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Leah123: Stopping meds vs switching meds


Leah123

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I have been taking lexapro for 7 years. My family practice prescribed it (I see different Drs and no one monitors it) they just keep refilling my prescription or increasing it if I go through a stressful or depressing time. I never realized how much these meds affect your life. I was taking the max dose 2 years ago and am down to 5mg. I was always a happy, loving, fun, outgoing, helpful person and now I'm scared of everything and my thoughts are always negative. This is completely new to me and I have to say it's pure torture. I turn everything against myself or feel like everyone's out to get me. It comes and goes. But 2 days ago me and my husband for in a huge fight due to my over reaction over nothing and over thinking. I cant feel crappy forever right?..   I value my life way to much to have suicidal or harmful thoughts to myself or anyone else. But I just wanna be normal again and not so darn negative.  What is everyone else's experiences with tapering or stopping meds? 

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Hello, Leah123 and welcome to SA. Congratulations on getting down to 5mg and on doing it slowly.  I have moved your post to our Introductions and Updates forum, where more people will see it.  This is where you should post your question and updates.

 

Yes, these drugs are very powerful and it is little wonder you have changed, though it is temporary.  No, you won't feel crappy forever.  Regarding your negative emotions, this information in this link on neuroemotions should be helpful:

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/14397-neuro-emotions/

 

To give members the best information, we ask them to summarize their medication history in a signature -- drugs, doses, dates, and discontinuations & reinstatements, in the last 12-24 months particularly?  Please put the detail of your taper from the maximum dose to your present 5mg (rate of taper, reinstatements if any).
  • Any drugs prior to 24 months ago can just be listed with start and stop years. 
  • Please use actual dates or approximate dates (mid-June, Late October) rather than relative time frames (last week, 3 months ago) 
  • Spell out months, e.g. "October" or "Oct."; 9/1/2016 can be interpreted as Jan. 9, 2016 or Sept. 1, 2016. 
  • Please leave out symptoms and diagnoses. 
  • A list is easier to understand than one or multiple paragraphs. 
  • Link to Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature.
At Surviving Antidepressants, it is recommended that a person taper by no more than 10% of their current dose with at least a four week hold in-between decreases.  The 10% taper recommendation is a harm reduction approach to going off psychiatric drugs.  Some people may have to taper at a more conservative rate as they are sensitive to even the smallest drops.
  
To get you started, and familiarized with the protocols followed by SA, I am linking a few topics so that you have a better understanding of what is recommended here. 
 
We recommend that you taper more slowly at the lower doses, such as 5mg Lexapro.  Some members report that the lower half of the taper is more difficult than the upper half.
 
Are you experiencing withdrawal symptoms?
 
This is your introduction topic -- the place for you to ask questions, record symptoms, share your progress, and connect with other members of the SA community. I hope you'll find the information in the SA forums helpful for your situation. I'm sorry that you are in the position that you need the information, but I am glad that you found us.
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gridley Introduction

 

Lexapro 20 mg since 2004.  Begin Brassmonkey Slide Taper Jan. 2017.   

End 2017 year 1 of taper at 9.25mg 

End 2018 year 2 of taper at 4.1mg

End 2019 year 3 of taper at 1.0mg  

Oct. 30, 2020  Jump to zero from 0.025mg.  Current dose: 0.000mg

3 year, 10 month taper is 100% complete.

 

Ativan 1 mg to 1.875mg 1986-2020, two CT's and reinstatements

Nov. 2020, 7-week Ativan-Valium crossover to 18.75mg Valium

Feb. 2021, begin 10%/4 week taper of 18.75mg Valium 

End 2021  year 1 of Valium taper at 6mg

End 2022 year 2 of Valium taper at 2.75mg 

End 2023 year 3 of Valium taper at 1mg

Jan. 24, 2024: Hold at 1mg and shift to Imipramine taper.

Taper is 95% complete.

 

Imipramine 75 mg daily since 1986.  Jan.-Sept. 2016 tapered to 14.4mg  

March 22, 2022: Begin 10%/4 week taper

Aug. 5, 2022: hold at 9.5mg and shift to Valium taper

Jan. 24, 2024: Resume Imipramine taper.  Current dose as of Feb. 22: 7.6mg

Taper is 90% complete.  

  

Supplements: multiple, quercetin, omega-3, vitamins C, E and D3, magnesium glycinate, probiotics, zinc, melatonin .3mg, anti-candida, iron, serrapeptase, nattokinase


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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  • ChessieCat changed the title to Leah123: Stopping meds vs switching meds

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