Lexapro Withdrawal, Escitalopram Tapering Help, Side Effects and Alternatives | Alternative to Meds.

[@applepie3733]

I was on lexapro for 4 years 20 mg for depression..I’ve been off it for 6 months, (threw them in the garbage)..here’s how I did it, tapered down for a year very slow..first month was horrible, crying spells to diarhea.. but I turn to eating healthier,no alcohol, five days a week minimum workout with weight resistance/30 minute running.it has helped me a lot.. please try it..I’m grateful the side effects of the drug is what I hated the most..

[@lobstermania4025]

Good for you! I'm doing the same but in 2 days I will be one week off after 1 month taper. I can't wait for it to be over! Thank you

[@snowps1]

Did you have panic attacks or dips in your mood or any mood related issues during that 6 months

[@TheYogimind]

I tried coming off. I decided in my situation, unless I could allow myself room to completely change my life, I had better stay on it. I started getting the zaps and was becoming full of a rage. I still want to come off it, but it will need to wait until some other things in my life are different and I don’t have to hold myself together to survive mentally.

[@s1ckch1ck]

I totally understand where you are. I've been on them for 10yrs and decided to not take them anymore 1 month ago. Physical symptoms are nothing compared to the low mood and anxiety. My family are all overseas and I have no friends and barely working. Considering getting back on minimal dosage but want to hold out for 2 more months first. Hope you find a chance to one day to taper off it

[@s1ckch1ck]

How did you feel when you tried coming off it?

[@TheYogimind]

@@s1ckch1ck Thanks for asking. That’s is great that you’ve been able to stay off for a month. I can handle physical symptoms like brain zaps, my brain felt like it was shivering somehow and out of balance. The emotional symptoms were worse and that’s why I gave in and went back on it. I felt empty inside like something was missing. It’s hard to explain but it was like I was missing a warm and fuzzy comforting feeling. I noticed everything was getting on my nerves and felt angry. I felt like I needed to try to come off it sometime in the future when I would be open to completely changing everything in my life. I’m still not there apparently.

[@crawleyclarence5]

I went cold turkey off this medication back in December. It's been tough. It has been a wave of withdrawal. Right now I'm dealing with being off balance like vertigo,muscle aches and the depression has come back. I'm determined to get better though. I was only taking a 5mg pill but took it since 2018.

[@neverstopwhistle]

I hope you are feeling well. Crazy how just 5mg can really be hard to withdraw from. I've been on 20mg since about 2015 and would like to get down to 5mg or preferably zero!

[@pratcus]

You need to consult an ENT for your vertigo.Projecting whatever discomforts you now experience on a low dose of Lexapro is ignorance. Most of the withdrawal symptoms are a nocebo effect.Please do a health check up and find out the reasons for your present symptoms.

[@scrawnyrawny813]

I was drug free until 1 year after marriage. I’m 45 now and this all started 13 years ago. I was successful with my business, I owned my own home. I was starting to get anxiety, she was crossing boundaries. I didn’t understand what I was feeling! Next thing you know I was on 8 different medications for my new anxieties that I never had before in my life. Besides smoking the wrong types of weed. I experienced anxiety attacks whenever I would smoke sativa brand Weed. I didn’t know about sativa 25 years ago. So I just blamed all weed and quit. And then after I got married anxieties were just coming out of everywhere. I gained weight, I weighed 220 pounds. I was skinny until I got married. I’m going through the transition right now from 20 mg down to 10 mg. I was just wondering what is the safest way to get off of my last 10 mg. I am no longer married, I left her last year.

[@lobstermania4025]

Day 3 20mgs for 11 months cold turkey and I'm hurting bad. Bed spins, vertigo, can't eat, sleep and dry mouth.. This is Hell. but I'm going to do it. Thank you sir

[@dominicmm6]

How long did the hell last? How you feeling now?

