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Laurvic: Is this still withdrawal?


laurvic

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I was put on 10mg of lexapro in November 2004 when I was pregnant with my son (found out September 1) by my PCP. I can’t take birth control pills because the excess of hormones doesn’t mentally go over well. So now pregnant with raging hormones my anxiety was out of control…especially with self harm intrusive thoughts.

 

The lexapro did help me. I was supposed to come off of it 6 months post partum but surprise….I found out I was pregnant again in November 2005 so the Dr had me stay on it just in case. I was supposed to come off at 6 months post partum. Well I had post partum depression with my daughter so I was told to stay on the lexapro with xanax.

 

In 2006 I found out I have pcos and spoke to my Dr about coming off of lexapro. Out of nowhere he said I think you should stay on it being that you have GAD. Wtf??? I was so confused as to where that came from because i don’t meet the criteria for that, but I trusted the medical professional and stayed on it.

 

Fast forward to last year still on the lexapro ranging from 10-20mg. I had gone to the emergency room because i had a massive anxiety attack in February to the point that I couldn’t breathe. After that i switched to a psychiatrist because obviously they should know these drugs better.

 

My anxiety went through the roof in the winter of last year!!! It was as if my body was all of a sudden rejecting the lexapro.(started to feel overstimulated on both 10 or 20mg) So now over 7 years older I started to think for myself and requested to be taken off. My pdoc wanted me to stay on it because I was still having anxiety. Now getting diagnosed with ocd…no rituals just obsessive thinking.

 

Wtf again??? I started to wean myself…went from 10mg to 5mg. After about a week I called my pdoc and told him I was on 5mg and ready to take the steps necessary to come off. He told me to drop it to 2.5mg for a week and stop and I won’t suffer withdrawal at all.

 

Holy FML because I felt awful. Intrusive thoughts, anger, no patience, anxiety….just to name a few. I changed pdocs again and this Dr put me on a mood stabilizer 150mg of trileptal (anti-convulsant typically given to bipolar patients)(75mg in morning and at night) to help with withdrawal. I was off the 2.5mg within 3 days of taking the trileptal and the Dr was aware.

 

I felt good on this for about a week and downhill I went. I was to wean off of the trileptal a month after starting it and I did try. Started feeling massive anxiety again and I went back to see the pdoc. She told me a month was long enough for the lexapro to be out of my system which seems odd considering I was on it for 8.5 years. She has now upped the trileptal to 300mg.

 

I am not bipolar and don’t fit the criteria but supposedly trileptal helps with anxiety also. I feel crappy even on this new dosage and am wondering if the withdrawals could be breaking through even though I should be withdrawal free at this point. I don’t know what to believe anymore because all of my research differentiates from what the Dr said. Any thoughts? Sorry so lobg.

 

The lexapro did help effectively for years but being diagnosed for these things is so strange. Fine I had intrusive thoughts in the past but not this strong and more hormonal based. After 8.5 years of usage and being off for a month I’m wondering if my brain has seriously stabilized by now???

 

I have an appointment with a new psychologist tomorrow. My now daily symptoms for the last 2-3 weeks have been anxiety, trouble sleeping, depression, depersonalization at times, severe intrusive thoughts that are not characteristically me and I wouldn't act on them, etc. Worse then I have ever felt. I have 3 beautiful children and a great husband….I know I need better coping skills and positive thinking but it’s hard when you want to curl up in a ball. Socially I am having issues which is so funny to me because I majored in public relations in college. I love people….well not now. Trying to get my libido back and lose the awful weight that I put on. HELP!!!

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I also have that anxiety that makes my heart hurt that some of you have mentioned. I don't want to reinstate but these feelings are horrific!

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You are definitely in withdrawal. Lexapro should be tapered very gradually over many months to avoid miserable withdrawal symptoms. Getting off as abruptly as you have is inviting trouble. Drugs like Lexapro actually change the physical structure of the brain and those changes last long, long after stopping the drug. Most doctors are clueless about withdrawal syndrome and many think it doesn't even exist.

 

If you've been off the Lexapro a month or less, I recommend reinstating it at a low dose, perhaps 2.5 mg. Give it at least four days to work and let us know how you're feeling. If that's enough to relieve most of your symptoms, you probably should stabilize at that dose for at least a month before trying to taper off. Here's a topic on tapering Lexapro that would be helpful for you to read:

 

Tips for Tapering Lexapro

 

The symptoms which made your doctors think you had GAD and other psychiatric disorders may very well have been a reaction to going up and down in your dosage.

