Unsure Many years escitalopram 20 mg. I messed up

[Unsure]

Hi all my first post here im 36 male in the uk looking for peoples opinions of my situation please 

 

Up until late last year i had been somewhat ok although ive been drinking heavily the 15 years ive been on the 20 mg of escitalopram 

 

Around September2020 i was prescribed omeprazole for acid reflux which is ruing the back of my teeth,   i decided i would cut back on the beer and try to deal with the acid reflex

 

My whole life turned upside down around then,  my eyes were extremely sensitive to light, i was extremely agitated,  rocked back and forth couldnt sleep my mind was gone and raging headaches

 

I had started going to sunbends for my psoriasis the weeks leading upto starting taking omperazole vitamin b thiamine escitalopram together which i now believe had caused the major reaction 

 

In my delusional state i believed i had given myself the torture method of the light treatment by not protecting my eyes in the tan stands but in reality i had not been for that many.

 

I tried to phone my phyc doc to get me in hospital after having only ever had 1 stay 16 years ago, i was in a mess,  the doc was not in that day and i didnt leave a message

 

The headaches wer unbareable and i thought they would never stop i phoned 999 1 night after having major heart palpations and possible paranoi they sent me home with another omperazole and a valium more painkillers.

 

My mind wouldnt stop and my headaches were bad i walked

everywhere which i think helped my headaches in a way,  ive lost a lot of weight the blood test from accidental and emergency showed a high level of amalyse in the blood 

 

I done a bit of reading online as after opticians said i had slight dry eyes that would be fine soon

 

I read that ther could be some interactions and i was certainly suffering ,

 

I got an appointment with my gp who prescribed me .5 valiums 3 a day for a couple of weeks which helped a little but i was so stupid i continued drinking beer on them although generally only took little at night

 

 

 

For atleast a few days or odd days i took 40 mg of escitalopram,  possibly even 60 an odd day , i cant believe how stupid i was and not making sure i was only taking 1

 

I have been sweating very heavily at night for years and have only recently found that this is not due to the alcohol as ive not been drinking at some weeks and the sweating continued, the bed sheets completely soak

 

When i had a good few beers i didnt sweat at all really and with the months of drinking alot of beer just about everyday, 

 

Im thinking i have messed my brain up in a mega way

 

A gp decided to stop the escitalopram last month and for me to go on 50 mg setraline 

 

Even though i feel the escitalopram isnt working i didnt think this was a good idea i remembered my phych doc telling me if i was going to come off the way to do it was to miss a dose each day so i done that

 

Phoned my phy doc a week couldnt get to speak to her ,spoke to a cpn who advised me to go back up to 20 mg

 

Back up to the 20 for the week and my phy doc phoned advised me to go back to 10 and will add something else in a said a thought it was too quick after reading on this site and have already suffered several side effects

 

Agreed to go down to 15 mg and have been ther for 10 days i think with .2 valiums that ive used half off ,  around 30 left i think ther was 70

 

My headaches are not as bad at all now although i now get very dizzy quite easy usually from bending down and sensitive to noise

I have no energy at all anymore and my mind feels slow depressed suicidal but trying my best, crying every morning and at times during the day

Not even sure if im ready to stop them even tho i dont think they are helping anymore but the nightsweats are really troublesome along with whatever other side effects

 

Ive missed so much out of this hopefully ill write it out better at a later date but i was a total idiot for months and argued with everyone for any simple reason i was always on edge always walking everywhere lost most of my friends and fell out with family i really was out of control at time and feel i should have been sectioned

A nurse phoned recently and asked him she thought i had a really strong batch of cannabis, i wish this had been the case but i was crazy but it wasnt the weed

 

Ive got an appointment with her this week and not really expecting her to understand what happened to me when im not really sure myself

 

Any thoughts greatly appreciated

 

 

 

 

[Altostrata]

Welcome, @Unsure

 

On 5/3/2021 at 3:58 AM, Unsure said:

Up until late last year i had been somewhat ok although ive been drinking heavily the 15 years ive been on the 20 mg of escitalopram 

 

Around September2020 i was prescribed omeprazole for acid reflux which is ruing the back of my teeth,   i decided i would cut back on the beer and try to deal with the acid reflex

 

My whole life turned upside down around then,  my eyes were extremely sensitive to light, i was extremely agitated,  rocked back and forth couldnt sleep my mind was gone and raging headaches

 

Were you still taking escitalopram, but quit alcohol?

 

If so, it appears you may have alcohol withdrawal syndrome.

 

On 5/3/2021 at 3:58 AM, Unsure said:

For atleast a few days or odd days i took 40 mg of escitalopram,  possibly even 60 an odd day , i cant believe how stupid i was and not making sure i was only taking 1

 

Was 40mg escitalopram your customary dosage? Did you take it every day at the same time, or did you sometime skip days?

