ashesinlought Checking in- Kind of freaked out

[ashesinloght]

I was only on Lexapro for situatonal anxiety. I started mid May at 1.25mg and went gradually up to 7.5 mg in one month. I decided I didnt like it and started to come down the next month gradually as well until at the end of the month I was at 1.25 for a week and then 0. THe last 3 weeks after that have been HELLLLLL! Horrible. Tightness in head and lower back, cannot sleep well, nervous system wont calm down - that was the first 2 weeks. I thought it would get better! But week 4 started and the symptoms are even more bizarre- disconnected from my body, feel slightly detached and far away- head hurts. I am scared now as I read what people have gone though and the lasting effects. I am really petrified to go back on the stupid Lexapro now that I have waited to so long. I only have a general doctor and she knows nothing. I am very nervous..

[Fresh]

Hi ashes , welcome to the site.

 

I'm afraid you are having withdrawal symptoms , even though you only took lexapro for such a short time.  You'll get lots of information

and support here.

Have you considered taking a tiny amount to see if your symptoms settle?  Try reading http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/7562-about-reinstating-and-stabilizing-to-reduce-withdrawal-symptoms/

You could then get stable and taper in a slower , less disruptive way.

 

If you click FOLLOW at the top right , you'll receive an email each time someone posts here.

 

Best wishes ,  Fresh

[DaddyCee]

There should be no lasting effects, you just need to give time for your brain to heal from the changes that have occurred during the short drug induced state.  You will get well and be able to function like a proper person soon.  Don't give up and just try to remind yourself that "this soon will pass" and that it is just "withdrawl".  Drink a healthy load of water daily this has helped me.

 

Namaste.

[ashesinloght]

THanks guys that is what I am trying to understand.. do i go back on or not. I really thought it would be better by now and went week by week but after the 3rd week i cannot stand up with out getting dizzy and have to travel on a plane tomorrow! I really wish there was a good doctor who had dealt with things like this before!

[Nomoreheadmeds]

welcome 'ashes' 

[Altostrata]

Welcome, ash.

 

You might try taking 1mg Lexapro and see if that helps. It comes in a liquid by prescription, or you can make one, see Tips for tapering off Lexapro (escitalopram)

 

After a while, you could taper off by tiny amounts.

[ashesinloght]

Is it possible to take less? or should i do 1mg. I have been off for about 4 weeks now. I am just concerned as to what will help my system heal better to stay off or to go on? How do I know if it is working or not . I m scared

[brassmonkey]

Hi Ashes-- welcome to the group. The great thing about using the liquid is that you can be very precise with your doses.  Using the right concentration and oral syringe it is easy to do 0.1mg if needed.  The taper you did was quite fast.  Unfortunately only using these drugs for a month is long enough to cause problems coming off of them.  There is no need to be scared of how you're feeling, none of these symptoms will actually harm you, just make you feel really bad.  Right now your brain is in chaos because the drugs have been removed, b giving them a little back, say 1mg. many times it will relieve some of the chaos and let the symptoms settle to a tolerable level.  It takes a minimum of 4 days for any dose change to become steady state in the blood and then a while longer for the symptoms to calm down.  Any reinstatement takes a couple of weeks to several months to kick in fully.

 

About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms

 

What is withdrawal syndrome?

 

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

Thank you so much for adding a signature block, I really helps us figure out what is going on.

[ashesinloght]

is it easier to reinstate and go down? do you still have withdraw effects? i cant go through what i just went through again. I am feeling really un hopeful and unstable. Im not sure where to find the coping skills for this.. I feel beyond my limit and thinking desperately. are there people to talk to out there in support groups or something.

[ashesinloght]

hello. are there more people out there who have experienced withdraw from very short term use? Can you tell me about your experience and if it worked to reinstate or to just withdraw and stabilize. It has been weeks since 2 months on Lexapro and I am still messed up. I am not sure if i should just ride it out or if that will do me worse in the long run or if i should reinstate and stabilize even though I was never really stable on the Lexapro because I went on tapering and then off tapering.. Please help

[Altostrata]

You can take less than 1mg. You can take .25mg, .29mg, .38mg -- any amount you wish.

 

Once you have withdrawal symptoms, reinstating at a low dose is the best advice we have for you. If you wish not to do that, you will have to deal with your symptoms until they go away, which can be months or years. See our Symptoms and Self-care forum for suggestions about how to cope with symptoms http://tinyurl.com/3hq949z
 

I am sorry this is difficult for you. Every single person here has the same difficulty.

 

This is a support group. You are welcome to look for others.

