Lexapro Withdrawal

[erinkj]

mimmie: How are you doing? let us know please, we do care!

Kyle: Hello and welcome.

Olivia: Have you started the pottery or your work out yet? I LOVE pottery! It is SOO relaxing...There is nothing quite like the feeling of wet clay in your hands...Wheel work is a bit tricky but, practice makes perfect. Ceramics are part of my Art requirement for my degree..Love it! (takes less concentration than my paintings/drawings) How are things going for you?

Julia: What did you decide to do about your lex dose? feeling any better?

Neveradullmoment: What's up stranger?

Anyone I didn't mention...HELLO! I have been real busy. Painted my entire basement and it is full length so, that took awhile..UGH! My classes started last week so, I am pretty busy with that which is good, it helps alot to stay busy. Since I re-instated and switched back to celexa after christmas, I am feeling ALOT better. I am still at 20mg=10mg lex...I used to take 40mg celexa=20mg lex before switching to lex yadda,yadda,yadda. I did not up my dose to 30mg as the psych dr told me to...Hey, my decision right! I do have more energy at this dose than I have in the last few years at the higher dose. That may be because I am taking less or because of my supplements or a combination, who knows but, I do feel better. I am still shooting for the end of January to start dropping my dose, I sure hope it goes better this time. In the morning I have to go and get a cyst removed from under my arm....OUCH....As much as it hurts now, it can only feel better once it is gone. My husband wants to operate tonight but, I am holding out for a nice BIG syringe full of lidocaine. NUMB me up Doctor ! Well, that's what is up with me....Erin

8monthslater: Is your detox done? Can you eat real food again?

[Julia77]

You might find that 5-htp will help. Some people dont respond to it but I did, thankfully. The good news is that it's relatively cheap and you can get it at Walmart. SAM-e might also help you but it's a bit more expensive.

I wish you the best.

DO NOT TAKE ANY OF THEM UNTIL YOU'RE AT LEAST A YEAR OFF ANY SSRIS! THIS COMBO IS DEADLY. IT CAN CAUSE A DEADLY SEROTONIN BOOST.

I will give you guys my update tomorrow when I am rested....thanks for support everyone.

[wherethehellami?]

6 nights without lex after only taking 3 pills. tonight was horrible. thoughts running everywhere, no sleep, hot flashes, burning in arms and body, feels like bugs crawling under my skin on my face, blurred vision. what a mess i am. cant function, dehydrated still no matter how much i drink. still taking the omegas. i dont think i can do this anymore. getting really bad. having breathing problems now. so nervous i could scream.

mimmie what dose did you start to take?

[taeon]

I have depression and axiety disorder and am male

I was taking 10mg of lexapro after tapering off zoloft/welbutrin for 2 weeks. The first 2 weeks of lexapro was fine then I was prescribed (accidentally) 20 mg tabs. So I cut them in half and took them. On the 2nd day in combination with an ashma inhaler, I had a HUGE panic attack and thoughts of suicide (I've never had a single suicidal thought in my life). My doctor told me to taper off and I started to, but the suicidal thoughts hit me hard the day I took it again. So I stopped last Thursday cold turkey. The ER doctor (unrelated bladder infection) gave me Xanax for the panic attacks. My gen doctor told me to continue the Xanax for the withdrawal symptoms and start up my zoloft again 100 mg. I've been doing that for 2 days now and feel awful. Going cold turkey isn't my idea of smart with the SSRI Withdrawal Syndrome rearing it's ugly head, but the suicidal thoughts were really starting to weigh on me. I almost thought I had to go into the ER again to get help (which would probably include a 72 hour hold or something). I just started a new job have no appetite. Oh I want to eat, but the stress of it is causing me to survive on supplements and shakes.

I did find that being near my ex wife helps.

Any tips guys?

