Kachna: Lexapro discontinuation syndrome

[Kachna]

Annelle , tell me how many days after quiting cipralex did you reinstate?

[annelle]

Hi Kachna,

 

Thank you so much for the kind and encouraging thoughts. 

 

I guess it would be a good idea to talk to my doctor, if only to put my mind at ease.

 

I reinstated very late, actually about 7 months after quitting - I wish I had known then what I know now, then I would first of all have tapered very very slowly, and if necessary, reinstated within a month or so.

 

I also get heart palpitations from time to time, but that may be due to my ischemic heart isease (which may or may not be due to taking antidepressants).

 

Yes, we will get through this!

[Kachna]

We will. I asked about reinstaiting as i do not knwo if this makes sense after 4 months. I will see after Mri and what will the

Neurologist say.

I am planning to be very inquisitive and will not let him give me drugs just like that .

Hang in there . We are here for each other. To comfort and support . Having an ok evening. So will watch something on tv. Always happy to chat and support. Xx

[Kachna]

... And if i had known all that i know now... Well i would probably not be here on this forum. Probably i would never have taken any of this ****. Well at least i would have tappered very slowly.

[annelle]

Yes, it is very nice to have a chat like this.

 

It is a good idea to go the doctor in inquisitive manner. They should be willing to answer your questions and not just 'shut you up' with a prescription. 

 

Maybe I am being a little hard on doctors. I actually have a very well-intentioned doctor. But there are certain things they just are not taught in med school, i think.

 

And you are certainly right, I think very few of us would have started taking psychotropic drugs, had we known....

[Kachna]

Docs do not know much about these drugs. Pharma companies provide them with 3 hour training per drug. This is so pathetic. And they do not understand how they work i believe. Only people who take them can really say how it is. Honestly, i wanted to pour some drug to my ex- psychiatrist coffee. I would not do it. It was just a thought when i was angry and poorly. Just wanted her to see how it is insted of telling me all the bullsh*t how fantastic these drugs are.

It is so easy for the docs to write the prescription. So easy to diagnose bipolar, relapse.

 

Xx

[Kachna]

Annelle, r u feeling ok today? My day has been ok so far with pain but still. Feeling a little anxious now. I do not understand these feelings. They just come.

[annelle]

Hi Kachna,

 

Yes, I have had a rather good day. Went to the shops which I am not always able to do (difficulty walking) after a day with excitement, in the case of yesterday in the form of a grand daughter's birthday in her home town appr 30 miles away. A hard day! But lovely as well

 

So I consider it progress that I was able to (and even felt like) going out today.

 

You are having pain in your head? I am sorry to hear that.

 

Yes, it is strange the way these feelings of anxiety or depression just pop up, seemingly for no reason sometimes

 

I hope tomorrow is better for you!

[Kachna]

And these feelings are so scary, they just appear and stay.i could not not sleep well today because of them. i just do not understand what is happening. It is just like my left shoulder was num or something and my left arm. My heart is getting crazy - irregular heartbeats all night. Could not sleep well. I want mmy life back.

[annelle]

Oh Kachna,

 

I am so sorry that you had such a terrible night. This withdrawal gives the weirdest symptoms. It is no wonder we sometimes think that there must be something more serious wrong with our bodies and brains! ;(

 

Maybe you are in a wave right now?

 

Do you have to wait long before your mri? 

 

I hope you day turns out to be better than your night!

[Kachna]

My mri is today. Not sure how i am going throug this. You know i used to have panic attacks but not constant strange anxiety. You know , then u start thinking something is actually wrong with you and you need drugs to stabilize.

It is not good yet today, i already took half of Lorazepam . Not sure if it helped. My mom came over today to be with me.

I was only taking this **** for 8 months and then st johns wort. Why does it take so long to stabilize. So long .

Thanks Annelle for your kind words.

Xx hope your day has been good

[Kachna]

Guys/ Alto,

Is theree a chance that after quiting cipralex and sjw i have nerve iritation, that is causing tickling and sensitive feeling - left part of my throat , also in the arpit area and shoulder radiating to my left arm. Arm feels sensitive .

