BenD7123: Hello... Tapering off 20mg of Lexapro

[BenD7123]

Hi all,

 

I was excited to see that this site was accepting new members starting back up January 1st, as I wanted to join a couple months ago and couldn't.  
I am currently tapering off 20mg of lexapro.  I started tapering on 9/01/23 by dropping down to 15mg as suggested by my psychiatrist.  I did that and had virtually no side effects.  Two or three weeks later I tried dropping to 10mg per his recommendation and bam.... I had a terrible reaction.  Worst anxiousness I've ever felt in my life. That's when I started doing my research and found that most doctors don't know what they are doing when it comes to tapering and I also found this wonderful website.  I then went back to 15mg and the next day I went down to 12.5 mg.  I was on 12.5 mg for three or so weeks and then dropped to 10mg on 10/24/23. I was on 10mg until 12/05/23 so a little over one month.  Again, I have had virtually no side affects lowering my dose at any time... just occasion weird feelings in head and I am starting to feel my emotions come back. I then dropped down to 7.5mg on 12/05/23 and took it for about three weeks again with virtually no side effects.  

Then, the day after Christmas I started to feel pretty off.  Very irritable and angry for no reason. I also felt very anxious and started to sweat a lot for about 15 minutes and then it went away. I also started to not sleep as well.  My main symptoms were achy or painful joints off and on, lack of focus/brain fog at times, pressure in head, emotional fluctuations, occasional spikes in anxiety, stomach pain/cramps that would come and go, bloating/gas at times, and muscle fatigue.  This all started on 12/26/23 and continued until 1/3/24.  On 1/3/24 I started to feel pretty much normal again.  No issues.  I figured this little spell was just my body getting used to a lower dose. 

Then, around 1/8/24, I started feeling my body kind of slip back into this sucky state that I had previously felt a week or so ago.  I am not sleeping as good, though I never feel tired during the day. These past three days have kind of been a blur, but I am managing to get through them.  Today has been kind of crazy.  Started noticing a sensitivity to loud noises that kind of comes and goes (this is a problem as I work in construction... constant loud noises). I also get these really weird shivering/shaking spells that I cannot control.  I do not feel cold, I just start to shiver uncontrollably.  I also felt like I was in a terrible mental state... something I have never felt before, but I was not anxious at all.  I felt like I couldn't and did not want to eat... which is very much unlike me.  I also noticed a gagging feeling coming on for no reason.  I then ate some cheese and crackers and bam! Within 5 minutes it was like I was healed. Here I am 20 minutes later typing this out for you guys to hear.

 

Throughout this whole process, I have noticed that exercise has helped tremendously! 30 minutes of speed walking and running on the treadmill everyday works miracles.  I am also learning how much diet and nutrient/vitamin levels help regulate the body and mental health. 

So that's my story so far.... not sure why I never have had any symptoms of withdrawal the past four months until two or so weeks ago.  Any help would be appreciated! 
I look forward to learning and helping others through their tapering journey! 
 

Edited January 13 by Emonda
Name to title

[Emonda]

Welcome @BenD7123

 

3 hours ago, BenD7123 said:

I am currently tapering off 20mg of lexapro.  I started tapering on 9/01/23 by dropping down to 15mg as suggested by my psychiatrist.  I did that and had virtually no side effects.  Two or three weeks later I tried dropping to 10mg per his recommendation and bam.... I had a terrible reaction.  Worst anxiousness I've ever felt in my life.

 

As you would have seen on the site, the recommendation here is to taper at a maximum of 10% per month: Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

When you push faster than 10%, you are likely to experience unpleasant WD symptoms: Daily Checklist of Antidepressant Withdrawal Symptoms (PDF) 

 

You may not notice the WD symptoms at first, but they can catch up with you and as you say, Bam!

 

Your reductions have been 17%, 20% and 25%, hence the Bam!

