Escitalopram Reaction is Killing Me

[ScooterD]

Hello

New here and wondering if anyone can please help me? I am completely desperate.



I’m in a bad way. I had an immediate adverse reaction to an SSRI. My life is a living hell now.

Maybe you have heard of something like this?

I have a medical mystery that no one can solve, been to numerous doctors with no help given.

In my case, it’s an adverse reaction that won’t go away, due to an adverse reaction to pharmaceutical escitalopram,best guess so far either the SLC6A4 (not making SERT to reuptake serotonin} or HTR2A gene (5-HT2A receptor knock out) is not making its proteins. Or the reuptake pump is not working. They have been shut off. Those are the symptoms. Who really knows though.

Is there any test to confirm this or something to take to reverse or stabilize me?

Back story is, I took 20mg of escitalopram pills quite a while back and ever since then I have been sick and my health is now declining fast. Pretty sure it’s killing me. I had no history of using this type of medication.


More backstory is, went to walk in clinic because I was having some family worries and wasn’t sleeping like I usually do. So he prescribed me the escitalopram and said I would worry less and sleep better at night. I just trusted him took his word for it. he didn’t take any medical history, do any medical exam or even give me the name of the drug let alone name any warnings.

I used to be so fit and active, walk 5kms daily and workout / exercise and eat healthy, bike, ski & skate and I can’t do any of that now No alcohol or smoking. Was in perfect health, literally, no issues to complain about. Now doctors don’t know at all what to do. It seems like my serotonin system is not working properly anymore. Like SLC6A4 / SERT isn’t functional or HTR2A receptor gene has been knocked out. Supposed to be impossible, I know but something went seriously wrong. It’s not serotonin syndrome because this happened over a year ago and I stopped the drug immediately as symptoms were almost immediate.


I know this sounds impossible and not supposed to happen but I swear to you it’s all true.


I might have been susceptible because when I was a teenager I did some weird drug (supposed to be LSD but I don’t think it was) that changed something in my brain and I never touched a drug again after that. Physically I had no problems. But the way my brain felt was different and I just copped with it.


Went to to ER about 6 days after consuming escitalopram because I thought the drug would have cleared my system and any side effects would have gone but they didn’t. Doctors said it was very unlikely and, surprise, probably stress just in my head.


Problem is symptoms all started with drug ingestion and have never gone away, not even for a minute just added more and grow worse in intensity. Not a coincidence.


Went to the ER again about 30 days later and they just sent me home with Ativan.


I am suffering pretty badly, clinical symptoms point to serotonin system not functioning properly and I don’t know how much more my body and mind can take.


Here are the main symptoms:


-sleep is destroyed, only get about 4-5 hours restless sleep (did level1 sleep study and spend over 80% in stages 1& 2 level sleep, only 7 percent deep sleep). Started immediately.
-throat randomly swallows on its own. Started next day.
-I know everyone is tired but my energy is gone, nothing left. Started immediately.
-Brian issues, get these attacks where I can’t concentrate or function and feels like agony. I am completely useless during these. And they last long and longer. These symptom were initially fleeting. It’s really brutal now and is not anxiety or panic. It is far too painful and debilitating. Sinuses close up when this happens and I become weak. Also headache
-have lost 35 pounds of muscle. 20 in the first month, doctors had no explanation for. Can’t afford to loose, wasn’t overweight.
-my testicles turned bright red immediately, don't hurt, been on antibiotics and still are and my testosterone dropped to almost nothing, low end of range
-zero libido, used to be fine.
-change in mood
-joints hurt initially, mostly wrists and hips but this is mostly gone now. Could be because I am too ill to be active
-whole life I fall asleep on my back with hands crossed on chest, now if i do this my hands fall asleep every time, this happened immediately after drug consumption and will not go away. Same thing with feet if I cross them.
Used to have unbelievable / excellent control HA1c control, not bragging, just did with the continuous sensor, in the 5-6 range mostly. Not I have to take at least 3 x 4 times as much insulin to get not nearly as good control. This happened immediately after drug.
-white thick coating on tongue with new grooves started immediately
-muscles always twitching somewhere, started immediately
-Can’t regulate temperature frequent chills or freezing colds or at times very hot
-Extreme change in colour and frequency (much less bowel movements)
-urine is totally different cloudy and awe full smell, weak stream, foamy a lot and can barley go. At start of symptoms couldn’t stop urinating went all the time for extremely long time and was strong and clear, like I was trying to get rid of something.
-developed cough about 4 months in with mucus, not infection. Sometimes now has blood in it. Had X-ray, said hyperinflated lungs. Non smoker, never around bad air.
- Ultrasound and CT on liver said lesion on liver, focal stenosis or fatty maybe. But I am not over weight and don’t drink.
-lots of spells of nausea mostly in head
-penis leaks 24-7 started about 5 months in
-change in appetite
-can’t nap or feel sick when I wake up and I feel sick when I wake up in the morning, this started about 6 months ago


