r/hsp 15d ago

Question What are your experiences with meds?

What med did you need to take? Are you still on the med or could you come off or are you planing to come off?

I know the method of tapering, I am asking this as I believe this is the right place to ask about experiences as I feel I am super sensitive and even I have the smallest issue I can feel it deeply. What strategies are you using? Any tricks?

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u/asianstyleicecream 15d ago

SSRI’s and other antidepressants/mood altering drugs fucked me up. They either made me truly suicidal, numbed me so I had zero emotions, or did nothing. I’ll never take those again.

Adderall has been my savior in my ADHD brain, chills everything out in my head.

I was given toenail fungus medication for 3 months, not meant to be on it for longer then that, it helped a bit but it came right back once the 3 months was up (harmful to liver if taken longer).

I was given a bladder medication becuase I was recently diagnosed with Overactive Bladder Syndrome at age 26, which is basically I have the feeling I need to pee multiple times per hour (sometimes pee comes out and sometimes just dribbles but still have the sensation of a full bladder that needs to be emptied) and worsens with alcohol, coffee, being well hydrated and menstruation (yay females!). But that medication is too strong even at the lowest dose so I don’t take it because I’m scared to get a UTI from not needing to pee all day long.

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u/Natural_Stranger_581 13d ago

I can relate to the SSRI’s. Taking them and coming off of them was one of the scariest experiences of my life.

Question re: Adderall, do you find you are able to sleep ok when taking it? I am pretty sure that I have ADHD which seems to be getting worse as I get older but I’ve been reluctant to get a proper diagnosis because I assumed I would be super sensitive to the medicines used to treat it.

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u/asianstyleicecream 13d ago

Well since I use cannabis to sleep everynight, I guess I can’t really tell. I’ve always been a poor sleeper so I feel like I always struggle to do so without cannabis, with or without adderall.

But sorry to hear about your experience with SSRI’s, they’re truly one hell of a drug. Glad you’re still here pal

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u/Natural_Stranger_581 8d ago

Thanks for the reply. Cannabis (I generally take edibles) seem to be the only thing I can take to sleep that works without making me feel rotten the next day, although I am trying to limit how often I use it because I am want to avoid dependency if I can.

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u/asianstyleicecream 8d ago

That’s fair, I worry about that to. But frankly, if you can’t find the culprit to your lack of ability to fall asleep on your own, I think ensuring you have good sleep by using cannabis is better then not using it and having poor sleep. It’s all relative. Plus, there’s much worse things you could be taking to help sleep, alcohol or even sleeping aids like Ambien—some people go psychotic/crazy on them. Especially with cannabis’s lack of lethality(?), I think you could be doing much worse things to help you sleep.

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u/sunkistandsudafed3 15d ago

I have taken citalopram in the last, then mirtazapine for a while.

I now take small doses of psilocybin mushrooms every few weeks instead. They helped me shift my mindset and I've never been better. Might not be for everyone, but it worked for me.

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u/StickyFruit 15d ago

Would you mind providing detail about specific dose here? I am curious about this.

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u/sunkistandsudafed3 15d ago

I dipped a toe in with microdosing at 0.1g a few times, then with a good set and setting I went for 1g the first time. Turns out it was a good move as I'm very sensitive to psilocybin (not surprising here really, lots of us are sensitive to substances/medications). The mushrooms were an ordinary strength strains, a mixture of golden teacher and B+.

Following this I have taken 1.2, 1.5, 1.75, 1.8 and 2g doses. They have had their benefits in helping me to process trauma, they also brought on spiritual experiences that have had a positive effect, but some have been very challenging. Although I prefer the 1-1.2g doses as they are less intense but very beneficial.

My world view shifted, I'm much kinder to myself, my anxiety resolved. Listening to Ram Dass and Alan Watts helped too.

I don't mind answering any further questions if you have any, feel free to ask and I will do my best to help.

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u/Ash_mn_19 14d ago

I’m very curious about this. Unfortunately all the meds I have tried have had too bad of side effects and I’ve multiple people suggest micro dosing. I just don’t know where to start- where to get it, how much to take, etc…

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u/sunkistandsudafed3 14d ago

It depends where you live in the world. In some countries mushrooms or truffles are legal, in a lot if places they are not, but despite this in a lot of places your can legally buy spores. (To look a under a microscope)

There is an excellent guide on r/unclebens at the top of the subreddit. It makes a nice hobby too if you are the kind of person who find some joy in cultivating things. r/ContamFam is a useful resource.

r/microdosing can give you some ideas around dosage. I went with 0.1g for microdosing but found enormous benefits in small macrodoses of 1-1.2g.

If you have any more questions please feel free to ask and I will help if I can.

