Jump to content
Support our work - please give today

Willfinish: Escitalopram Withdrawal - My story...on the path of healing ?

Willfinish

By Willfinish
in Introductions and updates

Recommended Posts

Willfinish Newbie

Willfinish

Posted
  • Author
Posted

My adrenergic system is weaking up again. I think it’s all About epigenetic and homeostasis 

Cipralex 2 years treatment (January 2017 to March 2019, with a brief interruption). 

 

Cipralex 10 mg : January 2017 - July 2017.

Cipralex 5 mg: August 2017 - March 2018.  Start tapering 1 mg a month. 

Off the medication: August 2018.  Too fast tapering, crashed, doctor reinstated considering relapse. 

Cipralex 5 mg: September 2018 - December 2018.  Tired of emotional numbness, start tapering again, 1 mg a month (didn't know it was so fast, following my doctor advice). 

Off the medication: March 2019. 

PSSD and painful withdrawal symptoms: January 2020 until now. Some improvements but still struggling. 

 

Supplements: some Omega 3 and probiotics, a bit better. 

Link to comment
  • Replies 86
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • Willfinish

    48

  • getofflex

    14

  • Yesyes123

    6

  • Nic123

    4

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Posts

Go2zero
Go2zero

What I can say about it, is that memory flashes happen more often during WD. I notice it myself for several months already and I found here on SA that it can be an WD effect.   For me, these

Willfinish
Willfinish

Hi everyone,    I come from Italy and this is my first post here.   First of all, I would thank Altostrata ad all the members of this site for your incredibile work. You are saving

Willfinish
Willfinish

upgrade : I think I’m finally healing. Near the reaching point

Willfinish Newbie

Willfinish

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Quick update: another wave of DP/DR, PSSD hit me. I have no strenght anymore....are there some successful stories ? I'm going to give up... 

Cipralex 2 years treatment (January 2017 to March 2019, with a brief interruption). 

 

Cipralex 10 mg : January 2017 - July 2017.

Cipralex 5 mg: August 2017 - March 2018.  Start tapering 1 mg a month. 

Off the medication: August 2018.  Too fast tapering, crashed, doctor reinstated considering relapse. 

Cipralex 5 mg: September 2018 - December 2018.  Tired of emotional numbness, start tapering again, 1 mg a month (didn't know it was so fast, following my doctor advice). 

Off the medication: March 2019. 

PSSD and painful withdrawal symptoms: January 2020 until now. Some improvements but still struggling. 

 

Supplements: some Omega 3 and probiotics, a bit better. 

Link to comment
Nic123 Contributor

Nic123

Posted
Posted

Hey man I feel your pain. Not sure how much longer I can bear this. I feel like My brain has been injected with some kind of anhesistic. Penis gets number day by day

2014 Duloxetine, took for a couple of weeks and stopped was aged 17 at the time CT brain zaps etc. 

2017 Lexapro 5mg, hard to remember but i took this for a couple months ago for social anxiety. Stopped CT, brain zaps etc. 

 

2020  oct-dec, Escitalopram, 5mg took for a total of 2.7 months including taper, tapered for a couple weeks. 

still not right. Emotional blunting, brain fog, anhedonia, PSSD, blank mind, cognitive issues. 

 

Link to comment
Willfinish Newbie

Willfinish

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Some improvements for me but it’s incredible how much time it takes. How is if possible ? Is worst than heroin and cocaine ?

Cipralex 2 years treatment (January 2017 to March 2019, with a brief interruption). 

 

Cipralex 10 mg : January 2017 - July 2017.

Cipralex 5 mg: August 2017 - March 2018.  Start tapering 1 mg a month. 

Off the medication: August 2018.  Too fast tapering, crashed, doctor reinstated considering relapse. 

Cipralex 5 mg: September 2018 - December 2018.  Tired of emotional numbness, start tapering again, 1 mg a month (didn't know it was so fast, following my doctor advice). 

Off the medication: March 2019. 

PSSD and painful withdrawal symptoms: January 2020 until now. Some improvements but still struggling. 

 

Supplements: some Omega 3 and probiotics, a bit better. 

