help! panic!

[Olive]

After having a great day yesterday, I'm now having a truly awful one. The depersonalisation is extreme, I don't even feel like i'm typing this myself. My hands are shaking, i feel sick, i'm dizzy. For almost 3 weeks now i've been taking 5mg lexapro a day. My doctor want me to increase it to 10mg daily so this morning I took 7.5mg. I think that's what caused it. Is there any chance that this drug is doing me more harm than good? I was so reluctant to take medication but I gave it a go after counselling and natural remedies failed. Is anyone else taking lexapro? Is this a normal reaction? I really need some reassurance.

[ceecee]

hi olive its just the meds that are making you feel this way!its soooo hard to believe sometimes that a pill to make you feel better can make you feel so ill to start,but stick with it you,ll soon feel better.if not go back and see if doc could maybe change you,re meds
take care
rach x

[Olive]

Thanks for the quick relpy. I really need to hear that i'm not dying/ going completly mad!

[jodie]

hi olive

i dont think your dying or mad we all have nad and good days i know i do .if it is the meds it should calm down after a bit .
hope this helps love jjodie xx

[Meg]

OLive

It could be a side effect reaction to your increase of meds ( did you get any when you first started out on them) sideffects are fairly normal, afterall these meds are mood altering drugs so they do affect the brain chemistry and this takes a little while to settle down.

Alternatively I used to fine that more times than not after a great day I would have a real crap one and often with depersonaization too, seemed to be a rebound from trying soo hard. I tried to look at it as a positove in the end - as in I never used to have any good days so now at least I must be better if I can recognise that I'm having some .....

Keep it going - don't give up on your meds suddenly and only after a discussion with your doctor

Meg

proactiveness, positivity, persistence, perseverance and practice = progress

[Olive]

Thanks guys. I feel much better than I did now. Even managed to go out for a little walk. You're right Meg - I should try to focus on the positive of having had a good day yesterday. Also, I looked at the How To Cope section on this site and I found an affirmation that really helps me. I told myself that it was ok to feel this way, instead of trying to fight against it and beat myself up about it like I usually do. It's ok to be scared and it won't last for ever. Not exactly mind blowing stuff, but it helped me today.

Thanks again,
Aoife

[kimmy]

Hi Olive

Depersonalization is awafull, I had it consitantly for days and days. even though its horrible it WONT hurt you. Upping your tablets can be giving you unwanted side effects. Like you upping my meds made me feel worse BUT that only lasted for a couple of weeks. My tablets did me the world of good, and when I hear people saying negative things about anti depressents I feel that its their opinion not anyones elses. If you feel the tablets are working for you, or your not trusting them anymore see if your GP could change them, but of course that means you may get side effects again!! Id say just keep going, when your having the depersonalization episodes just say, its not going to hurt you!! I promise you, it wont.

Have you ever read anything about the flight or fight response??

[Rennie1989]

Hiya

The good thing is that you know why you feel like this. It is your medication. Just think positively that they are making you feel better and the side effects will not last forever. I hope you feel better soon.

"My teddy last night was a paper bag, to keep my safe."