D4ayy: 3 days on generic Lexapro / escitalopram

[D4ayy]

Hi! I've taken 3 days of 10mg of genetic Lexapro and I need off of it NOW! Can I just stop taking it?

My eyes are super dialated, I feel jittery throughout my whole body. I take it at night and upon waking my mind is instantly racing.  I'd rather deal with my anxiety. 

Thanks!

[ChessieCat]

Yes, you can stop the Lexapro straight away.

 

Have you taken anything else (psychiatric drug) prior to Lexapro?  If yes, then please tell us what, drug/s, dose/s and dates.  You might need to reinstate a very small dose of that/those drugs.

 

We can suggest what dose/drug to reinstate so please be sure the post and let us know.

[D4ayy]

Thank you for replying. 

I've only taken wellbutrin once and that was over 14 years ago. I didn't stay on that either because I couldn't adjust. 

[D4ayy]

Do you think it's possible to see withdrawal symptoms? And how long until it will be out of my system? 

[ChessieCat]

That's good that the other drug was a long time ago.  It means that you are only dealing with one drug.  I'm assuming that you are not taking any supplements like St John's Wort or 5htp etc.

 

Things might be a bit rough for a little while but hopefully thins will settle fairly quickly.  We don't know how long it will take.  At least you know what caused it.  Try to look after yourself and stay as stress free as possible.  Our brains are amazing things and they are always trying to regain homeostasis.  I suggest you stay off alcohol, caffeine, MSG and other flavour enhancers (they are neurotoxic) for a while and when you do restart them, do so at a small amount, only one thing at a time, to see how you respond.  Also be careful with antibiotics and supplements.  Do your research before taking them.  Use a search engine and add site:survivingantidepressants.org to the search term.  You might find it helpful to keep a symptom diary so you can be more objective.  Sometimes we don't notice small improvements because we still don't feel good but having it in a diary you might notice that something has changed for the better.

 

 See: 

 

But I only took it for a Week

 

immediate-adverse-reactions-to-an-antidepressant-or-within-a-few-doses-how-long-for-recovery

 

Dr Joseph Glenmullen's WD Symptoms Checklist

 

You are very fortunate that you decided to research it and didn't remain on the drug, which is generally what the medical professionals tell people to do:  oh it's just from start up, stay on it for longer and they will ease.  It can take as little as 4 weeks for the brain to fully adapt to a psychiatric drug.

 

We strongly encourage members to learn and use Non-drug techniques

 

The only supplements which SA recommends are Magnesium and Omega-3 Fish Oil.  I suggest that you do not start either of these straight away.  Please see Post #1 of this topic before trying anything new:  the-rule-of-3kis-keep-it-simple-keep-it-slow-keep-it-stable

 

You might find these helpful:

 

Brain Remodelling

Video:  Healing From Antidepressants - Patterns of Recovery

What is Happening in Your Brain

 

Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

Please continue to let us know how you are, even if things go well.  SA's member Introduction topics are case studies with which we hope to educate medical professionals about psychiatric drugs.

 

Please read the following:

 

On 5/15/2011 at 5:22 AM, Altostrata said:

 

MISSION OF SURVIVINGANTIDEPRESSANTS.ORG

 

Surviving Antidepressants is a site for peer support, documentation, and education of withdrawal symptoms and withdrawal syndrome caused by psychiatric drugs, specifically antidepressants.

The participants on this site have all experienced or are experiencing difficulty in withdrawal from psychiatric medications. We offer peer support to those who are similarly suffering, drawing from our personal experiences.

(No posting on this site should be construed as medical advice. For medical advice, consult a trusted medical caregiver.)

This site is also a research project. The personal stories on this site are documentation of an iatrogenic condition -- suffering caused by medical treatment -- that is almost always ignored, misdiagnosed, or denied by the medical establishment. Given the widespread prescription of antidepressants to tens of millions of people worldwide, withdrawal syndrome probably affects hundreds of thousands if not millions -- including newborns and children.

Antidepressant withdrawal syndrome can last weeks, months, or years. It can be distressing, debilitating, or even disabling. It may be adding to an increase in what is termed disabling mental illness.

With our documentation of antidepressant withdrawal syndrome, we hope to educate the medical establishment about this problem. Case studies are essential; they are evidence understood by doctors, the psychiatric industry, and government regulatory agencies. The have already informed numerous articles in major publications and scientific papers.

Our hope is, eventually, antidepressants and other psychiatric drugs will be prescribed rarely, and only in cases of extremely severe mental illness after less invasive treatments have been tried.

Please join Surviving Antidepressants in its mission to support, document, and educate about psychiatric drug withdrawal syndrome.

 

 

 

 

 

[ChessieCat]

1 hour ago, D4ayy said:

I've only taken wellbutrin once and that was over 14 years ago. I didn't stay on that either because I couldn't adjust.

 

You've had two adverse reactions to two different psychiatric drugs.  If it was me I would not be trying any more.  And if you are tempted, please do your research about side effects and interactions (with other drugs you might be taking) BEFORE starting them.  I now research anything that the doctor suggests, and I'm very thankful that I do this.  Earlier this year the doctor wanted me to take a cipro which has several FDA warnings especially for older people (I'm 63).  I wanted to try other less strong and safer drugs and only take cipro as a last resort.  As it turned out my body fought the infection and I didn't need an antibiotic at all.

 

And please be aware that sometimes the doctors will prescribe a drug off label which is actually a psychiatric drug.  Zyban/Wellbutrin/bupropion is used as a quit smoking drug.  People taking this probably have no idea it is a psychiatric drug.  And it's a good idea to find out about how long you will need to take it and how to get off it.  I was recently taking mild pain killers (codeine and an antihistamine) for quite a few weeks and did a fast taper off them instead of just stopping abruptly.

 

I'm assuming that you started the drug for a particular reason.  I suggest that you try to find a counsellor who can help you with whatever it is that you were starting escitalopram for.  It will depend on the reason which sort of therapy would be best, but you don't just need someone to listen to your problems, you need someone who will teach you ways to cope, which can include life coping skills, self talk, self soothing, CBT (I think of this as Change Bad Thinking) and there are other therapies.  I found CBT very helpful, I did an online course about 6 years ago and wished that I had done it when I was a young person.  Since being a member of SA I have learnt many others which I find very helpful.

 

This site has some excellent self help resources.  Scroll down the page for the links to specific topics:

 

https://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/selfhelp.htm

 

If it was for anxiety, these might be helpful.  Claire Weekes was a doctor who suffered from anxiety and taught ways to overcome it.  Be aware that she does mention using benzos, which is something that SA does not prescribe to, but she was born in 1903 so lived in a time when psychiatric drugs were being touted as the magic solution.
 

Audio:  How to Recover from Anxiety - Dr Claire Weekes

 

the-dr-claire-weekes-method-of-recovering-from-a-sensitized-nervous-system

 

Anxiety Stuff - all kinds of stuff about anxiety attacks and things that help ...

 

Audio:  First Aid for Panic (4 minutes) Female voice - getselfhelp.co.uk
 

Audio:  First Aid for Panic (4 minutes) Male voice - getselfhelp.co.uk

 

 

[ChessieCat]

3 minutes ago, ChessieCat said:

And please be aware that sometimes the doctors will prescribe a drug off label which is actually a psychiatric drug. 

 

This is one that I found when researching for another member who is suffering from very dry mouth:

 

Quote

In fact amiltryptiline is used off label for excess salivation.