[sarita]

hi marylee,
you are one of the lucky ones who have had no side effects getting on lex. we are trying to get off these drugs for many reasons although they have helped alot too. You have to weigh it out. I can tell you from my experience the good and the bad.

GOOD: no anxiety attacks, no dizzyness or vertigo, easy going attitude, no worries or fears

BAD: no sex drive, no feelings, just moving through life w/no passion or feeling of being alive, not as creative, numb feeling,
bad periods, WEIGHT GAIN, damage to the liver, etc... etc....

anyone care to add to that???

[kimi_d]

Just checkin' in and letting you guys know I'm still here. Mr Spock, I sent you an email before reading your previous post. I also could not tolerate the Prozac.

I have nothing new and exciting to report so ... just a hello to Debbie, Aunty, Miss Lee!

Hugs,
Kim

[kimi_d]

Sarita,
You summed it all up pretty good!

[antonio]

Thanks so much Sarita....I will keep everyone posted on the sideffects as i go....i am on lamictal so its not as bad as what i read.....Like you said about the BAD: no sex drive, no feelings, just moving through life w/no passion or feeling of being alive, not as creative, numb feeling ...is that while on lexapro or off it(i have been on it in conjunction with lithium and lamictal).how long will that last?? forever??

I would really like to go back to normal....Does anyone know if things get brighter or will everything just be dull...when off lexapro

also how much liver damage does it cause and how long will it take for our bodies to completly rid itself of lexapro


what pages have good info from auntybiotic since i hear that name alot?

thank you all so much i will keep posting you bout my progress

Lets do this....

[tamra]

Mr. Spock!!! Things just haven't been the same without you! I believe that I've come out of the dark side while you we've been vacationing on Genesis! lol At times, it does seem like the Genesis Project has been activated and I'm being "reborn" to the new me...all of the side effects are the drugs leaving my body...a natural cleansing process. Maybe we should all look at these side effects AS an expected cleansing process as our brains try to reactivate. hhmmmmm, it's been awhile since I've seen that movie.

Miss Lee...were you on any type of hormone therapy to assist in the egg donor program?? If you were...you're an angel sent directly from God to your sister....well, even if you weren't, you're an angel....I was on many drugs (in my past life w/my ex-husband). These drugs will definitely be the cause of the hormonal & emotional issues! (I should pause and say...I remarried and became "fertile mertile"...hmmmm guess it wasn't my fault! lol ) Anyway, you've been thru a tremendous amount of stress on the Lexapro side, and to add this too it....WOW! That's just incredible....you are such a strong person...it may not feel like it at times, but my hat is off to you!

Gapske...I had a pretty irritating weekend...just high strung, high maintenance, uncomfortable with everything including my own skin! How are you doing? I'm much better now....I think it was PMS, a lex w/d thing and full moon...I felt like the dogs in the neighborhood...just wanting to bark out my frustrations at the moon! Each time I read your posts, it reminds me of how long I've been off Lexapro too...I feel like a completely different person!

I cracked myself up yesterday...I'm trying to wake up pouring my morning coffee, can't quite see yet. For some reason I was thinking of Lexapro...or "Lex"...and "EX" Lexapro or "EX LEX"....get it yet?? "EX LAX" "EX LEX".....you feel like ****?!? LMAO!! I was laughing hysterically at my own early morning joke! Anyway....the sun is shining today..it will drop 30 degrees by tonite. Our warm spell is over, but I've had alot of fresh air the last few days. It has been exactly what I've needed.

Hi to all the new "EX LEX'S" out there...believe me...there's a light at the end of the tunnel...The tunnel is "feels" too long to see it right now...but very soon you'll see what looks like a flashlite in the distance....but keep going...the light at the other end is brilliant! It's like coming out of a movie theater after a scarey movie.

Live every day to it's fullest!

