sicksagittarius: Lexapro/escitalopram withdrawal

[Heath]

I am sorry you aren’t getting support you need from your mom. It happens with me and many others. People don’t know unless they experienced it. It’s something they can’t physically see. I know it’s hard. I try really hard not to complain or try to explain these things to anyone especially drs when I am unstable.  
 

I agree with gridley. You could cut the pills for several months and stabilize. Don’t get in a hurry to taper. Especially if it would make it easier until you feel better. I cut pills with pill cutter in 2019 until I could get liquid. I was cutting pills in 1/4s . A good pill cutter is really close. Cut a 5 mg in half. Concentrate on stabilizing and getting better. The taper can wait. 

[Yesyes123]

Hey, I filmed the video showing how to do the crushing pills method for tapering but still haven't been able to edit it or upload it. 

 

I wish I had it done by now but I will do it soon. Had some sudden changes in plans

[Greatful]

Hi, 

I have been following your thread,  I am interest in the video on how to crush tablets.  I am trying to stabilize from starting and stopping  Zoloft, Wellbutrin, Seroquel, all bad side effects.  Started Lexapro up and down 5mg to 10 mg back to 5mg. bad side effects   SA recommends I stay at 5mg until I stabilize   .  I have been just braking my xanax and trazadone in half and not being very careful with equal measurements.  My brain has been a mess since I last fall. I tried to tapper off Prozac last summer and didn't go slow enough and crashed.  If I would have been on SA I could have avoided this off and on meds trying to stop the withdrawal. I didn't know it was WD.  Anyway thanks for letting me rant...When we stabilize I hope we can support each other tapering off Lexapro. 

[Yesyes123]

Hey, I will post the video soon! Thanks for reminding me about it

[Sicksagittarius]

Hi everyone! I've been doing trial and error in attempt to get the most exact dose. .032 is half of the 5 mg pill. 

 

trial and error:

2-3 weeks after cold turkey-half of 5 mg pill with pill cutter without weighing with scale, felt great feeling like I'm stabilizing

 

1 day-.032 crushed and put into capsule from 20 mg pill: immediately felt dizzy and sick for 12 hours

2 days-.032 just cutting 5 mg pill in half and shaving it and weighing it: felt sicker, fatigue, hypersensitive light sound smell

2 days-.034: flu like symptoms extreme head pressure, headache, blurry vision. brain fog, short term memory issues, 

 

3 days- .033:  flu like symptoms extreme head pressure, headache, feel dizzy as soon as I took it today 

 

I'm really scared bc I'm so destabilized and feel miserable, like I have the flu. I also feel generally slow in my brain and not sharp at all. I know I should take the same dose everyday and trying so many different doses in a short time can mess me up. How can I figure out which dose gets me stable and how long do I stick with one dose until I lower it to see if that stabilizes me?

 

Also, has anyone gotten the covid-19 vaccine? I'm scared to get it bc I'm so unstable and will my body be able to fight off the side effects from it or would it make me really sick?  How can I deal with the flu like symptoms of feeling fatigued, headaches, head pressure, dizzy, overall blah. It's such an awful, dull, feeling of being sick. I know adding mroe drugs to my system while trying to stabilize is bad so I've been just dealing with it instead of taking tylenol, bonine, or zofran. What natural ways can I use to help with these symptoms? Ginger tea? cbd cream? 

 

I've done gua shua on my neck and temples and thats helped some of my headache pain. Also drinking a lot of water helps.

 

I'm so upset that I messed up my stabilization. I thought I was doing the right thing by measuring it out instead of eyeballing but whatever dose I was consistently eyeballing and giving myself I cannot seem to find it now that I'm using a scale. 

 

Also what are some quotes or spirituality that give you hope in this process? I haven't worked in months and it's so upsetting seeing people my age living their best lives. Looking at social media makes me freak out so I limit myself which helps. I see people out at restarants, hanging with friends, on vacations, starting new jobs, moving to new homes in different states and I think "wow I wonder what it feels like to not feel sick and enjoy life without any physical or mental pain" I also can't picture my future anymore not being in some sort of suffering or illness and think about how I'll never be normal again or be able to have kids and enjoy life. 

 

I get so angry that I'm going through this when I'm supposed to be enjoying life in my early twenties but I'm wasting it away sitting in my house, too sick to be able to enjoy anything. I feel like a prisoner to my illness. 

 

Going outside, which is one of the only pleasurable things left in my life, is now  hard bc I cant regulate my temperature, it makes the skin on my upper back sting, my stomach meds make it easy for me to burn and be sensitive to the sun, and my hypersensitivity to sound light and smells makes me nauseous. I honestly feel like I'm dying from this. I'm so malnourished and have chronic diarrhea and can only eat a handful of foods. My stomach burns and cramps when I eat.

