[auntybiotic]

Originally Posted by Aussiegirl

Schnauzer
A few good hints for the nausea, go to the health/vitamin shop and purchase some 'Ginger tablets', ginger is a safe and natural way to stop nausea (pregnant women use it to help with morning sickness), take these tablets whenever you need to. I found it works for me. Dry ginger ale and other 'ginger' based products may also assist. If your doctor is willing to prescribe something, there is a drug called "Maxolon" (not sure if its called that in the US), but it stops nausea and may also help you... hang in there!

Please use caution taking Maxolon with lexapro.
http://www.medsafe.govt.nz/Consumers/cmi/m/maxolon.htm

[SchnauzerTime]

Thanks for the advice on the ginger caplets. I drink ginger tea but it doesn't seem to help...I tried peppermint tea and no go either . Are the ginger tablets stronger than the tea?

I read about you going off Effexor and I'm glad you got through it...at least I'm not throwing up...yet, LOL. I've come close this past couple nights..I'll gag.

What did you do to get through the nausea? The ginger tablets? I think why I'm going through such a hard withdrawal wave this time is I'm on my period and it won't stop. I've had it for 2 and a half weeks now...so hopefully when it stops I'll feel better too. ARGH! I hate being a woman sometimes.

Anyway, you give me hope for getting through this . Thanks again.

[Patience]

Originally Posted by SchnauzerTime

Thanks so much for your post! It made me realize alot of what I'm going through is "normal" for withdrawals. I switched cold turkey from Paxil to Lexapro 4 and a half months ago and am currently going through severe nausea...the past couple days have been really bad. I think the Lexapro has been helping some with the withdrawal but it didn't get rid of it completely.

I have periods where I dont' feel good for weeks then I get better and then sick again...back and forth just like you said. I'm hoping I get through this tough period ...I've heard the 4th through 6th months can be bad. Was that true for your withdrawal? I'm glad to hear that I can look forward to some relief a couple months from now.

The worst thing for me is the nausea...what did you do for it? How did you get through those horrible days where you wanted to sleep all day? I'm like that now...I DREAD waking up...when I'm asleep it's gone and I can just sleep and not be sick. I know I'm alot better off than alot of people going through Paxil withdrawal for sure, and I'm thankful for that.

I'm glad you are finally feeling better and can function, go to work, etc. again. You give us all hope for the future .

P.S. I also have lost alot of hair and have dry skin (it comes off in flakes, I can peel it off my face)...Is this getting any better too for you? And my period has been going on for over 2 weeks!

Hi SchnauzerTime!

Well first off, for the Nausea I mainly would eat bread products like crackers or bagels (not good for the waistline) I would drink this all natural ginger, honey, lemon drink. Just like Aussie said below, ginger helps with nausea. The thing that I like the best though was the ZEN green tea/herbal mix, no sweetener (I use my own called Xylitol--all natural sugar substitute) iced tea from Starbucks. It does have caffiene in it, but it doesn't bother me. It has a little less b/c it is mixed with mint and lemongrass. It is so good and so refreshing, it really helps with nausea. Green tea is known to settle your stomach. I don't like the hot version however. I drink this everyday!! I only like that brand so far. I sound like an ad for Starbucks!

It sounds like your body is going through h-e-c-k right now. That is a lot, coming off paxil and then onto lexapro. Your body is probably perceiving the lexapro as the enemy. I think that bad withdrawals also have to do with your past use of SSRI's/SNRIS.

My 3-4-5-6 months were the worst. I kept accidently doing things to set myself back. I took an ambien once, that was a mistake (it works directly off your central nervous system . Then I kept drinking wine (which is soooooo hard to stop). Then I would barely sleep one night etc etc. I ate a lot of sugar over Christmas. Sugar is the anti christ I swear....You have to be perfect!

There isnt a good answer for what to do when you feel like not waking up and dying. The only thing you can do is baby yourself, lay down when you need to and keep slowly pushing ahead. Get fresh air, If I dont get fresh air i still to this day feel more sick. Time is the only answer. You will get thruogh this, it just takes a long time. I still have trouble believing that. For a while I wondered how anyone did anything, because I started to think that the way I felt was normal for others. I have so many windows now...glimpses of my old self...they last longer and longer. It is so amazing when I feel like that, but I am still always waiting for the ball to drop and for it all to come back. This past weekend I took 2 pamprins and then realized it has 250 mg of caffeine!! I also had a beer and some wine...So of course the last couple days I have been tired and have had the skin burning here and there. But again, at least it's controllable. That is the point you will get to eventually.

My hair is still growing back and my skin has gotten a lot healthier. My cycles will not move back to 28 days though...oh well. I can work and its not as bad as I thought it would be. I have my days where it still comes in little waves, but it is usually because I need fresh air. That is usually the answer weirdly enough.

I am praying that I will be 95% (us women are never 100%!) in the next 6 months...we'll see! Good luck and if I can think of anything else that helps I will write...