[mhillqt]

the trick to get rid of the side effects is to stay at a low dosage where you are not numb to anything, its beneficial, you can work on your problems and you are not damaging your liver...when i was prescriber medication for the first time 15 years ago - ie 20 mg prozac and 1 mg klonopin.....i knew that if I had to take this for a long time and eventually wanted to get off of it, I would only take a low dosage and work on diet, excercise, etc to make up for it....so i only took between 5 and 10 mg prozac and .25 mg klonopin to no klonopin ......the side effects were minimal and was able to come off at any time although my panic was at points in remission and at other points still flaring up on the meds but i would rather it flare up than be on a high dosage....BUT this is me and this doesnt work for everyone....everyone needs to listen to their own internal voice and gut and not be afraid when people like dr peter breggin are warning of the damage to the brain by these drugs....i respect his opinion and its good to be cautious but we all need to live and if the only way some can function is with these medications(not drugs) than its a tradeoff.....many with other illness' have to make thse same decisions when it comes to meds...its a personal decision to come on and off these drugs and I dont think its fair for to scare people out of their minds who in some cases have no choice.....just my 2 cents....so, if I do experience the horrible withdrawals from my 3 week stint on lexapro , yes I will be mad, etc but will have to look back and look at the positive effects that the medication had on me for years that otherwise would never have happened....believe me, I am the first to say...stay off meds if you can and I DO BELIEVE that these pharma companies need to adequately warn us and start creating better meds with lower side effects...anyway, my little morning rant is over....i hope that all of you that are trying to withdraw are feeling better and will get back to normalcy and I hope for those that stay on that they too will feel well and not be afraid...

Michael

[debbie724]

Hello Everyone...

Yesterday I had a full blown panic attack. It has been 3 months since I stopped taking the lexapro. I started taking it years ago for the panic attacks... and never had another one while on it. The good thing... I got through this one without having to go to the hospital. It started coming on around 1:00. As hard as I tried to talk myself out of it... it just kept getting worse. I took an extra anxiety pill (as prescribed)... called my daughter to distract me, but she had two large Starbucks coffees in her and didn't help me at all... took a shower... NOTHING WAS WORKING! I was only getting worse. I felt like I had an elephant sitting on my chest... I was short of breath... My left arm was aching... I was lightheaded... I was alone! By 2:30, I was beginning to doubt if it was a panic attack and wondered if I should call an ambulance or drive myself to the hospital (that's what I used to do and I would get worse the closer I got to the hospital). I kept thinking about all that my family has been through recently and how I couldn't put my parents through this worry... unnecessarily... and I remembered how strong I always try to be for them so that they don't worry about me... and I remembered they just live one street over! Now I knew that I just had to get there and I would be fine. So, I got there... went directly for a paper bag and took some long... slow breaths... then went out to the garage where my dad was working and told him that I was fighting off a panic attack... as I paced the floor and tried to look calm! We talked... he continued to work... we took our conversation and his work into the house... slowly but surely the anxiety pill was beginning to take effect... the pressure was easing... my breathing was almost normal. Mom was gonna be home from work in about a 1/2 hour and I needed to get dinner started. I made it! I'm NOT going back on lexapro... but days like yesterday are days that I do NOT want to repeat. My anxiety has gradually gotten worse since stopping the lexapro. I have no doubt that there will be more panic attacks. My first step will be to visit my cardiologist... just to make sure that I am okay. If everything comes out okay... mentally that will help a lot. Other than that... I'm doing pretty good. I think the lexapro withdrawals are behind me... mostly. I still have occasional mood swings... but as I said before... the new thyroid hormone medication or the change in my depakote could be causing that too.

Welcome back Mr Spock. You have been missed! It's just not the same without you here! [:I]

Auntybiotic, still haven't rec'd that email.

Hello Tamra, Kimi d, Mohannie, Redbled, Miss Lee, Torxis, Shifty, and all the other people that helped me through. I hope you are all well.


debbie

[sarita]

Antonio,
All those BAD/GOOD i listed were while ON the lexipro. You can ask
Aunty or others about the liver and brain damage cause i don't know
too much about it nor do i want to know. Ask Aunty about how to taper, etc...she knows alot more than me. I'm not sure what page its on. Like i said, there are good and bad. You have to weigh it out.
I don't know what you're condition is to say will you be ok off of it, none of us really know for sure. What we know is we've done alot
of homework or experience to decide. You'll get there too. I was told how do you know to get back on it? The withdrawals will be a
different feeling than the ones you had before getting on it, but i
think from what everyone is saying, that they are about the same...