[@lobstermania4025]

@@dominicmm6 Hello. It lasts about three weeks where it is really bad, after that it slowly gets better. on May 24th I will be be two months completely off and I still have the dizziness at night and a few other side effects...but nothing bad.( slowly getting my libido back) One powerful drug. Good luck to you and if you have anymore questions, feel free to ask, I could never find people to do follow up after. Happy Cico de Mayo!

[@Roondawg_Valhalla]

@@lobstermania4025 just checking on a recent update. How is everything for you now. Im on week 2 cold turkey, things have been tough but plowing thru.

[@lobstermania4025]

@@Roondawg_Valhalla Good for you! Hang in there and try to keep busy , excerising helps alot, evem if you feel sick. Remember it is not you , it's the dang drug and be nice to yourself. Im now off everything , and it feels great! I'm here always , if you need any support, just ask. Knowing you are not the ONLY person experiencing this is comforting. Happy Thursday!

[@Roondawg_Valhalla]

@@lobstermania4025 Thank you much for the quick reply and update. It is heartening to hear a success story and that helps fuel my cause to stay the course. All the best friend, thanks for support and kind words.

[@SergiojorgeAmorim]

Love to ask does all ssri causes buzzing feeling when taken first time like stimulates buzzy... As well dose this cause tired buzzying feeling

[@MurphyLyle]

Yep, totally

[@wesleycook7687]

I was managing just fine with Xanax until I ran out and had a seizure because I had took too many which was my fault. While in the hospital, they gave me Lexapro without my knowledge and a prescription for a 10 milagram once a day. I have been taking it for 2 weeks now and I wonder if I should just stop it now instead of waiting until it becomes a have- to thing.

[@susangraham1203]

@@wesleycook7687 If you do come off of Lexapro it will be very hard. I have had a horrible experience with this drug and I wish I never started it. Some people seem to do okay on it, but I have heard a lot of horror stories about it. I'm afraid I'm not much help, but I hope you are doing well.

[@montesa9136]

I weaned of Lexapro 10 months ago & have been bed bound, Anxious, Depressed, Suicidal, Negative, Irritable, Crying, ever since. No improvement on the the horizon!

[@hemi7175]

Stay strong

[@montesa9136]

@@hemi7175 For what reason?

[@hemi7175]

@@montesa9136 because with your comment it seems like you are going through a bad time

[@AE1990____]

That's not withdrawal !! That's your anxiety and depression

[@montesa9136]

@@AE1990____ @A E - Why do you say that? Everyone else says it's WD. Personally, I agree with you, but would love to know how you came to that conclusion

[@christinalopez6564]

Wow very informative I was just prescribed this medication haven't started it and God in heaven knows I don't even want to take it. I'm going to keep listening what's the use and going on a medication and going to have withdrawals that are terrible I could not tolerate SSRI meds so now I'm Fisk arrived this one??? It's supposed to be prescribed because I have a very sensitive system put every video I have watch has been some pretty funky side effects and then withdrawal it doesn't make you feel comfortable that's for sure but thank you for being so truthful and so candid and right to the point other people have went on forever and ever and ever and ever talking about their symptoms

[@smileysarajanee806]

I have been on 20mg lexapro for 7 years and only just starting to wean off per doctor’s guidance. First week was okay, but this week is tough. I just want to be off this medication already.

[@emilyelizabeth2585]

Going through it now. Its been 3 days of no lexapro after tapering for about 20 days and I felt great while on tapered dose but by day 2 of none the physical symptoms were do bad I decided to take 5mg (20mg was my regular) and it helped with the weird head feeling and nausea. The withdrawl is so tough even though I feel physically fine now the intense depressive state I have now is unsettling to say the least. Really hoping the withdrawl symptoms subside soon

[@smileysarajanee806]

@@emilyelizabeth2585 That’s what I’m starting this week - no lexapro. Good to know :( wishing you luck! If others have done it so can we 💕

[@malaysianpinoyfamily6303]

@@smileysarajanee806 how are you now?

