Help New medication

[pdyduc]

I just stopped using Sertraline (after weaning under the advice of my doctor) and started to use Escitalopram. I've never been on this medication before but the side effects seem pretty bad if im honest. Weaning of of Sertraline has been incredibly hard. I have been experiencing mood swings, crying fits, bouts of depression again. I dont know if it was even a good idea to try a new medication. I had't been having the best luck with Sertraline, and while I felt a little better than I had in a long time, I also didn't feel good. I thought it would be a good idea to try a new medication so that one day I could feel like a real person. Now I feel worse and I'm questioning everything. I really don't know If i can do this but I don't know if I can just stop this now that I've started it. Never mind that I have lost precious days sitting on the couch (when im not working) feeling like the world is ending. Did i do the right thing? the point is not to want to die and to be able to do things ? shoudl i have tried to shoot for being better than functioning? is this going to help?? I can't deal with the withdrawl and its really killign me. I need someone to tell me that I did the right thing or jsut tell me to stop because I dont know what the point is if i feel worse . i really cant handle this wasted time if i cant start feeling better what if the best i could ever feel is on sertaline? this is making me panic

 

[Pookie]

I know it's easier said than done, but you're going to have to be patient while you transition to your new medication. It can take at least two weeks for your body to adjust to the new meds and any side-effects and maybe then you'll be able to judge if it's the right medication for you. Can you get a short-term course of benzos from your doctor while you go through this? I wish you luck.

 

[awfullife]

You'll be through it before you know it. Lexapro has a quicker than most activation timeline. I hope you feel better soon.

 

[Lostandlooking]

I think you deserve better than barely functioning. We all do. And it's brave to strive for some slither of happiness. When all you ever feel is oppressing darkness. So I think you did the right thing. Even though it's a painful transition and there are no guarantees. I'm praying that the new medication works better than the last one and that you start to feel some positive effects very soon.

 

[Sherri]

Seems like the setraline was not working, that's why your doctor changed the medication, very common. I've taken Escitalopram in the past with little side effects besides (but our bodies are different ) putting just a bit of weight in the beginning. But if your wd symptoms are getting too strong, maybe ask you doctor to see you asap. Good luck pdyduc.

 

[Lost.]

I just stopped using Sertraline (after weaning under the advice of my doctor) and started to use Escitalopram. I've never been on this medication before but the side effects seem pretty bad if im honest. Weaning of of Sertraline has been incredibly hard. I have been experiencing mood swings, crying fits, bouts of depression again. I dont know if it was even a good idea to try a new medication. I had't been having the best luck with Sertraline, and while I felt a little better than I had in a long time, I also didn't feel good. I thought it would be a good idea to try a new medication so that one day I could feel like a real person. Now I feel worse and I'm questioning everything. I really don't know If i can do this but I don't know if I can just stop this now that I've started it. Never mind that I have lost precious days sitting on the couch (when im not working) feeling like the world is ending. Did i do the right thing? the point is not to want to die and to be able to do things ? shoudl i have tried to shoot for being better than functioning? is this going to help?? I can't deal with the withdrawl and its really killign me. I need someone to tell me that I did the right thing or jsut tell me to stop because I dont know what the point is if i feel worse . i really cant handle this wasted time if i cant start feeling better what if the best i could ever feel is on sertaline? this is making me panic

Google PSSD (post ssri/snri sexual dysfunction). The name pssd is not correct. Be aware all kind of antideprsants and antipsychotics can cause this state, not only ssri and snri antideprsants. This state often include emotional numbness and cognitive impairment. Abruptly stoping of antideprsants can cause this state to and can cause protracted withdrawal syndrome. Go to surviving antideprsants forum, read about antideprsants danger and seek help/advice there. If you have facebook you can search there groups about psych medications danger.

 

[Sherri]

Google PSSD (post ssri/snri sexual dysfunction). The name pssd is not correct. Be aware all kind of antideprsants and antipsychotics can cause this state, not only ssri and snri antideprsants. This state often include emotional numbness and cognitive impairment. Abruptly stoping of antideprsants can cause this state to and can cause protracted withdrawal syndrome. Go to surviving antideprsants forum, read about antideprsants danger and seek help/advice there. If you have facebook you can search there groups about psych medications danger.

I took once Cymbalga, was hell to quit,brain zaps, lost balance sometimes. Lasted 3 weeks. Had compensate with, some benzos. The brain zaps were worse if I suddelly moved my eyes. Weird right?

 

[Lost.]

Brain zaps are form of small partial epileptic seizure. Brain zaps often happen in benzo or antideprsants withdrawal. I suffered from brain zaps for about 3 weeks in zoloft acute withdrawal. After acute withdrawal came protracted withdrawal. Antidepressants are poison.

