[starlittkiss]

hey everyone, hope you are all doing well... I've been having some problems the last few days with my parents. I'm very tired like all the time because they won't let me sleep in, every time I saw I'm tired they are insisting I'm depresesd and I have problems so they make me get out of bed after like 6 or 7 hours of sleep. I know other people mentioned being very tired and that it doesn't necessarily mean depression. I was just hoping you guys could write a little about that if you've experienced that so that I can show my parents and maybe have them get off my back a little. I've been pretty anxious, like afraid to go out because I'm afraid I'll have an attack and they are convinced now that there is something wrong with me and I have serious problems and are crying about how messed up I am. It's making me feel 100 times worse and I think I'm at the point where I have to leave my house and go stay with my boyfriend for a little while. I came home to relax and they are doing this to me. I would really appreciate if you guys could write in response to this a little, so that they know I need a month to kinda just hang out and get better before I have to go get a job and all that. I really really appreciate it.

[auntybiotic]

Saria,

The 18 months applies mostly to tose that cold turkeyed....you did not so don't worry.

Starlittlekiss,

Lexapro is a stimulant and when you stop taking lexapro....the body is going to go thru severe fatigue for several months. The moods will be unstable because the serotonin receptors in the brain were regulated by the reuptake feature of lexapro and that is no longer taking place..so until the serotonin receptors repair themselves.......the moodswings will be common, severe nightmares, craving for carbs, sweats, headaches and LOTS of sleeping.

Imagine throwing the body into early menopause by ommission of lexapro which controlled hormones.

Please give your daughter space and time to heal. Treat her as if she had a brain injury, which in essence she has from Lexapro use, and let her sleep as much as possible to repair and heal the brain and cells.

I am a mother of a child that is getting off lexapro and this thread wsa started in my effort to help my daughter get thru this nightmare that she did not ask for,

Please take the timme to read these posts so you are familiar what people getting off lexapro and even tapering off of lexapro go thru.
Your daughter needs you for emotional support now more then ever....please do not question her sleeping and mistaking it for depression....it s normal to sleep for 12 hours a day while in lexapro withdrawal.

Be happy your daughter came home for your support and be thankful that your daughter is coping so well because there are many that become statistics.

aunty (mother of a teenager)

[Skywalk]

Starlitt: I sympathize so much. I'm 31 and cannot even stay home alone by myself at night. My fiancee travels for work sometimes and he will be leaving again soon. When I found out a couple of weeks ago it sent me into a frenzy and I had to convince my parents that I truly needed to be cared for. I have no friends that are available as much as I need them to be.

The first couple of months off of this drug my parents sort of went into denial about the withdrawal problems I was having. I could also still drive back then so I didn't need as much help. I'm now going through severe emotional withdrawals right now at four months off and I have terrible anxiety and depression, so I need help more than ever. I have not been able to drive. I hope it's not the case for you, but the healing can get worse before it gets better. At least my physical pain is pretty much gone; and my blood sugar is back to normal and I have no bloating. That has been a relief. Anyway, I printed out a lot of information from these posts and gave it to my parents to read. But not too much as to not overwhelm them. I also printed out the 3-page report from antideressantfacts and gave it to them - THAT INFORMATION IS EXCELLENT AND HAS INFO FOR YOUR FAMILY. I will post the exact webpage for it in my next post. I also gave my parents (and fiancee) a letter that a young woman wrote to me. I found her story on the internet. She had to move back home with her parents after a bad reaction to an SSRI and it took her several months to get back on her feet. In her letter to me she said the same thing that many others do...that it takes time and rest to heal. It's been 3 years since that happened to her and she is doing great. It helps to know that others have survived this! I also think that letter was good for my dad to read so that he knows I will be my "old self" again. I will share the letter with you if you want to e-mail me by clicking on my name, skywalk.

