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Any POSITIVE reports for coming off Lexapro???
I Googled "Coming off Lexapro" and came across dozens of health-related websites (similar to this) where I read report after report after report of absolutely HORRIBLE withdrawl symptoms of people coming off Lexapro.
Has anyone come off Lexapro with GOOD results?
One thing in common with most of these is that they would say they would go from, say 10 mg. to 5 mg for just a week and then off of it completely. A week at 5mg. doesn't seem nearly long enough to me.
I am thinking maybe going from my current 10mg to 5 mg for several MONTHS and then maybe 2.5mg (if it goes that low) for several more MONTHS may be a better way to come off Lexapro.
After reading these horror stories, I also think that I should maybe start up again with the psychologist I had visited at the beginning when my general practioner first prescribed Lexapro. At least then I would have a back-up already in place to help me. I would like to try coming off of it in a few months but dread the return of symptoms and ESPECIALLY the withdrawl symptoms mentioned by others - like their "brain restarting or rebooting every 5 minutes" or their "brain being turned into a sponge being squeezed every 10 minutes" or "getting an electric shock to my brain" - YIKES!
Lexapro has helped me a LOT over the last several months and has been symptom-free. But I am past what was causing me to be depressed. (Unless maybe my brain is just naturally lacking in serotonin or something.)
So please - if ANYONE out there has had good results from coming off Lexapro, PLEASE let me know!!! And also let me know what method you followed.
Thanks!
Has anyone come off Lexapro with GOOD results?
One thing in common with most of these is that they would say they would go from, say 10 mg. to 5 mg for just a week and then off of it completely. A week at 5mg. doesn't seem nearly long enough to me.
I am thinking maybe going from my current 10mg to 5 mg for several MONTHS and then maybe 2.5mg (if it goes that low) for several more MONTHS may be a better way to come off Lexapro.
After reading these horror stories, I also think that I should maybe start up again with the psychologist I had visited at the beginning when my general practioner first prescribed Lexapro. At least then I would have a back-up already in place to help me. I would like to try coming off of it in a few months but dread the return of symptoms and ESPECIALLY the withdrawl symptoms mentioned by others - like their "brain restarting or rebooting every 5 minutes" or their "brain being turned into a sponge being squeezed every 10 minutes" or "getting an electric shock to my brain" - YIKES!
Lexapro has helped me a LOT over the last several months and has been symptom-free. But I am past what was causing me to be depressed. (Unless maybe my brain is just naturally lacking in serotonin or something.)
So please - if ANYONE out there has had good results from coming off Lexapro, PLEASE let me know!!! And also let me know what method you followed.
Thanks!
Hi ComputerGeek! &: )
I feel your concern regarding the question of weaning off Lexapro. I also went through this concern a few months ago.
I only offer my experience with Lexapro. Of course, I am not a doctor; therefore, my post/s are not to be received as advice to anyone.
If choosing to discontinue Lexapro or any medication your doctor prescribes, doing as your doctor advises, most likely will help reduce and/or avoid problems.
In my particular case, I chose to follow my doctors instructions - not my own. Everyone is an individual and their cases may vary when taking and stopping medication.
In "my" case, after taking Lexapro for 3 weeks, my doctor advised me to split the 10mg Lexapro tab. in half, taking - 1/2 tablet for 4 days. Then split that in half, taking - 1/4th tablet for 3 days. After that - no Lexapro from that point forward.
Yes, the tablet was small and my initial thought was it would be crushed into mere powder, especially, when attempting to break it into fourths; but, acturally it broke well and I did not have too much of a problem when using a pill-cutter or a thin knife. (I only messed up one, trying to break it into fourths, then got the hang of it.)
I had been taking Lexapro for only 3 weeks when I asked my doctor to wean me off. ( If not mistaken, I believe you have been taking it much longer. ) I made my decision after reading comments made by some people concerning their withdrawel symptoms after taking Lexapro, even for a short time. Nonetheless, I consulted with my doctor.
I'm not taking anything now. It has been 3 months since I weaned off Lexapro with no withdrawels / ill affects and still doing great! : )
I feel your concern regarding the question of weaning off Lexapro. I also went through this concern a few months ago.
I only offer my experience with Lexapro. Of course, I am not a doctor; therefore, my post/s are not to be received as advice to anyone.
