[wallyvee]

Hello I'm currently on 5mg of Lexapro and I want to go to 4mg. Then 3 then 2 then 1 then off. How much time at each dosage before the next cut?

I was 10mg for 5 months; then have slowly moved to 5mg since Jan. Been on 5mg for almost two weeks and feeling better. Less brain fog, sharper wit, etc.

I want to move to 4mg. Problem is that there isnt much pill to shave any more. How about crushing 5mg and then titrating it down to 4mg? Would that work ok? I'm familiair with titrating drugs; that is how I got off of Ativan.

What liquid should I tritrate the Lex with?; is water fine?

Thanks for all replies.

[rujoking]

Originally Posted by mims

Thanks for the info -- I've wondered if my vibrations and twitches and myoclonic jerks were made worse by hormone issues. i went through menopause about 5 years ago without too much trouble, , but I have wondered if the difference in hormone levels has made getting off lexapro so difficult this past year.

Hi all it has been a few days since I have been here - hope all are hanging in there!

I do believe that AD's affect ALL hormones and the endocrine system in general - when one is thrown off so are all the others - the adrenals are taxed and this can affect our whole bodies - for those having female hormone problems I would caution the use of artificial hormones at this time (and yes, bio-identicals are still artificial) especially if you are already post menopause - I think our bodies need to re-develop homeostasis and ingesting anything artificial will mess with that effort - JMO -

Erin is right about the issues that affect the gut - she advised me a few weeks ago about the antacid therapy and it does work - I also find that keeping my blood sugar level throughout the day helps as well as taking the Mag at night for sleep and muscle relaxation altho Ihave had trouble with bowels so I will look for the slo-mag.

I am at about 7 and a half months and the good windows are getting to be more the norm - I had a horrible anxiety ridden day Sunday but so far the past two have been okay - I have hope......honestly, for me, I think it will take a few more months to feel like I am not on 'high alert' all the time....even though I feel well I know that at any time some of this stuff can return and that keeps me on edge

for those that are looking to lose weight - trust me it will come - but don't stop eating healthy food - blood sugar is important at this time

be well all...

ruj

[mike2000]

Originally Posted by wallyvee

Hello I'm currently on 5mg of Lexapro and I want to go to 4mg. Then 3 then 2 then 1 then off. How much time at each dosage before the next cut?

I was 10mg for 5 months; then have slowly moved to 5mg since Jan. Been on 5mg for almost two weeks and feeling better. Less brain fog, sharper wit, etc.

I want to move to 4mg. Problem is that there isnt much pill to shave any more. How about crushing 5mg and then titrating it down to 4mg? Would that work ok? I'm familiair with titrating drugs; that is how I got off of Ativan.

What liquid should I tritrate the Lex with?; is water fine?

Thanks for all replies.

none of us here are doctors, i'd work with a prescribing doctor/your PCP

however, for example i've been doing 10 to 5 to 2.5 to 0 is my doctor's plan for me. seems like many people have tried getting off it at a slower rate. it all depends on your body.

if you can deal with the side effects of withdrawal my personal opinion would be to do it as fast as possible but only because i want results instantly! you'd probably be good with a week each 1mg, although you'd probably be best monitoring your progress, and if it gets worse, go back up to the previous dose and space it out a little bit longer (note: i'm not taking my own advice, i am committed to getting off of this asap)

i want to see if i am still a ball of nerves after getting off of the lexapro. after all, that's why i was on it originally. but as long as i can maintain just a bit of control i can try some alternative methods and worst case go back to medications. my PCP is already recommending i talk with a psychiatrist to find the right drug for me... but at the moment i don't want to bother with drugs at all if i can help it!

[mims]

Wallyvee,

Look back a couple of pages -- "hope for the best" offered a tapering schedule that worked well -- she crushed tablets and divided them out into capsules. This was just posted sometime in the past week so it shouldn't be too hard to find.

[pawsboots]

Hi all,

I'm going to taper down to 5mg. from 7.5mg. I finally stopped having the bad headaches and dizziness, but I'm afraid I'll have to deal with it again. This is a long haul. It seems that if you taper slowly there can still be problems. Psychologically the tapering is also hard because you can be afraid of the pain and return of symptoms. But, when I needed this drug it did help me, and I may still need it. Time will tell. I almost gave up with the withdrawal. A few more days made the difference. Right now I feel pretty normal. My psychiatrist is really good at working with me, and I think that's the key for getting help. The perfect drug has not yet been invented. Hang in there everybody and work with someone you trust. This is a great site. Mike, no one should have to suffer in this day and age. There should be something for you. Good luck!!

