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Lexapro and Ativan

Old 11-07-2016, 08:07 PM
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I tried the Buspar today for the first time. Took half a tab in the morning with BP meds and got even sleepier than the BP meds usually make me, so I thought, OK, I can handle being sleepy. Then I took another half by itself in the afternoon after lunch and it was horrible. Hot flashes, heart racing, felt like I was having trouble breathing.

Not gonna try that again! Apparently some doctors say deal with the hot flashes and racing heart, but I won't, and definitely won't deal with anything that affects my breathing in a scary way.

I may try the Lexapro in a couple of days, or may just give up and accept being anxious and stressed out all the time.
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Old 11-09-2016, 09:07 AM
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I would check your BP if your blood pressure meds are making you drowsy, that's often a sign your blood pressure is too low. Also are you sure it was the meds, or just the anxiety of taking them? I know I also sometimes would freak out trying something new, but it's best to at least give it a try for a week or so, then move of if it truly isn't working.
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Old 11-09-2016, 03:47 PM
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Thanks, Forward12. That is good advice. The sleepiness is a side effect of the Clonidine. I wish I could quit taking it but it is one of the few I can take -- I can't take any diuretics because they all seem to have a sulfa ingredient and I am allergic to that. I'm just glad the Clonidine only makes me sleepy!

I tried the local counseling center with a sliding scale but it is a rip-off. I don't know whether or not I can afford it because it doesn't tell you upfront what the charge is -- you just have to bring cash and wait and see what they charge you.

Going to try a little Lexapro tomorrow and see what it does.

Meanwhile I have learned that if I eat a good meal (protein) it helps a little with anxiety.
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Old 11-10-2016, 08:54 AM
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I found a website that says Lexapro and other SSRIs can increase the risk of stroke and heart problems, so out goes the Lexapro after the Buspar.

I found a local counselor who has a sliding scale fee setup, so will see about getting an appointment.

Felt very good and calm going to bed last night and still this morning. Nice change! Maybe it was the tai chi?
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Old 11-10-2016, 07:02 PM
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Did anyone else taking Buspar have headaches with it? I am on the lowest dose. I am OK on 1/2 pill, but if I try a whole I get a headache. Had bad anxiety attacks today all day and decided to do a whole pill instead of a Clonopin ( have the lowest dose of those, also).
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Old 11-18-2016, 01:45 PM
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Firesong,your reaction to Buspar was the same as mine!crazy that it's for anxiety but for some people it makes it worse, I then tried Hydroxy something I can't remember the name but it's called Visteral? Anyway that was a bad reaction too,it's an antihistamine that's supposed to be good for anxiety but it was awful, I'm using magnesium glycinate now and it actually works good but makes me tired
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Old 11-23-2016, 01:41 PM
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Day 2 On Lexapro
So far so good. I took 2.5 mg yesterday -- felt bad, then OK, then weird, then queasy, then OK, then bad ... then fine at bedtime. So today I tried another 2.5 mg. I was going to stay home to ride it out but had to run some errands (not driving!) and today I feel absolutely fine on it. I was very anxious early this morning and took half an ativan, so by the time I took the Lexapro I was already nice and calm and sleepy. I don't plan to mix them anymore but it's nice to know that I can take the Lex and go on about my business, getting my mind off the fact that I just took a pill, and feel fine. 2.5 mg of Lex is tiny! Almost need a magnifying glass and tweezers.

Now I'm gonna take a nap!
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Old 11-25-2016, 07:20 AM
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Glad it's working for you, keep us posted
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Old 11-26-2016, 06:25 PM
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I hardly slept at all last night. I don't know if it was the Lexapro or not, but about 4:00 this morning I finally took an OTC sleeping pill and slept really well. I woke up feeling better than I have in days, and I didn't take any Lexapro today. It may have made me a little "whatever" -- relaxed, not worrying/caring -- but it was also making me feel queasy-to-sick. I wanted to test it, trying some things while on it that make me panicky, but I was feeling so queasy I didn't want to do anything at all. Today I did a couple of things that often make me panicky, and I didn't feel panicky. I also felt well enough to do some chores around the house. I'm always grateful when I wake up feeling good and have some energy.

