Lexapro Withdrawal

[auntybiotic]

Hi all,

I have also read about NOT taking B vitamins while tapering from SSRI's BUT the inisitol which is B8 seems not to fall into this catagory..........but everyone is different so if starting be careful with low doses.

Tavee,

Tapering from 2.2 MG to 2 Mg is a 10% reduction. As you get lower into the taper possibly try 5% instead of 10%. It may ease the symptoms. My daughter can only taper by 1% every two weeks and function well at school, on tests etc.

If after three weeks after the taper you begin to feel "normal" again ( and I would definately WAIT three weeks betwen this taper).......then that will confirm that you must slow down. I know everyone wants OFF of lexapro but at what cost.

Just for one taper try 5% of your current dose....so your next taper will be 1.9. I would use the small Iml syringes and fill one full and the next syringe to .09. It would be more precise then using the large syringe and smaller one.

I hope you feel better. Time will heal EVERYONE...................remeber the mention of the 18 months ...................that is how long it takes for stroke victims to have recovery............................that also seems the number for those that cold turkeyed off lexapro of tapered really fast.Do not be discourged...............everyone will start to feel better,

Hugs,

aunty

[Hairyarmadillo]

Once again, tmb, I do agree with you and all you said. I know what a state I was in when I went on Paxil the first time. I also know that there were many times when I was MUCH younger that I feel it could have made a difference. I am not comfortable telling the world that antidepressants need to be eliminated. In fact, I have a friend who has endured sever debillitating bouts of depression throughtout life and I advised her to discuss this with her doctor. Unfortunately, yes, it was a gp but still.. There are so many people who balk at accepting the fact that they are depressed and can't do anything about it without some type of intervention. So, she did well to admit it to herself and her doc did put her on Prozac. Ha-of course, I am completely honest with her about the symptoms I have had on the antidepressant, because I want her to be aware of what to look for. But that saying, again, I think it is much more rational for someone to see a psychiatrist for anything involving depression and its treatment. Just don't think everyone will do it. But since I don't think everyone will do this, I think any doctor prescribing these medications need to be very educated on them and realize they are not the same as, for instance, a cough medicine. It doesn't just fix the symptoms and then can be stopped. I do think they need to be more carefully researched and there needs to be a willingness in the medical community to listen to everyone's experiences. LOL I could go on forever but I am glad that you mention the positives on the antidepressants. I think they are life saving in many instances-I have lived through that fog of depression that never seems to lift. It is no fun. Oh, don't want to turn this into my own mental health discussion-haha-but I have always felt that I had a chemical imbalance, since the depression started from early childhood. But earlier this week there was a short thing on tv talking about the stresses on children today and how they can cause depression. Well,as self aware as I usually am, I missed this. I immediately thought of my childhood and without naming the instances, just suffice it to say that I went through some very stressful experiences, but for some reason I didn't think it "counted' -thought since I was a child. I am not talking about the norml stressors of childhood, I am talking about really dysfunctional stuff. My parents, bless their hearts, did not need to be around children. Because of their volatile tempers(especially my father-which later erupted into physical altercations with one of my siblings starting when she was in fifth grade on), we learned early on to stay in our rooms with the doors shut or outside. You literally could not tell when it was safe to talk to them about normal everyday events because if they weren't in the mood, they would go off. Then, when the physical fights started between my father and sister, I stayed terrified. I turned my feelings inward where my sister turned hers outward. Anyhow, this went on for years. So, once I saw these psychologists discussing how a child could be hit by depression because of stress, I feel like I had an aha moment. I was so happy when I left home, was in college and first got my job. Then after 3 year of marriage the depression came back. I am looking back now and thinking that there are a lot of things I suppressed and it came back to bite me on the butt depression wise. Anyhow, I say all that to say this: I have always assumed I had a chemical imbalance because it started young. BUT if I had gone to a psychiatrist that did the tests to find out, maybe I would have found out it wasn't instead of just trusting that the antidepressants were the cure. Another good reason to see the right kind of doctor, huh? If the depression comes back, I am going to bite the bullet and go see the psychiatrist. Though not the one that tried to say I needed lithium after visiting with me for half an hour.

Yep,Tavee and elizabethmarie I did indeed drop from 2.5 to zilch. Can't say I am proud of it but I was unable to get the pill slice the same. I felt like I was going anywhere from 2.5 mgs to 1 mg on a daily basis. When I woke up with a bad case of the BI I said "Forget it, I am doing more harm than good taking fluctuating amounts." Went off it, nearly went back, then a couple of days later, the symptoms are pretty much over. Because I am so afraid of the "other shoe" I am going to make a point to continue with all my supplements and am using a lot of self-talk to keep myself straight mentally. Also, I have timed this so the notorious 4th month will hit while I am on summer break.

Guys, I am no fool and I know that there is more bad to come, but in the mean time, this is great. I am having so many aha moments of clarity about everything. Even the rage served a purpose-it helped make me aware of some things that bothered me all along and I needed to address it. Of course, ha, Tavee, I am not talking about that B---- feeling. LOL But I bet my students are going to be more well-behaved now. Of course it didn't help that one chose that week to write dirty words on the wall and steal stuff from the room.

I know I don't know you all, but I love you guys and hope everyone is doing good on this "one day closer to freedom from lexapro bad side effects" TMB, I added the bad side effects to my usual statement of freedom from lexapro-I so agree with you that it does have good benefits, just needs to be given out by a psychiatrist and monitored closely! Again, thanks for sharing!!

[sidbit]

Thanks for the advice on tapering slower. I went from 10mg of lexapro for 3 years to 5mg for 3 weeks, then cold turkey. The brain zaps and dizziness were controlling my day. So Tuesday, I went back on 5mgs. Amazingly my dizziness and brain zaps went away in less than an hour. BAD BAD DRUG. If I had known it was going to do this to me, I would have never gone on it. It's like an illegal drug! Start taking it and you have to keep taking it forever.

Anyway...how long should I stay on 5 mgs, and then how long on 2.5mgs? My doctor doesn't seem to know anything about this. Do I try to ween myself to every other day????

[elizabethmaria]

Hello,
Thank you Aunty again.. I guess I am just so sensitive to everything, that I'm scared of excess supplements, or anything! it always gives me a reaction.. but hopefully it can help someone else...

How is your daughter doing? What dosage is she on now? That awful that she can only go down 1% every two weeks -- what do her doctors say? It seems like she would be a good instance for a case write up or ?, is someone doing that? I hope that you reach the end soon..
take care ...
love
Elizabethmarie

[skyer]

Yes, Aunty...thank you for the words of encouragement. At six months plus you start to wonder if you will ever get better, despite some improvement. You not only have to convince yourself, but others, too. I was also thinking about your daughter because she must be getting really close to finishing the taper.

ElizabethMaria: I'm like you...scared of supplements, too. I'm just getting up the nerve to buy the Noni juice for my depersonalization. I'm so sensitive I react to different foods right now.

Hopeful: thanks for listing the symtpoms. Here's mine.

Symptoms I've had that are gone now:

insomnia
manic episodes/racing thoughts
ear ringing
dizziness
sinus congestion
bronchitis
very stiff neck
low blood sugar issues
23-day cycles
Heavy periods
panic - high cortisol probably
headaches - other head feelings
bad stomach cramping
diarreah
social withdrawal
nausea
night sweats
mood swings
anger
bloating
chapped lips
heart beat drops
poor memory
poor concentration
mixed up letters/numbers
carb cravings
jaw clenching
major brain fog - spacey especially while riding in car
exhaustion
severe depression (months 4-5)
sever apathy
burning sensation on legs


Symptoms I still have:

depersonalization/derealization
fear
anxiety
moderate depression
vivid dreams
apathy
stomach issues - morning bowel movements
can't handle stress - very sensitive nervous system (started month 3)
eye pain - sore and dry - cannot wear contacts
floaters in vision
sleep 9-10 hours despite resting most of the day
fatigue, but exhaustion is gone
painful teeth at times
tingling and numbness in feet, toes and hands (almost all gone)

Six weeks of Lexapro 10mg, quit cold turkey as recommended by doctor. 6.5 months off drug. Improved slightly at about 5.5 months off the drug.