If choosing to discontinue Lexapro or any medication your doctor prescribes, doing as your doctor advises, most likely will help reduce and/or avoid problems.
In my particular case, I chose to follow my doctors instructions - not my own. Everyone is an individual and their cases may vary when taking and stopping medication.
In "my" case, after taking Lexapro for 3 weeks, my doctor advised me to split the 10mg Lexapro tab. in half, taking - 1/2 tablet for 4 days. Then split that in half, taking - 1/4th tablet for 3 days. After that - no Lexapro from that point forward.
Yes, the tablet was small and my initial thought was it would be crushed into mere powder, especially, when attempting to break it into fourths; but, acturally it broke well and I did not have too much of a problem when using a pill-cutter or a thin knife. (I only messed up one, trying to break it into fourths, then got the hang of it.)
I had been taking Lexapro for only 3 weeks when I asked my doctor to wean me off. ( If not mistaken, I believe you have been taking it much longer. ) I made my decision after reading comments made by some people concerning their withdrawel symptoms after taking Lexapro, even for a short time. Nonetheless, I consulted with my doctor.
I'm not taking anything now. It has been 3 months since I weaned off Lexapro with no withdrawels / ill affects and still doing great! : )
I didn't get any sleep Tuesday night/Wednesday morning (except for MAYBE an hour if that) and had vertigo SO bad when I got back out of bed that I couldn't hardly walk straight and got extremely nauseous. But I prepared for and tried going to work - through lashing rain and in a loaner car I was unfamiliar with and that had dirty inside windshields along with fogging (my car was in for repair). The streets were dark (no street lights) and the road was jammed with crazy drivers late for work. (In this state, drivers are NOT more cautious in thunderstorms and lashing rain - they are more aggressive and crazy drivers than ever.)
The last straw was being called on my cell by my wife that I had forgotten my wallet. Since I was so dizzy by then that I thought I was going to throw up, I returned home and called in sick and tried to go back to sleep. But I couldn't. The storm passed and by 10:00 it was bright, sunny and the roads were dry. So I went on in to work - not feeling quite as dizzy and nauseous as several hours earlier.
Today, by comparison, it is as though my vertigo was completely gone. It seems as though I don't feel much dizzyness at all. But, like I said, that is perhaps in comparison to my feeling completely overwhelmed with dizzyness two days ago. Are you listening Hensley? Maybe I should pull an all-nighter (on the computer) again! On a day I DON'T need to get in to work!
I can't answer your question at the moment though buddy - I never really paid attention to my head - just my footsteps so I don't fall over. I actually did fall over when I returned a few weeks ago from getting a head MRI done so my Ear, Nose and Throat doctor could make sure that there was no tumor or other growth pressing against my inner ear. (There isn't.) I had just parked the car in the garage and was putting something away on a shelf in the garage before going on into the house and I lost my balance and fell over backwards onto the garage floor. But no harm done - I landed flat on my behind!
But I'll pay attention to see if I feel what you are talking about. I think mostly I just feel dizzy. At its worst, it is like I just got off of a merry-go-round or a spinning computer/office type of chair. Once when I went to bed, it was so bad that I couldn't read when I laid my head back. My eyes were literally slamming from left-to-right JUST like I got off a spinning chair. So I put my book down and turned off the light and eventually fell asleep.
I wish my ENT doc. would get back to me about all this! It is ALL I need on top of anxiety and depression. IF, indeed, I am still suffering from anxiety and depression. Since one of the listed side-effects of Lexapro is SEVERE dizziness, that is one additional reason that I am interested in coming off of it. But not, I have decided, until I break into my new job after my training class ends and maybe being on the job for a month or two. Otherwise I might lose sleep over starting my new job! Extreme anxiety and depression caused me to get only 2 to 3 hours of sleep a night towards the end of my last long-term job (when all this came to a hilt and I started taking Lexapro) and I CANNOT have that on this new job just starting out!
- - - Bon-Bon - - -
How did you wean off Lexapro? Did you just take a tablet every other day? and then a tablet every third day? Or split the tablets in half? (The 10mg tablets are so tiny, I don't see me doing that!)
I'll message you if I you don't see this question because I am really interested.
