Psychotropic medication discussion thread

My doctor mentioned my body might be reacting more intensely to the medication, so we’ll see how things go over the next day or two. If it stays this way, we might try Dr. Adams... also, I'm supposed to take my Xanax right along with the antidepressant tomorrow to help ease the side effects. I actually took some Xanax about an hour ago and I'm feeling much better now.
Did you get that same burning sensation inside too? Because when it happens to me, I don't even sweat—it just feels like I'm burning up from the inside out. It's awful.

jadehawk8 said:My doctor mentioned my body might be reacting more intensely to the medication, so we’ll see how things go over the next day or two. If it stays this way, we might try Dr. Adams... also, I'm supposed to take my Xanax right along with the antidepressant tomorrow to help ease the side effects. I actually took some Xanax about an hour ago and I'm feeling much better now.
Did you get that same burning sensation inside too? Because when it happens to me, I don't even sweat—it just feels like I'm burning up from the inside out. It's awful.

I was sweating through my clothes and had that weird burning feeling in my head, plus this constant ringing sound.

I just tried to rationalize it—told myself it was just an initial side effect that had to pass. Honestly, the more you hyper-fixate on your body and obsess over every tiny weird sensation, the worse it gets.

Just find a distraction. When it becomes totally unbearable, just take some Xanax and let the other stuff kick in. 🙂

restlesstrucker15 said:Taylor Swift, you're loaded with pills. I’m not criticizing you; on one hand, I’m glad you finally found a regimen that works, but on the other, I’m almost envious that you're still functioning despite all that. If you don't mind me asking, what is your diagnosis? With the Lamal and Q-pin, there must be some psychotic elements involved.

I actually have an old box of Calixta and Q-pin sitting at my house. I tell my doctor that whenever I lose touch with reality, I take them to sleep. You might think I'm lying, but two nights ago I took 7.5 Calixta and it took me two and a half days to fully come to.
I was already called in for an appointment at that sleep clinic over in Seattle, but I didn't go. Honestly, I was afraid the doctor there would disappoint me; my psychiatrist knows him, and she was hoping he might be more insightful regarding sleep issues than she was, but it turned out to be nothing. Just keep taking those (Elicea in the morning, and Pfizer for years at night).
Even John Doe didn't work for me; I’ll talk to my doctor about perhaps giving it another shot.
By the way, I was in contact with my former psychiatrist, and she mentioned that if she were treating me, she would put me on Elicea along with Seroxat, and perhaps Prazine or Ziprex for sleep.

Why prescribe two nearly identical antidepressants? I didn't follow through with that. Aside from Prazine, I tried it and tossed it.

Maybe try Ambien for sleep? I have so many questions...
Or perhaps some intense relaxation exercise before bed, and then let the Pfizer do its job.

I know I'm being tedious, but what can I do.

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I've been there too—tried those pills and ended up throwing them away because they’re usually total garbage; I even had nosebleeds from them... personally, I find Ambien works better for sleeping than Pfizer (probably just because I'm so used to the Pfizer), since it really draws you in. Once you realize you can't even hold a conversation anymore and you just collapse and fall asleep the second you hit the pillow, you know it's working. I actually take Ambien and Pfizer separately just to make the effect last longer, even though, I must admit, Pfizer doesn't knock me out like it used to....

Brandon Lopez6 said:(No content provided to rewrite.)

Ambien was actually the first thing that really did the trick for me. I didn't deal with any side effects, I feel pretty good, and honestly, I'm not feeling nearly as depressed anymore. 🙂

I have to agree; there are zero side effects for me. Honestly, it just makes you feel good, and I mean, any normal person needs decent sleep. I wake up the next day feeling totally energized and upbeat. I actually wonder why they didn't prescribe this to me sooner, since it's been curing my insomnia for about four or five years now.
The only issue is that I have to take four pills at once to finally feel settled. I guess I’ll have to ask my doctor to write a prescription for a higher dosage next time, though I suppose there shouldn't be any bureaucratic issues with getting it filled... even if she has already been quite accommodating by giving me two refills in just two weeks. I told her straight up, "Please, help me out, I sleep like a baby with this stuff—it's a miracle drug." It's such a relief to finally find something that actually works. <3

quietwalker5 said:Why are you taking Jane Doe in the evening?
Maybe a beta-blocker for my heart rate?🤷 Or maybe it'll pass over time... It would be better to take propranolol in the morning, then 75 mg of Jane Doe at 4 PM (after work)... what's left is deciding what to take for sleep?
And maybe I won't even need anything, since I don't have insomnia?!?

To be perfectly honest, the post is a bit muddled, but no matter.