[Hairyarmadillo]

Yes, Aunty, how is your daughter doing? Will she be embarrassed if you give her a hug for me? This is hard enough for this 38 year old teacher-cannot imagine how hard it must be at her age. It is hard enough for me to go through my own daily activities. If I had to go to school every day and learn new material, I just don't know. She is blessed to have you!! I missed it, but is she taking the liquid? It sounded like it but I was curious. I do agree with the tactic of lowering the percentage of decrease as getting closer to 0mgs. I felt the effects going down each time, but the closer I got to being off the lexapro, the more obvious the symptoms were. When I went from 10 mgs to approx. 7.5 mgs, the withdrawal wasn't as noticeable as when I went from the 5 to 2.5 mgs. Since you have the liquid and can do it more precise than what I was doing with the pill slivers, I really think you should do as Aunty suggests. I swear, even though there was some change in me moodwise with the other decreases, it was so much worse the closer I got to the 0 mg mark. With the liquid you can easily and precisely measure out a very small decrease in dose and that will be so much better on your body.

Good for you, sidbit getting back on the 5 and going to the slow taper method. Shew, glad you are over the brain zapps-those sucked. i had them with the Paxil and (because I didn't have the advantage of this forum)thought I was having symptoms of an upcoming stroke. Anyhow,the key word in the slow taper process is SLOW!! I was bad and dropped from my latest slow taper of 2.5mgs to 0, after only being on that for a little over a week. Should write this stuff down since I can't remember anything anymore, but it was approximately 9 days. I don't advise that to anyone. I am fortunate in that I had a little over a week off from work to sleep as much as I needed and do not have any big home responsiblities-just me and the hubby. So again I slept a lot, which has no doubt helped. But I also know there is a possibility that I will have other side effects later on because of the rush on the last taper. SO PLEASE GO SLOWER THAN THAT BIG 2.5 DROP!! The closer you get to the 0 mark, the worse it seems to hit. First, you need to stablize on the 5 mgs. Trust me, even though you feel better now, you are not stable. I have found that the hard way. I would advise you to stay on the 5mgs for at least 3 weeks. yeah, I know you probably want off it quicker, and we all do, but this is one instance where quicker is not better. In the meantime, focus on building your body up. I am a fan of the Omega3 and magnesium. I am not going to claim to be as knowledgeable as others here on the supplements, but there is a page a couple pages back where Aunty does a bang-up job listing several. Because I was a bit overwhelmed, I committed to taking the omega 3 and magnesium daily. Don't fool around with the Omega 3 go ahead and order the Carlson's Omega 3. Takes the guess work out of it. Also, eat very healthy. Less meat and more veggies and fruits. Focus on building your body. Then, decrease the dosage after three weeks. Decrease it again after you have been on the decreased dosage for approximately 3 weeks. If you don't feel stablized by the three week mark, wait longer. And continue to take the supplements and rest. Plenty of rest. Don't know if there is any proof, but I have found on the days I need to sleep, if I give in and sleep as long as possible, I feel better. One day was close to 18 hours. But again, I have no kids and am off work. No matter what, don't give in to the temptation to decrease within a few days. You will not feel the big side effects for a week to two weeks after the drop. And if you decrease too fast, those evil zaps will come back!!
Does anyone have suggestions on how sidbit can decrease the tablet to get equal doses on each decrease? This was my challenge (and why I gave up the 2.5 afte 9 days)-I had the pill slicer and cut but I was getting varied doses. not good. If you go to your doc and get the liquid, that would be the best thing. I was just too fed up with doctors. After all he told me it was a clean drug-uggggg.

Oh and no matter what don't consume anything with a stimulant in it. I just drank a cola and feel awful. Don't do it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! haha. I knew better but the cola looked so good. I wish lisabb was still around. As a fellow Kentuckian, maybe she would have understood the lure of a half frozen Ale-8. Im worried about her and her pneumonia. Anyone heard anything from her?

[Hairyarmadillo]

Skyer you must have been posting as I was typing. I hit submit and there is your post when I look again. I wanted to say how much I feel the Noni juice has helped, even though I felt silly getting it. I had gotten it before all the Lexapro withdrawal because someone at work was talking about all the various things it is good for. I took it a couple of times but didn't really get faithful with it until last week when I felt like dirt. Now I am continuing with it to build up my body. It is going to be part of my everyday routine even once the Lexapro withdrawal is a thing of the past.
I never listed my symptoms, but am going to compile it.
Reason for getting off the Lexapro to begin with: extremely apathetic (had to force myself to do anything, even my job); kept having thoughts of suicide intruding even when I was occupied and distracted with what were activities that were leisure; moments of aphasia and difficulty formulating sentences, carrying on intelligent conversation-my vocabulary decreased in size; sex was repulsive; memory loss;weight gain and didn't care enough to do anything about it;became very passive in everyday situations to the point of causing more problems for myself by not proactively dealing with issues

Withdrawal symptoms I have had
Need for excessive amounts of sleep
Fatigue even after sleeping excessively
EXTREME aphasia-hope that is spelled correctly-had trouble thinking of even simple words that were synonyms for the word I was using
Memory loss was worse than ever. Had to walk myself through daily basic tasks
Extreme moodiness-somewhat happy dropped to "I am a failure" type feelings-very irrational
Extremely uncontrollable rage that lasted for long time periods-as in a day or two at a time
Impaired judgement regarding others, almost to the point of paranoia-perceived people were thinking I was stupid, a failure. If someone didn't act exactly the right way when I was checking out, I felt they were looking down on me.

Persevering Symptoms
Dizziness and fog headedness returns upon consuming anything with stimulants, ex soda
Difficulty performing basic tasks is now mostly related to typing. Takes forever to type and think.
Moments of blood sugar drops if I don't eat healthy
Moments of slight depersonalization. Noticed that this has correlated with the caffiene intake.
Almost forgot the worst-loose stool, constantly going to the bathroom for this, and gas

Benefits seen already from being off the Lexapro: Passivity is a thing of the past, back to being assertive and addressing what needs to be taken care of; my judgement regarding people and their behaviors is returning (not just about the paranoia issue, but I used to be good at analyzing why someone was acting a certain way (my students) and could discern which behavioral approach was appropriate. Have missed this); overall rational thinking has returned; apathy is gone as is moodiness and raging.

[tavee]

SYMPTOMS I HAVE in between tapers( around the 7th day or earlier)

1) very tired during the day
2)fatigue
3) weird dreams when i am in between tapers and hallucinations while half awake
rage( i am a raging b***h)
4) take things very personal(sensitive)
5) wanting to get in confrontations when people piss me off
6) stomach problems in the morning
7) cant handle stress
8) angry at people(my family)
9) i have no patience anymore
10) sensitive to loud noises( i jerk)
11) mood swings(happy, sad, pissed, annoyed, happy again)
12)my cheeks feel hot
13) feel a little depressed
14) feel like a failure
15) cant concentrate on people when conversing
16) lack of sleep(was better last night)

AGAIN THESE ARE SYMPTOMS THAT OCCUR IN BETWEEN TAPERS.


* HOWEVER IM CONSTANTLY ANGRY AND IRRITATED AND THERE STILL IS RAGE.

[auntybiotic]

To Sidbit and anyone else tapering from lexapro that does not have lexapro liquid.

This is a precise way to take a pill and convert it to a liquid version so that you can taper to minute measurements.

STEP 1: First go to your pharmacy and ask for twp BP syringes for measuring liquid medication.a 5Ml and a 1 Ml syringe.

You will need a 5 Ml syringe and a 1 Ml syringe. (they are free so make sure you ask the pharmacist directly).


STEP 2: Now take your lexapro tablet.( Sidbit, I will use your dosage as a example.)
Take the 5 mg tablet of lexapro and crush it between two spoons.


STEP 3: Fill your 5Ml syringe with cranberry juice to the 5 Ml mark.


STEP 4: Take a plastic medicine cup and dispensethe 5 Ml of cranberry juice from the 5 Ml syringe iinto the plastic medicine cup,

Carefully add the crushed 5 Mg lexapro tablet and stir until all the powder is dissolved. Once you can no longer see any of the lexapro pwder in the cranberry juice you now have 5Mg of lexapro dispersed into 5 ml of liquid and you can begin tapering as if this was lexapro liquid. You will use the two syringes to effectively measure out the liquid to a precise taper.

So Sidbit, if you chose to taper the 5 Mg of Lexapro by approx 5%.............