Gives me anxiety and i wake up every hour at night and also have heart palpitations and puls , blood pressure is normally 107-110/ 80-90.

As this feeling gives me bad anxiety i take Lorazepam. I had neck Mri two days ago (bad posture and lordosis) - nothing. I had a head Mri in May - nothing.

Neurologist is blaming my mental state and I am fed up with this. Not sure how to handle this. It started only 2 weeks ago.

My therapist once mentioned nervus vagus ..

Puls stabilizes more when i sit, when i am trying to lay down it gets faster, especially on the left side

[Altostrata]

Yes, withdrawal can make your nerves and muscles more sensitive. I found acupuncture helped with this.

 

Are you able to get some gentle exercise every day, such as walking?

[Kachna]

I try to walk when i Am able to.20 min per day. Cannot manage more as the head pressure dies not allow me.

I feel nausea and have balance problems. I wake up with strange anxiety and sensitive nerves in my shoulder and cannot sleep. Experiencing not my own feelings. I want to feel happy, and it does not happen, i cannot control it.

I quit sjw two weeks and all these strange feelings started, not sure if this is all connected. Is this combined lexarpo and sjw withdrawal?

Heart palpitations are bad. I try to sit down from lying and my puls changed to a 100. Is this possible .?

[Zoe]

Hi Kachna- I understand what you're going through. I have the severe nausea also, also the feeling that I might faint. My doc switched me from Lexapro to Zoloft without any tapering at all. I then started to wean myself from the Wellbutrin that I was on also. Just wanted to be on the Zoloft. My anxiety and nausea have been dreadful. I started with a new psych nurse practitioner yesterday. I finally found someone who seems to understand withdrawl. That is so frustrating - neither my family doc or the psychiatrist that I was seeing did. The psychiatrist basically blew me off when I described some of the symptoms that I had been having. I have a call in to the new nurse about the nausea. Will tell you what she recommends. Can you stay on the SJW for awhile longer till you get the other stabilized? Hang in there. Will say a prayer for you...

[Kachna]

Thank Zoe, i stopped sjw around 3 weeks ago as i wanted to see if this contributes to my terrible headaches. And i know, finding a good psychiatrist is a really tricky thing. Here in switzerland, it is one huge pharma paradise. I am so fed up with trying to find someone who will listen, i also have head pressure and back pain and i cannot find anyone who will look at me as a,aperson , not only as separate symptoms. Keeping fingers crossed for you and you are in mmy prayers as well.

Xx

[Kachna]

Today is not a perfect day. My heart beats irregularly. My anxiety is high and i still have feeling that i am about to fall. My left hand feels numb. I wake up several times at night feeling like annoyed nerve under my shoulder . Is it withdrawal related. I am so praying that it is over for all of us. Xx

[Kachna]

Looks like sjw de-stabilised me more and may have been responsible for headaches.

I did not have this anxiety when i quit lexarpo. The syptoms were more physical. Now , 3 weeks after quitting sjw completely i feel a lot of anxiety , dizziness ans fear. And pain...

[Kachna]

Why getting up is so hard? It takes me like 2 hours to get rid of negative morning emotions. Feeling nerve shaking in my neck, left arm and leg.

Then head pressure ... Is it ever gonna end?

[Kachna]

Hi guys, how long after quitting lexarpo and sjw can one experience depersonalization periods/ moments?

It happens when i need to have some injections due to headaches, like my body is protesting afterwards

Thanks

Kachna

[Altostrata]

You can be hypersensitive for a very long time, even years.

[Kachna]

Thank You Alto, this is not the answer i wanted ....but i was expecting it. I wanted to know basically that is still related to withdrawal and i am not getting crazy and this is not life threatening.

After the leraxpo-sjw experience i am so sensitive to anything. Since i am still struggling with head preassure and backache , i need to have some lidocaine injections to see how i react ; if there is less pain. Every injection just makes my nervous system go crazy. Time ...

