Aa
Weaning off Cipralex (Lexapro)
Well it's been almost a year since I started Cipralex (lexapro) ended up at 15 mgs a day... so a pretty low dose. Well I have doctor's blessing now to begin the wean off process - SLOWLY. So today i took my first dose of 12.5mg and i will stay at this for about 10-14 days and then drop again to 10 mgs for another 10-14 days then stay at that for 10-14 days and then go down to 7.5, then 5 and then stop. So the entire process will take close to 3 months but I am in no rush and would rather minimize any side effects from the ramping down process.
I will chronicle my progress (like I did on this site when I first went on the drug and was ramping up last year) for anyone who is interested or perhaps thinking about doing the same thing.
I will chronicle my progress (like I did on this site when I first went on the drug and was ramping up last year) for anyone who is interested or perhaps thinking about doing the same thing.
Well, I just tapered off 15mg. cipralex, after 6 years on it. One thing I have noticed is that all of you, except one person, tapered too quickly. Slow means very slow. I tapered by 1/2 10mg. pill for one month, then 1/2 for another month, then 1/2 for another month and so on. I am off now, about 4 days and there certainly are side effects. Insomnia, agitation, a little anxiety but more so that was related to an outside sitmumulus.
The thing that is happening in our brains is the brain is trying to produce seratonin now, and it has basically gotten lazy the past while as the medication was doing it for the brain. This is the hazard, and a huge hazard of taking these meds. When you go off, your brain is left at 0 seratonin, more or less, until it learns to produce it on its own. Look for ways to support your brain to do so. Rhodiolo/a for example helps. If you get these symptoms while d/c this drug, it may not be because you are still depressed and needing it back, it because the brain has to re-learn. This is a difficult situation to be in. Good luck to all of us. I'm staying off, suffering the consequences and finding other ways to boost my seratonin levels. go for it.
The thing that is happening in our brains is the brain is trying to produce seratonin now, and it has basically gotten lazy the past while as the medication was doing it for the brain. This is the hazard, and a huge hazard of taking these meds. When you go off, your brain is left at 0 seratonin, more or less, until it learns to produce it on its own. Look for ways to support your brain to do so. Rhodiolo/a for example helps. If you get these symptoms while d/c this drug, it may not be because you are still depressed and needing it back, it because the brain has to re-learn. This is a difficult situation to be in. Good luck to all of us. I'm staying off, suffering the consequences and finding other ways to boost my seratonin levels. go for it.
I tapered for 3 weeks - week 4 was no pills. I am on day 3 of no pills and I didn't sleep last night and have been light headed and weird feeling all day. Hope this passes soon. I took the day off work tomorrow, because it was hard to be at work today. I am still on 75 mg of Trazodone at night for sleeping, but I sometimes take 50mg of gravol with it to actually get a good nights sleep.
I have been on cipralex for about 3 years now.Symptoms and side effect free. I was on 20mg and have dropped down to 15mg for about a 3 weeks. I was feeling great up until recently. I haven't been able to sleep for the past 4 nights. Has anyone else experienced insomnia as a withdrawl side effect??
I am a bit worried because my first warning signs of depression were the physical symptoms of nausea and insomnia. The mood changes came later.
I am a bit worried because my first warning signs of depression were the physical symptoms of nausea and insomnia. The mood changes came later.
Have your doctor set you up on a slow taper, to minimize any effects. How long were you on the med? Even though you were on a low dose, if you were on it for any given amount of time (3 or more months), it IS possible to have some "withdrawal-like" symptoms.
Tell your doc, the slower, the better. That's really the key to a successful taper.
Good luck hon!
Tell your doc, the slower, the better. That's really the key to a successful taper.
Good luck hon!
I am on 10mg of Cipralex and attempted the weaning process a couple of weeks ago, I did half a pill for 2 weeks then stopped ... I was OK for a couple of days then crashed ... severe headaches, zapping pulses, very irritable, stomach cramping ... I ended up taking a pill as I had no idea what to do. Went to my DR and he said because it was a very low dosage I shouldn't have had any issues but to take the full pill until my body recovered then wean a bit longer ... Does anyone have any advice ... I want to be off the pills but never want to go thru that again. I have 2 young children and never want them to see me in that much pain and discomfort again.