After performing steps 1 thru 3......as above


You would then take your 1 Ml syringe and slowly remove .03 of a ml of the liquid from the mixed lexapro/cranberry solution with the small syringe.

(Draw up the cranberry lexapro liquid to the number 3 on the 1 Ml syringe and throw that liquid away and drink the remaining.)

You will have just taken a dose of lexapro equal to 4.7 ML which is slightly more then 5%. By subtracting ( and discarding) the .03 Ml of liquid from the 5Ml of Lexapro Cranberry solution that was equal to 5 Mg the remaining dose of lexapro/crancerry solution was equal 4.7 ML.of liquid lexapro.

You can choose to Repeat the above procedure taking the 4.7 Ml for a least two weekes or longer until you feel stable. (Note: it will take about one week before you will feel the withdrawal symptoms).

Th e next taper if you chose to taper by approx 5% will be approx. 4.4 ML of the lexapr/ cranberry solution...........again Steps One thru 3 but this time discarding .06 Ml of the lexapro cranberry liquid and taking the remaining 4.4 ML.

If you wish to try 10% reductions to your 5 Mg lexapro to 4.5 Ml..............you would mix the cranberry juice as instructed in Steps one thru three and then take out .05 Ml using the small 1 Ml syringe. Draw up liquid to discard to the number 5 on the 1 Ml syringe) by approx 10% and discard that amount..............which would make your first taper 4.5 Mg of the cranberry/lexapro that you would swallow.......................again for at least 14 days.

a 10% taper of 4.5 Mg would next be approx 4 Mg to be measured out as directed above. This time withdrawaing 1 Ml with your smaller syringe and discarding the liquid and swallowing the remaing 4 Ml cranberry/lexapro liquid.
You will have just decreased by 10%.

This method is much more precise then slivering the lexapro tablet and with a calculator, you can figure out 5 and 10% tapers exactly.

This above method is used on many Withdraw and Recovery sites.

By slowly tapering and being precise with the measurements, your neurotransmitters in your brain will have a chance to heal and get use to lower amounts of serotonin and withdrawals will be a bit easier to deal with. Most importantly........in the long run you brain will be given a chance to adjust more easily.

I hope I explained this in a way that most can understand.

aunty

[spatzkey]

Hi everyone! I am hoping I can get some advise. I have tried so many places and I feel like I am getting no where. Well, I have been living and dating this guy for 5yrs. In the last 3months he has been on Lexapro. With in the first sev. wks I began to see a change. Then as time went on I saw a greater change. He wasn't the guy I knew all these years! He was alwasy super sensitive and compassionate, more so than me. He was the "girl", in the relationship crying if we got in a fight and always the one saying "marry me and I love you". Now, 3months with Lexapro he is full of anger, and hate. He actually screams at me and tells me he hates me!!!!!!!! He has NEVER even raised his voice to me in 5yrs. I have seen such a change in him. He wants me to move out and tells me how sick I make him feel. WHAT???I now am preg. and he is 100%against it. He has told me how the baby makes him sick too, and he will never see it and made me sign a paper saying I will not come after him for $$! In the past he would have been sooo trilled to have a child, at Christmas he was pretty much beggin me to have one! So now, I am moving out, and moving thousands of miles bk home. The prob. here is he is a doc.And he has that doc. mentality where he is not wrong and I have no idea what I am talking about. I know I don't with medicine, but all I know is that since he has been on this ******************** he has been a mess and a diff. person. He also refuses to do therapy. He orig. went on the meds. for anxiety and panic attacks. And for the last 2yrs he had major OCD, he thought every day he was dying of something. AND I just found out that 5 yrs ago when I met him he was on Paxil and was on it for a good year of our relationship. So I am wondering if I am going crazy? Can what I am saying be true? Can it be the meds????? Please I nd help with this and I appreciate any coments!!!thankyou

[Hairyarmadillo]

spatzkey, It COULD be the medicine, but I don't know how you would be able to tell with certainty without him getting off the medicine. Certainly looks suspicious since he was on it for three months and the behavior suddenly has a dramatic change. Anyone else here have any ideas? I can tell you that I have developed an "I don't give a ______" attitude while on this. My husband could have divorced me and I wouldn't have blinked twice. I didn't want him around me. The bad thing is, I don't know how you would convince him that the Lexapro is the problem, even if it is. Have these behaviors spilled into other areas of his life? If not and it is related to the meds, it will end up showing up in other areas. Right now you definitely need to think of you and your baby. Let me tell you from experience, when a medication does affect someone's behavior, chances are they are going to put more faith in their feelings than what someone else's opinion is. He is convinced that what he is feeling is the reality. And, since he is a doctor, of course he feels more enlightened about the medication than you. I do advise you go to move out for your safety. I know you want to help him, but trust me there are feelings that are uncontrollable that can come out with these meds and I would hate for you to be caught in a bad situation where you are harmed. Give him some space, then maybe write a letter and send some literature about the negative affects that can be associated with the medication. (Anybody got suggestions on effective books or websites she can refer him to?) For that matter, one of those desk PDRs should list the possible side effects and you can buy those at bookstores. copy the page detailing the info and highlight the sections listing his symptoms. You can let him know that you are still there for him, so you aren't really deserting him, but do make sure you are safe. If he is already having that significant of a reaction to the medicine, I would hate to see him in the full rage that this can produce. I am a special ed teacher who is always able to maintain that perfect calm psychologist type demeanor. Let me tell you, the rage can get BAD. I actually allowed my grouchiness to spill over to my students (nothing physical of course, but still I think it is crucial for a teacher to be calm patient and firm, not fussy-very ineffective and does not demonstrate appropriate interaction skills.) I was weaning off the medicine when I got like that but everyone is different. He already sounds like he is getting aggressive. You may not necessarily be talking to a rational person. Please keep checking in and let us know how things go. We are having a major issues with doctors not believing in what we are going through. It would be interesting to have a doctor "converted"-if he does decide to get off the Lexapro, please send him this way and advise him to taper slowly and not just quit. He should know this as a doctor, but I am not sure if all gen practitioners are, as I have gotten some BADDDDDDD advice. I am praying for you!!

Hopefu Did you read that?!! i am PRAYING and praising and enjoying it all. I am not back where I was spiritually but I can feel it peeking through the cracks. Here is how bad it has gotten. I went from Sunday morning, evening, Wednesday evening services, doing a Sunday school class, helping with youth classes, etc to AVOIDING church. Have forced myself in the building a few times but honestly have came to dread church. I just didn't care, even though it bothered me. It is coming back.

Aunty Ok, I really didn't expect that info about the pill to liquid conversion. Had I known such a thing was possible, I would have posted that question about 2 months ago. I would have gone a lot slower and probably been a lot better off. YOU ARE THE BEST!!!!! Sidbit, that is the way to go. Takes a bit of effort but you are much better off

I forgot to list nightmares on my symptoms. They had diminished but came back last night. Could that be related to my drinking the soda with caffeine yesterday? I felt differently later after I had drank the soda so knew the slight symptoms yesterday were related to that. I don't know if the dreams coming back were or not. I also skipped the Noni juice. So close to normal but so far away-sigh. But heyat least I feel alive again.

Doctor Tavee-how is it going? Any better? If not, don't worry it will get there. Who would think such a small innocent looking tablet could cause so much havoc
Take care, everyone. I am not quite as normal feeling as yesterday but still am better than this time last week. I will NEVER drink caffeine again!!

[sarita-sarita]

Hi All,
Well, I have great news. I hope I'm not in denial by saying this, but i don't think i had the 3 month withdrawal. If i did, it only lasted 1 day, after i got 14 hours of sleep and rested. I think that's what it was. So, i hope this gives hope to everyone.

Tavee,
I'm so sorry you are suffering. I recommend you don't EXPECt ANY SUPPORT FROM YOUR HUSBAND or tell him every few days, "these drugs make me feel..... and "i need you to...".... My husband was the same, but when i sat him down, and explained it he did get it for like a few days, and then i sat him down again, in the mean time, tavee, you can use this as a blessing. it'll make you get stronger, depend on yourself for healing, not being so needy, and it'll help your confidence level. why don't you try to get a babysitter more or make your husband do some of the work at home.......that's what i did cause i couldn't handle it...they are stressing you out, bottom line, and if they don't understand, they do something about it...get help from outside sources.

