Leftyhelen1113: Need Advice from Lexapro Hell....

[Leftyhelen1117]

As of tomorrow I will be eight weeks off of Lexapro. I actually am one of those special people and only took Lexapro for four days total. It was only 5 mg. Little did I know I would be here eight weeks later still struggling with this god-awful withdrawal.
I originally took the medication for my panic attacks because they were becoming daily. I needed something to take the edge off to help me cope better at life.  
I got off the medication because it caused the dark intrusive thoughts in the first place and caused a trip to the ER to get my heart rate to go down.... 

I am pretty sure I chose the wrong drug to do so. My primary doctor recommended this drug because he said it had less side effects than anything else and then I should be fine.

I took Paxil CR about 14 years ago for my panic attacks and I never had this issue that I’m having now.

eight weeks later what remains is insomnia, intrusive dark thoughts, depression that I’ve never ever had in my entire life, the kind that makes you just stop and think what the hell is wrong with me, A head pressure that comes and goes, and I think my only physical symptom is I still have night sweats. 
on a sidenote before this drug I never had intrusive thoughts and I’ve never had depression. I only had the anxiety and the panic attacks.

I think my symptoms may be a little bit worse right now because it’s the week before my period so that might be throwing things off. 

but I just want to go back to normal.  My primary doctor and my psychiatrist suggested I try the paxil.  I am at a loss of what to do.

I guess my main questions are if I never had intrusive thoughts before will they eventually go away once my brain recovers from this hell that I’m in. 

And secondly , Do I try the paxil and see if it helps or do I remain taking it day by day and just constantly reminding myself that it’s not me it’s the medication.

any advice, thoughts, concerns will be greatly appreciated. 

Hope you are all doing well! 

Edited May 31, 2021 by Gridley
Wording errors

[Leftyhelen1117]

2 hours ago, Leftyhelen1117 said:

As of tomorrow I will be eight weeks off of Lexapro. I actually am one of those special people and only took Lexapro for four days total. It was only 5 mg. Little did I know I would be here eight weeks later still struggling with this god-awful withdrawal.
I originally took the medication for my panic attacks because they were becoming daily. I needed something to take the edge off to help me cope better at life.  
I got off the medication because it caused the dark intrusive thoughts in the first place and caused a trip to the ER to get my heart rate to go down.... 

I am pretty sure I chose the wrong drug to do so. My primary doctor recommended this drug because he said it had less side effects than anything else and then I should be fine.

I took Paxil CR about 14 years ago for my panic attacks and I never had this issue that I’m having now.

eight weeks later what remains is insomnia, intrusive dark thoughts, depression that I’ve never ever had in my entire life, the kind that makes you just stop and think what the hell is wrong with me, A head pressure that comes and goes, and I think my only physical symptom is I still have night sweats. 
on a sidenote before this drug I never had intrusive thoughts and I’ve never had depression. I only had the anxiety and the panic attacks.

I think my symptoms may be a little bit worse right now because it’s the week before my period so that might be throwing things off. 

but I just want to go back to normal.  My primary doctor and my psychiatrist suggested I try the paxil.  I am at a loss of what to do.

I guess my main questions are if I never had intrusive thoughts before will they eventually go away once my brain recovers from this hell that I’m in. 

And secondly , Do I try the paxil and see if it helps or do I remain taking it day by day and just constantly reminding myself that it’s not me it’s the medication.

any advice, thoughts, concerns will be greatly appreciated. 

Hope you are all doing well! 

Lexapro 5 mg - April 2 2021 to April 6 2021

Paxil CR 12.5 mg- 2006-2008 - can’t recall any significant withdrawal or start up symptoms 

[Gridley]

Welcome to SA, Leftyhelen1117.   Thank you for completing your drug signature.

 

You have had an adverse reaction to Lexapro, which means basically that the drug was poison to your system.  This is not at all uncommon.  The following is from a post by one of our members, Brassmonkey, about adverse reactions:

 

Over the years I’ve seen a number of members join who have taken their drugs for one day to a week and then stopped.  They suffer acute symptoms that hit immediately and hard.  Some people’s chemical makeup just isn’t compatible with psych drugs and their body immediately tries to reject them, but in doing so throws itself into chaos.

 

These people tend to have a more linear recovery than those with true withdrawal syndrome. The first several months may be more intense.  Then things start to improve very slowly. Eventually, normal life resumes and get back on track.  All the members I have known with this immediate Adverse Reaction have made full recoveries and gone on to normal lives and careers.

 

So you will recover, the damage is not permanent, but it's going to take some time.

 

5 hours ago, Leftyhelen1117 said:

I guess my main questions are if I never had intrusive thoughts before will they eventually go away once my brain recovers from this hell that I’m in. 

And secondly , Do I try the paxil and see if it helps or do I remain taking it day by day and just constantly reminding myself that it’s not me it’s the medication.

 

Yes, as the excerpt above says, you will recover fully as your brain heals.

 

As to the Paxil, we definitely do not recommend taking another drug to recover from the negative effects of a previous drug.  First, your system is very sensitized from the adverse reaction you had to Lexapro, and there is no way to predict the effect that Paxil will have on you.  If it has a bad effect, then the doctors will put you on another drug to counter the previous drug, and then another and then another.  It's what we call the drug merry-go-round.  The vast majority of doctors, unfortunately, have no idea about adverse reactions or withdrawal, the symptoms of which an adverse reaction closely resemble.  The following link lists typical symptoms of an adverse reaction/withdrawal.

