[dyer046]

Originally Posted by mims

Cathy,

I do hope that others will respond to your post also, because I don't feel that I know as much as some who have been on this forum longer than I, and who have done more research on the subject. I'm still wondering about my own symptoms, and have been through many tests, looking for things like MS, cardiac trouble, myasthenia, thyroid, etc, and I'm still not absolutely positive that all my strange symptoms could be coming from Lexapro! But most of my symptoms are reported by others who are "in withdrawal", so maybe I don't have anything life-threatening, after all. For a while, I was convinced I was extremely ill or dying.

I questioned whether I might have Lyme, and was told by a physician that people with Lyme usually complain of really bad arthritic pain, but I may request to be tested anyway.

About memory loss - after 6 weeks I am still having some of that problem, and also brief waves of dizziness - nothing serious, sort of like an extremely brief , mild "panic" attack.

I'm curious - did your "zest for life "return when you got off the Lexapro? The first time I took Lexapro for a while, I felt so sleepy when I was on the drug; then felt much better and more alive when I discontinued it. For some reason, I did not have the withdrawal symptoms that first time, but later when I took Lexapro again, I had terrible withdrawal coming off it. I think Lexapro makes me depressed.

-Mims-
You talk about having no withdrawals after going off Lexapro the 1st time. How long were you off the drug? Since I don't seem to have any symptoms to complain about..I wonder if it's just not been long enough for me to be off of Lex to actually feel the other symptoms.
Trust me, not "looking" for them.I wasn't even on-line searching for info about with drawals..but for Lyme or other causes for my pain.
The memory loss is aggitating. Even when I felt the groggiest/distant I never had this problem.

Something else I've been dealing with is indecisivness. I mentioned my "zest for life" again...and am trying to sort of "reclaim" my home. All of my life I LOVED decorating, gardening..anything that made my home look prettier.
I stopped doing those things, many years ago.(After starting anti-depressants) Even cleaning to the extent that I'd been known to do.

So over the past months , since I've felt better, I've started many projects..indoors and out. Soooo trying NOT to let this pain bring me completely down...these projects have given me something to wake up to in the morning.

Years back..I'd start a project and finish promptly. Now...well for example...a few months back I decided I wanted to re-model my kitchen. I intially had wonderful ideas. My husband would be actually building my new cupboards , being very handy.

Well, the old upper cupboards are off the walls and I can't seem to make up my mind about what I want built exactly. Again...since June.

Now I'm planning a huge surprise 50th birthday party for my brother in October...so I have other projects started that I want complete before I have over 60 people over for this party. Of co????, I've been limited to what I actually can handle doing physically...so my hubby has been trying to be very accomedating. However, now, he's a bit over whelmed by the amount of projects started that I insist I want done by a deadline and I can't seem to make up my mind how I want him to do it. A bit confusing for him. Well, me also.

I wonder now if this is a symptom of going off of the Lexapro. Kind od seems like it is now after reading so many things about withdrawal from this drug.

**My "zest for life" seemed to start before I actually had felt any pain from the Lyme. ...and I stopped the Lexapro after that. I may be wrong...it does, now, seem to be a bit of a coincidence that all of theses things are happening to me over the past 4-5 months or so.

For years, I rarely if ever left the house. (wouldn't even show up for family functions. Always made some sort of excuse at the last minute and generally ended up going to bed and sleeping all day)
I Couldn't care about my home or even my appearance (<< so out of character for me really) ...now I purchased a new camper for my hubby and I and we've gone camping a few times already. I'd lost weight so I bought all new clothes and thoroughly enjoyed doing so! (**I used to wear a size 6 before my thyroid treatment in 2000. But gained over 60 lbs afterwards.... and recently lost 32 lbs.)
Again...I figure the weight loss to be attributed to the Thyroid since my #'s are good again.

Any way...I've changed for what seems to be the better .

That's why the thought of going back on the Lexapro disturbs me greatly. I want my life back!!

Now, I'm dealing with this terrible pain!
If I wasn't I feel as though I could do so much more! (I'd considered getting a job again and re-newing my drivers license ..that expired years ago now) My God having to have people to run my errands and drive me to all of my Doctors appointments has gotten old! For me and them alike.

It does sound like, after reading so many others posts, that I'm now dealing with both withdrawals and the symptoms of Lyme.

I think I'm going to call me GP Doctor today and make another appt. so I can discuss with him some of my concerns.

I appreciate your input and am really finding some comfort in this forum. I just woke up a bit ago...brushed my teeth, got my coffee and turned on my computer to come right back here.

Although I'm sorry to hear about other peoples issues their having..but it is sort of nice to know that I'm not alone here.

[dyer046]

Originally Posted by Hopeful 285

I have chronic Lyme Disease and have had it over 2 years and I also had severe Lexapro withdrawal.
Lyme Disease is very painful and your whole body hurts, also it cause neurological symptoms if it gets to your brain.

Over 2 years ago I had a low grade fever and started walking with a strange gait. Not all the time, it would come and go.

I started going from doctor to doctor and no one could figure out what was wrong with me. I remember being bit in the head by a tick (never thought more about nor mentioned it to my doctors).

While taking Lexapro, I would comment to my husband that I had a fuzzy, tingly sensation in the center of my brain shortly have I took my dose (I was only on 10 mgs and was breaking them in half).

My health was slowly getting worse and all tests were normal.

Then one day while reading over the Lexapro drug insert, I read that it caused movement disorders.

At this point I quit cold turkey and my primary and neuro doctors said Lexapro shouldn't hurt me to quit cold turkey.

I progressively, got worse...shook like I had Parkinson's, taken from work in a squad, extremely high blood pressure. They released me after getting my pressure down and told me to go back to my doctor.

I continued to feel bad. Had 2 pages of symptoms...I did feel a little better at maybe 7 to 8 months off Lexapro...but then I got worse again. I would have some better days, but I knew overall I was deteriorating.

