Moderator Emeritus ChessieCat Posted March 17, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted March 17, 2016 Hi AmyN, I'm really pleased that you are feeling so much better. I myself understand that It is such a relief. Just don't forget about the Windows and Waves mentioned in my post above. You have managed to get over a very large hurdle, but it is only the start of long journey off the drug. Please don't fall into the trap of thinking that it is going to be absolutely smooth sailing from now on. I am not trying to scare or worry you, I just want you to be prepared that there may be some hiccups and minor setbacks along the way. Knowing this will help you to accept these minor issues instead of stressing out about them and panicking. The next stage is stabilising. Holding for at least 2-3 months before you even consider tapering. My suggestion would be to keep posting here about any symptoms or improvements so that you have a record of your progress and the staff can be kept informed of how you are doing so that if an issue arises down the track there will be an accurate record of when and what happened. The staff will then be able to offer suggestions based on those details. I also suggest that you post here before you taper so that you can receive another opinion about whether it is the right time. This would probably be a good idea to do for the first few drops you do until you get to know your symptoms and understand the process of tapering. Just remember: HEALING IS HAPPENING. All you need to do is take care of yourself and try and keep stress to a minimum so that your brain can do what it needs to, which it is very capable of doing. The worst thing you can do is try and hurry the process along. It will take as long as it needs to take. It might feel like you are doing nothing. In fact you are doing nothing and that is what is needed at this time. It is also a good idea to learn coping skills. Claire Weekes is highly recommended. Audio: How to Recover from Anxiety - Dr Claire Weekes Audio: First Aid for Panic (4 minutes) CBT Course: An Introductory Self-Help Course in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy Resources: Centre for Clinical Interventions (PDF modules that you can work through, eg: Depression, Distress Intolerance, Health Anxiety, Low Self-Esteem, Panic Attacks, Perfectionism, Procrastination, Social Anxiety, Worrying) * NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA * MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: (6 year taper) 0mg Pristiq on 13th November 2021 ADs since ~1992: 25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq: 50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity) Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021 LAST DOSE 0.0025mg Post 0 updates start here My tapering program My Intro (goes to tapering graph) VIDEO: Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management Link to comment
AmyN Posted March 17, 2016 Author Share Posted March 17, 2016 You are awesome! This is such a great support, and good to know what to expect. I'm a little spacey again today, but not nearly as bad. I left my purse at our office and didn't realize it until I had ordered some food from CHick-Fil-A and pulled up to pay for it. OOPS! Yes, thanks for letting me know. I know it is good to have realistic expectations so you don't end up disappointed! I took 20 mg. of Lexapro for approximately 15 years, and am a week into attempting to quit cold turkey. Went cold turkey approximately 3/3/16. I attempted cold turkey in the past and ended up back on the medication. When I started taking the drug, I was at 10 mg, which was increased to 20. 3/15 reinstated, started at approx. 2.5 mg. Link to comment
AmyN Posted March 18, 2016 Author Share Posted March 18, 2016 Update/symptoms: Day three of reinstatement to 2 ml. per day: Was doing fine until extreme fatigue hit me last night and today. Was able to get some sleep. Feeling a little better today. Also, slight feelings of the jitters (difficult to explain). Is fatigue a normal side effect to tapering? Should I wait to see how I feel tomorrow? Thanks! I took 20 mg. of Lexapro for approximately 15 years, and am a week into attempting to quit cold turkey. Went cold turkey approximately 3/3/16. I attempted cold turkey in the past and ended up back on the medication. When I started taking the drug, I was at 10 mg, which was increased to 20. 3/15 reinstated, started at approx. 2.5 mg. Link to comment
AmyN Posted March 18, 2016 Author Share Posted March 18, 2016 I read the symptoms checklist and saw fatigue on there! Just wondered how to assess symptoms to see if you need a slightly larger does to reinstate or what? I took 20 mg. of Lexapro for approximately 15 years, and am a week into attempting to quit cold turkey. Went cold turkey approximately 3/3/16. I attempted cold turkey in the past and ended up back on the medication. When I started taking the drug, I was at 10 mg, which was increased to 20. 3/15 reinstated, started at approx. 2.5 mg. Link to comment