[oliviaj]

I haven't started my pottery class yet because my 93 year old mom got sick over the weekend and had to go into the hospital so I have been monitoring her care and trying to make arrangements for when she comes home. A little stressful right now to say the least. I saw my new psychiatrist last week and she attempted to put me on klomipin rather than ativan. I did not have a good reaction. I woke up about an hour after falling asleep with the worst case of the shakes. Then all night I kept coming slightly awake and feeling like something was wrong or that I didn't feel well and then I'd go back to sleep. Needless to say I'm back on ativan. Olivia

[Tryn]

I have depression and axiety disorder and am male

I was taking 10mg of lexapro after tapering off zoloft/welbutrin for 2 weeks. The first 2 weeks of lexapro was fine then I was prescribed (accidentally) 20 mg tabs. So I cut them in half and took them. On the 2nd day in combination with an ashma inhaler, I had a HUGE panic attack and thoughts of suicide (I've never had a single suicidal thought in my life). My doctor told me to taper off and I started to, but the suicidal thoughts hit me hard the day I took it again. So I stopped last Thursday cold turkey. The ER doctor (unrelated bladder infection) gave me Xanax for the panic attacks. My gen doctor told me to continue the Xanax for the withdrawal symptoms and start up my zoloft again 100 mg. I've been doing that for 2 days now and feel awful. Going cold turkey isn't my idea of smart with the SSRI Withdrawal Syndrome rearing it's ugly head, but the suicidal thoughts were really starting to weigh on me. I almost thought I had to go into the ER again to get help (which would probably include a 72 hour hold or something). I just started a new job have no appetite. Oh I want to eat, but the stress of it is causing me to survive on supplements and shakes.

I did find that being near my ex wife helps.

Any tips guys?

Hello...I was also on ten mg of lexapro about three months ago...I took it for five days and had a trip from hell when I stopped cold turkey..I figured..since my dr put me on them at ten mgs..then it would be ok to just stop them...WRONG answer..I experienced cold chills...hot flashes..burning sensations throughout my whole body...anxiety worsened...panic attacks were more often...so I guess I was not only dealing with the actual side affects of my body getting used to them..I also was going through the wd's when I stopped them..so needless to say it was kicking my butt. I too had "just" started a new job in the midst of it all...what I did was take xanax for two nights while the worst parts..but found after that it was tolerable..still there..but more tolerable...as I have never been on anything this strong I was freaking out not sure what my body was going through..and that in itself was terrifying..as for the suicidal thoughts...find things that tries to relax u...it is very very difficult at times..but keep telling urself it is the meds..and this will pass..and believe me..it will..as a matter of fact..after about a month I noticed change...after month three since I had not taken it for that long I felt somewhat normal again.."UNTIL" I did a liver detox...and holy cow...it triggered a re-lapse...so guess what? Yep..u got it..I am going through all of it again...HOWEVER..this time around is not near as rough as the first time so for that I am thankful..so hang in there stay strong...it will get better...There is always a light at the end of the tunnell..I thank god every day for this forum..it has helped me out a lot...and I have gotten a lot of information from many people on here..Thanks everyone for ur help..take care all..and God Bless!!!!

Tryn

[taeon]

I spent the night at the ex wife's. I felt better then. This morning I was hit by a large depression spell. I'm still having trouble eating. I have found that I now have a fear of death. I know it's natural and everything to fear death, but it is scaring the beejezus out of me. I need to get in to see a psychiatrist but the referral is "in process." Because of all that, suicidal thoughts are there in the background, but death scares me more now. Help!

edit - i figured it was the panic attacks. i took a half of xanax and it doesn't bother me as much. course i'm about to fall asleep at work now but...

[taeon]

BTW the suicidal thoughts are pretty much mute at the point. It's more depression now than anything, but that may be the lack of a real depression medication. Who knows.

[4mytasha]

I've been taking 20mgs of the Lex since August and thought it was the holidays that I was gaining weight but I never gained weight at the holidays and never so much in one area. It's all around my stomach and although it's only been 6 pounds, that's a heck of a lot of weight for one area.
I have been cutting the 20's in half and I will take 10's for a week. I'll then cut the 10's in half and do 5's for a week and then I plan on being off.
I read posts from another site though that once the Lex takes a hold of your matabulism, it can take nearly 6 months to get it going again.
I also read that the studys were only done for 12 weeks so that's why the Drs. can tell you there is no weight gain from the antidepressant. That is, if you, like MOST, take it longer than 12 weeks, Being heavy is and of it's own depression for me so no matter how good I feel, if I'm feeling fat, I'm not feeling good in any way.

