Godsave: Lexapro withdrawal and reinstatement

[Altostrata]

18 hours ago, Godsave said:

but for the past  one week  I am taking my vitamin D3 along with omega concentrated fish oil and vitamin E .

 

How do you feel since you're done this?

 

18 hours ago, Godsave said:

the GP generally told da s that if we have depression the CRP would be high and he asked me to continue with that lexapro 5 mg dose .

 

This is a completely unproven theory. Your CRP indicates you'd want to track down a physical cause. 

 

We can't comment on general medical problems like CRP tests or aftereffect of covid, you need to talk to a doctor, maybe one that's more attentive than your present one.

 

If you don't care to taper your Lexapro while you are looking for medical advice on your CRP and other conditions, you don't have to. Please let us know when you want to taper.

[Godsave]

Hi @Altostrata

thank you for your reply and follow ups 

 I understood what u mean . 
i had joint  inflammation and lower back pain and hence I went to that GP who advised me to see my rheumatologist.

but I didn’t wanted to go as I understood that the nasty drugs and side effects of withdrawal and menopause  makes me so.

 

after taking vitamin d the symptoms have improved a little . 

 

definitely I wanted to taper my lexapro as I know these doctors don’t understand what we go through and how difficult it is to taper and survive the process . 
 

I am going to taper from this November 2022 slowly following your tapering schedules this time very strictly with all of your support 

 

🙏🏼thank you so much 

Godsave 

 

 

 

 

[Altostrata]

How much vitamin D3 are you taking? You will want to continue it indefinitely.

[Godsave]

Hi @Altostrata

i am taking 

vitamin d3 1000 iu 

I wanted to continue indefinitely.

as my vit D levels are only 15 

hope there will not be any harm in taking one tablet daily in the morning for sometime .

 

thank you 

Godsave 

[Altostrata]

Please let us know should you want to taper Lexapro.

[Godsave]

Hi @Altostrata

yes definitely I wanted to taper lexapro .

 

thank you 

Godsave 

[Godsave]

Hi @Altostrata

currently i am taking supplements 

Bio E 500 iu 

Omega triple concentrated fish oil 

vitamin d 1000 iu 

I need your suggestions please .

whether I can take these supplements while still in 5 mg and about to start my taper process slowly . 
or I can take only after withdrawing lexapro 5 mg .

kindly let me know your thoughts.

 

thank you 

Godsave 

[ChessieCat]

If you are already taking a supplement and not having any issues with it then it is generally okay to continue taking them.

 

The important thing is to only make one change at a time, so for example you would not make a reduction and stop a supplement at the same time otherwise if you experience something different you will not know what has caused it.

[Godsave]

Hi @ChessieCat

 

hope you are doing good 

thank you so much for your response. 😊
 

I will follow accordingly. 
 

Thanks 

Godsave

[Godsave]

Hi 

Moderators pls advice me 

 

currently I am taking curcumin supplements for the past one month 

vit d3-1000 mu 

omega 3 -500 mg 

along with my lexapro 5 mg 

 

but these days I feel so sleepy and shallow breathing my brain fog is too much and I feel like I was far better when I was in 2.5 mg 

now my I don’t find any major improvements in my clarity of mind 

is it that my reinstatement will still take some more time to show some improvements as already it’s been 2 years and I also wanted to slowly taper again after a bit of stabilisation 

 

can intake curcumin along with my lexapro? 
will it help or cause adverse reactions 

pls advise 

 

I am going for walks ATLEAST a few times a week 

but in general I don’t find my brain so clear 

 

Kindly help in my journey 🙏🏼

 

regards 

Godsave 

[Godsave]

Hi @Altostrata

 

hope you are doing good .

 

I am currently in 5 mg of lexapro and still holding.. 

definitely I wanted to start tapering slowly and steadily in 2023 🙏🏼 with all of your kind support and encouragement.

 

please let me know if I can start my taper again ? 
 

I had not visited my physchiatrist for a long time .

 

but I really wanted to taper this medication with all of you in this forum rather than getting advice from her .

 

I am taking vit D3 1000 mg 

omega 3 1000 

everyday 

along with curcumin 

 

please guide me in my process 🙏🏼🙏🏼

 

thank you 

 

 

 

 

 

[Altostrata]

How are you feeling since you've been taking 5mg regularly?

[Godsave]

Hi @Altostrata

 

I am feeling okay but also with some ups and downs at times . 
But I know I have to get out of this medicine for sure slowly . 
as now I am in menopause and have to deal with it too . 
 

already gone through many reinstatement withdrawals and this time wanted to be very careful and steady in withdrawing. 
 

thank you 

[Altostrata]

Do you have any remaining withdrawal symptoms? You've been taking 5mg since October 2021?