I used to take Pfizer at the right times—morning and afternoon—but honestly? It just absolutely crushed me. I was a total zombie all day long, and let me tell you, I have no desire to live life as a zombie.🙂

So one day, I just marched straight into my doctor's office and told her... "Look, I'm not doing this in the morning, and I'm not doing it in the afternoon... I'm only taking it at night."
She just looked at me and said... "Well, if that's how you want to play it..."

So, that's what happened. I take everything in the evening and I'm out like a light in about an hour. Then I wake up around 6 AM and I don't feel like sleeping through the entire day anymore, which means I actually got some rest and my brain finally feels refreshed from all the chaos.

When I look back, considering I was dealing with (and still deal with, though less so...) severe depression, social phobia, suicidal thoughts, staying awake all night long, hating myself and everyone else, being aggressive... walking around like a ghost... all those medications were a massive help to me, truly.

quietwalker5 said:You would have been the perfect candidate for the night shift back then.😉
Why didn't they try tapering off the Jane Doe, or maybe just taking it every other day to see how it worked?

You can take some ibuprofen if you develop a headache.
I don't recall the exact specifics anymore, though I believe we did try dropping from two pills down to just one of the 37.5mg tablets, but it didn't do much to alleviate those side effects. Lowering the dosage feels futile, and skipping doses—like taking it every other day—doesn't really work with Jane Doe. Unlike certain other antidepressants, this one leaves your system quite rapidly; if you miss even a single day, you're going to feel it.

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Brandon Lopez6 said:Ambien for sleep? In my experience, that won't do squat for you. I take 4x10mg before bed and it doesn't knock me out at all.

shadowbear9 said:I have to agree; there are zero side effects for me. Honestly, it just makes you feel good, and I mean, any normal person needs decent sleep. I wake up the next day feeling totally energized and upbeat. I actually wonder why they didn't prescribe this to me sooner, since it's been curing my insomnia for about four or five years now.
The only issue is that I have to take four pills at once to finally feel settled. I guess I’ll have to ask my doctor to write a prescription for a higher dosage next time, though I suppose there shouldn't be any bureaucratic issues with getting it filled... even if she has already been quite accommodating by giving me two refills in just two weeks. I told her straight up, "Please, help me out, I sleep like a baby with this stuff—it's a miracle drug." It's such a relief to finally find something that actually works. <3

It seems we are all different creatures.😢

Anyway, I will ask my psychiatrist when I see her next. Otherwise, is it normal to take such large doses? I noticed both of you are taking quite a bit.

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Apologies, I seem to be having some technical difficulties with my phone and the quoting function here. 😢
Anyway, I simply wanted to observe how much we all differ in our approaches.
I personally wouldn't dream of going without my psychiatrist, though I have read that medication can indeed be helpful for some.
It just strikes me as unusual... do both of you really take such a high dosage at night?
Brandon Lopez6, is that the only antidepressant you are currently prescribed?
As for shadowbear9, I understand that her prescription is specifically for insomnia.

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restlesstrucker15 said:Apologies, I seem to be having some technical difficulties with my phone and the quoting function here. 😢
Anyway, I simply wanted to observe how much we all differ in our approaches.
I personally wouldn't dream of going without my psychiatrist, though I have read that medication can indeed be helpful for some.
It just strikes me as unusual... do both of you really take such a high dosage at night?
Brandon Lopez6, is that the only antidepressant you are currently prescribed?
As for shadowbear9, I understand that her prescription is specifically for insomnia.

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Yeah, that's my only AD. I also take an antiepileptic and Xanax.
Obviously, the dosage is higher 🤷.
Sometimes I still struggle with sleep, though. There are stretches where I just can't sleep, even while on the AD.
Truth is, when I'm not stressed out, I sleep like a baby—but honestly, I've always been like that.😢

Kevin Nguyen3 said:To be perfectly honest, the post is a bit muddled, but no matter.

I used to take Pfizer at the right times—morning and afternoon—but honestly? It just absolutely crushed me. I was a total zombie all day long, and let me tell you, I have no desire to live life as a zombie.🙂

So one day, I just marched straight into my doctor's office and told her... "Look, I'm not doing this in the morning, and I'm not doing it in the afternoon... I'm only taking it at night."
She just looked at me and said... "Well, if that's how you want to play it..."

So, that's what happened. I take everything in the evening and I'm out like a light in about an hour. Then I wake up around 6 AM and I don't feel like sleeping through the entire day anymore, which means I actually got some rest and my brain finally feels refreshed from all the chaos.

When I look back, considering I was dealing with (and still deal with, though less so...) severe depression, social phobia, suicidal thoughts, staying awake all night long, hating myself and everyone else, being aggressive... walking around like a ghost... all those medications were a massive help to me, truly.

