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Wow, there are so many others who have gone through these withrawals from lexapro. I watched my son go off this a few years ago and the Dr said there would be no withdrawals. Boy was he wrong. He was really sick for weeks. I myself was put on lexapro a year ago when i was having some problems. I never really felt like it was doing the job, but i also never felt like i was clinically depressed. Dr. said it was also for anxiety. I have switched Drs now, and in my old chart, lexapro was not even listed. WOW!! So i decided to go off this stuff to see if I could cry again. What I did was drag the weaning process out for 6 weeks. I was on 10 mg. So every other night I took 1 pill. For 2 weeks. THen I took 1/2 pill every other night for 2 weeks. I never really felt awful. Maybe a little cranky and tired, but nothing like what i saw my son go through.Then the 5th week I took 1/4 pill every other night. I did this for 1 week and was even going to take 1/4 every 3 nights, but I forgot to take it, so I just stopped. I feel fine, except for the brain zaps. I got those even when I was on the lexapro, but never knew what it was from. I had a stroke a year ago, so I kept thinking I was going to stroke out. I have always complained of brain fog, and Ihave read that after going off lexapro that can last for a few months to a few years. I would rather be off of this poison and deal with this c**p now and get it over with, then keep taking it. It does get better so dont be afraid to taper for a longer time if it helps you feel better. Just remember its not good to give up and go back to the meds. I wish Drs would not prescribe this stuff unless it is 100% absolutely needed. Some people do need it and others just get caught in the Dr game. Good luck !!!
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4 days into it cold turkey after 4 years on 10mg, I have done it before with Effexor and another one, basically my GP keeps saying keep taking it ,its fine and yes at the time I needed it for chronic stress, but yeah 4 days into it and the electric shocks are getting worse and feeling more out of it, but I am still working and last night I felt full joy again not just a barrier like i used to on the drug. I have been taking a herbal product called "Sleep" for a while to help with sleeping issues and the main ingredient is passion flower and it seems to be cutting the edge off it. I am taking it during the day which seems to be dulling the electric sensation. I am going to be growing passion flower and making a tea out of it as this helps with the nervous system and dulling sensations (shame I have not grown it yet) but the tablets seem to be working a bit. Hope this helps.
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I also went to a nutritionist and described the book from James Harper. He gave me some multi vitamins, antioxidant, and a supplement called NAC for getting rid of toxins in the body. Now I have to wait and see how long these sypmtoms will last. I'm Miserable!! Thanks for sharing


I tried NAC and fish oil it has helped me. After 2 weeks, no more brain zaps! But I do feel more emotional during happy times and sad times. Till now I used to feel numb from emotions. Now I cry more often. I think I'm just getting back in touch with my real feelings. Only question is, how do I know if I'm overreacting and need to go back on Lexapro for anxiety? I hope I wont need to.
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i take lexapro 5mg every other day-i want to go off of it..i am afraid of all these replys i am reading about being very sick from doing it- what should i do?
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My 17 y/o son is weaning off 2 years of 15mg Lexapro for the past 2 weeks. I decreased to 10mg for 5 days and just decreased to 5mg 4 days ago. 2 days before weaning started, I began giving him l-tyrosine, a high quality fish oil, B complex, multivitamin, liquid calcium, magnesium, zinc combo and GABA. The only symptoms he has experienced are increased sweating (one episode), mild fatigue and heart palpatations (also a single episode, although scary). I gave him extra water when the symptoms hit and the sweating and palpatations both subsided. Fortunately, he has not had any mood issues or brain zaps as of yet. In fact, he said that he feels better now than he ever has, motivated, productive, pleasant and is sleeping like a baby at night. When morning comes, he hops out of bed and starts his day. He has has trouble sleeping, bad dreams and even greater trouble getting out of bed for at least 3 years running. I told him that he would need to increase his water to avoid any further heart and sweating issues and he is doing just that. I will never, ever, ever give my son another prescription antidepressant without trying natural alternatives first. I have suffered from depression myself and started taking the above supplements along with 5 htp and SAMe several months ago. The depression lifted after about a week and I have since been able to discontinue the SAMe (expensive, but worth every single penny) and would not hesitate to take it again if needed. I am going to speak with his psychiatrist next week before adding 50mg 5htp to his schedule if he develops any additional symptoms, but only as a precaution. If it were for me, I would take it without hesitation. If you are considering taking any supplements, do your research. Find a ND if you can to help guide you, but please spend the time learning about natural remedies before taking anything for any reason. Even natural supplements, if taken in the wrong doses, can be toxic to your body. Good luck and God Bless!
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Don't be afraid. It could be bad for you or it could go smoothly. I'd reccomend that if you are doing well on 5mg every other day that you try 2.5mg every other day as your next step down. Unlike many other drugs, it's safe to crush or split up the Lexapro tablets. That way you won't be cold turkey. It will likely help with the withdrawal symptoms.