AUSSIEGIRL:

Thank you for the good wishes and for sharing your experience. I did feel like effexor has more of the physical withdrawal problems and you saying that makes me feel better. Its as if it gave me fibromyalgia or something...I wished that I had tried coming off the drug with another, but I didnt know! Now, like you said, best to stay off all the drugs!

That is crazy about the w/ds from effexor. I wonder if others are feeling like me this far out. Probably, kind of like Paxil....

I was thinking about doing Botox and then I thought I had better not because it works on your nerves, which would not be ggod for someone whose nervous system has been demolished!

xoxoxo

[1wonone]

I'ts been six months since I weaned off Lex and probably that long since I have posted. My depression and anxiety have come back with a vengance! It's odd though it's like it comes and goes in waves. I can just be sitting there watching tv and get hit with the deepest dark depression and can't feel anything else and it may last for an hour or so but I'm getting more of them everyday. I feel like I'm loosing grip with reality. It's soooo soooo scary. Tell me I'm not alone...please... somebody.

[Aussiegirl]

Originally Posted by auntybiotic

Please use caution taking Maxolon with lexapro.
http://www.medsafe.govt.nz/Consumers/cmi/m/maxolon.htm

Auntybiotic
Thanks for letting me know about that, didn't stop the stupid doctor blindly writing me a script for it though!!!

[Diet Junkie]

Originally Posted by 1wonone

I'ts been six months since I weaned off Lex and probably that long since I have posted. My depression and anxiety have come back with a vengance! It's odd though it's like it comes and goes in waves. I can just be sitting there watching tv and get hit with the deepest dark depression and can't feel anything else and it may last for an hour or so but I'm getting more of them everyday. I feel like I'm loosing grip with reality. It's soooo soooo scary. Tell me I'm not alone...please... somebody.

Hi! Hang in there Girl! I know that you are going through a rough time right now and I've read your other posts so I know that you don't want to be "Chemical Dependant". I'm going through the same thing right now - I just quit Lexapro cold turkey 10 days ago & I'm wondering if I lost my mind for even thinking such a thing much less doing it! No one in my house knows whats wrong with me (I haven't told them especially my husband) that I quit! I know he's probobly wondering what in the world is going on with his wife!!! But I didn't think that I needed it anymore. I read an article 3 weeks ago about Aspartame in diet drinks and the side effects (about 50) were awful including major health problems, depression, anxiety etc. I had about 1/2 of the side effects. I quit diet drinks right then that day and a week later I felt great - even healthy, so then I'm thinking that my depression was due to the diet drinks (which I just started drinking diet drinks at the same time my depression and anxiety started - so in my mind...there you have it & here I go being my own doctor! I'm having terrible withdrawls form the Lexapro and I'm going to give it a try (by staying off of it) but if I find out that I have to have a "Chemical"
in order to be myself, I'll have to do it. SOOOOOO....you have to do what is best for you. I've been doing a lot of reading this afternoon and there ar some things that you could try like St. Johns wort or Ginko. Keep me posted on you outcome! Thanks, Karen "B"





P/S...Another thing you might think about is maybe you don't have a problem with "depression" its self, you may want to think about going to see your doctor because of a physical problem such as a pinched nerve or something going on in the back of your neck or even with yur spinal cord. Just something to think about, sometimes physical conditions or problems can mask themselves as a mental condition. I'm not doctor (except in my on mind)!!!

[Aussiegirl]

Originally Posted by SchnauzerTime

Thanks for the advice on the ginger caplets. I drink ginger tea but it doesn't seem to help...I tried peppermint tea and no go either . Are the ginger tablets stronger than the tea?

I read about you going off Effexor and I'm glad you got through it...at least I'm not throwing up...yet, LOL. I've come close this past couple nights..I'll gag.

What did you do to get through the nausea? The ginger tablets? I think why I'm going through such a hard withdrawal wave this time is I'm on my period and it won't stop. I've had it for 2 and a half weeks now...so hopefully when it stops I'll feel better too. ARGH! I hate being a woman sometimes.

Anyway, you give me hope for getting through this . Thanks again.

SchnauzerTime
I do think that the ginger tablets (or caplets) would be stronger than the tea but I'm not sure of the strength of the caplets you can buy over there.. I also found that drinking plain soda water (no sugar or flavouring) also helped enormously. Also, as Patience said bread products, bagels and crackers etc. Try to find breads from stores which sell 'European' style breads (i.e. sourdough, rye etc.) because I found that the breads I ate from the supermarkets in the US were very sweet (they contained high-fructose corn syrup) and this may make you worse.

I'm still getting the nausea on and off and its awful, so I fully sympathise.

The Effexor experience I had was truly horrific so if its similar to what you're going through with Paxil, then you have my complete sympathy! Just hang in there and push through it, it will eventually be over...

In regard to your period going for that long, I think you should see your doctor ASAP as it may not be withdrawal-related. I don't want to alarm you but having it for 2 weeks non-stop is not normal and you should be checked out.

