Have developed anxiety and OCD and intrusive thoughts as result been made go cold turkey off zopiclone in Jan last year. Tried sertraline & citalopram didnt help much. Saw psychiatrist just put me on duloxetine but much too strong can’t take side effects keep feeling like going pass out. Thinking trying liw dose escitalopram has anyone had success with it. Seems be more refined version of citalopram?
Can you state how long you have been on each of the previous AD’s…
Careful with the Duloxetine, it has quite a harsh withdrawal. Ask if you need help.
Matt
Hi Lemanna, I have been taken Lexapro for 1 1/2 years.It has helped me but it is very gradual. Best approach is to work with your psycharist and a good therapist. They are experts. My friend has also had good outcome with lexapro(escitalopram). Good luck to you.God Bless.
Was on both AD for 2 months the OCD seems to be a results of taking the sertraline didn’T Have it before so bit nervous taking anything else. Stopped the duloxetine was awful only took it 4 days so hopefully no withdrawal made me feel dizzy nauseous couldnt sleep
Cant afford keep seeing psych, not really sure about him he put me on 30mg then 60mg after 3 days made me feel dreadful. Virtually impossible get help on NHS all got offered was CBT was useless
OK, if you have been on and off AD’s at 2 months each… and then a third, you will be developing a kindling effect potentially. Ideally you need to get everything out of your system.
Taking an AD for 2 months can still shown signs of withdrawal a year later. People will dispute this, but on my forum, we have seen this many many times.
Never underestimate how powerful these drugs can be - and Lexapro/Escital is very potent. For some it is a life saver, for others it does nothing. The issue you have is that your brain will be all over the place with receptors being blocked and then re-grown, and blocked… if you start another AD now, you will have to wait a lot longer than 2 months to see if it works.
I hate how doctors just hand this stuff out like candy. You can’t just stop and start these things. If it is anxiety and OCD, it might be worth considering something along the lines of gabapentin, klonopin or similar. Anxiety and OCD should not just have an SSRI or SNRI thrown at it by default. I would seriously consider what you primary or p-doc has put you through, find someone who knows what they are talking about, and start again.
I’m here if you need more advice.
Matt
They won’t give you benzos here. Doctor caused all this making me go cold turkey off zopiclone, it caused all of this was fine before I stopped. I’m quite sensitive to meds can’t take anything too strong. Had symptoms for over year can take up to 2 years to completely recover. Was OK on citalopram only swapped because affected hair was sertraline that gave me OCD? Might try liw dose escitalopram as got no life at moment can’t really do anything. Taking nothing hasn’t worked tried that for 8 months.
Hi Lemanna, maybe go to nearest hospital and tell them you need some help. Hopefully they can find you someone that you can afford or work with your income.I am a nurse at a hospital in my commmunity and I think they may be able to help you or give you guidence as to who can.Keep me posted.God Bless.
Lemanna,I think that matts advice is really good.
Benzos can quickly become addictive and I respect that they are not given out so easily - but why then AD’s can be given out freely is beyond me. They are just as dangerous.
Remember that your Escitalopram should be half of the Citalopram dose… or lower to start with. There is a lot of talk that it doesn’t do much past 10mg for anxiety, but I think each case needs to be judged on its own. No two brains are the same after all!
My recovery was a mix of homeopathic treatment, a very good therapist, the work of Claire Weekes (highly recommended) and a few plant-based supplements.
Thank you for your kind words Pam.
…and lemanna - you are in the UK! I thought so as you called the meds by their “English” names… duloxetine rather than Cymbalta and Escitaolpram rather than Lexapro. I am also in the UK and know how much of a problem the NHS is with mental health. They managed to hospitalise me on a couple of occasions. They are less than useless.
The psych is an idiot. 3 days to a 60mg dose of Duloxetine is stupid after stop/starting. It can be a good drug for anxiety as it controls norepinephrine (hence the “N” in SNRI) which is the precursor to cortisol and adrenaline; the chemicals responsible for your physical feelings of panic.
CBT can be very useful, but it depends on the therapist. I went through 4 to find the right one, and she is awesome. It is worth finding the right one, and much better for your money than a psych as I know just how much a private one costs over here.
