Thank GOD I found this place. I am experiencing SO many of the problems that I've read in the last couple of posts. The reason I decided to go off of lexapro is that I felt like it was no longer doing anything for me. I was on 20mgs. I started bruising for NO reason and my hair started falling out.
I called the Dr who put me on it who in turn told me those things had nothing to do with lexapro. Someone please tell me why I read it on the lexapro site?! *smh*
I've tried so many different things, all of them eventually stop working. Yesterday I started getting really light headed, today my whole body aches like I have the flu (No temp or other flu like symptoms), I feel like I could throw up if I turn my head or even so much as move my eyes.
I'm worried about what is going to happen with my anxitey and panic attacks. I have an appointment with a homeopathic Dr next week. I guess I can only home that she will have something that can REALLY help me and these lexapro symptoms end quickly.Good luck to everyone.
Hi,
For two in a half years I have been taking antidepressants. For a while I was taking Zoloft then I changed to Celexa. They were prescribed to me by my family doctor. After doing some research I have found out that I shouldn't be taking them. I had problems with stress from my job at the time and antidepressants was his solution for it. I have seen a psychologist (before I started taking medication), and she has never recommend that I see a psychiatrist for evaluation. She didn't find anything serious enough that I needed to do that. I am trying to stop taking them and it has been very hard. When I don't take them I get very tired, emotional, light headed and I feel electrical shocks on the right side of my head and my body. I've tried to slowly lower the dosage, but that doesn't seem to stop the withdrawal affects. It's been a week since I have taken my last small dosage and I feel terrible. A friend of mine have spoken to some psychiatrist in Boston, MA, and they tell me that this doctor (who is really just a PA) that prescribe this medicine to me should be sued. I live in Texas and many family doctors here are known to prescribe antidepressants without giving the patient a referral to see a psychiatrist first. I tried calling and emailing my doctor about this problem and he won't reply to my email. When I have a question about other things that has nothing to do with mental health problems, he answers. Now that it's been a week since I haven't taken the drug, how long will the withdraw symptoms continue?
~Sheree'~
I just found this forum and am extremely happy about it. I have not done the research I should have done 6 months ago when I started on my meds. Just knowing I am not alone and there are other people out there with similar problems helps me a great deal.
I am also weaning myself off Lexapro. My doctor put me on 30 mg. which I find now to be above the recommended dosage. I have myself down to 20 and so far so good, although I feel a lot of the same symptoms as the other people that posted. What REALLY bothers me is that in six months I put on 40 pounds! I cannot believe myself and I hate it. I have always been small and I feel awful about myself. I do not eat a lot and I could not figure out what was causing it - NOW I KNOW. That in itself is enough to make someone depressed.
I noticed that a previous poster said that they were having trouble taking off the weight. I wonder if that is still happening? Does anyone out there have experience with this? I do not want the stress of a diet along with the weaning of Lexapro.
Thanks everyone.
Alice
I found out I was pregnant four days ago and immediately stopped taking my 10 mg doses of lexapro. I feel dizzy and foggy and my limbs feel tingley. Was worried that something is wrong with the pregnancy but then remembered the lexapro and am wondering if that could be from withdrawls?
I started with Celexa as well, had little tremors in my hands and legs...problems sleeping and constant headaches. Then I switched to Paxil. Loved it except that I gained 10 pounds and wanted to sleep all of the time so I switched to Lexapro. I gained another five pounds and I am only 5'2" and small boned so I was unhappy about that but Lexapro really helped me with my anxiety and even social phobias!
I have recently decided to taper off the drug...ever so slowly. It has been 10 days since I have been completely off and I have many withdrawal symptoms:
1) when I turn my head I get a strange feeling in my head and eyes.
2) extremely nausiated (keep getting pregnancy tests as well thinking I could be pregnant)
3) sore muscles and joints
4) completely dissoriented, having trouble focussing (ADD)
5) panic attacks and high anxiety
6) highly emotional,crying a lot.
7) brief moments where I have feelings of hoplessness.
8) aggitated and angry
9) can't seem to lose my weight that I gained on the meds
10)PUFFY FACE, body feels swollen, brain feels swolen
11)My IBS is back...extremely swollen abdomen.
I would love to hear from other people about this.
I am very concerned about my weight gain and panic attacks.
good luck to everyone going through similar withdrawals.
LEXA
Perhaps you should see a therapist AND a psychiatrist for the "right" medication for you. When our son first began showing signs of ADD and depression, among other emotional symptons, he put on medications by our family physician. That was a disaster after following the doctor's recommendation to increase the medication or decrease it. We decided that since our family doctor did not specialize in this area, we thought we had better get help from a psychiatrist. Our son is doing much, much better now that he is on the right meds. for him...PLUS he sees a therapist one a week. It has been a long road where he was first diagnosed as "only" having ADD...it went on to OCD, anxiety, major depression and being bipolar. Is the doctor you see a psychiatrist? If not, that might be a move in the right direction.
I do have a question for you...I too stopped taking Lexapro a month ago. I gained 10 pounds while on Lexapro and cannot seem to lose any of it. Have you noticed that your weight has returned to what you had weighed before taking Lexapro? I am a small framed woman, so 10 pounds is a lot for me. I'm wondering if getting the Lexapro out of my system completely will take a while and the weight gain to go down soon. Thanks for sharing your info.