[pawsboots]

Thanks Mims. I've been tapering very slowly. I was taken off Xanax 5mg. a day by a Dr. in one week's time after being on it for four years. It was so terrible that I stayed in bed or on the couch for almost constantly for 6 months. I will never use that drug again. I have permanent numbness on one side of my temple because of it. Years ago I was given Valium for an SVT(semi- ventricular tachycardia) episode and the Dr. tapered me slowly and I was fine. It helped my heart get back in rhythm.

I just hope I can handle my life after tapering. I'm too sensitive.

[mims]

Originally Posted by mike2000

anyone looked into things like st john's wort?

obviously talking to a doctor first if on a current medication. i wonder how long i'd have to wait before it might be safe to try it. it doesn't have any definitive benefits, but does seem to have a lot of people who claim positive effects for anxiety, depression, even OCD.

Mike, I think "auntybiotic" talked about St Johns Wort way back in the depths of this thread, a couple of years ago. Since it does affect serotonin, I think the advice was that you should avoid St Johns for quite some time after completely getting off lexapro. Maybe Erin will see this and respond -- her memory is better than mine.

[mike2000]

Originally Posted by mims

Mike, I think "auntybiotic" talked about St Johns Wort way back in the depths of this thread, a couple of years ago. Since it does affect serotonin, I think the advice was that you should avoid St Johns for quite some time after completely getting off lexapro. Maybe Erin will see this and respond -- her memory is better than mine.

yeah i'm kinda thinking that maybe it wouldn't be good to give my brain more [artificial] help boosting my seratonin. it needs a chance to learn how to adjust and generate seratonin again by itself without the lexapro.

almost done with sunday! which means the world will be available tomorrow (well, a good portion of the world - a lot of people have the holiday off)

i plan on trying to find a psychiatrist as soon as i can, and i found what looks like a really good psychologist who deals with OCD a lot. i don't think my insurance covers it 100% though. maybe not at all. so i have to figure that one out.

anyway, at least now i am pretty sure (and my mom confirmed it) that this whole time i should have been viewed more as an OCD case, not just general anxiety. my treatment (counseling) has been based off anxieties, i've only heard "OCD" maybe two times very quickly in the many conselors/psychologists/etc. i've seen. so i think i have been misdiagnosed for a while, and i think that the seratonin imbalance due to tapering the lexapro may be triggering the extreme OCD right now.

perhaps also i built up some tolerance to the lexapro, at least at the 10mg level, which was why i was having some obsessive thoughts before weening off of it. i don't know.

http://ask.metafilter.com/38767/SSRI-Tolerance - looks like it is quite common.

[mims]

Pawsboots,

Coming off xanax in a week's time sounds like a nightmare! I think you are so wise to taper very very slowly off the lexapro. Whenever you have extra stress in your life, just spend some extra time petting Paws and Boots.

[pawsboots]

Mims,

Thanks Mims!! I will!!

Pawsboots

[tothetune]

I've tapered from 10 down to 0.6mg over about 5 months. Interestingly, I noticed the most discomfort when I recently went to 0.6mg. I'm going to push it back to 1mg and take a few months more. I dissolve the tabs in saline and measure out the liquid with a syringe. I've been on SSRI's for about 14 years.

[lookn4sunshine]

Today is day 32 off Lexapro.....I was on it for 15+ months before that I was taking Chantix to help me stop smoking (which it did)(smoke free for 18 months) and had to stop taking that after 6 weeks due to the extraordinary side affects the withdraw from that left me in constant tears and furry. In order to help me with the withdraws from Chantix my Dr put me on Lexapro which also was to help with my SAD.


Unlike some of you I had the “electric shocks” “brain zaps and the “out of body” affects while I was taking Lexapro. I just realized that my lack of memory was also caused by this(which is still very present). I have been known to ask my kids 3 or more times any giving question because I don’t remember the answer they would have just given me. ( ie: What would you like to drink with your dinner……..5 min later…I may have asked you this but what do you want to drink with your dinner) erggggggg. Looking back I was laid off my job in October (good thing I had Lexapro)but Lexapro may have helped me lose my job; my lack of memory I am sure caused me to make several errors. I have gained 30 lbs no matter what I have done. I didn’t know ANY and ALL of these things where caused by Lexapro….


