Psychotropic medication discussion thread

Brandon Newman95 said:I’m on Lamictal 50mg right now and honestly? I feel totally normal. I take one in the morning and one at night, though I guess everyone reacts to this stuff differently. As for why I’m even taking it... man, I have no clue.

How so? Maybe your doctors didn't explain much?

David Jackson22 said:I've been sleeping like a baby ever since I started Tegretol. I take half of a 400 mg pill, so basically 200 mg daily. Honestly, the dose you're on for Lamictal is super low; I used to go all the way up to 200 mg a day, but it did absolutely nothing for me. In fact, it had the exact opposite effect—it actually made my depression deeper and hit me with side effects like tremors and some other weird sensations.
It also gave me insomnia; when I was on it, I slept worse than I ever have in my entire life! As soon as I hopped off it, I finally started sleeping normally again. While I was taking it, I’d get these horrific dreams and nightmares and stuff. Even if I did manage to drift off, it was barely anything. I’d spend the whole night in this bizarre half-awake state where I wasn't fully asleep but wasn't awake either; I could hear everything happening around me while just sort of "dozing" in bits and pieces. It was just a miserable feeling, and stopping the Lamictal was the only way I got rid of it.
Obviously, my bad experience doesn't mean the drug is garbage or anything, because my psychiatrist told me a ton of his patients take Lamictal and feel great without any issues. Apparently, it's the kind of med doctors love to prescribe because they get such solid results with it.
Personally, Tegretol just works better for me and I'm totally happy with it.
Anyway, hope that helps you out.🙂

I'm on Lamictal and dealing with insomnia, though I can't really blame the drug since I struggled with it before anyway.
Something else is confusing me, though. How is it that Lamictal, which is an antiepileptic meant to calm the brain, can also act as an antidepressant?😕
My EEG showed dysrhythmia, and they told me there's some activity in my cerebral cortex that shouldn't be there. Because of that, I'm not supposed to use anything that stimulates the nervous system. I had to cut back or completely stop coffee, soda, and stuff like that. And definitely nothing like Activin H (the natural antidepressant). I can't even take Ginkgo. The labels say people with epilepsy shouldn't consume them.
It turns out that even if I have depression, I'm technically not supposed to take antidepressants.
So the whole Lamictal thing is confusing—it's the same drug for both epilepsy and depression.😕
Can someone explain this to me?

Since I'm already dealing with insomnia, could anyone suggest which pills work best for you?
I occasionally take a bit of Lorazepam—just a half or a quarter—but it feels strange. It takes forever to actually fall asleep, and then waking up in the morning is just brutal. It’s like the sleep hits hardest right when I need to get up. But if I don't take anything, I sleep even less and just suffer more.
What are you all using that kicks in faster and doesn't leave you feeling drugged the next morning?

Alex Barnes8 said:Since I'm already dealing with insomnia, could anyone suggest which pills work best for you?
I occasionally take a bit of Lorazepam—just a half or a quarter—but it feels strange. It takes forever to actually fall asleep, and then waking up in the morning is just brutal. It’s like the sleep hits hardest right when I need to get up. But if I don't take anything, I sleep even less and just suffer more.
What are you all using that kicks in faster and doesn't leave you feeling drugged the next morning?

If you want the least amount of hassle, Zane is your best bet. You don't get hooked on it nearly as fast as those other hypnotics or benzos. 😁

Just a heads up, Lamictal is used as a mood stabilizer, mainly for people dealing with bipolar disorder. It doesn't just wipe away depression or mania instantly, but if you stay on it consistently, it helps stop those crazy mood swings from happening. You usually start on a tiny dose and slowly scale up until you hit that sweet spot for your body. It typically takes a few weeks before you really start feeling the benefits. Side effects can include stuff like dizziness, headaches, feeling sleepy or restless, or even nausea. Usually, those side effects die down once your body gets used to it.

