Celexa And Lexapro Dosage And Experience? Burning In Head?

[CarmelRob]

For those who are on Celexa or Lexapro I was wondering what regimen works for their POTS and if they ever get burning in the head?

I've tried all of the SSRIs and SNRIs and it seems that Celexa and Lexapro have had the least side effects overall compared to the others but I'm still dealing with a very debilitating burning in the center of my head that exacerbates the POTS so much that I still am unable to function. I've been regularly taking Ativan which does work to help the burning go away but its results are very unpredicable and sometimes has been known to make the burning worse, like today. Since I have a very strong suspicion that the burning in my head is related to my OCD/BDD since as a teenager I had the burning also, then increasing the dosage of Celexa would theoretically help me but alas I cannot go higher that 3mg of liquid Celexa BID because it makes the burning much worse. I used to treat my OCD/BDD with higher doses of Celexa or Paxil but it hasn't been possible once I got the POTS. I noticed the higher the dosage the smaller the diameter of the burning becomes but it intensifies so much that it feels like a giant magnifying glass is burning a hole in my head. Too much burning in my head causes me to go into seizure-like episodes in which I get strong tremors that everybody always mistakes for epilepsy. In these cases, I would need to take a super dose of Ativan like 2 or 2 1/2 mg and drink a lot of Ceralyte 90 or liquids in general to clear it up. Sometimes a hot pack on the head or putting my head in the sink helps.

As far as Lexapro goes, I've tried 1 1/2 mg BID and it carried less side effects than all of the medications I've ever tried and seems to depress the Autonomic Nervous System less than Celexa but it makes the burning in my head impossible to live with.

I've noticed that some drugs taken in low doses will make the burning worse than taken in higher doses. I don't think this is the case for Celexa though but I'm hoping that if I took a high enough dose of Lexapro it might get rid of the burning. Otherwise I'll just have to keep taking Ativan for the rest of my life with all of it unpredicability and side effects.

So again I'll raise the question of what Lexapro/Celexa regimen works for them and whether they have ever gotten burning in the head by taking too much. Does anybody know any other solution to get rid of the burning other than the Ativan that I use? I have an idea but I would like to get some feedback first.

[joey2006]

Lexapro can actually trigger seizures. The shaking you have may not be but COULD poosibly be a complex partial seizure. Although this is the most common type of seizure, many do not know about this type. Many people with epilepsy get big headaches as "aura" (simple partial seizures) and post ictal (after the seizure). You may want to talk to your doctor about it.

[MightyMouse]

I've been on celexa or lexapro since 2001 and have never had any of the issues you discuss. Please contact your doctor as the symptoms you're talking about are not common. Also, do not stop the medication without talking to your doctor, as sudden withdrawal from an ssri may also provoke side effects.

[mom4cem]

I've been on Lexapro liquid for over a year now. I can't say that I have experienced that particular side effect while on it, but when I once went off it I had some sharp zinging pains in my head.

I would ditto MM and discuss this with your doctor, and don't go off the med(s) w/o speaking to your dr. first.