[archer_bach]

Originally Posted by Julia77

I feel you guys are like my family

Hairyarmadillo:
I appreciate you are continuing to post! Thanks a million to those like you who continue to post even after their rocky times are left behind Please do not abandon this thread..

Aunty: I can't thank you enough for all your deeds.. Many people wouldn't make it without you.

Ohwell: I pray for you.. I trust you will be fine.

I am doing much,much better. I can't believe it how well I've been recently, comparing to what I went through.

PS. I will be logging in from time to time to help as much as I can to get this thread going.

Hi Julia...

I'm glad that you're well. Very glad.

Could you tell me a little bit more about your story, how mutch you were taking, for how long, what tapper method you used, and what you've been throught?

Ohwell: I wish you all the best in these difficult times. May God be with you.

[elleshake]

Ok... so my story is this:
I broke up with my fiance a little more than a year and a half ago. I was only 20 at the time, and I took it really badly. I started experiencing derealization and I was extraordinarily depressed. A month or so later, I was raped, and the symptoms got worse. I saw a pyschiatrist and was put on 10 mg of lexapro. It has worked well. The derealization stopped, and with the drug and therapy, I got out of the rut and the depression. I experienced the weight gain as well.. I'm tiny, 5'1, and I gained 8 pounds after not gaining weight for years. Anyway, In the past couple months I've been really considering coming off the meds. I talked to my doctor about it, and three weeks ago I began weaning myself off. At this point, I'm on 5 mg every other day...

It's a living hell. Sometimes it gets so bad that I just want to say "f it, i'll keep taking it." I get jolts throughout my entire body, like little shock waves. I feel feverish, I've had the congestion, the headaches, the unbelievable fatigue, and terrible bach aches. The sad thing is, I don't feel depressed anymore, and I just want to BE OKAY, FINALLY. I honestly could lay in bed all day sometimes I feel so terrible. The derealization comes back a couple times a day, and though it's not as bad as it was pre-lexapro, it is still hellish. You know when you have a fever and you move too quickly when you're sick and you're entire body feels like it's going to fall apart? Yeah, that's it. My stomach is also unbelievably upset. I've thrown up three times in the past week and a half (no, i'm definitely not pregnant). Ugh, I've lurked here for a couple weeks and finally I had to make a reply to this discussion because I really feel so terrible. Someone please tell me this goes away. I just don't want to take the medication anymore... For the first time in a couple of years, I feel okay mentally, and now, physically, I feel.... awful.

sorry, this is unbelievably long. .

anyway, point being, any tips? how long do you think this could take? more exercise, perhaps? my doctor says this is normal... yeah, i wish you told me about this before i went on the drugs, doc.

[Ohwell]

Please don't skip doses. (Every other day) This method of tapering is soooo hard on your brain. You are basiclly putting yourself in withdrawal every other day. (I know I did this too)....There is NO need to feel so badly during the tapering. You need to STOP skipping days and up your dose to at least 7mg. (in my opinion) and stay there until you feel better. Once you are not sick anymore, then taper by only 1 mg. at a time. Tapering should take months and months. Some here have tapered over years! There is no need to suffer. Please consider this advice and let your brain adjust slowly!

If I would have known better, I would have tapered differently. Please write if you have any questions. I am at 2.5 months off now and doing better.
ohwell.

[Tryn]

Hello everyone..it has been a whle since I had posted so I thought I would check in and see how everyone is doing. Has anyone heard from crashandburn? I hope this finds y'all doing better Have a safe and happy holiday!!

[elleshake]

Originally Posted by Ohwell

Please don't skip doses. (Every other day) This method of tapering is soooo hard on your brain. You are basiclly putting yourself in withdrawal every other day. (I know I did this too)....There is NO need to feel so badly during the tapering. You need to STOP skipping days and up your dose to at least 7mg. (in my opinion) and stay there until you feel better. Once you are not sick anymore, then taper by only 1 mg. at a time. Tapering should take months and months. Some here have tapered over years! There is no need to suffer. Please consider this advice and let your brain adjust slowly!

If I would have known better, I would have tapered differently. Please write if you have any questions. I am at 2.5 months off now and doing better.
ohwell.

Thank you!!! My doctor assured me this was fine, but i knew that there was no reason for me to be feeling THIS badly and out of it. I will definitely take your advice... I think if anything I was just more excited about getting off it and had the HUGE misconception that whatever, the sooner i get off it, the better. I've learned the past few weeks that this is not the case...

[Ohwell]

I "slivered my pills too"....funny picturing someone else splitting pills on their counter. I also skipped days, "tapered" for only 3 weeks, then cold turkey, off 10mg. uggggh......hindsight! (newbies don't taper this way)!

