Lexapro withdrawals?

Please don't move this to drug forum-- I really need some quick responses and I know it will move pretty slowly there.

Has anyone experienced withdrawals from Lexapro? What symptoms? How many mg. were you on? Did you stop cold turkey or taper?

Thanks.

Stopped cold turkey....withdrawals were heightened anxiety and

confusion. When I was on it it made me hyper too, thats why I

stopped it. I was on 10mgs.

Lexapro is basicly Celexa in a lowered dose form.

I had a friend who ran out before being able to get more. The withdrawal symptoms about sent them to the looney bin. Everything from sweats to hallucination type things. I don't know enough specifics to help, but I do know it was bad. I believe they were only on 10mg at the time and had been on them 2 months when this happened. It was just pretty bad for them. Hope that helps? Just be careful.

Okay I am also on 10 mgs and stopped cold turkey last night. My pdoc thought it was for the best bc of the manic swings. He did not tell me to taper. I am still on Lithium. I don't know why it was making me manic in the first place, being that I'm on a mood stabilizer.

Seems like 10mgs is a popular dose. My neighbor up the street is on it and she does great.

I guess its very individual from person to person.

Good luck Pink...Hope you feel better.

Hmm yea, I don't know. I am not sure why my friend had such violent reactions to coming off cold turkey, but with that being the lowest dose I think, I guess there's no other way. Friend's symptoms lasted about 4 or 5 days. Hopefully since you are still on other medications, it won't affect you like it did my them. It was pretty rough. Best of luck with it.

I might not listen to pdoc and go back on it for the next two weeks. I have two more weeks until I am done with my classes and internship for my Masters degree, I cannot afford to have anything screw this up. I don't know... I'm really stuck.

I'd probably do the same. Getting through to the end of the semester is hard enough without adding change.

Pink I'm not telling you to do this....but you can always split
the dose in HALF....But you should talk to your doc. Lexapro
has a pretty good half-life...stays in your system for 3-4 days
even after stopping it.

Just a suggestion....?

Another note is that my friend is back on this med because it did work so well. Maybe that was another reason for bad withdrawals: that friend's body needed that med to be stable. So maybe if it's not needed so much, the body wouldn't have a bad reaction.

I've done the withdrawal thing before on Lexapro. I've forgotten to take my pills for one day (most was two days in a row) and I suffered quite a bit. Headaches, nausea, dizziness and just generally feeling like crap (on a dosage of anywhere from 5-20mg). Then again, I'm fairly sensitive to meds.

I'm going cold turkey in a few days off of 20mg, so I'm kinda interested to see how I'll react.

i was on 10mg for about 5 months, made my anxiety worse so decided to come off. it wasn't easy. doc had me taper off by going every other day for a couple weeks, had dizzyness, nausea, loss of appetite, headaches, then went to every 3 days and it got worse. decided after a week of that cold turkey would at least get it over with, after a few days i got tingles all over my body, vertigo, and what felt like 1000 fire ants biting my brain simultaneously every hour or so. i would finish your sememster first, then cold turkey it. if you are going to have symptoms anyway may as well get them over with.

lost

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thelostone said:
and what felt like 1000 fire ants biting my brain simultaneously every hour or so.


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Sounds wonderful. Can't wait.

(((((((((((((Pink)))))))))))

Hey Pink

I was on Lexapro 10 mg for about 8 months and stopped cold turkey in January. Only "symptom" I noticed was a very slight lightheadedness from time to time for a week or so. I actually did not think anything about it at the time but my doc has since told me that could have been a withdrawal effect.

Never been on Lexapro, but I did deal with Effexor withdrawals.

I suggest cutting your pills in half, then in fourths, to slowly wean off. Or if it's too hard to cut them, take them half as often - like every-other day instead of every day. It could help a little.

Maybe call your pdoc and explain the withdrawal? See if they have any better ideas.

I was sick as a dog.... I don't even want to remember that.

i was on lexapro for a year with klonipin but my lexapro was for depression klonipin for anxiety well i stopped cold turkey and i was on 20 mg and the most i went through was heighten anxiety but i'm back on it now with klonipin for a month now it deff makes me hyper but they work for me

Eh, I have now entered the withdrawal phase. I don't feel like I'm getting those brain zaps that people talk about, rather it feels like my whole body is getting sort of zapped with a crazy jolt/lightheaded through the body feeling every time I get up and walk around. It's almost like a split second of "hey-- where am I?" It is absolutely lovely. I just want to stay in bed.

Withdrawl = not fun. I just stopped cold turkey on Lexapro yesterday (off of 20mg), so I understand the lightheadedness. Also expecting nausea, headaches, and I have *no* appetite, yay!

((((((((((((((pink)))))))))))))))))

I have removed some responses from this thread.

Please keep comments to the original topic.

I appreciate it.

KD

So is this working for you over here Pink?
:-)

Dear (((((((((((((((pinksoil)))))))))))))))) how are you doing today? I'd imagine you feel just as crummy as I do, but just wanted to say hello and let you know that I'm thinking of ya.

Hey Christina... I'm sorry we feel so crappy, lol. My pdoc actually told me to back on 5mg (I was on 10mg). After school is over next week we are going to reevaluate my entire medication profile.

greaaaaaaaaaaaat. I just got put on Lexapro today -10mgs. Though she said this is the "safest" antidepressant to be on, reading all this makes me a little worried. Did I say a little??? She did say i could start of half if i wanted. I already have all those "withdrawal sides" so maybe they won't be as noticible? I already have headaches daily, dizziness, vertigo, lightheadedness, and feel odd sensations through my body. THis is the first AD i've ever taken (aside from 5HTP that is over the counter). She wants me to continue the 5HTP (100mg). =(