 

I can't quite work out the exact dates of your reductions, but you do mention the 1st one you only held for three weeks. Don't rush it. Hold for at least 4 weeks. If you have unpleasant WD symptoms, hold longer. Slow and steady is the way to go.

 

3 hours ago, BenD7123 said:

Started noticing a sensitivity to loud noises that kind of comes and goes (this is a problem as I work in construction... constant loud noises). I also get these really weird shivering/shaking spells that I cannot control.  I do not feel cold, I just start to shiver uncontrollably.  I also felt like I was in a terrible mental state... something I have never felt before, but I was not anxious at all.  I felt like I couldn't and did not want to eat... which is very much unlike me.  I also noticed a gagging feeling coming on for no reason.

 

This all sounds like WD symptoms.

 

3 hours ago, BenD7123 said:

Throughout this whole process, I have noticed that exercise has helped tremendously! 30 minutes of speed walking and running on the treadmill everyday works miracles.  

 

It works for me, too, but not for everyone. Just don't overdo it.

 

3 hours ago, BenD7123 said:

So that's my story so far.... not sure why I never have had any symptoms of withdrawal the past four months until two or so weeks ago.  Any help would be appreciated! 

 

You're going too fast, and it has caught up with you. It's a maximum of 10% per month. Also, at lower doses, the more prone some of us are to WD symptoms.

 

Have you changed the manufacturer of your AD by any chance? Have you changed from tablet to liquid?

 

Where to from here? Definitely don't taper any more. Hold until you stabilise. It could be months. For me, I tapered too fast before finding this site and decided to up-dose to the last dose I felt stable. For me, that was reverting from 5mg to 7.5mg, and I held there for 5 months, felt good, then followed the advice here. It's working for me.

 

A few helpful links:

 

Windows and waves pattern of stabilization

 

Emotional Spirals

 

Non-drug coping strategies

 

We don't suggest many supplements, but two that many of us find helpful are magnesium and omega-3 fish oil. Here are the links for info about those. Add one at a time and start with a low dose to see how it affects you. 

Magnesium

Omega 3 Fish Oil

 

Avoid alcohol. 

 

Please post any updates here in your thread.

 

Emonda

[BenD7123]

Emonda,

 

Thanks for the reply! I definitely was tapering too fast but that is what the Doc told me and that was also before I found you guys and figured out the 10% tapering method, which I will be using from here on out.  I am just not sure if I should stay on 7.5mg for now and ride it out or bump it back up to 10mg.  I am thinking I am going to stay where I am at as I have been on 7.5mg since December 5th of 2023, so about 6 weeks. I am thinking I am going to hold at 7.5mg until I stabilize. 

 

The manufacturer of my Lexapro has been the same for about the last six months, but before that I can't recall so that shouldn't be an issue. I have an appointment with my psychiatrist on February 2nd and I was planning on asking him about switching to liquid form.  

I still think these doctors want you to taper very fast because they know you will have a bad reaction and want to stay on the medicine so they can make more money! 

I also take the omega 3 fish oil and a multi vitamin that has plenty of magnesium in it.  

 

Thanks for the response! 

[BenD7123]

Hello all,

 

Time for an update/I have a few questions! 
 

This is what I have been going through the pst couple days...

 

1/13

 

Took 7.5mg. Took multi vitamin and fish oil.  Slept for five hours straight and then woke up and was able to go back to sleep.  Felt awful as I was taking Delaney to the airport. Got home and went to sleep for two more hours. Woke up at 11:45 and ate lunch around 12:30. Still do not feel myself. Felt off all afternoon. Then around 4:00 I felt about back to normal. Once 6:00 hit, I still felt normal, just very excited for no reason. Felt normal for the remainder of the evening. Almost like I was back to normal.

