Last week at the rehab clinic I was prescribed Cipralex (Lexapro, Escitalopram) and am finding its kicking my butt.

Before taking it, I was already very tired and now I'm so tired I'm finding it difficult to do the bare minimum around here and keep everyone fed. (Something I've been doing since I got my brain injury!)

Its like a major step backwards for me. I sleep at least 10 hours a night, then I NEED to sleep another 4 hours during the day, minimum. And I'm talking out cold sleeping.

Before I started the drugs, when I would wake up in the morning or after a nap, I would have some energy to do a few things and that was great. Now, when I wake up, I can barely drag myself out of bed and then sit in my chair downstairs.

I don't even have to be doing anything, I can spend much time just staring at one spot... its ridiculous.

Its not even been a full week yet, but I think I'm giving up on it... I was ok to drive before... now, I'm so tired, I feel its iffy!

So frustrated... even though I barely have the energy to be frustrated.

Anyone else experience anything like this? Is there a better drug for me to try?

Right now, I feel I was better off before they starting "helping" me!!

Starr

Starr,

Did they start you on a full dose?

I started Paxil at 1/2 dose for the first week and then tapered up to full dose

It take a while for your body to adjust to an SSRI.

What are they trying to treat with the Cipralex? just depression?

I take a max dose of Paxil to reduce my brain's tendency to get stuck on mundane repetitive thoughts. It helps lots but not completely.

The side-effects can be tough. I am used to them now.

I sweat like I am in the shower if I exert myself in the slightest.

Give it time to see if the benefits are worth the side-effects.

My best to you.

Mark,
They prescribed cipralex to help with my "irritability" (as they politely put it).

The depression screening showed I was not depressed even though I would say I am. I mean it sucks to not be able to do what you want , right?

Between the exhaustion these cause, the warning about them possibly causing changes in the hearts electrical system and the warning that when you come off you can get brain zaps, its just too much.

Starr

A few months ago I tried Zoloft. I gave it up after 6 days because I felt so messed up I didn't feel safe to drive.

I have now been on Prozac for a little over 3 weeks. I had an upset stomach for the first week but really no other bad side affects. I actually sleep regular for the first time in over 2 years. I don't get thoughts repeating over and over; they go away easier. Another major benefit is that my anger issues have lessened considerably.

I take amitryptaline which is a depression medication but the Dr. prescribed it to prevent headaches. My headaches got significantly better once I started using it for a couple weeks. I recently tried to stop taking it and found the withdrawl symptoms pretty bad and am now trying to taper off it.

Starr,

Different SSRI's effect different people different ways. Nobody can predict how you will respond.

Maybe you would respond better to a different SSRT.

What steps have you taken to accept you current limitations?

Changing the way you choose to respond to your limitations will make 2 improvements. You will feel less stress and you will give your brain a better opportunity to recover.

Maybe the Serenity Prayer will help you.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

My best to you.

Mark, thanks for your reply! I'm not trying to be difficult, but I don't really know what that question means? (Maybe that's the problem, I don't know if I believe I have any limitations.)

I'm not sure if these are the answers to that question or not:
-- I make time to nap almost daily

-- I understand it takes me longer to do things and I get less done in a day than I used to, but I don't like that.

-- Since paying cash causes me many problems with figuring out change etc, I now only use debit and credit cards to reduce my stress.

-- I try to avoid situations that increase my symptoms or that I know will induce my anger.

I see this injury as a temporary situation, I remember what it was like to be me in the past and I expect to get back there or close to there. Maybe this is the unreasonable part of my thinking?

All I know is I didn't take my pill last night before bed and today I feel better than I have in a week. I still had to nap, but I didn't feel so tired that even breathing was too much work!

If that's the best they can offer (and maybe its not? I've only been once to the rehab clinic) then I'll just muddle along on my own.

I already feel I've given up so much and I can't do much about it, I'm not willing to give up more for a pill that may or may not eventually improve my life. I have things to do... I want to move forward from this.

