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☼ Iowan: Lexapro / escitalopram taper, need help and support, reassurance


Iowan

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Hey dude, just wanted to drop in and say I read your thread and the symptoms you used to have are the same as the ones I get.  

 

The "episodes" or waves are real bastards, ain't it?

 

So anyways, congrats on tapering and jumping correctly.  

 

I drew inspiration from this thread today.

Med History - 2014 - 2020 - Zoloft, Effexor, Klonopin, Lexapro, Buspar (No longer on any of these)

Went to my doctor for an annual and mentioned I was stressed, gave me Zoloft, stopped it after 3 months because it didn't do anything, ended up in withdrawal and was told I had a mental illness.  I've been diagnosed Bipolar and Clinically Depressed.  

Current Med Taper 

Lamotrigine - 25mg (May 21') -> 24mg (May 23') -> 23mg (July 23') -> 22mg (Aug 23') -> 21mg (Oct 23') -> 20mg (Dec 23')

Supplement: Magnesium, Fish Oil

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@Fightinghard positive progress will continue for us all, it's just really SLOW progress. Patience is not one of my better traits/qualities either, but I've been learning it the hard way these last couple of years. I think we all have.

 

@Jennings I did the best I could to describe what I went and go through. I don't think words can even do it justice most of the time though. It makes me happy to know that by sharing my experience, I can bring any comfort to another going through AD WD. I'll continue to be an open book about this to anyone/everyone if it means it helps them through it in any way. I know reading other peoples posts was what I needed in order to get through some of my worst days. I had to keep reassuring myself that I wasn't alone. That I was going to make it. That I was going to improve. That I had made progress from where I was. Etc. Just stick with it and positive progress will continue.

 

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone. There is MUCH to be thankful for. Iowan

1999: Paxil ?? mgai (Paroxetine Hydrochloride) - stopped cold turkey
2001-03: Celexa ?? mgai (Citalopram Hydrobromide) - switched to Lexapro
2003-August 2015: Lexapro 20 mgai (Escitalopram Oxalate) - rapid 5 mgai increment taper down to 0 mgai
December 2015 - January 2016: Short hospital stay for unknown acute AD WD due to rapid taper
January 2016-February 21, 2016: Prozac ?? mgai (Fluoxetine Hcl) and Wellbutrin ?? mgai (Bupropion Hcl) - switched to Lexapro
February 21, 2016-July 22, 2018: Lexapro 10 mgai  - rapid 5 mgai increment taper down to 5 mgai
July 22, 2018-March 17, 2019: Lexapro 5 mgai - endured horrible waves due to rapid taper
March 17, 2019-April 7, 2019: Lexapro 3.226 mgai - endured horrible wave due to rapid taper
April 7, 2019-April 28, 2019: Lexapro 3.548 mgai - updosed to level out
April 28, 2019: Implemented Brass Monkey Slide taper method (2.5% weekly reduction) - IT’S WORKING!!!
September 2, 2020: Lexapro 0.000 mgai / 0 mgpw / 100% Taper COMPLETE!

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  • 3 weeks later...

Dropping by to leave a quick update. Lots of people taking PTO at work in December, including myself. Project deadlines tend to get bumped out to next year due to this, and it's difficult to get together with team resources. Tends to make December drag on, but relatively low stress.

 

My sleep and neck/back pain is all improving. I still wake up 3 or 4 times every night, but I'm trending towards being able to go back to sleep more often than not. It helps if I don't look at any screens after I wake. But, sometimes, I know I'm wide awake and up for the day and just go ahead and start my day. It is what it is at this point. I'm greatful that I get enough total sleep that my brain and body need, so I'm not going to complain. It's been MUCH worse these past couple of years than it is currently.

 

Neck and upper back pain is odd. It feels like it's in my bones, but it's my muscles. It often feels like I've got knives literally stuck in my back. Not like standard muscle cramps. The burning is subsiding, but maybe I'm getting used to it too. The pain is transitioning further down into my back too. My shoulders and neck are still tense and I still get headaches, but it's all less. I thought I was passing a kidney stone the other day, lower in my back, but it ended up just being the migration of these back pains. They tend to make me grumpy, but now that I've recognized an improvement and progression of them moving through, I can handle it.

 

The world is upside down right now, but I've forced myself to start a regular gym routine again and it is helping tremendously with everything. My sedentary lifestyle combined with age and constant stress has really taken it's toll on me in 2020. I'm going to do what I can to make 2021 better, at least within my personal environment which I have some control over.

1999: Paxil ?? mgai (Paroxetine Hydrochloride) - stopped cold turkey
2001-03: Celexa ?? mgai (Citalopram Hydrobromide) - switched to Lexapro
2003-August 2015: Lexapro 20 mgai (Escitalopram Oxalate) - rapid 5 mgai increment taper down to 0 mgai
December 2015 - January 2016: Short hospital stay for unknown acute AD WD due to rapid taper
January 2016-February 21, 2016: Prozac ?? mgai (Fluoxetine Hcl) and Wellbutrin ?? mgai (Bupropion Hcl) - switched to Lexapro
February 21, 2016-July 22, 2018: Lexapro 10 mgai  - rapid 5 mgai increment taper down to 5 mgai
July 22, 2018-March 17, 2019: Lexapro 5 mgai - endured horrible waves due to rapid taper
March 17, 2019-April 7, 2019: Lexapro 3.226 mgai - endured horrible wave due to rapid taper
April 7, 2019-April 28, 2019: Lexapro 3.548 mgai - updosed to level out
April 28, 2019: Implemented Brass Monkey Slide taper method (2.5% weekly reduction) - IT’S WORKING!!!
September 2, 2020: Lexapro 0.000 mgai / 0 mgpw / 100% Taper COMPLETE!

