Psychotropic medication discussion thread

Jason Vaughn482 said:Oh man, it absolutely did not agree with me. I honestly can't tell if it was just bad luck or the drug itself, but I felt utterly wretched all week; I was incredibly restless, couldn't even catch a wink of sleep, and my stomach was in knots. I have no idea how that happened since I was only taking 50 mg... so I went back to Calixta. I actually wanted to try Devon because of the insomnia and anxiety combo, but I can't get a steady supply of it—a friend of mine visiting from Switzerland gave me a single box of 100 tablets at 50 mg (I did check with my psychiatrist first, of course).
Please, tell me exactly which dosage I should buy; the constipation is becoming unbearable, and I'd rather not admit how many laxatives I'm currently relying on...

Around here, the only decent one you can find is the Solgar magnesium chloride, which I think is $50. That stuff was a nightmare for me—it completely wrecked my system. I was basically living in the bathroom, probably five to seven times a day.

I ended up ordering some Dr.'s Best 100% chelated magnesium from iHerb instead, and it’s been awesome for my headaches without making my stomach freak out. 😉

restlesstrucker15 said:Man, please be careful with mixing those medications, and definitely let us know what your therapist says; we're all waiting for an update.
I'm glad you're finally getting some sleep, but you should really ask your doctor which combination is the safest to use.

Skickas FR

So, I went to my appointment. They cut me off my Abilify because of the side effects, lowered my Ativan 😠 and kept rambling on about how Amyzol is one of the better antidepressants, then they prescribed Quetiapine. I was actually happy—I thought, finally, a combo strong enough to help me sleep. But then I go to see my primary care physician, and she refuses to give me the Quetiapine! She keeps repeating that I don't have psychosis, so what am I supposed to say? It’s ridiculous. If she doesn't write it after the next checkup, 🙂 I might actually consider finding a new doctor. Honestly, who cares? I guess I’m supposed to listen to a GP instead of a specialist, but she's just obsessing over insurance regulations... 🙂 Or maybe I’ll just have a massive nervous breakdown right in front of them so they can see what actual psychosis looks like when they're messing with me. I bet their kids never even slept through the night.

shadowbear9 said:So, I went to my appointment. They cut me off my Abilify because of the side effects, lowered my Ativan 😠 and kept rambling on about how Amyzol is one of the better antidepressants, then they prescribed Quetiapine. I was actually happy—I thought, finally, a combo strong enough to help me sleep. But then I go to see my primary care physician, and she refuses to give me the Quetiapine! She keeps repeating that I don't have psychosis, so what am I supposed to say? It’s ridiculous. If she doesn't write it after the next checkup, 🙂 I might actually consider finding a new doctor. Honestly, who cares? I guess I’m supposed to listen to a GP instead of a specialist, but she's just obsessing over insurance regulations... 🙂 Or maybe I’ll just have a massive nervous breakdown right in front of them so they can see what actual psychosis looks like when they're messing with me. I bet their kids never even slept through the night.

Unfortunately, your primary care doctor lacks sufficient expertise in psychopharmacology and simply shouldn't be questioning a treatment plan laid out by a psychiatrist.

I don't have psychosis either, yet I was prescribed AP (Vairu, though I've also taken Seroquel—Quetiapine) specifically to deal with insomnia. Switch doctors.

Jason Vaughn482 said:Look, missing a couple of days of Lexapro isn't going to wreck your progress, but I wasn't quite sure what you meant—are you actually planning to switch to something else, or just asking about the missed doses?

Yes.
I saw my psychiatrist yesterday and she put me on Prozac and Quetiapine 200 mg (Seroquel, Q-pin, whatever you want to call it).
Has anyone here used this combination before? What was your experience like?

The only issue is she wrote down the wrong diagnosis, so it doesn't technically cover the Quetiapine, but I'll get that sorted out pretty soon.

