Sunny33160: Lexapro no good experience

[Sunny33160]

Hi everybody,

 

My mom started taking lexapro 10 mg a month ago, after two week Dr increade to 20 which is now two week.

 

When want to taper the pill because she is having terrible effects, Jelly leg, she cannot be in her feet, cannot walk, confusion,vivid dreams,  and hallucinations.

 

Why she starter Lexapro, because she was taking Diazepam for many years, and yes she was working her way out with few symptom here and there but never happened what is happening now, it seen that Lexapro is increasing everything.

 

So I am looking for information to take the pill away since the Doctor is out of town and she is no taking the pill for so long .

Edited July 21, 2019 by Sunny33160
add information missing

[Gridley]

Welcome to SA, Sunny33160.

 

Your mother is having an adverse reaction (like an allergic reaction) to the Lexapro.  I have asked the other moderators for their input on how fast to go off the Lexapro.  It's a weekend so there aren't as many moderators online, but someone will contact you.

[Altostrata]

Welcome, Sunny.

 

Has your mother tried taking 10mg again instead of 20mg Lexapro? What happened?

[Sunny33160]

Hello,

 

She is took the 10 mg this morning, so I don't know if is save to quit the extra 10 at night after 2 weeks.

Should I stop it?... she is sleeping now (all morning)

 

I just read my original post...and I think because I am so nervous I did not expressed myself correctly.

 

She just start Lexapro a month ago 10 mg. Dosage was increased two weeks after with 10 mg at night. She started the new dosage two week ago. Can I stop the night dosage?

 

Thank you!

 

 

[Altostrata]

If her symptoms got worse after adding the nighttime pill, if I were she, I would not take the nighttime pill.

 

Is she still taking diazepam? What times of day does she take her drugs, at what dosages?

[Sunny33160]

Hello

 

Yes she is taking 5mg of Diazepam in the morning, we were talking to split the pill so then will be easy to reduce it.

[Sunny33160]

My mom started taking Diazepam 10 mg 30 years ago, and I think she was taking the pill in different ways sometimes more sometimes less. Two years ago, she hit tolerance; well, I did not know it was tolerance until I found the Ashton Manual. We started tapering the pill if I am no mistaking in May 2017 and we got to 1mg at the end of November. She started getting windows then I traveled, and she drove herself crazy.  On December 2017 we started 2mg again with 2 or 2 ½ holdings reducing 0.50) during 2018  she got better and started going to the gym lifting weight twice a week, we travel….  In March 2019, she did not feel good; therefore no choice to up to 4 mg, she has a kind of panic attack. After a month with push 2 mg in the morning and 2 mg in the afternoon around 3 pm. She never missed any dosage. We went to Doctor, and he prescribed Sinemet for the tremor in the initial consultation after a month he prescribed the Lexapro reducing 1mg of Diazepam. Now, I did not have a choice to increase the diazepam to 5 mg because of the hallucination, when I called the doctor the nurse said he is out the town, and she thinks that what she has is diazepam withdrawn …. She never was like that before, and I think every started with the second Lexapro at night. 

I am not a doctor, but maybe she hit tolerance, and she needs to cut the 5 mg sooner or split the pill and then cut to 4.5 mg in 2 weeks.

 

Thank you all.

[Altostrata]

What tremor? At what point, on what drug combination, did the hallucinations start? How old is your mother?

 

To help us out, follow these instructions Please put your drug and withdrawal history in your signature You may need to use a computer to do this.

 

[Sunny33160]

My mom is 70 years old, she started has some tremor a year ago but they  reduced a lot after  each cutting. When we start tapering at some point she has some hallucination for two or three days and then they stopped, she used to see little dog. I would a signature soon . Thank you

 

 

[Altostrata]

Thanks for the signature.

 

Looks like she was experiencing known side effects of diazepam. Doctor probably didn't know what to do, so prescribed Lexapro.

 

Did she feel better or worse when she started 10mg Lexapro?

