[sarita]

tavee,
that's exactly right. usually it's the 7th day you start to feel the withdrawal from the taper sometimes the 5th day and YES, it lasts usually about 5 days. i do a 5% taper and have been always. but 10% is okay if it's working for you. i'm waiting until after my menstration which is horrible btw, and then i finish the last taper of 1/2 a milligram which means i will be finished my the time i go home for christmas. i can't beleive it. good luck!!!

[tavee]

sarita

thanks for the response.

what do u mean u go home for xmas?what state do u live in by the way?i am in chicago.

dont forget us when u are done with lex!!! we still need u to help us get thru this. pleeeeeeeeeeeease sarita!!
do u promise us??

i also noticed im a little dizzier today. im getting my period in like 6 days. is that normal too? also, when im driving at night and i turn my head to pull out of the parking lot i get a very very very very slight zap?? did that happen to u?

it was nothing like the 1st time withdrawal a year ago. thank god!!

tavee

ps how long will u be taking the 1/2 milligram???

[Looking4Help]

New symptom on day 15...my teeth hurt...weird.

I'm waiting for horns to grow[]

[db3]

Wait a minute, I need to grab a pen and put in my calendar
DAY 15 = Horns!!! haaaaaaa

Dr called yesterday w/. bloodwork..my cholesterol and triglycerides are sky high..I am convinced its from the 20+ lb weight gain..
My pressure was a little high too..
Anyone with this same problem?? And does it all go down after weight loss??

Day 6 for me..20 to 10..woke up 3am w/ waves of nausea..
is that a withdrawal symptom>>


db

[guchuj05]

I had a different experience. I tapered off Lexapro? & Geodon over a 10 month period & felt perfectly fine for 6 months until October when I started having sensitivity to light & sound and distracting 'noise' in my head & trouble sleeping. It's a lot like when I was taking Wellbutrin 4 years ago.

I was wondering if anyone else had any experience with this?

[guchuj05]

I had a different experience. I tapered off Lexapro? & Geodon over a 10 month period & felt perfectly fine for 6 months until October when I started having sensitivity to light & sound and distracting 'noise' in my head & trouble sleeping. It's a lot like when I was taking Wellbutrin 4 years ago.

I was wondering if anyone else had any experience with this?

[sarita]

tavee,
i kept a journal for a year and every month is the same- during pms i will get alittle dizzy, sensitivity to light, and alittle anxiety(shaky). so, i'd say to you, probably it's the same for you of course, we are different, we are on the same medication. i got dizzy too when i turned my head, but that was my side effect actually not the withdrawal for me. i'm sure it's your withdrawal. everything you are feeling is what you thought it was. start trusting yourself more.

i'm so bummed. i thought the next taper would be my last one, but i was wrong. i still have to go to 1/4 of a milligram. darn. well, i'll start in a couple days after my period.

don't worry, i'm not going anywhere but vacation and i'll take my computer with me. i live in nyc but my families from miami.

[Looking4Help]

quote:Originally posted by db3

Wait a minute, I need to grab a pen and put in my calendar
DAY 15 = Horns!!! haaaaaa

Why not, I've just experienced about everything else...I'll even take a tail with the horns...gotta keep a sense of humor or I might actually go crazy...

[GoingHerbal]

Reading this forum has been awesome. Glad I'm not the only one who is having the intense withdrawl symptoms. My first round on Lexipro went for about a year and a half. Started at 10mg and it was making me too tired so I cut it back to 5mg for about 6 months and then to 2.5mg for 6 months then when I decided to get off I switched to taking it at night instead of in the morning and did that for two weeks and then stopped. Had no withdrawl to speak of (had the flu...so maybe that was withdrawl...but it was flu season)

Then six months later I decided to get back on it because I was going through a divorce and my anxiety was back in full force. Now I have been back on it for a little over 6 months and recently decided to get off it again because I really don't think I need it...it is just a crutch at this point. Tried the same thing as before switched my 2.5mg dose to night time and then went off it.

Dude...I've been flippin out with every symptom everybody has listed. But most intense are the sudden crying bouts, insomnia and VIVID NIGHTMARES when I do actually sleep.

I moved to California a couple months ago and don't have insurance right now. Talked to my Dr. back home and he told me that since I am in CA and have a history of anxiety that I should be able to get a perscription for Cannabis...so tomorrow I have a consultation with a doctor of holistic medicine about gettin a perscription for the wacky tobaccy.