I hit the 2 year post quiting Lexapro cold turkey and still had not recovered. This is because I also had Lyme disease.

Thank God for Aunty, she suggested that I could have Lyme. I looked up the symptoms and I had nearly all of them.

Lyme can be cured if diagnosed right away and if you are kept on antibiotics long enough. I am not sure, but I think it may be a long as 6 weeks.

I have chronic lyme because I didn't get a diagnosis for 2 years. I have to take 3 different antibiotics and I don't know how long. Every time I go to the doctor he hopes to take me off but I continue to have symptoms.

Lyme disease makes it hard to put your words together at times, you have traveling pain and also your whole body can hurt. You get stiff painful neck, blurry vision...etc
I was diagnosed with hashimoto's (thyroid disease) and I believe it is the lyme that caused it.
Lexapro also is know to cause thyroid issues.

Many of the lyme symptoms can match lexapro withdrawal. This is why I thought all my problems was due to Lexapro withdrawal.

Lexapro also lowers the immune system.
You can be bit by a tick and get lyme and not experience the symptoms until your body goes through a stress.

Also, you can be bit by a tick and be sick right away, a few days later, months later and even years.

I got sick the same spring I was bitten.

Do you remember being bitten by a tick?

You can also get lyme from mosquitos, fleas, horseflies, deerflies, wasps, and spiders.

Here are some good sites for you to compare your symptoms.

lymdiseaseassociation.org
lymenet.org

Also on YouTube.com, if you do a lyme disease search, there are doctors and people telling the symptoms, a more comprehensive list is on the above sites.

I hope I have been of some help. Keep writing. There are others here that may also be of some help.

Take Care,

Hopeful
I thank you too for responding to me.

This Lyme disease is all so new to me...my head is spinning. (Lierally even!!)

When I first started experienceing a bit of constant pain (in mid April) someone mentioned to me that it sounded like it could be Lyme disease.

I made an appt. with my new GP (who I think is great and so glad I found him)At that appointment I described what I was dealing with and told him about someone mentioning the Lyme. He ran tests and a week or so later he told me that I do, in fact, have Lyme.

He started me on anti-biotics right away...but the pain still worsened. I've since taken a second dose. Still no relief.

My pain is all over, my ankles (can't bend them when I walk some days...so I "shuffle")...my hips , espcially my left hip...my elbows...but most of all my shoulders. My left shoulder being the worst pain. ( which seems odd since I'm right handed. I guess I can be grateful for small blessings tho)

I have little movement in my arms. I can't even lift my left arm high enough in the shower to be able to shave (I know..yuck) My adult daughter and 6 year old grand daughter moved back home and they both have to help me dress and do other little tasks for me daily.

I've broken MANY bones over the years (yup, a clutz) and to describe the pain in my shoulders..it feels as if they're broken.

I also feel a numbness/tingeling in my arms..down to the tips of my fingers.

Every thing I seem to read about Lyme tells me that the pain is more "all over" and not always in the same place. I may be reading things wrong though. (this is why I think I'm convincing myself that it's really not Lyme and is why I started searching for other reasons that may cause this pain.

Funny, you mention that you think you've gotten other illnesses due to having Lyme.

I blame a lot of my troubles/illnesses on my Tyroid and my treatment for it.

In 2000 I found out about my Graves disease and did the radioactive iodine for my treatment.

Shortly after I had complications from the treatment and experienced "muscle pain". They were like spasms...but were also very painful and incapasitateing. I then went to Doctor after Doctor before being diagnosed with Myositus ( a mild form of MS I was told)
Since this was caused by my medical treatment I was assured that this would subside. It actually did...and over the past 6 years or so I've only had bits of pain here and there. (this is in itself a whole other story/illness!)

It was almost at the same time that my gynocologist found a lump on my right breat.
Again...visits to Doctor after Doctor for 1 hell of a scare. (lump removed..out of the woods to date..and again another story/illness whew!)

Then...while all of this was going on my Birth-mother found me. Something I'd always dreamed of and she is a wonderful lady. << I mention this because it was right after all of this that I experienced my 1st panic attack. I think my mind was in overload and just wasn't able to cope with all that I woke up to daily.

So...off to new Doctors (my God my husband is a Saint). When I finally got set up with a pychiatrist I was prescribed the Lexapro and Clonipan. ( Of co????, i never mentioned, that I tryed a few different drugs before finding the 1 that seemed to work best for me.

Sadly, since I've met my Mother, siblings,and other family members they've only known me as "sick". they never got to meet the person I'd always been.
I was so full of life, on the go, raised 4 great kids. We vactioned regularly and our house was known for many pool parties and picnics (not to mention all the the activities my kids wre involved with that I always seemed to end up being "team mom" for)

Life was full, never a dull momement. I miss that so much. for the last 8 years I've been sort of waiting for things to "pass" so I could get back to my real life again.

Instead I feel that all that's left is a shell of me ( and a much larger 1 at that with my weight gain)

But, for me, I seem to blame most of my problems on my Thyroid and treatment. (In 1994 I discovered that I'm diabetic and am insulin dependant..take up to 7 shots a day now. Yet this never threw me into the tailspin that the Tyroid has)

I guess maybe we all need a reason for the things that happen to us and need to have someting to blame.

Can you imagine, though, if I've actually had Lyme disease for all of these years, left undiagnosed, and that Lyme is actually the cause of my problems as well?

All I know that I NEVER say "what next"!! Too afraid to.

[anti-drugs]

Dyer046,

It sounds like the same symptoms I had/have while on Lex and off. Before Lex I would clean my house like it was a hospital and constantly buy new things for it. I would decorate for new seasons etc. Once I started with Lex, I became lazy. I would clean my house but only the minimum needed to keep it up. All I wanted to do was sleep or sit and watch TV.