Take care x

[auntybiotic]

Originally Posted by Aussiegirl

SchnauzerTime
I do think that the ginger tablets (or caplets) would be stronger than the tea but I'm not sure of the strength of the caplets you can buy over there.. I also found that drinking plain soda water (no sugar or flavouring) also helped enormously. Also, as Patience said bread products, bagels and crackers etc. Try to find breads from stores which sell 'European' style breads (i.e. sourdough, rye etc.) because I found that the breads I ate from the supermarkets in the US were very sweet (they contained high-fructose corn syrup) and this may make you worse.

I'm still getting the nausea on and off and its awful, so I fully sympathise.

The Effexor experience I had was truly horrific so if its similar to what you're going through with Paxil, then you have my complete sympathy! Just hang in there and push through it, it will eventually be over...

In regard to your period going for that long, I think you should see your doctor ASAP as it may not be withdrawal-related. I don't want to alarm you but having it for 2 weeks non-stop is not normal and you should be checked out.

Take care x

SSRI's can cause endometrosis (not sure if I spelled that correct) but please get checked out. SSRI use can cause heavy bleeding, clots being passed and excessive long periods due to adhesions from endo that is caused by estrogen flucuations......can be very painful and make one sick to ones stomach withs severe fatigue. I am having my daughter checked for it also.

[1wonone]

Thanks for your kind reply. As a matter of fact I do have degenerative disk disease and do have a bone spur pressing on a nerve in my neck that had me incapacitated for 3 months last winter. Through cold lazer treatments I'm able to function again. Yes that was one of my considerations too and I asked the surgeron I went to see if it would effect my brain in some way and he said it wouldn't. Along with having my head screwed up by Lex I'm thinking hormone imbalance in my major prob now and and just today I'm starting some natural alternatives to get some balance there. Isn't womanhood wonderful.

[tavee]

AUNTY---do u think this applies to me too?? my periods have always been painful, but laST month on my second day was a scene in the bathtub from the movie carrie!!! lol

i am at .9 and it is day 8. i am doing ok so far. its not like that 30% taper that i did last time!! lol

tavee

[tavee]

How Are U Schnauz??hows The Nausea?? Did U Find Anyhting Else Out??
Another Thing That Might Help For The Nausea Is That Noni Juice.

I Sent U An Email. Have U Gotten My Emails??

I Am Doing Ok, Just Pmsing Though. I Have Been Taking These Chinese Herbal Capsules That Are Supposed To Help With Cramps. U Are Supposed To Start Them A Few Days Before Ure Period. I Feel Like A Junkie!! Not Only Am I Taking 6 Vitamins In The Morning, But Im Taking This Now ;3pills 3 Times A Day For A Few Days!!

Let Me Know How U Are!

Hairy, Elizabeth, Helpme Where Are U Guys?? Are U Guys Setting Up Ure Classrooms?? Did U Start School Yet???


Tavee

[Diet Junkie]

Originally Posted by 1wonone

Thanks for your kind reply. As a matter of fact I do have degenerative disk disease and do have a bone spur pressing on a nerve in my neck that had me incapacitated for 3 months last winter. Through cold lazer treatments I'm able to function again. Yes that was one of my considerations too and I asked the surgeron I went to see if it would effect my brain in some way and he said it wouldn't. Along with having my head screwed up by Lex I'm thinking hormone imbalance in my major prob now and and just today I'm starting some natural alternatives to get some balance there. Isn't womanhood wonderful.

Yes. Womanhood it the best! I feel for you with the hormone thing. Five years ago, I thought hormones were my "problem". I had a baby at 35, a hysterctomy at 37, no hormone replacements...I was a mess! So now (Dr. Karen) as I like to think of myself, has decided to quit cold turkey with the Lex. After writing you last night I told my husband that I was off of the meds. He jokingly said (I would of never quessed)! He suspected the whole time & I now have his support! Plesae take care of yourself. You only walk this earth once, so let's make it GREAT!!!

[carolleah]

Patience

How long have you been off of the drugs? You said that through the sixth month it was difficult. When did you start to get more windows? What supplements do you take. I am in my fifth and a half month. Please tell me how long it takes before it is mostly windows instead of anxiety and depression. Will I ever get my multitask ability back? The sense of being overwhelmed and apathetic is hard. But I find that I do get windows which seem to help. Did you have any funky symptoms like weird headaches or twitches? I get those. And my sleep is off. I am hoping that at some point I recover my sleep.

[Patience]

Originally Posted by carolleah

Patience

How long have you been off of the drugs? You said that through the sixth month it was difficult. When did you start to get more windows? What supplements do you take. I am in my fifth and a half month. Please tell me how long it takes before it is mostly windows instead of anxiety and depression. Will I ever get my multitask ability back? The sense of being overwhelmed and apathetic is hard. But I find that I do get windows which seem to help. Did you have any funky symptoms like weird headaches or twitches? I get those. And my sleep is off. I am hoping that at some point I recover my sleep.

