[sarita]

tavee,

you are definelty having withdrawals. the hot flashes and lack of appetite is because you are nauseous. try some giner tea for your stomach. and eat something. if u can't eat, try crackers, dry toast.

help me,
you r doin' amazing if your panic attacks are only a few seconds. that's great!! OMEGA will help with the depression. take more on those days you will sad. it's just the withdrawals. and pms. pms is the absolute worst for withdrawals. ug....but remember, it's pms!!!!!

rey rey,
im sorry about the HIV diagnosis. that must be devastsating. i can see why you'd have more anxiety. lexipro can definetly numb you out. i also felt numb and dumb and couldn't make decisions like i used to do.
if you feel okay and have support, you may consider getting off this stuff but please, for the love of god, go super slow. 10% at the most per every couple weeks.

hope,
people get anxiety if different areas of the body. yours is your leg. mine is my right chest. my right leg also got weak. anxiety. and when i panic sometimes, my leg will get weak. try to study how to control your anxiety for ex; deep breathing, mind control, etc..it helped me alot. i got a couple books and stuff and it's pretty much gone.

annie and jab,
going cold turkey is a big no no.....it can cause terrible physical and emotional and pyschological damage and for some, even worse like suicide and murder. don't mean to scare you, but get back on it or consult your doctor. doctors don't know much about this new drug. jab, get back on it, go to work, and go to www.theroadback.org for help on how to taper safely. if you want to stay on a different drug, consult you doctor.

[Hopeful285]

Thank you Sarita.

I had leg weakness for 4-5 months before I got restless leg syndrome. A neurologist did not even diagnose me correctly. They should know the side effect of SSRI's. They all have the same side affect so if it effect your seratonin levels and they know the side effects of other SSRI's, it should be a no brainer for them. I would have quit taking the drug 4-5 months ago if he would have diagnosed me correctly. He did not do anything. I believe the doctors try to protect each other and even if a mistake is made they won't reveal it.
4 doctors and none of them will admit it is Lexapro. The Kroger pharmacy confirmed that all my side effects match that of Lexapro.

I read on www.webmd.com that you can have heart attack, bloodclot of the lung, seizures, and anemia. All this was not on the insert when I started taking Lexapro.


My mother-in-law, my sister, and I all have anemia and all take Lexapro. This is one reason Lexapro makes you tired.


Hopeful285

[sarita]

hopeful,
i am serious getting a petition together and a law suit but i need at least 50 names and #'s of people who want to do it. i know people don't like to give their real names and #'s so this is going to be hard. but i do have 5 people already but no names and #'s. i have to figure out how to do this.

i know it's lexipro. it's anxiety too.

[legalrn]

Hello "old" friends. It has been a little while, but I return with an update. For all new posters since my last post, as a Registered Nurse, I strongly urge that no one attempt to go COLD TURKEY withdrawal. Forget what the "doctors" say regarding withdrawal. They are not the scientists. Be positive that the drug manufacturer and the FDA KNOW AND KNEW about the withdrawal symptoms but reported them as "minor" side effects when the drug was approved.

Second, while I empathisize with the class action thoughts, as a certified Legal Assistant (hence legalrn) and having practiced in plaintiff's med mal for more years than I care to let on, please be aware that "sending a message" will not be accomplished. The attorneys get VERY RICH on class action. Believe me, because I was on the first silicone class action cases and some of the checks that went for to the litigants were a grand total of $12.83. Our law firm made close to $12 million on the case. It was an absolute embarrassment to send these small checks to the victims. Don't want to burst any bubble, just buyer beware. Also, be very prepared to provide ALL medical records and psyche records for 10-15 years. And I mean all. Litigation is nasty business.

Now on to the update of my professional weaning of my executive, traveling spouse. We are now at the end of the Pre-tapering program as recommended by theroadback.org My husband has been a champ in keeping up with the schedule of all the supplements. And it does seem like a lot. He feels that he has benefited from the power barley. He is on the second day of the "cherry juice" 4 times a day and at bed time. I reiterate to those who are skeptical or can't keep up with the schedule. My husband is on the road 3-4 days a week every week. He is in the retail business and this is the most stressfull time of the year for him (Christmas). If he can be in a car and drink barley and cherry, then for your peace of mind sake you should too.

