[sarita]

it's interesting if you read others withdrawals, you can look at it objective and know it's only withdrawals; but, when it happens to you, you can't distinguish if it's withdrawals or something else.

tara and skywalk,
i realized the night i was having cold and clampy attacks, it was day 7 of withdrawal which is when it usually happens. i also have a stomach ache i think (hoping) i ate something bad. i'll let ya'll know tomorrow how i do tonight.

jay,
sorry to hear about your withdrawals. take some omega 3's and a multiple..

tara,
how r u doin? thanks for the tips. i'm taking omega 3's, power barley, and cherry extract.

[tavee]

sarita

whats going on girl???

so what are u feeling? what day is it that u have stopped completely?

u are scaring me. u were fine when u were tapering. oh man i hope thats not what i have to go thru too!!


u are right. its hard to distinguish what it is when it is not u.

im doing ok but i definitely know that my personality has changed slightly. am i sad?? i dont know. its hard to think back now when i was on 10 ml. it wasnt that long ago.
every day i try to analyze everything. i dont know. im scared. i just want to be normal.

i know that i get annoyed easily with things now.
i have been sleeping more this week but then again i dont know if its just catchin up on sleep from the holidays.

oh god i just want to get thru this u guys. i want to be normal and feel like myself.
dont u look at other people and wonder if they have any issues? or if they are on antidepressants? or if they feel happy all the time?

anyhoo, let me know how u are feeling. i need details from u girl. break it down for me.


HANG IN THERE!! WE ARE HERE!!

TAVEE

[jaycee001]

Thx for the suggestion, Sarita. How soon did you feel a difference & start to feel better from the withdrawls after taking the omega 3's & multi's? I honestly feel like I may really go "crazy" if these symptoms don't let up soon. I was told Celexa is very similiar & generic is available, but honestly after going thru these symptoms I'm not too sure if I want to start a whole other process where I might experience the same again. No one else around me understands these symptoms making it even a 'lil harder. Very confused.

[sarita]

tavee,
i'm sorry i am scaring you!!! the migraines and night sweats were there before i went on lex, but i truly believe this are just withdrawals. i think i ate something bad and have allergies. last night i had a good night so i think i maybe reall did eat something bad. and i was miserable in miami and back at home now so maybe it was just that and the stress of it all. you sound like you're doing well. hang in there. it's all the withdrawals.

jay,
you really did a huge drop. omega 3's help the brain zaps and dizzyness. if you can afford it, get the supplements at theroadback.org. they're awesome. the worst of it will pass soon. the omega should work immediately.

[rubiek]

Yes, fish Oil tablets work for me on stabilizing dizziness & brain zaps, and I understand that Omega 3 and Fish Oil are the same thing.

Yesterday was a bit tough for me in dizziness department (now I understand that there are "waves" during withdrawal period--things just won't keep getting better as the time goes by), and I have noticed that caffeine worsens my withdrawal symptoms. So, I'd better stay away from drinking coke, tea, coffee, and even eating chocolate! [|)]

[Skywalk]

Tavee (and all):

I'm hear you, girl...I just want to be normal again, too. I've had so many stomach issues - cramping, naseau. It's been really bad for two weeks now. I just ate a big bran muffin and it actually really helped. I'm also dealing with a lot of fear. I've never had such silly fear in my life. I fear crowds and traffic jams and it's keeping me from going places with my fiance. So stupid. Although, I think a lot of it comes from the depersonalization. I need to at least feel in control of my body. I just wish that would go away. It's OK during the day now, but so bad at night in stores with the artificial light.

I've been sleeping a lot too, but I think I'm so sad about this situation that I want to sleep away the days till my body recovers. And I know what you mean about the personality change. But I'm thinking we feel that way because we are SAD about this situation...I mean, how can we be fun and bubbly when our bodies are so out of whack. I hate not knowing when I'm going to feel better. I just want to new start at life, you know? I want to exercise and eat well and the former is hard to do when I don't feel good. Time and patience...like Aunty said in many of her posts.

Oh, I ordered the Ann Blake Tracy book about withdrawal syndrome and I can't wait for it to get here. At first I was scared when I googled her name and found the scary stories, but if you look past the suicide stories she has a lot of good info about what these drugs are doing do us during the withdrawal process. We'll see once I get the book. I just try to remember that this is temporary -- even though a year (I hope not that long) seems like forever. We'll get through this.

