Ohhkayk8: New Here & Brushed off by Psychs

[Ohhkayk8]

Hello. I am new to this forum and experience. For 7 years, I had immense success with Lex at 15mg. A few weeks ago, I noticed my anxiety was increasing and sought help from a mental health NP. She said the Lex had probably “pooped out” and it was time to stop. She immediately dropped me to 10mg and set up an 18 day taper. She also added 20mg of Prozac in during those 18 days as she said it would prevent withdrawals. The decrease to 10mg was HARD, as was welcoming the Prozac and I voiced my concern, but she had me push through. In 18 days, I was off of both meds. The first few weeks were HORRID, but then I saw the light and had some decent days. I’m 6 weeks off now and am struggling tremendously. My stomach is wrecked, I have a slew of other symptoms, and my emotions are everywhere. I met with a psychiatrist and he told me that it’s medically impossible to withdraw after 14 days and that something else is going on because there’s no way it’s related to the meds. I read about kindling, and was going to restart my Lex tonight at 1.5 mg but am so afraid. I feel so hopeless and this is all so new to me. 
 

-Kay 

[LotusRising]

Hi @Ohhkayk8

 

Welcome to SA,

 

I'm sorry you've been brushed off by your psychiatrist. It's an unfortunate truth that there are many who don't understand, nor care to learn about withdrawal.

 

Could you help us out by creating a signature please How to Create a Signature

 

29 minutes ago, Ohhkayk8 said:

She said the Lex had probably “pooped out” and it was time to stop.

Yes, what really happens is your body adapts to the drug over time. 

 

30 minutes ago, Ohhkayk8 said:

I’m 6 weeks off now and am struggling tremendously. My stomach is wrecked, I have a slew of other symptoms, and my emotions are everywhere.

What is happening?

 

Have you read our topic on Reinstating and Stabilizing?

 

31 minutes ago, Ohhkayk8 said:

I read about kindling, and was going to restart my Lex tonight at 1.5 mg but am so afraid.

What dose of lexapro did you stop at? Can you tell me how you tapered it? I'm just wondering if 1.5mg might be too high to start at.

[Ohhkayk8]

My stomach has been very upset, cramping, nausea, frequent bowel movements. Restless at night, I wake up to a racing heart and racing thoughts, my moods are swinging. I’m very irritable and angry and then super emotional. had a bad refill with a different manufacturer in the past that we discovered sent me into withdrawals and I’m experiencing those same symptoms now. 
 

from what I am now learning, the taper was a mess. I had always been on 15mg (7 years) and she had me drop to 10mg and start 20mg of Prozac with that for 7 days. I was having a hard time adjusting to the decrease in Lex and the addition of Pro and told her I wasn’t ready to decrease to 5mg on the 7th day. She said it was normal and to push on. 2 days into the 5mg I spiraled and she had me alternate 10mg and 5mg for 4 days and then stay at the 5mg. A few days back into 5mg I ended up at the ER with high BP, elevated heart rate, miserable headache so she said just stop both that it was enough. This all happened over the course of 18 days and I’m now 6 weeks with nothing. The last lex dose I took was 5mg. I had tried 12.5 mg of Zoloft last week but didn’t feel well. I think it was anxiety because I am so scarred from this experience. 

[Ohhkayk8]

Hello All! New to this journey. I’ve read the posts about reinstating and kindling, but I’ve had far less medication exposure than others. 
 

7 years ago, I was diagnosed with OCD and given Lexapro as it worked for my 2 brothers. To my surprise, it was a success! 15mg was my sweet spot, and I had 7 amazing years with it! Of those 7, the last 2 have been up and down. The pharmacy gave me a different brand and for some reason I react SO bad to this manufacturer. It starts gradual, and within 3 months (I get a 90 day supply) I am in a full blown mental episode with SEVERE symptoms. My GP said it was with withdrawals and less than 10 days of being switched back to my normal brand, I’m good as new! The pharmacy did it in Jan of 2024 and again this past June. My med management nurse said it would be best to switch to a new drug and not worry about the brand anymore. I was devastated to quit my Lex and that’s when this all began…. 
 

She had me drop to 10mg of Lex and added 20mg Prozac in to cross taper at these doses for 7 days. It was rough! My body did not like the decrease in Lex after 7 years, and I was trying to adjust to the Prozac. After 7 days she told me to drop to 5mg of Lex and 20mg of Prozac for 7 days. 3 days into this decrease and I broke down. Severe anxiety, mood swings, insomnia, restlessness, GI upset, etc. I told her it was too fast which she dismissed and said if I insisted then I could 10mg for 4 more days and then come back to 5mg. I did this, came back down to 5mg again, and had 3 ER  visits which they blamed the meds for. At this point, my med management nurse said to just quit both as this was more than enough time to taper off Lex and that the Prozac hadn’t kicked in. So in 18 days, I was off Lex and it was BAD. 

 

We tried to reintroduce 5mg Lex 7 days later but I had a panic attack a few hours after and was told to just stay clean. I was SO scared to start to the Lex again so I think it was psychosomatic. About 2 weeks ago we tried a single dose of 12.5mg of Zoloft but I felt anxious and didn’t bother again (again I was so nervous).  
 

I am 6 weeks clean of the Lex and miserable. I have had a handful of good days, but the symptoms are getting worse. I wake up with panic attacks, my stomach is destroyed, I feel like my brain is constantly adjusting or shuffling (odd feelings), palpitations, irritability and emotional, depression, shaking, muscle twitching, EVERYTHING I experienced when they changed my brand. My OCD and anxiety has returned as well. 
 

I want to reinstate, but I’m scared because I’ve heard horror stories. I know some people hate these meds but right now, I am at a point in my life where they benefit me and I prefer them. Maybe a slow taper down the road, but I’m at a point where they help me cope right now and I just want to go back to how I was. 

[LotusRising]

Hi @Ohhkayk8

 

I've moved you other topic over here to your thread. You can post all your info right here.

 

15 hours ago, Ohhkayk8 said:

We tried to reintroduce 5mg Lex 7 days later but I had a panic attack a few hours after and was told to just stay clean.

I wonder if this way too high. What was the exact date that you stopped both lexapro and prozac?

[Ohhkayk8]

July 25 was the last date for both.