The slow taper will begin Saturday. I will take him from 20 mg to 17.5 mg. I have chopped the 20 mg tablets and the 5 mg tablets and placed a months worth of dosing in bags for him. He has his marching orders to report ANY withdrawal symptoms, because I just won't have him uncomfortable while working under pressure nor fear that I will have a Mr. Grouchy pants on the telephone or in my home at night!

In regard to the post regarding the strange leg movements. I have proceeded with weaning my spouse because he developed a symptom where he was in essence acting out his dreams. He was kicking, and yelling and screaming while sleeping. One night I took a pretty good licking in the ribs and another time, he fell out of bed. This symptom developed about 4-6 weeks after he went on Lex. He also gained 40 lbs, and like the females in the group developed some libido problems as well.

I look forward to posting "positive" outcomes as we reach milestones. Take care and hang in there to all who are "suffering" through the withdrawal right now. This site proves that there are people that care and thankfully are willing to share.

[brandi]

Hey there...

I'm posting what I really needed to read about three weeks ago. I trolled a lot of sights about getting off meds, and found very few that had posts that were hopeful or positive (including this site.)

I'll first say that I don't think SSRI are evil. They quite possibly saved my life several years ago, but I'm ready to get off em. I've been on SSRIs for over eleven years. I took four months to take myself off (currently) lexapro. In the last 20 years i've seen 12 psychiatrists and 17 psychologists. I've been on lots of different meds. I'm so ****ing tired of talking about myself that I'm just bored and sick of the whole thing.

So, here's the good stuff... getting off is hard, but it's not impossible, and it really hits home how much this **** is really affecting your brain and your body. Three weeks out, I'm still getting serious zaps, and lots of vertigo, but it's so much better than the first two weeks. After 11 years on SSRIs, I think my side effects are probably understandable. I was totally expecting that once the half-life of these was over, that I wouldn't have side effects, but I wasn't counting on the fact that my brain would need to re-train itself (and that I'd need to retrain myself about how to deal with my emotions.)

For what it's worth, my main reason in posting here is to let folks who are getting off these meds know that as uncomfortable as you may feel now, it does get much better and the way you feel during the first few weeks is NOT the way you'll feel later. Exercise, eat well, don't drink excesively, you'll be fine, promise.

[sarita]

LEG,
Thanks for writing. It's good to hear from you.
I feel like one of the lucky ones. After my first bad attempt to taper (and it wasn't even cold turkey) i went back on, did TONS of research, and found the www.theroadback.org which i have been sharing with everyone cause i strongly beleive in their supplements and tapering. You're a good woman to help your husband. It doesn't have to be exact times, but it's good he has a schedule to keep....


I have been tapering for 7 months at 5-10% each taper waiting about 2-3 weeks in between or until i feel "normal" enough to taper again.
So, far, I've had very little problems just during pms and period. Basically, that means 2 weeks out of a month i will feel alittle dizzy, alittle anxious, a little weepy, etc.....make sure someone reminds you that it's your women's time so you don't think negative.

Brandi,
How do you feel now? Are you taking supplements? I'm down to 3/4 of a milligram. It's crazy but just 1/4 of a milligram taper can affect you.

[brandi]

Hi Sarita,

I am taking 50 mg of 5-HTP daily, and eating specifically geared toward trying to stay even (lots and lots of fish, very little sugar and almost no refined starches.) I am still having some wine here or there, but I've noticed that alcohol doesn't affect me nearly as much as it did on the drugs (I used to become euphoric, now I just get boringly tipsy. Oh well.)

For what it's worth, I was on 20 mg of Lexapro, and started tapering off in late May, only stopping entirely three weeks ago, as mentioned. Over the eleven years I've been on (sometimes combinations of the following) Prozac, Zoloft, Celexa, Remeron, Trazadone, Effexor, and one or two others that I'm forgetting the names of. Is it some kind of rule that these drugs all have to have an x or z in their name to make them sound super-modern? During this time I've never once been off them completely.