Starr

Roadrunner63, your experience with zoloft sounds like my experience with cipralex. Awful, isn't it? I'm glad prozac is working for you, especially for the sleep and anger issues!

Todayistomorrow, glad to hear your headaches were better on the amitryptaline. Sorry that the withdrawal from it is unpleasant and difficult.

Best of luck to you both.
Starr

Since my concussion, I have been through the following anti-depressants:

Prozac (fluoxetine)
Elavil (amitriptyline) - mostly for headache prevention
Celexa (citalopram)

I am currently on Effexor (venlafaxine). As far as energy level goes, it is better than some of the others. I have been having more frequent and intense suicidal ideation, but the doctor thinks it's because my dose is not high enough yet. I'm tapering up and hopefully that will help.

<<What steps have you taken to accept you current limitations?>>

<Mark, thanks for your reply! I'm not trying to be difficult, but I don't really know what that question means? (Maybe that's the problem, I don't know if I believe I have any limitations.)>

You do have limitations. Some are temporary and some will be long term and maybe permanent. Fighting against these conditions is counter-productive. Accepting your limitations does not mean you are choosing them to be permanent.

<I'm not sure if these are the answers to that question or not:
-- I make time to nap almost daily>

This is good but not a complete solution.

<-- I understand it takes me longer to do things and I get less done in a day than I used to, but I don't like that. >

Your last comment is problematic. I have lots of conditions I do not like but I do not fight against them or become angry because of them.

<-- Since paying cash causes me many problems with figuring out change etc, I now only use debit and credit cards to reduce my stress.>

Have you spent any time to try to learn a new way of counting change? I have had to learn new ways of doing math because I can not hold numbers in my head.

<-- I try to avoid situations that increase my symptoms or that I know will induce my anger.>

This is a very good skill to develop and strengthen. Good for you.

<I see this injury as a temporary situation, I remember what it was like to be me in the past and I expect to get back there or close to there. Maybe this is the unreasonable part of my thinking?>

I think you need to work to change this thought. I may have an advantage because I have lost functions in small steps starting 40 years ago. I learned to work within those losses. When I had a big change in 2001, I was more able to learn to accept those changes, even though it was about a year before I finally understood those new losses.

Research suggests that a large amount of post concussion improvements come from learning new ways to live life and work-around the PCS limitations. There can be great personal reward from learning to do a lost function a different way. Carrying a load of "I am angry because I can't do this" prevents us from learning the new skills.

<All I know is I didn't take my pill last night before bed and today I feel better than I have in a week. I still had to nap, but I didn't feel so tired that even breathing was too much work!>

You may be right than this med is the wrong one for you. Don't be afraid to try something different. But, I suggest you put more effort into accepting that you have new limits. Put you effort into learning more work-around skills and accommodation skills. Make a list of the things you can no longer do as before, then try to learn ways to do the same thing different ways.

I had to learn to recognize when I was at my limit. I had to stop the task and set it aside. It is much easier to return to it later than to fight with it and suffer failure. I also learned that the timing I had put on a task tended to be unrealistic.

I learned that there are three glasses. One glass is half empty. One is half full. The important observation is that the glass I chose was TOO BIG. Once I chose a smaller glass, I was able to complete the tasks in the smaller glass. I can always go for a refill, if I feel I need to refill the smaller glass. But, I have learned that the smaller glass is usually the better size.

<If that's the best they can offer (and maybe its not? I've only been once to the rehab clinic) then I'll just muddle along on my own.

I already feel I've given up so much and I can't do much about it, I'm not willing to give up more for a pill that may or may not eventually improve my life. I have things to do... I want to move forward from this.>

I don't think the pill is designed to improve your life. They all have side effects that need to be balanced against the benefits. I think the pill is designed to give you a break from your anxiety and anger so you can start to see a way forward. The pill only gives you a chance to see what has always been there but lost in the cloud of frustration, anger and angst.

I think you may do better to try to accept the new you before trying a new pill. I know how hard and humbling it can be. Been there, doing that for decades.

My best to you.