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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 13 of 13. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by BRC on February 6, 2005, at 20:35:21
Hi,
I have been on Lexapro for over two years now. I take a pretty high dose at 60mg. But I also take 1,800mg of Trileptal, 4mg of Klonopin, and 30mg of Remeron.
I need to see if the Lexapro is what is causing my fidgetiness, insomnia, and weird thoughts. You would think that being on all the other meds I would be so sedated I couldn't move. But I am not. I feel wired all the time and my thoughts are all disorganized.
I have severe anxiety, OCD, and depression. I know alot about the different disorders (alot). I know I am not Bi-polar, I am not psychotic, etc.
So, my question is can I stop taking the Lexapro completely while still remaining on the other meds. I was thinking that the Klonopin and Trileptal would ease any withdrawal effects.
I need to see if the Lexapro is causing the wierd thoughts, memmories, and other symptoms I am experiencing.
If I stop it and they remain I know it is not the med and I would continue taking it. But if they go away I know that it is.
So, can I do this without tappering the Lexapro? And If I do stop cold Turkey. How long does it take to completely leave your system?
I really need advice. Anyones comments would be appreciated. I am at my wits ends.
Thank you,
BRC
Posted by bruin on February 6, 2005, at 22:51:57
In reply to Please Read!! Need to stop Lexapro Cold Turkey, posted by BRC on February 6, 2005, at 20:35:21
I highly advise you to not do this, especially at such a high dose. Sure, the K will help, but you will be inviting misery and it will do nothing but complicate matters much further.
First, you state you already are at wits end. Doesn't this say something about the fact that meds may not be your answer? Jumping to the next one isn't going to make a long-term difference. Just my opinion.
Second, coming off any psychtropic med should be done with extreme care. 5-10% cuts at the most and wait for your body to adjust before cutting again. In the meantime, fill your body with the vitamins and minerals it will need to heal from the damage that has been done. If I were to recommend three necessities I would go with magnesium, fish oil, and colloidial trace minerals. Most people I have run across who have come off too quickly encounter more long-term difficulties then those that go off more prudently. Best of luck
> Hi,
>
> I have been on Lexapro for over two years now. I take a pretty high dose at 60mg. But I also take 1,800mg of Trileptal, 4mg of Klonopin, and 30mg of Remeron.
>
> I need to see if the Lexapro is what is causing my fidgetiness, insomnia, and weird thoughts. You would think that being on all the other meds I would be so sedated I couldn't move. But I am not. I feel wired all the time and my thoughts are all disorganized.
>
> I have severe anxiety, OCD, and depression. I know alot about the different disorders (alot). I know I am not Bi-polar, I am not psychotic, etc.
>
> So, my question is can I stop taking the Lexapro completely while still remaining on the other meds. I was thinking that the Klonopin and Trileptal would ease any withdrawal effects.
>
> I need to see if the Lexapro is causing the wierd thoughts, memmories, and other symptoms I am experiencing.
>
> If I stop it and they remain I know it is not the med and I would continue taking it. But if they go away I know that it is.
>
> So, can I do this without tappering the Lexapro? And If I do stop cold Turkey. How long does it take to completely leave your system?
>
> I really need advice. Anyones comments would be appreciated. I am at my wits ends.
>
> Thank you,
>
> BRC
Posted by Keko on February 7, 2005, at 2:48:40
In reply to Re: Please Read!! Need to stop Lexapro Cold Turkey, posted by bruin on February 6, 2005, at 22:51:57
I totally agree with Bruin! SSRIs may effect different receptors than the other drugs you're on -- a sudden and total depletion of 60mg of Lexapro sounds scarey to me. I found that decreasing in small increments is the best way to go at this. 60mg is a lot of Lexapo -- I am one that is extremely sensitive to that drug -- I couldn't tolerate even 5mg of that stuff vs. other SSRIs. Another alternative might be to talk to your pdoc about switching you to Prozac and tapering down that way, as it's a longer acting SSRI. I can't recall at this hour (it's almost 4 a.m.) where I heard the switch to Prozac might help in tapering, but perhaps someone else can help you on that. Anyway, I just felt I had to respond to this -- Lexapro and *cold turkey" should never be put in the same sentence, IMO. Good luck, we're all in this together!!!