[Sunny33160]

Hi Altotastra,

 

Not really, I read that take 2 or more weeks to work,  I wont give her the pill tonight and see what happen tomorrow morning. Today she slept almost all day and she looks much better, she took the Lexapro around 7:30 am and the diazepam around 8:30 am. On Wednesday will be a week of the increase so I dont know if I should half of the pill to be taken at night. 

 

[manymoretodays]

Hi Sunny33160,

And welcome aboard!

Thank you for getting the signature done.

And yes, that's true that often the antidepressants may take 2 or more weeks to work.  Sometimes less.  To build up to a steady state in body. 

 

We don't recommend pill skipping or alternating days of dosing however.   More about that here:

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

(it's about half way down in the first post ^)

 

Is your Mom up to posting here, on her own?

 

Keep some notes on paper, and then post here, in this format:

(Or perhaps your Mom will be able to)

Daily symptom and drug dosing logs

Sample notes:

6 a.m. Woke with anxiety
8 a.m. Took 2.5mg Lexapro
10 a.m. Stomach is upset
10:30 a.m. Ate breakfast
11:35 a.m. Got a headache, lasted one hour
12:35 p.m. Ate lunch
4 p.m. Feel a bit better
5 p.m. Took 2.5mg Lexapro
6 p.m. Ate dinner
9:20 p.m. Headache
10:00 p.m. Took 50mg Seroquel
10:20 p.m. Feeling dizzy
10:30 p.m. Fell asleep
2:30 a.m. Woke, took 3mg Ambien (NOT "took 1/2 tablet Ambien")
2:45 a.m. Fell asleep
4:30 a.m. Woke but got back to sleep

 

This will really help us advise, the notes.

Thanks Sunny.

 

Love, peace, healing, and growth,

manymoretodays(mmt)

 

 

[Sunny33160]

Hi 

 

I understand but do you have to get all those effect before the pill work?.  I read that people get well with the pill and take klonopin or alprazolaram until the lexapro works. 

 

She took the night pill for 9 days, I cut that pill last night and I am keeping the morning pill until the Dr. come back from vacation.

 

No my mom cannot post herself.

[manymoretodays]

Okay.  On that your Mom can't post herself. 

Are you talking about cutting the Lexapro pill in half, or the diazepam pill in half?

I think that's okay, if it's the Lexapro and I'm glad that you did not just skip that entirely today, if that's what you mean.

I'm trying to ascertain, if it's an adverse reaction from the Lexapro, or diazepam WD going on.  Or both.

And it looks like you are giving additional benzos too.  I see klonopin, alprazolam mentioned above.

 

If you could put this into that simple format, the notes, much appreciated.  This will make it clearer.  Include all drugs/medications given please.

Date at the top.

Then note the time on the left.

Followed by the drug given/taken by name, then dosage on the right.

Continue with the times on the left, and on the right, just note symptoms, including sleep and any other drugs or supplements given throughout the day.

 

Doing that on paper first, and then posting a full 24 hours right here, on your main introduction page, will be really helpful.  This is different from the signature part that you have done.

 

You read that people get well with what pill?  Did you mean you read that they recover from benzo WD with an AD(antidepressant) like Lexapro?  I have not seen that that is often the case.  It's possible, that it might help somewhat.......I'm not real sure at this point though, from what I've seen of others experiences and read in journals, to be honest.

I did take Lexapro myself, it was one of my last medications, and honestly, was only on it, as I had become dependent on it.......not for any real effect other than that.  Getting off of it, was a bear!  So, nice if we can avoid another dependency drug for your Mom, in my opinion.  As she has already had a long haul with the benzo's.

 

Please also plug in all of your Mom's medications/drugs here at Drugs.com 

Copy and then paste/post the results right here on your/her introduction.

 

 

And thanks for your willingness to help your Mom and giving us all the information too, Sunny.  As well as getting further educated/informed. ❤️    

I think that if you are both adults and she has given consent to you, to share her information here, and try and help her.......then that's great.

Hoping she can post on her own behalf soon.

 

Love, peace, healing, and growth,

mmt

Edited July 22, 2019 by manymoretodays
additional

[Sunny33160]

Hi Manymoretodays,

 

Yes, she knows I am writing here, and I was thinking to cut the diazepam in half eventually. She is taking what I wrote in my signature. Yesterday she slept almost all day, and she was fine when she woke up around 5:00 pm then she could not sleep at night. So she is driving herself crazy now.