Having family get angry or frustrated makes things worse, I know. I think it's half the battle. Just this morning my fiancee got upset over something and wondered why I "didn't care" and it's not that I don't care, I just can't handle stress. I had to cry before he understood. He's been a major support for me and so very kind, but even he breaks down. This drug is hell for everyone involved. Try drinking chamomile tea to settle down when conflict happens.

ps. I sleep all night and wake up tired. I am tired most of the day and was never a tired person before this. You need the sleep!

[Skywalk]

Arm yourself with this information:

http://www.antidepressantsfacts.com/reaction.htm

[Seefour]

quote:Originally posted by tavee

seefour
can u describe ure anxiety? do u worry a lot?

can u be specific?? do u have any pains in ure chest when u worry?


tavee

No pain in the chest, it was just like this intense feeling of panic, I felt pretty strung out for at least 2 weeks. I don't really worry about anything in particular. It feels more physical then mental.
It was like my adrenaline was pumping, constantly. And when I'd get a little break, I felt tired, sick, and strung out. Also, parts of my body would go numb, My chest would feel light, and I'd panic becuase I couldn't feel my pulse (your not supposed to be aware of your pulse anyway) That's about the only thing i was worrying about. Also, I had slight depersanlization, which brought on some panic. It seems to have lasted about 2 weeks, and has slowly been subsiding, almost to the point where i feel normal, along with my throat problem, which has been subsiding slowly day by day.

[starlittkiss]

Thank you for writing back, I showed my mom buy she is still skeptical... Auntybiotic, I'm noticing what you said about the 18 months if you go off cold turkey... I was on 20mgs then did 10 for about a week and then 5 for like 3 days and stopped. I know that is not sufficient tapering and probably why my side effects have been so awful. I was only on lexapro for about 5 or 6 weeks, do you guys think it will really take 18 months for it this to go away? I was hoping a month or so since I wasn't on it for that long... do you guys think I should start taking 5's again and then start cutting it down slower? I'm just getting really sick of this, I can't really do anything, I feel so disconnected and dizzy, I can't drive, I need to get a job and I think I'm hurting the people I love most in my life and I don't mean to but I just feel pretty indifferent to everything...

[tavee]

OH STARLITTKISS

I JUST WANT TO REACH OUT AND HUG U!!
I FEEL THE SAME WAY. I CANT CONTROL HOW I FEEL OR ACT, AND I FEEL LIKE I AM DISAPPOINTING EVERYONE. MY HUBBY HAS BEEN SUPPORTIVE AND IS THERE FOR ME NOW, BUT ITS SO HARD CUZ I AM A DIFFRENT PERSON NOW. IM MUCH ANGRIER, ANNOYED,AND I DONT HAVE A LOT OF PATIENCE. IM TRYING TO DO THE BEST THAT I CAN BUT I CANT CONTROL IT!!
SO I KNOW EXACTLY HOW U FEEL. DONT GIVE UP AND SHOW URE PARENTS THOSE POSTS THAT SKYWALK AND AUNTYBIOTIC WROTE U!

WE ARE ALL HERE FOR U!!
TAVEE

[Hopeful285]

Hi,
I am one of those that quit basically cold turkey. I weaned myself in only one week.
I have written in before and stated that benadryl helped me.
Since I have written last I have gotten worse. My head hurts all the time. I know it is the Lexapro. When I was taking Lexapro, I could feel a sensation in the center of my brain and now in the same place in my brain, I have pain. I had to take a percocet the last 2 days. Before that I was taking aspirin, aleve, ibuprophen, tylenol, excedrin.
These used to help and now they are not enough. This drug makes me feel incompacitated. I do everything slower than I used to. My life has totally changed. I plan on pacing myself until I get through this, I believe someday I will. I have high blood pressure now which I never had. I is sometimes dangerously high 206/116, 180/112, etc.
I sometimes fall. I was falling multiple times a day, but since I got on the blood pressure medicine, it happens less. I believe my high blood pressure exacerbated the lexapro symptoms.
I also have twitches, restless legs, insomnia, sometimes sleep 12+ hours, vivid dreams, skin sensations, fatigue, involuntary movements, gut problems. I took the drug for 2 years and I was having falling issues and walking strangly while still on the drug. I thought I was getting better a few weeks ago and then I crashed. I have an appointment to see a top notch lawyer. I wanted to solicite others but I fear there may be some legal issues for using this site to do so. So regretfully I'm not asking for your help. If they take the case and it goes public you can jump on the band wagon. We need to get this poison off the market.

