FakeItTilYouMakeIt: Lexapro to Pristiq

[FakeItTilYouMakeIt]

I am in serious need of help.  I have NO idea what is going on with me or more importantly how to proceed and get myself back to "normal" again.

Here is what happened.

I went into the hospital in November with an elevated heart rate.

When I got home from the hospital I had insomnia.

I was prescribed Ativan (.5 mg) for the insomnia.

For one month I took the Ativan nightly for sleep.

At the beginning of January I stopped taking the Ativan and had a "mini breakdown".  I did not know WHAT was happening.

I basically was told that I had anxiety/depression and that I should start taking Lexapro.  I was within a few weeks at 20mg.

My first Lexapro was taken on January 26th.

I was told to continue taking the Ativan while the Lexapro kicked in.

I believe my "break down" (now that I've researched things) was FROM THE ATIVAN.  

During February I took the Ativan about every 3rd day (while the Lexapro kicked in).  My last Ativan was February 26th.

As I said, I believe my mental symptoms were caused by the Ativan and I honestly don't think I EVER should have been put on the Lexapro.

But I was.

I subsequently had a DNA test to see which anti-depressant was "right" for me.  Lexapro was in the "middle/yellow" column (if you are familiar with this testing).

Well, a couple/few weeks ago I began having intrusive thoughts and my anxiety was so bad it was almost unbearable.  For three mornings in a row I woke up feeling so utterly hopeless that the "s" word creeped into my head.

I WOULD NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS HURT MYSELF!!  I don't know where these thoughts were coming from and they were scaring me so bad!!  

I found a new psychiatrist and met with her for over two hours and told her my story.  She is INCREDIBLE and her goal is to get me off the meds as soon as possible.

But in the meantime she said that I need to get off the Lexapro because it's probably just the wrong med for me (I have the MTHFR gene) and I am probably not metabolizing the Lexapro correctly or something.

The only AD in my "green" column that seemed feasible is Pristiq.  We discussed it being a close cousin of Effexor which is SO hard to come off of and her answer was that Pristiq is what she gives to her clients who are trying to come off Pristiq.

So I thought, "okay"  sounds great.

To try to summarize where I am now... I feel a lot better than where I was back in January/February.  At that time I had depersonalization, horrible brain fog, severe anxiety, and much more.  I basically could barely function.

Now, it's the strangest thing.  I feel "better", yet in the back of my mind I KNOW that I am not "normal"....I am not my "old" self still.

But for the life of me I cannot figure out if I'm just still "depressed" or "anxious", or if I've gotten over the "benzo withdrawal" but the Lexapro/Pristiq are messing up my brain.

A huge part of me is screaming to just stop taking the Anti-Depressant but then I get scared/terrified of all the original symptoms coming back again.

I am an over 50 female who has NEVER had ANY issues with depression or anxiety (except a little driving anxiety) my whole life!

I don't understand how a trip to the hospital can turn someone's life SO upside down.

I don't know if I'm just absolutely OBSESSING about things and I've made myself neurotic about being on an AD (because I'm PETRIFIED TO BE ON ONE).

I don't know if I would feel worse if I stopped the anti-depressant (because maybe I truly developed a clinical depression while being in the hospital).

The only "symptoms" I have are my decrease in my cognitive skills . . . I don't watch the tv shows I used to watch. I can't plan a vacation or enjoy things.

I went shopping with my Sister only to break down in the middle of JC Penny's because I started freaking out that "I'll always be this way" and that I"ll never get better.

I can't "snap myself out of it".

Yet, I DO NOT feel "depressed" in a "sad" sense.  I LOVE MY LIFE.  I WANT MY LIFE BACK!!  

Does that make sense???

Please, someone help.

Thanks.

 

[FakeItTilYouMakeIt]

My story is kind of long.  I am just going to copy and paste what I typed out for my Psychiatrist to help her understand my story also.  

I am looking for any and all advice/opinions on if what I am experiencing is GENUINE DEPRESSION/ANXIETY and I should STAY ON the anti-depressant or if what I am experiencing is Benzo withdrawal and I should get off of the anti-depressant because it's only making matters worse.  I know, I am talking with my Doctor, but I'd really love to hear what everyone here says.  Of course on the BenzoBuddies website they are pretty sure/adamant that it is all Benzo withdrawal.

