Kbear30: Petrified of Kindled. Please Read!

[Kbear30]

Hello! 
 

I am new here and petrified of being kindled. I was on a Facebook group who warned of it and sent me here. 
 

I have GAD and OCD and was put on Lexapro in August of 2018. It was a perfect match and I ended up at 15mg. This was my first drug ever and I’m so lucky it worked. 
 

In June 2024, I felt as though it wasn’t working as well anymore, and a med management nurse advised me that this happens and we could cross taper to Prozac. The taper was FAST. 

10 mg Lexapro + 20 mg Prozac for 7 days 

5 mg Lexapro + 20 mg Prozac for 7 days 

Only 20mg Prozac. 

 

The drop to 10mg was difficult, but by day 5 or 6 I felt like I was starting to stabilize. 5mg was too fast and the second day into it she brought me back up to 10 mg for another 5 days. I then made the drop back to 5mg but by day 4 I ended up at the ER. They were unsure if it was anxiety or serotonin syndrome,  but I was advised to discontinue both the Prozac and Lexapro. 
 

the first few weeks were very difficult with a slew of odd symptoms, but by week 6 or 7 of no meds I was doing very well and felt pretty good. Week 10 hit and my OCD and health anxiety returned with an absolute vengeance. It has been crippling and cost me my job and almost my marriage. I am 12 weeks med free now and saw a psychiatrist as I, unfortunately, do need medication to cope with my mental health. I started 12.5mg Zoloft last night but my FB group has made me SO nervous. They have said that I am kindled because of the Lexapro and that starting Zoloft will make me manic as a result. As someone with severe health anxiety, this has triggered panic and I’m now terrified. 
 

I could use some insight please. 
 

Thanks! 

Edited October 21, 2024 by Emonda
Name to title

[LotusRising]

@Kbear30

 

Welcome to SA,

 

Have you read through this topic?

 

 

[Katey7485]

Hey Kbear,

 

That’s totally wild that they had you on 2 SSRI’s at once, that is so dangerous I think. 
 

I don’t think you are kindled (but of course I may be wrong). Everyone is a bit different, but it took me cold turkeying my Prozac several times over about 20 years to actually experience real kindling this year when going back on - by goodness you’ll know if you’re kindled, I had to go to the psych ward for 3 months (not to scare you btw, I was just in there voluntarily and they couldn’t explain my neuro symptoms). 
 

Your Facebook group can’t know for sure if your Zoloft would make you manic - please don’t panic. In saying that, I can understand your reaction, kindlings and SSRI’s are a lot more frightening when you discover surviving antidepressants and other withdrawal sites because they speak the truth but of course some of the stories are worst case, people that have had little reactions or problems with SSRI’s wouldn’t come here. 

 

Look OCD and health anxiety can be catastrophic, I have both. If you feel that you have to be on Zoloft, I think going back on extremely slowly would be the best way, a low dose super slowly would help avoid kindling if you were hypersensitive.

 

(Just a disclaimer, I’m just another user, not an expert, this is my personal opinion) 

 

I hope it goes really well - you are in the right place for advice 😊

-Kate