I've been on Lexapro for 4 years. I've been from 10mg to 20mg, back to 10mg then to 5mg. I've been on 5mg for the past year and a half. I just went cold turkey off of 5mg of Lexapro. It was accidental as I forgot it for 2 days and then decided to take advantage of the opportunity to try again!!!



About a year and a half ago my doctor had me drop from 10m to 5mg because the 10mg was making me excessively sleepy. The 5mg did the trick. Then a while later he decided that it was time for me to try and get off the medication. He had me taking 5mg every other day. ( He did warn me that there could be withdrawal symptoms and that they can vary in severity from person to person. ) I hated it b/c I was fine on the day I took it but miserable on the day I skipped it. He put me back on the 5mg per day and said we'd try again later.



It's been 3 days and I'm doing ok. Perhaps I just tolerate the annoyances of withdrawal a little better than most. I researched what withdrawal symptoms I could experience. I also know that I need to see if being on this medicine has helped my body to reset itself and recover. I'm having momentary aggitation, a ton of that "floating eye, floating head" feeling, a little bit of fatigue and momentary sleepyness. It's really not all that bad.



Good luck everyone!
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I just tried comming off lexapro, weaning and cold turkey, I found it has been like hell. It has been a week and have had all the common withdrawals aswell as some of the less known ones, was just wondering if anyone who has been where I am now can tell me, was like being paranoid thinking you have heard a conversation take place that hasnt type thing , almost like a halucinogenic withdrawal symptom, and severe nausia? would love to hear from anyone eho has had any kind of experience with lexapro , thanks :-)
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I am now on my 10th day of being off of lexapro and have many of the flu like symptoms as everyone else...brain zaps that kind of thing. Is there anyone out there that has posted AFTER they have gone thru the withdrawal? I mean the posts are great, but they don't tell anything about how long people had the symptoms, and when they finally went away
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I started taking lexapro about a year and a half ago for mild depression and it helped. I was on the 10 mg pill. I noticed hair loss a few months later. Grant it that could have been due to the stress I was under, but it was a concern. I am now in my 4th day of being off of it totally. I was doing every other day per my doctor's directions for one week. I am now feeling pretty tired and I feel/hear a weird swooshing sound at times. I'm assuming it's part of the withdrawal. I have also gained 30 pounds. It was a gradual weight gain, but it has now become a concern. My doctor doesn't want to seem to admit it may be from the lexapro. I feel dizzy occasionally also. I can only hope this lasts a short time.
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I'm so glad I finally came across these posts to know some of these symptoms are common.

I've been on anti-depressants for roughly six years. I was originally on Zoloft and it seemed to work okay, but the sexual side effects were taking a major toll on my relationship. My doctor wanted to try me on Lexapro and see if the sexual side effects lessened. It did improve, but I was still was no where close to how I should be. And then I noticed with Lexapro, it made me mentally "numb", like I didn't have much emotion at all. In that regard I liked the Zoloft much more. Anyhow, after being on these drugs for 6 years I really thought I was just never going to be able to get off of them as I still was battling the depression (although in midler form). Plus Lexapro was starting to make me completely void of any and all emotion. So, when my prescription expired and I was due for my annual renewal, my doctor was no longer at the clinic and without health insurance I decided I was too broke and too fed up with this to try and get it renewed.

