Scooter:Looking for some advice

[Scooter]

Hi Everyone,

 

First let me apologize for not knowing where or how to look for existing posts, I am finding an avalanche of information here, but it is difficult to sort through.  

 

I was on Lexapro 10mg for about 8 years when it became clear to me that it was not working as it should.  I felt just as anxious and depressed as ever.  My doc tried upping me to 20mg, but I didn't notice a difference.  So he then switched me to Cymbalta.  After 2-3 weeks of taking that, I didn't like the side effects (blurred vision, constipation), so I stopped taking that.  I went back to Lexapro for about a week, trying to taper it.  It was such a low dose, I didn't really know how to go about it.  At first, I felt pretty good.  Very good actually.  I had not realized how apathetic I truly was.  I was now able to actually accomplish simple things that had seemed to be huge challenges when I was taking the medication.  Unfortunately, it has been downhill from there.  I have constant tinnitus, brain zaps, random crying fits.  My apathy has returned a little, I don't feel as energized as I was, of course it is nowhere near as bad as when I was taking the medication.  

 

It has been 2 months now, and I realize I messed up in the tapering, but now I am wondering if I should go back on Lexapro and then try tapering longer to try and get some relief from these withdrawal symptoms.  Is that a strategy worth trying?  How long do you actually need to taper?  How do you go about doing it with such a low dosage?  I'm sure these answers are out here somewhere, if someone can either link me to them, or just answer I would greatly appreciate it.

 

Thanks so much!

[Frogie]

@Scooter

 

Welcome to SA. We are a volunteer ran site helping people taper off psychiatric medications or have tapered off and are now healing.

 

This is your introduction page where you will receive information, ask questions and meet other members. We ask that you only have one introduction page so we can keep all your information in one place.

 

Unfortunately most dr's know very little about these drugs and the implications they cause by not tapering properly.

 

 

Please add a signature.  Include drugs, doses, dates, and discontinuations & reinstatements in the last 12-24 months. Also include supplements. This will help us give you the most accurate advice we can. 

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Here is some important information about how these drugs actually work.  This explains why we get symptoms from going off of these medications:

 

How Psychiatric Drugs Remodel Your Brain

 

 

This helps you understand what withdrawal syndrome is: 

 

Video on Recovery from Psych Drugs

 

 

Stability is really important when we are tapering off psych meds.  Please read the link about stability:

 

Keep It Simple, Slow, and Stable

 

 

Since it has only been 2 months, you could try to reinstate Lexapro at 2mg. Once you reinstate, you will want to hold for several months so your body can stabilize. I am going to provide you with some links to help you.

 

What is withdrawal syndrome?
 
About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms
 
The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

Tips for tapering off escitalopram (Lexapro)

 

How do you talk to a doctor about tapering and withdrawal?

 

Dr. Joseph Glenmullen's withdrawal symptom checklist

 

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

The Brassmonkey Slide Method of Micro-tapering - Tapering - Surviving Antidepressants

 

We don't suggest a lot of supplements on here as they can be stimulating to the central nervous system (CNS), except 2. If you would like to try one, try a small amount and wait a few days before introducing the other.

 

Magnesium

Omega 3 Fish Oil

 

After you have read the links provided, please reach out with any questions you may have.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Scooter]

Thank you so much.  Very helpful - a lot of great information.  I guess my only question is you mentioned doing 2mg for "several months" to stabilize things.  I know this is a loaded question, but how many months is "several months"?  If I get to the point where my withdrawal symptoms have hopefully abated (is that what is considered stabilized?), is it safe to start the 10% taper at that point, or ?

 

I appreciate the advice and understand that this site is only meant to give advice (suggestions) based on individual and collective personal experiences, and not medical instructions.

[Altostrata]

Hello, @Scooter

 

You reinstated 2mg only 2 days ago, What effect has it had? It will take at least a week for you to feel the full effect. We have to see the effect before we can guess at when you might stabilize.

 

Please let us know how you're doing. 

[Scooter]

Hi - thanks for the reply.  I can't say I have noticed any effects to this point....  I figured it would take a few weeks possibly?  I guess I should rephrase my original question - what is considered "stabilized"?  Is it recommended to maintain the dose for a certain period after you hit stabilization?  Or can you immediately start the taper?

[Altostrata]

Stabilization means your symptom pattern becomes predictable and hopefully tolerable.

 

On 7/27/2023 at 4:24 AM, Scooter said:

I have constant tinnitus, brain zaps, random crying fits.  My apathy has returned a little, I don't feel as energized as I was, of course it is nowhere near as bad as when I was taking the medication.  

 

Do you still have these same symptoms at the same intensity?

 

Many people find these to be helpful:

 

Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker 

Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) 

 

You might try a low dose of one at a time to see what it does for you.

[Scooter]

Things seem to be improving....  definitely a lot less intensity.  Anxiety level seems better, the brain zaps seem to be gone.  Tinnitus is still there, but less often and not as loud.  Overall I would say I feel better.

[Scooter]

On 8/9/2023 at 7:31 AM, Scooter said:

Things seem to be improving....  definitely a lot less intensity.  Anxiety level seems better, the brain zaps seem to be gone.  Tinnitus is still there, but less often and not as loud.  Overall I would say I feel better.

