How Do I Stop 40mg of Lexapro?

[Larien]

I'm 23 and my doctor has been giving me Lexapro for a couple of years now, for mild depression related to chronic headaches. For several months now, I have been on a dose of 40mg per day. I am experiencing horrible side effects, such as awful nightmares, apathy, lack of motivation, tiredness, weight gain, and irritability. It's been getting much worse lately.

An internet search taught me that many people taking Lexapro are experiencing the same things - so I made an appointment with my doctor and asked to be taken off the drug. She urged me not to, and instead referred me to a psychiatrist, and told me not to take any less of the medication.

I've never heard of anyone taking 40mg of Lexapro - the highest I've seen online is 20 - and I really do not want to be on this stuff anymore, I can't take the side effects much longer. How can I safely stop taking it without getting horrendous side effects? Has anyone here ever heard of a 40mg dose before? Thank you!

[Robert_325]

Go to one of the several HUGE lexapro threads. One has 1.3 million views and many thousands of posts. It's the largest thread on this entire forum. It's on the Featured Conditions forum. No way you can miss it. That is where you'll get answers. Good luck and God bless.

[pharmstud(ent)]

I am going to be lazy and just copy and paste, sorry.
Lexapro- "A gradual reduction in the dose rather than abrupt cessation is recommended whenever possible. If intolerable symptoms occur following a decrease in the dose or upon discontinuation of treatment, then resuming the previously prescribed dose may be considered. Subsequently, the health care provider may continue decreasing the dose at a more gradual rate."