 

I was on Lexapro 20mg but my doctor just recently switched me to Pristiq because I don't think the Lexapro was "right" for me (I was having intrusive thoughts).  But Pristiq is going to be IMPOSSIBLE to wean off of so I am terrified of continuing it!! 

 

THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART IF YOU CAN READ ALL OF THIS AND GIVE ME YOUR OPINION.

 

Months Beforehand – Telling my husband I am feeling overwhelmed and stressed.  I’m unable to handle as much stuff as I used to.  But I feel “normal” and can fully function cognitively.  My general sense is one of contentment, but that I am overworked, over relied upon, and that I am under appreciated.  But I’m still able to plan Sunday family get togethers, enjoy life, plan (and go on) vacations and camping trips, cruises, etc. 

 

Weeks Beforehand - I started to exhibit potential signs of high stress.

·         Hives/swelling in face and hands.

·         I would wake up with hives in new places or swelling in new places (I could wake up one morning with swollen eyes and the next morning I would wake up with a fat lip).

 

November 1^st – Woke up with my ears severely swollen and I had hives all over my body.

Went to primary care doctor and he tried to give me a prescription for Effexor.  I was APPALLED and told him adamantly that I am not depressed!  Stressed, yes.  But not depressed.  And in all honesty, now that I AM depressed, I know I was NOT depressed when I was in his office.

 

During this time my smoking has increased rather alarmingly.  I would be thinking about my next cigarette almost constantly.  I would set goals in the house of “I can’t have a cigarette until I get the whole kitchen clean” or “I will not go smoke another cigarette until I get two loads of laundry done”.  When I would go outside to smoke I would smoke two cigarettes instead of just one.

 

November 17^th – I did not go to the movies with my family because of having the hives.  The Dr. had put my on Levocetirizine Dihydrochloride tablets which didn’t help much so he then gave me a steroid.  This was the first day I took it.  When my family got home from the movies, we started to eat dinner and suddenly I did not feel well because my heart rate went up to about 250bpm.  

 

It was not a panic attack.  I’ve never had a panic attack.  I just knew I didn’t feel right and I called my sister who talked with me on the phone for a while asking questions (can you smile? Is there pain in your left arm? Neck, etc.) (she is a nurse).  Ultimately we decided that since I could tell it was my heart that I should go to the ER.

 

On the way to the hospital I had VERY “deep thoughts” about death and dying.  I wondered about mortality, the meaning of life, if I had done enough in my life, etc.  I was also a bit upset about my husband making a fuss about having to drive me to the hospital.  It “wasn’t how he wanted to spend his Friday night.”. 

 

Went to the ER and they had to inject me with a medication to slow my heart rate down.  They then admitted me because I knew I would not be able to schedule time outside the hospital to get all the tests they wanted to run.  Had I known then what I know now, I would never had let myself be admitted.

 

I did not sleep in the hospital.  On the second night, I asked the nurse for something to help me sleep.  I wanted some Tylenol PM or Goody’s PM or something.  She talked me into taking an “Ativan” which I had never heard of before.  She said it would take effect in about 45 minutes.  I laid down and closed my eyes but sleep never came.  After a couple hours I opened my eyes and the room seemed different. 

 

It’s hard to explain, but I just didn’t feel safe.  I felt like I had been taken somewhere else (maybe I HAD fallen asleep and I was in another room waiting for a test or something).  I sat up and looked over to see my daughter in the chair by my bed and I felt better.  I just shook it off.  But immediately I started feeling a pressure in my head… like the sense of having a head band on (I have since learned this is a sign of anxiety). 

 

I kept telling the nurses and doctors “I just don’t feel right”.  I didn’t really connect it to the pill as much as sleep deprivation or that maybe I had suffered a very mild stroke with the whole heart issue.

I got discharged from the hospital and the insomnia followed me home.

 

November 19^th is also the day I quit smoking cold turkey (I blamed a lot of my anxiety during the begging of all of this on quitting smoking.

I was also prescribed Metropolol

 

After a couple weeks I finally went to my primary doctor and he gave me a prescription for Ativan to help me sleep. 

December 8^th – I got my prescription of Ativan filled.

