Porcelainmonster-please help. Adhd meds plus lexapro

[Porcelainmonster]

Hi I'm Lauren, I'm 24, and have been on and off meds since I was 18. I was put on 5mg of lexapro at 18, with strattera 70mg for ADD. I was on both for about 2 years, strattera did nothing for me. And I tapered off lexapro slowly after two years with no problems except brain zaps for a few weeks. Depression never came back.

 

I had a baby when I was 21, and came down with post partum depression and was put on Wellbutrin for 2 months. It made me feel crazy, very up and down and much more depressed so I tapered off quite fast, and was fine afterwards. Suffered no real withdrawal.

 

I was then put on adderall xr 10mg twice a day for ADD the end of 2012, it helped my anxiety and my focus immensely, but I then became allergic and stopped December 2013; I was then started on concerta 30mg for about a week, but it made me feel like a zombie, and also became allergic..so my doctor switched me to Vyvanse 30mg, and after 2 months, I am now on vyvanse 50mg and lexapro 10mg.

 

In January this year, I was put back on escitalopram (lexapro) , due to depression and anxiety returning from home issues. I was then upped to 10mg lexapro (actually escitalopram) and began feeling better... Than I felt nothing after about 2 months, and two weeks ago decided I didnt want to be on antidepressants anymore, and started (by myself) alternating my dosages. Huge mistake. I did 5 mg one day, 10mg the next, then 5mg... For only about 5 days.

 

I began to feel VERY depressed and teary and spoke to a friend who uses this site and she told me alternating was very wrong. So deep in depression last week (Wednesday) I drank beer and liquor.

 

Ended up getting too drunk and blacking out very quickly. Quicker than usual. I became erratic, and bumped my head a few times and woke up with a bruise on my head.... Since then, Ive been back on 10mg every day. But have been having headaches since Wednesday, dizziness, listless, depressed, No energy or motivation, and not feeling like myself... Not wanting to converse, I feel out of it, unable to smile.. But this alternates. Two days ago I felt like myself again, and then this comes back. I feel as if Ive been hungover for a week.

 

I am also still on vyvanse, and some days since then, my add meds work and sometimes dont. Today I took my meds like normal, and my vyvanse felt stronger than usual... I just want to feel like myself again. I dont know if this is from drinking with my meds, bumping my head or alternating my dosages for 5 days.

 

 

Please help. I was fine when it was just me and the vyvanse.

Edited April 22, 2014 by Altostrata
added paragraph breaks for readability

[Porcelainmonster]

If anyone can offer any advice on what I can do

To feel better... Or how I can safely get off the lexapro, I would greatly appreciate it. I need my

Motivation and energy back... I don't like this dizziness and constant headache and eye pain... I feel terrible. My mind feels like a roller coaster.

[Altostrata]

Welcome, PM.

The irregularity in Lexapro dosing caused withdrawal symptoms, see http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/603-what-is-antidepressant-withdrawal-syndrome/

This means your nervous system took a hit and became unstable. Smoking, drinking, and recreational drugs may cause big problems; you may not respond the way you used to to anything that acts on the nervous system, including your prescription drugs.

Your history of going on and off drugs might also predispose you to sensitivity to dosage changes.

To taper Lexapro, see http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/406-tips-for-tapering-off-lexapro-escitalopram/

Are you taking any other drugs regularly?

[NewMe]

Hey 

 

Welcome - 

 

I have exp w ADD meds. Both Generic Adderall and Vyvanse.

 

Generic (IR= instant release) Adderall (Amphetamine, Dextroamphetamine Mixed Salt) worked well for me at first. I was tapering off Paxil CR at the time and was in school again. I was motivated and focused and felt great.

 

One day I did not take the GEN IR and experienced panic and overwhelming anxiety all day. I had to attend class or miss a very imp part and risk failing. I took a small dose of GEN Adderall and I restabilized and was fine.

 

Later, the PDOC switched me to vyvanse and it was interesting. Slower ramp up V generic Adderall IR - but did not last the long time promotion of effectiveness. In fact, many people on Vyvanse report a very short effective window V what it was supposed to cover - and here is the kicker - CRUSHING depression late afternoon complete with extreme anxiety and crying jags. It is becoming a seriously recognized issue to which many Pdocs recommend adding  (get this) a low late day dose of adderall! Christmas on a friggen cracker. 

 

I eventually was taking one Paxil CR every third day with no issues. I injured my back and like a jerk - took benzos to sleep through the worst of it. I forgot to take the paxil and went CT (cold turkey) - I took Vyvanse once in a while instead of every day. I suspected and noticed my best pal having horrible crashes around 4 and serious depression and apathy - to which she was not prone to as severely before Vyvanse. I started asking her is she thought the rollercoaster death ride in moods was due to vyvanse - she indeed stated it seemed to be. 

