Eleda: how to stop Lexapro after reinstatement for 6 days

[Eleda]

Hi.

 

After 8 months off Lexapro I reinstated 6 days ago, I’m stopping again because of adverse reaction to the drug. Can I simply stop after 6 days, or do I have to taper off? I started with 5 mg, had an immediate adverse reaction, reduced down to 1 mg, still having adverse reaction, so I need to come off for good. Can I just stop now? 

[Gridley]

Yes, you can stop now.

[Eleda]

Thank you, what a relief! I’ve been so afraid of doing it wrong. Could I have stopped after the first dose of 5 mg? Or did I do it right by trying smaller doses? I didn’t know that it might not work reinstating after months in withdrawal, so it was all very confusing when I got sick from it. Now I know it’s definitely the drug making me sick immediately after taking it, even as little as 1 mg, so I’m thinking I better stop. 

[Gridley]

You could have stopped at 5mg but there was nothing wrong in seeing if 1mg would work.  

[Eleda]

Ok, thank you, I got a bit scared from the reaction. I couldn’t find any information about how to stop after only a few days, and the scare of withdrawal made me taper down. 

[ChessieCat]

Hi Eleda and welcome to SA,

 

You might find this topic helpful:  are-we-there-yet-how-long-is-withdrawal-going-to-take

 

[Eleda]

16 hours ago, ChessieCat said:

Hi Eleda and welcome to SA,

 

You might find this topic helpful:  are-we-there-yet-how-long-is-withdrawal-going-to-take

 

Thank you, I will read it. 

[Eleda]

I got extremely sick after stopping. I have severe anxiety invading my whole body leaving me unable to function, I’m a nervous wreck, so many symptoms including psychosis and Suicide attempt. Wish I never reinstated, and I should have tapered even after 6 days. I don’t know how this will end, I might try another kind of SSRI if I don’t get better soon. 

[ChessieCat]

Hi Eleda and welcome to SA from me too,

 

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This is your own introductions topic where your can ask questions about your own situation and journal your progress.

[Altostrata]

Welcome, Eleda.

 

I am sorry you're having such difficulty coming off an antidepressant.

 

It seems that 5mg Lexapro (escilatopram) was too strong for you. How have your symptoms changed since you stopped 5mg Lexapro?

 

Escilatropram is a strong drug. Did you ever have a bad reaction to Celexa (cilatopram)? If not, you might want to try 0.5mg cilatopram, it's escilatopram's gentler sibling, or 0.5mg Prozac as a substitute.

 

[ChessieCat]

Important topics in the Tapering forum and FAQ

 

Please remember to create your drug signature.  Thank you.

[Eleda]

11 hours ago, Altostrata said:

Welcome, Eleda.

 

I am sorry you're having such difficulty coming off an antidepressant.

 

It seems that 5mg Lexapro (escilatopram) was too strong for you. How have your symptoms changed since you stopped 5mg Lexapro?

 

Escilatropram is a strong drug. Did you ever have a bad reaction to Celexa (cilatopram)? If not, you might want to try 0.5mg cilatopram, it's escilatopram's gentler sibling, or 0.5mg Prozac as a substitute.

 

The anxiety has calmed down enough for me to sleep, but it’s still to strong for my body to handle. I’m bedridden with no energy and still have weird sensations in my whole body. My stomach is upset and I can’t eat much. I’m unable to do anything because my body is not working, everything is distorted and I can’t handle anything. I haven’t tried anything else, my doctor won’t give me anything. I didn’t have the symptoms I had when I first came off them, this is very different, so I don’t know if it’s because I stopped after 6 days, or if it’s the drug itself messing me up. Would it have made any difference if I tapered down over a couple of weeks? I don’t know what to do now, I’m getting a new doctor, will ask him about other drugs, but don’t know if I should try again. I got terrible stomach pains, upset stomach and feeling sick, decreased urin output, sensations of soiling myself, spacing out and anxiety. I felt my brain tingle immediately after taking it, and my whole body reacting. I maybe should have stayed on it for longer to see if it got better, but I never had a bad reaction to it before, so I thought I couldn’t tolerate it no more, and I didn’t think I would get sick after only 6 days of it. It’s been 3 weeks now, I’m hoping it will get better, but if it doesn’t, I might have to start something else. 

[Altostrata]

I'm sorry, you have withdrawal syndrome, plus that bad reaction to too much Lexapro when you tried 5mg. We see that a lot here.

