Godsave: Lexapro withdrawal and reinstatement

[Godsave]

Hi @Frogie

 

thank you so much for your response 🙏🏼

I will definitely be patient and hold 🙏🏼 for sometime frogie . 
 

 

thanks and regards 

Godsave 

[Godsave]

Hi @Frogie

thank you so much frogie . 
currently I am destabilise and will wait patiently 🙏🏼

thanks so much for the support from the kind people who really understand what we are going through 🙏🏼

 

it seems that now it is been a long way I have to take to quit this 5 mg poison 

 

🙏🏼

thank you 

[Frogie]

But you will make it, once you stabilize.

 

You've come a long way!

[Godsave]

@Frogie

 

Dear frogie 

 

Thank you so much 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼😊

really it gives me so much hope 🙏🏼🙏🏼

Thanks for your positive thoughts frogie .

Felt  so blessed 🙏🏼

 

Definitely

i have to 🙏🏼 as life has taught me very much !! 

No one can understand that if people go for medication for fear they make you more dreadful and to escape from the maze you have to suffer so much !! 
rather than just be with the flow and acceptance 🙏🏼

 

I pray for everyone who is suffering 🙏🏼

 

we all should find relief one day or other with the kind support from this community 

thank you again frogie 😊

[Caesar65]

On 1/10/2020 at 7:50 AM, Godsave said:

Hi I withdraw Lexapro for 1 year completely facing unbearable withdrawals and again started for 6 months slowly tapered to 5 and was on 2.5 for 1 year and again quit for 5 months .. crashed very badly again and now reinstated 5 mg for 1 month .. when will my symptoms improve .. and is there anyone who really quit this hell and leading their life again .. PKEASE PKEASE OKEASE HELP ME 

I am also in the same hell with this drug😢 Since a year I am suffering from these withdrawal symptoms, and I don’t know what to do😢 I think about trying to reinstate after more than a year, but I am very afraid of the risk to make my symptoms worse. 


 

 

[Godsave]

Hi @Caesar65

 

my sincere advice is please DONT TOUCH ANY DRUGS AGAIN 🙏🏼🙏🏼

 

YOU ARE SAVED by this group .

just make your mind peaceful that you are healing ❤️‍🩹 from this evil poison . 
 

My prayers and take care 

[Godsave]

On 3/13/2023 at 8:08 AM, Frogie said:

But you will make it, once you stabilize.

 

You've come a long way!

Dear @Frogie

 

This time I had a great hard fall !! 
 

I think as my nerves are too sensitive I had experienced the worst symptoms but surviving the reinstatement process .

 

This time I am so much terrified and fearful now as how long should I continue this journey until I quit this 5 mg !!!! 😢 🙏🏼🙏🏼

and please share me some thoughts and positivity members . 
 

now my fear is how we are going to taper and quit this again 🙏🏼 and for how long 

 

frogie pls give me hope 🙏🏼🙏🏼

[Godsave]

On 12/23/2022 at 5:56 AM, Happy2Heal said:

 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.

 

 

 

 

Thank you so much ..

 

but again now I made the mistake of tablet cutting and undergoing dreadful withdrawals this time !!! Scary 🙏🏼

 

In Jan 2023 I started cutting the tablets but not according to the advise given by the most knowledgeable people in this group and now I have learnt my HARD LESSONS 🙏🏼😓😥🥲🥲 really suffering very hard 

as for one full month of Jan 2023 I did dose cutting and in Feb 2023 started to take again the same dose of 5 mg .. it’s been about 2 months now and really it is the hell of withdrawing and reinstating 🥲🙏🏼

 

god please help me 🙏🏼

 

today I happened to read the advice from Al of our moderators here and really understood my stupidity of not following their sincere advice always and hope this should be my final lesson learnt!! 
 

thank you so much for all the moderators who are helping us out with this great advice 🙏🏼

[mstimc]

Godsave, be kind an forgiving to yourself. Beating yourself up over how you cut your pills isn't productive and just prolongs the negative thought cycle. We've all made decisions we regret, but let it stop there.  Letting go of the guilt will go a long way toward recovery.