Pawsboots

[mike2000]

Originally Posted by pawsboots

Hi all,

I'm going to taper down to 5mg. from 7.5mg. I finally stopped having the bad headaches and dizziness, but I'm afraid I'll have to deal with it again. This is a long haul. It seems that if you taper slowly there can still be problems. Psychologically the tapering is also hard because you can be afraid of the pain and return of symptoms. But, when I needed this drug it did help me, and I may still need it. Time will tell. I almost gave up with the withdrawal. A few more days made the difference. Right now I feel pretty normal. My psychiatrist is really good at working with me, and I think that's the key for getting help. The perfect drug has not yet been invented. Hang in there everybody and work with someone you trust. This is a great site. Mike, no one should have to suffer in this day and age. There should be something for you. Good luck!!

Pawsboots

i am definately afraid of the symptoms returning...

see, before i got on lexapro i was nervous and almost couldn't be alone. felt hopeless and people around me helped distract me and keep me busy.

it almost feels like that again.

i'm hoping that it is the withdrawal and not the symptoms again. although i do expect some symptoms but i was hoping to figure out some plans to control them asap...

right now i'm having OCD thoughts about putting anything in my body. questioning food, medication, anything. if i can get stuff into my body and not think about it, i'm okay - but sometimes i psyche myself out ahead of time. i really need relief from that.

i do think having a good doctor relationship is key. one you trust that seems confident in their abilities and doesn't seem to need to look up the same information you can look up online yourself...

the local hospital has an outpatient thing where you go in for ~8 hours a day and meet with psychiatrists and group/individual therapy, it's supposed to be a good intensive way to get you straight i guess. makes me a little nervous to be in there with people who have been actually committed to psych wards and other "crazies" but then again - i am getting close to being one of them now

my mom told me the other day that "everything you need to fight this is inside of you" and i am trying to believe that. but it's really hard since i can't seem to control my thoughts properly. i think this is where spirituality/religion could help, thinking that you've got someone looking over you and you're not alone (even if you are physically alone)

...

[pawsboots]

Mike,

Sounds like your doing a good thing by being an outpatient. You are not a crazy and should never feel that way. Remember that God made doctors so they are a good thing. Medicine is not bad, and there should be no stigma for people who need it. I would have never questioned staying on Lexapro for the rest of my life had it not been for the tiredness and weight gain. Without this medicine I would have not made it. My doctor now wants to see if I can make it without, but I want whatever will be best for my life. If food continues to be a problem for you maybe the counseling will help, but IMO you should not be afraid of medicine or feel badly because you have to take it. Pictue it as making your body heal. I could not even leave my house before it, and now I love going out! Never give up the freedom to live without pain. There is power within you, but that power is to make the choice to do what is best for you. Your mom is there to give you encouragement and support, but I'm sure that she just wants you to be happy no matter what you have to do- meds or not. Usually people at an outpatient setting see a lot of people, and they can help you with what you need to do. Just make sure that someone is helping you to make progress. If you feel that you're not don't waste your time. You can do it with the right help. Let us know how it's going!!

Pawsboots

[mike2000]

Originally Posted by pawsboots

Mike,

Sounds like your doing a good thing by being an outpatient. You are not a crazy and should never feel that way. Remember that God made doctors so they are a good thing. Medicine is not bad, and there should be no stigma for people who need it. I would have never questioned staying on Lexapro for the rest of my life had it not been for the tiredness and weight gain. Without this medicine I would have not made it. My doctor now wants to see if I can make it without, but I want whatever will be best for my life. If food continues to be a problem for you maybe the counseling will help, but IMO you should not be afraid of medicine or feel badly because you have to take it. Pictue it as making your body heal. I could not even leave my house before it, and now I love going out! Never give up the freedom to live without pain. There is power within you, but that power is to make the choice to do what is best for you. Your mom is there to give you encouragement and support, but I'm sure that she just wants you to be happy no matter what you have to do- meds or not. Usually people at an outpatient setting see a lot of people, and they can help you with what you need to do. Just make sure that someone is helping you to make progress. If you feel that you're not don't waste your time. You can do it with the right help. Let us know how it's going!!

Pawsboots

yeah that's the problem seems like i've been wasting a lot of time - and i'm not doing the outpatient thing yet. that's just an option on the table in case i need it.

[scarlet12]

To: Icallais,


I just got off Lexapro. I was on it for probably three and a half years (minus a pregnancy in the time frame). I was finally diagnosed with bipolar after a very terrible side effect took hold of my life. Turns out that that extreme suicidal thoughts can be a side effect of the drug when given to a bipolar patient. I had been on 40mg of it at the time. Once diagnosed with bipolar (from a different doctor, who understood what was going on), she put me on Lamictal and a little bit of Lexapro.

I'm 34 now and to be honest, the side effects of both drugs in my opinion have come to weigh too heavy a burden on my life. I just finished coming off both (I tapered too fast, but I wanted to be done with them). Your son is so young. I am not a doctor, but I have been on something since I too was 20 years old. These drugs can really just level you out to feel nothing. Emotions get lost. Some of the side effects of Lexapro made me even more depressed and anxious (ie: can't concentrate, you can be so spacey, weight gain, lack of emotions, fatigue). And then once you add the Lamictal (used to treat the bipolar component), a whole slew of more side effects.

