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Lexapro(esdcitalopram)worse before better start up? Your AD experience


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Hi I know this is old but, I’m really needing some lexapro advice. I’ve taken brand lexapro 2-3 times in the past foe depression & it was helpful. Tha last 4th time I tried it it did not work, but didn’t make me feel this bad that I can recall. I don’t remember what start up side effects I Had in the past, but never recal feeling this bad from the start up of any antidepressant & I’ve tried them all.

 

I started 2.5mg on 8/4, been on 5mg for 13 days, I was already quite depressed with suicidal ideation prior to starting, that’s why I started it. Prior to starting, I wasn’t as anxious as I’ve been when anxiety picks up as a side effect(like want to jump out of your skin, frozen, chest pain anxiety that I can tell is from the lex-it happened in the beginnings & once all day since I’ve been on 5mg); furthermore my depression has worsened, like say before starting it I’d get short bursts(10-30minutes)of suicidal ideation with racing thoughts, sadness & anger or irritability, that may have included sobbing. Since starting lexapro, the depression is severe hopeless, can’t see the light suicidal ideation, sobbing uncontrollably for a good part of the day. The other day was the first day i almost didn’t cry since starting it, made it all day, but had short meltdown before bed, then made it through yesterday without crying except a short blip. Today was back to sobbing hysterically, hopeless, si, overwhelmed, can’t see anything good, till wore self out & took a nap. It’s also been causing insomnia off on(never did that in past just more sleep & sedation) I’m taking generic aurobindo, took brand in the past. I’m now on day 13 of 5mg & so far I’ve gone through what I thought were the start up side effects of it making me feel worse before better, as others have said it does. I’m desperate for it to work. I’ve had other side effects too, but thos are the worst. The other night I had about an hour of a gentle peaceful feeling where I felt happy & thought maybe it was starting to work. Last night I got silly & playfull with so, which was nice, then was up all night. Please give me your input. Does anyone think this could be the worse before better phenomena? So need something to work.

Thanks, SC

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Today’s update

I’m still feeling worse on the antidepressant (lexapro)14 days on 5mg & 6 days prior to that on 2.5mg. The depression, fatigue, sleep, si, mental fog are worse. Then there’s nausea, rls..nothing good yet. Part of me wants to hold on & hope this is the case of getting worse before getting better. I never remember feeling so bad from an antidepressant before. Never remember them being so hard to adjust to. My hubby wants me to find a new p doc-thinks this ones a quack, but this one is willing to let me taper k @ own pace. I’ve been depressed for years, housebound except doctors, short store trips but can’t help but think if I wasn’t on this high benzo dose that this doc helped get so high on, nut if I just wasn’t on them at all, that I could have climbed my way out of this depression with therapy & lifestyle over the past couple of years.

Mental illness does run strong in my family though, so maybe depression is my destiny & I may need these crappy Meds to get better. Oh the pressure to get well for my loved ones & the hopelessness is overwhelming

 

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I have never been able to take SSRIs.  They always make my agitation way worse.  You say you have taken them before and they helped you.  I know there is an adjustment period which can be weeks. Were you on the benzo the other times you were on the AD?  Sometimes something that helped in the past doesn't work the next time so it's difficult to say if it will eventually start to help you.  The benzo is probably causing some of your depression but you don't seem able to get off them.  Sorry I can't really help you too much other than saying I hope it starts to help you soon and, if it doesn't, maybe you need to stop taking it.
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Hey Scaredie. I meant to answer you in "Other Medications", but I unfortunately didn't have enough time. I see you set up a separate thread on Lexapro, so I'll answer here.

 

I'm sorry you are unwell. If Lexapro helped you in the past, there are good chances it will help this time as well. The depression often gets worse in the initial period on the SSRI. Then it clears up. I know it is difficult to wait for the SSRI to act, while dealing with all the horrible sxs. These psych meds do not act as quickly as the BZD.

 

I found here that escitalopram's onset of action is of 8 to 12 weeks for some people. That's up to 3 months.

 

The huge dose of clonazepam is making you depressed and giving you all those mood swings. There is hope that Lexapro could help you taper when it kicks in. I also took a generic. I don't think there is any difference, besides the cost. I've been taking generic fluoxetine for more than two years. Most psych meds I ever took were actually generic versions.

 

SSRIs do give insomnia in the beginning. Then they should help regulate the circadian rhythm. Escitalopram is a very strong AD. The 5 mg dose is more potent than the 10 mg of fluoxetine. Makes sense to start from this dose and wait. Insomnia is also the effect of tolerance to clonazepam. Which could act paradoxically at this dose.

 

For me, escitalopram and fluoxetine are the two ADs that I tolerate best. I tried most of them. Lexapro has really strong anti-anxiolytic and antidepressant properties.

 

Good luck and keep us updated on how you feel :smitten:

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Hi Flicka,

Thanks for responding. Yes, lexapro & Paxil have helped me in the past, Ive taken lexapro with & without benzos. With the side effects of sedation & lack of motivation, but much improved depression & help with anxiety, rendering me a functioning member of society, although not high functioning.