[Godsave]

6 hours ago, mstimc said:

Hi @mstimc

Thank you for your reply email 🙏🏼

sure I will forgive me for my mistake . But now I am in the day 1 of my depression starting again with all the symptoms really hopelessness is so dreadful and don’t know if how I will survive this 🙏🏼😓 as I have to guide my daughter as well in her studies and now I have fallen down to my knee with all my original depression symptoms returning in full swing 

will all these slowly disappear please moderators help me in my journey. Early mornings are so so dreadful 

 

6 hours ago, mstimc said:

 

[Godsave]

On 3/13/2023 at 8:08 AM, Frogie said:

But you will make it, once you stabilize.

 

You've come a long way!

@Frogie

 

please help me !! Now I have all rebound symptoms of depression liking crying hopelessness and anxiety..

frogie pls pls give me hope .. will it all settle back after a few days .. just for only one month in Jan 2023 I cut my dosages and from

feb 2023 I am taking 5 mg .. it’s been rough journey..

moderators please guide me as I am really scared of my symptoms as it is more of like scary initial depression symptoms .. will it all settle down as days pass by ..

 

please give me hope 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[Caesar65]

13 minutes ago, Godsave said:

please help me !! Now I have all rebound symptoms of depression liking crying hopelessness and anxiety..

frogie pls pls give me hope .. will it all settle back after a few days .. just for only one month in Jan 2023 I cut my dosages and from

feb 2023 I am taking 5 mg .. it’s been rough journey..

moderators please guide me as I am really scared of my symptoms as it is more of like scary initial depression symptoms .. will it all settle down as days pass by ..

 

please give me hope 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

Hi Godsave! 
I pray for you, don’t give up! You are not alone in your journey.
I go through the very same hell with symptoms including this terrible feeling of permanent anxiety and weeping, the hopelessness, the total melancholy and grief and all that other long lasting withdrawal symptoms, and my depression was never gone, with or without Lexapro. 😢

I consider reinstating very soon, because I see no other way to overcome that severe situation I am since over a year after my withdrawal.
And then I plan to taper again but this time very very slow. Even though I was convinced not to take any antidepressants anymore, I have to find a way to get out of this hell. I hope I win the fight against my fear from reinstating, I am also afraid of using a syringe for this and getting the right small dose. 
You will get through this, don’t give up!

[Mosaic]

I have no words of wisdom, but to say I admire your courage and we are right there together in this. You are not alone.

[Godsave]

14 minutes ago, Caesar65 said:

Hi Godsave! 
I pray for you, don’t give up! You are not alone in your journey.
I go through the very same hell with symptoms including this terrible feeling of permanent anxiety and weeping, the hopelessness, the total melancholy and grief and all that other long lasting withdrawal symptoms, and my depression was never gone, with or without Lexapro. 😢

I consider reinstating very soon, because I see no other way to overcome that severe situation I am since over a year after my withdrawal.
And then I plan to taper again but this time very very slow. Even though I was convinced not to take any antidepressants anymore, I have to find a way to get out of this hell. I hope I win the fight against my fear from reinstating, I am also afraid of using a syringe for this and getting the right small dose. 
You will get through this, don’t give up!

Thank you so much ..my husband will not even care about my symptoms and this makes me worse still .. it’s ok 🙏🏼 let I be with you people and god 🙏🏼

 

please take care @Caesar65

[Godsave]

4 minutes ago, Mosaic said:

I have no words of wisdom, but to say I admire your courage and we are right there together in this. You are not alone.

Thank you so much !!! 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

 

please take care 

[mstimc]

Godsave, I wish I could tell you recovery is a nice smooth climb, but its more like a rollercoaster, with ups and downs.  Sometimes, after a period of feeling like you're on the road to recovery, and you hit a wave, it feels worse than before because you have such high hopes the worst is over.   Our son was in his early teens when I was in WD and recovery, and I knew I had to be there for him.  In a way, it was good, because I often had to push my negative thinking to the background so I can give him my full attention.  If I could do it, so can you.  I know how awful it feels, but think about how great it will be when you can finally say you have recovered!

[Mosaic]

Mstmic, what you said ... how a new wave feels so much worse because we had such high hope the worst was over. 

 

How do we get through this particular issue?  It is indeed so incredibly disheartening, causing all kinds of self-loathing that once again we must have done something wrong, eaten the wrong food, pushed ourselves a little too hard, dared believe that a few really good days was the real thibg this time...

 

How do we recognizewhat it means to be stabilized for real?

 

This spiral is so difficult.