Thanks for any prayers.....I am doing fine.....Just wish my stinking glands would go down...in the jaw area.... my throat issues are better (today)...
I had cancer of the lympth nodes a year and a half ago....so thats why I freak out if my lympth nodes are big.... I have more energy now though, which is a GOOD sign, as being tired was one of my first symptoms of my cancer journey... I pray it is all withdrawal, my next scan is in a week.
I am a Christian, and I will pray for you too Hairy, for your total healing, here on earth. Thanks again for thinking of me. ohwell.

[archer_bach]

Originally Posted by elleshake

Ok... so my story is this:
I broke up with my fiance a little more than a year and a half ago. I was only 20 at the time, and I took it really badly. I started experiencing derealization and I was extraordinarily depressed. A month or so later, I was raped, and the symptoms got worse. I saw a pyschiatrist and was put on 10 mg of lexapro. It has worked well. The derealization stopped, and with the drug and therapy, I got out of the rut and the depression. I experienced the weight gain as well.. I'm tiny, 5'1, and I gained 8 pounds after not gaining weight for years. Anyway, In the past couple months I've been really considering coming off the meds. I talked to my doctor about it, and three weeks ago I began weaning myself off. At this point, I'm on 5 mg every other day...

It's a living hell. Sometimes it gets so bad that I just want to say "f it, i'll keep taking it." I get jolts throughout my entire body, like little shock waves. I feel feverish, I've had the congestion, the headaches, the unbelievable fatigue, and terrible bach aches. The sad thing is, I don't feel depressed anymore, and I just want to BE OKAY, FINALLY. I honestly could lay in bed all day sometimes I feel so terrible. The derealization comes back a couple times a day, and though it's not as bad as it was pre-lexapro, it is still hellish. You know when you have a fever and you move too quickly when you're sick and you're entire body feels like it's going to fall apart? Yeah, that's it. My stomach is also unbelievably upset. I've thrown up three times in the past week and a half (no, i'm definitely not pregnant). Ugh, I've lurked here for a couple weeks and finally I had to make a reply to this discussion because I really feel so terrible. Someone please tell me this goes away. I just don't want to take the medication anymore... For the first time in a couple of years, I feel okay mentally, and now, physically, I feel.... awful.

sorry, this is unbelievably long. .

anyway, point being, any tips? how long do you think this could take? more exercise, perhaps? my doctor says this is normal... yeah, i wish you told me about this before i went on the drugs, doc.

I know how you feel Elleshake.

I too wish they would have told me what was ahead when it's time to mean off. Mabe you could tell your doc to use the 5% decrease aproach with you... taking the pill every other day does not seem the best way but he may know what he's doing. Speeking of witch, mabe you can ask him what lies ahead... how long are you suppose to suffer before it's over? That could help you gain courage to face the withdrawl. As for tips... go to page 16, there are a number of supplements to take listed there. Make sure you get the omega 3 (fish and flaxseed oil, etc...).

I myself am not very well tonight, I feel the tiredness and depression creaping in. I hope it's just the wellbutrin withdrawl for a few days... not the Lex fast tapering off from a month ago...

Kind regards to all

[Ohwell]

Are you taking any supplements.

I take:

2 omega 3 fish oils a day (carlsons)
1 magenesium maltate in the evening
1 calcium before bed
2 milk thistle (for my liver) Don't take this till off for at least 2 months.
NO soda, less sugar

I also take Benedral Pill form occasionally to help with sleep,
though lately I haven't need this anymore. Praise God!

What is your taper plan now? Good Luck!!! Remember it is normal to be sick for the first month esp. But if you taper slowly, your withdrawals may not be as bad! ohwell.

[elleshake]

Originally Posted by Ohwell

Are you taking any supplements.

I take:

2 omega 3 fish oils a day (carlsons)
1 magenesium maltate in the evening
1 calcium before bed
2 milk thistle (for my liver) Don't take this till off for at least 2 months.
NO soda, less sugar

I also take Benedral Pill form occasionally to help with sleep,
though lately I haven't need this anymore. Praise God!

What is your taper plan now? Good Luck!!! Remember it is normal to be sick for the first month esp. But if you taper slowly, your withdrawals may not be as bad! ohwell.

No... haven't taken any supplements... tomorrow morning I'll definitely be going to get omega3. Thank you so, so much for your help. I felt a little bit helpless tonight, to be honest. Thanksgiving, and after we ate I had to go lay in bed for over an hour because I felt so faint...

I plan on going through the thread more but as of right now... I'm guessing tomorrow I will be going back up to 7 for a a couple of weeks until I feel stabilized again, and then decreasing an mg every couple of weeks. I was determined that I wouldn't go buy another bottle of lex after i started going off it, but there is no way in hell i can continue with these withdrawals. I, of course, want to ask my doctor.. but unfortunately, he seems a bit useless. Perhaps it would be in my best interest to go to someone else . Thank you so much again for your help.