[@smileysarajanee806]

@@malaysianpinoyfamily6303 Definitely better. the first week of no medication was not good, lots of hours of crying every day and feeling angry and not knowing why. Now I’ve evened out a bit more, I just have moments every few days that are tough. It’s improving, slowly.

[@DeLuca101]

I hate ir

[@ndendeo7-157]

That's a clear picture of the side effects

[@ltai-now]

I just started lexapro 4 weeks ago and I want to come off. I am only on 5mg, would it be easier to withdraw? Do I need to take 2.5 before I come off?

[@kto-totam2876]

Ask your doctor

[@rodolforios2830]

Im on 2.5 mg and it sucks lol. But its way better withdrawal then alprazolam.

[@pratcus]

Most of the antidepressant withdrawal symptoms are over hyped. If you have taking a higher dosage then it can give side-effects Two questions before. you 1.why did you take the medications in the first place. You were debilitated by the symptoms of depression and anxiety. 2. If you are prone to the above diseases you would always need a low maintenance dose for very long. Why do you stop the medicine if it's suit you? What do you aim to achieve by stopping the medicine.? Most often doctors (not all) prescribed higher doses. Eg 20mg Lexapro is no better than 10 mg Lexapro. You feel better after a period of 1year or 6months you can down the dose by 5mg and maintain that.The serotonin theory has not been scientifically proven.Its a hypothetical finding only. Compared to other SSRIs Lexapro is safe and effective. Depression is a mental disorder which has other components as it's cause.Psychological,environmental,social and physical causes. Nobody can escape from depression simply by taking few antidepressants. You have to fight it tooth and nail. Mindfulness meditation is one great tool,CBT skills under a practitioner can change negative thinking, spiritual reading,podcasts and being active will go a long way in managing depression. New therapies like ketamine infusion and transcranial magnetic stimulation are good. Comparing the withdrawal with heroin is only to scare people. Nootropic supplements are another way to treat depression.If you are on a high dosage seek help..

[@shirley_valente]

Thanks for this video, very informative! In Australia the minimum dose of escitalopram is 10mg. I’ve been on it for 8 months now, had horrible side effects at the start but have been feeling good for the last four months. I forgot to buy it and went on for 48hrs without taking it which led me to have a panic attack in public. My GP said that I could just stop it without tapering off but clearly I can’t. When time comes to stop taking it, should I cut the pill in half and have 5mg like they have in The US?

[@samawalaladawi3955]

My recommendation is to stop it much more gradually, over at least 6 months or more. And never do big drops, so try somehow to lower the dose from 10 to 9.5 to 9...etc. use a milligram jewelry scale.

[@shirley_valente]

@@samawalaladawi3955 Thanks for your answer. I’ll look for alternatives to reduce the dose gradually. I’ll probably need a compounding pharmacy for that. :)

[@shirley_valente]

@Steph C Hi Steph, Thanks for your reply. I should have booked with a psychiatrist as most GP’s don’t have experience with these things, it’s not the first GP who gives the same advice from what friends have told me. I also know a few people on the same medication who didn’t have nearly as bad side effects as I did so it’s very hard to know how our body will react. I’ll definitely cut the pill in half when it’s time to come off it. How long do you intend to be on the 5mg for till you stop completely? Also, did you choose to stop because you’re feeling better now?

[@shyaaammeneen63]

@@samawalaladawi3955 It is quite easy to stop anti-depressants. . Get rid of the root cause. After 10 days of the following meditation explained below slowly reduce dosage and taper of after 25 days because the desire for pills will not be there. . Take only if needed. Your breath is directly related to your mind [brain] causing anxiety-stress. For a relaxed life without anxiety-stress sit on a chair, back erect, hands on lap with palms upwards, eyes closed, be still and observe your incoming--outgoing breath, body sensations, any soft buzzing sound in the head for around 10-15 minutes. Be as still as possible. Plenty of thoughts will come which is ok--slowly negative thoughts will reduce and your mind will relax with no desire for pills. Mind is reprogrammed. Avoid watching negative TV shows and over- reacting. Continue daily meditation to enjoy life. Best wishes. Shyaaam Sir. -Counsellor-Teacher.

