Switching from Zoloft to Lexapro
Posted , 6 users are following.
Hello,
my dr put me on zoloft 25mg last week for depression and anxiety. I took it for 7 days and I couldnt do it anymore. It made me very sick. The first few days I couldnt eat at all. And I became extremely paranoid, my mind was racing to the point I was insane. I felt numb and had no emotion at all. Then I was having suicidal thoughts, and I HAVE NEVER had suicidal thoughts and almost went to psych at the hospital, because I couldnt take how I felt any longer. It felt like my mind was talking out loud, and my family has been having people sit and babysit me for the past 4 days because of it. So they switched me to lexapro 5mg, Tuesday is the last time I took the zoloft. Yesterday I took the lexapro for the first time. Yesterday was absolutely horrible. Im not sure if it was from going off the zoloft or what. But I am so nervous to take the lexapro again. I need to be on something though. Just looking for some encouragement and anyone with the same experience. Im just feeling so hopeless right now 😕
0 likes, 13 replies
andrea08357 Tlynn1
Edited
Good morning
I am so sorry you're having so much trouble.
I have been going through this since October.
Unfortunately with these kinds of meds your going to have an increased level of anxiety, roller coaster emotions,lack of appetite,racing thoughts and more. Its sad that we have to go through worse things than were the things we are trying to cure in order to get better in the first place.
The good news is you will get better the bad news is it does take time and you honestly feel like it will never end. It will, but sadly you have to wait until the meds regulate in your brain before you start feeling better. Swapping of drugs will only restart the side effects time clock.
Everything you are feeling unfortunately is completely normal with these types of meds and you are NOT alone. They usually take weeks or even months before they reach their fullest healing effects which sucks. I know this is a scary thought because it is a long time to go through this.
You can ask your Dr for a benzo(ativan, xanax,buspirone) something to calm your nerves and get you through the worsening side effects.
There are also some natural ways to help such as exercise, diet, meditation,and CBD peoducts.
I have been on the meds for 19 years and in October they stopped working so my dr upped my dose but I recently swapped from Celexa to TRINTELLIX one week ago because 6 months was more than enough time for my psychiatrist to determine the Celexa was no longer working for me. He also added a mood stabilizer to help with my racing thoughts(LAMOTRAGINE).
I am once again going through the side effects of no emotions(except crying, I cry everyday). I am praying the new med works.
Support is VERY important, however No matter how big your support team is it is VERY important to have at least one person on your support team that truly understands what you are going through. Someone that has been through it and understands the emotions and side effects that you are having so they truly understand and can help you through the hardest parts.
Please feel free to reach out to me, Stay strong though I know how hard that is. I will send you a private message with my facebook name if you would like to chat more about this. YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!
YOU WILL GET THROUGH THIS but it'll be one of the hardest journeys you ever take.
Tlynn1 andrea08357
Posted
thank you for your encouragement! Im on day 5 of lexapro and still feeling awful. I just feel worse and worse everyday. Im trying my best to keep going at it because they say it gets worse before better but im just feeling so hopeless. I just want to be happy and feel like me again and I feel like who I was is gone and wont ever come back. Its horrible when it feels like your mind just convinces you it will never change or get better. I keep trying to tell myself one day I'll look back and this will all just be a little bump in the road that I got past, but I'm just struggling so much. You dont realize how much we take for granted when we are feeling well. I keep thinking back to when I felt like myself how I never realized how lucky I really was. When your sick or have something physically wrong, eventually it gets better. It doesn't ruin your life. But when it comes to hour mind and your mental health it's alot worse because it's not as easy to fix. I have so much going on in my life right now which really
doesnt help. I just need to feel like myself again 😕
arietta62795 Tlynn1
Posted
Hi Tlynn,
Dont panic,
I am at the same position as you. Its been the 7th day I take 10mg Lexapro and I have the same feeling, my mind is racing all the time, very nervous, very unsecure. Last 7 days I take also 0,5 of tranxene which is benzo in order to be more calm.
My anxiety has to do with an unplesant compulsive thought that I have with some people. Llke, in a relaxed discussion (never when I am working with people or customers so the mind is focused to the work), but when i need to have a relaxed chat, after 10 minutes I start felling uncomfortable or stressed. In this point I have to refer that I am a socialyzing person.
To my friends and my closed persons I have confessed this thought, I have no problem, chatting with them. I have the problem whith those, that I can not confess you understand.
Any way, I am telling you all this story to see the difference I felt yesterday (after15 days of Lexapro). So yesterday I was talking more than 1,5 hour with my boyfriend's father, and yes after a quarter I had this compulsive thinking, but this time, I was feeling differently like more joyfull, not calm of course but differently like I wanted to continue the discussion. A very strange feeling. Not relaxed but not unhappy at the same time, so I start thinking that maybe the medecine starts to work and maybe the next period who knows maybe I will succed the tranquility I need also. But in present, I m not peace at all.
My sleep is full of dreams, very vivid dreams, but fortunately very good dreams something that pleased me today morning.
So stay at Lexapro, yes I agree the first month is awfull, its full of stress. Ask your doctor if he permits you to take a bit of benzo during the day for the first month in order to be more calm. You have to know also that the 10 first days that you switch from 5mg to 10mg you will also have an increased anxiety.
