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S1989: Lexapro Tapering - Withdrawal and PSSD (Emotional numbness/ Anhedonia and Sexual Dysfunction)


S1989

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Hi there,

 

I am on this website to avoid withdrawal while tapering of Lexapro. I am tapering off because of Emotional numbness/ Anhedonia and Sexual Dysfunction (PSSD) caused by Lexapro (SSRI).

 

I have experienced withdrawal previously, so this time I want to completely avoid it. I have lost years of my life with debilitating withdrawal.

 

I started Lexapro 10 mg in 2012 because of a repetitive thought, that i had for 2 months. This though made me sad and depressed. In 2013 I wanted to stop with Lexapro because it gave me anxiety, and my first psychiatrist agreed that it could be the effect of Lexapro. So she tapered me off in 2 weeks. From 10 mg tot 5 mg in the first week and then switching between 0 en 5 mg each day for 1 week.

Soon after quiting my anxiety got worse. I was planning to move to study abroad and I was very afraid to go study abroad. But I went anyway, because I thought these where normal fears. When I arrived in the new country I was very fearful of the new living situation (I didn't know the place). Then i started to develop fears about financially being able to pay everything and to survive on my own. I was videocalling with my parents every day and crying a lot. 

 

I made an appointment with a psychiatrist in that country. He diagnosed that I was autistic (not in withdrawal), and gave me Resperidon/ Resperdal. I didn't even know what that was but I took it. "Risperidone is a medication that works in the brain to treat schizophrenia. It is also known as a second generation antipsychotic (SGA) or atypical antipsychotic." (www.nami.org).

I started to have depersonalization and derealization. I didn't know what that was either. Soon after that I moved back to my country cause I couldn't function.

When I arrived back home i started to get paralyzed. Not being able to move and talk for hours. The new psychiatrist removed the Risperdal cold turkey after that. (I was on it for a week or so.) And reinstated the Lexapro 10 mg (this was 3 months after tapering Lexapro in 2 weeks). I started to get paralyzed again and the new psychiatrist said that this is conversion disorder. I went to the ER when one day i was paralyzed for 2 days. They sent me to the psychiatric unit. I stayed there for 3 weeks. No medication changes. Everything was ok again (I think I stabilized on the previous drug).

 

Then in 2017 I decided to come of Lexapro. I didn't know what withdrawal was even though I already went through it one time. So I quit cold turkey. I was fine for the first couple of weeks, but soon after I started to get anger outbursts. Then I started to become really tired. And one day I woke up and couldn't think anymore (I didn't know how to make breakfast and shower). So I called my dad very scared and he said come sleep at home (I was living alone and was running my own business for 2 years). I went home and canceled all the appointments of my business and slept for a week. After a week I got worse. I started to have anxiety. So my GP reinstated the Lexapro at 10 mg. This didn't help so I went back to the psychiatrist. He gave me Revotril (Clonazepam) - a Benzodiazepine - which made me very sluggish. The first day I couldn't even walk. But I kept taking it. Then it he increased the Lexapro to 20 mg. I Immediately started to get conversion disorder so he decreased it to 10 mg after 2 days. The Revotril made me emotionally numb, made me lose my balance and gave me dry mouth. So I decreased the dosage myself because the psychiatrist didn't care. He wanted to add Wellbutrin and other Anti depressants. I refused.

 

My withdrawal only got worse. I also got depersonalization, derealization, severe burning skin, severe anxiety (also morning anxiety), severe depression, aversion for food, numb skin, pain in my stomach (and more: I think a total of 40 symptoms). No one wanted to believe me that I was in withdrawal. I found out this was withdrawal because I started to do research on the internet. So I stayed like this for 3 years. I lost my business since the beginning of withdrawal, couldn't function and take care of myself, was in bed all day. My mom gave me food and helped me shower.

 

After 3 years in withdrawal I wanted to taper off all medications and start using natural supplements and homeopathy so I went to a psychologist. She recommended a natural doctor to me, but also told me to taper off with the psychiatrist she works with. The natural doctor gave me 5 HTP and did some electronic acupuncture for anxiety (and charged my mother a lot of money). Those didn't work so he kicked me out of his office (after 3 weeks) and told me that I didn't want to get better and to go take the poison that doctors give me. I was suicidal right after he kicked me out of his office, because of how he treated me and this was my last hope.