 

I can't workout, have a job, see my friends for long periods of time, eat a variety of foods, or wakeup without feeling some sort of illness. I'm reaching a breaking point.

 

I know I'm learning so much about myself during this time and I'm grateful for that, I could just use a little less physical and mental pain so I can survive this. 

 

My friends complain about the dumbest problems and it makes me mad bc I'm going through it and no one understands how devastating this experience has been for me. 

[Yesyes123]

46 minutes ago, Sicksagittarius said:

dose. .032 is half of the 5 mg pill. 

 

You mean 0.032g in the scale right? Taking 0.032g or 0.034g will make no difference. It is an extremely small difference in weight. It's good to be precise but we only start to consider the variation problematic if it is over 0.005g in difference I believe. 

 

46 minutes ago, Sicksagittarius said:

Also, has anyone gotten the covid-19 vaccine? I'm scared to get it bc I'm so unstable and will my body be able to fight off the side effects from it or would it make me really sick?

 

I've seen people close to me that took the covid shot and got really sick for a while the day after.

 

I'm not informed enough to suggest anything on this, but I'm personally definitely not taking it. 

 

I've seen other members recommend taking it though. 

[Yesyes123]

Sorry I haven't sent you the video I made yet. I will be able to do it soon

[Greatful]

I was wondering if the 10mg tablets and the 5mg tablets are from different manufacture.  I am very sensitive to generic.  I can have withdrawal symptoms when the pharmacy gets in a different drug  manufacture.  It is so frustrating.  The pharmacy claims sometimes they can't get that manufacture anymore.  It depends on where their whole salers  contracts through.  I am going through that right now. 

 

 

[Yesyes123]

3 hours ago, Greatful said:

I am very sensitive to generic.  I can have withdrawal symptoms when the pharmacy gets in a different drug  manufacture.  It is so frustrating.  The pharmacy claims sometimes they can't get that manufacture anymore.  It depends on where their whole salers  contracts through.  I am going through that right now. 

 

You should stick to the same brand, can't you go to a different pharmacy?

[Greatful]

I would have a pharmacy that would carry a manufacture, then they don't have it anymore. I would have it on my file that I need x manufacture when they fill my prescription, they don't always get the same manufacture in when they order med. They would try and get the one I need until it runs out.   I have to call around to other pharmacy to see if they carry it.  Sometimes I am lucky and they do and there has been times that I can't find it.  I have even call the manufacture to see if they could help.  If I understood him right.....They make x amount then wholesalers  by them up, than each pharmacy (now there are so many big pharmacies cvs, walgreens, ect.) has there own wholesaler they get their meds from.  That's the  way I understood it.  So frustrating. 

[Sicksagittarius]

Hi everyone,

 

I stopped my birth control combination pill after taking it for 7 years in february 2020. I started weaning off my lexapro after 7 years of 20 mg in September 2020. I didn't get my period for 3 months and as soon as I got it, I gained a painful ovarian cyst I think due to imbalanced hormones, excess estrogen from ovulating again for the first time in years. It's been 2 cycles and PMS/ovulation weeks make the emotional and physical pain very intense. Would going back on birth control be a bad idea due to me trying to stabilize from lexapro withdrawals? The main issues I have with lexapro withdrawal is pain when I eat, diarhea, food intolerance to soy, dairy, gluten, eggs, sugar, inflammatory foods, processed foods, high FODMAP foods, etc. I'm worried that because my digestion is horrible that my body will not properly balance out the excess of estrogen in my body and my cysts will continue to grow and eventually burst or need surgically removed. I went to the gynecologist and the cyst grew from 3.2 cm to 3.7 cm. She thinks it should go away on own or I need to start a birth control pill. Has anyone had experience taking a new birth control pill while trying to stabilize from SSRI withdrawal? I know there are natural ways to heal ovarian cysts but mine is getting so bad and my body is not properly functioning I'm scared it will continue to grow and not heal itself in time before bursting. 

[Sicksagittarius]

Hi everyone,

 

I stopped my birth control combination pill after taking it for 7 years in february 2020. I started weaning off my lexapro after 7 years of 20 mg in September 2020. I didn't get my period for 3 months and as soon as I got it, I gained a painful ovarian cyst I think due to imbalanced hormones, excess estrogen from ovulating again for the first time in years. It's been 2 cycles and PMS/ovulation weeks make the emotional and physical pain very intense. Would going back on birth control be a bad idea due to me trying to stabilize from lexapro withdrawals? The main issues I have with lexapro withdrawal is pain when I eat, diarhea, food intolerance to soy, dairy, gluten, eggs, sugar, inflammatory foods, processed foods, high FODMAP foods, etc. I'm worried that because my digestion is horrible that my body will not properly balance out the excess of estrogen in my body and my cysts will continue to grow and eventually burst or need surgically removed. I went to the gynecologist and the cyst grew from 3.2 cm to 3.7 cm. She thinks it should go away on own or I need to start a birth control pill. Has anyone had experience taking a new birth control pill while trying to stabilize from SSRI withdrawal? I know there are natural ways to heal ovarian cysts but mine is getting so bad and my body is not properly functioning I'm scared it will continue to grow and not heal itself in time before bursting. 