Link to comment
Fallensoul Newbie

Fallensoul

Posted
Posted

Its worse then heroine.(not that I speak out of experience)

1998-2020  Paroxetine 20mg, stopped working 2018/08 tapered down to 6mg now @ 1%/week 2019 /04      Lorazepam 3x1mg, 1x0,5mg night, Lormetazepam 0,5mg night
2019/05       Buspirone addition 3x5mg worked like wonders for one month, stopped ct 2019/12        Mirtazipine, first 2x10mg til 2021/2, no effect, now 3mg for sleep
2020/06       Wellbutrin 6 weeks, no effect stopped ct 2020/08 Lexapro, trying, to crossover, got crazy from 1 mg/day after 6 days, stopped
2020/11        Clomipramine to 50mg, adverse effect, restless, panic, low mood, anxiety, fast taper down to 30 (plan is go to ~20 and hold and taper only parox. and benzo's and maybe Mirt if I sleep)

2021/1         3x1000mg gaba, 3x10mg Lithium Orotate, 3x 1000mg L-Tyrosine,2-3 times 1x400mg magnesium citrate , 2-3 times 1x1000mg vit. C,1x15mg Zinc,

                     3 times 2mg Molybdeen Glycinate, 2 times 2000mg Omgea 3-6-9 and 1x16mg B6 (P5P) 2021/03/17  Gaba, Tyrosine and Lithium orotate to 3x1 tablet.

2021/03/17   Cl 30, P 5,8. 2021/03/20 Cl 28. 2021/03/23 M 2,7. 2021/03/25 M 2,6, Cl 26, P 5,7. 2021/03/28 Cl 25. 2021/04/1 P 5,6. 2021/04/07 Cl 24,P 5,5. 2021/04/08 Cl 23,5. 2021/04/13 P5,4

2021/03/26  Lor 3x0,9, 1x0,45 night, Lorm 0,45night 2021/04/13 CL 23, M 2,5. 2021/04/16 Cl 22,5, P 5,3. 2021/04/18 M 2,4. 2021/04/24 Cl 22. 2021/04/29 M2,3, P5,28. 2021/05/8 Cl 21,5.

2021/05/9   M 2,2, P 5,22. 2021/05/12 Cl back to 22, 2021/05/20 Lor 3x0,8, night 1x0,40 Lorm 1x0,40 2021/05/27 Cl 20(holding)2021/05/28 P5,15 (holding)2021/05/31 Cl 22 (holding)

2021/06/7   Lor 3x0,75 1x0,38 night, Lorm 0,38night 2021/11/7 P5

Link to comment
  • 3 months later...
Willfinish Newbie

Willfinish

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Hi eveyone,

it has been a long time after my last update.


Withdrawal symptoms are not over and my mind is struggling everyday, but now i have  less waves and   i’m generally improving. 

I can see and understand in which part of the wave i am and foresee what will happen next. However it’s a very long journey, almost 3 years off the drug and two years with post-persistent withdrawal effect. I have still a sort of pssd and numbness but in a lighter way. Sometimes i have emotions and my old self back. I don’t know how much this process will still last…i hope that in a matter of months (3/4 ?) It could be definetely over. I’m very exhausted of what it has been, but I notice that in step of 3/4 months, things improve clearly.

 

thank you for your support, let me know if you have questions. 

 

I’m not taking supplements anymore..just some food and tips if you want to know.

wishes 

1

Cipralex 2 years treatment (January 2017 to March 2019, with a brief interruption). 

 

Cipralex 10 mg : January 2017 - July 2017.

Cipralex 5 mg: August 2017 - March 2018.  Start tapering 1 mg a month. 

Off the medication: August 2018.  Too fast tapering, crashed, doctor reinstated considering relapse. 

Cipralex 5 mg: September 2018 - December 2018.  Tired of emotional numbness, start tapering again, 1 mg a month (didn't know it was so fast, following my doctor advice). 

Off the medication: March 2019. 

PSSD and painful withdrawal symptoms: January 2020 until now. Some improvements but still struggling. 

 

Supplements: some Omega 3 and probiotics, a bit better. 

Link to comment
Nic123 Contributor

Nic123

Posted
Posted
52 minutes ago, Willfinish said:

Hi eveyone,

it has been a long time after my last update.


Withdrawal symptoms are not over and my mind is struggling everyday, but now i have  less waves and   i’m generally improving. 

I can see and understand in which part of the wave i am and foresee what will happen next. However it’s a very long journey, almost 3 years off the drug and two years with post-persistent withdrawal effect. I have still a sort of pssd and numbness but in a lighter way. Sometimes i have emotions and my old self back. I don’t know how much this process will still last…i hope that in a matter of months (3/4 ?) It could be definetely over. I’m very exhausted of what it has been, but I notice that in step of 3/4 months, things improve clearly.

 

thank you for your support, let me know if you have questions. 