I've been off lex for about 6.5 months now and I am just starting to see glimpses of my old self. I've also experienced memory and concentrating problems. I'm still very indecisive about things and sometimes still get confused by the smallest instructions.

I hope this helps to relive some of your anxieties. Your not alone.

Anti-Drugs

[Hopeful 285]

I really feel for you. You have been through a lot.

I also have pain all over and sometimes the pain travels and is shooting...also numbness in the arms and feet.

When you take antibiotics, you do get worse because the bacteria die off causes toxins and this causes pain and worsening of symptoms.

You need to stay on antibiotics long term (if lyme is the cause) and the reaction to them which is called a herx will lesson as time goes on and you have less bacteria.

I also have developed cervical radiculopathy (nerve and spine problems in the neck) this I believe was caused by the lyme...also enlarged gall bladder...very painful breasts, feels like I will lactate.

With the multi-symptoms, it does appear that lyme is a possiblilty. This disesase has spread the entire USA.

When a person has lyme, it is a high possibility that you can also have co-infections. I have bartonella and babesia also. If co-infections are not addressed, you can not get over the lyme.

A Lyme Literate doctor typically treats with more than one antibiotic to treaty lyme, co-infections, and get the lyme at the cyst form.

I am on Flagyl, Azithromycin and Mepron. I have been on abx since May 2nd of 2008.
Some people have to be on it for months, years or permanently.

If you do have lyme, it would be chronic at this point and a long course of abx is needed for you to start feeling better.

I am much better than I was, but I have a ways to go in the healing process. I was sleeping 15 hours a day, having heart palpitations, high bp, falling everyday from balance problems.
If I shut my eyes in the shower, I would fall to the side.

I still hurt, am falling less often and, chronic fatigue is improved from what it was.

I also had a lot of tics, head would jerk, I would bow, strange gait, etc. All this has improved....used to do these things everyday and now maybe a couple of times a week for seconds instead of dealing with it off and on all day.

To get proper treatment for lyme one really needs to see a lyme literate doctor.

God Bless,

[Aeroman]

Originally Posted by anti-drugs

Dyer046,

It sounds like the same symptoms I had/have while on Lex and off. Before Lex I would clean my house like it was a hospital and constantly buy new things for it. I would decorate for new seasons etc. Once I started with Lex, I became lazy. I would clean my house but only the minimum needed to keep it up. All I wanted to do was sleep or sit and watch TV.

I've been off lex for about 6.5 months now and I am just starting to see glimpses of my old self. I've also experienced memory and concentrating problems. I'm still very indecisive about things and sometimes still get confused by the smallest instructions.

I hope this helps to relive some of your anxieties. Your not alone.

Anti-Drugs

How weird, I am right along side with you there...6.5 months off. How is your sleep? Feel free to e-mail me as I would like to get reassurance I am not alone in this weird hell.

aerodjjc@yahoo.com

also, have you gotten some windows of relief? I had about 4 days of "Wow, I miss this" kind of thing. Thinking about what I was going to do in the garage, making future plans with my wife for trips, etc was a huge milestone for me. I still am not 100% back but I got some mood improvement. However, the low moods came back and this is where I am right now....

[SL500]

I post randomly. It has been two weeks since I went from 8.13 to 7.5 of the lex. I started my taper in February but put it on hold because I was tapering klonzapam. I am now 4 1/2 months off of the klonzapam and started up my lex taper. I can taper no less than .62 or 1/8th of a 5mg pill - it turns to dust after that. I, for the past week or so have been feeling horrible. Anxiety throughout my body that lasts almost all day and depression. I also have what I call the "I feel like I am going crazy" feeling. I get so out of it and I can't concentrate. I feel like I am here but not. It is so annoying especially that I have to sit in work all day. I can jsut cry my eyes out because I am so upset. I feel like this is going to be me forever. I am terrified of how I feel and I cant see anyone living like this forever!!! So, my question, is this part of the w/d effects?

[Aeroman]

Originally Posted by SL500

I post randomly. It has been two weeks since I went from 8.13 to 7.5 of the lex. I started my taper in February but put it on hold because I was tapering klonzapam. I am now 4 1/2 months off of the klonzapam and started up my lex taper. I can taper no less than .62 or 1/8th of a 5mg pill - it turns to dust after that. I, for the past week or so have been feeling horrible. Anxiety throughout my body that lasts almost all day and depression. I also have what I call the "I feel like I am going crazy" feeling. I get so out of it and I can't concentrate. I feel like I am here but not. It is so annoying especially that I have to sit in work all day. I can jsut cry my eyes out because I am so upset. I feel like this is going to be me forever. I am terrified of how I feel and I cant see anyone living like this forever!!! So, my question, is this part of the w/d effects?

Hey SL500, sorry to hear you are having issues with the w/d's. I get that from time to time as well, "Am I going crazy" kinda thing. I have been off lex for 6.5 months after a 1-month taper my doc did on me. The anxiety hit me around the end of month 3 and it has been with me since then. However, I did feel a window of relief about two weeks ago (right around when I completed my 6th month). It truly does suck. I got the window but I have since gotten a setback. Yep, we despair thinking this will be forever but squeeze in as much "faith" and "hope" as much as you can because it helps...also, just simply accepting what is going on takes some of the edge off. The depression came with the anxiety around end of May (Month 3) and it has gotten somewhat better but nothing close to normal, I think. I pray you dont get the akathasia, which has been the worst symptom I have ever experienced. It is then that I thought I wanted to end my life but I knew it was just a thought and that too will pass. I am going to tell you what many others have been telling me:

Hang in there...it WILL get better. It HAS to.....

[Casshmeer]

Originally Posted by HELP IN GA

Ok so here I am in day 8 of coming off of Lexapro. Yesterday went great, slightly dizzy but no crying etc. Well --- when i woke up this morning I was angry at the world. I have this intense anger feeling that is slightly scary. Has anyone had this experience before, I can't understand where it is coming from, I have never felt this angry.

