Lexapro Withdrawal

[Hairyarmadillo]

I've discovered that the only place to purchase magnesium malate is a health food store. GNC does not carry. I Also, has anyone out there tried Udo's Oil?. Can only be purchased in health food stores as well, but has 6 gm of Omega 3's!!!! That is unheard of! It is processed and and pasteurized by cold processing and storage which protects it from going rancid. You can mix it with smoothies, pour on vegetables, etc., CANNOT fry with!!!! I just pour out a tablespoon and swallow. I take the magnesium malate at bedtime with 500 mg of vitamin C as well as half a tablet of magnesium, calcium and zinc - these need to be used in conjunction with each other to get optimum benefits, and haven't slept so well in years! Maybe I'm onto something. I just know I'm grateful.

I am going to order my magnesium online. I was shocked that GNC did not have it. I am still taking what I have but have decided it is silly not to just bite the bullet and get the real stuff. It is worth it in the long run.

[gtowngirl]

I am going to order my magnesium online. I was shocked that GNC did not have it. I am still taking what I have but have decided it is silly not to just bite the bullet and get the real stuff. It is worth it in the long run.

There is a tremendous difference in the magnesium sold in drugstores that don't contain the malic acid (malate) and the places that do. At least for me there is. I purchased my first bottle of calcium, magnesium (not malate) and zinc in the proper perportions from a local chain near my home. Since buying the magnesium malate at the health food store (not GNC) I can tell a huge difference. Palpitations totally gone. More serene and calm. I have done some research and found that magnesium malate is used to treat fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome as well as Lyme disease. The malic acid is a nutrient that helps the body process food into ATP which is how the body gets its energy. Google Krebs cycle, malic acid and fibromyalgia. THere has been a noticable difference particularly in my sleeping habits since starting the magnesium malate. I pray that everybody benefits from it to the degree that I have. I have also started using the Udo's Oil, a combination of Omegas 3-6-9. Have heard wonderful things about this. I have learned from so many of you on this site that you do indeed have to do a lot of investigating on your own about the nightmare of lex withdrawal. I'm at 2.5 mg daily now and my "lex belly" is getting smaller!!!! So maybe I'm onto something good! Couldn't have done it without you guys!!!!

[kimberoo]

Hey guys!

Just wondering if this is normal?
My husband went from 2.5 to 5 mg last Wednesday, so today is the 6th day since he tapered up. He still has the dizziness, brain zaps, his head still weighs like 300 lbs., his vision is blurry, but the worst is that he is still stuck at home, he can't work, he can't drive. For me to say that he is "as bad" as he was on Tuesday and Wednesday would be a lie, but he is still suffering immensely. I hear of so many people on here who go up just a bit and feel almost immediate relief. Is this normal to still feel this way after the 6th day? He's seriously considering going up to 7.5 mg just so that MAYBE he can function again, but I'm scared that the more he goes up the more he will go up again and the longer this process will take. What do you guys think? Is it possible that going up again will fix all of this, is it possible that it is still withdrawal after 6 days of going up? He's not convinced anymore that it is only Lexapro withdrawal. I forgot to mention he has goosebumps all the time and the back of his neck (where the bone spurs are) hurts more now than ever, sometimes goes numb.
Aunty
I'm still confused about which med helps the brain zaps, can you tell me again? I keep getting confused about the inositol and the lecithin. The lecithin is for twitching, the inositol helps panic attacks and enhances sleep, but I thought that one of them was also to help the zaps.

Thanks again for everything!!

Kimberoo

[laurafish919]

This website has been amazing. I thought I was losing my mind and dying and now it's almost comical how miserable we all are!

I was put on lexapro after a 10 minute conversation with a doctor that I had met for the first time that day. I wasn't even depressed! I had started law school and to be honest, was sort of interested in ritalin/adderall because everyone who is on it seems to lose weight and be able to study constantly.

So I decided to try the lexapro that was suggested and it was great at first. I was more rationale and calm and i wasn't so upset about school ---but my grades went down, and i think it was because I never was fueled by the anxiety that ususally got my adrenaline pumping to get me to cram.

So then after school was over for the year and i have much less stress, i becamse much too calm. i was a zombie. I would notice 7 minutes would pass and I never had a thought. I would sit on the couch and stare at the wall. plus, i had gained about 15 pounds on top of the 15 pounds i already had gained when i started law school and stopped eating as carefully.

And the weight went all to my face and stomach which was weird, usually additionally weight attacks my butt/thighs.

so then the withdrawal process started....

