Cant tolerate AD's, I think im through with it all.

[dantescritic]

So I took my Lexapro that the psychologist gave me and low and behold I ended up in the hospital with a 159 BPM heart rate and 165/88 blood pressure. It felt like a panic attack that wouldn't stop, it happened nearly 14 hours after taking the lexapro. It lasted 4 hours and the attending doctor told me not to take anymore until I speak with my psych.

 I feel like nothing can be done now, I CANT TOLERATE ANTIDEPRESSANTS, no matter how many times I communicate with these idiots with PhD's. This is the fourth time they've asked me to just try it. This has really destroyed my faith that things can get better. I cant take MAOI's. SNRI's or SSRI's buspirone does nothing for me at all.

 What options do I have left?

[insights]

So I took my Lexapro that the psychologist gave me and low and behold I ended up in the hospital with a 159 BPM heart rate and 165/88 blood pressure. It felt like a panic attack that wouldn't stop, it happened nearly 14 hours after taking the lexapro. It lasted 4 hours and the attending doctor told me not to take anymore until I speak with my psych.

So you only took Lexapro once? If so, it sounds more like an anxiety reaction, which may, or may not have been triggered by the drug. The drug itself would have reached peak plasma levels within 2 hours so it almost certainly wasn't a direct drug effect, but antidepressants often worsen anxiety initially. What dose were you prescribed? Hopefully, not the full 10mg.

What options do I have left?

Psychotherapy like CBT, or maybe a tricyclic antidepressant.

Ian

[dantescritic]

In other words I shouldnt blame the anxiety on the AD? Maybe give it yet another shot?

[insights]

In other words I shouldnt blame the anxiety on the AD? Maybe give it yet another shot?

The AD may have cause the anxiety to be more severe. It is a very common initial drug response which should begin to lessen after a couple of weeks. The best way of limiting it is to begin on a small dose, preferably only half a 5mg starter tablet for Lexapro, and ramping the dose up by the same amount every 7-10 days until you get to the target dose, usually 10mg. You should ask the prescriber before cutting the dose if s/he prescribed a higher one. And while you're doing so ask for a prescription for one of the benzodiazepines to help you ease past this initial anxiety spike.

Ian

PS: If you get the okay to reduce the dose buy a pill cutter from the pharmacy. They are more accurate and less bloody than knives and other sharp implements.

[dantescritic]

Thank you, he did in fact give me xanax 0.5 twice daily but I dont want to become addicted! Secondly how do I know what I experienced was not "Seratonin Syndrome"?

[insights]

Thank you, he did in fact give me xanax 0.5 twice daily but I dont want to become addicted!

You won't become addicted to Xanax, but take it daily for more than 3-4 weeks and you will probably become dependent which means you will need to wean off it gradually. You will also become dependent to Lexapro and also have to taper off over some weeks. The same is true of many other drugs taken for any length of time, including many heart medications, antibiotics, even high doses vitamin C.

OTOH, aspirin can become highly addictive to the point that those affected will continue to take it even after needing surgery to repair stomach and/or intestinal damage. Some end up dying because they can't stop taking it (Hirschowitz BI, 1998).

Secondly how do I know what I experienced was not "Seratonin Syndrome"?

Because one tablet won't cause it. Neither will taking any SSRI at its therapeutic dose range unless there is another factor such as also taking other serotonergic drugs or supplements. There is a lot of nonsense posted about it on the Net, but very few ER doctors have ever seen a real case of serotonin syndrome. OTOH, about 20-25% of the "heart attack" cases presenting at ERs are found to be panic attacks.

Ian

[Sanman1981]

So I took my Lexapro that the psychologist gave me and low and behold I ended up in the hospital with a 159 BPM heart rate and 165/88 blood pressure. It felt like a panic attack that wouldn't stop, it happened nearly 14 hours after taking the lexapro. It lasted 4 hours and the attending doctor told me not to take anymore until I speak with my psych.

 I feel like nothing can be done now, I CANT TOLERATE ANTIDEPRESSANTS, no matter how many times I communicate with these idiots with PhD's. This is the fourth time they've asked me to just try it. This has really destroyed my faith that things can get better. I cant take MAOI's. SNRI's or SSRI's buspirone does nothing for me at all.

