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AndyPants: my story with Lexapro


AndyPants

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Hi @Greatful Thanks for checking on me. I'm actually on 2.6mg now, need to update my signature.  What I'm doing seems to be working for now, hopefully it stays that way.  Life's been stressful but I'm hanging in there.

 

I've been trying to work through how I got here to this point and understand my journey with the Lexapro better. I started the medication in 2012 because I was in a phase of having some pretty bad depression/anxiety.  I think I could have likely worked through what I was going through with some therapy and time. But overtime for the next couple years I was in a pretty good phase of life and think the medication probably was doing something beneficial for a bit there.  Sometime halfway between when I started the medication and 2020 things started to change. I was having increased anxiety and irritability and was not handling stuff in life very well. I'm starting to think that I must have reached a "pooped out" point with the medication that people on here talk about. It's definitely been worse as I've been decreasing my dosage, but it had already gotten to a point that wasn't great. That's probably a long bit of information that isn't terribly helpful to anyone but just thought I'd jot it down while I was thinking about it.

 

For anyone with Amazon Prime music (it might be on other services too I have not checked) I would recommend the meditation track "Stop Panic Now" by Dr Patricia J Ledesma.  Something I happened upon that's helped me work through moments of panic. She goes through a muscle relaxation routine and has a very reassuring manor.

Lexapro/Escitalopram history: 2012 to 2020 20 mg

July 2020 10 mg November 2020 5 mg 2/15/21 1/2 a 5mg pill ~2.5 mg 2/25/21 3/4 a 5mg pill ~3.75 mg 3/25/21 1/2 a 5mg pill ~2.5 mg

4/20/21 switched to liquid 2.8 mg, made a couple more increases over a week and a half to 3.5mg

5/14/21 increased further up to 3.8 mg, held there until Oct 2021

Decreasing steadily since 10/1/21

Latest change 3/15/24 .14mg

Current supplements:  Once per morning: men's multivitamin, vitamin c, selenium, zinc, magnesium chelate (100mg per pill), fish oil (1000 mg per pill)

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Something I'm struggling with lately, and I've probably commented on this here before, is the realization that I've made some poor decisions over the last handful of years. Some days, like today, I feel this emotional weight pressing down on me as I struggle to see a light at the end of the tunnel, and the immense feeling of guilt that I've let down myself and the people around me. This leads me to sort of mentally check out and not try, which of course leads back to me feeling guilty, it's a bad cycle that I'm struggling with breaking. At some point I need to mentally flip the switch to stop worrying about what's happened and focus on doing better in the future, but for whatever reason I'm having a real tough time with that.

 

Whether or not either my ill-advised decisions or the obsessive guilt I feel about them have anything to do with the medication I don't know, but this is my primary emotional struggle these days.

Lexapro/Escitalopram history: 2012 to 2020 20 mg

July 2020 10 mg November 2020 5 mg 2/15/21 1/2 a 5mg pill ~2.5 mg 2/25/21 3/4 a 5mg pill ~3.75 mg 3/25/21 1/2 a 5mg pill ~2.5 mg

4/20/21 switched to liquid 2.8 mg, made a couple more increases over a week and a half to 3.5mg

5/14/21 increased further up to 3.8 mg, held there until Oct 2021

Decreasing steadily since 10/1/21

Latest change 3/15/24 .14mg

Current supplements:  Once per morning: men's multivitamin, vitamin c, selenium, zinc, magnesium chelate (100mg per pill), fish oil (1000 mg per pill)

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  • Mentor

@AndyPants

I recommend you take a look at Therapy in a Nutshell 

 

Emma McAdam, she is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

She does segments on You tube about mental health issues and gives helpful copy skills.  She does a lot of this for free. Some really helpful stuff on here

Here is a link on you tube

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=therapy+in+a+nutshell

 

 

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/24894-greatful-is-this-withdrawal-or-to-many-med-changes-at-once/

1995? Prozac,  tried several Paxil, Serzone, St John's Wart back to Prozac and Trazodone ct:d Traz

 Lexapro. Tried to stop Crash in 2015  Kindled   Hospitalized, Vybrid, Seroquel, Effexor, Abilify  Pristiq, Wellbutrin-- 2016  ended back on   Prozac and Lamictal 200mg

5/2020  thru 12/2020 taper from 20mg  Prozac  down to 3mg.  Crashed  12/13/2020 Zoloft 50mg 1/29ct  1/29/2021 Seroquel 50mg ct  2/12/2021 Wellbutrin 75mg.  Became hypo manic 2/1  6ct Trazodone 50mg 4/25  25mg 2/5/ 2021 Lamictal 150mg.  2/24  100mg   4/9  75mg   4/21 37.5 

2/16/2021 Seroquel 50xr  3/3 100mg  3/17  150mg  side effects ct   4/3 2021 Lexapro 5mg  4/14  7.5mg  4/30 10mg  5/10  7.5mg 

2021/ 5/16  5mg Lexapro   37.5 Lamictal   25mg trazadone,   xanax  .0625mg  3x a day   

Lexapro  Taper> Sept/01/2021  4.90mg>  Sept/25  4.75mg>   Oct/19 4.69mg > Nov/14 4.2mg    Jan/30/2022-- Split dosing 2x a day All liquid  4.2mg  (2.20mg at 8am & 2mg at 4pm) 2/17 4mg>  2/24  3.8mg  slow taper to  Aug/12/2022 2.04mg  2023> 2mg,  1.90mg, 1.80mg, 1.70mg, 1.5mg, 1.4mg, 1.3mg 1.2mg, 1.1mg, 1mg, 0.9mg, 0.8mg, 0.7mg 0.65mg, 0.6mg, 0.55mg, 0.5mg, 0.45mg, 0.4mg, 0.35mg, 0.3mg, 0.25,mg, back to once a day dosing 0 .1mg, 0.07mg

Lamictal  taper  4/17/ 2022 25mg, 9/9/ 22 -20mg, 9/25/22- 15mg , 10/20/22-   0

 Trazodone..2023.>down to 14mg, 7mg, 6mg  July 2023   0

Xanax  0.0625 3 x a day,  2023>  0.042 3x a day

Supplements  Magnesium glycinate, Omega 3, D3, vitamin c , zinc, NAC 

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  • 1 month later...
  • Mentor

@AndyPantsHow are you doing?  I noticed you are down to 2.6mg of Lex......Way to go.

I hope it is going okay and that you will be off before you know it.....

