Aeroman - I have recovered from Lexapro and Cipro

[Aeroman]

26 minutes ago, Leo1983 said:

Hi

 

Thanks for the replies. This let time do its thing is wearing thin on me lol. We are talking 32 month here. I know i have to make my own mind up. 

 

You talk about every morning was a reset. Do you mean were you feel ok before going to bed and feel abit normal at night? Then when you wake in the morning, you are back to miserable and anhedonic etc?

 

If so,,, i have this big time. 

Oh yes, absolutely.  Tell me about it.  I quit my Lexapro dose on Feb 27, 2008 and didnt feel close to 100% by Spring of 2012.  At 32 months out, if I were you, ride it out more.  You're this far out.  I am not your doctor so do what you think is right for you.  But I am telling you from my experience, I rode it out and it paid off.  

 

Yeah, at night I would feel some sort of relief from the anxiety/akathasia/racing thoughts.  Yes,close to normal-ish.  When I would see the next morning, bam!!!  back to the anxiety, racing thoughts, akathasia, deep deep depression.  Anhedonia was prevalent throughout the day.

[Cerre923]

Hi , Aeroman i'm italian guy who suffered from Paxil WD since December 2018 now i'm attend my 26ish months in Bad WD,my primary symptoms is DIZZINESS /instability sensation in  this 26 months i experienced all the symptoms in the list. Actually i feel in a suffer with no end(i'm exausted) . i read your story and i'm proud of you and your strenght.

my question is : at 26 months what are your sensation? your remaning issues? and the last is you suffered all the 4 years or gradually improve?

thks for reply and sorry for my bad english!!

[Aeroman]

On 2/16/2021 at 1:13 PM, Cerre923 said:

 

Hi , Aeroman i'm italian guy who suffered from Paxil WD since December 2018 now i'm attend my 26ish months in Bad WD,my primary symptoms is DIZZINESS /instability sensation in  this 26 months i experienced all the symptoms in the list. Actually i feel in a suffer with no end(i'm exausted) . i read your story and i'm proud of you and your strenght.

my question is : at 26 months what are your sensation? your remaning issues? and the last is you suffered all the 4 years or gradually improve?

thks for reply and sorry for my bad english!!

Hello! At 26 months, I had anhedonia/depression and some dizzy issues. I was feeling flat. Small windows here and there. Your symptoms are common. I gradually improved throughout the 4 years, not linear. All 4 years were not bad everyday. I tend to feel relief in the evenings. No worries, I understand. 

[Kimboslice]

Hi @Aeroman. Were your ability to converse, form sentences, articulate thoughts and social skills impacted by WD? If so were they still an issue at 2 years & did this types of skills return when recovered? 
 

Thanks 🙏.

[Aeroman]

4 hours ago, Kimboslice said:

Hi @Aeroman. Were your ability to converse, form sentences, articulate thoughts and social skills impacted by WD? If so were they still an issue at 2 years & did this types of skills return when recovered? 
 

Thanks 🙏.

I had trouble. I felt "dumbed down" for a lack of better words. Brain fog, etc. Bad short term memory. At 2 years? Yes. But slightly improving. After recovery, all normal. 

[Kimboslice]

Awesome. I’m certainly improving albeit slowly. Very encouraging. Thank You.

[Iowan]

@Aeroman, thanks for continuing to provide your feedback. When I started my Lexapro taper, I thought I was different and could muscle my way through it. NOPE! I had to learn it the hard way too. It took me a little over 25 months to complete my taper and I've been drug free since 9/2/2020. The waves were excruciating during my taper, but since reaching zero, they are more manageable and less frequent. Still pretty dang bad, compared to pre withdrawal life though. I'm struggling pretty bad these last couple of days in a high stress/anxiety and minimal sleep wave now, but I know it will pass. Upper back, neck and shoulder pain is constant with flare ups during waves, (I believe due to cortisol). General stress and anxiety are high most of the time, but I do have days, and sometimes weeks, where I feel really good, like 'normal'.

 

I'm in this for the long haul though, never going back on an AD med. I find encouragement that you and others have fully recovered over time. I know I'll get there too. It is a SLOW process. Thanks, Iowan

[Aeroman]

On 2/23/2021 at 4:31 AM, Iowan said:

@Aeroman, thanks for continuing to provide your feedback. When I started my Lexapro taper, I thought I was different and could muscle my way through it. NOPE! I had to learn it the hard way too. It took me a little over 25 months to complete my taper and I've been drug free since 9/2/2020. The waves were excruciating during my taper, but since reaching zero, they are more manageable and less frequent. Still pretty dang bad, compared to pre withdrawal life though. I'm struggling pretty bad these last couple of days in a high stress/anxiety and minimal sleep wave now, but I know it will pass. Upper back, neck and shoulder pain is constant with flare ups during waves, (I believe due to cortisol). General stress and anxiety are high most of the time, but I do have days, and sometimes weeks, where I feel really good, like 'normal'.