Hopeful285

[Skywalk]

Starlitt: I'm so sorry. What worries me is that we have a similar story. I was only on 10mg of Lexapro for 6 weeks and it's been four months and counting for me cold turkey off the drug. I had the same symptoms you did at that stage. I even thought I could get a job. The emotional withdrawals did not hit me yet, but I had a different kind of anxiety and the disconnected and dizzy feeling. You feel like you're not even yourself anymore. It's hard to connect with loved ones when you can't even connect with yourself. The worst part of this is that most doctors will not believe us! You need to rely on forums like this. Please stay in touch with us. Posting here for me on a daily basis is what helps get me through. I know I will get better, as will you, but living like this daily is a nightmare. I hear and have read that it takes 18 months, but from talking to others who have survived this is sounds like it starts to get better at about the 6-7th month mark if you went cold turkey; at least to the point where you can function. But they say it really does take a year or more to feel back 99-100% better.

[Skywalk]

Starlitt: One more thing. Please don't let your parents think that you have mental problems now. And don't let them think that we here on this board are people who are already "messed up." I had no mental problems like this before (I only had some panic attacks once and a while). This drug has had me feeling near crazy throughout this ordeal and it's all FAULT OF THE DRUG. This can happen to anybody. I use to work for one of the top newspapers in the country. I have a good reputation and am not someone known to have "issues." You sound like a smart girl and will survive this and move on with your life.

[auntybiotic]

Starrlittkiss,

I personally would reinstate because once you have basically cold turkeyed or quickly tapered and 6 weeks have passed you will be unable to reinstate with beneficial results.

You can try 5 Mg but that may not be enough to stabalize you. 20 Mg is a very high dose...that's what my daughter was put on for TMJ jaw clenching....................she is now down to 7.3 Mg but it has taken so long but she is doing well with symptoms occuting with each taper and lasting about a week to ten days.

I think that you in the long run will have a lot less problems with reinstating then to basically just cold turkey. A friend was on 15 Mg and tapered to 10 for three weeks, then 5 for three weeks then 0 and it is almost two years later and he is still not himself. The depersonalization went away after about 4 months but he says he is better but not himself from tapering so quickly.


All we can do is hope for the best. I know that slow tapering is better in the long run.

aunty

[auntybiotic]

Hopeful,

How long since you quit the lexapro? has it been more then five weks? You cold turkeyed? Can you tell me what symptoms you had and the time periods you experienced them after quitting.Did you get the brain zaps? Stomach cramps, naseau?

Lecthin has helped others with the muscle twitching and movements, go to a Vitamin Shoppe and ask for Lecthin and take as recommended.
What you have are classic withdrawal symptoms from tapering too fast.

[Skywalk]

Aunty,

Wasn't that friend on the drug for over a year? Doesn't that have something to do with it??? We were on it for a very short time.

[auntybiotic]

Hi,

Yes I think he was on it for much longer then you were so please do not worry.......................you are coming thru the withdrawals so well..............over the physical ones already.

I am going to look thru my emails and see if I can find one from a TARA that discusses the emotional withdrawals...............hope I can find it.

What supplements are you taking?

aunty

[auntybiotic]

here is a exerp from someone that quit lexapro about two tears ago.I will try and email her to see how see is doing today............this is a very old posting to another site..I have excluded names.