 

 

Lo and behold - an internet search and my own suspicions back it up with user experiences just like mine and hers. The crash being catastrophic for some. 

 

 

So as I detoxed from Paxil I lived for mos SSRI-free, but not thriving. I quit Vyvanse CT and went through pretty harsh WDS - sweating, panic, nausea - etc. That left me in about 7-8 days but the GAD and panic stuck around and had been since I quit Paxil CT. 

 

I am not a Dr but it seems as though your dance w Lexapro has been irregular and drinking alcohol will not be of assistance to the chemical **itstorm your brain is experiencing.

 

I cannot stress enough how incredibly evil Vyvanse can be -  on/offs with drinking combined w. Lexapro eenie meanies will only scramble your brain more. No wonder you feel awful. 

 

Vyvanse seems to be one of the meds that tends to affect socialization - numerous report isolating and not being social after some time on it. I know for me this is the case. In my head I wanted to and before it wore off after four hours (yep - only for hours!) .

 

Watch out for the Vyvanse and check out the link Alto provided. Wise person, that one!

[Porcelainmonster]

Oh wow. I've never had bad side effects on Vyvanse... It's been a wonder pill for me. Brought me out of my shy shell, given me so much focus, and lasts about 12 hours for me. I think all of this is from the Lexapro. Even today I noticed, I feel mostly okay until I take the lexapro. The headache is what I really wish would go away... It goes away when I'm in the dark...

No I don't take any other drugs. And I don't take my scrips recreationally... I'm currently only on Vyvanse 50mg daily. And lexapro 10mg. Occasionally take protonix for acid reflux, and ibuprofen for back pain (hairstylist).

I see my doctor tomorrow... She's pill happy though and I'm afraid she will only try to put me on a new AD, or taper me off too fast... I just want to be off the lexapro. I was perfectly fine when it was just me and vyvanse. I let my doctor talk me into taking lexapro because she said it helped with anxiety. I also have no crash with vyvanse, aside from slight sleepiness. But no depression or terrible crash... It wears off smoothly for me.

[Porcelainmonster]

I never experienced any withdrawal from adderall either. If I didn't take it, I felt fine. Tonight I am feeling incredibly irritable in waves... One hour I feel normal, the next I feel terrible. I'm so sick of this. Will the lexapro not work for me again? How long will I experience these symptoms.. Or how soon can I taper off?

[Petunia]

Hi PM,

 

It may take a few weeks before your nervous system settles down again, just make sure you take the same amount of meds every day at the same time and do the best you can to reduce stress from your life.  Its best not to start tapering until you are feeling stable.  Please would you add your recent drug and withdrawal history to your signature, it helps members to easily see your situation when replying to posts.

 

I hope you feel better soon.

Petu.

[Porcelainmonster]

Thank you! I just saw my doctor and I feel her advice was bad... She wants me to switch right over to celexa because she said it's the same as lexapro and should take these side effects away. OR I can taper off from my 10mg of lexapro and go down to 5mg for two weeks and then stop.

[Altostrata]

Your doctor doesn't get the need for gradual tapering. See To taper Lexapro, see http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/406-tips-for-tapering-off-lexapro-escitalopram/

 

Switching to Celexa may cause unpleasant symptoms. There is no need to incur the additional risk.

 

Any doctor can prescribe liquid Lexapro, which makes tapering a lot easier. Or, you can make your own.

[Porcelainmonster]

I feel amazing until I take the lexapro! I'm going to take it at night from now on... Now I know for sure that's what's making me feel like this. She even wanted to give me ambien... This doctor is absolutely pill happy. I want to start tapering today.

[Altostrata]

Move the dose gradually by an hour or two a day and stabilize before you reduce the dosage or things will get very confused.