[Skywalk]

I've been reading pages of this forum and decided it was time to post. I'm 31yrs old and have dealt with anxiety and panic disorder for more than 10 years. I've done well on Paxil, Zoloft and Prozac and know these drugs well. In August I had been doing well on my own, but started having panic attacks while driving on freeways. So I thought it was time to try the new wonder drug Lexapro. I gave it 6 weeks but it made me worse than ever (was told it would get worse before getting better). I had anxiety, fatigue, insomnia and developed an out-of-body feeling. My doc told me to stop by taking 5mg for 5 days. I've handled fast tapering before pretty well so I wasn't too worried. Well, I'm paying the price now. I'm six weeks off and feel miserable. I first had the manic episode for 7 days and then anger and rage, anxiety, very vivid dreams, light sleep, strange neck and shoulder pain and still the depersonalization (removed feeling). My mood has been stable now for two weeks, but I can panic over anything and I feel so detached that I'm not comfortable being alone too much or going far from home or socializing (which I usually love). But I don't have bad thoughts, so I know the anxiety/panic is from the withdrawals. Some friends/family think it's just my old anxiety, but I don't believe it. I was, and still am excited about my life and this is putting such a hold on it. I really hate the detached feeling. I was starting my own business when this happened, so luckily my fiancee can support me while I put off my business. I don't know how some of you can work; just amazing.

I'm just so glad for this forum and especially the posts from auntybiotic and Miss Lee. Sounds like I'm in this for the long haul. I'm just glad in a way for the vivid dreams, because I know when those stop the drug is out of me. I never remember my dreams when off an SSRI. Hang in there, everyone.

[HelpMe58]

Skywalk,
I feel exactly like you do and I am down to 5 mg. I am curious about your shoulder pain because my right shoulderblade on my back is killing me...I never attributed that to withdrawal. I am also not into socializing and I used to love it. It makes me feel claustrophobic to socialize which is really strange..,.will this ever go away?
HelpMe

quote:Originally posted by Skywalk

I've been reading pages of this forum and decided it was time to post. I'm 31yrs old and have dealt with anxiety and panic disorder for more than 10 years. I've done well on Paxil, Zoloft and Prozac and know these drugs well. In August I had been doing well on my own, but started having panic attacks while driving on freeways. So I thought it was time to try the new wonder drug Lexapro. I gave it 6 weeks but it made me worse than ever (was told it would get worse before getting better). I had anxiety, fatigue, insomnia and developed an out-of-body feeling. My doc told me to stop by taking 5mg for 5 days. I've handled fast tapering before pretty well so I wasn't too worried. Well, I'm paying the price now. I'm six weeks off and feel miserable. I first had the manic episode for 7 days and then anger and rage, anxiety, very vivid dreams, light sleep, strange neck and shoulder pain and still the depersonalization (removed feeling). My mood has been stable now for two weeks, but I can panic over anything and I feel so detached that I'm not comfortable being alone too much or going far from home or socializing (which I usually love). But I don't have bad thoughts, so I know the anxiety/panic is from the withdrawals. Some friends/family think it's just my old anxiety, but I don't believe it. I was, and still am excited about my life and this is putting such a hold on it. I really hate the detached feeling. I was starting my own business when this happened, so luckily my fiancee can support me while I put off my business. I don't know how some of you can work; just amazing.

I'm just so glad for this forum and especially the posts from auntybiotic and Miss Lee. Sounds like I'm in this for the long haul. I'm just glad in a way for the vivid dreams, because I know when those stop the drug is out of me. I never remember my dreams when off an SSRI. Hang in there, everyone.

[brandi]

Oh, but I didn't answer the question, I'm sorry Sarita!

I feel good now. Each week the effects of getting off are improving (I seem to only be getting zaps when I turn my head or stand up very quickly.) I am definitely weepier these days however, I feel a little "raw" if that makes sense. I am trusting that this is temporary... I lived with low-level depression and anxiety for 25 years (I'm now 36) without drugs, and I trust myself to get back to the place where I can manage fairly well. Daily yoga is helping a great deal.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to be a hero: I have an incredibly supportive fiance who was far more reticent than me when it came to getting off this, and we are both quite mindful of the fact that at some point in the future I may need to go back on something.