Hi,
I'm new here but I've been reading as much as I can while I was making the decision to get off Lexapro. I've been on it for at least 6 years now, and I'm finally off... for the moment. *crosses everything* Have gone from 20mg, to 10mg and then just recently down to 5 mg for a month. Probably not enough but my partner is 'supportively pushing' me to get off. And your experience sounded very much like mine - the second or third day after you stop, comes this intense rage... It does go away, but this was always the 'gah! quick! back on the pills!' point for me every time I stopped. Again, as everyone here points out, the trick is to persevere and see it through.

I also saw on here waaaay back in the depths a recommendation from Auntie I believe, for Omega 3 pills (which are enormously helpful), and also some herbal drops by Bach... but I will have to go digging back to find out what they were. If you search under Bach and natural remedies, there are a few sites, and one even explains what to take for what emotional disorder. I plan on getting some Agrimony by Bach - "The Original Bach Flower Essence For Mental Torture Behind A Cheerful Face". Sound familiar anyone??

So yeah, stick with it, I'm going to pop in again to share the trials and tribulations. It's got to be better than this at the end, surely!!

[erinkj]

Originally Posted by SL500

I post randomly. It has been two weeks since I went from 8.13 to 7.5 of the lex. I started my taper in February but put it on hold because I was tapering klonzapam. I am now 4 1/2 months off of the klonzapam and started up my lex taper. I can taper no less than .62 or 1/8th of a 5mg pill - it turns to dust after that. I, for the past week or so have been feeling horrible. Anxiety throughout my body that lasts almost all day and depression. I also have what I call the "I feel like I am going crazy" feeling. I get so out of it and I can't concentrate. I feel like I am here but not. It is so annoying especially that I have to sit in work all day. I can jsut cry my eyes out because I am so upset. I feel like this is going to be me forever. I am terrified of how I feel and I cant see anyone living like this forever!!! So, my question, is this part of the w/d effects?

I am sorry to see that you are having more troubles...Sucks, I know. What you are experiencing is deffinately withdrawal caused by your latest dose reduction. You should stabelize within a few weeks...If you do not begin to feel better by then, you may have to go back up to your previous dose and wait it out a bit before trying to drop again. I do have a question for you though. Was it very difficult getting off of the klonapin? Compared to quitting the lex was it easier? I am in that boat now. I cannot taper my celexa dose anymore until after I am off of the klonapin. I did a gradual switch from xanax to klonapin in order to taper off benzo's as withdrawals from xanax were quite tough....How was your experience getting off of klonapin and how do you feel now that you are off of it ( lex withdrawals aside) ? Thanks in advance for any reply...Peace...Erin

[tarheelsxxiii]

I am a new member to the site, and very grateful to have come across all this information. I definitely see the advantages to trying different vitamins and/or treatments can make the withdrawal process must easier to cope with. I am extremely worried about my ability to quit Lexapro though, and I feel the need to do so at a very bad time.

I have been on this drug for so long I can't remember. I have taken 20 mg tablets since my father died when I was 17. I am now 24, and like all of us, I have forgotten to take my dose a few days at a time and, by day 3-4, I feel extreme dizziness, head zaps, and nausea associated with withdrawals.

After reading about and experiencing the withdrawals of this drug, I want nothing more than to quit. I don't feel I need it to quell my anxiety anymore, as I felt it never really helped to begin with. I've smoked marijuana for years, in private, to quell my anxiety. But in two weeks I am making a big transition, as I'll be moving from MA to TN (an unknown state to me) to start a new job that I"m very passionate and excited about (research with autistic children). I do not want my withdrawal symptoms to affect my performance, as this is such a great opportunity for me, and I am actually fearing that I won't be able to even make this move because of my withdrawals.

The job, the move...I don't see there being a time when I won't be a highly anxious person. And I am afraid I'll become so dependent on this drug that I won't ever come off. So while this seems like a bad time to quit (I might go cold-turkey because weening seems just as bad, and I've tried that many times!) I don't see there ever being a better time.

I feel so sick and nauseous right now, and fearful that the Lexapro has all control over my body and mind at this point. If anyone has suggestions, I'd love to hear them. I am glad I found this forum, again, and I hope I can learn from it and be successful at quitting the drug. I'll be happy to share anything I learn along the way.

Bryant

[tarheelsxxiii]

Also I feel very emotional and suicidal right now, and I have on-and-off for many years.

[mims]

I really feel for you with all you've been going through! This is certainly not medical advice, but personally, if I had come off Lexapro in June, I probably would take my chances on staying off the lex, and hoping for the best. It seems like after 3 months, you'd be on your way "out of the woods" with any side effects, and you might have worse withdrawals if you go back on in the drug and then try to wean at this point. Some people on this forum (I can't remember who) said that 6 weeks after discontinuation is about the latest that you could try to reinstate the drug in order to wean off with fewer side effects.

It seems that if you have gone that long without the physical effects that many have experienced, maybe you're just not going to have them. I bet you are correct that you were so distracted by the pain you've had with your other condition that you just didn't notice the withdrawal effects as much. Based on what I've read on this forum, I doubt that your severe pain is caused by Lex withdrawal. Most likely just caused by the Lyme.

I took Paxil at some point in my past, about 10 years ago, for maybe a year or two. Can't remember. I never even thought about withdrawal effects, but looking back on that time, I suspect that I had some. I did go through a period back then of having painful back problems, muscle aches and pains, etc., being extremely short tempered, some headaches, even migraine -type, and feeling extremely tired all the time. I did not have brain zaps, numbness, crawling feelings, etc that I am having now. I probably did have some vision issues.

Then at some point, after being off lexapro for years, I decided to try the Lexapro. It was initially prescribed for me for PMS depression that only lasted a few days a month, even though at the time, I think I was having some other "mild -to -moderate" type depression that I did not seek medical advice for. I had a lot of sample Lexapro furnished by the prescribing doctor and then also by another doctor in my family. This is part of the reason I am so unsure of my symptoms.

