Pokeshaw: tapering off Lexapro

[Narcissus]

Sorry about the wave Poke, glad it's on it's way out.  Seems lots of us are having waves recently.  

[Pokeshaw]

Sorry about the wave Poke, glad it's on it's way out.  Seems lots of us are having waves recently.  

Thanks, Narcissus,

 

yeah, waves totally suck!  always grateful when it passes or changes enough so i can function! 

Best,

 

Poke

[Pokeshaw]

Another bad spell.  Work stress is not helping.

 

all i can hold on to is that i had a really terrific window of several days about 1 month into this recent cut. then a bad wave hit. the physical symptoms have calmed down but the lack of sleep and emotional symptoms are rough right now... i dont want to increase and i dont want to decrease but i certainly feel trapped in this w/d and side effects blender.  i guess it has to do with being down to this very small amount but i still find it mind blowing that going from .5 mg to .485 would be so rough. also seems that it takes me a long time to stabilize. or it seems like i am stabilizing then a wave hits.. i guess that is the nature of the beast and micro tapering is suggested so that the beast doesnt get too overwhelming.

 

Poke hoping for sleep!!

[Rhiannon]

It's not uncommon for symptoms to come and go and play out over time not just from the most recent reduction but from a while back. Just as people can experience protracted withdrawal for years after coming off a med too fast, people can experience this same kind of ups and downs during a taper, and it's not necessarily due just to the last cut you did.

 

You had a lot of chaotic med history not all that long ago and your nervous system is probably still reeling and healing from all of that.

 

And you're still living your life and dealing with stress at the same time, so it's a lot--your brain and nervous system trying to maintain enough homeostasis to function in everyday life, while still trying to heal from the damages wrought in the past.

 

So hang in there and try to reduce stress as much as you can and give your nervous system steady support as much as you can. You may be playing catch-up now. That's not a bad thing.

[Pokeshaw]

Thanks, Rhi. 

 

I always appreciate your advice. i am definitely in a funky place that reminds me very much of my original too fast taper state. that, mixed with some of the side effect symptoms. Stress is a huge factor. Work, home, financial - all very challenging right now and overwhelming.
 can't seem to get a footing.

will try to rest today before heading into another week at the crazy job. job that i dont want anymore but cant even imagine how else to make a living.

feeling like i am barely surviving.

i hold onto to the memory of a few really great window i had a couple weeks back!

Poke

[Pokeshaw]

help!!  I think i need some advice -

 

it has been 6 weeks since my last cut of 3% from .5mg to .485 mg Lexapro

i had some w/d symptoms in the first couple of weeks or so and then some ups and downs and finally some windows about 4 weeks in. but the last week or so things have not been going well. it seems i went thru this on my last cut. 5 -6 weeks in i had a bad spell of symptoms. this feels pretty bad.

especially since the gastro symptoms are aggravated. my chief area of impact seemed to be the enteric nervous system.

now, having alot of panic/anxiety/depression. gastro issues, reflux, some inflammation, chills. eyes messed up. hot flashes thru the night, hard to concentrate, emotions up and down, agoraphobic and ocd stuff creeping in as well as intrusive thoughts.  All same as when i first stopped the meds too fast and stayed off too long. at that time the worst of it hit me 3-4 months out and then just got worse.

so here i am again - afraid that i will continue to unravel

 

the question is - should i increase by a small amount - like 1%

that would take me from .485 to .490

 

Or -since i have already been at this dose for 6 wks should i just stay where i am and hope for a leveling off? 

right now is not good. my head is in a really bad place (really feels like that original w/d 3 summers ago) and i am a bit scared.

 

Thanks for any suggestions ~~~

 

Poke on a bad wave

[areyouthere]

Hi Poke,

 

I am here to offer support, not advice. I know how scary it is to be tapering lexapro. It's like walking on egg shells. I'm currently tapering in a new way… a micro taper , and am also very scared.