Michael,
I agree with you. There are good and bad to this drug. It has definelty helped me alot through a bad time. But, had I known
BEFORE i got on it how hard it'd be to get off, i'd probably had
just gotten some xanax, and look into natural vitamins and changing
my diet.

Sarita: thanks for the response

Since my last post, I had to go back on Lexapro 10mg. The withdrawal symptoms would not allow me to do my work and live etc. So I'm going to the pyschologist today.. I'm going to have him recommend a new psychiatrist and I'll probablly start weening off. I wish they would warn you that getting off these pills would be extremely difficult. I would have dealt with my anxiety issues strictly through theraputic methods if I knew that was the case.

Anyway, I feel back to normal now. Normal while on an SSRI that is. Numb most of the time.. only having feelings ranging from 4-6 with 1 being completely depressed and 10 being completely happy. The pill keeps me in the middle. Sex drive is screwy again.

I'll try to post here as I ween off to let people know what I do and how it's affecting me.

It's great to have forums like this to know that you aren't alone.

[mhillqt]

just remember, there was a reason many of us took these meds to begin with and more often than not, the issues - ie depression/panic,etc are still there...I know that i diet, excercise, meditate, therapy, vitamins, etc but it was never enough...i always needed the small dose of meds ....so, dont beat yourself up if you need the medication.....but i agree, its horrendous that they are so hard to come off of.....

Michael

[sarita]

flow,
did u taper slowly or go cold turkey?

quote:Originally posted by flowingsphere

Sarita: thanks for the response

Since my last post, I had to go back on Lexapro 10mg. The withdrawal symptoms would not allow me to do my work and live etc. So I'm going to the pyschologist today.. I'm going to have him recommend a new psychiatrist and I'll probablly start weening off. I wish they would warn you that getting off these pills would be extremely difficult. I would have dealt with my anxiety issues strictly through theraputic methods if I knew that was the case.

Anyway, I feel back to normal now. Normal while on an SSRI that is. Numb most of the time.. only having feelings ranging from 4-6 with 1 being completely depressed and 10 being completely happy. The pill keeps me in the middle. Sex drive is screwy again.

I'll try to post here as I ween off to let people know what I do and how it's affecting me.

It's great to have forums like this to know that you aren't alone.

[Gapske]

My goodness, where to begin? I'm going to try to answer marylee, without being cynical or judgemental.

Why do we start taking drugs like Lexapro? If you read back through this forum from the beginning, the reasons vary greatly.

I won't go in to the doctor's "handouts" and being courted by the pharmaceutical companies, we should all know about that by now. (If not, ask us!)

I am 41. Over 2 years ago I was so debilitated by anxiety and depression, I couldn't function. I had had similiar symptoms 6 years before that, but refused to take anything. For a long time I carried Xanax with me just in case I thought I was going to "freak out." I think I took it twice, I didn't like the way it made me feel and felt like I was wimping out trying to get through life. After some talk therapy I remained anxiety free for quite awhile.

So 2 years ago some things happened in my life and I just couldn't handle the anxiety and depression. A therapist friend recommended this great drug, Lexapro! She knew people on it and it was really mild and helpful.

I finally decided to take the leap and "change" my life. At least I thought I was changing my life, I see now I was only masking my symptoms and not dealing with what was truly going on.

After I started feeling GREAT and could get through the day without panicking or feeling "blue." I knew this drug was a miracle worker. I noticed that 10mgs wasn't working so I went up to 20mgs and stayed at that for awhile.

After a year and a half I started to notice that I wasn't accomplishing anything. It was almost worst than being depressed in some ways. I had no passion for life, my kids, my husband, my art, an ything. I was like the Tin Man, Lion and Scarecrow all in one! No heart, no brain and no courage. (OK, some courage, I wasn't fraught with anxiety any more.)
I guess I was happy, people told me I seemed better, less irritable, less sad. But I found that I wasn't interacting with anyone, in any conversation. I could go on and on and on....[]

I decided I needed to try to live life, just simply live it, without masking what was truly there.

