Jaynla: When life gives you lemons...

[JaynLA]

Hi All.  

 

I've been working through a problematic withdrawal from Lexapro for about five weeks.  (I'm bad with exact times, sorry - but I'm in the ballpark.)  I stopped the drug because I was taking it for anxiety issues but it actually provoked bouts of depression - something I hadn't experienced before.  Anyway - I'm having 'waves and windows', and one of the features of a wave for me are the lovely depressive and hopeless thoughts and feelings that started while I was actually on the drug.  Quite a misery, but getting through it.

 

This is anecdotal and just my experience, but it seems to keep happening so I wanted to share it:  I've been making home made lemonade with fresh lemons and white sugar.  I've noticed repeatedly that if I have a glass during a wave, my symptoms are improved for a few hours afterwards.  Not gone, but improved enough that I notice it.  At first I was skeptical, but it keeps working.  I use 2 cups of fresh squeezed lemon juice, a cup of sugar and 7 cups of water for a pitcher.  I've done some reading about the benefits of lemons, and they're little vitamin C bombs.  They also alkalize your blood and improve oxygen levels which benefits the brain.  I haven't tried it with a sugar alternative or without sugar - I'm willing to deal with the sugar for now (and I love sugar, so what the heck).  I'm also taking fish oil and L-Tryptophan, but the lightening of symptoms clearly happens after a glass of lemonade.  Give it a shot and let me know if it gives you any relief.    

[mammaP]

Hi JaynLA, welcome to SA.  I am glad to see that your lemonade has a positive effect on your withdrawal. I make up a jug of water with sliced lemons and sip it throughout the day. I  love it but sadly have had to cut my sugar intake so unfortunately can't try your delicious sounding lemonade. 

 

If you find the withdrawal too much you could reinstate a very tiny dose of 0.5 - 1mg lexapro, we often see members do well with such small doses. 

Did you taper or quit cold turkey?  Very often people become sensitive to the drug after being off for a while and can't tolerate the normal doses, which is why we recommend very small ones. Side effects tend to be dose related so you could be fine with the tiny dose. 

If you decide to stay off the drug you can fiind lots of help in the self care forums that could help along with your lemonade. We don't recommend supplements other than fish oil and magnesium which can help, best to start one at a time at low doses.  

You have a very positive attitude which will help you through. 

 

We need all our members to fill in their drug and tapering history in their signature, you can find instructions here. 

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/12364-please-put-your-withdrawal-history-in-your-signature/

 

Reinstating to stabilise

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/7562-about-reinstating-and-stabilizing-to-reduce-withdrawal-symptoms/

 

What is withdrawal symndrome

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/603-what-is-withdrawal-syndrome/

 

Fish oil

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/36-king-of-supplements-omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil/?view=findpost&p=100596&hl=magnesium

 

Magnesium

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/15483-magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker/

 

[Madeleine]

Welcome to the forum! Will try drink g more water with lemons. 

Best wishes 

[JaynLA]

Thank you mammaP!

 

My gut is telling me not to reinstate.  Now that my history is in my signature line, do you think I'm being foolish?

[Songbird]

11 hours ago, JaynLA said:

My gut is telling me not to reinstate.  Now that my history is in my signature line, do you think I'm being foolish?

 

I don't think you are being foolish.  There are no ADs in your signature prior to Lexapro - if this was the first AD and you were not on for long your system might recover fairly quickly. 

 

Reinstatement of a small dose is an option if withdrawal symptoms are severe.  If you are finding symptoms tolerable and have effective methods to help with them (like your lemonade) then staying off is also an option.  You should get more improvement over time as your system rebalances.

[JaynLA]

Hello Songbird -

 

Thanks for responding.

 

I forgot that I took one of the older AD's for a week a couple of years ago but stopped (broke out in a rash).  I doubt that figures in here.

 

As for my symptoms - I have appx. 3 hour waves of some derealization and high anxiety every 24 to 48 hours, but some of that is likely my original condition pre-AD's.  They are a misery, but I keep getting through them.  Whomever suggested the Claire Weekes audio selections would get a giant hug from me if I could remember their name - they are definitely helping. 

 

I appreciate your encouragement very much.  

[Songbird]

7 hours ago, JaynLA said:

I forgot that I took one of the older AD's for a week a couple of years ago but stopped (broke out in a rash).  I doubt that figures in here.

 

Agree, it's unlikely to be a factor in this withdrawal.

 

7 hours ago, JaynLA said:

As for my symptoms - I have appx. 3 hour waves of some derealization and high anxiety every 24 to 48 hours, but some of that is likely my original condition pre-AD's.  They are a misery, but I keep getting through them.  Whomever suggested the Claire Weekes audio selections would get a giant hug from me if I could remember their name - they are definitely helping. 

 

Claire Weekes was brilliant, she has helped many many people.  See our topic:  The Dr. Claire Weekes method of recovering from a sensitized nervous system

Learning non-med techniques to deal with anxiety is very empowering.  We have a lot of topics here about non-med techniques for symptoms - see:  Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms.  Recovery can be up and down for a while, with windows and waves as you've already found out: the windows and waves pattern of stabilization