 

My consolation is what I hope you can grasp as well and that is that the people here are very knowledgeable and will have very , very good suggestions for us to try if & when we run into trouble. I hope that whoever comes along next will have that good advice for you.

 

Hang in there. You are very brave and doing great.

 

RU

[Nikki]

Hi...I was just looking at pics from my cousins in brooklyn and then came on this site and saw your name.....

 

I did taper Lexapro and a few days after a drop in dose the emotional stuff cropped up and would hit me badly.  After a few days or a week I would stop crying.  The anxiety on going.  Periodically physical symptoms would appear.  Yes, like you the gastro issues, and insomnia.

 

I remember that I was better able to tolerate a bad spell once the crying abated. Those depressive episodes were crushing.

 

The lower doses are most often the most troubling. You seem to be at a low dose.  Generally for me at that time with that taper, if I did not stabilize or level off after a good two weeks then I knew I was at a bad level.  I was given two bits of advise....hang on - or- sometimes a tiny drop in dose actually brought relief.  And then there is updosing which I had to do a number of times as well.

 

Pokeshaw it is such a crap shoot.  Letting you know that what you are going thru is rather normal for a Lexapro taper.  You are in the home-stretch now....

 

Hugs from a former Brooklynite

[Pokeshaw]

Hi Poke,

 

I am here to offer support, not advice. I know how scary it is to be tapering lexapro. It's like walking on egg shells. I'm currently tapering in a new way… a micro taper , and am also very scared.

 

My consolation is what I hope you can grasp as well and that is that the people here are very knowledgeable and will have very , very good suggestions for us to try if & when we run into trouble. I hope that whoever comes along next will have that good advice for you.

 

Hang in there. You are very brave and doing great.

 

RU

Thanks, RU

 

i really appreciate hearing from you, it means alot to me, especially today. 

 

yes, this can really be scary when the symptoms flair up. i had some really nice windows a couple weeks back and so am hanging on to those right now. i feel a bit better now that i am home and have had some dinner. extremely difficult to navigate the nyc subway and sit thru a day of stressful work whilst dizzy and nauseous and panicky etc!  on days like this it is hard to fake that i am doing OK.  

 

i wish you the best with your micro taper.

Let me know how you do.

Poke

[Pokeshaw]

Hi...I was just looking at pics from my cousins in brooklyn and then came on this site and saw your name.....

 

I did taper Lexapro and a few days after a drop in dose the emotional stuff cropped up and would hit me badly.  After a few days or a week I would stop crying.  The anxiety on going.  Periodically physical symptoms would appear.  Yes, like you the gastro issues, and insomnia.

 

I remember that I was better able to tolerate a bad spell once the crying abated. Those depressive episodes were crushing.

 

The lower doses are most often the most troubling. You seem to be at a low dose.  Generally for me at that time with that taper, if I did not stabilize or level off after a good two weeks then I knew I was at a bad level.  I was given two bits of advise....hang on - or- sometimes a tiny drop in dose actually brought relief.  And then there is updosing which I had to do a number of times as well.

 

Pokeshaw it is such a crap shoot.  Letting you know that what you are going thru is rather normal for a Lexapro taper.  You are in the home-stretch now....

 

Hugs from a former Brooklynite

 

Hi Nikki  ~~  good to hear from you.  Thanks so much for reaching out. i am always glad to hear from others who have Lexapro experience.  it is very intense.  half my problem is that i was almost 10 months off before i reinstated and so as i taper from the reinstatement of 5 mg i seem to be dealing with both W/D and side effects. and often they dont hit until weeks after the cut. that's what leads me to think it may be best to just hold where i am.

 

always good to get a hug from a neigborhood gal!  Much appreciated.

hope all is going well with you.

 

best,

 

Poke

[Nikki]

Getting hit with side effects after a few weeks is like getting blind sided.  You think you are okay after a cut and then weeks later it comes on.

 

I am struggling now myself.

