Godsave: Lexapro withdrawal and reinstatement

[Godsave]

Hi I withdraw Lexapro for 1 year completely facing unbearable withdrawals and again started for 6 months slowly tapered to 5 and was on 2.5 for 1 year and again quit for 5 months .. crashed very badly again and now reinstated 5 mg for 1 month .. when will my symptoms improve .. and is there anyone who really quit this hell and leading their life again .. PKEASE PKEASE OKEASE HELP ME 

[Gridley]

Welcome to SA, Godsave.

 

To give members the best information, we ask them to summarize their medication history in a signature -- drugs, doses, dates, and discontinuations & reinstatements, in the last 12-24 months particularly.

 

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature.

 

What time to do you take your 5mg Lexapro and how do you feel in the hours after taking it--better, worse, no change.

What are your symptoms?  Could you please give us a symptom chart?  This is a form you can use.

 

6 a.m. Woke with anxiety
8 a.m. Took 2.5mg Lexapro
10 a.m. Stomach is upset
10:30 a.m. Ate breakfast
11:35 a.m. Got a headache, lasted one hour
12:35 p.m. Ate lunch
4 p.m. Feel a bit better
5 p.m. Took 2.5mg Lexapro
6 p.m. Ate dinner
9:20 p.m. Headache
10:00 p.m. Took 50mg Seroquel
10:20 p.m. Feeling dizzy
10:30 p.m. Fell asleep
2:30 a.m. Woke, took 3mg Ambien (NOT "took 1/2 tablet Ambien")
2:45 a.m. Fell asleep
4:30 a.m. Woke but got back to sleep

 

Your system is very sensitized from starting and stopping and starting the drug.  You need to make no further changes so you can regain stability.  Unfortunately, we can't predict how long that will take.  

 

For future reference, when you are ready to taper again (which will take at least several months) we recommend tapering by no more than 10% of your current dose every four weeks.  Some have to taper more slowly.

 

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

You wrote that you previously jumped to zero from 2.5mg.  That was the cause of some of your problems.  We recommend jumping to zero no higher than 0.1mg or if possible lower.

 

So that you have a better understanding of what you're experiencing , here is some information on withdrawal and healing.

 

What is withdrawal syndrome.

 

Daily Checklist of Antidepressant Withdrawal Symptoms (PDF) 

 

When we take medications, the CNS (central nervous system) responds by making changes over the months and years we take the drug(s). When the medication is discontinued, the CNS has to undo all the changes it made. Rebuilding the neurotransmitter production and reactivating the receptor and transporter cells takes time -- during that rebuilding process symptoms occur.  

 

Video:  Healing From Antidepressants - Patterns of Recovery

 

We don't recommend a lot of supplements on SA, as many members report being sensitive to them due to our over-reactive nervous systems, but two supplements that we do recommend are magnesium and omega 3 (fish oil). Many people find these to be calming to the nervous system. 

 

Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker 

 

Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) 

 

Add in one at a time and at a low dose in case you do experience problems.

 

Many, many members have healed.  To read some of their stories, please Google survivingantidepressants.org success stories

 

This is your Introduction topic, where you can ask questions and connect with other members.  We're glad you found your way here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Godsave]

Thank u very very very much 😊🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
felt very happy for ur support and reply . Definitely I will hold on for some months before tapering further .. 

maa of now I have started 5 mg from nov 25 th onwards .. still I have not stabilised and I am taking omega 3 as well as Maca .. 

as per ur advice I will take magnesium .. 

I am also regularly going for 5 km brisk walk in the morning.. 

but mornings are still dreadful apathy hopeless etc .. 

please everyone help with my journey of healing .. thank u very much for your support 😊🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[Gridley]

23 minutes ago, Godsave said:

5 km brisk walk

If that is working well for you, that's fine and please continue.  Some members in withdrawal find strenuous exercise to be too stimulating and have to do only  mild exercise.  You know your own body and can make the decision for yourself as to how much exercise to do.

 

We are here for you.

[Altostrata]

Welcome, Godsave.

 

How did your symptom pattern change after you reinstated 5mg Lexapro? How has it changed over the last few weeks?

