Psychotropic medication discussion thread

Kevin Bailey2 said:Between the Prozac, Clonazepam, Lamal, and Seroquel, I’ve lost weight on all of them.
The Prozac does it because it just wires me up; I'm so hyperactive I forget to eat.
Clonazepam makes me such a multitasking machine that I'm constantly juggling ten things at once and don't have a second to grab a bite.
As for Lamal... honestly, no clue why, but the hunger just vanishes when I take it.
Then there's Seroquel. It knocks me out cold. I sleep so much that I miss meal times entirely, and by the time I actually wake up, I'm not even hungry—I just grab a coffee and basically live off caffeine.

I actually came pretty close to anorexia because of the Prozac.
Though, if you ask me, anorexia feels like just another side effect of taking Prozac.

I took my Seroquel last night 🤔 and stayed awake until 7 AM—this time I did it on purpose, I wasn't sleepy, I was just listening to music, whatever... I really can't wrap my head around how someone can't fall asleep within two or three days of taking 100mg. I mean, back when we were in the hospital, there were three or four of us who were given Seroquel, and we spent about 80% of our time sleeping, being so calm and quiet that the patients in the other rooms were actually making fun of us. But I stayed awake 🤷 to me, it feels like if I just lie down normally and try to drift off, I'll pass out... during the first week or two, I felt incredibly dizzy and my heart was racing so fast, I was terrified they had given me a 🥱 massive dose (like 300mg), but now sometimes I take three or four pills... I just really hope this stuff doesn't make me gain weight 🙄

shadowbear9 said:I took my Seroquel last night 🤔 and stayed awake until 7 AM—this time I did it on purpose, I wasn't sleepy, I was just listening to music, whatever... I really can't wrap my head around how someone can't fall asleep within two or three days of taking 100mg. I mean, back when we were in the hospital, there were three or four of us who were given Seroquel, and we spent about 80% of our time sleeping, being so calm and quiet that the patients in the other rooms were actually making fun of us. But I stayed awake 🤷 to me, it feels like if I just lie down normally and try to drift off, I'll pass out... during the first week or two, I felt incredibly dizzy and my heart was racing so fast, I was terrified they had given me a 🥱 massive dose (like 300mg), but now sometimes I take three or four pills... I just really hope this stuff doesn't make me gain weight 🙄

I dropped from 600mg of Seroquel down to 100mg, and now this 100mg dose is absolutely wrecking me. I have no clue how to handle this.

I switched over to 25mg of Lexapro because Seroquel was just hitting me way too hard.
Even though Lexapro is just a generic version, it’s nowhere near half as strong as Seroquel. For me, 100mg of Lexapro does absolutely nothing. But honestly? These 25mg doses actually help me drift off without that crazy dizzy feeling.
Even if I take my 25mg Lexapro, I’m not falling asleep unless I actually crawl into bed first.
I only actually conk out once I hit the mattress.

I guess I should probably address this, though I find the whole thing rather infuriating. Maybe it’s just me, but I feel compelled to weigh in on this mess.

Kevin Bailey2 said:I dropped from 600mg of Seroquel down to 100mg, and now this 100mg dose is absolutely wrecking me. I have no clue how to handle this.

I switched over to 25mg of Lexapro because Seroquel was just hitting me way too hard.
Even though Lexapro is just a generic version, it’s nowhere near half as strong as Seroquel. For me, 100mg of Lexapro does absolutely nothing. But honestly? These 25mg doses actually help me drift off without that crazy dizzy feeling.
Even if I take my 25mg Lexapro, I’m not falling asleep unless I actually crawl into bed first.
I only actually conk out once I hit the mattress.

Well, exactly—that’s precisely why I find it such an effective medication. If I take it and happen to fall asleep, fine; if not, I just stay awake as usual. It doesn't leave me feeling groggy or completely out of it afterward. I suppose it might be because it's the XR version.