😉

There’s a really solid article on this here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamotrigine

Alex Barnes8 said:I'm on Lamictal and dealing with insomnia, though I can't really blame the drug since I struggled with it before anyway.
Something else is confusing me, though. How is it that Lamictal, which is an antiepileptic meant to calm the brain, can also act as an antidepressant?😕
My EEG showed dysrhythmia, and they told me there's some activity in my cerebral cortex that shouldn't be there. Because of that, I'm not supposed to use anything that stimulates the nervous system. I had to cut back or completely stop coffee, soda, and stuff like that. And definitely nothing like Activin H (the natural antidepressant). I can't even take Ginkgo. The labels say people with epilepsy shouldn't consume them.
It turns out that even if I have depression, I'm technically not supposed to take antidepressants.
So the whole Lamictal thing is confusing—it's the same drug for both epilepsy and depression.😕
Can someone explain this to me?

I'm assuming what you aren't supposed to touch are stimulants, which aren't the same thing as anti-epileptics. Anti-epileptics aren't technically antidepressants; they function more as stabilizers, meaning they target those massive mood swings and level things out. They're usually prescribed to maintain the progress that antidepressants have already made. The name itself pretty much tells you what they do—they stabilize, they don't boost your mood or act like a stimulant.

Alex Barnes8 said:Since I'm already dealing with insomnia, could anyone suggest which pills work best for you?
I occasionally take a bit of Lorazepam—just a half or a quarter—but it feels strange. It takes forever to actually fall asleep, and then waking up in the morning is just brutal. It’s like the sleep hits hardest right when I need to get up. But if I don't take anything, I sleep even less and just suffer more.
What are you all using that kicks in faster and doesn't leave you feeling drugged the next morning?

Ambien is quite effective for sleep; it knocks you out completely, though it does feel a bit heavy on the brain and isn't meant for long-term use. Once you take it, you need to head straight to bed because it works so rapidly—you might actually lose track of your actions. I once remember typing on a forum while on Ambien and had absolutely no recollection of being at the computer the next morning; I ended up getting banned because I was posting nonsense in my pajamas, having no idea when I’d even put them on. Generally, people say melatonin is a good option since it's just a sleep hormone available over the counter. Personally, I've cycled through countless different psychiatric medications, but I've significantly cut back now and don't deal with withdrawal symptoms, even though I used Ambien for a very long time.

David Jackson22 said:I'm assuming what you aren't supposed to touch are stimulants, which aren't the same thing as anti-epileptics. Anti-epileptics aren't technically antidepressants; they function more as stabilizers, meaning they target those massive mood swings and level things out. They're usually prescribed to maintain the progress that antidepressants have already made. The name itself pretty much tells you what they do—they stabilize, they don't boost your mood or act like a stimulant.

Ahaaa, I get it.😁

Robert Collins2 said:If you want the least amount of hassle, Zane is your best bet. You don't get hooked on it nearly as fast as those other hypnotics or benzos. 😁

Just a heads up, Lamictal is used as a mood stabilizer, mainly for people dealing with bipolar disorder. It doesn't just wipe away depression or mania instantly, but if you stay on it consistently, it helps stop those crazy mood swings from happening. You usually start on a tiny dose and slowly scale up until you hit that sweet spot for your body. It typically takes a few weeks before you really start feeling the benefits. Side effects can include stuff like dizziness, headaches, feeling sleepy or restless, or even nausea. Usually, those side effects die down once your body gets used to it.

😉

There’s a really solid article on this here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamotrigine

I used Zan once, but then it just vanished from the shelves. So, I switched to Lorazepam.
Are you saying Zan hasn't been pulled from the market and is actually still available? A woman at my local pharmacy told me a few months back that they don't have it and won't be getting it again.🤷

wiredfalcon21 said:Ambien is quite effective for sleep; it knocks you out completely, though it does feel a bit heavy on the brain and isn't meant for long-term use. Once you take it, you need to head straight to bed because it works so rapidly—you might actually lose track of your actions. I once remember typing on a forum while on Ambien and had absolutely no recollection of being at the computer the next morning; I ended up getting banned because I was posting nonsense in my pajamas, having no idea when I’d even put them on. Generally, people say melatonin is a good option since it's just a sleep hormone available over the counter. Personally, I've cycled through countless different psychiatric medications, but I've significantly cut back now and don't deal with withdrawal symptoms, even though I used Ambien for a very long time.