[Hairyarmadillo]

I know that the side effects were not through with me, but does anyone know if they get worse during the menstrual cycle? This is not worse case scenario but definitely a step back. My head feels weird and spacy. Also, I usually take Benadryl (diphenhydramine) at bedtime to ward off allergies. didn't last night. Does anyone know of any correlation there?

[sarita-sarita]

Absolutely 100%-no doubt- it's worse before, during, and after. you feel wierd, spacey, anxious, tired, light headed, etc.........

I really recommend you not take any additional drugs if you can help it. this will make it worse.

[spatzkey]

Thanks Hairyarmadillo! This whole sit. has been an ordeal! I am surprised I don't hear more from people who live with somone who is on antideprssants and their side effects. I plan on leaving with in the next sev. wks. I am just saving some money for the big move. I am thous. of miles from home base. I never thought in 5yrs that I was going to have to leave my boyfriend so my money was his and vice versa. As for the meds, I have tried sooooooo many times to get him to ween off, but he refuses to listen to me. He says he feels great and feels like he can think more clearly. He thinks this stuff is the best. He just doesn't see how he has change. He doesn't see how he is being so cruel and hurtful and angry. Its strange.... I have tried to talk to his parents, but they too are thous. of miles away and only hear how he is on the phone. Plus being a doc. they think he knows what he is doing. I just don't get it. As for work I don't know how he is doing?? I try to listen to him when he is on the phone, and I sense that his personality with others is a bit harsh, or kinda like he is arrogant. I don't know how to discribe it. Its not him, but its not the angry person I am living with also. So I am wondering if he is able to control himself more with others???? Its just strange, how for the month prior to taking this stuff he was all about us, and now he is all about wanting me to get an Abortion and move out ASAP. He says he "just doesn't feel the same", that he can't explain it but he feels diff. with us. He is even uncomfortable if I touch his arm. He says it makes him uncomfortable and sick. All this just breaks my heart. I can't stop crying and I am just in shock by all this. Its just so ironic that it all occured during the Lexapro intake. I contacted this doc. who is the director of anxiety and panic attacks and he also has confirmed that personalities can change from SSRIs and that is sounds like he is hitting the manic stage which he said is dangerous and can have effects long term. I am wondering Hairyarmadillo (I love the name by the way) when you were feeling this way towards your husband and others were you aware of it?Did others bring things to your attention? And if they did, were you able to recognize it? Its like you said he is listening to his feelings and how great he feels, verses me. So its diff. to argue against that. Once you came off, or are coming off, did you feel diff. with others and feel like bk to you? I am just trying to understand how this stuff works. AND apparently he still is getting panic attacks, and is having some twinges in his eye. thanks for your advise!!! I have had such a diff. time trying to get any answers.

[Hairyarmadillo]

spatzkey it got so bad that I felt like jumping through the ceiling when my husband touched me. I could endure it during the day but if he touched me in bed, the touch along with what I knew was overtures towards more made me want to puke. And, nope, I didn't think it had anything to do with me or the Lexapro. I couldn't specifically name anything that my husband did that made me feel like that, but I was repulsed by him. If he would just leave me alone, I was fine. I got to the point where I had to make myself converse with him. Here's how insidious this drug reaction is: I honestly did not realize that was due to the Lexapro (knew the lower sex interest was but not the repulsion) until I started weaning. I have started enjoying being around him again-just talking, having a relationship. Before I started weaning, I thought I was stuck in a marriage that was hopeless. I don't see it like that yet. Supposedly the sex life improves without the Lexapro-haven't gotten to that point yet. We have gone from having sex at least twice a day to my forcing myself to endure at least twice a week. This is so sad. He is clueless as to why. I had told him when I was on Paxil before but he is weird about stuff like that. He believe people just need to work harder to shake off depression, but sometimes I do believe medical intervention is necessary. When he hears stories about people who talk about suicide, he says the solution is the tell them "Here's the gun" and that will scare them out of it, wake them up. He has NO understanding on stuff like this-really stupid in my opinion. But other than that he is a good guy. And he probably wonders what the heck happened. He doesn't even know I am weaning off the Lexapro now, but that is a whole other story. I did casuallymention the other day that I had gotten off some pills I was taking for anxiety and felt better, but still had some tiredness, etc. Just because I do know since I did a big drop from 2.5 mgs to nothing I may have some weird reaction.
But back to what I was saying-the way that this affected me, I didn't know. And I THOUGHT I was well-informed on the subject. But people think they are going to be able to notice this stuff, like when you have an allergic reaction to an antibiotic and you break out in spots or something like that. This stuff is affecting the thought processes and it does it gradually. The thoughts and feelings are your own, so they are very real. If my husband had told me that I was acting/feeling this way because of medicine I would have told him that I was feeling this way because the medicine gave me the confidence to address situations and that I had suppressed the way I was really feeling about him all along. I would have believed this because of the feelings I had. Don't get me wrong, he isn't perfect but things are not to the point where I should feel repulsed and resentful. What does concern me is he has been on this only for 3 months and is possibly having reactions. If this is a drug reaction, it is only going to get worse. But I am telling you, there is no way you are going to be able to reason with him. It is even worse because his family who should know him well aren't around to notice any changes. Anyone can hide the changes on the phone. It isn't going to be that obvious. I am sure that no one,even my close friends, think anything is different, just things I am dealing with in life. I have an aide in my classroom full time and she has known me for 15 years-like being married, we joke. Ha-she knows more about me than my hubby. But she has no idea about the extent my personality has changed regarding this, because at work I have my work face. Like I said, I didn't even know how I was being affected. I was going through daily activities and the thought kept going through my head about shooting myself, envisioning it. But I didn't think it was the Lexapro. Just thought the Lexapro had stopped working and I was getting depressed. Wondered if I needed to try a different antidepressant. Now I realize this is what they mean by warning about the drugs causing suicidal thoughts. I started weaning, and the thoughts stopped. Yes, I am getting back to myself, and it happened once I started lowering the dose. I did go through a big b______ time when I got closer to zero but at the same time I have gone back to being my normal level of assertive. I am a very efficient person but that has slipped below my standards. I am starting to get back to it. I know you want to help him but I am betting he is going to have to get to a point where he sees it affecting more than one area of his life. Right now it is easy to say it is just you, but it will start spilling into work and other things. When I stopped caring as much about work, that started me on the path to being awake.
I swear, though, if you could find some way to get access to a Physician's version of the PDR and copy that page, highlight the areas, that is going to say it all. I am very empathetic to a possible Lexapro sufferer, but do take care of you. My husband, bless his heart, sticks with me through all and thinks I am just being moody. I once had a drug reaction to diet medication and went into psychosis. I didn't know because I thought the thinking was normal, but I was thinking my husband was trying to kill me, and went so far as to arm myself with knives. He spent 2 months of this going on before he figured out I needed to go to a hospital. Thought I was just moody and pissed. Luckily nothing happened because I was retaining some level of self-control but who knows what could have happened. It just doesn't pay to put oneself in a potentially hazardous situation just because the person is really a good person. Get out of there as soon as possible, since his agitation is being aimed at you. Then, send the literature. If it is a drug reaction, he will hopefully figure it out. If not, you have done all you can do.
My opinion only

[drugbuster]

as you said..."So I am wondering if he is able to control himself more with others?"

Yes he is. Men having this reaction to these drugs generally will be far more "angry" with their wives. Their next "target" will be co workers. Have you noticed how almost all workplace shootings involve men on SSRI or SNRI drugs ? (Remember O.J. Simpson... Paxil )

Women with this reaction will go after their spouse but a lot of time they go after their kids. ( Andrea Yates + Effexor = 5 dead kids.)

If I were you... I'd borrow the money to run away.

I did it in 1992. I got tired of wondering if she was going to kill me while I slept. Her shrink, 2 doctors and 2 therapists all told me that "the drugs don't do that".

But when I left, I told everyone we knew that she was absolutely crazy and that I was scared of her. It was the only thing I could think of to stop her from killing our babies. She would never want to prove me right, so we didn't have any incidents after I told everyone.... but there were times I was afraid for my kids before I left.

If you email me his work address, I'll send him some of my "business "cards. One side says... ARE YOUR MEDS SAFE ? Drugs.com and the other side just has the website SSRIStories.com on it.


