I'm weaning off lexapro to start cymbalta

[Starla]

I was on Lexapro for a brief period of time and couldn't take it anymore. The first thing I noticed was that it literally shut down my emotional responses that I would normally have toward certain things. I felt completely numb, and I felt that way with my daughter. It actually scared me and I didn't like it. The second issue was that my hands would shake out of the blue.

I was put on this for situational depression and anxiety.... including PTSD. Unfortunately, this drug did nothing but numb me so much that it put off what I needed to deal with. Which was a death... and the shock and depression that followed it. What helped was some cognitive behavioral therapy sessions and biofeedback.

I did go on xanax at the time to help with the anxiety..... but too much xanax for too long, depressed me. It depressed my emotions, my respiratory system, and it slowed me down too much. It served it's purpose however, in helping me deal with shit while keeping me relatively calm enough to do so.

The thing is Vix.... are you afraid to not be numb? Are you afraid to feel?

[Starla]

Originally Posted by reprise85

I cry. In therapy. I have to keep grief-type crying in therapy for now. Otherwise it threatens to make me unstable. Eventually I'll be able to feel more in general. We spent a lot of time getting it to where I could function and keep therapy stuff in therapy, not to say I can't talk psychology or trauma etc, but details and stuff that is crazy that I went through, I keep in my two hours a week. It's actually fairly amazing to be able to function and do deep level type trauma processing at the same time. I had to be very patient to get to this point.



I take Seroquel every day. It has helped me a lot with insomnia and anxiety. The way I use it is definitely off label. I haven't had to take it as a PRN (as needed) in a long time - but it is my go to med for that, the same way a benzo might be for someone else. I take 200mg in the morning and 200mg at night. Obviously, I have a tolerance. Most people could not function on 200mg of Seroquel if only for the drowsiness alone. It doesn't make me drowsy at all now, but I still sleep well compared to how I used to.

Is that how he is saying "need it" - as in, for anxiety? I also don't understand the having to ween off of Lexapro first. Does he want you to get to zero before you go on Cymbalta? Obviously, I'm not a doctor, but from what I know from independent research (lol), I don't think that's strictly necessary. Of course you want to avoid any nasty-ness from excess neurotransmitter transmission, but it seems to me like you'd also want to avoid withdrawal from SSRI nasty-ness. But like I said I'm not a doctor and I'm sure yours knows best. I just wish you didn't have to suffer from this.

Also, Seroquel makes most people super hungry. It's one of the most notorious weight gaining medications in psychiatry. I have a tolerance to that too, but most people who start it (and I did too) tend to go into weird Seroquel-induced drowsy gorgefests. But my sample size of like 10 people I've known isn't very big.



Hold on, tiger. I'm taking one class. PSY2012 which is General Psychology. I'm doing it first because it's available as a two month (Session 4) class, I have an F from getting sick before that I need to get rid of by retaking it so that I continue getting student aid, and because it should be super easy and fun. I was actually thinking of CLEP-ing it but decided to take it instead. It's an essay class that meets five times, so I don't think it really qualifies as a school experience. But it's a start. And it's at the Dont-Call-It-Community-College-We-Have-Two-Bachelor-Programs College. My major is Psychology, naturally - but the school has a generic "Bachelor of Arts" thing that I'm technically enrolled in. I'm also considering nursing, but really I feel cool just leaving it open for a little bit. I have to do all the junky prerequisites anyway.

Thanks for asking

So much fun! Good luck to you Erica You would also make a great psych nurse.

[vixnix]

Originally Posted by Starla

I was on Lexapro for a brief period of time and couldn't take it anymore. The first thing I noticed was that it literally shut down my emotional responses that I would normally have toward certain things. I felt completely numb, and I felt that way with my daughter. It actually scared me and I didn't like it. The second issue was that my hands would shake out of the blue.

I was put on this for situational depression and anxiety.... including PTSD. Unfortunately, this drug did nothing but numb me so much that it put off what I needed to deal with. Which was a death... and the shock and depression that followed it. What helped was some cognitive behavioral therapy sessions and biofeedback.

I did go on xanax at the time to help with the anxiety..... but too much xanax for too long, depressed me. It depressed my emotions, my respiratory system, and it slowed me down too much. It served it's purpose however, in helping me deal with shit while keeping me relatively calm enough to do so.

The thing is Vix.... are you afraid to not be numb? Are you afraid to feel?

I'm definitely afraid to feel. Every time I do, it hurts. Sometimes it's a beautiful bittersweet hurt. But mostly it's ragey hurt.

i really need to stop taking the anti-psychotics i'm on
the last time i drank i was pretty sure i was going to actually die and what am i supposed to do w/ my life if i can't party

[Cool As Ice Cream]

Originally Posted by MacGyver

btw- this is who you're talking about you 'would' harm too if you were my wife..

gross. looks a bit retarded too. unsurprisingly.

[vixnix]

Originally Posted by Aeris Hilton

i really need to stop taking the anti-psychotics i'm on
the last time i drank i was pretty sure i was going to actually die and what am i supposed to do w/ my life if i can't party

oh what are you on?

You know you gotta take something. god I have to play organ tomorrow, there's a four page fucking anthem to play that I was only given on tuesday, it has two key changes and the choir sing against the accompaniment and I can barely play it. Haven't even touched the hymns yet. And I don't have any noodle music ready for before and after the service and during the offering. I had two glasses of wine after a choir workshop this afternoon and just wanted to keep drinking and drinking until I passed out. But I had to drive home. I just feel so screwed up right now. Too much anxiety. Too much. I'll go to the doctor this week.

At least I might cry soon. I miss crying. I have 8 & 3/4 hours until I have to be at rehearsal at church. gotta spend 5 of those hours sleeping, it's 12:18 am. so I'll get up at 5:30 and let's just hope by 8:00am something comes together before I hit the shower. I feel like I'm going to be sick. God my life is an embarrassment sometimes. For everyone involved.

[vixnix]

i want to try sibutramine

saphris

I'm not even psychotic it's just supposed to help with my sensory issues
I just really have a problem with taking anti psychotics because, again, I'm not psychotic
The hot death feeling if I drink on it is a smaller problem
Actually it's probably a good thing if it keeps ,e from drinking

[ilikeplanets]

breathe babe.

[kelsome]

i don't feel numb when im on lexapro, just like I can deal with more stuff and not go off the deep end like I usually do. Been on it something like 3-4 years. I went up from 10 to 20 for awhile. I've made myself go back to 10 now. I've noticed my anxiety can get the best of me again. But I try to redirect or whatever. who cares what i have to say.

[vixnix]

No that's interesting...I started on 20 and had it doubled to 40. Went down to 30 and now down to 20 again. I feel completely cruddy.

[reprise85]

Originally Posted by Aeris Hilton

saphris

I'm not even psychotic it's just supposed to help with my sensory issues
I just really have a problem with taking anti psychotics because, again, I'm not psychotic
The hot death feeling if I drink on it is a smaller problem
Actually it's probably a good thing if it keeps ,e from drinking

I'm not psychotic either and I refused them for a long time simply because of the label "anti-psychotic" but that was at my own peril. Seroquel absolutely helps me.

[slunken]

thread reads like a cyberpunk novel