 

she was doing fine with some withdrawn symptom she was doing acupuncture all this time, and help her a lot, I just contact the Dr he is coming home tomorrow, hope this will help more.

 

I will write the information you mentioned.

 

Thank you so much for your support. We are from South America, and we do not have family here, so it is not easy going to all of this.

[Sunny33160]

Good morning all

 

After almost a week of removing the lexapro from the night, my mom can walk, and she has less anxiety, but the hallucinations still around, when I can start the tapering of 10 mg that she is taking in the morning. Next week will be five weeks in this dosage.

 

 

[manymoretodays]

Oh, that's good to hear Sunny33160,

Can you do your best with trying a few notes here, with your Mom's drugs, dosage, and times taken?  Just give it your best try.  (example above, and the link to the how to of this)

Honest, this helps us so very much!

 

And then here's more on tapering Lexapro(escitalopram) specifically:

Tips for tapering off Lexapro(escitalopram)

 

What are you working with now, as far as the Lexapro goes?  What size pill/tablet and dose?

 

L, P, H, and G,

mmt

 

[Sunny33160]

Hello manymoretodays!!

 

She is taking 10mg of Lexapro at 7:00 am and the diazepam 5 mg around 8:00 am, around noon she is taking the Omega fish oil.

 

So I assuming is Lexapro 10mg what is causing the hallucinations. I am wondering if I can give her Melatonin

 

Thank you!

[manymoretodays]

Hey Sunny33160,

When is she having the hallucinations in relation to her drugs?  This is important stuff.

Give a try with those notes.

What was the outcome with her doctor?  Did you speak with her doctor?  And if so, how did that go?

 

If I were you, I think I would consider a continued taper with the Lexapro.  Are you with your Mom most days?

10% of 10 mg is 9 mg.

And then 9mg X .90 = 8.1 mg (for the next taper from the 9 mg dose)

*Why taper by 10% of my dosage

and we might be able to get away with tapering more quickly than every 4-6 weeks.  I don't know yet though.  I'm hoping so. 

I'm so glad that there has been some improvement already though, removing that second dose of Lexapro.

It may also make sense to separate out her dose of diazepam from the Lexapro too.  Getting the diazepam closer to bedtime for her.

 

We usually just have members move doses(of anything) just by an hour, each day.  Without making any other drug or tapering changes during that time.

Has the 5 mg dose of diazepam been pretty steady now since July 24th?  Same dose and time?

 

So.  Notes.

And one more thing.  Please go to  Drugs.com

Plug her medications in the interactions checker.  Then copy and paste right here on her introductions page.  You might want to share with her prescriber as well.  You can opt for the consumer or professional information there.

 

Here's what we've got on Melatonin for sleep

I've stuck with the sublingual form, for myself(it dissolves under my tongue) and currently use 1 mg.

Is she sleeping at night now?

 

Thanks Sunny.

L, P, H, and G,

mmt

[Altostrata]

On 7/27/2019 at 8:58 AM, Sunny33160 said:

Hello manymoretodays!!

 

She is taking 10mg of Lexapro at 7:00 am and the diazepam 5 mg around 8:00 am, around noon she is taking the Omega fish oil.

 

So I assuming is Lexapro 10mg what is causing the hallucinations. I am wondering if I can give her Melatonin

 

Thank you!

 

Hello, Sunny. Are the hallucinations worse or better at any time of day? What are these hallucinations?

 

Why did the doctor prescribe Lexapro? The adverse effects might be a drug-drug reaction with diazepam https://www.drugs.com/drug-interactions/diazepam-with-lexapro-862-0-1013-565.html

[Sunny33160]

Hello Altostrata,

 

The hallucination was worse around noon yesterday, she saw tables on top of the bed, then she said the mirror has an extra cover around. and Also she was talking thinks for the past. 

 

Today, no hallucination yet, only vivid dreams,  I explained to her about it and she understood, so she is keeping herself quite so far.  Hope this means that she will get better soon.