Tim

prozackills2002@yahoo.ca

[sctschk]

Hi guys! It's been quite a few days since I've checked in and have been catching up on the newest posts. Thanks you guys for responding to my posts and yet again, putting some of my fears to rest. Last Friday, I finally mustered up whatever courage I had and did the MRI (brain & spine). After telling my doc about my arm/leg tinglings and dizziness (one of the many Lex withdrawal symps I was having) she suggested it was possible MS and so I was freaking out quite a bit. (Not good for someone who all ready has major health anxiety!!) So, I finally got the report today and it was essentially normal (no MS, disease, tumor, etc that I was fearing). The only thing that was noted was possible sinusitis (I have a bad cold right now) and a slight narrowing of C6-7 spine but not related to symptoms I'm having. In a nutshell, it was clear as a bell, which REALLY helped. Thank God. Here's one more for that book Aunty for those of us who have been so desperate to find the root of these problems due to Lex that we've gone and had our brains checked!!

Wanted to also post my symptoms. I'm 8 weeks post Lex after being on 5mg for 5wks, then 2.5mg for about a week, then 0. And I thought I was tapering really well! Wish I would have come here first to find that it was way too fast! Here's what I've gone through (and I know I'll miss some, but I think the list is long enough!!

While ON Lex: (in no particular order)
- Day 1 - within the first few hours - extreme agitation & rage. I hated everyone and everything around me.
- Extreme hot flashes/body burning sensations, especially in the legs & feet. I felt like I was on fire. Spent a lot of time outside in the backyard trying to cool off!
-Dizziness (had this w/anxiety too - but it got worse)
-Major migraine woke me up from sleep one night prompting a 1am call to the doc and panic attack. (I have migraines, but NEVER out of sleep, EVER like this!)
- Pupils dilating oddly - one would be bigger than the other.
- Restless leg syndrome for a few nights - I only recognized it since I had this when pregnant with my last baby (born 05) but x10. Legs were jumpy, burning, would not sit still.
- Arms and legs jerking spastically, severe.
- Head jerking, mostly to the left.
-Insomnia - can't sleep when you're on fire and your limbs and head won't sit still!
- Distorted vision. Felt mostly like left eye wouldn't get in sync with the right. Sometimes fuzzy, like something in it, but wasn't.
- Increased floaters - these suckers wouldn't get out of the way!
- White flashes in eyes when closed and trying to sleep - flash/flash/flash!
- Nightmares - vivid and scary dreams. Had to sleep with a light on.
- General jitteriness, edgy
- Mixing up words, using wrong words at the wrong time. (Wanted to say "Bus", would come out "Bush"... at least I got the first syllable right!
- Mental fog - couldn't concentrate, remember what I was doing... etc.
- Joints felt like they were turning to mush - very cracky, weak feeling, especially ankles, hips, and wrists.
- Jaw fell out of place - couldn't eat because wouldn't go back into sockets!! TMJ??
- Very sensitive to bright (or even not so bright) lights and noise. Couldn't even eat dinner at the table with the family as the light was too bright. Very jumpy with even just the TV noise.
- Extreme apathy - stopped caring about everything, even my own kids.
- Very agitated & short tempered. Locked myself in my room many times...
... and more I'm sure but I can't remember, since the last is brain fog - can't remember much else from those days!

Getting OFF the Lex: (much worse!)
- Extreme tiredness/moodiness - lots of crying, panic attacks, anxiety, hopelessness.
- Some kind of flu feeling (two days)
- Lack of care for anything/felt overwhelmed with the slightest task.
- Hallucinations - looking up at the ceiling, the white paint was swirling and moving around on its own. Would also see things in the corners of my eyes that wasn't there - was that a cat???
- Continued arm/leg/head jerks, but 10x worse. Head now bobs to the left almost all the time. Feeling off balance. Can't sleep at all with this ********************!
- Twitching - all over the body - mainly legs and arms - I can see the muscles moving under the skin - very freaky.
- Eyes still can't focus together - blurry at times.
- Heavy arms& legs (alternating) - some days I could barely move my legs. One day my arms felt so useless and heavy, I couldn't drive. Muscles feel very weak off/on like they were giving out. Legs shake when I try to raise them off the floor when on my back (former ballet dancer - this NEVER happened before!) Knees joints/ankle joints/wrist joints very weak. (Getting better!) Legs would shake even when I sat down to pee!
- Shooting pains down the back of my legs. Muscle cramps in thighs/calves.
- "Crunchy" neck sounds and almost 'squirting' sounds like the fluid is being squished through.
- Sobbing, emotional weakness - I never cry (almost), but an emotional wreck.
- Cold/crawling sensations on the backs of calves (one leg only - odd!)
- Burning feet - especially on the bottoms. Resolved for 1 week then was replaced by 24hr buzzing/vibration sensation. Buzzing also in upper lip. Still there, but much weaker.
- Tingling in the hands and feet - grip on right hand went to putz (couldn't hold pens, etc) and right arm continues to go numb during sleeping.
- Eye twitches - sometimes left, sometimes right.
- Throat lump - sometimes feels like I can't swallow! Off/on.
- Ringing in the ears/whooshing sounds. Was I listening to my brain?!
- Extreme irritability continues - off/on like a switch.
- Diarrhea - oh yeah, almost every day.
- Lack of appetite - have to gag down food. It's the last thing I want to do!
- Major anxiety - panic attacks and shooting back pains.
- Some irrational thoughts of suicide - thoughts of just driving myself off the side of the road... would pop out of nowhere.
- Apathy - big time for those first few weeks. Didn't want anything to do with my family, work, etc.
- Can't sit still! ALWAYS have to be moving, walking, doing something. Can never just sit. I shake.
- Slight nausea off/on. Not too bad.
- Continued sensitivity to light/loud noises. Especially noise, even low noise. (Tell that to those two kids I have in diapers!)
- Visions of very scary demonlike faces when falling asleep between continued white flashes (gone now - thank GOD!) Still sleep with light on!
- Jaw still messed up, but a little better.

Ok - that's enough. In a nutshell, body's been through the ringer. Thankfully, almost all of these have subsided quite a bit. The only thing lingering is the anxiety, buzzing, and jerking, and the white flashes are almost completely gone. Hey Aunty - if you're going to write that book (go for it!!), I'd be more than happy to share my experience to help save someone else from this torture!!! Thanks everyone for all your help so I know I'm not losing my mind!!

-Jo

[sctschk]

Hi everyone! I am hoping I can get some advise. I have tried so many places and I feel like I am getting no where. Well, I have been living and dating this guy for 5yrs. In the last 3months he has been on Lexapro. With in the first sev. wks I began to see a change. Then as time went on I saw a greater change. He wasn't the guy I knew all these years! He was alwasy super sensitive and compassionate, more so than me. He was the "girl", in the relationship crying if we got in a fight and always the one saying "marry me and I love you". Now, 3months with Lexapro he is full of anger, and hate. He actually screams at me and tells me he hates me!!!!!!!! He has NEVER even raised his voice to me in 5yrs. I have seen such a change in him. He wants me to move out and tells me how sick I make him feel. WHAT???I now am preg. and he is 100%against it. He has told me how the baby makes him sick too, and he will never see it and made me sign a paper saying I will not come after him for $$! In the past he would have been sooo trilled to have a child, at Christmas he was pretty much beggin me to have one! So now, I am moving out, and moving thousands of miles bk home. The prob. here is he is a doc.And he has that doc. mentality where he is not wrong and I have no idea what I am talking about. I know I don't with medicine, but all I know is that since he has been on this ******************** he has been a mess and a diff. person. He also refuses to do therapy. He orig. went on the meds. for anxiety and panic attacks. And for the last 2yrs he had major OCD, he thought every day he was dying of something. AND I just found out that 5 yrs ago when I met him he was on Paxil and was on it for a good year of our relationship. So I am wondering if I am going crazy? Can what I am saying be true? Can it be the meds????? Please I nd help with this and I appreciate any coments!!!thankyou