 

I got some good sleep for the first time in weeks. But I also started getting this feeling of being “off”.  It just felt like my world was very out of focus and unreal.  I felt lethargic and could not think clearly.  My cognitive skills plummeted and I could not focus on anything.  I was told to continue the Ativan and catch up on all the sleep I lost.

 

I got through Christmas (which I don’t even remember) and New Years.  We then spent a week on the beach in St. Petersburg where I spent the majority of my time in the hotel room bed covered in a comfy blanket because it was so cold outside.  I took the Ativan at night to help me sleep but also realize now that I took it a couple times for “anxiety” (like the drive to St. Pete and the drive home).  I also took it once so I could spend the day with my daughter and feel “normal” and play putt putt.

 

January   - around the 7^th?  not positive of the date – I stopped taking the Ativan because I knew I didn’t want to get hooked and because I was feeling so off.  I basically had a “breakdown” and could NOT FUNCTION AT ALL.  I couldn’t eat (I lost about 24 pounds).  I couldn’t sleep still.  My cognitive function diminished tremendously.  I did not feel like myself AT ALL.  I had NO clue what was going on.  My anxiety was THROUGH THE ROOF horrible.  I kept being told to “take the Ativan – it makes you feel better”. 

 

January 9^th – My Sister came to Florida to “help me” (she is a psyche nurse).  I was talked into going onto Lexapro because when I presented to the doctor(s) they just saw me as anxious and depressed.  They were ADAMANT that the Lexapro would fix me because they diagnosed me with Clinical Depression and Anxiety.  It did help with the anxiety I believe.  I still do not know if it’s helping or hurting.  I swore I would NEVER take an anti depressant but I was desperate to stop the anxiety and whatever it was I was going through (Ativan withdrawal? – but I didn’t know it).   Whatever it was it had flipped my world UPSIDE DOWN.

 

January 24 – First Day on Lexapro – Was told to continue taking the Ativan as needed to offset the side effects of starting an Anti-Depressant.

 

 February 1^st through the 26^th -   Taking the Ativan “as necessary” ended up being once every third day almost like clockwork.  I believe this is because I was having “interdose withdrawal symptoms” from the Ativan. 

 

February 26^th – Last Day I took an Ativan – I did not taper off the medicine.  I just stopped taking it on this day.  After that, my symptoms have waxed and waned on a daily basis with the following symptoms being the most prominent.

 

·         Insomnia

·         Depression

·         Anxiety

·         Tinnitus

·         Restless Leg Syndrome

 

·         A lot of symptoms related to depression/anxiety such as

o   Inability to watch my “favorite” tv shows.  THE DIFFERENCE is that I haven’t “lost interest” in these things.  I WANT to do them more than anything in the world, I am just not able to function on a level to plan things like vacations, etc.  The shows I used to enjoy now cause anxiety for one reason or another. 

o   Intrusive thoughts about mortality and how quickly life goes by.  What does it all mean?  What’s the purpose, etc.  I’ve never had these thoughts in my life.  Life can literally change in a matter of moments.

o   Feeling that I will never be my “old self” again.  Hopeless – not in the sense of wanting to do any self harm or anything  . . . just despair that I could be like this for the rest of my life.  How did I go from the person I was to what I am dealing with SO quickly?  It just doesn’t make sense to me.

 

Since all this happened it has been an extensive journey to try to determine the cause (Benzo withdrawal, organic depression/anxiety, MTHFR Gene issue, too much stress, midlife crisis, sleep deprivation, or a combination of all of the above.  MORE IMPORTANTLY, it has been a journey of trying to find out how to help myself crawl out of this rabbit hole as I describe it. 

 

Thank you for taking the time to read this. 

Edited May 26, 2018 by Altostrata
merged benzo and Intro topics

[Altostrata]

Welcome, FakeIt.

 

2 hours ago, FakeItTilYouMakeIt said:

At the beginning of January I stopped taking the Ativan and had a "mini breakdown".  I did not know WHAT was happening.

 

You got severe withdrawal from Ativan.

 

2 hours ago, FakeItTilYouMakeIt said:

Well, a couple/few weeks ago I began having intrusive thoughts and my anxiety was so bad it was almost unbearable.  For three mornings in a row I woke up feeling so utterly hopeless that the "s" word creeped into my head.

