Irishman: anger side effects are too much.

[Irishman]

Hello all, 

 

I am new to this site. To make a long story short I went on Lexapro because I told my doctor I get sad in the winter, within 5 minutes he had me prescribed. 

 

I worked up to 20mg over two years and 6 months ago weaned down 10%ish a week.. 

 

I just dealing now with a lot of sadness but more than this just insane anger over nothing. Like I close door slightly too hard I lose it as if someone hit my mother in front of me. 

 

I was never like this. I have many other bad sides but this is worst. 

 

Thank you for listening. 

[getofflex]

Hello, and welcome to SA.  We are a volunteer-run community of people who have been or are getting off of psychiatric drugs.  It sounds to me like you tapered off your Lexapro too fast, and your nervous system hasn't had time to adjust properly to the lower doses.  Anger, irritability, and sadness are common symptoms of withdrawal from psychiatric meds.  We generally suggest tapering off 10% of the current dose, reducing the drug every 4 weeks.  I'll explain more later.  Please don't make any more changes to your dose just yet.

 

Can you please give us specific information about your drug history for all drugs you are on and have been on, especially for the past 18-24 months?  It would be especially helpful to have the details of your drugs in a concise vertical list (no symptoms), only drug names, specific dates (as best you can say for example early March if you don't recall the day) and dosages of each medication decrease or increase.  Use this format:

 

Drug name: date, dose, date, dose, date, dose…

Drug name: date, dose, date, dose, date, dose…

Etcetera

 

Please read the link below for instructions.  This will allow us to give you the best guidance.  

 

How to List Drug History in Signature

 

Here is some information about how these drugs actually work.   This explains why we get symptoms from going off of these medications, and why it's so important to taper so slowly and carefully, and be very cautious about changing our doses: 

 

How Psychiatric Drugs Remodel Your Brain

 

 

This helps you understand what withdrawal syndrome is: 

 

Video on Recovery from Psych Drugs

 

What is Happening in Your Brain

 

Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

 

Tapering is best done extremely slowly, and we generally taper by 10% of the current dose no more than once every 4 weeks, so that the taper becomes exponentially smaller.

 

 Why Taper by 10% of my Dosage  

 

Tips for Tapering Lexapro

 

 

Also, as we are recovering, we suggest keeping things slow, simple, and stable. 

 

Keep it Simple, Slow, and Stable

 

 

Here is a link with checklists of common WD symptoms: 

 

Dr Joseph Glenmullen Withdrawal Symptom Checklists

 

 

Here are some techniques to cope with symptoms: 

 

Non Drug Ways to Cope with Withdrawal Symptoms

 

 

We don't suggest many supplements, but 2 that many of us find helpful are magnesium and omega-3 fish oil. Here are the links for info about those. It is suggested to add one at a time, and start with a low dose to see how it affects you. 

Magnesium

 

Omega 3 Fish Oil

 

Please take your time to read through the links I gave you.  I know there is quite a lot of information.  When I know more about your drug history, we can suggest a plan of action.  

[Irishman]

Hello I updated my signature hope its ok

[getofflex]

Thank you - this helps a lot.  What day in December did you go to 0?  

 

If you wanted to, you could reinstate a very small dose of Lexapro to take the edge off of your withdrawal symptoms.  It is up to you.  We normally suggest that people get to an extremely low dose before they jump off.  I'm on 0.05 mg Lexapro, and still tapering.  Sometimes, the withdrawal symptoms can get worse over the 3 months after a person jumps off at 0 after a too fast taper.  Lexapro is a very powerful SSRI, and 1.25 mg is still a significant amount. Take a look at the chart in this link, this explains why we taper so slowly, exponentially, and to such tiny amounts before jumping to zero.  Even at very low doses, these drugs still affect a good amount of receptors in the brain, and jumping off too high, or tapering too fast can create significant withdrawal issues.  

 

SERT Transporter Occupancy Studies

 

Take a look at the link below about reinstating, and let me know what you decide to do.  

 

About Reinstating and Stabilizing to Reduce Withdrawal Symptoms