[Ohwell]

No, in my opinion, the dr. doesn't know best about "skipping days"....anyone who has done any research KNOWS this is the wrong thing to do. ALL that does is cause a day of misery and needless withdrawal sickness. You will get that floatly, dizzy feeling. Feel tired. and who knows what else.

Please folks don't skip days. Taper slowly over MONTHS. take the Lex. every day. Just take less and less over MONTHs. Read the past posts for better directions!

ALso, someone mentioned sore neck muscles (forgot who)...and I have found that plain old Castor Oil works great to help with the neck pain some get with withdrawals. (health food store, or walmart has it) Sounds weird, but try it, it works...just rub it into the sore area. ohwell.

[elleshake]

Originally Posted by archer_bach

I know how you feel Elleshake.

I too wish they would have told me what was ahead when it's time to mean off. Mabe you could tell your doc to use the 5% decrease aproach with you... taking the pill every other day does not seem the best way but he may know what he's doing. Speeking of witch, mabe you can ask him what lies ahead... how long are you suppose to suffer before it's over? That could help you gain courage to face the withdrawl. As for tips... go to page 16, there are a number of supplements to take listed there. Make sure you get the omega 3 (fish and flaxseed oil, etc...).

I myself am not very well tonight, I feel the tiredness and depression creaping in. I hope it's just the wellbutrin withdrawl for a few days... not the Lex fast tapering off from a month ago...

Kind regards to all

Thank you . The way that my doctor made it sound when I went on it is that going off it wouldn't be any big deal... I was worried about this, and he assured me that the withdrawals were minimal and it would basically be a snap. LOL. My biggest fear is going through the depersonalization again... that was so scary. I'm not so well either tonight... yesterday I was completely fine... today is another story. I hope tomorrow brings you a much better day.

[Ohwell]

Just wanted to encourage you again tonight....Please don't rush, Please don't even consider tapering any faster than every 3 weeks reducing your Lex. dose just a bit. Mark it on your calendar, so you will keep track. IF you are still feeling funky, Do every 4 weeks...
Getting off Lex, is a big shock to your system. These withdrawals are real. They may last many months. So go slow with the tapering off the medicine!
Also, most here give up caffine for awhile. It really adds stress to the withdrawal process. ohwell.

[Ohwell]

Thanks also for the prayers! (pray for my glands to go DOWN)!

Yes, I know what you mean about being like a "family"....

I guess misery loves company!

I am glad you are feeling better. Me too! I hope its not a honeymoon!

(I know some have a real time with the 3-4 month timeframe.)

I'll keep posting, as I"m almost at 3 months off myself....maybe I'll be a lucky one that sails right through the 3-4 month blues! ohwell.

[auntybiotic]

Originally Posted by elleshake

Ok... so my story is this:
I broke up with my fiance a little more than a year and a half ago. I was only 20 at the time, and I took it really badly. I started experiencing derealization and I was extraordinarily depressed. A month or so later, I was raped, and the symptoms got worse. I saw a pyschiatrist and was put on 10 mg of lexapro. It has worked well. The derealization stopped, and with the drug and therapy, I got out of the rut and the depression. I experienced the weight gain as well.. I'm tiny, 5'1, and I gained 8 pounds after not gaining weight for years. Anyway, In the past couple months I've been really considering coming off the meds. I talked to my doctor about it, and three weeks ago I began weaning myself off. At this point, I'm on 5 mg every other day...

It's a living hell. Sometimes it gets so bad that I just want to say "f it, i'll keep taking it." I get jolts throughout my entire body, like little shock waves. I feel feverish, I've had the congestion, the headaches, the unbelievable fatigue, and terrible bach aches. The sad thing is, I don't feel depressed anymore, and I just want to BE OKAY, FINALLY. I honestly could lay in bed all day sometimes I feel so terrible. The derealization comes back a couple times a day, and though it's not as bad as it was pre-lexapro, it is still hellish. You know when you have a fever and you move too quickly when you're sick and you're entire body feels like it's going to fall apart? Yeah, that's it. My stomach is also unbelievably upset. I've thrown up three times in the past week and a half (no, i'm definitely not pregnant). Ugh, I've lurked here for a couple weeks and finally I had to make a reply to this discussion because I really feel so terrible. Someone please tell me this goes away. I just don't want to take the medication anymore... For the first time in a couple of years, I feel okay mentally, and now, physically, I feel.... awful.

sorry, this is unbelievably long. .

anyway, point being, any tips? how long do you think this could take? more exercise, perhaps? my doctor says this is normal... yeah, i wish you told me about this before i went on the drugs, doc.