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  • 1 month later...

I hit a rough patch on Sunday, 1/31/2020. Kids were acting up most of the day and I yelled at them alot. One in particular, who could be my clone. I went to bed defeated and heart broken. I woke up in the middle of the night, with my mind racing and in panic. No more sleep for me. My neck and back almost immediately joined into the party and a severe headache soon followed. Monday was a true struggle. I was an emotional wreck, in pain, and my brain wasn't working well. Monday night was a repeat of the previous night. Very little sleep and I'm still a mess. It's not my first rodeo, so I know it will pass, but dang I was hoping I was done with these waves. It had been a while since I'd had one and I've improved SO MUCH. As long as they continue to get further and further apart and diminish in severity, I really shouldn't complain.

 

I've been taking Omega 3 and Ashwagandha for a few weeks to help level out my cortisol and serotonin. It seems to be helping with my back pain. My back has slowly been improving and so has my nightly sleep. I think my overall mood has been improving on a daily basis as well. I recently added Magnesium Glycinate to further help with the muscle pain in my back. I haven't taken it long enough to realize any results yet.

 

Prior to this wave, my progress has been slow, but somewhat steady. A week or two will go by and I'll realize I'm feeling and sleeping better than I was a week or two earlier. I thank God for the continued progress. I have come leap years from where I started. I will say that it does frustrate me that feeling better is an accumulation of days/weeks/months, but a wave can come crashing in and instantly erase a good chunk of progress. "Wave" is a great word to define it. I think of it as a large wave crashing into a beach. I'm working diligently on building a sand castle and all of a sudden a big wave comes crashing in and wipes out much of my work. As soon as the wave rolls back out to sea, I shake off the emotion and begin rebuilding.

 

There's a lot of back and forth, or up and down. Overall though, I am functioning pretty level on a daily basis. I will get through this wave and continue to make progress. I apologize for sounding like a broken record with any of my postings. Much of this seems to be wash, rinse, repeat... I look forward to the months and years to come.

 

God Bless, Iowan

1999: Paxil ?? mgai (Paroxetine Hydrochloride) - stopped cold turkey
2001-03: Celexa ?? mgai (Citalopram Hydrobromide) - switched to Lexapro
2003-August 2015: Lexapro 20 mgai (Escitalopram Oxalate) - rapid 5 mgai increment taper down to 0 mgai
December 2015 - January 2016: Short hospital stay for unknown acute AD WD due to rapid taper
January 2016-February 21, 2016: Prozac ?? mgai (Fluoxetine Hcl) and Wellbutrin ?? mgai (Bupropion Hcl) - switched to Lexapro
February 21, 2016-July 22, 2018: Lexapro 10 mgai  - rapid 5 mgai increment taper down to 5 mgai
July 22, 2018-March 17, 2019: Lexapro 5 mgai - endured horrible waves due to rapid taper
March 17, 2019-April 7, 2019: Lexapro 3.226 mgai - endured horrible wave due to rapid taper
April 7, 2019-April 28, 2019: Lexapro 3.548 mgai - updosed to level out
April 28, 2019: Implemented Brass Monkey Slide taper method (2.5% weekly reduction) - IT’S WORKING!!!
September 2, 2020: Lexapro 0.000 mgai / 0 mgpw / 100% Taper COMPLETE!

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Damn Iowan, I’m sorry you’re feeling bad.  You’ll get through this.

Med History - 2014 - 2020 - Zoloft, Effexor, Klonopin, Lexapro, Buspar (No longer on any of these)

Went to my doctor for an annual and mentioned I was stressed, gave me Zoloft, stopped it after 3 months because it didn't do anything, ended up in withdrawal and was told I had a mental illness.  I've been diagnosed Bipolar and Clinically Depressed.  

Current Med Taper 

Lamotrigine - 25mg (May 21') -> 24mg (May 23') -> 23mg (July 23') -> 22mg (Aug 23') -> 21mg (Oct 23') -> 20mg (Dec 23')

Supplement: Magnesium, Fish Oil

Link to comment

It will pass and I'll get back to recovering soon. Here's a pretty good article I read on Cortisol today. https://www.drlamcoaching.com/blog/chronic-pain-high-cortisol-levels/ "When the adrenal glands are exposed to caffeine and are required to produce more cortisol, there is an imbalance created. This can result in what’s known as Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome (AFS). What the body wants to do during a cortisol spike is engage in intense physical activity."

 

I'd be willing to bet I have AFS, and have been battling it for a while now. I guess it's time to cut caffine out entirely. I'd already cut back, but not enough I guess. Dang!

 

1999: Paxil ?? mgai (Paroxetine Hydrochloride) - stopped cold turkey
2001-03: Celexa ?? mgai (Citalopram Hydrobromide) - switched to Lexapro
2003-August 2015: Lexapro 20 mgai (Escitalopram Oxalate) - rapid 5 mgai increment taper down to 0 mgai
December 2015 - January 2016: Short hospital stay for unknown acute AD WD due to rapid taper
January 2016-February 21, 2016: Prozac ?? mgai (Fluoxetine Hcl) and Wellbutrin ?? mgai (Bupropion Hcl) - switched to Lexapro
February 21, 2016-July 22, 2018: Lexapro 10 mgai  - rapid 5 mgai increment taper down to 5 mgai
July 22, 2018-March 17, 2019: Lexapro 5 mgai - endured horrible waves due to rapid taper
March 17, 2019-April 7, 2019: Lexapro 3.226 mgai - endured horrible wave due to rapid taper
April 7, 2019-April 28, 2019: Lexapro 3.548 mgai - updosed to level out
April 28, 2019: Implemented Brass Monkey Slide taper method (2.5% weekly reduction) - IT’S WORKING!!!
September 2, 2020: Lexapro 0.000 mgai / 0 mgpw / 100% Taper COMPLETE!