 

HUgs

[Petunia]

Hi Poke,

No one can say for certain what you should do, if you updosed, there is no guarantee it would help and then you would have a higher dose to taper from.  If I were in you situation, I would wait it out, its a wave and it will pass.  I didn't taper properly, so have no personal experience, but I've read about people sometimes needing to hold for several months at a time when the doses get very low.

 

Petu.

[bubble]

Hello Poke,

 

I'm sorry things are so bad for you again. I totally admire you for going to work in that hectic NYC in that state. There were times when I was so very anxious that I would walk back and forth between the bus stop and my home not knowing if I'd be able to go to work. Are there any hols in sight for you? Knowing how little people in the States get, I don't even want to tell you how much I have here...(full 5 working weeks per year! actually even more now: 28 working days)

 

At the moment I also have some GI issues that doctors can't explain. For the first time in my life and I'm not tapering Lex yet. The same as Petu, I wouldn't updose. I firmly believe in the principle that our CNS is healing, even through such upheavals, provided we leave it undisturbed. I also firmly believe it's this stability that heals and not a particular dose. So updosing even a little, would just mean disrupting the balance your CNS is struggling to achieve. It will succeed. It just needs a bit more time. And all the gentle care and attention from you that you can give it. I often read it from people that symptoms in a wave look very much like that first awful withdrawal. And this is so very disheartening. Like we are back to square one. But we are not. We are far ahead on the road to recovery. I wish I remember where I read how MammaP watched a documentary showing how during inflammation our body is actually healing through very unpleasant symptoms. We believe our CNS-es are going through similar processes.

 

Being very careful about what I eat helps me with GI issues. How is your sleep now? Any better?

 

Hang in there. You can do it!

 

big hug,

 

bubble

[Rhiannon]

Poke, is there any way you can take some sick days and just relax? I find that stress really throws me for a loop. It's as bad as making a cut all by itself. You may just need some peace and quiet and calm for a bit. Even a week can make a big difference.

 

I don't think after six weeks going up by 1% will make a big difference, and as Bubble says, the change might just undermine whatever stabilizing and healing you've actually managed to accomplish. I think a break from stress is more what's needed than an adjustment in dose.

 

And maybe a massage. Or at least lots of hugs.

[Pokeshaw]

Hi all, Thanks for the support. You all are S/A angels! And you rock!

 

 - it seems the wave has broken. I hope!   yesterday i felt better. it was a rough wave. I know you all understand.   i didnt think i would find myself asking about updosing again after i had finally ‘got it’ about the need to hold, though i did have a feeling that it was the thing to do.

 

 I also saw my psych doc yesterday and she agreed that I should not make a change - try to stay at current dose at least 3 months if not longer. She also agrees that next cut should be tiny – 1%.  You all will be happy to hear that she actually referred one of her patients to the site and before doing so took a look around herself. She said she found a lot of good information. I was glad to hear that she did that. She has always been supportive and respected info I bring her from S/A but this is the first time she has told me that she went to the site herself and also referred a patient.

 

And yes, I am badly in need of a ‘mental health break’ from the job!  Will get a bit of a reprieve this weekend.  we close at 1 on Thursday and I don’t have to think about the place again til Monday. Then I have to schedule some days off. I have vacation days – just find it hard to figure out what I want to do with them since we have a bunch of crazy deadlines. I would like to go to Canada to visit family but it is not very relaxing because once I get there I have to jump around and see everyone, so I haven’t committed to that. Part of me would like to just take a bunch of long weekends but I just haven’t been able to commit to that. I have such a hard time with this. My partner is unemployed and struggling financially so we cant really go on a vacation.  So – will need to get off the fence and settle on something!