Hi Spatzky. I'm sorry you're going through such a tough time - and especially pregnant! First and foremost, you HAVE to take care of yourself and your baby, even if you do it thousands of miles away. You can always go back to your boyfriend and work on that later, even if it pains you. Your priority right now is to take care of that baby first. (Sorry guys, I'm a pro-pregnancy kinda gal after having three of my own... it's hard enough with hormones nevermind a bfriend who's off his rocker!) Although I can't relate on the Lexapro, I can tell you that my darling, usually passive and girl-like husband also went through a similar personality change while off Wellbutrin. I didn't realize it at the time but now that I'm going through Lex withdrawals, I can see a lot of him in ME now during that time. I think all anti-depressants effect us in similar ways. He too, like your boyfriend, became someone I didn't know. He would fly off in rages, scream at me, call me names, and say terrible things. It was very shocking and I was afraid he would lose his marbles and hurt me at times (never did). Thankfully, he knew when to leave the house and just slam the door behind him (and would return a few weeks later or so). This also happened during my last pregnancy so I totally understand how helpless and rejected you feel. It's NOT YOUR FAULT. I don't believe it has anything to do with you at all, or the baby, and that the Lex is really messing with his head. While a good idea to give him the info, it might be futile to try to get him to stop the drug if he wants to continue taking it. Being a doc, that's even toughter because of what he's been taught in the medical field, but I can only pray for you all that he will eventually see the light that he is not himself anymore. Big hugs to you!! With my own hubby, he was never taking his meds regularly (off/on) and I noticed that his moods waxed and waned when starting or stopping. I thought it was me, but have now come to realize, it's wasn't at all. He hasn't taken them in almost six months now and he's back to his gentle self (with a few bad moods, but nothing like before.) I do hope your bfriend comes around, but until he does, please take care of yourself. I will pray for you and congrats on your pregnancy! Even if bfriend is not being very nice about it, try not to let it stand in the way of your own joy right now, and try to forgive him for the Lex demon that has taken over his rational thinking. Even men who are NOT on meds sometimes act the same way - they too all come around after the shock wears off. I'm sorry, this post probably doesn't help much, but I have been there in a sense and know how hard this is for you. Just offering my hugs!!

-Jo

[janbanan]

sorry I haven't posted in a while.
I don't know if this has anything to do with withdrawls but I have been having severe stomach cramps. Not down where my intestines are but up in my mid stomach area it is almost a burning sensation. Can anyone tell me if that does have something to do with withdrawls?? I am still extremely tired, and extremely irritable.
This is horrible! I am almost tempted to go back on the pills so I don't have to go through anymore of this, but I don't want to have to start over again with withdrawls.

[tavee]

hi everyone
IM NOT DOING TOO WELL. I LASHED OUT AT MY SON TODAY. IVE BEEN CRYING. IM SOOOOOOOOO ANGRY AND IM SO CLOSE TO JUST GOING BACK ON THIS DRUG AGAIN. IVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT IT A LOT THS WEEK SINCE IT HAS BEEN A BAD WEEK FOR ME.

I FEEL LIKE THERE IS NO OTHER CHOICE. HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO RAISE MY SON IN THIS CONDITION? WHAT IF I REALLY HAVE A CHEMICAL IMBALANCE NOW THAT CANT BE CURED UNLESS I AM ON MEDICINE. WHAT AM I GOING TO DO U GUYS?
TODAY I THOUGHT TO MYSELF FOR A QUICK SECOND. DOES IT EVEN MATTER IF I EXIST IF I AM GOING THRU ALL THIS ********************???
I WAS SUCHA DIFFERENT PERSON ON THIS DRUG. I WAS HAPPY AND I LOOKED FORWARD TO A LOT OF THINGS. IVE BEEN SO TIRED THAT I CANT EVEN INTERACT WITH MY SON. 12 OCLOCK HITS AND I CANT KEEP MY EYES OPEN. PLEASE SOMEONE TELL ME THAT THIS WILL PASS??????


HELP ME

DR TAVEE
MY PARENTS ARE STAYING WITH ME WHICH IS WORSE FOR MY CONDITION AND THEY ARE NOT LEAVING TILL JUNE 1ST.

AUNTY ANYONE-
SERIOUSLY U GUYS HOW BAD IS IT IF I GO ON LEX FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE IF I REALLY NEED IT?? SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME.

[auntybiotic]

For the rest of your life......................think abouut it. This drug i spoisioning you and in time it will stop working or you will retain too much of it and have a bad reaction.

Why not go back to 2.2 MG and stabilize. Stay on that dose for a month or so and then SLOWLY wean sown. Even if you just wean by .01 Mg or less you will not expereience such severe withdrawals and will eventually get off of it.

These drugs are not good......................we all know how hard it is to get off. My daughter was prescribed for stress from clenching her jaw and she is having all the same withdrawal symptoms you are. You are tapering by 10% which is too fast for you.

Go back to 2.2 and see how you feel. Why would you want to go back to 10 Mg for the REST OF YOUR LIFE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.that's what these drug companies want to here.

[Hopeful 285]

Hi everyone,
I don't have thyroid cancer. Yippee! Thanks for your prayers!
I have thyroid antibodies and nodules from Lexapro.
The doctor said that my thyroid is fighting my body which is why I have antibodies.
She said I would eventually be put on thyroid medicine.
After I got home and thought about it, I have a lot of questions that I need to ask her. I guess I just needed time to ponder them.

A coulple of other side effects that I forgot to mention are:

needle-like feelings in my arms, legs, and body
drop foot- walking flat footed at times instead of walking toe- heal (another strange symptom)

The different phases are like touching base with different illnesses.
terets, manic depressive, ms, depression, parkinsons, autism, hypothyroidism, anemia, seizures, high blood pressure, severe pms, and on and on

We all have more of an understanding of many different illnesses.


One thing I read recently is not to take Calcium Carbonate with antacids.
Calcium Carbonate makes your body absorb the aluminum from the antacids.
Aluminum is poisonous to us and we don't need any more toxins.
Tums doesn't have aluminum and vinegar is even better since really this issue is not enough acid instead of too much acid.


I haven't been online for a few days and am anxious to catch up my reading on your posts.

Take care everyone!

[auntybiotic]

For the rest of your life......................think abouut it. This drug i spoisioning you and in time it will stop working or you will retain too much of it and have a bad reaction.

Why not go back to 2.2 MG and stabilize. Stay on that dose for a month or so and then SLOWLY wean sown. Even if you just wean by .01 Mg or less you will not expereience such severe withdrawals and will eventually get off of it.

These drugs are not good......................we all know how hard it is to get off. My daughter was prescribed for stress from clenching her jaw and she is having all the same withdrawal symptoms you are. You are tapering by 10% which is too fast for you.

Go back to 2.2 and see how you feel. Why would you want to go back to 10 Mg for the REST OF YOUR LIFE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.that's what these drug companies want to here.

[auntybiotic]

All SSRI's cause the same horrible symptoms////////////everyone DOE NOT have a chemical imbalance....it;s the horrible SSRI's.

Here is a Paxil withdrawal exerp:
A Woman Chronicles Her Experiences With Severe Paxil Withdrawal Symptoms
Friday (10/21) Took my last 20 mg of Paxil.

Saturday (10/22) Doing fine

Sunday (10/23) Still doing pretty good

Monday (10/24) Feeling like maybe I could be catching a cold. My throat's a little scratchy and my head feels full. Could be sinus/allergies?

Tuesday (10/25) VERY TIRED. I struggled all day to do my bookwork and then go coach my 4th grade basketball team.

Wednesday (10/26) I didn’t sleep very well so I felt tired. I woke up feeling like I was coming down with something. The morning went fairly well. Then by afternoon the bottom fell out. About 1:00 I started crying and felt like I was starting to have anxiety attack. I go see my friend to talk to her about it so I could get it under control. By 2:00 I no longer felt like a panic attack.

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blurtit.com
I just felt really funny. I am not sure how to describe the feeling. My chest was tight and I felt out of it. I went to pick up my children at 2:45. While I was driving my hands and feet started to tingle, then they went completely numb. I started to feel like I was passing out, but in really slow motion. Everything sounded like it was going through a tunnel at high speed. I got to the school and told my mom she had to take the kids because I was going to pass out. She went to get a cell phone to call someone to pick me up and the left side of my face went completely numb. It felt completely paralyzed. It felt like it was hanging but Mom said it looked normal. That lasted about 10 minutes. I went to the clinic and waited for the doctor. That was when it got a little weirder. I started to not be able to keep my eyes open. They were so heavy. I then started to feel really relaxed, sort of like I was floating above my body away from everything. They took blood, checked my thyroid, white count, potassium ect. Everything came out okay.