Well, off to bed. It is 1:00 AM and I don't want a repeat of two days ago!
Thanks everyone for your input on this. So far I have heard several GOOD reports of coming off of Lexapro and i appreciate that! It makes me feel more confident about coming off of it myself to see if I can do without it or not.
The last straw was being called on my cell by my wife that I had forgotten my wallet. Since I was so dizzy by then that I thought I was going to throw up, I returned home and called in sick and tried to go back to sleep. But I couldn't. The storm passed and by 10:00 it was bright, sunny and the roads were dry. So I went on in to work - not feeling quite as dizzy and nauseous as several hours earlier.
Today, by comparison, it is as though my vertigo was completely gone. It seems as though I don't feel much dizzyness at all. But, like I said, that is perhaps in comparison to my feeling completely overwhelmed with dizzyness two days ago. Are you listening Hensley? Maybe I should pull an all-nighter (on the computer) again! On a day I DON'T need to get in to work!
I can't answer your question at the moment though buddy - I never really paid attention to my head - just my footsteps so I don't fall over. I actually did fall over when I returned a few weeks ago from getting a head MRI done so my Ear, Nose and Throat doctor could make sure that there was no tumor or other growth pressing against my inner ear. (There isn't.) I had just parked the car in the garage and was putting something away on a shelf in the garage before going on into the house and I lost my balance and fell over backwards onto the garage floor. But no harm done - I landed flat on my behind!
But I'll pay attention to see if I feel what you are talking about. I think mostly I just feel dizzy. At its worst, it is like I just got off of a merry-go-round or a spinning computer/office type of chair. Once when I went to bed, it was so bad that I couldn't read when I laid my head back. My eyes were literally slamming from left-to-right JUST like I got off a spinning chair. So I put my book down and turned off the light and eventually fell asleep.
I wish my ENT doc. would get back to me about all this! It is ALL I need on top of anxiety and depression. IF, indeed, I am still suffering from anxiety and depression. Since one of the listed side-effects of Lexapro is SEVERE dizziness, that is one additional reason that I am interested in coming off of it. But not, I have decided, until I break into my new job after my training class ends and maybe being on the job for a month or two. Otherwise I might lose sleep over starting my new job! Extreme anxiety and depression caused me to get only 2 to 3 hours of sleep a night towards the end of my last long-term job (when all this came to a hilt and I started taking Lexapro) and I CANNOT have that on this new job just starting out!
- - - Bon-Bon - - -
How did you wean off Lexapro? Did you just take a tablet every other day? and then a tablet every third day? Or split the tablets in half? (The 10mg tablets are so tiny, I don't see me doing that!)
I'll message you if I you don't see this question because I am really interested.
Well, off to bed. It is 1:00 AM and I don't want a repeat of two days ago!
Thanks everyone for your input on this. So far I have heard several GOOD reports of coming off of Lexapro and i appreciate that! It makes me feel more confident about coming off of it myself to see if I can do without it or not.
I weaned off of it as my doctor advised me. I suffered no side affects coming off of 10mg tab. of Lexapro.
1 Comments
Bob-Bon, I have been on 15mg of Lexapro for about 5 years. MD & Iagree to start weaning off. What was your weaning off schedule? I am 62 years old and have been doing great the past 4 years or better.
I have read some Psychiatry reports that talk about what is called Psychomotor dissorder. There isn't much knows about it, but experts agree that depression and anxiety can (in some people) effect balance.
When you get these vertigo symptoms do you feel a kind of odd heaviness in the pit of your head?
When you get these vertigo symptoms do you feel a kind of odd heaviness in the pit of your head?
- - - Therese83 - - -
Thanks Therese83 - some great ideas there. I need to write all these down. Liquid Lexapro (suggested by Azalea82). And your suggestion of going back up a level on the tapering and try coming down again if needed. Use a chart. great advice.
Until people experience vertigo for themselves, they have NO CLUE how lucky they are that they can walk in a coordinated fashion - all thanks to the very complex inner workings of the middle-ear-to-brain connection. Any small malfunction and you look like you are drunk walking a wavering line. I am waiting for a policeman to pull me over if I make a mistake in traffic and have me try to walk a straight line. I will fall over! (I am SUPER careful when driving and, actually, it is easier to drive a car than to walk down a sidewalk.)
