mamabearKaren: Intro escitalopram + seizures + ?

[mamabearKaren]

This is my first time posting.

I have been on escitalopram for about 10 years,  started on 10mg/day, have been on 15mg/day for last 4 years.  Interestingly,  when my dosage was previously increased to 15mg/day in year 2 or 3,  I had a bad reaction... severe restless body,  like I was crawling out of my skin and wanted to be clubbed over the head to stop it.  I definitely have experienced some benefits to being on escitalopram,  however,  my symptoms seem to be more related to the time of year (Seasonal Affect Disorder) than anything else and I'm also very concerned about negative effects that I've noticed over the years of being on it... reduced mental sharpness,  cognitive fog,  extreme fatigue... and most recently ( in the last 3 months),  I've had 2 seizure events and 1 extreme cognitive impairment event.  Thank goodness,  I recognized the 2nd event coming on and I was able to capture it on video.  Imagine my surprise when I watched it back and saw myself having a seizure and losing consciousness!!!  In the last 3-4 months,  I've also hit menopause.  My concern is that the escitalopram is causing,  or at the very least contributing to these awful symptoms and so,  I want to wean myself off of the escitalopram.  I tried to do this a few years ago and was hit REALLY hard with withdrawl symptoms and ended up giving up.

If anyone has advice or experienced similar side effects from escitalopram,  I would really appreciate your feedback.  I admit that I'm scared to death and have avoided coming off escitalopram out of fear of withdrawl,  but,  at this point,  I feel I must.

Thanks and God bless you all in your journey to health and wholeness.

Much respect.

[Altostrata]

Welcome, mamaBK.

 

On 6/22/2020 at 4:10 PM, mamabearKaren said:

Interestingly,  when my dosage was previously increased to 15mg/day in year 2 or 3,  I had a bad reaction... severe restless body,  like I was crawling out of my skin and wanted to be clubbed over the head to stop it. 

 

This is an adverse reaction, you were taking too much escitalopram. How much are you taking now?

 

When you had these events

On 6/22/2020 at 4:10 PM, mamabearKaren said:

2 seizure events and 1 extreme cognitive impairment event

 

had you skipped a dose of escilatopram, changed your drug schedule, or changed any other drug?

 

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