Tapering off Lexapro. Advice please!

[Blakekap11]

Hello, just going to make this as simple as possible. About 2 months ago I was prescribed Lexapro for anxiety. I have been on it for about 10 weeks now and I also have been on Wellbutrin Xl 300. Was feeling amazing on Wellbutrin but had some anxiety so my doctor put me on Lexapro 10 mg. I’m a male 29 year old, 215lb, 5’10 hight, very into working out. Anyways I have been feeling over the past 10 weeks very very lazy, numb, no motivation and my libido is hardly existent. I felt so much more alive on just Wellbutrin Xl 300 then I did combining these two substances. I felt more alive and up for anything and was doing chores and happy. 

 

After feeling this way from being on the Lexapro I went to the doctors and told him all of this, put me on 5mg Lexapro to help combat the low libido and unbearable fatigue feeling. Started taking that about 10 days ago and have not felt any better, if anything more worse. I am getting in contact with my doctor Monday because I’m over it. Over feeling down and out. I literally have no motivation to go to work and I feel numb and I’m just over it. 
 

Can someone please help me with a correct way to tamper off of this. I was on..

10mg Lexapro for 9 weeks.

5mg the past 10 days.

I wish I would have saw this website because I feel I already screwed it up jumping back down to 5mg. After doings so the past 10 days I feel nauseous, dizzy and lightheaded. Nothing to major to where I can’t stand it but I just want to come off Lexapro. Thank you in advance!

[Gridley]

Welcome to SA, Blakekap11.

 

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.  A list format is best.

 

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature.

 

It takes just a month on an antidepressant to put you at risk of withdrawal symptoms if you go off too rapidly.  The symptoms you describe are typical withdrawal symptoms.  

 

What is withdrawal syndrome.

 

Brain Remodelling 

 

Video:  Healing From Antidepressants - Patterns of Recovery

 

We recommend tapering no faster than 10% of your current dose every 4 weeks.

 

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

You can definitely get off the Lexapro (I did it) but you have to do it carefully.  Your system is destabilized by the drop from 10mg to 5mg (see withdrawal links above) and you want it to regain its equilibrium.  That comes first before a taper.  You have two choices here.  You can hold at 5mg for several weeks, let your system recover and then start a 10% taper.  Or you can reinstate 1mg--no more--and see if that helps.  You don't want to reinstate too much as you run the risk of overwhelming your system.  If you do reinstate, you'd hold on the reinstated dose for several weeks before considering a taper.

 

About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms. -- at least the first page of the topic.  It takes about 4 days for a dose change to get to get to full state in the blood and a bit longer for it to register in the brain.

 

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 (glycinate is a good form) 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 -- the place for you to ask questions, record symptoms, share your progress, and connect with other members of the SA community.  I hope you’ll find the information in the SA forums helpful for your situation.  I'm sorry that you are in the position that you need the information, but I am glad that you found us.