 

I’m not taking supplements anymore..just some food and tips if you want to know.

wishes 

 

Been following your story. I'm so glad your feeling more and more like yourself. I have experienced the same and cant help but feel its permanent sometimes. Just lately it has gotten far worst for me and i think stress and "researching" the issue makes it far worst but its hard to stop sometimes. The mind numbness is just the absolute worst thing for me and the lack of feeling literally anything it makes it so hard to do anything at all. I'm essentially just a living vessel with no inner world. No emotions, desires or motivation. **** sucks

When did you stop your last med?

2014 Duloxetine, took for a couple of weeks and stopped was aged 17 at the time CT brain zaps etc. 

2017 Lexapro 5mg, hard to remember but i took this for a couple months ago for social anxiety. Stopped CT, brain zaps etc. 

 

2020  oct-dec, Escitalopram, 5mg took for a total of 2.7 months including taper, tapered for a couple weeks. 

still not right. Emotional blunting, brain fog, anhedonia, PSSD, blank mind, cognitive issues. 

 

Link to comment
Willfinish Newbie

Willfinish

Posted
  • Author
Posted

In march 2019.  Now i have been almost 2,5 years off..withdrawal started after 6 -10 months the last dose ..but what about you ? You were on the drug only for months ..

Cipralex 2 years treatment (January 2017 to March 2019, with a brief interruption). 

 

Cipralex 10 mg : January 2017 - July 2017.

Cipralex 5 mg: August 2017 - March 2018.  Start tapering 1 mg a month. 

Off the medication: August 2018.  Too fast tapering, crashed, doctor reinstated considering relapse. 

Cipralex 5 mg: September 2018 - December 2018.  Tired of emotional numbness, start tapering again, 1 mg a month (didn't know it was so fast, following my doctor advice). 

Off the medication: March 2019. 

PSSD and painful withdrawal symptoms: January 2020 until now. Some improvements but still struggling. 

 

Supplements: some Omega 3 and probiotics, a bit better. 

Link to comment
Nic123 Contributor

Nic123

Posted
Posted
6 hours ago, Willfinish said:

In march 2019.  Now i have been almost 2,5 years off..withdrawal started after 6 -10 months the last dose ..but what about you ? You were on the drug only for months ..

I was only on it for 84 days at half dose! So 2.5 months or so. I was fine even on the stuff. Yeah my sex drive was down and emotions were numbed to but not all that much. but all my issues started about 1-2 months after stopping and just kept getting worst and worst. I’ve been doing ok the past couple months, when I say ok I mean kind of forgetting about the whole thing and just going on with life but I just can’t ignore the brain fog, lack of emotions. I often wondered if all this isn’t even really related to the escitalpram and just mental health issues that were maybe triggered by it. Like severe depression/derealisation. But that wouldn’t really explain the loss of sex drive etc. All I want is to feel emotions again that’s really it. Maybe because I focus on It it feels like it’s never improving? I have no idea :(

 

has your pssd improved at all?

 

 

 

 

2014 Duloxetine, took for a couple of weeks and stopped was aged 17 at the time CT brain zaps etc. 

2017 Lexapro 5mg, hard to remember but i took this for a couple months ago for social anxiety. Stopped CT, brain zaps etc. 

 

2020  oct-dec, Escitalopram, 5mg took for a total of 2.7 months including taper, tapered for a couple weeks. 

still not right. Emotional blunting, brain fog, anhedonia, PSSD, blank mind, cognitive issues. 

 

Link to comment
Willfinish Newbie

Willfinish

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Yes it improved a bit. But i’m in a wave right now. Things that make me angry are especially water retention e bloating. Anyone with this ?

Cipralex 2 years treatment (January 2017 to March 2019, with a brief interruption). 

 

Cipralex 10 mg : January 2017 - July 2017.

Cipralex 5 mg: August 2017 - March 2018.  Start tapering 1 mg a month. 

Off the medication: August 2018.  Too fast tapering, crashed, doctor reinstated considering relapse. 

Cipralex 5 mg: September 2018 - December 2018.  Tired of emotional numbness, start tapering again, 1 mg a month (didn't know it was so fast, following my doctor advice). 

Off the medication: March 2019. 

PSSD and painful withdrawal symptoms: January 2020 until now. Some improvements but still struggling. 

 

Supplements: some Omega 3 and probiotics, a bit better. 