[manymoretodays]

Hi again Sunny,

I think for now, if I were you, I'd go with moving the diazepam dose, an hour a day.  Moving it towards a pm/evening dosing.

Notes too, if you can.

And thank you for looking after your Mom.

L, P, H, and growth,

mmt

[Sunny33160]

Hi manymoretodays!

 

I will, Thank  you! 

[Sunny33160]

Hello all!

 

Today I pushed the diazepam for 9:00 am, now I have noticed that my mom has  swollen ankles and feet. What I should do? She doesn't feel any pain

 

Also I am going to call the doctor tomorrow, I'm afraid that he prescribes another pill.

 

 

[manymoretodays]

Sunny,

Does your Mom have any other medical problems?

Could it be this?  Lipoedema

Scroll down the article and you'll see where it talks about the swollen ankles and feet.  Does it improve by morning, or after she has been in bed awhile, and off her feet?

Or it could be just plain edema.  Fluid in the lower legs.

Which could go along with cardiac problems, or reduced function.

How old is your Mom?

My Mum is 91.  She has the Lipoedema.  She is not really all that heavy either,  or grossly overweight.  She, my Mum does have some heart issues.

 

And yes, yes, you should most definitely bring this up with her doctor.

Hopefully no more pills.

Is she on any other pills than the Lexapro and diazepam now?

 

Keep us updated Sunny.  And try and do some notes, as described above too.  How was she otherwise today?

L, P, H, and G,

mmt

Good job with getting the diazepam moved an hour today.  Keep going with that.

 

Edited July 30, 2019 by manymoretodays
Notes!

[Sunny33160]

Hello

 

My mom is 70, she is or she was very healthy all this time until we went to see a Doctor. However, I spoke with the Doctor and he told me to see a Psychiatrist that a person can have many sickness, and he also said she has anxiety disorder and issues with the diazepam.

 

 

Now, she has Hallucination she was fine yesterday, but she did not sleep good either.

 

I don't know what to do now.

 

Should I cut the lexapro 10 mg in half. I took away the 10 mg at night on sunday July 21.

 

She took the diazepam today at 10:00 am.

[freeruby]

Hi Sunny33160 - I just was reading your posts here and noticed that your mother takes Sinemet which is given to people with Parkinson's disease.  My mother had Parkinson's and hallucinations can be part of the disease.  I wondered if your mother does have parkinson''s and how advanced it is?  That could be a real factor in some of the symptoms she has.  I am not a doctor - but I went through my mother and my uncle having parkinson's and so many things can happen that are surprizing.  INCLUDING interactions and sensitivities to other drugs.  I am surprized by the combination of Sinemet (which works on dopamine levels) with Lexapro.  

 

I am not sure if this is helpful but it really stood out with her drug signature.

 

Sending healing your way - for you and your mother.

 

Kind regards,

 

[manymoretodays]

Hi Sunny,

And thank you @freeruby        Your experience speaks volumes.

 

Sunny33160,

Doing the notes can be pretty simple.  Here's a sample note again.

Keep some notes on paper, and then post here, in this format:

(Or perhaps your Mom will be able to)

Daily symptom and drug dosing logs

Sample notes:

6 a.m. Woke with anxiety
8 a.m. Took 2.5mg Lexapro
10 a.m. Stomach is upset
10:30 a.m. Ate breakfast
11:35 a.m. Got a headache, lasted one hour
12:35 p.m. Ate lunch
4 p.m. Feel a bit better
5 p.m. Took 2.5mg Lexapro
6 p.m. Ate dinner
9:20 p.m. Headache
10:00 p.m. Took 50mg Seroquel
10:20 p.m. Feeling dizzy
10:30 p.m. Fell asleep
2:30 a.m. Woke, took 3mg Ambien (NOT "took 1/2 tablet Ambien")
2:45 a.m. Fell asleep
4:30 a.m. Woke but got back to sleep

[manymoretodays]

Just note the date at the top.

Time of day on the left.

On the right- note drug(s) by name, and then the dose.

Continue with times on left, and also on the right note which symptoms, sleep, and anything else of note.

Try and post some for today, tomorrow.

