Boy howdy, (did I really just say that?) when the doctors tell you to be consistent in taking your medication, they aren't kidding! As I've shared in earlier posts, I've been taking Lexapro (an anti depressant) to treat my TMJ, for about 6 months now. It has done wonders for my night time bruxism (a fancy word for teeth grinding.) I've always known that taking myself off of the medication is a big no-no and could have seriously crappy side effects, but I never thought about what would happen if I misplaced it for a few days. It all started a few weeks ago when I started having some with drawl symptoms. When I visited the doctor about it, she suggested that I take an anti anxiety pill until the Lexapro fully kicked back in. Do you see a cycle starting here? Yeah, I thought so too. So I quickly declined and decided to ride it out. What a ride it was :
Scene: Our bedroom, middle of the night. I'm tossing and turning on my side of the bed.
Daniel: (groggily) What's wrong?
Me: I can't sleep.
Daniel: Why?
Me: If I knew why, I would fix it. I can't put my finger on it, but my stomach is in knots.
Daniel: Maybe it's the return of the stomach flu.
Me: No. I'm nervous.
Daniel: About what?
Me: I don't know.
Daniel: Sounds like you're having anxiety.
Me: No. I'm just feeling all nervous about nothing and everything and it's all swirling around in my head.
Daniel: That's what anxiety is.
Me: Shhhh! Did you hear that? Is that a kid coughing?
Daniel: I didn't hear anything.
Me: I heard coughing. Oh great. That's all we need. Now the kids are all going to be sick, then it will hit me. Oh God, I feel sick.
Daniel: I do too, from the lack of sleep. Will you go take a Tylenol PM or something?
Me: Oh, so now you're in on it too. You and the doctors are trying to drug me up with all kinds of pills.
Daniel: You're nuts.
Me: I knew it. This is the beginning of the end. I'm losing it. A few months from now, I'll be wearing a straight jacket in an institution somewhere.
Daniel: You lost it a long time ago, but I still love you. Now go back to sleep.
Me: Please don't institutionalize me!
Daniel: I will if you don't find a way to go back to sleep. Now go take a Tylenol or something!
Me: Tylenol? At this rate, you had better knock me over the head with a frying pan.
Daniel: It's late, I'm tired. Don't tempt me.
Me: Oh. I see. You would really do it, wouldn't you? Don't you have any sympathy for me? I'm freaking out right now!
Daniel: No, I was kidding. I have sympathy for you and I'm trying to help you to be able to help yourself.
Me: All of this talking is making me tired. Goodnight, honey.
Daniel: At this point, I'd rather you grind your teeth down to tiny little nubs. We'd get you some dentures and both have a good night's sleep!
A few days went by and the anxiety attacks died down, thank God! But I learned some things from that little experience.
1. I could never be a pot smoker, because I hated that feeling of being paranoid.
2. I'm never going back tot he doctor's office again. Doctors are just well payed puppets of the pharmaceutical industry.
3. My normal level of insanity is not so bad, compared to what it could be.
4 guests at the inn:
Been there! Should've taken the xanax! You would've slept like a baby! In my case, it's not from grinding teeth- it's anxiety from having a child in my classroom who threw things at me everyday or yelled at me everyday. The lexapro did wonders for my anxiety!
I weaned off of my Lexapro the beginning of December (I found out I was pregnant) and the withdrawal was terrible.
I'm sure I'll have to go back on it after this baby is born but I'm not looking forward to it. Hang in there. And remember - Xanax is our friend. :)
It is now official; I am never getting off Lexapro.
my doctor never offers me drugs...hmph!!!
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