Yeah, I wouldn't go that route... I usually just end up feeling totally groggy and out of it.😵

Look, I know about Ambien. Hospitals hand it out to patients all the time just to take the edge off and knock them out before they go under for surgery—usually just half a pill. It’s a 15 mg benzodiazepine dose. Gruden actually pushed some on me back when I was going through that dark period after my suicide attempt, but I ended up tossing them in the trash.

Robert Collins2 said:So, basically, Tegretol is just carbamazepine, which is an anticonvulsant. It’s primarily used to treat epilepsy, but doctors also prescribe it for nerve pain and as a mood stabilizer for people dealing with bipolar disorder or those really heavy depressive episodes. 😉

Thanks, babe. 🙂

On a side note, I've been on Pfizer for five days now... and my sleep has completely vanished. I have this weird sensation that it's actually starting to kick in, which makes zero sense on several different levels. 🤔

Maybe it's just all in my head—pure autosuggestion. Could be. Either way, I'm happy with it. 😁

Look, I managed to stretch mine out for three whole days—is it doable? Absolutely. But honestly, I was basically popping doses meant for a damn stallion, chasing that high like I was trying to keep up with Elon Musk or Bill Gates! 😁 🙂

Robert Collins2 said:Look, I managed to stretch mine out for three whole days—is it doable? Absolutely. But honestly, I was basically popping doses meant for a damn stallion, chasing that high like I was trying to keep up with Elon Musk or Bill Gates! 😁 🙂

Yeah, right... I did half a pill for two more days, then dropped to one, all while taking 10 mg of Normabel three times a day... 🤷

Is it even possible to stay focused behind the wheel or hold down a job while on such massive doses? It feels like some of these psychiatrists have completely lost touch with reality. I can't help but wonder if they would ever dream of prescribing these kinds of dosages or cycling through these types of medications to their own children—it feels like they're just frying their brains. There's a lot of truth to the concerns raised by experts like Dr. Bauer and the local pharmacists who actually understand the mechanics of how these doctors operate and offer well-reasoned critiques of the whole system.

Alex Barnes8 said:How so? Maybe your doctors didn't explain much?

The EEG after the nnn shows it’s slightly faster. Or honestly, just minor, I guess.

Robert Collins2 said:Look, if you aren't feeling a connection with your current doctor, then yeah, obviously you should find someone else—or at least go get a second opinion. Honestly, if I hadn't jumped ship from Gruden when I did, I probably would've ended up in a cemetery by now.

Well, that's exactly what I want to know.

Does anyone actually know how long it takes for Lexapro to fully clear your system?

ambermason16 said:Yeah, right... I did half a pill for two more days, then dropped to one, all while taking 10 mg of Normabel three times a day... 🤷

Hold up, hold up—you’re actually taking 30 MG of Normabel every single day??? 😲

I mean, seriously, how are you even functioning right now? What kind of diagnosis are we even talking about here?

How long have you been on this stuff, and which hack doctor actually put you on that regimen?

I was on 5 mg of Helix because I really needed it, which is honestly a pretty heavy dose too, but I managed to taper myself off gradually after being on it for about 6 months.

Justin Rogers5 said:Does anyone actually know how long it takes for Lexapro to fully clear your system?

So, the half-life for escitalopram usually sits somewhere between 27 and 32 hours, though it really depends on what dose you were taking. 😉

It gets processed by your liver, which means it can sometimes cause a slight bump in your liver enzyme levels.

Robert Collins2 said:If you want the least amount of hassle, Zane is your best bet. You don't get hooked on it nearly as fast as those other hypnotics or benzos. 😁

Just a heads up, Lamictal is used as a mood stabilizer, mainly for people dealing with bipolar disorder. It doesn't just wipe away depression or mania instantly, but if you stay on it consistently, it helps stop those crazy mood swings from happening. You usually start on a tiny dose and slowly scale up until you hit that sweet spot for your body. It typically takes a few weeks before you really start feeling the benefits. Side effects can include stuff like dizziness, headaches, feeling sleepy or restless, or even nausea. Usually, those side effects die down once your body gets used to it.

😉

There’s a really solid article on this here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamotrigine

Xanax is essentially the same as Sanval; it’s just a different manufacturer. You clearly don't have a clue.😁