Yes, you can take something that makes you happy and if you like the way your life is going, if you know that you are better that way, then why not? I just know that I wasn't.

I also think (any does anyone else?) that everyones chemical makeup is different? Everyone has different situations, different ways of coping, so what works for one, may not work for another.

In one of my very first posts (before the major withdrawals) I noted that I felt like I could handle anything and that from now on I was going to "create my own reality." Easier said than done, but I'm trying.

Group hugs!!

[Gapske]

antonio,
I feel everything is brighter off of the Lexapro. It may be harder at first, but I think that's because the drug masks alot of the outer worlds input. I personally thought everything got extremely dull while on the Lex. after a certain time period.

tamra,
I love your jokes! They certainly make me laugh and a good laugh is always good.

mhillqt,
I don't think any of us want to scare those who are taking the drug, we're just trying to warn what happens while on it and what could happen while withdrawing. I do think that we who have had significant withdrawal symptoms are or were angry and that has fueled alot of our discussions.

Debbie,
I'm sorry to hear about your panic attack. One of my last posts I described my car journey. I was fighting the panic the first 2 hours and managed to distract myself. Don't you feel better when you can talk to someone about it? I always feel like it's harder when I hold it in, and that I'm going to go beserk, freak out, pass out, etc. I've been told that won't happen. I'm going to look into some books with some coping mechanisms. If anyone knows of any good books on the subject, please let me know.

Does anyone know whether the panic/anxiety is all in our heads or a chemical imbalance that can be fixed with supplements? I would appreciate it.

This forum has been a tremendous help for me and even though I'll probably never get to meet any of you in person, I want you to know how much this has meant to me. Thank you.
Group Hug!!!

cold turkey. absolutely don't do this. i've been on lexapro exactly a year and the head zaps, nightmares, and general bad feeling were the tip of the iceburg. I got right back on it. I'm going ot meet with a pyschiatrist to see how I can work myself off of it now that I feel healthy again.

If I need to take a small amount, so be it. I just feel that I've been overmedicated at this point, even on only 10mg of Lexapro. I think many of you feel this way. Time will tell what's right for me.

quote:Originally posted by sarita

flow,
did u taper slowly or go cold turkey?

[sarita]

i think panic attacks can be controlled but we must learn how. there
are clinics that specialize in this, books to read to tell us what to
do doing an attack. but then....there is a chemical imbalance, or so
they say.

gap said it perfect. i feel like i'm in a coma. i know i'm talking, and interacting, but i forget it the next day. my memory has disappeared. and i'm movin through life w/out any excitement or
passion. although i am happy if that makes any sense.
i hope all this comes back when i quit.

[mhillqt]

Well probably 99% of you dont black out...I unfortunately black out the minute the panic comes....its not fun and my choice was to either continue blacking out in all places and in front of all people OR medicate(low dose) since all the diet/execercise and prayer didnt seem to prevent it ......so , here I am now reading these boards and struggling again with my decision to medicacte....i know you can all relate.....

Michael

[Gapske]

I'm so sorry to hear what you have to go through. I have to admit that was one of my biggest fears when I first experience an panic attack, that I would pass out, especially with my kids in tow and I worried about what would happen to them.

Has a doctor said why you might be blacking out?
I forget what meds and how much you're taking, do you feel fine on them?

quote:Originally posted by mhillqt

Well probably 99% of you dont black out...I unfortunately black out the minute the panic comes....its not fun and my choice was to either continue blacking out in all places and in front of all people OR medicate(low dose) since all the diet/execercise and prayer didnt seem to prevent it ......so , here I am now reading these boards and struggling again with my decision to medicacte....i know you can all relate.....