I don't really have a good record of when I started and stopped the Lex because I held those samples for months before trying them, and then started and stopped a couple of times, but I don't know what the time frames actually were. If I had withdrawals then, they were not as extreme as what I'm having now. That's what makes me wonder if that really is my only medical problem at this point.

I am feeling so much worse the past couple of days that I am beginning to doubt that what i have is withdrawal. After 6 weeks, it seems like I should be getting better. Brain zaps are almost gone. The ones I still have are minor. I've scheduled a doctor's appointment next week.

[SL500]

Originally Posted by erinkj

I am sorry to see that you are having more troubles...Sucks, I know. What you are experiencing is deffinately withdrawal caused by your latest dose reduction. You should stabelize within a few weeks...If you do not begin to feel better by then, you may have to go back up to your previous dose and wait it out a bit before trying to drop again. I do have a question for you though. Was it very difficult getting off of the klonapin? Compared to quitting the lex was it easier? I am in that boat now. I cannot taper my celexa dose anymore until after I am off of the klonapin. I did a gradual switch from xanax to klonapin in order to taper off benzo's as withdrawals from xanax were quite tough....How was your experience getting off of klonapin and how do you feel now that you are off of it ( lex withdrawals aside) ? Thanks in advance for any reply...Peace...Erin

I am just so upset over this whole situation. It makes me feel like this is me and I am going to have to be on something forever. Its so scary. Umm the klon w/d was not easy. I did a really slow taper starting at .25mgs. Thats what I was on. I did a water titration over a six month period. I hear its easier to get off an a/d than that. If you have any questions you can email me. SLattanz22@yahoo.com.

[mims]

In my previous post, I meant to say after being off **Paxil ** for years, I decided to try Lexapro.

I was not an energetic person anyway, but I think that on Lex, I became lethargic, unable to get anything done or make a decision about anything. I just wanted to sleep all the time. Only doing the things I absolutely HAD to do, and waiting til the last minute, which was always a problem for me, but got Worse while on the drug. One reason I thought I needed the Lexapro was that I was lying awake at night thinking depressing thoughts, some of which were about things I needed to do, decisions to make, but all I could do was worry about it. So I think that was a problem for me anyway, but Lexapro definitely did not help!!! Maybe it was harder to get anything done on Lexapro because I had fewer hours in the day when I was actually AWAKE.

Also, on Lex, I felt like I had nothing to contribute to a conversation, just basic responses to questions, really dull and boring. But now that I have been off the medicine a while, I can at least occasionally find something funny or interesting to say, and I feel like I'm doing a better job of being able to carry on a conversation with people, except for the fact that sometimes I have trouble finding the right word. I think I have been in a fog, and didn't realize how foggy things were for me until I got away from the Lexapro. I did consult with a psychiatrist a couple of times, and she recommended a different medication that was better for depressed people who need something to help them get moving instead of sleeping. I'm almost tempted to try it, but now I'm so afraid of any psych drugs.

Even though my initial withdrawal symptom --brain zaps-- has improved dramatically, Some of my other problems sort of come and go. I don't know why they have gotten worse the past few days; it's very frustrating to have a "relapse" when I thought I was improving.

I'm also tempted to go back on the Lex just as a test to see if reinstating the original dose would take away my abnormal sensations, helping me to diagnose the problem as a lexapro problem. But I hate to do that at this point, now that 6 weeks have passed.


If you're not in too much pain to drive, I hope that you will at least be able to get your driver's license renewed! After all those years, you might have to practice driving around the neighborhood before you feel comfortable getting out in the real world. But that would be a real accomplishment. Did you stop driving due to panic attacks? I, too, have had panic attacks before, mainly when driving. It first happened when I was a young woman, and while I never gave up driving, I was limited in the areas I could drive. For example, there were times I could not drive over long bridges, high bridges, mountain roads, etc. For me, I think it's a fear of heights more than anything, even though picking up speed while going downhill was a trigger also. For the most part, I have overcome this, even though I still do not like to drive in new places, where I might suddenly be surprised by the appearance of a long, high bridge in front of me, and I don't drive in unfamiliar areas in the mountains, where I might find myself driving along the edge of a mountainside. So I'm still somewhat limited , but not enough to restrict my life very much.

If panic attacks caused you to stop driving, I can offer you these suggestions that have helped me. I've found that I have a feeling of more control driving a mid-size car that sits close to the ground (no SUV or van for me!). I also have a feeling of more control if the car has front wheel drive. If I find myself faced with a bridge, steep ramp, etc., it helps to take the overdrive off, or, if it's reasonable to slow down this much, you can even put the car in 2nd gear. It helps you to feel the "drag" on the engine which gives you a feeling of being in control.

If this was not the problem you experienced that caused you to stop driving, then I apologize for boring you, but maybe these suggestions will help someone who reads them here.

[dyer046]

Mims-

I really appreciate your taking the time to "talk" to me. I look forward to coming back here and getting responses from others who FINALLY seem to understand.

I felt the same things that you described...yet I was on Lexapro for so long I really thought it was me and not the drug. Makes me wonder now. I rarely participated in conversations with others. They all seemed to have something cute or witty to say ...and I didn't.
I watched my friends and family "grow" and I stopped.

In fact, I didn't participate in much at all. For example,the past few years I haven't even gone with my family to pick out a Christmas tree. If you knew me that is so out of character. My hubby, and others, used to call me "Mrs. Christmas". I always got our tree the day after Thanksgiving and started my long routine of decorating every room in the house.
Last year I kept putting off getting our tree. When it was a few days before Christmas I finally agreed to go...but then backed out once mt children arrived ..letting them all go since, of co????, I wasn't feeling well. And off to bed with me.
I, too, had a hard time sleeping at night. I had dreadful thoughts and would get up often and would even see the sun rise. (That's why I thought I'd sleep so much during the day)

After some time of this I started to drink wine thinking it would help me sleep better (or at least quicker). But all that happened was I'd drink too much...pass out and...well...sleep all day the next day! But, of co????, I didn't have to lie in bed at night worrying about money, my family, my health, the dogs etc etc etc...but worst of all...death.