[Yesyes123]

Hello, I finally finished the video showing how to do the crushing pills method, please watch in 1080p and also read the description.

 

 

[Greatful]

@Yesyes123Thank You so much for taking the time to do this video.  You do make it look so much easier than I thought it was going to be.....

Take care of yourself

Greatful

[Yesyes123]

6 hours ago, Greatful said:

@Yesyes123Thank You so much for taking the time to do this video.  You do make it look so much easier than I thought it was going to be.....

Take care of yourself

Greatful

 

@Greatful that is the exact reason I made this video! to try to help others. It makes me happy that you found it useful. If you need any help you can reach out or leave a comment on the video. Peace and healing

[getofflex]

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/24752-sicksagittarius-lexaproescitalopram-withdrawal/?do=findComment&comment=535541

 

Linked post above moved to your intro topic to keep your history all in one place.  Please post questions and discussion about your situation in this one thread, to avoid confusion and duplication of efforts.  Thank you.  

[Altostrata]

Hello, @Sicksagittarius

 

Please do not start any more Introductions topics. Put your questions in this topic. 

 

Did you see the responses in this topic since you posted on May 30?

 

We cannot answer gynecological questions here. I doubt your ovarian cyst is connected to antidepressant withdrawal. The occurrence is coincidental.

 

22 hours ago, Sicksagittarius said:

when I eat, diarhea, food intolerance to soy, dairy, gluten, eggs, sugar, inflammatory foods, processed foods, high FODMAP foods, etc.

 

Sounds like you need to go on an exclusion diet because of food intolerances. This may not be directly related to antidepressant withdrawal, either, though it's making you more miserable. You may wish to join a group about food intolerances. There are many on Facebook. See

 

Eating as an activating factor

 

Elimination or exclusion diets for reactions to food (food intolerance)

 

Histamine intolerance

 

SCD/GAPS/Paleo Diets

[getofflex]

22 hours ago, Sicksagittarius said:

Would going back on birth control be a bad idea due to me trying to stabilize from lexapro withdrawals?

I don't know for sure.   Here are some threads about others' experiences with birth control and hormones: 

 

Birth Control

 

Hormonal Birth Control

 

Also I see in April, you reinstated, and changed your dose around a few times.  It takes a couple of months for a reinstatement to help, so it is a good idea to stay on the exact same dose for a while, unless the reinstatement makes you worse, in which case you should stop the reinstatement immediately.    Here are some threads about stability: 

 

Considerations About Stability Stop Jumping Around

 

Keep it Simple, Slow, and Stable

Edited June 8, 2021 by getofflex

[Greatful]

@SicksagittariusHi, how are you doing?  

[Sicksagittarius]

Wow, thank you for checking in and asking how I'm doing. I feel very isolated and no one has really checked up on me recently. I'm having issues with extreme anxiety right before my period and during ovulation. I've read that it's common for your cycle to impact withdrawal symptoms. I also went off of my birth control three months ago so I'm sure that makes things worse.

 

I also am worried about trying to get off of my 40 mg of omeprazole because I've found in my research that it doubles the amount of lexapro in my system. I need to get off the omeprazole because I'm so underweight and I think its stopping me from absorbing important nutrients like magnesium and b12 and creates SIBO. I'm starting to get even more grey hairs which started when I had digestive issues from weaning off lexapro and I'm in my early twenties so I don't think that's normal.

 

 I've been taking 2.5 mg for three months now. I really want to get back to work but I'm scared because I never know how I'll feel physically or mentally. Is there any advice from people who are working at a job while dealing with withdrawal? Do you tell the company you interview with whats actually happening or keep it private so they won't be discouraged from hiring me? I'm a perfectionist and knowing that I'll have to work at a slower pace upsets me. I'm going to try to find a remote job that has flexible hours thats part time.

 

 

I'm nervous about being on mesalamine and hyoscyamine as well for my digestive issues from lexapro withdrawal. They help me eat more but I'm afriad since it takes away some of the pain, I am further damaging my insides. In addition, I have ovarian cysts as well from coming off of my birth control (post pill PCOS) and I'm nervous that I won't be able to heal them before they rupture because of how messed up my stomach is and how I'm getting worse from stupid meds the GI doctor gave me. I want to take more supplements like DIM for my ovarian cysts. Is that something I could tolerate? 