 

Well the plan was to taper without an antidepressant, but I’ve just kept getting more & more emotionally unstable & was already depressed, just surviving really, just not deep down in this darkness I’m in now with the sobbing & si etc.

 

No doubt the high benzo dose is contributing to my depression. So now my grand plan is try antidepressant that’s worked & been best tolerated in the past to get out of depression & hopefully help me during my taper.

 

Hi Estee,

Thanks much for responding too. Yes, sorry I set up two threads, wasn’t sure what to do when didn’t get any responses. Oops.

 

Do you remover your depression getting worse during start up of lexapro?

 

Thanks for the link, havnt clicked it yet as just trying to respond.

 

I’ve no doubt my ginormous k pin dose is a big part of the cause of my depression is the clonazapam. I wasn’t having mood swings like this before starting lexapro though. Well I had some more minor ones after my generic went obsolete, I did too big of a cut, reinstated & now have been crossing over to new generic for first time in 8 years. All of that destabilized my stable depression. If that makes any sense. I guess what I’m asking is. Are you saying my high k pin dose plus start up side effects of lexapro are what’s causing my worse depression & worse mood swings?

 

I’m really not trying to double ask questions, if am, I apologize it’s my ocd benzo, ms brain. So do you mean you took generic as well as brand lexapro? Do you remember the generic manufacturer?

 

Do you ever remember it causing you to make more salva?

 

Yes in regards to insomnia, I was getting it when I got out of whack with starting coffee back up & cut, updose & crossover, but then I had it pretty well settled prior to lexapro. Before that I just had well, never 8 hours of sleep, so poor sleep quality-if woke to potty, no back to sleep, early waking every morning, so if not asleep at perfect time then 8 hours. Am not sure if it’s tolerance, depression, ms, all of the above, but have no doubt that benzos have played into my poor sleep quality. Let’s just say the insomnia since starting lexapro was obviously caused by lexapro(I don’t remember that happening in past, just remember extra sedation) but trust if you say they cause that in the beginning. Any idea how long that’s supposed to last before the good circadian rhythm starts(I know we’re all unique)

 

Oh, I know I’m on a boatload of clonazapam, but I’ve taken lexapro before & had it cause me daytime sedation, lack of motivation, combined with just .25 k pin 2 times per day. I was already having much fatigue prior to lexapro, from probably a combination or one of thes things: my high k dose, tolerance, ms, poor sleep, depression. I’m starting to get what I can tell is added lexapro sedation & mental fog. Like I literally hit a wall today & had to go lay down. Do you remember sedation as a start up side effect that then went away? I remember getting it, but rolling with it better when I was younger.

 

Thanks for listening & sharing your knowledge & experiences. It’s comforting just having contact with someone else whose experienced this stuff. Hope I havnt overquestioned you.

 

Thank you both much! I’ll keep you posted, SC

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Hey Scaredie. No problem that you wrote about escitalopram on two threads. It only means you feel desperate. Anyone would understand.

 

You need to wait like 2-3 months till you feel better. I remember that when I got out of the hospital and started fluoxetine in Spring 2016, several months had to pass before I felt any improvement. This site is extremely helpful in dealing with the BZD WD. I used to spend more and more time here. It made me forget about the anxiety, insomnia etc. Eventually, I began improving. When I started fluoxetine, I used to take a minimum of 40 mg Valium on a daily basis. The equivalent of 2 mg Klonopin.

 

As I said before, your terrible mood swings and depression are most probably caused by the clonazepam. I'm sure it is acting paradoxical in this amount. If you cannot sleep, it's actually because of clonazepam. I used to take the equivalent of up to 7.5 mg clonazepam in 2015. I still couldn't sleep.

 

The cocktail of escitalopram and clonazepam may initially make you feel worse. But SSRIs are really strong ADs. And I hope escitalopram will eventually stabilize your mood enough to help you taper the BZD poison. It helped you in the past. It will help you again.

 

I used to take escitalopram manufactured by the Danish company Lundbeck. I didn't have hypersalivation on it. I chiefly had brain fog, nausea, oily skin, akathisia, shopaholism. Not sure how to define the latter. It had to do with poor impulse control. I was probably manic on 10 mg of Lexapro.

 

Escitalopram could give brain fog, but the BZD actually impair the cognitive function a lot more. So they are much worse. I think escitalopram is a better anti-anxiety alternative to the BZD. The price is brain fog. But the smaller the amount, the less brain fog.

 

I don't think escitalopram causes lack of motivation. It is just very sedating. I cannot think of any psych med that would deprive a person of motivation as much as the BZD. Maybe huge doses of APs "for sleep".

 

I hope escitalopram will regulate your circadian rhythm. I was given it in 2009 by a sleep specialist because of my insomnia.

 

The escitalopram-induced sedation will diminish. However, I think clonazepam is giving you too much sedation.

 

Just try not to overthink. The most sxs you now have to deal with are most probably caused by the BZD. Keep us updated. You can do it. If I could taper the BZD, then you can do it, too.

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Hey Scaredie. No problem that you wrote about escitalopram on two threads. It only means you feel desperate. Anyone would understand.

