Willpower: went off Lexapro

[Willpower]

Ali G - Thanks for your feedback and I completely agree with you.  I have also read the link which is helpful.

 

Scallywag - Thanks for your feedback.  I do hope the side effects disappear soon..will keep you posted!

 

Frogie - Yes, I think I went off the cipralex too quickly but hopefully I can stick on the wellbutrin and small dose (5mg) of cipralex to stabilise and then start tapering again.  I've come a long way and really don't want to increase my cipralex.  The advice and support received by all the Mods and everyone has been an immense help and I am truly grateful for it!

 

Thank you all!

 

Willpower.

[Frogie]

Ali G - Thanks for your feedback and I completely agree with you.  I have also read the link which is helpful.

 

Scallywag - Thanks for your feedback.  I do hope the side effects disappear soon..will keep you posted!

 

Frogie - Yes, I think I went off the cipralex too quickly but hopefully I can stick on the wellbutrin and small dose (5mg) of cipralex to stabilise and then start tapering again.  I've come a long way and really don't want to increase my cipralex.  The advice and support received by all the Mods and everyone has been an immense help and I am truly grateful for it!

 

Thank you all!

 

Willpower.

Good for you lots of positive thoughts your way!

 

Take care,

Frogie xx

[Willpower]

Hi All,

I'm feeling a little confused, frustrated and just wanted to try to stabilise at this stage.  I would love your advice.
 
To recap, I have now been on Cipralex 5mg since November 3rd ( 25 days) and started Wellbutrin XL 150MG again on November 17th (11 days) on the recommendation of my Doctor due to depression and fatigue.  He thought as did I that it would be better to start that then increase the cipralex as it worked well for me before.  I am also taking 2.5mg Diazepam as usual at night which I have been taking for years.
 
My mood is improving but there is still quite a bit of anxiety which I believe is due to the Wellbutrin start up effects.  At this stage do you think I should increase the cipralex or hold off for a little longer.  There is a part of me that wants to do whatever it takes to get to feel ‘normal’ again.  I am feeling very desperate and another part of me that wants to hold on the 5mg cipralex as I have come so far and eventually get off these damn drugs!!!
 
Don’t know what to do and would appreciate your thoughts??
 
Thanks,
Willpower

Edited November 27, 2016 by scallywag
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[scallywag]

It's helpful to track and rate your symptoms. That way you have "hard" evidence that exists outside your memory. Please keep notes on paper of your symptoms and the times of your dose(s). This post has a useful format for a daily log:

Take notes of doses and symptoms

 

You may see a pattern. We may see something to help you troubleshoot if you post your notes here for a few days, either one day at a time or a few days all at once.

[Willpower]

Thank you scallywag.  I will do as you advised and hope you may be able to give me some further advice in a few days.

[Willpower]

Hi Everyone,

 

So I went to see a Psychiatrist yesterday as I wanted to have another opinion from an expert in the field other than just my GP (whom I trust very much and he has always had my best interest and put me on the right track). The Pdoc after an hour appointment thought I should bump my cipralex back up to 10mg.  He also said that I should keep on the Wellbutrin as the combination worked well for me before.  As expected and discussed by many on this forum, he did not think that this was withdrawal but rather a relapse.  He said that Benzos need to be tapered at a much slower pace of 10% per month but not SSRI's and the timeframe of 2 months that I took to get off of it he thinks was sufficient.  He also said that the Wellbutrin could have been tapered but because it is such a low dose, it could also just be stopped. (this did not make any sense...its either one or the other, it can't be both)

 

After the appointment and giving some thought to this, I spoke to my GP who was happy for me to increase my cipralex to 10mg in order to stabilise as 5mg was not doing it.  So, I then thought about it carefully and decided to increase my dose baring in mind the following:

 

- I wasn't stable when I tapered and did it as I was told it would make me better which clearly was not the case and I now know I should have not even thought about tapering until I was stable.

- I need to stabilise above anything else at this stage even if it means going back to a higher dose. I need to be able to function at work as it is very busy times and I own my own business.

- I do have a couple of life environmental circumstances and am experiencing difficult times at the moment which my Pdoc said would make it harder to taper and I should only do it when I am in a good place in my life which is not now unfortunately.

- I just want to be happy and normal again as quickly as possible (even if it meant taking the dose I did before).  Life is short and I don't want to waste it feeling like this.

 

This has certainly been a difficult, challenging and painful life experience.  Had I known back then what I do know now about tapering, I would have never done it that quickly but as they say 'experience is the best teacher'.  In the future, once I stabilise and am ready to taper again, I will go very slowly and listen to myself and do what I am comfortable with not what the Doctors say.

 

I just hope I can stabilise on the 10mg soon without a further increase.  This would at least be some progress not having to go back to 15mg cipralex. 

 

Well, I just thought I would share this with my new friends on this Forum.  

 

Best to everyone, 

Willpower

[scallywag]

Willpower, you've definitely given this decision careful consideration. Good for you!  I hope that your increase to 10 mg escitalopram (Cipralex) provides the stability that you want.