I am a Lexapro addict, of 3 years (started in nov.
> of 2002). I became
> addicted after going thru a really rough year
> (family deaths, finishing
> college while submerged in panic attack disorder). I
> am so glad to have had
> the chance to read thru Tara's messages (way to go
> girl). Gives me a lot of
> hope as the withdrawal symptoms are bad, that there
> is a light at the end of
> the tunnel, even if I cannot see it right now. I
> have the following since
> last Sunday:
>
> numbness of hands and sometimes feet
> brain zaps / vertigo - only when i am awake =)
> ear swelling & numbness (do any of you have
> this????)
> weight gain from 2002 - 2005 (95 lbs. - after just
> losing 65lbs and feeling
> gr8)
> no energy
> bone pain (hips, legs, forearms)
> bruising on hands
> crying (but this is what feels good - some f-ing
> emotion coming from me)
> daytime napping
> abdominal pain
> nasal passages seem swollen
> bad sleep patterns - i get settled down about 2am
>
>
> I am 2 months free of cigarettes and knew that this
> was my next thing to
> conquer. I feel like we are all being lab rats (ones
> with money, that is)
> and I pity the first person that tells me that I am
> just imagining these
> things. I have a wonderful supportive family that
> can't do enough for me and
> it is the only reason I will succeed. I think I
> really decided to kick
> Lexapro out of my life, because it kicked sex outta
> mine 2 years ago (along
> with the weight gain). I want to live again. The
> good with the bad. My
> rottie, Sadie, died in January, and i think i cried
> twice. Obligatory
> crying??? Is that what that was?
>
> I am no longer their experiment and I now own
> myself, and it sounds like
> you people are in the same boat. We all see thru the
> lies. It isn't our
> fault, we have done nothing wrong, and are committed
> to fixing our lives
> with emotion, sweet, long gone emotion -
> understanding and education. We are
> no longer ignorant, something that the pill pushers
> needed from us. Here's
> to all of our success in beating the demon. Good
> luck (we all NEED it).
>

[auntybiotic]

Hi,

Another person that quit Lexapro two years ago....this response is from about one month being off.............

can't get to the site either, but I have no problem corresponding with you.

I am still off of the Lexapro. I am currently not experiencing any withdrawal symptoms. I have noticed that I cry easier and anger easier, but I think I was in emotional la la land for so long, that my emotions are really normal. I am past the two month mark of no lexapro, and three month mark of when the tapering began.

I am not sure when each withdrawal symptoms subsided, but the chills and sweating were present for awhile.

I took a multi vitamin for women and 2 tylenol pm every night. I now am down to half of a tylenol pm.

Something your daughte rmay be uncomfortable sharing with you is that as you taper off, and your hormones get a zap..the sex drive kicks in in a very big way. I am not a frisky person by any means, but during the tapering off and the first couple of weeks with no lexapro I had so many erotic dreams..over and over. Some were violent; some were weird. They really disturbed my sleep patterns. Now, I dream like I did pre-lexapro.

Limiting caffeine helped with sleep and stomach problems. A good cry and a bubble bath helped with the emotional stuff. The mania is a tough one, but journalling really helped my brain focus...nothing but time helped the anger. I never was suicidal or voilent, but I know others who were during the first four weeks of withdrawal.

The fatigue was HORRIBLE. Unless you have experienced anything like it, you will not be able to identify with her. I think once the sleep wake patterns even out, the other stuff becomes so much easier.

Basically, the withdrawal lasted a couple of months after the last pill. The tapering weeks were bad and then the first month with no pill seemed almost impossible. Sometimes the anxiety was so overwhelming, it took every last ounce of strength I had to not take a pill. I wore sweat pants to bed, this way the night sweats did not wake me. I used a heating pad and hot water bottle for the chills. I wish I had an electric blanket as that would have been ideal. Change the bedsheets often, as the sweats and chills make the bed damp. By morning it's all dry, but by that night the cycle begins again. Clean sheets seemed to help...for whatever funky reason.

