Kronos18: Lexapro withdrawal

[Kronos18]

Thank you Shep.I will try one to see how it goes.Thank you

[Kronos18]

Thank you Shep.I will have a look at this.Hope you are doing well

[Kronos18]

Hi guys, here’s an update 3 months off meds.I am feeling better that in the begining, back in the first month i could barely leave my house, now i can go out with my friends, anxiety is not as powerful in the begining but still here, it fluctuates, Since 2 weeks ago i started working out and it seems that i get cortisol spikes after i end my workout with diziness, vertigo, muscle stiffnes, but it lasts about 1h and fades, fatigue is not as powerful as in the begining, dr/dp still here but it faded a bit, is much powerful during workout but still manageable, today was a pretty tough day with fatigue, weakness, strong dr/dp, diziness and vertigo, this day remembered me of the begining of the withdrawal and made me aware of the progress that I made, hoping that tomorrow will be a good day.The workouts I do are not strong, they are pretty much with 8-12 kg dumbells and 3-4 exercises of 4 sets each, so I hope this doesn’t mess up with my withdrawal.I also eat a lot healthier than before, fish and vegetable based meals, fast food 2-3 times a week.

[Shep]

Wonderful update, Kronos. Thanks for letting us know. 

[Kronos18]

can exercise set us back during withdrawal or it’s a coincidence and I fell in a wave?I started going 2 the gym 2 weeks ago and yesterday and today i feel so exhausted, tremors, muscle weakness, diziness and higher anxiety than normal.Should I wait or continue going to gym? To mention that i use 8-10 kg dumbells and way less intensity of workout that normal

[Kronos18]

Must add that these symptoms are not with me every time of the day.It fluctuates by hours.Last week I exercised and it seemed to help but this week was horrible

[Kronos18]

Hi guys.I updated 3 months off, which was an improvement, and now i’m thrown back in panic state, diziness, vertigo, muscle sifness, balance problems, strong dr/dp, high anxiety, fear.It is just a wave and a coincidence that I started training 2 weeks ago or the gym was a setback from recovery? What should I do?

[Shep]

You may want to limit your exercise to just gentle walks and gentle yoga until you feel better. 

 

Exercise ... Do more, do less, do nothing? What worked for you?

[Kronos18]

3 months off and and hell broke loose again.Muslce stiffness, muscle spasm, sensivity to light and sound, burning sensation in arm especially, diziness, vertigo, concentration problems, high anxiety, tingling in arms, vibrations in head sometimes, dr/dp strong again,seems like my vision is not quite right, slurred speech, blurred vision ,jaw stiffness, head pressure, headached, eue pressure

[Kronos18]

Thank you shep.Really appreciate the help

[Wesofthewest]

That’s classic windows and waves, and it’s important to remember that that’s just how we get better and heal. I’ve had the same thing, one moment I’ll be thinking about how much better I feel and start to get positive, then I get hit with the same awful symptoms as before. It’s easy to feel hopeless during these times, but I know you’ll get through it! I personally haven’t even been able to get myself to set foot in the gym, although if I do some sort of exercise I definitely feel at least a little bit better. The thing is that I get exhausted so easily. I don’t know if you are the same, but as Shep mentioned, it might be better for you to do light cardio instead of weights for a while. Either way, I’m impressed that you are even going to the gym and working out! I don’t know if I could do the same. 

[Kronos18]

Yes, we will.how are you feeling? I sufdently fell again in a state of panic and fear because all of these symptoms going severe again, but it seems to be less severe than 2 months ago, so I guess this is improvement.

[Kronos18]

My vision is getting bad and I am concerned about it, I started having eye floaters again, colors seems to be strange, darker, vision is blurry and some light strains.This really gives me anxiety, beside all other symptoms that give me anxiety

[Kronos18]

I think i may have developed some sort of health anxiety

[powerback]

On 4/19/2019 at 12:04 PM, Kronos18 said:

Hi guys.I updated 3 months off, which was an improvement, and now i’m thrown back in panic state, diziness, vertigo, muscle sifness, balance problems, strong dr/dp, high anxiety, fear.It is just a wave and a coincidence that I started training 2 weeks ago or the gym was a setback from recovery? What should I do?

Hi kronos our want to be like before gets us In trouble ,are you doing cardio also.

Exercise is a stressor .as shep says light walks is enough,this is were acceptance comes in .I am the king of doing to much in withdrawal ,theres no coincidence I was left bedbound the last few months after the last year I had.

A month ago I did some building work For 2 days and destroyed myself for a month.

Getting out for a walk should be loads in withdrawal.

After my last episode im happy to do nothing.I never thought I could feel such misery.its only this week I got out of the house .put the gym off for months and youl do yourself a huge favour.

Take care.

