augaa71: my experience with Lexapro

[augaa71]

Hey everyone,

 

I started lexapro 10 mg on July 2nd 2022. I was on it for about a week and got severely sick. I was also taking lorazepam and sleeping pills everyday for that same week. 
I stopped all pills at once and it was okay for the first 5 days and boom the withdrawals hit me like a ton of bricks. I had stopped taking the pills because I felt they were making me very sick and to be fair I wasn’t educated well enough on the medication which is partially my fault. 
 

I went back on lexapro immediately for 2 weeks and it was a horrible experience. I had heightened heart rate and anxiety it would be from 7 in the morning till about 9 pm at night till I felt somewhat normal. I wouldn’t eat during this time period and that’s very difficult since I’m already severely underweight. I couldn’t leave my house. I barely could even get up to use the bathroom. It was a nightmare. Worse than I have ever felt in my life. I contacted a few physciatrist and they recommended to stop all pills immediately since sometimes it can counter act what you are trying to solve.

 

I am on week two of my withdrawals and its and experience. I right away noticed an inprovment in my heart rate and my anxiety and almost reached back to normal but after the two week mark hit I was hit with the heart palplations and anxiety again. It’s a roller coaster ride to say the least but I’m staying hopeful. I do feel better than when I did when I was on medication and Atleast can still leave my house. 
 

this is a hard experience. The hardest I have gone through in my life but I’m ever so grateful for this experience. It has caused me to slow down and look at my life and the decisions I was making. It has made me think of lifestyle habits that have affected my health. 
 

I don’t feel great but I want hope that things will get better and this will end. I hope the best for you all as I know this isn’t an easy process. 
 

stay strong lovelies we got this ❤️💪😊

[augaa71]

Lexapro with short usage

 

Hi everyone,

 

I hope you are all doing well. 

 

I am a 24 year old female with no previous use of anti depressants. 

 

at the begging of July I was having some problems with anxiety. Yes I have suffered anxiety in my life before but it was never to the point where I would wake up with a palpating heart and stress to the max. I was diagnosed with sickness after sickness (covid, gastritis, ear infection) one after the other and was taking a lot of antibiotics and other medication at this time. But still looking back it at it II think it was manageable but just put me in a state of panic that was something was wrong. 

 

I went to my doctor and he prescribed me Lexapro 10 mg, Lorazepam 0.5 mg and sleeping pills, which without much research and knowledge on the antidepressants I started taking all three every day. It did help me somewhat for the first little bit, helping me sleep and the lorazepam really helped me with my anxiety during the days. Sometimes I would take two lorazepams if I was feeling stressed out in a day. After about a week, I thought a lot to myself and decided that this isn't something I wanted to do. So I decided to stop all three cold turkey. Huge mistake because I was okay for a bout a week and then was hit with insomnia here i didn't sleep for 30 hours or so and worked an 8 hour shift in between that. Worst experience of my life. I came home after my shift and was at the point of suicide. Luckily I had my family there to save me and help me. 

 

I went back to the doctor the next day and he recommended me to immediately go back on my medication. I didn't feel safe about this but my dad agreed with him since he never saw me in this state before and was scared for my well being. I went back on Lexapro 10 mg and it turned to a night mare very quickly. I would have palpating heart, anxiety, couldn't calm down from 7 am in the morning till 9-10 at night. It was so much worse than my symptoms are or anxiety before. I was feeling horrible. Nonetheless I tried to push through it. It got worse the longer I was on it. I had trouble sleeping and when I did it was horrible. I could. barely eat. I couldn't even go to the bathroom some days because I was so bed written. After about two weeks and half I tried to get a hold fo my doctor and could not. So I went on just answer and talked to a few physiatrists. They all recommended me to immediately stop all medication and that I would not need a taper process since I have been on it for such a short period. I had listened to them.

 

The first two weeks were good. I had headaches which would go away with a Motrin and felt better and more myself everyday. I was almost completely back to normal until the two week mark hit then I hit a wave. My anxiety came back. My mood was swinging. I would cry really badly at some points. I experienced this for about three days and had to take a dose of lorazepam to help me calm down which I didn't take for about two weeks. It didn't help too much. I was still so horrible. Next day I felt a little better and then again with the horrible mood swings and anxiety and especially low depressive feelings. It been off and on like this for this whole week. Today officially marks three weeks off of lexapro.

