Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 578272

Shown: posts 1 to 17 of 17. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

freaking out

Posted by cache-monkey on November 13, 2005, at 17:29:01

Hey all,

I'm really freaking out on this ridiculously low dose of Lexapro. My anxiety levels are through the roof. I have all these deadlines with work and I just can't settle down and focus at all.

I don't know whether I should try riding it out, or whether (given a suspected BPII dx) it's better to just stop the Lex.

Augh!

~cache-monkey

 

Re: freaking out

Posted by rjlockhart on November 13, 2005, at 17:32:35

In reply to freaking out, posted by cache-monkey on November 13, 2005, at 17:29:01

Do you take Zyprexa?

I take 2.5mg, well thats a looow dose for BI, its more a mood stabilizer.

I would stay on the Lexapro, i know what freak out nights are like, if you have read my fear panic posts. It will pass, just get some good sleep.

Matt

 

Re: freaking out

Posted by linkadge on November 13, 2005, at 17:32:39

In reply to freaking out, posted by cache-monkey on November 13, 2005, at 17:29:01

Starting an AD during stressfull times can be stressfull. Try as low a dose as possable, perhaps with a benzo, untill things in your life become more predictable.

That would be my suggestion.

Linkadge

 

Re: freaking out

Posted by spriggy on November 13, 2005, at 18:23:14

In reply to Re: freaking out, posted by linkadge on November 13, 2005, at 17:32:39

I had a horrible time on Lexapro as well.


I started out at 7.5 mg's, then went down to 5 mg's and even on that low of a dose, I hated it- I felt sooooo weird. It was like I was on an acid trip but worse.


I would say if this continues, talk to your doctor and try something else. Lexapro was not for me either.. and it's also possible that I have bipolar 2 disorder as well.

 

Re: freaking out

Posted by blueberry on November 13, 2005, at 18:47:19

In reply to freaking out, posted by cache-monkey on November 13, 2005, at 17:29:01

It's so stupid how we have to go through intense anxiety from a new med before we get an anti-anxiety or antidepressant effect from it. I mean, how ridiculous is that? Unfortunately, that's often the way it is, for me anyway.

When I started lexapro, even just 2.5mg got me pretty jittery and anxious. I slowly adjusted to it and slowly increased up to 10mg from 2.5mg. It does over time work pretty good for anxiety, but it does absolutely nothing for my depression. I'm sick of it.

And of course if getting anxiety getting on it isn't bad enough, getting anxiety getting off is like a double whammy. Geez.

 

Re: freaking out » cache-monkey

Posted by Colleen D. on November 13, 2005, at 19:55:47

In reply to freaking out, posted by cache-monkey on November 13, 2005, at 17:29:01

> Hey all,
>
> I'm really freaking out on this ridiculously low dose of Lexapro. My anxiety levels are through the roof. I have all these deadlines with work and I just can't settle down and focus at all.
>
> I don't know whether I should try riding it out, or whether (given a suspected BPII dx) it's better to just stop the Lex.
>
> Augh!
>
> ~cache-monkey


I think I know exactly how you feel with the deadlines at work, etc and I'm sorry to hear that your anxiety level is so high. Were you taking anything before the Lexapro? I agree with Linkadge that a benzo may be in order even temporarily until you've given the Lex a while to stabilize in your system. Have you ever been prescribed a benzo for anxiety? I love clonazepam because it has a steady all-day effect for me and I take extra before bed to get some solid sleep + 25mg doxepin. If I sleep well, I handle the stress A LOT better.

All the best,
Colleen

 

Re: freaking out » rjlockhart

Posted by cache-monkey on November 13, 2005, at 19:59:05

In reply to Re: freaking out, posted by rjlockhart on November 13, 2005, at 17:32:35

Hi Matt,

Thanks for the advice. Zyprexa gives me akathisia pretty quickly, so I think that might make matters worse...

I tried adding a dash of Trileptal and that *might* be helping a little bit.