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Dude, I cut out caffeine in November.  
 

if I were you I’d cut out caffeine and alcohol (I think you already did this).

 

Once you fully heal I think you can introduce caffeine back into your diet.  
 

Once I hit withdrawal caffeine absolutely inflated my anxiety.  
 

You’ve been through a lot, you got this.

Med History - 2014 - 2020 - Zoloft, Effexor, Klonopin, Lexapro, Buspar (No longer on any of these)

Went to my doctor for an annual and mentioned I was stressed, gave me Zoloft, stopped it after 3 months because it didn't do anything, ended up in withdrawal and was told I had a mental illness.  I've been diagnosed Bipolar and Clinically Depressed.  

Current Med Taper 

Lamotrigine - 25mg (May 21') -> 24mg (May 23') -> 23mg (July 23') -> 22mg (Aug 23') -> 21mg (Oct 23') -> 20mg (Dec 23')

Supplement: Magnesium, Fish Oil

Link to comment

@Jennings I had cut caffeine out entirely for a while, but I do enjoy my morning coffee. I don't touch energy drinks anymore though. I'll have to go back to cutting coffee and soda out again. I don't drink much soda, but coffee is daily again. It will be a struggle for the first couple of weeks, but then not so bad.

 

As for alcohol, I quit drinking all together back in late 2015. I can and do sometimes have one or two beers or glasses of wine now, but I cap it at 2. Zero hard liquor. I'll probably go ahead and cut this out entirely again too.

 

Back pain is better today, but my brain is mush. Yuck

1999: Paxil ?? mgai (Paroxetine Hydrochloride) - stopped cold turkey
2001-03: Celexa ?? mgai (Citalopram Hydrobromide) - switched to Lexapro
2003-August 2015: Lexapro 20 mgai (Escitalopram Oxalate) - rapid 5 mgai increment taper down to 0 mgai
December 2015 - January 2016: Short hospital stay for unknown acute AD WD due to rapid taper
January 2016-February 21, 2016: Prozac ?? mgai (Fluoxetine Hcl) and Wellbutrin ?? mgai (Bupropion Hcl) - switched to Lexapro
February 21, 2016-July 22, 2018: Lexapro 10 mgai  - rapid 5 mgai increment taper down to 5 mgai
July 22, 2018-March 17, 2019: Lexapro 5 mgai - endured horrible waves due to rapid taper
March 17, 2019-April 7, 2019: Lexapro 3.226 mgai - endured horrible wave due to rapid taper
April 7, 2019-April 28, 2019: Lexapro 3.548 mgai - updosed to level out
April 28, 2019: Implemented Brass Monkey Slide taper method (2.5% weekly reduction) - IT’S WORKING!!!
September 2, 2020: Lexapro 0.000 mgai / 0 mgpw / 100% Taper COMPLETE!

Link to comment

What a difference a couple of days make! Back and neck pain wasn't as bad yesterday and I actually got some halfway decent sleep last night! Lots of prayer, vitamins and supplements, and just 1 day into zero caffeine. Stress management is the aspect that I have the least control over, so I do the best I can with it. Feels good to be through the worst of that nasty few days. If I can make it to sun filled spring or summer before the next wave hits, I should be in an even better place to handle it.

1999: Paxil ?? mgai (Paroxetine Hydrochloride) - stopped cold turkey
2001-03: Celexa ?? mgai (Citalopram Hydrobromide) - switched to Lexapro
2003-August 2015: Lexapro 20 mgai (Escitalopram Oxalate) - rapid 5 mgai increment taper down to 0 mgai
December 2015 - January 2016: Short hospital stay for unknown acute AD WD due to rapid taper
January 2016-February 21, 2016: Prozac ?? mgai (Fluoxetine Hcl) and Wellbutrin ?? mgai (Bupropion Hcl) - switched to Lexapro
February 21, 2016-July 22, 2018: Lexapro 10 mgai  - rapid 5 mgai increment taper down to 5 mgai
July 22, 2018-March 17, 2019: Lexapro 5 mgai - endured horrible waves due to rapid taper
March 17, 2019-April 7, 2019: Lexapro 3.226 mgai - endured horrible wave due to rapid taper
April 7, 2019-April 28, 2019: Lexapro 3.548 mgai - updosed to level out
April 28, 2019: Implemented Brass Monkey Slide taper method (2.5% weekly reduction) - IT’S WORKING!!!
September 2, 2020: Lexapro 0.000 mgai / 0 mgpw / 100% Taper COMPLETE!

Link to comment

Glad to hear you're doing so well post taper! It's encouraging.

md

🙏

1997 Prozac ?mg

1991 Sertraline ?mg

2002 Escitalopram 10 mg

2018 2.5 mg - stopped by Dr./Reinstated, up-dosed to 7.5 mg

04/19 Began BM slide @7.5 mg

CURRENT  0.36 mg 🌼

 

"If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth."

Mark 9:23

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  • 4 weeks later...

I cut coffee out cold turkey in early February. I don't miss it much and it was easy compared to curbing booze a few years back, and my recent Lexapro taper. Now for the bad though, I didn't sleep much all of last week, (waking between 1 & 3 every night). Then I got better sleep Friday and Saturday, thinking I was out of this wave, only to have insomnia set in again Sunday night. I'm exhausted and my brain isn't as sharp as it needs to be. My upper back and neck are on fire too. In short, I'm a hot mess right now. On the bright side, I believe my anxiety is not as high as it has been in waves. This may be due to cutting out coffee, or maybe I'm crossing a milestone. Whatever the case, I'll take it, but I sure do miss sleep. Melatonin doesn't seem to work for me and I don't have trouble falling asleep. I'm praying I roll out of this wave in the next few days and am able to put miles between it and the next one.