It went from 140 to 170 I joined sparkspeople.com and have kept track of everything I eat and how many calories I burn still all I see is the scale moving up. So in January I was doing research and found that Lexapro was the reason I can’t lose weight (although 2 Dr.’s told me it wasn’t). So on my own I started tapering from 10mg to .5mg for 2 weeks, I now realize the dreams, hot flashed, and sweats where withdraws from Lexapro. I thought they were from being pre- menopausal ha(the female reproductive cycle is blamed for everything)!

on January 16 (32 days ago) I quit just stopped taking Lexapro I weighed and had gained more weight and decided the quicker I stopped taking this the quicker I would lose this weight and feel better…….not so…..although I felt really good for awhile I now feel terrible beyond terrible….

I snap at my kids
I have no energy or desire
I can’t decide if my feelings are real
I woke up today after fighting with my teenage son last night wondering if I wanted to ever see my boyfriend of 4+ years ever again….
I take my kids to school each day and when I get home and pull into the garage I think how easy it would be just to close the garage door and leave the truck running……… of course I love my kids more than my life and would never do that to .

I have tried to talk to my boyfriend but he doesn’t want to talk about Lexapros side affects…….he has a 19 yr old son who was out of control at a early age and had been put on everything you can imagine which didn’t help him and after many years and lots of drugs legal and illegal is now locked up and off of everything, but his dad doesn’t want to hear about how bad Lexapro and all the other drugs mess you up. So no help for me from him……

I have read on this site about supplements so I am now taking Milk Thistle, magnesium and Fish oil. I hate this I don’t know what to do and I need to see the weight to start going down…..this is a MAJOR issue for me it makes me feel even more depressed and full of anger. My belly is so big I look pregnant.

Thank you for letting me get this out….!
Bless you all.

M

[pawsboots]

Lookn4sunshine,

Do not give up. Find a good doctor. These doctors have failed you. Talk to a psychiatrist and if he won't listen find a good primary care doctor who will. Sometimes you really have to look. Tell him what is happening. He may find you other medicine that suits you or he may be able to tell you what to do to help you with withdrawal issues. Have a family meeting and explain to your children what is going on. Do you have any good friends who can help you take your mind off your problems? Rent a funny movie or watch one on TV. The fogginess passes. The mind will clear. In the meantime asks your kids to help with dinner. Get their own drinks etc. If you can go back and explain to your boss what happened maybe he'll hold your job for you. See if disability applies. Now is the time to ask all you know to help you. If you don't have someone to help tell your doc that, too. I gained 50 pounds on lex.--big belly. Had to leave my job, also but needed retirement disability to get disability. It's crucial, though, to find a good doctor. Tell him you need a plan and take notes. Most of the time if you tell a doctor you are writing things down they're more careful. Good luck. Bad times will pass.

Pawsboots

[mims]

Tothetune

Thanks for posting; knowing about your tapering experience may be very helpful to others. Good luck and let us know how you get along.


lookn4sunshine

Glad you found us! You're going through the same things that so many of us have experienced. Some people have managed to cope by going back on lexapro and tapering more slowly. I don't know where the 6-week guidelines came from, but supposedly you can reinstate within 6 weeks of quitting (in order to slowly taper), but if you wait more than 6 weeks the results are not as good.


I'm no expert, but I've read most of this thread and it seems like I remember reading that milk thistle might actually increase your withdrawal symptoms if you use it too soon after quitting the lexapro; I'm not sure about that, but it might be a good idea to read back through some older posts if you have time, or try to do a search on this site. I think the reason is that milk thistle clears the remaining drug out of your body even faster and thus causes more intense withdrawal symptoms; it effectively speeds up your taper rather than slowing it down. I'm not sure it matters after one month.

I remember one night at the dinner table I said to my family, " Lets have a blessing before we eat." My son gave me a shocked look and said "Mom we just said the blessing." I can't remember if this was ON the lexapro or after coming OFF the lexapro. My short-term memory was terrible for a long time. I believe it is improving gradually, even though still have problems with word recall.