 

 

1/14

 

Took 7.5mg. Took multi vitamin and fish oil. Woke up at 5:30 and couldn’t really fall back asleep. Slept for about 7 hours. Woke up feeling pretty good, just felt very excited almost like an adrenaline rush. I have not exercised since Thursday evening so that might be why. Had a panic attack during church but felt fine after. I feel a lot better just feel like I’m in a constant adrenaline rush and always feel over excited for no reason. Started to feel overwhelmed with some emotions around 4:00. Felt kinda sad and had an upset/sad feeling in my stomach. Deep breathing seems to help sometimes.

 

1/15

 

Slept from 10:00 to about 5:25.  Felt 90% normal when I woke up but once I drove to work I started feeling pretty crazy again.  Burning sensations throughout my body, weird feelings in my head, joint aches/pain. I can’t focus well anymore either. Still feel somewhat shaky and kind of weak. Called my doctor and waiting to hear back from him.  

 

1. Does anyone know why I feel better for a few hours or half a day and then bam I feel like crap?

2. Does anyone have any helpful tips to help with my symptoms? 
3. I think I know the answer to this, but should I go back up to 10mg since I was fine on that dose or stay at 7.5mg and ride it out? My doctor is supposed to call me back later and I am sure he will want to bump my dose back up.

4. Ive had lose of appetite now for about three days.  Should I not eat much or try and eat regardless?

 

Any help would be appreciated! 
 

[BenD7123]

Question for all you pro taperers and withdrawal symptoms people… I have had withdrawal symptoms for the past 4 weeks when I dropped from 10 to 7.5 mg. (This was before I discovered this site and the 10% rule) I started keto last Tuesday 1/23 and I felt good all week until Friday when I left around 3:00 to make a four hour drive to my aunts cabin I was by myself on the drive and it was one of the worst drives of my life. I felt anxious most of the drive, I had really bad shakes/shivering, brain fog, weakness, etc. but I didn’t really feel anxious per say. I got down to my aunts cabin and I started tiling her shower and I felt fine most of the weekend. I stayed in keto until Saturday 1/27 afternoon when I left. As soon as I left, I started shaking bad again and felt like I was going crazy. The drive four hours home was the most miserable four hours of my life. I stopped an hour in at a rest stop and almost went to the hospital. I was “freaking out” but I didn’t really feel anxious. I ran a couple laps around the rest stop and I felt better. On the first lap in, I stopped and puked. I then drive another hour and felt bad the whole time and stopped and got gas and a Gatorade and then I felt good for the rest of the trip. Today is Sunday 1/28 and I still am not on keto. I’ve felt better today but I’ve still had two periods of these “anxious” spells. One lasted for 15 minutes and the other about 3 plus hours. Neither one was as bad as what I experience on the way home yesterday. No shaking, just felt like I was in a big adrenaline rush.

 

I am curious to all of you out there…. Is this just an anxious spell triggered by being far away from home or just another withdrawal wave? It doesn’t seem like anxiety… but since I’m on lower meds it could be. Any help would be appreciated.

Right now I am experiencing uncontrollable shaking in my legs, arms, and all over, feeling crazy in the head, tense muscles, etc.  

[Catina7]

On 1/15/2024 at 8:38 AM, BenD7123 said:

Took multi vitamin

 

Does your multi-vitamin have B vitamins in it? They can be very activating for some people.

[BenD7123]

@Catina7 I take Essential 1 vitamins everyday.  The vitamin has the following vitamins in it:
B12 - 100mcg (4,167% daily value)

B6 - 10mg (588% daily value) 

B2 - 10mg (769% daily value) 

B1 - 10mg (833% daily value)

Not sure if these are high numbers or not... I have been taking them everyday for the bast three weeks or so.

[Catina7]

3 hours ago, BenD7123 said:

@Catina7 I take Essential 1 vitamins everyday.  The vitamin has the following vitamins in it:
B12 - 100mcg (4,167% daily value)

B6 - 10mg (588% daily value) 

B2 - 10mg (769% daily value) 

B1 - 10mg (833% daily value)

Not sure if these are high numbers or not... I have been taking them everyday for the bast three weeks or so.