 

I would like to say im a very tiny and severely underweight person. I have been also taking magnesium and fish oil to help me combat my withdrawals. I dont eat the best and just sometimes dont have the energy to even walk I just lay like a zombie. I also started smoking cigarettes from the stress of this time in my life.Im scared but hopeful of this process. Its been the hardest in my life.

 

Im trying to hopefully find some insight and some guidance.

 

Thank you all

 

Edited August 27, 2022 by ChessieCat
added Intro topic title before merging with intro topic

[Altostrata]

Welcome, @augaa71

 

We have a group of people here who had fairly immediate adverse reactions to antidepressants. Even though they take the drug for only a short time, after they stop, they have symptoms that are like protracted withdrawal. This is not protracted withdrawal, it is the aftermath of the adverse reaction. Like protracted withdrawal, it will very slowly go away. 

 

See Adverse reactions to an antidepressant within a few doses -- how long for recovery?

 

Many people find fish oil and magnesium supplements helpful, see

 

https://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/36-king-of-supplements-omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil/

 

https://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/15483-magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker/

 

You might try a little bit of one at a time to see how it affects you. Please let us know how you’re doing.

 

To help us out, follow these instructions Please summarize your drug and withdrawal history in your signature You may need to use a computer to do this.

 

 

[augaa71]

Hello @Altostrata,

 

Thank you so much!

 

That makes sense! I have also updated my signature. 

 

I have been up and down. I do feel random pits of depression at random stages which I feel are like waves and positive times to usually more towards the night. I do see myself making progress from when I was on the medication as I wasn't able to leave my house at that time, and now I can sometimes, even though it may not be enjoyable. At least I can get out. My day is full of up and downs. If I have a good morning usually means night will be difficult  for me, and if I have a hard morning possibly I will feel better at night. It really depends on the day. When I distract myself and keep busy I feel like its easier for me to relax and stay postive when I come home. But If I stay at home I usually have a lot more difficult of a time. I get really bad maybe once a day where ill have a huge crying session and anger pits but then ill calm down after I have let it out. Crying makes me feel better. Probably from tiring myself out. Its just a lot of up and downs for me but when I get really bad it seems like a dark hole. 

 

Thank you again!

[Altostrata]

It will take time, but you are on the way to a natural recovery. Take care to eat good fresh food, regular sleep, no alcohol at all, no drugs if you can help it. You may wish to minimize caffeine and sugar.

 

Try to surf the waves, see

 

The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms

 

Easing your way into meditation for a stressed-out nervous system

 

Music for self-care: calms hyperalertness, anxiety, aids relaxation and sleep

 

"Is it always going to be like this?"

 

The importance of recognizing you're feeling good

[ChessieCat]

New Intro topic merged with original - appears before Alto's response and may contain more information.

 

 

[augaa71]

@Altostrata thank you so much! I really hope so and i am trying 

 

 

[augaa71]

Week 3 update!

 

It’s been officially three weeks as of Saturday that I have been off of lexapro. 
 

I had mostly a tough week. Yesterday was a good day for me. I did wake up with a lot of anxiety but it calmed down after a few hours and had a relatively calm day for the rest of the day. 
 

my anxiety did peak at night time. I was worried that I felt so calm and kept thinking well when is the next wave coming ? I know this is a bad thought process but I couldn’t help it no matter how hard I tried to distract myself. I then took 3 mg of melatonin as I already knew I was going to have difficulty sleeping. 
 

I have been sleeping relatively fine but maybe it’s because I have been so exhausted from crying all day. I ended up falling asleep around 12 am and woke up at 2:30 am ish and haven’t been back to sleep since. I also have my first return day back to work today in a few hours. To say I’m overwhelmed is the least. Maybe It’s because I took fish oil or melatonin ?I was on fish oil originally and stopped because I wasn’t eating. I stopped for a few days and took it for the first time again yesterday
 

im scared. I’m scared of loosing my job I worked so hard to get. I am scared of loosing the life I once had and feel hopeless at times. 
 

the anxiety and depression aren’t as bad as some of the before days this week but I’m just really feeling down. 
 

im trying to be kind and gentle to myself but I get so upset. Not to mention I have been itching so badly that it has left marks on my body. 

