JackM: Lexapro nightmare

[JackM]

Hello! 

 

I came off of Lexapro in March of '22 after 14 months of treatment.   For the first month I felt fine, but then I slowly descended into the abyss, from which I have yet to emerge. 

 

My symptoms are heterogeneous and inexplicable, namely asymmetrical numbness and tingling on the left side of my body, severe hand tremors, insomnia, and intractable brain fog.   The latter has been the most bothersome and disabling, as it essentially precludes me from functioning like I used to at work, school, and even in social settings.  

 

I've harbored the belief that I have MS or ALS, but so far I've had two normal brain MRIs, a blood test for vitamin D3 that came back normal, and a plethora of other tests and evaluations that proved to be fruitless in terms of diagnostic value.  

 

I am fearful that my nervous system has been irreparably damaged by this insidious drug.   Can anyone relate to what I am experiencing, and is there any hope that my functioning will be restored?    

 

MS has been ruled out, as has vitamin D deficiency and lead exposure; thus, it is self-evident that the Lexapro has altered my neurochemistry in such a way that I am incapable of leading the life that up to this point has defined my essence.   I am heartbroken and angry! 

 

Any advice, encouragement, and/or candid feedback would be welcome.  Thanks in advance! 

 

Jack

 

 

 

 

[Onmyway]

Hi @JackM

welcome to SA. Can you please fill in your drug signature to help us advise you better? How to List Drug History in Signature - Introductions and updates - Surviving Antidepressants

 

It does seem like you have withdrawal issues. Insomnia is a common symptom of withdrawal and I personally had the asymmetrical numbness/pins-needles - I have to admit it is one of these symptoms that really freaked me out at the time. It went away on its own. It's good that you had them checked out for peace of mind if nothing else. 

 

The bad news is that yes, your brain has temporarily been injured, the good news is that it will get better albeit it very slowly over months and years. Reinstating is an option but usually works if done sooner rather than later. Its risks are that withdrawal usually sensitizes the nervous system so it can make things worse. You can try a very small amount 1/50th of your original dose and see if that helps. If it doesn't make things worse you can updose until some symptoms are relieved. If it makes things worse then you can stop that. Here is a bit more info on it. 

About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms - Symptoms and self-care - Surviving Antidepressants

 

You can also decide to not reinstate and learn to cope with the symptoms. Things are not going to be pleasant for a while but they will get better. About the insomnia, read the thread on the morning cortisol spike carefully - there are a number of tips in various posts. 

Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms - Symptoms and self-care - Surviving Antidepressants

Important topics about symptoms, including sleep problems - Symptoms and self-care - Surviving Antidepressants

 

This may help you get a better perspective on what is happening in your nervous system right now and what to expect. 

 

The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization - Symptoms and self-care - Surviving Antidepressants What is happening in your brain? - Symptoms and self-care - Surviving Antidepressants How psychiatric drugs remodel your brain - Symptoms and self-care - Surviving Antidepressants   We don't usually recommend supplements and find that many people find they can hurt a sensitized nervous system but many members find megnesium and Omega-3 helpful.  https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/15483-magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker/ King of supplements: Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) - Symptoms and self-care - Surviving Antidepressants   We strongly discourage people from taking any other psychoactive substances (except for reinstatement of the original drug) such as alcohol, pot, supplements like Sam-e and St John's Wort as we find that esp alcohol can set them back even in later recovery. Even some vitamins like D and some Bs can activate some people too much during withdrawal.    Here is a link to the success stories of SA to get some hope for recovery.  Success stories: Recovery from psychiatric drug withdrawal - Surviving Antidepressants   I'm glad you found your way to us - we are a supportive bunch and can help you get through this difficult time.  OMW

[JackM]

Thank you for the feedback!  My tingling and numbness have lasted for many months, as has the brain fog. Is this consistent with what other people have experienced after coming off of Escitalopram?
 

Also, I’m having a lot of internal vibrations in my left hand and foot.  I have seen a neurologist and I seem to be healthy, but clearly my nerves are irritated.  
 

I would actually be relieved to know that it’s JUST protracted withdrawal.  ALS and Parkinson’s have been ruled out.  
 

reassurance is very helpful.  Thank you! 

[ChessieCat]

Please create your drug signature.  This is different from the information you provided when you joined SA.  The drug signature appears below every post and allows your history to be seen at a glance.  Thank you.

 

Instructions:  Withdrawal History Signature

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature

 

You might find these helpful:

 

protracted-withdrawal-or-paws-post-acute-withdrawal-syndrome-how-long-does-it-last

 

are-we-there-yet-how-long-is-withdrawal-going-to-take

 

[Onmyway]

1 hour ago, JackM said:

Thank you for the feedback!  My tingling and numbness have lasted for many months, as has the brain fog. Is this consistent with what other people have experienced after coming off of Escitalopram?
 