 

Welcome to the forum. You'll find lots of solid information and friendly support here.

Psychotropic drug history: Pristiq 50 mg. (mid-September 2010 through February 2011), Remeron (mid-September 2010 through January 2011), Lexapro 10 mg. (mid-February 2011 through mid-December 2011), Lorazepam (Ativan) 1 mg. as needed mid-September 2010 through early March 2012

"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity." -Hanlon's Razor


Introduction: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1588-introducing-jemima/

 

Success Story: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/6263-success-jemima-survives-lexapro-and-dr-dickhead-too/

Please note that I am not a medical professional and my advice is based on personal experience, reading, and anecdotal information posted by other sufferers.

 

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Also, when you're up to it, please put your drug history in the signature area of your profile, like so:

 

How To Add Your Drug History To Your Signature

 

This helps us to understand your situation without reading back through all of the posts in your Intro. Thanks.

Psychotropic drug history: Pristiq 50 mg. (mid-September 2010 through February 2011), Remeron (mid-September 2010 through January 2011), Lexapro 10 mg. (mid-February 2011 through mid-December 2011), Lorazepam (Ativan) 1 mg. as needed mid-September 2010 through early March 2012

"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity." -Hanlon's Razor


Introduction: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1588-introducing-jemima/

 

Success Story: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/6263-success-jemima-survives-lexapro-and-dr-dickhead-too/

Please note that I am not a medical professional and my advice is based on personal experience, reading, and anecdotal information posted by other sufferers.

 

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So I could be feeling breakthrough of w/d through the trileptal? I have thought about reinstating this week but have truly tried not to. How long will this last? Approximately? If I didn't have god awful intrusive thoughts I could totally handle the physical symptoms. I am trying to be unbelievably strong considering I'm a stay at home mom and responsible for my daughter and niece during the day while my other 2 children are in school. I take vitamins because I am so into homeopathy! I can't get over how the doctors can downplay a situation and say...no..no withdrawals attached...you will be fine. My only thing is how do you know the difference between actually suffering from anxiety/depression or actually being anxious/depressed due to w/d? Thank you for responding. I have unfortunately been obsessively looking on forums for hope because I want to move forward not back if possible. I wonder if the trileptal is starting to interfere with my recovery? I have been on meds since I was 23 and a half. Yes that half matters! Lol I don't know any better right now with how I should feel mentally, physically, emotionally. Really sucks! Why would my doctor tell me that the lexapro is out of my system? FML!!! I will try to do the signature thing.

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I'm going to be weaning off of the trileptal starting tonight. Thank you for the information! Having trouble with the signature thing on my tablet. If you can answer a little bit from my last post that would be great!!! I think this site is wonderful! Helping people is definitely a feel good thing. Knowledge is key an I'm totally willing to learn!

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So I could be feeling breakthrough of w/d through the trileptal?

 

Yes you could be. It takes a while to tease out which symptom is from which drug. If it were me I would take Jemima's advice. The farther out you go from a month of being off of an antidepressant decreases the chances that reinstating a small amount will work . If it works you will feel much better. You really have nothing to lose in trying it and if it works then you can taper from it properly & successfully.

 

I have been tapering lexapro myself. It is not hard to do as long as you take it slowly... whereas being in uncomfortable withdrawal for an extended period of time , especially if you could do something now to avoid it, would SUCK. Good luck.

 

RU

Fall 1995 xanax, zoloft. switched to Serzone

1996- spring 2003serzone/ xanax/ lightbox.

b]Fall 2003- Fall 2004? Lexapro 10 mg. Light box /4 mg. xanax.[/b]

2004 - Fall of 2009 10 mg Lex, 150 mg Wellbutrin XL % 4 mg xanax

November 2009- Sept. 2011 10 mg lex., 300 Well. XL, 4 mg Xanax [/b

Sept.2012- July 2012 20 mg Lex 300 Well. XL, 4 mg Xanax

My mantra " go slow & with the flow "

3/2/13.. Began equal dosing 5 Xs /day xanax, while simultaneously incorporating a 2.5 % drop ( from 3.5 mg/day to 3.4 mg/day)

4/6/13 dropped from 300 mg. Wellbutrin XL to 150 mg. Difficult but DONE! Down to 3.3 mg xanax/ day / 6/10/13 3 mg xanax/day; 7/15/2013 2.88mg xanax/day.

10/ 1/2013...... 2.5 mg xanax… ( switched to tablets again) WOO HOO!!!!!! Holding here… cont. with Lexapro.