Do try to get plenty of moderate exercise like walking. Don't make yourself feel worse by strict dieting -- it probably wouldn't make the pounds come off right now anyway. I'm a member of the big belly club also. Gained weight when I took paxil years ago, off and on, then no SSRI's for years, then lexapro off and on for a while. Had no idea SSRI's were causing the weight gain. I had never been overweight before. Most recently took lexapro for several weeks last year -- that's when I had the major withdrawal reaction when I made the mistake of cold-turkeying.

Here's my encouraging news - I have lost 4 or 5 pounds since Christmas without trying. Others have reported losing weight without dieting after quitting lexapro. I've been off the lex for over 6 months.

[babybottom]

I am still having trouble sleeping for about five weeks.Is it anxiety or affects from Lex.I have been off for ten months.I was taking temazapam for ten days and that worked, but I had to come off and deal with sleep issues that are unknown.Have taken valerian root and melatonin.Not sure what to try next.Is this temporary , how long will sleeplessness last.I don't feel very tired when I know I would normally be.Never had sleeping problem before a month ago.I exercise too trying to make myself tired and I do that foour to five days a week and have two kids.I need results at this point, it gets me down.I'm doing fish oil calcium magnesium, lecithin and staying away from caffeine.My living situation changed almost a year ago and things have been hard financially.Maybe the combination just finally caught up with me and overloaded my head.I don't know if it's the anxiety over sleeping that's not letting me sleep.Once I doze off my head jerks me back to being awake. That happens like twenty times. Sleep is not very restful.I so desperately want my over tiredness back over sleeplessness.I'm a little angry about it at this point.I need positive reinforcement that I will sleep again.That was a getaway for me at my own house, taking naps and still being able to sleep at night .I did it well now I can't nap or sleep at night, uggggh!LOL I'm trying to stay positive but I have a short tention line that's going to snap soon.

[babybottom]

I am still having trouble sleeping for about five weeks.Is it anxiety or affects from Lex.I have been off for ten months.I was taking temazapam for ten days and that worked, but I had to come off and deal with sleep issues that are unknown.Have taken valerian root and melatonin.Not sure what to try next.Is this temporary , how long will sleeplessness last.I don't feel very tired when I know I would normally be.Never had sleeping problem before a month ago.I exercise too trying to make myself tired and I do that foour to five days a week and have two kids.I need results at this point, it gets me down.I'm doing fish oil calcium magnesium, lecithin and staying away from caffeine.My living situation changed almost a year ago and things have been hard financially.Maybe the combination just finally caught up with me and overloaded my head.I don't know if it's the anxiety over sleeping that's not letting me sleep.Once I doze off my head jerks me back to being awake. That happens like twenty times. Sleep is not very restful.I so desperately want my over tiredness back over sleeplessness.I'm a little angry about it at this point.I need positive reinforcement that I will sleep again.That was a getaway for me at my own house, taking naps and still being able to sleep at night .I did it well now I can't nap or sleep at night, uggggh!LOL I'm trying to stay positive .

[xtinechicago]

for the last five years i've been receiving my lexapro for free from a clinic where i've been in group therapy. last wednesday i had a fight with the group leader and walked out. i have ten 10mg pills left so a long slow tapering off isn't possible. all the withdrawal horror stories have got me pretty worried but i can't afford to go to a doctor or pay full price for the drugs. other than a low sex drive and a fuzzy memory i never had any really bothersome side effects from being on the lexapro. my friends thought i was a little too easy-going but i considered that a fair trade for the depression and crying i had been going through before i started. is there anything i can do to help the withdrawal go easier? i already take vitamins e, b complex, and fish oil. is there anything i can add that might help? i've warned my live-in boyfriend and friends that things may get a little rough but i don't want to worry them with some of the stuff i've read on here. is it possible that only people with serious problems are on this web site and people who haven't had a hard time aren't?

[mims]

Originally Posted by xtinechicago

for the last five years i've been receiving my lexapro for free from a clinic where i've been in group therapy. last wednesday i had a fight with the group leader and walked out. i have ten 10mg pills left so a long slow tapering off isn't possible. all the withdrawal horror stories have got me pretty worried but i can't afford to go to a doctor or pay full price for the drugs. other than a low sex drive and a fuzzy memory i never had any really bothersome side effects from being on the lexapro. my friends thought i was a little too easy-going but i considered that a fair trade for the depression and crying i had been going through before i started. is there anything i can do to help the withdrawal go easier? i already take vitamins e, b complex, and fish oil. is there anything i can add that might help? i've warned my live-in boyfriend and friends that things may get a little rough but i don't want to worry them with some of the stuff i've read on here. is it possible that only people with serious problems are on this web site and people who haven't had a hard time aren't?