So last Saturday was the last day I took it. It has now been 7 days without Lexapro. 7 days after six years and this withdrawl is really, really horrible. At first I was just really snappy and short with people. Then I wanted to sleep non-stop. Then I broke out in hives (not sure if that was related to Lexapro withdrawl or just an allergic reaction to something else but I wanted to note it) Now I'm in the worst part thus far. I'm still getting over the hives/facial swelling. I'm having a really hard time concentrating (it's taking me waaaaaay too long to even type this). I'm having "hot flashes" or sweats. I'm not sleeping normal. My appetite has been up and down like a roller coaster. I've been getting really dizzy. I'm kind of jerky (muscle wise) and shaky. But the worst thing is this flutter feeling I keep getting in my head. I don't really know how to describe it but it looks from other posts that it does happen. Kind of like my brain is shorting out like an electrical circuit just for a second and then I hear this noise in my head like a "flutter".

I just seriously hope that this will start to let up in the next 7 days as I really am starting to freak out about this. Good luck to anyone who is or is considering coming off this drug...for what it's worth, the only thing that seems to help some is drinking lots of water. :-(
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I have been taking 10 mg of Lexapro per day for 4 years. I decided to go off and have been slowly going off of it for months but the side effects are so intolerable that I never was able to. I could go about 5 days until I couldn't take it anymore. I have the same side effects as other people brain zaps, hot/cold flashes, limb restlessness, etc. I have been on and off antidepressants for many years but have never been using for this length of time and have never had so much trouble getting off.

I just took a Benadryl and it helped with the brain zaps but not with the limb restlessness. Constant motion helps with the limb restlessness. There is a book called How to Get Off Lexapro Safely. I have not read it yet but will get it this week and see if it helps.

I have not taken any medication in almost 2 weeks and still have symptoms that are not subsiding. Does anyone know how much longer these symptoms will go on?
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Ok here is my Lexapro story:

I went on the stuff towards the end of the summer of 2008. Helped me through a tough time following a surgery I had. My supply was going to run out by the end of August/September 2009 so I began to ween off of it - but due to the annoying symptoms, I needed to go back on. I had the usual brain pings/zaps, sluggishness, lack of energy, loss of appetite, and even regular sick/flu-like symptoms. I attributed everything but the flu-like symptoms to the withdrawal and only recently learned that the flu like symptoms are also withdrawal symptoms.

So I went back on and as soon as I did, the symptoms disappeared. I got another prescription from my original doctor, we'll just call her Tracy (That is not her actual name).

Stayed on the stuff but again, early this month I was nearing the end of my supply. I contacted Tracy 3 times but only got her voice mail - each time I left a message explaining I needed a refill. Well, I never heard back from her - and my supply ran out. I was on the 10mg dose - my last one disappeared last Sunday - so it has now been 9 days without Lexapro. I had been taking a full 10mg pill approx every 36 hours - this allowed me to stretch out my supply without any ill effects (prescription called for 1 pill daily). Other than that measure, I'd consider this a "cold turkey" event.

So, by day 3 (last Wednesday) I began to feel some of the withdrawal symptoms - and they really increased throughout the weekend. Again - all the symptoms I already mentioned. But - throughout this whole process my mood/outlook has been good and I have had no anxiety. Perhaps on a couple occasions I was a little more irritable than normal, but I was able to manage it.

Meanwhile, I contacted another psychiatrist for advice and to set up an appointment - which I did, but she instructed me to go to the emergency room and they would give me some pills (I decided against that). I left another message with "Tracy", explaining I had run out of medication and was in the withdrawal phase.

But today, I'm feeling much better. I don't want to go back on the stuff, and it had been my goal all along to get off of this. I don't need it anymore, and I don't want to be on it for the rest of my life. I just wish I had put more thought into getting off this stuff WELL before I was gonna run out - but recalling how annoying the symptoms were, it sort of scared me off.

In searching around doing some research about the withdrawal symptoms, I discovered there were a few supplements that might be able to help alleviate the withdrawal symptoms. All the stuff seemed harmless enough, so I gave it a shot right away (to be exact, last Thursday I believe). Omega 3, bunch of B vitamins, bee pollen (I know...), folic acid, etc. Can't say for sure whether or not the supplements are helping or not - but the brain zaps are all but gone - if I get one it is really mild and I don't mind. I'm not nearly as dizzy/woozy/out of it as I was, and I actually have some more energy.