Michael

[mhillqt]

All the doctors are stumped.....but it is panic disorder...ive had every single test.....i most recently blacked out at my friends wedding 5 weeks ago.........have blacked out on transatlantic flight, domestic flight, movie theater, restaurant, work...you name it....BUT believe it or not, I have had 4 remissions with this illness over the last 15 years and have managed to fly all over the world, etc but this latest relapse has now lasted 2 + years...but since I stay within my comfort zone have only blacked out 2 x......Im on 5 mg lexapro but have been on 5 mg prozac prior and have taken low dosage of klonopin in the past...ie .25 mg......so, the meds seem to avoid the "normal" panic stuff - ie racing heart, etc BUT doesnt stop the blackout panic when out of my comfort zone like a long flight, etc ..so, eventhough I work fulltime in corp america, i do avoid lots and dont have much of a social / dating life but spend lots of time running(10 milers), walking, working out, reading, eating right, etc....Im determined to beat this again.....I know you all are....god bless...

Michael

[tamra]

Hey....can anyone help me to feel a little better about this...you all know the "uneasiness" of the w/d...that's putting it politely...

Now, please excuse the "off topic nature" of this...but, I've been searching online for anyting to make me feel a little better and no dice. All it will take is knowing that someone else has been in this situation and "lived thru it!" lol

My very last molar is more filling than tooth...I was recommended to have a root canal (I know the feeling when a tooth goes "wrong")..and post/core & crown. I have insurance, but it would still be $500 out of pocket. After this I will need a crown on another tooth (another $500 if it's done before next year...that's a mortgage payment! (I can't justify spending that in our current financial situation.) It's the very back tooth. I am coming to the decision that I'd like to have it pulled. I know all of the pros/cons on pulling or keeping the tooth..all that aside. I'm really nervous to have this done! I've had many root canals, microsurgery to save another tooth (when money flowed freely), I've had 2 C-Sections, tonsils out, wisdom teeth out, and some other things that I won't mention. This should be a piece of cake? I hope? Now, don't scare me with horror stories...all of you are my support group and friends...

Any advice to help me get thru the "nervous/scared" part of this? I know that I am stirring myself up over this...I need to relax...[}]



Live every day to it's fullest!

[Gapske]

tamra,
I'm always a nervous wreck at the dentist.
Here is what I recommend;
1) Talk to your dentist honestly, be open about what you're going through and that you might feel really nervous going in to the procedure. If they know that they are dealing with this they are more apt to comfort you and take it slow.
2) Take a cd player, i-pod, anything with headphones that you can turn up the volume and "zone" out. I always take my cd player.

Interestingly, today I finished reading an article about this very subject. Exactly what they said was, "be open about how you're feeling." Dentists KNOW we don't like going there. Especially for such invasive procedures.

My dentist always stops and asks me how I'm doing, if I need a break, etc.

Are you willing to take the laughing gas? Get numbed up? I've never done the gas, but will always do the numbing.

[Mr Spock]

Hello everyone,
Tamra, yes, I may have been on the Genesisi planet but unfortunately in the formulation of SSRI's, I think they've used PROTOMATTER!!! Congratulations on your new inner peace, perhaps you've achieved Kolinahr!!!
Miss Lee, sounds like there is still a bit going on with you. Did you say that you've gained a bit of weight?
Antonio, as I was saying yesterday, most drugs including SSRI's like Lexapro are metabolised by the liver. If your liver is healthy and you are not taking other drugs, including alcohol, with it, you should not get any liver damage from it. Of course your level of metabolism will depend on the CYP 450 enzymes. If you are worried about liver damage, go and get a blood test of your liver enzymes which will show any damage. The main ones to look at are the AST, ALT, and specifically for drugs, GGT.
Whilst I have had a bit of anxiety on the Prozac, I have never had a panic attack, although my brother suffers from them. One study I read stated that on post-mortem studies, people who suffer from great anxiety have an excess of serotonin in their brain...
The only thing I can suggest, is to try and heal your body as much as you can. Supplement should only be used to correct any (usually nuitritional) balance. However, there are some steps that I will suggest that MAY be helpful.
Firstly, be cautious with stimulants coffee and tea, obviously.
Smoking is also a powerful contributing factor. Particularly with this is the problem of the addictive properties and the withdrawals that can start to occur within 3 hours of the last cigarette. The anxiety component of this could precipitate a full grown panic attack...
Alcohol, unfortunately, and I am not attempting to value judge here is that many, including my brother, use alcohol, usually in the evenings, as an anxiolytic due to its relaxing properties. However, when it wears off, the anxiety will come back with a vengeance, and therefore it becomes a vicious circle...
Also, and I will tread very carefully here, one has to be incredibly careful with benzos, as they have the same effect in that they only submerge the underlying anxiety, not resolve it. I hasten to add that I know that panic attacks can be frightening and paralysing, and many people could not survive without these medications, all I'm doing is suggesting some thoughts.
Probably the best thing to do, and a very empowering one, is to get off the cigarettes, and the grog, lighten up on tea and coffee, try a bit of joga etc, exercise regularly, eat well and get plenty of sleep. Reading is also a wonderful way to relax. These strategies may not be a panacea, but may be helpful...
Live long and prosper