[Godsave]

1 hour ago, Gridley said:

If that is working well for you, that's fine and please continue.  Some members in withdrawal find strenuous exercise to be too stimulating and have to do only  mild exercise.  You know your own body and can make the decision for yourself as to how much exercise to do.

 

We are here for you.

 

[Godsave]

Hi 

actually mornings are still very challenging, feeling hopeless foggy memory anxiety etc .. but as day goes on I feel better in the evenings .. I am just taking the 5 mg Lexapro from nov 25 th onwards .. 

 

somehow able to walk with my buddy 😊🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[Godsave]

1 hour ago, Altostrata said:

Welcome, Godsave.

 

How did your symptom pattern change after you reinstated 5mg Lexapro? How has it changed over the last few weeks?

Actually after I reinstated 5 mg my depression got worse and was very painful and scary for the first few days .. and after that the extreme symptoms have subsided gradually .. but still my morning are challenging feeling hopeless .. foggy memory .. 

 

I also want you to ask whether u people were able to have a normal life if going to supermarkets etc and concentrate .. 

 

please guide me 😊🙏🏼🙏🏼

[Godsave]

7 hours ago, Gridley said:

Welcome to SA, Godsave.

 

To give members the best information, we ask them to summarize their medication history in a signature -- drugs, doses, dates, and discontinuations & reinstatements, in the last 12-24 months particularly.

 

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature.

 

What time to do you take your 5mg Lexapro and how do you feel in the hours after taking it--better, worse, no change.

What are your symptoms?  Could you please give us a symptom chart?  This is a form you can use.

 

6 a.m. Woke with anxiety
8 a.m. Took 2.5mg Lexapro
10 a.m. Stomach is upset
10:30 a.m. Ate breakfast
11:35 a.m. Got a headache, lasted one hour
12:35 p.m. Ate lunch
4 p.m. Feel a bit better
5 p.m. Took 2.5mg Lexapro
6 p.m. Ate dinner
9:20 p.m. Headache
10:00 p.m. Took 50mg Seroquel
10:20 p.m. Feeling dizzy
10:30 p.m. Fell asleep
2:30 a.m. Woke, took 3mg Ambien (NOT "took 1/2 tablet Ambien")
2:45 a.m. Fell asleep
4:30 a.m. Woke but got back to sleep

 

Your system is very sensitized from starting and stopping and starting the drug.  You need to make no further changes so you can regain stability.  Unfortunately, we can't predict how long that will take.  

 

For future reference, when you are ready to taper again (which will take at least several months) we recommend tapering by no more than 10% of your current dose every four weeks.  Some have to taper more slowly.

 

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

You wrote that you previously jumped to zero from 2.5mg.  That was the cause of some of your problems.  We recommend jumping to zero no higher than 0.1mg or if possible lower.

 

So that you have a better understanding of what you're experiencing , here is some information on withdrawal and healing.

 

What is withdrawal syndrome.

 

Daily Checklist of Antidepressant Withdrawal Symptoms (PDF) 

 

When we take medications, the CNS (central nervous system) responds by making changes over the months and years we take the drug(s). When the medication is discontinued, the CNS has to undo all the changes it made. Rebuilding the neurotransmitter production and reactivating the receptor and transporter cells takes time -- during that rebuilding process symptoms occur.  

 

Video:  Healing From Antidepressants - Patterns of Recovery

 

We don't recommend a lot of supplements on SA, as many members report being sensitive to them due to our over-reactive nervous systems, but two supplements that we do recommend are magnesium and omega 3 (fish oil). Many people find these to be calming to the nervous system. 

 

Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker 

 

Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) 

 

Add in one at a time and at a low dose in case you do experience problems.

 

Many, many members have healed.  To read some of their stories, please Google survivingantidepressants.org success stories

 

This is your Introduction topic, where you can ask questions and connect with other members.  We're glad you found your way here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Godsave]

Hi actually it all started in 2010 

was given Duhap 10 mg for anxiety..by that time I was not even aware that these things could not me taken for Long time and was simply popping for 3 years .. until one of my friends warned me to quit .. 

so I quit abruptly without even knowing the consequences.. and after one year suddenly I got depression in 2016 .. 

from then I was taking 

Lexapro 10 mg for 1 year .. slowly quit but not properly.. again relapse again 

2018 too lex 5 mg and 10 mg .