 

 This stress factor is something I have dealt with my entire life starting in childhood and related to growing up in an alcoholic home where, like many others out there, I dealt with neglect and boundary violation (to put it lightly).   Even after years of 12 step programs and therapy, this stress was a big factor that lead to me starting medication . That, coupled with peri menopause issues. At that point in my life the hormonal changes caused a lot of ups and downs – i knew it was hormonal but could not find any relief. Tried many different treatments – Chinese medicine, bioidentical hormones. Saw several holistic docs etc. finally ended up with a homeopath who also happened to be a psychiatrist. After a couple of yrs trying various remedies, I succumbed to Lexapro.  It definitely helped with the anxiety and OCD and difficulty concentrating.  Until I couldn’t take the side effects any more and tried to stop - 

 

So – here I am. And now it seems my challenge is to learn deeper ways to take care of myself. I seem to have some resistance to this. I know that I ‘neglect’ myself and learned that in childhood. That has been very clear to me for a while. But still hard to change the pattern. I promote relaxation to others – but short change myself on it then feel like a victim/martyr.  Vicious cycle.  Alanon is helpful but I resist that too!   So – I ask goddess to show me how to take better care of myself. One day at a time.  I sense that she has guided me here to learn this important lesson through this W/D experience.

 

Off to work!  Good news is – there is a beautiful park outside my office (Madison Park). When I left work yesterday a voice in my head said – go lie on the grass before getting on the train!  Another voice said – no, just go home.   I listened to the first voice and enjoyed the grass and sky  for a few minutes before heading underground on a muggy NYC day.

XOXOX

Poke in the city

Edited August 27, 2016 by JanCarol
white space

[Rhiannon]

Aw, glad to hear you're on the mend!

 

And I love your doc. Have you put her on our list?

[Pokeshaw]

Aw, glad to hear you're on the mend!

 

And I love your doc. Have you put her on our list?

Hey Rhi - i havent put the doc on the list. should i ask her first?

 

Poke

[areyouthere]

Hi Poke!! Great to hear you are feeling better!! The optimism is obvious.

 

After having read your last post it really struck me how similar our stories are. Specifically… alcoholism affected my childhood, high anxiety, a bit of OCD, high stress, peri menopause, LEXAPRO, and now tapering…. a small world even in the big city!!!

 

I read somewhere just recently a scientific article describing how walking barefoot on green grass has the physiological effect of lowering heart rate & releasing endorphins in our brains. I guess you beat the scientists to it!!!

 

All the best

 

RU

[Pokeshaw]

Hi Ru ~  good to hear from you. yes, sounds like we do have similar stories!  it is a small world, for sure.

 

Lying in the grass was a good thing, instead of rushing off to the subway. So wonderful to feel the earth under my body. Not something you get to do often in NYC!

 

a half day of work tomorrow then 3.5 glorious and much needed days off!

 

I am curious about how you are tapering the Lexapro by weight?

 

Hope all is well ~~

 

Poke

[Rhiannon]

Yes, ask your doctor if we can put her on our list of docs.

[bubble]

just wanted to say hi quickly.

 

that's what i always hope for when wriitng to people in a wave: that just as I write, they have already surfaced so glad it was the case.

 

Your doctor sounds amazing: wow! (I think all doctors should come here to educate themselves. A lot of things would start making sense to them...)

 

I also wanted to say about the hols. I've been travelling quite a lot and have recently discovered that staying at home is actually a great way of relaxing. I even decided to treat my own town as a tourist and explore things I explore in other towns but here never bother or simply don't have time.

 

Also walking around my neighbourhood during the times when I'm usually at work feels so good! And when it comes to NYC there are so many things to explore! You could go on one day excursions outside the rush hours to certain points of interest. When were you on Staten Island last or Metropolitan Museum? We went there last year during our brief visit. We insisted on walking from the ferry port up the hill to a lake surounding by a great tranquil park. It's very ethnic. There were almost all religious professions in that one street we took, different ethnic stores and restaurants, the whole world in one street and then great nature on the top. We took the bus back and had a great day.

 

It's just an idea Visiting relatives not recommended unless your CNS is very sturdy. This is stressful for anyone

[Pokeshaw]

Yes, ask your doctor if we can put her on our list of docs.