Honestly, I am not skipping through the field picking wildflowers, but I am better. The emotional cycle has evened out, and now I just feel blah with PMS. I think if I could get rid of the lexapro weight, I would feel even better, as none of my old clothes fit. I did lose five pounds of the thirty something I had gained while on Lexapro, but I am stil la little sore over the whole matter. My daughter (8) takes zoloft for OCD. I know the struggles of being a mom with a kids on meds

[starlittkiss]

everyone, the posts have been so helpful!! i'm having trouble getting to sleep (as always) but I don't feel that awful right now... when it hits it's usually anxiety, a bought of depression and/or a headache. the anxiety is really what's getting me, i'm afraid to leave my house most of the time, i got out to a movie and to dinner but i was pretty dizzy and disconnected which i think is because of the aniexty, i've fried my nerves... so it's been 2 weeks and 2 days since my last pill, i'm going to talk to my aunt who is a renowned psychologist tomorrow and who also has had experiences with this and i'll let you know what she says. I'm pretty much asking whether I should get back on it and taper better. I value what you guys think I should do, i feel likr since i've been off so long i should just keep going, but the posts about me not getting better for over a year or maybe even never are REALLY freaking me out. If I never get back to myself I have no point in continuing...anyway it would be gerat to hear what you think I should do

[scappini]

OK
I feel I need to say something to parents or anyone facing withdrawals symtoms that they are putting up with. I have been on some sort of medication for the past 12 years. My latest withdrawal is Lexapro 10MG twice a day. After this forum read I recognise after excatly 1 week without them the dizzy, blackout sensation that occurs and am aware that it's the withdrawal. I have, for those who may need help, come off Speed, Mariwana (can't even spell it anymore), LSD, Extacy, Herion, Respiredal, haliperadol, XANAX (2MG), Lexapro.
If I may list the worst withdrawals in order:
MARIWANA (ONCEAGAIN SPELLING): START OF IT ALL PARENTS TAKE NOTE PLEASE

SPEED: WELL THAT WAS PARTY TIME COULD BE NO COMING BACK. PLEASE DON'T GET TO THIS STAGE

LSD: CREATED A DAMAGED BRAIN, RESULTING IN COUNTLESS PROBLEMS TO A HEALTHY PERSON (WAS) (NOW) 12 YEARS LATER

HEROIN: WELL THANK GOD I WAS ON THE TREATMENT END OF THINGS I MUST SAY...... IS I DON'T TRUELY KNOW SIDE EFFECTS FROM WITHDRAWAL, WAS ONLY ON 10 OR SO TIMES. BUT WAS ALREADY A ZOMBIE SO TO SAY.

XANAX: DO NOT EVER ASK FOR THIS. EVER. IF YOU WANT TO GET OFF IT. IT WILL TEST EVERY BIT OF YOU. GREAT FOR TREATING SYMPTOMS BUT HEY TIMES CHANGE IN YOUR LIFE BUT NOT THE WITHDRAWALS...........

FOR ME WAS: CODEINE: AFTER SINUS OPERATIONS I WAS TREATED WITH PAIN RELIEF, LITTLE DID THEY KNOW 3 YEARS LATER I WAS BUYING FROM CHEMISTS CODEINE.

I AM now withdrawing from Lexapro 10mg x 2/day. Glad to know I'm only dizzy and the blacking out sensations are from Lexapro leaving my system.

Anyone after support I will gladly expell 100% of knowledge to any family member or existing sufferer in any stage of problem/recovery as I truely believe I may be able to apprecitiate your situation.

In summary, I am a normal guy with life on track. I now own 2 x investment units, I work hard and am running my own business. Without help, I, WOULD NOT BE HERE MYSELF NOW. So I feel I owe it to others who want a strong shoulder to lean on or to hopefully learn from.

Kind Regards

Me

hang in there x infinity

[cristyleigh]

I found this website and I need to ask some of you with experience a question.

