# lexapro..ugh



## dakotajo (Aug 10, 2004)

I tapered off Lexapro for the 2nd time and Im glad I did. It literally feels like Ive come out of a bad dream. I dont understand it. I thought this class of drug would boost serotonin and relax me. Instead it gave me mental pain... severe anxiety, intense dp/dr, agitation, insomnia, jerks.... Yuck! I felt like I wanted to chew on nails and hurl myself into a wall when I took it. I waited it out(6 weeks) thinking it would eventually kick in and the hell I was putting myself thru would be worth it. It never kicked in. I will say tho I, had little or no withdrawal...a few zaps and some gas..lol. I feel just the same as I did before I started. Im considering Paxil but I have a sneaking hunch that it will be the same thing. Has anybod gone thru this nightmare, and eventually seen results?

Joe


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## foggy_brain (Aug 13, 2004)

All SSRI's did was make me feel like Sh$t...I think I've tried everyone with no luck. Exercise, adequate sleep, meditation, and a balanced diet has done wonders for me...Along with a few hits of Klonopin...


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## Guest (Aug 13, 2004)

I took lexapro once... sucked a whole lot. Took it ONE time. One night. Worst night of my life.

If I wanted to be a brainless pill popping moron I would have stayed on it but I decided that I wanted to use my own coping mechanisms that God gave me instead of relying on a pill. LAAAAMEEEE.


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## Martinelv (Aug 10, 2004)

Sorry to hear that Joe.

It's bizarre isn't it....why do these apparently extremely 'selective' reuptake inhibitors work for some and not for others, and make some people feel extremely ill. The only SSRI I've ever taken is Cipramil (Celexa), which never gave me any side effects whatsoever. However, I went cold turkey three weeks ago (after 4 months on 40mg) and despite a first week of smug symptomless bohemia, all I know is that for that last two weeks I've been going through withdrawal, or I need to be back on the drug because of my depression and anxiety...which I doubt. I've having wildly fluctuating moods at the moment...one minute I'm suicidal, next minute I'm laughing. My anxiety level has gone through the roof, I'm light-headed (especially when I move my eyes quickly). I spoke to my doctor the other day about this and he said that I should just stick with it for a few more weeks. I agree personally. I don't think I need this drug, or any other...I just need to sort my shit out. As usual, I'm having no problems sleeping, and I'm slowly welcoming my sex drive back...which has it's good and bad side.

Anyway, the only other anti-depressant I've tried is Imipramine, and old Try-Cyclic...just one tablet....whoa...never again. I thought I was going to die.


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## Dreamer (Aug 9, 2004)

Martin said:



> It's bizarre isn't it....why do these apparently extremely 'selective' reuptake inhibitors work for some and not for others, and make some people feel extremely ill. The only


This type of Rx drug experimentation is what I've done through my life. *The goal of using these meds was to eliminate my DP/DR, I didn't care about anything else -- such as anxiety/depression.*

Since 15 I've gone on and off many medications. I'm fortunate in that I don't seem to have many side-effects at all, but I also didn't get results. Extremely frustrating.

Since I was born in 1958, choices were limited. In the '90s I had the chance to work through SSRIs. Paxil made me feel odd, gave me a perceptual shift ... different from DP/DR, but uncomfortable. Prozac made me so jittery I had to stop.

Since I started with Prozac which has a very long half-life, I was able to move from one SRI to another with no problem. I had an excellent doctor -- a psychiatrist, M.D., psychopharmacologist at U.C.L.A. He knew how to slowly introduce meds, decrease them, add to them, etc. Never had a problem.

A suggestion. *My final success came with Celexa and Lamictal.* Hit the DP/DR with a final kick -- made me "less afraid", "less scared of DP/DR", less obsession over it, less obsession over "Who am I?" -- existential thinking. Why I have no clue. It's simultaneously VERY subtle, yet very profound, this change in thinking. And it came about gradually, over a period of about 2 months.

Klonopin had always been a "base medication" which could also have tempered any switches in meds. Since I have GAD -- finally a proper diagnosis -- with some mood swings (not bi-polar).

Unfortunately for all of us, and for me the goal was to hit the DP/DR, not anxiety or depression, I was willing to go on and off, the unfortunate trial and error that has taken years.

But the end result was worth it.

Odd, but I do know personally one former member of this forum -- used to visit him. He was very ill. Severe DP/DR, OCD, depression, etc. Unfortunately, *he responded to NO drug given to him. No response whatsoever and he went through extensive trial and error. No real side-effects, but no help either. A mystery to his doctors.*

Each of us has a different tolerance threshhold for meds, and some of us don't respond, and some of us are lucky to not have serious side-effects.

Yup, trial and error. And I'm not cured. My DP/DR, anxiety, depression are much more under control. And thank God my combo hasn't "pooped out". It took a long time to get the right meds for me, but my quality of life is greatly improved, but sadly, no cure. My GAD, DP/DR is under control.

I'll take what I've got right now. It was worth the experimentation, but I can understand how frustrating this is.

*And bottom line, I wish I didn't have to take any medications at all, and I know they will have to be adjusted as I get older. I can't worry about that now. I'm doing OK, and that's enough for me.*

Good Luck,
Lewis, I'm sorry that you don't respond. And Joe, sometimes it's a long road to finding the right med for your target symptoms. My goal was to lessen my severe DP/DR and I accomplished that, and got a few bonus's in the process.

Best,
D :shock:

*Can't say this enough. Every single one of us here is unique. And there is no one med for DP/DR. When the day such a med is invented, God Willing, I'll be the happiest person in the world.*


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