 What options do I have left?

u mite be just having anxiety to the fact of taking medication. I went through this. Try Paxil 10mg and break them in half. Take the half at night with .5 xanex so u don't even think about it  do this for a week and then try the whole 10 mg. u still mite feel some anxiety cause it takes some time for it to work on higher dose like 20 or 30 mg. once it does u will not need the xanex anymore

[EclecticJoe]

I think I can help. I have been on Lex or Celexa (it's almost twin brother) for the better part of 11 years. My usual dose is 10 mg. Everytime I try a dose increase, I get the same symptoms you had. Take the Xanax, give the Lex an honest chance to work, and picture yourself well again. If after a couple of weeks, you are still feeling the mass anxiety, then see if you can lower your dose with doctor's approval.

[Anna from Toronto]

So I took my Lexapro that the psychologist gave me and low and behold I ended up in the hospital with a 159 BPM heart rate and 165/88 blood pressure. It felt like a panic attack that wouldn't stop, it happened nearly 14 hours after taking the lexapro. It lasted 4 hours and the attending doctor told me not to take anymore until I speak with my psych.

~~~~I experienced a very similar situation 2 weeks ago after taking my new meds and on the 3rd early morning..I fainted (which is worse than you) and was rushed to ER. Prior to starting my new med (CIPROLEX) I was obsessing & worrying about side effects and my history about that is that I have sadly suffered permanent side effects to a mediation (that I won't mention) at this point. I was worried '"oh my god what if I loose my eyesight"? the most insane thoughts but we all know that this is part of ANXIETY (distortes/exaggerated/ negative thoughts)..
After not seeling for several days...the 3rd day of worrying myself...caused my body to just SHUT DOWN.

What  I am saying is...in all probability other factors may have contributed to you going to ER ...however, I wonder if the physician gave you an ATIVAN or something to bring your restign heart rate down and more imortantly...what dosage were you on? I am vERY sensitive to SSRIs so I start my dosage very very low and use a pill cutter( which was suggested to you by someone else).

So I took my Lexapro that the psychologist gave me and low and behold I ended up in the hospital with a 159 BPM heart rate and 165/88 blood pressure. It felt like a panic attack that wouldn't stop, it happened nearly 14 hours after taking the lexapro. It lasted 4 hours and the attending doctor told me not to take anymore until I speak with my psych.

 I feel like nothing can be done now, I CANT TOLERATE ANTIDEPRESSANTS, no matter how many times I communicate with these idiots with PhD's. This is the fourth time they've asked me to just try it. This has really destroyed my faith that things can get better. I cant take MAOI's. SNRI's or SSRI's buspirone does nothing for me at all.

 What options do I have left?

YOu do have options...you need to go back to your physician/ psychiatrist and have these meds re-evaluated for YOU.
Or take a few days..off...don't think about any MEDS ..give your brain adn YOU a break and start over with a low low dosage and gradually increase.

If you are sleeping? you are better off than many who require some medication for a little while before the SSRI kicks in ...

allthe best...and keep us updated on your story !

[littlebirds]

This can be so hard. I tried about 8 different drugs with awful side effects until I found the right one. The really bad side effects were like loosing the ability to walk, legs going numb, hearing things, and feeling like my brain was in fast forward mode. The one that works  gave me strange side effects at first, but then ringing of the ears, dry mouth, and head ache subsided after two weeks. I am glad I stuck it out, because I did find one the has helped me. Talk to your doc. And try different ones out. Hopefully you will,find one that works!

[livelaughlove]

I tried lexapro 10 mg for 3 days and felt awful and stopped taking it. My doc started me at 10 mg too, which is i guess too high of  a dose! That's ridiculous! I had a panic attack the first day i took it. The 3rd pill i took my anxiety was so high and i nearly passed out and kept getting these awful hot/flushing fainting type feelings, and i felt like my muscles in my chest were spazzing out or something. I guess it was cause it was too high of a dose to start with. I am now on my 14th day of zoloft 50 mg, which i take at night at 8 pm. I am finally feeling better. The nausea was awful in the beginning and i couldn't eat except for popsicles. I never actually threw up, but felt like it constantly. The only side effect i have now which is getting less and less, is that it wakes me up at 4:30 am every morning and i have to have a couple bowel movements right away and my pulse feels fast. But that is getting not as intense, each day gets better, so hopefully that will stop soon as i am only on the 14th day mark of it right now.