1/ 2/2014.. tapered to 18mg ( by weight) of a 26 mg ( by weight) pill of 20 mg tab. lexapro. goal is 13mg (by weight OR 10 mg by ingredient content) and STOPPED. Feeling very down with unbalanced, unpredictable WD symptoms.

1/2/2014- ??? Taking a brain-healing break from tapering anything after actively tapering something for 1.5 years. So… daily doses as of 2/2/2014: 18 mg by weight Lex, 150 mg Well. XL, 2.5 mg xanax, down from 26 mg by weight Lex., 300 mg well. XL, 4 mg xanax in August, 2012. I'll take it. :) 5/8/14 started equivalent dose liquid./ tabs. 5/13/14 1.5 % cut.

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People who do the slow taper the right way seem to end up suffering....why? I'm not against reinstating at all. Just that fear factor creeps in. Like if I reinstate it and it makes matters worse then to have to wean again. I went through the headaches, flushed burning face, burning eyes...no brain zaps though. I'm so fear driven after going through this craziness. No pun intended!

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Lexapro and Trileptal are not the same class of drug, so the Trileptal, which is an anticonvulsant, wouldn't necessarily help Lexapro withdrawal symptoms. Your doctor is correct in that the Lexapro is out of your body by now. The changes it made to your central nervous system, however, are still there. Stopping the drug abruptly is like jerking a crutch away from someone with a broken leg. The SSRI (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor) type of drug makes changes to the structure of your nervous system and these changes depend on your continued taking of the drug. We recommend a slow, gradual taper so that the nervous system can adjust to smaller and smaller doses of the drug so that when you do go off at the end of a taper, your nervous system is almost back to normal and it's not such a big jolt.

 

I can't hazard a guess as to how long withdrawal will last for any individual. There are people on this forum who have suffered for years with prolonged withdrawal syndrome. I got off Lexapro too abruptly after five months of Pristiq and ten months of Lexapro and I'm still suffering with some withdrawal symptoms now, seventeen months later, although they're much diminished and I'm hopeful that the next few months will bring complete relief.

 

Please be advised that withdrawal often gets worse after the first few weeks off the drug. I was sick to the point of being disabled for two months, but the worst didn't come right away. I think it was about six weeks after I stopped the Lexapro that things were at their worst and they stayed that way for two to three months. Improvements have been slow in coming since then.

 

I don't know for certain how to tell the difference between anxiety and depression that are "real" and anxiety and depression that are the side effects of drugs, changes in drug dosages, and stopping a drug. However, from all that I've read on this forum, I would suspect any anxiety or depression that occurs shortly after starting a drug, changing the dose, or stopping a drug to be due to the drug.

 

I also want to warn you not to delay if you're going to reinstate. It's generally safe to do so within a month, but after that the chances of reinstatement diminish with time.

 

One more comment: I looked up Trileptal and discovered that it lowers sodium levels. Lexapro also does this, so you might want to have your sodium level checked. A too low sodium level can cause depression, anxiety, and other supposedly psychiatric symptoms. While I do think your symptoms are from a too abrupt withdrawal from Lexapro, a low sodium level would aggravate them and you don't need that!

Psychotropic drug history: Pristiq 50 mg. (mid-September 2010 through February 2011), Remeron (mid-September 2010 through January 2011), Lexapro 10 mg. (mid-February 2011 through mid-December 2011), Lorazepam (Ativan) 1 mg. as needed mid-September 2010 through early March 2012

"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity." -Hanlon's Razor


Introduction: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1588-introducing-jemima/

 

Success Story: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/6263-success-jemima-survives-lexapro-and-dr-dickhead-too/

Please note that I am not a medical professional and my advice is based on personal experience, reading, and anecdotal information posted by other sufferers.

 

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I'm going to be weaning off of the trileptal starting tonight. Thank you for the information! Having trouble with the signature thing on my tablet. If you can answer a little bit from my last post that would be great!!! I think this site is wonderful! Helping people is definitely a feel good thing. Knowledge is key an I'm totally willing to learn!

 

Please don't do that! Just get back on the Lexapro for now. If you discontinue the Trileptal at the same time and experience symptoms, we won't have any idea of which drug is causing the problem. It is hardly ever a good idea to taper off two or more drugs at one time!!!