[Petunia]

Hi ashes,

 

I noticed in your signature 'prescribed Lexapro 10mg started at 1.25mg and worked up - horrible reactions but kept going'

 

What were the horrible reactions you got from starting Lexapro? Did you feel bad the whole time you were taking it?

[ashesinloght]

Still on the fence ... I have read some things about short term SSRI use definetly effecting withdraw in people. So that is clear at least. I have have a rough month of these crazy symptoms , basically all that has been listed- tension, headaches, no sleep, out of body, shivering, anxiety, sucidal thought, night terrors and general horrible nervous system engine revving. I am 4 weeks out as of tomorrow and at home now and definetly nervous system is twacked and so very sensitive. I am not out of body today which is awesome and I calmed my system down enough last night to sleep a few hours . Still I want to be kind to my body and do the right thing for it. And I am not sure if this means patiently waiting to see if everything calms down more or going back on a 1mg or smaller (?? not sure about this) dose.. I dont quit understand titration. I understand the method but will titrating help the nervous system to not feel so engaged? Will it help me sleep and feel more normal and able to handle stress or will I still be feeling all these things while titrating off the medication? Very confused about that.....

[Petunia]

I moved the above post from the tapering forum, which is for posts specifically related to tapering various drugs.

 

Our intro/update topics are where we track progress, write about symptoms, ask questions and communicate with the community, add to it whenever you want.

 

ashes, I'm actually wondering if perhaps you had an adverse reaction to Lexapro, rather than being in withdrawal from it, that's why I asked you the questions 2 posts up.

[Altostrata]

Petunia has an excellent point, did you have a bad reaction to escitalopram from the beginning?

 

Some people are simply not suited to antidepressants and have a bad reaction right off, then have what is just like withdrawal syndrome when they quit. If you are among them, reinstating is probably not a good idea.

[ashesinloght]

I had the intial bad reaction to is in the first many weeks. couldnt sleep, restlessness, etc . And didnt really feel a help in my anxiety level from the medication. When I was at 1.25 at the tapering down end I still wasnt always sleeping great. I missed a day and felt awful . THen went back on 1.25 for another week and then went off. It felt kind of like I went on had a hard time getting on the drug but stayed on and then decided I didnt like it and came off. Probably just messed with my nervous system quite a bit

[ashesinloght]

Every SSRI I have tried in the past there has always been an awkward period in the first couple of weeks of feeling awful. A lot of them I have quit before going any further because they made me feel horrible in the 1st week. I thought I would push through Lexapro because I thought it would actually help.. but .. no

[Petunia]

Some people are simply not suited to antidepressants and have a bad reaction right off, then have what is just like withdrawal syndrome when they quit. If you are among them, reinstating is probably not a good idea.

 

It sounds like you are one of these people.

 

It can take a while to recover from a bad reaction, the process can be similar to recovering from withdrawal syndrome, but you will get better.

 

Here is the link to our symptoms and self care section, you may find some useful ideas to help manage symptoms as you recover.  Especially read the topics pinned at the top.

 

Many people find  fish oil and magnesium helpful, see King of Supplements: Omega 3 Fatty Acids (Fish Oil) and Magnesium, Nature's Calcium Channel Blocker

[akakoom]

Hi ashesinloght,

 

Have a look at my thread... I took only 2 pills of paxil 7 months ago, and I haven't been right since.  Horrible luck. Heck, maybe this is permanent... I dont know... I cant give you much advice from experience, but if you can ride it out without taking any more drugs I would try.  These chemicals are very hard on our brains.  sometimes I really wonder about this crazy human race!

[Gh0st]

Your story is similar to mine in a few ways. I've had withdrawal symptoms for the past year after taking only 4 days of 5mg Lexapro. It's a NASTY drug. I would advise against people like us reinstating, because we were unstable so quickly after starting it. 

[KarenB]

Hello Ashesinloght,

 

Finding yourself in this situation is a very scary and confusing thing.  All of us here have had these feelings as we've been on this journey - you are not alone.  And you will get there.  It's hard and I know those feelings of being so frightened, but you will get to a better place.  The stinker is that when you're in the hard place it can be impossible to see that better places still exist.  But they do, and you will find yourself in a better place again.  

 

Do you have a pet to hold, or a trusted friend who can simply be with you?  I find that can help stop me getting so stuck in the fearful places.  Kind of like riding along on someone else's energy/headspace/rational thoughts, till your own self settles a bit.  

 

Or reading some of the success stories on this forum - I find that very calming.  And remembering that some of your feelings are caused by the drugs, and are not actually your true thoughts/feelings - they're called neuro-emotions.  Sometimes I say to myself, 'these negative ideas are not true - if I wasn't on the drugs, I wouldn't be having this thought/feeling.'  It's a little tricky, but it can help with getting some perspective.   