Incidentially I originally went on lexapro because I had quit smoking weed for about 6 months...cause I was in my late twenties and thought it was way immature to still be smokin weed...guess I just should have kept self medicating all that time. Had intense anxiety all through my childhood...when I started smoking weed in high school that all went away and I went from a C student to honor roll. Smoked weed all through college and graduated with a 3.7 GPA...the anxiety came back when I stopped smokin the herb 3 years ago. I'm looking forward to getting reaquainted with my old green friend.

Thanks Prop 215!!!

[Skywalk]

Please tell me I'm not going nuts!!! Even though my mood is much more level and my headaches/dizziness is seldom, I still have vivid dreams, stomach cramps, anxiety (but much better) and the worst - an out-of body feeling (depersonalization) which makes it so hard for me to function. Even driving feels weird. I think I'm going to be one of the four month or more Lexapro withdrawal victims. I mean, I cold turkeyed off this stuff. I'm prepared for the long road, but my family has been having secret talks about my mental health. They don't think it's possible to have withdrawals two months later and sadly, I have no doctor to back me up. My family thinks this might be the beginning stages of mental illness but I have NO crazy thoughts or feel off in that way! I just feel like I have a mild brain concussion, so OF COURSE I'm not like my old self. My fiancee has been supportive but he works out of town a lot and so I looked to my family for help while he's gone. But now I can't even be around them, so here I am home on my own. My dad won't even read these posts from others experiences because he doesn't think the internet is very accurate with information. I keep telling him I'm going to get better...that I just need some time...but...the rumors continue.

This site has been so wonderful for me. Anyway, any words of encouragement would be great.

[sarita]

skywalk,
tell your dad is it a FACT that if you quit cold turkey the withdrawals last months longer than if you had tapereds slowly.although it is true, that going cold turkey can be dangerous as far as you going "crazy"(for ex: people who murder people while going off anti-depressants) i HIGHLY DOUBT you are even remotely close from what you are described as your withdrawals. you are not mentioning depression or thoughts of suicide or evil thoughts. stop talking to your friends or family, the ones that are not supportive and/or talking about you behind your back. you will become alot stronger and find inner strength if you do this on your own as much as possible.

meanwhile, get some omega 3 and order some supplements on www.theroadback.org if you can afford it. omega 3 is amazing.
EVERYTHING YOU ARE FEELING ARE WITHDRAWAL FEELINGS!!!!!!!! I PROMISE YOU. it also takes 45 days for the drug to even get out of your system. so besides your body completely freaking out by the sudden cold-turkey, your organs are suffering.

be patient with yourself and please take some supplements.

Going Herbal,
That's a funny story. I admit, I smoked pot for about 15 years about a joint a day. i wonder sometimes if when i quit it caused the anxiety attacks,sweats,depression, etc....it was around the same time i quit. Are you sure you want to get back on pot? do you want to have kids? i miss the stuff myself but LOVE being normal. i can't beleive you are going to get a doctors prescription!! that's hesterical..........

[GoingHerbal]

Sarita,

No desire to have kids. Got two nephews who I can indulge my fatherly urges on. Reason I got divorced is cause my wife got pregnant, told me and I was thrilled. Then had an abortion without consulting me and told me she had a miscariage...she saved the abortion bomb for a big fight a couple months later...I filed for divorce the next day. So I don't see myself getting remarried or pursuing the family life. My legacy will not be my genes it will be my ideas. (I am a writer and filmmaker) Back in the day I was usually smoking about an 1/8th a week, but I was stoned most of the time back then. Now I am going to only smoke after dinner so that between 11-12 (when I come down) my mind will be quiet and I can go to sleep. That is the root of my anxiety issues...can't sleep cause my mind is wound up...after a few days I crash hardcore and sleep for like 16 hours and because of that irregular schedule I am not able to be productive...which makes me mad at myself...which winds my mind up...which makes it so I can't sleep and the cycle continues until my anxiety has progressed into depression, suicidal thoughts, irrational fears etc. Not gonna let that happen again and since I don't want to go through this withdrawl ever again I am staying away from SSRIs. The weed withdrawl was easy...outa sight outa mind. The anxiety returned months after I quit the weed.

[Skywalk]

THANK YOU, Sarita!!! You're awesome and you've been around these boards a long time so I'm sure you've heard it all when it comes to these withdrawals. I have never suffered from depression, just anxiety. Even though Lexapro never worked for me it did not give me depression, nor did the withdrawals -- just gave me more anxiety. I'm sad about this, but not clinically depressed. And I have to remember that a month ago at this time I didn't even want to be home alone and now here I am and I'm doing OK. Anyway,I feel lucky that I have had no suicidal thoughts or dangerous thoughts during this. I have a short temper and can get teary eyed over silly things, but that sounds pretty normal during this.

