Matata44: feeling very sleepy with Lexapro

[getofflex]

Currently taking: Nucleo Forte (supplement for nerves)

B complex vitamins.

 

What is in the nucleo forte supplement?  This may be making your symptoms worse.  We do not suggest supplements with multiple ingredients in them, as we won't know what causes what. 

 

Also, B complex vitamins tend to be stimulating to the nervous system. You indicated that you were experiencing akathisia?  

 

Eliminating these supplements may help you.  Nucleo forte are considered nootropics, supposedly brain enhancing drugs.  This wikipedia article explains about it: 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nootropic

Edited July 4, 2022 by getofflex

[brassmonkey]

I have just finished reading your entire thread and one thing really sticks out. Even though WD from Lexapro in well known to cause suicidal thoughts I don't think that is the case. You've mentioned several times that your symptoms are not bad and under control, but you focus on the things you are not able to do, the things you've had to give up and your effects on the people around you.

 

ADWD is a very harsh experience that causes us to make major changes in our lives, but those changes are on a temporary basis. They can last a lot longer than we would like, but they are still temporary. ADWD is one of the curveballs that life throws at us. We think we are doing the right thing by following doctors' orders and starting the medications, and when we decide that the drugs are not for us, we do what we think is the right thing and try to get off of them. But no one has told us just how hard that is going to be or how to do it correctly to minimize the pain. So very many of us end up in a position that is very painful and disruptive, all because we tried to do the right thing, and now we are stuck with it. The one good thing about ADWD is that it will come to an end. To get there though we have to allow our bodies to heal at the rate that they want to work at which is often not as fast as we would like.

 

While that healing is happening, we have to help it along by taking as good of care of ourselves as possible. Many people laugh at "the power of positive thinking", but it is very important to the ADWD healing process. Although they are called antidepressants some of the major side effects are depression, anxiety and fear. These are especially evident during ADWD and can cause us to make very poor decisions. There are tons of suggestions for dealing with this and improving one's outlook throughout the site. Gratitude list, getting out in nature, enjoying a sunset, puppy videos are all tools to help improve one's mind set. Like everything else ADWD they take some practice and time to work, but they really do.

 

If you are concerned about trying a reinstatement, then don't. You are getting far enough out from quitting that it may not be effective, and the risks of an adverse reaction are increased. From your posts, I don't think it would do much good anyway, I think changes in acceptance and attitude will be much more effective.

[Matata44]

Yeah. I’ll try to stay focused on something else for a while..

 

Man, I wish I never had taken this medication. All of this is just not worth it. If I survive this, I’ll do everything to help people going through the same. 
 

It’s crazy to see all these people loosing jobs and houses just because of the effects of this medication. I’m loosing my youth that will never come back. All my plans and studies are in the trash. 

[Matata44]

20 hours ago, getofflex said:

Also, B complex vitamins tend to be stimulating to the nervous system. You indicated that you were experiencing akathisia

Yeah. I didn’t want to believe it but apparently the B vitamins are making me more anxious and I have way worse nerve damage like symptoms. I’ll stay away from them for a while..

[Matata44]

20 hours ago, brassmonkey said:

I have just finished reading your entire thread and one thing really sticks out. Even though WD from Lexapro in well known to cause suicidal thoughts I don't think that is the case. You've mentioned several times that your symptoms are not bad and under control, but you focus on the things you are not able to do, the things you've had to give up and your effects on the people around you.

 

ADWD is a very harsh experience that causes us to make major changes in our lives, but those changes are on a temporary basis. They can last a lot longer than we would like, but they are still temporary. ADWD is one of the curveballs that life throws at us. We think we are doing the right thing by following doctors' orders and starting the medications, and when we decide that the drugs are not for us, we do what we think is the right thing and try to get off of them. But no one has told us just how hard that is going to be or how to do it correctly to minimize the pain. So very many of us end up in a position that is very painful and disruptive, all because we tried to do the right thing, and now we are stuck with it. The one good thing about ADWD is that it will come to an end. To get there though we have to allow our bodies to heal at the rate that they want to work at which is often not as fast as we would like.

 

While that healing is happening, we have to help it along by taking as good of care of ourselves as possible. Many people laugh at "the power of positive thinking", but it is very important to the ADWD healing process. Although they are called antidepressants some of the major side effects are depression, anxiety and fear. These are especially evident during ADWD and can cause us to make very poor decisions. There are tons of suggestions for dealing with this and improving one's outlook throughout the site. Gratitude list, getting out in nature, enjoying a sunset, puppy videos are all tools to help improve one's mind set. Like everything else ADWD they take some practice and time to work, but they really do.