- - - Hensley - - -
I have wondered what you have wondered too - is this JUST a middle-ear issue or is there some part of my brain that is involved with a lack of balance too. My Ear, Nose and Throat doctor and my audiologist feel it is due to the inner ear. But the audiologist DID say that depression and anxiety can exacerbate vertigo. But I wonder if the CAUSATIVE action could maybe be more due to the brain than the inner ear.
I have seen a psychologist, not a psychiatrist, for depression & anxiety. The former knows how people think inside and out and help them through their thoguht processes whereas the latter seek a causation in the form of chemical imbalances in the brain that can be treated by drugs. That is why I was more open to the idea of a psychologist than a psychiatrist in the first place. It was actually my GP that prescribed the Lexapro.
But my psychologist is a very smart man. He was a medic in Vietnam so he knows the medical side AND he now knows the thought-process side. I will be sure to ask him whenever I get through all of my new job coursework and transition to my full-time position. I KNOW I will be much happier in my new job than my old and, if things go well, I look forward to coming off Lexapro - especially since the side-effects list possible SEVERE dizziness. I will rely on my network of church and work friends to help keep me going in a positive direction.
On a side note Hensley - I have been doing VERY WELL on Lexapro for months now and THEN the vertigo hit. But THAT was during a new job too and, to be honest, I just didn't seem to be getting it. It was VERY complicated and involved a LOT of paperwork. (It is a photography job.) So that stress could have contributed.
But from everything I have read, vertigo usually comes as some sort of damage to the inner ear system. An infection or a blow to the head or a tumor pressing on the inner ear (thus the reason they will usually do an MRI).
But I will definitely ask my psychologist about the brain's side of things in vertigo. Maybe I can research it myself using Google. (Google is an incredibly powerful research tool!)
Thanks Therese83 - some great ideas there. I need to write all these down. Liquid Lexapro (suggested by Azalea82). And your suggestion of going back up a level on the tapering and try coming down again if needed. Use a chart. great advice.
Until people experience vertigo for themselves, they have NO CLUE how lucky they are that they can walk in a coordinated fashion - all thanks to the very complex inner workings of the middle-ear-to-brain connection. Any small malfunction and you look like you are drunk walking a wavering line. I am waiting for a policeman to pull me over if I make a mistake in traffic and have me try to walk a straight line. I will fall over! (I am SUPER careful when driving and, actually, it is easier to drive a car than to walk down a sidewalk.)
- - - Hensley - - -
I have wondered what you have wondered too - is this JUST a middle-ear issue or is there some part of my brain that is involved with a lack of balance too. My Ear, Nose and Throat doctor and my audiologist feel it is due to the inner ear. But the audiologist DID say that depression and anxiety can exacerbate vertigo. But I wonder if the CAUSATIVE action could maybe be more due to the brain than the inner ear.
I have seen a psychologist, not a psychiatrist, for depression & anxiety. The former knows how people think inside and out and help them through their thoguht processes whereas the latter seek a causation in the form of chemical imbalances in the brain that can be treated by drugs. That is why I was more open to the idea of a psychologist than a psychiatrist in the first place. It was actually my GP that prescribed the Lexapro.
But my psychologist is a very smart man. He was a medic in Vietnam so he knows the medical side AND he now knows the thought-process side. I will be sure to ask him whenever I get through all of my new job coursework and transition to my full-time position. I KNOW I will be much happier in my new job than my old and, if things go well, I look forward to coming off Lexapro - especially since the side-effects list possible SEVERE dizziness. I will rely on my network of church and work friends to help keep me going in a positive direction.
On a side note Hensley - I have been doing VERY WELL on Lexapro for months now and THEN the vertigo hit. But THAT was during a new job too and, to be honest, I just didn't seem to be getting it. It was VERY complicated and involved a LOT of paperwork. (It is a photography job.) So that stress could have contributed.
But from everything I have read, vertigo usually comes as some sort of damage to the inner ear system. An infection or a blow to the head or a tumor pressing on the inner ear (thus the reason they will usually do an MRI).
But I will definitely ask my psychologist about the brain's side of things in vertigo. Maybe I can research it myself using Google. (Google is an incredibly powerful research tool!)
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