Posted by Bill LL on February 7, 2005, at 8:15:54
In reply to Please Read!! Need to stop Lexapro Cold Turkey, posted by BRC on February 6, 2005, at 20:35:21
First of all, Lexapro, especially a high dose such as 60 mg, needs to be gradually decreased if you wish to discontinue it.
Are you on Trileptal for epilepsy?
I think that you might be better off first trying to decrease the Remeron instead of Lexapro since Remeron causes more drowsiness at lower doses. Maybe this would help you sleep better.
Otherwise, perhaps adding a sleep aid such as Ambien or Lunesta (which comes out next month) would help you sleep and thereby relieve your jitteriness.
I think that directly dealing with the sleep issue such as with Ambien or Lunesta could give you positive results within a few days and therefore should be tried first. Then if that doesn't help, you can try changing the dose of your other medications.
Posted by CrazyCO on February 7, 2005, at 10:20:37
In reply to Re: Please Read!! Need to stop Lexapro Cold Turkey, posted by Bill LL on February 7, 2005, at 8:15:54
I took Lexapro for over a year and I quit cold turkey off of 60 mgs. Give it about 2 - 3 weeks for all the symptoms to get out of your system. The only thing it did to me was make me a little weepy and wanting to cry a lot for no reason but that isn't really a bad withdrawel effect in my opinion. Good Luck to you whatever you decide.
Posted by banga on February 7, 2005, at 10:49:03
In reply to Re: Please Read!! Need to stop Lexapro Cold Turkey, posted by Keko on February 7, 2005, at 2:48:40
Lexapro was THE only drug that caused bad withdrawal for me. The problem is--it'll leave your system within days, but the withdrawal effects can last for weeks. So you'd have trouble judging if the Lexapro was the problem for quite a while, and you may be actually worse off in the meantime.
What about decreasing the dose?? Maybe you just are on too much. 60 mg is a TON!! I had good improvement at 10 mg. At 20mg, I began to have aggressive impulses, so I had to drop back down. So it is a strong possibility that you are on WAY too much.
You may find out more about the drug if you say dropped to 1/2 the dose than if you went off it completely, because doing cold turkey you will confound results by the withdrawal effects.
You may have some w/d even by dropping the dose, but it typically subsides within days....
Anyways, my two cents.
Posted by Spriggy on February 7, 2005, at 11:38:30
In reply to Re: Please Read!! Need to stop Lexapro Cold Turkey, posted by banga on February 7, 2005, at 10:49:03
BE CAREFUL..
I am on day 8 of no Lexapro and still having a hard time.
Lexapro definitely gave me bizarre and suicidal thoughts. I went on it for anxiety and it thrust me into the deepest, darkest pit of depression that I've ever experienced.
I had never really been depressed before the Lexapro.Going off of it I've had a few weird things. I had a "mild hallucination" one night (nothing scarey, just saw a banner hanging on the wall that read "HOMEWORK." ROFL), I've had weird headaches, and a few like electric zaps in the back of my neck.
I've also been very weepy but I was that way ON the meds so who knows.
I keep hoping to wake up and feel like myself again but so far, I'm just getting better gradually.
I was only on 5 mg's of that stuff so I can't even FATHOM 60mg's. Wow. Be very, careful. Wean off of it slowly, otherwise I am concerned you may flip out.
