Posted by trauma queen on August 9, 2003, at 19:24:14
In reply to Re: New to meds/acknowledging depression, posted by OceanMist on August 9, 2003, at 16:46:11
To Ocean Mist, Gal, downbutnotout...
Sorry...a tad on the long side!!
Holy moly...I never knew I was part of quads separated at birth...
No really...you guys pretty much all describe EXACTLY how I feel...it's close to creepy! I, myself, started on Lexapro almost 3 weeks ago. First week...felt instantly better, even estatic! BUT BUT BUT...had the skin crawling feeling, that underlying anxiety, MUSCLE ACHES. You know what it reminded me of??? Coming down off of X. Now I'm a nurse, and used to go out and party wild with other nurses...and we loved our party drugs. But being ICU nurses, we were all quite interested in how they truly affect your body. X basically gives you a rush of Serotonin, and even Dopamine and Norepinephrine. Knowing what we know about these neurotransmitters explained the hot flashes, cold extremities (we were "clamping down" as we call it--less blood to extremities...more to organs) Also, Magnesium is depleted...which causes the muscle aches and teeth clenching afterwards. We would often supplement ourselves w/Mg++ to prevent that. Plus dehydration can also cause that.
So, after starting Lexapro...and feeling like I was having a post-ecstasy side effects, I realized that due to the Serotonin Reuptake Inhibition that is going on...this must have something to do with it... I am not completely well versed in the exact physiological happenings as JrBecker and others may be...I have a rudimentary understanding of it...
My thought is to take Mag supplements (I have heard NOT Mg Oxide) and a daily vitamin, and stay hydrated. The muscle aches come and go for me...
NOW...I ALSO have been EXTREMELY LETHARGIC!! Holy moly...sleeping more than 12 hrs a day!! I have had NO motivation whatsoever. BUT, I haven't been depressed. Until recently...had a little extra stress in my life, and I cried, was feeling really down and it scared me!! But then last night I sat there, thinking...I need to get thru this...I need to not pity myself, or my friends aren't going to want to be around me. And I really need my friends right now. Last night, all of a sudden, something happened and today I feel incredible! I feel like I CAN DO IT! I went out, got a planner, wrote in my journal, watched some movies... have been unpacking and putting things away (just moved). It's wild. I think the Lexapro may be kicking in...but alas it's only been under 3 weeks. So we'll see...
I've received some excellent advice, from Jimi...and also have been reading what Wayne says...and I think -- You just gotta HANG IN THERE. Give the Lexapro a chance to work. It's giving me my life back...I can't express how happy I am about that... I think patience is key.
Now...to downbutnotout... I'm baffled about your apparent hypothyroidism. I looked in my nursing books to see if a "temporary hypothyroidism" could be possible. I read that, when hypothroidism occurs in adults, it is usually due to destruction of the thyroid gland by radiation (on purpose--due to HYPER-thyroidism). But I also read it can develop when one has eaten excessive amounts of "goitrogens"...namely, turnips, rutabagas, soybeans, skins of peanuts. There are also drugs that can inhibit the thyroid... AND, if you don't have enough iodine in your diet (from salt).
Now...the side effects/manifestations of hypothroidism are mental sluggishness, inattentiveness, memory loss, lethargy--basically appearing depressed. However, looking depressed and BEING depressed are two different things...depression causes you to have negative thoughts, sadness, anxiety, thoughts of dying, low self-esteem... could depression possibly cause your pituitary gland to send out less TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) and possibly lower your thyroid levels????? At the time they drew your blood and told you you were hypothryroid--were you actually FEELING depressed??? USUALLY--once a person is hypothyroid, it is due to destruction of the thyroid gland for whatever reason (atrophy, radiation) and they are on Synthroid for LIFE...you can't be "cured". SO--I am BAFFLED!!!
I DO relate ALSO to your "closet depression"--I am the same way... I'm a Gemini...I like to be an outwardly jovial character. I don't want people to know that I'm truly in pain. But I got to the point where I was so incredibly sad...I didn't know *HOW* to let people know I needed help. And it was a slow transition from my happy me, to my very sad me...people hardly noticed unless they really thought about how I had changed.
Okay...I could go on forever...but I hope the above sheds some kind of light...maybe...maybe not... All of this has truly made my day...I know I'm not alone in my craziness...and that's comforting.
Please take care...Tari Anne
> No I do not want to switch from it, Just I have seen others stating that you can take Wellbutrin also to curb the side effects. I am hoping this is true.
> Yes I have gained weight, only because I am not so mobile, all I do is eat or sleep when I am not working. All I think about is eating or sleeping.
> I forgot about the jaw clinching as well, but that is getting better.
> Hope this helps. Nice to know others out here are going through what I am feeling.
> Took me forever to find a forum that has Lexapro on it.
>
>
> > >>>>>I know that Lexapro has helped me tremendously. I have not cried once in 5 weeks. I am starting to wonder if I could.
> > May I please get in on this. I started Lexapro a week ago and I am doing quite well on it too, have you gained weight from it? I gained weight from all the other SSRI's except Celexa which I know Lex is an isomer of Celexa??? You are on Lexapro now??? Are you okay with it? I'm a little confused as to whether you are happy with Lexapro or want to change? I hope you feel better.
> > Please reply,
> > Gal
> >
> >
> > > Hello,
> > >
> > > I started taking Lexapro 10mg about 5 weeks ago, and right away I noticed a big difference in myself. I was in closet depression as I like to call it. Nobody around me knew I was depressed. They had no clue I was so unhappy and could not get through a day without crying. When I thought of dying all the time I knew it was time to get help. My doctor put me on Lexapro because she said the side effects were suppose to be less than all the rest. At first I was nausea, but that subsided. Now the only side effects I have is extreme fatigue, I could sleep all day, and I never had that problem before. I just dont care about anything any more. I have to make myself do things. I have no sexual desire what so ever and cannot reach an orgasim. I have gained weight. I laugh that all I feel like doing is sleeping and eating. But I have tremendous amount of insomnia when I do go to bed. What are your thoughts on this? Was thinking of asking my Dr. to put me on Wellbutrin? Do you all think this would help with the side effects. I know that Lexapro has helped me tremendously. I have not cried once in 5weeks. I am starting to wonder if I could.
> > > Thanks
> > >
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> >
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poster:trauma queen
thread:109458
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030807/msgs/249641.html