Yes in UK would fought harder to stay on zopiclone had know would ruin my life coming off it. Was on it 12 years made go cold turkey when GP retired. Psych rang last night trying push me to take high doses of meds but cant tolerate them. Already tried 3 dif therapists trying 1 more recommended by psych. The OCD is recent thing triggered by adverse reaction to the sertraline I think. I was OK on the citalopram so might try low dose of escitalopram to see. NHS therapist was useless , gp was useless didnt warn me swapping meds would mess you up. Can’t do anything much don’t go out house very much got no lufe. Which meds are you on. Retired so can’t afford much more private therapy but NHS is useless send me to a group thing full of drug addicts and alcholics not relevant to me at all.
Thanks Pam but medical profession won’t acknowledge withdrawal can cause long term problems. Would just label me unbalanced and try pump me full of high dose of drugs. Will try and find a therapist that might helpas Matt suggested. Friend’s son was suicidal but told wasn’t bad enough to get help on NHS. Hospitals being cleared because of corona virus. Given up on getting any help from NHS, after all a GP told me would have no trouble stopping zopiclone and it was just placebo effect.
Are you on any meds now? had heard you need lower dose escitalopram. Have tried everything will try and find a therapist and try low dose escitalopram. Just need to do something as got no life at moment after year slowly getting worse worth trying the escitalopram. Apparently 18-12 months is normal before recovery takes places. Agree with you don’t think benzos any worse than anti depressants in some ways. Can be just hard to come off. Had i been allowed to have some diazapam to help with withdrawal would been OK now.
I am only on 30mg Citalopram - no other anxiety meds or benzo. I need to start my weening of these, but I will be honest in saying I am very scared!! I have been a good 5 months into recovery and want it to stay that way, but I know I need to take the plunge.
By all means try the low dose Escitalopram, but as I said, you WILL need to give it a good few weeks - don’t give in after 8 weeks unless it is absolutely necessary.
I also agree with you that benzos do have their place for sure, but they need to be moderated. They should not be given out as a long term solution. Anything approaching 3 months continual use and addiction is right around the corner. Occasional use is fine, and this is what I was on during my recovery. There were only the odd week here and there where I saw continual use of 2+ doses a day.
NHS did exactly the same with me, but I refused as it was not relevant, so they discharged me as they wouldn’t give me 1 to 1. I was in a bad place back then.
Z-drugs are a nightmare. And no wonder you are in a state if you CT’d after 12 years. They have a very bad withdrawal.
Just for your record, I was on Citalopram for 10 years before I went through a series of 5 others only to end up back on Citalopram. I tried Escitalopram and got serious stomach issues. But again, that is not to say what will happen with you.
I had a packet diazapam when husband had heart attack just took as and when stopped no problems. They hand out AD like smarties don’t warn people they can be just difficult to stop and leave them on them years. Doctors got me on sleeping pills but got no help trying to stop they have lot to answer for. Have got appt with therapist Monday so hoping be more help than psych. I think if you taper gradually should be fine being made go cold turkey caused my problems. The escitalopram seems bit more refined than cit so figure worth a try.
Good news about the therapist - keep us posted.
Yes, my withdrawal will be over 18 months using liquid citalopram so I can get 1mg dose drops.
I have got some citalopram left I am thinking I will start back on low dose say maybe 5mg as it seems will take a while to work then gradually increase. Makes a change for someone to understand how awful z drug withdrawal can be. I was OK on the citalopram it just affected my hair, but GP never told me swopping meds would mess you up. The OCD is off the scale so can’t get any worse. Have got an appointment with new therapist Monday have feeling the psych will just try put me on something strong. Only going see him once more might still go just see if I can get some benzos just to help short term. Which others did you try?
My first episode was PTSD after a near fatal car accident, and was 18 months to recover. The doctor told me to keep on citalopram as a “maintenance” dose of 20mg. After another 10 years of this dose, my father got Parkinson’s after the same maintenance dose but on Prozac, so I wanted off. He told me to withdraw over 2 weeks! That was the start of my second episode.
Over the course of the following 18 months I was put on sertraline, escitalopram, duloxetine, venlafaxine, and one other.. I forget. All screwed me up one way or another.