Best,
cache-monkey

> Do you take Zyprexa?
>
> I take 2.5mg, well thats a looow dose for BI, its more a mood stabilizer.
>
> I would stay on the Lexapro, i know what freak out nights are like, if you have read my fear panic posts. It will pass, just get some good sleep.
>
> Matt
>
>

 

Re: freaking out ... Link and Colleen

Posted by cache-monkey on November 13, 2005, at 20:02:56

In reply to Re: freaking out » cache-monkey, posted by Colleen D. on November 13, 2005, at 19:55:47

I am concurrently on Klonopin and low-dose Lithium (also makes me anxious). Maybe I should up the Klonopin temporarily. K does makes me a bit more depressed and slows down my cognition. But maybe that beats having a panic-y confused mind like I have right now...

Thanks for the suggestion,
cache-monkey

>
> I think I know exactly how you feel with the deadlines at work, etc and I'm sorry to hear that your anxiety level is so high. Were you taking anything before the Lexapro? I agree with Linkadge that a benzo may be in order even temporarily until you've given the Lex a while to stabilize in your system. Have you ever been prescribed a benzo for anxiety? I love clonazepam because it has a steady all-day effect for me and I take extra before bed to get some solid sleep + 25mg doxepin. If I sleep well, I handle the stress A LOT better.
>
> All the best,
> Colleen
>

 

Re: freaking out » blueberry

Posted by cache-monkey on November 13, 2005, at 20:05:40

In reply to Re: freaking out, posted by blueberry on November 13, 2005, at 18:47:19

Do you think it's common to go through a period of feeling much worse before feeling better, then?

That makes me want to not d/c the Lex right away. I think I can make it through until tomorrow and then check in with my pdoc about it...

Thanks for your response,
cache-monkey

> It's so stupid how we have to go through intense anxiety from a new med before we get an anti-anxiety or antidepressant effect from it. I mean, how ridiculous is that? Unfortunately, that's often the way it is, for me anyway.
>
> When I started lexapro, even just 2.5mg got me pretty jittery and anxious. I slowly adjusted to it and slowly increased up to 10mg from 2.5mg. It does over time work pretty good for anxiety, but it does absolutely nothing for my depression. I'm sick of it.
>
> And of course if getting anxiety getting on it isn't bad enough, getting anxiety getting off is like a double whammy. Geez.

 

Re: freaking out ... Link and Colleen

Posted by linkadge on November 13, 2005, at 20:36:59

In reply to Re: freaking out ... Link and Colleen, posted by cache-monkey on November 13, 2005, at 20:02:56

If you believe some of the raciness is due to the SSRI then I would lower the dose untill things smooth out.

Try adding a some magnesium (about 100mg) before the SSRI dose, might help some of the SSRI start up activation.

Linkadge

 

Re: freaking out » spriggy

Posted by Phillipa on November 13, 2005, at 22:01:18

In reply to Re: freaking out, posted by spriggy on November 13, 2005, at 18:23:14

Spriggy same thing happened to me recently. i stopped lexapro. Waiting now for new pdoc appointment SLS kind of referred me. My old pdoc said now I may be bipolar ll or I think sofe bipolar after researching. She said anxiety/ depression had gone on so long that's why new dx.Fondly, phillipa

 

Re: freaking out

Posted by megj on November 14, 2005, at 23:05:15

In reply to Re: freaking out » spriggy, posted by Phillipa on November 13, 2005, at 22:01:18

I had some pretty bad start up s/e's with Lexapro too. Bad anxiety, the worst I've ever had in my life. I started at 5 mg and went up to 10 mg. Xanax was a life saver during that time, though I still had some break through anxiety when triggers would come up. I stuck it out and it's been a five weeks now. I haven't had an anxiety attack for about two weeks. My depression is considerably less though I'd like to improve a bit more. Believe me, I know what you're going through. I was taking mid-term exams at grad school and working full time when I first started Lexapro so the last thing I needed was more anxiety. If it weren't for the Xanax, I would have stopped taking Lex immediately. Like I said, xanax didn't completely relieve my anxiety, but it made it manageable enough for me to get through the day.
Just when I thought the anxiety couldn't get any worse, it started to subside little by little every day. Now it's pretty much gone except for my own self-induced anxiety (thought triggers, situations, etc) which is mild and short lived in comparison. Hope this helps....

