Is the memory loss permanent
Hi I think it's possible, I was very sensitive to Lexapro and it gave me the complete XTC effect. They say it's not possible but it was. Serotonine syndrome is 100% possible!!! It's really stupid people don't believe it while I can probably still proof them I get the XTC effect from just 2,5mg lexapro (half tablet) within 4 hours. The next few days I felt very bad and had severe headache and I quit taking them. It's more than 1 year after I stopped taking them now and I still have severe problems / XTC abuse-like brain problems. It also felt like my emotions got stuck, I look really weird all the time, my face muscles were tense all the time. I now have anti epileptic (levitiracetam) which seems to help to melt the tension in my head. I also exercise getting back in control like concentration excerising and trying to remember things of my past. The medicine should be forbidden immediatly. And those people who know everything better should shut up, just because it doesn't happen often doesn't mean it does not happen.
There are some advanced tests out there that can check some neurotrasnmitter levels. Unfortunately, these tests are over most Doctors heads, unless you go somewhere like Mayo. I know a few Doctors that do these tests, but not many. I wish more doctors would do them instead of just sticking people on whatever meds they want.
Most people overproduce or underproduce certain neurotransmittters for reasons ranging anywhere from; stress; endocrine problems; vitamin/mineral/amino deficiencies, toxicities, imbalances; GI problems; and illnesses of just about any kind. Basically, anything thats wrong with you is going to affect your neurotransmitters in some way. That being said, everyones chemistry is different...meds that have a positive affect on some may have a very negative affect on others.
It's odd...the symptoms that KLG79 had after taking the medications, I had before I started on Lexapro. In my case the Lexapro took care of alot of those symptoms. My actual problem turned out to be Hashimoto's thyroiditis, but hypothyroidism can cause low seratonin, so I guess that's why the Lexapro somewhat helped for a brief period. I did have other horrible symptoms when I first started it though. My pupils would dialate, I felt like I was going crazy, i was skaky, etc. These are considered seratonin sydrome symptoms, but in actuality it was just that my body was not used to it. It was a shock to my system. So, to lessen the symptoms, I started with 1/4 of a pill...yup 1/4...then worked my way up to a whole pill. I had no side effects taking it this way. I did the same thing coming off it..and again...no side effects. Doctors really should tell their patients this, especially those who become addicted and are trying to wean off. And when it comes to taking meds it seems size really does matter. Smaller people tend to do better with lower dosages.
That is your opinion. And hopefully your opinion won't scare anybody and make them stop taking their SSRI (if working). Mine has helped me so much it's amazing. Not a poision at all. I'm sorry about your expierence. And to all the others who had bad ones.
This is a forum for giving opinions, offering suggestions, and support. That is what I did. It is entirely up to the OP to accept, ponder or reject those opinions.
I suggested seeing her doctor to explore the possibility that that one pill, taken 9 years previously, could still be the cause of her symptoms. I did state that I doubted that was the case, but that wa only MY OPINION. I did not state that it was impossible or that she was crazy to think that may be the reason. The suggestion to see a psychiatrist was not about getting her to accept the "fact" that the Lexapro could not cause this situation, (which I NEVER said) but that she had been suffering with these symptoms for 9 years and the p-doc could help her cope in conjunction with working with her GP.
BTW, I took Lexapro for 2 years, it worked very well for me and I have no lasting effects from it.
I'm sorry that my response apparently pissed you off so badly. That is also just my opinion.
Peace
Greenlydia
Yes, that was my old alias and had a problem, couldn't get back into the old account, created a new one. Sorry for the confusion.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors have an opposite effect on nerve cells than xanax does. Google GABA for more ino on nerve cell receptors. I think this is why xanax works so well after nerve cells are damaged by SSRI's.
My ears are actually ringing right now....... If I could only go back and not take that 0ne pill, life would be so different.
I know this is years old. How are you doing?
I was prescribed Lexapro for anxiety. I took one 5mg dose, and only two hours later I started having violent thoughts about hurting others. The thoughts came out of nowhere. They involved hurting/killing people that I love. I immediately stopped taking the Lexapro.
I thought that after taking it, the thoughts would subside, and they did for a while until recently. Its like the Lexapro gave my brain a new way of reacting to anxiety, and it's affecting me months later.
Im scared that that one dose has permanently messed me up. It is pure hell having these thoughts, and when they get really bad I wish I was dead so I didn't have to deal with them anymore.
I'm going to be seeing a therapist soon and I'm now on 10mg of Prozac which so far hasn't affected me like the Lexapro, thank goodness. I'm still scared that it might.
I've researched and think that I have a form of OCD which results in these thoughts. I recently just went through a very stressful period, and that's when the thoughts flared up again.
My heart goes out to everyone dealing with the aftermath of this drug. May God heal our brains and give us peace. I pray everyday for God to heal me, and I'll be praying for all of you too.