Hi Carolleah!

I have been off effexor for 11 months. It has been a hard year to say the least. I started to get more windows around the 8th month. It's different for everyone, but it has been pretty similar for myself and Skyer who has also been on this board for awhile. Her w/d has been more emotional (depersonilzation etc.) and mine has been primarily physical. The reason I say that is because i dont really have the anxiety and depression. Yes, I am depressed that I feel like ********************, but that's about it. I can compare it to the physical w/d I am having though, in the sense that you should have windows in both, I woul think? The last month I have seen a lot of improvements.
I forgot to list how dumb I felt and that after getting back into work and making my brain work, I have gotten a lot of that back. For a while you just exist and then all of a sudden you start "doing". Its such a slow process that you start to think you haven't progressed, but you have. That is how slow it is.

The apathy goes away! It took Skyer about 8 months for a lot of the apathy to go away. It took me about the same.

I have had so many funky things happen: headaches, yes-twitches, pain under my breast, pain when breathing in, tourettes-like speaking, earaches, cant sleep etc...you name it!

Supplements I have taken (I dont know if they have affected me positively or not! Just the magnesium for sure. That really helps my muscles relax):

Barlean's Fish Oils
Powdered Magnesium Citrate: a nightly "tea" for muscle aches, restless legs and sleep
Theanine to sleep
Melatonin to sleep
On and off of DLPA and Tyrosine. (cant tell if that hurt me or not)
Vitamin C
No Multi

At 5.5 months you should look for food supplements. High quality supplements that are food derived so that your body can heal and easily absorb them. The health food store will know what they are.

Compex carbs and whole grains


AUNTY............................................. ...
Do you think that getting botox around my 3 month might have affected my recovery?
What do you think about taking amino acids liek DLPA and Tyrosine later in your 6-7 months?

Thanks!!!

[Patience]

Do you think that getting botox around my 3 month might have affected my recovery? It affects your nerves and muscles so I wasn't sure?

What do you think about taking amino acids like DLPA and Tyrosine later in your 6-7 months?

Thanks!!!

[SchnauzerTime]

Thanks so much for all the support and advice on the nausea. I will get that checked out about my period...it is like you say Aunty, lots of clotting and very heavy and will not stop ...been on birth control pills for a week and a half now and it won't stop.

Feel so sick I can't write much, just wanted to thank everyone.

[auntybiotic]

Originally Posted by Patience

Hi Carolleah!

I have been off effexor for 11 months. It has been a hard year to say the least. I started to get more windows around the 8th month. It's different for everyone, but it has been pretty similar for myself and Skyer who has also been on this board for awhile. Her w/d has been more emotional (depersonilzation etc.) and mine has been primarily physical. The reason I say that is because i dont really have the anxiety and depression. Yes, I am depressed that I feel like ********************, but that's about it. I can compare it to the physical w/d I am having though, in the sense that you should have windows in both, I woul think? The last month I have seen a lot of improvements.
I forgot to list how dumb I felt and that after getting back into work and making my brain work, I have gotten a lot of that back. For a while you just exist and then all of a sudden you start "doing". Its such a slow process that you start to think you haven't progressed, but you have. That is how slow it is.

The apathy goes away! It took Skyer about 8 months for a lot of the apathy to go away. It took me about the same.

I have had so many funky things happen: headaches, yes-twitches, pain under my breast, pain when breathing in, tourettes-like speaking, earaches, cant sleep etc...you name it!

Supplements I have taken (I dont know if they have affected me positively or not! Just the magnesium for sure. That really helps my muscles relax):

Barlean's Fish Oils
Powdered Magnesium Citrate: a nightly "tea" for muscle aches, restless legs and sleep
Theanine to sleep
Melatonin to sleep
On and off of DLPA and Tyrosine. (cant tell if that hurt me or not)
Vitamin C
No Multi

At 5.5 months you should look for food supplements. High quality supplements that are food derived so that your body can heal and easily absorb them. The health food store will know what they are.

Compex carbs and whole grains


AUNTY............................................. ...
Do you think that getting botox around my 3 month might have affected my recovery?
What do you think about taking amino acids liek DLPA and Tyrosine later in your 6-7 months?

Thanks!!!

Hi,

Yes I think Botox and even getting a vacination will affect withdrawal because it is putting toxins in the body with a liver that is already taxed from the lexapro.

I would not suggest taking any of the amino acids till the 12 month off lexapro mark.

[elizabethmaria]

Hi everyone,
Hope everyone is doing ok here ! I have been having a hard time, but hanging in there - blood tests though showed that my iron is REALLY low, anemic... have had that problem before, with the CFS I guess and this -- so i HAVE to take iron pills - I hope that makes me feel better, I've been soooo weak, and am thinking, maybe that is why my legs /muscles aren't working - it said that iron deficiency can cause muscle/cognitive problems.. crossing my fingers!