This is a hard decision. I feel for you. Maybe as another post suggested, give a psychologist a shot. I don't know how long you've known your doctor or how much you trust him or her, but it seems these days, you talk for ten minutes and the doctor's already filling out the prescription.

Good luck

[scarlet12]

It's been about three weeks since I've been off Lexapro. The brain zaps, although, not as strong, have not gone away...I don't expect them to leave anytime soon. It's amazing, because for the first time in years, I have actually felt real raw emotion (happy and sad). I have been sleeping at night! Now, this is not to say that it hasn't been hard, because believe me, it can take everything I've got not to rage at my husband. The anger can just swell up inside for no real reason. Yesterday was not bad, but today wasn't the best. I have been sooooooo tired. It feels like I can barely stay awake. Has anyone else experienced this as a side effect to withdrawal. The bad thoughts in my head keep telling me that it's just me and I'm being lazy. I know I can't let those thoughts get the best of me.

[mims]

Hi, rujoking

I hope you will continue to post regularly -- since you're just a little bit ahead of me, hearing about your progress is helpful. I'm glad you have some good windows to report.

I had a couple of bad nights Sunday and Monday with muscle jerks and throat spasms, but better last night. (Maybe it's the full moon -- I actually read that about the PAWS syndrome --- that lunar phases can affect people's symptoms. Well, there's definitely nothing we can do about that!)

Hope you continue to feel better.

[mike2000]

ugh, this sucks. day #7 on 2.5mg. i could be off of it tomorrow, if i want.

these uncontrollable OCD thoughts are making it really hard to get through each day. and i don't know if i can blame lexapro or its my issues coming back (but this time a bit worse)

i woke up all nervous and had to pop .5 clonazepam - and even before i did i was obsessing about it, and then a few minutes after i did i had a little panic. i think about it being in my system now for 5-6 hours and what if i don't want it to be in my system anymore then?

this medication is supposed to help calm me down!

sigh

appointment #2 today with hypnotherapist. not sure if she will be doing any treatment or just going over my entire case and building a game plan. she does rapid eye, NLP, hypnotherapy and i think some personal counseling. feels confident she can help me though. just need to get past this OCD, my first priority...

[jeffishere]

I just joined today. I'm wondering if anyone has had a similar experience to myself. I'm 30 years old and had been drug free up until about 6 months ago. I started having flashes of irrational fear until I had one so bad that it lasted the better part of a day. A friend took me to the walk in clinic where I got alprozolam .5 mg and a lexapro trial 10 mg. The alprozolam put me at ease and I took a lexapro before bed. I woke up with hot flashes so bad that I had to get to the emergency room right away. They would get less severe with time but I would take a lexapro before bed and wake up with hot flashes in the middle of the night. I got it under control but my doctor increased me to 20 mg lexapro to hopefully get me off the alprozolam. I was jittery, on edge and dizzy when waking up for days. Since the increase, I have gone from 165 pounds to 187 in a matter of a few months. I was at 165 for years probably. I decided to try taking less lexapro but a couple days in, I got another flash. This scared me so I decided to cut back on the alprozolam first. I am now only on the lexapro and want to be off it. The weight gain concerns me and this drug has scared me from the beginning. The doc diagnosed me with general anxiety disorder. The worst part of all this has always been sleeping and waking up with what I'm calling a hot flash... with dizziness which would put me in a very confused scared state. The one time I've taken a lexapro during the day, I had an extremely rough afternoon. My body is rather use to it now... I don't really notice any effects... but I'm afraid of going back to that. Is the lexapro preventing or causing these hot flashes? I appreciate any feedback. My doctor has never spent more than a few minutes in a room with me. I don't know if he thinks I just want drugs or if he's just that busy or what... but he doesn't want to believe lexapro has side effects.

[scarlet12]

Jeffishere:


That's not sounding too good. First off, I disagree with your doctor in that Lexapro has no side effects. It has a ton in my opinion. Although, they effect each person differently. I think the Lexapro could be causing the hot flashes in two ways: First when you are actually on the drug you get hot flashes or night sweats. I remember it being 32 degrees outside and I had to have the window open. My husband wasn't real thrilled, but he packed on the down blankets. Secondly, when you got off the Lexapro, or taper, I know for me, I was getting hot flashes and then cold sweats (at night it was always the sweats and flashes)---I think this reaction is the withdrawal part of it.

