Posted by Maxime on February 19, 2005, at 15:01:13
In reply to Re: HELP!! Husband stopped taking Lex.... » MickeyD, posted by Racer on February 19, 2005, at 14:21:49
Not to scare Mickey in any way. This is more for Racer.
Racer anyone can go psychotic if the conditions are "right". You don't have be prone to psychotic depression to go psychotic. Lack of sleep can make you go psychotic. A reaction to a med. A reaction to stopping a med. And a depression that worsens to a very deep depression can indeed become a psychotic depression.
I don't think I am saying anything you don't already know. Maybe I simply misunderstood what you wrote so please don't be angry with me for posting this.
Maxime
>
> No, but I have some questions... :-D
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> First off, have you talked to him about this? It may be that he has some issues with being on the med, and stopped because of them. Or maybe he just didn't know that you need to keep taking it long enough to "reset" your depression button, if you will. Maybe he was experiencing distressing side effects. Finding out why he went off of it would be a good starting point, I'd think.
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> Also, in terms of withdrawal effects, after four months of Lexapro, I'd think that rebound depression was likely to be the worst that would happen. Four months, in my experience, is about when the meds have built up to steady state in the blood stream long enough for them to show their true colors -- that's when weight gain starts for me, and about the time the lethargy gets unbearable, etc. It may be that whatever withdrawal he might be having is better than whatever he's been feeling on the med.
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> Talking to him about it might help you understand better, and it's where I'd recommend you start.
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> Also, when I was on Lexapro, I stopped cold turkey after not a long time on it. My husband, knowing about psych meds only from TV shows like Law & Order, was afraid that this was a sign that I was going to go into one of those psychotic states that he'd seen on those shows when people went off anti-psychotics. If that's a fear you have, put it to rest. When I quit the Lexapro, it was because the medication was unbearable for me, and the only result was deepened depression. If you're not psychotic before the med, you probably won't be psychotic after -- unless you're prone to psychotic depression, which I think most of us aren't.
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> Hope that helps.
poster:Maxime
thread:460302
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050217/msgs/460416.html