ADquitter Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 (edited) Hi everyone, Well, i tried, and it worked. A little bit over 3 months CT on Lexapro, 4 months Clonazepan . Just for info -i was on 10mg Escitalopram and 4mg Clonazepan, for years. It has not been easy, i have to say. I did experience withdrawal symptoms. -Extreme anxiety -Insomnia -Slight akathesia I do not recommend this unless you have a plan and are completely aware of the symptoms youll have to tolerate. What worked for me? -Reiki: restablished the balance of my chi (fundamental life force) - i actually thought it was BS, but it couldnt hurt, so i took 3 sessions. You have to go regularly, unless youre some kinda Zen master and can do that yourself. -Meditation (this takes time and effort, you will feel anxious and unable to reach alpha, but with practice, you will) - the whole point, try to understand and actually believe that good things come from within, you cant let outside events or people affect you. -Tai Chi Chuan (its believed to be meditation in motion) - besides the spiritual part, Tai Chi is a great entry exercise for us, most of us are not in shape due to our condition, we dont feel like jogging or doing squats, so we get lazy. Tai Chi is gentle, im pretty sure it would be good for anyone. Besides you go out and probably meet new people if you feel like it. -Found myself something to do... to keep busy. Thats just me, i dont have a regular job, i kinda just work when i need to or i want to. But besides money, i needed to work to keep my head busy. -In that something to do, i spent some time researching to set up a dietary plan that would suit my needs. I gained 15 pounds since all this started, and got back to my normal weight after a month or so. I do recommend this because it gives you extra confidence to look fit, o maybe lose a few pounds when you go back to normal life. -Insomnia was awful, maybe the worst part of this... Id be up for 48 hours sometimes, then fell asleep due to exhaustion... i almost got back to clonazepan, but the combination of not having money to pay for it and the doctor being on vacation, helped me a lot. Word of advice, if you have insomnia, try to maintain your schedules, do not just sleep anytime you can... you feel like sleeping at 3 pm? well try not to... youd wake up in the middle of the night with nothing productive to do... thats a good time for your head to start messing around with you again and conspiring against the plan. -Anxiety... this one was a tough one too, add it to insomnia and its a molotov cocktail. During this past 3 months, i think ive seen over 100 movies, the whole "breaking bad", "heroes" and "dexter" shows... it kinda kept my head busy during those long nights awake. -Sex Drive: i was not being able to reach orgasms while on the drug, that got me pretty upset. Well, it got back to normal about a month or so... i did start to feel horny about 3 weeks after this CT thing started, way too horny maybe, but its now ok, it just goes away with intercourse. Well, i´ll keep posting just in case i have any other delayed symptoms, i hope not. As i said, if youre to go CT on lexapro, be 100% committed to this and be aware of symptoms, i have done this before, and they do happen. What im trying to say here, is be prepared... do not wait to go get movies, or hire netflix, or buy camomile tea or whatever works for you... if you like company, try not to be alone too much... well, this is very personal, noone knows you better than you yourself, be prepared for whats to come. It is possible, there is a way out. Edited February 2, 2015 by cymbaltawithdrawal5600 added line breaks for readability Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted February 4, 2015 Administrator Share Posted February 4, 2015 ADquitter -- how long did it take for you to recover from the worst symptoms? Why did you choose to cold turkey? Were you aware that you could taper? 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. Link to comment
Nathalou Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 Is your anxiety and insomnia better? 2008-2014: various doses of Sertraline between 25-150mg. Put on it initially for very mild anxiety. Occasionnally Xanax 0.25mg, maybe twice a month. Summer 2014: much too rapid taper off Sertraline (had no clue about withdrawal) from 25mg to nothing in about two months. September 2014: last Sertraline pill.End november 2014: begin WD symptoms (severe headaches, nausea, dizziness, lightheadedness, zaps, head/face/ear pressure, severe debilitating anxiety and insomnia, muscle pains and spasm,..) Begin february 2015: had developed what I now know is akathisia, arrived at the psych ER severly sleep deprived. Put on a drug regimen consisting of: Sertraline 25mg, Trazolan 100 mg for sleep and Temesta 2,5 when needed. Had a severe adverse reaction to the Sertraline reinstatement and became acutely suicidal within days. Akathisia and all physical symptoms became worse. Doctor pushed the doses further up until I, in a moment of lucidity, found a psychiatrist who believed me when I said I was in WD. Mid march 2015: off all psych meds. Suicidal thoughts diminshed greatly, insomnia got somewhat better but akathisia is still relentless and physical symptoms quite debilitating. At least drugs are out of my system and healing can finally commence. I avoid coffee, alcohol and exercise and am not taking any supplements whatsoever. I am just leaving my body and brain to be. Link to comment
