Godsave: Lexapro withdrawal and reinstatement

[Godsave]

Hello @Frogie and others

please guide me .

currently I am still taking 5 mg lexapro .

a few weeks before some anxiety triggered me and I spiralled and so I had some depression and now after that my brain and thinking is so slow and very scary until afternoon where I can feel a bit normal .

 

memebers please guide me in my journey. Really looking forward for your help and support always 🙏🏼

I am still continuing my walks 🙏🏼 but somehow managing the fog and not clear thinking brain 😢. 

Nowadays this medicine is not supporting me so much 😢 but also continuing as I am stuck up with the fear 😰. 
 

please guide me 🙏🏼🙏🏼

thank you all 

 

 

 

On 3/10/2023 at 7:10 AM, Godsave said:@Frogie

thanks and regards 

Godsave 

 

[mstimc]

Hi @Godsave The difference in anxiety levels early and late in the day is not unusual, but it is very frustrating, and can make you feel even more fearful because you're anticipating another bout of afternoon of anxious thinking. 

 

I understand your fear in continuing your taper.  Your thoughts are telling you things would be worse without your medication.  In the US, we call it "dealing with the devil you know."  Things may be bad, but they could be worse if you change. But there are ways to change for the better.  I found that tapering and withdrawal were much easier to handle with coping tools, like CBT.  They helped me prepare and manage the negative thinking and physical symptoms I had to deal with as I went through WD.  They've also helped me deal with my anxious, fearful, and obsessive thinking in the years after I weaned off meds.  Their power has been reduced to the occasional minor annoyance, like an allergy, and I've learned ways not to let them rule my life.  You can do it too.  It may not seem like you can now, but you will get there! 

[Godsave]

2 minutes ago, mstimc said:

Hi @mstimc

Thank you so much 🙏🏼 for your guidance and advice. 

As you said the fear of the devil is more in me as I now know the full story behind what we all have to go through as already I have gone through by quitting but not properly. 
so I will accept it. 

I will also practice the CBT slowly with a regular therapist hereafter . 
 

Also I am taking regular walks everyday . 
But still have not quit sugar and carbs and should start eating healthier.

my biggest fear is sometimes my poor memory and mental blockage . 
 

I will start following your advice sincerely 🙏🏼
 

Thank you so much 🙏🏼

 

2 minutes ago, mstimc said:

 

[Frogie]

@Godsave

 

Stabilizing can be difficult and terrifying too. But just remember it is only temporary and you will heal in time.

 

@mstimc is so correct on everything! Great advice, as always😊

[Godsave]

7 hours ago, Frogie said:

Hi @Frogie

Thank you so much for your guidance and immediate response 🙏🏼

 

I understand that my stabilisation will take time and will definitely hold on patiently .. with all of your kind hearted support 🙏🏼🙏🏼😊

it means so much to me .. 

thank you so much !! 

[Godsave]

On 7/28/2023 at 11:49 PM, Frogie said:

@Godsave

 

Stabilizing can be difficult and terrifying too. But just remember it is only temporary and you will heal in time.

 

@mstimc is so correct on everything! Great advice, as always😊

Hi @Frogie @mstimc

moderators please help me 

kindly guide me . 
At present still holding in the same 5 mg lex . 

very eager to start my taper . 
please guide me .

I feel so sluggish and sleepy tired too and hate this sort of feeling and foggy always . 
 

Can I start my taper by 5% first and then proceed baby steps . 
please give me hope and kindly advice me if my nervous system would be ok with a small cut .

as this time I am deliberately thinking of to cut down ATLEAST slowly . 
Thank you so much for hearing me 🙏🏼🙏🏼



 

[mstimc]

Hi Godsave

im not a moderator, I’m a mentor, someone who has experienced WD and recovery and can assure you that you’ll recover, too.

 

I’m not an expert on tapering, but I can say my tapering schedule was flexible.  I tried to keep if fairly constant and always at 5%, but I didn’t rush it.  Most important, I kept a forward thinking attitude.  Tapering became part of my recovery, not just withdrawal.   I knew I had to keep practicing my coping strategies, even when they didn’t seem to be working.  I found that when I relaxed about each new reduction and just treated it as another step in my recovery, I was much less anxious about it. 
 

Only you know when you’re ready for another another reduction.  Listen to your body and what it’s telling you.  Listen to the voice that tells you that you can handle whatever comes up, and despite what your fearful mind is saying, it won’t last forever.  And always, always be kind to yourself.  

 

[Godsave]

Thank you so much @mstimc

i understand your words . 
Also I will understand my inner feelings and do accordingly very slowly and patiently. 
I will wait for the other moderators to advise me as well .

thank you so much 🙏🏼

take care 

[modelarz71]

On 28.07.2023 at 17:49, Frogie said:

@Boże ocal

 

Stabilizacja może być również trudna i przerażająca. Ale pamiętaj, że to tylko tymczasowe i z czasem wyzdrowiejesz.

 

@mstimc jest taki poprawny we wszystkim! Jak zawsze świetne rady 😊

I'm sorry, I've had escitalopram for about 0.30 mg for 3 months, I take it at about 10 a.m. every day and 6 hours later I feel mentally worse, would increasing the dose to 0.60 mg make it more? Sorry
 

[Godsave]

On 7/28/2023 at 11:49 PM, Frogie said:

@Godsave

 

Stabilizing can be difficult and terrifying too. But just remember it is only temporary and you will heal in time.

