Posted by megj on October 13, 2005, at 16:36:14
I was on Lexapro for over two years and did extremely well on it. No side effects except for a little weight gain. My regular doctor (not the doc who prescribed it)suggested I come off it slowly and I did thinking I was better and didn't need it anymore. That was 10 months ago. The withdrawal was tough to say the least and I felt my depression coming back within the first month or so off Lexapro. I stayed off hoping I would do better. I lost 20 pounds off an already petite frame. I became agitated and started crying every day like the old days.
This weekend was the last straw and I made the decision to go back on Lexapro. I saw my regular doctor on Monday and took my first dose. Well, this has been hell so far. My anxiety is through the roof. I'm still just as depressed if not more so than before. I'm taking xanax twice a day which helps but also makes me a zombie and I can't do much. I haven't worked all week. I cannot eat which I really need to before I shrivel up to nothing. I'm in grad school and have midterms next week for which I can't imagine being able to study for. I called the psychiatrist who put me on Lexapro two years ago and told him the story and he said it was "odd" for me to be having this reaction. He didn't want me to stop taking it but suggested I double my xanax until he can see me on Monday. My lexapro dose is at 10mg which I took for three days except today I took only 5mg.
How long does this start up anxiety take to go away? And is it possible that I may no longer respond to it like I used to? I could kick myself in the rear for going off Lex to begin with.
Just as a side note, I'm a pack a day smoker and have tried quitting more times than I can count. Eversince I took my first dose of Lex on Monday, I can't even look at a cigarette. So I might be complicating this whole thing with nicotine withdrawal. I tried smoking a couple times to take the edge off but the opposite happens and it sends me into a major panic melt down. I have never felt this disabled before in my life. Very out of control and scared that I won't get better. Please share anything you think might help.
poster:megj
thread:566531
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20051010/msgs/566531.html