 

Did you ever have a bad reaction to Celexa (cilatopram)? If not, you might want to try 0.5mg cilatopram, it's escilatopram's gentler sibling, or 0.5mg Prozac as a substitute. All of these drugs come in liquid form by prescription; you'd use an oral syringe to take a very small dose.

 

It's important to take only a very small dose because it's likely your nervous system has been sensitized by withdrawal and then that adverse reaction to Lexapro. It might react badly to normal doses of other drugs, too.

 

A lot of people find fish oil and magnesium supplements helpful, see
http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/36-king-of-supplements-omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil/

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

 

Try a little bit of one at a time to see how it affects you.

[Eleda]

On 1/22/2019 at 8:22 PM, Altostrata said:

I'm sorry, you have withdrawal syndrome, plus that bad reaction to too much Lexapro when you tried 5mg. We see that a lot here.

 

Did you ever have a bad reaction to Celexa (cilatopram)? If not, you might want to try 0.5mg cilatopram, it's escilatopram's gentler sibling, or 0.5mg Prozac as a substitute. All of these drugs come in liquid form by prescription; you'd use an oral syringe to take a very small dose.

 

It's important to take only a very small dose because it's likely your nervous system has been sensitized by withdrawal and then that adverse reaction to Lexapro. It might react badly to normal doses of other drugs, too.

 

A lot of people find fish oil and magnesium supplements helpful, see
http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/36-king-of-supplements-omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil/

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

 

Try a little bit of one at a time to see how it affects you.

Would you try Celexa or Prozac? I don’t know which one to ask for, I’m so afraid of making it worse, and the doctors don’t believe me, they say I can just stop if I have a bad reaction, but I really can’t. 

[Eleda]

On 1/21/2019 at 8:25 PM, Altostrata said:

Welcome, Eleda.

 

I am sorry you're having such difficulty coming off an antidepressant.

 

It seems that 5mg Lexapro (escilatopram) was too strong for you. How have your symptoms changed since you stopped 5mg Lexapro?

 

Escilatropram is a strong drug. Did you ever have a bad reaction to Celexa (cilatopram)? If not, you might want to try 0.5mg cilatopram, it's escilatopram's gentler sibling, or 0.5mg Prozac as a substitute.

 

So, I now realize I got so sick because I stopped taking Lexapro after 6 days, the last dose was 1 mg. I should have stayed on it and given it more time, and slowly tapered off if it didn’t work. I now have to start up again, it’s been one month off now, and I wonder if the best choice is to go back on Lexapro 0,5 mg. I’m scared of trying celexa because of new side effects. If I understand it right, you advise reinstating the same drug to help with withdrawal? I had some bad reactions, hence why I stopped, but I got much sicker from withdrawal than from the drug. I need to fix this, I made myself seriously ill by stopping, and it scared me so bad that I haven’t gone back on anything, I’m scared of making it worse, but I can’t wait anymore, I need to be able to function. 

[Altostrata]

To help us out, follow these instructions Please put your drug and withdrawal history in your signature

 

What were the bad reactions you had from Lexapro, when you were taking at full dosage, before you went off?

 

If you got a rash from Lexapro, you should not take it again, you're allergic to it.

 

Otherwise, you could try 0.5mg Lexapro. Do you have the liquid? You can make your own, see Tips for tapering off Lexapro (escitalopram)

 

Please let us know how you're doing.

[Eleda]

After the first dose of 5 mg I immediately got bad stomach pains, lots of rumbling and upset stomach, feeling sick, numb head and weird sensations, spacing out, I basically felt poisoned, and anxiety at night so I didn’t sleep. I reduced down to 1 mg the following two days, and got better. But on day 6 I felt very sick again, and then I stopped, I had some weird symptoms from my colon, felt numb and wasn’t peeing as much as usual. I don’t know if it’s normal side effects or a bad reaction. I never got a rash. After a few days I got insane anxiety, ocd thru the roof, and my mind went absolutely crazy. I still suffer this, so I’m afraid of taking anything again, but if it’s caused by withdrawal from stopping I probably have to reinstate to get better. Could this insane anxiety be a result of not tolerating the drug? Or is it withdrawal? I didn’t sleep for two weeks after I stopped. 

I don’t know if I should go back on Lexapro, or try celexa, I’m afraid of new side effects from celexa. 

[Carmie]

Hi Eleda, 

 

How are you doing?💚