[Skywalk]

HelpMe:

It's gotta go away. All SSRI's eventually cleared from my system. I just wish I knew when this one will. I'm thankful for the people who posted before us about their journey off of it. And they don't seem to check in often -- which is a good sign in that they are moving on with their lives. I do hope auntybiotic checks in; I'm grateful to her for starting this. Most SSRI's stay with me way after dr.'s say they can, maybe a couple of months. But I never cared before because I did well on the other drugs. I don't know about Lexapro, though. Sounds like it could be as much as six months. Yikes! I'm just going to wait it out. Like I said, once those dreams go away then I know it's gone. If you are a vivid dreamer anyway...well, it's harder to tell, then. Some exercise helps detox the liver and I swear I noticed some stomach pain and more saliva after a good workout one day...a sign of detox?? Lately, I've felt too weak to exercise.

I read somewhere that the neck/shoulder and even upper back pain has something to do with serotonin?? It comes and goes like a light switch so it can't just be sore muscles. Do you have the out-of-body feeling? My head just feels a little strange, too. I'm myself in thoughts, but not myself as a whole...if you know what I mean. I always looked forward to holidays and now I can't get excited about seeing friends and family at Thanksgiving cuz I feel so weird. Time and patience, I guess. It will end.

[Skywalk]

About the depression...I think it's only natural to feel depressed during this because THIS IS depressing to go through. I never really suffered from depression, but during these withdrawals I feel down a lot because I want to live my life but instead feel restricted now. And it's loney...I can only imagine how you must feel, HelpMe. My fiancee has to leave town often for two weeks at a time and it's rough. I'm 31 and have to stay the night at my parents house! No one really understands how awful this is unless they've gone through it. Just try to be hopeful and know it will get better. Read some old pages around p. 144 from Redbled, Miss Lee and Bodyelectric. They all got better!

[sarita]

Brandi,
If i may ask you a personal question: what drug had less sexual side effects? god forbid i have to get back on someday, i will NEVER EVER go on lexipro cause i had no libido among other things.
i'm glad you are better. A good support group is helpful. I haven't told anyone except my husband and aunt and brother. but not my mom. she wants me to stay on it. i feel AMAzING!!! i'm alive again.i have tons of energy. i'm more patient. clearer. my memory is still not as good as i wanted but getting there. the supplement you are taking i heard is great. does it work? eating healthy is very important.

skywalk,
it will feel like you are walking in a cloud and at any moment you can drop out of your body. i have bad neck and shoulder pain. wow. i never heard of that but maybe that is the seratonin.

Leg,
Well, maybe i shouldn't do the class action suit if they're gonna pull up all our ****. what does everyone think? i think i can find a good lawyer

[Skywalk]

I've been through a personal injury lawsuit due to a car accident and it's traumatic. They will blame you to the bitter end and it's so violating when they look at all your records. I know how unfair this is, but it's not worth it. The lawsuit will only make you more angry. It's best to try and learn from this and move on, if possible. I know that I have learned to look into more natural methods like the Lucinda Bassett anti-anxiety program (bought on ebay) and am promising to make a commitment to exercise after all this.

[HelpMe58]

Skywalk,
I definitely have the "out of body" feeling. I feel like I am teetering on the edge of panic all the time if that makes any sense. I have no desire to socialize because I feel so out of it. I know I appear to be ok to most people but inside I am struggling. It does feel as if there is a cloud around my brain and everything makes me so sad. I was obsessively upset because I couldn't remember if I ordered my son's senior yearbook. That's ridiculous and I know it. I am also obsessing about my husband's death two years ago, Nov. 15. It's as if all these feelings have been in hiding and someone opened the floodgates...and they are coming forth erratically and irrationally. I know inside I am being controlled by the withdrawal but it is so hard to cope. I am down to 5 mg. from the 10 mg. I take Omega 3, a multivitamin, and a cherry extract. I am not sure if it is working but it must be somewhat. I am not sure to how to wean myself from here....especially with some very stressful things going on in my life at this time. It's confusing. Did any of this make sense?

quote:Originally posted by Skywalk

HelpMe:

