# Dealing with dp since taking lexapro



## Court8940 (Oct 11, 2014)

I've been dealing with dp for almost a year now, and it started when the dr put me on lexapro for stress due to my mother having a stroke. I'm only 25. Anyways I had a medication induced panic attack the night I took lexapro. I mean it was so bad I went to the ER and it wouldn't stop with benzodiazepines. Well ever since that panic attack. It was the first one I ever experienced I haven't been the same. I deal with dp on a regular basis. It makes me depressed and makes my anxiety worst. I wasn't this way til after that happened. Anyways it's literally taking control of my life, I just wait around to have another episode, I'm scared I'll have to deal with this forever. I'm so disconnected from my body. Memories are missing everything seems so distant. Does anyone have any tips that can help me over come this or deal with it better? I upsets me so had because sometimes I feel so disconnected from my 4 year old daughter, and it kills me. Any advice would help.


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## Guest (Oct 11, 2014)

Have you considered stopping the lexapro? Sounds like things spiralled out of control straight after taking it. Why not stop and see if you improve?


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## Court8940 (Oct 11, 2014)

Oh yes sorry I guess I should of mentioned that. I only took it for a week after, and since that severe panic attack I just haven't been normal.


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## Guest (Oct 11, 2014)

Ok.. Lexapro was one I tried as well. It made me incredibly anxious. I stopped after 2 weeks. Glad I did. I just couldn't cope being so on edge and nervous and just kept getting worse and worse. So no more of that stuff for me.

My doctor gave me grief about it.. but she had no idea how bad I felt. I tried another ssri and only had one pill.. couldn't stand that one either!

About your memories missing.. yeah that seems really common with dp. It's weird for sure, but they come back eventually. Memories, emotions, feelings, sense of self, even physical pain can disconnect from your consciousness.

Taking care of yourself is a great start. Taking things slowly and just becoming aware of how different things affect you, and avoiding things that stress you out if you can helps too..

Do you see a therapist?


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## Court8940 (Oct 11, 2014)

Yea I tried lexapro for about a week then they put me on paxil that didn't help then they tried effexor and that was worst so I just said screw it these are only making me worst probably because I was scared to death to take them anyways after what lexapro did to me. I started seeing a psychologist around that time because no doctor could under stAnd how lexapro made me this way. The pshychologist wasn't much help I literally diagnosed myself after endless searches on the Internet of how I was feeling. Which by the way is so hard to explain. But now that I've gotten my anxiety under control from that horrible panic attack and I know it's dp that's causing me to feel this way I think it's time I find a therapist. I just don't see how they'll help. I know what's wrong but I can't stop it it just comes whenever it wants with no triggers. And I know it won't effect me but I'm just so scared I'll have to live with this forever. This is literally the worst form of anxiety to have, to actually feel like your going crazy but knowing your actually not. It's horrible! Lol


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## Guest (Oct 11, 2014)

Yes it's horrible all right! So scary sometimes huh?

i think you'll find there probably are certain things that trigger your dpd. It takes time to become aware, but sooner or later you'll probably start to see some patterns in what you're doing and how you feel. One of the best things a psych ever taught me was to start to observe what's going on and how I react. I started seeing certain things I was doing that would send my dpd through the roof, to the point where I was totally dissociated for days and days on end. Watching scary movies was one I found. But we're all different. What affects one, might not affect another person you know?

I guess seeing a therapist can't really hurt. Therapy has been the key for me. I've been seeing therapists for nearly 5 years now (once a week) and I'm amazed how much control I have over my life and the way I feel. It always helps to know how much a therapist knows about dissociative disorders too. You can always ask before you choose to see them. Sometimes they list their specialities in their online profiles.. so might be worth a bit of investigation beforehand.

I think a lot of people diagnose themselves quite accurately when it comes to dpd. We're not psychotic, so there's every reason for us to believe our experiences. Why not I suppose?. After all, they are real and not delusions. I know I self diagnosed to start with and I wouldn't accept any other diagnosis b/c I KNEW what I had without any doubts. The medical people believed me in the end!

Anyway.. I hope that helps a bit.

Stay strong.


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## missjess (Jun 1, 2012)

You mentioned that DR lead u to take lexapro...that means u were already having dr and anxiety no?
I think it was the stress of ur mothers stroke that has caused ur dp and not a medication


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## Court8940 (Oct 11, 2014)

No by dr I ment doctor. The doctor suggested I try something because I was stresses and irritable, which I would prefer that over what in dealing with now lol but I think what caused my dp was the massive medication Induced panic attack I had when I first took the lexapro. I felt fine before that panic attack, now I deal with dp which causes me to get angry and depressed and I'm just so tired of dealing with it it's just like a cycle and I think if I could stop thinking about it so much it would go away but I get weird feelings and that's what reminds me that I have dp


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## missjess (Jun 1, 2012)

What dosage of lexapro did u start on ?


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## Court8940 (Oct 11, 2014)

Im not sure what it was I think the clinical dose and I took the whole thing. I want to say 15 or 20 it was the first time id every taken anything like that. I would be sleeping and I would wake up cuz it felt like something was popping or backfiring in my head lol it was weird. Doctor just said it wasn't the one for me.


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## missjess (Jun 1, 2012)

Oh haha yeah that's happened to me before also....here's a tip u may have a sensetive nervous system so when u try new anti depressants it's wise to take the absolute minimum starting dose or even half the starting dose.

When I was on lexapro I onky was on 5mg or 10mg I have been upto 20 before but it made me feel like a fuking zombie and just weird


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