[taeon]

How do I tell the difference between serotonin syndrome and lexapro withdrawal?

[taeon]

I just got off the phone from a voicemail from the on call doctor for my gen dr. he said to discontinue the zoloft and go back to the lexapro??? wtf?

[erinkj]

I just got off the phone from a voicemail from the on call doctor for my gen dr. he said to discontinue the zoloft and go back to the lexapro??? wtf?

That is a very common medical responce you were given. Their logic tells them, this is not my patient, this is not life threatening.....switch back to the last med your doctor prescribed (lexapro) and follow up with your doctor! Physicians HATE when patients switch med's without being told to..... I switched back to a previous med when I re-instated so, I understand why you would have gone back to the zoloft..Why did you stop taking the zoloft and switch to lexapro?...Erin

[erinkj]

How do I tell the difference between serotonin syndrome and lexapro withdrawal?

Well, with seretonin syndrome you would likely be rather confused, disoriented, severe tremors, off balance, be having siezures and or extreme migrain type pain, parkinsons type symptoms like uncontrolled body movement an/or inability to move, euphoria and/or delerium....Just to name a few. Although seretonin syndrome does happen, it is quit rare and most often caused by taking more than one drug that works through the seretonergic pathway. Example: any anti-depressant with anti-migrain meds, like lexapro and immitrex. Seretonin syndrome may also be caused by a serious almost allergic type reaction to an anti-depressant. Some people are more sensative to these med's than others...Erin

[erinkj]

I haven't started my pottery class yet because my 93 year old mom got sick over the weekend and had to go into the hospital so I have been monitoring her care and trying to make arrangements for when she comes home. A little stressful right now to say the least. I saw my new psychiatrist last week and she attempted to put me on klomipin rather than ativan. I did not have a good reaction. I woke up about an hour after falling asleep with the worst case of the shakes. Then all night I kept coming slightly awake and feeling like something was wrong or that I didn't feel well and then I'd go back to sleep. Needless to say I'm back on ativan. Olivia

My husband is that way with lorazepam. It has the opposite effect on him making him very anxious instead of calm. It is best to stick with a med that you know how it affects you and that it works for you. I know you don't want to be on a benzo, no one really does but; you take a small dose and sometimes you just need that calm....beats the h*ll out of loosing you'r mind ! I hope everything worked out with you'r mom..93..WOW. You are doing a great job of working at getting yourself all together..Good for you...keep it up, you will get there sooner than you know ....Erin

[ari.spieg]

How long it takes for accupuncture to work if I decide to leave Lexapro.
Anyone knows?

[erinkj]

O.K. I have had more than my fair share of painfull injuries in my day. My husband has said that part of his interest in me was that I had more scars than him. Guy's dig scars evidently! ( I say HAD because he keep's adding more scars to his resume and me? not so much.) Regardless of my past pain experience, I NEVER EVER want to have another needle or sharp instrument jabbed into my armpit again . OMG! Lidocain? um...morphine PLEASE...I think oragel would have numbed it better...Options? I think id'e rather have a root canal or child birth again....So, that was how yesterday went...Today was classes and my daughter missing a flight to her dad's and the telephones that would NOT stop ringing.....My sister yapping at me about how I should have waited for her to go with me so she could see the doctor cut me open..ICK..what is wrong with her??? after lunch I fell asleep on my couch and missed my afternoon class. Why couldnt the phone have rung then? Anyway, we have another snow storm moving in tommoro so, maybe I won't have classes on thursday....Snow day PLEASE. Time for me to crawl into bed and chill....Goodnight all. .....Erin

[Julia77]

BTW the suicidal thoughts are pretty much mute at the point. It's more depression now than anything, but that may be the lack of a real depression medication. Who knows.

Hey there....well those thought unfortunately are 'normal' for w/d. I hate to say they hit me too, and I am so much not like that. On Friday I called my friend asking to leave work and come over, I was so frightened I could hurt myself somehow. And I am cutting down gradually versus cold turkeying with you. Sorry it hurts my eyes now to sit a long time in front of my computer so I end up missing a lot of posts, did you say you only took them for 2 weeks?
Those drugs mess up your brain a lot, and like you said being near someone who you can rely on really helps. If it's your ex-wife, be next to her. And keep praying, I always tell myself as long as I have the Bible in my hands nothing can happen.
Hang in there... and remember: it's not you, it's the drug!!