clearday Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Congratulations, ADquitter, on feeling fine 3 months after your cold turkey from years of 10 mg Lexapro! I quit 5 mg Lexapro cold turkey after years of usage. I too had a couple months of withdrawal symptoms, immediately upon cold turkeying. I too felt pretty good at 3 months out. And at 4,5, and 6 months out. Felt pretty normal. But at 7 months, for me the real WD began, I went through 3 months of a scary, hellish insomnia wave. Then I had a month window of feeling fantastic. Then at 10 months out, I got hit with a hellish two month wave of 24/7 head pressure/ear ringing, which I am presently enduring. Hopefully you are one of the majority of patients who will not have to go through the protracted withdrawal, as I and so many others here are. Hopefully, you are mostly recovered, and your body has moved on from this Lexapro! You had a tough few months, so maybe your body took care of all it needed to do during this time - But if weird things begin to happen to you months from now, at least you know what is causing it - the notorious, delayed onset Lexapro WD. If I could do it over, I would have done the long, slow, 10% taper in order to reduce the severity of Lexapro WD. I did the cold turkey because I didn't know any better - Hell hath no fury as an SSRI scorned..... Prozac: 20 mg 1996 – May 2003 CT to 0 mg; by Aug 03 CRASH then protracted WD 3 yrs Zoloft: 2004 few weeks;, CT to 0 mg Effexor: 2005 few months CT to 0 mg; bad withdrawal. Lexapro: 10 mg from 2009 – 2011; cut dose in half to: Lexapro: 5 mg from 2011 – Feb. 2014; CT to 0 mg; 2 months of fatigue, followed by:Aug - Oct 2014 Lexapro WD Insomnia Wave; sleeping very good from Nov 2014 - Nov 2015; broken sleep pattern Dec 2015 - Jan 2016 Dec 2014 - present: Brutal Lexapro WD ear ringing/head ringing/head pressure lasting for 14 months now. 24 months SSRI-free Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted February 18, 2015 Administrator Share Posted February 18, 2015 ADquitter, I wish you all the best, but unless all your withdrawal symptoms are in the past, you are not yet a success story. I've moved your topic to the Introductions section -- please let us know how you're doing. 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. Link to comment
westcoast Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 How long you say it takes to be free of recurring withdrawal symptoms? I mean, when does someone know he'll never be hit by another wave or symptoms? 6 months? More? 2009: Cancer hospital said I had adjustment disorder because I thought they were doing it wrong. Their headshrinker prescribed Effexor, and my life set on a new course. I didn't know what was ahead, like a passenger on Disneyland's Matterhorn, smiling and waving as it climbs...clink, clink, clink. 2010: Post surgical accidental Effexor discontinuation by nurses, masked by intravenous Dilaudid. (The car is balanced at the top of the track.) I get home, pop a Vicodin, and ... Whooosh...down, down, down, down, down...goes the trajectory of my life, up goes my mood and tendency to think everything is a good idea.2012: After the bipolar jig was up, now a walking bag of unrelated symptoms, I went crazy on Daytrana (the Ritalin skin patch by Noven), because ADHD was a perfect fit for a bag of unrelated symptoms. I was prescribed Effexor for the nervousness of it, and things got neurological. An EEG showed enough activity to warrant an epilepsy diagnosis rather than non-epileptic ("psychogenic") seizures. 2013-2014: Quit everything and got worse. I probably went through DAWS: dopamine agonist withdrawal syndrome. I drank to not feel, but I felt a lot: dread, fear, regret, grief: an utter sense of total loss of everything worth breathing about, for almost two years. I was not suicidal but I wanted to be dead, at least dead to the experience of my own brain and body. 2015: I began to recover after adding virgin coconut oil and organic grass-fed fed butter to a cup of instant coffee in the morning. I did it hoping for mental acuity and better memory. After ten days of that, I was much better, mood-wise. Approximately neutral. And, I experienced drowsiness. I could sleep. Not exactly happy, I did 30 days on Wellbutrin, because it had done me no harm in the past. I don't have the DAWS mood or state of mind. It never feel like doing anything if it means standing up. In fact, I don't especially like moving. I'm a brain with a beanbag body. Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted February 20, 2015 Administrator Share Posted February 20, 2015 I would say some number of months, westcoast. 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. Link to comment