Oh...how I could go on here. I try not to ramble on...but have noticed that my other posts tend to do that. Sorry.

Any way..I too don't think I'll go back on the Lexapro and hope for the best. I have been aggitated very easily and just asked my family to call me on it if they notice me being unreasonable. They told me they just walk away and avoid me when they notice this. Even my 6 year old grand daughter...who, just awhile ago, I told to shut up because she was singing too loud. I NEVER ever told my kids to shut up. Those words never came out of my mouth. I was much kinder about it if I wanted quiet...

And, to answer your question, I stopped driving when I first experienced the muscle pain from the Myositus. My muscles would actually atrophy at times...and often several seconds at a time. If I were driving when this happened I could seriously injure someone...so I stopped ...thinking I would be able to again some day. Then I started with the panic attacks and I haven't driven since. (I used to drive trucks and I hand a huge conversian van that I used to carry all 4 kids around in as well as half the neighborhood!) So I actually think a larger vehicle would make me feel comfortable and "at home" driving again.
**hubby has since traded my van in for a Jeep. I like it a lot...a little close to the road for me but I don't think I'd ever be able to drive a car.

I do thank-you for the driving suggestions. You're really very sweet. I do hope to get out there again soon. After the day I had today...it may be awhile longer. Really hurt bad today. Went to bed for the afternoon. I woke up just a few hours ago. Still hurting and still tired.

Mims..I do hope that you won't have to go back on the Lexapro. Of co???? I'm not dealing with the issues you're having with withdrawals...so it's easy for me to say......but it now seems like such a horrible drug. It seems to have effected so many people negatively. I guess, for me, it did do what it was suppose to do. I just wish I wasn't on it as long as I was. I do feel like I've lost a chunk of my life. 8 years..wow. But , again, what would the quality of my life have been dealing with panic attacks? They were horrible.

Keep me posted on your progress..I wish you the best.

[GordonFrex]

20 days ago I started taking lexapro at 5mg a day for 2 days, on the second day I nearly had an anxiety attack and called the doc, they told me to up the dosage to 20mg or check myself into the psychiatric ward at the hospital. I told them no way and quit taking it all together, that night I had a really bad cold sweat and the nearly unbearable anxiety for about a week. I then started walking for many hours a day to try and get the stuff out of my system faster, it seemed to help and by day 10 I felt 95% better. On day 13 off lexapro I was in the middle of a public place when I started to feel kind of sick all of a sudden, like I needed to eat something. Then the anxiety/panic hit me and lasted for hours, it was Horrible. Since that incident the anxiety is back, but it’s milder than the original anxiety I was experiencing the first week. I have also been experiencing other side effects such as occasional headaches, and nausea, but it hasn’t bothered me much, it’s just the anxiety part I’m finding it hard to deal with. Before starting lexapro I had very mild occasional anxiety, it was suspected that anxiety was contributing to my IBS so that’s why I gave it a try. Could what I am experiencing be withdrawal symptoms from only two 5mg doses? And will this go away? I would greatly appreciate anyone’s opinion on this

[mims]

Your comments about drinking wine are very interesting. I found myself usually drinking 2 or 3 glasses of wine daily while on Lexapro, instead of 2 or 3 glasses per week which was my usual pattern. I have seen others post similar experiences with increased alcohol use while on Lexapro. Hmmm....

Yesterday, I was almost tempted to go back on the meds due to vibrations, twitches, jerks, skin crawling feelings, shooting pains; and today I have had almost NONE of those symptoms! I can't think of any reason for the overnight miracle, but hope it lasts this time. So strange! But every improvement gives me hope for the future.

I can't imagine having thyroid and blood sugar problems along with the pain and myositis you have been living with. That's alot for one person to deal with. I have a friend in the nursing profession who said that people with undiagnosed thyroid problems used to sometimes end up in psychiatric wards, until improved testing and treatment allowed those people to have normal lives again. She has been encouraging me to have mine tested, and I finally did have the tests, which were normal. (She had memory and word recall problems and found that her thyroid was "off" ;she improved dramatically with treatment. )

You are so fortunate to have the family support - with your health issues, you've really needed it. It's harder to have patience with children when you feel bad, and also just being older, I think, makes a difference. I have a 9 year old grandson who stays with me sometimes, and I find that listening to cartoons on TV just annoys the heck out of me; Spongebob is the worst.

One good thing that has come out of this whole experience for me -- I kept putting off making a will, but now I have one!!! Ha!

Mims

[COHiker]

Originally Posted by erinkj

I am sorry to see that you are having more troubles...Sucks, I know. What you are experiencing is deffinately withdrawal caused by your latest dose reduction. You should stabelize within a few weeks...If you do not begin to feel better by then, you may have to go back up to your previous dose and wait it out a bit before trying to drop again. I do have a question for you though. Was it very difficult getting off of the klonapin? Compared to quitting the lex was it easier? I am in that boat now. I cannot taper my celexa dose anymore until after I am off of the klonapin. I did a gradual switch from xanax to klonapin in order to taper off benzo's as withdrawals from xanax were quite tough....How was your experience getting off of klonapin and how do you feel now that you are off of it ( lex withdrawals aside) ? Thanks in advance for any reply...Peace...Erin

I would think that having the benzo's on board during tapering process would be the "better" choice. Maybe the xanax would help for some of the nasty effects of lex w/d. Just a thought.
Hope everyone is keeping their eyes on the prize at the end fo their w/d. Call me silly, but I think those who have had the most trouble with the w/d is a clear indication that their bodies are stuggling with that class of drug and should stear clear.
I keep promising to post more about my experience with getting off and [hopefully] offering some hope. Although, I have to say PMS is WAY rough without being "drugged". I am just not fit for human company for about 3 days a month!!!! Otherwise, very glad to be off the drug and looking at life with both eyes wide open and in HD!!!!!
CO Hiker

[mims]

Originally Posted by tarheelsxxiii

Also I feel very emotional and suicidal right now, and I have on-and-off for many years.

