ChangingwithChat: Lexapro Withdrawl has me feeling some kind of crazy!

[ChangingwithChat]

Hi friends. I have been tapering off of Lexapro for about 8 months. I did ok until I got down to 5mg. After 3 weeks of being on 5mg I started getting very tired and then became very very depressed. My doctor switched me to 100 mg of Wellbutrin from the 5mg of Lexapro because she thought it would be easier to eventually come off of.  I have been experiencing a lot of withdrawl symptoms from Lexapro even though I am Wellbutrin. I suppose because I don't have the Seratonin.

 

One symptom that I have experienced scares me the most. It gives me an immense amount of anxiety. Initially it started as tingling in my neck and legs, mostly in my left. I also occasionally would get it below my ears. Then my left calf seemed to hurt and feel very tight along with the tingling. Now, It seems to mostly be in my left foot. The last few days My foot has almost felt disconnected from my leg and I feel electrical sensations/tingling. This is the most disturbing sensation because I don't even know how to explain what I am feeling. I don't know if it feels week, or numb, or what. The only way I can explain it is disconnected.

 

I have been seeing an accupuncturist and it seems like the sensations have been changing/improving from the treatment. The accupuncturist said that its a good sign that my body is trying to heal. I am wondering if anyone else has felt these sensations. I have read about the "brain zaps" and I am wondering if that is what this is? Can they manifest this way? I am trying not to read on the internet because I get even more scared. If someone could help I would be ever so grateful. I am feeling so desperate. 

Edited February 1, 2016 by KarenB
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[LexAnger]

hi Changingwithchat,

 

Welcome!

I'm so sorry you are going through all these too!

You are not alone. I have been having all symptoms you are experiencing over the past years tapering Lexopro, tingling, pins and needling pain (sometimes feel like fireworks) numb, pressure, bone pain allover above chest line, mainly on my head, face, neck, shoulder, back on the left. I have what I feel parallized head, left arm and leg I think is what you described as disconnected. These are all WD symptoms from lexapro.

 

Lex

[KarenB]

Welcome ChangingwithChat,

 

The last part of the taper is often the most difficult.  Many people find they need to make smaller reductions with longer holds in between.  This site recommends tapering by no more than 10% of your current dose each month.  If you had gone faster than that, that may also have led to increased withdrawal symptoms. 

 

Could you please make a signature with your drug and tapering details - it helps if we can easily see it each time you post. 

 

Don't worry too much about serotonin.  It has now been documented (see Anatomy of an Epidemic) that there is no unusual variation in depressed people's serotonin.  The imbalances are actually caused by SSRIs.  So one day, when you are clear of these drugs, your brain will find it's way back to normal again.  The reason you are experiencing w/d symptoms is because your Central Nervous System has been destabilised and is trying to recover. 

 

Keep going with the acupuncturist - many people find relief there in w/d.  I know some of the symptoms can be alarming.  You could have a read of What is Withdrawal Syndrome? as understanding what is happening to you can be quite reassuring.  Healing is happening, and you will eventually get through this. 

 

How long ago did your doc switch you to Wellbutrin?  A change in drugs will also cause destabilisation, so you may need to wait a month or so before resuming your taper. 

 

I know that tingling is very common in w/d, but I'll leave it to someone more knowledgeable to comment on the disconnected foot feeling. 

 

Well, that's a lot for one post, so have a read through those links and then come back to this thread to ask any further questions or to discuss your situation.  It's good to have you here.

 

Karen

[Fresh]

Hi  Changing , welcome to the site.

Tingling sensations , numbness , burning , prickling , and pins and needles , are collectively known as paresthesia ,

and are common in withdrawal.  They're not permanent , and may come and go as you recover.

 

See our thread on Paresthesia here  https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwja6e2Y2djKAhVC1GMKHUEyAt4QFggfMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsurvivingantidepressants.org%2Findex.php%3F%2Ftopic%2F6548-paresthesia-pins-needles-numbness-tingling-burning-sensations%2F&usg=AFQjCNEgchFnWBl41jq073aioDZLIZJtiQ&sig2=Eiu90wR3mEZuYgoUN6oz2g

 

Best wishes ,  Fresh

[Wingbatty]

 

 

My doctor switched me to 100 mg of Wellbutrin from the 5mg of Lexapro because she thought it would be easier to eventually come off of.

 

A doctor did this to me once, and it made me into a crazy person. I had all kinds of neurological symptoms. A friend of mine was switched from Prozac to Wellbutrin without a proper taper and she was doing crazy things like slowly falling over backwards & not feeling herself moving.

 

Lexapro withdrawal is brutal. I disagree with adding anything on top of it, unless it was given to you by an actual *psychiatrist*. GPs should not be allowed to play around with psych meds.