 

@mstimc is so correct on everything! Great advice, as always😊

Hi @Frogie @mstimc

 

and others moderators 

 

I am still on my journey of 5 mg ..lex upto date . 
 

I have not dared yet to start my taper ..

but in between I have waves and I was hit by some anxiety which triggered a wave and still I am sailing .. 

 

I have morning brain fog unclear thinking and slow breathing .. focus not good . 
Tightness in the forehead .. etc 

 

I walk mostly 5 days a week and do basic housework’s everyday . 
 

As I was triggered this week I am feeling scary and waiting for my symptoms to stabilise .

is it that the kindling reinstatement of my nervous system not stabilised still .. 

 

now I am longing for my days when I was jus 2.5 and saw the blue skies . 

Now still holding with gods grace 🙏🏼 and waiting to see some stabilisation before going to the next taper 

 

please share some of your thoughts knowledgeable mods and members 

 

thank you so much for listening

 

Godsave 

 

[mstimc]

Hi @Godsave

 

I wish I could say recovery is a nice steady slope, but its really more like a rollercoaster, with ups and downs until you are at the end of the ride.  As time goes by, and if you practice coping strategies, you'll find the differences less dramatic.  Keep up your regular walking and basic housework.  Routines help stabilize your thinking.  You may also want to add some distraction practices to your daily routine.  Pick anything that gives you a bit of joy, such as your favorite music or a TV show. Set aside some time where you can tell yourself, "For the next 20 minutes I give myself permission to enjoy this moment without any negative thoughts."  It may not work at first, and it may last only a minute or two, but keep doing it. Eventually you'll be able to take that feeling into the rest of your day.

 

You may also want to do some light mind-body exercises like Tai Chi or Qi Gong, that require you to concentrate on slow, deliberate movements. They will take the focus of your thoughts off your anxious thinking.

 

Remember, each day is a day closer to recovery!

[Godsave]

Hi @mstimc

Thank u so much for your valuable time and the guidance. 
I will surely follow up.. with slow movements like Tai Chi . 

As you said the rollercoaster ups and downs are becoming a part of my journey but each time with varied levels. 
God gives me strength to overcome 🙏🏼 with all of your support and help as always .

 

Praying hard everyday to get through .. 

 

Not easy but I will think of you all and continue my journey .

 

My heartfelt  thanks 🙏🏼 again as no one would understand the journey better like you all even our own family members can’t understand our life 

 

Thank you so much ! 
Take care 

 

Godsave 

[Godsave]

Hi @mstimc@Frogie and all kind hearted members 

 

I am still in lexapro 5 mg dosage . 
I am continuing with my life 🙏🏼 but again with ups and downs .. still figuring my way out to taper this 5 mg . 
 

 I am just waiting for another one more year 🙏🏼 which is very vital for my daughters uni and finally wanted to taper this off slowly but steadily 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

hod has to give me the inner strength to taper down this again !!! 
 

I think the previous unsuccessful tapers and the trauma is holding me .. 

 

still I have the brain fog anxious thoughts depression at times and anger . 
please members give me hope 🙏🏼 in my journey and after a year I will take baby steps in reaching out my taper again 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

 

sometimes when I feel hopeless only this group members are god send for my support as always 🙏🏼😊

 

thank you so much !! 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

 

 

 

 

 

[mstimc]

Good to hear from you!  The fear of anticipation--all the "what ifs"-- is a very powerful way for our anxious minds to hold us back. I read that there's an old Chinese saying that fear is like a man stuck in a rock in the middle of a fast-moving river.  He knows he's trapped, wet and miserable, but he fears what might happen if he steps into the water.  Will be be swept away to something worse? Will he fall in a deep hole and drown? Or will he find the water is only knee deep and he could have waded to shore any time? We can never know 100% what will happen, but we do know 100% that staying in the same place isn't good for us. 

[Godsave]

Hi @mstimc

 

Thank you so much for replying me back 🙏🏼😊

felt so grateful and yes your message is such an inspiration that we should not stay in the same place for a long time . 
Definitely 👍  I will slowly steadily start my next taper process . 
 

hopefully my nervous system should have stabilised a little and with all your guidance 🙏🏼 and support I will take my steps slowly 

 

thank you so much for your valuable guidance and support always 🙏🏼🙏🏼👍

 

take care !! 

[Godsave]

Hi @mstimc@Frogie and  moderators 

suddenly I was triggered and it broke down hell and I started crying  and it triggered my nervous system .

I think now my nerves are weaker due to that  for the past one week I have severe waves and anxious thoughts and some brain zaps in the early morning.. 

 

but I am holding my hands strongly and make up my mind to just sail in this until the waves pass on and mornings are really very scary as my memory is very poor and unclear thinking feeling jittery and paranoid at times .

inspite of this I end t for shopping with my friends and somehow managed the whole day . 
 

please advise me and definitely I wanted to hang in this !! For a month or so and please help me and give me some positivity that my waves will pass and give me hope and strength 🙏🏼

 

definitely afternoons are better and my sleep is better 

 

thank you so much 🙏🏼