Do your meds do this to you?

barneyb · 01-06-2006, 05:23 AM

I'm on 10 mg of Lexapro & .25 of klonopin for anxiety/panic attacks. In the last several days, I've had problems with tremors, I guess you'd call them. My hands shake something terrible, especially in the morning.

But then, the day before yesterday I was on my way to work and started to shake all over. It was like cold chills, but it wasn't cold outside. It was uncontrollable shaking all over my body. After about an hour, and another dose of klonopin, it started to subside, but it was really scary when it was happening. I couldn't decide whether to drive on to work or go straight to the ER. I had the shakes this morning too, but they weren't as bad. Has anyone every had this happen on either of these drugs? I'm a little/a lot freaked out by this.

I've been on these meds for over a month and I feel like a crackhead or something. The panic attacks are gone, but I'm now having other problems that I hate just as much. HELP!!!!

mom_of_3_boys · 01-06-2006, 05:34 AM

((HUGS)) I also take Lexapro, 20mg & Klonopin, 1mg. I have never experienced the trembling, or shaking as you are describing it except when my panic attacks first began and I thought I was dying. Once I got on the meds and calmed down they got better. My dr. once told me that not having enough water could cause muscle twitches etc, make sure it's not that. I would definitely call the porescribing dr or the pharmacy and ask them if that is a side effect of either of the meds. I know what you mean about you take the meds to get rid of one thing, but the meds bring on a whole new relm of problems themselves {SIGH} But at least with modern medicine a lot of things are possible that weren't before.

MiWolverineMommie · 01-06-2006, 05:48 AM

I am on 20mg of Lexapro and sometimes my hands shake but I also have a problem with low blood sugar so I have always thought that was why I was shaking.

barneyb · 01-07-2006, 03:07 AM

Talked to the dr., who told me to stop the Lexapro "immediately" . Apparently, the involuntary, all-over trembling is a "severe" side effect. I didn't take my dose today and feel better already. I have chosen not to go on any other meds at this point, but to see instead how I do without since I was able to be med-free for over 2 years prior to this. I do have klonopin in case of a panic attack, but hopefully won't need it -- didn't have to take it today at all.

And Karen, I actually asked about the blood sugar. On SSRI's, I have no desire to eat (as in, I find food repulsive) and wondered if I was letting my insulin get out of whack and causing the shakes. My dr. stressed that regardless of the reason, shaking all over is NOT normal. He said if it had just been my hands, that wouldn't have concerned him so much. So I guess the hands aren't a big deal.

Thanks to both of you. These last 4 weeks of medication have made me feel like I was going crazy. It's always nice to be able to come on the board and find people who understand and want to be supportive!

TheBumbler · 01-09-2006, 04:54 PM

Good for you for calling your doctor right away AND it is sooo good that he or she knew to get you to stop your medication. Same thing happened to me a couple of years ago. The good news is that your tremours will go away as it was caught so quickly. So, you'll be perfectly okay.Oh, and please be very careful about what kinds of medication you try from now on. There is a huge, long list that you'll now be unable to take and include everything from some gastrointestinal meds to cough syrup with DM. Talk to your doctor to find out - I'm not sure it you're reaction is classified as an acute dystonic reaction or parkinsonism and that may make a difference with the kinds of medications you will no longer be able to take without risking another reaction.

ABumpyGal · 01-10-2006, 03:02 AM

Oh wow! I'm so sorry that you had to go through that as well as the anxiety

That's the pits!

I had this very thing happen to me once when my doctor doubled one of my medications suddenly. It was most bizarre and scary, starting out in just one arm/ shoulder and then progressing to my whole body shaking as you described. I even had to go out shopping that night that way (it was an emergency, no food!) and it was so embarrassing.

My doctor said it was "extrapyrimidial" (most likely misspelled!) side effects. It is very dangerous and I'm SO glad that you called your doctor! My psychiatrist said that they now will have to be careful whenever they raise any of my medication or change it as once you've experienced it, you're prone to getting it again, so that's why I'm writing. Keep an eye on what they give you and make sure they titrate anything up s l o w l y!

Glad you're ok now!!
Dana

barneyb · 01-10-2006, 04:25 AM

It was pretty freaky, but hasn't happened since I stopped the Lexapro. Not even my hands have shaken. Downside is that I'm taking the klonopin daily -- today, I was in traffic and couldn't break one in half & was so desperate that I took a whole one. I know, in retrospect, I could've bitten it in half. . .

I didn't realize this was going to effect what I can take from now on -- good to know. This experience scared me enough that I don't want to even try any other meds right now.

TheBumbler · 01-10-2006, 04:26 PM

It can be pretty scary.

You know, this has me thinking. This side effect is so rare - 1/1000. I lurk over on the WOM board and I've never met anyone over there who has had this side effect and it's a very active board and 90 per cent of the posters take meds. It's kind of interesting that there are three of us here, on a thread that isn't super busy, that have had the same response (my spasms started in my abdominals four days after starting meds - unfortunately, my doctor told me to wait out the side effect and now I have tardive generalized dystonia - meaning that the spasms are now everywhere and permanent. Thanks, doc!). My neuro has told me that sex hormones play a role in these types of neurological disorders (parkinsonism, dystonias and dyskenesias) and I can attest to that (my spasms get super bad right before I get my period, which is rare, thanks to PCOS). I wonder if we are more at risk for having this type of reaction due to PCOS. I think I'm going to bring this up at my next neuro appointment.

barneyb · 01-11-2006, 01:57 AM

Keep in mind, Bumbler, that I don't have PCOS. I'm IR & have fibroids, but that's it besides this anxiety thing. It's scary to read about your experience though. When I first started having the tremors, I ignored them -- you know, just thinking they'd go away as I adjusted. When I had the full body shakes though, I knew it was getting worse. I'm just so thankful I got off when I did. Still on the occasional klonopin -- about every other day I have to take 1 dose -- but that's nota big deal at this point.

Problem is that now I'm scared to go on another SSRI, even though I probably need to, so that I can get off the highly addictive klonopin. . . It's always something.