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Lexapro


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Is anyone else taking Lexapro to help with the wd symptoms.  I am and it seems to mask them enough where I can function in everyday life a little.  Dont get me wrong Im still messed up but Im not clawing the carpet right now.  I hate the idea of being on anything and am scared that whenever I decide to taper off the Lexapro that the Benzo Wd monster will be there. Even if its a yr or two from now(I pray not).

 

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Cmon little help here nobody else has tried relief with Lexapro?  It seems to dampen down the symptoms, for me at least.
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Hi, Twitch,

 

I recall that a few of our members were on Lexapro at one time, but I don't know if any of them were on it at the same time as they were tapering. :-\ Dr. Heather Ashton does say that the depression brought on by w/d does respond to antidepressants, of which Lexapro is one, so I'm guessing Dr. Ashton would have no problem with your taking Lexapro for w/d.

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Thank you.  Lexapro has greatly diminished alot of my symptoms.  At first my brain didnt like its intro, I guess because of the increased sensitivity.  My only concern is that I hope Im still healing even though Im taking it.  I hope its notjust masking but also alowing me to heal.  Ill take it for a year befor I begin to taper off and then it will be very slowly.
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If you want more info, I would call some local pharmacists. I found that pharmacists were much more knowledgeable about w/d than doctors. Tell them you're taking it for w/d symptoms and ask them if it would be affecting your GABA in any way. If it affects your GABA receptors in some way, then yes, it could inhibit healing. But as far as I know, Lexapro works only on serotonin.
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  • 2 months later...

lexapro is a gaba thing - so it kinda does the same thing as the benzo's

 

i was on celexa and lexapro and different times - celexa helpful but not lexapro - even tho they are suppose to be the same things.

 

this is how i see pills - they cover things up - if you are depressed can you deal with the depression?  are you going thru bad withdrawals?  could you benefit from going to AA or NA?

 

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

My experience with lexapro:

 

Lexapro took away all of my PAIN (totally eliminated my neck and knee pain), created so much energy (actually over active), but caused me to experience something I never had before: mania.  Took about a month to build up in my system to create this totally awful mania.  Talked to the dr. about it who told me to take 1/4 tab.  I did, but after 4 or 5 days, couldn't stand the over activity and the mind craziness so stopped it abruptly.  I had switched over from Paxil to cymbalta to lexapro and then quit the antidepressants with the exception of Trazadone 150 mg.  Dr. said I could just quit the trazadone abruptly too if I wanted.  Tried that, didn't work, still on the Trazadone until I get off the benzs.

 

Anyway, I think that if it works for you, it is great.  At times, I did have a more optimistic attitude.  The withdrawal did not seem hard, but I was only on it for 1 month and everybody is different. 

 

The one bad thing about it taking away all of my neck and knee pain is that I joined a gym and after going off the lexapro, now I also have a back problem that I have no idea where it came from.  I think I did something to it when on the lexapro.  Don't know if lexapro takes away everyone's pain or not.  If it does though, I'd be careful of over activity.

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I took Lexapro for a few months and at first I believe it helped but after a while it was making me so tired and weird feeling. I tapered off probably to fast and am now 2 weeks off completely.  I feel better and for a bit I was going through double withdrawal, which sucks real hard, I had all kinds of new sx's pop up.  I'm feeling better now that I'm off but at first it did seem to pull me from the depths of acute withdrawal.  Withdrawal is an non-exact process where experience and methods of relief cant be pulled from one person to another, your on your own trial and error process.  You have to experiment with what works for you.  Some things will some wont at all, some will make you worse, few will make you feel better.
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  • 3 weeks later...

Twitch,

 

Haven't heard from you.  Wondering what's up also.  I got so scared taking lexapro that I'm wondering if you are alright.  Please let us hear from you.

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Im doing alright.  I am much much better after finishing tapering off Lex.  I believe it was making me feel sicker and more fuzzy headed.  I still have some healing to do but I am headed in that direction.  Who know how much longer till Im completely better only time will tell.  One thing for sure when I am totally healed up you will definitely hear it from me I promise
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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

Hi Twitch -

 

I think the Lexapro is making ME WORSE. I started taking it at the same time I started Ativan. I'm an accidental addict (prescribed Xanax from the doctor when I said I was worried about an ankle injury - prior to that I'd never taken any meds). I was on 2 wks on low dose Xanax (.25 then .5) and I had anadverse reaction but then my body wouldn't let me just stop it so then they switched me to Ativan for 2 weeks (which included a fast 5 day taper off the .5mg 3 x a day dose). They used Neurontin to get me off of Ativan (took Neurontin for 36 days including the 2 week taper off of that). All that while I was very sick and all that while I was also taking 10mg Lexapro. I've been 2 and 1/2 months now off of Neurontin and 3 1/2 months off of Ativan and Xanax. I'm still struggling with nausea (feels like constant motion sickness) and I have this high adrenaline (tightness in chest that also feels like fear). Yet, I'm not afraid of anything. I have senstivity to sound and am getting frequent headaches. I'm convinced the Lexapro is the cause of the nausea and chest tightness and I want off of it. I'm seeing the doctor tomorrow to tell him so. He wanted me on Lexapro for 6 months to a year but I must get off of it.