 

This is important: 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.

 

On 5/3/2021 at 3:58 AM, Unsure said:

A gp decided to stop the escitalopram last month and for me to go on 50 mg setraline 

 

Even though i feel the escitalopram isnt working i didnt think this was a good idea i remembered my phych doc telling me if i was going to come off the way to do it was to miss a dose each day so i done that

 

Phoned my phy doc a week couldnt get to speak to her ,spoke to a cpn who advised me to go back up to 20 mg

 

Back up to the 20 for the week and my phy doc phoned advised me to go back to 10 and will add something else in a said a thought it was too quick after reading on this site and have already suffered several side effects

 

Agreed to go down to 15 mg and have been ther for 10 days i think with .2 valiums that ive used half off ,  around 30 left i think ther was 70

 

Did you skip doses of escitalopram during the month of April?

 

We do not recommend this method of tapering an antidepressant, it causes severe withdrawal symptoms.

 

How much escilatopram are you taking now, at what time of day? How long have you been taking this, this time around?

 

[SkydiverSZ]

Hi. I have created this account just to reply to your post. I went through almost the same as you did. Years of escitalopram and alcohol. Then acid reflux and put on omeprazole. I went absolutely crazy on the omeprazole. Also I had developed pain in the liver and my liver bloodwork came back with raised levels.  Found out a couple of weeks later that omeprazole has major interactions with escitalopram, as they are metabolized by the same enzyme in the liver. Studies have been conducted which state that when you take both together your blood levels of escitalopram are raised by 100%. So basically you have doubled your escitalopram dosage. I have since stopped the omeprazole and my next liver test came back normal. I treat my acid reflux successfully with dandelion root tea, yarrow tea and liqourice tea. Please do not take these two medications together as you will receive a massive overdose of escitalopram. Doctors should be aware of this lethal combination but unfortunately they aren't. 

Edited May 11, 2021 by SkydiverSZ

[Altostrata]

Thank you, @SkydiverSZ. That is good information.

 

If you would, please create your own Introductions topic so we can get to know you.

[Unsure]

Thanks for your replys especially yourself skydiver its good to know im not the only 1 who had a bad reaction, im still at 15 mgs escitalopram and crying everyday totally depressed, cant see things getting better , paranoid about all the silly and mental things i done as this must have kicked off a major manic episode, only other time was almost 17 years ago

 

Angry with myself for not noticing how mad i had became and now suffering for my actions during that time and heavily depressed, 

 

Docs have give me more valium 5 mg 3 times a day but id imagaine they may stop them soon as thats almost been a month, unsure if they are helping, going to stop grass as i dont think its helping my mood much at the moment at all possibly making it worse

 

Docs next move is to try me me on trazodone or mirtazapine i have very little energy at the moment as it is and unsure either of thess will help with that.

 

My heads all in a daze and unsure what i should be on if anything , wish to god i had never seen omperazole and feeling like hell on 15mg this must be a major shock to my system after the omeprazole alcohol and valium i was completely off my head,  the valium at that time was not calming me at all now im tired more often then not and the crying can be really uncontrollable at times

 

So at moment im off alcohol for the last 2 months except a 3 or 4 blips but have no urge to drink now.  

 

15 mg for a the month of may with 3 x 0.5 valium  a day experiencing the worst depression of my life , i know this is isnt going to be easy

 

Unsure how i can i expect my family or any friends i have left to understand all the madness  when im failing badly myself  

 

Im going to try to find information on your findings skydiver as i feel as if im.been brushed to the side by the docs and they are blaiming it all on alcohol ì was always so agitated and wouldnt let people get a word in arguing with the docs as i thought i had hyponatremia or something simalar , feeling sleeping now 

 

Really grateful you signed up skydiver and thanks for your reply altostrata you have made an amazing site and deserve a lot of credit. Thanks guys

[Altostrata]

You're welcome.

 

On 5/22/2021 at 5:02 AM, Unsure said:

Docs have give me more valium 5 mg 3 times a day but id imagaine they may stop them soon as thats almost been a month,

 

You've been taking Valium 3 times a day for a month? Good chance you'll need to taper off to avoid withdrawal. You should get enough to taper off.

[SkydiverSZ]

Well done for quitting the alcohol over the last 2 month. Some of your symptoms might be related to protracted alcohol withdrawal. You went through a lot over the last couple of month and I would be very careful with too many changes right now. I would certainly not add another serotonergic drug like trazodone or mirtazapine while beeing on Escitalopram. You will increase your risk of serotonin syndrome. Try to stay of the booze and weed and see if you can get stable on the 15mg Escitalopram. My priority would be to get off the valium before you develop dependence. But please be very careful with this as you have already been on it for a month. 