[Greatful]

@Sicksagittarius  Please reach out and post on here.  We all want to help in anyway we can.

It is a personal journey that can make you feel alone, but try to remember you are not alone.

 

Congratulations for getting through the 1st 3 months off Lexapro.  I know it is not easy.  

I know anxiety is hard..  Do you have all the time or just around your period?  As if WD isn't bad enough women get to add their monthly cycles into the mix😆. 

Are you having any other symptoms? 

Are you able to eat yet? 

Can you get outside, go for a walk get out into nature?   I  go for walks.  I try to several times a week.  Sometimes it is hard to get myself to go but try build it into your daily schedule.  I try to go in the morning.  It does help and it is very good for anxiety.

I like to sit on my front porch to be apart of the world and not feel closed in. I like to be on my computer and listen to the birds sing and the wind in the trees.  I have a hard time being out in the public ie stores, I can get over whelmed right now, so just being outside helps me not feel so isolated. 

  Try to find anything small to do that will help you feel a little bit better and get you through the days.  

I spent a lot of time going through some of the topics on the symptoms and self care.  There are so many helpful ideas that have helped other members with going through WD.  

Read through some of the success story's can be very encouraging.  

 

I see you mentioned getting back to work.  I know that being busy would help, but I don't know how you are doing WD wise.  What kind of work are you thinking of doing. Is it something you think you could handle right now.  If so it would not hurt to look into it. Starting a new job could be stressful to begin with.  Some members work and some don't.  It is a individual decision.

 

Are you getting any support at home or with your friends?

Reach out here on SA and let things off of your chest, vent, express your pain, or just to have someone to talk to.  We all need support and encouragement.  This WD is not a easy thing to go through especially when you are trying to do it alone.

 

You can tag someone name and they will see you have posted on your thread.  You can also follow other members and you will see when they post.  Do you know how to do this?

 

   

[Greatful]

@Sicksagittarius  How are you doing.  We haven't heard from you for awhile.  Let us know how you are doing.☺️

[Sicksagittarius]

7 hours ago, Greatful said:

@Sicksagittarius  How are you doing.  We haven't heard from you for awhile.  Let us know how you are doing.☺️

@GreatfulThe universe works in mysterious ways, I was just about to update you and ask for advice. Thank you so much for checking up on me. I have no one who understands this in person but online communities have saved my life. I've been going through an amazing spiritual journey and I know this is all happening to elevate me to my higher self and its amazing.

 

However, Ive been really struggling living at home with a parent who is in the traditional medical field. She doesn't believe the cause of anything I'm going through. She thinks I'm being extra when I have to follow the low histamine, anti-inflammatory diet. She rolled her eyes when I try to explain I cant eat leftovers or dethaw fish in the frridge bc it builds histamine when it causes me to wheexe and feel like my throat is closing. I'm trying to keep a good relationship with her but between the messed up serotonin levels and hormone imbalance/PCOS I have from getting off birth control, I have little control over my emotions. Now I'm distancing myself from her because the bad energy is too much. She works as much as possible and is never home because she avoids all confrontation and it makes me feel sad due to the lack of support. Its good when she is away because I work on myself but it sucks that this is whats its come to to get my inner peace back. I know she doesnt know better but she could take the time to do research about what I'm going through and not fight me blindly with her opinion and no fact. She doesnt believe in PCOS from going off birth control and when i refuse to take birth control she gives up on me and says theres nothing else you can do. Learning how to heal myself with the help of a functinal dr who costs so much money for barely any time is so overwhelming. Having to cook fresh complex meals so often is exhasuting I'm always cooking and cleaning the kitchen and barely have time to do other things to help my health

 

I'm trying to focus on my mental health bc I know inflammation prevents me from absorbing nutrients. However it seems impossible to stop being stressed when I feel so alone and I have to do all of this stuff by myself. Yes I'm grateful to have a rent free home to stay in and financial support right now since Im not back to work yet but I would be so much happier if I had my own place to stay and heal. Im working on becoming a freelance writer and manifesting money so I can do that. But apartments are wasting money away that I barely have. 

 

Also I took half of my pill today and I took it 2 hours late and I split a 5 mg pill in half to 2.5 mg. I weighed it to the weight I've been taking since April 1 of .0031 but it looked bigger than normal and as soon as I took it I feel dizzy and sick like I do if I take too much of it. It's hard to cut evenly so each day I try my best but sometimes its not a straight cut parts of the sides are shaved off unevenly bc I have to use a nail file to file it down after splitting it bc its hard to do it exactly in half even with an expensive pill cutter. I dont crush up the pill and put it into capsules it was too difficult for me. Is cutting it in half a safe thing to do? Is the amt of the drug evenly dispersed in the pill? I want to come off my omeprazole first before attempting to lower the lexapro dose bc that doubles the amount of elxapro in my system. Im nervous about that bc I need to get off this PPI omeprazole because they're makng my stomach issues and malnourishment way worse. I'm 5'0 and only 96 lbs right now because I have SIBO and lots of bad bacteria that prevents me from absorbing nutrients. Idk if my hormone imbalance, lexapro withdrawal, or pharmaceutical meds from my GI dr caused it or what but I'm really sick and scared. 