[Altostrata]

If going back to work is too stressful for you, perhaps you might ask for more time off.

[augaa71]

Titled:  Reinstatement

 

Hi everyone

 

im reaching the four month mark of being completely off of escitolpram oxalate. Withdrawals have improved slightly since coming off of these pills. 
 

I am suffering through severe ocd and intrusive thoughts and random fits of anxiety. I worry and overthink everything. I also cannot push my self to do the things I used to do so freely. This wasn’t an issue for me before getting on the medication. While I was on the medication (only two weeks) I was fine as well just a lot more sleepy. I took lorazepam everyday while getting on it but I had missed a day or two I was fine. After stopping it for the first two weeks I had a huge insomnia a week after for where I couldn’t sleep and it sent me crazy. After that everything fell down. I was told by my gp to immediately go back on it at full dose 10mg. It seemed to help with the sleep at first but then I felt horrible. I was so bad I couldn’t even leave my room. Couldn’t sit still just severe anxiety and shaking and heart palpations. They would only subside at night time where I would get three-4 hours of feeling completely normal. Then next day it would be same thing, wake up severe heart palpations and anxiety and panicking and after taking the pill it would last four some hours then the calmness would come. After Two weeks on it without seeing a change in symptoms I had insomnia again and then decided that was it I had to get off of it. I did and improved greatly for two weeks. Felt like my  old self again. 
 

then withdrawal symptoms hit and they hit bad. I started having ocd thoughts and anxiety and depression. Severely. My thoughts won’t stop. Throughout the four months I got better. I am now able to eat normal things but don’t eat any sugar since I'm too scared. I do sometimes and they don’t affect me very much but I had to leave my job and anything that stressss me. I can finally again listen to music and watch tv. Not much but can slightly. 
 

Throughout all this I haven’t gotten my period. I ended up at the hospital after a really bad week for me. Sometimes I’m okay and then sometimes it gets very bad for me. I went to the hospital due to attempted suicide. they gave me a benzo and it put me to sleep and my period came back for one day. But I left before they prescribed me anything for my mental health. My family are all telling me I have to go back on antidepressants to help me.

 

honestly I am scared. I don’t mind being on antidepressants if it means that It will help my symptoms of withdrawals and I don’t plan to mess around with them. 
 

but I’m scared. Was what I had when I went back on the escitploram an adverse reaction? Was it because it was too high of a dose? Will going back on another drug harm me even if I go on a low dose ? I don’t want to reintroduce another drug and then it harms my system and I get worse I will be so dissapointed. But I do want relief from my withdrawals. 
 

I have an appointment with the physciatrist and am more than sure he will just prescribe me some medication for what I’m going through. 
 

I have taken some vitamins during this time and they dont have negative affects to me. I even stopped ashgwanda and it was fine.

 

I just want to feel normal  

 

Edited November 29, 2022 by manymoretodays
added title after merging to members Introduction

[augaa71]

Hi everyone 

 

I’m really panicked. I discovered what pssd was recently and am not sure if I have it or not and want some clarification or opinion. Maybe I’m just in withdrawel. 
 

I can enjoy listening to music and I do find people attractive. I have love for my family and have recently started enjoying watching tv shows slowly but surly.

 

I don’t enjoy the things I used to do before but sometimes slowly I do. 
 

I am not in a relationship so I’m not sure what my sexual response is. 
 

I just am wandering if I just have withdrawals.

 

I have severe anxiety ruminating thoughts and depression. I panick a lot too and ofcourse have tinnitus and high heart rate. 
 

will this end at some point in my life or am I stuck like this. 
 

I don’t care about the sexual stuff but I do care about my mental health. I have had sucicdal thoughts, panick anxiety depression and all of it. 
 

I want to feel happy again and with pssd it seems some people have trouble feeling happy again or enjoying things they used to. 
 

I feel relief at points of the day but I’m just so confused at where I’m at  

 

please someone give me some insight

[manymoretodays]

On 11/27/2022 at 11:48 AM, augaa71 said:

Throughout all this I haven’t gotten my period. I ended up at the hospital after a really bad week for me. Sometimes I’m okay and then sometimes it gets very bad for me. I went to the hospital due to attempted suicide. they gave me a benzo and it put me to sleep and my period came back for one day. But I left before they prescribed me anything for my mental health. My family are all telling me I have to go back on antidepressants to help me.