 

I've been reading and watching videos on antidepressant PAWS, and am confident that's what I'm enduring. Since I was on SSRI's for so long, I'm betting that I've got a long road ahead of me. Man this sucks, but at least I'm not where I was 6 or 12 months ago. I'm lucky I survived that. God bless everyone enduring this. You are not alone.

1999: Paxil ?? mgai (Paroxetine Hydrochloride) - stopped cold turkey
2001-03: Celexa ?? mgai (Citalopram Hydrobromide) - switched to Lexapro
2003-August 2015: Lexapro 20 mgai (Escitalopram Oxalate) - rapid 5 mgai increment taper down to 0 mgai
December 2015 - January 2016: Short hospital stay for unknown acute AD WD due to rapid taper
January 2016-February 21, 2016: Prozac ?? mgai (Fluoxetine Hcl) and Wellbutrin ?? mgai (Bupropion Hcl) - switched to Lexapro
February 21, 2016-July 22, 2018: Lexapro 10 mgai  - rapid 5 mgai increment taper down to 5 mgai
July 22, 2018-March 17, 2019: Lexapro 5 mgai - endured horrible waves due to rapid taper
March 17, 2019-April 7, 2019: Lexapro 3.226 mgai - endured horrible wave due to rapid taper
April 7, 2019-April 28, 2019: Lexapro 3.548 mgai - updosed to level out
April 28, 2019: Implemented Brass Monkey Slide taper method (2.5% weekly reduction) - IT’S WORKING!!!
September 2, 2020: Lexapro 0.000 mgai / 0 mgpw / 100% Taper COMPLETE!

Link to comment

Hey Iowan,

 

Sorry to hear you are still struggling.  Your story is the first one I read when I found this site.  Cutting out the coffee is probably a good thing.  I cut out coffee in November.  It’s terrible your not sleeping but just know this will pass.

 

Good luck

Med History - 2014 - 2020 - Zoloft, Effexor, Klonopin, Lexapro, Buspar (No longer on any of these)

Went to my doctor for an annual and mentioned I was stressed, gave me Zoloft, stopped it after 3 months because it didn't do anything, ended up in withdrawal and was told I had a mental illness.  I've been diagnosed Bipolar and Clinically Depressed.  

Current Med Taper 

Lamotrigine - 25mg (May 21') -> 24mg (May 23') -> 23mg (July 23') -> 22mg (Aug 23') -> 21mg (Oct 23') -> 20mg (Dec 23')

Supplement: Magnesium, Fish Oil

Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...

I pulled out of my wave around the 3rd or 4th and have been keeping busy with Spring time outdoor activities as much as possible. I'm trying to stay physically active and I snagged my ergonomic chair from my office building, for my home office. This has improved my sitting posture and in turn has improved my back pain, at least somewhat. I'm doing better and enjoying this window. I'm riding it for as long as I can. God bless all, Iowan.

1999: Paxil ?? mgai (Paroxetine Hydrochloride) - stopped cold turkey
2001-03: Celexa ?? mgai (Citalopram Hydrobromide) - switched to Lexapro
2003-August 2015: Lexapro 20 mgai (Escitalopram Oxalate) - rapid 5 mgai increment taper down to 0 mgai
December 2015 - January 2016: Short hospital stay for unknown acute AD WD due to rapid taper
January 2016-February 21, 2016: Prozac ?? mgai (Fluoxetine Hcl) and Wellbutrin ?? mgai (Bupropion Hcl) - switched to Lexapro
February 21, 2016-July 22, 2018: Lexapro 10 mgai  - rapid 5 mgai increment taper down to 5 mgai
July 22, 2018-March 17, 2019: Lexapro 5 mgai - endured horrible waves due to rapid taper
March 17, 2019-April 7, 2019: Lexapro 3.226 mgai - endured horrible wave due to rapid taper
April 7, 2019-April 28, 2019: Lexapro 3.548 mgai - updosed to level out
April 28, 2019: Implemented Brass Monkey Slide taper method (2.5% weekly reduction) - IT’S WORKING!!!
September 2, 2020: Lexapro 0.000 mgai / 0 mgpw / 100% Taper COMPLETE!

Link to comment
  • 1 month later...

 

Hi @Iowan

Hope this finds you feeling better and healing well.

I compare our charts often. Just wanted to drop by

and let you know I'm thinking about you and praying

things are going well.

md

🌼

 

 

1997 Prozac ?mg

1991 Sertraline ?mg

2002 Escitalopram 10 mg

2018 2.5 mg - stopped by Dr./Reinstated, up-dosed to 7.5 mg

04/19 Began BM slide @7.5 mg

CURRENT  0.36 mg 🌼

 

"If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth."

Mark 9:23

Link to comment
6 hours ago, mdwstrx said:

 

Hi @Iowan

Hope this finds you feeling better and healing well.

I compare our charts often. Just wanted to drop by

and let you know I'm thinking about you and praying

things are going well.

md

🌼

 

 

It's SPRING!!! I am feeling better and healing! I have been hitting the gym, riding my bike and working outside as much as possible. My back pain is subsiding in correspondence with my increased physical activity and sunlight exposure. Love it! What I have noticed is that as my back pain subsides, I feel pretty much wiped out in the afternoon / EOD. I force myself to get active and feel better after I do.

 

I've decided that I will be in a MUCH BETTER PLACE when fall and winter roll in this year.