 

If you are concerned about trying a reinstatement, then don't. You are getting far enough out from quitting that it may not be effective, and the risks of an adverse reaction are increased. From your posts, I don't think it would do much good anyway, I think changes in acceptance and attitude will be much more effective.

Thank you for such a complete answer. 

Yeah. My psychological symptoms are not as bad as they were 3 months ago but are still pretty bad. The strong depression and anxiety  comes and goes throughout the day and the fact that my body is strongly affected doesn’t help because I can’t exercise or even walk. 

 

I’m trying to live like this but it’s just so painful and frustrating.

 

Thank you for the encouragement!

[Matata44]

Please I need some advice!

 

I saw my neurologist today. My neurological exams show that I have no problems with my nerve conductivity but that I do have overactive reflexes, specially in my legs and my muscles in calves are wasting. 
 

He suggested taking Pregabalin to balance out the nerves, but I told him about my withdrawal from Pregabalin, so he suggested Gabapentin. 
 

I know that this drugs are similar but Gabapentin seems to be milder? 
 

I have really being considering the Gabapentin. I’m desperate to walk again. I have had no improvement so far with my muscle pain and atrophy. 
 

Would it be a good idea to try Gabapentin and then tapper very slowly? 
 

Thanks if someone has any ideas I’ll be glad to read.

[ChessieCat]

2019 - 2021 Escitalopram (20 mg for a year and a half, then, I tapered the dosage by 1/8 each month) off by Dec. 2021

 

You did do a very fast taper off escitalopram, which is a very strong drug.  And you only stopped it 6 months ago.

 

SA is a peer support site for helping people to get off their psychiatric drug/s.  SA cannot advise you on whether it is a good idea for you to take another drug or which drug to take.

 

We have recently had a lot of members join SA after their Facebook group closed.

 

They are tagged with gabapentinoids.  I suggest that you check out their Introductions topics and read about the issues that they are having with those drugs and getting off them.

 

This is the link to the search results for that tag:

 

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/search/?&tags=gabapentinoids

 

There are other members who are/have taken both drugs you mention that are not included in the above.  You could always do a search for both of those drugs.

[ChessieCat]

Please do not ask other members for their advice about what drug to take.  That is against SA rules:

 

On 6/16/2011 at 4:45 AM, Altostrata said:

- Drug shopping or recommending drugs
This is a site for going off drugs. It is not a site for finding out what drug to take next, comparing drug cocktails, or recommending what drug to add. This could be dangerous.

 

 

 

[Matata44]

7 hours ago, ChessieCat said:

 

2019 - 2021 Escitalopram (20 mg for a year and a half, then, I tapered the dosage by 1/8 each month) off by Dec. 2021

 

Yes. I took 20mg for 9 months and then the tapering process took more than a year. I reduced 1/8 each month or two. I know that it’s rather fast than what you guys recommend but it was not very fast. 

[Matata44]

7 hours ago, ChessieCat said:

SA is a peer support site for helping people to get off their psychiatric drug/s.  SA cannot advise you on whether it is a good idea for you to take another drug or which drug to take.

I understand. But I thought that you guys could know something about withdrawal from Gabapentinoids since that was the first medicine I withdrew from and that’s how I actually found this site. 
 

I don’t want any problems. I won’t ask something like that again. I’m just in a lot of pain. 
 

Thanks a lot for the information. 

[Altostrata]

On 7/8/2022 at 11:13 AM, Matata44 said:

He suggested taking Pregabalin to balance out the nerves, but I told him about my withdrawal from Pregabalin, so he suggested Gabapentin. 

 

These drugs are closely related.

 

We're not able to identify the cause of your symptoms, or what to do about them, sorry. According to our experience, if this is a withdrawal syndrome, it should very, very gradually go away.

[Matata44]

11 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

We're not able to identify the cause of your symptoms, or what to do about them, sorry. According to our experience, if this is a withdrawal syndrome, it should very, very gradually go away.

Hello, Altostrata

 

Yes. No one seems to understand what is wrong with my body. I have tried to find the reason and solution for months without much resuls. But all of this started exactly when I took the last dosage of Escitalopram. I think it's maybe a reaction from stopping it or a neurological issue from the severe akathesia that I had during the first months.

 

Thank you for your support anyways. 

 

I'll keep updating in case someone has any similar symptoms.

[Altostrata]

It is possible you also have a medical condition.

[Matata44]

I agree. But if It is a medical condition it’s a rare one because I have visited so many doctors in different countries..

[MrMiyagi]

How are you doing Matata44?