In order to get the lexapro, there has to be a doctor involved somewhere. Can you call the clinic and make an appointment with the doctor or a nurse? Someone at the clinic with a medical degree or nursing degree must be responsible for your medical care in order for you to be taking a prescription drug. Try to find out who that is, and get an appointment. It would be irresponsible for them to withdraw the meds cold-turkey.

If not, I think the best thing for you to do is swallow your pride long enough to go back to therapy and get 10 more pills for tapering.

To answer your question, not everybody has serious withdrawals, and some people do recover quickly. But if you go to the lexapro official website, you'll see that even the drug company recommends tapering.

However, a fast taper is better than cold-turkey. And don't even think of trying the every-other- day routine. It doesn't work.

If I absolutely had to taper off with 10 pills, I would drop to 7.5 for a few days, and then 5 mg for a few days, then go more slowly from there.
Please don't consider this to be medical advice in any way. It is simply what I would personally do under the circumstances of being forced to withdraw.

[xtinechicago]

thanks mims for the quick response. i have seen a psychiatrist there every couple of months to get the lexapro but in order to get the meds i have to be in some kind of therapy at the clinic. i'll try the tapering you suggest and hope for the best. it's good to know that "not everybody has serious withdrawals, and some people do recover quickly". i'll cross my fingers that i'm one of the lucky ones. if push comes to shove and i do go off the deep end i'll swallow my pride and go back but i'd really rather try to avoid that.

[lookn4sunshine]

Thank you for your suggestions, I had a mostly good day today although I am looking forward to it being over I am looking forward to doing something productive tomorrow and making better eating and workout choices.

I have a page on a weight lose site I really enjoy it although I haven't lost any weight the people there always support me and soon I will begin to lose the weight.......

It is free to join you can and please if you do sign up please look me up make me your friend

http://www.sparkpeople.com

my url;my.sparkpeople.com/KCMO45

I am looking forward to a super day tomorrow. I pray for peace and rest for you all.
KCMO45

[mims]

Originally Posted by xtinechicago

thanks mims for the quick response. i have seen a psychiatrist there every couple of months to get the lexapro but in order to get the meds i have to be in some kind of therapy at the clinic. i'll try the tapering you suggest and hope for the best. it's good to know that "not everybody has serious withdrawals, and some people do recover quickly". i'll cross my fingers that i'm one of the lucky ones. if push comes to shove and i do go off the deep end i'll swallow my pride and go back but i'd really rather try to avoid that.

I hope you get along OK. I'd be willing to bet that, despite discontinuing the group therapy, the psychiatrist would prescribe enough lexapro for you to taper off safely. I think it's in your best interest to try to get back in touch with the clinic, explain what happened , and try to get an appointment with the psych.

[Jrtvet]

Auntybiotic,
I have read some of your posts and already feel better. I have been on Lexapro 20 mg for three years and have decided to be 'drug-free' after being on SSRI's for 9 yrs. I was also starting my senior year of vet school which is very tiring and demanding and wanted to be 100%. I basically tried to stop Lexapro over a 2 week period at first which was a freaking disaster. I went back on it again and kept trying to decrease it but always ended up in these bizarre out-of-body experiences. I did some research online and found out that it is the depersonalization. I am still trying to wean myself off of it and it has been over 1 year now. I'm on 12 mg right now w/ the liquid dose but it is hard for me to tell if I miss a dose so I won't know until 3-4 days later when I feel like I'm living in a dream (more like a nightmare) and don't feel attached to my body at all. At this point, I would take any physical symptom over this strange intense horrifying feeling. I would be forever grateful if you can help me or at least tell me I will get off of this drug safely. How long can the symptoms last?

Thanks for everything!

[mike2000]

The good:

Day #6 without Lexapro (10mg)

Other than the electric shock feeling which I can tolerate, I am having no adverse effects.