 

The new psychiatrist let me quit the Revotril (clonazepam) and started to taper me off the Lexapro with liquid Lexapro. I started to get really agitated. He also added another antidepressant (Pristiq, an SRNI) because I told him that my depression was REALLY bad. Besides the agitation I got akathesia (I walked around the house all day because I couldn't be still) and I started to have severe burning skin on my body. He wanted me to take the revotril again to stop the agitation. I didn't. I didn't want to have more drug increases. After 2 days of prestiq my body was burning so bad that i couldn't take it anymore. And no one believed me or tried to help me. So I tried to kill myself by taking all the lexapro pills, 3 bottles of lexpro liquid, all the prestiq pills, all the Revotril pills, a whole glass of tequila (that i found in the house), all the natural supplements in the house. I was sure I was going to die. But I woke up in the hospital. They found me passed out and blue on the ground at home and the ambulance came (I don't remember anything).

 

They let me go home. And i slept for 3 days. I don't remember anything from those 3 days. But my withdrawal symptoms where gone. And I didn't take any medications because I overdosed on them all. After 1 week at home I started to get other new symptoms: I couldn't swallow food anymore, my smell changed (everything smelled like rotten eggs), my skin got numb and my genitals also got numb. And my skin started burning again (but less then before). They send me to the hospital after 2 weeks like this because I didn't eat anymore. In the hospital a new psychiatrist reinstated the lexapro from 2.5 to 5 to 10 mg. And he said that I was delusional and that my symptoms where not true. So he gave me an antipsychotic (Olanzepine/ Zyprexa) which I couldn't refuse cause i was in the hospital. I was never psychotic or delusional. Everytime I would tell him that my symptoms where still there he would increase the dosage of Lexapro and Olanzepine so I stopped telling him what i felt just so that he stopped increasing the dosages. I was now on 15 mg lexapro and 10 mg Olanzepine.

 

I went home after 2 months.

I realized that i had no emotions anymore. (in the hospital i cried alot, but now i couldn't even cry anymore). I also had anxiety alot. So I was suicidal because I couldn't live like this.

The hospital psychiatrist became my new psychiatrist. After 1.5 years we tapered off Olanzepine in 3 months. From 10 tot 7.5 to 5 to 2.5. (I had withdrawal for 2 weeks after every reduction. Insominia, creepy dreams, no apetite, and just feeling bad in my body.) After i fully stopped olanzepine at 2.5 mg i started to become restless, so the psychiatrist said that i had to start a low dose again because if I didn't this would be a relapse. So i did. (Eventhoug i knew it was no relapse but start of withdrawal) Then i started tapering off the Lexapro the next month. He agreed that a side effect of SSRI's is emotional numbness. I went from 15 to 12.5 to 10 mg ( in 2 months). I had no withdrawal. Then i tapered off the olanzepine from 2.5 tot 1.25 mg to 0 in 2 Months. I had withdrawal for 2 weeks again.

 

Now I want to taper of the lexapro because of the PSSD (emotional numbness and sexual dysfunction.) I am not sure these will come back. But 5 weeks after i quit the Olanzepine I started to feel a little more alive. I laughed more, could feel music more, talked more and had more energy. I felt life more. BUT i still had no emotions. And my anxiety was gone. It was improvement and gave me hope that I would recover from the PSSD. 9 days after lowering the lexapro to 9 mg the improvement left. The emotional numbness was higher. Especially no motivation. Now I am at day 11 of reducing lexapro.

 

If i use the harm reduction method (10% reduction of the previous dosage) this will take 2.75 years to taper off. But I cannot live with the emotional numbness so I don't want to wait 2.75 years. I have also never tapered Lexapro slowly. I have tapered the Olanzepine succesfully. So I was thinking to taper of 10% of the original dose (Peter Breggin method) until i get to 5 mg. And after that go slower. But I don't know how slow.