 

The Lexapro dosage was too high for you. The symptoms probably could have been eliminated if you gradually reduced the Lexapro dosage.

 

How long have you been taking Pristiq? What dosage? Are you taking any other drugs?

 

How did you switch from Lexapro to Pristiq? Did you have any problems immediately after the switch?

 

Your psychiatrist sounds like a good one in that she seems genuinely interested in you, but Pristiq was a terrible choice. It's very difficult to taper because it does not come in a range of dosages and the tablets technically cannot be split. Effectively, you need to switch to Effexor to come off Pristiq. But this can be done. See

 

Tips for tapering off Pristiq (desvenlafaxine)

 

To help us out, follow these instructions Please put your drug and withdrawal history in your signature

[FakeItTilYouMakeIt]

I just switched from Lexapro to Pristiq one morning. That's how my doc said to do it.  

I had actually been trying to reduce the Lexapro by microtapering. I was weighing the tablets and they averaged 4.8grams each. I was down to 3.9 when I switched to the Pristiq.

[FakeItTilYouMakeIt]

And I am now on 50mg Pristiq.

[Altostrata]

When did you make this switch? Please answer all questions, we need this info.

 

11 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

How long have you been taking Pristiq? What dosage? Are you taking any other drugs?

 

How did you switch from Lexapro to Pristiq? Did you have any problems immediately after the switch?

 

[FakeItTilYouMakeIt]

How do I edit my signature? I thought I did but in guess that's the "about me". I don't see a place to do my signature.

[FakeItTilYouMakeIt]

Today is my third day on Pristiq. No major problems as of yet. I just still have the "off" feeling of not being myself. Is that the depression? I honestly don't know because I've never had depression before! 

This off feeling is the one that I hoped the Lexapro would get rid of. 

It's like I just can't seem to connect with my old self. I can't describe it. I feel like I will be stuck like this forever. 

[Altostrata]

Well done, you did edit your signature.

 

Were you taking 20mg Lexapro when you made the switch? Please add dosages to your signature.

 

Here's your choice: You can stay on Pristiq -- which, believe me is a major PITA to taper -- or you can go back to Lexapro, taking a slightly lower dose, 18mg, this time around. If I were you, I'd make this change before your system gets dependent on Pristiq.

 

You can make a liquid from Lexapro or get a prescription for the liquid form to taper. See Tips for tapering off Lexapro (escitalopram)

 

Please read both tapering topics so you understand what's involved in going off either drug.

[Altostrata]

The hives were an allergic reaction to something. Were you taking any drugs for anything at the time?

 

Then you had an adverse reaction to the steroid. This is common.

 

Do you still have

2 hours ago, FakeItTilYouMakeIt said:

   Insomnia

·         Depression

·         Anxiety

·         Tinnitus

·         Restless Leg Syndrome

 

You didn't mention this in your Intro topic. Let's discuss it there.

 

My take is you had garden-variety benzo withdrawal. But that seems to have passed, and now you need to figure out what to do about the antidepressant, which you probably don't need.

[FakeItTilYouMakeIt]

26 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

My take is you had garden-variety benzo withdrawal. But that seems to have passed, and now you need to figure out what to do about the antidepressant, which you probably don't need.

That's what I think! Except I still don't feel like myself and nobody can tell me if what I feel is depression or anxiety or what! I just don't feel like myself! I read and read and don't see anybody else describe it like I feel it. I read people say they feel "normal" on their antidepressant and that's why they taper off. I don't feel "normal" and haven't since this whole thing started. 

Am i still in benzo withdrawal? That's what they say at benzo buddies. They say that me being three months off benzos is very early. So do I stay on the AD until I feel "normal"??? Or do I go off the AD and risk feeling g worse?? I can't go back to the extreme anxiety and suicidal thoughts. 

[Altostrata]

Do you still have

2 hours ago, FakeItTilYouMakeIt said:

   Insomnia

·         Depression

·         Anxiety

·         Tinnitus

·         Restless Leg Syndrome

 

If so, has it changed over the last few months? How?

 

Do the symptoms follow any daily pattern? Please keep daily notes on paper about your symptoms, when you take your drugs, and their dosages.

[Altostrata]

I'm going to move this to your Introductions topic so we don't have a discussion in two places. You're not going to be tapering a benzo.