[Frogie]

Hi Willpower:

 

Thought I would check in with you.

 

Haven't heard anything and was wondering how you are doing?

 

Take care,

Frogie xx

[Willpower]

Hi All,

 

It has been a while since I have been on here and hope everyone is doing ok.

 

I have been through a lot of over the last few months and have not yet stabilised.  I have found a new Pdoc though which I find too be good and surprisingly he found that my symptoms were purely withdrawal and not related to me still needing the medication, this was reassuring and I was rather shocked as so many doctors deny that withdrawal exists.  Since meeting him, I was put back on Cipralex and Wellbutrin, however after a little while he came to the conclusion (which I agreed with) that Wellbutrin was causing me anxiety.  Although it helped with my depression, it was counteracting the effects of Cipralex for my anxiety.  He therefore decided to cross taper me to a new medicine called Vortioxetine which I started do do about 8 days ago.  I have also completely stopped wellbutrin.

 

I wanted to know if anyone here has heard of this drug and has any feedback.  I have looked to see if there is a thread for this but could not find anything.  Any feedback would be very much appreciated.  I know I still have to give it time, but I do not want to fall back to where I was before as things were still manageable with the Cipralex, Wellbutrin Combo but not perfect.  It was perfect before I think because I was on Diazepam 2.5mg in the morning as well which counteracted the anxiety of the wellbutrin. My doctor thinks this is a strong likelihood as well but does not want to allow me to have diazepam in the morning as it is addictive.  I do agree with him.

 

Present Symptoms:

- A bit Racey

- Negative thoughts from the past

- Can't concentrate

- Can't focus

- Tired

- Itchy all over my body

 

The thing is I do not know if some of these symptoms are withdrawal of the cipralex and wellbutrin or starting the Vortioxetine.

 

Look forward to hearing from you.

 

Thanks,

Willpower

[Happy2Heal]

hi WP

I found this when searching for Vortioxetine- it's a scary sounding (in my opinion) new "atypical antidepressant'.

https://www.drugs.com/cdi/vortioxetine.html

 

it's brand name is Brintellix and I've seen several threads where ppl tried this in a desperate attempt to stop their WD symptoms, however I believe in every case, it made things worse and they decided to stop the Brintellix.

 

 

please read all of the potential side effects, several of them are deadly.

also note that getting off of this drug will be hard; at least they are admitting to that in the drug's description: "Do not suddenly stop taking vortioxetine without checking with your doctor. You may have an increased risk of side effects (eg, mood swings, dizziness, headache, light-headedness, runny nose, stiff muscles, sudden outburst of anger). If you need to stop vortioxetine, your doctor may need to gradually lower your dose."

 

 

here's some more technical info on this drug and two other new ones- please note that page is designed for drs who wish to Rx this drug, and NOT for the consumer/the patient who will ultimately be harmed by this drug 

Also please note that they admit THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT THESE DRUGS DO!! they are just guessing!! and they are only testing them on people for 6 to 8 weeks before pushing the fool things on the public via heavy marketing to drs.

http://www.mdedge.com/currentpsychiatry/article/96727/depression/prescribers-guide-using-3-new-antidepressants-vilazodone/page/0/1

 

Why do you and/or your doctor think you need another drug? it will not help you with your withdrawal

 

sadly, there's no magic pill for wd symptoms, only time, good self care and using non drug coping methods can get you thru it.

I am sorry you've felt the need to start a new drug. I am concerned for you  because now you just have another drug that you will need to withdraw off of at some point.

[Willpower]

Hi H2H,

 

Thank you for your message.

 

My Doctor thought that this might be better than Cipralex/Wellbutrin which is why he put me on it but I am not so sure.  Doctors say a lot of things but I think it is really the patient who knows what is best for them based on what they experience and how they feel.  

 

When I was tapering cipralex/wellbutrin, I did it too quickly and therefore had to start again but once I went back to my regular dose and I wasn't 100% and I had anxiety but no depression, my Doctor thought this would be the better option.  I personally (at least right now) feel that the cipralex/wellbutrin combo was better.  If I had added some valium for a short period and stopped it which I did before, I think I would have been fine which is what my previous Pdoc did initially when I started these meds but this Pdoc doesn't want to give me valium due to its addictive effects.

 

I am aware of the potential side effects which they all have. Every person tolerates a drug differently so its very hard to say what will work for whom until you try it yourself.  

 

In my case, although it is my decision, if I go back to my Pdoc now, he will say it has not been enough time as I have only been on 10mg for 8 days and I have to give it longer...while I know you have to give these medicines time, I am just not sure if it is right one for me.  

 

Honestly, I do not know what to do...

 

Right now I am only taking Brintellex 10mg in the morning and Diazepam 2.5mg at night and zopiclone 3.75mg which I was taking before to sleep. So the change is from Cipralex/Wellbutrin to Brintellex.

 

Its really quite frustrating!!

 

Edited March 30, 2022 by ChessieCat
changed member name