LIke the rest of you, I have a lot of vertigo/dizzyness. No one in my life knows what i'm talking about! Sometimes it is so bad that i have to grip the wall...or I can't stand. Sometimes its just constant and mild but i feel so nauseated. I feel blurry brained and out of it. I just don't feel like ME. i dont have any self-awareness. I'm not alert. I'm confused. I'm paranoid. These are things that just are not ME. I miss when i was an anxious ball of hyperness because I was pretty happy being that way! Now i just sit and vibrate and think about my ailments.

also, has anyone else noticed that seem to be sick in general with this? ive had a cold that has lasted about the duration of the withdrawal so far. It's been about a month and a half i think?

I just started my summer job and i'm horrified by how ive been acting. I'm never clear-headed enough to write anything I'm proud of. I think I really have messed up what could have been a great job opportunity because i just don't feel well.

plus, i mean i used to be one of those people who thought people who constantly were sick were sort of lazy or whiney babies. So i feel like everyone is judging me because i would have judged me!

This is too long. I just want to feel like me. I feel removed from everything I say or do--including writing this post.

but i do really really appreciate the comradery found on this board. I enjoy how reading this seems to trivialize what i have built up to be quite a drama...

I mean we WILL get through this. It is difficult since we don't feel like humans anymore.

Oh and yeah, the nightmares! When i first took the pills, i had beautiful vivid happy dreams, which was very odd for me. Now I have disturbing, dark, twisted dreams.

and when given the chance, i sleep 15 hours a day. i went on a vacation last week and slept about 15 hours a day on average. I'm so disappointed that this trip I had anticipated for months turned into a long nap.

I apologize for how long this is.

I suppose I should feel lucky I can still go to work, even if I do a poor job while there.

I wish everyone the best.

[SchnauzerTime]

Aunty:

Is it dangerous to just tough out the withdrawal and get it over with? I'm really bummed out that I've gotten this far (down to 1/8 of a pill) and then have to start back taking the 1/8 pill again. I'm worried that even if I start back and try the liquid Lexapro that when I eventually get down to no medicine again I'll still feel sick and then I feel like that's all those weeks wasted.

The withdrawals from no medicine were pretty bad, especially the tremors...but if it won't cause any permanent damage I may just tough it out. I'm just so tired of being sick and want to get it over with. I guess my question is since I'm already down to like 1.25mg if I just quit and tough out the withdrawals (even though they may be bad) would that be dangerous for me or will it just be something I can deal with and my body be ok after it's over?

I'm just to the point where I will put up with being sick as a dog just to get off this stuff.

Laurafish:

I can relate to the dizziness and bad dreams too. The dreams where really vivid...stuff I would never even think of while awake. But those have pretty much stopped since I've cut down my dose so you can look forward to that at least.

The dizziness still comes and goes though but I'm sure it will eventually go away to after all this is over with.

As far as being sick through it all with a cold...it could be that your body and immune system are just weak from all the withdrawal stress so if you get a bug it will probably last a long time I'm guessing. So that is probably normal I would think. I'm sure that really stinks being sick on top of the withdrawal

To everyone:

On average, when the last dose of medicine has been taken and you're on no medicine at all how long does it take to get through the worst of the withdrawals? I know it's different for everyone...but just an on average guess so I can prepare myself. I've heard anything from 2 to 8 weeks...is that about right?

[laurafish919]

How do you get down to 1.25 mg? i plan to stop taking them completely once i'm a few weeks on 2.5 mg?

i had 20 mg pills and i cut them into 8 pieces to get 2.5 mg.

i'm glad you understand the dream thing. I used to hate hearing people ramble about dreams. my mom loves telling us about her dreams of "floating through a field, admiring the sunflowers..." and we all just roll our eyes. but now i'm just amazed everyday about the stuff in my subconscious. and it lasts all night long! i think thats why i oversleep on these pills, the dreams take control of me. they are very different then the dreams i had pre-lexapro too.

so how do you ever get 1.25 mg? were you chopping up a 10mg pill into 8? i wonder how much i really take since a slight amount turns into powder anyways.

yeah i hear ya on just being sick for awhile to be done with it. being 50% miserable for 2 months seems almost worse than being really sick for 3 weeks.

but i love the stories of how it eventually DOES end.

We WILL be normal feeling again. i can't wait to be my old, anxious self! i'm feeling really good right now. the one gift of this withdrawal is just having a wave of feeling normal seems like such a gift.

[SchnauzerTime]

Laura:

Yeah, I was on the 10mg pills so i cut them into 1/8 to get that low. But Aunty was saying you can ask your doc to prescribe the liquid form so you can get it more exact.

How long have you been on 2.5mg? And how has that been going for you? Oh also, tell me about the "good endings" stories. I've read through some posts here but my husband is worried if I read too much I'll worry more and he's right lol. I do want to hear good outcomes though...cause right now I'm really depressed and feel I'll never get better.