 

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/24894-greatful-is-this-withdrawal-or-to-many-med-changes-at-once/

1995? Prozac,  tried several Paxil, Serzone, St John's Wart back to Prozac and Trazodone ct:d Traz

 Lexapro. Tried to stop Crash in 2015  Kindled   Hospitalized, Vybrid, Seroquel, Effexor, Abilify  Pristiq, Wellbutrin-- 2016  ended back on   Prozac and Lamictal 200mg

5/2020  thru 12/2020 taper from 20mg  Prozac  down to 3mg.  Crashed  12/13/2020 Zoloft 50mg 1/29ct  1/29/2021 Seroquel 50mg ct  2/12/2021 Wellbutrin 75mg.  Became hypo manic 2/1  6ct Trazodone 50mg 4/25  25mg 2/5/ 2021 Lamictal 150mg.  2/24  100mg   4/9  75mg   4/21 37.5 

2/16/2021 Seroquel 50xr  3/3 100mg  3/17  150mg  side effects ct   4/3 2021 Lexapro 5mg  4/14  7.5mg  4/30 10mg  5/10  7.5mg 

2021/ 5/16  5mg Lexapro   37.5 Lamictal   25mg trazadone,   xanax  .0625mg  3x a day   

Lexapro  Taper> Sept/01/2021  4.90mg>  Sept/25  4.75mg>   Oct/19 4.69mg > Nov/14 4.2mg    Jan/30/2022-- Split dosing 2x a day All liquid  4.2mg  (2.20mg at 8am & 2mg at 4pm) 2/17 4mg>  2/24  3.8mg  slow taper to  Aug/12/2022 2.04mg  2023> 2mg,  1.90mg, 1.80mg, 1.70mg, 1.5mg, 1.4mg, 1.3mg 1.2mg, 1.1mg, 1mg, 0.9mg, 0.8mg, 0.7mg 0.65mg, 0.6mg, 0.55mg, 0.5mg, 0.45mg, 0.4mg, 0.35mg, 0.3mg, 0.25,mg, back to once a day dosing 0 .1mg, 0.07mg

Lamictal  taper  4/17/ 2022 25mg, 9/9/ 22 -20mg, 9/25/22- 15mg , 10/20/22-   0

 Trazodone..2023.>down to 14mg, 7mg, 6mg  July 2023   0

Xanax  0.0625 3 x a day,  2023>  0.042 3x a day

Supplements  Magnesium glycinate, Omega 3, D3, vitamin c , zinc, NAC 

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On 3/21/2022 at 10:25 AM, Greatful said:

@AndyPantsHow are you doing?  I noticed you are down to 2.6mg of Lex......Way to go.

I hope it is going okay and that you will be off before you know it.....

 

Hi @Greatful thanks for checking in on me. I haven't been on the site much for the last couple months, my signature was behind. I apologize I realize I never responded to your last comment, thank you for sending that link to me.

 

I had a bad night last week when my son had an upset stomach in the night and my wife and son both fell back asleep but I never was able to and was up for hours, I think I have some psychological baggage or something from my big crash last year that's making it difficult for me to fall back asleep even though in the past it wouldn't have been as much trouble for me (that made sense in my head but I don't really know how to explain it). It's frustrating but thankfully when it does happen I'm able to handle it more calmly than I did last year. (Although I'm feeling more anxious now just thinking about it...these dumb brains of ours...)

 

Overall sleep has been pretty good and my mood is alright. We have some big life stuff going on that we're trying to figure out right now. I've tried to talk to my job about staying working from home and they shot me down, they're transitioning us back to being in the office again now and being home is so much better for me overall.  So I guess I really have to find a new job now and I'm doing lots of applying.  Its stressing me out quite a bit but I feel like I'm managing. We might have a few tough months ahead of us but I think I'm in better shape to handle it than I would have been in the past. I hope that is the case anyway. The other day I read The Little Engine That Could for bedtime stories and I think that story can apply to all of us here on this site. If we think positively that has a huge impact on what we can accomplish. When we focus on the negative instead it ends up limiting us. 

Lexapro/Escitalopram history: 2012 to 2020 20 mg

July 2020 10 mg November 2020 5 mg 2/15/21 1/2 a 5mg pill ~2.5 mg 2/25/21 3/4 a 5mg pill ~3.75 mg 3/25/21 1/2 a 5mg pill ~2.5 mg

4/20/21 switched to liquid 2.8 mg, made a couple more increases over a week and a half to 3.5mg

5/14/21 increased further up to 3.8 mg, held there until Oct 2021

Decreasing steadily since 10/1/21

Latest change 3/15/24 .14mg

Current supplements:  Once per morning: men's multivitamin, vitamin c, selenium, zinc, magnesium chelate (100mg per pill), fish oil (1000 mg per pill)

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  • Mentor

@AndyPants  I love you comment on "these dumb brains of our"  boy can I relate.....I still am having intrusive thoughts and ocd......

I hope you can find a new job that allows you to work from home.  Do you think your doctor can help out with this?  

Wow you are at 2mg super exciting......do you feel some positives from the decreases?  I do notice a much more confidence tone to your voice.

I am down to 3.4mg....I am noticing I am positives from the decreases.......

 

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/24894-greatful-is-this-withdrawal-or-to-many-med-changes-at-once/

1995? Prozac,  tried several Paxil, Serzone, St John's Wart back to Prozac and Trazodone ct:d Traz

 Lexapro. Tried to stop Crash in 2015  Kindled   Hospitalized, Vybrid, Seroquel, Effexor, Abilify  Pristiq, Wellbutrin-- 2016  ended back on   Prozac and Lamictal 200mg

5/2020  thru 12/2020 taper from 20mg  Prozac  down to 3mg.  Crashed  12/13/2020 Zoloft 50mg 1/29ct  1/29/2021 Seroquel 50mg ct  2/12/2021 Wellbutrin 75mg.  Became hypo manic 2/1  6ct Trazodone 50mg 4/25  25mg 2/5/ 2021 Lamictal 150mg.  2/24  100mg   4/9  75mg   4/21 37.5 

2/16/2021 Seroquel 50xr  3/3 100mg  3/17  150mg  side effects ct   4/3 2021 Lexapro 5mg  4/14  7.5mg  4/30 10mg  5/10  7.5mg 

2021/ 5/16  5mg Lexapro   37.5 Lamictal   25mg trazadone,   xanax  .0625mg  3x a day   

Lexapro  Taper> Sept/01/2021  4.90mg>  Sept/25  4.75mg>   Oct/19 4.69mg > Nov/14 4.2mg    Jan/30/2022-- Split dosing 2x a day All liquid  4.2mg  (2.20mg at 8am & 2mg at 4pm) 2/17 4mg>  2/24  3.8mg  slow taper to  Aug/12/2022 2.04mg  2023> 2mg,  1.90mg, 1.80mg, 1.70mg, 1.5mg, 1.4mg, 1.3mg 1.2mg, 1.1mg, 1mg, 0.9mg, 0.8mg, 0.7mg 0.65mg, 0.6mg, 0.55mg, 0.5mg, 0.45mg, 0.4mg, 0.35mg, 0.3mg, 0.25,mg, back to once a day dosing 0 .1mg, 0.07mg

Lamictal  taper  4/17/ 2022 25mg, 9/9/ 22 -20mg, 9/25/22- 15mg , 10/20/22-   0

 Trazodone..2023.>down to 14mg, 7mg, 6mg  July 2023   0

Xanax  0.0625 3 x a day,  2023>  0.042 3x a day

Supplements  Magnesium glycinate, Omega 3, D3, vitamin c , zinc, NAC 

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18 hours ago, Greatful said:

@AndyPants  I love you comment on "these dumb brains of our"  boy can I relate.....I still am having intrusive thoughts and ocd......

I hope you can find a new job that allows you to work from home.  Do you think your doctor can help out with this?  

Wow you are at 2mg super exciting......do you feel some positives from the decreases?  I do notice a much more confidence tone to your voice.