 

Thanks for checking in. I pray all is going well for you as well MD. And everyone else too. Even if you take steps backwards from time to time, in the long run, you will continue to make positive progress out of this. Keep at it.

 

Iowan

1999: Paxil ?? mgai (Paroxetine Hydrochloride) - stopped cold turkey
2001-03: Celexa ?? mgai (Citalopram Hydrobromide) - switched to Lexapro
2003-August 2015: Lexapro 20 mgai (Escitalopram Oxalate) - rapid 5 mgai increment taper down to 0 mgai
December 2015 - January 2016: Short hospital stay for unknown acute AD WD due to rapid taper
January 2016-February 21, 2016: Prozac ?? mgai (Fluoxetine Hcl) and Wellbutrin ?? mgai (Bupropion Hcl) - switched to Lexapro
February 21, 2016-July 22, 2018: Lexapro 10 mgai  - rapid 5 mgai increment taper down to 5 mgai
July 22, 2018-March 17, 2019: Lexapro 5 mgai - endured horrible waves due to rapid taper
March 17, 2019-April 7, 2019: Lexapro 3.226 mgai - endured horrible wave due to rapid taper
April 7, 2019-April 28, 2019: Lexapro 3.548 mgai - updosed to level out
April 28, 2019: Implemented Brass Monkey Slide taper method (2.5% weekly reduction) - IT’S WORKING!!!
September 2, 2020: Lexapro 0.000 mgai / 0 mgpw / 100% Taper COMPLETE!

Link to comment
  • 2 months later...

July 21 check-in. Improvements are slow, but accumulate over time. My anxiety continues to improve. My insomnia continues to improve as well. Zero panic attacks for quite a while. I'm not 100%, but thinking back, I don't know if I was EVER at 100%, even before AD meds. Hence why I was prescribed them in the first place. I'm adapting to my new life every day, and it continues to improve little by little.

 

I lost my job at the end of April, not due to work performance, and it really did a number on me. I was stressed out beyond belief and made job searching my full time job for the next month and a half. I landed a new gig and started mid June. I'm bitter, but try to not let it get the best of me. I'm pretty sure I sunk into a depressive state or possibly clinical depression right around the month mark of being without work. It's been difficult to climb up out of that hole, but not nearly as difficult as AD withdrawal.

 

My back pain is morphing. My muscles aren't nearly as tight as they were, the knots aren't as severe, neither are the headaches, and the pain is moving further down my back. It's now mainly concentrated in my Rhomboid muscles, between my shoulder blades. It's in an area that I can work over really well with my foam roller and my double lacrosse ball 'Peanut' roller. The peanut is painful to use, but the results are amazing.

 

I have to jump onto a meeting now, but just wanted to drop a status update. Life is SO MUCH BETTER now than it was a year ago. I'm a little over 10 months of being completely off SSRIs!!!

1999: Paxil ?? mgai (Paroxetine Hydrochloride) - stopped cold turkey
2001-03: Celexa ?? mgai (Citalopram Hydrobromide) - switched to Lexapro
2003-August 2015: Lexapro 20 mgai (Escitalopram Oxalate) - rapid 5 mgai increment taper down to 0 mgai
December 2015 - January 2016: Short hospital stay for unknown acute AD WD due to rapid taper
January 2016-February 21, 2016: Prozac ?? mgai (Fluoxetine Hcl) and Wellbutrin ?? mgai (Bupropion Hcl) - switched to Lexapro
February 21, 2016-July 22, 2018: Lexapro 10 mgai  - rapid 5 mgai increment taper down to 5 mgai
July 22, 2018-March 17, 2019: Lexapro 5 mgai - endured horrible waves due to rapid taper
March 17, 2019-April 7, 2019: Lexapro 3.226 mgai - endured horrible wave due to rapid taper
April 7, 2019-April 28, 2019: Lexapro 3.548 mgai - updosed to level out
April 28, 2019: Implemented Brass Monkey Slide taper method (2.5% weekly reduction) - IT’S WORKING!!!
September 2, 2020: Lexapro 0.000 mgai / 0 mgpw / 100% Taper COMPLETE!

Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...

Hi @Iowan

Congratulations!! So happy things are much better. It gives me (us) so much hope! It's been rough of late. The last tiny cuts have been uncharacteristically hard to the point I reinstated one out of fear of an upcoming event. So holding at .95mg. Please keep posting updates. Very uplifting! Blessings on your new job!

md

🌼

1997 Prozac ?mg

1991 Sertraline ?mg

2002 Escitalopram 10 mg

2018 2.5 mg - stopped by Dr./Reinstated, up-dosed to 7.5 mg

04/19 Began BM slide @7.5 mg

CURRENT  0.36 mg 🌼

 

"If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth."

Mark 9:23

Link to comment
On 7/16/2021 at 4:55 PM, mdwstrx said:

Hi @Iowan

Congratulations!! So happy things are much better. It gives me (us) so much hope! It's been rough of late. The last tiny cuts have been uncharacteristically hard to the point I reinstated one out of fear of an upcoming event. So holding at .95mg. Please keep posting updates. Very uplifting! Blessings on your new job!

md

🌼

Hang in there @mdwstrx. It gets better. I find myself bellyaching from time to time, but then I force myself to recall where I was 9, 12, 18, 24+ months ago. What I'm enduring now is nothing compared to that. For me, it's all about time and getting as much of it behind me as possible when it comes to tapering and withdrawal. I can't remember exactly what I endured when anymore, but this thread in SD helps me to remember.

 

I've got to give a ton of credit to my strengthening relationship with Jesus Christ too. I probably haven't mentioned that enough in my posts. The glory goes to Him, because I gave up several times along the way.