[FakeItTilYouMakeIt]

My RLS and sleep have gotten better. I also forgot to mention I did not have a period from January until two days ago. So four months. 

The hives that I had were stress hives. Not an allergic reaction to anything. I am prone to them. I know it was stress hives. That's part of the reason my therapist says I have true depression, not depression from Benzo withdrawal. So, should I stay on the Pristiq until the depression lifts? Is that the "off" feeling I am having? DEPRESSION? I do not feel sad at all. I just feel ... Lost. I am confused why I feel like I am not myself. I don't understand why I can't go anyplace (barely). I can't nap. I can't function fully at all.  Yet on the outside I can appear just fine...it's just on the inside that I am struggling with all of this! What is it?!?

[Altostrata]

4 minutes ago, FakeItTilYouMakeIt said:

That's what I think! Except I still don't feel like myself and nobody can tell me if what I feel is depression or anxiety or what! I just don't feel like myself! I read and read and don't see anybody else describe it like I feel it. I read people say they feel "normal" on their antidepressant and that's why they taper off. U don't feel "normal" and haven't since this whole thing started. 

Am u still in benzo withdrawal? That's what they say at benzo buddies. They say that me being three months off benzos is very early. So do I stay on the AD until I feel "normal"??? Or do I go off the AD and risk feeling g worse?? I can't go back to the extreme anxiety and suicidal thoughts. 

 

You feel odd because you have remnants of benzo withdrawal, an adverse reaction to steroids and Lexapro, plus you just switched drugs. The nervous system is not made of rubber, even though doctors treat it like it is.

 

We have to figure out what's causing what through looking at your symptoms. Please answer all questions above. I don't think you're going to want to reinstate a benzo.

[Altostrata]

1 minute ago, FakeItTilYouMakeIt said:

My RLS and sleep have gotten better. I also forgot to mention I did not have a period from January until two days ago. So four months. 

The hives that I had were stress hives. Not an allergic reaction to anything. I am prone to them. I know it was stress hives. That's part of the reason my therapist says I have true depression, not depression from Benzo withdrawal. So, should I stay on the Pristiq until the depression lifts? Is that the "off" feeling I am having? DEPRESSION? I do not feel sad at all. I just feel ... Lost. I am confused why I feel like I am not myself. I don't understand why I can't go anyplace (barely). I can't nap. I can't function fully at all.  Yet on the outside I can appear just fine...it's just on the inside that I am struggling with all of this! What is it?!?

 

The improvement in RLS and sleep indicate your adverse drug reactions, including benzo withdrawal, are getting better.

 

Stress hives are stress hives, not "depression." They mean you have sensitive mast cells. You need to learn to keep them calm. You might join Web sites for people who are managing this with non-drug means. You probably also need coaching in stress reduction, look for classes and therapists near you.

 

Also see

 

Neuro-emotions

 

Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms 

 

Dealing With Emotional Spirals

 

You have to understand, doctors will prescribe psychiatric drugs for a ham sandwich if the sandwich is female and comes into the office with a complaint that's too much trouble to pin down.

 

Please detail symptom pattern as requested above.

[FakeItTilYouMakeIt]

No! Definitely do not want to reinstate any benzos! My last Ativan was February 26th. 

My anxiety has gotten better since the beginning. I attribute that to the Lexapro and am hoping the Pristiq keeps it at Bay also (or that I only had it due to stopping the Ativan cold turkey). 

I still have the tennitus.

RLS is better as is sleep. I am getting three to four hours a night now. 

I really really need help on how to get this depression to lift (or whatever it is) so I can feel ok about getting off the Pristiq.

Oh, I also had depersonalization at the start of this and that has gone away. 

[FakeItTilYouMakeIt]

My stress hives are basically an indicator that I was under a lot of stress, therefore it makes sense I "fell into depression". This is according to my therapist. Yes I was under a lot of stress but for it to flip my life upside down like this??

So, do you think I am still in benzo withdrawal? Should I stay on the Pristiq to help me through it? 

[Altostrata]

If you want to believe you need an antidepressant for your tendency to stress hives, you can stay on Pristiq or whatever. We don't have to talk about tapering.