 

IN addition, I go to a functional dr to help with my stomach issues and after a GI Map test I was given supplements and herbs to help my stomach good bacteria to grow back. Im nervous I wont be able to tolerate them. Has anyone had experience with taking probiotics for your gut biome and herbal supplements? Ive been stabilized for months and today is the first time ive experienced the dizziness from taking too much of my lexapro in months.

[Greatful]

@Sicksagittarius  I am so glad that you responded.  I am sorry that you are not getting the support you need.  You are very strong and doing so well with  W/d and all your other medical issues.  

Remember you can and should post on here to get support and encouragement.  

 

It looks like you are still on 2.5mg?  How are you feeling on it?  Are you having W/D symptoms?

 

 I really feel for you with the stomach issues,  I feel nauseas a lot and don't have much of a appetite.  I think it is my Lexapro.  Have you tried protein powder?  I make a smoothie with plant based protein powder, almond milk, frozen fresh fruit, spinach and kale. 

 

Your cutting your Lex?  I have a pill cutter and I also have a razor blade.  You can buy a set of single edge razor blades.  Hopefully the dizziness is just from either taking it late or a w/d symptom.  I get dizzy days off and on.

 

Are you still dealing with a cysts?  I heard those can be painful😬 

 

Remember you are not alone.  There is so much support here.  Members want to help out in anyway they can.  It helps us feel we are doing our small part in helping  other people's journey just a little bit more manageable.  

 

Your doing a amazing job💥

[Sicksagittarius]

Hi there! So from April to today, I've been stabilizing on .031 of lexapro. The whole time I've cut a 5 mg pill in half to 2.5 mg after taping way too quickly off of 20 mg. I cut it with a pill cutter and shave it with a nail file. After using the equation, I weigh it on a scale to .031. Is it bad that I didnt crush it and put it into a pill capsule? I tried to do that and it was so difficult for me. Is the method of cutting it in half okay to keep doing? How would you recommend tapering with that method in weight? Should I buy a single blade to make a more exact cut and do you recommend any specific ones? My biggest issues from lexapro withdrawal are stomach pain and food intolerances as well as anxiety. Am I preventing myself from healing by not being exact with my pill? Is there an equal amount of the drug dispersed in the pill so if I cut it slanted or not exactly the same shape each time but it weighs out to be .031, I will continue to heal? 

 

In addition, when I got a new bottle of lexapro, I forgot to reweigh 10 pills and average the pill weight again and halfway through, I realized 10 pills this time were .648 when last time it was .639 but I still cut up pills to equal .031. Am I still okay? 

 

In addition, I've been starting to feel numb when I get overwhelmed with anxiety. Any tips to stop feeling numb by stopping my brain from shutting down to avoid pain bc of too much stress? I also get so overwhelmed with trying to heal myself I have trouble balancing spiritual healing practices for mental health with physical health and trying to get my life back on track to get back to work. I'm trying to heal my trauma and anxiety as I feel this is preventing me from getting better. I also have hormonal imbalances from post pill PCOS which make it worse. 

 

Love you all thanks!!

[Greatful]

@Sicksagittarius It is good to hear from you.  I see you are holding your own.  Great job‼️  

Are you getting any support from home yet?  Remember you have have a lot of support here.☺️

 

I am not real good with the some of the questions that you asked about the pill weight.  I think it would be a good idea to talk to the mods.  I will tag @Gridley and @brassmonkey.  They have much more knowledge with this.  (the above post)

 

 Feeling numb and the wonderful anxiety are just part of the W/D's healing process.  Remember, we you are feeling these W/D symptoms because your brain is actually doing it's work to heal.  So it's HEALING.  Very uncomfortable to go through I know.

 

 Do you meditate?  I really think it will help you to start if you are not, even just a 5 or 10 minutes a day to start with.  It can be helpful in may ways.  I like to lay down on my bed under my weighted blanket, just focus on your breathe( you can even count your breathes) when your mind wonders and it will, that's okay acknowledge your thoughts don't engage with them and calmly redirect your thoughts back to your breathe.  I find that even if I can't redirect my thought well that day, I am training my body to relax and rest.  As you get more entuned in with this practice it will be easier for you to do this all throughout your day.