 

Edited March 25, 2023 by Mosaic
add a question

[mstimc]

33 minutes ago, Mosaic said:

Mstmic, what you said ... how a new wave feels so much worse because we had such high hope the worst was over. 

 

How do we get through this particular issue?  It is indeed so incredibly disheartening, causing all kinds of self-loathing that once again we must have done something wrong, eaten the wrong food, pushed ourselves a little too hard, dared believe that a few really good days was the real thibg this time...

 

How do we recognizewhat it means to be stabilized for real?

 

This spiral is so difficult.

 

Hi @Mosaic and @Godsave

When I hit a wave after a good window, I tried to hang on to the memory of how I felt when I was in the window.   Eventually I learned to treat waves kind of like an allergy flare up.  It’s going to come sometimes no matter what I did, but it never lasted forever, and I knew,  excuse I had windows, that I could recover.  It takes practice and focus, but it really helped.  

 

[Godsave]

3 hours ago, mstimc said:

Hi @Mosaic and @Godsave

When I hit a wave after a good window, I tried to hang on to the memory of how I felt when I was in the window.   Eventually I learned to treat waves kind of like an allergy flare up.  It’s going to come sometimes no matter what I did, but it never lasted forever, and I knew,  excuse I had windows, that I could recover.  It takes practice and focus, but it really helped.  

 

Thank you so much @mstimc

 

i will take your advice and will hold on !!!!! 🙏🏼

thank you so much 

[Godsave]

On 5/4/2017 at 5:48 AM, Frogie said:

I've been on them for 20 years. I'm now down to the 7's on lexapro. I was only supposed to be on them a short while, when I was going through my divorce. No dr ever took me off. They all thought I was living life so well, they all left me alone.

 

I know I'm not off, but I look back at where I was all those years, and I'm having W/D symptoms, can't be helped, but I'm making progress everyday.

 

My dr did tell me a couple of weeks ago, skip the 7's, go down to 5 and take the anti nausea meds I gave you. I told him I don't think so...

 

I have been nauseous everyday since June, 2016, except for 2 months, and a few weeks here and there. But I'm better today than yesterday. And I'll be better tomorrow that today.

 

And it won't be too much longer and I can say I'm off. I'm taking it nice and slow and watching out for the bumps in the road. Hopefully, if everything goes the way it should, I'll be off of them this time next year.

 

You probably didn't want to hear this, but not everyone is off meds. That's why we are here, to get the best help ever!

 

Thanks to all the caring mods. They are going through what I'm going through, but have the time to help us!!

 

Take care,

Frogie xx

Dear @Frogie

 

read this today .. and felt really hopeful after ur success stories . 
as you know still I am in that 5 mg of lex @Frogie.

to my bad luck I got covid second time now and I am in recovery … 

my improper withdrawal I have faced many problems during last month and hope now my covid made it worse and I am managing somehow .. have extreme exhaustion in the mornings due to covid recovery. 
 

spoke to my physchiatrist last week and asked for the liquid refill of 5 mg . She was laughing at my face and was saying no one else’s had asked this question to me and there is no such thing !!😢 

I thought I should be able to get the support only from the godsend support members like you . 
 

so now I have to figure out the best way of properly tapering using the Gemini scale very slowly as already I had tried so many times and kindled . 
 

@Frogie 

please help me and other members and mods please support me in my journey of withdrawals and also let me know if when I can start it after my post covid recovery 

 

I deliberately wanted to try this again !!!! But definitely this time slowly and steadily without looking back again !!! 
 

this 5 mg is so so hard !! 
 

with all of your support 🙏🏼🙏🏼 I will make it 

please 

 

thank you so much for listening frogie and others . 

[Altostrata]

On 3/24/2023 at 11:42 PM, Godsave said:

just for only one month in Jan 2023 I cut my dosages and from

feb 2023 I am taking 5 mg .. it’s been rough journey..

 

Since you resumed 5mg in February 2023, how has your symptom pattern changed?

[StayHopeful]

@Godsave

 

Hi and thank you!

I read your comment on Escitalopram21's intro thread, and figured I'd respond on your intro thread. 😊

 

I'm so sorry you're having such a rough time with tapering and withdrawal symptoms, and I hope they start to get better for you soon. 🙏

 

I'm still very new here and don't know enough yet, to give a lot of advice. I can say - do not taper too fast, no matter how badly you want to stop taking the Lexapro, take your time.  You've got a lot of good things going for you, by listening to Altostrata, the moderators and the mentors who are guiding and advising you right now. Plus, you're asking questions and accepting the help and support of other knowledgeable members too. That's great!!

