Lexapro Withdrawal?

9 Jul 2011

I also forgot to add the hot and cold flashes sweats and moodiness. There are just so many side effects im losing my mind!

9 Jul 2011

Hey lipstick,

Maybe you went a little too fast on the taper off the Lexapro. It might be helpful to go back to the lowest dose and take a bit longer to get off. After going back on the lowest dose for at least a week or two you could reduce the dose by going to everyother day for a couple of weeks and then stop. You should be able to avoid most of the withdrawal this way.

You may find that after being off the med for awhile that you still need it especially if you continue to experience anxiety and any depression. If you don't return to "normal" after being off the Lexapro for a few weeks, don't ignore the symptoms but reconsider returning to the Lexapro.

Best wishes,

Laurie

9 Jul 2011

lipstick, laurie always gives very good advice. Nothing to add, but do have a question for laurie, i stopped taking lexapro several years ago w/o tapering, had no wd at all. i wonder why? I'm back on the lexapro after several years of being off of it and would be afraid to stop like I did before.

10 Jul 2011

I've never taken lexapro, but have taken other similar anti-depressants such as cymbalta, effexor, paxil. Fish Oil Supplements are a BIG help in dealing with side effects. Buy the largest dosage pills you can find and take the max. amount allowed. I dont know if you are having "brain zaps" coming off lexapro, but I know i had those coming off every anti-depressant ive been on and Fish Oil Supplements really minimize them along with other side effects

19 Aug 2011

I was on 40mg Lexapro for 8 years and did fine. My cardiologist asked me to cut the dose in half, because of seratonin overload symptoms. Well, I cut the dose in half and began 20mg. The --- hit the fan after 2.5 weeks. I began hallucinating, visually and mentally; profuse sweating poured for several days and I just LOST it. Thank the Lord my husband put me in the hospital for 7 days. They straightened me out by adding Trilllifon to the 20mg Lexapro.
Do NOT cut back without medical advice. That was the most horrid 5 days of my life.

1 Sep 2011

omg i reduced the lexapro from ten to half for two weeks then every other night n i have been off it for 7 days n my withdrawls r terrible on n off sencitve to light loud noices no energy at all, cryin spells n upset stomache on n off i had to stop i found out i was pregnant my eyes will water like im so tired too im not goin back on it thou i want off them this is my eighth day n its gettn alittle better i was waking up in the middle of night too i heard the omega 3 fish oil is good at reducing the withdrawl good luck too u

1 Sep 2011

I had the sensation of my eyes "flashing" like i was quickly flipping pages in a book. Like seeing things in slow motion. It was very strange and it didn't happen until about a week after i stopped taking it. Good luck and I hope you're all better by now.

3 Jan 2012

OK, I had been on 10mg of Lexapro since March 2010. In December when i went to dr for checkup (I got a new dr, one who prescribed Lexapro had left) she told me that Lexapro is only meant to be taken for about 6 months and I should start tapering off. She said to go down to 5mg but did not tell me for how long I should do this. I skipped my dose for a few days due to the holidays, etc. and today I am suffering from dizziness a soft of funny feeling in my head. So I am really concerned about coming off this too fast, going as slow as I can. So I am thinking about 5mg for a month, then, 2.5 for a month, 1.25 for a month, then 1.25 every other day, etc. Does this sound okay, or should I go faster? I don't want any other symptoms as this dizziness is bad enough! Thanks for any help. I am glad I did not go cold turkey as I had thought about doing!

17 Jan 2012

I started cutting my 10mg pills in half, took 1/2 pill for a month. Then I had my 5mg prescription filled and am in the process of taking 2.5mg, cutting the 5mg pills in half. Will do that for a month. Have not decided if i will try to cut the halves in half. The withdrawal syptoms that I am having is headaches, either wanting to sleep a lot, or not being able to get to sleep. Plus dizziness and the spaced out, can't focus. Also, I cannot turn my head quickly without experiencing a spaced out, almost lose balance feeling. But I am determined to do this as I feel the withdrawal symptoms are not as bad as staying on Lexapro. Not sure what I will do if my depression worsens, will cross that bridge when I come to it. Am going to be checking out Bioidentical Hormone Therapy as I am 60 years old and have been told that this will help. Never wanted to go on anti-depressants and don't want to ever go back after I get weaned off. But I wanted to take the slow approach to getting off them.

26 Jan 2012

10 Mar 2012