javon880 Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Started at 10 MG(2 yrs now). I've been trying to wean off for the past 3 weeks going every other day. I thought it would be ok to stop cold turkey after the 3 weeks but I'm having serious side affects. Extreme fatigue, irritability, dizziness, OCD, diarrhoea. This lead me to a google search which brought me here. So happy to have found this forum and the information on it. Going back on my pill(10MG) and sticking to the alternating for a longer span to wean off. Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted March 17, 2015 Administrator Share Posted March 17, 2015 Hello, javon. Please do NOT skip doses to taper! Rather, reduce gradually by use of a liquid preparation of Lexapro, as described in http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/406-tips-for-tapering-off-lexapro-escitalopram/ I've moved your post to start your topic in Introductions, where you can track your progress and ask questions about your particular situation. This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus Fresh Posted March 18, 2015 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted March 18, 2015 Hi Javon , how are you doing back on the 10mg. Have you been doing alternate days? What is the medication that you are taking? If you click FOLLOW THIS TOPIC at the top right , you'll receive an email each time someone posts. Fresh 1987-1997 pertofran , prothiaden , Prozac 1997-2002 Zoloft 2002-2004 effexor 2004-2010 Lexapro 40mg 2010-2012Cymbalta 120mg Sept. 2012 -decreased 90mg in 6months. Care taken over by Dr Lucire in March 2013 , decreased last 30mg at 2mg per week over 3 months. July 21 , 2013- last dose of Cymbalta Protracted withdrawal syndrome kicked in badly Jan.2014 Unrelenting akathisia until May 2014. Voluntary hosp. admission. Cocktail of Seroquel, Ativan and mirtazapine and I was well enough to go home after 14 days. Stopped all hosp. meds in next few months. July 2014 felt v.depressed - couldn't stop crying. Started pristiq 50mg. Felt improvement within days and continued to improve, so stayed on 50mg for 8 months. Began taper 28 Feb. 2015. Pristiq 50mg down to 45mg. Had one month of w/d symptoms. Started CES therapy in March. No w/d symptoms down to 30mg. October 2015 , taking 25mg Pristiq. Capsules compounded with slow-release additive. March 2016 , 21mg Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus Rhiannon Posted March 18, 2015 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted March 18, 2015 Hi Javon, hope you got this message: skipping days to taper is pretty much a recipe for bad news. Your brain tries to adapt to the level of chemical in your blood and when it goes up and down and up and down your brain can never settle down with adaptation that works. What is better is to slowly reduce the amount you take but take that amount every day at about the same time. That way your brain can adapt itself gradually to lower and lower doses. Started on Prozac and Xanax in 1992 for PTSD after an assault. One drug led to more, the usual story. Got sicker and sicker, but believed I needed the drugs for my "underlying disease". Long story...lost everything. Life savings, home, physical and mental health, relationships, friendships, ability to work, everything. Amitryptiline, Prozac, bupropion, buspirone, flurazepam, diazepam, alprazolam, Paxil, citalopram, lamotrigine, gabapentin...probably more I've forgotten. Started multidrug taper in Feb 2010. Doing a very slow microtaper, down to low doses now and feeling SO much better, getting my old personality and my brain back! Able to work full time, have a full social life, and cope with stress better than ever. Not perfect, but much better. After 23 lost years. Big Pharma has a lot to answer for. And "medicine for profit" is just not a great idea. Feb 15 2010: 300 mg Neurontin 200 Lamictal 10 Celexa 0.65 Xanax and 5 mg Ambien Feb 10 2014: 62 Lamictal 1.1 Celexa 0.135 Xanax 1.8 Valium Feb 10 2015: 50 Lamictal 0.875 Celexa 0.11 Xanax 1.5 Valium Feb 15 2016: 47.5 Lamictal 0.75 Celexa 0.0875 Xanax 1.42 Valium 2/12/20 12 0.045 0.007 1 May 2021 7 0.01 0.0037 1 Feb 2022 6 0!!! 0.00167 0.98 2.5 mg Ambien Oct 2022 4.5 mg Lamictal (off Celexa, off Xanax) 0.95 Valium Ambien, 1/4 to 1/2 of a 5 mg tablet I'm not a doctor. Any advice I give is just my civilian opinion. Link to comment
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