The bad:

I am obsessing about something new each day. First it was ingesting food and stuff, now I am worried about blood tests/needles. Not that I will get a disease, because the odds are so small it's not even worth thinking about, but because I cannot control it and I worry about what will happen -once- it happens. I feel like I will worry and freak myself out and I won't be able to escape it because I'll already be "infected" - this is obviously an obsession and my compulsion is my behavior trying to keep myself safe ...

I cannot tell if I should be blaming the Lexapro for this. 10mg doesn't seem like a high dose, from what I've been told from talking to some OCD specialized doctors. A lot of people are on 20, 40mg etc. if they have OCD (which I think has always been my issue just not diagnosed correctly)

Anyway, looks like I will have to go back to therapy (CBT / the proper kind this time, not just talk/analysis ********) and probably wind up back on some sort of medication since this is literally making me worry all day every day now.

I am doing so well otherwise. I can tolerate the shocks and the physical stuff...

I can't even think that a doctor showing me pulling a needle out of a sterile never used package before will even comfort me 100% ... which is scary. I always thought hey, I can go get bloodwork done to test for chemical imbalances or something, or if I ever freaked out real bad I could go to the emergency room and they'd give me a shot of something to knock me out/calm me down (like in the movies) - now I'm thinking that they'll do that and I'll be stuck in my own mental trap of worry. Right now I'm "safe" but once that happens I won't be !?!

Ugh...

[ka0s142]

Hi i am new here i read some of the post and wow i am so surprised to see that there are so many people going threw the same thing.

Now a bit history

i started on 10 mg lexapro about 8 moths ago for depression and anxiety i think sins i was never really diagnosed i went threw the panic attack spill when to the emergency room told them i had chest pain and they went threw there hart attack spill just to tell me nothing was wrong with me.

i went to my family doctor told him about some of my symptoms and he gave me 2 to 3 month of lexapro plus prescription for 6 moth and still have 31 pills left i thought i keep them in case i had to run back.

Now i have to admit they did there job very well i had symptoms that was really bad from out of body to hot flashed tightening of the chest name it i had it.

i dint do any research till now. but a bit late i stopped cold turkey last Thursday was my last pill i am on day 6 the first 3 day nothing really but then slowly with the brain zaps little dizziness the zaps seems to get worst
at knight but they are getting better.

I am on omega 3 and on d3 just cause i seen it on some medical channel and it says it promotes brain health so i jumped on them.
ill keep you guys up to date oh hitting the treadmill to working out even when i really don't want to.

hopping the best for all Ka0s

[Aeroman]

I havent read every post on the last two pages but I wanted to suggest to you all to taper as slow as you can...meaning, 5-10% reductions every 4-6 weeks. I tapered off 10mg Lexapro within a month time frame and it has been the biggest mistake I have ever done in my life! Some of you may start noticing weird symptoms emerge 3-5 days AFTER your last pill, like irritability, zaps, dizzy, etc. Those will subside within a few weeks to a month or so.

BUT.........................


The real "fun" may begin 3-4 Months after your last dose. Depression, anxiety, akathasia, restlessness, insomnia, morning anxiety upon waking up, weight loss, loss of appetite, etc. Those symptoms will make your original symptoms feel like a cake walk.

I am ALMOST 1-year out post Lexapro and have made improvements but not recovered. I still suffer from depression, more specifically anhedonia. No pleasure in anything. I lost almost 30 lbs since getting off lexapro without doing anything. However, since my appetite has returned and I feel no motivation in anything, I have since gained some of it back.

I'll do a more detail description in about a week, my 1-year anniversary off this garbage.

REMEMBER:

TAPER SLOWLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This stuff isnt like high blood pressure meds or antibiotics. These are mind-altering psychotropic drugs that change brain chemistry by preventing your serotonin from being reuptaked into your receptors. The notion of "Chemical Imbalance" is pathetic because I have yet to see proof that my levels of dopamine or serotinin, etc were low or high. But I can tell you that staying on SSRI's will cause a chemical imbalance - you'll have the proof once you get off too fast! Good luck.