 

3 hours ago, augaa71 said:

I am not in a relationship so I’m not sure what my sexual response is. 
 

I just am wandering if I just have withdrawals.

 

I have severe anxiety ruminating thoughts and depression. I panick a lot too and ofcourse have tinnitus and high heart rate. 
 

will this end at some point in my life or am I stuck like this. 
 

I don’t care about the sexual stuff but I do care about my mental health. I have had sucicdal thoughts, panick anxiety depression and all of it. 
 

I want to feel happy again and with pssd it seems some people have trouble feeling happy again or enjoying things they used to. 

 

Hi there augaa71, @augaa71

As you will see scrolling up, I moved your two recent stand alone topics back here to your introduction topic.  We do have topics on reinstatement, and also on PSSD, where of course you can comment, and or read others experiences.  And I'll give you links to those topics too.

 

The hospitalization that you refer to in what I first quoted, when was that?

 

And yes, this sure could still be withdrawal going on.  Has anything changed recently?  Any alcohol, or recreational drug use or situational factors that are stressful?  Could it be the holiday season and that has upped your worries?  I know that many of us go into this, sometimes even tapering and then WD hits and we have expectations of healing that just are not being met, in the time frame we expected.  And now too, you can scroll up in your Introduction topic, and if needed, review some of the topics and information already given, and that might bring comfort too, as to your present state and worries.  I'll see what I can add in too, that perhaps you have not yet seen.......as to what to expect with WD and healing.

 

Are you sleeping okay?  Eating?  Getting gentle exercise and outdoors each day?  Staying in contact with some supports?  And sometimes, that is someone outside of your family or household, or is for many of us.  Do you have support on the ground?  Some don't "get it" or understand WD, or that is sure what I found.......but many are willing to support anyway.  I finally went with saying I had "adverse drug reactions" or "got sick from my drugs/medications" and needed still time to recover from that.  It worked.  I found support. 

 

Have you started any Omega 3's yet or Magnesium?  You'll see links to those topics above now, and you may find some calming from those.  Again though, just start one new thing at any time, and start low, go slow, and observe.  So you know.  What is doing what.

 

You might wish to find support here as well.  Go into some of the other forums, Finding Meaning, Relationships, Off Topic, and of course Symptoms and Self Care.  You'll see all the forums and how they are laid out when you go to your Home Page here.  Lend support to other members too, when able.....it helps.  It does.

 

So.  Present symptoms are stated as severe OCD and anxiety.  Worry.  Can't push yourself to do anything.  And symptoms do seem worse than they were before you even took Lexapro.  Oh my.......so common, or we see this all the time.  I know it stinks.

4 months is just 4 months, and have you had Windows now?  Periods where you do feel better, and have seen improvement?  It sounds like it, in your second post just above mine.  This is a good sign of healing.  It is.

Yes, it does end.

Do you have any non-drug coping skills or practices that do help now?  Now is the time to hone up those and I'll give you a bucket full of links to things you might try.  Or many benefit from therapy, as long as it isn't drug pushing therapy and they take things in stride and let you be the expert on what you need most.

 

I think you are in a Wave now augaa71.  Are you working still or did you take time off?

 

I'm so wordy......I just am sometimes so.......I am going to stop this reply, and then find some good stuff, topics that you can look at to help with understanding what is going on now with you, and also non-drug coping that might help too.

 

Okay, off to my little library of links.

Love, peace, healing, and growth,

manymoretodays(mmt)

Edited November 29, 2022 by manymoretodays
notification

[augaa71]

Thank you so so so much for your reply ❤️
 

I was hospitalized around two weeks ago. It was due to very external stressful situations which thank God I have been removed from. Since I have been removed from that situation things calmed down but I still suffer from within my self. 
 

I don’t sleep like I used to, and sometimes have trouble with it but it is okay I would say around 6 hours or so a night. It depends on the night. I do eat. Before I couldn’t eat but I am able to eat most things. I cannot eat when I am stressed out though. Usually my triggers are when I research about the withdrawals or pssd or anything along with what I’m going through. That really triggers me and stresses me out so much. Which triggers the OCD and anxiety then then depression. I can’t seem to stop because I’m just scared and trying to heal but I have learned I’m not going to find my answer online. I have to accept what’s going on and no one will be able to tell a time frame or what will happen, no matter how hard I search. There’s just too many possibilities. No one has a direct answer and trying to find that is just sending me into insanity.

