Quote:
Originally Posted by azaleagarden  Hi everyone,
After being off lexapro completely for 43 days, I am feeling worse mood-wise than I was when I first went completely off it. I think my psychiatrist believes I am no longer having withdrawls and should go back on meds. I'd appreciate some input from people who have been off for awhile.
I was on SSRIs for about 11 years (lexapro since 2003) and about 6 months ago decided to taper off. At the time I was feeling ok, I wasn't sure the meds were doing much anyway, and thought it would be good to get off in case we decided to have a baby.
I was at 20mg and tapered to 15mg, then to 10, 7.5, 5, and finally 2.5 mg. I spent 18-30 days on each phase of the taper. I have also been on Neurontin (gabapentin) 900mg since 2003 and birth control. I got a normal telltale range of withdrawl symptoms from the lexapro- the weird hungover feeling I call 'sloshy head', brain zaps, dizziness, some mood changes.
It got harder with my last two reductions- I found that I started to get weepy at 5mg and suicidal thoughts at 2.5. The physical symptoms seem to have gone away entirely, but I now have mood swings, crying spells, suicidal thoughts every now and then, anxiety (I had never felt anything like this before), despair, and a general lack of pleasure, like my original depression sypmtoms 11 years ago. My libido is still non-existant, just like it was on the lexapro (I was hoping that would have improved).
My doctor seems to think I will continue to feel worse unless I go back on the meds again, or try another SSRI. Could it still be withdrawal after almost 43 days, even if I am not having physical symptoms any more? Is there hope that it will get better any time soon? |
seems like you were describing me to the T. My libido is coming back nice and slow after taking my last Lexapro pill in February 27, 2008. I got the brain shivers or zaps. Folks describe them differently but I think it is all one in the same. Seems like I compare it to a V8 engine. The Lexparo served as the 8th spark plug and ran pretty good - you didnt even consciously think about your nervous illness or depression. When removed (tapered or not), the engine begins to misfire aka withdrawal symptoms.
Seems like every week, I would get one physical symptom to vanish but then a new one emerge. 4-5 days after my last Lexapro pill, I got very moody, irritated, hard-to-concentrate (Salsa class was that way and I missed my steps!). Then, 2-3 days after that, I would be walking down the hall at work and bzzzz or fuzzzzz right in my head, then transmit through my body, and get disoriented for a few seconds. About a month and a half after my last pill, no more brain shivers (or became very minimal).
But of course, we're not done here yet! Whooozy, light headedness, stop it stop it stop it! Bonine was ok but wasnt helping. After almost 1 month of light headedness, it finally is subsiding. Not 100% gone but not as bad or noticeable.
Yep, I get "feeling in the dumps" here and there but I have learned to accept it and carry on to whatever I need/want to do, even if I don't feel like it. They say after doing this over and over, you eventually recover on your own and I believe that. It has worked with my anxieties - I just accept it and let go...pretty much telling it to go ahead and get me, I'll live.
Hang in there....