2019 .. too lex 2.5 until July .. perfectly well .. 

stopped abruptly.. in July .. 

mags in crashed in nov 2019 

 

so took lex 5 mg from nov 25 .. 

 

thank u very much for listening to me 😊🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[planifolia]

Nihao! Godsave, I am so happy to see someone else from South-East Asia! I am also tapering Lexapro

 

It seems you were doing okay until 2.5mg, then you adruptly dropped to 0mg where things became unbearable. 

Maybe the drop from 2.5 to 0 is too great for your body to handle. You may consider trying to cut 10% a month instead, which is what we often recommend. 

 

so e.g., 

2.5 -> 2.25

2.25 -> 2.03

2.03 -> 1.8 

etc....

 

If 10% brings no issues, you can increase it to 15% or 20% later. But baby steps

 

[Godsave]

Hi Plainfola

 

thank u very much 😊

byt for the past 45 days I am taking 5 mg as I have some important things to settle down for my daughter. 
My body is not stabilised so much still .. 

still I have difficulty going out for shopping and supermarkets.. 

sometimes really felt bad for my stupid quit of that 2.5 mg to 0 .. 

 

again I have to undergo so much of pain 

[planifolia]

That is fine. It is okay to hold for as long as you want until you feel ready to taper again. 

And it's important to be gentle with yourself, there's no need to blame yourself for the adrupt  drop as you likely didn't know before coming to these peer community forums. 

 

ANother option is to start tapering but with very small cuts, like from 5mg to 4.9mg. Although it isn't much, sometimes people find these small cuts psychologically encouraging as they don't feel like they are not progressing forward. 

 

[Godsave]

Hi plainfolia 

 

definitely what u say is abruptly true .. I too didn’t feel like being on 5 mg and was repeatedly forcing myself on 2.5 mg but couldn’t bear those withdrawals so in between upped to 5 .. definitely physiologically I don’t feel satisfied as I have upped my dose instead of lowering .. 

 

anyways definitely will start as u said with 4.9 after some time .. 

how did u measure it so accurately .. please let me know 

 

thank you very much 🙏🏼😊

[Gridley]

3 hours ago, Godsave said:

anyways definitely will start as u said with 4.9 after some time .. 

Godsave, you are not ready to taper yet.  You will need to stabilize, which will take several months.

[mstimc]

Hi Godsave

 

You will find a lot of support from members here, in all stages of withdrawal and recovery.  My only advice is to be kind to yourself.  I tried tapering twice before I was successful.  Take your time and be sure you're stable before doing another reduction.  Take it slow and easy.  And check in often!

[Godsave]

Sure I will 👍👍

thank u very much 

[Gridley]

13 hours ago, Godsave said:

 

I also want you to ask whether u people were able to have a normal life if going to supermarkets etc and concentrate .. 

 

Everyone is at a different stage of recovery.  Some can go to supermarkets and concentrate, others can't but will be able to as they continue to heal. 

[Godsave]

Thank u very much for your kind words which was consoling .. 

god bless 🙏🏼😊

[Gridley]

4 hours ago, planifolia said:

 

If 10% brings no issues, you can increase it to 15% or 20% later. But baby steps

@planifolia We do not recommend cuts of 15% or 20%.  10% --or less--is the maximum we recommend.

[Altostrata]

Godsave, what times of day do you take your drugs, and their dosages?

 

To help us out, follow these instructions Please put your drug and withdrawal history in your signature You may need to use a computer to do this.

 

[Godsave]

Hi altrostat 

 

I take Lexapro 5 mg in the mornings.. from nov 25 2019 again as I was off completely for 5 months from 2.5 mg to 0 .. 

 

but now after reinstatement still I am experiencing very bad symptoms in the mornings.. spaced out .. scary and unable to concentrate .. 

 

don’t know when I can be stabilised again .🙏🏼🙏🏼

[Altostrata]

Do you feel better or worse after you take 5mg Lexapro in the morning? How's your sleep?