Hi,

I had to write and offer some advice. Reinstating will help, not sure if 7MG will be enough to bring you around quickly. You can try the 7 MG for two weeks and if you do not feel complete relief, then you may want to reinstate to your full 10 Mg dose and you should feel better within two weeks, at the most 3 weeks.

If your doctor would prescribe the liquid lexapro it would help with the tapering. Have not known anyone that had a problem (as some have read elsewhere) going from lexapro in pill form to lexapro liquid.

If not able to get the liquid form of lexapro, then you will have to dislove the pill, for future tapering, in cranberry juice and use the syringes to measure out the doses. The recipe is on here for doing that.

Your neurotransmitters are misfiring, that is the reason for the electric shock/zaps that you sometimes feel. Reinstating will help all of these issues. When you begin tapering, do not taper more then 5 to 10% of your CURRENT dose of lexapro that you are taking.

For example if you stabalize on 7 mg, your next taper will be 6.3 Mg for a 10% taper, taken daily for two to three weeks or until ALL withdrawals have gone away . If you continue to taper by 1 Mg at each taper, that is over the recommended 10% that most people's brains can handle, the withdrawls will be hard on you.

To help with depersonalization, you may want to buy nanoi juice and take up to 4 ounces a day at two teasoonfuls at a time..................it will take the derealization / depersonalization away.

For the dizziness you may want to take non drowsey dramamine to help.

Supplements will help ease the withdrawls. Doctors are not aware of the long lasting effects of lSSRI withdrawls, which is odd with SO many experiencing them.

Lexapro actually changes the chemistry in your brain and the withdrawls are from attempts at your brain to function again on its own without the chemicals in lexapro. It can take up to 18 months after fast tapering or cold turkeying, for the brain to fully heal, similiar to what happens when one has a stroke and the brain has to heal due to changes that took place in araes of the brain after having the stroke.

By tapering, the brain is able to learn to function with lesser amounts of the chemicals/ lexapro. You will still experience withdrawls but they will only last about a week and will not have you flat on your back. Instead of pulling the rug out from under you........you are slowly adjusting the neurotransmitters to lower amounts of the chemicals in lexapro that have altered it..

So with quitting lexapro, you are not waiting for the "drug to leave your system" as many think but "you are waiting for the neurotransmitters that were chemically altered" to heal and begin functioning as they once did prior to lexapro, this is what takes SO long. I often compare it to anyone that has experienced a brain injury or a change in the way the brain functions.

Good Luck

[auntybiotic]

Just wanted to add that I am not a doctor so please research any advice given by anyone on the internet. I may not be able to check in until Tuesday, thanks for all that have answered posts of those in need of support.

aunty

[archer_bach]

Hey Elleshake, hope your doing well...

I think I would go back to 10 mg if I were you, you may save time all in all... and stabilise for a few weeks, then tapper off 5% at a time. I you can't find liquid Lex, don't forget you can crush your pill really well, mix it with 20 ml of juice until completely disolved, and then substract 1 ml with a seringe from the mix, witch will leave you with 95% of the mix, 5% less. The following times, you can also remove 1 ml more, and so on.

For myself I finally got up during the day...lol I slept from 3AM to 11 AM.... great improvement. It's quite sunny out, and I will take that sun as mutch as I can. I've been without a job for the past three weeks and I've found the drive to call my agency this morning, with good prospects in the industrial field... fingers crossed. I seem to have energy, serenity... and motivation, hopefully a stable state. I'm going to my AA, CA meeting tonight (11 years in the program), can't wait to see how I'll feel after that ''long'' day.

Kind regards to all... be well

[archer_bach]

Oh Elleshake,

Of course when I said the following times I ment after three weeks.If you see you're still batelling after the three weeks, you stay on that dose until you stabilise.

Regards

[elleshake]

Originally Posted by auntybiotic

Hi,

I had to write and offer some advice. Reinstating will help, not sure if 7MG will be enough to bring you around quickly. You can try the 7 MG for two weeks and if you do not feel complete relief, then you may want to reinstate to your full 10 Mg dose and you should feel better within two weeks, at the most 3 weeks.

If your doctor would prescribe the liquid lexapro it would help with the tapering. Have not known anyone that had a problem (as some have read elsewhere) going from lexapro in pill form to lexapro liquid.

If not able to get the liquid form of lexapro, then you will have to dislove the pill, for future tapering, in cranberry juice and use the syringes to measure out the doses. The recipe is on here for doing that.

Your neurotransmitters are misfiring, that is the reason for the electric shock/zaps that you sometimes feel. Reinstating will help all of these issues. When you begin tapering, do not taper more then 5 to 10% of your CURRENT dose of lexapro that you are taking.