Well, it's no secret that there is a "discontinuation syndrome" for some with these kinds of meds. I understand your use of the word "addictive", but really, something that is addictive is a LOT different.
Some people are far more sensitive to meds, and people will have varying experiences with these types of drugs. There are also a whole other camp of people that have ZERO problems starting or stopping these kinds of meds, even cold turkey. The same can not be said for a narcotic opiate. Anyone who takes a narcotic long enough will experience withdrawal. Different mechanisms of actions, different receptors, etc.
You will get to feeling better. Another thing you have to remember is that the nature of anxiety itself can cause a LOT of people to become uber focused on every sensation. THAT alone will intensify what they
think" they are feeling. You have been expecting the worse during this whole process, from when you started to med, to when you tapered. I'm not speaking of that in a negative way, I just mean that you FULLY expected to have troubles, and every little physical symptom was attributed to the Lexapro. See what I mean?
It is VERY hard to sort through what are REAL symptoms from the meds, and what is our anxious minds convincing us that we're having issues related to the meds. Please understand that I'm NOT in any way trying to say what you're going through ISN'T related to the Lexapro, I'm just giving you the facts relating to how anxious people can often point the finger at something without looking at the bigger picture. You don't feel well, and you almost, in the back of your mind expected somewhat of a rough time coming off...it's almost a self fulfilling prophecy, ya know?
Any which way, you're off the Lexapro, and you're doing positive things to keep the anxiety in check, which is great. I recommend that you keep up with the therapy for a while too, and if you EVER have a reemergence of anxiety or panic in the future, start addressing it right away, get back into therapy, employ your coping techniques, whatever you need to do. The quicker you address it, the easier it becomes to manage. You'll become very good at assessing your anxiety when it crops up.
I wish you the very best of luck, and thanks for the update, please come back and let us know how you're doing. If this is related to the Lexapro, with your slow taper, you should be feeling better soon! Take care!
Some people are far more sensitive to meds, and people will have varying experiences with these types of drugs. There are also a whole other camp of people that have ZERO problems starting or stopping these kinds of meds, even cold turkey. The same can not be said for a narcotic opiate. Anyone who takes a narcotic long enough will experience withdrawal. Different mechanisms of actions, different receptors, etc.
You will get to feeling better. Another thing you have to remember is that the nature of anxiety itself can cause a LOT of people to become uber focused on every sensation. THAT alone will intensify what they
think" they are feeling. You have been expecting the worse during this whole process, from when you started to med, to when you tapered. I'm not speaking of that in a negative way, I just mean that you FULLY expected to have troubles, and every little physical symptom was attributed to the Lexapro. See what I mean?
It is VERY hard to sort through what are REAL symptoms from the meds, and what is our anxious minds convincing us that we're having issues related to the meds. Please understand that I'm NOT in any way trying to say what you're going through ISN'T related to the Lexapro, I'm just giving you the facts relating to how anxious people can often point the finger at something without looking at the bigger picture. You don't feel well, and you almost, in the back of your mind expected somewhat of a rough time coming off...it's almost a self fulfilling prophecy, ya know?
Any which way, you're off the Lexapro, and you're doing positive things to keep the anxiety in check, which is great. I recommend that you keep up with the therapy for a while too, and if you EVER have a reemergence of anxiety or panic in the future, start addressing it right away, get back into therapy, employ your coping techniques, whatever you need to do. The quicker you address it, the easier it becomes to manage. You'll become very good at assessing your anxiety when it crops up.
I wish you the very best of luck, and thanks for the update, please come back and let us know how you're doing. If this is related to the Lexapro, with your slow taper, you should be feeling better soon! Take care!
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Anxiety Community
Find out what can trigger a panic attack – and what to do if you have one.
A guide to 10 common phobias.
Take control of tension today.
These simple pick-me-ups squash stress.
Don’t let the winter chill send your smile into deep hibernation. Try these 10 mood-boosting tips to get your happy back
Want to wake up rested and refreshed?