 

You may want to forgo the mult-vitamin for now and see if your symptoms improve.  Vitamins - especially B vitamins - can really cause a lot of problems for people.  Hope this helps!   

[Erimus]

Switching to a keto diet will send a sensitive nervous system into shock. It can be bad enough for normal people, never mind those tapering psychiatric medications. 
 

Why did you switch to the keto diet? If I were you I would stick with your normal diet, you’ll learn over time that you can’t make such drastic changes during this process.

 

I also wouldn’t bother with the b vitamins. If you eat meat, fish, eggs, and dairy, and you’re not deficient, it isn’t necessary. 

[BenD7123]

Hey all @Emonda@Catina7 I hope you guys are doing well.  I need your guys' thoughts on a few things.... I think my anxiety is back, no more withdrawal symptoms.  I am not sleeping too well, wake up very anxious, always have a bad gag reflex in the morning, brain fog, stress headaches, loss of interest in stuff I love to do, I feel edgy all the time, weakness in legs, loss of appetite, etc.  What do you guys think I should do? updose the lexapro or wait a while and see what happens? 

[Catina7]

18 minutes ago, BenD7123 said:

Hey all @Emonda@Catina7 I hope you guys are doing well.  I need your guys' thoughts on a few things.... I think my anxiety is back, no more withdrawal symptoms.  I am not sleeping too well, wake up very anxious, always have a bad gag reflex in the morning, brain fog, stress headaches, loss of interest in stuff I love to do, I feel edgy all the time, weakness in legs, loss of appetite, etc.  What do you guys think I should do? updose the lexapro or wait a while and see what happens? 

 

Hopefully Emonda or one of the other moderators will get back to you soon and be able to answer your question more fully.  From what I understand, though, if you do up-dose it's best to do it in a VERY small increment to see how it affects you.  Going from 7.5 mg right back up to 10 mg might be way too much for your system to handle.  Any changes must be done extremely cautiously.   On the flip side, it can take quite a while to stabilize, so sometimes holding where you are for a good long time is what's needed.  

[Farm24]

On 1/29/2024 at 5:03 PM, Catina7 said:

 

You may want to forgo the mult-vitamin for now and see if your symptoms improve.  Vitamins - especially B vitamins - can really cause a lot of problems for people.  Hope this helps!   

 

[Farm24]

Just now, mingo26 said:

 

This actually makes a lot of sense.  I started this hydration drink and noticed it has a ton of B vitamin (I should have looked), plus I have a daily multi vitamin with B.  And it has set me back.  Also, Calcium for me seems to bring on more of the muscle issues. 

[Erimus]

Keep holding for now @BenD7123. You made too big of a decrease but things will likely improve with time.

 

Also, does your signature need editing where it says "Went down to 7.5mg 12/05/23." Change the 23 to 24 as it is a bit confusing for people trying to understand.

 

Edit it here: https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/settings/signature/

[BenD7123]

@Erimus Why should I change 23 to 24? I started the 7.5mg on December 5th 2023, hence the 2023...

[Erimus]

Sorry I've misread it. It's the US format for dates confusing me.

[BenD7123]

@Erimus It's all good! Did not realize you were across the pond.

 

[BenD7123]

Question for those of you who have done this before and are smarter than me.... I updated from 7.5mg to 10mg on January 30th.  Most of my anxiety is gone but my body feels like it is under stress a lot of the time and I recently have had lots of crazy emotional feelings for some odd reason.  I have been doing my research about the multivitamin I take everyday and have come to think that may be the issue... Especially after a few of you on here mentioned it.  Very high levels of the B vitamins and many others. I used to never have a problem with it but I also did not take it every day like I am doing now.... Below is a link to the vitamin I take and all of the levels of vitamins in it.  

https://www.procapslabs.com/Products/Essential-1-with-2000-IU-Vitamin-D3/301928/

 

Each day that goes by I get better and better but I am wondering if this vitamin is setting me back... 