I will do that. thanks!

[Pokeshaw]

just wanted to say hi quickly.

 

that's what i always hope for when wriitng to people in a wave: that just as I write, they have already surfaced so glad it was the case.

 

Your doctor sounds amazing: wow! (I think all doctors should come here to educate themselves. A lot of things would start making sense to them...)

 

I also wanted to say about the hols. I've been travelling quite a lot and have recently discovered that staying at home is actually a great way of relaxing. I even decided to treat my own town as a tourist and explore things I explore in other towns but here never bother or simply don't have time.

 

Also walking around my neighbourhood during the times when I'm usually at work feels so good! And when it comes to NYC there are so many things to explore! You could go on one day excursions outside the rush hours to certain points of interest. When were you on Staten Island last or Metropolitan Museum? We went there last year during our brief visit. We insisted on walking from the ferry port up the hill to a lake surounding by a great tranquil park. It's very ethnic. There were almost all religious professions in that one street we took, different ethnic stores and restaurants, the whole world in one street and then great nature on the top. We took the bus back and had a great day.

 

It's just an idea Visiting relatives not recommended unless your CNS is very sturdy. This is stressful for anyone

 

Hi Bubble -

 

Good to hear from you. yes, so happy to report that the wave has passed!!  i gotta say, sometimes just 'spelling it out' here helps it shift. there is definitely something to be said for sharing about it. Really helps to lessen the intensity, knowing i am not alone and that there are people out there who 'get it'!  You are most def one of those for me so i thank you for being there!

 

i like what you said about hols. i do find staying close to home is very relaxing. going to do that this weekend. i dont travel much. i have always found it to be stressful. i dont like airports or plane travel. too much stimulation! but it is important to get away now and then so i try to do that.

 

the city is great and i do sometimes take advantage of it but since going thru this w/d i find it too overwhelming. as you know it is very crowded. but i have found some nice places to get away from the crowds. I might actually go to the Met this weekend with a friend. or out to Brighton beach in the morning before the crowds get there. i love the ocean. i grew up on it in Canada and miss it. what country are you in?

 

my doc is pretty good. she is very open to what i am going thru and has been very supportive.  i am def going to ask her if i can post her contact info on the site.

i hope all is well with you.

cheers!

 

Poke

[Nikki]

So glad to see that you are feeling better and yes everyone understand a bad wave.  Funny thing is not matter how many times we have had it while going thru it it does not seem like a wave.  It feels like it won't end.

 

It's so good to have a doctor (a good one) behind you.

 

I have been in Al-Anon for 18 years.  My folks weren't alcoholic but my former spouse was.  Love the fellowship and camaraderie.

There was dysfunction in my family or origin and I suppose that is where the anxiety had it's inception.

 

It is nice that you have a partner so you are not alone.  It helps.

 

Where is Madison Park.  At first I thought you were going to say Central Park:)

 

Hugs

[Pokeshaw]

So glad to see that you are feeling better and yes everyone understand a bad wave.  Funny thing is not matter how many times we have had it while going thru it it does not seem like a wave.  It feels like it won't end.

 

It's so good to have a doctor (a good one) behind you.

 

I have been in Al-Anon for 18 years.  My folks weren't alcoholic but my former spouse was.  Love the fellowship and camaraderie.

There was dysfunction in my family or origin and I suppose that is where the anxiety had it's inception.

 

It is nice that you have a partner so you are not alone.  It helps.

 

Where is Madison Park.  At first I thought you were going to say Central Park:)

 

Hugs

 

Hi Nikki,

 

yes, alanon is a life saver. very powerful program for learning self care. great that you have been going for 18 yrs!

 

Madison Park is at 23rd and 5th. by the Flatiron building. it is beautifully maintained year round. so wonderful to have right outside my office. i walk thru it every morning.

 

hope you are doing well!

 

Poke

[areyouthere]

 

 

I am curious about how you are tapering the Lexapro by weight?