Sarasmiles Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 ADquitter, thank you for posting this! It's great to hear that you are doing well and got through the first three months using such powerful tools. I love hearing stories from people who have found a way out! Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus Fresh Posted February 21, 2015 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted February 21, 2015 Hi ADQ , how have you been feeling in the past two weeks? 1987-1997 pertofran , prothiaden , Prozac 1997-2002 Zoloft 2002-2004 effexor 2004-2010 Lexapro 40mg 2010-2012Cymbalta 120mg Sept. 2012 -decreased 90mg in 6months. Care taken over by Dr Lucire in March 2013 , decreased last 30mg at 2mg per week over 3 months. July 21 , 2013- last dose of Cymbalta Protracted withdrawal syndrome kicked in badly Jan.2014 Unrelenting akathisia until May 2014. Voluntary hosp. admission. Cocktail of Seroquel, Ativan and mirtazapine and I was well enough to go home after 14 days. Stopped all hosp. meds in next few months. July 2014 felt v.depressed - couldn't stop crying. Started pristiq 50mg. Felt improvement within days and continued to improve, so stayed on 50mg for 8 months. Began taper 28 Feb. 2015. Pristiq 50mg down to 45mg. Had one month of w/d symptoms. Started CES therapy in March. No w/d symptoms down to 30mg. October 2015 , taking 25mg Pristiq. Capsules compounded with slow-release additive. March 2016 , 21mg Link to comment
ikam Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 How long you say it takes to be free of recurring withdrawal symptoms? I mean, when does someone know he'll never be hit by another wave or symptoms? 6 months? More? Hmmm, I did a very slow tapper from effexot and I was still hit by ibs, and pain...therefore relapsed to taking painkillers and then AD... But at the same time I believe that WD is very individual in nature... - 12.03.2021- doxepin- 50mg - 6.11.2020- 75mg - 16.10.2020- 100mg - 30.09.2020- doxepin- 125mg - May 2020, omeprazole 40mg switched to esomeprazole 20mg - 2012 re-started Doxepin 75mg, evening. Increased to 150mg - 2012, Atenolol 25mg, twice a day - 2016, Low dose of HRT in evening, Sandrena and Utrogestan - Long term of Nasal spray Otrivine - 2012, PPI Omeprazole 40mg-evening 24.10.2014- Started ESCITALOPRAM-first 5mg and then 10mg; due to the adverse symptoms reduced on 5.01.2015- Escitalopram- 2.5mg 22.07.2016- re-started reduction by 1% at a time. Completed tappering on 19.03.2020 😇 Link to comment
westcoast Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 Ikam, what was the pain like? 2009: Cancer hospital said I had adjustment disorder because I thought they were doing it wrong. Their headshrinker prescribed Effexor, and my life set on a new course. I didn't know what was ahead, like a passenger on Disneyland's Matterhorn, smiling and waving as it climbs...clink, clink, clink. 2010: Post surgical accidental Effexor discontinuation by nurses, masked by intravenous Dilaudid. (The car is balanced at the top of the track.) I get home, pop a Vicodin, and ... Whooosh...down, down, down, down, down...goes the trajectory of my life, up goes my mood and tendency to think everything is a good idea.2012: After the bipolar jig was up, now a walking bag of unrelated symptoms, I went crazy on Daytrana (the Ritalin skin patch by Noven), because ADHD was a perfect fit for a bag of unrelated symptoms. I was prescribed Effexor for the nervousness of it, and things got neurological. An EEG showed enough activity to warrant an epilepsy diagnosis rather than non-epileptic ("psychogenic") seizures. 2013-2014: Quit everything and got worse. I probably went through DAWS: dopamine agonist withdrawal syndrome. I drank to not feel, but I felt a lot: dread, fear, regret, grief: an utter sense of total loss of everything worth breathing about, for almost two years. I was not suicidal but I wanted to be dead, at least dead to the experience of my own brain and body. 2015: I began to recover after adding virgin coconut oil and organic grass-fed fed butter to a cup of instant coffee in the morning. I did it hoping for mental acuity and better memory. After ten days of that, I was much better, mood-wise. Approximately neutral. And, I experienced drowsiness. I could sleep. Not exactly happy, I did 30 days on Wellbutrin, because it had done me no harm in the past. I don't have the DAWS mood or state of mind. It never feel like doing anything if it means standing up. In fact, I don't especially like moving. I'm a brain with a beanbag body. Link to comment
ikam Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 Ikam, what was the pain like? I had unexplained pains, first one was my left knee, especially at night, it was stabbing pain that was waking me up...i had MRI scan and nothing was there...i was taking very strong painkillers, but with little help...It lasted around half a year... Then I got a pelvic pain, it was deep, close to the cocsix bone, deep inside my rectum. I was unable to sit, but I had to sit in front of my clients...so it used to start around 10am and when I was going to sleep I was still in pain...i was taking painkillers to be able to sleep...started doxepin, as it was stated that it may help... I had MRI, nothing there... The acupuncture was helpful...The phisiotherapy, deep internal trigger point therapy for almost one year was the most helpful... It all lasted for more than two years... This one was so difficult, as I had to dit a