I am down to 3.4mg....I am noticing I am positives from the decreases.......

I've gone into full job hunting mode so I think it's going to happen eventually, just have to keep working at it and be patient which is tough. It does look like there is a decent amount of stuff out there that is remote in my field so hopefully a doctor's note or something won't be necessary (I don't think that would have swayed my current job anyway unfortunately.)

 

In a few months it will have been two years since I started trying to taper, and there were some very trying and difficult times along the way. And there are still hard days now, but I would agree that I'm trending in a positive direction. The benefits of tappering are starting to outweigh the negatives. I guess I would describe it as the haze that has been over me while on the drug is starting to lift, and I feel a little more awake and a little sharper.

 

The thing I'm still struggling with is my temper and issues with patience and I'm letting the pressures of life effect how I act toward my family which isn't okay. Living mindfully has been something I've wanted to do for a while now but not really made much progress towards. I still want to get there.

 

Im glad to hear you are starting to see benefits of decreasing the drug as well! Hopefully we can all keep moving forward.

Lexapro/Escitalopram history: 2012 to 2020 20 mg

July 2020 10 mg November 2020 5 mg 2/15/21 1/2 a 5mg pill ~2.5 mg 2/25/21 3/4 a 5mg pill ~3.75 mg 3/25/21 1/2 a 5mg pill ~2.5 mg

4/20/21 switched to liquid 2.8 mg, made a couple more increases over a week and a half to 3.5mg

5/14/21 increased further up to 3.8 mg, held there until Oct 2021

Decreasing steadily since 10/1/21

Latest change 3/15/24 .14mg

Current supplements:  Once per morning: men's multivitamin, vitamin c, selenium, zinc, magnesium chelate (100mg per pill), fish oil (1000 mg per pill)

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  • 1 month later...

Anyone know if it's a problem to use Liquid Lexapro that's expired? Since I'm tappering but they've still been filling my prescription monthly I'm using less and less and getting a stockpile going. Not sure if I will need to get rid of stuff at some point or not.

Lexapro/Escitalopram history: 2012 to 2020 20 mg

July 2020 10 mg November 2020 5 mg 2/15/21 1/2 a 5mg pill ~2.5 mg 2/25/21 3/4 a 5mg pill ~3.75 mg 3/25/21 1/2 a 5mg pill ~2.5 mg

4/20/21 switched to liquid 2.8 mg, made a couple more increases over a week and a half to 3.5mg

5/14/21 increased further up to 3.8 mg, held there until Oct 2021

Decreasing steadily since 10/1/21

Latest change 3/15/24 .14mg

Current supplements:  Once per morning: men's multivitamin, vitamin c, selenium, zinc, magnesium chelate (100mg per pill), fish oil (1000 mg per pill)

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Please wait for a mod to post. 
 

But I would certainly not use expired meds. Especially if you have enough in stock. 
 

Wishing you the best. 

Early 2000s: 4 years Paxil (CT).    Mid 2000s: 4 years Lexapro (CT).  6 years on Wellbutrin XL 150. 2012-2017.

Mar 26 2017. Began Wellbutrin XL 150 taper : Mar 31 2017. Wellbutrin IR 75mg : Apr 7 2017. Wellbutrin IR 65mg

Apr 25 2017. Wellbutrin IR 56mg : May 30 2017. Wellbutrin IR 37.5mg : Aug 14 2017. Wellbutrin IR 28.125mg : Sep 9 2017. Wellbutrin IR 26.5mg  Sep 13 2017. Wellbutrin IR 25.4mg : Sep 17 2017. Wellbutrin IR 24mg : Sep 20 2017. Wellbutrin IR 23.2mg : Sep 25 2017. Wellbutrin IR 22.4mg 

Oct 3 2017. Wellbutrin IR 21.6mg : Oct 9 2017. Wellbutrin IR 20.8mg : Oct 17 2017. Wellbutrin IR 20mg : Oct 25 2017. Wellbutrin IR 19.2mg

Oct 27 2017. Wellbutrin IR 18.4mg : Nov 2 2017. Wellbutrin IR 17.6mg : Nov 11 2017. Wellbutrin IR 15mg : Nov 16 2017. Wellbutrin IR 12mg

Nov 19 2017. Wellbutrin IR 9mg : Nov 23 2017. Wellbutrin IR 6mg : Nov 24 2017. Wellbutrin IR 4mg 

Nov 27 2017. 0mg.  Stopped Wellbutrin 

 

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@divegrl thanks for your response, yeah to clarify, nothing I have is expired now so not an urgent question or anything that will be coming up right away, just thinking down the road and was wondering about it.

Lexapro/Escitalopram history: 2012 to 2020 20 mg

July 2020 10 mg November 2020 5 mg 2/15/21 1/2 a 5mg pill ~2.5 mg 2/25/21 3/4 a 5mg pill ~3.75 mg 3/25/21 1/2 a 5mg pill ~2.5 mg

4/20/21 switched to liquid 2.8 mg, made a couple more increases over a week and a half to 3.5mg

5/14/21 increased further up to 3.8 mg, held there until Oct 2021

Decreasing steadily since 10/1/21

Latest change 3/15/24 .14mg

Current supplements:  Once per morning: men's multivitamin, vitamin c, selenium, zinc, magnesium chelate (100mg per pill), fish oil (1000 mg per pill)

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  • Mentor

@AndyPants 

my liquid lexapro amneal brand says “use before date” and it’s basically 1 year after getting filled. I ve seen this topic come up on SA in different places. Below is one good topic starting about halfway down first page. and second link says 2 months.  So I think I need to do some more research on this myself. 
 

Im sitting here looking on google “liquid medication expiration date” and some say 6 months others say 1 year. So I would advise you to ask your trusted pharmacist this question. That’s my plan for tomorrow! 
 

yes potency definitely degrades after expiration date. 
 

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/12422-questions-and-answers-about-liquid-medications-use-by-date-expiry/


https://www.nps.org.au/medicine-finder/lexapro-oral-solution

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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@Heath cool thanks for the link! From those posts it sounds like you can just follow the bottles  - mine all have a discord by date of about one year after it was filled - but I'll probably ask them about it at the pharmacy as well.

Lexapro/Escitalopram history: 2012 to 2020 20 mg

July 2020 10 mg November 2020 5 mg 2/15/21 1/2 a 5mg pill ~2.5 mg 2/25/21 3/4 a 5mg pill ~3.75 mg 3/25/21 1/2 a 5mg pill ~2.5 mg

4/20/21 switched to liquid 2.8 mg, made a couple more increases over a week and a half to 3.5mg

5/14/21 increased further up to 3.8 mg, held there until Oct 2021

Decreasing steadily since 10/1/21

Latest change 3/15/24 .14mg

Current supplements:  Once per morning: men's multivitamin, vitamin c, selenium, zinc, magnesium chelate (100mg per pill), fish oil (1000 mg per pill)

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  • Mentor

@AndyPants  It's good to hear from you. I see you are down to 1.7mg of Lexapro wow that's super...I take it things are going okay.  As far as the liquid goes..  My pharmacist told me it is good for one year-- but if you get a new one monthly just use the new one and throw the old ones out...

