wisco: Lexapro, Zoloft withdrawal

[wisco]

Moderator note: link to benzo forum thread - Wisco: Tapering off of Valium

 

Hi everyone.

 

I've been on a long journey with medication. I took various SSRI's from 2004-2012 (this was mainly during my adolescence) for OCD and GAD. I did not put much effort into therapy during this time and was told by multiple psychiatrists that I'd probably need to be on antidepressants for life.

 

I tapered off 20mg of Lexapro back in 2012. It was a very quick taper and to the best of my memory my side effects were not terrible. Unfortunately I have neglected to treat my underlying anxiety disorder during these past four years and began having panic attacks around the beginning of this year.

 

Multiple life stressors added up and resulted in me having a breakdown just days after completing my semester (about a month ago). For weeks I couldn't sleep or eat and felt like a total zombie. I was desperate and wanted to do anything I could to feel better. Thus, I went back to my old psychiatrist just over 3 weeks ago and was put on 5mg of Lexapro. I then increased to 10mg last week.

 

My ramp-up symptoms were not terrible - dry mouth, fatigue, jaw tightness. However, as I began to naturally emerge from my breakdown (I hadn't been on medication long enough for it to start working) I questioned whether I truly wanted to be on Lexapro again. While it helped me a lot during my childhood it also created a chemical dependency that I am feeling the ramifications of to this day. I have recently started seeing an ACT therapist and he is absolutely convinced that therapy and mindfulness techniques are just as good if not better for anxiety than SSRI medications.

 

I decided to quit Lexapro CT and took my last dose this past Friday. This meant that I had been on 5mg for 2.5 weeks and 10mg for half a week. Unfortunately, just a few days ago I started to feel spaced out and my sleep quality decreased greatly (while I haven't been sleeping great due to the stress episode, my sleep was improving quite a bit with every week). My sinuses also began to clog back up (they were bad when I first went back on meds, possibly due to a combination of a sinus infection, allergies and the meds themselves) and my ears have been ringing on and off. I was so worried that these were the beginning of withdrawal symptoms that I took a 5mg pill this morning. Now my jaw is tight again and I feel even worse.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I should do? I have already decided that I made a mistake by going back to my psychiatrist and don't want to be on medication anymore. I know for a fact that I was beginning to emerge from my stress episode despite the drugs, not because of them. Now going off of them has made me feel like crap again and I am wondering whether I need to taper after ramping up to 10mg in a three week timespan. I appreciate any advice and will keep everyone updated as to how I am doing.

Edited November 28, 2018 by Shep

[scallywag]

wisco -- Welcome to Surviving Antidepressants I hope you'll find the information in the SA forums enlightening and helpful for your taper. I'm sorry that you are in the position that you need the information, but am glad that you found us.

 

I've edited your post above to highlight the drugs and doses you mentioned. This helps us see quickly what's happening now.

What you're feeling are withdrawal symptoms. This topic on the forum provides more detail.

What is withdrawal syndrome

Since it's been less than a week since your last dose, start taking the 2.5 mg Lexapro again. You'll probably need to stay at 2.5 mg for at least a month to stabilize your brain and the rest of the central nervous system.

About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms

Some topics for later -- when you're ready to start reducing your Lexapro dose:

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

3KIS: Keep it slow. Keep it simple. Keep it stable.

Tips for tapering off Lexapro (escitalopram)

Some administrative details:

1. Would you summarize your history in a signature -- drugs, doses, dates, and discontinuations & reinstatements, in the last 12-18 months particularly? Any drugs prior to that can just be listed with start and stop years. Please put your withdrawal history in signature
   
    
2. You may way want to follow this topic so that you get notifications when someone posts in your thread. Click the gray "Follow this topic" button. A dialog box appears: select one of the notify options, then click follow this topic in the dialog box.
    
3. Setting this web page as a bookmark or favorite in your browser will help you navigate back to it.

This intro is for you to record your symptoms and progress, ask questions and chat with other members. It serves as a journal of your withdrawal.

Have a look at the topics I've linked, and come back and ask any questions that come to mind.

Edited August 17, 2018 by manymoretodays
updated signature link

[PatriciaVP]

Hey Wisco - Fellow Lexapro user here. Unfortunately, this is pretty mean stuff. I'm pretty sure it was responsible for my misdiagnosis of "bipolar disorder" and subsequent poly-drugging.

 

"I have already decided that I made a mistake by going back to my psychiatrist and don't want to be on medication anymore. I know for a fact that I was beginning to emerge from my stress episode despite the drugs, not because of them."

 

Congratulations on your obvious self awareness. Never stop trusting this. 

 

Welcome to SA. You've come to the right place. You're among friends here. Please feel free to message me if you are in the mood to vent your frustrations or just need an understanding shoulder.

 

Peace, love and healing.

[Susanne]

Hi Wisco, welcome to SA. I'm also a Lexapro user(started taking this drug in combination with CBT) and on 5 mg now. I found this forum recently when I was dropping from 15 mg to 10 in one week and the following week I went back to 5. I was actually in tolerance for more than a year but wasn't aware of this. All of this became clear in the last week and thanks to the helpful people here on SA I realized I have been going way too fast with tapering.

 

I know it is tempting to just quit Lexapro, I mean, 5mg is the lowest dose available, so it seems logical you can just stop taking it. And you werent on it that long. But still, what you describe sounds like withdrawal syndrome.

For me I would love to just drop to 2,5 mg next week but I won't risk those terrible neuro-emotions. Every one is different so I dont know what is the best thing for you to do, but tapering to 2,5 seems more sensible than quiting now.

 

Please check all those helpful links which have been posted in your thread.

[wisco]

Did anyone develop constipation while on an SSRI? Did it continue after you went off?

 

I went on Zoloft in middle school and developed chronic constipation shortly after. It has been ~15 years since then,  ~6 years since I went off medication. I am still suffering to this day, although it is not quite as bad as it once was. I am seeking treatment for CPTSD, so I am hoping that healing my nervous system will be the remedy for this.

[manymoretodays]

Hi Wisco and welcome aboard,

 

For me.......no notable problems with constipation post SSRI's and other drugs.  I suppose I did have some bouts with it off and on through my medication years, and briefly beyond.

Adequate water intake helps.  And other dietary measures.

I did a quick search typing in my main browser constipation survivingantidepressants.org and here's what came up.  Irritable bowel syndrome

You are welcome to share ideas for coping there as well as here.

 

This now acts as your main introduction page, your introduction to the community, and a place to share your journey, make updates, and communicate with others.

 

Your nervous system has already undergone a great deal of healing,  I imagine, in 6 years........so that's good news.

And that's a great idea to be tackling your other issues now as well.  Stress of any kind certainly can affect the gut. 

 

How did you withdraw from your Zoloft?  And how did that go?  Any other persistent symptoms that you attribute to W/D?

 

Wishing you the best.

Love, peace, healing, and growth,

mmt

 

 

Edited August 17, 2018 by manymoretodays
?'s and removed excess white space

[manymoretodays]

Hi Wisco,

Sorry about that......I did not see this introduction before.  We like to keep members with one introduction.  I merged your topic about constipation here.

Would you do a signature for us:   Please put your withdrawal history into a signature

Include your history with medications.

 

Questions about your specific situation can go right here.  You are welcome to comment on other topics as well.

 

Thank you.

 

Edited August 17, 2018 by manymoretodays

[wisco]

Hi Everyone,

 

I have updated my story in the benzo withdrawal section: https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/19332-wisco-tapering-off-of-valium/?tab=comments#comment-390130