TroubledThoughts: Lamictal Overdose/Withdrawal?

[TroubledThoughts]

Even if no one responds I am going to use this as a place to record my thoughts and actions.

 

I took .25mg a few minutes ago so I guess I'll wait and see.

 

My headache, brain fog, and dizziness was a little less this morning. But I was extremely fatigued and almost out of breath after going to the mall.

 

Also it was hard to hold a conversation, and almost impossible to feel joy about anything. That's been the case for the past week though.

[ChessieCat]

Please keep daily notes on paper.  It can be had to recall what happened when.  It can also help you to be able to see improvements which you don't feel.

 

Rate Symptoms Daily to Check Patterns and Progress

 

There are spreadsheets available here for logging your symptoms:  Dr Joseph Glenmullen's Withdrawal Symptoms

 

Edited March 10, 2018 by ChessieCat

[TroubledThoughts]

5 hours ago, ChessieCat said:

Please keep daily notes on paper.  It can be had to recall what happened when.  It can also help you to be able to see improvements which you don't feel.

 

Rate Symptoms Daily to Check Patterns and Progress

 

There are spreadsheets available here for logging your symptoms:  Dr Joseph Glenmullen's Withdrawal Symptoms

 

I have a notebook in my phone that I am keeping daily notes in as well.

 

Just wanted to put the major points on this thread and see if anyone had some tips or advice along the way!

[TroubledThoughts]

So it's been 24 hours since I took my dose of Lexapro.

 

Yesterday:

10:00AM woke up and felt okay. Weird feeling in head and inner shaking.

12:30PM went to mall and was extremely tired and out of it, couldn't really hold conversations

4:00PM took .25mg of Lexapro

5:30PM went to my dad's for dinner and actually felt pretty good. Just a little headache.

11:00PM went to friends house and felt okay, just a little dizzy

3:30AM fell asleep

 

Today:

6:30AM woke up with terrible anxiety, rapid heart beat, terrible feelings that it would never go away. Took a while to fall back asleep

10:00AM woke back up and have been laying in bed dozing off every half hour until now, 1:30PM

 

Should I take another dose today? It seems like my symptoms may have decreased a little bit across the boards, but the waking up in the middle of the night has never happened like that. I've had some trouble sleeping but usually just wake up and go right back to sleep. Sometimes I've had the heart racing in the morning but last night was definitely the worst.

 

 

[Altostrata]

It sounds like you took 0.25mg Lexapro in the morning and 0.25mg Lexapro in the evening?

 

This small amount, whatever it was, seems to have lessened your withdrawal symptoms. This is a good sign.

 

If I were you, I'd take 0.5mg Lexapro in the morning at the same time each day. It will take at least 4 days for this to reach steady-state in your bloodstream. There will be wobbling for a while.

 

This might be enough, or you might end up taking a little more. Please let us know how you're doing.

[TroubledThoughts]

7 hours ago, Altostrata said:

It sounds like you took 0.25mg Lexapro in the morning and 0.25mg Lexapro in the evening?

 

This small amount, whatever it was, seems to have lessened your withdrawal symptoms. This is a good sign.

 

If I were you, I'd take 0.5mg Lexapro in the morning at the same time each day. It will take at least 4 days for this to reach steady-state in your bloodstream. There will be wobbling for a while.

 

This might be enough, or you might end up taking a little more. Please let us know how you're doing.

Hi Alto,

 

I actually just took the .25mg of Lexapro at 4PM yesterday and 4PM today. 

 

It seems it lifted a few of my symptoms yesterday. Had a tough night of sleep last night which is abnormal for me. Today I was very tired and unmotivated and tonight I had a long crying spell. I also am starting to get brain zaps (which I had years ago but haven't had in the past few months).

 

I am going to switch to the AM tomorrow and see if that helps. Should I stick with .25mg or go up to .5mg? I am going to the doctor tomorrow to get liquid Lexapro since I am just mixing pills with water right now.