 

You have the courage to do this, you've gotten this far and you're still trying - good for you!! It takes courage and strength to go through withdrawal in the first place. Your attitude and believing that you "will" get through this, is what ultimately "will" get you through it. Remember, everyone's withdrawal experience is different, keep reaching out during the hard times and Don't Give Up!!

 

Thank you for your praise, but I'm nowhere near being able to call a "Victory" over the medications I took. I wish I was... I tapered way too fast and still have a lot of withdrawal symptoms. All I can do, is take each day one at a time - some days are better than others. I try to notice each improvement - even if it's really small, keep in mind that I'm healing and do my best to not lose hope. 

 

One day, we'll both be able to write our Success Stories☺️

SH

[Godsave]

7 hours ago, StayHopeful said:

@Godsave

 

Hi and thank you!

I read your comment on Escitalopram21's intro thread, and figured I'd respond on your intro thread. 😊

 

I'm so sorry you're having such a rough time with tapering and withdrawal symptoms, and I hope they start to get better for you soon. 🙏

 

I'm still very new here and don't know enough yet, to give a lot of advice. I can say - do not taper too fast, no matter how badly you want to stop taking the Lexapro, take your time.  You've got a lot of good things going for you, by listening to Altostrata, the moderators and the mentors who are guiding and advising you right now. Plus, you're asking questions and accepting the help and support of other knowledgeable members too. That's great!!

 

You have the courage to do this, you've gotten this far and you're still trying - good for you!! It takes courage and strength to go through withdrawal in the first place. Your attitude and believing that you "will" get through this, is what ultimately "will" get you through it. Remember, everyone's withdrawal experience is different, keep reaching out during the hard times and Don't Give Up!!

 

Thank you for your praise, but I'm nowhere near being able to call a "Victory" over the medications I took. I wish I was... I tapered way too fast and still have a lot of withdrawal symptoms. All I can do, is take each day one at a time - some days are better than others. I try to notice each improvement - even if it's really small, keep in mind that I'm healing and do my best to not lose hope. 

 

One day, we'll both be able to write our Success Stories☺️

SH

Dear @StayHopeful

 

thank you so much for your reply . 
 

I can understand your journey 🙏🏼🙏🏼 and know if how painful it would be .. 

 

please take care .. my prayers for your healing ❤️‍🩹 

I will follow your advice as well as other mods . 
 

you have done A GREAT ACHIEVEMENT!!! 
 

please make your mind so strong !! To never ever touch that poison again !!

 

take care 

[Altostrata]

On 4/17/2023 at 2:50 PM, Altostrata said:

 

Since you resumed 5mg in February 2023, how has your symptom pattern changed?

 

[Escitalopram21]

Hello @Godsave

I have been reading Through your thread and i am really sorry that you are suffering so! 
Just to let you know, once your nervous system stabilizes you can feel okay, even good at times! I was in a very nice place last spring and felt like i was doing so well and then some trauma hit which destabilized me a lot. But i still think of that time, as much as i can. If i can feel that good still on Lexapro and in withdrawal, then you can too. I believe in you. Listen to your body and to the moderators and stabilize before tapering. Cheering for you!

[Godsave]

On 4/20/2023 at 12:22 AM, Altostrata said:

 

Hi @Altostrata

 

thank you so much for your follow ups and support always 🙏🏼

 

very sorry that I had not replied to your question.. sorry that I didn’t notice it properly.

 

after i increased the dosage to 5 mg my hopelessness and impeding doom has lifted and my depression also .. but I can say that this medication is not fully supporting me as it did during the intially days and I can feel the nervous destabilising after so many ups and downs of not proper tapering .. 

 

now I am still holding in the same 5 mg 

@Altostrata and as my daughter is her university and her exams I don’t know any option so I though I would go along for a few months then start tapering again .. but this time definitely according to the knowledgeable moderators advice .

 

I have heart palpitations sweating brain fog .. 

but I am Just moving on for the time being and everyday praying hard for god to support me and to show me the courage and light at the end of my tunnel and to start my tapering again .

 

I want to be free out of this poison jungle .. but still haven’t got the courage I can say to quit this as every time I am not doing it properly.

 

after august 2023 I am planning to taper down ..