lot and commute on trains... I also had achilles tendon and feet pain, difficult to walk... I am somehow used to pain...but they always kind of unexplained...they seem to wander throughout my body... - 12.03.2021- doxepin- 50mg - 6.11.2020- 75mg - 16.10.2020- 100mg - 30.09.2020- doxepin- 125mg - May 2020, omeprazole 40mg switched to esomeprazole 20mg - 2012 re-started Doxepin 75mg, evening. Increased to 150mg - 2012, Atenolol 25mg, twice a day - 2016, Low dose of HRT in evening, Sandrena and Utrogestan - Long term of Nasal spray Otrivine - 2012, PPI Omeprazole 40mg-evening 24.10.2014- Started ESCITALOPRAM-first 5mg and then 10mg; due to the adverse symptoms reduced on 5.01.2015- Escitalopram- 2.5mg 22.07.2016- re-started reduction by 1% at a time. Completed tappering on 19.03.2020 😇 Link to comment
westcoast Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 Thanks. I had acute upper abdominal pain attacks after stopping effexor, and was wondering if yours were the same. Yours were all over the place! Glad the therapies helped. 2009: Cancer hospital said I had adjustment disorder because I thought they were doing it wrong. Their headshrinker prescribed Effexor, and my life set on a new course. I didn't know what was ahead, like a passenger on Disneyland's Matterhorn, smiling and waving as it climbs...clink, clink, clink. 2010: Post surgical accidental Effexor discontinuation by nurses, masked by intravenous Dilaudid. (The car is balanced at the top of the track.) I get home, pop a Vicodin, and ... Whooosh...down, down, down, down, down...goes the trajectory of my life, up goes my mood and tendency to think everything is a good idea.2012: After the bipolar jig was up, now a walking bag of unrelated symptoms, I went crazy on Daytrana (the Ritalin skin patch by Noven), because ADHD was a perfect fit for a bag of unrelated symptoms. I was prescribed Effexor for the nervousness of it, and things got neurological. An EEG showed enough activity to warrant an epilepsy diagnosis rather than non-epileptic ("psychogenic") seizures. 2013-2014: Quit everything and got worse. I probably went through DAWS: dopamine agonist withdrawal syndrome. I drank to not feel, but I felt a lot: dread, fear, regret, grief: an utter sense of total loss of everything worth breathing about, for almost two years. I was not suicidal but I wanted to be dead, at least dead to the experience of my own brain and body. 2015: I began to recover after adding virgin coconut oil and organic grass-fed fed butter to a cup of instant coffee in the morning. I did it hoping for mental acuity and better memory. After ten days of that, I was much better, mood-wise. Approximately neutral. And, I experienced drowsiness. I could sleep. Not exactly happy, I did 30 days on Wellbutrin, because it had done me no harm in the past. I don't have the DAWS mood or state of mind. It never feel like doing anything if it means standing up. In fact, I don't especially like moving. I'm a brain with a beanbag body. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus Fresh Posted February 21, 2015 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted February 21, 2015 ADQ , I see you haven't been on the site since 5 Feb. I do hope you're doing okay. If things have gotten worse it fits in with many people's pattern of withdrawal , so would not be surprising at all. Please let us know how you're going and if we can do anything to help. Fresh 1987-1997 pertofran , prothiaden , Prozac 1997-2002 Zoloft 2002-2004 effexor 2004-2010 Lexapro 40mg 2010-2012Cymbalta 120mg Sept. 2012 -decreased 90mg in 6months. Care taken over by Dr Lucire in March 2013 , decreased last 30mg at 2mg per week over 3 months. July 21 , 2013- last dose of Cymbalta Protracted withdrawal syndrome kicked in badly Jan.2014 Unrelenting akathisia until May 2014. Voluntary hosp. admission. Cocktail of Seroquel, Ativan and mirtazapine and I was well enough to go home after 14 days. Stopped all hosp. meds in next few months. July 2014 felt v.depressed - couldn't stop crying. Started pristiq 50mg. Felt improvement within days and continued to improve, so stayed on 50mg for 8 months. Began taper 28 Feb. 2015. Pristiq 50mg down to 45mg. Had one month of w/d symptoms. Started CES therapy in March. No w/d symptoms down to 30mg. October 2015 , taking 25mg Pristiq. Capsules compounded with slow-release additive. March 2016 , 21mg Link to comment
ADquitter Posted February 27, 2015 Author Share Posted February 27, 2015 Hi there! Sorry for being MIA for so long. So far so good, i haven´t noticed any new symptoms. All the others are gone. I sleep well, i eat well, no more anxiety attacks or anything. Not feeling any different than years ago when i was off the drug. So this means i have been somehow hiding my real issues, wich arise now again, but thats another story i´m dealing with. I´ll keep posting. I´d like to say there is hope in quitting this poison we were prescribed. Its not easy, but it can be done. Would i recommend CD to anyone? Not really, unless youre really into experiencing a couple of rough months... Something i do consider a mistake was quitting on Clonazepan at the same time. This can be controversial, but i find WAAAY easier to quit clonazepan rather than any SSRI, and while quitting SSRIs, rivotril could be a good ally until your body chemistry gets settled again. I would have killed for 2mg clonazepam on those long nights of insomnia and anxiety, would have been much better. What helped me? I didnt have any pills at home, nothing that would tempt me to start taking again. Getting a prescription was a pain in the ass, so when i got kinda desperate i kinda thought about it and calmed down. Yeah im kinda lazy, haha. I have not recommendations regarding akathisia, i guess i was lucky it went away. Thanks everyone ! Link to comment
