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Lexapro, Xanax and Anxiety attacks

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Post  LG Sun Oct 03, 2010 6:11 pm

I had a very recent traumatic experience. A friend of our family attempted sexual assault which deeply impacted me. I was put on Lexapro to stabilize my moods because I am having severe anxiety from the assault and the hospital stay afterward. I am having a feeling the Lexapro is causing me to have these all over pressure-type headaches but I am also taking Xanax for breakthrough panic attacks. Anyone else have this problem with either of these drugs?

Also, when experiencing an anxiety attack, within a minute or so of the attack beginning...a migraine follows. Anyone else have this problem either? I am wondering if it is because of blood pressure or some other type of body/blood flow dynamic that happens during the anxiety attack.

I'm sure if there are any good answers...I'll find them here.

Hope everyone else is doing significantly better than myself...
LG
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Post  AZgirl Sun Oct 03, 2010 6:22 pm

Dear LG:

No advise on the issue you mention, but just wanted to reply and say I am thinking of you.
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Post  Paradox Sun Oct 03, 2010 6:31 pm

Baby Girl, I was thinking of you today...I'm so sorry.

I've been using Klonopin for sleep but I know it is also used for anxiety. It is very effective but does make me very drowsy.
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Post  jwar Sun Oct 03, 2010 6:42 pm

Xanax usually aborts a migraine for me - I've never had a headache from it. I've never tried Lexapro.

The headache following a panic attack is from your body tensing up during the attack and then releasing when it's over - just how a lot of people get migraines on weekends following a let down of stress. I am assuming you are in talk therapy in addition to the meds, right? I survived a pretty fucked up sexual assault and was basically disabled for a year due to anxiety. The best thing that helped me become able to function "normally" was cognitive behavioral therapy.

PM me if you ever want to talk.
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Post  Ivy Mon Oct 04, 2010 12:37 am

Oh my....LG...
I am so sorry for such a horrible experience. It must have been terrible. I hope that this awful guy is now paying for what he did.

I often get symptoms that seem panic attacks before a migraine. They last less and are less scary than a real panic attack, but they're annoying anyway.

All drugs that act on you brain can trigger migraine in certain conditions.
Lexapro may take a while before it works and stops to give side-effects (H/A included).
I also have problems with Xanax and any other similar drugs. They immediately trigger me headache that can turn into migraine.

Take care
Hugs
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Post  Johnfd Mon Oct 04, 2010 5:06 am

Hi LG.

Sorry to hear you've had such a bad experience. It really has been a crap year for you, hasn't it.

Several years ago I experienced panic attacks after a bad experience at work. They always caused a horrible migraine. I was also generally prone to more migraines during that period (it was some years before my migraines became chronic) because of my more anxious state. I put this down to my migraine threshold being lowered due to the anxiety/stress factor.

I haven't had experience of the drugs you mention so can't comment directly but was prescribed Seroxat (Paroxetine) to deal with things back then. I think Lexapro and Seroxat are both SSRIs and although sometimes used to treat migraine etc can, like Ivy says, cause headaches themselves.

I needed a period of counselling to help me get over what happened besides the meds.

I truly hope that things get better for you soon.

John


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Post  HeelerLady Mon Oct 04, 2010 7:05 am

LG - was just thinking about you the other day and wondering how you were. So sorry this happened to you and all the things you have to deal with now. Sad I can't imagine what it's like...

Lexapro - I was on Celexa which is in the same family and it caused me nothing but grief. It interacted with every migraine medication I tried and in the end was making me miserable on its own. I was on it for at least 6 months and it was pure H E L L. I don't know why I had such a bad reaction because I've been on Lexapro as well (for actual depression) and had no noticeable side-effects.

I do know I tend to get a bit panicky with the bad m. My fioricet seems to knock it out - must be the barbituate in it. I hope you are able to find something that works for you soon.

Hugs sent your way...
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Post  LG Mon Oct 04, 2010 9:07 am

Thank you guys...for all your support.

Yes, this year has been really tough for me as an understatement. Sometimes I wonder what I did to cause this..but that's why I am going to therapy, which in all honesty is long overdue. I am happy to see a few people got better with anxiety, I can't wait until I wake up in the mornings and don't feel like this. I am wanting desperately to get better.

In any case, the lexipro must be the cause of the "tightening" headaches I am experiencing. I accidentally missed last nights dose and woke up free of the pain. With all that has gone on, my financial stability wasn't great either so I couldn't afford to get my normal fioricet with codeine. My doctor demands a visit with each script given..but maybe if I call and explain she will make an exception, I know my family will support my therapy copays but not my neurology ones.

I'd like to still hear anyone who has tried lexipro because I know, being on topamax, that many side effects can fade. If I can control the headaches with fioricet I'd like to give this med a chance especially if I have hope that within a few weeks this pesky effect will go away. Besides slight stomach discomfort, it is the only problem I have.

Also, for those on Xanax, what dose do you take and does it always effectively cut your anxiety down? My anxiety grows into a full panic attack, I feel them coming generally as soon as I wake up in the morning. If I take the Xanax, I still feel jumpy and wrong but it usually wards a full attack off. Maybe I can get something better or take a higher dose to eliminate this "jump out of my skin" feeling.

Thanks again all for sharing your experiences.
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Post  HeelerLady Mon Oct 04, 2010 9:16 am

LG - I can only speak to the anti-depressant issue. When I was on it, my pain levels started at a 5 every day. Now that I'm off it, there are days I wake without pain and during an M...the worst it gets now is maybe a 7 (usually not that high) as opposed to a 9.9.

I understand the need for it but perhaps talk with the prescriber about a different class and see if that helps? There are only a zillion different ones out there and perhaps a different one wouldn't be giving you a HA. That also might help some of the anxiety - you may be wired differently but pain makes me anxious.

Wishing you only the best.
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Post  crt Sun Oct 10, 2010 4:24 pm

LG,

I was on Lexapro for awhile - a few years. It made no difference one way or another to my migraines. I switched to Citalopram (generic for Celexa), not because Lexapro didn't work but because Citalopram is so much cheaper. I have had experience with 4 SSRIs now: Lexapro, Citalopram, Paxil, and Zoloft. I couldn't tell any difference between them. They all help control my anxiety. None of them made any difference migraine-wise.

My objection to SSRIs is that they severely lower my libido. I don't like that but I put up with it for the reduced anxiety. I feel that anxiety does more harm to me than a reduced libido.

I do hope that by increasing my level of exercise and being even more careful with my diet, I will eventually be able to get off the SSRI.

Chris
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Post  Anna's Mom Sun Oct 10, 2010 4:40 pm

I'm sorry for all you're going through, LG.

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