For example if you stabalize on 7 mg, your next taper will be 6.3 Mg for a 10% taper, taken daily for two to three weeks or until ALL withdrawals have gone away . If you continue to taper by 1 Mg at each taper, that is over the recommended 10% that most people's brains can handle, the withdrawls will be hard on you.

To help with depersonalization, you may want to buy nanoi juice and take up to 4 ounces a day at two teasoonfuls at a time..................it will take the derealization / depersonalization away.

For the dizziness you may want to take non drowsey dramamine to help.

Supplements will help ease the withdrawls. Doctors are not aware of the long lasting effects of lSSRI withdrawls, which is odd with SO many experiencing them.

Lexapro actually changes the chemistry in your brain and the withdrawls are from attempts at your brain to function again on its own without the chemicals in lexapro. It can take up to 18 months after fast tapering or cold turkeying, for the brain to fully heal, similiar to what happens when one has a stroke and the brain has to heal due to changes that took place in araes of the brain after having the stroke.

By tapering, the brain is able to learn to function with lesser amounts of the chemicals/ lexapro. You will still experience withdrawls but they will only last about a week and will not have you flat on your back. Instead of pulling the rug out from under you........you are slowly adjusting the neurotransmitters to lower amounts of the chemicals in lexapro that have altered it..

So with quitting lexapro, you are not waiting for the "drug to leave your system" as many think but "you are waiting for the neurotransmitters that were chemically altered" to heal and begin functioning as they once did prior to lexapro, this is what takes SO long. I often compare it to anyone that has experienced a brain injury or a change in the way the brain functions.

Good Luck

Thank you so, so much. You really have done so much to help everyone here, from what I've seen, and I really appreciate you explaining this, it makes much more sense. While you're not a doctor, you've given me a lot more information then my current doctor has. I c/ped what you said into a word document. I feel much better today then I did yesterday, but with that in mind, I did just take 10 mg of lex. Thank you so much.... really.

[elleshake]

Originally Posted by archer_bach

Hey Elleshake, hope your doing well...

I think I would go back to 10 mg if I were you, you may save time all in all... and stabilise for a few weeks, then tapper off 5% at a time. I you can't find liquid Lex, don't forget you can crush your pill really well, mix it with 20 ml of juice until completely disolved, and then substract 1 ml with a seringe from the mix, witch will leave you with 95% of the mix, 5% less. The following times, you can also remove 1 ml more, and so on.

For myself I finally got up during the day...lol I slept from 3AM to 11 AM.... great improvement. It's quite sunny out, and I will take that sun as mutch as I can. I've been without a job for the past three weeks and I've found the drive to call my agency this morning, with good prospects in the industrial field... fingers crossed. I seem to have energy, serenity... and motivation, hopefully a stable state. I'm going to my AA, CA meeting tonight (11 years in the program), can't wait to see how I'll feel after that ''long'' day.

Kind regards to all... be well

Thanks so much That's my new plan. The thing is ... i don't care how long it takes to fully get off it, as long as I'm not going through this.

My sleep schedule is totally messed up. I woke up around 1 PM. Lol. I'm really happy to hear you're feeling better today!!! Good luck with your job prospects, and it's great to hear you're going to your meetings. My sister has 6 years clean in AA and I know how much meetings are helpful for her whenever she is feeling down. I hope you have had a very good day.

[archer_bach]

I guess I can say the Wb is a thing of the past. Today I went and cleaned my car, wash three loads, vacumed and cleaned my appartment, (my 21 months old boy is comming this weekend), went to the lawndry to wash my quilt, brought my suits to the cleaners (wich I've been postponing since, let say.... 2 months), did the grocery and shopping. I have to admit I got tired at about three o'clock... sat down, read a short story, determined not to go to bed (funny that I can always read)... got dinner and started moving around the house a little... and my energy returned. With a little bit of anxiety thought I must say... did a little exercise, anxiety gone. Then I got ready for my CA meeting, had a ball there... had a pizza... and here I am, feeling normal again (more or less). It is clear to me that my depression was due to tappering off Lex too quickly. And I thank God, with all my heart, that I'm not depressed anymore and avoyded taking yet another med.

I will be tappering off Lex, because I want my life back and experience feelings and sex... and I want to have the drive and awareness sometimes necessary to survive in this world. But Lex has helped me learn important lessons... It is imperative for me to learn how to live, to conquer my psychological disorders throught the best therapy, because brains and med are just too complicated for any expert to get me the results I need for sure. I beleive that in my case, meds at this point would only make things worst. But I still am glad I went throught it to help me realise it, especially the laid back attitude that Lex gives you on your life. Paradox? I don't think so. I think this is just a case of experimenting to grow... And we learn throught suffering as we say in AA. I've read thousands of posts since three weeks (because I wanted to survive, because I was affraid) and I prayed like hell too, to ease the fear when it was too mutch, and when I was thinking of surendering my life to my doctor, to Wb. But this is my realisation today. Just wish my stupid doc would have told me before... It seems they know how to prescribe it, but not how and when to take you off. Of course we don't tell them everything, but they don't ask too many questions either.

