Struggling with Lexapro Withdrawl

Hi, So I was taking 20mg of lexapro (for about 8-9 months) and my doctor is switching me to wellbutrin (mainly due to weight issues), and at first he had me reduce to 10mg, so I did that for about 4-5 weeks. Then the next time I saw him he said to stop taking it. I can't remember what I said about it, but I remember him asking me if I was scared to stop it, and I said no thinking things wouldn't be too bad.
But now I am experiencing some awful effects. I think it has to do with stopping lexapro. I also have a sinus infection/cold, so I also question if that is affecting me. But anyway, I stopped it like 2 weeks ago, the first week wasn't bad, I felt good actually, especially with the wellbutrin. But the last few days have been rough. I am nauseous, have the brain zaps, very depressed, had a few crying fits, and now I feel sick (like I said I feel a cold)...I wonder if I should start taking it again before I see my doctor (maybe just 5mg)...

Anyone experience this kinda thing? How did you get through it?
Thanks

i had the brain zaps coming of zoloft, its odd but what i did was just reminded myself to be calm and it will pass...

but you should tell your doc that you are experiencing those symptoms and if you want could do a slow taper, you dont have to "suffer it out" but i guess alot of us get the brainzaps from time to time switching meds

wellbutrin works on dopamine in the brain, the lexapro worked on serotonin so what you're experiencing is the lack of extra serotonin causing the zaps when there arent enough neurotransmitters to absorb the serotonin? so you can take the lexapro and wellbutrin together

other than that, i pulled through mine... lasted a few months but when i started the cymbalta it went away

hope you feel better soon!

Thanks for that reminder, I think feeling tense about how I'm feeling isn't helping, I am going to try to stay calm...I am supposed to see my therapist tonight, I know she can give me some advice as well.

So my therapist suggested that I don't start it back up again since it has been two weeks...and yeah I do have some sort of infection (my glands hurt)...so the combo of stopping the med and being sick is really not fun right now...but she said to remember that it will pass....I'm just tired of crying...ugh

Just an update in case others go through this kind of experience...

I went to the doc and he said that I had a cold and that it could have been caused by my lexapro withdrawal...I didn't ask how/why, but I thought it was interesting (yet not fun!).

He told me to do a nose spray thing and check back if I am not feeling better soon. My mood is much better, so that's good (and for the ladies to relate, I also had "aunt flow" visit during this....the last few days were hell! triple whammy!) ...he just said I gotta wait for this to pass.

I went down from lexapro from 10mg to 5mg, I no not much but felt nothing so its not working that great now

I can't recall the step-down schedule that I was on with Lexapro, but it was over with in about 2 weeks with no major problems. Cymbalta withdrawal was another story all together. Effexor withdrawal lasted about 10 days for me. (BTW, I'm 12 days post Effexor at the moment, and I'm doing okay without it and no complications; I was on it for 9 weeks and d/c because it had pulled me back from the ledge, and I don't hold the view that antidepressants are a long-term strategy for coping, but that's just me)...

9 week only on Effexor why. its only just started working. withdrawal after a few years is a killer. So you float in and out different meds and you find that helps, constantly starting and withdrawing you may find they all wont work at some point , your body must take a beating bbbbbbbut if it works

It may have been working much longer. A lot of people seem to think everybody has the same 4-6 week waiting period for meds to take effect but that's not always the case. I just started Viibryd yesterday and I feel the effects now. Both good and bad.

Even so I do think 9 weeks is a very short time to use medicine. I would say 6 months min but to each their own. I was on my last one for 11 years so I'm in the boat of likely being on something for the rest of my life or at least a good part of it.

even so 4-6 weeks gives you 3 weeks on a med . I find this out of my scope of reasoning and understanding that's all . I would like to hear more about how it can possible give relief .

I have a ton of relief from my depression on day 2 of Viibryd.. No more body aches, no more crying spells, no more sadness, ect. So it definitely can relief those symptoms in a short time.

However I did agree with you previously that I think treatment should go on longer than 9 weeks, at least that is my experience maybe for others it's different. I sure do wish I could go only 9 weeks and be good to go but that's just not the case for me.

I have been off lexapro for 3 months. I tapered from 5mg to 2.5mg and then half of the 2.5. I am having horrible symptoms such as crying,feeling of doom, and feeling dead inside. Has anyone quit lexapro and had symptoms still 3 months later?