Doctors seem to want to give out these drugs like candy and put a bandaid on a problem that shouldn't be covered or masked with medication. I'm coming off, or actually recently went off Lexapro and I had doctors that prescribed me additional meds on top of my Lexapro to combat the side effects from Lexapro. For me after a year on Lexapro the side effects sky rocketed...the weight gain was much more obvious, couldn't sleep at night, hot flashes, spacey, forgetful, loss of libido, really fatigued, experienced little to no emotions--it basically wiped out my personality (although Prozac was the worst offender of that one for me). Now I just went off and I'm experiencing those brain zaps, dizziness, panic, anxiousness. I don't know how long you have been on the Lexapro, but should you decide to taper off, (which sounds like it would be a good idea with all those side effects already bothering you), remember that the effects you feel from the taper are withdrawal effects from the drug---don't think you're already back to where you were. You have to give your body time to adjust. I've only been completely off for three weeks and let me tell you it is HARD. Especially because I'm a stay at home mom of three kids six and under. I read in an earlier post that it could take 6-18mo. before my body would be free of withdrawal symptoms (but remember, I've been on the drug probably three years minus a pregnancy in there--- and then several others before that).

At one point in my life I was diagnosed with GAD until I was finally diagnosed with Bipolar II (a lighter version compared to Bipolar I). I honestly think that this can be conquered without meds. Talking to a psychologist is a good start. It's taken me years, but I've developed and discovered (and am still discovering) the coping skills that really help me.

Hope this helps to some extent.

[pawsboots]

My doctor told me when I had the hot flashes and sweating that the dose was too high so we lowered it. I went from 30 -25-20-15-17 1/2-15-12 1/2-10; then stayed there for 23 months. During that time of staying on 10 the sweating disappeared. When I lowered it to 7 1/2 the sweating and flashes reappeared. Now they are gone after almost 3 weeks. I will noow lower it to 5mg, but will probably have to face this again.


Pawsboots

[aloha_friday]

Was on 20mg of Lexapro for 1 year. My depression, I feel, came from a combination of problems (menopause, a legal issue, and no job), however things are looking up in those areas. The Lexapro DID help me with the depression.

Dr. Shrink said to taper off now. So I went from 20 to 10 for 1 month. A couple of days with dizziness, noticed my BP was very low at the same time. Have had an occasional heart palpitation and "warm flashes" I thought were just menopause. This week Dr. said go to 5 daily. Have had a headache for last 2 days, however nothing a couple of Advil or aspirin couldn't take care of.

I've also been on 200 mg of Wellbutrin for last 4 months, from my PCP, to give my mood a lift. The Wellbutrin might be cutting down on my symptoms of weaning off of Lexapro.

Anyway, I'm glad I found this forum, as I might not cut back as radically.
Hope anything I've added has helped anyone.

[pawsboots]

I'd like to take Advil or aspirin but I was told you can't on Lexapro because of bleeding. Does anyone know of the dangers on a small dose?

Pawsboots

[erinkj]

Originally Posted by mike2000

ugh, this sucks. day #7 on 2.5mg. i could be off of it tomorrow, if i want.

these uncontrollable OCD thoughts are making it really hard to get through each day. and i don't know if i can blame lexapro or its my issues coming back (but this time a bit worse)

i woke up all nervous and had to pop .5 clonazepam - and even before i did i was obsessing about it, and then a few minutes after i did i had a little panic. i think about it being in my system now for 5-6 hours and what if i don't want it to be in my system anymore then?

this medication is supposed to help calm me down!

sigh

appointment #2 today with hypnotherapist. not sure if she will be doing any treatment or just going over my entire case and building a game plan. she does rapid eye, NLP, hypnotherapy and i think some personal counseling. feels confident she can help me though. just need to get past this OCD, my first priority...

Hello. I just wanted to drop a quick line to let you know that, EVERYTHING that you are currently experiencing are all KNOWN lexapro discontinuation symptoms. If you look back a few posts, you will see that Julia77 posted an update. Julia is one of those people who was very affected by the OCD symptoms....She had a very tough time with that particular issue but, as you will see she DID get through it and is now doing so much better. I sincerely doubt that you are having a relapse to your original condition....If you were to have an actual relapse, it would not occur until months off of all medications..So, for know remind yourself that this is a 'NORMAL' withdrawal symtpom and that you truly are not going crazy (even though it may feel like it )
It is also very common to be somewhat obsesive about medications, foods or anything that you may ingest. We have ALL at some point been fearful of taking ANYTHING from asprin to vitamins, etc. So, again this is a common reaction. Another issue that many face is an inability to swallow especially pill's. As if you have a sensative gag reflex or feel as though you are going to choke when you swallow. I know how very difficult this all is but, you are moving in the right direction. The best thing that you can do to combat the agorophobic feelings is to force yourself to get out and be around other people which, you seem to be doing an admirable job of. So, keep up with what you are doing. Taper SLOWLY and, you will get through this. You should add the other vitamins and supplements to help you along in the healing process though. Most of them are available in liquid form that you can take as is or, mix with juice. Taking your supp's in liquid form can help to reduce any anxiety that you may have over swallowing pill's. I take almost ALL of mine in liquids. The only supp I take in gel cap form is Lecithin....Again, for me it is a swallowing issue...feel like I may choke on the big pill's .....Just hang in there as best that you can and do not be afraid to ask any questions that you may have, we are here to help. I have been on SSRI medications for 12 years. My original diagnosis was Panic disorder so, I am no stranger to panic attacks and anxiety. I also understand the agoraphobia.....I am now at 50% of my original med dose 6 months after stabelizing and begining a proper taper. It takes time and mass amounts of patience. ( I went off lex originaly as per dr's instructions. I managed 4 1/2 weeks before Aunty rightly convinced me to re-instate, stabelize and then taper) Those 4 1/2 weeks were pure hell..Don't taper to fast, you should not have to suffer unneccesarily! The general rule of thumb is, that you should taper at least one month per year that you have been taking the medication so, keep that in mind. If you have any questions for me please, feel free to ask......Peace...Erin