 

You need to wait like 2-3 months till you feel better. I remember that when I got out of the hospital and started fluoxetine in Spring 2016, several months had to pass before I felt any improvement. This site is extremely helpful in dealing with the BZD WD. I used to spend more and more time here. It made me forget about the anxiety, insomnia etc. Eventually, I began improving. When I started fluoxetine, I used to take a minimum of 40 mg Valium on a daily basis. The equivalent of 2 mg Klonopin.

 

As I said before, your terrible mood swings and depression are most probably caused by the clonazepam. I'm sure it is acting paradoxical in this amount. If you cannot sleep, it's actually because of clonazepam. I used to take the equivalent of up to 7.5 mg clonazepam in 2015. I still couldn't sleep.

 

The cocktail of escitalopram and clonazepam may initially make you feel worse. But SSRIs are really strong ADs. And I hope escitalopram will eventually stabilize your mood enough to help you taper the BZD poison. It helped you in the past. It will help you again.

 

I used to take escitalopram manufactured by the Danish company Lundbeck. I didn't have hypersalivation on it. I chiefly had brain fog, nausea, oily skin, akathisia, shopaholism. Not sure how to define the latter. It had to do with poor impulse control. I was probably manic on 10 mg of Lexapro.

 

Escitalopram could give brain fog, but the BZD actually impair the cognitive function a lot more. So they are much worse. I think escitalopram is a better anti-anxiety alternative to the BZD. The price is brain fog. But the smaller the amount, the less brain fog.

 

I don't think escitalopram causes lack of motivation. It is just very sedating. I cannot think of any psych med that would deprive a person of motivation as much as the BZD. Maybe huge doses of APs "for sleep".

 

I hope escitalopram will regulate your circadian rhythm. I was given it in 2009 by a sleep specialist because of my insomnia.

 

The escitalopram-induced sedation will diminish. However, I think clonazepam is giving you too much sedation.

 

Just try not to overthink. The most sxs you now have to deal with are most probably caused by the BZD. Keep us updated. You can do it. If I could taper the BZD, then you can do it, too.

Thanks once again, Estee for such a thourogh response.

Indeed, a big part of my hopes for the escitalopram working are for it to better enable me to taper off the benzo.

3 months to work?? I know that is where they say they peak, but don’t know if I can go 3 months feeling like this. I think fluoxetine May take longer than other ssris to start working, if I remember correctly, I could be wrong though.

Did the side effects you listed for escitalopram ever go away during treatment?

Did you you find escitalopram more sedating than fluoxetine?

So you think the ssri will be able to be stronger than my high benzo dose & work over or through it?

The sleepies from escitalopram are starting to pick up, as last night I fell asleep at 8:30pm woke to my alarm to take k pin @ 9:45, then back to sleep, but then woke again @1am then I think 5:45 am this am. And well am just extra escitalopram tired zombie this am.

Another very disconcerting thing I’ve noticed & I’ve heard this happening with benzo withdrawal but it absolutely started with the lexapro not before, is like a weak urine stream, sometimes having to squeeze bladder to get urine out like have uti or bladder spasms, so like is probably bladder spasms. Since lexapro have had to urinate later into evening & the non full/satisfying/sense of fully emptying ones bladder & or stop & go stream. really bothering me. Oh & headaches.

 

Thanks for the support hope this stuff at least gets consistent soon & starts helping depression ASAP

Have a good weekend take care, SC

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Hey Scaredie. Escitalopram is definitely more sedating than fluoxetine. No comparison. It made my social anxiety completely go away. Certainly worked for it better than the BZD.

 

I switched to fluoxetine, cause escitalopram was too sedating for me. But now I even find fluoxetine too sedating. It all changes with time. The way an SSRI works. It works different when taken without the BZD. Much more effective.

 

Yes, you probably need a "crutch" during your BZD taper. Let's hope escitalopram will help you taper the BZD poison.

 

The sxs diminish with time, for sure. They largely depend on the dose. The smaller the dose, the less bothersome the sxs. Everyone has slightly different sxs.

 

Yes, fluoxetine takes a much longer time to start working.

 

Wishing you a peaceful week :smitten:

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It takes a while, but lexapro really helped me.

Thanks freeijn,

I started on 2.5mg on 8/4, for first week crazy worse depression then 3 weeks @ 5mg worse depression that maybe started to settle then up to 7.5mg a week ago, had one good day, but mostly same worse depression than prior to lexapro, plus extra daytime sedation/lack of motivation, not too many physical side effects. Left message for doc this am to see if can go on up to 10mg. I mean that’s supposed to be the minimum effective dose & I need to get to the effective part. If I’m going to have worsening sxs every time I raise my dose, I’d just assume get it over with. I have somewhere I must be functioning well beginning of October so don’t want to take it slow staying at 7.5mg for 3 weeks when I have somewhere important to be.

Spent this morning irritable & sobbing on phone with mom. 3 coffees no doubt irritate things but, catch 22 with my sedation/depression.

Thanks for listening

 

All feedback welcome, SC

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