[Godsave]

Hi altostrata

Yes I am taking 5 mg since October 2021. 
 

 sometimes I have mood swings ..

tiredness exhaustion but I am

able to manage .

But in general the menopausal symptoms all I have .

now the main symptoms are too much sweating and exhaustion at times .

is sweating a side effect of this medication. 
 

I am taking my supplements omega 3 and vitamin d 

 

Please help me further in my journey..

am I in a position to withdraw slowly ? 
with all of your support and monitoring.

 

thank you so much all of you  for listening to me and your support 🙏🏼

 

[Altostrata]

What time o'clock do you take your drugs, with their dosages? Do any symptoms get worse shortly after a dose?

[Godsave]

hi Altostrata ,

 

Everyday by 10 o clock in the morning I have my breakfast and take the lexapro  5 mg along with those supplements. 
 

I can say that by late afternoon I feel better than mornings . 
generally anger and mood swings at times but not very regularly. 
sweating is always there for me .

but when I quit it for one year I felt I did not have so much of sweating.

 

ATLEAST  by 2023 I have to start tapering slowly as already I had experience so much by not properly withdrawing reinstatements kindling … 

really really scared 🙏🏼 but please give me hope and strength that I can do it !! 
 

all of you please support and guide me always .

 

thank you 

Godsave 
 

[Altostrata]

How do you feel in the morning, before you take Lexapro?

 

Does Lexapro make you sleepy or jumpy?

[Godsave]

After taking lexapro in the morning

It makes me sleepy until afternoon .

[Godsave]

Hi altostrata and others 

please do help me in my journey.

I am taking 5 mg lexapro as of now 

I can say it is not helping so much !! 
and in the mornings still I feel so dreadful with slow and shallow breathing 

foggy and exhausted. 
 

I am now stuck up as I don’t know if what to  do as really I want to quit this and as my symptoms are bad in the morning I also don’t know if when to start.

 

I am also very much worried as I don’t know if how long and how far I will take to quit this 5 mg 

 

all of you please advice if my body symptoms will subside and in the mornings sometime I feel like dizzy spells too ..

 

need your suggestions and kind support please 🙏🏼

[mstimc]

Godsave, I know exactly how you feel--almost liked a trapped animal that can't escape its cage. I felt like that for a long time before I saw any real progress.  Right now, try to get through each day and stay focused on the knowledge you can recover.  One thing that may help in the morning before you get out of bed is to look around your room and name five objects you see.  Then focus on one and try to describe it in your mind in as much detail as you can.  This grounds you to reality and breaks the negative thinking pattern so you can get the day off to a better start.

 

Sending you support and positive thoughts from the States!

[Foxclover6]

I've been off lex over a year and I always feel like im sweating, like a clammy warm skin, neck and scalp, anyone else ? =/

[Happy2Heal]

1 hour ago, Foxclover6 said:

I've been off lex over a year and I always feel like im sweating, like a clammy warm skin, neck and scalp, anyone else ? =/

 withdrawal from lexapro can cause sweating (and other body temperature issues, like feeling cold when its' not cold)

 

but menopause can cause sweating too.

 

I went off lexapro when I was going thru menopause and it wasn't clear if the sweating was from menopause or the lexapro withdrawal (I went off cold turkey that time, not smart)  I had to go  back on because the symptoms were so bad and my dr convinced me that it was due to a "relapse" of depression (It wasn't, I wasn't depressed- I was super anxious, couldn't sleep and was sweating like crazy along with many other issues like a very high heart rate)

 

the next time I tried to go off lexapro, I was finished with menopause but for the first um, I guess about 10-12 months I did sweat a lot. It was worse at night like night sweats. 

 

it will go away eventually.

I would put cold water or a face cloth wrapped around an ice cube on my wrists and back of my neck sometimes, it helped some

 

 

 

 

[Foxclover6]

4 minutes ago, Happy2Heal said:

 withdrawal from lexapro can cause sweating (and other body temperature issues, like feeling cold when its' not cold)

 

but menopause can cause sweating too.

 

I went off lexapro when I was going thru menopause and it wasn't clear if the sweating was from menopause or the lexapro withdrawal (I went off cold turkey that time, not smart)  I had to go  back on because the symptoms were so bad and my dr convinced me that it was due to a "relapse" of depression (It wasn't, I wasn't depressed- I was super anxious, couldn't sleep and was sweating like crazy along with many other issues like a very high heart rate)

 

the next time I tried to go off lexapro, I was finished with menopause but for the first um, I guess about 10-12 months I did sweat a lot. It was worse at night like night sweats. 

 

it will go away eventually.