Thursday (10/27) I woke up dry heaving and feeling really shaky. I drove the kids to school, having dry heaves on the way, and then I came home and started to cry. I sobbed uncontrollably for 3 hours. I was crying so hard I was having trouble catching my breath. I called S.P. to see what was wrong. They told me it could be the Paxil. I then got the chills and extreme shakes again. I went in later that day and had a MRI done to make sure the paralyses on my left side of my face was not something else. I then drove to G. to talk to S. because I felt like I was spiraling out of control. I fell asleep okay that night, but had nightmares again.

Friday (10/28) I woke up with the same feeling of something wrong. My chest was extremely tight. I was not up more than 15 minutes and I was dry heaving again. I tried to get myself under control because I was not ready to go through another day like that. I took the kids to school and then stopped over to a friend’s house to have coffee. I thought that if I could keep it out of my mind it would be better. I physically pushed myself to push back the trembling. Finally I called Dr. H. and told her I needed to see her. That morning was really bad. I couldn’t stop crying, my hands and feet kept aching and tingling, and at one point my feet went numb. I talked to Dr. H. and explained that I felt like I was not in control of any of my thoughts, emotions, and symptoms ect. She then checked my blood count again. It was a point or so higher, but she said that was probably because I had been doing a lot of dry heaving. She than took an x-ray of my stomach to make sure there wasn’t some other reason for the dry heaving. It also came back okay. At that point she contacted S. at S.P. S. at some point talked to Dr. P. who said it was Paxil withdrawals and to go up to 100 mg of the Zoloft. Dr. H. said I could take the 10 mg of Paxil at night if I wanted too. I did not because I DO NOT want anymore of the drug in my system. She then prescribed me a prescription to Lorazepam 0.5 mg to help with the withdrawal symptoms. I went home and took the Lorazepam and it did help to take the edge of the symptoms, but not stop them. I rode out the rest of the day with the numbness, shakes, trembles, and feeling of being VERY anxious.

Woman Chronicles Her Experiences With Severe Paxil Withdrawal Symptoms
Saturday (10/29) I woke up with the heavy chest and a feeling of gloom. I got up to shower and dry heaved. Then the trembling and shaking started. I started to collapse and say I couldn’t do this any more and the doorbell rang. It was a friend of mine and I went out with her to a rummage sale. I was able to push it back down and keep under control. I then went home and my face started to feel like it was on fire. I felt like I was sitting on a fire but when I took my temp it was normal. Although my husband said my face and neck were bright red. Then the weeping started. It did not last as long as the last time. The same symptoms followed again throughout the day. At this point I was taking the Lorazepam about every 6 hours.

Sunday (10/30) I woke up today with extreme anxiety.

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I felt like there was a weight pushing me down. I went to get ready for church and sure enough started to dry heave. I than started to have the urge to just cry and cry. I didn’t go to church because I did not feel in control of myself. I finally took some Lorazepam at about 12:45. I don’t want to take it unless I feel like I absolutely need to. It does just make the symptoms feel less intense. Although they are still there. I do feel a little better tonight, hopefully this means I am on the up side. I am still nervous about maybe having to do this with the Zoloft also.

Monday (10/31) Well today has been interesting also. I woke up and did dry heave. After driving the kids to school I came home and started to cry a little bit. I do not like the way this has not only changed the way my body feels, but my thoughts also. I am a little shaky yet. I also feel extremely tense. I catch myself clenching my teeth or clenching my fists. It is sort of like the feeling that you get right before you take that big drop of the rollercoaster so you brace yourself. I do not want to take the Zoloft, but will until my next appointment. I am just afraid that I am going to have these same symptoms. I just feel like I can’t do this twice. My thoughts and emotions at times are different then they use to be. I have lots of thoughts of just giving up. Sounds a little too close to suicidal to me. Of course I am sure that I wouldn't ever go that way, it is just scary enough to have the thought. Right now my hands are sweaty and I feel anxious. I did take Lorazepam at 1:00. I hate taking it, but it is Halloween and I have things to do, so I need to get this under control. It is now around 9:00 p.m. and I am feeling a lot better. I may actually be getting through these withdrawals after all.

Tuesday (11/1) I woke up feeling better. I wasn’t shaky and did not feel quite so anxious. At 8:00 I drove the kids to school. On the way there and back I suddenly had a terrible time keeping my eyes open. I just kept trying to drift off to sleep. I came home and sleep for about 1 1/4 hours. When I woke up at about 9:30 I took my 100mg of Zoloft. I then started to work on my payroll for the day. At about 10:00 I started to feel really hot. It gradually got worse. I was sweating and felt like my face, hands, and upper body was on fire. I took my temperature and sure enough it was normal. I am really not sure if this is still from the Paxil or if maybe it could be the Zoloft also? Either way it is an experience that I wish would never have happened.

Wednesday (11/2) I woke up feeling really blah. Like I was drugged or something. I then started my daily dry heaving. I am so very tired of this. About 11:00 I started to have my whole body clench up uncontrollably. My legs and whole body felt like it kept locking up. I took Lorazepam at 12:30 and again at 6:30. I tried to go to work just to get my mind on something else, but it was not easy. I have no control over any of this. I also did the normal crying breakdown.

Thursday (11/3) I woke up having that same yucky feeling. Sort of like a feeling of doom. Like you think something bad is going to happen, but you have no idea what? I then went to my appointment with Dr. P. I described to him all my symptoms and asked if he thought that the Zoloft was still okay to take. He said that he still thinks all of my symptoms are do to the withdrawal off the Paxil. He also said to keep taking the 100 mg of the Zoloft. I really hope that we can get off that too. I had the same clenching of my muscles, shakes, and the wonderful dry heaving (nausea). I took the Lorazepam again throughout the day. I don’t really want to take that either but it does help. Just hope I am not opening up another can of worms. I have decided that my system must be extra sensitive to these drugs.

[auntybiotic]

With Severe Paxil Withdrawal Symptoms
Friday (11/4) I woke feeling a little better. I was not quite so shaky. I did feel upset to my stomach. Sure enough, within the hour the dry heaving started. So much fun. I tried to keep really busy to keep my mind off of it. Today was the worst for the dry heaving. Every time I moved fast, drove, anything that required a lot of motion I would start to gag and then dry heave. Around 3:00 I started to feel really anxious, sort of like the walls were closing in. That only lasted for a little while. All in all I think I am going up hill now. I did not take any Lorazepam today, figure I could suffer through. When I am sitting I do feel my muscles tense a little, but not nearly as severe.

Saturday (11/5) I feel better today. I am still dry heaving once in a while. It seems to be when I am driving or I get up fast, must be the motion.

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I am still taking the 100 mg of Zoloft. After talking to my doctor, I am going to give my system some time to get back to normal from the Paxil. I am not sure why I get to be the lucky one to go through this. Although I researched effects from Paxil and have found that some people have withdrawals so bad that they never go off of it. I guess I am glad I hung in there. My family pharmacist has been wonderful through this. He had a daughter that had the same problems with Paxil. Her problems were oddly a little different than mine. She had lots of vision problems, at one point she lost vision temporally. She would see flashes and color halos. This is some weird stuff.

Sunday (11/6) I went to church today. I still feel a little nauseous and shaky, but all in all doing a lot better. I feel like we are closer to the end of this.

Note this women is still on ZOLOFT so really has not fully withdrawan from SSRI's.

[elizabethmaria]

Hello,
I AM SO HAPPY FOR YOU HOPEFUL!!!!! YEESS! I WAS REALLY WORRIED - thanks be to God you are free from any cancer!