[pawsboots]

This is day 7 on 5mg. down from 7.5 mg. Today I woke up having very unsteady legs with balance problems and dizziness. It lasted a few hours and then let up some. The brain fog was also there. I thought I was getting better and then got zapped. I will give it one more week before lowering to 2.5mg. I'm wondering if there is anyone who does not get side effects for a year. I'll let everyone know my progress. When does the increase in appetite let up? I chew a lot of gum, low-fat yogurt, eat Healthy Choice meals, and salad with no cal dressing. I allow myself a 40 cal fudge pop, a weight watcher snack cake, and a 60 calorie jello pudding with active cultures. Still no weight loss. People who I tell this to think I'm just eating. Wish that were true. I'm not extremely active due to back and neck injuries which I am getting PT for 3 times a week, but I do exercise for half an hour a day. Sometimes these drugs are necessary and the benefits outweigh the risks, but I wish a newer drug would come out without these side effects. God bless all who suffer with this.

Pawsboots

[mims]

Hi, rujoking. How are you getting along? I think I recall that you said you had the feeling of tightness under the skin, especially on your back, but looking back through some of your posts, I can't seem to find what you wrote about it. Was it you who reported having that sensation?

I've had times when I'm falling asleep (that's when most of my problems occur) and I get these feelings that the area just under my skin has gotten stiff and tight. Not painful at all, just weird. It happens mostly on the tops of my arms and thighs, which also become sort of numb-feeling and paralized. I think it really is a type of sleep paralysis. But sometimes I get a wave of this sensation of tightness that runs across my entire back. It feels like the area just under the skin has become tense and stiff, but the feeling moves across my back like a wave.

Is this the same experience that you're having? I'm also having more of the breathing problems -- I'm wondering if it's a type of sleep apnea, or more of an asthma, which I've never had. Are you still having breathing problems?

Stilll have vibrations, too. I feel like the vibes become so fast and "fine" that they turn into that muscle paralysis. Does anything I'm saying make sense to anybody who reads this?

Babybottom:

You say your head jerks you back awake -- I have muscle jerks and twitches that keep me awake. Just as I fall asleep, I will have a jerk that wakes me. Usually its a shoulder or hip, but it can be any muscle, and several times it has been a head jerk. Once my head jerked so hard that my neck muscles and back of the head were sore for hours the next day. Is this what you're having? Unfortunately, I think the breathing problems I'm having are actually muscle jerks in the throat that cause a "pause" in my breathing. My throat closes, blocks, or stiffens for a moment. I've thought of having a sleep study, but so far all the medical tests I've had have shown nothing. I spent thousands (have a high deductible insurance) last year, and now that I'm in a new deductible period, I hate to get started on paying thousands again this year. My doctor told me that everything I'm experiencing can be caused by stress, even the breathing problems at night. (I haven't been back to the doctor since I started having the head jerks, but he knows about the other myoclonic jerks I have) But I never had this kind of reaction to stress before experiencing the lexapro withdrawals.

[rujoking]

Hi All -

It has been a while but I try to check in when I can - I still struggle be see some improvement every week so I continue to have hope -

mims - yes I still get the tight back and tight skin feelings especially in my upper arms - they were painful several months ago but now it just feels like tension in my body which I am sure it is due to the rebound anxiety. The same goes for breathing - I have always had issues but it is much worse due to withdrawals and now the weather changing - remember that withdrawal can wreak havoc on the sinuses as well. My vibrations are less but still present - sort of like a buzzing inside - I take comfort knowing that all of these things were much worse months ago and each week they get less noticable -

I gave up running to doctors months ago mims - none of them really believe us when we tell them all this and every time I go I check out okay - I agree with your doc completely stress and anxiety are the culprits - I think all of us are dealing with a huge increase in anxiety due to withdrawal - I know this is much worse for me than the anxiety I had prior to taking the A/D.

babybottom - have you tried passion flower for sleep - it helped me at one point and I know it has helped others...I took an herbal with passion flower, lemon balm and hops a few times and it did help - I stll take magnesium at night which works best for me

paws - I had those shaky legs and dizzies in the morning for a the first few months of my withdraw...scary but harmless - easy for me to say now huh? I just made it a point to give myself lots of time in the am to get going and tried not to do too much - the foggy head, vision thing was bad then too - this I still ocassionaly get but not so much - hang in there it wll pass!

Lookn4sunshine - I am not sure you should be taking the milk thistle either - I do remember it may not be healthy in withdrawals - don't worry about the foggy feelings they do pass but it takes a couple of months - also - look at Aeroman's post - he lost weight without really trying after some time so don't be too hard on yourself right now about that - just eat healthy and stay strong to get thru the first few months of h*ll!