Kevin Bailey2 said:Between the Prozac, Clonazepam, Lamal, and Seroquel, I’ve lost weight on all of them.
The Prozac does it because it just wires me up; I'm so hyperactive I forget to eat.
Clonazepam makes me such a multitasking machine that I'm constantly juggling ten things at once and don't have a second to grab a bite.
As for Lamal... honestly, no clue why, but the hunger just vanishes when I take it.
Then there's Seroquel. It knocks me out cold. I sleep so much that I miss meal times entirely, and by the time I actually wake up, I'm not even hungry—I just grab a coffee and basically live off caffeine.

I actually came pretty close to anorexia because of the Prozac.
Though, if you ask me, anorexia feels like just another side effect of taking Prozac.

That’s exactly how Zoloft worked for me. It made me feel totally euphoric, and I honestly couldn't sleep at all. I actually ended up dropping about 15 pounds while I was on it a couple of years back.

Arthur Vaughn2 said:I've got three. F60.3 is basically the "final boss"—emotionally unstable personality disorder. But they also have me locked in with F31—bipolar disorder—and F25—schizoaffective disorder...

I mean, just looking at this from an outsider's perspective, I can only imagine how tough it is to nail down the right medication cocktail when you're juggling three different diagnoses—it sounds like a massive puzzle. I really hope you find a treatment plan that actually works for you soon.
good luck!

Arthur Vaughn2 said:I've got three. F60.3 is basically the "final boss"—emotionally unstable personality disorder. But they also have me locked in with F31—bipolar disorder—and F25—schizoaffective disorder...

I'd guess—just speaking as someone without a medical degree here—that finding the perfect cocktail of meds for three separate diagnoses is a massive challenge. I don't really know what else to say, other than I truly hope you find the right treatment plan soon.
good luck!

Mark Nelson said:That’s exactly how Zoloft worked for me. It made me feel totally euphoric, and I honestly couldn't sleep at all. I actually ended up dropping about 15 pounds while I was on it a couple of years back.

I think Zoloft and Prozac act pretty similarly, though Zoloft felt a bit milder to me. At least, that was my experience.

I'm tapering off my Lexapro, and honestly, my digestion is a total mess. It feels like my body processes the meds way too fast—I barely even feel them working... which is probably why I can't put on any weight and actually feel like myself. 😁

Hey everyone!

I’ve spent the last four months basically binge-reading this entire board from top to bottom.

I’ve been dealing with anxiety and depression since I was 18. I’m 32 now. My first med was Advil 20 mg—it totally brought me back to life, but being impulsive, I just stopped taking it the second I felt even slightly better.

Naturally, the darkness came crawling back. It’s just been a decade-long cycle of Advil on and off. I managed to graduate college, land a job, and climb the career ladder, sure, but deep down, I haven't actually felt *okay* once.

After ten years of just popping Advil without ever doing actual psychotherapy, I ditched my psychiatrist for a private specialist who put me on Paxil 50 mg. Honestly? It didn't do much, but she kept insisting I give it a fair shot. Dealing with Paxil was pure agony until earlier this year, when she finally switched me over to Lexapro. I was taking it until last week and was finally starting to feel some semblance of improvement—just enough to actually function. But then, plot twist: I found out I’m pregnant. I honestly thought it was impossible because of my thyroid issues and the fact that my body is constantly jittery, plus I wasn't planning this at all. Then again, a tiny part of me secretly hoped for kids, thinking maybe a baby would finally change things for me. Anyway, last Tuesday, the day I found out, I just... didn't take my Lexapro. It's been six days now and I feel absolutely miserable. I called my doctor, and she basically told me if I don't want to take it, I shouldn't, and to just stick to Misar 0.5 pp instead.

Please, please tell me your stories. I am spiraling right now. What happens if the Lexapro just leaves my system? Should I have kept taking it regardless? What am I supposed to do?

Thanks in advance, and seriously, I really hope someone reaches out...

unknown will keep you feeling grounded until you actually sit down with your doctor. Once that happens, she’ll be the one to make the call. Please, don't beat yourself up over stopping your medication; they’re likely going to transition you back to something else while keeping your pregnancy at the forefront of their minds. Let us know what she decides once you've spoken. Hang in there.