 

I need your advice, because I am afraid of withdrawal because I have lost years of my life and this was torture and I don't want to go through that again. I have a full time job and just started a new business. But I cannot function with emotional numbness because i robs me of my energy to do anything. It is really difficult to get out of bed and to do things. It also robs me of my relationship with friends because I have no personality. I am really quiet. I don't enjoy any activity I used to like. I feel dead inside. And the sexual dysfunction means no romantic relationships and no future with a husband and kids.

 

Can i try tapering 10% of the original dosage till 5 mg (Peter Breggin method)? This will take 5 months. If i do the 10% of previous dosage i will get to 4.8 mg in 7 months. After that I don't know what to do because the rest of the taper is VERY long. And I can't live with emotional numbness anymore. 

 

after 5 mg i thought of something like this

4.5 10%

4 11.11%

3.5 12.5%

3 14.3%

2.5 16.7%

2 20%

1.5 25%

1 33.33%

0.5 50%

0.25 50%

0.125 50%

0 100%

 

This will take 12 months. So in total an estimate of 1,5 years. If all goes well.

2020: Reinstate Lexapro at 5 mg, 10 mg, 15 mg (Original dose before reinstatement was 10 mg)+ Add Olanzepine 2.5, 5, 10, 15 mg ( 1 week for each increment)

2022 Lower Olanzepine to 12.5, 10, 7.5, 5, 2.5. (1 month hold each). Stop with Olanzepine use at 2.5 mg

After 3 weeks: Reinstate Olanzepine at 5 mg. After 3 months lower olanzepine to 2.5 mg. 

After 1 month lower Lexapro to 12.5 and then to 10 (1 month each). After Lexapro reduction: Lower Olanzepine to 1.25 (hold for 1 month), Then Quit Olanzepine (0 mg for 1 month)

15 march 2022: Lower Lexapro to 9 mg.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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  • ChessieCat changed the title to S1989: Lexapro Tapering - Withdrawal and PSSD (Emotional numbness/ Anhedonia and Sexual Dysfunction)
  • Moderator Emeritus

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, from what you describe, as if your nervous system is still struggling to heal after many drugs and drug changes of the years.  So, when you recently tapered down to 9 mg of Lexapro, it was too much.  I would suggest that you not make any drug changes for a while, and allow your nervous system a chance to catch up and adjust to all of the drug changes.  

 

Can you please give us specific information in your signature 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 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

 

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 reduction becomes exponentially smaller.  I would not suggest that you taper 10% of your original dose and do a linear taper, as this could cause you major withdrawal, especially with your past history of many drugs, drug changes, and prior withdrawal.  You would put yourself at risk of kindling, which means a very difficult withdrawal caused by nervous system hypersensitivity.  Rushing a taper will not save you time, it may actually take longer in the long run, because you put yourself at risk of becoming very sick for a very long time.  You may even consider micro tapering, which is even gentler on your system.  I'll put in the links to both.  

 

 Why Taper by 10% of my Dosage  

 

Brass Monkey Slide Method of Micro Tapering

 

When you are ready to taper, this link will explain practical aspects of reducing Lexapro: 

 

Tips for Tapering Lexapro

 

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

 

Stability is really important when we are tapering off psych meds.  Please read the link about stability:

 

Keep It Simple, Slow, and Stable

 

 

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

 

I've given you quite a bit of information here.  Please read through it, and mull it over, and we will take it from there. In the meantime, take care of yourself, and take heart.  We in this forum have been through this, and we understand first hand the pain and discomfort you are going through.  Please know that the brain is amazing in it's healing abilities.  It takes time, but healing can and will happen. 

Please do not private message me.  Only tag me for urgent questions about tapering and reinstating - thank you.  

 

***Please note this is not medical advice.  Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a doctor who understands psych meds and how to withdraw from them, if you can find one.