Posted by stresser on February 7, 2005, at 12:09:09
In reply to Re: Please Read!! Need to stop Lexapro Cold Turkey, posted by Spriggy on February 7, 2005, at 11:38:30
Do you have another Anti-Depressant you are switching to? When I stopped Lexapro and started Wellbutrin, I didn't do anything except just stop one and start the other. Everything was fine in doing that, and was told as long as I was taking something else it would be fine. I can't tell from your post if you are going to take something else or not. -L
Posted by Phillipa on February 7, 2005, at 17:38:42
In reply to Please Read!! Need to stop Lexapro Cold Turkey, posted by BRC on February 6, 2005, at 20:35:21
I tried lexapro and couldn't take it. My old pdoc insisted I try Celexa {old version of above}. That's when all my problems began. Not responding to AD's etc. I relate to the way you feel. What do you do when you are feeling this way. Do you stay home and rest? I feel that rest is needed when your body is dealing with any change like this. But, I agree with all the above Posters not to DC this drug too fast you are on a high dose. I also thought Remeron was supposed to be sedating? Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by ravenstorm on February 7, 2005, at 20:53:16
In reply to Re: Please Read!! Need to stop Lexapro Cold Turkey, posted by Phillipa on February 7, 2005, at 17:38:42
Banga, what other meds have you been on that didn't cause withdrawal syndromes? Thanks!
Please don't cold turkey psych meds. Sure there is a small percentage of people who can do it. Most can not without unpleasant consequences!
Posted by banga on February 7, 2005, at 22:17:40
In reply to Re: Please Read!! Need to stop Lexapro, BANGA, posted by ravenstorm on February 7, 2005, at 20:53:16
With Prozac, I'd get 2 days of dizziness, and that was it. No problem on Zoloft. No problem on Effexor! no problem with clomipramine. No problem with Paxil (although with this one in honesty i was switching quickly back to clomipramine, so that really doesn't count). No big deal with Cymbalta. Just the Lexapro where I could not go down quickly without getting symptoms that had me running back to take some more. I can't recall others at this moment....
I haven't tried luvox.In truth I think I just have a wierd brain.....
I don't know what it all means--maybe I am simply half brain-dead. I thought in seriousness I that I WAS, until I tried Adderall and desipramine--I have my vision back and can interact more with the world.
Posted by gromit on February 8, 2005, at 3:31:02
In reply to Re: Please Read!! Need to stop Lexapro » ravenstorm, posted by banga on February 7, 2005, at 22:17:40
I quit taking 20 mg of Lexapro, after a few days it started to feel kind of like I was on a boat when sitting or laying down. I started 5 mg and took that for a couple of weeks then stopped with no problem. I also cold turkeyed Zoloft with no problems so maybe I'm not a good example. 60 mg seems like alot to just quit though.
Posted by FatBubbles on February 9, 2005, at 21:22:36
In reply to Lexapro Side effects, posted by njsurfer on February 9, 2005, at 11:41:36
You can counteract the shakiness and sleeplessness from Lexapro! I get them really bad too, but the other benefits for me were so good that I wanted to find a way to stay on it.
I take Trazadone every night 1-2 hours before bed. It helps in more ways than one.
It is a very mild anti-anxiety medication.
It sometimes has some very mild anti-depresant effects.
It makes you very sleepy shortly after taking it.For me, it also counteracts all of the "hyper" side effects of Lexapro.
I take between 50 and 200 mg of Trazadone at night depending on how much I need to help me fall asleep. 50 mg is enough to counter the Lexapro side effects for me as long as I take that much every single day.
I am on 40mg of Lexapro a day.
When the trazadone is not enough to put me to sleep within a couple of hours, I use an ambien. Between the two, I can sleep and be sane and I can get all of the positive benefits from the Lexapro. I have tried other SSRI's and Lexapro has the most positive benefits for me.
One more thing. SSRI's actually change your brain physically over time. That is why you need to cut down slowly when you go off them. It takes time for your brain to revert to it's original state. The changes are beneficial to you when you are on the drug, but can cause a major rebound effect if you stop taking them suddenly.
Good Luck!
PJ
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