 

Acceptance is a big one and it is talked about a lot on here.  It is very hard to learn.  I am still working on it.  One thing that is starting to help me with it is.  Assign a symbol or color in your mind that represents  either the symptom (anxiety, depression, numbness, D/R  etc. or you can just say  W/D symptoms.  Then think of that color or symbol and visualize in your mind  you are looking at the symbol/color is if it is  separate from you and tell yourself I am not that (color/symbol), that is just a experience.  Meditation will help foster this.  I have a really good guided meditation that will help you learn this technique if your interested.

 

I hope I have given you a few things to try to help you manage your symptoms.  I want to repeat that reach out and connect with some member by posting  here and on their threads.  We are in this together and will share and encourage each other through this journey.  We are not alone

 

I am sorry that you are also experiencing other medical issues.  W/D is hard enough to go through😞

[brassmonkey]

As long as the new bottle of pills is the same strength and come from the same manufacturer there is no need to reaverage the weights. Taking the average weight is to give a starting point for your first reduction, from there all the other reductions are calculated.

 

Any way that you get to the dose weight is acceptable. Cutting, filing, crushing, they all will work so what ever is easiest for you. This article will answer some of your questions. https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/22065-myths-about-your-drugs/

 

[Sicksagittarius]

@brassmonkey@GreatfulThank you so much for your advice, I appreciate it so much! I know have another issue of receiving lexapro thats from a different manufacturer. I used to receive a round pill thats 5 mg that has a "53" on one side and an "F" on the back. This time I received a pill that was more flat than rounded with just a 5 on it. How do I talk to the pharmacist to switch back to the old manufacturer and if he cant, who do I go through to get the right pills? Will a different manufacturer cause side effects? The pharmacist already thinks Im crazy bc I cut the pills and have issues with getting enough.

 

These pills I received I had to pay for out of pocket bc my psychiatrist knows I cut 5 mg pills in half and waste some bc they're small and hard to get at exact measurements. He cant prescribe me 5 mg for 30 days bc its illegal bc I cut them in half but I wish he would bc now I have the issue of running out each month and having to use badly cut pills that arent exact. I wasted some and didnt have enough to hold me over until insurance would pay for them in 2 weeks. Is that why I was given a different manufactured pill? 

[Greatful]

@Sicksagittarius

1 hour ago, Sicksagittarius said:

I know have another issue of receiving Lexapro that's from a different manufacturer.

I have run across this many times.  Very frustrating,  I am very sensitive and changing manufactures causes problems for me.  But that is not to say that it will for you.  There are many on here that they do fine when their pills change to different manufactures.  I  told the pharmacy that I need the same manufacture for every refill.  Most of the  time they can get it in.  If not they are to let me know before they fill it so I can call around to other pharmacies to see if they can fill the prescription.

 

2 hours ago, Sicksagittarius said:

These pills I received I had to pay for out of pocket bc my psychiatrist knows I cut 5 mg pills in half and waste some bc they're small and hard to get at exact measurements. He cant prescribe me 5 mg for 30 days bc its illegal

I am not sure what you mean by this.  Are running  out because you are throwing out stuff that you have cut off? You should be saving any dust or pieces that brake off. 

 

My doctor will prescribe 5mg tabs monthly. I know that the insurance will not pay for more than a month supply. She knows that I will be tapering soon. 

 

 Some people crush and  buy empty capsules and put the weight amount in the capsule and save the rest.  You can crush a week supply or more or do it every day.  They can help you with this if you want to go this route.  

If trying to use capsules  is to complicated, ask a mod  if you can crush a bunch  Store the crushed powder in your pill container then  weight out what you need every day and put it in applesauce and take it that way.  

 

Hang in there, they will get it figured out.

Hang in there

[brassmonkey]

Trying to cut tablets in half is a very inaccurate way to get your dose. The better way is to crush the tablet and weigh out the new dose on a jewelers scale, or make a liquid solution. Either of these methods will eliminate most of the waste of broken tablets.

 

I see from your signature that you had trouble with crushing the pills. Did you just take the powder as is or did you put it in gel caps? 

 

As Greatful pointed out many people don't have problems switching between manufactures. If possible we recommend a crossover between the old and new, but it is not always necessary. You would need a special prescription from your doctor to get a specific brand. Sometimes the pharmacist can help, but they order the ones they can easily get. 

[Sicksagittarius]

3 hours ago, Greatful said:

I am not sure what you mean by this.  Are running  out because you are throwing out stuff that you have cut off? You should be saving any dust or pieces that brake off. 

 

 Some people crush and  buy empty capsules and put the weight amount in the capsule and save the rest.  You can crush a week supply or more or do it every day.  They can help you with this if you want to go this route.  

If trying to use capsules  is to complicated, ask a mod  if you can crush a bunch  Store the crushed powder in your pill container then  weight out what you need every day and put it in applesauce and take it that way.  