 

How much were you taking and how did you taper off of it. I've been taking 10mg for just over 3 months now. And would like to do it the best, safest way possible. It's the ONLY thing I have left in my body that could be the problem (unless it's still from the Benzos but I don't think so). Please give me more info. !! Thanks!!

 

Jane

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What you are feeling is mainly benzo w/d, Jane.  You still need off the Lexapro, but don't discount the w/d from what you already got off of.  No doubt it is a combo platter of reason and causes.
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Hi,

I was on Lexapro for about 5 weeks.  I have never had had an episode of mania until the lexipro.  Immediately the doctor told me to go down to 1/4 of a pill from the 10 mg I was on.  I couldn't stand it after 2 to 3 days and took myself completely off of it.  Don't think I got withdrawals from that though.  Maybe you won't have a problem.

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Thanks you two -

 

I just saw my doctor and he agreed to start me tapering off of Lexipro. I sort of thought he would resist as he originally said to be on it for 6months to a year. He was not the one who put me on it though. I was put on Lexipro in the middle of taking Ativan and tapering with Neurontin. So, it was impossible to know if I was tolerating Lexipro or not (because I was in my taper and feeling sick). I hope that getting off of Lexipro will help some or maybe with all of it. Like you said...I'm probably having effects of the Benzos still but I hate questioning if some of it has to do with the Lexipro (or if Lexipro is making it worse). Plus, I don't want to be on anything and my body can only heal completely once it gets ALL drugs out of it's system. I have to admit...I'm still scared to taper off of Lexipro. Just worried about  w/d from it. The doctor said to do 5mg for a week then stop. But I said I wanted to go down my 1/4 to make it less trauma. He said do a 7.5 for a week, then 5 for a week then 2.5 for a week then stop. What do you think of that. I was wondering if I should stretch out each cut over 2 weeks.

 

Benzos no More - how are you doing these days with your symptoms?

 

Thanks,

 

Jane

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Thanks Silver. That dawned on me after I wrote it.  :D

 

I started my Lexapro taper today. Cut my 10mg to 7.5mg. Hoping for the best.

 

Thanks...

 

Hope you're doing well.

 

Jane  :)

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Jane,

 

  Great to hear that you started your Lexapro taper.  Did you ever go over to Paxilprogress.org and see what they had to say about your Lexapro taper?  Just curious.  I think I mentioned that I was given Lexapro a couple months ago, it made me so sick I think I only took it for two or three days.  Anyway, good luck with your taper, you are going to be FINE!

 

  TC

 

  XXXX

  Christine/BlueMoth

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Hi Christine -

 

Thanks for writing. I was going to e-mail you to let you know about the taper since it was YOU who got me questioning the Lexapro in the first place. I did go over to Paxilprogress and did some reading. I'm already following a diet like they recomend so I hope that helps. I'm exercising, sleeping well and keeping a calm routine. I was surprised the doctor was so willing to take me off of Lexapro (I thought he'd resist...however...HE was NOT the one who put me on it). He thinks it certainly could be a big part of my symptoms. I sure hope so. Plus - I just don't want to be on an A/D anyway. Since you brought up A/D to me I've found others who have had problems with Lexapro (increased anxiety and stomach nausea). I think the main reason I didn't know if Lexapro was good or not for me was because I started taking it right before I started my taper off of Ativan. Since I immediately became sick from the withdrawal of Ativan, then Nuerontin...it seemed Lexapro was lost amongst them. Now it's the only thing left I'm taking. I still am nervous about any tapering reaction to it (I think my memory of the other drugs I tapered just scares me). However...today I cut my 10mg to 7.5mg. Yeah! Wish me luck!

 

Happy Belated Birthday Christine!  :yippee:

 

Jane

 

PS: I'm planning to cut 1/4 each week until done. That was slower than what he suggested. He was going to cut it by 1/2 for a week and then be done.

 

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Hi Jane,

 

  That sounds like a sensible plan.  I am sure that most of your withdrawals will subside once you are off the Lexapro.  Every time I re-read your story I get so angry for what the Dr.s have put you through. I am glad that you checked out paxilprogress. Their website is what prevented me from staying on any of the AD's that my shrink tried to get me to take.  I just could not stand the thought of taking another drug with side effects, that screwed with my neurotransmitters, and that I knew I would have to titrated to get off.  Tapering off valium is hard enough. 

 

  Dr.s know NOTHING about tapering drugs except what they are fed by the Big Pharma drug reps.  All of them clueless idiots.  They should all be force fed this crap for a year, forced to cold turkey and then we would see how fast these drugs are yanked off the market. 

 

  You are sounding a LOT more upbeat and happy than when you first started posting.  I know that in a month or two, you will be off the Lex, completely healed and all this will be a bad dream you can lock away and forget.

 

  Thanks for the Birthday wishes, I had a great day.

 

    Take care,

    XXXXX

    Christine/BlueMoth

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