[ivan]

please some 1 help me with my aniexty i cant do the things i used to do i feel like thier no hope for me i be thinking im having a heart attack i get pains all over my arms back and my neck and on top of my head i gotten test done for my heart and my heart is well please help me

ivan lucero

[samiprem]

Ivan : I strongly recommend that you read the book "Hope and Help for Your Nerves (Signet): Books: by Claire Weekes"..its a small $7 investment on half.com ...it was written by the author in 1969 ..but is still considered the best self help book for anxiety...it helped me much much more than the drugs.

Good luck

[Ale]

Hello!!! i am from mexico and i have a question. i have been weaning off lexapro for about 1 month very slow. I took 5 mg for 7 months, this because i'm very sensitive to medicines. I am experiencing migraines and i want to know if anyone has experienced this as well.
THANK YOU ALL!!!!

[sarita]

Ale,
wow. you sound like me!!! i'm so sensitive to medicine so i only took 5 mg instead of 20 mg like my doctor wanted!! AND...i have migraines. i had it while withdrawing too. but do u get them regularly??

ivan,
i'll need more info. but i take it your tapering? or from the sounds of it you went cold turkey? if you can afford it, get the cherry extract at globaldnasolutions.com this is for anxiety and it's very calming. it's all natural made from only cherries.

i'm doing much better except my stomach is alittle upset. shouldn't have eaten those nacatamales from nicaragua!!!

[poohbear23]

Hi everyone,
I really need some help. I have been on Lexapro for about three years now. I started on 10 mg and then my doctor moved me down to 5 mg because I was reacting well to the medication. I have GAD and panic attacks. Recently I have moved and started grad school and I have been having a lot of panic attacks at night. I decided to go down to 2.5 mg for a week and a half and then stop the Lexapro. It has been about three weeks since I've stopped taking the Lexapro, but in the past week I have been starting to get terrible headaches and now I am experiencing neck and back pain along with the headaches. I have also been feeling very depressed and not wanting to do anything. I know I should exercise, but I just can't. I went to the doctor and she said that it was probably the Lexapro withdrawal that was making me feel this way. Unfortunately though, the panic attacks have not stopped and when I feel all of this pain I get anxiety and panic because I get scared that it's something worse. I need to know that I am ok and others are actually going through this as well. I wouldn't wish it on anyone, but I know there are others here that are getting off of Lexapro. Do my symptoms sound like Lexapro withdrawal or should I go to the doctor again?
Thanks

[chris83]

BARLEY:

Has anyone found a less-gross way to take barlet than barley grass powder?

Anyone else with ithcing?



Chris

[db3]

Poohbear..i am going thru the same thing u are!!!!
my last lex pill was on christmas eve..ive tapered since nov from 20 mil to 10 to 5 to 2.5..i just want this stuff out of my system!!
i can just about say that what we are feeling now is 99.9 percent withdrawal!! i started yesterday with the neck pain,..headaches have been unbearable, and i have pretty much been on the couch for a few days now! thank god the kids are off from school..theyve been relaxing and playing w/ their christmas gifts while i relax..i told them i have a headcold so they dont get worried! theyre not used to seeing me on the couch like this!! think of it like i am, this stuff is affecting us this way because its working its way out of our system..and we will be fine when every last bit of it is OUT! Like ive said before, Lexapro did help me when i needed it, but that time in my life is over..I am not that person anymore..and I no longer need it..the withdrawal affects are terrible, and people and dr's need to know how bad it is..everyone is different, I can handle this and so can you!! Good Luck..and remember THIS TOO SHALL PASS!!

DB

[poohbear23]

db3,
Thank you so much for your supportive comment. I hope that this gets better for the both of us! Keep me posted on how you are feeling, and let's hope that it passes. I think I might try that Omega 3 stuff everyone has been talking about.
best wishes,
~Poohbear23

[poohbear23]

Tavee,
Sorry I'm new so I'm not sure if you've stated this already, but have you gone to the doctor? If you have did they just tell you that it was withdrawal?
~Poohbear23

[tavee]

SARITA, SKYWALK AND EVERYONE

U GUYS HAD MENTIONED STOMACH ISSUES??? WHAT EXACTLY ARE U HAVING?
I KNOW I HAVE BEEN BLOATED FOR A WHILE. I HAVE MORE BOWEL MOVEMENTS THAN I I AM USED TO(SORRY I DONT MEAN TO BE GROSS). I FEEL LIKE I ALWAYS HAVE A NERVOUS STOMACH AND THEN I GO TO THE BATHROOM AND THEN I AM FINE.

