Alternatives & weaning off meds

[Lil]

How many people here are dealing with Social Anxiety with other forms of treatment instead of meds?

I am seeing a psychiatrist for CBT and am on Lexapro but am wanting to wean myself off it. A few things have been bugging me recently and I'm not sure how much of it i can blame on the meds. Am going to have a chat to my psychiatrist when i see him next week.

• been having trouble keeping appointments (eg, doctors, dentists, etc)... been getting really confused with the dates, even having them in my iCal at work which i check daily.
• Been suffering Anorgasmia and general total lack of sex drive (sorry for those thinking "uh too much info!")
• I had a weird paranoia freak out last night feeling the overwhelming sensation that i was being watched, even though my apartment is very secure and private I was shaking and jumping at the sound of even the neighbors despite i usually find it comforting knowing they are around. Ended up closing all the blinds in my entire apartment, even to windows no one could reach up to see through.
• I've been having extremely bizzare trippy dreams lately - every night. They are always bizarre and always including some kind of antagonist.
• Spoke to my mother today and she asked me if everything was okay with me. I said yeah everything was great but after i got off the phone it was weird, i suddenly felt like I just wanted to cry for no reason. Wanted to but couldn't.
• I've lost my drive to do anything, feel like i've gotten really lazy
• Started getting weight gain

The thing thats really throwing me is some of this stuff has only been happening in the past few weeks. But if it was the meds shouldn't it have happened earlier than this (within the first month)?

I have found that I've been slightly more confident in social situations (slightly) and haven't been getting that feeling the entire universe is against me if anything goes wrong but the other effects is a concern. Additionally concerning is that part of me doesn't want to give up Lexapro against my better judgement and I've even been tempted to start taking the valium I have in my fridge just for the hell of it which is not like me... I usually don't even like taking paracetamol. Anyway I'm only on 10mg (haven't been back to the doctor since he put me on them a few months ago) so I'm thinking i should be able to wean myself off if i take just 5mg for about a month or so before I stop taking them.

 

[missymoo]

Not necessarily. I believe that the medication changes in your system over time, this is why they are constantly adjusting people's dosages of meds and also trying them on other types of meds, etc. Therefore, I would also assume that the medication might be ok for you at first but then be bad for you later (ie: cause you negative symptoms) or I suppose it could be the other way around.

I dont think any of the pills are good for us, but I guess we have to try something.

Is there anything that's happened signifigantly in your life other than just taking the medication? if not, it must be the medication and how it is reacting in YOUR system.
Therefore, talking to your doctor would be a good choice.
(if you already did, how'd it go?)

also, the first medication we try isnt necessarily the best choice of medication for us to be on.

 

[Apotheosis]

been getting really confused with the dates, even having them in my iCal at work which i check daily.

Been suffering Anorgasmia and general total lack of sex drive (sorry for those thinking "uh too much info!")

I had a weird paranoia freak out last night feeling the overwhelming sensation that i was being watched, even though my apartment is very secure and private I was shaking and jumping at the sound of even the neighbors despite i usually find it comforting knowing they are around. Ended up closing all the blinds in my entire apartment, even to windows no one could reach up to see through.

I've been having extremely bizzare trippy dreams lately - every night. They are always bizarre and always including some kind of antagonist.

Spoke to my mother today and she asked me if everything was okay with me. I said yeah everything was great but after i got off the phone it was weird, i suddenly felt like I just wanted to cry for no reason. Wanted to but couldn't.

I've lost my drive to do anything, feel like i've gotten really lazy

Started getting weight gain

If it is an consolation; then I identify a lot in many ways with all of the above. & it's been decades of dealing with such things (& more). Things pass, some days I feel better than other days. Some days things go better, & sometimes I cope with it all better than other days.

It's a hard life; this existence.

 

[missymoo]

Agreed, Apotheosis. Agreed.

 

[Lil]

Yeah good point missymoo. I see my psych in 2 days, will talk to him then. I'll let you know how it goes. I cant really think of anything else that could be affecting me. All in all i have nothing to complain about in regards to my living situation, work, etc.

True Apotheosis