I would put cold water or a face cloth wrapped around an ice cube on my wrists and back of my neck sometimes, it helped some

 

 

 

 

I wish I had reinstated,  I am so depressed. I've been off over a year and am not better, but I also cold turkeyed a benzo. I feel like I have no options for reinstatement,  I try really hard to stay positive. Thank you for your response during the holidays. 

[Happy2Heal]

I am so sorry you are feeling so depressed.

 

I know it's very little comfort while you're in the thick of it but it is going to get better

 

it's ok to feel down and sad and regretful and angry about what has happened to you

 

those are all valid feelings and some of them can actually give you the energy to keep going.

 

❤️ 

another member uses this phrase and I kind of like it so I'm going to borrow it:
Holding space for you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Godsave]

Hi

 

 

 

thank you all of you for your response and feedback . 
@mstimc

yes the same feel whatever you had described. I will follow up your suggestions and stay positive until god guides me in my path for further tapering . 
 

@Foxclover6

great !! Really great that you had quit that poison 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

please stay positive that you had achieved a milestone in your journey.👍👍

take care 

 

@Happy2Heal

thank you so much for your detailed response and suggestions 👍🙏🏼

I can understand and I will follow your suggestions.

 

you are such an inspiration for me 🙏🏼

I know if how difficult would have been your journey 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👍

take care 

 

thank you all for your response and feedback 

currently 

I am going through palpitations and sweating and other symptoms.. 

i will stay positive and will make the progress of tapering  slowly .. as per your suggestions 🙏🏼

 

thank you so much for your support and love 

[Happy2Heal]

3 minutes ago, Godsave said:

i will stay positive

 good for you!! 
that can be hard to do when you are not feeling well.

 

I admire your determination and your strength as you go on this difficult journey.

 

 

 

 

[Godsave]

Hi @Happy2Heal @Frogie and other moderators 

 

how are you all doing ? 
 

Actually I did a big mistake of just scratching or cutting the tablet a small tiny bit at the end to try tapering without the proper 10% method since Jan 1 2023 to Jan 30 2023 for a period of one month .

 

 my god the withdrawals are so worse and the anxiety and depression with all symptoms hit me hardly !! 😭

 

then I understood my mistake and stupidity and started taking 5 mg full again since February 2023 
 

and so I am really knocked down by the scariest symptoms of anxious thoughts and depression . 
 

I wanted all of your kind hearts and thoughts that will make me better ..

 

also reply this journey is not at all easy .. I  really tapered to 0 once long back .. but now really a small tiny cut even is making so much more destabilising .. 

 

I understood my lessons very hardly 🙏🏼

 

pls share your thoughts members 

thank you all so much 

 

 

[Frogie]

It's ok. Everyone makes a mistake here and there. I am 100% proof that it happens. You just take one hour at a time, one day at a time and start again.

 

When you stabilize, we can do a taper plan.

[Godsave]

@Frogie

 

thank you for your immediate response and feedback.

 

why do my mind starts to think again so badly about the scariest symptoms 🙏🏼

 

praying hard to stabilise a bit 🙏🏼

please pray for  me 🙏🏼

[Frogie]

You will be fine.

 

Your mind likes to play tricks and sometimes it’s hard to believe it’s not the truth.

 

I think with a nice long hold, you’ll be fine and can taper from there.

[Godsave]

Hi @Frogie

 

Thank you so much 🙏🏼

Your thoughts are godsend to me always by all the fellow members 

 

I will take your advice and follow accordingly 

Thank you so much !! 
It means so much to me as no one else in this world can understand if what we all alwent through and are also going through 🙏🏼

[Frogie]

With a nice long hold you’ll do fine.

 

Just believe in yourself.

 

take care,

Frogie

[Godsave]

Thank you so much frogie 🙏🏼

 

will do 👍

you too take care 

 

 

[Godsave]

Hi @Frogie@getofflex

 

how are you doing . 
currently I am just continuing in my journey with the 5 mg lex .

but just a small cut one month but not according to the tapering rules had imbalanced my nervous system and I am in recovery.

but this time I have a lot of fear of if how we are going to taper and quit this and I am really stuck up .. 

please give me more hope 🙏🏼 and your support 

 

mornings I do go for walks 5 km everyday. Other than that I am not doing anything with my brain logic . As I am not able to focus so much .

but other house works I do and take rest by the afternoon. 
 

I really wanted to quit this slowly .. god should give me the mental strength to taper this again 🙏🏼🙏🏼

the fear holds me back !! 
 

kindly keep me in your prayers and give me strength 🙏🏼

[Frogie]

@Godsave

 

You want to make sure that if you do taper, you don't taper more than 10% in a month.

 

I would hold for a while and let your system settle before trying another taper.

 

Time and patience is all you can do.

 

Take care,

Frogie xx