Did you find a new job yet?  

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/24894-greatful-is-this-withdrawal-or-to-many-med-changes-at-once/

1995? Prozac,  tried several Paxil, Serzone, St John's Wart back to Prozac and Trazodone ct:d Traz

 Lexapro. Tried to stop Crash in 2015  Kindled   Hospitalized, Vybrid, Seroquel, Effexor, Abilify  Pristiq, Wellbutrin-- 2016  ended back on   Prozac and Lamictal 200mg

5/2020  thru 12/2020 taper from 20mg  Prozac  down to 3mg.  Crashed  12/13/2020 Zoloft 50mg 1/29ct  1/29/2021 Seroquel 50mg ct  2/12/2021 Wellbutrin 75mg.  Became hypo manic 2/1  6ct Trazodone 50mg 4/25  25mg 2/5/ 2021 Lamictal 150mg.  2/24  100mg   4/9  75mg   4/21 37.5 

2/16/2021 Seroquel 50xr  3/3 100mg  3/17  150mg  side effects ct   4/3 2021 Lexapro 5mg  4/14  7.5mg  4/30 10mg  5/10  7.5mg 

2021/ 5/16  5mg Lexapro   37.5 Lamictal   25mg trazadone,   xanax  .0625mg  3x a day   

Lexapro  Taper> Sept/01/2021  4.90mg>  Sept/25  4.75mg>   Oct/19 4.69mg > Nov/14 4.2mg    Jan/30/2022-- Split dosing 2x a day All liquid  4.2mg  (2.20mg at 8am & 2mg at 4pm) 2/17 4mg>  2/24  3.8mg  slow taper to  Aug/12/2022 2.04mg  2023> 2mg,  1.90mg, 1.80mg, 1.70mg, 1.5mg, 1.4mg, 1.3mg 1.2mg, 1.1mg, 1mg, 0.9mg, 0.8mg, 0.7mg 0.65mg, 0.6mg, 0.55mg, 0.5mg, 0.45mg, 0.4mg, 0.35mg, 0.3mg, 0.25,mg, back to once a day dosing 0 .1mg, 0.07mg

Lamictal  taper  4/17/ 2022 25mg, 9/9/ 22 -20mg, 9/25/22- 15mg , 10/20/22-   0

 Trazodone..2023.>down to 14mg, 7mg, 6mg  July 2023   0

Xanax  0.0625 3 x a day,  2023>  0.042 3x a day

Supplements  Magnesium glycinate, Omega 3, D3, vitamin c , zinc, NAC 

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Hi @Greatful, yes I'm doing okay. Life has been hectic but I feel like I'm weathering it OK. I was recently able to find a new job that will let me work remotely which is great. Quiting one job and starting a new one is always stressful and a little nerve-wracking but I think in the long run it will be good and work out a lot better for what I and my family need.

 

I have been just using up bottles until they're all gone before moving on to the next one. It just seemed wasteful and also I have a move coming up soon this summer and I thought well if I get a good backstock of it than I don't have to worry about dealing with getting a new prescription/meeting a new doctor right away after I move.

 

With my insurance on my last job I only had to pay $5 a bottle, which was great, but my insurance doesn't kick in for two months on my new job and I think the cash price is $40 or something like that, so that also makes me a little hesitant to toss them away if I'm going to being paying more.

Lexapro/Escitalopram history: 2012 to 2020 20 mg

July 2020 10 mg November 2020 5 mg 2/15/21 1/2 a 5mg pill ~2.5 mg 2/25/21 3/4 a 5mg pill ~3.75 mg 3/25/21 1/2 a 5mg pill ~2.5 mg

4/20/21 switched to liquid 2.8 mg, made a couple more increases over a week and a half to 3.5mg

5/14/21 increased further up to 3.8 mg, held there until Oct 2021

Decreasing steadily since 10/1/21

Latest change 3/15/24 .14mg

Current supplements:  Once per morning: men's multivitamin, vitamin c, selenium, zinc, magnesium chelate (100mg per pill), fish oil (1000 mg per pill)

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  • Mentor

@AndyPants I’m the same way I like to keep me a little stock just in case I can’t get it. But if it’s expired we don’t need it for sure. 👍

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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  • Mentor

So @AndyPants  . I ask the question when is the expiration for Generic liquid lexapro ?  It was not simple to get this question answered. 🤦‍♂️. But on a positive note I learned something I didn’t know! 

 

Pharmacist says “ manufacturer only guarantees drug for 1 year in the required temperature controlled environment in the pharmacy and they cannot guarantee expiration date after it leaves the pharmacy. “


I ask “ ok If I keep mine in my house at about 70 degrees F. When is expiration date?

 

Pharmacist says “ you will be good for 1 year”

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. 

Link to comment

@Heath thanks for checking into that and sharing your findings! I have 'call pharmacy' written on my to-do list, but haven't gotten to it yet. I'm having a hard time yesterday and especially today, had a bad night last night.

 

I think I might reinstate from 1.7 up to 1.8 tonight.

Lexapro/Escitalopram history: 2012 to 2020 20 mg

July 2020 10 mg November 2020 5 mg 2/15/21 1/2 a 5mg pill ~2.5 mg 2/25/21 3/4 a 5mg pill ~3.75 mg 3/25/21 1/2 a 5mg pill ~2.5 mg

4/20/21 switched to liquid 2.8 mg, made a couple more increases over a week and a half to 3.5mg

5/14/21 increased further up to 3.8 mg, held there until Oct 2021

Decreasing steadily since 10/1/21

Latest change 3/15/24 .14mg

Current supplements:  Once per morning: men's multivitamin, vitamin c, selenium, zinc, magnesium chelate (100mg per pill), fish oil (1000 mg per pill)

Link to comment

@Heath I called my pharmacy and was told the same thing, should be good for a year.

 

Lexapro/Escitalopram history: 2012 to 2020 20 mg

July 2020 10 mg November 2020 5 mg 2/15/21 1/2 a 5mg pill ~2.5 mg 2/25/21 3/4 a 5mg pill ~3.75 mg 3/25/21 1/2 a 5mg pill ~2.5 mg

4/20/21 switched to liquid 2.8 mg, made a couple more increases over a week and a half to 3.5mg

5/14/21 increased further up to 3.8 mg, held there until Oct 2021

Decreasing steadily since 10/1/21

Latest change 3/15/24 .14mg

Current supplements:  Once per morning: men's multivitamin, vitamin c, selenium, zinc, magnesium chelate (100mg per pill), fish oil (1000 mg per pill)

Link to comment

I decided I'm going to hold for a month or so before continuing to tapper after doing a reinstatement. This last change I attempted to do just on the verge of a bunch of life changes (new job and preparing for a move) and in retrospect I should have realized ahead of time it wouldn't help.

 

It's hard because if we are waiting for the perfect time in life to tapper, we will never start. On the other, tappering can have a real impact on our life especially when life throws some difficult stuff at us (and some people on here have had much more challenging things to deal with than me).

 

My tappering was going quite smoothly before this last decrease and reinstatement, so hopefully I can pick things back up after letting myself stabilize and getting through this move.