Makes it harder cause my husband is depressed too...I think watching me go through this for the past couple/3 months has made him feel bad. So I am feeling horrible and worrying about him too lol.

I'm just stressing on what to do...I went off it completely 4 days ago and the third day I had bad tremoring that night that scared me. So I went back on my last dose I was taking (the 1.25mg) to make me feel better. But I'm wondering now if I should just tough it out and be done with it. What are you going to do?

I mean I know I can keep tapering it down and feel semi-sick instead of stuck in the bed can't stand up sick...but I am just so tired of the whole thing and want to get back to normal.

[laurafish919]

SchnauzerTime:

That must be so hard having a depressed husband on top of everything. My boyfriend is one of those incredibly happy people who just assumes everything is pretty much great. It makes me want to throw bugs at him sometimes. Sometimes i want to just be mopey with someone! but he's always Mr. Optimistic. He thinks everything in life is interesting. I mean it really is a great quality I guess and I don't have to worry about bringing him down... It would make it so much worse if I had to be sensitive to someone elses feelings. I can be as self-obsessed as I want with this withdrawal. I hate how it does that though--I'm constantly analyziing how I feel and i'm so sick of myself! I'm the definition of self-absorbed lately.

Anyways, i'm in such a great mood right now. This is evidence that it is getting better. Have you noticed any improvement going down to 1.25? did you do it too quickly? I was sort of planning on sticking to 2.25 for another week and then start taking it every other day because I heard that helps. plus I feel usually halfway decent if i miss a day but the second day is horrible--so yes, i planned on a week more of 2.25, then about 2-3 weeks of every other day. then i'm DONE.

It's already been about 6 weeks of moving down. I was just on 10mg and went up to 20 mg for about 4 days before I realized I had become a nonhuman. So I don't even count those 4 days at 20mg.

What do you mean by "tremors?" I don't think I've experienced that. Ive definitely had a lot of vertigo. Do you actually shake?

I think if I had the time right now, I would just go off it cold turkey and just stay in bed for days. Its funny too because maybe if i did that, id do better at this job. I can't think clearly. I'm constantly trying to "get through the hour" so i'm certainly not making a great first impression.

I love how every moment of feeling normal is so amazing though. I feel peppy right now and I don't even know what to do with myself! Today i'm optimistic. But oh my gosh, yesterday i was INSANE. I had such a bad cold and I was so dizzy. I started flipping out on my boyfriend for things i'm legitimately angry with but not to the level I hit yesterday! Oh dear, I swear if there was a videotape of how i acted, I'd be committed.

[Hairyarmadillo]

Well, thought this was just a mood, or where I did not abstain from caffeine, or even where I messed up my birth control pills. After a night of panic and still having the sense of doom and gloom, racing thoughts,I am wondering if this is indeed the other shoe. Tomorrow will be 11 weeks. So I am into the third month off. This is where it got me the last time. I am 98% certain I am not going to cave (I keep reciting my mantra "damned if I'm on it, damned if I'm off") but last night on top of the moods I have been having is wearing on me. I am ordering the magnesium malate as I type, so hopefully it will be here soon. I hate this!!

SchnauzerTime (just curious: do you have a schnauzer? ) There are people on here who have toughed it out and gone cold turkey, but most of us here are against it because not only is it needless suffering, but ssri withdrawal is not that easy. Once you get over the hump and bump of the obvious physical symptoms, there are other symptoms that pop up along the way. I have been over those obvious physical symptoms for awhile, but still have the depersonalization issues crop up. Now, 11 weeks after being off Lexapro, I am having the severe anxiety and some depression, similar to the last time I tried to get off it. The last time, I did a quick taper (ha, I THOUGHT it was slow, but didn't know what I do now) within a month's time from 10 mg to 0 and really had no major symptoms other than fatigue for a few weeks. BUT 3 months later I was hit with the worst depression and anxiety I have EVER had and assumed that it was due to me needing the meds (I had been on Paxil for several years, off for at least a year, maybe 2 and then got on Lexapro) I now know that this rebound depression/anxiety occuring several months after weaning from ssris is frequent and passes, as the body continues to heal. Essentially, even though you feel the majority of symptoms have passed, your body is not recovered for up to 18 months. Of course it depends on the person, every one is different. I just like to warn people so they don't go cold turkey uninformed. I KNOW how tempting it is to get it over quickly-the first week I tapered, I felt fine so I said "let's slice this puppy in half again" and proceeded to stop having the half of the pill, which would have amounted to dropping from 10mg to 5 mg. Since it takes at least a week for the side effects to present themselves, I hadn't felt the full effect yet. Let me just say,I went back to my original plan of just dropping 2.5 mg at a time. This wasn't as bad until I got closer to 0 mg, then I started feeling it. Let me say that I had been on 40 mgs of Paxil years ago and my doc told me this tapering plan that was way too fast. I have figured out now that all the physical/psychological things that went on with me for a good six to eight months afterwards were withdrawals. NOT fun. So now I do try to warn everyone. No matter what you do, take the Omega 3 fish oil and magnesium malate. It will help your body recover. Aunty also has listed other various supplements that help other symptoms. And rest as much as possible. Also, no matter what don't consume caffeine!!