[Julia77]

I've been taking 20mgs of the Lex since August and thought it was the holidays that I was gaining weight but I never gained weight at the holidays and never so much in one area. It's all around my stomach and although it's only been 6 pounds, that's a heck of a lot of weight for one area.
I have been cutting the 20's in half and I will take 10's for a week. I'll then cut the 10's in half and do 5's for a week and then I plan on being off.
I read posts from another site though that once the Lex takes a hold of your matabulism, it can take nearly 6 months to get it going again.
I also read that the studys were only done for 12 weeks so that's why the Drs. can tell you there is no weight gain from the antidepressant. That is, if you, like MOST, take it longer than 12 weeks, Being heavy is and of it's own depression for me so no matter how good I feel, if I'm feeling fat, I'm not feeling good in any way.

Hello and welcome. The way you taper will bring you to withdrawals, and eventually weight loss. Yes you do gain weight on those drugs, but please be reassured you will lose it all. 20 pounds loss for me and no dieting whatsoever, have never been thin, but was ridiculously fat on Lex.
Please taper properly. 10% every 2-3 weeks. Read this thread and learn from people's misery. If you feel ok on 10 mg, there is probably no need to reinstate to 20....just my experience. But do not go 5 right away and then stop. It will put you into severe withdrawals where you can be sick for up to 18 months.

[erinkj]

I am sorry you are feeling so poorly . I wish I could help. Stay strong....Erin

[mom4cnk]

Hi There, this is my first time on this site. I have been on 10mg of Lexapro for almost 4 months and I want to wean off. Any suggestion on the best way to do this? I do not want to go see my doctor, for fear of him wanting to keep me on this longer. I hate the side effects, especially the weight gain. I almost fainted when I got on the scale this morning. 10 pound weight gain!!!. I would love some friendly feed back on how to do this the right way.
Help!!!!!
Mom4cnk

[taeon]

Just wanted to give you all an update. I'm eating solid food for the first time in 2 weeks right now without much anxiety. I lost some weight, but that wasn't my goal. My goal is to get healthy then lose weight (I'm not fat beyond any stretch but I don't workout and I need to). I'm going to only take the zoloft 100 mg for the anxiety and go to therapy for the deppression (made an appt for today =) )

[taeon]

That is a very common medical responce you were given. Their logic tells them, this is not my patient, this is not life threatening.....switch back to the last med your doctor prescribed (lexapro) and follow up with your doctor! Physicians HATE when patients switch med's without being told to..... I switched back to a previous med when I re-instated so, I understand why you would have gone back to the zoloft..Why did you stop taking the zoloft and switch to lexapro?...Erin

Fortunately for me, my Lexapro cold turkey was DR approved. Just he's out a lot apparently when I need him. He called this morning and said ignore that guy (which I did anyway). He also said I can not go back on wellbutrin and just stick with zoloft.

[taeon]

Hey there....well those thought unfortunately are 'normal' for w/d. I hate to say they hit me too, and I am so much not like that. On Friday I called my friend asking to leave work and come over, I was so frightened I could hurt myself somehow. And I am cutting down gradually versus cold turkeying with you. Sorry it hurts my eyes now to sit a long time in front of my computer so I end up missing a lot of posts, did you say you only took them for 2 weeks?
Those drugs mess up your brain a lot, and like you said being near someone who you can rely on really helps. If it's your ex-wife, be next to her. And keep praying, I always tell myself as long as I have the Bible in my hands nothing can happen.
Hang in there... and remember: it's not you, it's the drug!!

Now that I'm off the wellbutrin, I can see exactly where I went wrong in my marriage. I looked at the side effects and they mirrored what happened to me. I got distant, angry, isolated, ect. Sure my work excelled, but I completely ruined my personal life. I'm trying to make amends with her. The Zoloft has done nothing but help me though so I'm thankful for that.

[taeon]

Arrgghhh here come the withdrawls. Hot flashes with my right arm itching and suicidal thoughts arrgghhh

edit - oh and there's pressure behind my right eye.

edit2 - I took a 1/4 of xanax and feel a little better. I'm still having weird thoughts. I was scaring myself with them though.

