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Littler24: Hello - My experience with stopping SSRIs


Littler24

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Hello , 

 

I have come across your website/forum today and have been reading all sorts of posts over the last few hours. I thought Id introduce myself and share my story , will be really grateful to get some opinions.

 

My story begins in 2016(24 y.o at the time) when I started suffering from chronic non vertigonous dizziness. After around 2 years, and countless doctor visits and investigations, the diagnosis made was PPPD and I was put on SSRIs as it was one of the recommended drugs for managing the condition. In retrospect I realise now that at the time, I was getting into a depressive episode/low mood secondary to the ongoing and seemingly incurable dizziness that I found myself struggling with at the time , an element of health anxiety probably made my symptoms worse (the low mood and the dizziness). 

 

I started taking Escitalopram around July 2018 , the dose was up titrated from 5mg slowly up to 20mg over the year. My dizziness was 90% improved and I felt great , but I also suffered from some side effects such as weight gain , fatigue , blunting of emotions , loss of libido. I successfuly tapered down 10mg over the next year and have tried to go down to 5mg once or twice but failed ( cant remember details of what made me stop at the time). In early 2023 I succesfully tapered down to 5mg and finally in August 2023 I dropped down to 2.5mg and then tapered down to 0mg over 4 weeks. Knowing what I know now I should have taken a lot more time doing that. 

 

My main concern stopping the drug was having the dizziness back and the whole PPPD condition resurfacing. However , I always wanted to stop taking SSRIs and was waiting for the right moment. I wanted to get rid of the side effects. I was hopeful and the timing felt right as life was going great. 

 

The first 4 weeks sure enough the dizziness came back , but I pushed through and it actually subsided within 6 weeks. I was happy and content that my dizziness condition seemed to be under control. Otherwise I had no acute withdrawal symptoms at all , no brain zaps , no headaches. I thought that was it and that Ive succesfully tapered off Escitalopram.

 

At around the 10 week mark I suddenly found myself in a dark and negative emotional space and felt generaly and anxious. I would wake up early morning feeling stressed and anxious with seemingly no reason at all.  Id find myself ruminating and thinking about old life events and become emotional over them, I would cry or become tearful over the most random thing I see or memory I think of. It felt like my emotions were all over the place. Old memories were resurfacing and it would feel like I am processing them for the very first time. This was entirely new and never have I ever experienced any similar emotional states. I have always been calm and level headed.

 

I did not know what to think of it, I just knew I had to push through. 


Currently at around 17 weeks of 0mg. The emotional state I decsribed above is no longer the main problem , in fact it has significantly improved. However I am still struggling with early morning stress and anxiety , low mood and negative outlook on life, hopelessness, ruminating and catastrophising thoughts and made up scenarios in my head, constant low energy , want to sleep all the time. 

 

I was going mad trying to find a reason of why all of this was happening. Why am I suddenly going through what feels like a depressive episode. I did not know about protracted withdrawals.

 

Finding this forum was like a revelation. It all clicks now.

 

Is it worth reinstating now ? Would that be a good idea ? 

 

I would love to push through but I dont know if I have the strength to. 

 

Would appreciate hearing your thoughts and experiences. 

-Escitalopram 2018 

Titrated up to 20mg first year. 

 

-2021 tapered down to 10mg. 

 

- 2022 tapered down to 5mg. 

 

- 2023 August , tapered down to 0mg over 4 weeks. 

 

 

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  • KenA changed the title to Littler24: Hello - My experience with stopping SSRIs
  • Moderator

Hi @Littler24

 

Welcome to SA,

 

We are a peer-run volunteer site dedicated to a harm reduction tapering approach in an effort to minimize withdrawal symptoms. We suggest tapering by no more than 10% of your most recent dose each month. See  Why taper by 10%Since you did a quick taper off escitalopram, it's possible you're still dealing WD symptoms. When we take medication, the CNS responds by making changes over the months and years we take the drug(s). When the medication is discontinued, the CNS must then undo all the changes that were made. As the changes are undone, symptoms may occur. You can expect that they will follow 

The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization  and since the CNS likes stability, we suggest to Keep it simple, slow and stable.

