are actually plenty of antidepressants that could help. Honestly, it’s kind of lazy on your doctor's part to take the path of least resistance by just handing out quick fixes instead of giving you an AD that will actually address the root issue rather than just masking it.

Look, I used to have massive insomnia issues. My first move was scouring the internet for solutions, and I eventually found out that a low dose of Calista works wonders for most people.

I brought it up with my therapist, and he was actually stoked that I was doing my own research and taking charge of my mental health. He was super supportive and even gave me a trial pack of Calista to see if it worked for me. Thank God, it did.

Mind you, he's in private practice, so he’s a bit more polite and open to discussion than your typical public sector shrink. But hey, it doesn't cost anything to tell her you feel like you're taking too many anxiolytics, that you're worried about dependency, and ask if she thinks there's a more systematic way to tackle this.😉

You always have the option to head down to the Mayo Clinic emergency department if you can't wait for your scheduled appointment.

Fingers crossed everything turns out okay.🙂

I finally worked up the nerve to take my first 10 mg dose of Citalopram at 10:00 this morning. About half an hour later, I started getting these weird tingles in my hands and legs—kind of like when your eyelid twitches, but more like my muscles are just jumping around. It’s nothing intense, just some buzzing in my limbs. Honestly, I read the list of side effects online and now I'm totally overthinking everything. I know I shouldn't, but maybe I'm just terrified of the worst-case scenario? Is this a normal reaction to the meds? I already shot my doctor a text just to be safe. Ugh, I'm such a nervous wreck. I still have more to take, too. I can't believe I'm panicking like this.🙂
how long after taking a pill do these side effects usually kick in, and how long do they last? Also, should I be bracing myself for anything else today?😁

jadehawk8 said:I finally worked up the nerve to take my first 10 mg dose of Citalopram at 10:00 this morning. About half an hour later, I started getting these weird tingles in my hands and legs—kind of like when your eyelid twitches, but more like my muscles are just jumping around. It’s nothing intense, just some buzzing in my limbs. Honestly, I read the list of side effects online and now I'm totally overthinking everything. I know I shouldn't, but maybe I'm just terrified of the worst-case scenario? Is this a normal reaction to the meds? I already shot my doctor a text just to be safe. Ugh, I'm such a nervous wreck. I still have more to take, too. I can't believe I'm panicking like this.🙂
how long after taking a pill do these side effects usually kick in, and how long do they last? Also, should I be bracing myself for anything else today?😁

I totally spiraled when I took my first antidepressant. It was pure panic. My advice? Just breathe. Everything’s going to be fine, just please, for the love of God, stop hyper-focusing on the side effects. If you spend all day waiting for something bad to happen, you're just inviting it in. If a side effect actually pops up, then yeah, deal with it then. But don't go looking for trouble before it even arrives. 😉

You’ve just gotta power through this first phase to get to the good part. Honestly, just hang in there and find something else to do so you don't spend all day overthinking it. It's not worth the mental energy.

If you're dealing with those muscle twitches, magnesium is a lifesaver. Honestly, just go grab some. It works wonders. 🙂

It’ll all work out. Hang in there.

thanks so much🙂