Taking Propranolol and Jane Doe at 4 PM worked for me regarding the heart rate side effects.
I am glad your regimen is working and that it helped you.🙂

restlesstrucker15 said:You can take some ibuprofen if you develop a headache.
I don't recall the exact specifics anymore, though I believe we did try dropping from two pills down to just one of the 37.5mg tablets, but it didn't do much to alleviate those side effects. Lowering the dosage feels futile, and skipping doses—like taking it every other day—doesn't really work with Jane Doe. Unlike certain other antidepressants, this one leaves your system quite rapidly; if you miss even a single day, you're going to feel it.

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What is its half-life? About 11 hours?
So, if you miss a single day, it’s basically out of your body?

jadehawk8 said:I'm on my fourth day of taking Citalopram, and about an hour after my dose this morning, I suddenly felt incredibly dizzy. I started sweating and actually got pretty scared, so I just laid down. Then, out of nowhere, it felt like I was burning up from the inside—like this intense acid was eating through my whole body, especially my upper torso. It was awful... I'm still feeling it. Has anyone else ever dealt with this? I tried calling my psychiatrist, but they aren't picking up, so I'm just waiting for a text back. Honestly, I'm pretty shaken up.😢

I had the exact same thing happen when I was on Fevarin, precisely what you're describing. It felt like my upper body was on fire—like my lungs were actually burning. For me, that sensation lasted about two weeks, hitting me every single day right after I took the pill. It’s a revolting side effect. You just have to find a way to push through it; I found that taking some Normabel helped a little, but it wasn't much.

quietwalker5 said:What is its half-life? About 11 hours?
So, if you miss a single day, it’s basically out of your body?

I am truly at a loss for where to begin; perhaps I should find a suitable venue to document these thoughts.
I wouldn't go so far as to say it’s entirely absent from his system, but there simply isn't enough present to maintain stable levels of serotonin and norepinephrine.
I recall seeing some discussions on this forum where members mentioned noticing a distinct difference in their Alzheimer's symptoms if they happened to miss even a single day of their medication.
I occasionally find myself forgetting to check in with Alice, and I don't mention anything to anyone else either; it is quite similar to how things used to be back when I was on Zoloft.
The people who actually consume it will be able to give you the most accurate feedback, so for the time being, I suggest you simply follow your doctor's instructions. As for those issues with sleep, you should definitely bring that up during your next check-up. 🙂

Skickas fr

quietwalker5 said:What is its half-life? About 11 hours?
So, if you miss a single day, it’s basically out of your body?

I was digging around online and saw that the half-life for Effexor is about 5 hours—meaning it takes 11 hours to clear out. I guess that changes depending on whether you're on the standard version or the XR.

http://www.drugs.com/ppa/venlafaxine.html

The site mentions how crucial it is to stay on schedule with your daily dose.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/506427

Thanks to restlesrucker15 and Michael Hill2😍
I was completely unaware of this matter, yet its significance is profound.

How long does it typically take to reach stability and full recovery? I realize everyone's journey is different, but...

quietwalker5 said:How long does it typically take to reach stability and full recovery? I realize everyone's journey is different, but...

I started feeling a lot better by the second or third day. I’ve only been on it for six days now, so things can only go uphill from here.

restlesstrucker15 said:It seems we are all different creatures.😢

Anyway, I will ask my psychiatrist when I see her next. Otherwise, is it normal to take such large doses? I noticed both of you are taking quite a bit.

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I’ve actually started increasing my own dosage on my own terms because I noticed it helps me sleep; it basically knocks me out so I can finally get some decent rest. I usually take three or four, and sometimes I even crush them up so they kick in faster—which, frankly, seems fine to me. I have no idea what my psychiatrist is going to say about it tomorrow, but honestly, I don't care. My priority is SLEEPING so I can actually function like a normal human being during the day instead of feeling like a total zombie. I think I read somewhere in a medical book that a 75 mg dose is permissible—which would be three tablets—so I guess I am pushing it slightly, but I have this deep-seated fear of insomnia. Sometimes I end up mixing Amaryl, Sanval, and Normabel just to make sure I don't wake up in the middle of the night...

restlesstiger49 said:I started feeling a lot better by the second or third day. I’ve only been on it for six days now, so things can only go uphill from here.

What dose are you taking? Are there side effects?
I am glad you are feeling better 🙂

quietwalker5 said:What dose are you taking? Are there side effects?
I am glad you are feeling better 🙂

I'm taking 37.5mg. As I mentioned earlier, I have been dealing with some side effects.