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lexapro withdrawl

I have been off of lexapro for about 8 days and would like to know if anyone can tell me the true withdrawl symptoms>  
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Avatar universal
I am going through the weaning period right now too. I have been on lexapro for 8 years and the sexual side effect and weight gain was really straining my marriage, so after a few attempts to switch, the dr put me on Wellbutrin at 150mg/day for now and is taking me off of the lexapro. I just went from 20mg/day to 10mg/day of lexapro and have been taking that for about a week now. I am having terrible heartburn and chest pains as I saw someone else mention on here, almost to the point where I think I am having a heart attack, but the brain zaps and dizziness have not started yet. I have experienced those in the past though when I tried to get off of it and they are not fun. I assume that once I am completely off of it I will start to feel those again. I have had a very positive effect with the Wellbutrin though and am hoping that it will just get better once I am completely off of the lexapro.
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Avatar universal
How are you feeling now? I realize this is YEARS passed, but just found this thread and am literally going through the exact things you are! It does stop right?! lol
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Avatar universal
2 weeks out from cold turkey stopping of lexapro.  Have been on it for 3 years and love the mental state but hate the weight gain and miss the sex drive. I'm 51. Initially did 10mg daily but have gone to 10 mg every-other day for the last 8 months, which made no noticeable difference, good or bad.Other than extreme weepiness that I hope will subside some and manageable mood swings, have not had any severe withdrawal problems.  Until today...now I feel very flu-ish:  body aches, fatigue.  And now that reading about this has brought it to my attention, I recognize some of the other minor symptoms like heartburn, headaches, and twitches.  Wondering if I should go back and start a slower wean or just suck it up and hope everything is okay.  Might symptoms get worse before they get better?
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Avatar universal
Living with depression is not an option so I hope you are able to survive happily without the med. Also, experiencing 2 depressions almost assures that the victim will be fighting chronic depression from now on. I read that each dep acts almost like it puts an irreversible dent in your personality that makes it easier for another depression to take hold.
When i had my depression 4 years ago I could nver have functioned without meds but I levelled off after a while and went off meds without a relapse.
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1920386 tn?1323282549
i decided to go off just because i wanted to eliminate 1 medication from my daily routine. my doc wants to put me on some cholesterol meds and i dont want to take too many meds on a daily basis. i figured i lived 27 years without lex before trying it. i started taking it in a particularly rough patch in my life. i would have never taken it if i knew id be stuck like this. but in all honesty it does help. im scared to be without it, but feel like my liver will thank me. its mad at me for other things.
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Avatar universal
Keep hanging in there with your taper. Why are you going off, are you switching to another med?
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1920386 tn?1323282549
lexapro w/d was really rough for me as well. i have failed 2x trying to get off of it. the first time was cold turkey (going from 20mg per day). i had no idea that it was possible to w/d from this medication. i had bad motion sickness, zaps (which scared the hell out of me because i had no idea what they were) and epic mood swings. i am currently in the process of a very slow taper, down to 10mg per day. going to down to 5mg in a couple of weeks. the mood swings were what made me always go back on the meds. shouldnt have to punch holes in the wall and cry if i mess up screwing in a curtain rod....true story.
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Avatar universal
Maybe your doc can find a med that doesn't affect your sex drive. I think Wellbutrin has less side effects than others, based purely on their advertisement.
I am not sure you would have back pains associated with anti-depressant withdrawal though.
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Avatar universal
Hey I am going through the same thing. I have been happy enough on the medication but have been in a new relationship for 18 months and because of what is does to my sex drive I had decided to go off it. I am now experiencing anxiety, back pain, being very grumpy and being so tired. My energy levels are at an all time low and I am use to excerising daily so i understand the lack of motivation as i can hardly get through a gym class either. I feel like I am stuck between a rock and a hard place I want to be this happy person but I want to be able to enjoy sex again................

So basically it comes down to Personality being good or body functioning sexually again.   Any help
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Avatar universal
Why did you stop taking it?
The anxiety increase may mean you need a med to function without anxiety or it could be some of the severe withdrawal symptoms that your cold turkey method has subjected your body to. Perhaps you should go back on 10s or at least 5s to see if your body can stabilize, while you make the decision about whether to go back
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Avatar universal
I have been taking lexapro (20 mg) for 2 plus yrs.
I stopped cold turkey abt 4 weeks ago. It's been awful. I can cry just thinking about what I'm going through. Brain zapping finally stopped this week. Anxiety has increased and my tolerance for anything decreased. I am hating myself, my life and my need for lexapro. Im considering going back on this weekend.
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Avatar universal
I have been on Lexapro for almost 4 years for anxiety. I have stopped the medicine cold turkey 1 week ago. The main reason is that it is so very expensive and I do not want to be dependant on medicine. Plus, the weight gain and the loss of sex drive. I feel like I am in hell. Wow, Im so scared of the things that are happening to me. Should I go back on the medicine? Please help
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Avatar universal
I was taking 10 mg of Lexapro for about 10 months.  It made me feel pretty good, it definitely evened out my mood.  I was planning my wedding at the time, and felt that I needed something to curb the anxiety and craziness that I was feeling.  A few months after my wedding, I quit cold turkey and had pretty bad withdrawal syndromes.  No "brain zaps", but I experienced headaches, nausea, dizziness, and felt like my head was going to fly off every time I moved it quickly.  Driving in a vehicle made me feel like I was going to vomit.  In addition, I was extremely emotional.  FYI, this behavior was not my baseline prior to taking the Lexapro.  

