Cheers to Lexapro

Okay so I started going off of Lexapro after the end of break, I haven't taken it since school started for sure. I also stopped taking my Toprol.

Lexapro is a drug to treat the symptoms of anxiety and depression. I noticed on the first two weeks on it that I was totally bi-polar. I went from manic to depressive anyway within a few hours to days.

Toprol is used to treat migraines (beta-blocker) and high blood pressure. I have the former. Since I do not have high blood pressure, Toprol made me quite dizzy and lightheaded.

So I was just sitting here trying to figure out how long I've been on Toprol, I think it's like a year and half or so.

Well I noticed the other day I was manic, and then today I am totally depressed. I didn't want to get out of bed and I am pretty sure after I eat some breakfast, I am going to go back to bed. I didn't go to either of my classes. I was also a wee bit depressed yesterday.

So I was reading about backlash side effects of coming off Toprol and Lexapro, I found some interesting things.

Lately I've been:
shaking (hands and entire body)
extremely cold
craving alcohol
manic
depressed
dizzy
sick to my stomach
weight gain

I have been extremely cold, aparently I am not crazy it's a Toprol thing. Same with the shaking, you can get that as you come off the drugs. I've noticed it's worse when I am really emotional, like esp when Travis holds me or kisses me passionately, my whole body will start shaking. I also got it the other night when I started crying, my body was shaking really bad. My hands shake pretty much all the time but intensify when I am emotional.

I found out that lots of people crave alcohol after they've balanced out on Lexapro or just as they are coming off. I am a social drinker, maybe one beer or something. But a couple months after starting Lexapro I wanted to drink constantly and I couldn't figure out why! As I have been coming off of it, it's been really bad but slowly getting better. With some people on Lexapro it can become an step to alcholism (which is really bad since it makes the effects of booze more intense). (Cheers the Lexapro!) The backlash of manic and depressed is also Lexapro side effect as you come off. Also weight gain is a side effect of Lexapro (my pants were getting so tight!) so both coming off it and working out has helped alot with that.

Dizzy and sick to my stomach are both back to Toprol backlash side effects. I am really dizzy and lightheded right now in fact.

What I found interesting which I didn't even put two and two together till now:
Migraines caused me to take Toprol. Toprol can cause anxiety. Anxiety made my migraines worse and more frequent. Lexapro was to stop my anxiety.

Well I am going to lay down a bit more, I am kinda hoping Travis calls me today. I want to talk to him and he knows I've been coming off my meds and all but I'd like to tell him what I've found, esp about the alcohol thing because I don't want to turn into and alcoholic. Like I said, it's getting better but I need all the support I can get. I am going to make a pledge not to drink till V-day.

Current Mood: Depressed but hopeful.