 

I do have windows, usually in the evenings and one time I had a window that was almost five days. They weren’t perfect but I did feel better than in a wave. As for days where I feel completely feel myself those are limited maybe about two or three of those.I have noticed improvements and I’m so grateful for them. But then I get scared again because I see so many stories where people improve then they are bad again. But overall my baseline does improve. Yes I do get waves but usually after every wave I see some improvements or I think I’m not sure.
 

I used to work out in the start of withdrawals but then I lost all motivation and felt so scared because I reacted very badly one time when working out and I just have associated it with negative feelings. I used to walk or go sit outside for a bit but I just felt depressed and now it’s very freezing where I’m at so I don’t motivate myself to go. But who know maybe I just need to suck it up and just go. 
 

as for support I have my grandma and dad and they are really trying to push medication on me as they think that this will solve all the problems. But they don’t understand that I may have an adverse reaction or possibly get worse. My friends are reaching out to me but I have no energy nor want to want to talk to them. I just keep refusing to talk to them. I don’t feel myself nor do I feel interest in talking to them anymore. I don’t have any patience.  The other night my friend came over it was nice but after two hours I just wanted her to leave. I was depressed again. 
 

I take L thenine and mangniusm. As for omega 3 I was very nervous to touch it. I used to take it everyday and then stopped as one day I took it and I couldn’t fall asleep and associated that with the fish oil but I doubt it was that. Maybe it was my nerves. 
 

I do see a therapist sometimes she helps me in getting my thoughts in order and I also meditate. I am Muslim so I pray five times a day which I consider is kind of like meditation. It does help. 
 

i worked for a month at the 1 month mark of withdrawals. It went okay I was able to finish the day and wake up and go to bed for it surprisingly. I ate well at worked.But while at work I cried lots and took lots of bathroom breaks. I couldn’t concentrate on the task and was very very slow on the things I needed to accomplish. I eventually dropped my position. I was just too focused on work and being okay for work rather than being okay for myself. It broke my heart but at this time I just don’t think I have the capability. 
 

im so up and down usually morning and afternoons to early evenings are just exhausting and stressing then I get a relief period and then it’s back at it again. My heart rate is always high even when calm my heart rate is so high and I’m loosing lots of hair. 
 

Thank you for giving me hope and thank you again for responding.May this all end ❤️

[manymoretodays]

I'll start with the OCD, and panic/anxiety, and PSSD.  Don't dwell on or in the PSSD topic though.......from what you typed, it's more obsessions now with symptoms than the actual symptoms themselves I think.

 

Neuro-emotions

 

Obsessive compulsive disorder or OCD: Repetative intrusive thoughts, compulsive behaviors

Ways to cope with daily anxiety

Sudden fear, terror, panic, anxiety, or sensory overload from withdrawal

 

PMS, PMDD, and menstrual cycle issues during withdrawal and after

PSSD Post-SSRI sexual dysfunction

 

Irregular heartbeats, palpitations, tachycardia, bradycardia

and most of the time, if you are still experiencing the palpitations now.......from what I've witnessed here after many years, there are none who wind up with actual diagnoses of any heart problem or disease, after work ups.  Granted some have pre-existing conditions.  That's different though.

 

How to talk to a doctor about tapering and withdrawal and what to expect

I'm wary and be careful when you see the psychiatrist please.  They may not validate that this is withdrawal.  However, look at the thousands, literally here and elsewhere who can really relate to what is going on with you now.

 

I hope I didn't miss anything, symptoms or other.

Unfortunately for some, recovering from an adverse reaction to a medication, such as you, and your case, can often be markedly similar to WD.  And just takes time, patience, more time, and then........recovery happens.  So here is:

What is withdrawal syndrome?

Things to do along the way.

 

Do remember that expectations are inversely related to serenity, or calmness.  Keep your expectations fairly neutral if you can.

 

And here is to your next Window augaa71!  It's coming.  Your non-drug practices and coping will pay off I think.  You'll see.