I didn't toss out the Lexapro as I did the Buspar awhile back, but I did stick it way at the back of the cupboard. I gave it 4 days and it didn't help; just made me feel bad. I'm not gonna spend any more money on prescriptions that don't help with the anxiety but do make me feel bad.
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Old 11-27-2016, 05:48 PM
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Thank you for the update Firesong, that's one reason why I haven't tried it yet, I've read too many stories of people having bad insomnia from it and the nausea you mentioned, I know it takes more than 4 days to work but I can't feel like crap waiting for it to work either plus I did horribly on Zoloft I don't really want to try another ssri cuz of that Eeks!
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Old 11-27-2016, 08:55 PM
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SSRI's take time to start working, anywhere from a few weeks to a month. Don't give up too soon.
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Old 11-29-2016, 10:11 PM
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I haven't taken any more of the Lexpro and I've been feeling really well ever since. Yesterday I managed to get out and go grocery and Christmas shopping with a friend who is very stressful to be with, and I was fine. Usually I'd take half an Ativan for that, but I've basically quit it too, just saving the few pills I have left in case I really need them and doc won't refill (he might, I haven't asked him).
I have been doing a LOT of praying, praising, trying to trust God more actively, trying to pay more attention to Him. I think it was Ignatius Loyola who wrote about "spiritual exercises" and I'm learning it's like physical exercise. I can sit around thinking that walking and yoga are great exercises, but just knowing that doesn't do me any real good. I've been reading some Bible verses on my phone after I go to bed at night (take a long time to get sleepy!). I'm not doing "a lot" compared to what a lot of people do, but it's a lot more than I'd been doing recently, and it's helping.
I've also learned that I can go outside and walk around while with a neighbor and I'm fine. Not shaky, not panicky at all. So if I can do it WITH a person, I can do it WITHOUT a pill.
Not that I'm throwing out the Ativan, though!
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Old 11-30-2016, 06:49 AM
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You sound really good Firesong also sounds like you're being very responsible with the Ativan,using it only for those extreme days when your hearts racing and get shaky,can't focus, all those things associated with anxiety, glad you're feeling better
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Old 11-30-2016, 08:00 PM
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Originally Posted by Winslow View Post
You sound really good Firesong also sounds like you're being very responsible with the Ativan,using it only for those extreme days when your hearts racing and get shaky,can't focus, all those things associated with anxiety, glad you're feeling better
God's the one who is good. I'm just trying to hang in and make it one day at a time. Just hanging onto God -- and He's holding onto me!
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Old 12-06-2016, 05:30 AM
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Ugh,accidently took a lexapro yesterday and it was one of the worst experiences of my life! I woke up around 3 am and got an anxiety med to sleep for another hour or so,layed back down and about an hour later decided to just get up and walk,about 20 minutes into my walkI started getting dizzy,figured I'm probably just still tired went upstairs and took a shower then the diarrhea hit,then the throwing up, figured I had food poisoning(hubs cooked the night before haha) then figured maybe it was a bug,got really tired but jittery at the same time, tried to call off work but couldn't find anyone to cover my shift so I went but felt nauseous, shaky,dizzy ALL day,came home and took a look at the bottle and it was the stupid lexapro that I had taken! Counted out the pills and yepone was gone,I dunno why I had them in the same place and I don't know why I hadn't thrown it out before, I'll never touch that poison again, when I was googling that I accidentally took it I kept coming across people who are tapering off, who wants to take something you hafta taper off? I'm done
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Old 12-14-2016, 09:42 PM
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Be careful, Winslow. I wish my different meds came in different bottles or were different colors or something. I'm glad my cat's pills come in a blue bottle -- at least I don't grab them by mistake!

Be well.
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