meg

 

Re: freaking out » cache-monkey

Posted by katekite on November 14, 2005, at 23:54:06

In reply to freaking out, posted by cache-monkey on November 13, 2005, at 17:29:01

Personally I'd stop it (that's if it were me because I've taken it and it didn't agree, so I'd be wondering what I was doing trying it a second time, LOL.). I'd ask to try something known to be more mellow...

Now if lack of energy is a really prominent symptom it could be the anxiety will gradually just turn to useful energy. In that case I'd try to get through with either propranolol (blocks epinephrine, great drug, seldom thought of because its not considered a "pysch drug" and its generic too, so shrinks forget about it because no drug reps talking it up, but works wonders for me (in 15 minutes too) for that jittery over-caffeinated feeling, try 5-20 mg, start low) or a benzo like Ativan/Valium. If its not gone in 3 weeks it probably won't go away.

Here's my own personal take on ssri anxiety provoking-ness from reading here and a bit of personal experimentation, probably differs from person to person though:

Prozac/Lexapro/Celexa >> Zoloft >> Paxil/Luvox

Kate

 

Re: freaking out

Posted by cache-monkey on November 15, 2005, at 17:01:05

In reply to freaking out, posted by cache-monkey on November 13, 2005, at 17:29:01

Hey all,

Thanks for your responses. I am freaking out considerably less now. I added back a low dose of Trileptal so maybe that's helping? (Trileptal alone makes me depressed and dumb.)

I still feel this edginess that's sometimes now bordering on giddiness. Part of me likes it because I'm getting more work done...

But then I'm potentially BPII and worry that this is turning into mild hypomania.

My doc's secretary said it's ok for me to stop the Lex (in a message), but didn't specifically recommend one way or the other.

So I still don't know what to do...

Worried,
cache-monkey

 

Re: freaking out » cache-monkey

Posted by ed_uk on November 17, 2005, at 13:37:14

In reply to Re: freaking out, posted by cache-monkey on November 15, 2005, at 17:01:05

Hi CM

When are you seeing your pdoc?

Ed

 

Re: freaking out » ed_uk

Posted by cache-monkey on November 17, 2005, at 18:20:12

In reply to Re: freaking out » cache-monkey, posted by ed_uk on November 17, 2005, at 13:37:14

Hey Ed,

Thanks for checking in :). My appointment with my pdoc isn't till Tuesday. He did leave a message saying that it was ok to discontinue if I want to. (Or rather, his admin assistant did...)

I'm definitely no longer wired, but am feeling a bit more depressed than when starting Lex two weeks ago, as well as a little more anxious.

I suppose at this point I should just give it time, but I've long had this feeling that my problems are more dopamine-related, as opposed to serotonin. Before I forayed into prescription meds my primary forms of self-medication involved cafffeine, nicotine, alcohol and sex. I'm not sure about alcohol, but the rest involve dopaminergic pathways, I believe.

Anyway, like I said before, I guess I should just give it a little more time, since the agitated panicky feeling has subsided...

Best,
cache-monkey

> Hi CM
>
> When are you seeing your pdoc?
>
> Ed

 

Re: freaking out » cache-monkey

Posted by ed_uk on November 18, 2005, at 13:52:15

In reply to Re: freaking out » ed_uk, posted by cache-monkey on November 17, 2005, at 18:20:12

Hi CM

Tell us what your doc says at your appointment :-)

Ed


This is the end of the thread.


Show another thread

URL of post in thread:


Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ


[dr. bob] Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD, bob@dr-bob.org

Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.