Icculus: Withdrawal symptoms from 2.5mg Escitalopram after 26 days?

[Icculus]

Hello everyone,

The past year has been the year from hell for me and it has just gotten worse. I got covid in March 2020 and became a covid long hauler. I still struggle with breathing issues, sleeping issues, body aches, fatigue and post-exertion malaise. I'm 38 with no previous health issues and I was unable to get tested at the time I got covid because in New York at that time they were only providing tests for people 65+ or with underlying conditions. I developed covid symptoms a week after returning from the hospital for my daughter's birth. After being sick for over month I was told covid only lasts 2 weeks and I must just be anxious because I was a new father. The amount of medical gaslighting I received was insane. I let myself get talked into taking 5mg Escitalopram but I became very depressed and had suicidal thoughts a few days after taking it, so I stopped after a week. I have no previous history of anxiety or depression before covid. In May 2020, I was so depressed from being sick for so long and getting no answers from doctors that I became very depressed and my wife thought I was suicidal so she called 911 and I was hospitalized for 2 days. At the hospital I again took 5mg of Escitalopram but stopped after 6 days. In July, my depression was still really bad and I decided to try 5 mg Escitalopram one more time, but it made me so anxious and jittery that I stopped after 4 days. In August I decided to try Prozac (I forget what dose), but I had a very bad reaction (insane anxiety, insomnia and muscle spasms) and stopped after 8 days. I had no withdrawal symptoms from any of these attempts at taking antidepressants.

Throughout the fall and winter I gradually improved and in February I would say I was about 80% recovered. I was working full time, but still had trouble breathing and couldn't exercise or anything. I got my first Moderna vaccine shot and was trying to increase my daily activity at the same time. I'm not sure what caused it, but I had a major crash and was bedbound for a week. Then I got my second vaccine shot and a week later crashed even harder. It was devastating to have made so much progress in my recovery only to slide so far backwards. If you know anyone in your life who is suffering with Long Covid, rest assured that it is hell on earth. My entire life feels like it has been taken from me and I became very, very depressed again.

I still had 5mg Escitalopram pills left from my old prescription, so I decided to try one more time but at a 2.5mg dose to see if I could tolerate the side effects. The first week I felt kind of hazy and was anxious and jittery but I pushed through. After 26 days I met with the psychiatrist and she prescribed me buspirone and I decided I would stop the Escitalopram before I started that. I stopped on 4/28 and 2 days later on 5/1 I began feeling like I had the flu with body aches and was very anxious. Last night I was having panic attacks all night and I didn't sleep at all. Today I'm exhausted, nauseous, and extremely anxious. It feels like I'm on the verge of a panic attack at all times.

I'm surprised that I would have such strong withdrawal symptoms after less than a month on such a low dose. I know that no one can say anything for sure, but is it possible these symptoms will subside once the Escitalopram is fully out of my system? Or is it more likely that I will have a short withdrawal due to the low dose and short time frame? Is there any reason to consider reinstating the 2.5mg dose and trying to taper or should I just try to ride this out?

 

Needless to say, I won't be starting the buspirone! I was already at my breaking point after more than a year of dealing with long covid symptoms and trying to raise my one year old daughter at the same time. (Oh and I'm a teacher, so pivoting to doing remote teaching has been the cherry on top). I can't add AD withdrawal symptoms on top of all of this. I just can't. Please someone give me some hope.

Edited May 2, 2021 by Gridley

[Gridley]

Welcome to SA, Icculus.  

 

Generally, a person is at risk of withdrawal symptoms after one month on a psychiatric drug.  You took the drug for 26 days, but the fact that your doses were so spread out argues against withdrawal.  A factor to consider is the moderna injections and whether they are the cause of your symptoms. 

5 hours ago, Icculus said:

is it possible these symptoms will subside once the Escitalopram is fully out of my system? Or is it more likely that I will have a short withdrawal due to the low dose and short time frame?

"Being out of your system" isn't the way it works with antidepressants.  If your brain altered itself to accommodate the Escitalopram (again, I believe this is unlikely), it will take some time to return to normal, but it will return to normal.  The low dose and short time your were on the drug is to your advantage.  I would not reinstate Escitalopram but rather would ride it out.  I agree with with your decision not to start the Buspirone.

 

Regarding the anxiety, many people find these to be calming to the nervous system. 

 

Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker 

 

Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) 

 

Add in one at a time and at a low dose in case you do experience problems. Get supplements that are single ingredient (not mixed with other types of supplements).

 

This is your Introduction topic, where you can ask questions and connect with other members.  We're glad you found your way here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Icculus]

Thank you for the reply Gridley. I'm really hoping that these symptoms subside in the next few days. I also have prescription for 0.25mg of Xanax, which I have used very sparingly over the last year because I don't want to go through withdrawal from that, but I will probably take one tonight so that I'm able to get some sleep.

 

I have already been taking fish oil and magnesium supplements and I do think they help. It is interesting reading through the forum here and seeing so many parallels with the forums for Long Covid. Both seem to involve some dysregulation of the central nervous system. I'm wondering if I'm having a more severe withdrawal from the Escitalopram because my central nervous system was already damaged from Covid?

 

I'll update on my progress this week. Thanks again.

[Icculus]

3/2/21: Strong Anxiety all day feeling like on the verge of a panic attack. Suicidal ideation. Nausea. Headaches. I ended up taking a 0.25 Xanax and some melatonin and I was able to get some sleep.

 

3/3/21: Very strong anxiety in the morning and feeling again on the verge of a panic attack. I was able to go to work (I'm a teacher), but luckily I had a test scheduled for my classes today so I didn't actually have to do any instruction today. Throughout the day I've had a strong feeling which I can only describe as hazy and zombie-like. This feeling arrived when I first started taking the Escitalopram and was very strong the first week. It faded after that but never went away entirely. Today it has been back in full force. I'm hoping to be able to sleep tonight without Xanax as I don't want to take it 2 days in a row.

[Phoenixmama]

hello , how are you doing?