And tomorrow... is another day. I'll keep you posted.

God bless you all for your posts, and just for being humans... and be well

[Ohwell]

Thanks for the good wishes and prayers! They are appreciated very much!
ohwell.

[Ohwell]

Hey all,

Just wondering if anyone else has had Magnesium Maltate make them
unable to sleep in the eveing? I know its suppose to help, but it seems everytime I take it my heart pounds in my chest and my pulse quickens a bit. Then I can't sleep as usual?

Does it do this to anyone else? I am really wanting to take it as it is suppose to help with your energy but also relax you. But it seems my body doesn't like it. I was taking it before bed. But think I will slack off for awhile.
only took 1 pill a day? Any thoughts on this? Thanks. ohwell.

[archer_bach]

Originally Posted by Ohwell

Hey all,

Just wondering if anyone else has had Magnesium Maltate make them
unable to sleep in the eveing? I know its suppose to help, but it seems everytime I take it my heart pounds in my chest and my pulse quickens a bit. Then I can't sleep as usual?

Does it do this to anyone else? I am really wanting to take it as it is suppose to help with your energy but also relax you. But it seems my body doesn't like it. I was taking it before bed. But think I will slack off for awhile.
only took 1 pill a day? Any thoughts on this? Thanks. ohwell.

Well I know I was hyper last night... don't know if anyone else noticed... :-)

I did have a hard time finding sleep myself. I know I took an Ativan the night before, so maybe it was the rebound from that.. anyone else?

[Julia77]

Originally Posted by archer_bach

I guess I can say the Wb is a thing of the past. Today I went and cleaned my car, wash three loads, vacumed and cleaned my appartment, (my 21 months old boy is comming this weekend), went to the lawndry to wash my quilt, brought my suits to the cleaners (wich I've been postponing since, let say.... 2 months), did the grocery and shopping. I have to admit I got tired at about three o'clock... sat down, read a short story, determined not to go to bed (funny that I can always read)... got dinner and started moving around the house a little... and my energy returned. With a little bit of anxiety thought I must say... did a little exercise, anxiety gone. Then I got ready for my CA meeting, had a ball there... had a pizza... and here I am, feeling normal again (more or less). It is clear to me that my depression was due to tappering off Lex too quickly. And I thank God, with all my heart, that I'm not depressed anymore and avoyded taking yet another med.

I will be tappering off Lex, because I want my life back and experience feelings and sex... and I want to have the drive and awareness sometimes necessary to survive in this world. But Lex has helped me learn important lessons... It is imperative for me to learn how to live, to conquer my psychological disorders throught the best therapy, because brains and med are just too complicated for any expert to get me the results I need for sure. I beleive that in my case, meds at this point would only make things worst. But I still am glad I went throught it to help me realise it, especially the laid back attitude that Lex gives you on your life. Paradox? I don't think so. I think this is just a case of experimenting to grow... And we learn throught suffering as we say in AA. I've read thousands of posts since three weeks (because I wanted to survive, because I was affraid) and I prayed like hell too, to ease the fear when it was too mutch, and when I was thinking of surendering my life to my doctor, to Wb. But this is my realisation today. Just wish my stupid doc would have told me before... It seems they know how to prescribe it, but not how and when to take you off. Of course we don't tell them everything, but they don't ask too many questions either.

And tomorrow... is another day. I'll keep you posted.

God bless you all for your posts, and just for being humans... and be well

You've got the same concerns as I did when I started coming off lex. I thought I was one of those folks who simply couldn't stay undepressed without those drugs. But the truth is you can not be in withdrawals and depressed at the same time. If you find you are depressed the first months after c/t Lex, those are withdrawals. You simply can not tell if you are depressed until you are fully healed from this drug.
You will start to have 'windows' of normalcy, first they will be short, then they will be longer, until one day you will realize 'wow', it's been a long time since I felt normal! Don't be fooled, those wrecks will still come upon you - but don't get discouraged, they WILL go away.

[Julia77]

Originally Posted by Ohwell

Hey all,

Just wondering if anyone else has had Magnesium Maltate make them
unable to sleep in the eveing? I know its suppose to help, but it seems everytime I take it my heart pounds in my chest and my pulse quickens a bit. Then I can't sleep as usual?