[Catina7]

10 hours ago, BenD7123 said:

Question for those of you who have done this before and are smarter than me.... I updated from 7.5mg to 10mg on January 30th.  Most of my anxiety is gone but my body feels like it is under stress a lot of the time and I recently have had lots of crazy emotional feelings for some odd reason.  I have been doing my research about the multivitamin I take everyday and have come to think that may be the issue... Especially after a few of you on here mentioned it.  Very high levels of the B vitamins and many others. I used to never have a problem with it but I also did not take it every day like I am doing now.... Below is a link to the vitamin I take and all of the levels of vitamins in it.  

https://www.procapslabs.com/Products/Essential-1-with-2000-IU-Vitamin-D3/301928/

 

Each day that goes by I get better and better but I am wondering if this vitamin is setting me back... 

 

The only way to know for sure is to completely stop taking it and see how you feel.  That vitamin has a lot of things in it that have the potential to affect your recovery process.  But you also said that you're getting better with each passing day, so it's up to you what you want to do.  I know in general that vitamins can cause lots of problems for people, so just keep that in mind.  

[BenD7123]

 @Catina7 Today is the first day I stopped taking my vitamin so we shall see how it goes.... The only other thing I take is Omega 3 fish oil and occasionally a pro-biotic.  I assume those two are safe to take?

[Catina7]

33 minutes ago, BenD7123 said:

 @Catina7 Today is the first day I stopped taking my vitamin so we shall see how it goes.... The only other thing I take is Omega 3 fish oil and occasionally a pro-biotic.  I assume those two are safe to take?

 

Fish oil and a probiotic are generally okay, although even with fish oil I've heard some say it didn't agree with them.  When making any changes to supplements, make only one change at a time; that way you'll be able to see clearly which one may not agree with you.

[BenD7123]

Hello all, time for an update. After being on 7.5mg for a couple months, I realized my anxiety was back. I tried waiting a few weeks to get better and see if I could keep pushing but I decided to get back on a higher dose of Lexapro. Started at 10mg for three weeks and then 15mg for a week and now I’ve been on 20mg for about 9 days. Anxiety is pretty much gone but just dealing with the side effects of increasing my dose. Lack of sleep, no appetite, diarrhea, agitation, some increased anxiety, sweating a lot, etc. hopefully in a week all the side effects will be gone and I’ll be back to normal! The doc and I agreed I should stabilize again at 20mg for about a year and then try tapering off again. Let me know if you guys have any thoughts or tips! 

[Catina7]

I hope everything works out for you and that you're able to stabilize at the higher dose.  You'll definitely want to taper slower next time.  I wish you all the best! 

[BenD7123]

Thanks @Catina7 !  Do you have much experience with tapering some and then increasing the dose back to the starting dose?  The first 6 days at 20mg (my original dose) were fine but these past three days have been rough.  Today I have become very anxious, anxious like I was before I got on the Lexapro a few years ago.  Not sure if this is normal or not?  Having the anxiety come back was a little scary.... other than that the past few days I have had diarrhea, lack of appetite, sweating a lot, not sleeping the greatest, and agitation.  Is this a common experience with any of you? Hoping this is just a temporary uptick in anxiety due to my body getting back to 20mg....

[Catina7]

8 minutes ago, BenD7123 said:

Thanks @Catina7 !  Do you have much experience with tapering some and then increasing the dose back to the starting dose?  The first 6 days at 20mg (my original dose) were fine but these past three days have been rough.  Today I have become very anxious, anxious like I was before I got on the Lexapro a few years ago.  Not sure if this is normal or not?  Having the anxiety come back was a little scary.... other than that the past few days I have had diarrhea, lack of appetite, sweating a lot, not sleeping the greatest, and agitation.  Is this a common experience with any of you? Hoping this is just a temporary uptick in anxiety due to my body getting back to 20mg....