Wait, didn't someone mention earlier in the thread that they've started prescribing Q-pin for anxiety and depression now too?

redranger2 said:Unfortunately, your primary care doctor lacks sufficient expertise in psychopharmacology and simply shouldn't be questioning a treatment plan laid out by a psychiatrist.

I don't have psychosis either, yet I was prescribed AP (Vairu, though I've also taken Seroquel—Quetiapine) specifically to deal with insomnia. Switch doctors.

Sadly, I feel like if I switch therapists right now, I might just end up with someone even worse. Honestly, I think I’ll just call my psychiatrist on Monday, explain the whole situation, and ask him to get in touch with my therapist to clear things up. He’s been treating me since I was fifteen, so I trust he knows what he’s doing. At the same time, I really don't want to start fighting with my therapist because she's actually quite good and truly cares about my progress; she keeps up with our therapy sessions regularly. It's just incredibly frustrating when one professional says one thing and the other says something completely different. I've even had two female psychiatrists refuse to prescribe this specific medication to me in the past, though I wasn't even asking for it today... so, I guess it makes you wonder who's actually losing it here.😕 🤷

hollowcrane95 said:Wait, didn't someone mention earlier in the thread that they've started prescribing Q-pin for anxiety and depression now too?

I'm not sure, but clearly my current diagnoses don't cover it. I actually had a minor meltdown at the pharmacy when the lady there told me I'd have to pay full price $83.

hollowcrane95 said:Wait, didn't someone mention earlier in the thread that they've started prescribing Q-pin for anxiety and depression now too?

I recall my own ordeal back when I was dealing with that diagnostic mess at the ER; the attending physician insisted that they wouldn't even touch a prescription for Seroquel unless there were clear psychotic elements present alongside the depression. Even though I flatly refused to accept those terms, the note stayed burned into my electronic medical record forever. Once that was settled, she eventually pivoted back to my actual diagnosis—an anxiety disorder.

My doctor wants me to start taking Seroquel just to help with sleep. That's the situation. I'm not experiencing any psychotic symptoms right now; I'm just dealing with a mild depressive episode and some personality disorder issues at the moment.

Benjamin Robinson3 said:My doctor wants me to start taking Seroquel just to help with sleep. That's the situation. I'm not experiencing any psychotic symptoms right now; I'm just dealing with a mild depressive episode and some personality disorder issues at the moment.

Well, fine then. Does anyone have any idea how I can actually convince her? How am I supposed to prove to her that this is strictly for my insomnia? And why on earth won't she just give it to me? I honestly don't understand what the connection is to the local hospital system; it makes zero sense to me.😕

And for the record, my medical report lists Zoloft in the morning, Ativan as needed, and then both Ambien and Valium in the evening along with Quetiapine. It doesn't say "either/or." Yet, she's asking me if I want to stay on the Valium or switch to this new medication. I'm looking at the chart like... 🤷 the doctor clearly used a comma to list both medications, implying a choice between those two specifically. He probably intended to phase out the Valium. Honestly, I'm stuck. I feel ridiculous trying to lecture her, but clearly, she isn't grasping the details here...

shadowbear9 said:Well, fine then. Does anyone have any idea how I can actually convince her? How am I supposed to prove to her that this is strictly for my insomnia? And why on earth won't she just give it to me? I honestly don't understand what the connection is to the local hospital system; it makes zero sense to me.😕

And for the record, my medical report lists Zoloft in the morning, Ativan as needed, and then both Ambien and Valium in the evening along with Quetiapine. It doesn't say "either/or." Yet, she's asking me if I want to stay on the Valium or switch to this new medication. I'm looking at the chart like... 🤷 the doctor clearly used a comma to list both medications, implying a choice between those two specifically. He probably intended to phase out the Valium. Honestly, I'm stuck. I feel ridiculous trying to lecture her, but clearly, she isn't grasping the details here...

I didn't quite catch that; there wasn't a comma or anything...