AmyN Posted March 18, 2016 Author Share Posted March 18, 2016 Also, how important is it that you take the dose at the exact time each day. for example, if I am going to be somewhere at 7 p.m.(which is when I take mine,) is it okay to take it a little early, beforehand? Thanks! I took 20 mg. of Lexapro for approximately 15 years, and am a week into attempting to quit cold turkey. Went cold turkey approximately 3/3/16. I attempted cold turkey in the past and ended up back on the medication. When I started taking the drug, I was at 10 mg, which was increased to 20. 3/15 reinstated, started at approx. 2.5 mg. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus Fresh Posted March 18, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted March 18, 2016 Hi Amy , it should be okay to take it a little earlier if you need to occasionally. Often , after an episode of things speeding up with insomnia , it takes a week or so of sleeping more to catch up , it's your system recovering. It's a good sign , I wouldn't be worried. How are the symptoms you've had over the past weeks , like talking faster , disinhibited behaviour , feelings of euphoria , racing thoughts etc. ? 1987-1997 pertofran , prothiaden , Prozac 1997-2002 Zoloft 2002-2004 effexor 2004-2010 Lexapro 40mg 2010-2012Cymbalta 120mg Sept. 2012 -decreased 90mg in 6months. Care taken over by Dr Lucire in March 2013 , decreased last 30mg at 2mg per week over 3 months. July 21 , 2013- last dose of Cymbalta Protracted withdrawal syndrome kicked in badly Jan.2014 Unrelenting akathisia until May 2014. Voluntary hosp. admission. Cocktail of Seroquel, Ativan and mirtazapine and I was well enough to go home after 14 days. Stopped all hosp. meds in next few months. July 2014 felt v.depressed - couldn't stop crying. Started pristiq 50mg. Felt improvement within days and continued to improve, so stayed on 50mg for 8 months. Began taper 28 Feb. 2015. Pristiq 50mg down to 45mg. Had one month of w/d symptoms. Started CES therapy in March. No w/d symptoms down to 30mg. October 2015 , taking 25mg Pristiq. Capsules compounded with slow-release additive. March 2016 , 21mg Link to comment
AmyN Posted March 18, 2016 Author Share Posted March 18, 2016 I was having more spaciness/memory loss, which is better. I took 20 mg. of Lexapro for approximately 15 years, and am a week into attempting to quit cold turkey. Went cold turkey approximately 3/3/16. I attempted cold turkey in the past and ended up back on the medication. When I started taking the drug, I was at 10 mg, which was increased to 20. 3/15 reinstated, started at approx. 2.5 mg. Link to comment
AmyN Posted March 19, 2016 Author Share Posted March 19, 2016 Still feeling a little fatigued today. It's getting a little discouraging. Also, feeling depressed, but maybe that is a side effect of the fatigue. I took 20 mg. of Lexapro for approximately 15 years, and am a week into attempting to quit cold turkey. Went cold turkey approximately 3/3/16. I attempted cold turkey in the past and ended up back on the medication. When I started taking the drug, I was at 10 mg, which was increased to 20. 3/15 reinstated, started at approx. 2.5 mg. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus apace41 Posted March 19, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted March 19, 2016 Amy, Please try to remember what I told you the other day. You can't live this minute to minute. It will eat you up. Fatigue is normal as is feeling a little down (with or without fatigue). Best, Andy Sertraline 50mg and Clonazapam .375mg from 2000 -- symptoms of dizziness Spring 2012 increased to .5 Clonazapam and 100mg Sertraline -- no improvement Benzo microtaper from November 2012 to November 2014 (followed benzo sites "taper benzo first") Started Sertraline taper in December 2014 cut by 25mg to 75mg; 62.5mg 1/1/15 and 50mg on 2/1/15 Held at 50mg through April 5 to use liquid Reduced dosage in 10% or less drops from 50mg to 25mg -- at single tablet of 25mg on 10/5/15 Transitioned to all liquid for accuracy while tapering -- Horrible insomnia -- back to 25mg liquid and held until October 1, 2016 10/16 -- 11/18 tapered very slowly to 10.6mg. No real improvement and never really stable so updosed to 12.5mg (1/2 a pill) for convenience and long hold. After 8+ months of holding with no noticeable improvement decided to add .4ml of liquid Prozac (about 1.5mg) to see if that improves the situation Supplements, Magnesium, D3, Omega 3, curcumin, Valerian, 81mg Aspirin, L-Theanine, Vit. C, Link to comment
AmyN Posted March 20, 2016 Author Share Posted March 20, 2016 Patience is not my strong point! I took 20 mg. of Lexapro for approximately 15 years, and am a week into attempting to quit cold turkey. Went cold turkey approximately 3/3/16. I attempted cold turkey in the past and ended up back on the medication. When I started taking the drug, I was at 10 mg, which was increased to 20. 3/15 reinstated, started at approx. 2.5 mg. Link to comment