Laurafish919 oh, boy can I relate to that zombie feeling. Silly me, I had it with Paxil and got off the Paxil. Then I got on the Lexapro, buying into the theory that there is an SSRI for everyone. And weight!! 10 years ago I was in a size 4 (I have pictures to prove it!!) but now, well we won't even go there! The majority of it is from the Paxil, but it never went anywhere with the Lexapro. Since being off 11 weeks ago, I have lost 16 pounds (ok, gained 1 back after eating Chinese one night and fried catfish the next)But at least now it comes off. My tummy is shrinking!! So it will happen. You will also be glad you get off it because of the memory aspects. I have always enjoyed learning and have prided myself on my memory but it got to the point where I wouldn't be able to complete a sentence because I lost my train of thought. I had a difficult time being analytical and my mind was overall sluggish. I am getting better now but no where near where I was.

[elizabethmaria]

Dear Hairyarmadillo,
Been thinking lots about you -- I know you're going to be fine... if it is indeed the 3 month mark, think about it as a good thing, not a bad one -- the real healing inside begins then if that's the case, and every day you're closer to really being free, without having to be worried about another shoe to drop!... hey, 98% sure of not going back on isn't enough... it's 100% girly, now you hang in there, ok? I never was depressed before, and didn't even take for any kind of depression/mental anything., and I got horribly depressed at the 3 month mark, so it IS the drug, no doubt about it, ok? don't even begin to think it's you! It won't last forever at all. Just a few weeks/months at most, up and down. I still have problems, but many more windows where I'm happy, and not concerned, smiling, etc. making lots of teasing jokes at my coworkers..(am good at that) when I was unable to do anything like that before, so hang in there, if it is a 3 month mark... tick tick... you're getting closer to all better!
take care, you're in my prayers,
Elizabethmarie

[farmergirl]

Hey, I also read about fish oil helping with the weight gain. Do you know how this works?

[auntybiotic]

Everyone is different and you can see what the next few weeks bring with the tapering/cold turkey. The zaps are the neurotransmitters misfiring in the brain, this is not good and some liken it to damage done by a stroke.

I do not want to change your mind and the next month or so you will see how you are dealing with the symptoms. You have up to six weeks to reinstate, after totally stopping the lexapro, if you are having a rough time.

The sinus issues and flu are a part of the withdrawal.

[laurafish919]

Hairyarmadillo:

Yes, a zombie! and i'm so glad you brought up memory losses. at my new job, there are only about 12 people I interact with on a regular basis and i forget half their names. It is the ODDEST thing. I am still shocked I was prescribed life-altering pills after a ten minute convo with a doctor I had just met. I want him to go through this! I sound bitter and annoying probably. I'm just venting I guess.
So after getting over the physical effects, I can anticipate severe depression in 3 months? Ha, right now I can't imagine feeling depressed as long as I felt healthy.

Hmm so did Aunty just say that my crazy, neverending cold/flu/sinus issues ARE caused by the withdrawal? i was beginning to question my immune system.

ElizabethMarie:
So after you are completely off the lexapro, in about 3 months there is a depression that many enter that lasts about a month? is that correct?

I feel so bad now reading so many messages. I am realizing that I should be so lucky I can still go to work, even if my performance is lacking. I did miss one day which I thought was the flu, but now I'm not sure.

I am so glad I tapered and didn't go cold turkey though. Just two days off and wow, that vertigo is flooring.

[Hairyarmadillo]

Dear Hairyarmadillo,
Been thinking lots about you -- I know you're going to be fine... if it is indeed the 3 month mark, think about it as a good thing, not a bad one -- the real healing inside begins then if that's the case, and every day you're closer to really being free, without having to be worried about another shoe to drop!... hey, 98% sure of not going back on isn't enough... it's 100% girly, now you hang in there, ok? I never was depressed before, and didn't even take for any kind of depression/mental anything., and I got horribly depressed at the 3 month mark, so it IS the drug, no doubt about it, ok? don't even begin to think it's you! It won't last forever at all. Just a few weeks/months at most, up and down. I still have problems, but many more windows where I'm happy, and not concerned, smiling, etc. making lots of teasing jokes at my coworkers..(am good at that) when I was unable to do anything like that before, so hang in there, if it is a 3 month mark... tick tick... you're getting closer to all better!
take care, you're in my prayers,
Elizabethmarie