Sent fr

Thanks restlesstrucker15, I'll keep you posted.

So, while I was off my meds, things got pretty dark. It wasn't just the depression and anxiety; I was having panic attacks so bad I couldn't even get out of bed. I was losing like 2 pounds a day just from the stress. But the worst part? These intrusive thoughts kept popping up—like, what if I actually hurt someone? It was especially terrifying because it focused on kids. I come from a huge family and have a massive circle of friends and godchildren; I adore those kids and they absolutely love me. That thought alone was just soul-crushing. When I brought this up to my doctor, she brushed it off as "just anxiety" and put me on unknown, which honestly did nothing for me. Still, I can't shake the fear that these thoughts might be early signs of schizophrenia or some other kind of psychosis. What do you guys think?

Is Bluzar still around? Or fadedbear92? (I've been lurking and reading every single one of your posts since day one.)

Kimberly Morris said:Thanks restlesstrucker15, I'll keep you posted.

So, while I was off my meds, things got pretty dark. It wasn't just the depression and anxiety; I was having panic attacks so bad I couldn't even get out of bed. I was losing like 2 pounds a day just from the stress. But the worst part? These intrusive thoughts kept popping up—like, what if I actually hurt someone? It was especially terrifying because it focused on kids. I come from a huge family and have a massive circle of friends and godchildren; I adore those kids and they absolutely love me. That thought alone was just soul-crushing. When I brought this up to my doctor, she brushed it off as "just anxiety" and put me on unknown, which honestly did nothing for me. Still, I can't shake the fear that these thoughts might be early signs of schizophrenia or some other kind of psychosis. What do you guys think?

Is Bluzar still around? Or fadedbear92? (I've been lurking and reading every single one of your posts since day one.)

I'm neither unknown nor Ray, but I'm jumping in because I'm on unknown myself. 🙂

Your doctor likely prescribed unknown because it's the only SSRI specifically targeted for anxiety, and it's the only one the FDA cleared for OCD. Those intrusive thoughts you're describing are a classic symptom of OCD, and I've been there myself—though mine were more about whether I'd ever be able to sleep again after going through a bout of insomnia.

For people whose main issue is anxiety, unknown usually takes a while to kick in—we're talking at least two months. So, I totally get why your doctor wanted to give it a shot first.

One thing that bugs me, though, is that she only gave you 50 mg (half a pill). Everywhere you look, it says the minimum therapeutic dose for anxiety and intrusive thoughts is 100 mg or higher.

I take 100 mg right before bed, and I can tell you it basically shut down most of my unwanted thought loops. It just took a long time to work, but as time goes on, I feel like it's doing better and better.

Mind you, I'm also doing CBT, so I'm putting in a lot of work on myself. Looking back at where I was six months ago versus now... it's night and day. I'm happy, I'm calm, and I can actually control my thoughts. If I don't want to dwell on something, I can choose to just switch it off.

A friend of mine had those exact same intrusive thoughts—that terrifying fear of hurting someone—and she didn't really stabilize until her doctor added a morning dose to her 100 mg evening dose of unknown. She's doing much better now.

Don't sweat the pregnancy stuff. The only real risk with SSRIs during pregnancy is a minor chance of lower birth weight; they haven't found any links to fetal malformations. If your doctor decides you need medication, don't let the fear of affecting the baby stop you. It's more important that you stay stable and sane so the baby stays healthy. In fact, based on everything I've read, medications like unknown or other benzos could potentially do more harm than an SSRI when they're actually necessary.

Anyway, trust your doctor. Don't be afraid of meds during pregnancy. Just take care of yourself, pamper the baby, and everything will be fine. 🙂

🙂

Kimberly Morris said:Thanks restlesstrucker15, I'll keep you posted.

