Peeyush: escitalopram cold turkey 10mg

[Peeyush]

Hi,
I was on Escitalopram from Sept 2017 to April 2018. Being at high which I was with these drugs, I stopped it cold turkey. Major mistake for sure. In mid of June 2018, I have got anxiety attacks back, severe mood swings. Major loss in confidence. Anxiety has gone down because I'm monitoring my thoughts but the fear has not. There are fear and anxiety about most random tasks, like driving a car which I've been doing from last 10 years, quite odd. I've been mostly stiff physically during my days but have been a bit better, however loss in confidence remains a major worry because that's not me for sure. 
I asked my psychiatrist, he told me to relax and monitor my thoughts and has given me etizolam but I'm reluctant to take any more meds now. I'm trying a few mindfulness techniques like philosophical meditation(writing Journal), which has helped a bit but this still bugs me all the time.
Do let me know if someone else had similar consequences.

 

[Altostrata]

Welcome, Peeyush.

 

Cold turkey is a bad way to go off drugs. You now have post-acute withdrawal syndrome.

 

Please read What is withdrawal syndrome?

 

If you take a very small amount of escilatopram, such as 0.5mg to start, it may alleviate the symptoms. You'd stay at that dosage for some months, then taper off by tiny amounts.

 

See

 

About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms
 
The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

This topic explains how to take a very small amount of escilatopram Tips for tapering off Lexapro (escitalopram)

 

Please let us know how you're doing.

[Peeyush]

Thank you, Alto. This was really helpful. My anxiety has gone down and my confidence is coming back. However I'm surely going through the windows and wave pattern. It gets really worse, where I feel really low for no reason. I'm trying to monitor my feelings and giving myself a chance to heal. I'll try to handle these but if not, I'll work with my shrink and start with less dosage of meds again. Hoping this shall work and I'll get better.

[Peeyush]

@Altostrata - Hi Alto, Hope you are doing good. My anxiety has gone down but restlessness and that knot in my stomach hasn't. Now i feel physically stiff all the time. Though I do have some windows of calmness but that's too less. It's been 2.5 months since i went off meds. I went back home for a week to increase the level of serotonin and all seemed fine there but then I've returned back to the city where i work at and so has the odd feelings and restlessness.  Its difficult for me to have conversation with people since I'm not relaxed, which I used to do so easily once. 
Would you still suggest reinstating on a lower dosage or shall I just see through this period? 

 

[Altostrata]

Have you been taking 0.5mg escilatopram since July 7? If yes, you may want to increase by 0.5mg to 1mg per day.

 

To help us out, follow these instructions Please put your drug and withdrawal history in your signature

[Peeyush]

@Altostrata - Hi Alto, I went back home on 7th July for a week and everything got better and hence I did not start with 0.5mg but this knot in my stomach isn't going away anywhere and makes me stiff during most of the day. However I have few moments of calmness but mostly it is restlessness. Of course it has gotten a bit better over the time.
I'm not sure whether to start taking the medicines again in small dosage or see this time through till this reduces?
 
 

[Altostrata]

What was different when you went home?

 

It's possible these symptoms will go away over time. If they don't, or if they get worse, you may wish to try a very small reinstatement of escilatopram. In the meantime, you must protect your nervous system from stress and probably other drugs, it's probably very vulnerable because of the cold turkey.

 

Many people do better with fish oil and magnesium supplements, see
http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/36-king-of-supplements-omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil/

http://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/15483-magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker/

 

A lot of people find them helpful. Try a little bit of one at a time to see how it affects you.

[Peeyush]

Thanks @Altostrata. I'll surely try this. I've gotten a bit better in past few days with that stiff feeling reduced, but I do feel really low on confidence, unhappy, not excited about anything followed by a small window of feeling decent enough. I sill have trouble talking to people, which is so not me, though it is getting better too. Hope this is just withdrawal symptom and not a relapse.  

[Altostrata]

Please see

 

Withdrawal dialogues & encouragement

 

Neuro-emotions

 

Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms 

[Peeyush]

Thanks a lot Alto. This seems really good and would be of great help. Will try these.