[@shyaaammeneen63]

@Steph C It is quite easy to stop anti-depressants with a strong determination . After 10 days of the following meditation explained below slowly reduce dosage mg to the minimum and taper of after 20 days because the desire for pills will not be there. . Take only if needed. Your breath is directly related to your mind [brain] causing anxiety-stress. For a relaxed life without anxiety-stress sit on a chair, back erect, hands on lap with palms upwards, eyes closed, be still and observe your incoming--outgoing breath, body sensations, any soft buzzing sound in the head for around 10-15 minutes. Be as still as possible. Plenty of thoughts will come which is ok--slowly negative thoughts will reduce and your mind will relax with no desire for pills. Mind is reprogrammed. Avoid watching negative TV shows and over- reacting. Continue daily meditation to enjoy life. Best wishes. Shyaaam Sir. -Counsellor-Teacher.

[@JacobMedinaBakoRealtor]

I started having panic attacks when I was 12, started Paxil when I was 20. It worked great for 17 years then is stopped working. My DR switched me to lexapro it was working ok at first but now it seems like it’s not work. I’ve been on almost 2 years. My dr wants me to taper the lexapro while taking small amounts of Paxil. But I’m afraid none of these ssri will work anymore. Is there anything you can recommend?

[@aryansharma-ts8up]

Start running

[@bkid1776]

@@aryansharma-ts8up no joke fuck medication u got this exercise it can take months for you to come back but the real u is in there the medication took over get it out

[@marcososa1986]

i’ve been taking lexapro for 2 years now. i tried to quit it cold turkey and i had very bad side effects. i had panic attacks, insomnia, and a tingling sensation on my body. i really want to stop taking pills, i feel trapped.

[@MurphyLyle]

Not uncommon when cold turkeyed

[@shyaaammeneen63]

@Steph C It is quite easy to stop anti-depressants with a strong determination . After 10 days of the following meditation explained below slowly reduce dosage mg to the minimum and taper of after 20 days because the desire for pills will not be there. Take pills only if you need. Neurons are being rewired in the brain. Your breath is directly related to your mind [brain] causing anxiety-stress. For a relaxed life without anxiety-stress sit on a chair, back erect, hands on lap with palms upwards, eyes closed, be still and observe your incoming--outgoing breath, body sensations, any soft buzzing sound in the head for around 10-15 minutes. Be as still as possible. Plenty of thoughts will come which is ok--slowly negative thoughts will reduce and your mind will relax with no desire for pills. Mind is reprogrammed. Avoid watching negative TV shows and over- reacting. Continue daily meditation to enjoy life. Best wishes. Shyaaam Sir. -Counsellor-Teacher.

[@shyaaammeneen63]

@Steph C It is quite easy to stop anti-depressants which can have major side effects. I transformed my life. After 10 days of the following meditation explained below slowly reduce dosage mg to the minimum and taper of after 20 days because the desire for pills will not be there. Take pills only if you need. Neurons are being rewired in the brain. Your breath is directly related to your mind [brain] causing anxiety-stress. For a relaxed life without anxiety-stress sit on a chair, back erect, hands on lap with palms upwards, eyes closed, be still and observe your incoming--outgoing breath, body sensations, any soft buzzing sound in the head for around 10-15 minutes. Be as still as possible. Plenty of thoughts will come which is ok--slowly negative thoughts will reduce and your mind will relax with no desire for pills. Mind is reprogrammed. Avoid watching negative TV shows and over- reacting. Continue daily meditation to enjoy life. Best wishes. Shyaaam Sir. -Counsellor-Teacher.

[@brandiepacula5619]

@@shyaaammeneen63 tell me how to do this when you have small children screaming and hanging off your leg lol!

[@mindofchristasmylens3814]

Our son has been on Lexapro for 5 weeks and it has only increased his anxiety. We are tapering off and have made it down to 5 ml from 10 ml and it was a very rough ride. Lot's of rage and agitation and sleeping 15 hours a day. Do you think the withdrawal from 5 to 0 will be rough considering he's only been on the drug for 5 weeks???