[annaoffmeds]

thought id check back in here...
my support system is seriously failing. Friends are so busy and even my family is so stressed out and on edge that its making me even more nervous. I've gotten better about the physical withdrawl symptoms, but I'm pretty shakey(literally) in public and my heart rate is still pretty elevated. With my husband gone is been hard because hes really my best support. Eh, I'm trying to stay as strong as possible and i know I can do this, but trying to keep my stress lower! Any ideas on keeping busy by myself?
One day at a time....
Anna

[sarita]

anna,
hang in there. please tell us your story. are you w/d? how fast? when? do you have a good anxiety book to read? a meditation dvd?
when i have attacks i breathe into a paper bag, and no matter how
bad i feel unless i'm going to faint like michael, i try to take a
walk or do things around the house to stay busy. stay busy. get your
mind off of it. you're going to be ok. it'll pass.

michael,
i'm no doctor, but it sounds like you got it real bad. maybe you should be on meds if you're gonna faint all the time. and see a therapist who can figure out why this is happening if you got an
mri of the brain, etc... and everythings fine.

[mhillqt]

thanks......when i get the major attacks, I faint/looks like im having a seizure and sometimes throw up for hours.....ive had panic for close to 15 years and all the tests come back negative...mris, catscans, etcetcetc.....I guess everyone is wired differantly........but the good news is that what many typical panic people get - ie racing heart,rushing to ER< etc doesnt happen very often to me.....I just sort of feel sick -stomach, flulike, anxious.....but I also run long distance and work out which can explain some of this.....who knows but just case in point that we might all have panic disorder but we react differantly to the illness and to meds....so one size certainly doesnt fit all....just something important for all of us to keep in mind and not focus on the negative stuff happening to others.....stay focused on our own positive stuff.....god bless...

Michael

[Beachie]

ANNA!!

Not all of your support is failing!! WE are ALL Here for you whenever you need us!!!!! You are supported here by people who understand what you are going through.

-I had asked before if anyone had any changes in hair color. THought I'd throw it out there again.

-Also, last month, when i started decreasing my dosage, my period was 4 days late. And this month it is already a few days late. Anyone else had this happen? Any thoughts? oh! and I'm def not pregnant.

Thanks everyone

[Redbled]

To Ms. Lee, Mr. Spock, Aunty, Debbie, and all friends on this board. I want to say I'm sorry for being so scarce lately. As all will likely experience, the better we feel, the less we reach out to find the things that helped us through. I will try and do better. I am now nearly 7 months removed from quitting Lex cold turkey. I am still not right, but man do I feel good. I gotta think its about 95 percent right now. There are still effects I am feeling, but I can nearly go full days now without feeling bad in the least. I hope this can be an encouragement to those of you still suffering like I was a couple of months ago. What has been said about it being an onion and 2 steps forward to 1 step back is totally true. I was reading the other day about an athlete who was rehabilitating from an injury. It seems very similar to that. There will be improvements, but there will also be set backs. If anyone has any specific questions for me, please ask. I am now on spring break from where I teach so I will have lots of time to check the next week. Anyway, I just wanted to say hello. Mr. Spock, I am sad you are still suffering so much. I wish I had any advice at all, but you are much more knowledgable about what you are doing than I am. I just hope you feel better and gain strength. Ms. Lee, I'm glad you are doing better as I am. I'm not sure why I'm a bit ahead of you it seems, but I know by how little we talk lately that you must be doing better each day. Debbie, it sounds overall that you are doing better, just having a tough time dealing with the 1 step back idea. Anyway, God Bless you all.