SKYWALK- ANOTHER THING I NOTICED IS THAT I TAKE THINGS VERY PERSONAL. I GET ANNOYED WHEN MY HUBBY JOKES WITH ME.ACCORDING TO AUNTY, DO ALL THESE EMOTIONS GO AWAY OR DO PEOPLE GET DEPRESSED AGAIN??
I WISH I HAD THE ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS.

AS LONG AS WE ALL HAVE EACH OTHER WE WILL BE FINE.

SARITA-HOW ARE U? I HOPE URE HEADACHES ARE GETTING BETTER. I HOPE THAT THOSE ARE NOT WITHDRAWALS THAT U ARE HAVING.

GOD U GUYS I WANT TO FRICKEN FEEL BETTER. EVERY DAY THAT GOES BY IM CONSTANTLY QUESTIONING IF ITS A WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOM.


TAVEE

[sarita]

tavee,
i'm feeling alot better. my migraines have stopped. i had it three days in a row!! ug....it was the first day i stopped lexipro completely. then i was fine for a few days. then i had terrbile night sweats (day 7) and alittle dizziness(day 8)...today is day 9 off of lexipro. wow. it's going fast...as far as emotions, i am SO happy...i can feel again. i WAS very irritible like you when i was tapering. it's time to get SELFISH....you feeling bad about hurting people and people making you feel bad is going to make your taper HORRIBLE.........you must trust they will be there so stop worrying about them and start worrying about yourself. as far as the stomach goes, it's crazy. one day i won't stop going #2, and then i won't go at all. i used to be very bloating, but it stopped. tomorrow i'll start the cla for losing weight and coconut oil.

chris,
i did feel like bugs were crawling on and off. have you tried the omega 3's? power barley mixed with protein powder is good.

db3,
i got alot of migraines while withdrawing and terrible neck pain. but i also got them before i went on lexipro.

[Skywalk]

Tavee and all:

I think I'm having more stomach issues because I stopped cold-turkey. I read a lot of old posts and those who quit like me had a lot of stomach issues about the same time as me (2.5-3 month mark). I have a lot of bowell movements and they are really soft (I know, gross). It's not normal for me. Mostly happens in the morning. My gut is just so fragile right now. The good news is that I have few headaches/pains now.

[sarita]

skywalk,
sorry about your stomach issues. i know, it's embarrasing to talk about. but for me, it's either i go alot, or the stool is hard. i think i'll try more fiber and veggies.
today i was really, really dizzy but i made myself not panic.and felt like i could have slept all day long but i made it through work and i feel alittle better.
for me, by far, the only taper that was bad was the very last one where i stopped taking the drug completly. it's been about 10 days now and i know it'll take a couple more weeks to stabilize......

[rubiek]

I have never realized that the stomach issues are part of the withdrawal, but it totally makes sense. Having very poor quality diet for such a long time (being a poor student & single on top of having depression really makes it easy for me not to take care of myself on what I put in my mouth), I thought that having upset stomach all the time is due to the poor diet and very irregular eating habits. Hmmm.

It's the 12th day for me after stop taking Lexapro, and I feel that the worst part is over though things could quickly change once the new semester starts. However, I can feel that no matter how challenged "physically" due to withdrawal, my mind is getting stronger day by day. Having a commitment not to take that white pill again no matter what gives me a sense of strength and achievement (my body is just telling me very firm NO to that pill, and I now can listen to it). My appetite and original personality is gradually coming back after two years of "getting stuck" and "being a totally different person."

Sure, having depression is not a fun thing at all--but I feel that this recovery process is giving me a good opportunity to straighten my life. Having withdrawal is definitely helping me to become much more health-conscious [:I] I plan to overhaul my eating habits and daily routine.