My symptoms lasted about 2 weeks.  There is hope and the withdrawal will get better!  Near the end of the 2-week period, the symptoms would come and go throughout the day, and eventually went away.

Good luck and hang in there!  
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774868 tn?1238899352
I've been off and on Lexapro and Celexa a few times.  It never caused me any problems.
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Avatar universal
You should call your pharmacist (or see a doc if that is possible) right now for the most accurate information about this situation, since they can look it up and have lots of experience with patients using this med.  

My doc had me take 20 for 2 week, then 10 for 2 weeks, then 5 for 2 weeks. She said I could also alternate the lower and higher dose every other day at first, then increase the days on the lower. In your case, I am wondering if you should have used the alternating each time you dropped, and not gone lower until you stabilized.
So you missed the 5s, but my pharmacist said he hadn't heard of that conservative a taper. In your case maybe that would have helped. Are you sure you don't want to try some 5s or even 10s every other day or something like that to get you through thsi rough patch? If you do, be sure to see your doc or pharmacist.

For anyone else reading this, regarding quitting cold turkey:
There is no reason to torture yourself like this, since Celexa has no addictive properties and you can quit anytime, based solely on your ability to function without it. Always do a taper, following your doc's guidelines. I tapered and had no withdrawal effects, so there are valid reasons to do the tapering.