Hudgens Posted February 27, 2015 Share Posted February 27, 2015 Ikam, did you get checked for things like Bartonella and Lyme Disease? Sept 12th 1992-began taking Imipramine (50mgs) for panic attacks. Stopped Imipramine after 4 months (cold turkey). 7 months later experienced "mysterious" bad flu-like symptoms, although, without upper respiratory problems or fever. Because of this and a day of panic attacks, was put on Prozac (20mgs?) for 2 months and then, when that didn't work-was put back on Imipramine, plus Xanax 1 mg (4Xdaily)-October 1993. March 1999-switched from Imipramine (50mgs) to Celexa. 2008-switched to Pristiq for 3 months, then back to Effexor XR (after bad reaction to the Pristiq). Sept 1st 2010-Switched from Effexor XR (75mgs) to Effexor Generic (solid form) in preparation for taper. Nov 15th 2010-Began tapering from 75mgs Effexor Generic. January 13th 2014-.06mgs April 17th 2014- .03mgs May 11th 2014- .02mgs Ended taper October 31st 2014 Oct 4th 2015-11 months post taper and completely back to normal! Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus Petunia Posted February 27, 2015 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted February 27, 2015 Thank you for coming back to update ADquitter, I'm happy to hear you are still doing well, its true that some people do manage to come off these drugs with little or no problems, you may be one of the lucky ones, I hope so. How long did the akathisia last for and what did you do to manage it while you had it? Did the Tai Chi help with this also? Could I ask you to put your drug and withdrawal history in your signature. Putting a short version of your drug and tapering history in your signature helps people understand your context, it appears below each of your posts. Here are instructions for how to do it: http://survivinganti...your-signature/ Do stay in touch and let us know how you are going. I'm not a doctor. My comments are not medical advise. These are my opinions based on my own experience and what I've learned. Please discuss your situation with a medical practitioner who has knowledge of tapering and withdrawal...if you are lucky enough to find one. My Introduction Thread Full Drug and Withdrawal History Brief Summary Several SSRIs for 13 years starting 1997 (for mild to moderate partly situational anxiety) Xanax PRN ~ Various other drugs over the years for side effects 2 month 'taper' off Lexapro 2010 Short acute withdrawal, followed by 2 -3 months of improvement then delayed protracted withdrawal DX ADHD followed by several years of stimulants and other drugs trying to manage increasing symptoms Failed reinstatement of Lexapro and trial of Prozac (became suicidal) May 2013 Found SA, learned about withdrawal, stopped taking drugs...healing begins. Protracted withdrawal, with a very sensitized nervous system, slowly recovering as time passes Supplements which have helped: Vitamin C, Magnesium, Taurine Bad reactions: Many supplements but mostly fish oil and Vitamin D June 2016 - Started daily juicing, mostly vegetables and lots of greens. Aug 2016 - Oct 2016 Best window ever, felt almost completely recovered Oct 2016 -Symptoms returned - bad days and less bad days. April 2018 - No windows, but significant improvement, it feels like permanent full recovery is close. VIDEO: Where did the chemical imbalance theory come from? VIDEO: How are psychiatric diagnoses made? VIDEO: Why do psychiatric drugs have withdrawal syndromes? VIDEO: Can psychiatric drugs cause long-lasting negative effects? VIDEO: Dr. Claire Weekes Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus bubble Posted February 27, 2015 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted February 27, 2015 Hello ADquitter, I hope you continue to improve. Since I am also one of Lexapro victims, I follow experiences with Lexapro and your story reminded me very much of one other member who also CT Lexapro and was doing well initially. I would just like that people reading this thread see a different kind of experience, especially 8 months after CT. The whole thread is here http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/6519-lexapronomore-came-off-lexapro-too-fast/ and this was the recent update: Hey guys, Eight months ago I came off of lexapro after being on it for 12 years. I immediately had insomnia but was ok with it. Just took naps to cope. Eight months after quitting I am seriously considering going back on to stabilize and then taper over a period of a year or so. If at all. I can't stand feeling like this. No one around here understands. A lot of people I have found on here haven't taken it that long and I need