Yes, this too shall pass, and when it does, all of us will have a better life.

Oh, yeah, right, we are in the process of RECOVERY. No matter how bad we feel physically due to withdrawal, it is the fact that we are RECOVERING, and are getting better day by day--even without noticing.

[rubiek]

O.k. it sounds SO childish and stupid but I want to share my easy trick to feel better in the midst of withdrawal (esp. to ease dizziness and brain zaps)--

My understanding about the mechanism of having all the unpleasant withdrawal symptoms is that our brain is trying to figure out the way to restore the original regulating mechanism prior to its being soaked by Lexapro. Lexapro inhibits the re-uptake of serotonin to make us feel better--if I am not mistaken--but, now without Lexapro, the brain is quite "confused" about how to handle signals, after being so used to function under the influence of Lexapro.

So--what I do is to put my both hands on the back of my head, close my eyes, take a deep breath, and speak to my brain as it were my beloved dog, saying, "oh, poor thing, you are so confused now, but don't worry, everything will be okay. Relax, relax..." And somehow it works for me! Seriously. I think the key is to visualize what's happening in the brain vividly while doing this, and breathe slowly and deeply, and relax.

Yup, I know this must sound darn so silly and my sister cracked up so hard and almost fell from the chair when hearing this "method" from me.

But, it works, folks. Maybe it is pseudo-meditation thing...

Good luck!

[db3]

i cant take these f%&$# headaches!!!

when will they stop!?

[sarita]

db3,
i've been getting migraines and headches too. tonight is new years eve and i can't even enjoy it cause of this terrible headache. it sucks. but thank you for making me feel better by your posting about when will these ****ing headaches stop. i thought i was going crazy. this is day 10 without lexipro. how long has it been for you?
are you taking anything for the headache and is it working?? i just broke down and took tylenol. i've been using head on. that works alittle bit...but nothing works except darkness and sleep. do you get nauseous too?

[TaraD]

Happy New Year's to all. Hope this finds everyone well.

Well, these past 2 days have been awful. I am having some serious mood swings. One minute I'm happy, the next I could rip someones head off. I even get to the point where I hate myself. It is driving me and everyone around me crazy. It could be the littlest thing and I just snap!! Yesterday I had to just get out of the house and that kind of made me feel better but today was the same thing. I just want to hide in a cave until this is done, but I can't. I was doing so well to this point. (Almost 3 weeks off lexapro.) And of course, the head aches have started. I've been taking whatever I can get my hands on to get rid of them.

I think that my husband wants me to back on something the way I've been acting, but I just don't want to. Any one else having these wonderful mood swings?

[db3]

sarita..my last pill was christmas eve..the headaches started immediatly!! i started taking tylenol pm, but were making me way too tired...today, new yrs eve, i took 2 tylenol cold and sinus pills, and i slept for 4 hrs this afternoon..it relieved it a little, but i couldnt enjoy the party I was at tonite because if i laughed, or talked too loud the headache would sneak up on me..i really feel like just staying on the couchallday, but unfortunatly i cant..i have 3 kids! they go back to school tues so im looking foward to a little quiet time..
on tuesday, i had a bad day, on top of a terrible headache i had a very bad mood swing..it actually felt like a rage was inside me, ive never experienced that before..i felt bad for my husband! Poor guy was on the receiving end of it..but he knows im going thru a rough time and he understood!! im also getting mini waves of nausea, but they pass quickly.. this really is a horrible feeling.. hope you feel better soon..please keep me posted..!!
Happy New Year!!! I hope 2007 is a great year for
all of us!!
db

[sarita]

tara and db3,
happy new year. are any of the head medicines working? nothing really works so i'd rather just suffer than add addition medications.

well, my good news was that the cold sweat,dizziness,and nauseous, and last nights headache is typical for me during pms. i had forgotten i was getting my period!! and i did this morning so i am so relieved to tell everyone especailly Tavee that besides the terrible, terrible, terrible, headaches, i've been doing great on the taper.

the mood swings are typical too. tell your husband that's what it is and have him rad some postings. like, last night, i pointed out to my husband db3's e-mail about headaches.