Also, I’m having a lot of internal vibrations in my left hand and foot.  I have seen a neurologist and I seem to be healthy, but clearly my nerves are irritated.  
 

I would actually be relieved to know that it’s JUST protracted withdrawal.  ALS and Parkinson’s have been ruled out.  
 

reassurance is very helpful.  Thank you! 

Many people report similar symptoms to the ones you are describing. You can do a search esp on the symptoms forum for extra reassurance. It helps to accept these symptoms as uninvited guests and just wait them out. They will leave just as they came.

 

You're going to get better!

[JackM]

Even though I have been off of the Lexapro for several months, I have recently developed diarrhea and abdominal discomfort.  I have it every day

 

I had a blood test and everything was normal. Is this a common part of protracted withdrawal???   Does this eventually resolve?

 

I started taking fish oil the other day and my cognition is improving!!!

 

 

[JackM]

Struggling with Lexapro effects

 

I still have to complete my history, but am too ill to do so.  Please forgive me. 

I came off of Lexapro in April after one year of therapy, and now I am plagued with horrible brain fog that seems to be getting worse by the day.  
 

I feel tired, have diminished verbal fluency, and my processing speed has plummeted.   I feel debilitated. 

Does anyone believe that these drugs cause PERMANENT brain damage????  Am I likely to return to my baseline? 
 

reassurance and advice needed!!!! I’m taking fish oil and vitamin B12, and exercise daily to induce neurogenesis. 

 

Edited October 2, 2022 by ChessieCat
added topic title before merging with intro topic

[ChessieCat]

11 hours ago, JackM said:

Does anyone believe that these drugs cause PERMANENT brain damage????

 

No generally I do not believe that psychiatric drugs cause permanent brain damage.  The brain is always trying to regain homeostasis.  When we take a psychiatric drug the brain automatically makes the necessary changes to accommodate the drug.  And when it is taken away it automatically starts making the needed adjustments to be able to work properly without the drug.  When the drug is taken away too quickly the brain has to make lots of changes, whereas when the drug is taken away gradually the brain is able to adapt to not getting as much of the drug and generally the withdrawal symptoms are only minor.

 

Brain fog is a very common withdrawal symptoms when people stop their drug too quickly.  It generally improves gradually over time.  It might happen so slowly that you don't notice that it has improved.  I suggest to members that they compare how they feel now to how they felt at their worst, not at the best or how they want to feel.  As an example, when we have the flu or a bad cold we can still feel awful 1 week later and because we still don't feel good we can't always notice that there are some symptoms that have improved, eg we might not be coughing as much.

 

Video:  Healing From Antidepressants - Patterns of Recovery

 

are-we-there-yet-how-long-is-withdrawal-going-to-take

 

On 12/27/2015 at 6:37 AM, Altostrata said:

Basically- you have a building where the MAJOR steel structures are [...] to be rebuilt at different times - ALL while people are coming and going in the building and attempting to work.

It would be like if the World Trade Center Towers hadn't completely fallen - but had crumbled inside in different places.. Imagine if you were [...] to rebuild the tower - WHILE people were coming and going and [...] to work in the building!  You'd have to set up a temporary elevator - but when you needed to fix part of that area, you'd have to tear down that elevator and set up a temporary elevator somewhere else. And so on. You'd have to build, work around, then tear down, then build again, then work around, then build... ALL while people are coming and going, ALL while the furniture is being replaced, ALL while the walls are getting repainted... ALL while [...] is going on INSIDE the building. No doubt it would be chaotic. That is EXACTLY what is happening with windows and waves.  The windows are where the body has "got it right" for a day or so - but then the building shifts and the brain works on something else - and it's chaos again while another temporary pathway is set up to reroute function until repairs are made. 

 

AND

  

On 8/31/2011 at 5:28 AM, Rhiannon said:

When we stop taking the drug, we have a brain that has designed itself so that it works in the presence of the drug; now it can't work properly without the drug because it's designed itself so that the drug is part of its chemistry and structure. It's like a plant that has grown on a trellis; you can't just yank out the trellis and expect the plant to be okay. When the drug is removed, the remodeling process has to take place in reverse. SO--it's not a matter of just getting the drug out of your system and moving on. If it were that simple, none of us would be here. It's a matter of, as I describe it, having to grow a new brain. I believe this growing-a-new-brain happens throughout the taper process if the taper is slow enough. (If it's too fast, then there's not a lot of time for actually rebalancing things, and basically the brain is just pedaling fast trying to keep us alive.) It also continues to happen, probably for longer than the symptoms actually last, throughout the time of recovery after we are completely off the drug, which is why recovery takes so long.

 

 

 

Edited October 2, 2022 by ChessieCat

[ChessieCat]

Q:  How is your sleep?