It seems that most people's opinions are based on their own experience. "Paxiled" said, "Side effects start right away with these drugs, but effects don't, so the original two days of feeling better was most likely a placebo effect, not the drug. " I am an intelligent person (valedictorian, though chose not to be a physician because of pressure from my physician father) and very educated on these drugs and if I hadn't had such a bad experience, I might not believe some of the things I've read; but I do believe. Like "Shortylee18," I felt good -- energized, the 1st few days on Lexapro, but the more it got into my system, the more the difficult side-effects took hold. Yes, it is true that after a few weeks, the side effects lift for most people (and I had that experience on a previous antidepressant), but they never let up during my first 2-3 months on Lexapro and only minimized, never stopped, after discontinuing Lexapro To say that it was "Probably placebo" is based on one's own experience and not fair. As someone who has been told MANY times that the side effects I had weren't real (and this wasn’t the end of my journey with debilitating effects of psychotropic drugs), being told were imagined, and couldn’t be continuing, I believe anyone's “rare” report. I have had so many tests done and nothing can be found. While I know many people who have responded well to certain medications, I have not. But my RARE symptoms are real and my reports of how I was feeling and what was caused by the drug are valid as well. There is absolutely no doubt! People should be believed! There's nothing wrong with encouraging further testing, but be very careful about casting doubt on a victim’'s report of what happened to him/her -- no matter how far-fetched it seems. I believe EVERY reported reaction and timetable given on this forum. I also feel I have had some level of permanent brain damage (though I'm doing quite well at this point) and may decide to donate my body to science in the end. If more people are taken seriously, maybe there can be help developed in the future for the sufferers.
A few weeks ago I was prescribed Lexapro by my doctor for depression and anxiety, however the first 2 days went by well. It seemed to have a positive effect on me, I was quickly out of my depressive state and happy. I felt great. But on the third day I quickly went from being happy to spiraling depression and a major panic attack. I was able to calm myself down and finally able to fall asleep. On the 4th day, that day was the worst. In the early part of the day I felt terrible physically, I was drained, no energy, I felt sick, I had a headache and it was hard for me to concentrate. Later in the afternoon I was starting to hallucinate but I tried to struggle through it convincing myself that it was just a side effect. It got increasingly worse once night came and I was in a full blown panic attack while also hallucinating. I was unable to control myself and felt like I was going to faint so I ended up going to the emergency room. Luckily they took me serious as my blood pressure was incredibly high and my heart rate out of control. Ever since that night I've been struggling with anxiety and panic attacks, I literally feel traumatized by my experience with Lexapro. I'm afraid of going crazy so I've been stuck at home, physically I've been having a hard time doing anything since I feel weak all the time. I know my reaction to it wasn't as bad as the others but I feel like this pill ruined me. I'm trying really hard to get back my freedom and independence, as I can't drive without having a panic attack, I hate nighttime now, I battle with mild panic attacks that pester me every day. I've been seeing a therapist now, I exercise, do yoga, and only drink water as to keep myself together and for the most part it's a process I'm trying so hard to fight. I won't discourage anyone from Lexapro if it helps but my experience was awful and if I could do it over again I would have NEVER taken it in the first place.
Your symptoms sound like serotonin syndrome. He probably gave you too high a dose. You're lucky because left untreated serotonin syndrome can cause death.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serotonin_syndrome
Lexapro had nothing to do with it . change the way you think . anxiety is telling you all those bad thoughts .
Old thread...new experience....I was put on 5mg of Lexapro a couple of weeks ago. Did alright after the first 6 days. Then I was instructed to up the dose to 10 mg. About 6 to 7 hours later, I began having burning pin-prick pains in my finger tips and a general numbness in both hands. No, I am not a diabetic...just had bloodwork done for a pre-op (hernia laparascopy). I dealt with this excruciating condition for 4 days accompanied by total manic depressive episodes. Finally, I had enough and halved the dose. As soon as I did that, the pain in the hands subsided. The anxiety remained, but at least I wasn't feeling like my fingertips were thrust into a fire-ant pile. And no, I never had this sensation prior to trying this medication. Called the doctor the following Monday and he said to stop taking it. He is aware of this potential side-effect and said that I probably should stay away from the SSRI class of drugs. Been off of it for 3 days and the tingling has persisted, but to a much lesser degree. I hope the condition subsides completely, although I suspect, based on Lex's half-life, I'll be dealing with this for some time to come. Had a mild flu-like withdrawal symptom the first day of discontinuation. That cleared up quickly. Reality is that Lex works for a majority of people. I'm one of the unlucky ones who had a bad experience. Currently on low-dose clonapin to deal with the aftermath. Conclusion: If I make it out of this without any peripheral nerve damage, I'll take the depression over trying another pill. For me, it just wasn't worth it.
