DaveUK
07-29-2007, 07:57 AM
A bit of advice / feedback needed if possible please.
I'm mid 30's, male and have been on Escitalopram (10mg / day) for the past 4 years to help with my constant daily anxiety and also depression.
5 weeks ago I visited the doctors because my anxiety did not seem to be getting any better, and we agreed between ourselves that I should try something else - Big mistake !
I was prescribed Lofepramine (70mg twice / day - Morning and Evening). Lofepramine is also known as : Feprapax, Gamanil and Lomont. Within 2 days I started to get the following symptoms :
Increased anxiety
Shaking - ie. Literally shaking and trembling, not the internal type shaking
Freezing cold fingers and toes
The most bizzare muscle rigidity in my arms and legs (as if i'd climbed a mountain the day before)
Wobbly and heavy legs
Dizzy
I carried on with Lofepramine & these symptoms (which gradually increased) for 5 weeks to give it a good chance to actually do something, but nothing happened and the anxiety had become so extreme that I had no alternative than to see the doctor again. (I went through a phase 4 years ago of visiting the doctors constantly, but have learnt for the past 3 years that it simply does no good. I know i have anxiety, i have just been trying to cope with it without bothering anyone.)
2 days ago both myself and the doctor agreed that I should go back on Escitalopram, 10mg, just like I was on before with the view to upping it to 20mg in the future.
Well, as it stands now, I am a complete nervous wreck but i don't know if it's withdrawal from Lofepramine or the initial side effects from starting Escitalopram again. I'm virtually constantly shaking, uncoordinated, dropping things and the have what i would descripe as evil strength anxiety within me. I was always shy before, but now i feel like i'm going to pass out if I have to go into a shop / talk to a stranger. All this would be slightly more bearable if I had no major commitments at the moment, but I run my own business and need / have to work 6 days per week. The person that normally works for me is on holiday, so i have double the work to do no alternative.
So, there we go, my current living hell !
I was looking up the half-life of Lofepramine - It says it's just 5 hours, which apparently is not good for an abrupt withdrawal ... so with my stopping it immediately and immediately going on Escitalopram do we think this has heightened my symptoms ? ... although having said that I felt just as bad today as I did 3 days ago when still on Lofepramine - Perhaps it's just the Lofepramine that my body disagreed with.
What do we all think then, what shall i do with myself ? and where did i go wrong ? - Has anyone else switched from Lofepramine to an SSRI - What were you're side effects ?
Any replies much appreciated.
I'm mid 30's, male and have been on Escitalopram (10mg / day) for the past 4 years to help with my constant daily anxiety and also depression.
5 weeks ago I visited the doctors because my anxiety did not seem to be getting any better, and we agreed between ourselves that I should try something else - Big mistake !
I was prescribed Lofepramine (70mg twice / day - Morning and Evening). Lofepramine is also known as : Feprapax, Gamanil and Lomont. Within 2 days I started to get the following symptoms :
Increased anxiety
Shaking - ie. Literally shaking and trembling, not the internal type shaking
Freezing cold fingers and toes
The most bizzare muscle rigidity in my arms and legs (as if i'd climbed a mountain the day before)
Wobbly and heavy legs
Dizzy
I carried on with Lofepramine & these symptoms (which gradually increased) for 5 weeks to give it a good chance to actually do something, but nothing happened and the anxiety had become so extreme that I had no alternative than to see the doctor again. (I went through a phase 4 years ago of visiting the doctors constantly, but have learnt for the past 3 years that it simply does no good. I know i have anxiety, i have just been trying to cope with it without bothering anyone.)
2 days ago both myself and the doctor agreed that I should go back on Escitalopram, 10mg, just like I was on before with the view to upping it to 20mg in the future.
Well, as it stands now, I am a complete nervous wreck but i don't know if it's withdrawal from Lofepramine or the initial side effects from starting Escitalopram again. I'm virtually constantly shaking, uncoordinated, dropping things and the have what i would descripe as evil strength anxiety within me. I was always shy before, but now i feel like i'm going to pass out if I have to go into a shop / talk to a stranger. All this would be slightly more bearable if I had no major commitments at the moment, but I run my own business and need / have to work 6 days per week. The person that normally works for me is on holiday, so i have double the work to do no alternative.
So, there we go, my current living hell !
I was looking up the half-life of Lofepramine - It says it's just 5 hours, which apparently is not good for an abrupt withdrawal ... so with my stopping it immediately and immediately going on Escitalopram do we think this has heightened my symptoms ? ... although having said that I felt just as bad today as I did 3 days ago when still on Lofepramine - Perhaps it's just the Lofepramine that my body disagreed with.
What do we all think then, what shall i do with myself ? and where did i go wrong ? - Has anyone else switched from Lofepramine to an SSRI - What were you're side effects ?
Any replies much appreciated.