Aunty, I'm worried about putting supplements in my body - my doctor is too!.. and the iron pills have SOO many added chemicals.. but it is soo low, I can't just eat meat, etc. - something isn't absorbing right or something.. do you know of any iron pills that are more natural, safer? I had to start on the pharmacy ones.. just hoping that 8 months off it will probably be fine, but I wish there was a more natural supplement... I'm searching around, but if you've heard of anything, please let me know.. these give me bad stomach cramps.. feels like I'm eating dirt!

Hang in there everyone! I just had a wonderful talk with a woman at our parish who suffered TERRIBLY through recovering from a celexa reaction (doubled dosage, caused severe depression, everything).. it took her 16 months, she was paralyzed part of the time, had severe panic attacks, psychosis, etc. exhaustion, everything - then, one day, in about 15 minutes, it all cleared up - her psychiatrist kept telling her it would improve, that the neurons had to connect and they were trying, but she didn't believe them.. she, like so many of us, knew either she was going to die, or it was permanant.. but then - it was like a miracle she said.. all of a sudden, she was sitting, and it was like the lights slowly turned on all around, she was soo filled with joy, it was like everything suddenly came back to herself.. she was able to eat again, gain weight, talk, everything from there just got better and better and better so fast! She knows of others who recover in this way .. she was so filled with hope - it DOES get better! her family and husband had cried and prayed so much, but the whole experience brought them so much closer to God, to everyone in the parish, so many prayers said, and answered..I think the whole church had prayed for her - I just didn't know before WHY she had been sick, now I understand.. It was so wonderful to talk with her - she is a good friend of our family, but we haven't talked for some time...
Soooo,,, just wanted to share - lots and lots of hope out there! I'm getting more windows of feeling like myself, but am hoping that much of the physical /cognitive problems that have been getting worse, are do at least in part to really low iron - at least this awful weakness..

Oh, and there is a wonderful article on recovery that I'd like to post, or at least link to - IF I can find it again that is...

take care, love and blessings,
EM

[NicNac123]

Your not alone. I have been on Lexapro 2+ years and have been suffering from a decreased libido since taking the medication. I finally had enough and told my doc about the issue. She prescribed me 150mg of bupropion to take 2x a day and said to take my 10mg of lexapro every other day for 3 days, then stop taking lexapro completely. I followed her orders and within a couple days I was felling like ********************, the worse I think I ever felt (even before I ever took lexapro). After I stopped lexapro I had severe hostility and anger issues, nightmares, difficulty concentrating, dizziness, nausea, I always felt sick and was having a really hard time at work. I went to the doctor after 2 weeks of just taking bupropion and said I had enough. I thought it was the bupropion that was causing my symptoms, but the doc put me back on lexapro and within 1.5 days I felt (feel) MUCH MUCH better (I went back on lexapro yesterday). Well, she wants me to take 10mg of lexapro a day with 75mg of bupropion. I'm going to start this regimine tomorrow, she said that the bupropion will counter-act my decreaed libido that lexapro is known to cause. We'll see what happens...

[auntybiotic]

Originally Posted by elizabethmaria

Hi everyone,
Hope everyone is doing ok here ! I have been having a hard time, but hanging in there - blood tests though showed that my iron is REALLY low, anemic... have had that problem before, with the CFS I guess and this -- so i HAVE to take iron pills - I hope that makes me feel better, I've been soooo weak, and am thinking, maybe that is why my legs /muscles aren't working - it said that iron deficiency can cause muscle/cognitive problems.. crossing my fingers!

Aunty, I'm worried about putting supplements in my body - my doctor is too!.. and the iron pills have SOO many added chemicals.. but it is soo low, I can't just eat meat, etc. - something isn't absorbing right or something.. do you know of any iron pills that are more natural, safer? I had to start on the pharmacy ones.. just hoping that 8 months off it will probably be fine, but I wish there was a more natural supplement... I'm searching around, but if you've heard of anything, please let me know.. these give me bad stomach cramps.. feels like I'm eating dirt!

Hang in there everyone! I just had a wonderful talk with a woman at our parish who suffered TERRIBLY through recovering from a celexa reaction (doubled dosage, caused severe depression, everything).. it took her 16 months, she was paralyzed part of the time, had severe panic attacks, psychosis, etc. exhaustion, everything - then, one day, in about 15 minutes, it all cleared up - her psychiatrist kept telling her it would improve, that the neurons had to connect and they were trying, but she didn't believe them.. she, like so many of us, knew either she was going to die, or it was permanant.. but then - it was like a miracle she said.. all of a sudden, she was sitting, and it was like the lights slowly turned on all around, she was soo filled with joy, it was like everything suddenly came back to herself.. she was able to eat again, gain weight, talk, everything from there just got better and better and better so fast! She knows of others who recover in this way .. she was so filled with hope - it DOES get better! her family and husband had cried and prayed so much, but the whole experience brought them so much closer to God, to everyone in the parish, so many prayers said, and answered..I think the whole church had prayed for her - I just didn't know before WHY she had been sick, now I understand.. It was so wonderful to talk with her - she is a good friend of our family, but we haven't talked for some time...
Soooo,,, just wanted to share - lots and lots of hope out there! I'm getting more windows of feeling like myself, but am hoping that much of the physical /cognitive problems that have been getting worse, are do at least in part to really low iron - at least this awful weakness..

