I took 1 lexapro and it has ruined my life..

[KLG79]

I was suffering from alot of stress and then I started to get depressed so, I went to the doctor 9 years ago and he prescribed lexapro and vioxx due to a knot that had come up on my neck ' thinking back on that I believe it was caused from all the tension headaches I was having" anyway that night as usual I put my daughter to bed took the meds. then I went to bed. I woke up about 2 hours later, I jumped strait out of my bed with my mind feeling as if it was a million miles away and racing thoughts and very I was confused, but yet I could feel a cold sensation like ice being run through my viens, I ran into the living room screaming and crying to where my husband was. I remember not being able to stand still I had to be moving constanly in a fast pace my heart was racing I put my hands on my chest it felt like my heart was actually coming out of my chest I felt like I was holding it in with pressure from my hands. Then next I started burning intead of being cold I looked for holes in my body because  It hurt so bad. My husband called my mom and she came and seen me and said it was probably an allergic reaction. I was begging to go to the hospital, but instead she called the doctor at the office she worked at. He told her to give me benadryl. My husband left to go get some during that time I started shaking uncontrolable I was going from being ice cold to burning feelings going through my body like waves.I started getting bad cramps so I ran to the bathroom and had direahha and throwing up at the same time.I just knew I was dying I remember my husband giving me benadryl thinking it would stop everything, but it did hardly nothing! It use to knock me out, but nothing would stop this crazy feelings and the pain I was having. My mom called the doctor back and he said it should wear off by morning...Well it didn't I was took to the hopital 24 hours later still with all these symptoms and was told it was serotion syndrom and sent  home..I lost all kinds of weight I went for almost 2 weeks without eating and barely drinking and walking constantly day and night I was wired up. I was scared to be left alone I didn't shower for 3 days I was told. I didn't realize that at the time that's how messed up I was.I finally went back to the er they ask if I was on crack and I have never had any kind of drugs in my life! They said it was aniexty and sent me home and told me to act normal it was the only way I would get over it. I started to clear up enough to find a new doctor he gave me xanax it is the only thing that helps with the symptoms. I was taking 6 a day and still needed more just so I could sit down. There is so much more I could go on and on, but I just want to know if anyone knows what could be going on I do get better sometimes,but this has never went completly away and I am going on 9 years of this:( I pray everyday for an answer for the right help to come along I just want to be a normal mother and wife again I hate to suffer ,but mostly it kills me to know what my daughter has seen and been through.

[mark1989]

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.

[Ninuts]

I took one pill of 10 mg lexapro, and had a horrible reaction.  My pupils dilated, my body felt like it was burning and my heart was racing.  I went to the ER and my blood pressure was sky high, and I had tachycardia.  I took several hours with fluids an d Valium to calmed me down.  Today, I am still feeling very anxious and worried.  My pupils are still huge.  I think this is Avery dangerous drug and it should be off the market.

[Danna123]

Absolutely true! A half of one pill of  Citalopram gave me the same reactions, it’s the REAL HELL that no one believes or understand it.
Antidepressants are a real POISON , they might  help for a short time but they do a permanent damage to the brain. This’s what I learned from antidepressants.
God bless y’all

[specialmom]

Sorry you had a bad experience. They DO help many while some have the opposite experience.  That is not to take away from your situation but keep in mind that many have very good experiences on their medication but just don't come to a forum to talk about it because they've moved on.  good luck to you and hope you are also able to move past the issues surrounding anxiety and having taken a small amount of Citalopram.  good luck to you.

[Paxiled]

It's sad you had this experience.  But I'm guessing reacting so severely to half of one pill is probably an allergy reaction, and it's impossible for a doctor to know if we're allergic to something we've never taken.  I'm guessing the universe of those who suffer so from half a pill is extremely small.  But taking these drugs for long periods of time is thought to cause problems for the brain -- this is true for any drugs taken for long periods of time.  We have to remember, all drugs are studied for short periods of time for money reasons.  The long studies only come with use when the drugs are on the market.  Not everyone will have a problem taking them long-term, not even most probably, as the brain is very adaptable, but some will find it hard to function without taking meds again and some will have some deficits they didn't have before, such as the ability to learn to adapt to stress or the ability to sleep well or other problems.  It does happen.  But that's a far cry from one half of one pill.  Which is no consolation to anyone who does have this happen to them that it probably almost never happens.  It does mean labeling them all as poison that nobody should ever take goes too far.  Having a life limited by what drugs do is better than no life at all.  Life is full of risk and tradeoffs.  We win some, we lose some.  

[Ambresia]

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.

[Ambresia]

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.

[loaders2020]

Wow I have hashimotis too this lexapro keeps me totally num I have no short term memory at all even been to the mayo

[swervedriver]

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.

[anxiety860]

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.

[wdtony]

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.