Tavee - please don't go back on... please follow Aunty's advice.. I think you are tapering way too fast for you.. it doesn't matter if you go a lot slower, and feel better - just as long as you get off.. these drugs are slowly poisoning your body, and that isn't good for you, your family, or a new baby that you hope for.. I know you can make it, but just taper slower like Aunty says... remember her daughter has those horrible symptoms and can't do anything, but if she tapers at 1% she can go to school, etc.. and is ok... so can you! If you go back on though, you'll ruin all the hard effort you have gone through to get here - you are sooo close! Maybe it will take longer, but you will have a life in the meantime and that is worth it! Especially while your parents are there, maybe you shouldn't taper at all right now, just wait a while.. then go really slow.. .. I know you can do it Tavee, but not so fast!! It's not PMS time now is it? I know it gets really bad that week as well, but it will pass!
take care of yourself, please... it's going to be ok! every week I feel better in some way or another, though many things remain...
lots of love,
Elizabethmarie

[spatzkey]

I everyone.Thanks so much again for all your advise!!! I actually prayed 3days ago for some sign that I wasn't going crazy and here I found this site and advise from you all. I have been trying so hard to be strong, but I just break down alot. I just can't believe how angry he is. It kills me to hear such hate in his voice esp. at me. I tried talking to him today about weening off, and it was def. a no go!!!!He said he is sooooo thankful he is on Lexapro. He even said his doctor called it "vitamin L"! Can you believe that! I don't think I am going to be able to get through to him. He said if I get an Abortion right now, that he may ween off then. I know he is lying and I would never do that. I did say how about you ween off, and we talk in sev. wks about the preg. Never saying I would do anything. I know that might sound manipulative but I just don't know what else to say. I AM leaving though May. I have a place set up for June first. That is the soonest I could get out. How is it that a drug can effect someone sooooo much that they "hate" the person they have loved for some long? And that they hate the baby too be. Is this really the drug???? I just don't understand? So people become so angry and hateful? I know you guys have sent me info and it just amazes me how these drugs can do this. Its a shame, and its sad. I guess I can't compete with how great something can make you feel. I really feel for all you that are on this and trying to get off. God bless you all!!!! It must be so difficult. Reading all the effects. I hope you all come out stronger than ever. I will keep you all posted to what is going on. He is out of town right now, and said he will talk on Mon. I am guessing scream, since that is what he did on the phone. Unreal.......

[Hairyarmadillo]

WHY do my posts keep getting lost? Never the short ones, only the ones that I labor over.

Tavee, Ok, I may be wrong but I think this is the drug talking and not you. I swear, this is why I got back on Lexapro after being free. I thought I was a hopeless cause and it had to be a chemical imbalance.(I'm sure i have read this somewhere but why did you get on Lexapro to begin with? ) i have always assumed that I had a chemical imbalance because of my depression starting at early childhood, but I am not so sure now because I am realizing that children can become stressed by negative home situations and become depressed-whole other story though. But I have decided it is better to find out for sure before I resume taking Lexapro or any other SSRIs, since both kinds I have tried ended up having negative affects in the long run. Before you decide based on these feelings you are having that you really NEED this medicine, I would advise you to get the tests to make sure you do indeed have a chemical imbalance. I do believe there are people who need these types of medications, but I think that is definitely not always the case. Remember my psychosis story? If i can come back after THAT, you will recover from this. I also believe there are people who need them temporarily but then never need them again. Point-I have a friend who is 100% together but had a postpartum episode which swung into complete OCD. She was unaware of what was even going on, but finally realized she was in a bad state because she wouldn't leave the house. She got on SSRI and turned around to her old self. And if you are thinking you have been screwed up permanently because of the medicine, don't even embrace that thought for a second. Doubtless getting of this medication is not easy for many people, but it can be done. Part of the side effects are physical but the mental are the ones that really "get" you. When we feel poorly physically, that is obvious. But the mental ones are sneakier. You are feeling both of them and I know it is terrible when you lose control of your emotions with loved ones, especially when you are not used to being like that. I was crying the other day because I have been short with the chihuahua-lol. If anything, don't go back on your full dose of the Lexapro. I have a very strong feeling that it is the withdrawal talking and if you give in and get back on the full dose, you are going to be mad at yourself later on. Aunty always has the best advice, so her saying get back on the 2.2 mgs sounds reasonable. This will allow your body to stabilize. Also, I am wondering if you wouldn't do better to stay on the 2.2 mgs a little longer than normal before tapering again. Then do the even slower taper. I swear, it got so much worse the closer I got to being off.
Which brings me to another question. I got really nutso on the 2.5 mgs. I started having those bad mood swings, rages and felt like I was screwed if I stayed on the drug or got off it. Which is when I cold turkeyed down to 0mgs. I know this flew in the face of everything I had learned here, but the very next day, those moods were gone. Two days later or so I started feeling like sleeping all the time, which I was able to do. I had some flu feelings and some weird head feelings. But for the most part things have drastically improved. Is there any time when the dose gets so low in some people that it conflicts with the body's trying to start regulating everything and it causes more problems staying on the low dosage than it would going off? I couldn't help wondering if my body was trying to function normally and was "fighting" the minimal effects the Lexapro still had. Am not advising anyone to go off the low dose, just wondering if anyone else has had similar experiences. I would go back on the low dose to test out my theory, but am not that curious-
Tavee, I am coming from a dysfunctional family background, so am not sure what to tell you about your parents visit other than I can see where that can be a stressor. I nearly went over the edge the last time. Are they aware of your weaning off the Lexapro? If so, are they aware of the issues involved with tapering? Would they be willing to step in and maybe take up some of the household/child responsibilities? If so, take advantage of that. If not, then no matter what, do not overextend yourself as the hostess. I know that is hard to do, it is so hard not to feel like you have to entertain/interact when people are visiting, but if you can tell them about the tapering and how you are feeling , then they should understand. Ha, I am coming from big time dysfunction so I know how this would work in my house, but I am hoping things are better for you. IF you can get them to watch your child(and you know they are going to want to do everything with grandbaby) then close yourself off in your bedroom and sleep sleep sleep. If you feel like it, just get out of the house by yourself.
Have you tried doing breathing exercises or meditation? Been years since I read up on meditation techniques-so I am not giving you the exact method, but if you just sit in a comfortable position, fold your hands in your lap, away from noise for even five minutes and focus on inhaling/exhaling slowly for a bit, then think "Calm(or some other word associated with relaxing)" with each inhalation it really does help. Also, when you feel frustrated, you can focus on taking slow even breaths and it helps. I am telling you this from experience working with students with emotional/behavioral issues and in your face types of behavior. I am a calm person naturally, but there are times when EVEN ON LEXAPRO I get agitated by some behaviors. the breathing exercises do more than just give time to think, they actually lower the heart rate and put me in a better frame of mind. It will also help if you engage in 'self-talk". Tell yourself exactly what you would tell someone else in the situation. Talk yourself through the worst feelings, telling yourself that it is going to pass.
I hope this help. If you feel overwhelmed or want some one-to-one counseling, please email me. I am telling you that you are going to make it through this and we are all standing right there beside you, even if you can't see us. (However, if you do start seeing us standing there, that is a whole other issue )

[tavee]

everyone-
I WANT TO THANK U FOR NOT LETTING ME GO OFF THE DEEP END. IF IT WERENT FOR U GUYS AND URE WONDEFUL WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT AND WISDOM, I WOULD NOT THINK TWICE AND GO ON THE DRUG AGAIN.

HAIRYARMADILLO-- URE WORDS HAVE SUCH AN INCREDIBLE EFFECT ON ME.I LOVE U FOR THAT!!

AUNTY- THANKS FOR RESPONDING SO QUICKLY AND GIVING ME SUCH GREAT ADVICE.

U GUYS ARE WONDERFUL AND I DO NOT KNOW WHAT I WOULD DO WITHOUT U GUYS. WE ARE ALL HERE FOR EACH OTHER. WE ARE LIKE FAMILY!!!

I DEFINITELY KNOW NOW THAT IM STAYING ON 2ML FOR ANOTHER WEEK AND I AM GOING TO GO SLOWER AND STAY ON IT LONGER.

I GUESS MY WHOLE RUSH AND CONCERN IS I WANT TO GET OFF IT QUICKLY TO HAVE ANOTHER CHILD, BUT U KNOW WHAT??I HAVE TO REALIZE THAT MIGHT NOT HAPPEN UNLESS I GET OFF THIS LEX SAFELY. ITS JUST THAT IM LOOKING AT MY AGE(37) AND IM THINKING GOD WHEN THE HECK WILL I HAVE MY OTHER CHILD?? WHEN IM 45. I WONT BE ABLE TO DO IT. THIS IS MY FIRST PRIORITY AND THAT IS TO GET WELL.


I LOVE U GUYS!!

TAVEE