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Post by sandy07 on Feb 17, 2015 10:38:26 GMT -5
Does anyone take this? The doctor wants to take away my little .5 Lorazepam and have me use this. The printout from the drugstore looks scarey. Is it something you'd need to get used to? (side-effects). Thanks guys. I'm not having the best of times right now or I'd type more but I'm thinking about you all the time.
Should I be afraid of this stuff. Does it take a while to work etc.?
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Post by skate4life on Feb 17, 2015 18:05:46 GMT -5
Dear Sandy. This drug also goes by the name Lexapro or Cipralex. It is in a class of SSRI (serotonin receptors - complicated, just know the classification.) My PCP tried the Lexapro for me. I wish I had done a 'search' about it before starting it. I started with severe nausea after 1 dose and never should have taken a 2nd dose. I could not get anything down, even sips of gingerale were difficult, for 2-1/2 days, and lost 6 pounds. At that time my weight loss was already down due to my COPD and my lack of appetite.
That class of antidepressants is know for causing nausea which can last up to a week - 'they' say if you can tolerate the nausea until it subsides, then the drug works well. My PCP instead then tried Buspar and I had the same reaction although not quite as severe, stopped that one too.
Now don't misunderstand me.....I am just sharing my experience. You may do just fine! Perhaps a very low dose to start and see how you tolerate it.
Do you take the Lorazepam on a regular basis? Is he worried about dependency? I also would check with the pharmacist and your doctor about how best to stop the Lorazepam. It may be one you have to taper before starting the next med.
Lastly, the one big complaint I saw was that people had a very difficult time getting off the med after they had been on it awhile....I don't know if it was a rebound effect or what. Do you think you could go see a counselor 1-2 times? That may be all you need rather than another pill. Depression, anxiety are very high in the COPD community, you are not alone!!! Please feel free to email me privately if you wish.
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Post by David on Feb 17, 2015 20:04:22 GMT -5
I have never heard of Escitalopram.
I don't understand why he wants to take you off Lorazepam. The dose you take now is not very much.
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Post by skate4life on Feb 18, 2015 10:35:29 GMT -5
Sandy - I sent you a PM.
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Post by sandy07 on Feb 18, 2015 11:40:34 GMT -5
I started taking the Lorazepam so I could shower/bath without fear of falling and/or running out of breath in the middle of it.. I wasn't on it for depression. Anything I've ever taken for depression has done the opposite. Tried it twice. Went through my son's death without it.
My doctor is afraid of me being hooked on it. Does it really matter at this point in my COPD? Aren't we all hooked on our inhalers etc. anyway?
I got the RX filled and the 3 page printout that came with it was scary. That's why I'm checking around.
If anyone has any other ideas you could send a PM. I'm not often on the computer so you might not hear from me right away. Thanks everyone.
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Post by David on Feb 18, 2015 19:58:14 GMT -5
Thanks for the answer to why you are being taken off.
I agree at this point it don't matter.
My Doctor will prescribe Ativan if I ask him to. I had Dyspnea real bad for a year and a half. All of 2013 and half of 2014. I got to where I could not do anything. I couldn't walk 50 yards without being so short of breath I felt like I was going to pass out. Then I would panic. It was awful. I went for so long like this I thought nothing could be done and this was it.
I read on this forum where some take low dose of pain medication and Ativan. I tried the Ativan and it worked just fine. Took it for a month. My problem with that is I am highly addictive to Benzodiazepine and I was hooked on Valium a long time ago and I will never forget how hard it was to come off of them. I learned what a Benzo Attack is. I thought I was going to die.
So I discussed this with my Doctor and he said basically the same. At this point it doesn't really matter but I told him it does because if for some reason I lost him as my Doctor, I might get another Doctor that refuses to give me Ativan. I would be in really big trouble if that happened. Going Cold Turkey is not fun.
I told him I want to put off the Ativan for now. That will come later down the road.
I asked could I try a low dose of pain medication and could it be Tramadol (50 MG). Tramadol is not a narcotic. He said sure. I get 60 pills that I cut in half and take 1 half every time I Nebulize which is 4 times a day.
I couldn't believe it. I have not had a panic attack since July 2014. I still get short of breath but I do not have the feeling I am about to pass out which led to the panic.
So right now that is working for me.
I realize I am probably the only person on earth that this worked for. I am not telling anyone to do as I did. I am saying it's important to find a Doctor who will work with you to find the right medication that works for you. We are all different.
Good luck, Sandy and I hope the Escitalopram works for you. I will talk to my Doctor about this and see what he has to say.
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Post by stoker55 on Feb 20, 2015 15:38:07 GMT -5
I agree with David who cares at this stage? My brother is 85 this April and has been on the lowest dose of morphine for over 10 years. He takes it 2x's a day and doesn't ever ask for more. He takes it for pain. If is ain't broke don't fix it is my philosophy.
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Post by Deborah on Feb 20, 2015 19:10:15 GMT -5
Sandy: I've been taking citalopram for over a year and a bit. My doc originally said it was for depression but later said it was for anxiety. That worked for me, as I am not depressed (according to the counsellor I was seeing). I did get every single side effect but they only lasted a week. After three weeks they were gone. Also gone was much of my anxiety and some panic attacks I would suffer from heights. In fact, on this recent trip to Vancouver I actually drove over the Lions Gate Bridge without much of a tremor - for the first time in my entire life.
I am on a low dose. It helps with the anxiety when my breath gets short or I can't stop coughing. It also helps moderate some blackness I might otherwise be feeling (I guess) - but mostly it helps with anxiety.
When I first went on Jackie helped by noting it was very common to go on something like this. Due to some family history, I am very careful about addiction, as is my doctor, so I have little fear on that score. We are going to review the drug and dosage in June.
I don't know if this helps but hopefully it does.
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Post by sandy07 on Feb 21, 2015 10:24:33 GMT -5
Thanks everyone. I'm going to check these things out and talk to the doctor again.
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