I am also having the same effects as nearly everyone on here, I have very stupidly gone cold turkey although I was advised by my doctor to take half a tablet a day for a month then cut out a few days and do it slowly. I have also gained 10kg whilst being on the tablets and although I have been sticking to a very healthy meal plan I can not shift it. I have been off the tablets for 11 days now and first week didnt seem so bad but this week has been awful. I feel drunk all the time, my concentration has been poor, feel very light headed and think I am going to faint every time I stand up, did get my blood pressure checked and that is all ok so that is one good thing. My poor husband is being shouted at for any little thing But on the upside my libido seems to have improved again!!
I have the next 4 days off work so hoping that by the time I go back the side effects may have subsided a bit. I have been advised to drink lots of water and do lots of exercise to increase my metabolism as this may speed up the recovery time, heres hoping.
This is a great string. I was on Paxel, and then for the last two years on Lexapro. All tolled, been on this stuff since the late 90's, but I think I needed it. Tried and tried several times to quit, only to find I could not cope without it. Anxiety and quick to anger issues. I am now trying to quit again, and off it for 24 days now.
I tapered and managed to avoid the dizziness and rushes. However my "nerves" are raw now, I'm feeling down and I my emotions are intensified. Crazy dreams every night. The one question I have is: how do you know that the symptoms are a result of withdraw, or are the return of the actual depression and anxiety?
I gained so much weight, I am hoping this helps. I am determined to give it a year at least before considering returning to this treatment.
Hi,
I just want to let people know about my experience.
I was on Lexapro and Olanzapine for 4 years due to a severe depression - I first came off Olanzapine 12 months ago and this was horrendous, I have sweating very vivid dreams, headaches. I tapered off it over a 3 month period but you have to persevere as its not pleasant. After successfully coming off the Olanzapine I asked my Doctor if I could consider coming off Lexapro, we both decided that this would be good as I had gained over 3stone over the 4 years while on medication and never had a weight problem before. I was on 20mg of Lexapro and I started to take the lower dose of 15mg - I had some sweating and vivid dreams but not as bad as coming off the Olanzapine. After 2 months of the lower dose the doctor reduced my dose to 10mg and the experience was not as bad although I did feel a bit dizzy and some sweating. I remained on the 10mg and have just started another reduction to 5mg which is going very well 2 weeks in. I hope to come off the Lexapro over the next 6 weeks altogether. I would urge anyone to give it a go but only on the instruction of your Doctor. The good news is that since I changed the dose of Lexapro to 10mg and kicked the Olanzapine altogehter I have seen a good reduction in my weight and blood pressure and I do feel well. I guess that you have to be prepared for the side effects and once you know what they are it seems more manageable.
I hope this help someone out there as I know what its like but I am living proff that things do get better and you can come off these tablets with the help and support of your doctor.
I know this was 5 years ago, but how long with the withdrawal last after quitting cold turkey?
Are you still experiencing withdrawal symptoms? How long before they subsided?
I've been on these for 14 years....yes you read it right! I have been cutting down for 3 months from 15mg to 5mg without any symptoms. I quit completely 9 days ago and now I feel terrible, so bad today that I had tostay off work. I cannot concentrate because of the foggy head and the dizziness is unreal.
Does anyone know how much longer this will last?
Should I carry on or go back on a low dose?
i know this post is many years old, but i have extreme diziness/vibrating body when i miss a dose. maybe you didnt do it gradually enough? did you ever find out why you were getting dizzy and did it stop?
Hey,When you guys talk about "Zaps", is this like a popping feeling..a sudden lightheaded feeling? To me it feels a little like when you get a heart palpitation..only it happens pretty much constantly.I finally came off Lexapro fully 4 days ago, after dropping very slowly down from 20Mg as advised by my Doctor. I was on 5Mg when I stopped, half a 10Mg tab and have been for the past 2 months or so. Rather than trying to get the liquid version and go down to 2.5Mg I decided to just quit from 5Mg. I've read on numerous groups like this, that taking them every other day can be worse than quitting altogether.Anyway, yesterday I had a really bad day and these "zaps" have become pretty much constant. I'm going to stick it out though. From what I've read, it does pass. Here's hoping.
I have been off lexapro completely for two weeks after stepping down for about 4 weeks. I have reflux and nausea just about every day, hot flashes, weird dreams. i can't drink coffee anymore because it makes me really have indigestion. i already take Calcium, magnesium and fish oil daily. I am so tired of having stomach issues, dizziness I can't believe how long it has taken to get this out of my system. has anyone else had this much reflux and for how long?
I've been on and off Lexapro in the past (usually go off after I gain 20lbs.). This time I decided to stick with it but now I'm up FORTY pounds, so that's a no-go. My problem is more anxiety than depression, so we're focusing on Neurontin which really does help with anxiety.
I've been off the Lexapro for a week (over the past year went from 15, 10, 5 to 2.5 and finally OFF last Friday) but feel like c**p. I don't get brain 'zaps', I get something that sounds like whooshing in my brain (not in my ears, in my brain). I also feel motion sick when driving or even walking for that matter.
Still, I'm exercising (the elliptical feels better than the treadmill because I'm too afraid of losing my balance), doing some weights and crunches. Drinking a ton of water and also drinking "medical food" shakes (Ultra Clear) which are supposed to clean your liver.
I think the drug commercials should have to spend as much time on withdrawal symptoms as they do on possible side effects. Of course then they'd have to be an hour long. ;)
Good luck everyone.
Hi all, i`ve been on Lexapro for over 2 years, after i lost my parents in a 2 year span. I was suffering from panic attacks, my doctor recommended trying the drug. I have been on 10mg the 2 years, and just last Saturday I forgot to take it, and so decided to stop taking it, WELL yestersay as work it hit me, i felt like i had the flu, sick to my stomach, headache and extreamly tired. I had to go home. I took a 5mg last night and went to bed, I still feel horrible and sick to my stomach. I will continue to take 5mg until i`m feeling like i can come off of it completly. Plus, I dont know if its the withdrawl of the drug and the combination of Perimenapause??? Any thoughts?
I have been on lexapro for a long time, not sure how long. but i started to get the same symptoms as you high blood pressure, and tachycardia. I am in good shape and thought i was going to have a heart attack! I stopped taking the lexapro and the symptoms improved, but i seem to be in a bit of a fog. I have been taking 5htp and it has worked for the depression.
Thank you all!
I was taking Lexapro (Escitalopram) 10g for about two months. Two Sundays ago my son & I went to my mom's to pick her up for church & just like in the commercials, I found her on the bathroom floor! She had a stroke & I was elected to stay with her....my son went with my brother & his family for the day but I was there for the next 36 hours!
I didn't have my meds so I just stopped taking them. Emotionally I feel fine, slightly weepy, some sweating,but the worst is the dizziness! I also have some blurry vision as well as thinking I am seeing some thing crawling on the ground out of the corner of my eye.
I've always been a vivid dreamer so that is not unusual. I thought the sweats & weeping was from perimenopaus! It was the extreme dizziness that has concerned me, so again I say THANK YOU ALL! Since I had suffered from depression - and as I've teased myself - I am mentally ill, I thought I was crazy!!
Good luck & blessing to all!
I have taken lexapro for mare than 5yrs and i'm off now, did it graduallly like you're supposed to, and still feeling dizzy everyday a month later. This really sucks