A psychiatrist friend of mine suggested I start taking: 5-HTP, Lithium Oritate, Melissa (Lemon Balm), and L-Theanine to help reduce my withdrawal symptoms. I believe they are helping me but to what extent it's hard to tell. I know I've never had brain zaps, and my dizziness is minimal now. My sweats didn't last long either. I'm still a little short-fused, which is not like me, and I occassionally have thoughts of suicide (but don't act on them) which doesn't help that I just recently was let go at work. But I struggle on. I've been going through withdrawal for about two months now, and I feel that the worst is over. I'm still having panic attacks, but they're much briefer and less intense than in the beginning. I'm also not having them early in my sleep cycle, but instead near the end of my sleep cycle when it's around time to get up.
Loading...
When i was 13 I was put on paxil. at age 18 they switched me to lexapro. I am now twenty and for the first time I am trying to get off my meds. Today is Sunday and I haven't taken my pills for a week. I feel like im dying. I just need to know there is hope that I will feel better. I just wanna see if I am really still depressed because my life is great and I just wanna know the real me again. I could barely get out of bed today.. Im in so much pain.
About how long til I feel better?
About how long til I feel better?
Loading...
Does anyone have any natural remedies for helping with Lexapro withdrawal? I was on 10mg/day for a couple of years and need to go off because I am trying to get pregnant. I went down to 5 mg for about a month, and I stopped taking it all together four days ago. I am feeling steadily worse -- dizzy, nauseous, and getting brain wooshes (like I just did a cannonball into a pool) every time I move my head. I can't combat the symptoms with other drugs because of the chance that I might be pregnant. Help, please!
Loading...
I started doing guided meditation, and this has helped me immensely with the symptoms. I recommend this one book I bought randomly, whenever I have a little dizziness I do the meditation and it goes away. It is titled Peace, Love and Healing by Bernie S. Siegel, M.D.. There are meditations in the back. I went from 10 mg to 0 mg. Meditation, especially guided, is a powerful tool. This guy is an oncologist and a surgeon who works with cancer patients. His meditations are simply beautiful, I just read them to myself and close my eyes every other sentence. ( I do them on the subway.)
Loading...
Of course I would suggest the tapering off of the medicine slowly first and foremost , but then once you've taken your last dose try these supplements daily: a high potency multivitamin, a FISH OIL supplement as directed on the label, not only will this get you feeling better but it will continue to support a good healthy mood, SUPER B COMPLEX, this will give you amazing energy which helps to get your mind off of the side effects. Try also going through a one month supply of colon cleanser, this rids your body of anything unhealthy left in the intestinal tract and colon, which I believe includes the mediation as well. Also make sure to exercise everyday for a least a half hour and eat a colorful variety of foods. I am not a doctor, but from my own personal experience I can tell you that combining all of this makes you feel great, even while going through the lexapro withdraw. Your side effects, if any, should be very subtle. The first time I tried to wean myself without doing anything else but tapering off the medicine I felt so horrible that I ended up going back on the lexapro because i couldn't handle the side effects. This time however, it has been a month without a single bad day! Hope this helps!
Loading...
I saw a psychopharmacologist because I was having awful withdrawal symptoms from Lexpro. I slowly weaned off of it...I mean slowly! I was having terrible brain zaps and headaches that I couldn't stand so I went to him. He put me on prozac with the lexapro and I stayed on it as I again weaned off the lexapro. I was very skeptical about this working, but sure enough it worked. HOWEVER-2 months after stopping the prozac, I am again experiencing brain zaps and headaches, as well as extreme moodiness. I am extremely irriated with the drug companies for not making patients aware that this could be a possible withdrawal effect. I feel like I will never be able to get by without taking something otherwise I will experience the brain zaps that are not liveable. I am going to make another appointment with the psychopharmacologist and hope there is some way of getting away from these drugs without having these terrible withdrawal effects.
Loading...
:-P I hope this information helps you. I want to share with you my experience and hopefully help you. I tried to get off Lexapro a month ago but it was a nightmare with all the symptoms you already know. I tried to quit again and this time it really worked, I've been off the pill for about 3 weeks without major symptoms. This is how I did it: I took 2.5 mg only 3 days for one week. At the same time I started taking a natural supplement called Serezec Plus, these pills support the nervous system. I took them 2 times a day, in the morning and in the evening. After quitting Lexapro, I've been taking these pills and I have no dizziness or withdrawal symptoms at all! These pills have been great and help me with my anxiety, my husband had been taking them for several years for anxiety also and I didn't believe how good are they. Try them, Serezec Plus, must be Plus to help your nervous system. Hope this information helps all of you. God bless.
Loading...
I started taking Lexapro Oral 10mg/ml 2 years ago. A few months ago I decided to wean my self off because I felt like I could deal with my own problems without medication so I began taking 10mg/ml every other day then 5mg/ml every other day then I just STOPPED COLD TURKEY! Worst decision of my life! I have had some of the same symptoms listed in other peoples postings. I have been off the medication now and have had awful symptoms. Off and on I have unwanted thoughts running throughout my mind, Spells of nausea, Insomnia-I used to LOVE to sleep-Now I go to bed late and get up early-no matter what!, Bad headaches, tingling in the face-mostly the nose, Dizziness.....It goes on. Does anyone else experience the unwanted thoughts part? Or feelings of unreality? My doctor told me through an email that when you get off Lexapro you can have OCD like symptoms. Please Help! Thank you! :-)
Loading...
i ran out of lexapro about 3 weeks ago and didn't re-order. felt fine for a week and sort of forgot about it. then the tragic death of a pet sent me into the worst depression i've ever experienced. occurred to me several days ago that i was feeling worse than i should have been even with the intense grief. did some reading and yes, am experiencing all the horrible side effects so many others have described.
