Lexapro - Withdrawal symptoms

[mctippins]

I have been taking 10mg Lexapro for only about 6 months and I have never felt better. When I called my doctors office for my next refill they told me that he would not give me any more medication refill and that he wanted me to try to get off the medication. But by this time I only had like a weeks worth of pills left. So I took one tablet every other day which lasted about 2 weeks. Now its been about 1 week of no medication. I have been crying daily, I continually have dizzy spells all thoughout the day. And to top it all off I am so tired that I have been sleeping hours in the afternoon. I was starting to think that there was really something wrong with me but now after seeing everyones posts I feel better already knowing its not just me.

[Sandman1]

First time poster, long time Lexapro user. So I've been on Lex for over 10 years and I currently take 10mg/day. I've read hundreds of posts now and feel better about how difficult it has been for me to get off of this stuff. So I'm a teacher and have the luxury of having summers off to try and taper, but my withdrawl symptoms are always the same and include all of those symptoms that I've seen in the posts I've read; so I don't need to reiterate here. Even after tapering over 3 or 4 month stretches, my withdrawl symptoms remain horrific and render me useless when I go back into the classroom, which means I have start taking the Lexapro again. So my question to all of you out there comes from the fact that I have not seen a single post that mentions THC and I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with it in the context of withdrawl alleviation. I'm not a partier, I rarely even drink and it's been 15+ years (college days) since I've had any pot. Does anyone here think it would be worth looking into getting a license to use THC products to try and alleviate some of the side-effects of getting off Lexapro? Please understand that I have no intention of taking these products while in the classroom, I am interested in easing the pain during the tapering period in the hopes that I can be chemical free by the fall of next year (since I couldn't quite make it off the meds...again )
Any constructive thoughts would be appreciated...Thanks.

[kristienece2]

I also started to experience a tingly lightheaded sensation towards the end of my workday that would subside when i came home and took the rest of my dosage. but this annoyed me because i knew the meds were the reason i was having that feeling in the first place. i guess there was some confusion because i thought i was having that feeling because the meds were in my system too much, only now realizing that my body was telling me i needed to take more.

[kristienece2]

MichalRose:

Are you still dealing with the body pain?

I quit effexor cold turkey about 5 months ago and still have body pain.

I think my metabolism has slowly been repaired too, although it has also taken months and months. I can't eat any less than i do now and i have found that now the weight comes off from exercising more - which i couldn't do when i was on escitalopram or straight after due to the lethargy it causes.

[01sport]

I am a 53 year old male. My MD perscribed Lexapro for depression. I took 5mgs a day for 1 week then 10mgs a day for 4 days. I had severe side effects. I then reduced to 5mgs every other day for 4 days. I have been off lexapro for almost 5 weeks. I have been having severe anxiety attacks, shaking and cold sweats since quitting the lexapro. I have been taking Zanax to combat the anxiety. At first it worked but I seem to need more and I'm switching between increasing dosage and trying to cold turkey. I can only sleep about 3 hours a night and I have no appetite and have to force feed myself. I have horrible fear of loosing my job. My wife is at her wits end and can no longer help me. My children need their father back. Please help.

[425runner]

I was on Lexapro 5mg for the first week, then 10mg for 3 weeks. Every day I had terrible headaches and ended up taking 8 tylenols with 8 advils only to endure the same misery. I had no appetite and felt "stoned" yes, my anxiety vanished but so did my motivation to do anything. When it got to a point where I started to feel suicidal, I quit cold turkey. The withhdrawal, even after using it only for 3 weeks!! was no fun. I was very, very dizzy, not well overall, and every time I turned my head - I got those electric shocks. It sure didn't work for me, but then no SSRI ever did.

[soready]

This is my experience and my experience alone. I am not trying to do anything below, except to share what i have gone through as it helps me and it would be great if it helped even just 1 person. I apologize for the length in advance.