[ChessieCat]

2 minutes ago, TroubledThoughts said:

I am going to switch to the AM tomorrow and see if that helps. Should I stick with .25mg or go up to .5mg?

 

Q:  Are you taking 0.5mg in total daily?  If yes, take it all at one time in the morning/AM

 

Only make 1 change at a time.  It might be best to hold off for at least 1 week after changing your dose to AM before changing to liquid.

 

When changing over to liquid it is suggested to do a cross over by taking 3/4 tablet + 1/4 liquid x 3 days, 1/2 + 1/2 x 3 days, 1/4 tablet + 3/4 liquid for 3 days then all liquid.

[TroubledThoughts]

10 hours ago, ChessieCat said:

 

Q:  Are you taking 0.5mg in total daily?  If yes, take it all at one time in the morning/AM

 

Only make 1 change at a time.  It might be best to hold off for at least 1 week after changing your dose to AM before changing to liquid.

 

When changing over to liquid it is suggested to do a cross over by taking 3/4 tablet + 1/4 liquid x 3 days, 1/2 + 1/2 x 3 days, 1/4 tablet + 3/4 liquid for 3 days then all liquid.

I am only taking .25mg a day. I took it in the AM today and will continue to take it in the AM.

 

Two days ago is when I reinstated and took .25mg at around 4:00PM. Yesterday I took .25mg at around 3:00PM. Today I took .25mg at 11:00AM.

 

The problem I have is I only have one pill left and I don't think my doctor will be able to give me both pills and liquid. I can ask him though. 

 

What should I do if I can only get one or the other?

 

I was also curious if I should increase my .25mg dose? 

[Altostrata]

You just started 0.25mg Lexapro per day on Saturday? Please take it at the same time each day.

 

Let's see how you do for a few more days before discussing increasing.

 

There's no need to get both pills and liquid. You can do it all with liquid or if you need to, you can make a liquid from 5mg tablets.

[TroubledThoughts]

14 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

You just started 0.25mg Lexapro per day on Saturday? Please take it at the same time each day.

 

Let's see how you do for a few more days before discussing increasing.

 

There's no need to get both pills and liquid. You can do it all with liquid or if you need to, you can make a liquid from 5mg tablets.

Yes that is correct. I am taking it at 11:00AM every day from now on.

 

I was just told I need to take time to switch from pills to liquid, but I don't have enough pills to do that. I am trying to get to the doctor today and don't knowing I should get pills or liquid.

 

Right now my symptoms have not gotten any better but I don't think they've gotten worse either. Currently I'm just very weak/fatigued and sounds are a little overwhelming. Last night I had some brain zaps too which I haven't had in a long time.

[Altostrata]

How are you taking 0.25mg Lexapro??

[TroubledThoughts]

1 hour ago, Altostrata said:

How are you taking 0.25mg Lexapro??

I am dissolving a 5mg pill into water and then using a syringe to take .25mg. I'm using that liquid for 3 days and then making a new one. Unless it's possible to keep the mixture for longer? But it seems 3 days is the right amount of time.

[Altostrata]

You could probably stretch it to 5 days.

 

If I were you, I contact my doctor immediately for a new prescription.

[TroubledThoughts]

49 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

You could probably stretch it to 5 days.

 

If I were you, I contact my doctor immediately for a new prescription.

Okay 5 days would be much better. And I can just call in and he will send a prescription in for me. I just wasn't sure if I should get more pills or try and switch to liquid since it's only been 3 days back on the pills?

 

Using liquid would definitely be an easier method, although making a suspension with pills isn't too hard either.

[Altostrata]

Yes, well done TT.

 

If you are making a liquid from the tablets, you are using liquid.

 

You should check with your health insurance to make sure it covers prescribed liquid, and how much it will cost you. It may be that tablets, from which you can make your own liquid, are much more affordable.