[erinkj]

Originally Posted by lcallais

My 20-year-old son has been very ill. He saw a new doctor today and he wants to put him on Lexapro & Lithium. He's sure that he has a social anxiety disorder and he wants to rule out bipolar. Any help would be appreciated.
Leslie

Lithium is a pretty hefty drug! If a doctor wishes to rule out Bi-polar then, there is no reason for him to be put on both drugs. If your son is Bi-polar then, he would likely experience a manic UP episode within a short period of time being on Lexapro...so, taking lexapro alone should be more than enough to help issolate the actual problem. Lithium on the other hand is rather harsh. It tends to put people in a zombified state...Lithium should only ever be used in cases of Bi-polar where other medications are unsuccessfull at treating it. If you read up on Lithium you will see how very potentialy dangerous a drug it is....Lexapro is small potatoes in comparisson. I am honestly quite surprised that your son's doctor did not wish to try another med first such as, Depakote....If I were you and this was my child (adult or not) I would seek a second oppinion from another doctor before combining these 2 drugs.....The potential harm far out weighs any potential good...In my oppinion....Good Luck...Peace...Erin

[mims]

Originally Posted by pawsboots

I'd like to take Advil or aspirin but I was told you can't on Lexapro because of bleeding. Does anyone know of the dangers on a small dose?

Pawsboots

I think you should ask your doctor about this. I personally took some Advil occasionally while I was tapering off lexapro. I tried not to take the two at the same time of day, and I always took each with food or a glass of kefir, never on an empty stomach. There was only a very short period of time that I took the advil every day, and I'm pretty sure that was after I had completely come off the lexapro. That's when the worst headaches kicked in.

[mike2000]

Originally Posted by erinkj

Hello. I just wanted to drop a quick line to let you know that, EVERYTHING that you are currently experiencing are all KNOWN lexapro discontinuation symptoms. If you look back a few posts, you will see that Julia77 posted an update. Julia is one of those people who was very affected by the OCD symptoms....She had a very tough time with that particular issue but, as you will see she DID get through it and is now doing so much better. I sincerely doubt that you are having a relapse to your original condition....If you were to have an actual relapse, it would not occur until months off of all medications..So, for know remind yourself that this is a 'NORMAL' withdrawal symtpom and that you truly are not going crazy (even though it may feel like it )
It is also very common to be somewhat obsesive about medications, foods or anything that you may ingest. We have ALL at some point been fearful of taking ANYTHING from asprin to vitamins, etc. So, again this is a common reaction. Another issue that many face is an inability to swallow especially pill's. As if you have a sensative gag reflex or feel as though you are going to choke when you swallow. I know how very difficult this all is but, you are moving in the right direction. The best thing that you can do to combat the agorophobic feelings is to force yourself to get out and be around other people which, you seem to be doing an admirable job of. So, keep up with what you are doing. Taper SLOWLY and, you will get through this. You should add the other vitamins and supplements to help you along in the healing process though. Most of them are available in liquid form that you can take as is or, mix with juice. Taking your supp's in liquid form can help to reduce any anxiety that you may have over swallowing pill's. I take almost ALL of mine in liquids. The only supp I take in gel cap form is Lecithin....Again, for me it is a swallowing issue...feel like I may choke on the big pill's .....Just hang in there as best that you can and do not be afraid to ask any questions that you may have, we are here to help. I have been on SSRI medications for 12 years. My original diagnosis was Panic disorder so, I am no stranger to panic attacks and anxiety. I also understand the agoraphobia.....I am now at 50% of my original med dose 6 months after stabelizing and begining a proper taper. It takes time and mass amounts of patience. ( I went off lex originaly as per dr's instructions. I managed 4 1/2 weeks before Aunty rightly convinced me to re-instate, stabelize and then taper) Those 4 1/2 weeks were pure hell..Don't taper to fast, you should not have to suffer unneccesarily! The general rule of thumb is, that you should taper at least one month per year that you have been taking the medication so, keep that in mind. If you have any questions for me please, feel free to ask......Peace...Erin

thanks for the encouragement.

today was day #1 of not taking -any- lexapro.

i can't see how it can get any worse, currently. and from what i can tell, adding more lexapro back in to taper it slower seems like it wouldn't help, as i was having some OCD symptoms before i started tapering at all (it was one reason i decided maybe i should get off of the medication, as it wasn't helping and perhaps it was actually agitating the situation!)