This will make clearer to us, what time you give her each of her pills/tablets too. 

 

If I were you, I think that rather than going all the way to 1/2 of a 10 mg Lexapro today.  You might just go to 3/4 of the 10 mg dose.  1/2 pill/tablet + 1/4 pill tablet.

How to cut up tablets or pills(using a pill cutter)

And if you do decide on this, you might want to just stay with the current time of diazepam for now.

We rarely have anyone do more than one drug change at a time.  Harm reduction.  Is what we are aiming for.

 

Oh, and best Sunny33160.

L, P, H, and G,

mmt

Edited July 30, 2019 by manymoretodays

[Sunny33160]

Hi freeruby

 

No my mom does not have Parkinson, we went to neurologist for that reason he prescribed the sinemet for the tremors she has, she got those tremor because she was trying to quit the diazepam by herself and then reinstated at that time she was taking around 20 mg of diazepam in the morning, and she used to sleep all day. 

We are reducing the sinemet as well, that pill never took the tremors away, so now when she takes the pill, she starts shaking.

 

I will cut as you recommended manymoretodays!

 

Thank you all!! 

[Sunny33160]

Hello everybody

 

I would like to read some opinion about the MELATONIN + 5-HTP  Do you think is safe?  https://www.natrol.com/products/melatonin-5-htp/

 

 

 

I will write my mom's updates on Sunday!

 

 

 

 

[Gridley]

 

6 minutes ago, Sunny33160 said:

I would like to read some opinion about the MELATONIN + 5-HTP  Do you think is safe?  https://www.natrol.com/products/melatonin-5-htp/

 

 

Some members have found Melatonin helpful with insomnia.   

See Melatonin for sleep   

It's best to start at a very low dosage, such as .25mg, and gradually increase if needed to the lowest effective dose.  

 

I would stay away from 5-HTP.  The following is from a post by Altostrata, the site's founder:

 

"5-HTP increases a brain chemical called serotonin. Some medications for depression also increase serotonin. Taking 5-HTP along with these medications for depression might increase serotonin too much and cause serious side effects including heart problems, shivering, and anxiety. Do not take 5-HTP if you are taking medications for depression."

[Sunny33160]

Thank you Gridley!

[Sunny33160]

Hello

 

This is my mom log after reducing Lexapro on July 31.

 

July 31 7:00 am ½ Lexapro + ¼, 9: 00 am Diazepam 5mg.  Hallucinations. Insomnia

 

August 1 7:00 am ½ Lexapro + ¼, 9:00 am Diazepam 5mg. sleep all day, feet swollen started to go away.

 

August 2 4:00 woke up (we were just talking), 7:00 am Lexapro ½  + ¼, 10:00 am Diazepam 5mg. a little confusion, an anxiety, less feet swollen, 4: no anxiety. A little confusion.

 

August 3, 7:00 am Lexapro ½  + ¼, 12:00 am Diazepam 5mg. a little confusion, an anxiety, less feet swollen,  no anxiety.

 

August 4, 7:00 am Lexapro ½  + ¼, 12:30 am Diazepam 4.5mg. a little confusion, 2:00 pm. No anxiety, less feet swollen, sleepy a little confusion after nap.

 

I have decided to reduce the diazepam a little because my mom shakes when she take the diazepam, less shaking now.

Edited August 4, 2019 by Sunny33160
add information missing

[Sunny33160]

Hello

 

My mom basically did not sleep last night, she is sleeping now. I have cut the diazepam to a 4.5 yesterday but I think maybe I have to just pushed until she stop the Lexapro.

 

 

 

Any advise for meal ?    

 

Thank you for all your support!

[manymoretodays]

Hi Sunny33160,                                                                           I don't see the Sinemet in your notes.  Please list all drugs she takes throughout the day in the notes.  Her sleep pattern may improve as you continue to push her benzo dose closer to evening.  Patience required now.  Post notes daily.  That will help us.  Time on the left.  Drug (s) name to the right, dose, symptoms.  Just a bit more for each day.                                                                                      Yes.  As you have just tapered the Lexapro you might hold on any diazepam tapering right now.                              L, P, H, and G,   mmt