[TroubledThoughts]

1 hour ago, Altostrata said:

Yes, well done TT.

 

If you are making a liquid from the tablets, you are using liquid.

 

You should check with your health insurance to make sure it covers prescribed liquid, and how much it will cost you. It may be that tablets, from which you can make your own liquid, are much more affordable.

Okay thanks again Alto.

 

Do you think I should stick with .25mg for a few more days? 

 

I'm definitely feeling pretty weird the past few days. It's like my body is out of it and pretty weak, I've never really felt that before. It basically goes away when I'm sitting or laying down though, it's very noticeable when I'm standing or walking.

 

The past month I haven't felt great but I've been able to function and work. These past 5 days or so I haven't been able to do much of anything.

[TroubledThoughts]

2 hours ago, Longestroadhome said:

I have just finished reading your thread. You should be proud  for educating yourself on these drugs and not just being a guinea pig for the pharmaceutical companies. To be labelled Bi Polar at 18 must have been horrific. 

 

You have succesfully tapered your previous meds and only have lexapro to go ( I am on my phone so can’t see your drug history) Just continue in the slow and steady method you have been advised. I made too many large drops and have suffered needlessly because of it. Lexapro is still very powerful, even in lower doses. 

 

Have you done any ‘self help’ to deal with the withdrawal process? I read that you tried neurofeedback, how did that go?

Are you a reader? There are lots of good authors out there. I personally prefer Audible these days as reading is often difficult with my lexapro brain!!

 

I will continue to follow your journey. I feel sure that you will have a positive outcome. You are a fighter!

Hey LRH,

 

Thanks for stopping by. Yes it was unfortunate that I was put on these meds before I could decide for myself, my parents still beat themselves up about that. Luckily I've saved quite a few of my relatives and friends the pain of being on this crap.

 

I too went too quickly with Lexapro and am now suffering for it. I hope soon I will stabilize enough to get back to work and function enough to feel okay. Once I get back I will definitely be using a long, slow taper, even if it takes months or years. I would rather function with a few withdrawal effects as opposed to being bedridden like I am now. 

 

I have always had a healthy diet, but definitely cleaned it up even more while withdrawing. I got very into medidating and mindfulness, but it's getting pretty tough to do in the midst of withdrawals. Audible is a great idea! I like to read but have a hard time with all the brain fog. Do you have any books you've enjoyed?

 

Nuerofeedback worked very well for me after my last round of tapering. I feel like it jumpstarted my healing and helped to repair my brain, more so in terms of dealing with anxiety and depression as opposed to physically repairing it if that makes sense? Unfortunately it doesn't do much when I'm actually in the middle of withdrawals so i have stopped it until I'm stable enough for it to make sense again.

 

Thanks again for the kind words! It's nice to know we are not alone and that others are thinking of us as well. I plan on following your journey as well and wish you the best! 💚

[Altostrata]

You should check with your health insurance to see what coverage they have for the prescribed liquid, which is available as a generic. If it's too expensive compared to the tablets, you may wish to continue making the DIY liquid.

[TroubledThoughts]

1 hour ago, Altostrata said:

You should check with your health insurance to see what coverage they have for the prescribed liquid, which is available as a generic. If it's too expensive compared to the tablets, you may wish to continue making the DIY liquid.

My insurance covers the liquid so that is not a worry. 

 

My main concern is whether to continue with the .25mg or think about increasing my dose. Since I started back on the Lexapro I haven't necessarily felt worse but I haven't felt better either.

[ChessieCat]

On 13/03/2018 at 4:14 AM, Altostrata said:

You just started 0.25mg Lexapro per day on Saturday? Please take it at the same time each day.

 

Let's see how you do for a few more days before discussing increasing.

 

[ChessieCat]

It takes about 4 days for a dose to get to full state in the blood and a bit longer for it to register in the brain.

[TroubledThoughts]

Just wanted to post an update. I had been staying off the site for a little to try and clear my mind.