[@claireh.7605]

I ended up with rage and agitation after Lexapro. I would skip doses though because I'd forget to take it or refill it. It permanently decreased my sex drive. I had other lifestyle factors too like coffee, poor diet, and night shift work, but Lexapro permanently changed me and gave me this rage and agitation I never had before. I had racing thoughts while on it. I'm on the autism spectrum too though and have ADHD probably too. I lost one job and almost lost another due to it.

[@Amar-bk3nv]

Post SSRI Sexual Dysfunction ?

[@thecapsule5439]

Anyone have swollen tongue and dry throat as a withdrawal symptom??

[@susangraham1203]

I know it's a late reply, but my mouth is very very dry and sore and I have been off for 2 months. This drug has wrecked my mouth completely. How are you doing now?

[@bkid1776]

please do a video on tca amitriptyline

[@alyderock5995]

I get brain zaps just at the end of the day and I’m already taking 20 mg a day. I need to get off this medication I gained 40 lbs in 6 months.

[@thear5974]

I gained the same amount of weight too. I’m in the process of weaning off and withdrawing right now

[@snowps1]

Yep I also gained 40 lbs. That's the worst part about this medicine.

[@deannemarinez2329]

Been on Lexapro 20 for 2 years+, lost my bottle 2 weeks ago, found a 10mg backup, I’ve been SOOO irritated, sleep 18 hours a day & dry mouth. . . Should I continue on the 10 (I did want to decrease & taper off completely) so should I stay on 10 maybe the side effects will go away ??

[@j.b.1854]

Would 5htp help with withdrawal symptoms?

[@chikarabest3027]

wait so how is Prozac different from lexapro if they are both SSRI’s?

[@susangraham1203]

Because different SSRI's are not made from the same ingredients and target things a little differently. For years I was on and off Prozac which worked well for me. For some reason I decided to try Lexapro. Biggest mistake I ever made. I had horrendous side effects which are still bothering me 2 months after being off the medication. It is taking everything in me just to get up every day. Now I'm afraid to go back on Prozac thinking that I will have bad side effects from it.

[@kto-totam2876]

What doses of tryptophan, niacin and magnesium is recommended to increase serotonin?

[@matlhatsimabena159]

Not a doctor but 5htp supplements helps with serotonin,please research first or ask your doctor before taking the supplements

[@cherylr3671]

So exercise, dieting, Trypopham thru my diet, B complex, meditation, can aide me as I stop using or wean from Lexapro

[@MurphyLyle]

That is our experience

[@malaysianpinoyfamily6303]

How are you now?

[@dianelindenberger6941]

Do you do klonopin withdrawl......I can't sleep without it and Benadryl

[@MurphyLyle]

We do. In fact there are benzo w/d videos on the atmc channel

[@Terriloo1]

I know this is old post but I have been on lexapro for 2 weeks 5 mg. How do I taper?

[@atvlifefam2424]

Just stop

[@ishitabanerjee1092]

Please someone help me out. I have diagnosed ocd 1 year ago. And after having 9months of escitalopram i was doing good. Doctor told me to stop. After stopping of 15days i developed feeling gross in everything dirt in hand. These were not before having tablet. So please tell me is it because of that medicine feel me so. Withdrawal is it?

[@malaysianpinoyfamily6303]

Did you taper the dose?how are you now?

[@mahmoodmalik140]

Hi Lyle Murphy, We are in Canada can you help us to get out of Escitalopram 10mg and Raspridone 0.5mg using from last 15 months for Autistic loved one who also have anxiety and depression. Main worry for her hearing voices in her head and getting out of meds. Can we have your contact details. thanks

[@vanessabaker2308]

My head hurts so bad

[@Rick_Cleland]

I enjoy eating copious amounts of expensive cheeses.

[@kathypaul8580]

I am Craving tuna fish