 

I'm in this for the long haul though, never going back on an AD med. I find encouragement that you and others have fully recovered over time. I know I'll get there too. It is a SLOW process. Thanks, Iowan

Hi Iowan, yes, you gotta just literally take it day by day. How are your mornings going compared to evenings? Keep us posted. 

[Iowan]

9 hours ago, Aeroman said:

Hi Iowan, yes, you gotta just literally take it day by day. How are your mornings going compared to evenings? Keep us posted. 

I'm able to go to sleep in the evening at the drop of a hat. I usually want to go to sleep between 7:00 and 8:00 PM most nights, but I try to stay up until 10:00.

 

My mornings are much worse than my evenings. I rarely awaken with severe panic attacks, like I did when I was tapering, but I still awaken between 1:00 and 3:00 AM with racing thoughts and anxiety, unable to go back to sleep. I'm dealing with one of these waves now that's been going for the past 4-5 days or so. Today, I've been up since 1:00. Once I determined I was unable to go back to sleep, I turned on the TV and watched YouTube videos, and had a hundred short 10 second periods of sleep, only to be sprung back awake each time. At least I'm not being jolted with electric shocks when I wake anymore, so that's a positive.

 

My anxiety in the AM is extremely high, and I'm completely gassed from lack of sleep and tossing/turning. I push through my work day and as the day progresses, I tend to start feeling better in the afternoon. By the evening, I feel almost normal, but exhausted.

 

In my good days, I sleep in until 5:00 or 6:00 AM, and I don't wrestle with the anxiety quite as bad as I do when I'm in my waves. It's as close to normal as I've felt in 2.5 years, just prior to reaching Lexapro 'poop-out' and beginning my taper. I thank God every time I get to experience one of these windows and pray that they continue as long as possible.

 

I AM GETTING BETTER THOUGH! So much better than where I was. I know I'll get there. It's just going to take more time.

[Aeroman]

10 hours ago, Iowan said:

I'm able to go to sleep in the evening at the drop of a hat. I usually want to go to sleep between 7:00 and 8:00 PM most nights, but I try to stay up until 10:00.

 

My mornings are much worse than my evenings. I rarely awaken with severe panic attacks, like I did when I was tapering, but I still awaken between 1:00 and 3:00 AM with racing thoughts and anxiety, unable to go back to sleep. I'm dealing with one of these waves now that's been going for the past 4-5 days or so. Today, I've been up since 1:00. Once I determined I was unable to go back to sleep, I turned on the TV and watched YouTube videos, and had a hundred short 10 second periods of sleep, only to be sprung back awake each time. At least I'm not being jolted with electric shocks when I wake anymore, so that's a positive.

 

My anxiety in the AM is extremely high, and I'm completely gassed from lack of sleep and tossing/turning. I push through my work day and as the day progresses, I tend to start feeling better in the afternoon. By the evening, I feel almost normal, but exhausted.

 

In my good days, I sleep in until 5:00 or 6:00 AM, and I don't wrestle with the anxiety quite as bad as I do when I'm in my waves. It's as close to normal as I've felt in 2.5 years, just prior to reaching Lexapro 'poop-out' and beginning my taper. I thank God every time I get to experience one of these windows and pray that they continue as long as possible.

 

I AM GETTING BETTER THOUGH! So much better than where I was. I know I'll get there. It's just going to take more time.

when I read your description, I smiled a bit because you literally wrote my story when I was going through the same thing...word per word.  I will tell you, you will come out ahead of this. And I am glad you are getting better!  It is just a matter of time.

[Heath]

@Aeromanim just looking through your posts! So happy you recovered! I had taken cipro summer 2020 while tapering lex and I went into a wave of anxiety in October 2020. Been feeling better and better as months go by! I had to take it again in February but no anxiety this time just can’t focus or concentrate. You are an inspiration to us all. Thank you !

[tryingtosurvive330]

Aeroman, I was looking for a lexapro success story and I gravitated to yours because I was also on lexapro for 2.5 years. I gained probably 30 pounds from it and I’m usually a small woman, my normal is around 125 so 30 is a ton for me. I did a poor taper ending in November and the anxiety was already kind of bad but I went into full on I want to die mode within a month. I read through a lot of your posts and it gave me some hope. I feel so bad right now. I also saw that your work in Orange County and I do too. Honestly that made me feel better because I feel like an outsider here lately. I felt like I was the only one who could possibly be going through this here where everything is plastic and perfect. Also having work issues where I’m used to being a top performer but have so much trouble right now and a boss who basically told me that that is how it looks - confirming my fear and making me feel worse about myself. 

[tryingtosurvive330]

And my brain is so bad I didn’t even register that I was on it less than 2.5 years....that’s how long I’ve been at this job. So frustrating to lose it all when you are normally sharp with a good memory. It makes me want to cry. 

[Iowan]

The past week and a half has been a rough one. We don't realize how important sleep is until we are deprived of it. It will come, eventually.

[Aeroman]

On 2/25/2021 at 7:44 PM, Heath said:

@Aeromanim just looking through your posts! So happy you recovered! I had taken cipro summer 2020 while tapering lex and I went into a wave of anxiety in October 2020. Been feeling better and better as months go by! I had to take it again in February but no anxiety this time just can’t focus or concentrate. You are an inspiration to us all. Thank you !

glad you are feeling better.  Yes, I learned really quick to stay away from Cipro.