I started Lexapro last May and ended up quickly gaining weight....lots of it. (A little history that may be helpful is that I have been bulimic for 21 years...I am pretty much over it, but struggle with it emotionally every day) Lexapro was a GODSEND...it made me feel less anxious, I stopped crying for no reason and I was actually niceto my family for the first time in about 5 years. Anyway, due to my distorted body image the 35lbs. that I gained were not cutting it for me so my doctor decided to try Effexor. I began to taper off of the 10mg. dose of Lexapro while starting the Effexor XP at the same time. I struggled through this for 2 months and could see nothing good coming from the Effexor. I told my doctor that I wanted to just deal with the weight and go back on the Lexapro since it worked so well.
Well, the second time around it did a little bit for me but didn't work like it had at first so she upped the dose to 20mg. and I continued to gain weight. Two weeks ago I had finally had enough! I still wasn't feeling like I did the first time I took the Lex and I was still gaining weight. I called the Doctor and told her that I wanted to try something else. She wanted me to taper off of the Lex and start the Wellbutrin at the same time but I hadn't really seen side effects the first time I went off of the lex so I just stopped taking it cold turkey and started on the Wellbutrin the same day. I really am not having any physical side effects...I had one dizzy spell but it went away quickly. I have turned into a crying machine though. I lost my mind on my husband last week and told him that he should look for another wife because he married a skinny girl and now I am fat and ugly and don't deserve him. He is such a good guy...he just held me and told me that I was beautiful and that he will love me no matter how much weight I gain etc. I thought that I was having a severe case of PMS and, unfortunately, I had just caught a cold on top of that and I chalked it up to all of those things. Well, last night I freaked out again. I told my husband that I was worried about him hanging out with the husband of a friend of mine because they are getting a divorce and I didn't want him hanging out with single people...even though this man is his best friend. He said that he wouldn't if I didn't want him to but then I felt horrible and smothering and I started crying so hard that I couldn't breathe and telling him how much I hated myself. I have also been yelling at my son a lot more and am much less patient...but that is just back to the way that I was before I started on the Lex. the first time.

Ok, sorry that took so long but I needed to give history to ask my question. It has been 8 days since my last Lexapro and 9 days on Wellbutrin. Should I go back on the Lexapro and start weaning like the Doctor told me to or should I just deal with the cold turkey and keep up the Wellbutrin. I was hoping that the Wellbutrin would negate any bad effects of the Lexapro but now I'm not sure??? I just don't want to become any more psycho. I can't expect my husband to put up with this forever.

All of you who took the time to read this, thank you so much for your patience and any advice you can give.

Cristy

[starlittkiss]

i talked to my doctor today, she says only a small percentage of people have side effects this severe. she told me it is very unlikely mine will last months and that i should NOT go back on it and taper it. I also just found out I have mono for the second time, so that's probably why I've been feeling so ****py... my parents weren't letting me sleep much because they thought I was depressed and now they feel totally awful so i'll be able to get as much sleep as i can! I felt pretty good yesterday and so far today I feel decent as well. The dramamine is helping me so much! Hope all is well with everyone!

[Skywalk]

Hopefull: If you check back here, please email me by clicking on my name "skywalk." I also plan to look into legal action when I get better.

[sarita]

kristy,
i don't mean to scare you, but you're not supposed to take Wellbutrin if you've had or have an eating disorder. it can cause seizures, etc.... you better get a second opinion or look it up..
i'm sorry for your withdrawals. i know its awful. i also was a skinny little thing with a six-pack abs, and now i'm so damn fat. i gained 30 pounds and i can't get rid of it no matter how little i eat.

[tavee]

SARITA SWEETIE!!

HOW ARE U? IVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT U.
I GOT MY PERIOD TODAY(2 DAYS EARLY) AND I HAVE BAD CRAMPS TO BEGIN WITH. IM OK THOUGH. I TAKE NAPROXEN FOR MY CRAMPS SO IT HELPS A LITTLE, BUT TODAY IT REALLY HURTS.
IM DOING OK EMOTIONALLY NOW THAT MY MOM IS GONE FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS CUZ I KNOW SHE WAS A FACTOR OF SETTING OFF MY ANGER.

IM ON 3ML BUT MY NEXT DOSE WILL BE SLOW. I WILL GO TO 2.8 INSTEAD OF 2.5 THAT I HAD PLANNED.