 

Lexapro   Started Apr 15 2010 - 10 mg;  started taper August 2017, recent taper info: Apr 2 '20  0.18 mg; Jul 16  0.17 mg, Aug 23  0.16 mg, Oct 7  0.15 mg, Nov 8 - 0.14, Jan 16 '21 - 0.13, Feb 7 - 0.12, Feb 22 - 0.11, Mar 26 - 0.10, May 21 - 0.09, June 15 - 0.08 Aug 16 - 0.07, Oct 6 - 0.06, Nov 21 0.05, Dec. 17 0.04, Jan 14 '22 0.03, Feb 19 0.02, Apr 18 0.01, May 15 0.005,  Jul 8, 0.00.  Psych Drug Free as of July 8, 2022!!  Woohoo!!!

other meds: Levothyroxine 75 mg

magnesium in small amounts at 4 AM, before bed

suppl AM: fish oil, flax oil, vit C, vit E, multivitamin, zinc

suppl 8 PM: magnesium 350 mg, extended release vitamin C, melatonin 2 mg

 

Paxil 2002 - 2010, switched to Lexapro 2010 

Trazodone 50 mg. 2002 - 2019, fast tapered in 2019 

Xanax 0.5 mg as needed 2002 - 2019, up to 3x weekly 

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  • Moderator Emeritus

The main reason for doing an exponential taper, instead of a linear taper, is that at very low doses, these drugs still have a very powerful effect on us.  And, Lexapro is an especially powerful SSRI - it is 2 - 4 times stronger mg per mg than other SSRI's.   Low doses seem to affect a disproportionately larger percentage of receptors.  This link explains it well.  Pay attention to the chart - at the low doses, the curve is almost vertical, showing how even a tiny dose adjustment affects a large number of receptors.  

 

SERT Transporter Occupancy Studies

 

From my own personal experience, I can tell you my emotional numbness left while I was still doing my taper.  I have all the normal emotions now and have for the past 2 to 3 years.  Your emotions may very well start to come back long before you are altogether off the drug.  

Edited by getofflex

Please do not private message me.  Only tag me for urgent questions about tapering and reinstating - thank you.  

 

***Please note this is not medical advice.  Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a doctor who understands psych meds and how to withdraw from them, if you can find one.

 

Lexapro   Started Apr 15 2010 - 10 mg;  started taper August 2017, recent taper info: Apr 2 '20  0.18 mg; Jul 16  0.17 mg, Aug 23  0.16 mg, Oct 7  0.15 mg, Nov 8 - 0.14, Jan 16 '21 - 0.13, Feb 7 - 0.12, Feb 22 - 0.11, Mar 26 - 0.10, May 21 - 0.09, June 15 - 0.08 Aug 16 - 0.07, Oct 6 - 0.06, Nov 21 0.05, Dec. 17 0.04, Jan 14 '22 0.03, Feb 19 0.02, Apr 18 0.01, May 15 0.005,  Jul 8, 0.00.  Psych Drug Free as of July 8, 2022!!  Woohoo!!!

other meds: Levothyroxine 75 mg

magnesium in small amounts at 4 AM, before bed

suppl AM: fish oil, flax oil, vit C, vit E, multivitamin, zinc

suppl 8 PM: magnesium 350 mg, extended release vitamin C, melatonin 2 mg

 

Paxil 2002 - 2010, switched to Lexapro 2010 

Trazodone 50 mg. 2002 - 2019, fast tapered in 2019 

Xanax 0.5 mg as needed 2002 - 2019, up to 3x weekly 

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@getofflex

 

Thank you for your reply.

Most of the links you send I have allready read though. Except for this link of micro tapering.

 

I feel that my body had healed from the withdrawal 95%. You said my nervous system is struggling to heal. (Why do you say that?) But my withdrawal from cold turkey quiting Lexapro that lasted 3 years was 2 years ago. The withdrawals i got after that lasted 2 weeks after each reduction of olanzepine. My body feels almost normal now. All i have still is emotional numbness and sexual dysfunction and sometimes warm skin sensations.

 

Can you also please explain to me what you mean by 'you put yourself at risk for kindling'.

2020: Reinstate Lexapro at 5 mg, 10 mg, 15 mg (Original dose before reinstatement was 10 mg)+ Add Olanzepine 2.5, 5, 10, 15 mg ( 1 week for each increment)

2022 Lower Olanzepine to 12.5, 10, 7.5, 5, 2.5. (1 month hold each). Stop with Olanzepine use at 2.5 mg

After 3 weeks: Reinstate Olanzepine at 5 mg. After 3 months lower olanzepine to 2.5 mg. 