I have been on lexapro twice over 6 years. The first time I was on it was for about 2 years, but I really don't recall any withdrawals at all. However, I never even sought out information after taking it and I did quit cold turkey. It was years back. The most recent experience was a period of 10 months and I was on 10mg. I actually quit it cold Turkey too as I had no idea there was a need to taper. I only had a few days of irritability and trouble sleeping this last time, but I didn't think much of it. To be quite honest, after a few days of irritability, I felt AMAZING and couldn't have been happier. I had soooo much energy and felt like myself again. My mind seemed clearer and my "innovative, creative ideas" started to flow again. I was 100% positive Lexapro was doing me more harm than good. Nothing could have changed my mind that it was the right choice to jump off it. However, after several weeks, actually almost 1.5 - 2 months, things changed. My emotions got craaaazy out of nowhere. I was crying over the littlest things and I can count how many times I have cried in my life. I started getting the worst panic attacks and it got to the point where I couldn't even eat all day because of stress and anxiety. I had to force myself to eat (not easy), and even would throw up at times because of panic and stress.I was hungry, but had NO appetite for anything. Nothing. After roughly 2.5 months, I got back on and actually feel good again....

Believe it or not, as I was writing this, I just recalled that I was taking an all natural supplement called Panicyl shortly before quitting lexapro because I was wondering if there was something else out there that wasn't a strong SSRI. Take it as you will, but I am blowing my mind right now because I really wonder if I may not have had withdrawals because of that supplement. I remember starting it a week or so before deciding to quit lexapro and continued it until the body was gone (maybe 30-45 days or so because i didn't take it every day. Always been skeptical of the all natural stuff). However, it seriously may have played a role in no withdrawals, giving me energy, and motivation for the period up until I went downhill again, which is about the time I ran out - probably two or three weeks after though. When the bottle was gone I didn't buy another because I 100% thought, and assumed, I was feeling so great because I was off Lexapro and it wasn't the panicyl. So I assumed the withdrawals were finally hitting me as I read on another thread that they were find two until month after stopping. The reason I ended up taking the whole bottle of Panicyl was because after you take it, you really do get a surge of energy after 10 minutes or so, but I am sure its because of the abundance of b-vitamins.

Regardless, long story short, I am back on Lexapro and feel great. Haven't had a Panicyl since, but am truly considering getting another bottle to see if it really did play a role. And NO, I am in now way shape or form affiliated with Panicyl, know anyone who has taken it, or know anyone with the company. I am merely someone like most of you who scour the internet for information for help. If anything, I am sure you can get the majority of the ingredients at a health food store and try them. It has plenty of b-vitamins, folic acid, GABA, L-tryptophan, L-tyrosine, and other good stuff for the brain. Very well could have been what kept any withdrawals at bay for so long - at least until I ran out and didn't order again since I felt just being off leaper was what made me feel great.

Not everything works the same for all of us, but if you want to, I recommend giving Panicyl a shot and seeing it helps. I just thought I would post this in case people out there were like me and were searching for an alternative to the strong SSRI's out there. And I am sooooo happy i posted this because i really didn't think much of the Panicyl until writing this and seeing things fall into place.

Another one I have researched is called "Attend" because it seems to have a lot of good stuff for the brain too, but haven't given it a shot. Someone I know has and they said they feel great. Energy, motivation, clear/focused mind, and most of all don't obsess over the little things anymore nor get upset about them. Apparently it is really for people with ADD who want the all natural alternative, but many people with depression do have the hyper brain, unfortunately we focus our hyperactivity on the negative thoughts instead of positive.

Personally, I am content on Lexapro at the moment, but would honestly love to go the natural route.

Wish you all the best. My best advice is to PRAY, PRAY, PRAY. If it's not God you pray to, then pray to whomever you wish. Power of prayer is strong, powerful, and can truly change your life. I am battling some other issues as well in life, but I just feel good getting it all out in posts. My apologies for the length.

God Bless.

[NinaRay]

You know what? I posted something to this thread and I cant find my post no more. Something inside me is saying that I hit a nerve and upset someone on the truth about Doctors...The sad part is, is that I posted it just today, so here I am writing my post again and resending it out. If it comes up missing again. I would be careful everyone. Big Brother is pissed off...lol...