 

Well....  they were.  My ears have been screaming loud since last evening....

[Altostrata]

Did anything happen that might have triggered this wave?

[Scooter]

22 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

Did anything happen that might have triggered this wave?

 

Not that I am aware of.  Tinnitus has been nonstop for the last 24 hours.  Everything else is ok - no anxiety, no zaps, no headaches, etc.  Just the loud ringing.

[Altostrata]

Have you tried

 

On 8/8/2023 at 11:26 AM, Altostrata said:

 

Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker 

Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) 

 

You might try a low dose of one at a time to see what it does for you.

 

[Scooter]

Not yet.  I ordered some Magnesium on Amazon, should be here tomorrow.

[Scooter]

Hi All,

 

Just an update and a few questions...

 

Still taking 2mg liquid escitalopram daily.  Coming up on a month shortly.  Overall, anxiety level and other mental discomforts have been much much better.  Insomnia is also gone.  Tinnitus, however, is another story.  Varies from a low din to screaming loud.  No pattern I can discern to when it does what.  I am also now sensitive to some sounds.  When my dogs shake and rattle their tags it sends a shiver through me.  I started taking magnesium, and started back up on fish oil a few weeks back, they as far as I can tell do not seem to be helping so far.  One other strange thing that has developed over the past month is a peppery or burning taste/sensation in my mouth.  Not constant, but very frequent.  Doesn't seem to have affected my sense of taste or smell, but it is just there when I am not consuming anything else....

 

So back to the question of what is "stabilized" and when to start tapering....  is that when ALL symptoms are gone?  It seems a lot of folks deal with tinnitus for extended periods, if not forever.  Has anyone tried actually increasing their dose to alleviate tinnitus?  I never had an issue with it while on the full dose, it didn't start until a month or so after I stopped taking it initially.  Just trying to figure out what direction I should go, or just stand pat for now.

 

 

[Blossom71]

Hi @Scooter

 

I don’t know whether this helps but I experience tinnitus pretty much constantly since I started tapering down, and it ramps up after every drop then settles to a quiet buzzing. But it’s the one symptoms that I have with most of my drops even if I don’t have any other symptoms.  If it’s unbearable then I know I’ve dropped too far. 
 

But I would say that if all other symptoms are lessening over time then I would expect your tinnitus to lessen too and I certainly wouldn’t updose in your shoes given that everything else is improving.

 

On your question of stabilisation, have you read these yet?

 

 

 

[Scooter]

Hi @Blossom71

 

Thanks for the reply.  I had read a few of those, but I guess I have questions specifically to the tinnitus.  It is the only withdrawal symptom that I have that is (for lack of a better term) a physical manifestation than a mental state of being.  My mental state in terms of anxiety and depression feel ok right now, but the tinnitus is just so annoying...  not being able to make it stop is just....  well, you know.  I guess I am trying to figure out if I should expect any relief from it going forward, and if tapering will help, make it worse, or have no effect?  I have looked around on here, and don't think I have seen a single person who has tinnitus say it went away for them....

[Altostrata]

On 8/29/2023 at 5:20 AM, Scooter said:

Still taking 2mg liquid escitalopram daily.  Coming up on a month shortly.  Overall, anxiety level and other mental discomforts have been much much better.  Insomnia is also gone. 

 

This is good.

 

I'm sorry, we can't predict anything about the tinnitus. We've seen it slowly go away. It also sounds like you've become hypersensitive to noise. You may wish to use noise-cancelling earphones to lessen noise stimulation.

[Blossom71]

5 hours ago, Scooter said:

I guess I am trying to figure out if I should expect any relief from it going forward, and if tapering will help, make it worse, or have no effect? 

Getting the right level/speed of tapering has helped the tinnitus for me. In the early days it was screaming but since I’ve found a % and speed it is dramatically improved. It’s there, but mostly not noticeable.

[Scooter]

Thanks...  I discovered something a little weird yesterday, thought I would share it in case it can help someone else.  I was looking around for any type of assistance with the tinnitus I could find and was on this website here:

 

https://www.hear-it.org/Impressions-of-hearing-loss-and-Tinnitus-#tinnitus

 

My tinnitus happened to be raging at the time, and I played a couple of the sample files of what it sounds like to have tinnitus....  and it suddenly made my tinnitus lessen by id say 80% if not more at that moment.  I have gone back a few times when things were pretty bad and played the samples again, same result, it seems to lessen what I am experiencing for a while.  I am sure there is a scientific reason for this, but I have no idea what it is...

 

These are the ones that helped me personally that I tried...

https://www.hear-it.org/sites/default/files/sound_files/Hylendetinitus.mp3

https://www.hear-it.org/sites/default/files/sound_files/Tinnitus1_-30dB_4kHz.mp3

 

They have a bunch of other examples without the music, different pitches as well.

 

I'd say try these at your own risk, not sure if it could actually make things worse for anyone, as I said, just something I stumbled upon and your experience may not match my personal experience....

 

[Scooter]

Well....  so much for that.  I was getting at least a good 20 minutes of relief after listening to those samples.  I guess my brain adapted, now I get 20 seconds if I am lucky.

[Altostrata]

You may wish to read up on treatments for tinnitus. Tone desensitization is one of them.