 

So hang in there, and take care of you, you'll make it through

Karen

[KT38]

I had a bad reaction to SSRIs as well, but stayed on them for 2 months and then quit cold turkey.  This was about 6 months ago.  Some things have gotten better, but I get bad bad waves.  The nervousness and agitation is the biggest thing, but that started after the 1st pill so I know it was  bad reaction.  Do not take anymore SSRIs.  Are you able to drive or be alone?  I cannot.

[AmyK]

How are you, Ashes?

[ashesinloght]

Made a mess.. I am in agoNY! intracranial head tension is so bad and back of spin is intense!  I dont hear many people talking about these symptoms is hard to breathe and very wired.  I thought the Lexapro was the most hellish thing I would have to experience and cant beleive this is happening again!!!  You think I would have learned better.  Im not sure what to do.

 

Signature says most of it.

 

Not sure if its too late to reinstate as I tried the 6mg and was met with worsening symptoms days later.  Guy on The RoadBack suggested not going back on becaues it might be too late. Other people suggested a very low dose liek 2-3 mg.  I am at my wits end here having this happen again.  Really struggling to want to live through this again.

[SquirrellyGirl]

Hello ashesinloght, 

 

I moved your topic to your original Intro - it's one Intro per member.  This is an update of your situation.

 

I'm sorry you find yourself in withdrawal again, this time from Zoloft.  You were on it a very short period of time so a faster taper wasn't out of the question, but I guess your nervous system has other things to say about it!  Having been through a taper of Lexapro last year, your system has become sensitized.

 

Perhaps you could review the links given to you here: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/10004-ashesinlought-checking-in-kind-of-freaked-out/?p=180208

 

How did you do during the period between Sept. 2015 and May 2016?  I suspect you were experiencing protracted withdrawal which is what put you on Zoloft.  You were on Zoloft for such a short time, I'm having trouble believing this is Zoloft withdrawal, so I am going to put this to the other mods to contemplate.  

 

How is your sleep?  What is your symptom pattern throughout the day?  Please keep detailed notes.

 

Your reinstatement dose was probably too high and that made you feel worse by the time it reached a steady state in the blood.  Your system has been yanked around quite a bit so I'm reluctant to recommend anything other than holding right now.  Did you only take the one 6 mg dose and then did not continue?  It will help us to get answers to these questions so that we can advise you better.  Particularly, what went on during the last eight months?  What happened when you started the Zoloft - you said you didn't like it, but what made you feel that way?

 

Muscle and joint pain are very common WD symptoms:  http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/6504-tension-pain-twitches-spasms-in-muscles-and-joints/

 

We look forward to hearing back from you.  Be sure to bookmark your Intro so you can find it more easily, and click "Follow" above to receive notifications when others respond to your thread.

 

SG

[ashesinloght]

Between Sept and May its hard to remember honestly.  I know October was filled with a lot of anxiety and derealization and feeling really ungrounded.  Developed more gI issues during that time pretty badly and was still having headaches on and off and very sensitized to supplements, never knew what was going to  jack me up.  Think I had ptsd from Lexapro withdraw.  My abilty to cope with stress really got bad and everyting especially health related began to make me panic because I couldnt get my life together.  Thought I was expereincing just the anxiety I had had before the Lexapro and other trauma events of the past.  Have had a hard time breathing and tight musce tension, fatiuged though my cortisol tests were ok and my neurotransmitter test was good.  Had people prescribe magnesium and a slew of nervous system tonics which didnt seem to do much though did it anyway.  Began to feel very fragmented in my mind moreso than ever.  Like lots of thought disembodied floating and taking up space- trying to figure stuff out.  Tried EEG and it made my brain feel really wacky and have headaches again.  Ended up going to PHP 3 months of intnesive therapy for trauma which was actually very stressful in and of itself and I began to dissaciotaie and dereal even more and couldnt get nervous sytem to calm down for days afer getting freaked out it would just lock into a panic place like I was high and couldnt get down. Began waking up every more in panic and fear.  They put me in Zolft in May and it did help me land more in the real world but I kept getting headaches and slight mania. Didnt like it.  I didnt like it because 8 hr after taking it i felt manic inside and would get headaches and then began to feel really strange like i didnt really exsist and everything was really far away.

 

Sleep is pretty good before this Zoloft thing though had health fiascos and supplement fiascos and GI problems and feeling really ill in my bowels.  I guess I have SIBO of some kind and my bile may not be working too well.  Sometimes I wake up too early or ot takes me a long time to calm down to get to sleep.  I am tired and wired a lot of the time.