Getting off the Drug Lexapro, OMG...The things I have learned today when I was reading on forums about the affects of getting of the drug...I will and am now totally drug free and that means all Medical drugs...This is what I wrote on the f
orums and yes, I am a little upset on how our government and doctors use us as lab rats...http://www.drugs.com/forum/featured-...62-6.html....I am a former victim of the Drug we all know as Lexapro, This drug is hands down the worst drug I have ever walked away from. If I didn't have people who love me around, I would be worse off at this point. I went to the Chiropractor and he has been doing C-1 Adjustments and low and behold, it has been working, It is like my brain is rebooting its self on a safe natural mood. I just quit two weeks ago and the brain zaps Suck, in fact I call it the rubber bad syndrome. It feels like when I turn my head just slighting, I get a rubber ban snapped in my brain. Guys, take a lot B12 Vitamins and go see a Chiropractor, your brain will feel a HUGE difference.

The sad part is, is that our country is fighting a drug war and the war isn't with street sellers, but the actual government who allows all of these drugs used on us as rats in a cage. And the part that pisses me off is that I have to pay for the dam drugs and doctor visits to get what? MORE issues...Thanks to our Government and their not looking out for our best interest, we are now all walking Zombies...Isnt that how the world wants us to be? It is like the Matrix, we can take the blue pill or the red pill....but just remember, when you stop taking the pill you end up in another world.

Come on guys, the doctors get a bonus for shoving the drugs down our throats. They are the biggest drug dealers in the world and the sad part is, is that our body is made to heal from all things and what controls it? Our brains and what better way to prepare us for old age is to kill our brains so we die faster so that the government doesn't have to pay our retirement. It is all a plan, just stop and see the big picture guys...I know, this is how it is.


If you don't want to heed my warning, the Look up Alex Joes, David Icke...OUR doctors are just BIG kids being told what to do with BIG money in their pockets. They don't care about us, they just care about the bonus and the money... Sorry I am ranting, but I AM NOW PISSED at our medical industry...They suck and they should learn some care from Canada and England, at less they all live longer then us Americans.......Extremely Upset...Nina

[jayvanz]

hi not sure if i am doing this right but needed to talk about my lexapro experience..i was on lovan for 2 years and was assaulted several times at work...won't go there at the moment!! and my anxiety level went through the roof so my long term dr put me on 10 mg of lexapro and my life has never been the same..although the anxiety has ceased i felt like a zombie..could barely make it through the day with out sleeping...weight gain..insomnia..metallic taste in mouth..wanting to isolate myself from peopls..palpatations..last week it got so bad that mydr told me to go off lexapro and back on the lovan..i was a mess...have gone off lexapro and feel hideous..pounding headaches..dizzyness. sweats...flu like symptoms..all of which i had researched and thought i could cope with!! silly me..this is day 5 and i have only just left the house for a walk which left be breathless..any hints and tips would be great..is nice just to tell people whi know what i am going through..i have a very supportive husband but he cant feel what i am going through..jay

[jayvanz]

i felt the same as you..stoned and tired and completely lacking in motivation..was hard jsut getting through the work day..had this constant buzzing sort of thing going on in my head..the withdrawel is tough as i am going cold turkey off the lexapro but am back on the lovan..thought i would have it easier..mmmm...good luck.

[mcdonap]

are any of you still around? I really need some advice on this. i am really scared now i see no one has spoken on this topic for a while now...really hope all is well!!!

i've been taking 5thp suplements and therefore no withdrawl sympthoms

[concernedwifeMI]

Hello,
First post and hoping that someone still looks at this link. My husband has been going through withdrawal of Lexapro for probabably about 2 months. He doesn't want to be on medication anymore and doesn't like the way it makes him feel. However, I'm very concerned watching him sleep all the time. He'll come home from work, sometimes eat and then just pass out on the couch until I can coach him to bed eventually. He'll be awake really early sometimes 4 then eventually around 6 when we get up for work. He'll be tired all day still after sleeping 12 hrs. I've been trying to find supplements that he's willing to take. I just bought 5 HTP 200mg. He took one at night when I coached him awake. I gave him one in the morning and he threw it up. I guess it was too strong on an empty stomach? Is this a good approach? What I really want to know is how long is this going to last???? I can't take it much longer. I'm getting some serious anxiety over the issue.