i was on 10mg. i did 7 days at 5mg. i did 7 days at 2.5mg. i'm going to see what happens now on 0...

if it wasn't for these OCD thoughts i don't think i'd have much unpleasantness to talk about. some lightheadedness, some hunger, my "guts" were a bit upset, haven't got the electric shock yet (i did when i got off paxil/effexor years ago so i know what it's like) but otherwise the thoughts are the only issue that has been anything worth complaining about.

it's starting to affect my relationship with my girlfriend too, and is making life very hard - i'm living hour-by-hour right now, not day by day. i am just trying to get through each day hoping that the next will be a little bit more drug-free and maybe have some more control over these bad thoughts.

i'm going to try to talk to some psychiatrists right now to see if they can give me any kind of insight, ideas, confirmation and encouragement about the OCD... if i could just control this and it hadn't made my world so small the past 7-10 days i would be doing great - work is a great distraction and all the other side effects i can basically deal with...

but the brain is the worst one of them all and the one we can't control easily. if our body hurt we could take advil. but controlling your thoughts? i'm not strong enough! if i was i probably wouldn't be on lexapro to begin with! i don't think i have any chemical imbalances, it's all in my head!

that is why i am hoping the hypnotherapy/rapid eye/other approach may help get to the root cause of all this and/or retrain my brain to take control or give me the confidence...

[rujoking]

Hi All and Happy Valentine's Day!

I am one week away from my 8th month off and I am cautiously optimistic - I have had a pretty good week - my anxiety is managable - and the muscle tension is mostly gone - I only had one mild headache but I think that was sinus related with rainstorms. I continue to take magnesuim in the pm and have really avoided anything else. Eating small snacks throughout the day helps with what I have deduced are hypoglycemic symptoms. Don't get me wrong here folks - I still experience little bits of every symptom - tight back, tight throat and chest, flutters,breathlessness and heart racing, also some much twitching - compared to a few months ago it is all so much better and lasts for shorter periods of time - indeed the improvement is marked.

The one problem I am having now (sigh, does it ever end?) is extremely dry skin and even a bit of acne on random places on my body (at 54 years old!?) I wonder if this is a sign of my body continuing to de-tox? (JUMP IN ANYTIME ERIN!!! LOL)

pawsboots - I used Advil once in a while when my headaches were awful - I did have some issues with acid reflux so I was cautious with it - if I had reflux I would take tylenol but I was wary of using too much of either.


scarlet - I admire you so.....I could not have survived this journey while caring for 3 small kids, it was hard enough for me with three grown kids! Be good to yourself!

ruj

[mike2000]

after breaking down last night for almost 2 hours feeling sad about myself, my situation, how i am limiting my girlfriend, how i miss even being myself a couple months ago when i did have issues but they weren't bad enough, i was able to calm down and relax and with 1mg of lorazepam i got nice and relaxed and was able to go to bed nicely.

today is day #2 off lexapro. i did notice last night i am getting the electric shock sensations once in a while. it doesn't really bug me that much.

i woke up at 10am, and was feeling so-so. i took a .5mg clonazepam to try to help make the beginning of the day go by better. i slept off and on until 12:30pm. i was feeling pretty comfortable and my girlfriend and i had 2 hour massages planned for valentine's day.

get to the massage place, was able to stay "mindless" enough not to overanalyze things, but when the massage started i got a bit worried about the cream/gel setting in my skin. even though it's like suntan lotion (or probably even less) and it just washes off. this OCD is a nightmare. it's causing daily squabbles between my girlfriend and i ... ugh.

that rule of thumb of one month to taper per year of being on the medication, is that one month to TAPER or one month of side effects/withdrawal symptoms (or both?)

also - i got a second opinion from one of my prescription insurance doctors on call and they said my 7-10 days on 5mg and 7-10 days on 2.5mg is "pretty standard" - obviously as it sounds like a lot of people will disagree.

my question i am pondering is - now that i have gone such an accelerated route, do you think my withdrawal is going to last longer, shorter, not the same, etc? i am sure the sooner it gets out of my system the better and if i can tolerate the more drastic side effects (like i am right now) i can just power through it. it doesn't seem logical to me that if i added some back in and tapered slower i would get through this quicker - maybe easier, but i'm already past that whole tapering phase... so wouldn't it just be better to try to get the withdrawal done sooner?

i put in like 6 or 7 calls to psychiatrists (of course at 4:45pm on friday on a three day weekend for most of us) so i won't hear back until monday at the earliest but i am hoping to get some sort of doctor's opinion who "feels" trustworthy and competent and confident about these withdrawal symptoms and that this is a smart (or at least not dumb) move.

i should have started this whole hypnotherapy and maybe psychiatrist thing prior to tapering/getting off the lexapro so i had some skills and things already setup. that's my biggest regret right now, even though julia77 started having some new OCD issues during the tapering period, i had a little bit of new OCD before i even started, and it is compounding daily. so i don't think i can blame the medication 100% - but having that psychiatrist/professional opinion might help buy me a little more patience.