Psychotropic drug history: Pristiq 50 mg. (mid-September 2010 through February 2011), Remeron (mid-September 2010 through January 2011), Lexapro 10 mg. (mid-February 2011 through mid-December 2011), Lorazepam (Ativan) 1 mg. as needed mid-September 2010 through early March 2012

"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity." -Hanlon's Razor


Introduction: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1588-introducing-jemima/

 

Success Story: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/6263-success-jemima-survives-lexapro-and-dr-dickhead-too/

Please note that I am not a medical professional and my advice is based on personal experience, reading, and anecdotal information posted by other sufferers.

 

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My pdoc should hopefully be calling me back today. She gave the trileptal a try because the withdrawals are supposedly not bad. She mentioned reinstating the lexapro and weaning off trileptal....the only reason I said anything about the trileptal wean. It has been 4 weeks and 5 days since last lexapro. I hope I didn't screw myself. Kind of feel like crying because I should've had a mind of my own over 8 years ago. I should be enjoying my family....not feel like crap.

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RU....do you use the liquid? How do you taper?

 

Laurvic.... I would definitely use the liquid if you can get it. I have a science background and am comfortable with other methods referred to on this forum but even at that I am getting tired of the hassel. I'll be ready to ask for the liquid form soon.

 

As far as HOW I taper L., that is pretty universal: one should reduce no more than 10% of the dose currently stable on per MONTH. But that is just a benchmark. I personally am pretty sensitive ( ok , I mean my freaking brain organ is sensitive ) and so I stick to a 4 % drop at a time and I usually wait for 6 weeks to go by before I consider another.

 

People who do the slow taper the right way seem to end up suffering.

 

I'm not quite sure where or how you came to this generalization/ conclusion. Do you mean suffering in the end and forever, during the slow taper or what?

 

RU

Fall 1995 xanax, zoloft. switched to Serzone

1996- spring 2003serzone/ xanax/ lightbox.

b]Fall 2003- Fall 2004? Lexapro 10 mg. Light box /4 mg. xanax.[/b]

2004 - Fall of 2009 10 mg Lex, 150 mg Wellbutrin XL % 4 mg xanax

November 2009- Sept. 2011 10 mg lex., 300 Well. XL, 4 mg Xanax [/b

Sept.2012- July 2012 20 mg Lex 300 Well. XL, 4 mg Xanax

My mantra " go slow & with the flow "

3/2/13.. Began equal dosing 5 Xs /day xanax, while simultaneously incorporating a 2.5 % drop ( from 3.5 mg/day to 3.4 mg/day)

4/6/13 dropped from 300 mg. Wellbutrin XL to 150 mg. Difficult but DONE! Down to 3.3 mg xanax/ day / 6/10/13 3 mg xanax/day; 7/15/2013 2.88mg xanax/day.

10/ 1/2013...... 2.5 mg xanax… ( switched to tablets again) WOO HOO!!!!!! Holding here… cont. with Lexapro.

1/ 2/2014.. tapered to 18mg ( by weight) of a 26 mg ( by weight) pill of 20 mg tab. lexapro. goal is 13mg (by weight OR 10 mg by ingredient content) and STOPPED. Feeling very down with unbalanced, unpredictable WD symptoms.

1/2/2014- ??? Taking a brain-healing break from tapering anything after actively tapering something for 1.5 years. So… daily doses as of 2/2/2014: 18 mg by weight Lex, 150 mg Well. XL, 2.5 mg xanax, down from 26 mg by weight Lex., 300 mg well. XL, 4 mg xanax in August, 2012. I'll take it. :) 5/8/14 started equivalent dose liquid./ tabs. 5/13/14 1.5 % cut.

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My pdoc should hopefully be calling me back today. She gave the trileptal a try because the withdrawals are supposedly not bad. She mentioned reinstating the lexapro and weaning off trileptal....the only reason I said anything about the trileptal wean. It has been 4 weeks and 5 days since last lexapro. I hope I didn't screw myself. Kind of feel like crying because I should've had a mind of my own over 8 years ago. I should be enjoying my family....not feel like crap.

 

For now, just please reinstate the Lexapro at a low dose, such as 2.5 mg., and see how that works for you. Weaning off the Trileptal at the same time is not a good idea, as I said before. If you get withdrawal symptoms from weaning off Trileptal at the same time as you start up Lexapro, we won't have any idea of what's causing the symptoms. It's possible that you may react badly to reinstating Lexapro, but we won't know that if you're tapering off of Trileptal at the same time.

 

You're probably okay to go back on the Lexapro, but be sure to start right away and with a low dose. This is because your system has become sensitized to this type of drug and will likely react more strongly than when you first started taking it. If 2.5 mg. Lexapro helps, but not enough, it can be increased a bit later on.