SO ILL LET U KNOW HOW THINGS ARE GOING.
I KNOW URE DONE WITH URE PERIOD, SO HOW DO U FEEL NOW?? ANY BETTER? ANY OTHER SYMPTOMS?

HANG IN THERE. ILL TALK TO U SOON.

TAVEE

[Seefour]

Hi all, just checking in, how Is everyone feeling?

Well It's been 6 weeks off now.
Seems my throat is getting better still, but I have aweful reflux, which I never had before, I hope I don't have gerd. Getting to sleep has been aweful, between my intestines or stomach or whatever gurgling, and severe heartburn. Waking up has been even worse, I feel so horrible when I wake up that I just want to go back to bed. I go to the doctors tommorow to find out how my barrium swallow went, If nothing come up I'm half tempted to tell them to go ahead with an edoscopy :/

[Hopeful285]

Auntibiotic,
I quit taking Lexapro 11-9-2006 so it has been almost 3 months. I was having issues some scary issues while still taking the drug (walking strangley and falling) so I don't know which would be worse quiting cold turkey or waiting to see what else the drug was going to do to me.
Yes, I do have brain zaps. They are terrible. I also have a pain in the center of my brain that feels inflamed. I know this is from Lexapro because I had sensations while taking Lexapro that affected this same spot in my head.
Other side effects I experience are itching, tingling, anxiety, restless legs. I just started having stomach pain about a week ago. When I eat, my stomach hurts. I go to the bathroom often.
I have had nausea off and on the whole 3 months.
When you ask for time frames on the withdrawal, all the issues except the stomach pain have been going on since I quit taking the Lexapro.
I sometimes have to take pain pills for my head because the pain is so intense that I can't function.
Another side effect that I have is the high blood pressure. I read on Web MD that you can get very high or very low blood pressure.
The strange manner of walking that I have is also on Web MD. This is listed as a rare side effect.
Thank you for telling me about lecithin. I'll get some in the morning.
One thing I have found that helps with the jerking and twitching is laying on my left side or back. When I lay on my right side, it intensifies it.
My twitching about two weeks after quiting Lexapro resembled Parkinson's. I now jerk or twitch several times daily so it has improved.
I used to take lecithin because it helps disolve fat. If you put it on bacon grease it actually disolves the fat.
I also either sleep alot (14 hours last night) or have insomnia like tonight. Restless legs kept me up awhile. Then I went to sleep. and woke up jerking. I was lying on my right side. It was pretty violent jerking.
My worst side effect is the headaches. I fear I'm going to have a stroke, especially with the blood pressure problem. Strokes are one of the side effects. I am on blood pressure medicine but I still get spikes. I am on 100 mg of Cozaar.
Also I get strange pains in my feet, fingertips, inner thigh. It is like electrical surges.
The doctor gave me Zoloft about 3 weeks ago and it threw me into a tale spin. I only took 1/2 a pill on 2 days and I could barely walk at all and was basically bed ridden the 2nd day. My head really hurt.
I know it has been too long to go back on Lexapro.
I see my attorney next week. My nephew told me that he saw a commercial about Lexapro asking anyone have issues to call a number. He did not get the number. So there is probably a case action lawsuit pending.



Hopeful285

[auntybiotic]

quote:Originally posted by auntybiotic

Hopeful,

Thanks for the update. Are you taking a good multivitamin and mineral supplement, how about Omega Fish Oil................these may also help your body heal.