Redbled

Only took Lexapro for 10 days, as a doctors response to my brief anxiety over a treatable medical condition. Took my last pill at the very end of August. 5 months now and feeling better most every week. There is hope, don't give up.

[tamra]

Has anyone tried any supplements/vitamins specifically at PMS time? It seems like all of "us girls" are having a tough time feeling like ourselves for that week or 2.

I'm only taking a multivitamin right now & feeling pretty good...on all other issues....but, the moody, overly edgey, sensitive, etc (like pms only "more") has been a problem for the last few days. I'm looking at a bottle of 5HTP..what it says on the box, it looks like it should help. Has anyone tried this or anything else?

Live every day to it's fullest!

[sarita]

My periods have gotten heavier and off track since the lexipro.
the pms is also worse in the sense of anger. i don't take any
supplements. i noticed, in general, when i eat healthier and cut
out the junk food, i feel MUCH better emotionally and physically.
there is no doubt about it.

[Gapske]

beachie,
I really have no clue about the change in hair color "down there," and why it would only be on the tips? [?] Just trim it! Hee hee!

What Mr. Spock said about caffeine is so true. After this mornings jitters, I'm easing off the stuff. Before I took Lexapro, I quit drinking anything with caffeine and did a lot better with my anxiety. After awhile on the Lex. I was so damn tired/lethargic I used it as a pick me up! How stupid is that? But I needed something to keep me going. It wasn't for quite awhile that I made any correlation about why I was so tired. (Even had had a bunch of blood tests, with all negative results and no one ever really going in to the fact that the Lex. would make me tired.)

So, since going off the Lex. I was still pumping in caffeine morning and afternoon, sometimes more! This morning I was really anxious (for nothing) after my first cup that I decided I needed to start cutting back, drink more green tea and eventually cut out coffee. Green teas aren't so bad.

Alchohol-I just read in Self magazine that "having two drinks or more when you're frazzled could add to anxiety." Granted that's alot, just be careful. I thought the same thing that it would have more of a relaxing effect.

Any one else out there that had pumped up their coffee/caffeine intake after being on Lexapro? And are you cutting back now?

Group Hug!!!

[sarita]

Coffee is a BIG NO NO!!!! Whenever I have a cup, I feel jittery,
anxious, it's awful..I noticed a BIG difference, when i don't have
the caffeine. What i do is have about 5 sips to get me going. That's it.

quote:Originally posted by Gapske

beachie,
I really have no clue about the change in hair color "down there," and why it would only be on the tips? [?] Just trim it! Hee hee!

What Mr. Spock said about caffeine is so true. After this mornings jitters, I'm easing off the stuff. Before I took Lexapro, I quit drinking anything with caffeine and did a lot better with my anxiety. After awhile on the Lex. I was so damn tired/lethargic I used it as a pick me up! How stupid is that? But I needed something to keep me going. It wasn't for quite awhile that I made any correlation about why I was so tired. (Even had had a bunch of blood tests, with all negative results and no one ever really going in to the fact that the Lex. would make me tired.)

So, since going off the Lex. I was still pumping in caffeine morning and afternoon, sometimes more! This morning I was really anxious (for nothing) after my first cup that I decided I needed to start cutting back, drink more green tea and eventually cut out coffee. Green teas aren't so bad.

Alchohol-I just read in Self magazine that "having two drinks or more when you're frazzled could add to anxiety." Granted that's alot, just be careful. I thought the same thing that it would have more of a relaxing effect.

Any one else out there that had pumped up their coffee/caffeine intake after being on Lexapro? And are you cutting back now?

Group Hug!!!