Thanks! I actually meant to thank you the other day for the encouragement, but still tend to forget things if I don't do it right away. I will be so glad when I can remember everything. As if that EVER was the case Funny, I have been so vigilant about watching for the 3rd month and now that it hit, wow. It is so easier said than done. That is why I firmly believe everyone needs to be prepared to deal with it in case it comes. I am doing the self talk-that article Antidote (I think it was) posted has helped a lot. But the thoughts slipped in before I realized what was going on. So now I am doing double duty fighting to regain ground. It is not so bad that I get upset over everything but the situations that have bothered me and I have been too numbed to care over the years are driving me nuts. I have a lot of situations that I am going to have to address but now is not the time to do it. I won't file for divorce this week, though-haha. I made a deal with myself that I would see this through 18 months before I made any major life changes. So am sticking to that. The good news is my Body Calm is on the way. The bad news is that is won't be here until Friday. I tried last night to sleep naturally but at 3 am gave up and took a benadryl, which i know does not help. But my heart was pounding and I couldn't stand it any longer. Am going out tomorrow to get some of the epsom salts and do the soak tomorrow night. Thank you for all your encouragement and prayers. I have been praying but am back to feeling isolated. I hate it when it gets hard to pray.

srclady Your advice made much sense. I have not ripped anybody to shreds but there are some things in my life I just cannot tolerate anymore, grouchies or no grouchies, impaired judgement or not. No more little snide remarks from the hubby are going by. If I had stuck to this approach years ago, probably would not have been on the SSRIs to begin with, but I turned it all inward instead of expressing myself. He doesn't see how he talks to people as wrong but it comes from his mom. Such a shame because he has so many assets. However, things are going to change since a new sheriff is in town now and she is off Lexapro. LOL I can't believe I just sat here all these years and blew this off, but I was so numb and dead feeling. There are a few other situations that I have been bothered by, even on the SSRIs and I am also going to have to work on those but I am taking it all a little at a time. The ironic thing is that the SSRIs turned me into a passive person. I have always been easy going but some things I draw the line at. Yet now for years people have encroached upon that, so now I am going to have to take my space back. Should be fun. Can't wait to see what my life will be like in another year when I am (hopefully) back to normal!

[SchnauzerTime]

Hairy,

Yes I have schnauzer and she is the love of my life,lol. I just love her to death and she helps me get through hard times.

Oh and I HAVE tapered down to 1.25mg of the Lex before I went off so I didnt' go cold turkey. I did everything in 1 week increments...I was on 3/4 of a pill (10mg pills) for a week, then 1/2 pill for a week, then 1/4 pill for a week, then 1/8 pill for a week. THEN I stopped after the week of 1.25mg. All the other taper periods were stuff I could handle...I mean I had withdrawals for sure but to a degree that didn't stick me in the bed. But when I stopped taking it altogether after the week of 1/8 pill tapering...the first 2 days were ok. I just had bad anxiety. But the 3rd day of no medicine I had tremoring that night...I shook all over for about 5 to 10 minutes and it scared me.

So I went back on the 1/8 pill. But I guess I'm asking what I should do? Like, is what I went through that night "normal" for withdrawal at that point? Or should I go back on the 1/8 pill for 2 weeks instead of 1 this time? Or just take it every other day or what? I don't want to be extremely bad but at the same time I want to get it over with. And I don't want it to come back months after I'm better either.

How did you taper off? When your last dose came did you get really sick like the first week or so with no medicine? I'm curious because I want to know what I should do.

Laura:

When I had the tremoring that night I pretty much just shook all over...my teeth chattered also. I've only had it one other time when I was on the full 10mg dosage. But I figured it was because I tapered too quickly. It's not fun...you can't control it, just sit there and shake.

Oh and yeah, the cold/flu feelings are from withdrawal like Aunty said. I thought you really had a cold on top of it...but if what you are feeling is like a sinus type problem...like you can't breath well through your nose and feeling nausea and just cold chills, muscle aches...that is all withdrawal. Sometimes it is really bad if you've tapered too fast...other times it's just lingering in the background.

Aunty:

I have been very lucky and haven't gotten any "brain zaps" so to speak. I have a constant cold feeling in the back of my head and some shivers at times but nothing that has hurt like a zap.

I'm glad I have people to talk to on this forum that understand what I'm going through and have gone through it. There are times I want to just give up but then I think well there are people that have done it and gotten through it.

[lelani&i]

Does anyone have any experience from withdrawaing from Lexapro 20 Mg for one and a half years?? My daughter is having a tough time tapering off lexapro.
She is getting sweats, anxiety, moodieness and manic like actions.