Lexapro/Escitalopram history: 2012 to 2020 20 mg

July 2020 10 mg November 2020 5 mg 2/15/21 1/2 a 5mg pill ~2.5 mg 2/25/21 3/4 a 5mg pill ~3.75 mg 3/25/21 1/2 a 5mg pill ~2.5 mg

4/20/21 switched to liquid 2.8 mg, made a couple more increases over a week and a half to 3.5mg

5/14/21 increased further up to 3.8 mg, held there until Oct 2021

Decreasing steadily since 10/1/21

Latest change 3/15/24 .14mg

Current supplements:  Once per morning: men's multivitamin, vitamin c, selenium, zinc, magnesium chelate (100mg per pill), fish oil (1000 mg per pill)

Link to comment
  • Mentor

@AndyPants  You've got this😊 before you know it you will be all settled and ready to get back on the road to being drug free☺️

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/24894-greatful-is-this-withdrawal-or-to-many-med-changes-at-once/

1995? Prozac,  tried several Paxil, Serzone, St John's Wart back to Prozac and Trazodone ct:d Traz

 Lexapro. Tried to stop Crash in 2015  Kindled   Hospitalized, Vybrid, Seroquel, Effexor, Abilify  Pristiq, Wellbutrin-- 2016  ended back on   Prozac and Lamictal 200mg

5/2020  thru 12/2020 taper from 20mg  Prozac  down to 3mg.  Crashed  12/13/2020 Zoloft 50mg 1/29ct  1/29/2021 Seroquel 50mg ct  2/12/2021 Wellbutrin 75mg.  Became hypo manic 2/1  6ct Trazodone 50mg 4/25  25mg 2/5/ 2021 Lamictal 150mg.  2/24  100mg   4/9  75mg   4/21 37.5 

2/16/2021 Seroquel 50xr  3/3 100mg  3/17  150mg  side effects ct   4/3 2021 Lexapro 5mg  4/14  7.5mg  4/30 10mg  5/10  7.5mg 

2021/ 5/16  5mg Lexapro   37.5 Lamictal   25mg trazadone,   xanax  .0625mg  3x a day   

Lexapro  Taper> Sept/01/2021  4.90mg>  Sept/25  4.75mg>   Oct/19 4.69mg > Nov/14 4.2mg    Jan/30/2022-- Split dosing 2x a day All liquid  4.2mg  (2.20mg at 8am & 2mg at 4pm) 2/17 4mg>  2/24  3.8mg  slow taper to  Aug/12/2022 2.04mg  2023> 2mg,  1.90mg, 1.80mg, 1.70mg, 1.5mg, 1.4mg, 1.3mg 1.2mg, 1.1mg, 1mg, 0.9mg, 0.8mg, 0.7mg 0.65mg, 0.6mg, 0.55mg, 0.5mg, 0.45mg, 0.4mg, 0.35mg, 0.3mg, 0.25,mg, back to once a day dosing 0 .1mg, 0.07mg

Lamictal  taper  4/17/ 2022 25mg, 9/9/ 22 -20mg, 9/25/22- 15mg , 10/20/22-   0

 Trazodone..2023.>down to 14mg, 7mg, 6mg  July 2023   0

Xanax  0.0625 3 x a day,  2023>  0.042 3x a day

Supplements  Magnesium glycinate, Omega 3, D3, vitamin c , zinc, NAC 

Link to comment

Hi @AndyPants

Just wanna say hi and tell you how much I like what you wrote: 

36 minutes ago, AndyPants said:

if we are waiting for the perfect time in life to tapper, we will never start.

This is so true. Thank you for sharing your wise insight. 

It applies to many things, doesn't it? 

 

There's a great little book called Start Where You Are, written by Tibetan Buddhist nun, teacher, author Pema Chödrön. 

Your words reminded me of something Chödrön writes about there. 

 

From a fellow escitalopram survivor, wishing you the best of luck on your continuous healing journey,

A.

1996-2018 - misc. polypharmacy, incl. SSRIs, SNRIs, neuroleptics, lithium, benzos, stimulants, antihistamines, etc. (approx. 30+ drugs)

2012-2018 - 10mg lexapro/escitalopram (20mg?)    Jan. 2018 - 10mg -> 5mg, then from 5mg -> 2.5mg, then 0mg  -->  July 2018 - 0mg

2017(?)-2020 - vyvanse/lisdexamfetamine 60-70mg    2020-2021 - 70mg down to 0mg  -->  July 2021 - 0mg

March-April 2021 - vortioxetine 5-10mg (approx. 7 weeks total; CT)  -->  April 28th, 2021 - 0mg

supplements: magnesium powder (dissolved in water) as needed throughout the day; 1 tsp fish oil w/ morning meal; 2mg melatonin 

August 1, 2022 - 1 mg melatonin

 

Courage is fear that has said its prayers.  - Karle Wilson Baker

love and justice are not two. without inner change, there can be no outer change; without collective change, no change matters.  - Rev. angel Kyodo williams

Holding multiple truths. Knowing that everyone has their own accurate view of the way things are.  - text on homemade banner at Afiya house

 

I am not a medical professional; this is not medical advice. 

Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...

I've been struggling with wrist and hand pain for maybe 2 or 3 months now, I'm not sure the cause.  I'm not bringing this up here to say I think withdrawals or the medication is causing the pain - I don't think they're related at all - but I do think the withdrawals and medication have at least somewhat effected how I have reacted.

 

I got panicked and threw everything at the wall. I changed my desk height (I don't have an automatic desk so this is a physical lowering of the table legs) I ordered new keyboard and mouse, I ordered a new mousepad with a wrist rest, I start messing with my chair height (and the height of the chair arm rests), worry about my posture, icing it, trying wrist stretches, applying creams...

 

Needless to say I don't know if anything has actually helped and I almost wonder at some points if I've made it worse (wrist rest got returned right away).  I let my anxiety get a hold of me and rather than doing the kinds of things this website is all about, like taking a slow careful approach to introducing changes into our lives, I just went all out. I should have done one thing at a time, then maybe it would have gone smoother and I would be closer to having worked this out.

 

It's really frustrating to feel like I'm still letting my stress and anxiety take hold of me and having to re learn the same lessons all the time.

Lexapro/Escitalopram history: 2012 to 2020 20 mg

July 2020 10 mg November 2020 5 mg 2/15/21 1/2 a 5mg pill ~2.5 mg 2/25/21 3/4 a 5mg pill ~3.75 mg 3/25/21 1/2 a 5mg pill ~2.5 mg

4/20/21 switched to liquid 2.8 mg, made a couple more increases over a week and a half to 3.5mg

5/14/21 increased further up to 3.8 mg, held there until Oct 2021

Decreasing steadily since 10/1/21

Latest change 3/15/24 .14mg

Current supplements:  Once per morning: men's multivitamin, vitamin c, selenium, zinc, magnesium chelate (100mg per pill), fish oil (1000 mg per pill)

Link to comment

Hi @AndyPants

I'm sorry about your wrist and hand pain. 

Have you been in to see a physical therapist at all? 

Years ago (prior to withdrawal) I had some trouble with significant wrist and hand pain. Turned out it was due to a pinched nerve in my neck causing problems in my neck, shoulders, arms, wrists, hands. It's all connected, as we know from WD. 

