I started Lexapro 11 days ago - 5 mg per day. I immediately had some stomach issues that have subsided but now I have a different problem - my heart rate is VERY low and my BP is falling. I feel so sluggish because it is so low. My Dr is of course on vacation this week and I don't want to deal with her partners since I am sure they don't know about POTS/OI. The Dr did tell me that the Lexapro could increase the effects of my Toprol XL and I guess that's what is happening.

When I talked to the Dr last week she said I could stop the lexapro if I felt bad - I am wondering if anyone here thinks I should cut the tablet into 2.5 mg for a few days before I go off of it completely - I have been on it for only 11 days.

Thanks!

I took it for 4 days and just quit. No problems here but 11 days is more.

I am currently taking my wife's Welbutrin CR 150 MG and I feel better than I have in a long time. Talk to your doc about that as a replacement.

I have only taken it two days but I slept very well. It is the only 2 nights I have slept with my CPAP mask on all night. I am not groggy during the day either.

Good luck.

There is an awesome website you guys should try--it's free--and allows you to list and save ALL your meds to check for interactions, reactions, and the all the info avialable on them.

www.drugs.com

No, I don't work for them--but this site has saved me about a dozen times! It DOES tell you what drugs should not be stopped suddenly--among a zillion other things. The real helper for me is it includes vitamin, over the counter drugs and food interactions as well as drug to drug interactions.

Please go there and check first before stopping ANY med if you can't get ot your doctor.

Another idea is to call your pharmacist. They can also look this stuff up for you.

Hope this helps!
XOXOXOXO
Sandy

I was taking it for about 2.5 months and was having some side effects so my doc told me to discontinue it. Wrong idea for me. I got bad withdrawal symptoms (including ‘brain zaps’which were very disconcerting) and when I called him back he said he didn’t expect that would happen to me and that he probably should have tapered me off more slowly.

Not sure if you’d need to do the taper after only 11 days of being on it - definitely speak to your pharmacist – they usually are even more knowledgeable than the docs on this.

Sandy...thanks for that Drug site! Very interesting and informative! I think I will set up accounts for my DH and myself.

See...you are already giving back.

Of course you could go the better safe than sorry route, but 5 mg is pretty low - I would guess that withdrawal from 11 days of that wouldn't be very bad.

My experience with it was that they told me to taper down to 5 mg and then stop, so that suggests that going from 5 to 0 is OK.

Good luck! I'm really sorry to hear it isn't working for you... it also made me very tired.

<feeling a warm glow that isn't just nerve flames?>>

THANKS Rosie!

We ALL need to feel useful!

My Dad was a pharmacist for 40 years--I used to sitin the back of the store after school and read the PDR for him to check for drug interactions before they had the computers to check for them.

Funny thing is I NEVER did it for myself--until this stuff started--now I check EVERYTHING 'cause ya never know what will set it off!

Thanks for the comments -- allowing me to feel a bit helpful too!!! <HUGE GRINS>
XOXOXOXOX
Sandy

Thanks for all of your wonderful responses! I skipped this morning's dose and figured I would play it be ear to see how I feel...I would rather just stay on the Toprol XL and the teeny amount of clonazepam I take at bedtime.

OK I have been taking Welbutrin for about a week now.

WOW what a difference. I am sleeping all night with the cpap mask on. I was able to go to work for 3 days and felt (maybe) better than ever.

I am still having some pains in neck and dizzy when getting up from under a truck but I am hoping that with prolonged "better" sleep and CPAP usage I will continue to improve.

I am now thinking my body was so worn down and having sleep apnea and then I got EBV that it just drained me down to the bottom.

WOOOOHOOO, Smellfunny!!! I am so happy for you. I hope you continue to improve. I certainly did when I started treating my Apnea. Please keep us updated.

Smellfunny. . . You mentioned getting out from under a truck? What do you do for a living? Just curious!

Glad you're feeling better on the welbutrin. I may check into that as well. Thanks!

Diesel Truck Mechanic.

My wife told me when I started the Welbutrin that I might have vivid dreams. I hardly ever dream any more. But now I am dreaming every night. So that makes me think I am getting a deeper better sleep as well.
None of the dreams are scary ones. At least yet. Hope they will not be.

Using the CPAP will make you dream more as well. It is called REM Rebound. Your body has been missing it, and is making up for lost time. Nice!!