I don't think anyone on these boards right now is experiencing the depersonalizion. But trying to grocery shop or anything with it is just alarming. I wonder if I'm dreaming and feel like a mouse in a maze. Be glad you were able to taper slow! But I know it's hard no matter what...whether you taper or not. And either way it takes months for the brain to heal! I keep telling my family it's like having a broken leg and then expecting me to run around the block. The body needs to time to heal. What also sucks is that I'm the victim of this awful drug but I'm getting punished in a way! It's easy for people to say I never should have taken these pills...but everything looks different in hindsight!

I have some supportive friends, and that, with my fiancee and you all, I'll get though this. As will you.

[sarita]

skywalk,
my husband told me that anxiety is a form of depression although i still don't believe it. i never had depression either until i got so sick that i was so sad about it. i felt alone with no support and so scared. do u think MAYBE you can't make it to the store and stuff because you stay home too much or are alone too much? that's what happened to me. anyway, go slowly and FORCE yourself to do things even it's just a few minutes a day.

going herbal,
that is so HORRIBLE what your wife did to you. my god. that is heartless. well, i thought you were a woman, that's why i asked if you wanted kids cause you'd have to quit smoking!! so.....i'm alittle confused as to why you went on it in the first place. is it cause you quit smoking and got anxiety?? do you live in LA?

[tavee]

SARITA SARITA!!

SO I KNOW THIS IS WAYYYYYY FAR AHEAD, BUT WHAT HAVE U HEARD ABOUT ONCE U ARE DONE COMPLETELY WITH LEX(SLOW TAPER OF COURSE). WHAT HAPPENS AFTER?
HOW DO U FEEL? DO SYMPTOMS GET WORSE CUZ U ARE COMPLETELY OFF IT?

IM SCARED AND I KNOW I SHOULDNT THINK ABOUT IT NOW. THANK GOD THINGS ARE BEARABLE RIGHT NOW WITH THIS SLOW TAPER.

TAVEE

[Skywalk]

Believe me, I force myself to the store everyday. I've gone to family functions and events. In fact, I had a pretty good past weekend doing some things. But that doesn't take away the depersonalizion. It's not ME. I want to do things but feeling so brain-numb makes it hard. I've had bouts of anxiety where I hide at home, but had totally different reasons/symptoms and I really think I got over that a few years ago with some training/tools. I was scared then. I'm not really scared now, but more mad because this drug messed up my brain making it uncomfortable to go places. Depersonalization is so hard to explain...have you ever got really overwhelmed in a busy place and all of the sudden things don't seem real and almost like things are floating by? It's that, but I'm stuck with it all the time and I'm not doing it myself. I never have for more than a few seconds while in a overwhelming situation. It's the drug. I feel like when that symptom goes away then I can function. But I still try everyday.

I heard it the other way around...that anxiety can turn in to depression. I had real depression once brought on my birth control, so I know what it feels like. But that's the only time I can remember having it.

[tavee]

SKYWALK

THAT DEPERSONALIZATION FEELING U ARE TALKING ABOUT. I THINK I MIGHT HAVE EXPERIENCED A COUPLE WEEKS AGO. IM TAPERING REAL SLOW RIGHT NOW AND IN THE MORNINGS WHEN THE WITHDRAWALS HIT, I FELT ****PY. EVERYTHING WAS LIKE FOGGY. I WAS DRIVING MY LITTLE GUY TO PRESCHOOL AND I FELT LIKE THINGS WEREN'T REAL OUTSIDE. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?

FIRST, I THOUGHT IS IT THE WEATHER? IS IT BECAUSE I DIDNT HAVE MY COFFEE? BUT THEN I KNEW THE WITHDRAWALS OF THE TAPER WERE KICKING IN. (THE 7TH DAY). THE GOOD THING WAS THAT I WAS FINE IN THE EVENINGS.

SO I THINK I KNOW WHAT U ARE TALKING ABOUT.
I TRY TO FOCUS AND TELL MYSELF IT WILL PASS, IT WILL PASS.

I ALSO TAKE MY SUPPLEMENTS FIRST THING IN THE MORNING ON AN EMPTY STOMACH.

IM SURE I WILL EXPERIENCE IT AGAIN THIS WEEK. I JUST WENT DOWN TO 5ML YESTERDAY SO USUALLY ITS AROUND THE 7TH DAY OR SO.

WE WILL GET THRU THIS. WE HAVE TO KEEP TELLING OURSELVES ITS TEMPORARY. WE ARE JUST TEMPORARILY DISCONNECTED!!! LOL

GOOD LUCK

TAVEE

[Looking4Help]

I also still experience what y'all call depersonalization...to me it's being in a fog...some days are better that others, and thankfully I am sleeping normally...