 

And please don't beat up on yourself. As you become acquainted with this forum, you'll find many highly intelligent and highly educated people who trusted their doctors and took the drugs just as you did. I tapered off Lexapro per my doctor's instructions and went through withdrawal hell for my conscientiousness.

Psychotropic drug history: Pristiq 50 mg. (mid-September 2010 through February 2011), Remeron (mid-September 2010 through January 2011), Lexapro 10 mg. (mid-February 2011 through mid-December 2011), Lorazepam (Ativan) 1 mg. as needed mid-September 2010 through early March 2012

"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity." -Hanlon's Razor


Introduction: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1588-introducing-jemima/

 

Success Story: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/6263-success-jemima-survives-lexapro-and-dr-dickhead-too/

Please note that I am not a medical professional and my advice is based on personal experience, reading, and anecdotal information posted by other sufferers.

 

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RU....I meant still seem to suffer withdrawals even with slow taper. Spoke to Dr and reinstated at 5mg. I am comfortable with this. Fingers totally crossed. I think once I get better life coping skills I will begin a long and slow taper again. I am on such a LOW dose of the trileptal that I think it will be OK. My biggest concern is getting rid of the awful thoughts and get my life back so I can free sail getting this crap out of me. I hope I can come off of it...not sure presently if I truly need it long term or not with everything happening. Time will tell. I need to stop punishing myself and go with the flow more. My grandmother always said This Too Shall Pass so I need to think more positively like she did. I hope I can eventually come off...I would never judge anyone taking meds but for some reason I attach a stigma to myself and place judgment on myself. That needs to end.

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This too shall pass is a great saying.. because it is true. :) It does. I'm glad that you are taking steps to take care of you. That is very, very cool. Keep us posted!!

 

RU

 

ps. Even though I am tapering very slowly I still experience some withdrawal symptoms when I initially taper. Just want you to know that. Also.... I don't go talking around about my tapering. I'll admit I'm ashamed of not being able to be happy all of the time. I'm ashamed of taking medicine. I'm ashamed of taking medicine and not being smart enough to know it might hurt me in the long run. But when I finally kick this **** ( IF I kick it all of the way) I will be as proud as a peacock. And at 56 years old it's about fricking time I get proud of myself. I don't know how old you are but if you're younger than 56 you're a leg up on me and I'd like to commend you on that. Don't ever give up.... ok?!!!

Fall 1995 xanax, zoloft. switched to Serzone

1996- spring 2003serzone/ xanax/ lightbox.

b]Fall 2003- Fall 2004? Lexapro 10 mg. Light box /4 mg. xanax.[/b]

2004 - Fall of 2009 10 mg Lex, 150 mg Wellbutrin XL % 4 mg xanax

November 2009- Sept. 2011 10 mg lex., 300 Well. XL, 4 mg Xanax [/b

Sept.2012- July 2012 20 mg Lex 300 Well. XL, 4 mg Xanax

My mantra " go slow & with the flow "

3/2/13.. Began equal dosing 5 Xs /day xanax, while simultaneously incorporating a 2.5 % drop ( from 3.5 mg/day to 3.4 mg/day)

4/6/13 dropped from 300 mg. Wellbutrin XL to 150 mg. Difficult but DONE! Down to 3.3 mg xanax/ day / 6/10/13 3 mg xanax/day; 7/15/2013 2.88mg xanax/day.

10/ 1/2013...... 2.5 mg xanax… ( switched to tablets again) WOO HOO!!!!!! Holding here… cont. with Lexapro.

1/ 2/2014.. tapered to 18mg ( by weight) of a 26 mg ( by weight) pill of 20 mg tab. lexapro. goal is 13mg (by weight OR 10 mg by ingredient content) and STOPPED. Feeling very down with unbalanced, unpredictable WD symptoms.

1/2/2014- ??? Taking a brain-healing break from tapering anything after actively tapering something for 1.5 years. So… daily doses as of 2/2/2014: 18 mg by weight Lex, 150 mg Well. XL, 2.5 mg xanax, down from 26 mg by weight Lex., 300 mg well. XL, 4 mg xanax in August, 2012. I'll take it. :) 5/8/14 started equivalent dose liquid./ tabs. 5/13/14 1.5 % cut.

