new meds

[libbie123]

So, prozac has not worked for me. I know its only been 3 weeks, but my anxiety, panic attacks are getting worse. And after about an hour of taking prozac i am very hypomanic. Pacing, heart racing, crazy thoughts etc. That lasts roughly 5 hours. Pure hell. That is in addition to the extreme insomnia. So i went back to the doc and he has changed me from prozac to lexapro, and added remeron for sleep. He said i could start the lexapro in the morning, and i assume i can take the remeron tonight if i want, but im hesitant to take it. Any advice?

[libbie123]

No i didnt call. I just havent taken the sleep med. Im just going to keep doing what im doing. I see my therapist on friday. I also called my insurance to see if there is another doctor i can go to thats covered. There is, so i may end up trying him. But that wont be till december. So i gotta hang in there.

[remar]

That's such wonderful news!
Did you get a chance to call your Dr today?

[libbie123]

I took just the 2.5 again today. I have been fine. I actually got 5 hours of sleep last night. Can i say WOW! Im beginning to feel like me again.

[remar]

The Prozac is still in your system so that was most likely the cause of your mania and sleep loss on top of starting a new med. I agree with cutting back on the Lexapro. In my opinion, it can be better to start off on a lower dose of meds to see how you do.

[libbie123]

I took a whole 10 mg lexapro yesterday n it made me manic just like the prozac. I got about 4 hours sleep after taking xanax. I took only 2.5 of the lexapro at around 7 this morning. No mania, pacing or panic yet. Just a little sleepy. I know im not supposed to adjust meds myself. I calling my primary doc in the morning to get him to recommend a different therapy center or psychiatrist. ( the one i am going to now has me convinced the doc there just wants to dope people up). I want to find a doctor who will actually listen to me beginning to end of when these panic attacks started and what meds ive tried and what has not worked.

[remar]

Nursegirl gave you great advice, as always. I have to agree with her about taking these two meds together. It does'nt sound like a good idea.
I really hope you do well on Lexapro. I take it myself and find that it makes me tired at times. I had no problems other than a little nausea when I first started taking it. I did start off on a small dose though.
I've heard other people have the same complaints about Prozac. I've also heard other people say they do extremely well on it. We're all so different you never know how we'll respond to these meds. I'm sorry you've been suffering on the Prozac.

[libbie123]

Yes i did. Never took the trazadone, im sure ill be the same about the remeron.  Just know the prozac was making me worse instead of better. Nursegirl im just so frustrated.

[nursegirl6572]

Please double check with your doctor, as both Lexapro and Remeron are antidepressants, and there is a contraindication taking them both at the same time.  Didn't we go through this with the Prozac too?  What did the doctor say about taking them concurrently?

[libbie123]

Thanks jerry. Any advice is welcome. I know it may take a while to figure out whats right for me.

[Jerry_NJ]

I don't know and didn't look up "remoron" but assume it is a sleeping pill.

My wife takes medications for depression and for anxiety and she also takes sleeping pills... this suggests the meds don't interact in any dangerous way, and not taking one surely wouldn't add any danger/problem.  

Just my guess, and I try to avoid sleeping pills but use them a few times a month.  All my meds are heart rhythm related, I take no anxiety drugs.  So, take my input as a start and hope you'll get some inputs from experience.