 

After reinstating the Lexapro I felt slowly better each day. And the past week or so I felt basically back to normal. A few minor symptoms but nothing too bad at all.

 

Yesterday I didn't feel too good though, and today I have felt horrible. I had bad insomnia and brain zaps all last night, heart palpitations and dizziness. Today I have been dizzy, weak, tired, emotional, and feel generally weird all over. It's especially bad in the back of my head, neck, and upper back. Right now I feel pretty awful. I'm not sure if I should be worried about this.

 

One thing to note is the past 5 days I have been using pills from a new prescription. Could it be possible it's not the same brand or something like that? I unfortunately don't have my last prescription bottle so I don't know how to tell.

 

I have been taking .25mg at 11AM every day for 15 days now.

 

Needless to say I am starting to get pretty nervous again. 

[ChessieCat]

24 minutes ago, TroubledThoughts said:

One thing to note is the past 5 days I have been using pills from a new prescription. Could it be possible it's not the same brand or something like that? I unfortunately don't have my last prescription bottle so I don't know how to tell.

 

Some members have had issues with a change in manufacturer or going from brand to generic.

 

I think it would be a good idea to contact the pharmacy to find out if what you are taking now is different to the previous one.  This will alleviate the uncertainty.

 

If it is different you could go back to the previous one.

 

If it isn't different you will at least know that it is not that which is causing the issue and it may be that you could try a very small updose.

[TroubledThoughts]

I'm pretty sure I've always been on generic but I will check tomorrow. Would it help to be on the brand name instead?

 

Assuming it's the same, does this sound normal at all? I know nothing is normal in withdrawals but I hope you understand what I'm getting at. Maybe 'is it common?' a better way to put it.

 

Would you suggest continuing to just wait or trying to increase? If you think an increase would help, by how much? I make my own liquid and I can get accurate with very small quantities.

 

I just find it strange that I felt almost complete relief after reinstating but am now back to square one.

 

Also I just wanted to add that I am in no rush to get off the Lexapro now. I have decided I want to stabilize for at least a few months before doing a much slower taper than is even recommended here. It's been years of trying to go too fast and I can't do it anymore.

[ChessieCat]

There are different "brands" of generic, ie made by different manufacturers.  It doesn't matter if you are taking generic or brand name but it is better to stick to the same one.  What you need to find out is if what you are taking now is exactly the same as what you had previously been taking.  You need to be precise and find out if it is identical, ie the same manufacturer.

 

If you find out that the manufacturer of both batches was the same, then you could try updosing to 0.3mg.  I know these doses sound ridiculously small but it could be all that your brain needs.  One member sometimes found that taking a minuscule amount powder from the tablet she had cut up helped.

[TroubledThoughts]

Okay I will call the pharmacy today. 

 

I am making a liquid so unfortunately I don't have powder readily available every day. 

 

Should I wait a few more days before updosing to see if it straightens out? Or just go for the updose today?

[ChessieCat]

5 hours ago, TroubledThoughts said:

I don't have powder readily available every day. 

 

My comment about powder wasn't for you to take powder.  My comment was with regards to how strong these drugs are and I was just mentioning that another member founder a very tiny amount helpful.

[ChessieCat]

Get the information first.

[TroubledThoughts]

Well it's the same brand since I've reinstated. So I think we're all clear there.

 

I thought you were saying that it helped to add a little powder along with the liquid, but you were just making an analogy. 

[ChessieCat]

8 hours ago, TroubledThoughts said:

but you were just making an analogy. 

 

Yes, that is correct.

 

8 hours ago, TroubledThoughts said:

Well it's the same brand since I've reinstated. So I think we're all clear there.

 

It's good that you know for certain that the drug hasn't changed.  An updose now sounds like it might help.

 

Remember to keep daily notes.