Please tell me again how long you were on the lexapro and what dose. When speaking with your attorney let him know there are hundreds of others that would love to jump on a class action suit against Forrest...............if there is one. In there is not possibly he may be willing to start one...........I would certainy be involved, as this is crazy that the Drug manufacturor can get away with selling Lexapro because of everyone's addiction........one way to keep sales up but HOW WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

aunty

[Skywalk]

Hopeful: The stomach issues didn't really start for me till about the 3 month mark either. It's been 4 months and 1 week since I quit cold turkey after 6 weeks of 10mg. I've had serious stomach issues this week (I thought it was getting better, but. It's pretty bad and I've in bed or on the couch all week because of it. I also had headaches and other strange feelings in my head (most of that is gone now). I still have derealization, some tingling and fatigue and I'm sweating a lot again. Also, I got emotional withdrawals at the same time as my stomach problem...I now feel very low and anxious with no sex drive. I was OK with all that up until the 3 month mark. My family, of course, believes I'm just getting worse and from what I've read you often get worse before you get better. They really want me to go to an M.D. but I don't want to because they probably won't believe Lexapro caused this. My naturopath believes me. I told my family that I believe others who have survived this that had the SAME symptoms; not doctors who are likely puppets of the drug companies. Please let me know how it goes with your attorney. I want to be involved in a lawsuit. I think class-action is best since we all have similar issues.

[Hopeful285]

Skywalk,
I sent you an email.
I have strange feelings in my head also. I hear gurgling sounds. The back of my ears have started to hurt the last couple of days and last night I had a pain that was in the arch of my right foot to the bottom of my foot. It lingered for awhile. Usually my pains in my extremities go from one area to another pretty quickly.
It is pretty strange that new symptoms come after 3 months. No wonder we think doctors are skeptical. I see my attorney on Feb 21st. I'll let you know how it goes.

Hopeful285

[Hopeful285]

Auntibiotic,
I was on Lexapro for about 2 years. I was prescribed 10 mg.
I would take only half a lot of the time. It was like a miracle drug for me at one time.
I started going to the doctor about 18 months into taking the drug because I was walking strangly. It wasn't all the time. Just occasionally. They ran all kinds of tests and did CT scans and couldn't find anything wrong with me.
During all this, they doubled my dosage and my strange walking started happening more and more. They still didn't recogize it as the Lexapro. Then I started getting spontaneous movement in my legs. I would kick. My husband said I even was doing it in my sleep, so he knew I was really having a problem.
I was going through papers and reread my Lexapro insert that I had read when I started taking the drug and saw that uncontrolled movements were on the list of side effects.
I then knew what was causing my issues.
I have been to the emergency room a couple of times for very high blood pressure and headaches. I never had a problem with headaches before.
My family believes that this is not psycho symatic. I had all the symptoms before I saw this forum or reread my side effects that I had read months and months before.
I still occasionally walk like I'm handycapped. It comes and goes. I sometimes get a brain zap and hit the floor. I was falling and having strange feelings in my brain before I quit the drug.
I have had the rare side effects from taking the drug and also the withdrawal from quitting the drug.
I was told there were virtually no side effects and that this drug is easy to get off of. This was told to me by the doctor who prescribed it. She moved out of state, back to her home town.
I am seeing a different doctor now and she told me it wouldn't hurt me to quit cold turkey and that I might feel bad for a little while.
18 months is not a little while.
My neurologist also never stopped me when I saw him a couple of days after I quit taking it. He should have mentioned the liquid form and discussed withdrawals.
I take a multivitamin, fish oil, iron, and calcium with magnesium.
My neurolist has me taking magnesium for restless legs because I have bad side effects with the drug requip. Also I was anemic. This can cause restless legs, so I take iron. I still have the issue but it I seem to have fewer episodes.
I got a dry patchy spot between my eyes while on Lexapro. It looked like seborreah or psoriasis. I read on Web MD about a skin problem you can get on this drug that is often misdiagnosed. Since I have quit taking the drug it has improved immensely. Cortisone cream really helps. Any changes you have even a dry spot or new symptoms that just appear, we need to check to see if it is a possible side effect of Lexapro. Everything that I have has turned out to be.
Strangly enough even this stomach pain that I just got recently.
Is it true that there are serotonin transmitters in the stomach?
I will let you know how it goes with my attorney.


Hopeful285

[auntybiotic]

Hi,

Beware of taking ANY cold medications with Lexapro.........Anna Nichole Smith died......and I bet it was mixing cold medications with antidepressants as it was with her son's death.

aunty