some help. Anybody had an experience like this? Any support would be great. I was on 10 mg and tapered off in a month. Not enough time. Ignorance on my part. Help. Current: 9/2022 Xanax 0.08, Lexapro 2 2020 Xanax 0.26 (down from 2 mg in 2013), Lexapro 2.85 mg (down from 5 mg 2013) Amitriptyline (tricyclic AD) and clonazepam for 3 months to treat headache in 1996 1999. - present Xanax prn up to 3 mg. 2000-2005 Prozac CT twice, 2005-2010 Zoloft CT 3 times, 2010-2013 Escitalopram 10 mg went from 2.5 to zero on 7 Aug 2013, bad crash 40 days afterreinstated to 5 mg Escitalopram 4Oct 2013 and holding liquid Xanax every 5 hours 28 Jan 2014 Xanax 1.9, 18 Apr 2015 1 mg, 25 June 2015 Lex 4.8, 6 Aug Lexapro 4.6, 1 Jan 2016 0.64 Xanax 9 month hold 24 Sept 2016 4.5 Lex, 17 Oct 4.4 Lex (Nov 0.63 Xanax, Dec 0.625 Xanax), 1 Jan 2017 4.3 Lex, 24 Jan 4.2, 5 Feb 4.1, 24 Mar 4 mg, 10 Apr 3.9 mg, May 3.85, June 3.8, July 3.75, 22 July 3.7, 15 Aug 3.65, 17 Sept 3.6, 1 Jan 2018 3.55, 19 Jan 3.5, 16 Mar 3.4, 14 Apr 3.3, 23 May 3.2, 16 June 3.15, 15 Jul 3.1, 31 Jul 3, 21 Aug 2.9 26 Sept 2.85, 14 Nov Xan 0.61, 1 Dec 0.59, 19 Dec 0.58, 4 Jan 0.565, 6 Feb 0.55, 20 Feb 0.535, 1 Mar 0.505, 10 Mar 0.475, 14 Mar 0.45, 4 Apr 0.415, 13 Apr 0.37, 21 Apr 0.33, 29 Apr 0.29, 10 May 0.27, 17 May 0.25, 28 May 0.22, 19 June 0.22, 21 Jun updose to 0.24, 24 Jun updose to 0.26 Supplements: Omega 3 + Vit E, Vit C, D, magnesium, Taurine, probiotic I'm not a medical professional. Any advice I give is based on my own experience and reading. Link to comment
ikam Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Ikam, did you get checked for things like Bartonella and Lyme Disease? No, but read now. I dont think I have had anything like this... My body has been under infulence of so many meds... - 12.03.2021- doxepin- 50mg - 6.11.2020- 75mg - 16.10.2020- 100mg - 30.09.2020- doxepin- 125mg - May 2020, omeprazole 40mg switched to esomeprazole 20mg - 2012 re-started Doxepin 75mg, evening. Increased to 150mg - 2012, Atenolol 25mg, twice a day - 2016, Low dose of HRT in evening, Sandrena and Utrogestan - Long term of Nasal spray Otrivine - 2012, PPI Omeprazole 40mg-evening 24.10.2014- Started ESCITALOPRAM-first 5mg and then 10mg; due to the adverse symptoms reduced on 5.01.2015- Escitalopram- 2.5mg 22.07.2016- re-started reduction by 1% at a time. Completed tappering on 19.03.2020 😇 Link to comment
ADquitter Posted April 10, 2015 Author Share Posted April 10, 2015 As i promised, i keep on updating. Life is back to normal, no symptoms of any kind, theyre all gone. Luck? Maybe. I have even quit therapy since i don´t have enough money to pay the guy. Lexapro seems like a good patch for the real problem, all the unresolved issues in life. So if you dont deal with those, problems keep building up and not even drugs help anymore... thats the point where you have to make a tough choice--- quitting or getting stuffed with even more drugs. At the time we reach this forum, we are at that point i said... drugs not working for you anymore. Don´t feel like quitting yet? Well take that time to look into the problems that got you into drugs in the first time, try to get over them while you put together a strategy to finally quit. So yeah, im clinically alright. Blood and urine test came back great. Im getting in shape, lost 30 pounds and started lifting weights. Got a job. Sounds like a good starting point to a happy life. But let me tell you something, im pretty much at the same point i was 7 or 8 years ago when i started on Lexapro. So ... yeah, still having issues non related to drugs or withdrawals. No surprise here. Well... doesnt really look like im making a point here. So i´ll keep you guys posted, and please consider quiting ADs, it is possible and it is worth it. Good luck! 1 Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted April 11, 2015 Administrator Share Posted April 11, 2015 ADquitter, please tell us more about your symptoms and how it felt while they were going away. 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. Link to comment
coldturkmama Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 How do you know it's not related to WD? I quit paxil CT and was doing pretty awesome for 3 months and then got slammed with WD....roughest point was probably 6-9 month's out. Just curious, because it isn't unusual for that to happen....especially with CT. Paxil 20mg from 1998-2011 Paxil 40mg from 2011-2012 while experiencing poopout October 2013 quit cold turkey Oct-mid Nov 2013 great window Late November WD nightmare Windows and waves pattern Now: 28 months cold turkey...doing decent learning to deal with the windows/waves pattern fighting it every step of the way. Link to comment