Oh, and there is a wonderful article on recovery that I'd like to post, or at least link to - IF I can find it again that is...

take care, love and blessings,
EM

http://www.uncleharrys.com/infobase/...t/molasses.php
http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/nutr...ency/index.htm

[NicNac123]

Your not alone. I have been on lexapro 2+ years and have been suffering from a decreased libido since taking the medication. I finally had enough and told my doc about the issue. She prescribed me 150mg of bupropion to take 2x a day and said to take my 10mg of lexapro every other day for 3 days, then stop taking lexapro completely. I followed her orders and within a couple days I was felling like ********************, the worse I think I ever felt (even before I ever took lexapro). After I stopped lexapro I had severe hostility and anger issues, nightmares, difficulty concentrating, dizziness, nausea, I always felt sick and was having a really hard time at work. I went to the doctor after 2 weeks of just taking bupropion and said I had enough. I thought it was the bupropion that was causing my symptoms, but the doc put me back on lexapro and within 1.5 days I felt (feel) MUCH MUCH better (I went back on lexapro yesterday). Well, she wants me to take 10mg of lexapro a day with 75mg of bupropion. I'm going to start this regimine tomorrow, she said that the bupropion will counter-act my decreaed libido that lexapro is known to cause. We'll see what happens...

[NicNac123]

Your not alone. I have been on lexapro 2+ years and have been suffering from a decreased libido since taking the medication. I finally had enough and told my doc about the issue. She prescribed me 150mg of bupropion to take 2x a day and said to take my 10mg of lexapro every other day for 3 days, then stop taking lexapro completely. I followed her orders and within a couple days I was felling like ********************, the worse I think I ever felt (even before I ever took lexapro). After I stopped lexapro I had severe hostility and anger issues, nightmares, difficulty concentrating, dizziness, nausea, I always felt sick and was having a really hard time at work. I went to the doctor after 2 weeks of just taking bupropion and said I had enough. I thought it was the bupropion that was causing my symptoms, but the doc put me back on lexapro and within 1.5 days I felt (feel) MUCH MUCH better (I went back on lexapro yesterday). Well, she wants me to take 10mg of lexapro a day with 75mg of bupropion. I'm going to start this regimine tomorrow, she said that the bupropion will counter-act my decreaed libido that lexapro is known to cause. We'll see what happens...

[auntybiotic]

Originally Posted by NicNac123

Your not alone. I have been on Lexapro 2+ years and have been suffering from a decreased libido since taking the medication. I finally had enough and told my doc about the issue. She prescribed me 150mg of bupropion to take 2x a day and said to take my 10mg of lexapro every other day for 3 days, then stop taking lexapro completely. I followed her orders and within a couple days I was felling like ********************, the worse I think I ever felt (even before I ever took lexapro). After I stopped lexapro I had severe hostility and anger issues, nightmares, difficulty concentrating, dizziness, nausea, I always felt sick and was having a really hard time at work. I went to the doctor after 2 weeks of just taking bupropion and said I had enough. I thought it was the bupropion that was causing my symptoms, but the doc put me back on lexapro and within 1.5 days I felt (feel) MUCH MUCH better (I went back on lexapro yesterday). Well, she wants me to take 10mg of lexapro a day with 75mg of bupropion. I'm going to start this regimine tomorrow, she said that the bupropion will counter-act my decreaed libido that lexapro is known to cause. We'll see what happens...

By adding the Bupropion.....you are compounding your problem by having another drug that is addictive in the sense that like lexapro.....you cannot just stop taking it. You may have increased libido but at what expense to your health. You saw the reaction to stopping the lexapro..................the withdrawals. The addition of a similiar drug will only make you have to withdrawal from two medications in the future. The choice is yours but please be aware.
I am not a doctor but I do wish that they would warn their patients how difficult and dangerous "stopping" these medications can be.

Schnausertime is currently withdrawaling from Paxil and Wellbutrin and it is not easy............the addition of Wellbutrin may even bring about serotonin syndrome. Good Luck with whatever you chose to do.

[Aussiegirl]

Just thought I'd let everyone know that I was advised by a herbalist that taking a liver detox tonic may help the liver to recover and to shed its stores of the Lexapro quicker. I've bought some in caplet form and will see how they go.

Anything to speed up the recovery process and hopefully minimise the withdrawals.

Another day with nausea and with my head feeling like I'm in an elevator which has dropped several floors!