 

Do report and update again please.   Right here in your Introduction topic is good too.  To report, update, ask questions of us.  As you can see we have many, many topics here and so best to check for a topic before starting one in Symptoms and Self Care.
How to do a Site Search on Surviving Antidepressants. org

 

 

L, P, H, and G,

mmt

 

 

[augaa71]

I used to have waves and windows every day but now they have changed to more days kind of things. So if I have one week of really good then the next week will be really bad and so on and so forth. As well with the days of one portion is good I’ll end up in a different position for a different part of the day. 

[manymoretodays]

Ooooh, so sorry to hear it was so recent.  Very glad to hear that you have gotten out of a bad situation.

Stick around.

I know I gave you tons to look at, take your time.

Your Windows sound good, like a good thing is happening with healing now.

And I am ecstatic to read that you did not succeed with suicide.  You did the right thing, going inpatient.  You did.  Don't be ashamed.

 

Feel the collective healing, and rooting for you from us all.

 

You are very fragile right now.  A nervous system in arrears basically.  Autonomic dysfunction it is called.  Go easy.

And please, don't isolate.  That is the worst.  Limit interactions.......yes........don't try to interact more than you can right now.  Just decide which people you will talk with each day and stick with it, and them.  Get outside if at all possible.  Brief walk, or a drive with someone could really help.

 

Do use Drugs.com or Medscape please, before any further drug trials, if it comes to that.

My hope is that you will be experiencing enough relief before the psychiatrist appointment, and finding support too, to carry you along without drugs.

 

Hugs.  💜

Edited November 29, 2022 by manymoretodays
More. spelling, added a comma

[manymoretodays]

augaa71, I think I am done editing my last post.  Just in case you are reading it now, it might have additions.

[augaa71]

Thank you so much for all of this and your support ! You brightened my day and really gave me some hope. 🥰
 

I will look into those links definitely!  and I appreciate your kind words it means a lot to me 

[manymoretodays]

Keep the hope alive, yes.

I did not include the reinstatement topic for you I see.  So here it is:

About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms

and we do go with a harm reduction, very small dose for reinstatements

Important also:

Hypersensitivity and Kindling

 

And.  Was this all up to 2 weeks ago, with the lorazepam?

On 11/27/2022 at 11:48 AM, augaa71 said:

I took lorazepam everyday while getting on it but I had missed a day or two I was fine. After stopping it for the first two weeks I had a huge insomnia a week after for where I couldn’t sleep and it sent me crazy. After that everything fell down. I was told by my gp to immediately go back on it at full dose 10mg. It seemed to help with the sleep at first but then I felt horrible. I was so bad I couldn’t even leave my room. Couldn’t sit still just severe anxiety and shaking and heart palpations. They would only subside at night time where I would get three-4 hours of feeling completely normal. Then next day it would be same thing, wake up severe heart palpations and anxiety and panicking and after taking the pill it would last four some hours then the calmness would come. After Two weeks on it without seeing a change in symptoms I had insomnia again and then decided that was it I had to get off of it. I did and improved greatly for two weeks. Felt like my  old self again. 
 

then withdrawal symptoms hit and they hit bad.

 

It sounds like then, if that is the case......you ARE into some benzo WD now.

 

Oh my, but you were really suffering before the hospital too......with some of that being situational.

 

Please add in dates, with the year, month, and days of recent drugs to your signature.  Easy access is here:  AccountSettings/signature/updates/edits

Make sure to hit the SAVE button at the bottom when done.

 

Thanks augaa71.  When is the appointment with a psychiatrist coming up?  It's possible you might benefit from a small reinstate of citalopram, a cousin of sorts to Lexapro.  It's thought to be milder, and it's make up is just a little different.  I wouldn't try more than 2 mg if it was me. 

Here's our citalopram topic as well, it does have information on how to get the non-standard doses needed for re-instatement(and tapering too)

Tips for tapering off Celexa(citalopram)

 

I'll also put you in for conferring with the staff on now.  Do update with recent drugs used with name of drugs, dosages, dates please.  In your signature if you can.  Thank you.  And for now, hold on tight.

 

Best, L, P, H, and G,

mmt

[augaa71]

It’s on December 5th! 
 

taking Escitoplram at first was fine, I was only on it for two weeks before I thought to myself I don’t think I need these. (Was unaware of the seriousness of these drugs). When I went off it I had received withdrawals a week later and reinstated at full dose, which was way too much for me. I had a lot of trouble. I couldn’t sit still except in my room. I was just laying in bed all day. Wouldn’t eat wouldn’t do anything until I felt relief at night. Severe anxiety, severe heart papalations severe depression. After two weeks I gave them up. 
 