Ali4 Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 Not mine either!! 10 years citalopram 30mg- tapered down in December 15/2015- Jan 15/2016 to 20mg for two weeks, ten for one week and five for another week, then stopped, less then two weeks later, sheer hell broke lose with debilitating withdrawal symptoms. Update-- reinstated 5mg of celexa on feb 5-- within hours noticed immediate difference in WD symptoms-- Holding holding and more holding. Updose- March 23/16 too 10mg- relieved the harsher head symptoms- current symptoms headaches, dizzy, numbness and tingling in my head. Benzos- 2015-Ativan on and off for 6 months 2mg- switched to clonazepam nov 2015- 2mg till Jan 2016 Zopiclone 7.5mg nov-dec 2015- was tapered off over 4weeks- Currently in protracted withdrawal. ???????????????????????????????? Update- ended up in the hospital April 18/16 major suicidal ( never had that before) was admitted/ been there ever since, put me back to full dose celexa 30mg no drugs added, IAM FINALLY STABLE AFTER 3 months of tortuous hell. Got a great physiatrist that new all about WD, he will help me taper properly in a couple of months at 5% deductions holding 8 weeks. I never want to relive that hell again. Udate- stable and holding, doing things slowly is key. Link to comment
AmyN Posted March 20, 2016 Author Share Posted March 20, 2016 It is the lesson the universe it trying to teach me at the moment! I took 20 mg. of Lexapro for approximately 15 years, and am a week into attempting to quit cold turkey. Went cold turkey approximately 3/3/16. I attempted cold turkey in the past and ended up back on the medication. When I started taking the drug, I was at 10 mg, which was increased to 20. 3/15 reinstated, started at approx. 2.5 mg. Link to comment
coldturkmama Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 So glad you are not going to cold turkey. I can say that I did that and thought I was fine for about a month before really bad withdrawal set in. Paxil 20mg from 1998-2011 Paxil 40mg from 2011-2012 while experiencing poopout October 2013 quit cold turkey Oct-mid Nov 2013 great window Late November WD nightmare Windows and waves pattern Now: 28 months cold turkey...doing decent learning to deal with the windows/waves pattern fighting it every step of the way. Link to comment
AmyN Posted March 20, 2016 Author Share Posted March 20, 2016 Oh no!! You're doing better now? I took 20 mg. of Lexapro for approximately 15 years, and am a week into attempting to quit cold turkey. Went cold turkey approximately 3/3/16. I attempted cold turkey in the past and ended up back on the medication. When I started taking the drug, I was at 10 mg, which was increased to 20. 3/15 reinstated, started at approx. 2.5 mg. Link to comment
Rockingchaircat Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 Thank you for your kind words on my own taper/blog AmyN. It's good to see that you're not going C/T as what I saw on your signature. I just came by here to wish you well on your own journey of emancipation from the Lexapro. I hope that you have a mild withdrawal (W/D). As to asking questions- we've all been there. Even with my taper- I probably went too quickly. And things went south for me within a couple of months. As to patience? Patience wasn't a strong suit for me either. In some ways it still isn't. But these....this...teaches us to be patient. Because life is so much more than being a slave to a pill. You can do it. Anything worth having is worth fighting for. 1)Zoloft- 6/99 to 8/04 2)Escitalopram- 8/04 to 8/10 3)Citalopram 8/10 to 4/14 (C/T), 4)Paxil a week or so, 5)Wellbutrin a week or so, 6)Reinstated Citalopram- 9/14 to 7/15 Before Taper- Celexa/20 mg....Taper Start- 04/21/15- 15mg....05/26/15- 10 mg...06/22/15- 5 mg...07/18/15- 0mg. http://tinyurl.com/qjfoqe9 Ativan/Lorazepam use/taper 10/14 to 2/15- http://tinyurl.com/ljebp84 Baclofen- Intermittent use of from 2008 till 2014. Some use of Promethazine. Some use of Zofran. Clobetasol Propionate- for Lichen Planus. Some Flexeril use. Ativan- GABA,A receptor Agonist., Baclofen- GABA,B receptor Agonist., Celexa/Lexapro- Serotonin 5-HT1A Receptor Agonist., Zofran- Serotonin 5-HT3 Receptor Agonist..Promethazine- Histamine H1-Receptor Antagonist. Flexeril- Serotonin 5HT2a Antagonist. My self imposed Amino Acid Therapy: Tyrosine 500mg 1xday, Theanine 200 mg 1xday, & Taurine 500 mg 2x day. (All neurotransitter pre-cursors)- seems to have helped me immensely. And of course- eating healthy, including Black Beans for the oligosaccharides for gut health. The attempt to develop a sense of humor and to see things in a humorous light is some kind of trick learned while mastering the Art of Living. - Viktor Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning. Link to comment
AmyN Posted March 21, 2016 Author Share Posted March 21, 2016 Thanks so much for the kind words as well! Amen to that (not being a slave to a pill!) I took 20 mg. of Lexapro for approximately 15 years, and am a week into attempting to quit cold turkey. Went cold turkey approximately 3/3/16. I attempted cold turkey in the past and ended up back on the medication. When I started taking the drug, I was at 10 mg, which was increased to 20. 3/15 reinstated, started at approx. 2.5 mg. Link to comment
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