[carolleah]

Originally Posted by 1wonone

I'ts been six months since I weaned off Lex and probably that long since I have posted. My depression and anxiety have come back with a vengance! It's odd though it's like it comes and goes in waves. I can just be sitting there watching tv and get hit with the deepest dark depression and can't feel anything else and it may last for an hour or so but I'm getting more of them everyday. I feel like I'm loosing grip with reality. It's soooo soooo scary. Tell me I'm not alone...please... somebody.

1wonone,

These waves are to be expected. The depression and anxiety are rebound effects from the drugs. I get these too. It is really hard living through it all, but you will get through. The hardest part of withdrawal for me is the emotional part, and living in the picture you don't really know what's going on. Remember that the windows of yourself get longer, that is what I have found and making it through until a year will be necessary as to what I am told. Then it gets easier. Keep busy, cultivate a support system and most importantly believe in yourself!

[carolleah]

Originally Posted by elizabethmaria

Hi everyone,
Hope everyone is doing ok here ! I have been having a hard time, but hanging in there - blood tests though showed that my iron is REALLY low, anemic... have had that problem before, with the CFS I guess and this -- so i HAVE to take iron pills - I hope that makes me feel better, I've been soooo weak, and am thinking, maybe that is why my legs /muscles aren't working - it said that iron deficiency can cause muscle/cognitive problems.. crossing my fingers!

Aunty, I'm worried about putting supplements in my body - my doctor is too!.. and the iron pills have SOO many added chemicals.. but it is soo low, I can't just eat meat, etc. - something isn't absorbing right or something.. do you know of any iron pills that are more natural, safer? I had to start on the pharmacy ones.. just hoping that 8 months off it will probably be fine, but I wish there was a more natural supplement... I'm searching around, but if you've heard of anything, please let me know.. these give me bad stomach cramps.. feels like I'm eating dirt!

Hang in there everyone! I just had a wonderful talk with a woman at our parish who suffered TERRIBLY through recovering from a celexa reaction (doubled dosage, caused severe depression, everything).. it took her 16 months, she was paralyzed part of the time, had severe panic attacks, psychosis, etc. exhaustion, everything - then, one day, in about 15 minutes, it all cleared up - her psychiatrist kept telling her it would improve, that the neurons had to connect and they were trying, but she didn't believe them.. she, like so many of us, knew either she was going to die, or it was permanant.. but then - it was like a miracle she said.. all of a sudden, she was sitting, and it was like the lights slowly turned on all around, she was soo filled with joy, it was like everything suddenly came back to herself.. she was able to eat again, gain weight, talk, everything from there just got better and better and better so fast! She knows of others who recover in this way .. she was so filled with hope - it DOES get better! her family and husband had cried and prayed so much, but the whole experience brought them so much closer to God, to everyone in the parish, so many prayers said, and answered..I think the whole church had prayed for her - I just didn't know before WHY she had been sick, now I understand.. It was so wonderful to talk with her - she is a good friend of our family, but we haven't talked for some time...
Soooo,,, just wanted to share - lots and lots of hope out there! I'm getting more windows of feeling like myself, but am hoping that much of the physical /cognitive problems that have been getting worse, are do at least in part to really low iron - at least this awful weakness..

Oh, and there is a wonderful article on recovery that I'd like to post, or at least link to - IF I can find it again that is...

take care, love and blessings,
EM

EM,

Thank you for the hope and encouragement you have provided. It has meant alot to me. Your posts have really gotten me through the last six months. You inspire me to contribute to this forum and try to help others as you have helped me.

[carolleah]

Originally Posted by elizabethmaria

A reading - for those of us waiting, and going through this healing, and wondering what is in store...
I really love this, as I certainly struggle with patience, and the unknowing! Hope this helps... love, EM


Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried.
Quietly, patiently, lovingly God replied.
I plead and I wept for a clue to my fate,
And the Master so gently said, "Child, you must wait!"

"'Wait?', you say, wait!" my indignant reply.
"Lord, I need answers, I need to know why!
Is your hand shortened? Or have you not heard?
By faith I have asked, and am claiming your Word.

"My future and all to which I can relate
Hangs in the balance, and you tell me to wait?
I'm needing a 'yes,' a go-ahead sign,
Or even a 'no' to which I can resign.

"And Lord, you promised that if we believe
We need but to ask, and we shall receive.
And Lord, I've been asking, and this is my cry
I'm weary of asking! I need a reply!"

Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate
As my Master replied once again, "You must wait."
So, I slumped in my chair, defeated and taut
And grumbled to God, "So, I'm waiting. . .for what?"

He seemed then to kneel and His eyes wept with mine,
And he tenderly said, "I could give you a sign.
I could shake the heavens, and darken the sun.
I could raise the dead, and cause mountains to run.
All you seek, I could give, and pleased you would be.
You would have what you want -- but, you wouldn't know Me.