I guess I’m just nervous, was that an indication it will have an adverse reaction to it? Maybe because it was too high of a dose ?If I reinstate I’m scared I will feel the same way again. I don’t want to interrupt the progress I have made. I do desperatly want relief but I don’t want to make the situation worse. 

[augaa71]

It was with the lorazepam, ssri and sleeping pill all at once I just stopped them  

[manymoretodays]

Hi augaa71,

December 5th of 2021?  Or do you mean November 5th, the month we were just in?

And okay, so you are taking nothing right now?

 

How are you doing today?

L, P, H, and G,

mmt

[augaa71]

December 5th.

I’m not the greatest but not the worst. 
 

I will have ups and downs during the day and night and I’ll get really depressed or angry. Sometimes panicked and sad throughout the last few days. I read the kindling thread and believe I just confused my self more to be honest.

 

I am taking nothing at all as of right now except vitamins

[augaa71]

Sorry my appointment is December 5th this year. So upcoming

[Altostrata]

On 8/23/2022 at 4:27 PM, augaa71 said:

I started lexapro 10 mg on July 2nd 2022. I was on it for about a week and got severely sick. I was also taking lorazepam and sleeping pills everyday for that same week. 
I stopped all pills at once and it was okay for the first 5 days and boom the withdrawals hit me like a ton of bricks.

....

I went back on lexapro immediately for 2 weeks and it was a horrible experience. I had heightened heart rate and anxiety it would be from 7 in the morning till about 9 pm at night till I felt somewhat normal.

 

^Is this what happened? Or is it this? 

 

On 11/28/2022 at 9:39 PM, augaa71 said:

taking Escitoplram at first was fine, I was only on it for two weeks before I thought to myself I don’t think I need these. ....

 

Which?????

 

On 8/27/2022 at 10:31 AM, augaa71 said:

I went to my doctor and he prescribed me Lexapro 10 mg, Lorazepam 0.5 mg and sleeping pills, which without much research and knowledge on the antidepressants I started taking all three every day. It did help me somewhat for the first little bit, helping me sleep and the lorazepam really helped me with my anxiety during the days. Sometimes I would take two lorazepams if I was feeling stressed out in a day. After about a week, I thought a lot to myself and decided that this isn't something I wanted to do. So I decided to stop all three cold turkey.

 

Did you stop the 3 drugs after 1 week or 2 weeks?

 

On 11/27/2022 at 1:48 PM, augaa71 said:

I took lorazepam everyday while getting on it but I had missed a day or two I was fine. After stopping it for the first two weeks I had a huge insomnia a week after for where I couldn’t sleep and it sent me crazy. After that everything fell down. I was told by my gp to immediately go back on it at full dose 10mg. It seemed to help with the sleep at first but then I felt horrible. I was so bad I couldn’t even leave my room. Couldn’t sit still just severe anxiety and shaking and heart palpations. They would only subside at night time where I would get three-4 hours of feeling completely normal. Then next day it would be same thing, wake up severe heart palpations and anxiety and panicking and after taking the pill it would last four some hours then the calmness would come. After Two weeks on it without seeing a change in symptoms I had insomnia again and then decided that was it I had to get off of it. I did and improved greatly for two weeks. Felt like my  old self again. 

 

What periods did you take lorazepam every day?

 

Are you saying above that after reinstating 10mg Lexapro, you would feel better after 4 hours?

 

[augaa71]

When I got extremely sick it was with an ear infection and with Bell’s palsy. I also had gastritis and seasonal allergies but my feelings within which I believed were caused by the medication was fine just very tired. No anxiety no suicidal thoughts, no depression just tired. Sorry I get confused with the time looking back at my first post but I think it was close to two weeks before I stopped it all three at the same time . Then I was completely normal back to myself for about five days. My ear infection went away and the Bell’s palsy went away. I was on antibiotics while I was taking the physiatrics pills so maybe there was swelling because of that I’m not sure. 
 