Those are the main ones and a cant get an actual diagnosis from any doctor for any of it or an underlying cause.


I never had any of these above issues before the escitalopram.

Please let me know what else you need.

Thank you
ScooterD

[uni]

Hello ScooterD, and welcome to the forum. It sounds like you've been having a nightmare experience with escitalopram; I'm so sorry to hear it.

There seems to be so many things it has done to your body and mind. I wish I knew something about that drug but I don't. It sounds like you need some kind of expert doctor to take a thorough look at the whole situation. I guess all I can say is don't give up, keep knocking on doors, so to speak, whatever it takes. You are a valuable human being and deserve to know what's going on with your own health.

Maybe someone on the forum can relate to your situation, but if not, there's no harm in continuing to hunt for answers. On the web, or phoning doctors offices, or asking other health workers/professionals for any leads, or pharmacists - they may be best of all.

I did a brief hunt on the internet before posting this, but nothing came up that you probably don't already know.

At the very least, if it's of some help to post on the forum, then post as you feel like it. It's a place to come to release some frustrations if nothing else, and you never know who might see your words and give you a new direction.

I wish I was of more help. I'm rooting for you, and hope there is a way to get to the bottom of everything so you can heal and get your life back.

[sandy11]

Thank you for sharing your story ScooterD, I am sorry to hear about all the adverse side effects you've been having with escitalopram. I am not a healthcare professional but I can imagine how difficult this has been for you. Medication is certainly not a one-size-fits-all and it can be challenging (not to mention, frightening) to navigate through these drastic health changes alone.

Like uni shared, please know that you’re not alone in this and the forum is here to support you. I hope somewhere out there, you can find the answers you are seeking. Take care and stay strong.

[ScooterD]

Thanks for the encouragement Uni and Sandy, I appreciate it. But what I really need is a Doctor who understands this stuff that can help me. I can’t seem to find one.

[uni]

It's hard to get doctors these days, period. I hope you keep hunting until you track the right one down, and try not to lose hope. Easier said than done I know.

[Hazelcat]

Scooter, I just wanted to say I agree with the others and keep pursuing doctors and specialists until you get some answers. Remember that things which occur at around the same time are not necessarily related, so that some of your symptoms may be due to some other condition. I've definitely had adverse reactions to certain meds (including some very rare side effects) but they did go away within days or at most a few weeks after discontinuing the med. For instance I had hair loss with Prozac, and eye twitch with Wellbutrin (I tried W on three occasions and got the eye twitch every time). Seroquel gave me total insomnia even though it makes most people sleepy, so I had what they call a paradoxical reaction to it.

It does bother me how quickly the doctors are to hand out these powerful medications without a careful discussion. Although where I live a pharmacist will give you a printout of a few pages of information with a new medication. Pharmacists are also good at spotting any potential interactions between meds. Good luck.

[Mocha231]

Hi scooter,

I can definitely relate to your frustrations. I myself spent years searching for answers that were related to a medical problem. I had to go through countless tests and medications and finally discovered the answer that I was seeking. Please don’t give up on your search for the truth, even though this may be a long and difficult journey.

Mocha231

[uni]

Just wondering if you've seen any improvement yet ScooterD

[ScooterD]

I wish I could say yes but just getting worse unfortunately.

[uni]

Hi ScooterD. I'm truly sorry to hear that. Thank you for taking the time and effort to reply despite not feeling well. Please post any time, or read others posts on various parts of the forum. Sometimes I do that just to help counteract some of what whirls around in my head..

I do hope things do start turn around for you some way, somehow. If it takes a new doctor appearing out of nowhere, then I wish that for you. Whatever it takes.