 

Hang in there, they will get it figured out.

Hang in there

 

Thank you so much for your response! I save all the pieces that I cut in half that end up being too small to be my daily dose. I use the bigger half and file it down and weigh it until its the correct amount. I was not aware if the amount of the drug is evenly dispersed within each pill. Is it possible to combine pieces of these uneven pills to weigh the correct amount and make that a daily dose? Or is that wrong because the amt of the drug would be uneven when combining pieces from various different pills?

On 7/31/2021 at 2:54 PM, brassmonkey said:

As long as the new bottle of pills is the same strength and come from the same manufacturer there is no need to reaverage the weights. Taking the average weight is to give a starting point for your first reduction, from there all the other reductions are calculated.

 

Any way that you get to the dose weight is acceptable. Cutting, filing, crushing, they all will work so what ever is easiest for you. This article will answer some of your questions. https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/22065-myths-about-your-drugs/

 

Thank you so much for your response! I'm confused and may have misunderstood, but here I thought this meant that my method was okay. I cut my 5 mg pill in half with a pill cutter, and use a file to get it to be the correct weight as I measure it on a jewelry scale to the weight I found using the equation. I swallow it as a formed pill rather than crushing it and putting it in a gel capsule. I tried doing that and could not get the powder in the pill capsule without spilling. I could try putting it in food and potentially using a small plate my scale came with to measure powder so I can easily transfer it? Is it possible to combine unused halves that were too small from uneven cutting from various pills to weigh the correct amount and make that a daily dose? Or is that wrong because the amt of the drug would be uneven when combining halves from various different pills?

[Sicksagittarius]

Hi! So I have various stomach issues from what I think is from tapering off lexapro, stopping my birth control cold turkey while in the midst of beginning of withdrawal and having post-pill PCOS with ovarian cysts/ extreme hair thinning and loss from it, and taking pharmaceuticals for my stomach like omeprezole (PPI, decreases stomach acid) mesalamine,(anti inflammatory, not steroids) and hyoscyamine (antispasmodic, slows bowels down).

 

I went to a functional dr and got a GI Map test where they test your stool for infection. I have the worst results she has ever seen in her career. I have pathogens: C diff, E. Coli, parasites: Giardia, H. Pylori, bacteria overgrowth mostly likely SIBO, fungi: candida, and various other issues. To help heal, my functional dr prescribed me herbal supplements, multivitamins, probiotics etc. I started taking them and I thought I was tolerating them but I started gettig intense depersonalization and derealization when I get too anxious. Did it heighten withdrawal symptoms?

 

Ive been stabilizing for 4 months and was in a good place (even tho healing is not linear) on lexapro until now when adding more supplements. I started slowly by adding one at a time for 2-4 weeks and was doing okay. I thought my increased depersonalization and derealization was from excess anxiety from attempting to take on small jobs again and eating too much histamine foods such as peanut butter. Then my hair started falling out more and panicked and tried to add too many supplements at once because I just want to heal.

 

here are my new supplements:

 

-Boswelia Complex: anti inflammatory

-Probiophage DF: help heal the gut

-Microbiome host defense powder: help heal the gut with pre and pro biotics

-DIM: help regulate estrogen for PCOS

-Quicksilver Liposomal multivitamin liquid: biotin, zinc, Vitamins A, C, D E, K, Niacin,, Thiomine, Riboflavin,Vitamin B6, B12, 

-Inositol: help sleep and anxiety 

-Black currant seed oil: ovarian cyst pain

 

I've been on boswelia for a month and was fine, I then added the multivitamin for the past 2-3 weeks and started having detachment issues. I then added microbiome host defense powder, probiophage and DIM at once which was not smart. I didnt try the inositol yet or the black currant oil seed.

 

If cannot take these supplements, how can I heal all my issues? I really need vitamins as well for my post-birth control pill PCOS as my hair is falling out due to too much androgens/testosterone. For vitamins, I know omega 3 and magnesium are okay usually and dont cause withdrawal symptoms. Are there other vitamins that are usually tolerated? I started the detachment around the time I tried the multivitamin but I also took on my first small job in almost a year so I thought it was from too much anxiety. 

 

[Greatful]

@Sicksagittarius  I use bits and saved pieces to get the weight I need. I figured it was no difference from crushing several pills together.  Let me know if they tell you not to do it that way.

 

 You have some really good questions that you should tag brassmonkey so he gets a notification are asking a question and need help.

[Sicksagittarius]

6 hours ago, Sicksagittarius said:

 

Brassmonkey:

As long as the new bottle of pills is the same strength and come from the same manufacturer there is no need to reaverage the weights. Taking the average weight is to give a starting point for your first reduction, from there all the other reductions are calculated.