Does it do this to anyone else? I am really wanting to take it as it is suppose to help with your energy but also relax you. But it seems my body doesn't like it. I was taking it before bed. But think I will slack off for awhile.
only took 1 pill a day? Any thoughts on this? Thanks. ohwell.

You've got to find what works best for you. Don't 'push' yourself into a supplement just because it works for everyone else. Try coral calcium or B complex to relax your brain. Funnily, B complex did not work well on me, but magnesium just works wonders.

[wherethehellami?]

Originally Posted by Shakespeare

Fatigue has been my "dark" companion since all this started. Even as we speak, 6 months after i tapered down, I have bouts of fatigue and lethargy. But these days I have long periods of feeling energetic, too. It's the weirdest and scariest thing I have been through all my life. You constantly go around checking your body, and every time you feel something is wrong, you automatically or instinctively believe you have cancer, HIV or some other terminal disease that is slowly killing you. It sounds dramatic but that's how it feels and that's what makes this so gut wrenching (anyone agree?). It's really frightening and very exhausting. Like yesterday I was fine and strong and cocky and energetic, but in the evening I felt a strange anxiety and my hands went almost numb and my heart started to pound. And when I woke up this morning, I felt very weak, weaker in a long time, along with tinnitus and tired hands, tired body. It's really very, very frustrating. You have my sympathy. Please e-mail me if you want. Actually, anyone who has experienced the following (main) symptoms, can e-mail me, I would love to chat one-to-one sometimes: Fatigue, sweating, palpitations, anxiety, head ache and strong tinnitus. I hope you get well soon. Take care. Today I just feel very weak. Like a virus has attacked me. I truly, truly hate this.

hey Shakespeare what's your email? I'll be more than happy to talk about fatigue and the headaches.

-Chris

[Ohwell]

How are you doing? Running much? still fatigued? Are you completely off the Lex. yet? Can't remember? Hope your well. ohwell.

[erinkj]

Hello to all. I have been devouring these message boards for a few weeks now although I only just registered. Everything I read on here has me shaking my head in the affirmative so vigorously that I think I have pulled muscles in my neck. First and foremost, I wish to thank you all for these wonderful posts, just reading them has helped me maintain some sanity as things have been very rough for me and getting more difficult everyday. My story is not unlike that of many others posting on this site, yet I will provide a brief intro for now. I am a 34 yr old female, diagnosed in 1996 with panic/anxiety disorder. ( I foolishly hit ABSOLUTE rock bottom before seeking help then. Hospitalized with IV's and a feeding tube for 3 days. I will elaborate further at a later date to any who would like to know more about that) I began my SSRI journey with Paxil and maxed out on 60mg ( I think) for 4 yrs before dropping down to 40. About 2 yrs later the Paxil hit its expiration for me. It simply quite working. Dr raised the dose again etc, nothing, nadda it simply no longer worked for me. After that we ran the gamut of meds. Dr switched me directly from one to another every time with no tapering. Each time my meds were switched I started at a comparable strength to the previous one. To date there are two I have not had, they are: Luvox and Cymbalta. After many trials I settled with Lexapro 20mg for about a year until I changed jobs and no longer had insurance to pay for it. Where I live the cheapest I could get Lex then was for $72.00. Nothing doing, I live on a budget. So, I started the generic version of Celexa 40mg, as it is Lex's parent drug and Lex had no generic. I stayed on this med for 3 yrs. It only cost me $16.00 a month. I t seemed to work well enough, I felt stable at least. The problem was constant fatigue, numbed feelings, no sex drive etc,etc. I have been on SSRI meds for a total of 11 years. The longest I had ever been off was maybe for a week. No one EVER told me anything about discontinuation/withdrawal problems from this class of meds even though I had asked. The Dr would only ever tell me that some people had to use them for life and I should keep taking them. So, I did. DUH! The times when I missed pills or forgot to refill them, the panic symptoms would slap me in the face enough to convince me that I still had this unbearable panic problem. So, I would continue the meds and all the side effects that came with them. At one point I was on Imitrex and proprananol for migraines as well as the SSRI. ( Seretonin syndrom was NEVER mentioned. After a mild stroke I quite the migrain meds) About a year ago I had a class on substance abuse ( I am full time college student. Junior) in which SSRI's were discussed as being a mind altering substance. Before that time I admit to not having known or ever questioned this possibility. I remember vividly the feelings of absolute betrayal and ignorance that washed over me that day. I was utterly stunned. I spoke with my professor after class and hit the web researching at a breakneck speed. Everything I read depressed me more. I would try to go off my meds and my boyfriend ( husband now) would get upset with me and bug me until I would start them again. I am now 4 and a half weeks off of Lexepro and in desperate need of encouragement, hence this post. After all the reading I have done here, I know that I came off Lex far to quickly and did not taper near as long as I should have. At this point I am trying desperately not to go back on any SSRI's ( especially Lex) I am taking xanax several times a day .5mg which helps immensely. My family are not fully aware of what I am dealing with. I don't think they would truly understand. I have chosen not to turn to my mother or sister as they have their own problems and I do not wish to burden them. What I need now more than ever is understanding and encouragement. I feel like this is the only place in the world ( allbeit cyber) that I am not alone! Wish me well and thanks again for all of the wonderful posts. Erin