That's why I ask about whether it might be possible to maybe get in to see a knowledgeable holistic body worker who understands the subtleties of biomechanics and nerve pain. 

 

14 hours ago, AndyPants said:

but I do think the withdrawals and medication have at least somewhat effected how I have reacted.

 

I got panicked and threw everything at the wall.

 

14 hours ago, AndyPants said:

I let my anxiety get a hold of me and rather than doing the kinds of things this website is all about, like taking a slow careful approach to introducing changes into our lives, I just went all out. I should have done one thing at a time, then maybe it would have gone smoother and I would be closer to having worked this out.

 

It's really frustrating to feel like I'm still letting my stress and anxiety take hold of me and having to re learn the same lessons all the time.

 

Friend. I hear you. 

You are not the only one who gets carried away on waves of neuro-anxiety, neuro-fear, neuro-panic. This happens to me, too. 

I understand that it can feel frustrating and maybe even like a personal failing sometimes. I often wish I were "better at" WD, instead of stumbling around feeling grossly incompetent. But maybe these self-critical thoughts are part of the WD monologue droning on and on in our poor, exhausted, overworked brains. I hope so! 

 

Please don't beat yourself up about it. No need to add insult to injury. You were doing your best to address an issue, your brain was trying to fix a problem. That's what our brains are wired to do. And when WD is really bad it can be extremely hard, maybe even impossible, to override that. As we heal, distance and awareness become more available to us and we're better able to practice all those great skills. In the meantime, please be kind and compassionate with yourself. It's not your fault. You're doing all you can. You'll get better, and it'll get better. 

 

I hope you find some wise counsel for your wrist and hand pain soon. 

Hang in there, AndyPants. Healing is happening! Even when we don't consciously feel it. 

1996-2018 - misc. polypharmacy, incl. SSRIs, SNRIs, neuroleptics, lithium, benzos, stimulants, antihistamines, etc. (approx. 30+ drugs)

2012-2018 - 10mg lexapro/escitalopram (20mg?)    Jan. 2018 - 10mg -> 5mg, then from 5mg -> 2.5mg, then 0mg  -->  July 2018 - 0mg

2017(?)-2020 - vyvanse/lisdexamfetamine 60-70mg    2020-2021 - 70mg down to 0mg  -->  July 2021 - 0mg

March-April 2021 - vortioxetine 5-10mg (approx. 7 weeks total; CT)  -->  April 28th, 2021 - 0mg

supplements: magnesium powder (dissolved in water) as needed throughout the day; 1 tsp fish oil w/ morning meal; 2mg melatonin 

August 1, 2022 - 1 mg melatonin

 

Courage is fear that has said its prayers.  - Karle Wilson Baker

love and justice are not two. without inner change, there can be no outer change; without collective change, no change matters.  - Rev. angel Kyodo williams

Holding multiple truths. Knowing that everyone has their own accurate view of the way things are.  - text on homemade banner at Afiya house

 

I am not a medical professional; this is not medical advice. 

Link to comment

@Ariel I saw a doctor, he thought it was tendonitis, gave me a handout with stretches and a prescription for a 800mg ibuprofen pills that he wanted me to take 3 times a day.  Ibuprofen didn't seem to be helping and I stopped taking those after a week and a half or so because that's a lot of ibuprofen and that makes me nervous.  It probably would be a lot better to see someone like you're describing so I'll have to see if I can find someone.

 

Really appreciate your kind words. I have always had a tendency to beat myself up, particularly when I feel like life is out of control or not going as planned, which never helps.  Being patient with myself and others is something I need to work on.  Just have to keep trying at it.

Lexapro/Escitalopram history: 2012 to 2020 20 mg

July 2020 10 mg November 2020 5 mg 2/15/21 1/2 a 5mg pill ~2.5 mg 2/25/21 3/4 a 5mg pill ~3.75 mg 3/25/21 1/2 a 5mg pill ~2.5 mg

4/20/21 switched to liquid 2.8 mg, made a couple more increases over a week and a half to 3.5mg

5/14/21 increased further up to 3.8 mg, held there until Oct 2021

Decreasing steadily since 10/1/21

Latest change 3/15/24 .14mg

Current supplements:  Once per morning: men's multivitamin, vitamin c, selenium, zinc, magnesium chelate (100mg per pill), fish oil (1000 mg per pill)

Link to comment

Had my second night in a row of no sleep. Couldn't come at a worse time. Yesterday I just did my first day of driving on a cross country move (by myself). Ideally probably would have been better to not have driven yesterday with how I was feeling, but driving today after two nights of no sleep seems like not a good idea. I feel sick to my stomach, I'm exhausted (but somehow also restless), panicky. You know, all things you want to experience during what was supposed to be a brief overnight stop in Wyoming, several hours away from where I started at my parents and many more hours away from where my wife and son are waiting for me (they flew out). This whole thing feels like a terrible idea now. Being in the car all day yesterday made me so anxious and I'm not where near being done. Movers for a really long distance move gets crazy expensive, so this seemed like a smart move. But given my pretty fragile emotional state for the last year and a half I should have expected that it would be miserable and that the pressure of needing sleep would give me enough anxiety to stop me from sleeping.

 

I don't know what I'm going to do. I guess I'll spend another night here, but it sets me back on time. Also what if I don't sleep again tonight?

Lexapro/Escitalopram history: 2012 to 2020 20 mg

July 2020 10 mg November 2020 5 mg 2/15/21 1/2 a 5mg pill ~2.5 mg 2/25/21 3/4 a 5mg pill ~3.75 mg 3/25/21 1/2 a 5mg pill ~2.5 mg

4/20/21 switched to liquid 2.8 mg, made a couple more increases over a week and a half to 3.5mg

5/14/21 increased further up to 3.8 mg, held there until Oct 2021

Decreasing steadily since 10/1/21

Latest change 3/15/24 .14mg

Current supplements:  Once per morning: men's multivitamin, vitamin c, selenium, zinc, magnesium chelate (100mg per pill), fish oil (1000 mg per pill)

Link to comment

@AndyPants

Cross-country move and driving sound stressful even at the best of times. I'm sorry you haven't slept. 

Please be safe. Even if it sets you back on time, what's the rush? You will get there eventually, in one piece.

Maybe you could do shorter legs per day, so you don't have to go for such long stretches of road at a time. 

Think of it as harm reduction, like a good taper.

Breathe, practice your non-drug coping techniques and self-care, be kind to yourself.

It's not your fault. Just do what you can, and stay safe. 

Healing for the long haul <3

 

1996-2018 - misc. polypharmacy, incl. SSRIs, SNRIs, neuroleptics, lithium, benzos, stimulants, antihistamines, etc. (approx. 30+ drugs)

2012-2018 - 10mg lexapro/escitalopram (20mg?)    Jan. 2018 - 10mg -> 5mg, then from 5mg -> 2.5mg, then 0mg  -->  July 2018 - 0mg

2017(?)-2020 - vyvanse/lisdexamfetamine 60-70mg    2020-2021 - 70mg down to 0mg  -->  July 2021 - 0mg

March-April 2021 - vortioxetine 5-10mg (approx. 7 weeks total; CT)  -->  April 28th, 2021 - 0mg

supplements: magnesium powder (dissolved in water) as needed throughout the day; 1 tsp fish oil w/ morning meal; 2mg melatonin 

August 1, 2022 - 1 mg melatonin

 

Courage is fear that has said its prayers.  - Karle Wilson Baker

love and justice are not two. without inner change, there can be no outer change; without collective change, no change matters.  - Rev. angel Kyodo williams

Holding multiple truths. Knowing that everyone has their own accurate view of the way things are.  - text on homemade banner at Afiya house

 

I am not a medical professional; this is not medical advice. 