 

If you want to go off, please review again my post about going back to Lexapro. In order to determine if you "need" Pristiq, I still need to know what times of day you take your drugs and their dosages as well as when you get various symptoms.

 

It can take some time, possibly many months, for symptoms resulting from adverse drug effects, including steroids, to go away.

 

Many people do better with fish oil and magnesium supplements, see
http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/36-king-of-supplements-omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil/

http://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/15483-magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker/

 

A lot of people find them helpful. Try a little bit of one at a time to see how it affects you. Magnesium is particularly good for "RLS" and muscle tension.

 

Also read all the links I give you. We have dealt with this many times before.

[FakeItTilYouMakeIt]

Have I answered all your questions? If not, please ask again. I'm not used to this forum yet so having a hard time. 

[FakeItTilYouMakeIt]

Yes I do take magnesium also, and some iron. I forgot to add those.

And I wasn't prescribed the Lexapro for the hives at all. Ugh. This is so hard to do typing on my phone. 

I only took the steroid one dose. I didn't have a reaction to it. 

I was put on Lexapro because I was having the horrible insomnia and when I stopped taking the Ativan I pretty much lost my mind and the doc said I had depression and anxiety....which was true...but I had those things because of the Ativan.

This is all so confusing. 

I just don't know what to do and I am scared. I want so desperately to go back to November and not even go to the hospital. I would have been fine. 

Now I am messed up possibly for life.

Will I heal from this?? 

Will the Pristiq or Lexapro make me worse? Am I just going to be a mental case for life now?????  Will this "depression" lift on its own over time???

What can I do to help myself??

[Altostrata]

I need to know WHEN you take your drugs and WHEN symptoms occur to see if there's a daily pattern. Please put your Lexapro dosage in your signature.

 

27 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

Do the symptoms follow any daily pattern? Please keep daily notes on paper about your symptoms, when you take your drugs, and their dosages.

 

But before we go any further, you need to decide whether you believe you need to be on an antidepressant for life because of stress hives. If you do, there's nothing really we need to discuss. You have all relevant info in the above posts and links.

[FakeItTilYouMakeIt]

The only medicine I take now is the 50 mg. of Pristiq at 9am. About an hour later I take the supplements. 

No, I do not want to be on an antidepressant for life and again, did not start due to the hives. They are a rare occurrence during times of high stress (like when my best friend died).

[Altostrata]

Please consult Dr. Google about stress hives and non-drug treatments. If somebody here has similar problems, you can pay it forward by sharing what you learn.

 

8 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

I need to know WHEN you take your drugs and WHEN symptoms occur to see if there's a daily pattern. Please put your Lexapro dosage in your signature.

 

Still looking for that daily symptom pattern!

[FakeItTilYouMakeIt]

And the only symptom I have now is the "depression"....the off feeling. And it's pretty much 24/7. Again, I can look "normal" on the outside as I am keeping it together but I side I am an absolute mess of confusion and desperately wanting g to feel like my old self. I want to pack up the camper and plan a trip or book a weekend at the beach. But I can't! I missed my daughter's college graduation because I couldn't fly to PA to see it!!  That says a TON about how bad I feel. I do not miss things like that!! My family doesn't know what to do anymore. 

[FakeItTilYouMakeIt]

I don't have any physical symptoms per se. They are all mental symptoms. I can fake it through every day. I can appear "fine" but I'm not. I just don't understand it. It's like I have brain damage or something. 

[Altostrata]

Very good. What is your sleep pattern?

 

You said you were microtapering Lexapro. How much were you taking 3 days ago, when you switched to Pristiq?

 

Antidepressants dull feeling, that's how they work. Many people also experience demotivation as a side effect. Also, you have had a series of adverse drug reactions. Recovery can take some months of very slow, frustrating healing. In fact, you have mostly recovered rather quickly from benzo withdrawal.

 

You have homework:

 

- Read all links above

- Research non-drug treatments for stress hives

- Decide if you want to stay on Pristiq rather than Lexapro, knowing that it's going to be more difficult to go off Pristiq

[FakeItTilYouMakeIt]

My sleep pattern is bed by 11 at the latest. Wake a few times in the middle of the night. And then awake when hubby gets up at 5:30. Sometimes I go to bed at 10. I rarely wake feeling refreshed. I always wake with the realization that I am still in this nightmare and my goal is to survive another day. I want to wake up like I used to and hop out of bed to do laundry, clean house, work from home, make dinner, etc. I want my old life back. I want to feel normal. 