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It would be so selfish of me not to take care of myself because my kids need me. Thank you guys for the words of wisdom. Hopefully the heart pain will pass. I'm assuming just stress induced from my mind and body going through the motions. I will definitely keep you posted but hopefully 5mg will stabilize things and I can wean later. Stay close because I will definitely need taper help along the way because doctors suck. I know tapers will be rough but I don't want to do this too fast and spiral again. Too much stress to the body that isn't worth it. Totally swallowing my pride on this one because it almost feels like I failed but hopefully strength will come out of this. Stay tuned! Lol I also want to keep the 17 pounds I lost off and continue losing to be at a healthy weight. I'm 32 by the way. What dose are you on now? I hope to have as much strength as the people on this forum because it amazes me! You should be proud of yourself!! We are all in this together!

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RU... If you don't mind me asking why did you start lexapro? How long have you been on it? Why are you coming off? You can totally tell me it is none of my business and I would respect that.

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RU... If you don't mind me asking why did you start lexapro? How long have you been on it? Why are you coming off? You can totally tell me it is none of my business and I would respect that.

 

Many of your questions will likely be answered if you read through my intro.thread.. Depression runs in the family. I was depressed starting at about 14 yrs. old but was never treated until I was about 39 yrs when I had an anxiety attack & took myself to the emergency room. I was married at 19 and had three girls; one at 21 yrs old, then 26 yrs. old and our youngest was born when I was 30 yrs. old. She is getting married in August!!!

 

I didn't experience any serious episodes of depression all of that time but did experience periodic low moods and as I got older those moods progessively got more frequent and got harder to come out of.

 

Everything rEACHED a crescendo in 1995 , I got to a point that I knew I couldn't get myself out of without help... thus the emergency room in 1995. That started my journey with meds. xanax and an antidepressant ( in one form or another) ever since.

 

The meds. worked well for a long time, but then , I think with age, I realized they were making me feel like crap. Mostly just left me exhausted with little joy in life. Thus I landed here and with excellent advice and support have slowly been tapering.

 

Right now I feel better than I have in a very long time but there is room for improvement especially since I've only had this "window" of feeling really fantastic for a little over two weeks. I hope it will continue but one never knows. The good news is that I have gradually felt better and better since I started to taper last August and so know that my brain is "healing" and getting used to a more natural state and that is a good thing.

 

I would like to get off of xanax entirely and will likely settle on 10 mg. lexapro for a long time if not for the rest of my life but will wait and see. Like I said, I think that I am predisposed to depression but depending on how I feel may try to taper off completely. I for sure suffer from SAD and depending on our financial situation may be able to ward that off by spending a month in more southerly latitudes during the winters.

 

Hope that answers some questions. I don't regret having used antidepressants because if it weren't for them I wouldn't have had the career I had. Unfortunately the career AND the drugs did interfere to an extent in my opinion with my relationship with my girls but then again, if I had been depressed instead who knows? Things may have been worse. I'll never know and it doesn't matter. I'm getting better, my girls are fine, my marriage is fine and I WILL BE FINE!!!! :)

 

RU :)

Fall 1995 xanax, zoloft. switched to Serzone

1996- spring 2003serzone/ xanax/ lightbox.

b]Fall 2003- Fall 2004? Lexapro 10 mg. Light box /4 mg. xanax.[/b]

2004 - Fall of 2009 10 mg Lex, 150 mg Wellbutrin XL % 4 mg xanax

November 2009- Sept. 2011 10 mg lex., 300 Well. XL, 4 mg Xanax [/b

Sept.2012- July 2012 20 mg Lex 300 Well. XL, 4 mg Xanax

My mantra " go slow & with the flow "

3/2/13.. Began equal dosing 5 Xs /day xanax, while simultaneously incorporating a 2.5 % drop ( from 3.5 mg/day to 3.4 mg/day)

4/6/13 dropped from 300 mg. Wellbutrin XL to 150 mg. Difficult but DONE! Down to 3.3 mg xanax/ day / 6/10/13 3 mg xanax/day; 7/15/2013 2.88mg xanax/day.

10/ 1/2013...... 2.5 mg xanax… ( switched to tablets again) WOO HOO!!!!!! Holding here… cont. with Lexapro.

1/ 2/2014.. tapered to 18mg ( by weight) of a 26 mg ( by weight) pill of 20 mg tab. lexapro. goal is 13mg (by weight OR 10 mg by ingredient content) and STOPPED. Feeling very down with unbalanced, unpredictable WD symptoms.

