oswald: Looking for Guidance

[oswald]

Taking Lexapro since last 12 years. A neurologist started me on it since I had body tremors and wide spread body pain and it really helped. But I also started having acidity/gerd soon and took ppi to manage it for 9 years. Tried to come off from 20mg to 5mg in a year(was fine until then), after I switched to 2.5 and missed doses too and then stopped 2 5 as well.but got really strong withdrawal symptoms .. So took 1.5 mg or 2.5mg once a week, but still couldn't tolerate crying spells,low mood, rage, victim mentality, started again on 2.5mg everyday, didn't help, anxiety got worse, now on 5mg everyday, feeling better but still a bit low, depressed,but acidity is too much, dnt want to take ppis.. When I recently went to my psychiatrist telling withdrawal symptoms and acid reflux I get from Lexapro, she wanted me to start on Avuelity instead and told me it will not have any acidity or sexual side-effects but I didn't try, I'm still on Lexapro 5mg. Should I make the switch or tapering off Lexapro is better? (Just the acidity is too much).

[Emonda]

Welcome @oswald

 

On 12/15/2024 at 4:58 AM, oswald said:

Tried to come off from 20mg to 5mg in a year

 

Slow is the way to go tapering off ADs. Why taper by 10% of my dosage? The reductions should get smaller and smaller each month, for example: 10mg, 9mg, 8.1mg, 7.3mg etc. This process involves a degree of trial and error, as there is no way of predicting how an individual will respond. Importantly, if you develop unpleasant side effects from tapering, halt the taper, give yourself time to settle, and once stable, taper more slowly and by smaller amounts moving forward. The experience of others suggests that the lower you go in dose, the slower you need to go with tapering.

 

On 12/15/2024 at 4:58 AM, oswald said:

after I switched to 2.5 and missed doses too and then stopped 2 5 as well.but got really strong withdrawal symptoms

Never skip doses to taper

Those that taper too quickly often develop very unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. This Daily checklist of antidepressant withdrawal symptoms is a helpful summary of what many experience.

On 12/15/2024 at 4:58 AM, oswald said:

So took 1.5 mg or 2.5mg once a week,

You need to take the same dose at the same time every day.

On 12/15/2024 at 4:58 AM, oswald said:

now on 5mg everyday, feeling better but still a bit low, depressed,

I'm glad to read you are feeling better. It will take time to settle further from the missed doses, rapid taper etc. You need time + patience...think months, not weeks.

Recovery from tapering ADs too quickly / missing doses etc 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.

On 12/15/2024 at 4:58 AM, oswald said:

she wanted me to start on Avuelity instead and told me it will not have any acidity or sexual side-effects but I didn't try,

Changing ADs is a very difficult process, is no guarantee to fix anything, and could make your situation worse.

As above, you need Time + Patience...with no further changes, to recover from what you have been through.

On 12/15/2024 at 4:58 AM, oswald said:

I'm still on Lexapro 5mg. Should I make the switch or tapering off Lexapro is better?

Stabilise on 5mg. If you are feeling better, in, say, 6 months, then revisit the 10% taper link above.

Some general info:

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

[oswald]

@Emonda thanks for detailed reply. Really appreciate. Another psychiatrist had suggested me mirtazapine . I tried 3.5 mg for 2 days, felt uneasy, stopped,went to senior psychiatrist and he asked me to taper slowly from Lexapro only. I told him I was doing fine on 5mg, he told me to taper slowly as body gets used to it. 5mg for 1 month and then 3.75mg s for and so on. So I started taking 5mg since last 3-4 days, I felt better,calmer, my sex drive coming back in some moments and then anxiety comes back. Now it's winter months here, no sun, I'm not exercising either, do you think 5mg would be enough or I should try upping to 10mg ? Also I'm not gaseous since I've started taking this every.. Lot of burps.. Acid reflux is one of the reasons I wanted to quit Lexapro. 

[Emonda]

4 hours ago, oswald said:

Really appreciate. Another psychiatrist had suggested me mirtazapine

 

Is your goal to get off ADs?

 

You don't want to go experimenting with these things.

 

4 hours ago, oswald said:

I tried 3.5 mg for 2 days,

 

This is really unhelpful.

 

4 hours ago, oswald said:

do you think 5mg would be enough or I should try upping to 10mg ?

 

Please refer to my first post above:

 

On 12/17/2024 at 7:19 PM, Emonda said:

Stabilise on 5mg. If you are feeling better, in, say, 6 months, then revisit the 10% taper link above.

 

You want to be stable before a very slow taper.

 

There are no shortcuts sadly.

 

Emonda

[oswald]

20 hours ago, Emonda said:

 

Is your goal to get off ADs?

 

You don't want to go experimenting with these things.

 

 

This is really unhelpful.

 

 

Please refer to my first post above:

 

 

You want to be stable before a very slow taper.

 

There are no shortcuts sadly.

 

Emonda

Yes my goal is to get off AD's because of the side effects on gut. I already developed autoimmune issue. I am not feeling well even on 5mg. 

 

I'm ruminating and really anxious. Before I used to be stable on Lexapro although my dose was between 10 to 20mg. But in winters, it used to increase to 15 or 20. I was doing fine until I tapered to 5mg in summer but then as I started missing doses, and even I took in between(once in 5 days), I used to feel a little better, even 2.5mg, and now when I started 5mg,I felt fine first 2 -3 days , now again really anxious and I have horrible acidity and gas now. But I would tolerate it is if I was feeling better but I'm not. 

 

Should I reconsult doctor to see if I doing go up in dose instead of 5mg?

 

They first suggested me Avuelity, they said it won't cause reflux. I didn't try as it has seizure risk warning, second doctor suggested mirtazapine which I already told you about bad experience, now on 5mg Lexapro.

 

Please advise 

🙏

[LostInCanada]

2 hours ago, oswald said:

horrible acidity

I have found chewable DGL tablets very helpful. Just 75mg twice a day. I just break the tablet in 4 pieces. Studies show it as effective as PPIs

https://naturalfactors.com/search?q=dgl+chewable&_pos=2&_psq=dgl&_ss=e&_v=1.0

 

2 hours ago, oswald said:

go up in dose instead of 5mg?

Do not go up in dose. There is a danger of kindling because you have made alot of changes. Less is usually better. 5 mg might be even a bit high but you are there now and at least are feeling better. It takes time to stabilize.... usually many months. Your whole central nervous system has been traumatized. This is not an easy journey but adding drugs will cause more problems. The thousands on this site are proof of that.

2 hours ago, oswald said:

Avuelity, they said it won't cause reflux. I didn't try as it has seizure risk warning, second doctor suggested mirtazapine

Honestly these doctors are useless and have not even tried to understand the dangers of these drugs. All they know to do is put people on another drug and then another one. 

 

Please get familiar with the site. There are many suggestions for coping using non drug methods. What you are experiencing is withdrawal. Your body was dependent on the drugs and is now trying to cope and heal. Be patient and kind to yourself. 

 

[LostInCanada]

Have a look through this section 

 

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/forum/8-symptoms-and-self-care/