[Godsave]

I felt somewhat better initially .. but now as days pass on it is really worse like foggy memory anxious unable to concentrate .. 

moreover very very scary inside as don’t know what to do I am stuck up as my daughter is having her final exams .. and I am still not stable .. 

 

these doctors are so stupid and asked me to dei tirade at 5 mg .. 

 

the same do or before 5 months when I was in 2.5 told me to quit abruptly.. 

and now I face this !!!! 

[Altostrata]

How do you feel before and after you take 5mg Lexapro in the morning? How's your sleep?

[Godsave]

Sleep is better no problem.. but feeling drowsy spaced out scary too .. 

 

can I cut down to 2.5 again .. but last week I did and got worse depression .. 

now I am stuck up as I got foggy thinking 

[jozeff]

LooHi godsave,

 

Did you cut down to 2.5 mg this week?

 

The advice was to stabilize on the 5 mg b cause you have had a lot of changes concerning your dosage and symptoms.

 

I know how tempting it is to "play" with medication dose I have done it myself dozens of times. Things will accumulate though and you might get worse and change the dosage again. This eventually takes longer to heal and your brain gets more upset.

 

Please be wise and take it slow and try to follow the advice here from the mods.

 

Good luck!!!

 

Jozeff

[Godsave]

Hi Josef 

thank u very much .. I haven’t cut down to 2.5 mg .. still I am taking 5 mg only .. 

but still my nerves haven’t settled yet .. 

very scary and Everyday I am hoping to get better .. 

kindly pray for my recovery. Thanks 

[Godsave]

Hi 

can you people please let me know if when u had felt stable after reinstatement.. 

receny I reinstated after quitting for 5 months .. 

I am in Lexapro 5 mg from nov 25 .. still haven’t stabilised 

have slow breathing trembling .. foggy thinking and burning in the feet .. 

sometimes I am very much scary if this spaces out feelings and my memory .. 

please give me hope anyone of you in this forums 

 

thank you 

[mdwstrx]

Hi Godsave. 

I also stopped Lexapro (escitalopram) at 2.5 mg. In Nov 2018.

I reinstated after 4 days and stabilized in a little under 5 months. 

I am saying prayers for you that you will stabilize as quickly as I did if not before. 

 

md

[Altostrata]

Godsave, please post daily notes as requested 

 

 

How did taking 5mg Lexapro about 6 weeks ago make you feel better? How have your symptoms changed in the last couple of weeks?

[Godsave]

Definitely yes !! 
but still have not improved totally .. sometimes brain fog .. anxiety to go shopping etc .. loss of interest etc .. 

but that major depression symptoms has improved.. 

 

thank u 

[Altostrata]

What has improved? What has not improved?

[Godsave]

My deep depression pain has been removed .. 

but still in the mornings I have depression brain fog etc .. anxiety too due to Low mood and apathy .. 

 

in the afternoon it improves very much .. 

but mornings are still like that .. 

 

but not feeling so powerful in the mornings 

[Godsave]

hi.. 

took lexapro 10 mg in 2016 aug.. upto 2017..

tapered of from 2017.. may and quit completeley for one full year in 2018.. 

again had very bad withdrawals in june  2018 .. so took in full from jun 2018.. until jan 2019.. lex 10 mg

feb 2019- tapered to 5 mg.. upto april 2019.. then tapered to 2.5 mg.. upto july.. and quit.. so faced too much harsh withdrawals so started taking again lexapor -5mg from nov 25 2019.. until now..

still my focus is poor and scared to go shopping and sometimes depressed ... praying hard to get stablised in this dose.. please help me .. thank you

[Altostrata]

Please do not start additional topics in the Introductions forum.

 

If you have seen steady improvement since reinstating 5mg Lexapro, I would continue with it. You cannot expect an immediate cure, stabilization will be gradual.

 

You also will need to learn how to cope with emotional difficulties. See

 

The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

Neuro-emotions

 

Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms

 

Easing your way into meditation for a stressed-out nervous system

 

Music for self-care: calms hyperalertness, anxiety, aids relaxation and sleep

 

Ways to cope with daily anxiety

 

Health anxiety, hypochondria, and obsession with symptoms

 

 

To help us out, follow these instructions Please put your drug and withdrawal history in your signature You may need to use a computer to do this.