i'm a hardworking professional overseeing several dozen staff members. have been terrified of stopping meds, afraid i wouldn't be able to cope with the withdrawal. now three weeks into it i am just going to soldier through it one day at a time.
i've found that choline-inositol, in gelcaps, is a tremendous help with the anxiety and irritibility. i've been taking up to 4,000 mg a day and hear that it's safe to go at as high as twice that much -- or more. i'm also investigating TrueHope in hopes of getting off other psych meds while doing something more healthy in terms of nutritional support.
best wishes and positive hopes for all of us!
i'm a hardworking professional overseeing several dozen staff members. have been terrified of stopping meds, afraid i wouldn't be able to cope with the withdrawal. now three weeks into it i am just going to soldier through it one day at a time.
i've found that choline-inositol, in gelcaps, is a tremendous help with the anxiety and irritibility. i've been taking up to 4,000 mg a day and hear that it's safe to go at as high as twice that much -- or more. i'm also investigating TrueHope in hopes of getting off other psych meds while doing something more healthy in terms of nutritional support.
best wishes and positive hopes for all of us!
Loading...
My daughter weaned from Lexapro though she wasn't on it as long as many of you, just for several months before the wean. She did a very slow wean, 10mg to 7.5 for a few weeks then to 5mg for a month. From there she went very slowly because we'd read that it sometimes gets worse as you get to lower doses. After 5 mg she only lowered her dose by ½mg at a time (by very carefully crushing pills then dividing the powder) staying at each lowered dose about 2 weeks. She still had some minor dizziness as she decreased the last few times but overall it went very well. It just takes awhile doing it this way but hey, it sure seems worth the extra effort.
She's been off for over 6 months and is doing great. I've read so many people say they're having problems still that far out if they cold turkey or do a fast taper so I'd suggest considering it at least.
Best of luck.
She's been off for over 6 months and is doing great. I've read so many people say they're having problems still that far out if they cold turkey or do a fast taper so I'd suggest considering it at least.
Best of luck.
Loading...
im soo confused... i've been having several withdrawl symptoms like... dizzness, anxiety has worsened, nervousness, flu like symtoms, lil shaky, ..i was taking lexapro 20mg for almsot 2 yrs and klonopin for the same time and my doc took me off cold turkey and omg it's like im getting off heroine or something? i've never used drugs b4 and never will, but this is horrible... at first i thought it was the klonopin that was doing this from me but i still feel the same, so im thinking it could be lexapro too???? these meds have made me gain 50lbs too and im a fitness trainer! i've lost 30, now another 20lbs to go... im confused cause my doc didn't mention any of this and he's put me on natural supplements now ..super B and fish oil... im so tempted to go back to lexapro so i stop feeling these "heroine like withdrawls" grr
Loading...
I, too, am a fitness trainer and I've been on lexapro for a number of years. Never did I realize that I would be gaining close to 40 lbs! My doctors never warned me about that and I just got off of it. The physician's assistant in my doctor's office told me to decrease my 10mg dosage to 5mg for a week and then stop it totally. This is my second day of being lexapro-free and I do feel those flu-like symptoms as well as the electrical zing. I started feeling them at the decreased dosage. I have very little energy and working out is pure torture. I swear I thought I was developing some sort of disease!!! Although I do not feel depressed, these withdrawl symptoms could make you feel that way! Thank you all for your responses because I would've thought I was going crazy. I'm currently taking omega-3's and b-complex vitamins to see if they could help. Best wishes to all going through this! I'm sending good thoughts.
Loading...
My partner is taking lexapro and occasionally stops taking the medication cold turkey. I am afraid his withdrawals are having a significant impact on our relationship. He seems to have many mood swings and often over-reacts to what I would consider a minor situation. It is now impacting our relationship.
I truly care about him and want to see things get better. How should I approach this? Can anyone offer advice?
Thank you.
I truly care about him and want to see things get better. How should I approach this? Can anyone offer advice?
Thank you.
Loading...
I am so glad I found this link. I started tapering off Lexapro around 2 months ago- from 10mg to 5, then 2.5. I started getting the brain zaps and did some research. A book by James Harper, the Road Back Program, explained how to use vitamins to help with side effects. I started taking large doses of fish oil. 3 weeks ago, I stopped taking Lexapro altogether. Boy am I sick!!!! All symptoms from weakness, to brain zaps, muscle aches, sadness, irritability, tightness in my chest, etc. And I thought I was ready to go off it! Basically, I'm in bed all the time. I have to push myself, like going against the tide to just do basic housework or go to work (part time). I checked my symptoms online and thought maybe my thyroid is no good. Went to Dr. He Laughed at me saying It's from the Lexapro not thyroid. Go back on it for life. NO WAY!!
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 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
Loading...
I was prescribed 10mg Lexapro for postpartum depression and have only been on it from February to the end of May. I figured that because I haven't been on it that long, that my withdrawal symptoms wouldn't be as bad as some of you have posted. Boy, was I wrong! I tapered down per my doctor's instructions as half a pill for a week and then half a pill every other day for a week. It is now day 5 and I can not take the brain zaps for one more second! I am normally quite active (which counteracts with the 10 pounds or so that I've gained since being on Lexapro), but am finding it hard to balance when these brain shocks come on. Has anybody been able to relieve the dizziness or brain zaps? And if not, do you recall how long they lasted? I've got an international trip coming up in the next 2 weeks and am concerned about this destroying my vacation?
Also - I have been crying on the drop of a dime since coming off! What is up with that? My husband must think I'm crazy! o.O
Also - I have been crying on the drop of a dime since coming off! What is up with that? My husband must think I'm crazy! o.O
Loading...