Hope everyone else is hanging in there - I will try to check in sooner next time!

ruj

[mims]

Thanks, rujoking. I'm trying to give up doctors as much as possible. When I have new or worse symptoms, I always start worrying about whether I'm going to completely lose my breath, or have a stroke or something like that.

Most of the time, my vibes are less bothersome, though.

Have a good weekend.

[pawsboots]

Ruj,

I just went back and read some former posts and you asked about the acid reflux. For the past 2 weeks I have experienced that and some chest pain. I tried to tell myself that it's due to the withdrawal.So i guess it is. I went to PT on friday with the dizziness, but I didn't tell them how I felt. The physical therapist noticed I wasn't right and kept asking me if I was feeling ok. I was red and sweating terribly. I am so exhausted and just want to sleep. My neck, head and jaw hurt a lot today. Thanks so much for your reply. I was wondering if something else wasn't wrong with me. If I didn't have this forum I think I would have gone back on this medicine. It does make sense that it does do some damage to the brain that needs healing. Thanks again.

Paws

[rujoking]

Paws - yes I had terrible acid reflux for a couple of months - seratonin affects the gut in a big way! I used zantac pretty regularly for a while as well as a probiotic to keep the good flora in my stomach - it does cause lots of chest symptoms as even contributes to the 'fluttering' feelings. The sweating and flushing is also the anxiety and eventually this will lessen. I am post menopausal and for a few months I went back to hot flashes and night sweats too. Sleep was awful as I would awaken gasping for air.

mims - in no way do I want to discourage you from visiting your doctor if you feel the need! This is a scary process and if you need reassurance please do that for yourself! I personally got tired of waking each day feeling like a heart attack or stroke was emminant - I guess I finally convinced myself that if it was gonna happen I would be have been a goner when things were at their worst. Getting a grip on the fear this whole mess has left me with has been difficult indeed and I would be lying if I said I was completely over it. What a shameful thing Big Pharma has done to us.......

you have a good weekend too,
ruj

[ka0s142]

its Day 8 and so far so good my work out session are getting longer im feeling
a bit better every day the brain flashes and fog seem to be getting better don't get them as often but sometimes i can feel them all the way to my chin the treadmill seem to be doing most of the work it giving my body a reason for all the pain and brain fog so i don't spend so much time thinking about it.


the Body jerk when you are just about to sleep that happened to me very often when i was on lexapro i don't seem to get them now.
but all and all i can feel my self coming back dose pills really take a hold of you.other thought i think you should really let go off them pills if you are really ready or fixed the problems that landed you on them. reason for me saying that is that is that i had most if not all thees symptoms before the pills. Just a thought.
hope all you guys well Ka0s142

[mims]

Hi! Don't worry -- even though it's a real relief to correspond with you and others online who have had similar complaints, I'll be right back in the doctor's office if I feel like I really need to be there.

Reassurance is the word! I was thinking about what I would say if I did go to the "sleep study" doctor - " I don't want a sleep study and I refuse to take drugs unless you think I'll die without them, and I can't afford big medical expenditures, I'm just here for reassurance!

[mims]

It's strange that some folks have the same symptoms ON lexapro that others have when they come OFF lexapro. It just messes with your brain and nervous system, in my opinion.

[mike2000]

I'm on day #9 of no Lexapro.

However I have an appointment on Monday with a psychiatrist. I'm thinking she's going to wind up telling me to bump it back up to 20mg quickly so I don't feel so nervous constantly, or give me a list of alternatives.

The sucky thing is my girlfriend's grandma is going into surgery in Monday and will be in the hospital for 5-10 days. That's my current obsession. It's not even like I'm worried something bad will happen during surgery, it's like I am worried that she will be stuck in a hospital and not available to me (not that I even see her more than once every few months !?!?!)

It all stems from me not being able to comfort myself and feel like I have the mental confidence to deal with anything that comes up that is out of my control. I always wind up dealing with whatever (after all, I'm still alive) but the anxiety beforehand is scary, and then sometimes the anxiety can come up after in short bursts...

Currently I'm scared before I was tolerating it a little bit easier on the Lexapro but now I am totally unmedicated and it scares me!