 

[Kronos18]

i understand.It should be ok for some months to let the gym apart.I also think I developed health anxiety because literally every symptom would give me anxiety, like weakness, vision problems, i’m not panickong anymore about dr/dp, but vertigo, walking, diziness, muscle stiffness all pf them give me anxiety

[Kronos18]

Can someone please explain to me why am i feeling so much fear without any cause? I am literally like afraid of anything, but i don’t know why.And my body feels weightless

[Kronos18]

I can barelly walk and feeling of fainting in every moment.This is awful

[Gracee]

Kronos18, Do you have a therapist, counselor or a support group?    If not, would you consider talk-therapy?

 

 

[Kronos18]

I had a therapist and we took a break.It’s really awful since 4 days, i literally feel like i am losing my mind again.I don’t know what to do any more

[Kronos18]

What can I do in order to stop obsessing about my symptoms? Is literally ALL of what I am thinking about.

[powerback]

42 minutes ago, Kronos18 said:

What can I do in order to stop obsessing about my symptoms? Is literally ALL of what I am thinking about.

You need to distract Kronos18,just back from a light walk myself and my back and hips are raging at me .I sat on a bench while the missus did a walk .were I sat I can see  an 800 foot hill I used to fly up in no time ,all I can do for know is dream ile do it again some day.

Its an awful hell so dig deep .this bad wave will pass eventually .

Take care.

[Kronos18]

Thank you very much for responding.I find it very hard to focus on something as I can’t really relax, i’m agitated, dizzy, balance problems which literally don’t let me do anything, only laying in bed.

[powerback]

27 minutes ago, Kronos18 said:

Thank you very much for responding.I find it very hard to focus on something as I can’t really relax, i’m agitated, dizzy, balance problems which literally don’t let me do anything, only laying in bed.

Of course ,no probs.its a joke to be like this beyond belief ,I distract on YouTube[sometimes it triggers me also].i do a lot of food prep ,keeps me busy ,some days I struggle to even do that .keep digging deep and  you know not to go gym for a while .maybe do relaxing massages rather than the gym for a while.

Take great care Kronos18. 

[Kronos18]

I will let the gym apart for some months, i also have black circles under the eyes, i look like a psycho.This is really awful

[powerback]

3 minutes ago, Kronos18 said:

I will let the gym apart for some months, i also have black circles under the eyes, i look like a psycho.This is really awful

well your not a psycho.my missus gets them circles and she's the picture of health  ,we have to dig deep and nurture ourselves ,I find this hard lately ,my intrusive thoughts/critic seems to bully me .I had 30 mins of sun on my face today ,the most in 5 months .god knows how ile react .

When you go back to the gym after you get better ,go very easy and slow and make notes of how your body is  reacting ,just like if we are going on or off meds .ive learned a harsh lesson the last 3 years[especially the last year]  ,its the fact of doing way  to much in withdrawl .I believe I prolonged this process.theres a disconnect between our brains wanting to do things and actually being able.

[Kronos18]

I understand this but it’s so hard, i’ve been on the pills for2 months, i am only 21, i didn’t have an imediate adverse reaction but i decided to quit it, and now 3 months later i feel like garbage

[Kronos18]

All of the symptoms are becoming more pronounced, vision is not right at all, devere dr/dp again, terror, fear, anxiety, diziness, muscle stifness, vertigo, weakness, balance problems, feeling like i am walking in a moving boat, eye pressure, fatigue

[Kronos18]

Hi guys.I’ve got an throat infection infortunately, I may need to take AB’s, but i don’t want to take the risk of sabotaging my withdrawal.What should I do? What pills for flu can I take? How about Augmentin?

[Kronos18]

I also want to mention that in the past I took augmentin with not so many problems, usual ones like dihareea, nausea, headaches, I took them over the course of a week.

[Shep]

Kronos, have you been to a doctor and found out you have a strep infection or anything that might require an antibiotic? 

 

I would avoid the fluoroquinolone antibiotics. For more information, please see: 

 

Cipro, Levaquin, Azithromycin (Z-Pack), and other antibiotics

 

Lemon and honey tea can be very soothing for a sore throat. If it's nothing severe like strep, you may be fine treating it naturally. Plenty of liquids, soups, and bedrest can help. 

 

 

[Kronos18]

Thank you so much shep.I will have a look.Right now i’m not feeling good at all, high anxiety, terror feeling, fear, severe dr/dp, weakness, fatigue, i haven’t touched any Ab’s, I think it’s better to not touch them

[Kronos18]

I have racing thoughts that i might end up in a psych ward, i literally am feeling like i am losing my mind sometimes

[Kronos18]

Do the anxiety from withdrawal respond to cbt techniques?

[brassmonkey]

Are you still going to the gym and exercising hard?

[Kronos18]

57 minutes ago, brassmonkey said:

Are you still going to the gym and exercising hard?

Hi brassmonkey.Haven’t got to the gym since i asked about it, 18th of april was the last day and i wasn’t even exercising hard, light dumbells, i guess it was a coincidence that i was feeling like this because i got to the gym From 6 to 18 april, with no problems,apart from higher cortisol and symptoms that lasted around 1h after going to the gym.Maybe it is just a wave?i don’t even know what to think any more..