Everytime you make a suicidal or a bad thought dont be afraid, but start saying to yourself : what else is the meaning, what else is the meaning and try to find 5 strong words that the life is excellent because you have your HEALTH!!! and keep thinking these points,
I had the same feelings, its normal because your hormons are trying to justify to the new feelings, so its a mess inside..right now , but it will be better in the next days...its sure!!
Try to be most of the time with people and friends or to make things that keep your mind busy and to be honest with people. Dont be afraid to talk your truth. All the people have negative feelings, we are not the only ones who suffer from anxiety and we do not need to be shame for this. I am hear to listen if you want to talk. Wishing you the best. God bless you!!
brian49010 Tlynn1
Posted
TLYNN
i agree these post are right on and encouraging. anxiety is a tricky thing to recover from. if you try to fix it that will make it worse!! these meds take months and months to help you recover. some people 3 months some 9 months we are all different. you gradualy get better and better. you will hardly notice it. every time you change meds or dose you start over with the recovery clock. grind through it and you will get there. stay with recomended dose and med for at least 6 months. it has always taken me around 6 months to recovery!
keep going!
andrea08357 brian49010
Posted
hi Brian Long time no speak how are you doing? I’m doing OK I just hit the six month mark and the Celexa still wasn’t kicking in even with the higher dosages so my doctor switched me to Ttintelex but I’m doing much better than I was Wayback in the beginning so hopefully I am steadfasting to the light at the end of the tunnel
brian49010 andrea08357
Posted
doing good been on lexapro 15 for about 4 months. anxiety has been 99% better. i have had a few blips. and they are expected. had one last week! staying busy stress- teenagers and such - that time of life for me. sounds like you are feeling better!! im happy for you!!!
Tlynn1 brian49010
Posted
Thank you Brian. Today is my 5th day on the lexapro and im still struggling pretty bad but im doing my best to not give up yet. I heard it can also take quite a while for the zoloft to be completely out of my system. So im not sure if both meds being my system are also not helping the issue. I just hate feeling so empty and no emotion. It makes me question who I am as a person. I have always had a huge heart and cared about everything and everyone, and right now I feel so careless and I hate it. I just want to feel like me again 😕
brian49010 Tlynn1
Posted
tlynn you will become youself again!!!! anxiety and stress will rob you of your life. it makes you oversensitive to everything!! it takes a good while to recover from anxiety/depression. long long time on same med same dose will tell! when you start thinking its not working just tell your self these meds take many months and keep going. also practice letting things just be - hard to do i know!
lori77951 Tlynn1
Posted
Hi Tlynn
HOPE I can help. I've been on LEX 20 mg for 11 weeks, my anxiety was bad really bad!
I didn't think I WOULD ever be able to relax and feel calm again! WELL again, it's been 11 weeks and I FEEL so much calmer, happier! MANY don't start feeling a sense of calm for months and months! A few alot sooner not in my case. LAST year i was on PAXIL FOR 6 months then dr switched me to celexa for 6 months , even though there was some days of relief , it wasnt consistent, so was switched again to LEX 10 mg then 4 weeks later to 20 mg
THE meds work, it takes time and patience, I KNOW I STILL will feel even better with the months to come!
hang in there! I KNOW HOW HORRIBLE it feels as these meds cause more anxiety , but it will go, don't give up !
Tlynn1 lori77951
Posted
Im so happy to hear some good input about it. Im starting 10mg tomorrow and i'm hoping I notice an improvement. The 5mg seemed to make it worse, bur everyone keeps telling me to hold on for a while longer. Did you notice a difference on 10mg?
lori77951 Tlynn1
Posted
Hi Tlynn,
I STARTED on 10 mg. and stayed there for 4 weeks, at my 4 week follow up for LEX, my dr. upped my dose to 20 mg. IT took many weeks but now at 13 weeks I'm waking up anxious- free, I HONESTLY thought I WOUlD FEEL like this forever, my anxiety was horrific! Always looking for a cure anything to make these uncomfortable feelings go away , finally, like I SAID above I'm feeling like my old self more, it's like a ton of bricks have been lifted off my chest! TRY TRY TRY to be patient, keep telling yourself you will be better in time, the med needs to adjust and it takes a long time . I NEVER thought I WOULD feel normal again, and now I DON'T need to keep googling for a cure non/stop.
arietta62795 lori77951
Posted
Hi Lori,
Yes I aggree with you! Its been one month, I am at 15mg of Lexapro and now I can feel better day by day. To tell the truth the feeling of anxiety for the time being was converted to a slight headache, that passes easily with breathing and no more drugs...and hope to the better results too!
Good luck to everyone!
Katie123454321 Tlynn1
Posted
You sound EXACTLY the same as me... except my anxiety got so bad that I had to go on zoloft for 6 months because I couldn't function, but going through the first few weeks is awful. i recommend staying in, not setting too much to do, talking to your friends and family about it. i know the feeling of being hopeless. i just switched to lexapro 2.5 weeks ago and i feel pretty terrible in the way that im super tired. after 6 months of sertraline though, i am now feeling so much more confident!! i still have anxiety but its a lot more manageable. these meds do help if you can pull through the side effects and keep focusing on future objectives. in this together !