[Aeroman]

On 2/28/2021 at 6:57 PM, tryingtosurvive330 said:

Aeroman, I was looking for a lexapro success story and I gravitated to yours because I was also on lexapro for 2.5 years. I gained probably 30 pounds from it and I’m usually a small woman, my normal is around 125 so 30 is a ton for me. I did a poor taper ending in November and the anxiety was already kind of bad but I went into full on I want to die mode within a month. I read through a lot of your posts and it gave me some hope. I feel so bad right now. I also saw that your work in Orange County and I do too. Honestly that made me feel better because I feel like an outsider here lately. I felt like I was the only one who could possibly be going through this here where everything is plastic and perfect. Also having work issues where I’m used to being a top performer but have so much trouble right now and a boss who basically told me that that is how it looks - confirming my fear and making me feel worse about myself. 

Hello!  Wow, yes, a lot of similarities.  OC is so nice, especially the weather. Time flies when on Lexapro.  I think I gained about the same or more weight.  It is horrible.  I remember asking the doc that if I exercised and ate better, could I lose weight on Lexapro and he said no.  I was crushed but I was feeling super good in an artificial kinda way.  The anxiety, for me, was the worse.  I wasn't able to focus when my tummy and chest was feeling butterflies - I was so amped up.  It would mess up my sleep and felt dread throughout the day.  I employed the Dr. Claire Weekes Method and it works!  Feel free to keep in touch.

[Aeroman]

4 hours ago, Iowan said:

The past week and a half has been a rough one. We don't realize how important sleep is until we are deprived of it. It will come, eventually.

I agree.  I will come back eventually.

[tryingtosurvive330]

11 minutes ago, Aeroman said:

I remember asking the doc that if I exercised and ate better, could I lose weight on Lexapro and he said no.  I was crushed but I was feeling super good in an artificial kinda way.  The anxiety, for me, was the worse.  I wasn't able to focus when my tummy and chest was feeling butterflies - I was so amped up.  It would mess up my sleep and felt dread throughout the day.  I employed the Dr. Claire Weekes Method and it works!  Feel free to keep in touch.

Thanks so much for the response aeroman. Nothing I did could make the weight come off and my doctor said it wasn’t the meds, it was me, and that I should exercise and eat less to get rid of it. The anxiety is so bad for me too, my intro topic starts with the gut wrenching and inability to eat too which messed up my day and sleep. 
 

I downloaded the Claire weekes book awhile ago and need to listen to it. I hope it helps me. Going through all this and being single and feeling alone is so awful. 

[Aeroman]

On 3/2/2021 at 8:35 AM, tryingtosurvive330 said:

Thanks so much for the response aeroman. Nothing I did could make the weight come off and my doctor said it wasn’t the meds, it was me, and that I should exercise and eat less to get rid of it. The anxiety is so bad for me too, my intro topic starts with the gut wrenching and inability to eat too which messed up my day and sleep. 
 

I downloaded the Claire weekes book awhile ago and need to listen to it. I hope it helps me. Going through all this and being single and feeling alone is so awful. 

you are not alone.  We are all here to support.  I know how one feels alone in their mind.  Like a foreigner in their own body.  It is temporary.

[Kara2302]

Hi, I am 10,5 month off drugs .. felt better ... Now I am in a terrible Wave with all the Symptoms and new ones ! You also had 10 month Wave ?

[SpasticSurgeon]

On 3/15/2021 at 2:06 PM, Aeroman said:

you are not alone.  We are all here to support.  I know how one feels alone in their mind.  Like a foreigner in their own body.  It is temporary.

Hi Friend. I’ve had a lot happen in these past few months but my issues are emotional numbness and anhedonia. I took lexapro for just 2 weeks and seroquel for a week. It’s like I would sit and watch a tv show and have to imagine what I’d be feeling normally. I feel like I have to think hard to understand people because my mind is constantly asking if I’ll get better. I am actually able to experience laughter and finding things funny at times which I’m grateful for. But besides that and negative emotions not much exists :/. You think I can get better? I cold turkey’s but I was in for such a short time. I wonder if I made an unrecoverable

mistake.

[Fightinghard]

Hey Aeroman-  I admire your approach to making it through this difficult process.  I’m in the throes of it now;  approaching 11 months off.  I seem to be having windows and waves with my evenings usually not bad and mornings typically pretty rough. Inner restlessness, insomnia (sleeping 4-5 hours then occasionally back to sleep), sensitive to light/sound, fear, cortisol spikes, periods of sadness.  It’s fun times as you understand.  My question for you is how did you approach life?  Did you push yourself to do things?  I read you worked during your recovery. My struggle is how much do i push myself to do versus sit back.  I’ve got 3 kids that I’m busy with which make it hard to sit back.  My job requires that i drive allot.  Some days 5 hours.  I’m wondering if in need to back off.   I’m curious how you approached your recovery.