Miyan: need help to taper off escitalopram / Lexapro 5mg

[Miyan]

@brassmonkey @Altostrata @ChessieCat Last night I had severe Rls till now I feel mild rls. I ran out of supplements also about 2 weeks. Is suddenly Stopping supplements worse WD symptoms. My supplements is on the way my package is late due to Covid 19.

 

[ChessieCat]

2 hours ago, Miyan said:

I ran out of supplements also about 2 weeks. Is suddenly Stopping supplements worse WD symptoms.

 

If that is the only thing that has changed then is might be causing your withdrawal symptoms to be worse.

[Miyan]

@brassmonkey @Altostrata @ChessieCat 

How long we can take supplements is safe (not about safe storage and expiry)?

If we take supplements about 3 months we will skip supplements about 15 days or will we anything else do?

Will we take supplements after taper to zero of drug ?

How much milligrams is safe for long term distribution of supplements ?

If we takes Long term supplements It will cause any problems ?

Notes. Supplements are Fish oil and Magneaium

[Altostrata]

Please use Google to find out information about your supplements, or contact the manufacturers.

 

We cannot predict what you will be taking after you go off the drug. We don't have any specific supplement protocols, except that a lot of people seem to benefit from omega-3 fish oil and magnesium, see
https://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/36-king-of-supplements-omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil/
https://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/15483-magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker/

 

You might try a little bit of one at a time to see how it affects you.

 

 

 

[Miyan]

@Altostrata @brassmonkey @ChessieCat

Down to .5mg I think Wave hits me.

Yesterday I got leg cramp in right leg at midnight woke with pain After 3 hours my pain was less then I went to Sleep and I got 8 hours sleep.

Feels like dizzy all day. when I close my eyes I feels Vertigo and I m going for hold my taper. Any suggestions 

May I hold or increase my dose little bit? 

[Altostrata]

You don't need to ask for permission, what does your body say? When did you reduce to 0.5mg? When did you get this wave?

 

If you get withdrawal symptoms, one avenue to wait on further tapering until they subside.

[Miyan]

@Altostrata @brassmonkey 

Is anyone in this group tapered safely tabacco. If yes Pls give me some details

I was used cigrattes 6 years before. when my GP told me If you smoke Cigrattes AD doesn't work for you.

From that time I'm using dip tobacco till now.

I Know if I taper tabacco now WD becomes worst cause I already tapers one AD.

I think I will  make my zero '0'  at January or February If I did to zero I would taper Tobacco. 

I want free from all form of drugs. Cause Nicotine is also a drug 

 

[ChessieCat]

SA is a site for tapering psychiatric drugs and does not counsel about stopping the use of tobacco. 

 

It would probably be best to wait for at least 3-4 months after you have finished your taper before you quit tobacco.

 

This is SA's topic about smoking.  You might find some helpful information there and you could ask your question there and other members might give you some assistance:

 

smoking-cessation-nicotine-e-cigs

 

CAUTION:  There is a drug which doctors sometimes prescribe to help people quit tobacco.  The drug is a psychiatric drug.  A lot of people do not realise what sort of drug it is.  If you decided to take that drug you would need to taper it.

Bupropion - Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bupropion

Bupropion, sold under the brand names Wellbutrin and Zyban among others, is a medication primarily used to treat major depressive disorder and to support smoking cessation.

[Miyan]

Now I m at .35mg.

It didn't get enough sleep from the last week. From that week I slept one day well.

I usually goes 11.30pm in IST i wake up at 3 am or 4am.

[Miyan]

@Altostrata @brassmonkey @ChessieCat

Hi There. How do you do guys.

Now I'm at 0.0625mg.

Coming Friday I think that I'm going to jump off guys.

My Taper schedule from 0.725mg

I went to 0.675mg in Aug 9 2020

Then 0.6 in Sep 1 2020

0.5 in oct 1 2020

From 0.5 I does my End game taper like what Brassmonkey told me in End game Topic

End Game started at 0.5 

0.5 to 0.375 (1 oct/20 to 14 nov/20)

0.375 to 0.25(14 nov/20 to 4 jan/21)

0.25 to 0.125(4 jan /21 to 13 feb/21)

0.125 to 0.625(13 feb/21 to 5 mar/21)

Thanks for your information and appreciation guys.

And opinions and suggestions are also welcomed guys.

 

 

 

[Miyan]

@Altostrata @ChessieCat @brassmonkey

Hi Guys 

0.0625mg which is my jump off dose I think but not man

From 0.5mg to 0.125mg everything went nice.

From 0.1125 to 0.1 no Wd

0.1 to 0.0875 little headache then pushed myself to taper 

0.0875 to 0.075 got insomnia then I down to 0.0625 yesterday

I today woke up in the middle of night with leg pain.

I'm going to hold 0.0625 mg for one week.

Either I will jump off to zero from 0.0625 nor Will I do decrease my dose. 