Let me know if anyone has sucessfully weaned off a SSRI and what happened along the way.
Thanks

I am doing this and it has been done before and it is tough.
THE MOODS>>>screaming and I hope that it isn't her period time.
I am over that now as I am 61 but have had depression for most of my life.
I am pretty and even hate myself!!??
I had ADD instead so the drugs didn't help and some made me more depressed. So I find this out at 59 and thought that it was something else causing what I call chemical imbalances.
They really are. I use vitamins and b12 drops. minerals also.

[lelani&i]

I am doing this and it has been done before and it is tough.
THE MOODS>>>screaming and I hope that it isn't her period time.
I am over that now as I am 61 but have had depression for most of my life.
I am pretty and even hate myself!!??
I had ADD instead so the drugs didn't help and some made me more depressed. So I find this out at 59 and thought that it was something else causing what I call chemical imbalances.
They really are. I use vitamins and b12 drops. minerals also.

It takes about 1 week slowly tapering and praying that you will not be crossed by anyone because baby...watch out. Don't buy into anything that she says. Encourage her and tell her that it is the drugs talking instead.
Send her out to garden. Get her close to nature.

[Hairyarmadillo]

Hairy,

How did you taper off? When your last dose came did you get really sick like the first week or so with no medicine? I'm curious because I want to know what I should do.

I have 3 dogs that give me constant cheer! I did not do the best slow taper. I was taking the pill and using a pill cutter to cut it in halves. I went from 10 to 8.5 (approx. since it is impossible to cut it exact each time) and stayed on that for 3 weeks. Then, I went from 8.5 to 5 (stayed on that for a good 4 weeks and still should have waited a bit more but went on down to 2.5. After about 2 and half weeks the moods were bad-got to the point of being really short tempered, so I quit shy of 3 weeks. I had intended to half that little piece because the symptoms got worse as I got closer to 0 but the feelings were so intense, I just stopped assuming the dose was changing slightly each day. in retrospect I should have converted it to liquid but I was also calculating where the 3rd and 4th month off would hit (since this is supposed to be the time when a lot of people are hit with emotional symptoms and I had before). It would have hit at the beginning of the school year and that is the most demanding time for me. I HAVE to be extra alert and busy from the end of July and then through the end of October, I am putting in 12 hour work days and Saturdays to get on top of the school year. Couldn't have my students suffer, so I knew I was risking these affects now. Honestly, it took me a good 3 weeks after that last dose to feel fairly normal, like doing things. I was able to go about my daily routine but felt like I was recovering from an illness, just not well. I still have those days where I feel some of the depersonalization come back and some degree of dizziness. Have been shopping and the depersonalization comes back, same with driving at times. I just keep telling myself it will go away eventually!

[SchnauzerTime]

[B]Hairy

Maybe I tapered to quickly...I did the same taper you did but instead of waiting longer between tapers I only did 1 week between each. Maybe that finally caught up with me when I went from 1/8 of 10mg to nothing.

Do you think the best thing for me to do would be to go back on the 1/8 of a pill for 2 to 3 weeks then quit? Or to go ahead and tough it out?

What kind of withdrawal stuff did you go through? Did you have the tremors like I did sometimes? I'm thinking that if that is somewhat normal for withdrawal that I may just tough it out...but I just don't want to feel really bad long-term. I could probably stand real bad withdrawals for a couple weeks or so...but as far as months I don't think I could.

It's driving me nuts on trying to decide what to do...about whether I should go back on the 1/8 pill for a couple more weeks then quit or just tough it out.

Help!

[Rosalinde]

Hi!
I have read a few posts and am impressed by the care and detail presented here. I have been on Lexapro 10 mg for one year and would like to start tapering.

When I started the drug, I was not depressed, but was high strung and dealing with slight anxiety and insomnia. Still a happy person though. Doctor recommended Lexapro. The first 7 months were great. I was happy, confident, unflappable, alert, quick-witted, energetic, patient and always laughing. I felt more like "myself" with the ability to focus. However, I lost my passion. I stopped caring whether the house was clean and hardly cook anymore though that used to be a favorite past time. I'm a musician in a professional chamber group and large chorus and play the violin, guitar and piano. I completely stopped the instruments - couldn't work up enough interest to bother. I've kept singing, but sit in rehearsals so calmly, almost bored, without the intensity of feeling and enjoyment I've always had before. The music used to possess me. I miss that.

Before Lexapro, I was heavily involved in my church, attended Bible studies, read the Bible every day and prayed. Now I could care less. I don't attend church and virtually have no relationship with God. It happened slowly over the past year. Is this normal?

After 7 months, the good feelings wore off. I became more "normal" - less hyper and exuberant and more prone to irritability.