It's gotta go away. All SSRI's eventually cleared from my system. I just wish I knew when this one will. I'm thankful for the people who posted before us about their journey off of it. And they don't seem to check in often -- which is a good sign in that they are moving on with their lives. I do hope auntybiotic checks in; I'm grateful to her for starting this. Most SSRI's stay with me way after dr.'s say they can, maybe a couple of months. But I never cared before because I did well on the other drugs. I don't know about Lexapro, though. Sounds like it could be as much as six months. Yikes! I'm just going to wait it out. Like I said, once those dreams go away then I know it's gone. If you are a vivid dreamer anyway...well, it's harder to tell, then. Some exercise helps detox the liver and I swear I noticed some stomach pain and more saliva after a good workout one day...a sign of detox?? Lately, I've felt too weak to exercise.

I read somewhere that the neck/shoulder and even upper back pain has something to do with serotonin?? It comes and goes like a light switch so it can't just be sore muscles. Do you have the out-of-body feeling? My head just feels a little strange, too. I'm myself in thoughts, but not myself as a whole...if you know what I mean. I always looked forward to holidays and now I can't get excited about seeing friends and family at Thanksgiving cuz I feel so weird. Time and patience, I guess. It will end.

[Skywalk]

HelpMe,

I know exactly what you mean by "teetering on the edge of panic." I get that out-of-body feeling right before a panic attack, yet I now have this all the time even when I'm not on edge. I should say, it's better since getting off the Lexapro. It came on about three weeks into taking 10mg; way worse when I took 15mg for a week.

Anyway, I'm having a rare afternoon because I feel very calm and much more like myself. What's interesting is that all morning I had a very stiff neck and then it went away around 1 p.m. and after that I felt better in many ways. But all seems to change with every day. And like you, I look fine to everyone else, but I can't get out in the world feeling like this. All I feel like doing is spending every night at home with my TV shows and a warm dinner. I've never watched this much TV in my life!

Well, hey, I'm glad I posted because I feel so much better knowing that you and others are getting the same symptoms. DId Lexapro ever work for you or are you just having a hard time with the withdrawals?

Oh, and my memory is bad now too and I get my letters mixed up a lot and forget to type words when writing. I'm fixing this post right now! Just one more thing to worry about it. You just have to remind yourself "It's not my fault, it's the withdrawals."

[HelpMe58]

Skywalk,
I actually felt wonderful on Lexapro but I gained about 30 pounds in a short time. The weight gain made me very self conscious and depressed in itself. I am hoping while on the 5 mg. I will lose some of it. So are you completely off the medicine now?

[brandi]

Hi Sarita,

no problem with a 'personal' question such as that, we've all felt the effects. Unfortunately, my experience probably won't help. My libido was definitely at it's lowest on Zoloft, but Prozac was a close second (although I hear Paxil is the absolute worst with this one.) I believe Effexor had the least affect on my libido of them all, but Lexapro (for me) hasn't been nearly as bad as the others.

For what it's worth, even though other issues haven't normalized, I'm totally 'back' in that realm, which has been a very nice reawakening. My fiance (whom I've been with for three years) is pretty happy about that, but as you can imagine, it's taken a bit of adjustment, as he's never known me not on anything, and has been very careful about approaching me when he thinks I'm in a 'good place.' Nobody likes to be put off, even when you understand that there are other factors at play, right?

I understand why you're reticent to tell a lot of people that you're getting off stuff, and I actually think it's a good idea to keep it to yourself for now if you think the feedback will be less than positive. My mother is a neuropsychologist, and I knew that she'd be extremely concerned to hear that I was getting off Lexapro, especially on my own. I've only talked with her about it in the last day. I told her that I was concerned about the long-term implications of being on drugs such as these (are we completely dulling our neuro-transmitters to the point that they eventually won't be able to work on their own anymore?) and she was patient and supportive (and was put more at ease when I assured her that I was willing to go back on something later if needed.)

5-HTP is a godsend, at least during these early weeks. I really (naively) wasn't expecting getting off Lexapro to be so uncomfortable, and it's helped a lot. (I started on it only after the side-effects became really bad.) I suggest you do your own research on this one first however... I was taking 100 mg a day (a 50mg tab, twice daily) and today I dropped down to one 50 mg tab. The vertigo has been noticibly worse this evening, but nothing like what it was. I'm still a little skeptical that "natural" may not mean "better," (or even much different) but it seems to be greasing the skids in getting off the prescription stuff.