"You'd not know the depth of my love for each saint;
You'd not know the power that I give to the faint;
You'd not learn to see through the clouds of despair;
You'd not learn to trust just by knowing I'm there;
You'd not know the joy of resting in me
When darkness and silence were all you could see.

"You'd never experience that fullness of love
As the peace of my Spirit descends like a dove;
You'd know that I give and I save. . .(for a start),
But you'd not know the depth of the beat of my heart.

"The glow of my comfort late into the night.
The faith that I give when you walk without sight,
The depth that's beyond getting just what you asked
Of an infinite God, who makes what you have last.

"You'd never know, should your pain quickly flee,
What it means that 'My grace is sufficient for thee.'
Yes, your dreams for your loved ones overnight would come true,
But, oh, the loss! if I lost what I'm doing in you!

"So, be silent, my child, and in time you will see
That the greatest of gifts is to get to know me.
And though oft may my answers seem terribly late,
My wisest of answers is still but to wait."

This was a most poignant passage that I read and reread from time to time to help me get through the day. Thank you EM for posting it.

[Restless&Reckless]

carolleah
If your looking for something more natural you can go to whole food/natural supplement stores and someone there would be more than happy to help you and probably be able to give you the best answer

[kimberoo]

Hi All!

We went to Johns Hopkins to the Anxiety Disorder Clinic and I'll get into that in a bit, I wanted to address a few people first.

Aussie Girl and SchnauzerTime,

There is a medicine that I found at WalMart when my kids were sick for nausea, it is called Emetrol. It worked wonders on my children. It's ingredients are dextrose, and fructose and phosphoric acid. If any of these are something that may interact with w/d I'm sure Aunty will pick up on it and let you know.

Em,

My nephew too who is in Italy just found out that he is anemic. They've been feeding him watermelon and lentil soup. You can buy it from the can, but homemade is always best. I have a simple recipe.

Pour dry lentil beans into a sauce pot (enough to cover the bottom of the pot at least) and fill with water to 3/4 full. Add 2T extra virgin olive oil, fresh parsley, 2 or 3 fresh garlic cloves and 1 or 2 carrots (cut up) if you like. You can add salt, pepper and a few fresh basil leaves for flavor ( I always do, especially the basil). Bring to a boil, lower the heat, cover and simmer for at least 1 hour. You may eat it like this or add broken spaghetti mixed with ditalini pasta and cook an additional 10 minutes. The pasta makes the broth thicker. It is very healthy and everything is boiled. It was the only thing I could eat after a surgery a few years back that didn't upset my stomach.

As for Johns Hopkins, we met first with a resident psychiatrist who took down all of Benny's information, he then met with a Senior Staff Psychiatrist to go over everything before they both met with us. Long story short, it was supposed to take one and a half hours, instead it took 3 hours. He acknowledged the fact that he is definitely suffering from withdrawal, but feels that the excessive dizziness is coming from elsewhere, possibly the crystals in his ears. He acknowledged the zaps and tremors as being real symptoms, but his worst case scenario previous to Benny was a woman who had been on Zoloft for 1 year and had extreme dizziness with w/d that lasted only 6 weeks.

He at first didn't think that Benny had any anxiety issues until he spoke to him more. He wants him to meet with a local psychologist to help him deal with his emotions of the withdrawal, to calm his fear that this will never go away. He said that although the Paxil was appropriate at the time for his grieving of his father, it should have been more closely monitored and certainly weaned off of it within a year. He says that Benny is definitely not a depressed type of personality. In the end they both agreed that he should not be on the Lexapro and should continue slowly to get off of it, especially at 5mg and below, as they know that w/d is worse at lower doses.

Benny asked him if he thought that it was possible that Benny could "create" this dizziness in his head for so long, and he said no, that the dizziness and the w/d are real. He is going to send a copy of his finding to our dr. and a copy to us. He put everything in perspective as for the anxiety, no one wants to labeled anything, but it is obvious that he does have to learn to better deal with this situation in a better way. I'm just glad that we found someone in the medical field who can verify that the w/d is real and that my husband is not crazy.

He had a carotid dopplar done on Wednesday that showed some minute plaque in his left artery but we were told that it is not enough to slow the circulation to the brain and cause the dizziness.

The blood tests are in. The dr. hasn't called us with the results yet. I'm sure that he needs to call Dr. Black before he can call us. We are waiting, as soon as they come in, I'll be on here in a heart beat. Aunty, I'll need you help in understanding everything. I hope everyone has a great weekend.

Kimberoo

[elizabethmaria]

Dear Carolleah,
Thank you for posting that again - I really needed to read it again myself!

Thank you also for the iron supplement advice, Aunty, others... I'm trying to eat some of those foods - but I think that it is so bad I have to take the pills 3x a day or 2x a day now, as it might just take too long otherwise - don't know why it dropped so hard, but can hardly move at all here! please keep me in prayers - it's been real rough, my hands are moving slower and slower too, still can't walk... ... ...sorry to complain!
lots love, blessings take care,
EM