 

kindly advise me @Altostrata

 

thank you so much 🙏🏼

my apologies for the late response 

[Altostrata]

17 hours ago, Godsave said:

I have heart palpitations sweating brain fog .. 

 

 

You only reinstated in February. When did these symptoms start? How have they changed since the beginning of April?

 

If 5mg reduced your symptoms, holding at that dosage may resolve them over time,

[Godsave]

Hi @Altostrata

I cut my dosage but not properly during the month of Jan 2023 . 
I was scared as I had my mood swings extreme and so I reinstated the full dose of 5 mg lex on Feb 2023. 
 

Again after a week in Feb .. I started to have the extreme nervousness depression crying spells etc .. and this became severe during March and after that it slowly the symptoms subsided .. but I can say in April even though I didn’t have the extreme symptoms still I am not very stable and mostly I have brain fog at times the mood swings also and palpitation and sweating too .. 

 

this time after the reinstatement I felt so dreadful during the days as I can sense my nervous system has taken a toll by 

not properly tapering and reinstating many times .. 

 

also I am continuing my morning works and able to function .. but now I am really scared to start the next process of tapering again and definitely I wanted to taper properly with all of the fellow members moral support and guidance . 
 

my thinking is not clear many of the days .. this also makes me so scary
 

thank  so much alto 🙏🏼

 

kindly guide me @Altostrata

[Altostrata]

Please update your signature with the information about your reinstatement in February.

 

9 hours ago, Godsave said:

I can say in April even though I didn’t have the extreme symptoms

 

So your overall symptom pattern has improved?

[Godsave]

1 hour ago, Altostrata said:

Please update your signature with the information about your reinstatement in February.

 

 

So your overall symptom pattern has improved?

Hi @Altostrata

 

overall my symptoms has improved… but morning’s have  brain fog mood swings etc still 

late evenings it improves .. 

 

thank you so much for your follow ups alto 

[Altostrata]

A little improvement is a good sign!

[Godsave]

Ok @Altostrata

but when I think of my tapering this time is a bit scary .. now I am holding and thinking of to start tapering by august 🙏🏼 also by getting proper guidance and according to proper technique as suggested in SA 

 

 

Thank you 

 

[Altostrata]

You don't have to rush, taper when you feel confident about it.

[Godsave]

Dear @Altostrata

 

thank you so much for your advice and I will follow accordingly. 🙏🏼
 

thank you so much !! 

[Godsave]

On 4/27/2023 at 3:04 AM, Escitalopram21 said:

Hello @Godsave

I have been reading Through your thread and i am really sorry that you are suffering so! 
Just to let you know, once your nervous system stabilizes you can feel okay, even good at times! I was in a very nice place last spring and felt like i was doing so well and then some trauma hit which destabilized me a lot. But i still think of that time, as much as i can. If i can feel that good still on Lexapro and in withdrawal, then you can too. I believe in you. Listen to your body and to the moderators and stabilize before tapering. Cheering for you!

Hi @Escitalopram21 

 

how are you doing . 
I am still at the same dosage if 5 mg lex .. 

 

it is going on but I can say that the medicine is not supporting me so much nowadays .

also last week I was triggered and got angry and so the spiral of anxiety and at times sleeplessness started . 
for the past one week it is the mornings more stressful but I am just continuing. 

am I wanted to take the next baby step but as my system is destabilised at the moment . Waiting and praying 🙏🏼 hard that god should show me a way and the courage 🙏🏼

 

I still don’t have the hope to do that cut as of now I am still in the waves at times 

 

please guide me @Escitalopram21

 

hope you are the lowest dosage now 

 

thank  you 

[Godsave]

On 1/11/2020 at 6:32 PM, planifolia said:

Nihao! Godsave, I am so happy to see someone else from South-East Asia! I am also tapering Lexapro

 

It seems you were doing okay until 2.5mg, then you adruptly dropped to 0mg where things became unbearable. 

Maybe the drop from 2.5 to 0 is too great for your body to handle. You may consider trying to cut 10% a month instead, which is what we often recommend. 

 

so e.g., 

2.5 -> 2.25

2.25 -> 2.03

2.03 -> 1.8 

etc....

 

If 10% brings no issues, you can increase it to 15% or 20% later. But baby steps

 

Hi @planifolia

how are you doing now ? 
hope u have successfully quit that poison