Note. Can't measure dose below 0.0625mg in syringe.

[brassmonkey]

I agree that holding where you are now would be a good idea, possibly for longer than just a week. You've come this far so don't push it just to get off.  Listen to your body and follow it's dictates. If necessary you could go back up to 0.075 or 0.0875 for a couple of weeks if things get to rough, and then work you way back down again. It is all a balancing act to maintain as few symptoms as possible before the jump.

 

If you dilute you liquid half and half with water you would cut your dose strength in half if you still take the smallest measurement the syringe allows, which would be 0.03125.

[Miyan]

@brassmonkey

Thanks for info.

If I stabilised then how will I do my taper 10% for a month or anything else Will I do?

[brassmonkey]

It will be fairly difficult to do a 10% taper at these small doses, but it will still be possible to taper. You will have to work with the dilution ratio like I was explaining above. Adding more water will cut the strength of the liquid so you will have to take more to maintain the same dose. Or if you take a smaller dose you will get less medication.

 

If you start with 1mL of your original and add 3mL of water you would have to take the entire thing to get all the medication. If you only took 1mL of this mixture you would get 1/4 of the original amount of medication. So if your original dose has a strength of 0.0875 and you add 3X the volume of water to it, mix it up and then take out the volume of the original dose, that amount will have 0.02mg of medication.  If you took out half of the liquid, 2X the volume of your original dose you would get 0.04mg and if you took 3X the original volume you would get 0.06mg. 

 

By working with the dilution ration and dose volume it is possible to get all kinds of different dose strengths making it fairly easy to taper even the smallest doses.

[Yesyes123]

Hello @Miyan, 

 

How are you now?

 

Wanted to ask you how you made your escitalopram liquid solution? Did you just put the pill in water?

 

You said before you store the solution for up to 3 weeks? Do you keep it in the fridge? 

 

Thanks

[Miyan]

@Yesyes123

I'm stable now.

I made own suspension liquid with Pills and Distilled water. Also Refrigerate the liquid not freeze it about 3 weeks max. Keeps the liquid about 3 weeks works for you go on it. If not makes your own suspension every week.

I think you know the ratio of liquid 20mg : 20ml means 1 ml is 1mg.

I came from 1 :1 , 2 : 1, 4 : 1, 8 : 1,

8 : 0.5.

Now my liquid ratio is 160 : .0.5 means 160ml distilled water and 5mg pill that I gets I ml is 0.03125mg of drug.

 

[Yesyes123]

Thanks @Miyan

 

When you switched from solid pills to homemade liquid solution, did you have any problems or WD at all?

[Miyan]

@Yesyes123 Yes I have WD little sometimes and hard sometimes you will see that thing in Windows and Waves pattern.

But Liquid own suspension is help me to tapers this drug.

Everyone different right.

Dont change the suspension until you become stabilise.

[Aleena]

On 3/2/2021 at 11:25 PM, Miyan said:

@Altostrata @ChessieCat @brassmonkey

Hi Guys 

0.0625mg which is my jump off dose I think but not man

From 0.5mg to 0.125mg everything went nice.

From 0.1125 to 0.1 no Wd

0.1 to 0.0875 little headache then pushed myself to taper 

0.0875 to 0.075 got insomnia then I down to 0.0625 yesterday

I today woke up in the middle of night with leg pain.

I'm going to hold 0.0625 mg for one week.

Either I will jump off to zero from 0.0625 nor Will I do decrease my dose. 

Note. Can't measure dose below 0.0625mg in syringe.

How are you measuring such low doses of escitalopram. I am on 0. 4

But I don't know how will I calculate after 0.1 mg. 

[Miyan]

@Aleena Sorry for late reply.

If you makes the own suspension liquid in 80ml saline or distilled water with 5mg pill You will get 1ml suspension liquid as 0.0625mg of drug. I Uses 5ml Oral syringe for oral shots.

My Oral syringe be like 

0ml 0.2ml 0.4ml 0.6ml 0.8ml 

1 ml 1.2ml 1.4ml 1.6ml 1.8ml 

2ml...6ml.

1ml is 0.0625mg

1.2*0.0625 is 0.075mg just like my maths goes.

Now I'm at ratio of 160ml distillated water with 5mg 

160ml : 5mg

Note. Refrigerates the suspension liquid in fridge about 12 and more hours Before you consume and also dont crush the pill simply put in distilled water and dissolve on its own.

Shake well before consume.

 

 

[Yesyes123]

Hey @Miyan are you stable? Do you still have any WD symptoms?

[Miyan]

@Yesyes123 Hmm. I'm stable here mate. What about you?. I almost 70% recovers from this drug. 

[Aleena]

Thnx will try this. How are you feeling now a days. What are your physical symptoms. 

[Miyan]

@Yesyes123 Hmm. I'm stable here mate. What about you?. I almost 70% recovers from this drug. 

[Miyan]

@brassmonkey Now I'm at 0.03125mg how long I hold to jump off ?