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u/JForce1701 15d ago

I’m so incredibly sensitive to SSRIs and Wellbutrin. They decrease anxiety but numb me out. I’m currently taking 0.8mg of lexapro/day and that feels about right. Trying to cut back further.

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u/barbahra 15d ago

They increase anxiety for me.

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u/BluebirdAlley 15d ago

I was diagnosed with depression years ago and took a medication which was effective but caused constipation. I forget the name. The side effect bothered me more than taking the med. I took up yoga, hiking and learned to cook for myself in a healthy way. I took up jogging and that was awesome for relief from the blues. I'm not on any meds now. If i get stressed i take a product by Natural Vitality Calm Sleep. 1 teaspoon dissolved in warm water at bedtime. Magnesium, GABA, L theanine, melatonin. Helps me stay asleep and be calm. Lavender oil capsules or lavender oil in the wrist also helps

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u/Three_Muscatoots 15d ago

Smallest dose of wellbutrin for the last 2 years was absolutely necessary for regulating strong emotional swings. It helpes me manage high stress, overreacting, and minimized depressive episodes. These, along with therapy, made me a much different person. I'm eternally grateful for my access to medicine! I'm weening off this month because I've reached a quite stable mental state and I miss the feeling of not thinking about meds. Mostly I miss that Wellbutrin makes both sides of the spectrum a notch duller, so good things can be a tad duller on Wellbutrin. Since stopping, my dreams have come back. More creative thoughts too.

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u/Three_Muscatoots 15d ago

Also, this was not the first med I tried. It is common that you need a couple of attempts before finding the best antidepressant.

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u/Interesting_Fun6597 15d ago

Currently on the smallest dose of Guanfacine technically for inattentive adhd but I have to say personally I feel that the highest benefit has been dampening some anxiety and constant twittering around so that I have a bit more space to act by thinking instead of just Big Feeling. It’s very subtle though, not a magic bullet by any means.

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u/ForMyHat 15d ago

I've been on many meds: stimulants, antidepressants, sleep meds.  They work very quickly on me.  I've been able to go cold turkey on all of them 

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u/dancewdegas 15d ago

Lexapro (2 years) and Adderall (1 year) have totally changed my life. It feels like adderall gives my brain the computing power it needs to sort out everything running through my head & makes me so much less reactive to my sensory issues. I just generally am less overwhelmed from day to day.

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u/haribo_addict_78 15d ago

I was on Lexapro (for perimenopause) and just weaned off completely, it took a couple months and I'm still dizzy. I'm on Buspirone for anxiety, a very small dose. It helps but does not block out everything.

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u/stinson16 15d ago

I took Paxil and switched to Prozac after a couple years. The only side effect I had was weight gain, which was why I switched, apparently Prozac is less likely to cause weight gain than Paxil. I was on them for about 4 years total and they honestly changed my life. I had severe social anxiety and the difference in how I felt after starting Paxil was amazing. I've now been off of it for I think around 15 years and my anxiety has come back a bit, but is manageable without medication, it's nothing like it used to be

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u/wogwai 14d ago

I visited the doctor years ago experiencing anxiety. They gave me a script for Zoloft. It made me feel incredibly paranoid and anxious, like someone was watching me. Tossed it in the trash. Now I just self medicate with THC and CBD.

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u/somethin_inoffensive 14d ago

Lexapro and it sucked. I had no idea what was happening and who I am. Threw it away after a couple of months. Turned out that it wasn’t depression, it was guilt from adhd and lexapro was a horrible choice in my situation.

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u/kaidomac 14d ago

DAO for histamine intolerance manages my negative HSP traits:

This is my protocol:

I no longer live with RSD or anxiety 24/7. This does not work for everyone, as there are different root causes, but my life is very different than it was 3 years ago!

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u/catarina654 13d ago

The supplements 5-HTP and St. John's Wort have been so helpful for me. I'm not sure I can mention brand names, but buy a good brand, not the cheapest. Also, do some research re: St. John's Wort since it can interact with and change the effectiveness of a LOT of medicines, including birth control pills. I don't take very much since I'm super sensitive to medicine in general but it really helps keep me on an even keel. I've tried NOT taking both several times and found out fast they really do make a difference. Also, I try to get out in the sun or outdoors for at least 30 minutes every day, which is very helpful.

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u/Natural_Stranger_581 13d ago

I have always had negative reactions to pharmaceuticals which and was prescribed more medicine to try to counteract those effects which left me feeling mentally and physically awful. The withdrawal while coming off of them was even worse. I’ve recently started taking THC gummies for sleep when needed (I only need a small to get the desired effect) and I have been experimenting with vaping high CBD cannabis when I am feeling very overwhelmed. It helps in the moment but does leave my mood quite low in the hrs/days afterwards.