Let's try to distinguish between Q-Tee, Seroquel, and Quetiapine... even though they are fundamentally intended for similar conditions, they simply are not the same thing.
But fine, let's set that aside for a second.

If you are already taking one of those antipsychotics, Valium is obviously redundant. You don't need it. Valium is designed to knock you out, but unless you are facing extreme circumstances, it might just hold you under for a bit; otherwise, that isn't its primary purpose.

Comparing Valium to Seroquel—or any antipsychotic, really—is like comparing a paper airplane to a Kaiser Permanente jet...

You'll sleep from the Quetiapine, don't worry about it...

Jason Vaughn482 said:Not at all; you mentioned yourself that Amyzol works wonders for anxiety, and I've heard similar things from others. My primary struggle is actually falling asleep—which is what my doctor always asks about—but once I finally drift off, I sleep for ages. As for the pills, what can you say? Our bodies are all wired differently; one thing works for one person and fails for another. It’s just how it goes. That stuff, whether it's Helex or Xanax, is often treated like a heavy temptation for most, but it hasn't been that way for me. While I do take them, I don't find myself craving higher doses... in fact, I've even managed to cut my intake in half now.
I genuinely enjoy coming to this forum; I find the shared experiences regarding various medications and the nuances of anxiety symptoms absolutely fascinating.

It helps my anxiety, sure, but it didn't touch my OCD, and it does absolutely nothing for my sleep. I sleep long and I sleep heavy, but that's just how I've always been. Even when I was a kid, I could pull a solid 12 hours straight without breaking a sweat.
Seriously, it has zero effect on my sleep.

Bluzara said:
I didn't quite catch all that, especially since there aren't even any commas to help me out...

We really ought to try and distinguish between Q-pin, Seroquel, and Quetiapine, because even though they are fundamentally intended to treat the same issues, they definitely aren't the same thing.
But honestly, let's just set that aside for a second.

How can you say they aren't the same, when isn't Quetiapine actually just the active ingredient in Seroquel? I'm totally lost here.

Comparing Sanval to Seroquel, or any other antipsychotic, is a bit like comparing a paper airplane to a Kanader...

🤣

Rejoflajt said:Honestly, Bluzara, I don't even want to think about life without these meds; we’d all just be wandering around like sleep-deprived zombies.😍

Is anyone else completely free from those morning-after side effects from Quetiapine? I feel like I’m walking around in a total fog for half the day.

shadowbear9 said:So, I went to my appointment. They cut me off my Abilify because of the side effects, lowered my Ativan 😠 and kept rambling on about how Amyzol is one of the better antidepressants, then they prescribed Quetiapine. I was actually happy—I thought, finally, a combo strong enough to help me sleep. But then I go to see my primary care physician, and she refuses to give me the Quetiapine! She keeps repeating that I don't have psychosis, so what am I supposed to say? It’s ridiculous. If she doesn't write it after the next checkup, 🙂 I might actually consider finding a new doctor. Honestly, who cares? I guess I’m supposed to listen to a GP instead of a specialist, but she's just obsessing over insurance regulations... 🙂 Or maybe I’ll just have a massive nervous breakdown right in front of them so they can see what actual psychosis looks like when they're messing with me. I bet their kids never even slept through the night.

Well, it's good news about the Amyzol; I'm glad to hear that. As for the Quetiapine, it really isn't possible to get that covered by insurance unless you have a psychotic diagnosis on file. If she gets audited, she'll face a fine. Even my psychiatrist told me straight up that I wouldn't be able to get it through my standard prescription. Back then, she just gave me a single box herself, but you know my history with those things. I would offer you mine, but it's expired. And I know it isn't cheap. Look at it this way: try purchasing it out-of-pocket through a private clinic. If it works for you, a good night's sleep is worth the cost. You could ask at a local pharmacy; I believe it goes for about $33.