 

On a down note, I've been getting back into good shape again these past few months, then I tore my MCL playing ultimate frisbee last night with my kids and few other people from church. I'm in some serious pain today and it's going to take 3 to 5 months to heal, if it heals... I'm bummed about it, but am going to keep plugging away at life. I'm probably done playing sports altogether now. I love them, but I need a functional body to get my daily chores and duties done. Ugh...

1999: Paxil ?? mgai (Paroxetine Hydrochloride) - stopped cold turkey
2001-03: Celexa ?? mgai (Citalopram Hydrobromide) - switched to Lexapro
2003-August 2015: Lexapro 20 mgai (Escitalopram Oxalate) - rapid 5 mgai increment taper down to 0 mgai
December 2015 - January 2016: Short hospital stay for unknown acute AD WD due to rapid taper
January 2016-February 21, 2016: Prozac ?? mgai (Fluoxetine Hcl) and Wellbutrin ?? mgai (Bupropion Hcl) - switched to Lexapro
February 21, 2016-July 22, 2018: Lexapro 10 mgai  - rapid 5 mgai increment taper down to 5 mgai
July 22, 2018-March 17, 2019: Lexapro 5 mgai - endured horrible waves due to rapid taper
March 17, 2019-April 7, 2019: Lexapro 3.226 mgai - endured horrible wave due to rapid taper
April 7, 2019-April 28, 2019: Lexapro 3.548 mgai - updosed to level out
April 28, 2019: Implemented Brass Monkey Slide taper method (2.5% weekly reduction) - IT’S WORKING!!!
September 2, 2020: Lexapro 0.000 mgai / 0 mgpw / 100% Taper COMPLETE!

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  • 2 months later...

I passed 1 year of ZERO meds on 9/2/21. I had a few days of a funk right around the year mark, but it faded as quickly as it came on. TIME! It's all about TIME! Everything gets better little by little, but it adds up over time.

 

I still rarely sleep anywhere near a solid 8 hours at night, but I'm not waking with panic, so I think it may be more because I'm a middle age man than it is AD withdrawal.

 

One complaint... As soon as I reached zero, my sexual stamina dropped down to a handful of minutes and hasn't increased. It's a bit frustrating and embarrassing, but nothing worth complaining about. If anyone else has experienced and overcome this, I'd love feedback.

 

I believe I'm recovered! I imagine things will continue to improve year after year, but the nightmare things I suffered through before, during and directly following my taper, are OVER!!!

 

God bless everyone still enduring the slog. It gets better!!! If you have any doubts, just go back through and read where I was 1, 2 or 3 years ago.

1999: Paxil ?? mgai (Paroxetine Hydrochloride) - stopped cold turkey
2001-03: Celexa ?? mgai (Citalopram Hydrobromide) - switched to Lexapro
2003-August 2015: Lexapro 20 mgai (Escitalopram Oxalate) - rapid 5 mgai increment taper down to 0 mgai
December 2015 - January 2016: Short hospital stay for unknown acute AD WD due to rapid taper
January 2016-February 21, 2016: Prozac ?? mgai (Fluoxetine Hcl) and Wellbutrin ?? mgai (Bupropion Hcl) - switched to Lexapro
February 21, 2016-July 22, 2018: Lexapro 10 mgai  - rapid 5 mgai increment taper down to 5 mgai
July 22, 2018-March 17, 2019: Lexapro 5 mgai - endured horrible waves due to rapid taper
March 17, 2019-April 7, 2019: Lexapro 3.226 mgai - endured horrible wave due to rapid taper
April 7, 2019-April 28, 2019: Lexapro 3.548 mgai - updosed to level out
April 28, 2019: Implemented Brass Monkey Slide taper method (2.5% weekly reduction) - IT’S WORKING!!!
September 2, 2020: Lexapro 0.000 mgai / 0 mgpw / 100% Taper COMPLETE!

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  • Moderator

Congratulations on passing the one year mark. Year two should hold even more improvements. It gets better and better after that. I'm still noticing improvements at about five years out.

 

Paxil use is quite rampant in the porn industry just for that reason. It takes a bit of getting use to after making the jump.

20 years on Paxil starting at 20mg and working up to 40mg. Sept 2011 started 10% every 6 weeks taper (2.5% every week for 4 weeks then hold for 2 additional weeks), currently at 7.9mg. Oct 2011 CTed 15oz vodka a night, to only drinking 2 beers most nights, totally sober Feb 2013.

Since I wrote this I have continued to decrease my dose by 10% every 6 weeks (2.5% every week for 4 weeks and then hold for an additional 2 weeks). I added in an extra 6 week hold when I hit 10mg to let things settle out even more. When I hit 3mgpw it became hard to split the drop into 4 parts so I switched to dropping 1mgpw (pill weight) every week for 3 weeks and then holding for another 3 weeks.  The 3 + 3 schedule turned out to be too harsh so I cut back to dropping 1mgpw every 4 weeks which is working better.

Final Dose 0.016mg.     Current dose 0.000mg 04-15-2017

 

"It's also important not to become angry, no matter how difficult life is, because you can loose all hope if you can't laugh at yourself and at life in general."  Stephen Hawking

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  • Mentor

Congratulations Lowan ! Glad you are are getting better! Gives us hope !

2000-2013 Paxil - 1 year fast taper

2013-2018 merry go round
zoloft, cymbalta, lamictal, Prozac.

