When I started "weaning off" of the LEXAPRO I went thru sheer hell! So, I thought i'd start a 'blog diary'. I urge anyone who is on it/thinking of starting it/ or knows anyone who is on this drug to share this! It could make all the difference in the world!
may 24th 2012 Dr put me on 10mg of lexapro almost a yr ago... For almost a yr i had
muscle weakness, pain, & my voice was slow n slurred like a drunk. I
thought i haad a stroke - until i put 2 n 2 together! Well, its been 3
weeks weaning off of it n ive never felt so out of control!Horrible
night last night! Sick ALL night & no sleep ~ bad enough to make me
doubt my decision to stop the lexapro! NIGHT SWEATS N
COLD CHILLS, SOBBING HYSTERICS, CONSTIPATION N VOMITING, SUICIDAL
THOUGHTS, MORE MIGRAINES, ETC. WHEN DOES IT STOP? I am slowly getting my
voice back! The vomiting & suicidal thoughts have stopped! I am,
however, having a hard time being around many ppl! I dont know if im
selfconscience b/c my speech isnt normal yet or what, but i just DO NOT
LIKE GOING IN PUBLIC. I am ussually very outgoing so i dont know where
thts coming from!
MAY 25TH 2012 I am terrified! i feel like I have already missed out on a yr of
my life. Everything is on hold! My hubby & I couldnt have kids (im
36 yrs old) & want to be foster parents. I am hardly in the shape to
do tht right now! PLEASE TELL ME IM GONNA BE NORMAL AGAIN!
JUNE 19TH 2012 GOOD NEWS! Doctors appointment went good! Said i'm on track with the way
i'm going off of the lexapro & I will get back to normal, just need
to take it slow and avoid stress! (yeah right - avoid stress? thats
just life in general ~ lol) Even my normally high BP was only 109/60
today! YAY. Checked my thyroid & may get an MRI (on my throat
because of my voice going in n out) to make sure no damage was done.
Said if i feel ready to 'step down' the dose alil! He said whoever was
giving me advice on how to step down was right on track! Couldnt do this
w/o u guys!!! Right now I feel like I am getting back control of my own
life! I LOVE U GUYS!
JUN 21ST 2012 Not really! He said "stop now, dont taake any more!" I asked hhim if he
was crazy & if he knew what withdrawal was like? ( I am VERY tell it
like it is with my doc - how else will he know how i feel) He said no,
its different 4 everyone, but tht the way u guys have advised me to do
it is working well so stay with it! I asked 4 liquid lexapro to taper
& he said they dont make it just to cut my 5mg tabs down! Wasnt real
secure so i saw a second 1 today & he saaid i seem to b in good
health - tht everything i am experiencing is from the lexaapro! I was
wondering if i had a ministroke. But he said it'll just take time &
if i dont feel ready to listen to my body!
JULY 7TH 2012 Well, today I dropped my dosage of lexapro for the last time! Went to
1.3mg from 2.5mg - as per doctors' advice (I thought I could just stop
from there [2.5] guess he said that was way too much of a change) 2
weeks to a month - he said my body will let me know when it's safe to
stop all together! This has been a long, emotionally & physically
exhausting, rollercoaster of an experience. Who knew? This sick for this
long from a simple anti deppressant? Thank u all for ur continuing
support, encouragement, & prayers! GOD HEARS YA! THANKING HIM FOR
MAKING ME BETTER ~ in his time! Wish me luck! Loving my life & the
people in it!! ♥ !!
Not looking forward to the pattern though. I know u'll think i'm crazy -
hell, i'd have to agree - but everytime I drop in dose for the 1st 2-3
days i feel like the old me (its a tease) then for the next week its
migraines, insomnia, negativity, crying, hardly any voice, panic
attacks, heart flutters... HOPING it doesn't take me long to go backto
'the old me' once i'm totally LEXAPRO FREE!
JULY 1TH 2012 I have come to the conclusion that the lexapro was actually making my
stress & anxiety so much worse!!! I am taking it slow, like u guys
advised, so i am still on a low dose. I found out tht your throat can
swell from stress making it hard to talk - so with 1 aspirin A day,
gargling w salt water, & destressing exercises- my voice is getting
stronger! YAY! I wanted 2 share wih u all. Maybe I can help someone...
Go to google or youtube & search TAI CHI STRESS AND HEALTH
MANAGEMENT or http://usa.taichiproductions.com/
! U dont have 2 be in good health.I am in a wheelchair & my mom is
73 and on oxygen & we can do it! So excited! Wanted 2 share &
maybe help someone else! Luv u all!
AUG 16TH 2012 As of sunday aug 12th ~ I AM LEXAPRO FREE! I was on 1.25mg for 6 weeks
before then. EVERYONE told me to be very careful going off the final
dose of lexapro - that that's when the withdrawal gets EVIL... They
ain't kidding! My speech is slow, exhausted, shooting 'electric' muscle
pains, headaches, sobbing anxiety attacks, vomiting, depression,
coughing my head off,*my allergies actually got worse*, feelings of
hopelessness, etc... I have come too far to back pedal now!
I.WILL.SEE.THIS.THROUGH. Please keep me in ur prayers!
AUG 20 2012 I am just at a loss how? I know to start at 50mg zoloft, but do i keep
tapering lexapro at the same time? Or does the zoloft take care of tht?
SO CONFUSED & JUST DONT WANNA CRY ANYMORE! I meant no disrespect by
my last post. Its just, well, u told me listen to my body - right? My
body is saying u shouldnt feel like u need hard core detox from an anti
depressant! I really think im on the road to a nervous breakdown here!