[taeon]

Update: I got euphoric earlier today. I think it was euphoric... I'm not sure if it was related but it's the 2nd day in a row I've had it. I am also extremely tired (xanax wouldn't account for this kind of tired).

edit - I guess the euphoria was a mood swing. I dunno.

[erinkj]

Update: I got euphoric earlier today. I think it was euphoric... I'm not sure if it was related but it's the 2nd day in a row I've had it. I am also extremely tired (xanax wouldn't account for this kind of tired).

edit - I guess the euphoria was a mood swing. I dunno.

That type of euphoric feeling sounds like mania to me. It is very common to have mild to moderate manic episodes with lexapro withdrawl and it usually happens within the first week or two off of lex. It should'nt last to long. Remember though that manic episodes swing both ways regardless of how mild, you get kind of a euphoric and/or energized feeling then you may or may not get the strong down swing of depression and/or fatigue. Sounds like your in that manic phase. Sorry, I know it sucks but, it will pass...Erin

[erinkj]

Arrgghhh here come the withdrawls. Hot flashes with my right arm itching and suicidal thoughts arrgghhh

edit - oh and there's pressure behind my right eye.

edit2 - I took a 1/4 of xanax and feel a little better. I'm still having weird thoughts. I was scaring myself with them though.

The pressure thing behind your eye or eye's is also common. I got massive migrains, vision changes, etc. Were you on wellbutrin and zoloft at the same time?

[Julia77]

I am sorry you are feeling so poorly . I wish I could help. Stay strong....Erin

Hi! You are always so kind. Don't get discouraged - I didn't taper properly from the very beginning. If you will, you won't be anywhere near where I am. Plus I also seem to be a slow metabolizer.
Have you been able to stabilize?

[tavee]

hi guys!
JUST CHECKING IN TO SEE HOW EVERYONE IS DOING. IT IS AMAZING HOW MANY NEW PEOPLE ARE ON HERE SINCE I LEFT.

I AM DOING GREAT. IT HAS BEEN 3 MONTHS SINCE I HAVE BEEN OFF LEX. I AM CONTINUING TO TAKE MY OMEGA AND MY PRENATAL AND FOLIC ACID SINCE I AM TRYING TO GET PREGNANT. THE HIMALAYAN GOJI JUICE HAS HELPED ME TREMENDOUSLY.

THIS IS ACTUALLY CONSIDERED MY THREE MONTH MARK PERIOD, BUT BECAUSE I TAPERED FOR A YEAR, I AM NOT SUFFERING THRU ANYTHING THANK GOD.THEY SAY THAT THE THREE MONTH MARK IS NOT A GOOD ONE BUT IT ONLY HAPPENS TO PEOPLE WHO GO OFF IT THE WRONG WAY!!

ANY NEWBIES OUT THERE: I WAS ON LEX FOR 4 YEARS. IT TOOK ME ONE YEAR TO TAPER. DO NOT QUIT COLD TURKEY WHATEVER U DO. TAKE URE SUPPLEMENTS AND EXERCISE.

THE ONLY WAY TO GET OFF THIS DRUG IS TO TAPER. NOW TAPERING DOES NOT MEAN TO GET OFF IT LESS THAN A YEAR. IT SHOULD TAKE U ONE YEAR IF U WANT TO DO IT THE RIGHT WAY AND NOT SUFFER THRU ANYTHING.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE. U WILL ALL BE FINE, BUT U HAVE TO DO IT THE RIGHT WAY.
IF U HAVE QUESTIONS AUNTY CAN HELP U OR I CAN HELP U, BUT U HAVE TO STICK THRU THIS!!

GOD BLESS U ALL.

TAVEE

[Ohwell]

Anyone, did you have any creepy-crawly sensations under your skin with withdrawal? I woke up about an hour ago from a dream and haven't been able to shake it. My scalp is itchy, and I feel shaky too. Its freaking me out because itchy, creepy crawly is a symptom of lymphoma (the type of cancer I had a year and a half ago)...I sure hope this is a withdrawal? anyone?
I am at 5 months off Lex. now. Have been doing fine and now this? ohwell.