Lexapro Reaction - Off Of It Now, But Feeling Miserable! Please Help! (Page 2) (Newest replies first)

Amy Says:

Tue, June 13, 2017

Hello, thank you for taking the time to read this and hopefully help me out! I know this is long but it said to be detailed, and if there's any other info that anyone needs to know in order to help, please don't hesitate to ask me.

I was put on Lexapro 5 MG in September 2016. This is the first drug of this type that I have ever taken. I took the 5 MG dose for 6 weeks then I was bumped up to 10 MG's once per day. I had some symptoms as the medicine was going into my body those first few weeks but I kept in close contact with my Dr. and she reassured me that it was completely normal. By the end of November 2016, my periods had stopped and I was having loose stools 3-5 times a day and a foggy brain feeling so I went back to my Dr. and after speaking with her she advised me that she thought I was going into perimenopause. I was 37 at the time so I was a bit stunned. Over the next month I started feeling weak, dizzy, had no appetite at all, and worst of all, I was having loose to diarrhea stools anywhere from 5 to 20 (not exaggerating) times per day. I went back to my Dr. and was told that since I had just finished a dose of antibiotics for a sinus infection, that I had a bad case of C-diff. I was treated for that 3 times in a row which was pretty rough on my body but none of my symptoms ever got better. My stool sample showed no signs of c-diff, ever, so the treatments were useless and unpleasant. I went to a different Dr. and had more blood work done and that showed my kidneys were not functioning properly, which had never happened before.

I was having vision problems by March 2017 (blurry, flash's of lights), also my memory started becoming terrible, I was super dizzy and falling a few times, along with all the previous symptoms I was having. The new Dr. wanted me to get a CT Scan to check for MS or anything else going on. I have had to cancel that evaluation multiple times because I can not leave my home now because of the excessive constant diarrhea. I should add that I was on no other meds during this time. On May 9th of this year I called my Pharmacist and asked for exact dates I started the Lexapro. It all matched up to my symptoms. That's when I started doing more research online and found out about how bad this drug can be for some people while taking it, and coming off of it. I called my Dr the next morning and told him what I thought and he agreed it is most likely a reaction to Lexapro after all these months. He told me to take my normal dose every other day for 10 days then cut that dose in half and take the 5 MG's for 10 days and then stop it all together. I did this and have not taken any of it for 6 days. While I was weaning off of it, I was an emotional wreck or super mean for no reason. That has went away somewhat but all the other symptoms have remained with me and have not improved.

I've lost about 30 pounds (which normally I would welcome, but not like this). I can't eat, mostly because of the fear of what will happen within minutes of swallowing the food. Any food. I've tried bland, basic, no flavor foods, to liquid diet, to non dairy, to just snacking on crackers. I do make sure I keep hydrated. I cant sleep much, my brain is a mess, and I started getting Ocular Migraines 2 months ago also. I have a colonoscopy scheduled but I couldn't get in until the end of July. I still haven't had a period, which is not from perimenopause I was later told by the new Dr. I'm still going to the bathroom up to 20 times a day but on average its 10 times per day and never less than 5 times per day. This has become debilitating to me. I don't leave my house unless I absolutely have to go to the Dr. for this. Will this last forever? Can any of this cause permanent damage to my body? I know my back near my kidneys hurt regularly and my back swells there also. I'm seriously broken and at a loss as to how I can get my life back and start living again. I have been open and willing and will continue to be, trying anything that may help, so if anyone can guide me, or educate me on a way to improve this, please let me know! I have so much empathy for anyone that has gone through this. Its almost like people don't believe me that its this bad but I don't know of a single soul that would make this up for any reason. Please leave any responses, I will appreciate all of them.

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