[sg363]

Thanks for this.....I was put on Lexapro for heart palpitations about 2 years ago....first 10 mg then after a year I cut down to 1/2 of a pill - I was not depressed, just going through menopause & experiencing the "normal" symptoms - when one night out of the blue I woke up and my heart was racing...I am a runner, but this scared me to death....long story short, after all the heart tests, workups, etc that the heart doctor could think of...I was told they had no idea what caused my heart palpitations & they put me on Lexapro. I quit cold turkey 6 days ago as this drug was turning me into a zombie...no emotions, couldn't laugh, cry .... nothing seem to move me at all.

The first 3 days I didn't experience any withdrawal symptoms, but the 4th day off I started with the sinus headache, brain zaps, nausea, diarrhea, and it seems to be getting worse...not better. It is such a relief to know that I am not alone in this. I continue to run (as I gained 25 lbs on the Lex) & refuse to go back on this horrible medication. Your post gave me hope that I can get through this.... the fish oil and suggested supplements do seem to take the edge off of the withdrawal symptoms.....just hang in there all of you who are going through this.....doctors need to SERIOUSLY educate themselves and their patients BEFORE prescribing this medication on a whim.......

[sg363]

I also worked out 6 days a week and gained 25 lbs in the 2 years I was on Lexapro 10mg (the last 6 months only 5mg - cut the pill in half)....I have only been off for 1 week but already can seem some of the belly weight coming off....keep your head up and keep exercising!!

[Successlexa]

Hey all,

I started off lexapro a about month ago and wanted to share that I was successful. It can absolutely be done with patience and commitment.

My suggestion is to absolutely wean off. I tried to go cold turkey but that was horrible.

So I broke my pills in half for a week then started skipping days. Then I broke those in half more. Then skipped more days. I went by how my body felt. I would not wean further if the withdrawal symptoms were still there. I just went slow steady and listened to my body. It has been two weeks without a pill and no symptoms left except a little anxiety at night and insomnia.

For a few days I had dizziness and felt close to tears for no reason but all of these went away.

Don't despair. It can be done. Keep the faith! And don't go cold turkey. Wean off slowwwwwwly.

[panly557]

I found a chewed old bottle of Lexapro and don't know if there was anything in it. she is sleeping but also has a very active day.

[lynn1954]

I took name brand Lexapro from April 2005 through May 2009 (4 years).

I tapered off Lexapro summer 2009 and went without it for 6 months.

Then I took name brand Lexapro and generic escitalopram from January 2010 through April 2013 (3 years).

Now I'm tapering off it again.

Don't be afraid to taper off and quit Lex or esc if you no longer need them or the side effects are too extreme for you.

Taper slowly.

Summer 2009 taper off was name brand Lexapro start at 10 mg tablet daily every morning, then 7.5 mg (3/4 of tablet) daily every morning for two weeks, then 5 mg (1/2 of tablet) daily every morning for two weeks, then 2.5 mg (1/4 of tablet) every morning for two weeks then none.

Literally I had no problems and no side effects from that taper off.

Current April 2013 taper off was generic escitalopram start at 20 mg tablet daily every morning, then 15 mg (3/4 of tablet) daily every morning for two weeks, then 10 mg (1/2 of tablet) daily every morning for 12 weeks (not sure why I stayed at 10 mg so long, that's just the way it was) and now 5 mg (1/4 of tablest) for a week so far. It will be 5 mg for two weeks, then 2.5 mg for two weeks.

Again, I've had no problems and no side effects with this taper off.

You might need to taper even more slowly than I did.