Again - don't know if it is a function of the supplements, or the fact that having been off for 9 days that the withdrawal symptoms are dwindling on their own, or a combination of the two.

Still planning to see the new psychiatrist for my appointment next week. I was considering just going back on Lexapro then trying a proper taper down process (with the supplements maybe), but if I'm feeling well, I don't see the point. I fully understand that I still might have a "slower" day or two and I can deal with that.

So my question here (and it has been raised before) is how long can one expect to experience withdrawal symptoms? I realize that is a loaded question - depends on the person and the dose they were on, etc etc - but if anyone can provide a general answer that would be helpful. Again - not looking for someone to say "2 weeks 3 days 5 hours 17 minutes"... but something like 2-4 weeks - or have withdrawal symptoms been observed more than 1 month down the road?

Also - are there any negative long term effects by going cold turkey? Is there some compelling reason for me to go back on and do a proper taper/weening process?

These drugs are some scary stuff, especially in the hands of scrip happy doctors. I truly wish the best to anyone else going through the same thing and trying to get off the stuff. I know and understand how you feel. Although this is an unpleasant process, it is somewhat comforting to know that I'm not alone. It has been a bit difficult attempting to explain this to my friends - or otherwise anyone who has never gone through withdrawal from this stuff. Regardless - if you have not already done so - tell someone, a good friend, partner, family member, etc about what you're going through. It helps, even if they don't have an acute awareness of the withdrawal symptoms - if they're that important to you and you to them, they'll support you. Knowing this back in 2008 what I know now - I would have probably steered clear of this medication.
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Update - I'm the same person who posted on 4/20/10

I've been off of Lexapro for 2 weeks 2 days. Since mid-week last week, things have been steadily improving, and over the past 2 days, I've had virtually no symptoms. Safe to say, I'm off this stuff!

I had a meeting with a new psychiatrist yesterday that went really well. After providing her with a description of my events/feelings/symptoms over the last several weeks - it seemed to match up pretty well with the norm. For me it seemed like the symptoms had a peak between 7-10 days after the last pill, and gradually declined after that. The doctor said that after 2 weeks, most people are pretty much symptom free, but sometimes it could take up to a month. Obviously, dosage, metabolism, etc are all variables that factor in to how long to expect to experience withdrawal symptoms.

During withdrawal, I experienced the following symptoms:
Brain pings/zaps (most common symptom)
Fatigue/lack of energy (2nd most common symptom)
Loss of appetite
Nausea
Foggy/disconnected feeling
Odd numbness sensation in extremities
Irritability/difficulty concentrating
Difficulty sleeping
Thirstyness
Flu/cold symptoms - although I didn't experience these symptoms this time, I did the last time I tried to go off.

All of these symptoms are pretty much gone!

Good luck to all who are trying to get off Lexapro - all I gotta say is that you just gotta push through and deal with it. A couple times, I thought I was gonna have to cave and go back on, but since my prescription had run out, I had no choice!

BUT - I do not recommend going cold turkey. I might have a stronger tolerance than others... I dunno, but it does suck. If you have sufficient supply left - taper down for at LEAST 3 months. Even with gradual taper off - you'll probably still experience at least some of the symptoms. Just remember that the symptoms are caused by the withdrawal, and not some new problem. The withdrawal symptoms will go away!

Also - consult your doctor! I didn't have this luxury (until yesterday), but, they can help you as well.
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I am so glad I am not alone! I have been on antidepressants for anxiety/panic attacks for 15 years. Started with Paxil then switched to Lexapro about 6 years ago. Well I have tried to slowly wean off and it's been a week since I stopped. Even before I stopped I had strange pains and jolts through my muscles. I've always had tingling in my extremities, then I felt the dizziness. I went off it because I am trying to get pregnant. I thought I was this month. I was dizzy, had a weird taste in my mouth, nauseous, back pain, leg cramps. But when I started my period I felt like I was going to die. The cramps were intense and the nausea even more so. Now I have a few hours of nausea a day and a little less dizziness. But the restless nights have started.
At least the last poster had a time frame to look forward to. Thanks!
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