Feeling bad after Stopping Lexapro

Hello, does anyone of you have any experience from withdrawing from 20 mg of Lexapro? I have tried but getting sweats, anxiety, moodiness and manic like actions. In one word, I have been felling **** after stopping Lexapro. Does anyone have idea how to decrease a dose or completely stop?

Hi, I just quit taking this medicine about a week ago. First, I took 10 mg, and then cut down to 5 mg for about 7 days and then I took none. I felt and still feel that my brain it is going to explode and my eyes hurt. I have heard symptoms can last 3 months or more. I just hope not. Good luck.

You can't just stop taking Lexapro. It tells you that, on the label.

I learnt the hard way too. I kept feeling like I was seeing things in slow motion out of the corner of my eye, and I felt dizzy and off balance like I had an ear infection... felt totally bad.

You need to wean yourself off it really slowly over a period of a couple of weeks or even months, it depends on your body.

So if you were taking one a day, take half a day for a week. Then take a quarter a day for a week, then alternate days, etc... until you can feel you don't need it anymore.

Watch out for your moods and feelings though - there's a reason you're on this medication in the first place. Do you want to go back to being like you were before you started taking it? I don't.

I was on lexapro for a little over a year and it was great while i was on it, but now, a month off of it, i feel horrible.

i waned off the medication the entire summer, 20 mg, to 10 mg, to 5 mg, and i seemed fine until i was completely off of it. I have horrible migraines, im always moody, mostly angry, depressed, cry all the time, and have light sensitivity. is anyone else experiencing symptoms such as these? is there an end to it? i feel so horrible that i am considering going back on it just so i won't feel like this anymore.

I've been on lexparo for maybe a year. I realize when I don't take it for a couple of days, my chest hurts, I get extreme mood swings like I'll be fine then just start getting pissed and crying. I also feel really tired, and I get really bad headaches. I also feel dizzy, and it feels like I might throw up. But, I also sweat a lot too. I also get this numb sensation in my arms. I also think that it made me gain weight.

And usually most of my symptoms go away after a while...but then come back. But, after I take my lexparo I feel a lot better.

I have wanted to wean down and get off Lexapro for a while. I was on it for almost 3 years with divorce and custody issues resulting in depression. At first I was on 10 mg, then up to 20, which is what I've been on for over a year now. I stopped suddenly on Thursday (last dose Wed. night) and now it's Tuesday. I've become very irritable, get angry at the least thing. Also, since Sat. I've had ringing in my ears very bad. I also was feeling a little dizzy for the past 2 days but now I'm so dizzy I almost can't function. I'm also extremely photophobic (light sensitive). I've had appetite changes and nausea on and off. I never realized I could have so many side effects just trying to get off this medication.

A few months ago I tried going down to 10 mg, but didn't feel good, so I quit trying to wean at that time, but I never got to the point where the reaction was as bad as this. After reading all of the posts on this subject, I just called my pharmacy and got a refill on the med--I'll have to re-think how I'm going to get off this stuff, but "cold turkey" is not going to work for me if I'm going to continue to function.

Has anyone tried doing a lot of exercise while trying to wean off Lexapro? It causes endorphins to be released, which are related to the serotonin affected by the drug. ???

sja64 wrote:

I was on lexapro for a little over a year and it was great while i was on it, but now, a month off of it, i feel horrible. i waned off the medication the entire summer, 20 mg, to 10 mg, to 5 mg, and i seemed fine until i was completely off of it. I have horrible migraines, im always moody, mostly angry, depressed, cry all the time, and have light sensitivity. is anyone else experiencing symptoms such as these? is there an end to it? i feel so horrible that i am considering going back on it just so i won't feel like this anymore.

I know exactly how your feeling...I was so sick of crying everyday I almost admitted myself into the hospital. Thanks to the help of my family they influenced me to tough it out and not give up. Everyday gets better and better. I have been off lexapro now for 7 days and everyday is getting a little more easier. My eyes still hurt and Im feeling/hearing this weird noise in my ears ( Its hard to explain) but I find by doing things I enjoy doing its keeping my mind off the depression and anxiety. Ive been reading self help and modivational books and believe it or not its helping me find the inner strenght to stay off the meds. Dont be ashamed to reach out to your loved ones. Good luck, and dont give up.

Ditto Guest.

Seriously people, DO NOT under any circumstances go cold turkey off of 20 mg of Lexapro. You will be absolutely miserable when stopping at that high of a dose! Do at least a weak of 10mg and at least a week of 5mg. You can even do a week of 2.5mg by crushing/splitting the pills in even smaller parts. You could even go farther and do 2.5mg every other day.

Think about it this way. The higher the dose you are at when you stop then the longer it will take for your body to adjust to having less and less in your system. Make sense? Also, how long did it take you to adjust to starting the medication? It's likely that you'll have the same timeframe when discontinuing the medication.

I went (accidental) cold turkey off of 5mg and only experienced mild to moderate withdrawal symptoms for about 7 days. I'm now doing well but have noticed my anxiety symptoms returning little by little.

Let's face it we are going to have withdrawal symptoms no matter what dose we stop at. Also, remember what you felt like before you started the medication. Sometimes after a week or so what you think are still withdrawal symptoms (ie. aggitation, moodiness) are actually your anxiety/depression symptoms coming back.

Of course, I cannot stress this enough, medication affects everyone differently AND consult with your doctor.

I was on Celexa for a few years before I maxed out on the dosage and then swithced to Lexapro. I was diagnosed with an illness that I just coudn't cope with for a while and then just when I was thinking about getting off the stuff my mother was diagnosed with mutiple myeloma and my dad with alzhiemers so I had to move them in with me to take care of them...I didn't dare quit the med while i was going thru that. . My parents have both passed now and I want to get this drug out of my system. My Dr. told me how to wean myself and I have been med free for two and a half weeks now and have been bouncing all over the place with symptoms. I go from having lots of energy to being so tired I can't hardly move. Sometimes I can't turn off the tears and other times I feel very anxious and have to take a fourth of a xanax to calm my self because a whole .25 makes me very tired and I have to function during the day. It doesn't take much to set me off and who ever is close gets the brunt end of it. I wake up with a terrible headache every morning and I experience some brain zaps, but nothing I can't deal with. I am determined not to succumb and go back on the stuff so I am toughing it out! I just wish I knew how long to expect the withdrawls to last. I want to see a light at the end of this tunnel. I'm glad the medicine was there for me when I needed it!...I am ready to move on. Wish me Luck...and good luck to any of you going thru the same thing. Let's all hang in there!!

Hi...Minniesmom again. I forgot to mention the worst symptom of all that I have had to deal with and that is the awful sweats...worst than any menopause I have experienced.