[Porcelainmonster]

I wrote out my whole story and then my app closed!!! Not helping with my lack of patience or emotional stability right now! :'(

 

Anyway... I've been on lexapro for 8 months. 10mg then 5. Decided to get off because I didn't want it in the first place. But my doc insisted on switching me to viibryd. I gave in (she's a pill pusher big time and loaded on Xanax.) she switched me rigt over to 10mg of viibryd. Said if I didn't like it then I could just stop and I would be fine because it was so low of a dose, same with lexapro. I was on it for 5 days before I decided I didn't want it. (Gained 5 pounds and heart palps) so I tapered off with my last two pills. (It was a starter pack) because that's all I had. Cut one into 5's and the last into 2.5's and was done. As of 15 days ago I've taken none of them. First week was HORRIBLE! Brain zaps, exhausted, out of it, extremely spacey, low low mood. Rage, no patience!!!! Itchy skin, like bug crawling sensations with the anxiety. Annoyed at everyone and everything. Crying spells. Words get messed up and sentences. It all went away about the 5th day after. And I felt like myself again! For about 4 days. And then 3 nights ago it all came back. But more intense. Now it's come with a headache. And zero patience. Anxiety attacks, which I've never had. I hate this. I take vyvanse for ADD. And that seems to subside my symptoms a bit until it wears off. It takes the zaps away. I've been taking krill oil, 1000mg of magnesium, and 5-htp 300mg. I just don't know what to do now. I'm a hairstylist and need to function properly. I've had a panic attack at work, crying spells, and the patience? I wanted to throw a blow dryer at a ladies hair because her hair wasn't drying fast enough for me. I know I tapered off too fast... My doctor is an idiot. I called her today for help and she can't see me until Wednesday. I don't know what to do. When it gets really bad, it feels like it will never end. I just need help, should I stick it out? Or get back on whichever med and taper again? I just want to feel some relief. I know the couple of days I felt good was probably a window... So any advice. Please. Thank you <3

[mammaP]

Hi PM, I moved your new thread to your original intro thread for continuity,

it is one topic per person in the introductions forum, this avoids

confusion and keeps everything in one place. It isn't Always easy to find

A thread after a while away but if you go to your profile, then click topics

on the left hand side you can find your original thread there. I need to catch up

Before I can comment and my brain is slowing down now so will take a little while.

[mammaP]

I see that you tapered down to 5mg lexapro earlier this year, did you stay at

The 5 until you switched to vybrid? It seems there have been quite a few changes

And that has sent your brain and nervous system into a sorry state!

 

The only way to stop withdrawal is to reinstate, but as you had reaction to vybrid

I would look at reinstating the lexapro at a very low dose, possibly 1mg if you can

Measure that amount. If that doesn't help you could increase very slightly. The idea

is to take the lowest possible dose to stop the withdrawal and hopefully the side

effects will not be as bad. Once you are stable again you can then start a very

slow taper. You will need to get a script from your doctor, and I would avoid

A different med because that would upset your poor nervous system even more.

 

The doctor might be reluctant because she obviously doesn't know the latest

research and the science behind these drugs. Sadly doctors are the last ones

to find out!

Here is the link that explains reinstating and stabilizing.

 

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&ei=1KYgVIK8NsO_ygPVm4GoBw&url=http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php%3F/topic/3079-about-reinstating-and-stabilizing-to-stop-withdrawal-symptoms/&cd=1&ved=0CB8QFjAA&usg=AFQjCNE-2VfuMdBuGlxLdc2EoXtg1L5N0w&sig2=vNhIRPwKKqsj_qLBeFr-LQ

[Porcelainmonster]

Thank you so much... Yes I tapered to 5 after that last stint, rode out all those symptoms for about a week and then stabilized. That was for a couple months. So yes, I was stabilized before switching. That gnawing headache is back with a vengeance. It's been 15 days since Ive taken anything. Feeling okay right now, aside from the headache. Would it be bad to just ride it out? I'm taking 5-htp, omega-3's and multi vitamins.

[mammaP]

Honestly I would not ride it out, it could get much, much worse! Many people

Tapered too fast and thought they were ok then suffered horrific withdrawal

Weeks or even months later. Petu, one of our mods tapered lexapro too fast

And is still suffering over a year later! I tapered effexor too fast and

thought I was OK for a few weeks before getting awful withdrawal.

Reinstating works when introduced early enough, leave it too long and the

Nervous system becomes sensitized to the drug and it can't be tolerated in

many cases. Read through the information so you understand why we recommend

Reinstating. No one EVER wants to go back on these drugs but it really can

make a difference. Here is a link to Peru's intro thread.

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/4278-petu-recovering-from-13-years-of-antidepressant-use/

[Porcelainmonster]

Okay.... I have a script for 20mg escitalopram. I don't know how to get 1mg from that... But I have one 10mg pill on me. And I see my doctor Wednesday. Should I ask for the liquid? And do 1 mg?

[mammaP]

I would definitely ask for the liquid, it is much better for tapering than tablets with

such small amounts. In the meantime you could maybe make your own liquid from tablets.

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2693-how-to-make-a-liquid-from-tablets-or-capsules/

[Altostrata]

To titrate Lexapro, see http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/406-tips-for-tapering-off-lexapro-escitalopram/