 Nov. 2018 lexapro 15 mgs, Dec. 2019 to Mar. 2020 taper to 10mg. Jul 2020 to October 2020 taper to 8.5 ml.
Oct 2020 reinstated to 9 ml.
Apr 2021 to Jul  taper to 7ml. Oct 2021 to Jan 2022 taper to 5.9ml, Mar 5 2022 5.8 ml, Mar 12 5.7ml, Mar 20 5.6ml, Mar 27 5.5ml, April 23 5.4ml, April 30 5.3ml, May 7 5.2ml,  Jul 9 2022 5.4ml, 

Klonopin prn, Allegra 180 for 3 seasons, aspirin 81 mg, plavix , nitroglycerin 0.4 mg prn, 2k mg  turmeric Qunol, 4- Trader Joe’s omega 3 -2400 mg, Pepcid 20mg,  Prilosec 40 mg, Tylenol arthritis 4 tablets daily, 350mg calm magnesium citrate, melatonin 2.5- 5mg as needed to sleep. Saline spray as needed. 

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On 9/20/2021 at 6:02 PM, Heath said:

Congratulations Lowan ! Glad you are are getting better! Gives us hope !

Thanks Heath and brassmonkey. The success stories helped get me through the worst of it, so I hope mine helps others to do the same. Nobody can imagine the nightmare that AD med withdrawal can be, unless they live it. I've tried to explain it to a few people and they just kind of give me a blank stare and a few nods. Even when I was in the throws of the worst of it, other than my wife, nobody took me seriously. Dr's just wanted to prescribe me MORE PILLS. My dad thought I should be institutionalized to keep me from harming myself, (where they would have forced MORE PILLS on me). SA was a lifesaver! Thank God for SA!

 

I look forward to any and all future improvements as they come.

1999: Paxil ?? mgai (Paroxetine Hydrochloride) - stopped cold turkey
2001-03: Celexa ?? mgai (Citalopram Hydrobromide) - switched to Lexapro
2003-August 2015: Lexapro 20 mgai (Escitalopram Oxalate) - rapid 5 mgai increment taper down to 0 mgai
December 2015 - January 2016: Short hospital stay for unknown acute AD WD due to rapid taper
January 2016-February 21, 2016: Prozac ?? mgai (Fluoxetine Hcl) and Wellbutrin ?? mgai (Bupropion Hcl) - switched to Lexapro
February 21, 2016-July 22, 2018: Lexapro 10 mgai  - rapid 5 mgai increment taper down to 5 mgai
July 22, 2018-March 17, 2019: Lexapro 5 mgai - endured horrible waves due to rapid taper
March 17, 2019-April 7, 2019: Lexapro 3.226 mgai - endured horrible wave due to rapid taper
April 7, 2019-April 28, 2019: Lexapro 3.548 mgai - updosed to level out
April 28, 2019: Implemented Brass Monkey Slide taper method (2.5% weekly reduction) - IT’S WORKING!!!
September 2, 2020: Lexapro 0.000 mgai / 0 mgpw / 100% Taper COMPLETE!

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  • 6 months later...

@Iowan

Hi! I hope you check back occasionally. I wonder how you are and if improvements have continued? I hope so! 

md

1997 Prozac ?mg

1991 Sertraline ?mg

2002 Escitalopram 10 mg

2018 2.5 mg - stopped by Dr./Reinstated, up-dosed to 7.5 mg

04/19 Began BM slide @7.5 mg

CURRENT  0.36 mg 🌼

 

"If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth."

Mark 9:23

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@mdwstrxLife has gotten in the way of getting back here an posting any follow-ups lately. Thanks for the reminder, and I hope you're continuing to make improvements too.

 

Too many irons in the fire and events that have taken place to mention them all, so I'll stick to my recovery.

 

I still continue to make improvements, although my life is extremely stressful, so I don't know if I'll ever feel fully recovered. I am fully functional now though and rarely dip below a feeling of being melancholy on any given dip. I still don't sleep well past 3 AM most nights, and I've embraced it for the most part. I thought I would get to take it a little easier this summer, and get some relaxation and fun family time in, but we had a fire in February that took out our machine shed and outside wood boiler unit, so my summer is filled with building construction and replacing everything that we lost. Such is life... Maybe next summer.

1999: Paxil ?? mgai (Paroxetine Hydrochloride) - stopped cold turkey
2001-03: Celexa ?? mgai (Citalopram Hydrobromide) - switched to Lexapro
2003-August 2015: Lexapro 20 mgai (Escitalopram Oxalate) - rapid 5 mgai increment taper down to 0 mgai
December 2015 - January 2016: Short hospital stay for unknown acute AD WD due to rapid taper
January 2016-February 21, 2016: Prozac ?? mgai (Fluoxetine Hcl) and Wellbutrin ?? mgai (Bupropion Hcl) - switched to Lexapro
February 21, 2016-July 22, 2018: Lexapro 10 mgai  - rapid 5 mgai increment taper down to 5 mgai
July 22, 2018-March 17, 2019: Lexapro 5 mgai - endured horrible waves due to rapid taper
March 17, 2019-April 7, 2019: Lexapro 3.226 mgai - endured horrible wave due to rapid taper
April 7, 2019-April 28, 2019: Lexapro 3.548 mgai - updosed to level out
April 28, 2019: Implemented Brass Monkey Slide taper method (2.5% weekly reduction) - IT’S WORKING!!!
September 2, 2020: Lexapro 0.000 mgai / 0 mgpw / 100% Taper COMPLETE!

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  • 2 months later...

July 5th and I'm quickly approaching 2 years of being completely off of Lexapro. Time continues to heal all wounds. I still wake up nearly every night between 1:30 and 3:30, but rarely ever do I have anxiety or feeling of impending doom. Sometimes I can go back to sleep, and other times I can't, and I'm okay with that. I rarely experience dips anymore either. I can still get spun out if I get too stressed, but even high stress situations, I'm able to handle much better. My brain is working SO MUCH better than it had during and following ad med taper and withdrawal, too.