To which I might add, with NO SLUR INTENDED toward anyone who has already quit:
If you don't have the patience to take this drug for a month or two longer that it takes to taper, are you sure that you will be able to function normally without it for the years after? Going on and off is not something you want to do every 6 months, so be very sure that you are ready to quit first.
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Avatar universal
I quit cold turkey a few months ago. I thought that I came down with a stomach virus. I had horrible zaps..which I called "electric shocks" throughout my body. My showers had to be cut extremely short because the water made them worse. I was vomitting, had diarhea (sp..sorry), I had random nose bleeds while I was vomitting. I was weak...exhausted.... and I had chills. It was horrible.... and like I said, I thought I had a stomach virus... but when I went to the doctor and told him that I had just stopped taking lexapro...  he told me I was going through withdrawls.
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Avatar universal
I have been on Lexapro for 4+ years and talked to my doctor about weening off of it. After trying many different medications Lexapro helped me the most. HOWEVER..... I was told by my doctor to start cutting my 20mg in half take those for 1 week and then take the 10mg everyother day for a week. The withdrawl is so horrible. I have been severely nauseated, pounding headaches that switch to light headed, tired, mood swings, and confusion. Its been 10 days now and its not getting any better. I have not been able to attend class, or work without the confusion. My reaction time is delayed. I refuse to take anymore lexapro to make this go away. I just need to know how long it will last. If someone is reading this that is trying to quit cold turkey, I strongly encourage you not to. I feel like curling up in a ball and sleeping until I feel better.
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Avatar universal
Thanks so everyone who contributed to this post! I started taking Lexapro about 2 months ago, the first week I was fine (on 5mg), then I went to 10mg, and was ok for a few weeks, then it stopped working. The Dr. wanted to switch me to another medication, but I am tired of side effects (sex drive, sleep problems, back pain, etc...) so I am tapering off. I also notice my right side hurt (tender to touch) and found out Lexapro can cause liver problems and soreness (the same spot). So I went from 10mg to 7.5mg without much problem, but going from 7.5mg to 5mg I feel very spacey, had anxiety, anger, nausea, dizzy, moody, paranoid. It took me about a week to feel 'functional'. Taking a nap during the day helped for some reason, but that's hard with 2 little ones. I also take a tiny dose of Ativan (1/4 of the .5mg tablet) which help with anxiety and calms my mind. I really want to be off this medication, but now I am scared of more side effects. When you are in the middle of withdrawl it is hard to remember what it's like to feel 'normal'.  Not that I was 'normal' before, but it is alot better than this! I feel like I can understand addicts going through withdrawl now. I should add I am a therapist, and this experience really makes me question psychopharmacology. In extreme life threatening cases it should be ok, but I feel they give it out to liberally, especially to kids (ADHD, etc..) What effects is it having on their body and minds?  I am going to try to stay positive and nurture myself and try to avoid stress over the next few weeks while I taper down to 2.5mg.
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Avatar universal
I have been on Lexapro for 10 years!!! Being Bipolar I have tried to get off of it many times since that is one of the worst things that a bipolar person can take is a anti-depressent.  Well after 8 days of not having any Lexapro I just took 2.5 mg just to see if the TERRIBLE WITHDRAWLS will stop.  Heart palps, dizziness, feeling cloudy in my head, blurry vision, anxiety, and most of all the MOOD SWINGS!!!! My poor hubby.  Any advice from anyone would be appreciated....
I also think that all of the Dr's that say there are no withdrawls should lose their licenses!!!! Let's start a class action suit against the drug company and the doctor's.
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Avatar universal
I have been on Lexapro for about 3 months started on 10 mg then increased to 20mg for anxiety and started having side effects...weight loss, memory loss, nausea, itchy red patches on my skin and uncontrollable yawning. But the biggest concern was my weight loss, since I am already struggling to keep weight on. So my doctor wanted me to taper off by going to 10 mg for four days to finish the medication then start a new medicine Pristiq...I will start this medicine tonight but feeling leary about what I might experince with this medicine. I have two toddlers and feeling very emotional, moody, no patience, and no control over my feelings have made me feel aweful for them. Does anyone know anything abot the medicine Pristiq? Very interested in knowing what you all might think about it. Thank you.
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Avatar universal
I have been on Lexapro for over 4 years and dont mind it. I am not considering getting off of it. My problem is that I changed insurance companies and the new one doesnt want to pay for the Lexapro and decided to give me Celexa. I called them and was like WTH. Its been 3 days since I have been off and am starting to feel really depressed..Which is basically the only withdrawl symptom I have. I have been without it before, so know this. What I want to know is ...does anyone know how to deal with the insurance company. I take Lexapro for anxiety and Celexa is for depression. Im sleepy all day and want to cry all day, im irratable. Help
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Avatar universal
I was only on lexapro for 6 weeks.  5mg then 10mg, then back to 5 and then completely off.  I had really bad side effects.  Can anyone tell me how long it will take to get out of my system?  Does it make since now that I am having some of the same side effect even though i have not been on it for 5 days? I got this horrible flu feeling, really bad.  Although it is not even close to being that bad I still feel it a little.
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Avatar universal
Thank you thank you for all your comments!!  I was given Lexapro for help with Anxiety after developing an addiction to Ultram (took it for four months).  There was one week of pure hell of withdrawal from the Ultram and I took the Lexapro (5mg) for about 3 days then thought I was fine and didn't need it.  That was a month ago.  I have felt lately not like myself.... crying, moody, paranoid- which none of this was a problem before taking the Ultram!!!  Now, I have been considering starting the Lexapro!  NO THANK YOU!  Sounds like I would have an even worse problem!  Coming off Ultram was hard enough even after only taking it for four months and I wasn't even abusing it, just realized I had become addicted to it!  Lexapro sounds like bad news and even though what I'm feeling right now is not good, I think I will try exercise and maybe the birth control pill I'm about to start will also help level me out ( I also suffer from migraines and take other medications for this).
Thanks to all who post about Lexapro- I don't want to move on to another addiction and then worry about the day when I stop taking this!!!
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Avatar universal
Are your coming to the end of your withdrawals?

Two weeks ago was my third attempt to come off of Lexapro and I am again wondering if I will ever survive these withdrawal symptoms. I have bouts of dizziness, horrible mood swings with feelings of desperation, sleep fourteen hours a day, and numerous other things that come and go.

My great grandmother, grandmother, and mother all suffered from Schizophrenia and/or Bipolar to the point where they were delusional and I always feared I would end up like them so I have been careful to eat healthy, remain active in the gym, and constantly try to better myself to fight this disease.  

I began Lexapro a year ago and it seemed to be a miracle drug for me. After dealing with depression on and off since puberty and completely losing touch with reality after my father passed away I was able to get back to my life. I  started out on 10 mg and then it went up to 20 mg. I hated the idea of having to increase the dosage and when I started noticing the rapid weight gain I cut back to 10 mg again. I noticed a few withdrawals even then and decided to get off of them completely and try to find some kind of normalcy without drugs.  

Do you feel like you can have a normal life without antidepressants? Do you have any advice other than exercise and eat right to help keep my mind healthy? And when are these withdrawals over with?
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