 

Hope all is well ~~

 

Poke

 I use a lab grade scale from a high school. The tablets I use each weigh 25 grams. The strength of each tablet is 20 mg. I am tapering using 20 mg tablets of Lexapro.

 

If each 25 gram tablet by weight contains 20 mg of lexapro ingredient , then each mg of the tablet must contain .8 mg of the ingredient lexapro using the following logic: 

 

20 / 25 = .8 mg 

 

I use the scale then and a pill cutter. Currently I am at a dosage of 13.6 mg of lexapro.

 

To get this dosage I cut the tablets to a weight of 16 g ( 12.8 mg of lexapro) & then take the rest using the oral solution. 

 

My goal is to get to 10 mg tablets and stay there. I'm hoping another two months & then I can purchase 10 mg tablets & be done with it.

 

RU

[Pokeshaw]

RU,

 

OK, thanks for explaining that to me. Very interesting.

 

Poke

[Pokeshaw]

Checking in ~~

 

Been having a rough time. seems that this last cut of 3% down to .485 (2 months ago) has been mostly waves. have had a few brief windows but the last couple of weeks have been rough.  feel again like i am back to the C/T symptoms mixed with a few side effect symptoms. Gastro issue is aggravated, dizziness, nausea, anxiety, tearful, intrusive dark thoughts and trouble concentrating. now very tired. want to sleep alot. hot flashes. allergy and food sensitivities increased. neck/jaw tightness and pain.  and something new - my eyes are messed up. very dry, and some blurring. work stress is very hard to deal with in this condition. doing my best to keep the stress down. but my OCD tendencies get triggered by the type of detail work i do so that is a challenge.

of course i have thoughts like - this will never change. i am trapped in this hell forever. my life is reduced to working and trying to cope with the basics. but i am afraid i wont be able to keep up.

i guess it is not as bad as it was 3 summers ago when i couldnt function - so i have that to be grateful for.

but it really SUCKS right now. and i am angry about it.

 

OK, that's my 2 cents worth for today.

thanks for listening.

 

Poke

[LexAnger]

I'm so sorry Poke. I totally know what you mean by being angry with ALL this, I had it, a very uncomfortable and disturbing feeling. You have been incredibly strong hanging for this long with so much constant challenges still able to handling work. I feel lots respect to your will and strength. Giving the length you already endured and survived this hell, I hope you will see the light soon at the end of tunnel. Weekend is here wish you lots of relaxed time with easier symptoms.

[LexAnger]

And hugs!

[Rhiannon]

Aw Poke, I'm sorry. Waves suck. Withdrawal sucks. Stress definitely makes things worse. 

 

And that feeling "it's never been much better and it will never be better"...I know that one well. It's another withdrawal symptom, I think. I know from following your thread that things have been better and will be better again. I also know that doesn't really help much when you're in the pits. Hang in there, though. Your windows are out there, and when you get there it will be glorious.

 

Besides reducing work stress as much as possible, can you do something special, get a massage? go to the beach? Get out into the woods? Or just let yourself sleep, when you're feeling tired, maybe play some comforting music and just close your eyes? Anything you can think of that would be pleasurable and soothing under normal circumstances. Maybe you can find a way to fit some of that in.

[bubble]

hello Poke and thank you for sharing with us. 

 

LexAnger and Rhi said it all so i'd just like to let you know that I'm also following you in support. And as Rhi mentioned remember your windows for you. The weekend is coming so I hope you will be able to get some much needed rest and do some of the great things Rhi suggested. (I remember that nice park along the lake on Staten Island...). Or you can just treat yourself to a nice lie in. What works best for me is if I let myself to be as passive as I can imagine one day and then gently push myself into some more active form of relaxation the next, following by some more passive time. 

 

I also have GI issues of recently and not sure if I should attribute it to Lex. Also difficulties focusing and feeling OCD or very detailed about the work I do...