 

These two links will help you to understand withdrawal syndrome:

 

What is Withdrawal Syndrome?

 

Video on Recovery from Psych Drugs

 

Have you read through our topic on reinstatement? See Reinstating and Stabilizing

 

Reinstatement of a very small dose of the original drug can sometimes help to alleviate withdrawal syndrome. The only other alternative is to wait out the symptoms and manage the best you can while your CNS returns to homeostasis. Unfortunately, no one can give you an exact timeline as to when you'll start to feel better, or if you even will. While some will notice immediate improvement, for others it can take many months or longer.

 

Reinstatement isn't a guarantee for everyone, but it's the best tactic available, aside from waiting it out. Since you are just outside the 3 month timeframe where reinstatement reliably works, it might work and it might not. If you decide that reinstatement is an option for you, we would recommend a much smaller reinstatement dose than your last dose. These drugs are strong and your system has become sensitized and if you take too high a dosage, it may be too much for your brain.

 

I know it's not an easy decision, so please weight out the risks/benefits as best you can. 

 

In the meantime, you might want to take a look through this link for coping strategies https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forum/8-symptoms-and-self-care/

 

You could also try reaching out to other members for their experiences.

 

Please post any updates or questions related to your specific situation right here in your thread. It's helpful to keep everything related to your tapering journey in one spot and it helps to keep the site tidy. 

 

Again, welcome to the site :) 

 

 

2003-2009 on and off various SSRI's for short periods

2010-2011 Ativan

2013-2021 ativan 1-1.5mg 10-12x/month, daily starting Oct 21 to help with buspar WD

2016 - Effexor 75mg, short-term

2021 Mar -Jun Buspar ADR at high dose, tapered 3 months

Oct 22/21 - Direct switch ativan to clonazepam (don't do this)

Tapered clonaz Oct/21 - Apr/23  - 0mg!

 

"Believe that your tragedies, your losses, your sorrows, your hurt, happened for you, not to you. And I bless the thing that broke you down and cracked you open, because the world needs you open" - Rebecca Campbell

 

*** Disclaimer: Please note, my suggestions/comments are based on my own personal experiences. Please consult a knowledgeable practitioner to discuss decisions regarding your medical care *** 

 

                                                             *** Please do not send me PM's ***

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  • 5 months later...

Hey there, just wondering how youre going now? Fellow PPPD sufferer here still trying to get off long term SSRI .... Hope you're doing okay 

2004-2010 Sertraline (15years old). 2010-2012 Poly-drugged with many AP's, SNRIs, PRN Benzo's. 

2012-2017 Lithium 1250mg, Lexapro 10mg. Titrated off Lithium over 2 years in 2016-17.

2018-2021 Lexapro 5mg. Valium PRN small doses. 2020 Recommenced low dose Lithium. Spironolactone. 

2022 - Lithium taper from 625mg to 62mg between May and December. 5mg Accutane May-December. 

2022 - Lexapro taper 7.5mg to 3mg over 10 weeks in September - November. 

2023 - Jan - 2 doses 5mg oral Compazine (immediate ADR). Three doses of 0.25 Klonipin - discontinued. 

2023 - Feb reinstated 6.5mg Lexapro and 325mg Lithium, 25mg Spironolactone then 37.5mg.

2023 - March - May: titrated to 4.5mg Lex at 5-10% and reduced to 250mg Lithium.

27th May: Increased Spiro to 100mg

Jun 23 - Reinstated 4.75mg Lex, 375mg Lithium. July 22 - Reduced Spiro to 50mg. 03 Aug - Commenced 25mg P-5-P

Current meds (October 2024) 4.07mg Lex, 222mg Lithium Carbonate, 90mg Spironolactone. Magnesium, B2 100mg, PEA 300mg, Vitamin C 500mg, Lithium Orotate 2mg. 

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