 

Daily Checklist of Antidepressant Withdrawal Symptoms (PDF) 

 

Second, Paxil is one of the most difficult, if not the most difficult, of the antidepressants to stop taking due to the prevalence of withdrawal symptoms when you attempt to stop.  Again, doctors have no concept of this and, believing what the pharmaceutical companies tell them,  don't believe in the existence of significant withdrawal.

 

So, yes, our recommendation is to take things day-by-day and keep reminding yourself that it's not you, it's the drug.  Keep that in mind if your doctors tell you, as they often do, that  these symptoms "are the return of the underlying condition" or some such. How could it be you or a "problem with your brain" if you never had these symptoms before taking the drug?  It's not you, it's the drug.

 

5 hours ago, Leftyhelen1117 said:

 

eight weeks later what remains is insomnia, intrusive dark thoughts, depression that I’ve never ever had in my entire life

 

 

We don't recommend a lot of supplements on SA, as many members report being sensitive to them due to our over-reactive nervous systems, but two supplements that we do recommend are magnesium and omega 3 (fish oil). Many people find these to be calming to the nervous system. 

 

Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker 

 

Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) 

 

Add in one at a time and at a low dose in case you do experience problems. Get supplements that are single ingredient (not mixed with other types of supplements).

 

This is your Introduction topic, where you can ask questions and connect with other members.  We're glad you found your way here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 31, 2021 by Gridley

[Leftyhelen1117]

Thank you gridley for the advice! 

[Leftyhelen1117]

Gridley-

 

do you think talk therapy or CBT will help?

or do I just need to relax and take one day at time? 
for me - therapy makes my day worse at times just thinking and talking about it ...

[peaceandlove]

Hey I had an adverse reaction too. That was 8 months ago. How are you doing now? 🙂 

[Leftyhelen1117]

Hi!! 
How are you doing Now?!

I am 21 months out of my adverse reaction! 
I’m not quite sure how I got this far- but everyday I keep pushing through ! 
I am So much better than before! Not quite 100% yet. 
my last remaining symptom is the intrusive thoughts. It’s not so much the thoughts anymore but the memory of what I thought .  If that make sense !!?

Hows it going w you?! Any lasting issues?

[peaceandlove]

Wow I’m so glad to hear that. I’m so happy for you!! If that’s your last symptom I sure sometime this year it will go away for good 🙂 I heard from multiple people that’s always one of the last symptoms to go.

 

I too struggle with the intrusive, weird ocd thoughts but they have lessened so much from the beginning. My main problem is the physical issues, my bladder frequent urinating & my digestive system is all messed up. @Leftyhelen1117

[Leftyhelen1117]

You are getting there! My good friend who had an adverse reaction has bladder issues as well. She’s 21 months like me. She is so much better w the bladder issues and hopefully will be healed soon. 
My IT are worse before my period. Not as intense but they are still there. I never had this before the Lexapro. 
I am hoping in a years time I won’t even think of this anymore. A year is a long time but I have already come

this far…

I don’t think I’ve read anything of people struggling with IT this far out - so that’s encouraging you’ve read it somewhere ! 

[peaceandlove]

Haha yeah well I do a ton of reading on here & that’s what everyone says about the IT. Yes I heard period causes more intense symptoms.

 

Thank you, is your friend on this website too? 

[Leftyhelen1117]

She is not! She choose to get off all websites and forums to help heal within! 

[peaceandlove]

3 hours ago, Leftyhelen1117 said:

She is not! She choose to get off all websites and forums to help heal within! 

Ahw I don’t blame her. Let her know she’s not alone with the bladder issues.

[peaceandlove]

Hey how are you doing now? Your almost 30 months 🙂 are the intrusive thoughts still there? If you could please update as there isn’t much info on adverse reactions on here @Leftyhelen1117

[Leftyhelen1117]

I am 28 months out. I had to look back and see what I wrote to you back in January to compare. How are you doing? I think you are pass the year mark now? 
My intrusive thoughts are not totally gone, but they are a lot better than they were in January. I’m hoping by the three-year mark they will go away completely. my intrusive thoughts are not totally gone, but they are a lot better than they were in January. I’m hoping by the three-year mark they will go away completely. and it’s never really new ones. It’s the **** that I thought about in the very beginning. I don’t know if that’s some sort of PTSD. I’m thinking those things, but they still like to jump out at me sometimes.

I try to just live my life. I could tell my nervous system is a lot better. It’s not where it was but I hope eventually it will be back to normal. What’s new with you?

[peaceandlove]

42 minutes ago, Leftyhelen1117 said:

I am 28 months out. I had to look back and see what I wrote to you back in January to compare. How are you doing? I think you are pass the year mark now? 
My intrusive thoughts are not totally gone, but they are a lot better than they were in January. I’m hoping by the three-year mark they will go away completely. my intrusive thoughts are not totally gone, but they are a lot better than they were in January. I’m hoping by the three-year mark they will go away completely. and it’s never really new ones. It’s the **** that I thought about in the very beginning. I don’t know if that’s some sort of PTSD. I’m thinking those things, but they still like to jump out at me sometimes.

I try to just live my life. I could tell my nervous system is a lot better. It’s not where it was but I hope eventually it will be back to normal. What’s new with you?

Thank you for the quick response   I am 15 months out. I have some physical symptoms but the most concerning one I have is the intrusive thoughts too. I started to think the same as you if this is some type of ptsd but I’ve had so many other horrible things happen in my life & I never got intrusive thoughts from it. I NEVER had these thoughts until after I took the pill so I’m just so confused. I’m glad to hear you’re doing better tho. I’m sure once you hit that 2.5 mark or 3 year mark they will be completely gone. You make me feel not alone with this as we seem to be going through the same thing