cherrystem95: tapering off of lexapro after many failed attempts

[cherrystem95]

Hey everyone!

 

I made my account back in June but never got around to making an intro thread.

 

My history:

 

2008 - 2018 Zoloft, up to 200 mg

2018 - present Lexapro up to 25 mg (a few trials at 30 mg)

2019 Effexor (only about a month, discontinued without issue)

2022 - present Wellbutrin XL 150 mg

Started tapering Lexapro down from 25 mg in June 2024

November 2024 10 mg Lexapro and staying here for awhile 

 

 

I started Zoloft when I was 12 years old and diagnosed with anxiety and depression. I was on it for 10 years when I decided it was too numbing and I was having a lot of sexual side effects, which was OK when I was a kid but as I got older it became bothersome. My psychiatrist switched me to Lexapro and I worked my way up to 15 mg over the course of 6 years, trying 30 mgs a few times when my depression got really severe but it had awful fatigue side effects so I capped out at 25. I started Wellbutrin in 2022 to augment the fatigue and sexual dysfunction and it was a great decision. It didn't help so much with the sexual side effects but I felt a lot more energized and clear-headed. Back in June I decided to try getting off of Lexapro to get rid of these sexual side effects once and for all. I didn't do a 10% taper, but did a decrease of 2.5 mg at a time as I felt comfortable. So I didn't follow a schedule of X dose for a month, then X dose for another month. I just stayed at the dose until I felt OK to move on.

 

I went down to 7.5 mg lexapro about two weeks ago and it's been awful. I'm thinking I'll go back up to 10 for awhile, maybe even indefinitely. But the positives are overwhelming! Even though I'm not completely off of it, I already feel so much more clear-headed and alive than I even knew was possible. Some of the sexual dysfunction has subsided - not perfect but definitely an improvement. 

 

My biggest WD symptoms are mood swings (particularly anger), dizziness, fatigue, and a new one is low stamina. The low stamina is actually what prompted me to write this intro post so that I could post about it in the symptoms & self care thread! 

[Jane318]

Greetings @cherrystem95, and welcome to SA!  We are a community of volunteers providing peer support in the tapering of psychiatric medications and their associated withdrawal syndromes. 

 

Thank you for completing your signature.  For clarity, can you please list all medications / doses you are currently taking?  It appear you are taking Wellbutrin XL (dose?) and Lexapro right now?  Please also list any other medications and supplements you are currently taking.

 

1 hour ago, cherrystem95 said:

Back in June I decided to try getting off of Lexapro to get rid of these sexual side effects once and for all. I didn't do a 10% taper, but did a decrease of 2.5 mg at a time as I felt comfortable. So I didn't follow a schedule of X dose for a month, then X dose for another month. I just stayed at the dose until I felt OK to move on.

You were wise to monitor your symptoms.  However, your taper from 25 mg to 10 mg lexapro over five months is much faster than the 10% hyperbolic method we recommend.  It is possible that symptoms have been "piling up in the background" and are now catching up with you.  It was wise to updose back to 10 mg, and yes, we advise staying here indefinitely to give your body a time to stabilize. 

 

1 hour ago, cherrystem95 said:

I'm thinking I'll go back up to 10 for awhile, maybe even indefinitely. But the positives are overwhelming! Even though I'm not completely off of it, I already feel so much more clear-headed and alive than I even knew was possible.

It is fabulous that you notice so much improvement at this lower dose!  This is neither a competition nor a race, for sure.

 

1 hour ago, cherrystem95 said:

My biggest WD symptoms are mood swings (particularly anger), dizziness, fatigue, and a new one is low stamina

These are common withdrawal symptoms, and are temporary.  They will subside as you stabilize although it may take several months.  

 

Here are some threads to read if you have not already:

 

Here at SA, we recommend the hyperbolic taper method, which you can read about here:  Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

We have some great tools to help you with this at:  https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/9167-how-to-calculate-dosages-and-dilutions-spreadsheets-and-calculators/

 

Once / if you decide to resume tapering and given that you are at a pretty low dose right now, you might consider choosing to taper even more slowly, with longer holds or smaller cuts.  Read about this here:  The Brassmonkey Slide Method of Microtapering. 

 

Tips for tapering off escitalopram (Lexapro)

 

It’s important to keep tabs on your symptoms and adjust your taper amount and schedule as needed.  I now track my symptoms every day, rating them on a scale of 1-10 for severity.  This will help you identify your windows and waves and reveal your progress, which is encouragement we need!  You can use the following list of typical withdrawal symptoms as a template for a journal, if you wish:  Daily Checklist of Antidepressant Withdrawal Symptoms (PDF) 

 

You may choose to also track your foods and activities to identify things that trigger symptoms as well.  We do encourage people who are tapering to avoid caffeine, alcohol, and recreational drugs.  Many prescription and OTC drugs can cause problems too and should be avoided as much as possible. 

 

We recommend only two supplements here at SA, magnesium and omega-3 fatty acids.  So if you decide to try a supplement, even those we recommend here, start with a very low dose.  If you tolerate it well, you can increase the dosage slowly over time.  

 

As you taper, and even in protracted withdrawal, it is very normal to have periods where you feel better, and periods where you feel terrible.  This is what we call the windows and waves pattern of stabilization.  This is actually a good sign of healing!  Read more about windows and waves here:  Windows and waves pattern of stabilization

 

We have many threads on how to cope with symptoms – I encourage you to check out the various forums / links on the SA.org home page.

 

This is your introduction topic.  Each member gets one intro topic- please post updates and questions here, in this thread.

 

Do explore the rest of the forum – there is a lot of great information here.  Be sure to read “About SurvivingAntidepressants.org,” which has good information about how to use / search the site: https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/54-about-survivingantidepressantsorg   

 

Also, feel free to read and comment on the intro threads of other members.  This is how you build a community of people who understand what you are dealing with.   It is so helpful to connect with others who are experiencing the same things.

 

We look forward to following your journey, and helping out in any way we can.  Best wishes. 

[Jane318]

How are you doing @cherrystem95?  Wishing you the best for the holidays!