So, while I was off my meds, things got pretty dark. It wasn't just the depression and anxiety; I was having panic attacks so bad I couldn't even get out of bed. I was losing like 2 pounds a day just from the stress. But the worst part? These intrusive thoughts kept popping up—like, what if I actually hurt someone? It was especially terrifying because it focused on kids. I come from a huge family and have a massive circle of friends and godchildren; I adore those kids and they absolutely love me. That thought alone was just soul-crushing. When I brought this up to my doctor, she brushed it off as "just anxiety" and put me on unknown, which honestly did nothing for me. Still, I can't shake the fear that these thoughts might be early signs of schizophrenia or some other kind of psychosis. What do you guys think?

Is Bluzar still around? Or fadedbear92? (I've been lurking and reading every single one of your posts since day one.)

Look, I've got plenty of experience dealing with antidepressants and pregnancy. I actually got pregnant while I was on Prozac, and my doctor told me to stop cold turkey right away—no tapering or anything. Naturally, the depression went absolutely ballistic during that time; it was brutal, especially since I found out at the exact same time that my mom had cancer and had to go through all the horrors of treatment.
I don't even know how I made it through, but I did. Just one day at a time, watching my belly grow gave me enough hope to believe things would eventually be okay and that I just had to hang in there.
During pregnancy, it's not a good idea to take antidepressants. Period. You can use something like Xanax here and there—it's prescribed to pregnant women and is used for things like preventing premature contractions, so it shouldn't harm the baby. There's just no proof that antidepressants are safe. I survived my pregnancy without them. And I say "survived," because there were moments where it felt totally unbearable, like I was losing my mind.
What you're going through right now is pure anxiety and fear. Because of that terror, your brain is just spinning with these wild thoughts. Because of that, please don't just lie there; go for long walks to tire your body out so your mind finally quiets down. Stay active, stay busy, just keep moving so you don't end up just spiraling in circles with your own head. Get into psychotherapy more often; you need extra support right now. Surround yourself with people you feel comfortable with, people you can actually talk to—don't try to deal with these thoughts all by yourself!
Trust me, you can do this if you have a goal to aim for. I pulled through, so why can't you?
Good luck!

Kimberly Morris said:Thanks restlesstrucker15, I'll keep you posted.

So, while I was off my meds, things got pretty dark. It wasn't just the depression and anxiety; I was having panic attacks so bad I couldn't even get out of bed. I was losing like 2 pounds a day just from the stress. But the worst part? These intrusive thoughts kept popping up—like, what if I actually hurt someone? It was especially terrifying because it focused on kids. I come from a huge family and have a massive circle of friends and godchildren; I adore those kids and they absolutely love me. That thought alone was just soul-crushing. When I brought this up to my doctor, she brushed it off as "just anxiety" and put me on unknown, which honestly did nothing for me. Still, I can't shake the fear that these thoughts might be early signs of schizophrenia or some other kind of psychosis. What do you guys think?

Is Bluzar still around? Or fadedbear92? (I've been lurking and reading every single one of your posts since day one.)

Well, you got David Jackson22's take on it. All I can say is that my doctor mentioned that if it's absolutely necessary during pregnancy, Prozac is usually prescribed because it’s supposedly the safest option for the baby—that's all I know, anyway. She did tell me about one patient who was in a really dark place and on a cocktail of different meds; despite being pregnant, her condition was so severe she ended up hospitalized in the psych ward under constant supervision. She gave birth, but unfortunately, the baby was already showing signs of being dependent on all those medications. But hey, that's a pretty extreme case, so don't go panicking just yet.
Good luck!!!

Thanks, everyone.

I just got back from my psychiatrist, and honestly, her comments left me feeling pretty weird.

First off, she basically brushed off the fact that I stopped taking my medication cold turkey. When I told her how absolutely brutal my past experiences were when quitting meds abruptly, she just hit me with this: "Well, you weren't pregnant then. Now, your hormones will take over."