1/2/2014- ??? Taking a brain-healing break from tapering anything after actively tapering something for 1.5 years. So… daily doses as of 2/2/2014: 18 mg by weight Lex, 150 mg Well. XL, 2.5 mg xanax, down from 26 mg by weight Lex., 300 mg well. XL, 4 mg xanax in August, 2012. I'll take it. :) 5/8/14 started equivalent dose liquid./ tabs. 5/13/14 1.5 % cut.

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Amazing story. I too would like to let up on the xanax. I am totally a take it as needed kind of person but lately it is more needed then I would like it to be. Reinstated 5mg of lexapro last night. Had massive trouble sleeping and woke up to have to take a xanax because my heart and mind were racing and I was sweating. I know I will have to wait a few days before the lexapro helps me out again....just hope it wasn't too late to restart. I would love instant gratification here but the reality is it takes time. Now if I can get my body and brain to work with me during this transition time that would be awesome. The lexapro did work for me too....I just wanted to know if I can handle being off of it. Either I need it or I came off too fast....either way these emotions need to be stabilized and hopefully it will happen soon. Congratulations on the upcoming wedding! You must be very proud.

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And please don't beat up on yourself. As you become acquainted with this forum, you'll find many highly intelligent and highly educated people who trusted their doctors and took the drugs just as you did.

 

Hang in there, Laurvic. I am one who also trusted my doctor!!

 

-Salted

10 mg daily Fluoxetine/Prozac Jan. 2009-Nov. 2012

Went COLD TURKEY Nov. 2012-March 2013

.05-1 mg daily Lorazepam March 2013-April 2013

After approximately 21 days, stopped COLD TURKEY

Doctor put me on 20 mg daily Fluoxetine/Prozac as of 4/25/13

I decided to jump down to 10 mg daily Fluoxetine/Prozac as of 5/08/13

Will stay here for a few months, then taper to ZERO!!

 

 

I am not a medical practitioner, any advice I give comes from my own experience and research and is only my perspective

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JEMIMA....are the things I'm feeling reinstating normal?

 

Hello Laurvic.

 

Regarding reinstatement:

 

I can relate to your current state of mind. I can only tell you that it will get better.

 

For me it's been encouraging and empowering to keep a journal of how I feel each day. This allows me to compare the frequency of symptoms and to detail the windows of relative normalcy.

 

It's been those windows that let me know eventually I'll 'level-out' on my reinstatement.

 

Now I'm almost at a place where I do not obsess over how I feel. Once this has become the norm - over a few months, I hope - only then will I consider doing the slow taper off for good.

 

If you can get yourself to a place - granted: it will take TIME - to where you feel 'normal,' then maybe you can address the pros/cons of taking anything at all.

 

I am SO GLAD you found this site. We are here together and it has been a HUGE comfort for me. Hopefully, it will be one for you too.

 

I am sending you MANY GOOD LOVE VIBES from sunny Southern California!

 

Keep us posted. :D

 

-Salted

10 mg daily Fluoxetine/Prozac Jan. 2009-Nov. 2012

Went COLD TURKEY Nov. 2012-March 2013

.05-1 mg daily Lorazepam March 2013-April 2013

After approximately 21 days, stopped COLD TURKEY

Doctor put me on 20 mg daily Fluoxetine/Prozac as of 4/25/13

I decided to jump down to 10 mg daily Fluoxetine/Prozac as of 5/08/13

Will stay here for a few months, then taper to ZERO!!

 

 

I am not a medical practitioner, any advice I give comes from my own experience and research and is only my perspective

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  • Moderator Emeritus

JEMIMA....are the things I'm feeling reinstating normal?

 

I'm not sure what you're feeling, but it takes at least four days for reinstatement to take effect. I am concerned though that 5 mg. was too high a dose for reinstatement. If you remember, we recommended 2.5 mg. because your system is likely sensitized.

 

Did you also start to go off the Trileptal?

Psychotropic drug history: Pristiq 50 mg. (mid-September 2010 through February 2011), Remeron (mid-September 2010 through January 2011), Lexapro 10 mg. (mid-February 2011 through mid-December 2011), Lorazepam (Ativan) 1 mg. as needed mid-September 2010 through early March 2012

"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity." -Hanlon's Razor


Introduction: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1588-introducing-jemima/

 

Success Story: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/6263-success-jemima-survives-lexapro-and-dr-dickhead-too/

Please note that I am not a medical professional and my advice is based on personal experience, reading, and anecdotal information posted by other sufferers.