Now, I am usually tired, listless, dazed. My memory, which has always been sharp, is very poor and sluggish. I withdraw from people and interests and have no energy or passion.

Sorry this is so long. Perhaps someone who is searching will read my experience and see similarities. That can be comforting.

After research, I've come to the conclusion that these drugs are unhealthy and unsafe. My husband is ready to help me through withdrawal so I can begin healing.

Will somebody help me with my questions?
1. Why is it harmful to consume caffeine while tapering?
2. I've been on Lexapro 10 mg for one year. Today, I began the taper at 5 mg. My doctor (whom I no longer see) recommended 5 mg for one month, then 2.5 for one month, then 2.5 every other day for one month.

Frankly, I'm really scared..

[kimberoo]

Laurafish,

I've only been on here for a week and not even for myself, I'm on here for my husband. So far I've only asked for questions and help, mainly because by the time I'm done reading all of the posts I've forgotten what I wanted to say in the first place. When I read your post I felt compelled to stop reading and to write you immediately. PLEASE, PLEASE do not start tapering by skipping days, it will be the worst thing that you could do!! If you read back on my posts you'll see in detail what I'm talking about. My husband has been tapering from 20 mg for a year and we thought that he was taking way too long. He, too, wanted it over and done with and started tapering 2.5 mg by skipping a day. What we didn't know is that the lower your dosage, the worst the withdrawal. He has had chronic dizziness for awhile but nothing compared to what he is going through now. He tapered up to 5 mg and has been on it for 6 days, the zaps are getting better, it is more electrical at this point, but the dizziness is persistent. He started having extreme withdrawal about 3 or 4 days into the skipping one day mode. The worst of it was a tugging at the back of his eyes as though there was someone in his brain pulling at his eyes from the inside. There was also a sensation of something pulling up on his brain that he had tho lift his whole body in response to when this happened. I'm not saying that you'll have the exact symptoms because he has reluctantly been on SSRI's for 13 years, but Aunty informed me that by tapering essentially 50% every other day is similar to going cold turkey. I know that you want this to be over, so do I, but I want him to be able to feel normal again without ever having to go through what we did for the past week and are still enduring. Patience is the greatest gift that you can give yourself and your loved ones right now. I hope that they are educating themselves right along with you so that they know what to expect, it helped me a great deal to understand what my husband has been feeling, because to be truthful, looking at him you'd never guess that he was going through a living hell in his body. Please reconsider tapering so quickly, especially with skipping days. Everyone on here is so willing to help and so informed, you'll figure out the safest way to taper as long as you stay informed. Learn from others experiences, good & bad. I wish you the best of luck!

Kimberoo

[Freazytek]

Hi guys,i have a serious problem here.
I took only one dose of 10mg 2 months ago of Sipralexa (lexapro) and felt right away as if was on xtc.as days went by i felt like on a comedown from LSD so i guess i had a pretty bad reaction to an SSRI.but now after 2 months i have a remaining headache on my right side of the brain who wont go away.What could be the cause of this.i still have dilated pupils.Will this go away as this headache is pretty annoying as i am feeling this 24/24.Thx for the help guys

[auntybiotic]

As Kimbertoo warned, if you taper by 50% the withdrawals may be overwhelming. It may take up to 18 months to fully recover......................the suggestion for lexapro is 5 to 10% of your current dose so that you can give your neurotransmitters a chance to heal and regeneragte.

You can try the 50% taper if you insist and it will take about a week to feel the effects so the first few days you may think it is a piece of cake. By day seven you may feel as if you caught the flu, sinus congestion, chills, sweating, stomach cramps, the runs........it is not the flu but the beginning of your body's reaction to lower levels of serotonin, in essence withdrawal.

Dizziness, nightmares, headaches, muscle twitching, zaps (which are electric like jolts that start in your head and later extend to your extremeties. This is all due to the neurotransmitters misfiring in your brain from lower serotonin levels.

Lexapro withdrawal, in my eyes, is worse then heroin withdrawal. Please be careful. After the physical symtoms wane.........the depersonalization and emotional responses kick in.

One friend was on 15 Mg and tapered as you by 5 Mg every 3 weeks and felt actually NO WITHDRAWAL to speak of......................but by month 3 he had to leave work due to severe depersonalization and it is a year and a half later and he is still recovering. VERY SLOW tapering may take long but in actuality it is allowing your brain a chance to slowly recover and adjust to each lower level of the lexapro which is changing serotonin levels in the body.

We are here to help other not make the same mistakes so many here have.
Do what you think is best and everyone here will be behind you with support.

[auntybiotic]

After taking SSRI's www.truehope.com has a vitamin that is said to help combat depression. Has anyone tried it in the past and if so what were the results.