When I went on it again due to my doctors recommendation the first day I went on it had helped me. It went back to original dosage 10 mg but I noticed when on it that the next day I would wake up with severe anxiety, crazy heart palpations and I was sleeping so much more and I was really really nervous. It was hard for me to leave my room and even go to the bathroom. I would take it around 3 pm and wouldn’t feel calm or back to normal until anywhere from 7-9 pm. One night I got insomnia while still on it and decided that this wasn’t helping me at all and talked to a physciatrist who said it was better for me to off of them and that I can just quit cold Turkey. 
 

after quitting again I had lots of dirrhea and sick but that subsided within two weeks. After two weeks the meatballssymptoms of withdrawel hit me so badly and I’m four months out still suffering but slowly improving.
 

im not sure what to do

 

[augaa71]

Mental aspects *

[augaa71]

I took the lorazepam everyday when I started with the escitolpram oxolate

[Altostrata]

10mg was too much. You might consider reinstating 3mg escitalopram liquid every day to reduce withdrawal.

[manymoretodays]

Hi aguaa71,

What do you think of Alto's suggest above.

Here's the escitalopram topic to have handy:

Tips for tapering off Lexapro(escitalopram)

yes, it would be great if you could get a liquid prep to use, should you decide on this

Also good to keep us updated, daily if possible, when reinstating too.

 

Thanks Altostrata.

 

What happened at your appointment on the 5th of December, if you don't mind saying aguaa71?

 

And thank you for doing your best answering questions too.

 

Updates welcome.  Hope this finds you well enough.

 

L, P, H, and G,

mmt

[augaa71]

Hello,

 

well I explained to the physciatrist what was happening and he doesn’t believe really that I am suffering through antidepressant withdrawals. 
 

his recommendations were to start on a new medication although I did recommend reinstating at a lower dose he didn’t think that was too wise. He recommended a low dose of mitrizapiene, or fluexotine. He wants to try a completely different medication all together. 
 

I didn’t feel comfortable. So he recommended we try DBT, working out three times a week, changing my diet (I’m severely underweight, I weigh 70 pounds), and weekly therapist sessions. Going back to work slowly and staying out of the house as much as possible. We will try this for the next few months to see if there are any improvements and move forward from there. 
 

although this website is very helpful. Sometimes I obsess over it, it does scare me a lot. Sometimes gives me hope. I love the support. But I can’t help but feel so scared. Puts me in panic and makes me feel hopeless about the future. There are scary things and to think I can be going through this for years breaks my heart incredibly. Sometimes I’m fine and sometimes I’m not. I think at this time it would be nice for me to post updates but I’m not sure I have the courage to do it so often. I’m just heartbroken really and unsure about the future. 
 

as for medication. I’m too scared. Sometimes I want to take it just to feel better but what if it doesn’t work and it gets worse. I would never forgive myself. I can’t even eat a piece of cake without worrying how it will affect me let alone take a medication. So with that I’m unsure. I know re instating is better the sooner you get off medication. But at this point I’m too scared to move onto the next step. I don’t trust myself or anyone in that fact to make the decision for me. Not anymore. 
 

I don’t know what the future holds. But I’ll try with the recommendations. I will say magnesium is nice and praying helps me a lot. Reading Quran and doing some meditation. 
 

im thinking of taking CBD to help with anxiety and maybe adding some melatonin at night. But again I’m not sure. 
 

thank you all for your help and checking up on me. It means a lot ❤️

[Altostrata]

@augaa71 any doctor can prescribe these drugs, it doesn't have to be a psychiatrist. If this doctor is not helpful, you might see another. Alternatively, this topic explains how to make a liquid from a tablet: Tips for tapering off Lexapro(escitalopram)

[augaa71]

Hi Altostrata 

 

im not sure if this is path I want to go down just yet. Just because after reading the thread of people reinstating it left me very confused. Some have good experiences some have bad experiences. I don’t feel right taking risks at this point. I’m scared lol. Unfortunately and with seeing another doctor this can take months. It took me months to get this one. Where I am at we have been calling doctors left and right and no one is accepting new patients. I don’t have a family doctor and finding one has been extremely difficult. I am told I have to wait till June and then from there I can be recommended to a different physciatrist. But he did offer me natural forms getting through this so maybe I’ll try this first. 

[Altostrata]

Since your doctor wants to prescribe another antidepressant, you might substitute citalopram, escitalopram's gentler sibling, for your reinstatement.