After 1 month lower Lexapro to 12.5 and then to 10 (1 month each). After Lexapro reduction: Lower Olanzepine to 1.25 (hold for 1 month), Then Quit Olanzepine (0 mg for 1 month)

15 march 2022: Lower Lexapro to 9 mg.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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  • Moderator Emeritus
18 hours ago, S1989 said:

I feel that my body had healed from the withdrawal 95%. You said my nervous system is struggling to heal. (Why do you say that?)

My bad - I apologize.  I'm glad you are 95% healed.  

 

I still need a drug signature.  What drugs are you on now, and at what doses?  Please see my first post for instructions on creating a drug signature.  Thank you.  

18 hours ago, S1989 said:

Can you also please explain to me what you mean by 'you put yourself at risk for kindling'.

Post Withdrawal Nervous System Hypersensitivity and Kindling

Please do not private message me.  Only tag me for urgent questions about tapering and reinstating - thank you.  

 

***Please note this is not medical advice.  Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a doctor who understands psych meds and how to withdraw from them, if you can find one.

 

Lexapro   Started Apr 15 2010 - 10 mg;  started taper August 2017, recent taper info: Apr 2 '20  0.18 mg; Jul 16  0.17 mg, Aug 23  0.16 mg, Oct 7  0.15 mg, Nov 8 - 0.14, Jan 16 '21 - 0.13, Feb 7 - 0.12, Feb 22 - 0.11, Mar 26 - 0.10, May 21 - 0.09, June 15 - 0.08 Aug 16 - 0.07, Oct 6 - 0.06, Nov 21 0.05, Dec. 17 0.04, Jan 14 '22 0.03, Feb 19 0.02, Apr 18 0.01, May 15 0.005,  Jul 8, 0.00.  Psych Drug Free as of July 8, 2022!!  Woohoo!!!

other meds: Levothyroxine 75 mg

magnesium in small amounts at 4 AM, before bed

suppl AM: fish oil, flax oil, vit C, vit E, multivitamin, zinc

suppl 8 PM: magnesium 350 mg, extended release vitamin C, melatonin 2 mg

 

Paxil 2002 - 2010, switched to Lexapro 2010 

Trazodone 50 mg. 2002 - 2019, fast tapered in 2019 

Xanax 0.5 mg as needed 2002 - 2019, up to 3x weekly 

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Hi @getofflex I uploaded my signature (2 years history) But i started Lexapro in 2012. And I never need the Olanzepine, but they said my withdrawal symptoms where a delusion. I was in the hospital so I had no choice but to take it. When I wanted to quit 2 years later and I said I am not psychotic the doctor said it's for anxiety too.

 

My doctor is also sending the Liquid Lexapro request to the pharmacy. I told him I want to taper slower then we are tapering right now, eventhough I have no withdrawal now. I am at 9 mg now for 2 weeks. If I want to go to the Liquid form can I take for example a 8 mg pill composed by the pharmacy and take 0.1 mg of liquid or do I have to take only liquid lexapro? Someone told me I should not combine the pill with the liquid. And can I drop to the next dosage or do I have to take the same dosage I am on (in pill form), 9 mg, in liquid form for 1 month?

 

Please let me know.

 

Thank you

2020: Reinstate Lexapro at 5 mg, 10 mg, 15 mg (Original dose before reinstatement was 10 mg)+ Add Olanzepine 2.5, 5, 10, 15 mg ( 1 week for each increment)

2022 Lower Olanzepine to 12.5, 10, 7.5, 5, 2.5. (1 month hold each). Stop with Olanzepine use at 2.5 mg

After 3 weeks: Reinstate Olanzepine at 5 mg. After 3 months lower olanzepine to 2.5 mg. 