 

I did only take a 6mg dose one day and then stopped i wish i hadnt taken it because the pressure is back today!

Edited June 18, 2016 by scallywag
rewording offensive language

[SquirrellyGirl]

Thank you for providing that history, ashes.  In reviewing your previous experience with Lexapro, it sounds as though your system really cannot handle SSRIs!  You'd likely been experiencing protracted withdrawal from Lexapro all the while and were still highly sensitized when you tried the Zoloft.  We have had members come on here having taken a mere five doses of one of these meds only to have reverberations for months as though they had cold turkeyed after years of use!

 

You have been through a lot since September :-(  I suspect you are a slow metabolizer of these meds.  I will put this to the mod team to see if a TINY reinstatement might help.  I'm thinking 0.5 to 1 mg of Zoloft.  Please don't do anything until you get a response.

 

Hang in there!

SG

[ashesinloght]

Thank u i am awaiting your reply. Still havinv severly bad head pressure and inner constriction. Really painful.

[SquirrellyGirl]

Ashes, did you have the head pressure and inner constriction when on the Zoloft before coming off, or did this develop after you quit on June 6?  You said you had headaches while on it, so this head pressure is something different?  Have the fear and nightmares continued?

 

I'm still waiting on the mods but do you know about the Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization?  What is hard to tell is whether your current symptoms are a continuation of withdrawal from Lexapro, in which case you are too far out for reinstatement to likely help (though there's always the odd case that is actually helped).  Or, is this destabilization from trying the Zoloft?  I don't have the experience to tease this apart like the more senior mods so am waiting on them.

 

What I can say is that if you did nothing and let your nervous system calm down, that would probably be the best bet all around.  When we are experience symptoms and want to "do" something about them, we tend to make things more complicated and slow down healing by tinkering.  Have you tried any self-care techniques?  Though this thread is about emotional symptoms, the techniques are good for any withdrawal symptoms:  Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms.  I think Emotional Freedom Techniques (tapping) could be helpful regarding the pain.  http://www.emofree.com/eft-tutorial/tapping-basics/how-to-do-eft.html

 

The more that we focus on symptoms and get distressed, the longer they stick around, I'm afraid.  Stress is the last thing you need, and ruminating about the symptoms keeps you in stress, not a good scenario for healing.  So, please spend some time reading the non-drug link, and employ some of those methods, such as mindfulness and EFT.

 

Meanwhile, are you taking Magnesium and Omega-3 Fish Oil?

 

SG

[ashesinloght]

Symptoms of headache vs head pressure are very different he pressue is contriction beyond comapre in my head especially the brain stem and my spine .  The muscles get so tight it is very hard to breathe and I cannot handle how tight it is.  It is like the lexapro wothdraw symtoms.  hard to get it to stop aching to sleep and then wake up to it starting again.  it is so bad right now and it has been 6 days since 6mg dose. this really sucks.  I dont want to have to expereince this **** again.

 

All i do all day is soothing techniiqes.  I am not panicking i am just in extreme pain and tension squeezing my body so hard.  

[ashesinloght]

and yes lots of magnesium and fish oil. I eat really well and excericse, meditate and do qi gong and eft

[ashesinloght]

Really not well. Worried. Feeling nauseous .very fatigued . hard to stand up . immense pressure in head

[ashesinloght]

This is def from zoloft withdraw if articles are correct about occupancy at 3mg its still 50 percent. Wondering if u should go back on at 3 or less. I seemed to do ok with 6 mg a day or 12.5 mg everyother two weeks ago which is about 65 percent occupancy

[SquirrellyGirl]

I would do less, Ashes, like 1 mg, and give it four days before another change, since it will take that long to reach a steady state in the blood.  I'm sorry to not get back to you.  If you feel worse immediately, stop; 1 mg won't be as disruptive as more.

 

SG

[ashesinloght]

squirrely girl i know you were waiting for other people to advise.. did anyone come online?  I dont know no why no one is really responding to this topic.  I am not sure how to gt 1mg out of the tablet!

[SquirrellyGirl]

Well, you might have to go to the pharmacy and see about getting an oral syringe tomorrow.  You can make a liquid out of your Zoloft tablet.  See here:

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1441-tips-for-tapering-off-zoloft-sertraline/

 

Particularly, 

 

Make your own liquid

Many people make their own Zoloft liquid out of tablets and water. See How to make a liquid from tablets or capsules

 

What size tablets are you working with?  You'd probably want to make a 1 mg/ml solution and take 1 ml.  Find out from the pharmacist if you can get syringes of different sizes.  Does this seem like something you could take on?  You are in Santa Cruz - there must be someplace open tomorrow like Walgreen's or Rite Aid.

 

SG