I felt the same way. It took me 3 months to wean myself off that monster of a drug and now, 3 months on, have moderate to severe depression, crying etc , This is something that I didn't have to this extent before I was started on Lexapro. I have increased my Vit. B, magnesium and also take Fusion Stress and Anxiety tabs. These help somewhat but I can't wait to pass through this cycle.
I have been on Lexapro for over 7 years for anxiety and always ran into the brain zaps and dizziness if I didn't take it for 2-3 days. I tried going off of it by tapering off and only made it about 5 days before going back to 20mg. However, for the past couple of months, I have been very erratic in taking it. Maybe every few days sometimes ans sometimes everyday. Finally, last week, my prescription ran out and I realized after a few days that I had to get my doctor to call in a refill. So, now it has been about 8 days and I have only had a half of a 20mg that I managed to find about 5 days ago. I am still waiting for my refill but now I figure that I have already gone this long, I may as well keep going. I will probably take about 10mg when I get my refill just to take thie edge off and then no more. I definitely have dizziness, confusion, malaise, and brain zaps. However, I am in a zone that I haven't been I'm for a long time. That is, I am OK with these side-effects and I am not acting like a jerk like I usually do when I don't take the Lexapro. The strangest thing is, I want to cry at things that are not sad at all. I know this is the withdrawal so I am OK with it. I'm even a big "tough guy", lol. But hell, after 7 years of Lexapro numbing my feelings, it is actually kind of nice to feel so authentically again. I'm not going back on that Lexapro garbage again.
I went through a bad time with my withdrawals (stopped 22nd January after a slow reducing of the dosage - 1/2 for 3 weeks, 1/4 for 3 weeks then 1/4 every 2nd day then stopped) but now (3 months later) I feel so much better being without it. Crying and anger is a part of it plus some depression and that has tapered off too. The brain zaps are still present but I do have Tinnitus which gives the same affect if stressed. Persist and seek help from a psychologist if necessary. You sound as if you are half way there anyway. Good luck.
I am getting off Lexapro too. Whenever I feel sad, I chant Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. Also walking outside, exercising, talking to others, listening to music.
I have been on lexapro for about 7 years. Starting at 10mg, moving to 20mg when depressive/anxiety symptoms were still around. My anxiety and depression eased after about 2 years, and I chose to continue taking lexpro for a couple more years until I knew that I no longer had mental illness. Since then it has been a struggle coming off.
I've managed to reduce from 20mg to 15mg with no symptoms, but then had to start halving/quatering tablets to 12.5mg, to 10mg in order not to experience symptoms. This I did over a about 1-2 years.
I attempted to get to 7.5mg by halving/quatering tablets again but experienced depersonalisation, headaches, nausea, light sensitivity, and spine pain. I went back to 10mg to get rid of the symptoms.
Since then I have looked into the best way to withdraw from lexapro. What I have discovered is the 10% rule.
To withdraw, you should reduce the dosage by 10%.
e.g. If you are on 10mg, the next lowest dosage to try should be 9mg.
This is tricky to do with tablets because they often crumble and the halves aren't equal. So I got a prescription for liquid lexapro, which you can measure via a dropper or a syringe and then drink with water/apple juice/orange juice. This has worked pretty well for me so far - I have moved from 10mg down to 3.5mg, changing dosage per month mostly, and going down really small amounts so that I can avoid experiencing symptoms.
I've managed to reduce from 20mg to 15mg with no symptoms, but then had to start halving/quatering tablets to 12.5mg, to 10mg in order not to experience symptoms. This I did over a about 1-2 years.
I attempted to get to 7.5mg by halving/quatering tablets again but experienced depersonalisation, headaches, nausea, light sensitivity, and spine pain. I went back to 10mg to get rid of the symptoms.
Since then I have looked into the best way to withdraw from lexapro. What I have discovered is the 10% rule.
To withdraw, you should reduce the dosage by 10%.
e.g. If you are on 10mg, the next lowest dosage to try should be 9mg.
This is tricky to do with tablets because they often crumble and the halves aren't equal. So I got a prescription for liquid lexapro, which you can measure via a dropper or a syringe and then drink with water/apple juice/orange juice. This has worked pretty well for me so far - I have moved from 10mg down to 3.5mg, changing dosage per month mostly, and going down really small amounts so that I can avoid experiencing symptoms.
I have been off 10mg Lexapro for three weeks now. It was not my intention to go off but i forgot to take it while going overseas. So I went cold turkey. The first week was the worst. I felt feint but had no other option but to just push through. After 3 weeks off I now feel alot more alive, less tired and i feel that my sense of humour has come back. I guess I feel like i should and i feel alive. I do get angrier alot easier but i feel like my personality is back and i like it. On Lexapro I felt that i was just existing. Now i feel like i am living. Yes i feel a bit more stressed and wound up but also feel excited about things. Lexapro made me feel like a zombie i have now discovered.
I know this is an old post, but did you ever get over the withdrawal symptoms?
Not sure if you will see this as it has been a year, but I was only only 10mg for a week, then down to 5mg Lexapro for a week, then 2.5 for a week..Hated it..felt nauseous, foggy, extremely fatigued,heart palpitations while on it, and now 1 week with NO lexapro, terrible diarrhea, some leg cramps..nausea in the morning..just ugh..sorry I even bothered to try this at all. Started walking this week in hopes to get this out of my system and feel better.
Hi Anonymous, I noticed your post was over a year ago...I was wondering how your doing now. Hope you still read here.
I have been taking 20mg for 15 years and decided I need off. I have ringing in the ears because of Lexapro and so it took me a complete year to get off. Now I am down and feel shaky inside and it's been 9 m0nths and still feel bad. I don't want to go back on it but people tell me I seem down and different. How long is this going to last? Is there something natural I can do? I took 5http and it really didn't help. I am taking anxiety clear now but really no relief. I just walk around in a fog all day still work but really not myself. Should I just go back on it?
I thought I was going crazy but see I have the same symptoms you describe. I was only taking 2.5 mg per day but for many years. came off it and feel awful. It's been 4 weeks now and still feel headache, miserable, weepy, sensitive.
Thanks for the topic - I did a slow taper off 20 mg Lexapro and have been off for about two weeks now and feel more self doubt and depression and a feeling of being overwhelmed than I have ever felt in my life. I started the medication to help with anxiety related to PTSD and am surprised to have these new feelings now. Has anyone else had new depression or self doubt after discontinuing Lexapro? When will it feel better or back to normal?
I weaned off right before my last marathon a few weeks ago. I was on 10mg for about 3 years after severe depression and anxiety. My boyfriend pointed out how quiet and absent minded I've been these last few weeks. Makes me wonder when this symptom will end.
Not true. I was on 10mg Lexapro for eight years. My scrip ran out last month and my doctor retired. So, rather than go through the hassle, I just stopped taking it. No problem! Feels pretty good,actually, I highly recommend it if you can pass the baseline depression inventory.
I am in the midst of quitting cold turkey, not because I wanted to do so but because I could not afford my medications. Advice?
This is not fun
This is not fun