Thank you Alto again

[Jemima]

Why getting up is so hard? It takes me like 2 hours to get rid of negative morning emotions. Feeling nerve shaking in my neck, left arm and leg.Then head pressure ... Is it ever gonna end?

 

This can be due to elevated cortisol levels in the morning.  First of all, darken your bedroom as much as possible and wear a sleep mask.  That will help you get a good night's rest.  Avoid bright light during those two hours or so when you feel those negative emotions. (There are discussions about cortisol in the 'Symptoms and self-care' section if you'd like to read more.)

 

Yes, it ends, but it takes a lot longer than any of us would like.  I tapered off Lexapro too fast almost two years and am just now almost back to normal.  You won't feel terrible all that time, though.  The improvement is gradual and happens in a windows and waves pattern, which you might also want to read about, also in the 'Symptoms' section.

[Kachna]

Hi Jemima, i see the pattern of waves and windows. Unpredictable indeed it is. I am trying not to fight it although it is very hard. Anxiety and anger prevail.

I sometimes thing some symptom is gone for good and it re-appears. Like thsid de-personalization. My back pain and head pressure make things worse.

Thanks for the answer

[Kachna]

Hiye, guys is it possible after six months to start having vertigo, especially when lying down? I am getting crazy since sunday in the morning, and i am having arrhythmia then.

[Altostrata]

That is concerning.

 

Can you take a very small amount of magnesium at night? Also eat potassium-containing foods. Magnesium and potassium are good for heart rate.

[Kachna]

Any idea about vertigo? Is this still withdrawal related ? Lord, i am so exhausted. I will take magnesium. Thanks Alto

[Cookson]

In answer to your question, almost certainly yes symptoms will persist until are cns heals.

 

Unless you are currently experiencing/have recently had an infection which I highly doubt.

[Kachna]

Thank you Cookson, it is just strange it appeared 6 months after. I have had headaches for a while and nerve sensations in my arms but not such a vertigo where everything ust kerps circulating edpecially when i am lying

[Kachna]

Hiye , can depersonalization and loss of balance problems come in waves.? Recently i cannot walk properly , like losing balance for a few seconds , several times a day. ...

[Meimeiquest]

Yes...hope it passes quickly!

[Kachna]

It has to, i will get crazy with this. Thanks Meimeiquest.

[Kachna]

Hey, swaying and disbalance for 10 days (i stopped lexarpo in april)- is it possible? Feeling that i am about to fall and sth bad happens.?? My bp is ok. My pulse 90-105?

[Petunia]

Having symptoms 6 months after a too fast taper is not unusual.  You came off a high dose of Lexapro in only 2 months. Also, it was only 2 months ago that you stopped the St Johns Wort.

 

How often are you taking the Lorazepam?  Benzos can often cause interdose, rebound anxiety, especially in a sensitized nervous system.

[Kachna]

Thanks for answer Petu, i take Lorazepan when I need it. Last 10 days i was taking them every day. Half of 1mg for the day na half for sleep. So it looks like they calm me down but cause anxiety as well . Another viscous circle. I do take homeopathy but the dosis is so low that i do not think this it is the thing . I would rather blame lexarpo. Looks like i need to ride through this .

[Equanimity]

Hi Kachna,

 

I tapered off of 20 mg. of Lexapro this year, and I have been suffering from vertigo for months now.  I tapered too fast and also tapered Klonopin and Lamictal this year as well.

 

I have been taking fish oil and extra virgin coconut oil to help the vertigo.  Just started with that this week.  I just saw my chiropractor yesterday and after an adjustment, the vertigo slowed down.

 

Like Petu mentioned above, the Lorazepam can be causing your feelings of having what feels like arrhythmia.  Benzos are nasty because of the rebound anxiety they cause.  Magnesium has helped me to calm and to sleep.

 

I am also having periods of anxiety as well.  Slowing down my breathing has helped tremendously.  And meditation in whatever position I find comfortable.

 

Just wanted to say to hang in there.