A article from their website regarding vitamin supplementation.
http://discovermagazine.com/2005/may...tart:int=0&-C=

Kimbertoo,

The 5 Mg may not have been enough of a reinstatement to stabalize your husband. If you get the liquid lexapro you can check with your physician about trying 6 Mg and see if the additional lexapro may take away the dizziness. If after a week he is still having the withdrawals you may ask the doctor about 7 Mg of lexapro. Once stable he can slowly taper from that dosage but you want to be able to stabalize his symptoms. Since you cannot remember at what taper dosage the zaps and severe symptoms started ......it is trial and error with finding the dose to eleminate the symptoms. Did your physician prescribe the liquid lexapro? Did you discuss the article on elavil with him and express your concern?

The lecithin and inisitol will aid in the zaps once the lexapro dosage is stable.

[auntybiotic]

There is not a lot that can be done for your severe reaction except AVOID all SSRI use in the future. Try to avoid any drugs that use the same P450 Cytochrome Pathway in the liver as lexapro did for the next couple months. Staying away from protein for a few weeks may allow the lexapro to leave your system. (Lexapro is protein bound). Drink lots of water with lemon to flush your sytsem.

Time will heal.

[Freazytek]

I'm taking Risperdal for now an anti-psychotic wich decreases the serotonine and dopamine levels in the brain.Does this headache (who wont go away) occur because the misfiring from neurons or because my serotonine levels are to high??

[laurafish919]

I can't believe how thoughtful you were. That was so kind to let me know that. I really do love this message board. I am so glad you let me know not to skip a day when i get to the lower end of the tapering. I do not want to aggravate the withdrawal in anyway. So skipping a day is definitely a bad idea. Wow, and I just think it would be so much worse to have your husband go through this than even have it be yourself. When it is yourself, you know that you can handle it or that you can't--but when it's a loved one, all YOU can do is be anxious and scared. I wish you the best of luck. and thank you so much for the advice.

[laurafish919]

i can't believe this could mess me up months from now as well. What am I going to do about law school? So I could have some delayed-reaction depression hit right in the next few semesters?

Why do some people seem to have no issues with withdrawing? I really am lucky though hearing about those brain zaps. I haven't had that or the tremors. I've just had a lot of dizzyness/vertigo and that depersonification stuff.

[kimberoo]

Aunty
Unfortunately, he has too many doctors involved. The neurologist prescribed the Elavil and the internist never really believed it was the Lexapro from the beginning. I will call today to see if I can get the liquid Lexapro and reinstate 1 mg, I do believe that is a good idea since he doesn't feel "normal" yet. We called Johns Hopkins back yesterday and they made a tentative appointment for August 14th, while keeping him on cancellation standby. I'm sure that I will come out of there with a wealth of information to share with everyone.

As a side note, when we went to Vitamin World they gave us a magazine called "HealthSmart" and in it were articles about the benefits of Neuronutrients, Noni Juice and Essential Fatty Acids....all pertaining to many of the nutrients spoken about on this forum. If you get the chance you should really try to get this issue, it is the Summer 2007 issue with Jill Rappaport on a horse on the cover. I will continue to update.

Kimberoo

[kimberoo]

Laurafish,

I've had periods in the past that I just thought that he was overacting or that what he was experiencing was normal except that his fear exxagerated it. I've doubted him numerous times, and I now have to deal with my own guilt. It can still be hard, but the hardest part for me is trying to empathize, not sympathize, I really wish that it was something that I've felt in the past myself so that I could relate. That is why this forum has been such a Godsend for me as it has educated me to what you guys are really feeling and to know that he's not crazy or better yet alone! There should be a nationwide support group such as AA for us! SSRI withdrawal has devastating effects on not only the person going through it but the entire family. We were watching Mystery Diagnosis last night and the man said that all he wanted was to be able to play ball with his kids again, and I could see my husband silently agree. My youngest son asks questions like, "When will Papa feel better, why is he sick, will he ever work again?" Here it is summer and we can't even think about going to the lake for a day nor can we plan a summer vacation,we can't plan too far in the future because we don't know what it will hold. My poor husband keeps apologizing for putting us through this, but it is not something that he can help, he's a victim as you all are. I think when Aunty talks about longterm effects, she's talking more about tapering too quickly or those who stop cold turkey. If you take your time and wait until you feel good for awhile before you try to taper again and then go slowly (especially at the lower doses 2.5 and below) I really feel that you'll get through this with minimal effects. I'm not going to say "no effects" as everyone is different, but definitely a lot less. We all dream of a quick fix, but truthfully when has it ever deemed to work? I'm glad you're seeking help here, you'll definitely get it, this is a caring bunch.

Kimberoo