SkydiverSZ: Lexapro withdrawal

[SkydiverSZ]

Hi,

I don't really know where to start. And I am not sure if I remember all the dates and medications I have been on, as the last 20 years are just a blur. Also I want to mention that english is not my first language. And please excuse the bad formatting as I am typing this on my mobile phone.

My name is Daniel and I am 39 years old. My journey with ADs started roughly 20 years ago. I have struggled extremely with social anxiety during my apprenticeship, which let me to beeing prescribed Clomipramine ( can't remember the dosage). I remember the first weeks beeing absolute hell with side effects. My social anxiety got a bit better and I was able to finish my apprenticeship.

Roughly two years later, in 2001, I was switched to Citalopram 10mg and then to 20mg after a year or two, which worked better for me. From this time till late 2017 my mental health has been very unstable and I have quit cold turkey many times and tried most other ADs on the market. But I always came back to Citalopram after a month or two. I was looking for a magic pill to cure my social anxiety. During these years I have become addicted to alcohol, as a way to ease my anxiety and to be able to have a social life. In late 2016 after another CT coming of citalopram, and beeing given Lyrica to try out, I took an overdose of the Lyrica in an attempt to end my suffering. I ended up in hospital and after that I restarted citalopram once again.

My anxiety never improved after that and I started missing days at work. In late 2017 I decided I had enough of ADs, as I have finally realized that they are doing more harm than good. I went cold turkey and the first weeks weren't to bad. Then around christmas time I started to develop muscle and joint pains all over my body. I became intolerant to the slightest bit of physical and mental activity and extremely sensitive to sound. I remember the day when I broke down completely. I wasn't able to move, talk or even breath properly. I thought I was dying. After loads of tests, my GP diagnosed me with CFS/ME (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome). She believed it was cause by a viral infection I had earlier in 2017. I am now a 100% sure that my CFS was caused by AD WD.

Since that day I haven't been able to work and I am receiving disability benefits now. I managed till June 2018 without ADs but my symptoms were so bad now that I was bed bound. At this time I was diagnosed with POTS (dysautonomia). And got prescribed Escitalopram 10mg and Propranolol 80mg. I got a bit better after that and wasn't bed bound anymore. Still not able to work though. I started drinking again to cope with life and developed a stomach ulcer and acid reflux. My GP prescribed Omeprazole for the stomach issues and all hell broke loose. I thought I am going crazy. I also started to develop liver pain and my bloods were coming back with elevated liver enzymes. I found out through my own research that escitalopram and omeprazole have major interactions as they are metabolized by the same liver enzyme. Studies I have found indicate that omeprazole raises escitalopram blood levels by 100%. So basically my dose has been doubled. I stopped taking omeprazole and my liver enzymes are back to normal now. Fast forward to March 2021 and I decided to quit escitalopram CT. Since quitting my urge to drink alcohol has completely disappeared and I haven't had a drop since. But my CFS symptoms and anxiety are back in full force and I am house bound again. I have found this forum a couple of weeks ago and after reading how bad cold turkey was I reinstated at 2.5mg. This didn't work for me and I believe I had mild serotonin syndrome and quit again. I have sworn to myself that I will never touch an AD again in my life. The plan is now to just let my body and brain recover, doesn't matter how long it will take or how hard it will be. Thanks for reading my story.

 

[Gridley]

Welcome to SA, SkydiverSZ.  Thank you for completing your drug signature.  Please include your reinstatement dose and date, which you wrote was a couple of weeks ago.  Also include the date you quit again.  Here's the link for adding this information.

 

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature.

 

You reinstated much higher than we would have recommended, which may explain why your reinstatement didn't work.  In the time between your cold turkey and your reinstatement, your system had gotten somewhat accustomed to not having the drug and the 2.5mg was too much for you.  We would have recommended a reinstatement of 1 mg.

 

I understand your decision never to touch an AD again and to tough it out, and that is fine.  You will recover in time.  Unfortunately we can't predict the how much time it will take.

 

If you decide you want to reinstate 1mg, please let us know and we can help you with that process.  Please do not reinstate without letting us advise you.  

 

The symptoms you describe after going CT in 2017 and what was diagnosed as CFS symptoms (as well as anxiety)anxiety are typical of antidepressant withdrawal.  Here is some information on withdrawal and the healing process.

 

What is withdrawal syndrome.

 

Daily Checklist of Antidepressant Withdrawal Symptoms (PDF) 

 

When we take psychiatric medications, the CNS (central nervous system) responds by making changes over the months and years we take the drug(s). When the medication is discontinued, the CNS has to undo all the changes it made. Rebuilding the neurotransmitter production and reactivating the receptor and transporter cells takes time -- during that rebuilding process symptoms occur.  

 

These explain the healing process really well.

 

Brain Remodelling 

 

Video:  Healing From Antidepressants - Patterns of Recovery

 

We don't recommend a lot of supplements on SA, as many members report being sensitive to them due to our over-reactive nervous systems, but two supplements that we do recommend are magnesium and omega 3 (fish oil). Many people find these to be calming to the nervous system. 

 

Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker 

 

Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) 

 

Add in one at a time and at a low dose in case you do experience problems. Get supplements that are single ingredient (not mixed with other types of supplements).

 

This is your Introduction topic, where you can update your drug signature, ask questions and connect with other members.  We're glad you found your way here.

 

 

[SkydiverSZ]

Thanks for your comprehensive reply, Gridley.

I will look into Magnesium and Omega 3.

I just want to explain my decision to tough it out this time, as I understand that this might not be suitable for many people and reinstatement is recommended in certain cases.

After beeing diagnosed with CFS I started on Escitalopram which eased symptoms a bit, but never completely got rid of it. I was still not able to work and mostly home bound. So reinstating now will probably not make that much of a difference to me as I am either house or bend bound anyway. I have already lost a couple of years of my life by now and just want to close this chapter as soon as possible. Also I have a very understanding wife, who fully supports me in my decision. Reading all the success stories on here also gives me lots of hope and I am trying to be as positive as I can. 

Finding this forum and realising that I am not going crazy and that I am not alone in my suffering helped me already massively. 

 

 

[Unsure]

I feel your pain as i feel im in a very similar situation and feel the doctors are trying to blame the alcohol for the issues i went through when im sure it wasnt

 

I cant thank you enough for signing up and leaving me that link , wish i could give you some decent advice but im stumped myself

 

Good luck mate