I hope you won't try to cold-turkey quit, especially since you're already feeling so bad, emotionally. Withdrawal side effects won't help that, and based on my own personal blood pressure experience, I happen to think it may be potentially dangerous to cold-turkey. (I have no medical training - that's just my personal opinion.)

There's alot of helpful information posted on this message board. Some people taper extremely gradually, 5% at a time, but if you don't feel like you can do that, just take it as slowly as you can. If you've already been off several days, maybe you could reinstate at a lower dosage and then taper from there.

I have read in my online "research" of SSRI withdrawals that some doctors recommend switching from Lexapro to Prozac, which has a longer half-life, and therefore withdrawals are not as bad, as there is sort of a natural tapering off due to the longer half life. I know you probably don't want to switch meds just before moving, but it might be worth asking your doc's advice about that.

Hang in there ! Your move to Tennessee sounds like it holds wonderful opportunities for you.

[tarheelsxxiii]

Originally Posted by mims

I hope you won't try to cold-turkey quit, especially since you're already feeling so bad, emotionally. Withdrawal side effects won't help that, and based on my own personal blood pressure experience, I happen to think it may be potentially dangerous to cold-turkey. (I have no medical training - that's just my personal opinion.)

There's alot of helpful information posted on this message board. Some people taper extremely gradually, 5% at a time, but if you don't feel like you can do that, just take it as slowly as you can. If you've already been off several days, maybe you could reinstate at a lower dosage and then taper from there.

I have read in my online "research" of SSRI withdrawals that some doctors recommend switching from Lexapro to Prozac, which has a longer half-life, and therefore withdrawals are not as bad, as there is sort of a natural tapering off due to the longer half life. I know you probably don't want to switch meds just before moving, but it might be worth asking your doc's advice about that.

Hang in there ! Your move to Tennessee sounds like it holds wonderful opportunities for you.

Mims, thanks for the very kind response.

I visited with my primary care physician today, and he switched me over to Fluoxetene (sp?). His explanation of this SSRI is similar to yours of Prozac: a longer half-life, and a natural tapering component I didn't quite catch either.

I feel much better having to taken it this afternoon.

I will keep updates on the new SSRI. I'll be happy if the tapering goes smoothly, but he has given me 26 pills to taper from. Only about a month seems so short again.

[hope for the best]

Originally Posted by tarheelsxxiii

Mims, thanks for the very kind response.

I visited with my primary care physician today, and he switched me over to Fluoxetene (sp?). His explanation of this SSRI is similar to yours of Prozac: a longer half-life, and a natural tapering component I didn't quite catch either.

I feel much better having to taken it this afternoon.

I will keep updates on the new SSRI. I'll be happy if the tapering goes smoothly, but he has given me 26 pills to taper from. Only about a month seems so short again.

Fluoxetine is another name for Prozac. I hope it goes well for you, I've read some people do very well with this kind of taper.

[Aeroman]

Originally Posted by hope for the best

Fluoxetine is another name for Prozac. I hope it goes well for you, I've read some people do very well with this kind of taper.

just curious,

wouldnt you have to deal with Prozac w/d's now?

[mims]

Originally Posted by tarheelsxxiii

Mims, thanks for the very kind response.

I visited with my primary care physician today, and he switched me over to Fluoxetene (sp?). His explanation of this SSRI is similar to yours of Prozac: a longer half-life, and a natural tapering component I didn't quite catch either.

I feel much better having to taken it this afternoon.

I will keep updates on the new SSRI. I'll be happy if the tapering goes smoothly, but he has given me 26 pills to taper from. Only about a month seems so short again.

Good luck with this, and please do keep us posted. I have thought about trying this myself, but now that I've already been off Lexapro 6 full weeks, I keep thinking that my problems will clear up any day now.

Yesterday was encouraging, but last night my "vibrating motor" in my back fired up again along with some other symptoms when I was trying to sleep, and has continued most of today. Very frustrating; but having one really good almost symptom- free day is making me hesitant to reinstate any kind of SSRI.

I wish you the best with the new plan for tapering, and the new job.

[hope for the best]

Originally Posted by Aeroman

just curious,

wouldnt you have to deal with Prozac w/d's now?

I'm sure someone else will have a better explanation but the theory relates to how long the drug is active in your system.

I think that for Lexapro the half life (half will have left your system) is approx 1 day with the rest being gone in approx 1 week. I believe Prozac has a half life approx 1 week with the rest being gone in approx 1 month.

I understand that because it gradually goes out of your system over a longer period of time the withdrawal effects are much less. Or so I've read.

I believe that some of the worse withdrawal symptoms are from the ssri's and snri's that have the shortest half /elimination life such as Paxil. I of course only know what I've read.

[mims]

Originally Posted by hope for the best

I'm sure someone else will have a better explanation but the theory relates to how long the drug is active in your system.

I think that for Lexapro the half life (half will have left your system) is approx 1 day with the rest being gone in approx 1 week. I believe Prozac has a half life approx 1 week with the rest being gone in approx 1 month.

I understand that because it gradually goes out of your system over a longer period of time the withdrawal effects are much less. Or so I've read.

I believe that some of the worse withdrawal symptoms are from the ssri's and snri's that have the shortest half /elimination life such as Paxil. I of course only know what I've read.

