chillme: Can Escitalopram withdrawal start this early?

[chillme]

Hello everyone!

I am glad to join a forum where we can share our very unique experiences with tapering off.

 

I have been tapering off escitalopram for only 6 days now and I could feel a considerable change in my mood from day 2. I went from 10 mg of escitalopram per day, to a 10-7.5-10 dosage recommended by my psychiatrist and I have been feeling very irritable. Specially at night. I was wondering if someone has experienced w/d symptoms this early.

My fiancé is a physician (ophthalmologist) and insists it's too early for me to feel a change (still, he supports and comforts me). But I am very sensitive to any substance. I just want some empathy and any advice on how to cope. I feel like I'm not myself and I wonder if this (easily upset, slightly anxious and anti social) is how I am going to feel for the next 8 months (which is how long my tapering off will take).

 

I am trying to practice modern dance at least twice a week to boost my serotonin levels naturally and it feels good up to now. But every night I am this cranky b****! Has anyone felt the same?

Before you suggest slower tapering, take into account that Escitalopram is not sold in liquid form or in lower dosages than 10mg in Mexico. 

 

All the best.

 

[Petunia]

Welcome to SA Chillme,

 

I moved your introductory post to a Journal thread of its own. This way more people will notice it, and you can maintain your own journal. You can  use this thread to track progress, write about symptoms, ask questions and communicate with the community, add to it whenever you want. Please bookmark it or follow it so you can find it again.

 

I'm sorry you haven't been feeling well since you started tapering escitalopram, it certainly does sound like you are experiencing some withdrawal symptoms, which is understandable because not only are you tapering too fast, but it looks like you are taking alternating doses each day. Jumping around in doses like this can cause instability, you want to be taking the same dose at the same time each day to keep the nervous system stable as you slowly reduce the dose over time. This way you can minimize symptoms and remain functional as you come off your medication.

 

We suggest reducing by no more than 10% of the current dose every 4 weeks, this reduces the risk of withdrawal symptoms arising.

 

See  Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

and What is withdrawal syndrome?

 

Many of us are here because we tapered the wrong way, while believing we were doing it right. Sadly, most doctors don’t have a clue and often advise tapers that are too fast and lead patients to going back on the drug because of a ‘relapse’,  which is actually withdrawal. See: What to expect from my doctor

 

Its possible to taper slowly even without access to liquid, I will give you some links with information about how to do this:

 

Tips for tapering off Lexapro (escitalopram)

How to make a liquid from tablets or capsules

Using an oral syringe and other tapering techniques

Using a digital scale to measure doses

 

How long have you been taking Escitalopram? Are you on any other medications? It would be great if you would put your drug and withdrawal history in your signature. Doing this helps people understand your context, it appears below each of your posts. Here are instructions for how to do it:

 

http://survivinganti...your-signature/

 

I'm glad you found us, you will find a lot of friendly help and support here.

 

Petunia.

[chillme]

Thank you @Petunia. I had no idea I could dissolve it in a liquid myself. Nice!

I tapered off this way because it is what my psychiatrist suggested but I am willing to try another way. I had to updose because I felt miserable and it still was very early in the process and I couldn't even find a specific reason to quit Escitalopram right now since I feel quite OK and normal. [Don't need it, nor do I feel it helps me anymore, because my former problems are gone.]

Thank you for transferring me to a more seen thread.

 

All the best.