[Donna2]

I've been searching for answers regarding Lexapro withdrawal and came across this site. I stopped taking Lexapro 10mg abruptly around mid-November and have suffered with headaches and nausea. On 12/31, I threw-up for the first time--guess the headaches and nausea finally took a toll on me. I wanted to get my life back and find out who I am and if I could make it without the drug. I've been on Lexapro 10mg for about 2-3 years. I don't have a day-to-day account for everything I've gone through since stopping, but I do know that the first day off of the med that I experienced pain in my head when I would turn or bend. It was as if my brain was moving. I have never had a migraine, but now I know what it feels like--the constant throb, sensitivity to light and nausea. I have difficulty focusing at work because of the withdrawal, especially the headaches. I'm in a job that requires a good mind, learning systems and is very demanding. I felt that Lexapro was reducing my ability to learn and function at my new job. It may sound crazy to you, but I told God that I wanted to join the land of the living. Over the years, I withdrew from most activity and gained at least 50 lbs. The weight gain caused me to become even more unsocialable. The drug that was suppose to help appears to have made living worse. I was seeking answers to coping with the headaches and nausea when I came across this web site and forum. A co-worker told me that caffeine helps with headaches; she often has migraine. I don't drink coffee, so last night before I went to bed I drank a little coke and placed a cold wash cloth over my head. Before falling asleep I removed the wash cloth. This morning I didn't have the terrible headache like I usually get--it's more of a nagging headache and feel a little nausated. Please continue sharing your experiences with withdrawal from Lexapro and I will do the same. Our experiences and testimonies may assist medical studies in finding better resolutions for individuals wanting/needing/desiring to be off of Lexapro. This makes me wonder what was really happening to my God-given brain.

Donna2

[sarita]

donna,
welcome to our forum. it's really saved me from going crazy........

i've been suffering from migraines myself. coffee actually does work butit also makes me anxious so i have only a half a cup...

i've been off lexipro for 10 days...i heard it takes 45 days to get out of your system. seems like years away...i've been pretty okay except for the migraines. i bought head on...and i took tylenol (can't take aspirin until it's out of the system). but it doesn't work. last night i swore my head was going to explode. the only thing to do is go in a dark, quiet room and try to sleep.

i have no desire to go back on it. let's stay STRONG....we can do this.

[Skywalk]

I agree, Sarita...this med does more harm than good for a lot of people. My friend's mom has been on Lexapro for four years and she went from being a beautiful, active, interesting woman to a heavy-set, lazy TV watching person. You can barely talk to her because she always has a show on. And I can relate...even though Lexapro did not work for me, I've watched more TV than I ever have! Have you all experienced this? I became obsessed in a way. It's finally lifting now that I'm three months off the drug, but I've never been like that in my life. I get bored of TV usually pretty fast.

Well...some good news, guys...I'm feeling a lot better the past several days. I almost feel like my old self in some ways. Again, I don't want to jinx it. But I don't dread the day like I use to. For four months (on and off the drug) I'd rather be asleep than awake because life felt so awful.

For all you newbies...the withdrawal can go on for weeks or months. It depends on your body. I quit cold turkey on Oct. 1 after being on it for 6 weeks and I'm still having issues. But the headaches and head "weirdness" is pretty much gone as of about 10-12 days ago.

Happy New Year...hang in there...Sarita, Tavee, newbies...

[TeachinNV]

Hi all...

I'm so glad I found this forum! I've spent the past two days reading all of the posts to prepare myself for what I might experience when I begin to get this drug out of my body.

I've been on Lexapro since late February. I had been trying to handle my depression on my own since the previous July or August. I was having difficulties over my mother's health and my son's stupidity. My mother passed away a year ago yesterday, and I've been handling that o.k. Over the past year, I've come to terms with her illness and passing. My son has cut down on his stupidity, so that helps, too.

Although Lexapro helped me face my life, I haven't liked the way I've physically felt while on it. I'm tired all the time, have a foggy brain, and have gained back almost all of the weight I lost a couple of years ago. That's the hardest part...gaining back 40+ pounds.

After reading all of the posts, I began tapering my dosage last night. I'm on 10mg, but I dropped down to 7.5 mg and I'll stay there for a couple of weeks. Then I'll drop to 5 mg for a couple of weeks and so on. Hopefully, any symptoms will be minor and won't stick around for long.

Wish me luck...

Lori

TeachinNV