Link to comment

Made it to my destination. It'll be a long time before we're settled, which is stressful, but I need to not let myself get overwhelmed and also try to be positive. I'll resume tappering in one or two weeks I think.

Lexapro/Escitalopram history: 2012 to 2020 20 mg

July 2020 10 mg November 2020 5 mg 2/15/21 1/2 a 5mg pill ~2.5 mg 2/25/21 3/4 a 5mg pill ~3.75 mg 3/25/21 1/2 a 5mg pill ~2.5 mg

4/20/21 switched to liquid 2.8 mg, made a couple more increases over a week and a half to 3.5mg

5/14/21 increased further up to 3.8 mg, held there until Oct 2021

Decreasing steadily since 10/1/21

Latest change 3/15/24 .14mg

Current supplements:  Once per morning: men's multivitamin, vitamin c, selenium, zinc, magnesium chelate (100mg per pill), fish oil (1000 mg per pill)

Link to comment

@AndyPants

Congratulations! You did it. 

Thanks for checking in <3

 

58 minutes ago, AndyPants said:

Made it to my destination.

 

I love this sentence and its inspiring figurative implications. 

Will add it to my WD affirmations and mantras list!

 

Wishing you peaceful weeks of settling in, nesting, getting acclimated, stabilizing before resuming taper. 

 

1996-2018 - misc. polypharmacy, incl. SSRIs, SNRIs, neuroleptics, lithium, benzos, stimulants, antihistamines, etc. (approx. 30+ drugs)

2012-2018 - 10mg lexapro/escitalopram (20mg?)    Jan. 2018 - 10mg -> 5mg, then from 5mg -> 2.5mg, then 0mg  -->  July 2018 - 0mg

2017(?)-2020 - vyvanse/lisdexamfetamine 60-70mg    2020-2021 - 70mg down to 0mg  -->  July 2021 - 0mg

March-April 2021 - vortioxetine 5-10mg (approx. 7 weeks total; CT)  -->  April 28th, 2021 - 0mg

supplements: magnesium powder (dissolved in water) as needed throughout the day; 1 tsp fish oil w/ morning meal; 2mg melatonin 

August 1, 2022 - 1 mg melatonin

 

Courage is fear that has said its prayers.  - Karle Wilson Baker

love and justice are not two. without inner change, there can be no outer change; without collective change, no change matters.  - Rev. angel Kyodo williams

Holding multiple truths. Knowing that everyone has their own accurate view of the way things are.  - text on homemade banner at Afiya house

 

I am not a medical professional; this is not medical advice. 

Link to comment

Glad you made it! It's good you know that it'll take some time to get settled. Don't rush yourself with settling or with the tapering process. Sending you well wishes~

2017 Oct sertraline | Nov switched to escitalopram 10mg | 2018 Apr escitalopram fast taper (4-8 weeks) to zero/off

2018 Nov restarted escitalopram, increased to 20mg | 2020 Jan escitalopram fast taper (2-3 months) to zero/off

2020 Aug 27 restarted escitalopram 10mg tablet, came across SA.org

2021 Feb 27 complete switch to liquid 9.8mg | Mar 7 decreased to 9.5mg | Mar 14 decreased to 9.3mg | Mar 21 decreased to 9.0mg | Apr 11 decreased to 8.8mg | Apr 18 decreased to 8.6mg | May 9 decreased to 8.3mg | May 16 decreased to 8.1mg | Jun 6 increased to 9.0mg | July 18 decreased to 8.6mg | Aug 15 decreased to 8.2mg | Sept 19 decreased to 8.0mg | Oct 21 decreased to 7.6mg | Nov 18 decreased to 7.2mg | Dec 16 decreased to 6.9mg

2022 Feb 27 decreased to 6.8mg | Mar 31 decreased to 6.4mg | Jul 5 decreased to 6.1mg | Jul 23 decreased to 5.8mg | Aug 10 increased to 6.0mg | Nov 24 decreased to 5.4mg | Dec 31 decreased to 4.8mg

2023 Feb 1 decreased to 4.4mg | May 17 decreased to 4mg | Jul 6 decreased to 3.8mg | Jul 19 decreased to 3.6 | Aug 11 decreased to 3.2mg | Sept 9 decreased to 3.0mg | Sept 22 decreased to 2.7mg | Oct 24 increased to 2.775mg | Nov 12 decreased to 2.7mg | Dec 20 increased to 3.0mg

 

I hold for longer periods of time when life gets stressful, usually work related.

 

Supplements: currently none

Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...

Are you sleeping any better?

May 2019 started lexapro 2.5 mg; 2020 went to every other day; 2021 beginning of Mar, tried to stop but had insomnia; Mar 30, 2021 reinstated 1.25 ev other day, WD symptoms, not enough

April 19, 2021 started liquid, .85 mg/day; May 1, 2021 .8 mg/day; May 6, 2021 .75 mg/day; June 6, 2021 .7 mg/day, June 20, 2021 .65mg/day, June 30, 2021 .6mg/day, Jul 24 .55 mg/day, Oct 17 .5 mg/day, Dec 5- .45 mg/day; Jan 26, 2022- 4mg/day; April 18- .375 lex; April 24- .35 lex; April 29- .3 lex; Jun 12- .25 mg lex; Jun 28- .2 mg lex; Sept- .15 mg, Nov .1

June ‘23- PPPD started 🙁, Jun- .09, Jul- .08, Oct- .07, Dec- .06, Jan ‘24- .05!

Taking Magnesium, whole foods iron, & natural supplements as needed for sleep

Link to comment
14 hours ago, Dee12h said:

Are you sleeping any better?

Hi @Dee12h, thankfully after those two really terrible nights last month I've mostly been sleeping much better. Had a night here or there where I woke up earlier than I needed to or took a little bit to fall asleep but overall having a decent sleeping run right now.

Lexapro/Escitalopram history: 2012 to 2020 20 mg

July 2020 10 mg November 2020 5 mg 2/15/21 1/2 a 5mg pill ~2.5 mg 2/25/21 3/4 a 5mg pill ~3.75 mg 3/25/21 1/2 a 5mg pill ~2.5 mg

4/20/21 switched to liquid 2.8 mg, made a couple more increases over a week and a half to 3.5mg

5/14/21 increased further up to 3.8 mg, held there until Oct 2021

Decreasing steadily since 10/1/21

Latest change 3/15/24 .14mg

Current supplements:  Once per morning: men's multivitamin, vitamin c, selenium, zinc, magnesium chelate (100mg per pill), fish oil (1000 mg per pill)

Link to comment
  • 4 weeks later...

Hi @AndyPants

How are you going? 