i don't think i can do this for months. i'll wind up on new medication or something by that time. this week i might wind up on lexapro again or new medication if i find the right doctor, this is affecting almost every single thing i do now including intimacy... i have no outlets for joy right now to help me through this...

i do realize i am just dumping my brain out here each time i post, but it feels slightly cathardic and it is somewhat comforting hearing other people's positive words, experiences, etc, etc.

i am happy though - i am halfway through saturday. i am closer to the week again - weekends suck, its not easy to find professional advice and stuff on the weekend. but when the week rolls around i know i can find -someone- somewhere who will have an opening or be able to see me on an urgent basis. and i do have my next appointment with the hypnotherapist (best title for her) on tuesday... i just need something to start working fast...

[pawsboots]

Rujoking,

Thanks for the info on the advil. I bet your body is still detoxing, Eight months off is great!! I think hormones can also contribute to acne. I get the chest tightness, too, and heartburn since I've cut down. I also get a racing heart at times. This has been happening through the tapering. But I'm telling myself that this is only temporary. I found that it takes me 3 weeks to stabilize before the next cut. I do have a neighbor who was misdiagnosed and given the wrong medicine for about 2 years. She changed to my doctor was rediagnosed and is now on the right medicine and is feeling better.

Mike2000,

Hang in there! I chew a lot of gum it seems to take the edge off. I use to count words on my fingers and count red cars that passed when I drove, but if I catch myself doing this I redirect myself by thinking about something I'm looking forward to doing. It helps me. Maybe it will help you. I use to be a runner( for 22 years) and that satisfied my ocd tendencies. Try to find something you really enjoy and do it. Sometimes if you get a lot of activity it will tire you out and relax your brain. If you need medicine that's fine. Just about all medicine has side effects, but you want to live so you can do things. I never want to be like I was before so eventually if I have to go back I will. Weight gain was the worst for me for the side effect and my cholesterol got high so my doc wanted me off. Good luck!! hope you get some help.

Pawsboots

[mike2000]

Originally Posted by pawsboots

Mike2000,

Hang in there! I chew a lot of gum it seems to take the edge off. I use to count words on my fingers and count red cars that passed when I drove, but if I catch myself doing this I redirect myself by thinking about something I'm looking forward to doing. It helps me. Maybe it will help you. I use to be a runner( for 22 years) and that satisfied my ocd tendencies. Try to find something you really enjoy and do it. Sometimes if you get a lot of activity it will tire you out and relax your brain. If you need medicine that's fine. Just about all medicine has side effects, but you want to live so you can do things. I never want to be like I was before so eventually if I have to go back I will. Weight gain was the worst for me for the side effect and my cholesterol got high so my doc wanted me off. Good luck!! hope you get some help.

Pawsboots

ehh i don't think that will keep me sufficiently occupied

right now i've got some people over and i was at my parents (safe place) earlier, and after the massage too - my body feels soooo exhausted/relaxed but i feel almost hyper but i do feel pretty decent. although i know that if i challenged myself with something that is making my OCD go nuts, i'd have issues.

but right now i feel almost like a normal person, i just am severely limited in what i can do. but as long as i don't need to challenge it i can get through today happily... then on to sunday, then maybe i can talk to some people monday, and definately tuesday...

[mims]

Mike2000,

To answer your question about "one month per year", the recommendation is that you should spend at least one month tapering off your meds if you have been on medication for a year. If you have been on psychiatric meds for 2 years, you should spend at least 2 months tapering off. 3 months for 3 years of drug use, etc. Of course, if you were on a high dose of medication, it may take longer to taper.

I was just looking through a book in the library about psychiatric meds. Dr Breggin's book "Your drug may be your problem" was written before Lexapro was on the market, but he says the same basic taper applies to all psychiatric medications. He says that "the last step may be the most difficult .... some people benefit from prolonged use of tiny doses during the last phase of withdrawal".

Some of us on this message board have found it to be true that small amounts of the lexapro were still having a big effect. It seems like 2.5 mg should be easy to quit, but you might get along better if you take another couple of weeks to taper off that. If you start feeling terrible, maybe you should consider going back on the last dose you were taking, and taper from there. You just have to play it by ear, and figure out what works for you.

Also, a pharmacist can be a good source of advice on tapering.

My personal opinion: It doesn't matter if you get off lexapro 2 weeks sooner -- - or 2 weeks later. 2 or 3 or 4 more weeks is not important, unless the drug itself is making you feel worse..

It's not like, "the sooner I get into withdrawal , the sooner it will be over". May be that way for some, but certainly not for everybody.

Take it easy on yourself, and don't feel bad about going back on 2.5 to taper off if you feel like you need to slow things down. However, if you are regularly taking the other drugs you mentioned, that may ease the withdrawal symptoms. And remember when you decide to discontinue those drugs, you may need a slow taper for those, also.