 

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Salted... thank you so much for your kind words. I'm hoping that sooner then later I will start to stabilize. I just need sleep but that's hard with an overactive mind. I agree that once stable I will stay that way for a little while before I even think to taper again. Just wish the chest pain would stop but that's part of going through this awful ride! How long were you off before you reinstated? I was 4 weeks 5 days and just reinstated 5mg yesterday even though the doctor told me 10mg. I thought wtf!! They must be kidding. My terms now.

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JEMIMA...I took 5mg yesterday and today. I did start to wean the trileptal only because the recent dose prescribed I was on for only a couple of days. What should I do about the lexapro? More of a concern. I couldn't sleep last night, was sweaty and my heart was racing.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

I don't know. As I said before, making changes with two drugs at once muddies the water. I'm not sure if your sleep difficulties are due to too much Lexapro or reducing the Trileptal. I've asked for help from the other moderators and administrators in hopes that they will have a better idea of what to do from here.

Psychotropic drug history: Pristiq 50 mg. (mid-September 2010 through February 2011), Remeron (mid-September 2010 through January 2011), Lexapro 10 mg. (mid-February 2011 through mid-December 2011), Lorazepam (Ativan) 1 mg. as needed mid-September 2010 through early March 2012

"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity." -Hanlon's Razor


Introduction: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1588-introducing-jemima/

 

Success Story: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/6263-success-jemima-survives-lexapro-and-dr-dickhead-too/

Please note that I am not a medical professional and my advice is based on personal experience, reading, and anecdotal information posted by other sufferers.

 

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  • Administrator

Welcome, laurvic.

 

You've gotten such excellent advice from Jemima, salted, and areyou!

 

I agree, changing two drugs at once makes it hard to tell where the symptoms are coming from. I would hold the Trileptal at wherever you are now and reduce the Lexapro to 2.5mg.

 

Be very regular with both drugs for at least 4 days to see how the Lexapro affects you.

 

It's odd, whenever we tell people to take a very low dose, they take a higher dose and suffer similar consequences. Nobody believes how sensitized they might be to these powerful drugs.

 

How often do you take Xanax and how much do you take?

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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Pdoc just called back and told me to just stop the trileptal go back to 10mg of lexapro!!! Can I laugh now or later!!??? 10 mg???? Is she f'ing nuts???

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I have been taking the xanax at least once a day for a few days being that the anxiety has be horrific!!! Anywhere from .5-1mg. Depending on severity.not dependent at all. I usually take it when I need to function for my kids. This has been hell! I hate taking it!!!! I am so not a pill popper. My script is from august so it shows you how often I take xanax. Amazing how 3 doctors told me to go back to 10mg of lexapro without a thought!!

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  • Administrator

They tend to believe that when things go bad, adding more drugs is the solution.

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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  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi Laurvic,

 

Welcome to the forum and I'm so sorry you're struggling.

 

I've read your post from start to finish, and it seems that you have been struggling to work out what the 'right' decision is regarding your medication.

 

The Doctor is telling you to go down one path, and the good people on this forum, many of whom have suffered the perils of withdrawal first hand for many years, are advising that you take a different path.

 

Whose advice do you take? I get how hard it is to decide what you want to do because you just want to make it all go away.

 

Unfortunately it's not that easy. I've been there, and one thing I have learnt through all this is that you can only make the decision that is right for you at the time. It's very likely that this problem isn't going to go away overnight and so you're going to have to decide what to do and stick to that decision long enough for your CNS to settle down.

 

We've all been brought up to believe that Doctors are kind of 'deities' and that they are 'all-knowing'. But knowing what I now now, I'd put my money on the experts on this forum every time. Please re-read the advice Jemima offered you. It was GOOD advice.

 

I wish you all the best.

July 2001 prescribed 20mg citalopram for depression;
On and off meds from 2003-2006.
February 2006 back on 20mg citalopram and stayed on it until my last attempt at tapering in September 2011.
By far the worst withdrawal symptoms ever. Reinstated to 20mg citalopram
October 2012 - found this forum!
Nov 2012 to Feb 2013 did 10% taper, got doen to 11mg - was going great until stressful situation. Cortisol levels hit the roof, hideous insomnia forced me to updose to 20mg.
March 2016 - close to 100% back to normal!



****** I am not a medical practitioner, any advice I give comes from my own experience or reading and is only my perspective ******

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MODERATORS...So if I go to 2.5mg tomorrow morning when will I know if I should up it to 5mg? Suffering more than I have to is not an option so I'll do anything.Especially being that I'm not sure what the hell is going on. I will take the slightest bit of relief right now.

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