AUG 25TH 2012 I didnt go on zoloft! I think I have found the right 'step-down' dose
for me! I am taking 1.25mg every other day. I am having minor symptom
(so far) but nothing i cant deal with. headaches alil more. Nauseaus.
Alil more nervous. Here's the weird 1- trouble swallowing pills - it
seems to take my breathe? (is that common?) bUT ALL OF THAT IS
DOABLE, FOR NOW ANYWAYS... ~~~ HERE'S THE GREAT NEWS... I HAVE GOOD
MOODS AGAIN. MY VOICE - MY REAL VOICE - IS IN N OUT! I HAVENT HEARD MY
REAL VOICE IN 6 MONTHS! My mom cried when she heard it! Never thought
id be so EXSTATIC to sound like a 13 yr old boy! lol I see light at the
end of the tunnel again! (i started every other day last friday. i know
it hasnt been long & i plan to stay at this dose for probably 6
weeks befor i drop again) Just excitttttted to see
improvement!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SEPT 6TH 2012 Day 4 on 1mg liquid lexapro! So far, so good. No cryin spurts or
dizzyness. Been working out my arms trying to get back some of the
strength i lost. Very frustrated however w my familys' frustration about
the whole thing. I didnt get sick overnight & i wont heal
overnight. I know theyre just worried about me, but it makes me feel
like they think i should be doing something more that im not. I AM DOING
THE BEST I CAN! I know it could always be worse, but dont they think
its frustrating 4 me as well? Seems like they think another doc could
cure me... Docs, in my experience, just try to band aid everything w
another pill - & I AM DONE W THAT! Sorry... Guess i just neede to
vent to someone that 1st hand understands! My sinuses n coughing r
horrible - but that could b just allergies, however, they do caalm down
when i take 1/2 an ativan! Someone said rosemary helps w coughing - so
im gonna have 2 try that & i ordered magnesium malate 4 the
migraines - should b here tomarrow!
SEPT 27TH 2012 I am feeling horrible today... Voice is messed up & muscles hurt. All the stress lately has mde me backslide. I am still on 1 mg & will be until all this subsides - then i'll slowly drop alil in dosage. I CANT STRESS ENOUGH THAT THERE ARE VITAMINS THAT WORK JUST AS WELL AS MOST OF THESE DRUGS WITH NO SIDE EFFECTS! I won't make this mistake again!
SEPT 29TH 2012 I AM SO EXCITED! My 'real' voice has been going in n out - showing me hope - it 'popped' in for 5 hrs last night! YAYAYAYAY!
Oct 14th 2012 I went friday to get neurological tests. I am on track with my reflexes n everything, he said right on track w weening off the lexapro, n making progress. I am so happy. It gave me hope! My voice is clearing up & i'm handling stress more like ME again! Those 3 words from my doc 'YOU'LL BE FINE' are giving me my life back!
NOV 29TH 2012 I have had good moments & bad moments, but the good are starting to out number the bad! I decreased dose again! Down to .85 of a milligram. Heard from 2 mor people that had the same side effects from lexapro - HOW IS THIS STUFF STILL LEGAL? AT THE VERY LEAST THESE SIDE EFFECTS SHOULD B ON THE WARNING LIST - which they're not! Thats why I started this blog - to warn people! We must be 100% aware BEFORE we put them in our bodies! People r poisoning themselves everyday & the drug companies JUST DON'T CARE!
Well, went to the doctor today... Got my flu shot, refills, had him look at my knee, & got the neurological exam - which they said I did good! They also said I am getting better & am on track with the weening off of lexapro. Just takes time... Really, really like the new intern, Dr Sherman. Good results!I have proven to them all that i'm not crazy,or seriouslyt ill, just trying my damnedest to get off of a pill that turned my whole life upside down!
ReplyDeletethought i'd stop in & update... It took me awhile longer due to stress & grief - in mid august my mom/best friend/neighbor/biggest supporter passed away .... My hope & feeling that I CAN do this went w her... I cope by writing & wrote this for pastor to read at the funeral:
ReplyDeleteMom,I dont even know how to express just how much you mean to us. You're so much more than a great mother - you're my best friend. You've always given us unconditional love, support, understanding, & advice. You're proud of us, even when you don't agree with our decisions. Everything I am I owe to you! I learned strength by seeing what a strong woman you were. You taught us to have faith, above all, because as long as you do ya never know what miracles tomarrow may bring. You taught us to have compassion for every living thing & to be true to ourselves - never being afraid to be honest, loyal, and stand up for what we believe in, no matter what it is! But, most importantly, you taught us how to love - that when you love, you do so with your entire heart, unconditionally, thru good times and not so good times... I miss u so much already! I know you'll always be here, because the memories u left us are your legacy! Anytime I close my eyes I can hear your advice & I can feel your support! My favorite author says not to think of death as an end, but as a promotion to angel status - you know, as much as I love & need my mama, I can think of noone more deserving of wings! Sending hugs & kisses to heaven until we meet again - all my love, Courtney
Today... I AM 11 DAYS LEXAPRO FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My doctor was NO help & wouldn't listen when I said I just dont feel right. He could have saved me by simply opening his eyes... When he did see, he just said 'stop taking them then' & offered me more drugs... UMM, NO! I did find an intern & a few helpful ER docs... But basically - I owe this major accomplishment to a large support system, unshakable faith, YOU GUYS, & Altos' instruction! I am in 'storm aftermath' & probably will be for awhile! I still have milder headaches, RLS, slight dizziness... One step at a time, right? I read outloud and humm to build my voice up (WHICH IS WORKING) & exercise w wieghts and resistance bands to get my muscle strenght back (WHICH IS ALSO WORKING)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I HAVE HOPE AGAIN! I'M MAKING PLANS FOR THE FUTURE AGAIN!