The thread may be old but many people are still experiencing these problems from SSRI's, and should know they are not alone.
I still have hellish symptoms and although I get by, I still stand by my statement that Lexapro ruined my life.
The more research I do on SSRI's, the more I realize that these drugs are too experimental and dangerous to prescribe to anyone.
check out paxilprogress website if you don't believe it. These drugs are poison.
Just FYI...this thread is several years old, and most of the original participants are no longer active on the site.
It's easy to pull up an older thread without realizing it. One way you can see, at a glance, if the thread is older than 6 months, is the presence of the hourglass symbol next to the date.
Thanks for your contribution!
It's knowing fact that antidepressants increase anxiety at the beginning befor they kick in , stop scareing people ,
I went threw the same symptoms at age 14 constant panic attacks and anxiety day in and day out exactly as u explain, u need a good phycologist to diagnose u and u need to try anti depressant again and give it time, only thing that helps being a benzo shows it's anxiety
What u describe happened sounds so much like a bad panic attack and as can happen after haveing ur first bad panic attack
The fear of it keeps them comeing u need help for panic and anxiety,
I find this hard to believe, I started Paxil when I was 14 I had full
Body burning sensations I was sick as for a while but than it started working and was great now at 28 I'm on lexapro and getting body burning again and weird stuff but if I take anti anxiety med it goes away, I think u just had a panic attack from starting the Meds as is common and starting side effects, seretonin syndrome only happens with large doses 10mg is a small dose and usually only happens when takeing more than one medication at a time, plus the seretonin takes time to build up in ur system at one dose it would b hardly anything, I'm interested in what u were prescribed it for to begin with? I'd say ur ongoing problems r probly generalized anxiety panic that u actually need treatment for, ur fear of medication is keeping u sick, these medications save peoples lives , ur liveing in hell because of anxiety but ur scared to get the help ur symptoms r all probly from low seretonin , the thing that might help u u fear because of the starting effects
To those who have suffered side effects from medication, please post on this site.
http://www.medhelp.org/forums/Side-Effects-From-Medications/show/1118?camp=msc
rikr at comcast dot net
please contact me
I took two tiny doses of Doxepin antidepressant one year ago and have been totally disabled ever since - I am in total hell!!
Anyone else like this please contact me - we need to support each other
I took two tiny doses of Doxepin antidepressant one year ago and have been totally disabled ever since - I am in total hell!!
Anyone else like this please contact me - we need to support each other
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I had an ischaemic stroke (my second), it was a lacunar infarct in the right nucleus of the lentiform corona radiata. I had total left side paralysis. the first stroke I had was in my cerebellum and the third is unknown because I cannot get to the hospital to pick up my abnormal CT scan results. No cause can be found for these strokes even after extensive tests with exception to the Lexapro and the remnants of its damage. The cause is inconclusive at this time.
Clinical diagnoses are given every day based upon observations alone, I was diagnosed quite early after taking the pill with serotonin syndrome and subsequent impairments due to an adverse reaction to Lexapro. My inability to work, drive, stand still, listen to music or function in life were indicators that I had suffered an acute adverse reaction...having no history of anything like this happen to me for the previous 34 years. I am lucky to be alive. You are not required to believe me and I am not concerned with your skepticism.
Google: PETER BREGGIN and look at his work exposing dangers of psychiatric medications. I have researched this phenomenon and learned much. If you were to do more reading it will be possible to become better educated on this subject.
As a society we are NOT PROPERLY EDUCATED about the dangers associated with taking these psychiatric drugs. That is the problem. The dangers are not always unknown, but withheld from us by the very pharmaceutical companies profiting from our ill-informed gamble. And it seems the FDA does very little to protect the consumer.
Also, research GWEN OLSEN on Youtube, she was recently a featured guest on the Dr. OZ show speaking against over-prescribing of psychiatric medication and their dangers. She was a drug rep for several years and now she devotes her life to exposing the lies she was coached and trained to persuade doctors and all the dirty tricks she used to push known dangerous and experimental psyche-meds. She also became a victim of these meds herself.
"Experimental" and something based on theory are two different things. MUCH of the causes and treatments of mental illnesses is based on theory. MOST good doctors would be able to tell a patient that if they asked about the levels os serotonin.
There are risks to taking any medication. A person must weigh the risks and benefits for themselves. Doctors cannot possibly know the outcome a med will have on each individual person. There is always new information coming to light about meds, even ones that have been around for decades.
How does one know they have "brain damage"? Is that diagnosed or assumed? If it is diagnosed, how? And, how can it be proven that it was related to the SSRI?
I'm sorry to hear about your stroke...what kind was it? Hemorrhagic? Thrombolytic? Anoxic?
I'm asking these questions because they are relevant to the discussion and I think it is only fair that people reading see the arguments on both sides.