 

Sometimes a person can updose by too much and then it causes what's called "kindling" or hypersensitivity.  I'm not saying that's what's going with you, but it's just something to keep in mind.  You may want to run this by one of the moderators.  You've made a lot of changes in doses, which really upsets the nervous system.

[BenD7123]

@Catina7 who are the moderators and how can I find their names so I can tag them in this post? 

[Catina7]

58 minutes ago, BenD7123 said:

@Catina7 who are the moderators and how can I find their names so I can tag them in this post? 

 

Emonda, KenA, LotusRising, GoToZero, bunchesofoats, FireflyFyte, OnmyWay, brassmonkey.  

 

It looks like Emonda was the first moderator to welcome you, so you may want to reach out to him first.

Edited March 9 by Catina7

[BenD7123]

@Emonda@brassmonkey @Go2zero @LotusRising Do you guys have any input on my current situation from the past few posts?

[jon1]

As a fellow ex-Lexapro-er I can definitely confirm that vitamins can cause quite nasty side effect once in withdrawal.

B vitamins and Vitamin D in particular. I also react badly to fish oil, but I suspect that’s because many brands can contain high vitamin D too.

 

So I’d honestly recommend not taking anything while in withdrawal. The vast majority of people don’t need vitamins anyway, so you don’t need them unless you have a medically diagnosed deficiency. Just eat well.

Many of the symptoms you describe, sudden anxiety, sound sensitivity, high irritability, are all part of withdrawal. While a good tapering regime should help reduce those symptoms, there’s no way to avoid them completely I’m afraid.

 

Probably the most insidious thing about SSRI withdrawal is that many of the symptoms mimic anxiety and depression, which makes it understandable to think it’s ’old problems’ returning. It’s why so many people stay on the drugs, because they don’t realise it’s not their previous issues, but withdrawal.

[BenD7123]

Jon, 

 

I appreciate the info! I am currently on 20mg and have been for about 10 days now. I upped to 10, then to 15, and am now on 20mg of Lexapro stabilizing. I am currently in the side effects stage of increasing the dose. Higher anxiety, problems sleeping, no appetite, the usual. The diarrhea, restlessness, agitation and other stuff have gone away for the most part. 
 

I plan on getting the meds back in me to stabilize and then wait until spring of 2025 to try and taper back off again. 
 

In hindsight, this was a terrible time to taper off. Baby due in a couple months and I’m buying a multi-million dollar business at the end of the year. 
 

as far as you go, did you have many symptoms once you stopped taking the Lexapro? When I tapered from 20mg-10mg over a few months, I noticed nothing different really. 
 

Don’t get me wrong, this Lexapro saved my life and I would recommend it to anyone with the right precautions. 
 

I am also on a loose keto and have been for just over a month…. Most days I’m under 35 grams carbs a day. I’m down 15 pounds and I am really liking that. 

[jon1]

Hey Ben,
 

Higher dosages of SSRIs are usually the easiest to taper at the beginning.

 

It’s because effects of these drugs aren’t linear. With Lexapro, the most active dose is at around 5mg. Anything above that  - while still having an impact - gets less and less effective as the dose increases.

So 1mg at 1-5mg is far more potent than 1mg at 14-15mg.

 

I hope that makes sense!

 

I was on 10mg, and the first couple of 1mg tapers weren’t too bad, but once I hit 7mg I noticed a lot more withdrawal symptoms. The last few mg are the hardest, which is why it’s wise to taper as slowly as possible.

 

I took my last dose over two years ago, and I’m still suffering severe withdrawal unfortunately. I have seen some improvements, but it’s a very slow process.

 

It sounds like you’re putting a plan in place, which is a great idea! Do loads of research on here, and make sure you talk to your family and friends in advance of starting.