ikam Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 I think from my experience that there are times that it is difficult to be clear what is life related and what is WD symptom. E.g. I am unsure if my hands get numb when I type or from WD. I think this is both... But there are aspects, such as low mood in the morning, suicidal thoughts, etc. that I had for much longer... I try to be mindful not to maximise WD but also not to minimise it... I definitely think that lots of physical pain I get has been relate to drugs... I also believe that there are people who are more "lucky" and have very little and more manageable WD symptoms... Similarly like with antibiotics, there are people who respond badly, but I can take them with no many symptoms (I was on Cipro last 1.5 year ago, no symptoms...) - 12.03.2021- doxepin- 50mg - 6.11.2020- 75mg - 16.10.2020- 100mg - 30.09.2020- doxepin- 125mg - May 2020, omeprazole 40mg switched to esomeprazole 20mg - 2012 re-started Doxepin 75mg, evening. Increased to 150mg - 2012, Atenolol 25mg, twice a day - 2016, Low dose of HRT in evening, Sandrena and Utrogestan - Long term of Nasal spray Otrivine - 2012, PPI Omeprazole 40mg-evening 24.10.2014- Started ESCITALOPRAM-first 5mg and then 10mg; due to the adverse symptoms reduced on 5.01.2015- Escitalopram- 2.5mg 22.07.2016- re-started reduction by 1% at a time. Completed tappering on 19.03.2020 😇 Link to comment
ADquitter Posted June 21, 2015 Author Share Posted June 21, 2015 Hi everyone, i´m back with an update. I´m still doing fine, no withdrawal symptoms. How do i know wether things are or arent WD related? I remember how things were before antidepressants, and i keep saying this, antidepressants are a useful tool to keep going while you figure out your real inner issues. Most of us, just take the drug and never do anything about the psychological part of the problem, we just want to feel fine again... but thats just a patch, and our bodies get used to this and then drugs wont work anymore, then comes the dosage adjustment or changing to a different drug. So it never ends... Easy to say this, of course... so far i have learnt to control anxiety and other self destructive thoughts i have... i dont need the medication, but i still feel like crap when my minds spirals around useless thoughts. Meditation has helped a lot... whenever i feel like my head is spinning out of control, i just take 20 - 30 minutes off to meditate and get back to normal (you dont need the full 30 minutes, i just do it cause i have the time and i like it, but you can even do this while on the subway or whatever, so theres no excuse) . I still need to identify what triggers this condition and avoid the situation or learn how to manage it. Back in the day i´d just take 1mg or 2mg clonazepam and thoughts would just vanish... with time those 1 or 2 mg turned to 3 or 4 ... so i decided i had to stop. I dont take this lightly, i do not recommend to go CT unless youre feeling better and think youre ready for it. Withdrawal symptoms will be there waiting for you, they will happen and you better be ready for them. But it is good to know what to expect. I´d recommend having someone around to talk to or help you get distracted for some days. I did this all by myself... alone here at home, didnt go to work much, didnt get together with friends or family, just went out to tai chi, shopping for groceries, going to park... (it was during summer break, so yeah i had time for myself to waste. Im not good around people when i lack sleep time or im anxious, so i chose vacation time to do it, just in case i had to miss work or whatever responsibility id have) and i kinda regret that, cause it would have been much easier with people i love around. It can be done, i just did... but theres no need to suffer alone. Symptoms are long gone, i dont even think about them coming back ... theres no sign at all that would happen, i seriously believe not even thinking about it helps a lot. I never even consider akathisia would come back, and it didnt... i know many people would say im full of sh*t, but i do believe in thoughts affecting our lives in all aspects and coming true wether good or bad. Anyway, ill keep on updating. Don´t be afraid, quitting CT or tappering takes a lot of effort but it is worth it and it is possible. Cheers! Link to comment
Iamfine Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 It is possible! I am about 6 months off Klonopin and 3 1/2 months off Lexapro and doing better than when I was on them. I'm still tapering off three other drugs but so far so good. I'm cautiously optimistic that I'm now safe from Lexapro and Klonopin though. I'm far from saying that I'm recovered but I at least have a tolerable life now. As requested. In the last 3 years to the best of my recollection I first dropped the max dose of Lamictal. Yes I just stopped it was doing absolutely nothing. Then I dropped Lexapro, that was even easier I had been on and off that a dozen times before. There were at least 2 odd off label attempts at anxiety that I won’t be able to remember. Then there was sweet/evil Seroquel. That was the last to go it’s been around 16 months. Lithium, Prozac, Paxil, Wellbutrin, Effexor, Celexa, Lamictal, Lexapro, Luvox, Viibryd, Brintellix, Pristiq, Zoloft, Seroquel, Zyprexa, Geodon, Abilify, Latuda, Ritalin, Adderall, Valium, Clonazepam, Alprazolam, Propanalol, Spravato Link to comment
