birder22: Long-time Lexapro tapered too fast

[birder22]

As you can see from my signature, I did not follow the 10% taper method.  I thought I was going slow enough over the course of about a year.  I started feeling really unwell this November, after I had dropped to 1.0mg Lexapro.  I first started feeling WD when I dropped below 2.5mg escitalopram in July.  I am not sure what to do as I have no professional medical support (I am looking).  A few days ago, I decided to reinstate at 2.5mg because that was the last dose I felt well on, and try to stabilize.  So far, I have just been nauseous and exhausted.  

[Emonda]

Welcome @birder22

 

13 hours ago, birder22 said:

I did not follow the 10% taper method. 

 

Most of us learn the hard way. I certainly did!

 

13 hours ago, birder22 said:

I thought I was going slow enough over the course of about a year.

 

Think of a garden snail's pace 🐌, especially at lower doses.

 

The lower we go, the slower we go.

 

13 hours ago, birder22 said:

first started feeling WD when I dropped below 2.5mg escitalopram in July. 

 

13 hours ago, birder22 said:

I started feeling really unwell this November, after I had dropped to 1.0mg Lexapro.

 

When you have symptoms, it's time for an extended hold. If you keep pushing with the taper, you'll find yourself in a difficult spot.

 

13 hours ago, birder22 said:

A few days ago, I decided to reinstate at 2.5mg because that was the last dose I felt well on

 

Your approach was sort of right. Up-dosing can be beneficial, but by smaller increases than what you did.

 

I work on the reverse of the 10% taper....no more than a 10% increase for up-dosing. Once you increase, if there's no adverse response, sit back and monitor for a week or two. If things improve, great. If things are still difficult but not worse, then another small increase may be worth considering.

 

So you've taken 2 or 3 doses at 2.5mg? I would have gone to 1.1mg, monitored and reassessed.

 

13 hours ago, birder22 said:

So far, I have just been nauseous and exhausted.  

 

Do you mean since increasing the dose? I recall being utterly exhausted, lying on the floor for hours, when I reinstated the same AD years back.

 

You should keep this handy: Daily Checklist of Antidepressant Withdrawal Symptoms (PDF) 

 

Recovery from ADs and tapering too fast is not linear. There are good days and not-so-good days/weeks/months. This is referred to as the Windows and waves pattern of stabilization.

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 fatty acids (fish oil)

Avoid alcohol.

Don't change the manufacturer of your AD.

Once again, welcome to S.A.

Emonda

[birder22]

Yes, I’ve taken 3 doses on 2.5 and been very sick these past three days (nausea, vomiting, heart palpitations).  I agree it was probably too much after being on 1 for months.  I’d like to try 1.1 tonight if that won’t **** me up even more. 

[Emonda]

After three days at 2.5mg, dropping back to 1.1mg, given you'd been at 1mg since September, seems reasonable. If it'd been weeks, different story.

 

If things aren't worse at 1.1mg initially, then I'd sit and observe for a week or so. Reassess from there.

 

Time and patience are required for things to settle down from here.

 

Keep us posted...I will be a little slow in responding over the coming week, but someone else may respond.