 

I've found certain exercises, rolling on a massage peanut, and using a standing desk helps to manage my back pain. It set in almost to the day that I reached zero ad meds, but I think I can contribute much of it to being sedentary in a seated position day in and day out for my job. Age, drop in testosterone, and lack of a good balance of exercise to sitting finally took its toll on my body. Such is life.

 

Sexually, it's like a switch got flipped or something when I reached zero. The brain is truly the largest sex organ in the body. I have to work at not thinking about 'it' while being intimate. As a guy, this can be a hit to one's ego, but hey, small price to pay to be off the poison, and alive to tell the story.

 

I still give credit to this Site and it's members for getting me through my withdrawal. Life is probably as close to 'normal' as it will ever get for me at this point, and it truly is pretty normal.

 

Stick with it everyone, it gets better!

1999: Paxil ?? mgai (Paroxetine Hydrochloride) - stopped cold turkey
2001-03: Celexa ?? mgai (Citalopram Hydrobromide) - switched to Lexapro
2003-August 2015: Lexapro 20 mgai (Escitalopram Oxalate) - rapid 5 mgai increment taper down to 0 mgai
December 2015 - January 2016: Short hospital stay for unknown acute AD WD due to rapid taper
January 2016-February 21, 2016: Prozac ?? mgai (Fluoxetine Hcl) and Wellbutrin ?? mgai (Bupropion Hcl) - switched to Lexapro
February 21, 2016-July 22, 2018: Lexapro 10 mgai  - rapid 5 mgai increment taper down to 5 mgai
July 22, 2018-March 17, 2019: Lexapro 5 mgai - endured horrible waves due to rapid taper
March 17, 2019-April 7, 2019: Lexapro 3.226 mgai - endured horrible wave due to rapid taper
April 7, 2019-April 28, 2019: Lexapro 3.548 mgai - updosed to level out
April 28, 2019: Implemented Brass Monkey Slide taper method (2.5% weekly reduction) - IT’S WORKING!!!
September 2, 2020: Lexapro 0.000 mgai / 0 mgpw / 100% Taper COMPLETE!

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  • Mentor

@Iowan I hear good news! Glad you are doing good! Hated to hear about the fire. Hope the reconstruction is going well! 
I feel you on the back pain! And the stress ! Dr introduced me to Paxil for back pain 22 years ago.  Ice, tens unit and keep moving 👍.  Take care !

2000-2013 Paxil - 1 year fast taper

2013-2018 merry go round
zoloft, cymbalta, lamictal, Prozac.

 Nov. 2018 lexapro 15 mgs, Dec. 2019 to Mar. 2020 taper to 10mg. Jul 2020 to October 2020 taper to 8.5 ml.
Oct 2020 reinstated to 9 ml.
Apr 2021 to Jul  taper to 7ml. Oct 2021 to Jan 2022 taper to 5.9ml, Mar 5 2022 5.8 ml, Mar 12 5.7ml, Mar 20 5.6ml, Mar 27 5.5ml, April 23 5.4ml, April 30 5.3ml, May 7 5.2ml,  Jul 9 2022 5.4ml, 

Klonopin prn, Allegra 180 for 3 seasons, aspirin 81 mg, plavix , nitroglycerin 0.4 mg prn, 2k mg  turmeric Qunol, 4- Trader Joe’s omega 3 -2400 mg, Pepcid 20mg,  Prilosec 40 mg, Tylenol arthritis 4 tablets daily, 350mg calm magnesium citrate, melatonin 2.5- 5mg as needed to sleep. Saline spray as needed. 

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Because you're feeling better, I added our cheerful "here comes the sun" symbol to the title of your Intro topic, to show you're recovering.

 

Please continue to let us know how you're doing. I hope you will add your story to our Recovery Success Stories eventually!

 

Please see this topic:  How to write your success story

* 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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  • 4 weeks later...

I've read that there can be bad waves that hit around the 18 month mark after coming off of ADs and I went through one last week. It was strong for 5 days and gone by the end of the 7th. Just weathered the storm. Very little sleep and dry heaves in the early AM. Old hat, but it had been a while since the last one like this.

 

I thank whoever posted about this being a common occurrence because it prepared me for it. If I didn't expect it, it would have freaked me out.

 

All is back to normal this week. Thanks and God bless to all!

1999: Paxil ?? mgai (Paroxetine Hydrochloride) - stopped cold turkey
2001-03: Celexa ?? mgai (Citalopram Hydrobromide) - switched to Lexapro
2003-August 2015: Lexapro 20 mgai (Escitalopram Oxalate) - rapid 5 mgai increment taper down to 0 mgai
December 2015 - January 2016: Short hospital stay for unknown acute AD WD due to rapid taper
January 2016-February 21, 2016: Prozac ?? mgai (Fluoxetine Hcl) and Wellbutrin ?? mgai (Bupropion Hcl) - switched to Lexapro
February 21, 2016-July 22, 2018: Lexapro 10 mgai  - rapid 5 mgai increment taper down to 5 mgai
July 22, 2018-March 17, 2019: Lexapro 5 mgai - endured horrible waves due to rapid taper
March 17, 2019-April 7, 2019: Lexapro 3.226 mgai - endured horrible wave due to rapid taper
April 7, 2019-April 28, 2019: Lexapro 3.548 mgai - updosed to level out
April 28, 2019: Implemented Brass Monkey Slide taper method (2.5% weekly reduction) - IT’S WORKING!!!
September 2, 2020: Lexapro 0.000 mgai / 0 mgpw / 100% Taper COMPLETE!

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