Eirik: 3 months after quitting escitalopram I feel like a zombie

[Eirik]

i used escitalopram from march 2019, and took my last dose february 2020. i felt terrible almost the whole time on the medication. i had to quit. i felt like a zombie, no feelings, no happy feelings, only i could feel was sadness. i tapered slowly. and after my last small dose in february, im feeling like a zombie. my emotions did not come back. its 13 weeks since i quitted. i can not feel happiness. when will this nightmare get better? im feeling a little sad EVERYDAY. my life is perfect, and i want to be happy, and i could be, but i feel like escitalopram has destroyed my mental health. I DONT FEEL any happiness. i cant feel it. what do i do? when do i get back to normal? all i want to have is normal mental health and a normal mood. it is destroying me.  any help? 

[Gridley]

Welcome to SA, Eirik.

 

What dosage of escitalopram were you on and how fast did you taper?  

 

From the symptoms you describe, it sounds as if you are experiencing withdrawal due to a too-fast taper.  What seems like a slow taper is very often too fast and what results is withdrawal.  The lack of emotions and inability to feel happiness (anhedonia) are typical withdrawal symptoms.  Doctors, who get their information from the pharmaceutical companies, don't believe in the existence of withdrawal.

 

What is withdrawal syndrome.

 

Daily Checklist of Antidepressant Withdrawal Symptoms (PDF) 

 

Brain Remodelling 

 

When we take psychiatric 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.  

 

You will heal from this withdrawal, but unfortunately we can't predict how long it will take. I know it is a shock that these drugs can have this effect, but they do.

 

Again, it is very common in withdrawal to not feel any happiness.  Very slowly and very gradually your feelings will return.  The damage is  not permanent.

 

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.

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Eirik]

9 hours ago, Gridley said:

Welcome to SA, Eirik.

 

What dosage of escitalopram were you on and how fast did you taper?  

 

From the symptoms you describe, it sounds as if you are experiencing withdrawal due to a too-fast taper.  What seems like a slow taper is very often too fast and what results is withdrawal.  The lack of emotions and inability to feel happiness (anhedonia) are typical withdrawal symptoms.  Doctors, who get their information from the pharmaceutical companies, don't believe in the existence of withdrawal.

 

What is withdrawal syndrome.

 

Daily Checklist of Antidepressant Withdrawal Symptoms (PDF) 

 

Brain Remodelling 

 

When we take psychiatric 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.  

 

You will heal from this withdrawal, but unfortunately we can't predict how long it will take. I know it is a shock that these drugs can have this effect, but they do.

 

Again, it is very common in withdrawal to not feel any happiness.  Very slowly and very gradually your feelings will return.  The damage is  not permanent.

 

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.

 

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

 

 

 

was on 15 mg. tapered to 10mg, stayed there for 6 weeks. then tapered to 5, took 5mg in 4 weeks. then 2.5 mg in 2 weeks. then i quit. its just so weird, because when i search, it says that you should feel fine 2-3 weeks after quitting. now its been 3 months +

thank you for an answer!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Gridley]

5 hours ago, Eirik said:

 

was on 15 mg. tapered to 10mg, stayed there for 6 weeks. then tapered to 5, took 5mg in 4 weeks. then 2.5 mg in 2 weeks. then i q

Yes, that's a very fast taper.

 

5 hours ago, Eirik said:

ts just so weird, because when i search, it says that you should feel fine 2-3 weeks after quitting. now its been 3 months +

 

For the lucky ones, that may be true.  There are no statistics about how many of us aren't the lucky ones--a large minority?  a majority?  I do know there are a lot of us.

[Altostrata]

Hello, @Eirik, how are you doing?