[erinkj]

I was wondering if anyone has ever experienced yellowing of the eyes? and if this is perhaps indicative of liver toxicity possibly from lexepro use? For several years I have been getting yellow spots on the whites of my eyes. It is always in both eyes, round spots on either side of the retinas. I asked my eye doc about it before and he said it is probobly just some type of irritation likely caused as a protective measure to my eyes because I smoke! It sounded as preposterous to me then as it does now. I am wondering if this is a sign that I should have liver testing done? I would greatly appreciate any ideas or suggestions on this. Also, has lex use and/or discontinuation caused or increased nicotine cravings for anyone here? I am having a rough time with that. My smoking has doubled over the last 3 months and with all the malfunctions in my circuitry now, excess of nicotine certainly is not helping. I would love to hear anyone's take on this. Today has been rough. I had a rather maddening conversation with my pharmacist this morning as well. She more or less informed me that I am not experiencing any of the symptoms that I am having! It began with my asking her advice on a few supplements and ended with her telling me that in no uncertain terms do I have any discontinuation issues. "You cannot be having withdrawl because Lexepro is out of your system within 36 hours of discontinuation" she said. Her advice " You realy need to talk to your doctor about reinstating your Lexepro treatment, that will help you alot". I am getting increasingly frustrated with "professionals" who are clueless and don't care.It is now 1:45 pm and I am going back to bed and pray for sleep. This HAS to get better.

[Julia77]

Originally Posted by erinkj

I was wondering if anyone has ever experienced yellowing of the eyes? and if this is perhaps indicative of liver toxicity possibly from lexepro use? For several years I have been getting yellow spots on the whites of my eyes. It is always in both eyes, round spots on either side of the retinas. I asked my eye doc about it before and he said it is probobly just some type of irritation likely caused as a protective measure to my eyes because I smoke! It sounded as preposterous to me then as it does now. I am wondering if this is a sign that I should have liver testing done? I would greatly appreciate any ideas or suggestions on this. Also, has lex use and/or discontinuation caused or increased nicotine cravings for anyone here? I am having a rough time with that. My smoking has doubled over the last 3 months and with all the malfunctions in my circuitry now, excess of nicotine certainly is not helping. I would love to hear anyone's take on this. Today has been rough. I had a rather maddening conversation with my pharmacist this morning as well. She more or less informed me that I am not experiencing any of the symptoms that I am having! It began with my asking her advice on a few supplements and ended with her telling me that in no uncertain terms do I have any discontinuation issues. "You cannot be having withdrawl because Lexepro is out of your system within 36 hours of discontinuation" she said. Her advice " You realy need to talk to your doctor about reinstating your Lexepro treatment, that will help you alot". I am getting increasingly frustrated with "professionals" who are clueless and don't care.It is now 1:45 pm and I am going back to bed and pray for sleep. This HAS to get better.

Erin,

Lexapro might be out of your system after 36 hours. I am clueless about that. What causes how you are feeling now is neurotransmitters misfiring and trying to work as they did prior to Lex. It can take UP to 18 months. In some people it doesn't take that long, with some it does.

I am one of individuals who are having noticeable withdrawals from 2.5 mg. Just consider that. with you it would be wise to reinstate to your usual dose and taper off by 10-5%, if it hasn't been more than 6 weeks since you stopped. If it's been more than 6 weeks reinstating might not help and means withdrawals will just have to be waited out. Because your brain is so used to it, you might not be able to handle more than 5 %. This way you will still feel withdrawals, but they will not be that noticeable. They will not have you flat on your back. The way you tapered now you might become very sick and it will take you a long time to start to feel better.

Panic/anxiety? I sympathize with you as I do with me. I was the one who was put on this med for the same reason. The most horrible thing is that withdrawals often mask under the original symptoms for which you were put on this med. So in withdrawals, be sure you will feel anxiety /depression and you doctor will tell you you are 'serotonin deficient'. Which is not necessarily true.

If you decide to reinstate, let us know and I will guide you how to make your own Lex if you are unable to get liquids from you Doctor. Anyways, keep up! YOu are on the track. withdrawal are tough, but you can make it.

Start to take Fish Oil ( Carlson's Brand is the purest).