How many mgs of Lexapro are you currently taking? I saw in your earlier posts that you are at an extremely low dose, prepping to get off it entirely? You're absolutely doing it the right way. Although (as I said in my first post) I didn't find much positive "been there, done that, and lived to tell" experience here, it was still so helpful to both me and my fiance through the first week and a half to read other stories. It was even his idea that I post here once things had gotten better, to give back what we got from the site. I agree with one of the earlier posters tonight, that it's a good sign you don't see people here for long, that it's probably indicative of them recovering and getting on with their lives, however, it sure would be nice for folks to stick around a little while to offer support to those coming behind them.

best.

[brandi]

And Helpme58, I've also gained wait on Lexapro, the first one that's had that really REALLY ****py side-effect, for me. Just one more reason to get off.

[Skywalk]

HelpMe:

Do you think you ever dealt with your husband's death? If I read the old posts correctly it sounds like you got on Lexapro (understandably) right after his death. Perhaps that is part of the reason you are having trouble with it now. But I DO believe that the Lexapro withdrawals open the floodgates as you put it. I definitely feel like my emotions are hanging by a thread. Luckily, I don't have a lot of responsibilities right now or else I think I would be a total mess. I can't handle any stress right now and take a little xanax if I need it. The Lucinda Bassett anti-anxiety program is really helping me deal with the WHY I have anxiety and what negative thinkers we are! I have never really dealt with the root of my problem. I don't know if I can go without meds again, but I will only take Prozac in the future. It was my favorite and I'm sorry I didn't go back on that instead of Lexapro. Very few side effects and a built in taper to reduce withdrawal symptoms.

Hang in there. I know what a catch 22 this is. You think it would be helpful to get out and stay busy or meet with friends, but you feel too awful to do it. At least that's how I feel. I'm pretty dizzy today, too.

Oh, I also spoke with a woman who went off of Lexapro too fast and when she tried to get back on it it didn't really help her like it did before. But it's probably best she went back on to taper slowly. She eventually went off and is fine.

[Skywalk]

To answer your question...yes, I'm off Lexapro and have been for six weeks. Since it made me worse, I couldn't handle taking it anymore so after being on 10mg for seven weeks I went down to 5mg for only one week and quit. I assume that's why I'm having such a hard time.

[tavee]

HELP ME
HOW ARE U? HOW ARE THINGS GOING?
IVE HAD A TOUGH WEEK WITH EVERYTHING GOING ON.

IM EXTREMELY IRRITATED AND I KNOW IT DOESNT HELP THAT IM PMSING.
I FEEL LIKE IM IN A FOG. I FEEL WEIRD IN THE MORNING, BUT BY THE EVENING IM OK.IVE NOTICED THAT I AM REALLY ANGRY AND PISSED OFF.
I JUST HOPE THAT IT IS ONLY PMS.

I AM YELLING MORE THAN USUAL ESPECIALLY TOWARDS MY SON. I HAVE NO PATIENCE.
THIS REALLY STINKS. I HOPE IT DOESNT GET WORSE WHEN I GET DOWN TO 3 OR 4 ML.
ANYMORE
ARE U ANNOYED AT ALL? DO U FEEL LIKE URE PISSED OFF?

I ALSO DONT FEEL LIKE DOING ANYTHING. TODAY I JUST WANTED TO NAP AND PEOPLE TO LEAVE ME ALONE.
IM NOTICING THAT I DONT CARE WHAT PEOPLE THINK ANYMORE EITHER.

ANYWAY, I HOPE URE FEELING BETTER. I THINK OF U A LOT AND HOPE U ARE WELL.

IM SORRY I HAVENT WRITTEN, BUT THESE DAYS ITS TAKING ME MORE ENERGY TO DO THINGS.

I HOPE THIS IS JUST PMS AND IT PASSES.
ILL KEEP U POSTED.


TAVEE

[tavee]

SKYWALK

U MENTIONED VIVID DREAMS?? WHAT KIND OF VIVID DREAMS?