I take 2 small 3mg tablets of Melatonin nightly (6mg all together)...I will take 3mg once I'm off the drugs a bit longer...but sleep is so important...I don't even have many dreams/nightmares...

My day consists of fog, sore thoat, ears buzz and ache, eyes are red and tired/burning, my whole body swells up, jeezzz my jeans are tight around my knees today...very uncomfortable, and my breasts are dying to get out of my bra...my body has aches and pains, teeth hurt (newest one), cold, hot...and axiety. No horns yet.

If I thought recreational drugs were the answer, I wouldn't have a problem with them, but they aren't my answer, never liked them much...did them a lot...just didn't care for them...they made me more depressed.

I'm sure I have at least 5 or 10 more systoms each day, but can't think...oh, there's one...memory loss...short term, but, drives me nuts.

[Skywalk]

Tavee and Looking,

Thanks for sharing; that makes me feel better! I just started to doubt myself today since my family thinks I might be losing my marbles for good. I've read posts from people that say they feel like they are in a fog and I wondered if maybe that's what they meant. I just figured out the technical term for the condition is depersonalization. I think I just got it really bad and it hangs with me all the time. I actually got it while on the drug, too. Just seems a little worse now. But like you said about wondering if your surroundings are real -- that's it exactly. I try to distract myself and it works for a bit, but then I fixate on the feeling again.

Looking: I remember the sore throat and buzzing ears...I absolutely had that. It has since passed and it will for you.

Glad we're here for each other. You're right, Tavee, it helps to remember that this is temporary! Feels like forever, though!! Thanks for sticking around...so many write and then never come back again. I just like the constant support.

[Looking4Help]

I get a good feeling just coming here and reading...the warm and fuzzies...love to all!

[jimmydebalsac]

Hey all. I took lexapro 10mg/day for approximately 3 months. I recently decided it was wrong of me to introduce this poison into my system. So I quit. I just stopped about 6 days ago. I was perfectly fine for 2 days. Then I started getting headaches that , like someone here said so well before, seemed to be from outside my skull pushing in.

Here are my symptoms so far in order of prevalence:

1. Headache - Pressure type headache that gets worse as more pressure is put on me to perform as a normal human throughout the day. This includes work. sometimes it gets better, but never leaves. I've never had a migraine but I imagine this is similar. Bright light is a big issue. Sometimes I get a focused pain in the frontal lobe area.

2. Dizziness - I feel like I'm walking sideways, and my head spins as though I've had way too many shots of yagermeister. It's very similar to alcohol poisoning. I know. The elevators at work make this really fun.

3. Nausea - I don't even want to talk about this. See above for elevators comment.

4. Spaced Out Feeling - I'll tie my shoes for like 10 minutes, then I'll forget what I was doing.

And I'm bloated and gassy.

Now, I have some lex left, but will only take one if stopping suddenly certainly will cause me to be stupid or brain damaged or die.
So, only advise this option if you believe my future consists of bumping into walls and wearing a helmet.

I have some questions my friends. WHEN DOES THIS HELL SUBSIDE? Weeks? Months?

Will I ever really recover? I can deal with no, just tell me.

To conclude, I should've fallen back on my belief that man-made items are inherently flawed. Lesson learned....HARD!

Can you guys help me deal with this?

[GoingHerbal]

Sarita,

I do live in LA.

Yea...it really did suck. But it helped make me who I am today. Learned a lot about myself in the process and now am a better person because of it.

The initial quitting smoking did not cause my anxiety...it simply allowed it back into my life. It was gradual...for a month or so after quitting the ganja I was great...then I started having trouble sleeping and things spiraled out of control until everything in my life was affected. Prior to starting smoking weed when I was sixteen, I had intense anxiety as far back as I can remember but never sought treatment for it...I just thought that was how everyone's brain worked and that I just was weak and couldn't "man up" so to speak.

I have a friend who had been on Anti Anxiety/depression drugs of one sort or another for years (and he is still on them...I think he is now on Efexor) and after I had a panic attack in his presence he was able to describe exactly what I was feeling and said I should ask my Dr. about getting on some medication for it...so I did and my Dr. recomended Lexapro.

Looking-
I am no longer defining Cannabis as a recreational drug...I know a lot of people who consider Vicodin a recreational drug...but it certainly was very theraputic for me when I had kidney stones and I have never used it recreationally. I know the weed works for me...or it did for 10 years...so I am going to try and get back on it legally (hopefully) I'll let y'all know how things go after my appointment tomorrow.