Are you supposed to be taking both lorazepam AND clonazepam? I have no medical training -- it just seems unusual to take both.

[mike2000]

Originally Posted by mims

Mike2000,

To answer your question about "one month per year", the recommendation is that you should spend at least one month tapering off your meds if you have been on medication for a year. If you have been on psychiatric meds for 2 years, you should spend at least 2 months tapering off. 3 months for 3 years of drug use, etc. Of course, if you were on a high dose of medication, it may take longer to taper.

I was just looking through a book in the library about psychiatric meds. Dr Breggin's book "Your drug may be your problem" was written before Lexapro was on the market, but he says the same basic taper applies to all psychiatric medications. He says that "the last step may be the most difficult .... some people benefit from prolonged use of tiny doses during the last phase of withdrawal".

Some of us on this message board have found it to be true that small amounts of the lexapro were still having a big effect. It seems like 2.5 mg should be easy to quit, but you might get along better if you take another couple of weeks to taper off that. If you start feeling terrible, maybe you should consider going back on the last dose you were taking, and taper from there. You just have to play it by ear, and figure out what works for you.

Also, a pharmacist can be a good source of advice on tapering.

My personal opinion: It doesn't matter if you get off lexapro 2 weeks sooner -- - or 2 weeks later. 2 or 3 or 4 more weeks is not important, unless the drug itself is making you feel worse..

It's not like, "the sooner I get into withdrawal , the sooner it will be over". May be that way for some, but certainly not for everybody.

Take it easy on yourself, and don't feel bad about going back on 2.5 to taper off if you feel like you need to slow things down. However, if you are regularly taking the other drugs you mentioned, that may ease the withdrawal symptoms. And remember when you decide to discontinue those drugs, you may need a slow taper for those, also.

Are you supposed to be taking both lorazepam AND clonazepam? I have no medical training -- it just seems unusual to take both.

i take 1mg of lorazepam at night to help sleep (been taking it for years, because the lexapro seemed to affect my sleep) - as my old (great) doctor said i won't be addicted to it until i'm coming back to refill it early etc.

i also was taking it 3 times per day this summer for a couple weeks while i was in "crisis mode" - instructions from my current PCP. then i got on clonazepam which is less addictive.

i was taking clonaz 2x per day and 1x loraz at night then. for 3, 4 months. i got off the clonaz without taper at all and don't remember feeling any different. i don't think i'm taking enough to make it an issue. also right now, i only take it in the morning if i feel a little weird and get me a boost of confidence for the day.

i don't like taking it too often - i was told to space it 6 hours out, so i have to watch the clock so i take it at 11am maybe, 5pm maybe and then loraz at 11pm - but i usually add a little bit more time on to it. i don't want to make myself anxious about slightly duplicating anything...

anyway last night i read some stuff and it seems like i've had OCD issues the entire time and i've never been diagnosed properly and i think only one counselor had even done any kind of CBT... which seems to be the effective way of dealing with it.

day #3 of no lexapro ... talk to you guys later

[pawsboots]

Mims,

Thanks, this is really good information for me. I was having trouble understanding the taper. I've been on 5mg. for 3 days with balance problems, headaches, and brain fog, but really good spirits so far. I did a lot of cleaning today to keep busy, but the head pressure and balance got to be too much. I'm busy with some projects now.

Do I have this right? It should take 2 months for each reduction since I've been on it for 2 years? I think it's been 8 months now . The higher doses were the easiest to cut down on. They were actually too high for me. 10mg. seemed to be the best, but I was still fatigued. As time goes on I seem to adjust emotionally, But I am afraid if another trauma comes I won't be able to handle it. I guess time will tell. I've used Xanax during bad times before, but it was terrible for me. Valium was much better, but the DR. at that time wouldn't prescribe it. Do you know why?

Pawsboots

[mike2000]

anyone looked into things like st john's wort?

obviously talking to a doctor first if on a current medication. i wonder how long i'd have to wait before it might be safe to try it. it doesn't have any definitive benefits, but does seem to have a lot of people who claim positive effects for anxiety, depression, even OCD.

[mims]

Well, I'm no expert, just reporting what I've read. But it's my understanding that the one month per year is the minimum recommended time for the entire taper, not for each cut. It does not seem conservative (slow) enough for people who've been on meds for a year or less. For example if you were on an ssri for only one-half of a year, you would only have to taper for 2 weeks, according to those guidelines. I personally don't think that would be a good idea to reduce that quickly.

I think those guidelines probably are good for people who have been on drugs for a long time; I think the point is that if you have been on meds for 10 years, you will need at least 10 months for your taper. 20 years would be 20 months to taper.

I would think you'd be wise to stay at each level 2 weeks or until you feel "stable". If you cut again before you feel stable, your withdrawals sort of pile up on you.

I don't know very much about the benzo's -- maybe Erin will chime in. I know most of them are addictive, some are probably worse than others.