Re: Finally got my results-need help reading it!

[Guest guest]

Do NOT quit the Lexapro all at once, taper it off! Quitting the SSRIs

suddenly might give you some other symptoms, unless you've only been taking

it a week or so. It may take awhile to get off of it, taking it one day,

not the next, then take it one day and stay off two days, and so-on. Then

cut back the amt you're taking in one dose and do the same pattern. Yes,

they do cause blockage of T3-T4, though this is not in the basic literature

you get with the package insert. There are other types of antidepressants

that don't do this, but they are not SSRIs. The SSRIs are Prozac, Celexa,

Zoloft, Lexapro, and there is another one. They've come out with some newer

ones that I'm not as familiar with, just within the last yr or so. I was on

the old TCAs imipramine and another one in the same category, but they ran

up my blood pressure, and I was on the imipramine for so long, I'm not sure

that it didn't do some permanent damage to my ears (this is just guesswork;

I've tried to look at that from many angles, but haven't really decided). I

just upped my dose of Armour to 90 mgs 3 wks ago, and am feeling a little

better everyday, though there are still problems. I really think what

you're talking about out in public, etc... is free-floating anxiety, which I

had a LOT of, before I was ever diagnosed. It seems to create a stigma,

i.e., you think you're going crazy, but it's all physical.

Tx

Re: Finally got my results-need help reading

it!

> Thank you ,

> I just posted to Jan. I wasn't sure if my T3 and T4 were in the low

> part. I am not so good with numbers LOL!

>

> Well, before I bumped up to 60, 60, 90, I was having the hair loss

> and tangly. I've gained some weight too, I'm just not sure it was

> from the Lexapro I'm taking for the panic. It's not supposed to have

> side effects. When I went to the vet with my dog who had a problem

> just recently, I had shaky hands and I couldn't control them. It was

> terrible, the shakes were so bad. I had that adrenalin I guess is

> what is was? It took a while to calm down. I get weak in my legs and

> arms too. I am trying to start working out again, I haven't been

> able to, just so weak. When I go to Central Market, by the time I

> come out my fingers are tingling and numb. I had it here too at the

> computer one day when it was cold outside. Dr. Miklius told me I

> have Raynaud's syndrome possibly?

>

> Maybe I'll stay at this level for a bit and see what happens. I'm

> going to quit the Lexapro as of tonight too. I want to see if that

> is what is causing me my problems too. But it wouldn't cause my Free

> T3 and Free T4 to be low would it??? THANK YOU so very much for all

> the thoughts and advice. I can't tell you how much it means to me.

> You know how you feel so alone in all this especially when they don't

> listen.

>

> ~

[Guest guest]

Thanks ,

I think the Lexapro is one of the new ones. I was on Paxil but it

gave me awful side effects. Lexapro is really Celexa without the

side effects. Something about it not having those certain molecules

that cause the side effects, but same drug as Celexa. I've been on

Tofranil, Prozac, and later Xananx and Clonopin as needed. I was on

Tofranil and Prozac before they knew I had a thyroid problem, that

and Xanax. Ugh. This was when I saw a psychiatrist for help for the

panic which he didn't help me at all!!! Just prescribed more drugs,

ahh!

I am only taking 5 mg. of Lexapro, I'm breaking the pill in half. I

couldn't do the 10 mg., I was a total vegetable, no energy, nothing.

I will go slow and let my internist know I'm quitting. Since I was

on Paxil I know you need to withdraw slowly. I'm really not sure what

panic attacks I have, I have yet to figure it out, I had agoraphobia

very badly starting in '92 or '93 I think it was. Now that I don't

work it's better but I still worry when I go places being one on one

like getting my hair done, drs. appts., etc.

I'm sorry you have it too with anxiety... I recall Dr. Miklius

telling me when I asked her a few years ago why I had panic and she

told me that panic and thyroid go hand in hand? She had no answers

really. When I told her on my last visit about the antidepressant I'm

taking possibly messing with the thyroid med, she told me that she

had heard that was circulating around but there was no studies done

to say this was so. Great. So I feel in limbo, what to do! I have

to do one or the other, either up my thyroid or quit the Lexapro I

think... arghh!

> Do NOT quit the Lexapro all at once, taper it off! Quitting the

SSRIs

> suddenly might give you some other symptoms, unless you've only

been taking

> it a week or so. It may take awhile to get off of it, taking it

one day,

> not the next, then take it one day and stay off two days, and so-

on. Then

> cut back the amt you're taking in one dose and do the same

pattern. Yes,

> they do cause blockage of T3-T4, though this is not in the basic

literature

> you get with the package insert. There are other types of

antidepressants

> that don't do this, but they are not SSRIs. The SSRIs are Prozac,

Celexa,

> Zoloft, Lexapro, and there is another one. They've come out with

some newer

> ones that I'm not as familiar with, just within the last yr or so.

I was on

> the old TCAs imipramine and another one in the same category, but

they ran

> up my blood pressure, and I was on the imipramine for so long, I'm

not sure

> that it didn't do some permanent damage to my ears (this is just

guesswork;

> I've tried to look at that from many angles, but haven't really

decided). I

> just upped my dose of Armour to 90 mgs 3 wks ago, and am feeling a

little

> better everyday, though there are still problems. I really think

what

> you're talking about out in public, etc... is free-floating

anxiety, which I

> had a LOT of, before I was ever diagnosed. It seems to create a

stigma,

> i.e., you think you're going crazy, but it's all physical.

>

>

> Tx

[Guest guest]

,

I was taking 10 mg of Lexapro and realized it was making me drowsy. I'm now

taking 5 mg too, but I also started taking it at night instead of in the

morning. Seems to be helping somewhat.

Rosemary

[Guest guest]

Rosemary,

Thanks for replying. I have been taking the 5 mg of Lexapro at night

too but maybe too late at night. I called my internist today to tell

her I want to be weaned off. I just don't know if it is causing me

to be so fatigued with brain fog and weak or if it is my thyroid.

Plus I can't get this weight off that I've gained since first taking

Paxil and then the Lexapro. Since I've upped my dose of Armour I'm

not getting the thudding of my heart when I lay down to go to sleep,

so maybe it is the thyroid. I just don't know. I know from my

results that my Free T3 and Free T4 are too low from what and

Jan are saying.

So if you up the dose of Armour, won't the TSH go even lower? I

might try and do the alternating days of 90mg and 60mg and see how I

feel. And keep a journal like suggested. I think I'm going to

have to go back to my GP and see how that goes. I tell you, this is

frustrating!!!

~

> ,

>

> I was taking 10 mg of Lexapro and realized it was making me drowsy.

I'm now

> taking 5 mg too, but I also started taking it at night instead of

in the

> morning. Seems to be helping somewhat.

>

> Rosemary