After 1 month lower Lexapro to 12.5 and then to 10 (1 month each). After Lexapro reduction: Lower Olanzepine to 1.25 (hold for 1 month), Then Quit Olanzepine (0 mg for 1 month)

15 march 2022: Lower Lexapro to 9 mg.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Hi @Altostrata and @getofflex

 

I have calculated in Excel (my own formula) how long it would take to taper to 5 mg, and from 5 to 0 mg.

I hope that when i get to 5 mg i get some emotions back. But maybe they will only come back when i reach 0 mg. (Or maybe PSSD is permanent, but I want to try other non psychiatric substances that have worked for people who healed from PSSD. And for that I need to be at 0 mg. Or on a low dosage.)

 

There are 4 options. Which on do you think is the best? Holding in consideration that I want to avoid withdrawal, but I don't want to live for years with emotional numbness and sexual dysfunction.

 

I have uploaded the Excel sheet. I thank you in advance for taking your time to read my Excel sheet and giving me advise.

 

Note: I have decreased Lexapro from 15 to 12,5 to 10 mg (1 month each) with zero withdrawal symptoms. I have decreased Olanzepine from 15 tot 12,5 to 10 to 7.5 to 5 to 2.5 to 1.25(with withdrawal symptoms of a duration of 2 weeks and holding for 1 month). But from 1.25 to 0 i had no withdrawal. So it is possible to make bigger changes in the beginning.

 

At the end I don't wanna do 1 whole year for small 10% changes (option 1), but I want to do 0.1 mg reduction each time (option 2 or 3). Is this a possibility?

Option 4 is my psychiatrist first proposed taper plan. 

But he is willing to taper as I want to taper.

Is it also possible to jump at say 1 mg? or do i have to go to 0.1 mg?

 

(Also see my post above.) Thank you very much!!!

Tapering options.xlsx

2020: Reinstate Lexapro at 5 mg, 10 mg, 15 mg (Original dose before reinstatement was 10 mg)+ Add Olanzepine 2.5, 5, 10, 15 mg ( 1 week for each increment)

2022 Lower Olanzepine to 12.5, 10, 7.5, 5, 2.5. (1 month hold each). Stop with Olanzepine use at 2.5 mg

After 3 weeks: Reinstate Olanzepine at 5 mg. After 3 months lower olanzepine to 2.5 mg. 

After 1 month lower Lexapro to 12.5 and then to 10 (1 month each). After Lexapro reduction: Lower Olanzepine to 1.25 (hold for 1 month), Then Quit Olanzepine (0 mg for 1 month)

15 march 2022: Lower Lexapro to 9 mg.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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  • Moderator Emeritus

If it were me, I would go with option 1 - a conservative exponential 10% taper, as I suggested in my initial post.  

 

I also would not suggest reducing olanzapine while you are doing this Lexapro taper.  

 

Psychiatrists are quite notorious for tapering patients too quickly off psych meds, which is why this site exists.  

 

As for the jumping off point, we want to go as low as possible.  I intend to go to 0.005 mg with my Lexapro taper. 

Please do not private message me.  Only tag me for urgent questions about tapering and reinstating - thank you.  

 

***Please note this is not medical advice.  Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a doctor who understands psych meds and how to withdraw from them, if you can find one.

 

Lexapro   Started Apr 15 2010 - 10 mg;  started taper August 2017, recent taper info: Apr 2 '20  0.18 mg; Jul 16  0.17 mg, Aug 23  0.16 mg, Oct 7  0.15 mg, Nov 8 - 0.14, Jan 16 '21 - 0.13, Feb 7 - 0.12, Feb 22 - 0.11, Mar 26 - 0.10, May 21 - 0.09, June 15 - 0.08 Aug 16 - 0.07, Oct 6 - 0.06, Nov 21 0.05, Dec. 17 0.04, Jan 14 '22 0.03, Feb 19 0.02, Apr 18 0.01, May 15 0.005,  Jul 8, 0.00.  Psych Drug Free as of July 8, 2022!!  Woohoo!!!

other meds: Levothyroxine 75 mg

magnesium in small amounts at 4 AM, before bed

suppl AM: fish oil, flax oil, vit C, vit E, multivitamin, zinc

suppl 8 PM: magnesium 350 mg, extended release vitamin C, melatonin 2 mg

 

Paxil 2002 - 2010, switched to Lexapro 2010 

Trazodone 50 mg. 2002 - 2019, fast tapered in 2019 

Xanax 0.5 mg as needed 2002 - 2019, up to 3x weekly 

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  • Administrator

Sorry, I don't download any documents. If you want to show me a spreadsheet, I'll look at it in Google Sheets.