IM ALSO EXPERIENCING A NECK PAIN THAT STARTED YESTERDAY, BUT I DONT KNOW IF ITS BECAUSE I SLEPT WRONG.

TAVEE

[sarita]

brandi,
thanks for the personal talk. so, sorry, you're totally off now? for how long? my libido isn't getting much better yet. we do it maybe once every other week which is better than nothing!! i think it may be psychological.i'm down to 3/4 of a mg. and definelty feel the dizziness this time. i heard the last bits are the hardest. ug..........but i'm in good spirits so that's a good sign. no depression and no anxiety. i can't WAIT to get off this ****. i gained 30 lbs. and i think the weight gain has finally stopped.

tavee,
i'm sorry you are not well. sounds like you are ging through so much in your life andi hate to judge you, but are you sure this is a good time for you to get off this? i also think you are pms ing......screaming at your kid-getting pissy-PMS!!!! hang in there. breathe!!!!!!!!!!

skywalk,
dropping from 10 mg to 5 mg is a HUGE DROP. HUGE!!!! don't drop more than 10%.

[Skywalk]

I know it's a huge drop, but it was too late when I found out. My mood is really good now and has been stable for about three weeks, but that darn depersonalization is there. I also don't feel up to doing very much. I'm finally tired (this drug made me wired) but still wake every morning around 5:30 - 6 a.m. I would love to get some more sleep. I think the worst part of all this is that a lot of people don't believe that I could still have withdrawals. I might even doubt it too, but like I've said before...those vivid dreams are only there when I have an SSRI in me and I have yet to have a night of sleep without vivid dreams.

[brandi]

Hi Sarita, and others here!

Yes, I'm off everything now (other than the supplement 5-HTP) for the first time since 1995. There's an enormous difference between even a couple of milligrams of lexapro and completely off, brace yourself. I was really naive in thinking that the changes I felt during the step downs would be similar to going off entirely. For me anyway, it's been a very uncomfortable four weeks (when I got off completely.)

Even though I've only recently started writing, finding this website has been a godsend, both for me and my fiance, especially during the first week. Neither of us expected it to be so rough, and reading other people's experiences really helped. I mentioned before, but it was his suggestion that I posted after things had gotten somewhat better, to let people know that the horrible stuff does eventually taper off.

I say taper because I'm still feeling some effects, especially when I turn my head quickly. During the first week I was having zaps (sorry) about 2-3 times a minute (we timed them the third night off.) It was constant. I couldn't even drive (but I live in L.A., so driving is always pretty scary!) Hopefully your experience won't be that bad. I'm still having some vertigo, but it's about once an hour now, and it's not debilitating. Brandi

[brandi]

Oh, and Sarita I also gained about 20 lbs on Lexapro. It's a terrible side-effect, and one that isn't very well publicised. It's finally starting to come off (with yet another supplement helping) and daily exercise. As for the libido thing, mine came back very quickly after getting off of the drug entirely, like within days.

[HelpMe58]

Tavee, Sarita, Skywalk,
I am having a hard week anyway. This is the week of the anniversary of my husband's death. I can't tell what is withdrawal and what is pure sadness. I really don't think I dealt with this fully when it happened because of the Lexapro. I was numb for so long. So far being back on the 5 mg has helped some but not totally. Sometime I will start weaning again but I am afraid. I have to cope with work and taking care of my elderly mother. And then there is my 17 year old son.....
Tavee, in the beginning everything pissed me off...everything. Now I am just claustrophobic in crowds....I have the "jump out of your skin" feeling. It's weird but I work past it knowing what it is.
HelpMe

[HelpMe58]

Has anyone has trouble with Prozac...I have heard several people say they go on it to help with Lexapro withdrawals. My doctor said Lex was a derivative of Prozac..seems like there would be similar withdrawals.

[tavee]

help me

im sorry u are going thru a tuff week. try to be strong and focus on everything else.

regarding the prozac, my doc had recommended that before i started weaning. he said that it can help u and then u can start weaning off that. i was like no thank u. i dont want to start anything new and suffer again.

try to have a good week. we will get thru this!!
dont give up.

tavee