Alzeimers symptoms and conditions

I just HAVE to add my story here!! I was on Lexapro 20mg for 2yrs. All was pretty well. It somewhat controlled my anxiety & panic attacks (I have GAD) and it helped stabilize my moods (I am Bipolar), BUT I DIDN'T like that it made it to where I couldn't cry when I wanted to but yet cried at inappropriate times! I basically came to a stand-still with the lexapro and it KILLED my sex drive, so bad that my relationship was at risk (well, thats what I think, cuz no man is happy with NO sex!!) So, I SLOWLY came off them over a month, and even though it was very slowly, the WITHDRAWAL from this drug is just a horrible experience that I hope none of you that are taking now, will ever have to go through what I did!! I seriously thought at one point I was going to die!! I was severely sick for one week-- nausea, vomiting, the runs, hot flashes, cold flashes, the shakes, internal tremors, severe migraines, dizziness when I sat up or stood up, and I got bad electrical zap feelings in my hands & brain (which, even one month & 3 weeks later, I am still having!!) But to you all still on them, I also had weight gain on them, head rushes, dizziness, headaches, internal tremors, and I didn't like that it made me generally dumb!!! Since coming off, I still have the "duhhh" moments, getting less & less, thank goodness, now if only these darn "Zaps" would go away. But yeah, the side effects of this & the withdrawals are HORRIBLE!!! I will never take this again!! So much for newer drugs eh!!

My mother has been taking Lipitor for four or five years. We moved and the new doctor increased her to 80 mg. He also put her on Zetia. Mother is 86 and weighs barely 100 pounds. This past year her short term memory started getting worse,more so than normal for her age, according to doctors. I was also noticing cognitive problems. She went through a battery of tests. She did not have alzeimers and nothing could be pinpointed other than she was worse than normal for her age as I already stated. Then this last week of the year, her muscles all over her body started hurted and feeling very sore. Then she started have lots of trouble walking, getting in her car, etc. It was so bad so quickly that I became extremely alarmed. My sister mentioned Lipitor and I started the research. I talked to two pharmacists, since we could not reach the doctor. They were both alarmed at the symtoms I described. We stopped both medications three days ago and she is already improving. I now believe that even the memory problems and other things that were gradual were because of the Lipitor. (the pharmacists did tell us it would be okay to stop both for the time being.) I was ready to take mother to the emergency room. That is how bad she had gotten is such a short time. I watched her and talked with her. She was very discouraged at the rate of decline in her walking. It was as if paralysis was setting in. I believe she would have been in a wheelchair soon had we not stopped the Lipitor. We are going to try some natural things to keep her cholesterol down. The quality of life is important too. This has been very scary for us but we are hopeful as she is already experiencing some improvement. We do understand that it can take time to get back and at her age that is expected. Being an elderly person though does not justify that all of these symtoms were 'just' her age. She has always been very active and alert and could outdo me (and my sisters) on most days! I will check this site often for comments and stories of others on this drug. Thank you for the help to those of you that I read your stories and good luck to you that are having difficulties.