Thinking of you <3

1996-2018 - misc. polypharmacy, incl. SSRIs, SNRIs, neuroleptics, lithium, benzos, stimulants, antihistamines, etc. (approx. 30+ drugs)

2012-2018 - 10mg lexapro/escitalopram (20mg?)    Jan. 2018 - 10mg -> 5mg, then from 5mg -> 2.5mg, then 0mg  -->  July 2018 - 0mg

2017(?)-2020 - vyvanse/lisdexamfetamine 60-70mg    2020-2021 - 70mg down to 0mg  -->  July 2021 - 0mg

March-April 2021 - vortioxetine 5-10mg (approx. 7 weeks total; CT)  -->  April 28th, 2021 - 0mg

supplements: magnesium powder (dissolved in water) as needed throughout the day; 1 tsp fish oil w/ morning meal; 2mg melatonin 

August 1, 2022 - 1 mg melatonin

 

Courage is fear that has said its prayers.  - Karle Wilson Baker

love and justice are not two. without inner change, there can be no outer change; without collective change, no change matters.  - Rev. angel Kyodo williams

Holding multiple truths. Knowing that everyone has their own accurate view of the way things are.  - text on homemade banner at Afiya house

 

I am not a medical professional; this is not medical advice. 

Link to comment

Hi @Ariel, thanks for checking in on me.

 

I'm doing alright. Getting settled into a new house (in a completely different place than I'm used to) has been overwhelming at times. I have to keep reminding myself that every little thing I want to get done for the house doesn't have to be done immediately, we can take our time and slowly chip away at the list and that's just fine.

 

I've been letting the stress get to me and have not been as patient with the people in my life as I should be. So that's something I need to put extra attention to and generally I need to be more mindful and less reactionary.

 

After putting tappering on hold for a couple months due to the move I did start again a couple weeks ago and think that overall it's going alright.

Lexapro/Escitalopram history: 2012 to 2020 20 mg

July 2020 10 mg November 2020 5 mg 2/15/21 1/2 a 5mg pill ~2.5 mg 2/25/21 3/4 a 5mg pill ~3.75 mg 3/25/21 1/2 a 5mg pill ~2.5 mg

4/20/21 switched to liquid 2.8 mg, made a couple more increases over a week and a half to 3.5mg

5/14/21 increased further up to 3.8 mg, held there until Oct 2021

Decreasing steadily since 10/1/21

Latest change 3/15/24 .14mg

Current supplements:  Once per morning: men's multivitamin, vitamin c, selenium, zinc, magnesium chelate (100mg per pill), fish oil (1000 mg per pill)

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Just venting, I have a really bad cold for the third time within a handful of months. I've always gotten colds a lot but primarily in the winter, so this is really frustrating. I wonder if the switch to working from home and staying home all the time these last few years due to COVID stuff has weakend my immune system or something.

Lexapro/Escitalopram history: 2012 to 2020 20 mg

July 2020 10 mg November 2020 5 mg 2/15/21 1/2 a 5mg pill ~2.5 mg 2/25/21 3/4 a 5mg pill ~3.75 mg 3/25/21 1/2 a 5mg pill ~2.5 mg

4/20/21 switched to liquid 2.8 mg, made a couple more increases over a week and a half to 3.5mg

5/14/21 increased further up to 3.8 mg, held there until Oct 2021

Decreasing steadily since 10/1/21

Latest change 3/15/24 .14mg

Current supplements:  Once per morning: men's multivitamin, vitamin c, selenium, zinc, magnesium chelate (100mg per pill), fish oil (1000 mg per pill)

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  • ChessieCat changed the title to AndyPants: my story with Lexapro
  • 3 months later...

How’s it going? What brand cbd do you use? Any side effects?

May 2019 started lexapro 2.5 mg; 2020 went to every other day; 2021 beginning of Mar, tried to stop but had insomnia; Mar 30, 2021 reinstated 1.25 ev other day, WD symptoms, not enough

April 19, 2021 started liquid, .85 mg/day; May 1, 2021 .8 mg/day; May 6, 2021 .75 mg/day; June 6, 2021 .7 mg/day, June 20, 2021 .65mg/day, June 30, 2021 .6mg/day, Jul 24 .55 mg/day, Oct 17 .5 mg/day, Dec 5- .45 mg/day; Jan 26, 2022- 4mg/day; April 18- .375 lex; April 24- .35 lex; April 29- .3 lex; Jun 12- .25 mg lex; Jun 28- .2 mg lex; Sept- .15 mg, Nov .1

June ‘23- PPPD started 🙁, Jun- .09, Jul- .08, Oct- .07, Dec- .06, Jan ‘24- .05!

Taking Magnesium, whole foods iron, & natural supplements as needed for sleep

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19 hours ago, Dee12h said:

How’s it going? What brand cbd do you use? Any side effects?

Hello, things are going okay. I'm struggling with generally a fair amount of anxiety and irritability and lack of focus, but I think I'm managing okay.

 

I use the high potency, full spectrum CBD tincture from Lazarus Naturals. I take about .50 mL of it every night, about 30 min ish before bed.

 

It's hard to sort out what's an effect from what, both for improvements and side effects. Am I doing better because of the CBD, or better bedtime routines, or the fish oil and magnesium, or all of them, or none of them?  If I had added things slowly maybe I could tell better, but I very much threw everything at the wall and hoped something would stick, which is obviously the wrong approach but when I get in a real bad place mentally I don't think things through and I just wanted to make the problems go away asap. And at this point I'm afraid to mess around too much with what I'm doing, although I probably ought to add more magnesium and fish oil in at some point because I'm not doing as much on those as I've read on here about people doing.

 

Anyways, if you want to give it a try though I'd probably recommend trying an isolate first, rather than full spectrum, and see if that helps. Full spectrum can have THC in it, not enough to get you stoned or anything, but because it isn't pure CBD I would think it best to start with the CBD only variety first and see how that goes. Then if it you aren't noticing much of a benefit you can try the other kind, which is what I did.

 

I just remembered that I did have a negative side effect from a CBD tincture once, when I first tried CBD I felt very activated by it, that was a different brand though that my wife had bought from a natural store. I'm not sure if my experience was just because I wasn't used to it or what was in it. It's kind of an exploding market right now so there are just tons of companies making it and they aren't regulated or anything so that's something to be careful with. Lazarus Naturals was one that I read good things about, I'm sure there are others. But it's seemed fine.

Edited by AndyPants
Typo - .50 mL not 50!

Lexapro/Escitalopram history: 2012 to 2020 20 mg

July 2020 10 mg November 2020 5 mg 2/15/21 1/2 a 5mg pill ~2.5 mg 2/25/21 3/4 a 5mg pill ~3.75 mg 3/25/21 1/2 a 5mg pill ~2.5 mg

4/20/21 switched to liquid 2.8 mg, made a couple more increases over a week and a half to 3.5mg

5/14/21 increased further up to 3.8 mg, held there until Oct 2021

Decreasing steadily since 10/1/21

Latest change 3/15/24 .14mg

Current supplements:  Once per morning: men's multivitamin, vitamin c, selenium, zinc, magnesium chelate (100mg per pill), fish oil (1000 mg per pill)

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