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Tbear: Need help and answers please


Tbear

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Hey everyone! I really need some answers because I've looked everywhere to try and find one answer which can relate to my question but sadly to no avail.

 

I was on 20mg Cipralex for 7 years due to general anxiety disorder. I was feeling better last year so decided this year in February I would start tapering and weaning off. It all went great until roughly 7 weeks ago when I went from 5mg to 2.5mg. Withdrawal has hit me hard and I have been off work since then.

 

My question is basically, after now 7 weeks is it safe to go back up to 5mg from 2.5? I felt fine on 5mg hence me wanting to move back up to it. And how long will it take for the WD symptoms to go away or just for me to feel better cos currently I'm just having a hard time functioning. I'm afraid of everything basically. 

 

Thank you for any reply 

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  • ChessieCat changed the title to Tbear: Need help and answers please
  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi Tbear and welcome to SA,

 

When updosing, SA recommends a very small increase.  You may find that 0.5mg is enough to bring the withdrawal symptoms to a tolerable level.  The idea of updosing (reinstating if you have stopped the drug completely) isn't to get rid of the withdrawal symptoms completely.  Your brain will have made some adaptations during the 7 weeks you have been on 2.5mg.  It is better to start with a small amount and increase by a tiny bit more if after about 1 week if you find that the symptoms are still unbearable than to take too much and upset your CNS.

 

Please read Post #1 carefully of this topic:  About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms

 

Tips for tapering off Lexapro (escitalopram)

 

Please keep daily notes on paper of your symptoms so that you can assess whether updosing is helping and also to assess if you need to updose further.

 

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?


Dr Joseph Glenmullen's WD Symptoms Checklist

 

Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

Brain Remodelling


Video:  Healing From Antidepressants - Patterns of Recovery

 

This is your own Intro topic where you can ask questions about your own situation and also journal your progress.

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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Thank you for the quick reply! I tried taking 5mg again today. The problem is here in Austria you can only get the pills and so it's tough to go by small dosages. 

 

So you think I should instead tomorrow just take around 3.5mg instead of 5? Nothing bad can happen because I took 5mg today or? I'm sorry I'm just so scared now that I messed up or something. 

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  • Moderator Emeritus

It is possible to make a liquid to get a smaller dose.  I suggest you take 3mg from your next dose.  It takes about 4 days for a dose change to get to full strength in the blood and a bit longer for it to register in the brain.

 

Do-it-yourself liquid
People report that they can make their own liquid from Lexapro tablets and water.

It is soluble in water, see http://www.drugbank.ca/drugs/DB01175 -- stability (shelf-life of dilution) is unknown.

See How to make a liquid from tablets or capsules

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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  • Moderator Emeritus

It's important to try and remain as calm as possible and not to panic.  It's important to learn and use Non-drug techniques to cope

 

You might find these helpful:

 

Audio:  First Aid for Panic (4 minutes)
 

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hey everyone! 

 

Around a week ago I posted a topic about me having been on 2.5mg of Cipralex for 7 weeks after cutting down from 20mg slowly since the beginning of the year. Everything went well till I dropped to 2.5mg and felt absolutely horrible since then. Then around a week ago I decided to reinstate back up to 5mg because I think I still need to take it and use it in conjunction with therapy. 

 

Now it's been 8 days that I've been taking 5mg again and I feel horrible since yesterday. I feel like I'm going crazy. I also have other huge anxieties and headaches and stomach ache. How long is this gonna last till I stabilize again? I thought I would feel better going back up to 5mg but I feel absolutely horrible. I don't know what to do anymore :(

 

I just want to feel better... any help would be appreciated...

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  • Moderator Emeritus

It is likely that you reinstated too much.  During the time of your taper from 5mg to 2.5, your brain made adjustments to the lower doses and could not handle the 5mg.  Because of this, we recommend reinstating/updosing with a very small dose.  I suggest you drop down to 3mg and see how that works.  

 

Remember, it takes about 4 days for a dose change to get to full state in the blood and a bit longer for it to register in the brain. 
 
Please Keep Notes on Paper so that we can tell updosing is working.

 

About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms.

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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