If I will do next drop that would be 0.025mg(20% from last dose) which i uses with 6ml syring 

I'm in 160 : 5 which gives 1ml is 0.03125mg.

What do I do?

 

[ChessieCat]

Brassmonkey is taking time away from the site at the moment.

 

Please update your drug signature.  You can condense it by removing the second date and - like I have shown below unbolded:

 

6 Aug  4mg, 18 sep  3.8mg, 25 sep 3.6mg, 2 oct  3.4mg, 9 oct 3.2mg, 16 oct 3mg ,31 oct to 6 nov - 2.8 mg,7 nov to 13 nov - 2.6 mg,14 nov to 20 nov - 2.4mg,21nov to 27nov - 2.2mg,28nov to 25 dec 19 - 2mg,26dec19 to 8 jan 20 - 1.9mg,9 jan to 22 jan -1.8mg,23 jan to 5 feb --1.7mg,6 feb to 16 feb -1.6mg,17 feb to 26 feb - 1.5mg,27 feb to 7 mar-1.4mg, 8 mar to 17 mar -1.3mg,18 mar to 31 mar -1.2mg,1 apr to 14 apr-1.15mg, 15 apr to 28 apr -1.1mg,29 apr to 10 may -1.05mg, 11 may to 22 may -1mg, 23 may to 1 jun -0.95mg, 2 jun to 12 jun -0.9mg, 13 jun to 22 jun -0.85mg, 23 jun to 6 jul -0.8, 7 jul to23 jul .75, 24 jul to till now - .725)

 

How long have you been on 0.03125mg?

 

If you are able to make another reduction to 0.025mg, then I think it would be sensible to do this when your are ready to make another reduction.

 

If you want to make an even small reduction after 0.025mg but are having difficulty measuring the amount.  Then you could always use more water.

 

 

 

[Miyan]

I'm about 3 days only on 0.03125mg till today 

Then I will make signature clean

[Aleena]

@Miyan update your signature As I want to follow your method of tapering, it will help me. 

[Miyan]

At 31 Mar 2021

Down to 0.025mg from 0.03125 which I'm going to hold for 10 days until Apr 9 then I'm going to jump off from this crap

[brassmonkey]

Hi Miyan-- you need to be holding each reduction for at least four weeks. Even thought the dose seems to be quiet small these are very powerful drugs and rushing things can still cause problems. I know we all want this to end as quickly as possible, but jumping too fast can cause major waves of symptoms after a person has made the jump to "0". 

[Miyan]

@brassmonkey What about End game taper ? 

 I did my end game taper which I started at .5mg and  my exit dose is 0.125mg. that you will see in my signature.

But I didn't jump off in 0.125mg then I decrease my dose until .025mg.

I also didn't do 10% reduction for every four weeks from 0.125mg.

What do you want to tell me brassmonkey ? Will I hold my dose 0.025mg for four weeks then Jump off.

 

 

[brassmonkey]

The Endgame Taper lasts until the time you make the jump to "0", so each of these reductions is a part of the Endgame Taper. 

 

You should hold at this level (0.025mg) for at least four weeks before making the final jump. The actual length of time is variable depending on how your body is reacting. If there are any symptoms then a longer hold is called for.

[Miyan]

@brassmonkey

If I did end game taper I would hold at 0.125mg about four weeks then directly jump to "0".

But I didn't do that and also I tapers 0.125mg.

I fixed my jump off date already So I will jump off at Apr 9.

I have guts to see what will happen after 9

If I get withdrawal after 9 I will reinstate my drug at 0.01875mg. Whats your opinion?

 

[Yesyes123]

6 minutes ago, Miyan said:

@brassmonkey

If I did end game taper I would hold at 0.125mg about four weeks then directly jump to "0".

But I didn't do that and also I tapers 0.125mg.

I fixed my jump off date already So I will jump off at Apr 9.

I have guts to see what will happen after 9

If I get withdrawal after 9 I will reinstate my drug at 0.01875mg. Whats your opinion?

 

 

Personally I think going to a smaller dose and then smaller and so on is better before jumping off.

 

The smallest dose you can measure before jumping off would be ideal.

 

If you get withdrawal after jumping off, it hurts a lot more and you will wish you had lowered your dose more!

 

But everyone will react differently, you might not have withdrawal.

[Miyan]

10 hours ago, Yesyes123 said:

The smallest dose you can measure before jumping off would be ideal.

First of all Measuring and storage Problem thatswhy I going to jump off.

I thought I went off in 0.03125mg But I didn't I could measure my next dose which my oral syringe shows 0.8ml.

[Yesyes123]

3 hours ago, Miyan said:

First of all Measuring and storage Problem thatswhy I going to jump off.

I thought I went off in 0.03125mg But I didn't I could measure my next dose which my oral syringe shows 0.8ml.

 

You can just add more water to measure a smaller dose ! Can't you? 

 

Hope you are well