 

let us know how you are doing.

 

big hug

[LexAnger]

Hi Poke,

 

We have very similar history in terms of meds, duration and side effects. I have been actually struggling a lot for the past year seeking for stabalizing point every single day (need to update my profile) after severe lexapro reduction reaction. I can relate all the symptoms you had as Lexapro has its own added ugliness as compared to other SSRIs (2-3 times potency, jaw pain, intolerable headache, pins and needling). I can imagine how terrible it can be as it is already intolerable for me even I am back up to the original dose.  You mentioned you felt bad side effect from liquid form. Did you find liquid form is actually gives more side effects than tablet and/or compunded? I have so much needling pain every day during taking the liquid. I started lately to take the 3.8mg over a period of 5+ hours to make the pain tolerable. I am thinking to go back to tablet once I find out a relative 'right' dose using the liquid. 

 

I hope knowing that you were not alone, and someone else like me got even more problems provide some comforts. 

[areyouthere]

Hang in there Poke. I'm so sorry you are having to endure a wave. They. are. the. pits. 

 

For me the unpredictability of how I will feel from one day or one hour or one minute or one week to the next can be the most difficult.

 

I mean, why should I expose myself and enjoy a day when I might ( and sometimes probably will)  feel like CRAP for the next three? 

 

When I am feeling like that and a "good period" exposes itself to me I use the simplest coping mechanisms I can : a warm bath with music; I browse through a lame- brain magazine ( House & Gardens, Birds & Blooms, Family Circle) in bed & try to dose off, VERY light stretching or breathing etc. to enjoy it and then just let the chips fall as they may...

 

This way I am gently supporting my nervous system, experiencing some relief, and not setting myself up for disappointment.

 

I'm not suggesting anything here directed specifically to your situation. I'm just sharing part of my tool box hoping that maybe something will click & help you reach out of the funk….

 

RU

[Pokeshaw]

And hugs!

Thank you, Lex!  i appreciate your note.  i am so glad the weekend is here!

[Pokeshaw]

Hi Poke,

 

We have very similar history in terms of meds, duration and side effects. I have been actually struggling a lot for the past year seeking for stabalizing point every single day (need to update my profile) after severe lexapro reduction reaction. I can relate all the symptoms you had as Lexapro has its own added ugliness as compared to other SSRIs (2-3 times potency, jaw pain, intolerable headache, pins and needling). I can imagine how terrible it can be as it is already intolerable for me even I am back up to the original dose.  You mentioned you felt bad side effect from liquid form. Did you find liquid form is actually gives more side effects than tablet and/or compunded? I have so much needling pain every day during taking the liquid. I started lately to take the 3.8mg over a period of 5+ hours to make the pain tolerable. I am thinking to go back to tablet once I find out a relative 'right' dose using the liquid. 

 

I hope knowing that you were not alone, and someone else like me got even more problems provide some comforts. 

HI Lex,

 

Yes, lexapro is a very intense drug. i still find it hard to accept what hell it has put me through to try and stop taking it.

 

i can't say for sure if the liquid caused me more side effects since at the time that i tried it my nervous system was pretty much de-stabilized.  but once i found this forum and realized that i needed to stick to a steady dose, my doctor also suggested that i try a compounded version of brand lexapro. she and the compounding pharmacist suggested that because i had such bad GI symptoms. they felt the liquid was too fast acting for me. also,  i could not tolerate the generic.  so it has been 7 months that i have been taking the compounded lexapro. i have found that the pins and needles and numbness is less. i have also had some good periods of windows. but again, that may likely be due to holding for long periods on one dose. at this point i am down to .485 mg and at these low doses any change i make is very intense. last cut was 3% 2 months ago. i will stay here another month or longer if necessary and next cut will be 1%.  i really need the stability and i hope to get there after 2.5 yrs of being all over the map!

i hope you are doing alright and that your symptoms calm down soon. i understand how difficult it is.

i send you a hug back!

Poke