 

[Sherri]

Brain zaps are form of small partial epileptic seizure. Brain zaps often happen in benzo or antideprsants withdrawal. I suffered from brain zaps for about 3 weeks in zoloft acute withdrawal. After acute withdrawal came protracted withdrawal. Antidepressants are poison.

very true .

 

[Livingvsdying25]

I just wanna say that taking note of how ur body feels is very important.

I took Escitalopram for a year. Had horrible side effects that no one paid attention to.

Pay attention and keep bringing it up.

 

[Sinkinshyp]

I would give your doctor a call and discuss whats going on. Coming off a med you can expect some type of withdraw as well as starting a new one you can expect some changes. It may take time for your new meds to start working as well. I hope you are feeling better soon.

 

[ohhgeeitsme]

Google PSSD (post ssri/snri sexual dysfunction). The name pssd is not correct. Be aware all kind of antideprsants and antipsychotics can cause this state, not only ssri and snri antideprsants. This state often include emotional numbness and cognitive impairment. Abruptly stoping of antideprsants can cause this state to and can cause protracted withdrawal syndrome. Go to surviving antideprsants forum, read about antideprsants danger and seek help/advice there. If you have facebook you can search there groups about psych medications danger.

Yeah, I've been off SSRIs for over a year and still basically asexual and I had a very high libido beforehand. I had to deal with akathisia for a year because of Paxil, among other things like anhedonia. My only suicide attempts were because of the misery of akathisia. I still feel messed up from them. My anxiety is far worse than it was before, even after over a year of stopping. I only took it for four months. I had the brain zaps for about a month after quitting.
Then again, medication can save other people and is the best course of action. It's just impossible for any of us to really know. Just because I have a horror story, doesn't mean everyone else will. I have friends who have been taking them for over a decade and doing well. Of course, at that point, you'll pretty much have to stay on them for the rest of your life. If you find one that works though, I don't think that's the such a horrible thing.. depending on how you feel about it.
I just know I will personally never touch another SSRI again.

 

[CuddleHug]

Changing medication is rough, it always is. The first month is usually the worst. Also keep in mind that you will gradually have to increase the dosage of escitalopram as well. Sometimes it feels like it's not working at all, until you get to the right dose and suddenly things get better. It's understandable that you're doubting right now due to the withdrawal symptoms, but try to push through and see what happens. It is hell, I know, but these are complicated medicines that work in ways we don't fully understand. Time is one main ingredient, so don't give up. That's my advice at least.

Definitely talk to your doctor about serious side-effects, though. Minor ones often go away, but serious ones are not worth it and can even be dangerous.

 

[Lost.]

Yeah, I've been off SSRIs for over a year and still basically asexual and I had a very high libido beforehand. I had to deal with akathisia for a year because of Paxil, among other things like anhedonia. My only suicide attempts were because of the misery of akathisia. I still feel messed up from them. My anxiety is far worse than it was before, even after over a year of stopping. I only took it for four months. I had the brain zaps for about a month after quitting.
Then again, medication can save other people and is the best course of action. It's just impossible for any of us to really know. Just because I have a horror story, doesn't mean everyone else will. I have friends who have been taking them for over a decade and doing well. Of course, at that point, you'll pretty much have to stay on them for the rest of your life. If you find one that works though, I don't think that's the such a horrible thing.. depending on how you feel about it.
I just know I will personally never touch another SSRI again.

Antidepressants are russian roulete!
I am had been damaged by psych meds (symptoms: partial emotional numbness, partial sexual dysfunction, some cognitive impairment). Symptoms got much worse after the antiemetic injection for dizziness without asking. So here i am.
I knew two member of this forum who took their lives because of antideprsants aftermaths.
Btw not only ssri and snri antideprsants are danger.
I have spoken with two person from this forum who are here because of antideprsants aftermaths!
There are more safe ways of coping with anxiety and depression.
Are you still on antideprsants?

 

[ohhgeeitsme]

Antidepressants are russian roulete!
I am had been damaged by psych meds (symptoms: partial emotional numbness, partial sexual dysfunction, some cognitive impairment). Symptoms got much worse after the antiemetic injection for dizziness without asking. So here i am.
I knew two member of this forum who took their lives because of antideprsants aftermaths.
Btw not only ssri and snri antideprsants are danger.
I have spoken with two person from this forum who are here because of antideprsants aftermaths!
There are more safe ways of coping with anxiety and depression.
Are you still on antideprsants?

I'm sorry you're dealing with that. I know just how awful it can be. No, I've been off them for over a year now. I was adamant about not taking them for years but then finally caved because I was finally at last resort options. They did help the first few months, just not in the way they're intended to. I stopped caring about everything, which really helped with anxiety. I was still planning on killing myself in the future, but I wasn't bothered by it and even had a sense of well being surrounding the idea, though I wasn't planning on going through with it until I hit about 40 (I was 32 at the time). Then about four months in, I started to develop akathisia and quit and that's when everything went to hell. While I was already suicidal before taking them, I was never seriously actively suicidal until afterward. They were the direct cause of my first attempts a year ago, when I was dealing with the severe akathisia and just lost my job because of that and was about to lose my home (which I did) on top of it.