Get them on board and tell them you may need their understanding and support at times. Try and educate them on the journey you’re about to begin.

[BenD7123]

@jon1 totally makes sense! I hit my “road block” at 7.5mg about 3 weeks in so I’m in the same boat! 
 

I hope this increased dose of 20mg will get me stabilized. It’s working but the past couple days it’s increased my anxiety which is no good but I know when starting or increasing SSRI’s, they can increase anxiety for the first few weeks. 

[modelarz71]

28 minutes ago, jon1 said:

Hey Ben,
 

Higher dosages of SSRIs are usually the easiest to taper at the beginning.

 

It’s because effects of these drugs aren’t linear. With Lexapro, the most active dose is at around 5mg. Anything above that  - while still having an impact - gets less and less effective as the dose increases.

So 1mg at 1-5mg is far more potent than 1mg at 14-15mg.

 

I hope that makes sense!

 

I was on 10mg, and the first couple of 1mg tapers weren’t too bad, but once I hit 7mg I noticed a lot more withdrawal symptoms. The last few mg are the hardest, which is why it’s wise to taper as slowly as possible.

 

I took my last dose over two years ago, and I’m still suffering severe withdrawal unfortunately. I have seen some improvements, but it’s a very slow process.

 

It sounds like you’re putting a plan in place, which is a great idea! Do loads of research on here, and make sure you talk to your family and friends in advance of starting.

Get them on board and tell them you may need their understanding and support at times. Try and educate them on the journey you’re about to begin.

Hello, since you know ecitalopram well 
do you think it's better to wait for the improvement of WD gastro symptoms (IBS , reflux, etc.) has anyone restoration of these symptoms improved ?
I got these symptoms in April 2023 after too big reinstall escitalopram .
Several suffering people doubt that something will help gastro symptoms

[BenD7123]

@modelarz71 I never actually had any gastro WD symptoms... they only developed when I upped my dose to 20mg and they have subsided now thankfully! When you reinstated escitalopram, did you level out and get back to normal?

[modelarz71]

25 minutes ago, BenD7123 said:

@modelarz71 I never actually had any gastro WD symptoms... they only developed when I upped my dose to 20mg and they have subsided now thankfully! When you reinstated escitalopram, did you level out and get back to normal?

Unfortunately, in the spring of 2023 I reintroduced 5 mg to go down to 0 mg in 3 weeks and gastro appeared.
I thought they were drugs not stimulants and did not know the rules for reducing.
Then I restored VII-XI 2023 about 0.5 mg and felt no difference in gastro. Too bad I didn't go up because now I have to try again because IBS and gastro are too hard for me, they alone can cause depression even in a healthy person 

[jon1]

8 hours ago, modelarz71 said:

Hello, since you know ecitalopram well 
do you think it's better to wait for the improvement of WD gastro symptoms (IBS , reflux, etc.) has anyone restoration of these symptoms improved ?
I got these symptoms in April 2023 after too big reinstall escitalopram .
Several suffering people doubt that something will help gastro symptoms

I developed digestive symptoms a few weeks after taking my final dose.

 

I go through waves of having IBS and sometimes acid reflux. Neither of which I had before.

 

I knew logically it was withdrawal, but I visited a gastro doctor anyway, who gave me a endoscopy (lovely!) and told me my digestive system is healthy. He did say my stomach was slightly inflamed, which indicates stress (no surprise there!)

 

So he recommend I give up milk and gluten. Doing that has helped. He said I can try reintroducing both when I’m feeling better.

 

When there are a lot of stress hormones floating around in the body, like cortisol and adrenaline, it impacts digestion. Because our body thinks it’s in fight or flight and is about to run, it shuts/slows down the digestive system. In normal circumstances this is fine, but because withdrawal triggers the same process it causes these effects when they’re not needed.

 

So I think it’s just another one of those weird withdrawal symptoms that can take a long time to resolve.