Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 312261

Shown: posts 1 to 3 of 3. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

Unintentional Immediate Cessation

Posted by SunCitySue on February 11, 2004, at 21:08:33

Hello everybody!

I have been on Lexapro for six months now. I don't know that I was so much depressed as stressed out from my job. Anyway, my doc started me out on the 10mg. I didn't notice any bad side effects at all, other than the first few days, feeling like nothing could upset me!

At Christmas time, I was so busy with year-end stuff at work and I started feeling sick. I ended up with a severe bronchial infection for which my doctor prescribed antibiotics. The first course of antibiotics wasn't touching my symptoms, so I went back to the doc's again and was put on a different antibiotic and sent for a chest x-ray as pneumonia was suspected.

The x-rays came back clear, but my head felt like someone had inserted a balloon in it and was expanding it daily!! I thought it was a sinus infection along with the bronchial. WRONG!

I had been so busy with work that I forgot to re-fill my prescription for Lexapro. I thought that I had just been off of it for a few days, but when I finally took the time to take a look at my life instead of my job, the reality hit me that I had been off of it for TWO WHOLE WEEKS!!!

Still, I hadn't made the connection between my symptoms and Lexapro withdrawal. My husband did some extensive research on the subject and it appeared that my symptoms were typical with Lexapro withdrawal.

Meanwhile, my husband lost his job and our health insurance. Fortunately, my workplace was able to add us on instantly due to the circumstances, but when I called in the re-fill for Lexapro, my co-pay was $50!!! I decided then and there that I want to get off of this stuff for two main reasons.

Firstly, if these withdrawal symptoms hit me so hard after being on the drug for six months, I do not want to imagine what it would be like after a year or more!

Secondly, I'm getting older and hope to retire in 17 years. I don't want to get hooked on this stuff and not be able to afford it somewhere down the road.

Anyway, that's how I stumbled upon this forum tonight. I was researching for peoples' experiences and suggestions for slowly getting off of Lexapro.

Thanks for listening and best of luck to all!

 

Re: Unintentional Immediate Cessation

Posted by leo33 on February 12, 2004, at 16:21:46

In reply to Unintentional Immediate Cessation, posted by SunCitySue on February 11, 2004, at 21:08:33

Personally I think your better off not going the medication route. First, Psychiatry is an inaccurate science at best. Second, psychiatric help is extremely expensive and you are better off saving your money, I have spent tens of thousands on medication and therapy only to be in the same place that I started. Third, there are many side effects that can happen and no one knows what effects long term use will cause. I'm sure if any turn up negative they will be covering their asses. Fourth, as you have been experiencing, the withdrawal syndrome, which sort of makes you feel like a drug addict since you need your fix to start taking away the withdrawal symptoms. Fifth, there is a lot of stigma involved for the people who take meds and suffer mental illnesses, (ie, you can be excluded out of jobs because you suffered the illness). Sixth, if you ever get into some type of legal trouble, they will use your illness against you to destroy your credibility (ie, The Kobe Bryant Case). Seventh, there is no accountability for the psychiatrists and drug companies for misdiagnosis's or negative drug reactions that happen sometimes leaving permanent damage. Also, if you do run out of money I can guarantee very little help or cooperation from the mental health industry or anyone else for that matter. Better to hold on to your money because if you read the posts here there are very little success stories with meds, especially for the long term. This is just my opinion thou.

 

Re: Unintentional Immediate Cessation

Posted by mikepeep on February 12, 2004, at 16:40:50

In reply to Re: Unintentional Immediate Cessation, posted by leo33 on February 12, 2004, at 16:21:46

For the past 3 years i was diagnosed with some depression. I found this site the other night cause i was experiencing strange sensations. i feel better that it was not me but the withdrawal. You are lucking before lex i was on celexa and i did not take for 3 days and I picked a fight with 4 guys and punched holes in the wall when I got home. I went off the celexa(tapperd) for about 4 months but went back after wife told me I was better on some meds. I went to lex(also cost 50 a bottle) and after a year the doc told me to go off since I was feeling better. never been on any other meds my entire life ( im 35 ). sorry for long post but I feel you shuld try and maybe therpy and see how iy goes. Im still tossed up about always taking meds for everything and hope to never go back on them again. Good Luck


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.