Clairebear444 Posted November 29, 2024 Posted November 29, 2024 Hi I’m Claire, I have made the mistake of cold turkey off Lexapro 3 times in the last year. I’m coming here looking for advice and worried I messed up the whole kindling process and made it worse for myself. I’ve been on Prozac from March 2023-December 2023 and Lexapro December 2023 to current date November 2024 2015-2019: Prozac, cimbalta, other variations of antidepressants and possible anti pyschotic (was 14-18yrs old: vaguely remember that period of time) quit cold turkey each of these times 2022: Lexapro 10mg (6 weeks came off cold turkey) March 2023-April 2024: Prozac 20-40mg tried quitting cold turkey 2 times, reinstated due to withdrawals . April 2024-November 2024: Lexapro 20mc, tried stopping cold turkey once mid July, reinstated after 2 weeks to 20mc. November 2024: Tried reducing Lexapro 20mg for one week, 10mg for one week. And cold turkey the last two weeks. Current: Reinstated full 20mg after finding this website and suffering very bad withdrawals, suicidal thoughts, depression, very bad anxiety
Moderator Emeritus getofflex Posted November 29, 2024 Moderator Emeritus Posted November 29, 2024 Hello, and welcome to SA. We are a volunteer-run community of people who have been or are getting off of psychiatric drugs. We strongly advise against going off any psych meds cold turkey, unless you have only been on them a short time, as in less than 4 weeks. This is very hard on the nervous system. Can you please give us specific information in your signature about your drug history for all drugs and supplements you are on and have been on, especially for the past 18-24 months? Only give us drug names, dosages, and dates, as best you can remember, in a list format. Read the link below for instructions. How to List Your Drug History in Your Signature Here is some important information about how these drugs actually work. This explains why we get symptoms from going off of these medications, and why it's so important to taper slowly and carefully, and be very cautious about changing our doses: How Psychiatric Drugs Remodel Your Brain This helps you understand what withdrawal syndrome is: Video on Recovery from Psych Drugs Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization Tapering is best done extremely slowly, and we generally taper by 10% of the current dose no more than once every 4 weeks, so that the reduction becomes exponentially smaller. Why Taper by 10% of my Dosage Tips for Tapering Lexapro When we see a detailed drug signature, we will know more, and can properly advise you. Please do not private message me. Only tag me for urgent questions about tapering and reinstating - thank you. ***Please note this is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a doctor who understands psych meds and how to withdraw from them, if you can find one. Lexapro Started Apr 15 2010 - 10 mg; started taper August 2017, recent taper info: Apr 2 '20 0.18 mg; Jul 16 0.17 mg, Aug 23 0.16 mg, Oct 7 0.15 mg, Nov 8 - 0.14, Jan 16 '21 - 0.13, Feb 7 - 0.12, Feb 22 - 0.11, Mar 26 - 0.10, May 21 - 0.09, June 15 - 0.08 Aug 16 - 0.07, Oct 6 - 0.06, Nov 21 0.05, Dec. 17 0.04, Jan 14 '22 0.03, Feb 19 0.02, Apr 18 0.01, May 15 0.005, Jul 8, 0.00. Psych Drug Free as of July 8, 2022!! Woohoo!!! other meds: Levothyroxine 75 mg magnesium in small amounts at 4 AM, before bed suppl AM: fish oil, flax oil, vit C, vit E, multivitamin, zinc suppl 8 PM: magnesium 350 mg, extended release vitamin C, melatonin 2 mg Paxil 2002 - 2010, switched to Lexapro 2010 Trazodone 50 mg. 2002 - 2019, fast tapered in 2019 Xanax 0.5 mg as needed 2002 - 2019, up to 3x weekly
Mentor Yesyes123 Posted November 30, 2024 Mentor Posted November 30, 2024 On 11/28/2024 at 10:44 PM, Clairebear444 said: Hi I’m Claire, I have made the mistake of cold turkey off Lexapro 3 times in the last year. I’m coming here looking for advice and worried I messed up the whole kindling process and made it worse for myself. I’ve been on Prozac from March 2023-December 2023 and Lexapro December 2023 to current date November 2024 It's great you found this website. Any mistakes you might have done in the past regarding these drugs will be healed in time, especially implementing the information you will find here. 1 - Escitalopram 10mg from ages 15 - 21 - Severe crash after 4 month taper to 0 - Reinstated, stabilized, slowly tapering. "Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it." - Hellen Keller I am not a medical professional and this is not medical advice, but simply information based on my own experience, as well as other members who have survived these drugs.
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