ikam Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 Great to hear from you . Your success is so encouraging. I know everything is individual. In my case, it is not "just taking Lexapro", but years of taking drugs, started AD when I was 23 (I am 55), taking lots of painkillers, antibiotics, etc. Meditation is a great strategy, I used to do it every night. I am thinking about my next step, slow tapering, but so worried about getting imbalanced... At the same time, I want this drug asap from my body...it feels like a poison...I never had symptoms like this before... CONGRATULATIONS!!! - 12.03.2021- doxepin- 50mg - 6.11.2020- 75mg - 16.10.2020- 100mg - 30.09.2020- doxepin- 125mg - May 2020, omeprazole 40mg switched to esomeprazole 20mg - 2012 re-started Doxepin 75mg, evening. Increased to 150mg - 2012, Atenolol 25mg, twice a day - 2016, Low dose of HRT in evening, Sandrena and Utrogestan - Long term of Nasal spray Otrivine - 2012, PPI Omeprazole 40mg-evening 24.10.2014- Started ESCITALOPRAM-first 5mg and then 10mg; due to the adverse symptoms reduced on 5.01.2015- Escitalopram- 2.5mg 22.07.2016- re-started reduction by 1% at a time. Completed tappering on 19.03.2020 😇 Link to comment
ikam Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 It is possible! I am about 6 months off Klonopin and 3 1/2 months off Lexapro and doing better than when I was on them. I'm still tapering off three other drugs but so far so good. I'm cautiously optimistic that I'm now safe from Lexapro and Klonopin though. I'm far from saying that I'm recovered but I at least have a tolerable life now. It is great to hear that you are Lexapro and Klonopin free...IT IS POSSIBLE! Thank you... - 12.03.2021- doxepin- 50mg - 6.11.2020- 75mg - 16.10.2020- 100mg - 30.09.2020- doxepin- 125mg - May 2020, omeprazole 40mg switched to esomeprazole 20mg - 2012 re-started Doxepin 75mg, evening. Increased to 150mg - 2012, Atenolol 25mg, twice a day - 2016, Low dose of HRT in evening, Sandrena and Utrogestan - Long term of Nasal spray Otrivine - 2012, PPI Omeprazole 40mg-evening 24.10.2014- Started ESCITALOPRAM-first 5mg and then 10mg; due to the adverse symptoms reduced on 5.01.2015- Escitalopram- 2.5mg 22.07.2016- re-started reduction by 1% at a time. Completed tappering on 19.03.2020 😇 Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted June 21, 2015 Administrator Share Posted June 21, 2015 Very happy to hear you're doing well. Please tell us more about those rough few months after going CT, what symptoms you had, and how they went away. I added our cheerful "here comes the sun" symbol☼to the title of your Intro topic, to show you're recovering.Please continue to let us know how you're doing. I hope you will add your story to our Recovery Success Stories eventually! 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. Link to comment
ADquitter Posted January 24, 2023 Author Share Posted January 24, 2023 Hi guys! Sorry to bring this post back up from the dead. I should have kept updating. I'll try and remember how things developed. I did quit Escitalopram cold turkey and experienced severe WD symptoms. I wouldn't sleep at night, my body temperature would fluctuate a lot, i would sweat while sleeping and having extremely vivid dreams, akathesia was a pain amd brain zaps as well. I managed to pull it off meditating, having a balanced diet, Tai Chi, etc. But here's the catch, i was living alone, pretty much isolated from people, sort of squatting in a house (not really squatting, but i would live in a mess. Kinda like a squatted house) didn't have a job and lived with the bare minimum. So... i wouldn't say that was socially acceptable although i felt fine and sort of miss those days. Time went by, i engaged in construction business, stress revisited me and i relapsed... not knowing what to do, ended up in a psychiatrist and started escitalopram again. Didn't work, so went for venlafaxine, which did work for a long time until the pandemics hit and life stopped. So... yeah, back on AD, not feeling great and trying to quit again. However, during my good years i managed to find a significant other and we are still together, very much in love. Which leads me to not wanting to quit cold turkey. Can't put her through that and i myself, don't want to go through it again. So, i have started tapering 10% off each month. This just started. I think quiting cold turkey did work. Wouldn't recommend it, cause you may not be functional for months. Certainly not appropriate if you're already feeling like crap. Stay safe my friends. I apologize for disappearing. Link to comment
andy96gr Posted November 15, 2023 Share Posted November 15, 2023 Hello! How are you doing now @ADquitter? •01/2017-12/2022 ~6 Years on Generic Escilitopram (5mg-20mg) because of repetitive panic attacks and anxiety that lead to depression. My tapering was not tapering as I read here. I consider it CT because of wrong directions of docs, I went from 20mg to 5mg in a short amount of time and then jumped to 0mg. •01/07/23 Took maca root powder for pssd for 4 days only which I think worsened my symptoms a lot.(Not sure if that was the cause or what came was supposed to come) •15/07/23-01/08/23 Prebagalin) 2x50mg 01/08/23 - 05/08/23. 75x50mg 06/08/23 - 18/08/23 2x75mg an then reduced 19/09/23 - 23-09 to 75x50mg 24/09/23 - 1/12/23 2x50mg. 1/12/22- ongoing 2x45mg( on first week of December happened a mistake in liquid I made and took 4 times double dose ) 15/01/24 - ongoing occasional 5mg diazepam for anxiety. Link to comment
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