Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
To Panos, yes my tinnitus did get worse when I took the lexapro, but I had it prior to the lexapro, so I went with it and here I am 9 mos later with just a trace of it remaining. I find my tinnitus is triggered by the stress, and once my stress is lowered, it gets better.
To Chen, yes, the sleep meds just dealt with the symptoms of insomnia, not the cause of my insomnia, but was helpful for the short term. I read and sometimes re-read Dr. Claire Weekes book as I did find that helpful.
As I am tapering off, I am trying to be gentle with myself as I wanted to be off of my meds within a few weeks, not going on three months now ?… but I am much further along now than where I started! I have to remember that.
Hi Panos –
I was in a similar situation as you starting last March when a health scare (heart related) caused a disruption in my sleep which then caused my insomnia/tinnitus which then caused my anxiety which then caused my depression… I think you get the picture.
Anyhow, after some unsuccessful sleep med prescriptions (atarax, restoril) and my increasing anxiety and depression, my doctor prescribed me lexapro and lunesta, and after a month of my stubbornness, I started taking them on May 2, 2020. I started on 5 mg of lexapro daily and 3 mg of Lunesta nightly. After about 4-6 weeks, my anxiety drastically decreased and the Lunesta was the only med that worked to help me sleep with no side effects.
After 4 months into this, in September 2020 I asked my doctor if I can start tapering the Lunesta as I struggled with still taking something for my sleep, but I couldn’t sleep without it. I tried to taper on my own, but could not sleep without the full dose. He instead recommended to increase my lexapro to help balance out serotonin and not to taper just yet. I increased to 7.5 mg daily of my lexapro and am still on that dose to this day.
Then in late October 2020, I decided to start my tapering of my lunesta. I started taking 3/4 of the med (2.25 mg), had disrupted sleep for a few days then became adjusted to that level of med. then in December I tapered to 1/2 of my dose (1.5 mg), and now I am on a 1/3 of my dose (1 mg) and hope to be down to 1/4 of the dose (.75 mg) before I can quit all together.
I would tell you that this taper wouldn’t have been successful WITHOUT this info on this website. I am thankful to God for Martin Reed and his work. Just reading these forums, watching Martin’s videos, following the sleep restriction protocols, ACT, have helped give me the confidence to slowly taper of my sleep meds. Each time I decrease, I struggle for a few days but I feel more clear-headed and more “awake” after a nights sleep.
Anyway, I would say, do not fear the lexapro. It was one of the crucial elements in my steps to recovery (I am no longer anxious or depressed) along with the LORD lifting me up out of the pit of despair and He gave me a new hope!
I am still in insomnia recovery but I am no longer hard on myself for not “healing” at a faster rate based on my own “goal oriented” mindset (which, ironically, typically goes hand-in-hand with anxiety/depression and does not help sleep whatsoever ?). By the way, my tinnitus resolved itself probably by Octoberish or so? I still have faint vibration at night but it’s hardly noticeable.
I’ll be rooting for you, I hoped that helped somewhat.