I tried explaining that I'll do my best, but let's be real—you can't just "willpower" your way out of depression and panic attacks. I actually asked her what should happen if the hormones *don't* fix things and I start spiraling. Her advice? Start drinking lemon balm, chamomile tea, and taking two doses of unknown immediately.

Lemon balm while pregnant? Unknown during pregnancy? Hmm. Something feels off.

Look, everything is fine as long as my head stays clear and I feel like myself. But when my brain hits that dark place... man, I don't even know how to describe it. It’s like someone ripped my actual brain out and replaced it with a stranger's, and now I’m stuck fighting it. It’s nasty. When I feel like I'm losing my mind or losing control over my own thoughts... I just don't know what I'm going to do.

David Jackson22 and Kimberly Morris, you're both in my thoughts. I’ll be saying a prayer for you tonight, hoping things turn around quickly... Just try to remember that nothing—absolutely nothing—is permanent. Right now, your brain is just playing tricks on you because of this stupid depression. The meds will kick in eventually. You both have the best possible reasons to hang in there just a little longer. One of you has a little one on the way, and the other has two right by their side. So stay strong. I'm rooting for you both!

So, I’ve got three different psychiatrists giving me three totally different takes on taking meds while pregnant. Like, who am I even supposed to listen to here?

I'm losing my mind...

Michael Hill2 said:I'm neither unknown nor Ray, but I'm jumping in because I'm on unknown myself. 🙂

Your doctor likely prescribed unknown because it's the only SSRI specifically targeted for anxiety, and it's the only one the FDA cleared for OCD. Those intrusive thoughts you're describing are a classic symptom of OCD, and I've been there myself—though mine were more about whether I'd ever be able to sleep again after going through a bout of insomnia.

For people whose main issue is anxiety, unknown usually takes a while to kick in—we're talking at least two months. So, I totally get why your doctor wanted to give it a shot first.

One thing that bugs me, though, is that she only gave you 50 mg (half a pill). Everywhere you look, it says the minimum therapeutic dose for anxiety and intrusive thoughts is 100 mg or higher.

I take 100 mg right before bed, and I can tell you it basically shut down most of my unwanted thought loops. It just took a long time to work, but as time goes on, I feel like it's doing better and better.

Mind you, I'm also doing CBT, so I'm putting in a lot of work on myself. Looking back at where I was six months ago versus now... it's night and day. I'm happy, I'm calm, and I can actually control my thoughts. If I don't want to dwell on something, I can choose to just switch it off.

A friend of mine had those exact same intrusive thoughts—that terrifying fear of hurting someone—and she didn't really stabilize until her doctor added a morning dose to her 100 mg evening dose of unknown. She's doing much better now.

Don't sweat the pregnancy stuff. The only real risk with SSRIs during pregnancy is a minor chance of lower birth weight; they haven't found any links to fetal malformations. If your doctor decides you need medication, don't let the fear of affecting the baby stop you. It's more important that you stay stable and sane so the baby stays healthy. In fact, based on everything I've read, medications like unknown or other benzos could potentially do more harm than an SSRI when they're actually necessary.

Anyway, trust your doctor. Don't be afraid of meds during pregnancy. Just take care of yourself, pamper the baby, and everything will be fine. 🙂

🙂

Thanks so much for taking the time to explain the unknown situation and for the support...

Maybe my dose was too low, but man, I felt absolutely terrible on it... just constant racing thoughts, depression, and this hunger that I couldn't stop.

fadedbear92 said:Well, you got David Jackson22's take on it. All I can say is that my doctor mentioned that if it's absolutely necessary during pregnancy, Prozac is usually prescribed because it’s supposedly the safest option for the baby—that's all I know, anyway. She did tell me about one patient who was in a really dark place and on a cocktail of different meds; despite being pregnant, her condition was so severe she ended up hospitalized in the psych ward under constant supervision. She gave birth, but unfortunately, the baby was already showing signs of being dependent on all those medications. But hey, that's a pretty extreme case, so don't go panicking just yet.
Good luck!!!

Hey Ray, any idea what that patient was actually dealing with or what specific meds she was on?