 

Any way that you get to the dose weight is acceptable. Cutting, filing, crushing, they all will work so what ever is easiest for you. This article will answer some of your questions. https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/22065-myths-about-your-drugs/

 

6 hours ago, Sicksagittarius said:

Thank you so much for your response! I save all the pieces that I cut in half that end up being too small to be my daily dose. I use the bigger half and file it down and weigh it until its the correct amount. I was not aware if the amount of the drug is evenly dispersed within each pill. Is it possible to combine pieces of these uneven pills to weigh the correct amount and make that a daily dose? Or is that wrong because the amt of the drug would be uneven when combining pieces from various different pills?

Thank you so much for your response! I'm confused and may have misunderstood, but here I thought this meant that my method was okay. I cut my 5 mg pill in half with a pill cutter, and use a file to get it to be the correct weight as I measure it on a jewelry scale to the weight I found using the equation. I swallow it as a formed pill rather than crushing it and putting it in a gel capsule. I tried doing that and could not get the powder in the pill capsule without spilling. I could try putting it in food and potentially using a small plate my scale came with to measure powder so I can easily transfer it? Is it possible to combine unused halves that were too small from uneven cutting from various pills to weigh the correct amount and make that a daily dose? Or is that wrong because the amt of the drug would be uneven when combining halves from various different pills?

@brassmonkey

[brassmonkey]

I apparently didn't see the part about your using a scale to get the correct weight. As long as you are doing that your method is fine. The dose weight is the important thing and how you get there is secondary.

 

Most certainly use the leftover pieces. As the link I sent explains the Active Ingredient is evenly mixed throughout the tablet so there is not problem. It is most convenient to put the extra pieces in a gel cap to take them, but it is possible to sprinkle them on food such as apple sauce or pudding to take them. 

 

The trick to working with powder is to fold a small piece of paper, open it up and place it on the scale. Press the "TARE" button and then weigh your dose. The Paper will act as a funnel when you try to put the powder into the gel caps. The first time you do this a little powder will stick to the paper, but if you reuse the paper all your other readings will be accurate.

[Sicksagittarius]

On 8/7/2021 at 5:42 PM, Sicksagittarius said:

Hi! So I have various stomach issues from what I think is from tapering off lexapro, stopping my birth control cold turkey while in the midst of beginning of withdrawal and having post-pill PCOS with ovarian cysts/ extreme hair thinning and loss from it, and taking pharmaceuticals for my stomach like omeprezole (PPI, decreases stomach acid) mesalamine,(anti inflammatory, not steroids) and hyoscyamine (antispasmodic, slows bowels down).

 

I went to a functional dr and got a GI Map test where they test your stool for infection. I have the worst results she has ever seen in her career. I have pathogens: C diff, E. Coli, parasites: Giardia, H. Pylori, bacteria overgrowth mostly likely SIBO, fungi: candida, and various other issues. To help heal, my functional dr prescribed me herbal supplements, multivitamins, probiotics etc. I started taking them and I thought I was tolerating them but I started gettig intense depersonalization and derealization when I get too anxious. Did it heighten withdrawal symptoms?

 

Ive been stabilizing for 4 months and was in a good place (even tho healing is not linear) on lexapro until now when adding more supplements. I started slowly by adding one at a time for 2-4 weeks and was doing okay. I thought my increased depersonalization and derealization was from excess anxiety from attempting to take on small jobs again and eating too much histamine foods such as peanut butter. Then my hair started falling out more and panicked and tried to add too many supplements at once because I just want to heal.

 

here are my new supplements:

 

-Boswelia Complex: anti inflammatory

-Probiophage DF: help heal the gut

-Microbiome host defense powder: help heal the gut with pre and pro biotics

-DIM: help regulate estrogen for PCOS

-Quicksilver Liposomal multivitamin liquid: biotin, zinc, Vitamins A, C, D E, K, Niacin,, Thiomine, Riboflavin,Vitamin B6, B12, 

-Inositol: help sleep and anxiety 

-Black currant seed oil: ovarian cyst pain

 

I've been on boswelia for a month and was fine, I then added the multivitamin for the past 2-3 weeks and started having detachment issues. I then added microbiome host defense powder, probiophage and DIM at once which was not smart. I didnt try the inositol yet or the black currant oil seed.

 

If cannot take these supplements, how can I heal all my issues? I really need vitamins as well for my post-birth control pill PCOS as my hair is falling out due to too much androgens/testosterone. For vitamins, I know omega 3 and magnesium are okay usually and dont cause withdrawal symptoms. Are there other vitamins that are usually tolerated? I started the detachment around the time I tried the multivitamin but I also took on my first small job in almost a year so I thought it was from too much anxiety. 

 

@brassmonkey @Grateful @Altostrata