I wish I could find the online article that I read about switching from Lex to Prozac. I thought I had saved it on my "favorites", but I can't find it. I remember that the article suggested that you may be able to taper by taking only one prozac, but some docs prefer to give one Prozac followed by a second prozac a few days later, and maybe a third, and that's it!

I'm sure there are many different options and opinions on the best way to do this, but I continue to feel that it is best to work together with your physician while withdrawing, since everybody has their own personal health issues and concerns, other meds, etc., and it may depend on how long you have been on ssri's and the nature and intensity of your withdrawal symptoms.

So don't take my word for it; do your research and ask your physician.

(I do recall reading something online by a Dr Healy, I think, in the UK, about Prozac tapering, but I don't know anything about him!)

[catjo]

My story began in June. I went hiking and I think I got too hot. I've been on 10 mg of Lexapro for 3 years. The afternoon that I got too hot, I took a nap and woke up with an adrenal surge. Everytime I went to sleep, I would wake up with the surge. For the last several weeks I wake up early. I am hot and my heart is pounding. My legs are weak and I feel bad until late afternoon, then I feel fine. In July, my doctor told me that maybe the lexapro was not working. I took myself off of Lexapro cold turkey. Within 2 weeks, the doctor put me back on 2.5 mg of Lexapro. I was crying, depressed, and had bad anxiety. I am now taking 2.5 mg every other day. This morning when I had my early morning attack, I took .125 mg of Klonopin. It did not help. What is going on with me???? I need someone to respond. I am so tired of this going on every day of my life. This afternoon I tried to take a nap and after 10 minutes I woke up feeling hot and my heart was pounding. Thank you for reading this.

[mims]

8monthslater, if you're still coming to this forum, I'd love to know if your symptoms ever went away. I have some of the same issues you have mentioned in past posts, like sensation of motor running in body, vision troubles, shimmery vision, light flashes, and loss of sharpness; recently experienced the burnt tongue feeling for the first time, even though I have been off the drug for a month and a half now. Still getting new symptoms seems so crazy. I would be really encouraged to know that you have improved. Thanks!

[jerseyboy422]

I quit taking Lexapro in June after being on it for several years. I went off of it rather quickly, and endured all of the side effects to date that have been mentioned on this board.

My anxiety is so severe that it is affecting me at work. I am unable to do certain tasks that I need to accomplish. My mood can change drastically, however. Some days I am happy as can be with no anxiety. Other days are miserable. People around me are noticing the mood swings. My sleeping is also way out of wack. I used to sleep so well, but now I wake up from time to time feeling extremely anxious. From reading on this board, it looks like I still have 3 more months of this to endure. I don't think I can make it that long without a change. I am tempted to return to my psychiatrist, but am worried they will just put me on more meds. Honestly, I might have to because I can't live like this.

[thailandsam]

Hi everyone, thank you so much for this thread! If I hadn't found it I would have gone cold turkey like I did with Prozac ages ago. Didn't know about the different half-lives and how difficult Lexapro withdrawal can be. Now I'm scared s***less, but I still don't see a choice.

I have to wean off 20mg of Lexapro and of course would love to avoid the SSRI withdrawal symptoms. I've been taking it for six months, originally prescribed for what I'd like to think was situational depression. Now the situation has changed, and as much as the Lexapro did what I needed it to, I'm hoping depression won't rear it's ugly head like before.

Part of the change is I've moved to Thailand, and I cannot get Lexapro here. I have 65 20mg pills remaining, and when it's gone it's gone, but that should be plenty to taper off gradually (I hope!). I will have to look for a pill splitter (never knew there was such a thing until I started reading the forums) because when I used a knife it was pretty far off half, and I'm concerned about stepping down with such imprecision.

I know that I should be doing this under the care of a prescribing doctor, but I don't have any insurance, and mental illness is not exactly a Thai specialty from what I can see! If I wanted cosmetic surgery or a sex change, I'd be fine, but not so with psychiatric care. If they don't even have the drug here, how can I expect good advice on getting off? Especially when that seems rare enough in the States! Unfortunately western health care is waaaay out of my budget. No need to lecture me there, I know it's unwise, but it's what it is.

I really cannot afford debilitating symptoms like vertigo and brain shivers. Who can? I get around by motorbike, and over here it takes pretty sharp nerves and quick reactions to survive traffic conditions--people have no qualms driving up to six inches away from you at 50mph! I also don't have any support over here whatsoever, so I am quite nervous about withdrawal. It isn't all bad, the fact that I am here is what makes me hope that I will be okay once I am off the Lexapro.

I want to know if anybody has experience stepping down by alternating dosages. For example, if I think it's too fast to drop straight from 20mg to half pills as a daily dose, does it make sense to alternate a half and full pill, then half-half-full, until I can make half my regular dosage, then start alternating half-half-quarter down to half-quarter to get down to a quarter dose? I do want to taper gradually, but I only have the 20mg pills to work with. With such a short half-life, does going back and forth between dosages ease the withdrawal, or would it throw my mind completely out of whack, never knowing what to expect or how to adjust?

I had no problems whatsoever getting on Lexapro--is it unreasonable to hope it will be easy to get off? Is there any correlation at all?

Any advice or support would be most welcome!

Thank you.

[hkyjon33]

I have no idea about lexipro or its WDs but i can tell you that your deffinatly NOT alone out there. Everyone on this site is here for you that includes me if ya just need to talk. Im in 2 1/2 days into Vicodin WD so i can relate to the WD scared feeling. With the love and suport of the Lord and his angels on this site and surounding you in thailand, you will get through this. PM me if ya need to talk or just post. There are a lot of very great people on this site that will walk u through just about anything u will encounter (everyones body is diffrent though and excretes toxins diffrent ways.) Good luck and god bless... The 1st step is WANTING to do it and it 1/2 sounds like you do 1/2 sounds like your just outta options. PLZ PLZ PLZ do it for yourself or your gonna go crazy and relapse (at least thats my exp) God bless again and good luck =)