[ChessieCat]

Dr Joseph Glenmullen's WD Symptoms Checklist

[ChessieCat]

Success stories: Recovery from psychiatric drug withdrawal

[JackM]

I’m scared

 

I came off Lexapro months ago and my perceived IQ has dropped several points.  I’m terrified this is permanent. 

 

please read this article: https://www.hormonesmatter.com/brain-long-term-lexapro-chemically-induced-tbi/

 

Is there any reason to believe that she will get better?  How unusual is it for SSRIs to cause irreversible damage?

 

Edited October 14, 2022 by ChessieCat
added topic title before merging with intro topic

[ChessieCat]

On 9/5/2022 at 6:44 AM, ChessieCat said:

Please create your drug signature.  This is different from the information you provided when you joined SA.  The drug signature appears below every post and allows your history to be seen at a glance.  Thank you.

 

Instructions:  Withdrawal History Signature

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature

 

As previously requested, please create your drug signature following the above instructions.

[ChessieCat]

I have moved your new topic to an existing topic about the same thing.  SA likes to keep similar information in one place so it is easier to find.

 

There are many existing topics on SA.  Please do search before starting a new topic to see if one already exists.  You post has been moved to this topic:

 

progressive-aphasia-with-wd

 

[ChessieCat]

In 2015 I reduced my Pristiq from 100mg to 50mg and after two weeks I was not able to type.  I have been a professional typist since 1974.  I had joined SA a few days before this happened because I had severe brain fog and after researching learned about AD WD and they suggested increasing my dose.  I did that and after only about 4 hours (not days) I was able to type again.  Because I had a bench mark I knew it related to having reduced my dose by too much and was not just placebo.

 

I have shared this with you to help you to understand how these drugs and reducing them can affect us.

 

There are also other places where members mention aphasia.

 

Search results:

 

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/search/?&q=aphasia

[ChessieCat]

Please create your drug signature.  This will allow us to see your drug history at a glance whenever you post.  This is different to the information you provided when you joined SA.

 

Instructions:  Withdrawal History Signature
Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature

 

Edited November 18, 2022 by ChessieCat
updated instruction link

[Caesar65]

On 10/1/2022 at 3:13 PM, JackM said:

Struggling with Lexapro effects

 

I still have to complete my history, but am too ill to do so.  Please forgive me. 

I came off of Lexapro in April after one year of therapy, and now I am plagued with horrible brain fog that seems to be getting worse by the day.  
 

I feel tired, have diminished verbal fluency, and my processing speed has plummeted.   I feel debilitated. 

Does anyone believe that these drugs cause PERMANENT brain damage????  Am I likely to return to my baseline? 
 

reassurance and advice needed!!!! I’m taking fish oil and vitamin B12, and exercise daily to induce neurogenesis. 

 

Dear Jack, 
I just read your story about withdrawal of Escitalopram/ Lexapro, and I feel with you.🙏😢 
And I can tell you, that I also went through hell since then. I have made the biggest mistake ever in my life, when I came off from this drug to fast. My doctor advised me to reduce just 5 mg per week from the Dose of 20 mg. And now he says, we better should have taken more time for withdrawal……..! 🤯 And he is still questioning my symptoms, just claimed, you should take another drug, because you still need. He did  nothing to help me. And like you I did a lot of blood tests and everything seems to alright, no specific reason for my suffering was found. 
After the time of taking for 18  years!!! which now seems so unreal to me, finally I decided to get rid of this drug, because the side effects got worse especially in the last 3 years. I was living in a bubble for many years, and got more and more emotionally numb while taking Lexapro, but I was not aware of that facts. And very often I was so angry and over exaggerated against anyone even about small and simple things. And the fact, that I regret the most is, that I got sometimes very aggressive even against my loved ones, my beloved elderly parents, I was taking care of for many years. 😢😢😢 Just verbally, but words also can hurt very much. That was not me! And while taking the drug, I also had strong Tinnitus and the Brain Zaps, like I also had after withdrawal. I have also the same symptoms like you have, the terrible Brain Fog, the dizziness, the feeling of unreality, the very deep melancholy, my verbal fluency also diminished, and I feel Fatique and debilitated, especially my arms are heavy, like a bodily weakness. And especially my very strong anxiety has the power over me, 24 hrs a day, I don’t function anymore, in no way, like I used to be. Tingling and numbness were also giving me company for months, also Nausea, discomfort feelings in my whole body, and still vertigo. And other symptoms as well. And what makes me also very afraid, is that my Ability to be reacting according matters of any kind isvery slowly, my Intelligence is damaged. 
This drug is really a nightmare, and only someone who was  on it, can understand what we feel. What hurts me most, is the ignorance and the lack of interest of many people around me, they don’t want to know about it, and they don’t care at all. That makes me feel very lonely and I am always all by myself. 
I hardly can bear my situation anymore but I still hope, that everything will get better, but this has to happen soon. I wish you the very best, don’t give up!