Skickas fr

hollowcrane95 said:Is anyone else completely free from those morning-after side effects from Quetiapine? I feel like I’m walking around in a total fog for half the day.

I was feeling that way until yesterday, though they tell you it eventually passes. For most people, it does, but it hasn't for me yet. You'll get used to it eventually. Maybe check in with Rejoflajt; she takes hers specifically for sleep.

Skickas fr

restlesstrucker15 said:I was feeling that way until yesterday, though they tell you it eventually passes. For most people, it does, but it hasn't for me yet. You'll get used to it eventually. Maybe check in with Rejoflajt; she takes hers specifically for sleep.

Skickas fr

Well, I went ahead and asked, so here we are. 🤷 I take something for sleep too, but I still wake up feeling completely hungover and totally uncoordinated in the morning...

Bluzara said:
I didn't quite catch half of that; there aren't even any commas...

Perhaps we should attempt to differentiate between Q-pin, Seroquel, and Quetiapine. Even though they are fundamentally intended for the same disorders, they are certainly not identical.
But fine, let’s just set that aside for a moment.

If you are already taking one of those antipsychotics, Sanval is clearly redundant. You don't need it. Sanval is designed to induce sleep; if you aren't facing massive issues, it might keep you under for a little while, but otherwise, that isn't its primary purpose.

Equating Sanval with Seroquel, or any other antipsychotic, is like comparing a paper airplane to a Boeing 747...

You will fall asleep from the Quetiapine, so please, don't worry about that...

Then why did he leave it in the findings? He could have simply removed it from the treatment plan (the Sanval)... Besides, I mean, my doctor asked me if I wanted Sanval or this new Quetiapine, and I said the new one. I've already looked up Sanval online—I can literally take 200mg and still wake up in an hour or two. I've tested it myself... And then she tells me she won't introduce Quetiapine because it doesn't match my diagnosis? How can she decide what my diagnosis is when I'm coming from a specialist who actually knows their job and knows me as a patient? I've already made up my mind; Monday morning I'm going to the psychiatric clinic to explain the situation. Then she can kindly call my doctor and explain why, if she insists on changing things, he decided to give me Quetiapine, which I believe is far more effective than Sanval... And I see plenty of you here taking that med for insomnia, so why should I be the exception suffering through this just because of some incompetent idiot over there... But I'll get the medication regardless, because my mom takes it and she'll make sure I get it anyway. So, refusing to prescribe it doesn't really achieve much; she'll either start it, or I am seriously switching doctors... This behavior from her is just not right.

restlesstrucker15 said:Well, it's good news about the Amyzol; I'm glad to hear that. As for the Quetiapine, it really isn't possible to get that covered by insurance unless you have a psychotic diagnosis on file. If she gets audited, she'll face a fine. Even my psychiatrist told me straight up that I wouldn't be able to get it through my standard prescription. Back then, she just gave me a single box herself, but you know my history with those things. I would offer you mine, but it's expired. And I know it isn't cheap. Look at it this way: try purchasing it out-of-pocket through a private clinic. If it works for you, a good night's sleep is worth the cost. You could ask at a local pharmacy; I believe it goes for about $33.

Skickas fr

Who even do you go to for a private prescription? Because if it is $33, I'd rather do that than stay so sleep-deprived that I end up crashing my car into a pole or falling off a subway platform because I can barely keep my eyes open... I mean, I could seriously get hurt one day. My concentration just bottoms out and I lose all awareness of what's happening around me—I almost got hit by a car the other day because of it. I'm dying to know who would take the blame if I actually ended up in the hospital because of this... 🙄

hollowcrane95 said:Is anyone else completely free from those morning-after side effects from Quetiapine? I feel like I’m walking around in a total fog for half the day.

Nope.
If you aren't feeling it, your dosage likely isn't dialed in quite right—you really should be able to function normally while on these meds—so definitely make sure to bring that up with your doctor.