 

[WornOutLife]

I'm so sorry to hear your change of meds is not working.
I've taken both of them but they didn't helped me at all.
The only one which kinda works for me is lorazepam 4mg. I can get some sleep.
However, these days I'm so anxious that it's not working so much.

Anyway, I think it's nice you try to "face life" by finding new meds and haven't given up yet.
I'll try to do the same, I mean, give life a shot for some months at least and see if anything changes (positively).

 

[Lost.]

I'm sorry you're dealing with that. I know just how awful it can be. No, I've been off them for over a year now. I was adamant about not taking them for years but then finally caved because I was finally at last resort options. They did help the first few months, just not in the way they're intended to. I stopped caring about everything, which really helped with anxiety. I was still planning on killing myself in the future, but I wasn't bothered by it and even had a sense of well being surrounding the idea, though I wasn't planning on going through with it until I hit about 40 (I was 32 at the time). Then about four months in, I started to develop akathisia and quit and that's when everything went to hell. While I was already suicidal before taking them, I was never seriously actively suicidal until afterward. They were the direct cause of my first attempts a year ago, when I was dealing with the severe akathisia and just lost my job because of that and was about to lose my home (which I did) on top of it.

I am sorry you went throught it. I read about akatisia and it is hellish state with high rate of suicide. Psych meds "cure" depression and anxiety by numbing emotions, causing apaty and some people report is helpfull for them. But it numbs good emotions and sexual function too. Numbness of emotion, sexualty and cognive impairment can presist after medication stoping and it is devasting, it ruins lives, it lead to severe depression and suicidality.
Do you have any aftermaths of psych meds you used ?

 

[ohhgeeitsme]

I am sorry you went throught it. I read about akatisia and it is hellish state with high rate of suicide. Psych meds "cure" depression and anxiety by numbing emotions, causing apaty and some people report is helpfull for them. But it numbs good emotions and sexual function too. Numbness of emotion, sexualty and cognive impairment can presist after medication stoping and it is devasting, it ruins lives, it lead to severe depression and suicidality.
Do you have any aftermaths of psych meds you used ?

It's really difficult for me to determine what symptoms are caused by what because I have so much going on and have been taking some kind of drug, legal or not, for over a decade (except now, don't even drink coffee anymore). I used to get black out drunk a lot and was addicted to opiates years ago. Then took all kinds of supplements and nootropics for a few years after that, some of which definitely had negative effects. I also had temporal lobe seizures since I was 14, but those stopped about two or three years ago. The only thing I know for sure that is currently the aftermath of antidepressants is my loss of libido. I can still achieve orgasms, but there is no sexual desire anymore. Every now and then, I'll get a small wave but not much. Lately, it feels like this may be improving, so I may just have to give it more time. Even so, it'll probably never return back to normal.. but you never know. I have a lot of other symptoms but I can't say with 100% certainty it's damage from the meds.

 

[Lost.]

It's really difficult for me to determine what symptoms are caused by what because I have so much going on and have been taking some kind of drug, legal or not, for over a decade (except now, don't even drink coffee anymore). I used to get black out drunk a lot and was addicted to opiates years ago. Then took all kinds of supplements and nootropics for a few years after that, some of which definitely had negative effects. I also had temporal lobe seizures since I was 14, but those stopped about two or three years ago. The only thing I know for sure that is currently the aftermath of antidepressants is my loss of libido. I can still achieve orgasms, but there is no sexual desire anymore. Every now and then, I'll get a small wave but not much. Lately, it feels like this may be improving, so I may just have to give it more time. Even so, it'll probably never return back to normal.. but you never know. I have a lot of other symptoms but I can't say with 100% certainty it's damage from the meds.

I am sorry you you went through various things harmful to brain.
I lost ability to turn on after psych meds but still have normal or near normal orgasm. But it went away with the antiemetic injection without asking. It is horrible symtom which made me suicidal.

 

[ohhgeeitsme]

I am sorry you you went through various things harmful to brain.
I lost ability to turn on after psych meds but still have normal or near normal orgasm. But it went away with the antiemetic injection without asking. It is horrible symtom which made me suicidal.

I'm sorry, it really is horrible. Antiemetics are often dopamine antagonists and doctors should not be given them lightly. I read about one doctor who was given an antiemetic injection in the hospital and developed akathisia, then killed himself a week later by jumping in front of a train.

 

[Chupacabra 44]

Consult your physician.

 

[Lost.]

Antiemetics which are dopamine antagonists are acutually antipsychotics. Antipsychotics are dopamine antagonists. Horrible. I read about antiemetics induced suicides too. I read a lot about side effects/consenquesces of antiemetics.