QuestionHello
OK here goes. Approx 4 weeks ago I started 10mg of Lexapro. After starting it and being on it for about a week I noticed a "tingling" feeling in both my legs and feet. I tried to put up with it and then it started in my face. The feeling was at first tingling, but then my feet, legs and face started to feel like the skin was very tight. I stopped taking ( I did not wean off it) the Lexapro about 9 days ago and I STILL have the feeling of very bad tightness of the skin on my legs, feet and face. Feels like the skin on my face doesn't fit. Could the Lexapro still be in my system? I was on it for about three weeks and have been off it about nine days. I called my primary and ( he is leaving for vacation tomorrow) he said he doesn't know what it is. Some months back I had an MRI of the brain due to headaches and the MRI was fine. So he ruled out ( over the phone) MS and said I just had blood work done in the past two months ( CBC) I do suffer anxiety and I am hypothyroid. He also ruled out stroke b/c I have the feeling in both legs, not just one.
He said he would be back on Monday and to call him if I don't feel better.
In the meantime I am miserable due to this unnatural feeling of my skin not fitting my face and legs and it burns. Any suggestions? I have taken Advil. I also am drinking loads of Cranberry juice hoping that if it is the Lexapro that I could flush it out of my system faster.
Also......this is interesting......about seven years ago I had applied for a job that required drug testing. At the time I was taking Valium. I did not want this drug showing up in my drug testing, so I stopped taking it two weeks prior to my blood tests. To my suprise and shock it still showed up in my blood after two weeks!!! The drug testing doctor called me and asked me if I had taken any type of drug like this and I told him yes, but had NOT taken it for two weeks. Luckily I did have a valid prescription for this in my name, so it did not hurt my chances of getting the job in which I did. But now I am wondering if I could have a slugglish liver and it is taking much longer for the Lexapro to leave my system?? Just a thought.
Hope you can help
Answerfirst, this may be from the lexapro and will fade away... boosting serotonin levels in the brain causes some weird skin sensation feelings... there is no specific treatment, other than staying off the medications. If you had stayed on the med, it probably would have faded away. It also will fade away if you stay off the med. The other question... if you were having problems enough to start the medicine, then do you need it or something else? All the SSRI's (lexapro and others) can cause these weird feelings.
Re: Valium- that isn't unusual... though the effects of valium wear off in a day or two, it lingers in the body and you might test positive for 3-4 weeks. Other drugs, maybe 5 days or so. So it isn't you personally that would test positive in 2 weeks for valium.