I am not worried about the stress hives at all. They happen maybe once or twice a year. 

I was at 3.9 weight per tablet of the Lexapro when I switched to Pristiq. So that would be about 81% or 16.25mgs. 

 

The thing is, I don't know why I was suddenly having the severe anxiety that caused the intrusive thoughts for three mornings. I blamed it on the Lexapro and when my sister researched it there are so many warnings about Lexapro causing suicide so my new psychiatrist said I should switch and I would be scared to go back to Lexapro for that reason.

Can I just start right now taking Pristiq every other day so my body doesn't get too addicted to it? What if I just stop taking it since I have only been in it three days? Will I still have bad withdrawals from the Lexapro? What if I wait a couple weeks and the Lexapro withdrawals will be passed and I will have only been on Pristiq for two weeks? Is it easier to cold turkey then?? I do NOT want to go on Effexor! 

I'm just stuck, aren't I??? 

[FakeItTilYouMakeIt]

So, you think I am healed from the Benzo withdrawal? You don't think this "off" feeling is still from that? 

Is what I am describing depression?? 

Should I stay on the Pristiq and see if it goes away? I had this feeling BEFORE I started the Lexapro (after I stopped the Ativan). So maybe it is not the AD causing the feeling...but it certainly isn't taking it away either. 

I was talked into taking the Lexapro because I was told it would take this feeling away. And I was told Lexapro must not be the right medication for me so I should try Pristiq, but after three days the feeling still isn't going away. 

[Shep]

20 minutes ago, FakeItTilYouMakeIt said:

Can I just start right now taking Pristiq every other day so my body doesn't get too addicted to it? What if I just stop taking it since I have only been in it three days? Will I still have bad withdrawals from the Lexapro?

 

Please see Alto's earlier post:

 

1 hour ago, Altostrata said:

Here's your choice: You can stay on Pristiq -- which, believe me is a major PITA to taper -- or you can go back to Lexapro, taking a slightly lower dose, 18mg, this time around. If I were you, I'd make this change before your system gets dependent on Pristiq.

 

You can make a liquid from Lexapro or get a prescription for the liquid form to taper. See Tips for tapering off Lexapro (escitalopram)

 

Please read both tapering topics so you understand what's involved in going off either drug.

 

 

[Altostrata]

Do NOT skip doses. Do NOT go cold turkey.

 

This is your third day on Pristiq, do you feel any different today?

[FakeItTilYouMakeIt]

No. Not really. It's just weird. I feel calm and "okay" but yet I know I am not myself. 

It's like I am neurotic about the whole situation. If I could just stop thinking about it I would be okay. But I can't. I can't enjoy anything. I try so incredibly hard. I try to distract but it's always right there on the tip of my brain. 

I wish I could just find one person that feels this same way. Actually I have, but they are all in benzo withdrawal which makes me think maybe that's what I am still experiencing. I just can't figure it out. 

[FakeItTilYouMakeIt]

Should I stay on the Pristiq longer? See if I feel better after a couple of weeks? See if this feeling goes away? 

Have I mentioned that I did the DNA test and Lexapro was in the middle column due to a MTHFR Gene issue. Pristiq was the one that is supposed to be my best match. 

 

[FakeItTilYouMakeIt]

The other ones that are in my "green" column are Wellbutrin, fetzima, Emsam and Vibryd.

Are any of those better options??

[FakeItTilYouMakeIt]

Prozac is in my "NO" column

[Altostrata]

You are acting in a very neurotic way about this, and I'm going to have to ask you to stop it. It's creating work for me and the staff.

 

You are asking the same questions over and over. Please review all the responses from me and other mods in this topic. Your questions have been answered.

 

As for what drug is "best" for you, read Genetic testing: "Personalized medicine," liver enzymes, genotypes, GeneSightRx, Genomind, etc.

 

We've covered just about every test, supplement, and treatment you can think of in our Symptoms and Self-care forum

 

Perhaps you want to think about the information we're giving you for a day or so, before posting again.

 

You may wish to look at other Introductions topics, we have hundreds of members in similar circumstances.