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.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi @getofflex,

Thank for viewing the excel sheet.

 

I am not on olanzepine anymore, only on lexapro. So only the last one need to be tapered.

 

Greetings,

 

Sayen

 

On 4/5/2022 at 1:45 PM, getofflex said:

If it were me, I would go with option 1 - a conservative exponential 10% taper, as I suggested in my initial post.  

 

I also would not suggest reducing olanzapine while you are doing this Lexapro taper.  

 

Psychiatrists are quite notorious for tapering patients too quickly off psych meds, which is why this site exists.  

 

As for the jumping off point, we want to go as low as possible.  I intend to go to 0.005 mg with my Lexapro taper. 

 

2020: Reinstate Lexapro at 5 mg, 10 mg, 15 mg (Original dose before reinstatement was 10 mg)+ Add Olanzepine 2.5, 5, 10, 15 mg ( 1 week for each increment)

2022 Lower Olanzepine to 12.5, 10, 7.5, 5, 2.5. (1 month hold each). Stop with Olanzepine use at 2.5 mg

After 3 weeks: Reinstate Olanzepine at 5 mg. After 3 months lower olanzepine to 2.5 mg. 

After 1 month lower Lexapro to 12.5 and then to 10 (1 month each). After Lexapro reduction: Lower Olanzepine to 1.25 (hold for 1 month), Then Quit Olanzepine (0 mg for 1 month)

15 march 2022: Lower Lexapro to 9 mg.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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On 4/5/2022 at 4:37 PM, Altostrata said:

Sorry, I don't download any documents. If you want to show me a spreadsheet, I'll look at it in Google Sheets.

@Altostrata

 

Hi Alto,

 

How how do i upload it to google to send the link to you?

 

Greetings,

 

Sayen

2020: Reinstate Lexapro at 5 mg, 10 mg, 15 mg (Original dose before reinstatement was 10 mg)+ Add Olanzepine 2.5, 5, 10, 15 mg ( 1 week for each increment)

2022 Lower Olanzepine to 12.5, 10, 7.5, 5, 2.5. (1 month hold each). Stop with Olanzepine use at 2.5 mg

After 3 weeks: Reinstate Olanzepine at 5 mg. After 3 months lower olanzepine to 2.5 mg. 

After 1 month lower Lexapro to 12.5 and then to 10 (1 month each). After Lexapro reduction: Lower Olanzepine to 1.25 (hold for 1 month), Then Quit Olanzepine (0 mg for 1 month)

15 march 2022: Lower Lexapro to 9 mg.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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  • Moderator Emeritus

You have to make a Google Docs account and create the document in that.  Then you can click on Share and copy that link and paste it here.

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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Hi @Altostrata,

 

This is the link to the excel sheet in google documents of 4 tapering options.

 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Gb7YChlqWQy23vDtFUJ0FN5cQqQ98bQbqeaX_UNKqhk/edit?usp=sharing

 

Thanks!

2020: Reinstate Lexapro at 5 mg, 10 mg, 15 mg (Original dose before reinstatement was 10 mg)+ Add Olanzepine 2.5, 5, 10, 15 mg ( 1 week for each increment)

2022 Lower Olanzepine to 12.5, 10, 7.5, 5, 2.5. (1 month hold each). Stop with Olanzepine use at 2.5 mg

After 3 weeks: Reinstate Olanzepine at 5 mg. After 3 months lower olanzepine to 2.5 mg. 

After 1 month lower Lexapro to 12.5 and then to 10 (1 month each). After Lexapro reduction: Lower Olanzepine to 1.25 (hold for 1 month), Then Quit Olanzepine (0 mg for 1 month)

15 march 2022: Lower Lexapro to 9 mg.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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