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4297217/

 

This is the link to the study about the effects of PPIs on SSRIs

 

Hang in there, mate.

 

 

[Unsure]

 Thanks for your repliees im gonna have to be careful with the valiiim now but i feel its calming my mind a bit my crying is worse in the morning but is off and on all day,

 

i have my phychaiateist phoning today not really not sure what i should be asking for medication wise,  i have 2 court cases in a few months to my crazy behaviour, i cant even leave the house at the moment so hoping i can somehow get stable soon

 

I think after the serotonin syndrome i was phychotic for around 2 t 3 months but i think they are will try to blame beer more than any medication

 

thanks for the link skydiverz i will somehow try to get it to my docs if they dont understand 

 

Thanks again

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jennings]

Just wanted to chime in and say that I also took Omeprazole along with Escitaopram back in 2015.  I had labs done and my liver enzymes were through the roof.  

 

I also have a close friend irl that was in the same situation.  We both dumped the Omeprazole and the liver enzymes went back to normal.  

 

Both got of the Escitaopram and it was pure hell.  

 

So be careful taking PPI's and some SSRIs.

[Unsure]

Thanks Jennings. 

My Phy doc does not believe i had serotonin syndrome even tho she never seen or spoke tome during this time 

Now doc wants me to go from 15 mg to 10 mg on the escitalopram , i said that scared me so im stayingg at 15 and the doc is adding in mirtazapine at night and sticking with 5 mg valium 3 x a day

 

I asked if the mirtazapine and escitalopram could cause serotonin syndrome to which docs answer was no,  i hate feeling the way im feeling but wouldnt like more serotonin syndrome 

I want off the tabs . im crying every morning and not doing much with my days at all crying and sleeping trying to see a way out,  im really not sure that mirtazapine is the answer

 

Even contemplating raising back up on the escitalopram without the mirtazapine but will try and wait till i next see the doc,  im pretty sure i dont want to take mirtazapine aswell as escitalopram and valium 

 

Its clear my doc doesnt want to to taper me slowly off the escitalopram as last month she wanted me to go from 20 to 10.   Ive got down to 15 and in living hell not stable at all, no mention of a smaller taper method,  i feel like my hell is far from over,  i really am struggling to see any positives,

 

i think it helps me a little typing this out at times so thanks to anyone who reads or replies ,

 

I dont have a computer to drug history but basically been on 20 mg escitalopram for atleast 14years and was drinking a lot during that time

 

 

[Unsure]

Really suicidal now and have been i cant stop my mind from going over all the things i was doing when i was phychotic or manic afterwards , managing not too drink now i think im too afraid ill kill myself.  

 

 

 

My phy doc wants me to go on mirtazapine still and doesnt realise what the absolute hell i went through saying i didnt have serotonin syndrome, i took the omperazole for around  7 t 10 days before i realised it was them that was the problem,  it had made me delusional thinking i had given my self the light treatment at the tan stands

 

I think im already addicted to the valium now and they are not really helping my anxiety unless i take more

 

I cant face seeing people at all really, im always a bubbling mess

 

Before the omeprazole in i had been reasonably ok altho looking back i had been on the high side for a few months i think

 

The lockdown didnt help ive lost the friends id made during my happy months before the omperazole,   i cant blame them as i really was acting crazy

 

I went through a major manic paranoid delusion period and i couldnt get much help or the way i was i wasnt accepting it and i treated everyone i know very badly my parents wer trying to get me help but i was getting help for alcohol but id never been an angry drinker but somethings definetly changed me

 

I was arguing with absoloutely everyone and usually im quite agreeable. 

 

Have no 1 i can really talk to about it as my phy doc didnt see me during that time as she was off and i was getting a detox for alcohol as i had thought thats what was causing the sore heads , drinking too much beer and the nurse dealing with me wouldnt let me see a doctor as my headaches a d behavioour  i had been walking for many many miles a day

 

 

 

I now have court cases due to my behaviour aswell . 1 of them was when i was panicking and i phoned a mental health team number but they couldnt find any interactions and the police made a welfare call and i ended up being angry with 1 of the officers conduct, to them  but they have said a threatened to batter them and they put my door and done me a bit of damamge aswell

 

Im really lost at the moment and this helps to vent i think

 

I just dont see a way out and the court cases are always on my mind now

I also have a scan tmorow for lymphona as swollen lymph in my groin for years and sweating every night and i also have hidradentis  

 

Wishing i didnt use the valium so much as feel as ive now got to, the anxiety im waking up with and suicidal thoughts are really getting to me and becoming more and more ive never been this bad in my life, constant thinking about all the crazy things i done and the people i upset.  Not slept tonight so going ro try and sleep now

 

I know theres not much advice anyone can give as it really is a difficult situation