[TroubledThoughts]

I updosed to .3mg today so I'll see how that does. It feels like it's not enough but I'll wait it out. This was the same feeling I used to get if I missed a pill or two and it would go away as soon as I took another.

[TroubledThoughts]

Hey everyone,

 

So I'm still taking .3mg daily and am still feeling weird. It's not the same feeling as when I was completely off the medicine though, so I'm thinking it may now be side effects?

 

I have a weird headache/dizziness almost all the time, no motivation to get up, am very tired and weak, easily lose my breath, and get easily agitated. I'm also super dehydrated and hardly hungry at all anymore. I basically just want to lay in bed and watch tv all day. I get short periods of feeling "normal" and that's it.

 

I'm not sure what to do. Are these withdrawal effects still? Side effects? Should I try and stabilize still? Go up in dose? Try and go down? If anyone has advice I would appreciate it.

[TroubledThoughts]

Also forgot to add I'm feeling the kind of internal shaking feeling coming back. It's a very strange feeling with that and my dizziness, it's almost like I'm perpetually uneasy feeling. That and my eyes feel like they always want to cross.

 

I can't tell if I feel better or worse than when I was completely off and in withdrawal. I guess I feel better in some ways and worse in others.

[TroubledThoughts]

4 hours ago, TroubledThoughts said:

Hey everyone,

 

So I'm still taking .3mg daily and am still feeling weird. It's not the same feeling as when I was completely off the medicine though, so I'm thinking it may now be side effects?

 

I have a weird headache/dizziness almost all the time, no motivation to get up, am very tired and weak, easily lose my breath, and get easily agitated. I'm also super dehydrated and hardly hungry at all anymore. I basically just want to lay in bed and watch tv all day. I get short periods of feeling "normal" and that's it.

 

I'm not sure what to do. Are these withdrawal effects still? Side effects? Should I try and stabilize still? Go up in dose? Try and go down? If anyone has advice I would appreciate it.

 

2 hours ago, TroubledThoughts said:

Also forgot to add I'm feeling the kind of internal shaking feeling coming back. It's a very strange feeling with that and my dizziness, it's almost like I'm perpetually uneasy feeling. That and my eyes feel like they always want to cross.

 

I can't tell if I feel better or worse than when I was completely off and in withdrawal. I guess I feel better in some ways and worse in others.

 

I also have pretty bad heart palpitations again. Starting to get a little nervous that something is going wrong. I was hoping I was starting to stabilize since the updose last time really knocked back the symptoms I was having.

[TroubledThoughts]

Woke up today feeling pretty much the same. I had been sleeping pretty well until last night, I had a lot of trouble falling asleep and could only stay asleep for two hours.

[TroubledThoughts]

18 hours ago, TroubledThoughts said:

Hey everyone,

 

So I'm still taking .3mg daily and am still feeling weird. It's not the same feeling as when I was completely off the medicine though, so I'm thinking it may now be side effects?

 

I have a weird headache/dizziness almost all the time, no motivation to get up, am very tired and weak, easily lose my breath, and get easily agitated. I'm also super dehydrated and hardly hungry at all anymore. I basically just want to lay in bed and watch tv all day. I get short periods of feeling "normal" and that's it.

 

I'm not sure what to do. Are these withdrawal effects still? Side effects? Should I try and stabilize still? Go up in dose? Try and go down? If anyone has advice I would appreciate it.

 

16 hours ago, TroubledThoughts said:

Also forgot to add I'm feeling the kind of internal shaking feeling coming back. It's a very strange feeling with that and my dizziness, it's almost like I'm perpetually uneasy feeling. That and my eyes feel like they always want to cross.

 

I can't tell if I feel better or worse than when I was completely off and in withdrawal. I guess I feel better in some ways and worse in others.

 

13 hours ago, TroubledThoughts said:

 

 

I also have pretty bad heart palpitations again. Starting to get a little nervous that something is going wrong. I was hoping I was starting to stabilize since the updose last time really knocked back the symptoms I was having.