[db3]

Lookin-- I looove your humor in all of this! We have to laugh or else theres NOTHING!! I , too, feel great coming here..
I think everyone suffers from some form of anxiety/panic..others more (that would be US)!
Today is day 7..and I am bracing myself for what may be in store for me..nothing yet!! Maybe I'll be lucky and breeze right thru this withdrawal!! Ya think??>? LOL

[Skywalk]

Jimmy: Your symptoms are classic. I was on Lexapro for six weeks and it only made me worse so I quit cold turkey. I've tapered fast on Paxil (which I hear has terrible withdrawals) and did OK so I wasn't to worried about stopping Lexapro after only being on it a short time. Boy, was I wrong. YOU WILL NOT DIE OR GET BRAIN DAMAGE! It's going to feel like hell for a while, though. But once the drug runs it's course, you will recover. It just depends on how fast your body metabolizes. I'm a slow metabolizer, I know that, so that means it can take a while for my liver to get rid of this toxin. I'm two months off of it and the headaches stopped about 10 days ago, as did the dizziness. I now have stomach cramping, very chapped lips, and the spacey feeling you described (everyone knows that I hate that the most!). Things don't seem real to me, and yes, it takes me a while to do anything as I just space out. You may notice a hard time concentrating and may get your letters/numbers mixed up -- but that has been better for me now, too. If you can go back and taper, I would. This is not pleasant. But either way you will get better. It's a waiting game. The brain is trying to function without the chemicals and as the "expert" (Auntybiotic) put it, "you've pulled the rug out from underneath your brain" so it's a bit lost. I know, scary thought. I wish I had never taken this stuff. But rest assured your symptoms are VERY typical. Please read page 35 on this thread, it has some good info about what to expect. People on this site also recommend supplements. I started taking a multi-vitamin and I'm eating foods rich in Omega-3. Hang in there. The liverdoctor.com is also a good resource.

Tavee, Looking and Skywalk:

Thanks for all your support yesterday. I had such a bad day (maybe it was the full moon!). I had bad anxiety last night for about 5 hours straight and I thought that was weird since my anxiety level went way down a month ago. I tried to relax and nothing worked. My mind was also racing. And then at 11:30 last night it turned off like a light switch! I mean, I was so calm and have been since. I've NEVER had anxiety stop like that without a xanax. It must have something to do with the withdrawals???

[Skywalk]

Jimmy: I forgot to mention, the recovery time depends on your body. It does take longer if you cold turkey, but it will take a long time if you taper, too. You'll just suffer way less if you taper. Just calm down and know that you will recover. But be prepared, it can take months. I've learned that 4-6 months is average when you cold turkey. But the bad headaches, pressure, moodiness, dizziness should subside within weeks. It did for me and does for most. Now it's just the gas, cramping and spaced out feeling I have. I'm also very dull right now and my passion is not totally back yet. I was very driven before this drug and now I don't get that excited. Lexapro has that effect on some people, often why they go off of it. But I know that will come back, too. I can't wait. So, it's still really hard for me to function, I won't lie. But I've been on SSRI's before and they do leave your system eventually. Read some old posts on this site and you'll get an idea.

[Skywalk]

I meant page 46!

[sarita]

hi everyone,
lots of new peeps here. i see we are all going through the same feelings. the spaced out feeling is the worst but unlike ya'll withdrawing, i had all those things as side effects not withdrawals. wierd, huh???? hmmmm...........while I was going off lex, the world got brighter, my bad memory got better, the fog went away, the spaced out feeling is gone.....i'm alittle confused.

[Skywalk]

Sarita...I was trying to thank you too! I noticed that I wrote my own name...I blame the Lexapro!!

Remind me, again...Lexapro never worked for you? I had the foggy head and more anxiety while on it, too. The beginning side effects were a nightmare. I should have stopped it early on.

[sarita]

skywalk,
ok good. i thought i was alone. so you had fog and anxiety while ON lexpro. and now?

[sarita]

sky,
sorry. i didn't answer your question. i don't know if lexipro helped or not. i think if i just had taken xanax for a little while, i wouldn've just healed whatever it was i had. but it did stop the physical pain and crying spells although it left me in a hypnotic state most of the time, spaced out, fat, and no zest for life. now, it's all come back. and i'm down to my last taper.

tavee,
i don't have much info about the AFTER LIFE of lexipro once you get off of it. i have asked around and it seems like people just go on w/their lives. some go back on, some find new ways to cope, and some just heal which i'm hoping will happen to me and you and everyone...

whatever it is, we have to stay positive and not have fear. that will only cause anxiety. we were living life for decades with these drugs, and we can go back to the way it was.