Link to comment
Nic123 Contributor

Nic123

Posted
Posted
9 minutes ago, Willfinish said:

Yes it improved a bit. But i’m in a wave right now. Things that make me angry are especially water retention e bloating. Anyone with this ?


thats good to hear. My main concern is just my lack of “feeling” and emotions. It’s such an indescribable state of being. I think because I have no thoughts there is no thought to trigger the emotion if that makes sense. Have yours improved ?

2014 Duloxetine, took for a couple of weeks and stopped was aged 17 at the time CT brain zaps etc. 

2017 Lexapro 5mg, hard to remember but i took this for a couple months ago for social anxiety. Stopped CT, brain zaps etc. 

 

2020  oct-dec, Escitalopram, 5mg took for a total of 2.7 months including taper, tapered for a couple weeks. 

still not right. Emotional blunting, brain fog, anhedonia, PSSD, blank mind, cognitive issues. 

 

Link to comment
Willfinish Newbie

Willfinish

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Yes it improved a bit. But i’m in a wave right now. Things that make me angry are especially water retention e bloating. Anyone with this ?

Cipralex 2 years treatment (January 2017 to March 2019, with a brief interruption). 

 

Cipralex 10 mg : January 2017 - July 2017.

Cipralex 5 mg: August 2017 - March 2018.  Start tapering 1 mg a month. 

Off the medication: August 2018.  Too fast tapering, crashed, doctor reinstated considering relapse. 

Cipralex 5 mg: September 2018 - December 2018.  Tired of emotional numbness, start tapering again, 1 mg a month (didn't know it was so fast, following my doctor advice). 

Off the medication: March 2019. 

PSSD and painful withdrawal symptoms: January 2020 until now. Some improvements but still struggling. 

 

Supplements: some Omega 3 and probiotics, a bit better. 

Link to comment
  • 3 weeks later...
Willfinish Newbie

Willfinish

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Life is disgusting and unfair, still

in withdrawal. I have been suffering for two years after being for 2 years on the drug and this girl who was on it for 3 years has already recovered after some months. Life is unfair: i hope God will take account of this

Cipralex 2 years treatment (January 2017 to March 2019, with a brief interruption). 

 

Cipralex 10 mg : January 2017 - July 2017.

Cipralex 5 mg: August 2017 - March 2018.  Start tapering 1 mg a month. 

Off the medication: August 2018.  Too fast tapering, crashed, doctor reinstated considering relapse. 

Cipralex 5 mg: September 2018 - December 2018.  Tired of emotional numbness, start tapering again, 1 mg a month (didn't know it was so fast, following my doctor advice). 

Off the medication: March 2019. 

PSSD and painful withdrawal symptoms: January 2020 until now. Some improvements but still struggling. 

 

Supplements: some Omega 3 and probiotics, a bit better. 

Link to comment
  • Administrator
Altostrata Grand Master

Altostrata

Posted
  • Administrator
Posted

@Willfinish since you've seen some improvement, you're likely to see more improvement.

 

Having a more optimistic attitude may help, in that being so very negative may be adding more emotional stress to your situation.  

 

Please do not be spiteful about your misery to members who are recovering. That is mean.

1

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

Link to comment
  • 4 weeks later...
Aliaok1 Newbie

Aliaok1

Posted
Posted

Hi guys I'm just like you struggling after 1.5 year and see some slightly changes from time to time but then i be anxious and more depressed ..... what your waves are !? Explain plz ....i for myself sometimes i feel so stressed my heart hurting for hours then it gets lifted a lil bit ! 🤷‍♂️

On 10/3/2021 at 12:00 PM, Willfinish said:

Life is disgusting and unfair, still

in withdrawal. I have been suffering for two years after being for 2 years on the drug and this girl who was on it for 3 years has already recovered after some months. Life is unfair: i hope God will take account of this

 

On 10/3/2021 at 10:25 PM, Altostrata said:

@Willfinish since you've seen some improvement, you're likely to see more improvement.

 

Having a more optimistic attitude may help, in that being so very negative may be adding more emotional stress to your situation.  

 

Please do not be spiteful about your misery to members who are recovering. That is mean.

 

On 9/11/2021 at 12:10 PM, Nic123 said:


thats good to hear. My main concern is just my lack of “feeling” and emotions. It’s such an indescribable state of being. I think because I have no thoughts there is no thought to trigger the emotion if that makes sense. Have yours improved ?

 

Every single drug ... changing thru 1 year till 

Ecitalopram the one that worked for me before .....2018

Zoloft 50 2019

Prozac 2020

5 months without any drug 

Link to comment

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use Privacy Policy

  I accept