Withdrawl Symptoms from Lexapro

[dizzyfla]

Oh man.  Glad I found this site.  I stared on 10mg daily of Lexapro by my prescription happy DR. in June 2005 for GAD.  He also scripted me .5mg pills of zanax for "whenever" I needed it,   almost immediately I started feeling tired all the time.  I constantly yawned all day long.  I noticed that quite quickly (7-10 days) my GAD lessoned but also my drive for just about everything else lessoned as well and I started drinking very heavily almost every night.  Didn't care about being hung over for work cause it was just no big deal.  I started paying bills late, missing appointments, not following my business as much and quite frankly not being all that upset about it.  My doctor said this was normal, etc.  I did not have the extreme weight gain that it seems many of you have had.  By early August, I self medicated down to 5mg daily of Lexapro and reduced the zanax from a habit, to a true necessity, which was not very often.  My tiredness reduced, drank less, became a little more focused and anxiety reduction was still about the same, so I thought I had cured myself.  WRONG-By Mid October, I was at the point where I wanted to go off the Lexapro because the yawns and lack of motivation, although reduced, were still there.  By the end of December, I quit cold Lexapro Cold Turkey but would still take some zanax from time to time.  Here is where life as I knew it got real weird.  Within maybe 3 or 5 days of quitting Lexapro, these really weird sensations started shooting through my body and mind, like electrical jolts and I had kind of an out of body sensation...all the time.  This would be really bad during the morning hours and seemed to worsen with caffeine.  Mid January I couldn

[Karebear1974]

Hello Everyone,  As I told you earlier, I decided to try  what a friend had told me. I think it might be working. Today when I woke up, I took a dose of this medicine called Cordicin HPB.  This is a medicine that is for people with high blood pressure. It contains Antihistamine, dextromethorphan Hydrbromide.  It is a allergy relief drug that does not increase your heart rate or cause drowsiness.  This day has been the best day in ten days!!!!  I haven't been tired, nausiated and I haven't had the eye clicks.  I just started feeling some withdrawl symptoms so I figured the drug was wearing off.  I just took another dose (1 pill) and I will see if it really is doing the job. Yo Dude, Thank you for the encouraging words.  Its people like you that make a differance because we know you care!!!!!Thank You

[YO DUDE]

Karebear.....do you have anything that can take the edge off.....like ativan....this has helped me out in times of anxiety.... remember that this is all physical, that you are not cuckoo....If you have religious beliefs, now is a good time to get them in with you, as you fight this off.  Keep a journal of symptoms/ problems/ good and bad things/lessening or increasing of withdrawal effects.  Then you can see how your withdrawal is going over time...This will take time...healing always does....after three years on the med, it may take some weeks....still, seek help if needed....get someone to help you.....family member, clergy, counselor......friend.....don't be afraid to voice your feelings and know others are pulling for you.....
May God Bless You in your effort.....keep us updated.

[Karebear1974]

Hello Everyone,  This is my tenth day of being off Lexapro, and it hasn't been a smooth ride.  I had taken the drug for three years and Effexor prior to that.  I thought the withdrawl symptoms were bad with the Effexor, I was wrong.  This really tops the cake.  I am having these clicks in my eyes when I move them back and forth, and I can feel the clicks in my stomach.  I am very nausiated, and I feel like I am running fevers throughout the day.  I wish I knew when the symptoms will subside because I am scared I will start the drug again to erase the withdrawl.  Someone had told just told me to try benadryl, and see if that will help lessen the effects.  I just took one about a half an hour ago, feel nothing yet.  I will post in a few days to tell my results.  Wish me luck!!!!!!!

[YO DUDE]

DiDigirl......it seems to me that the symptoms are normal, or as normal as can get based on this toxin we have willingly put into our bodies.  The time that it takes to get out of the system is said to be about one month....but then other stuff that has been said hasn't been true so I am taking it one day at a time.  
I am so much more myself than I was two weeks ago when I stopped.  I also weaned down from 10 to 5 Mg......still having dreams but not the weird ones I had the first week off.......having the head swimming sensation less, and only an occasional "bug zapper" noise in the noggin.....an annoying jaw tightness and very slight teeth chattering continues...hope I haven't screwed up my neuro system for good.....
I am planning a nutritional program that includes lowered sodium (called DASH diet, look it up if you have HBP), increased omega 3 foods, caffeine withdrawal, foods and exercise to increase serotonin and melatonin naturally without supplements, and am starting Tai Chi....it is very cool, and holds great potential to keep the system in balance.
Also I am smiling more...making myself do "BIG grin" as much as possible.....it releases endorphins and really does help....careful where you do this, tho, as some may think you are hallucinating......
Suggest anyone who is in this same boat look up serotonin deficiency syndrome, melatonin, tryptophan, and smiling as a biochemical tool to balance the system on
his crazy but sometimes wonderful world wide web........

good luck and keep posting.....as I will.

[DiDigirl]

I was on Lexapro for about 2 mos.  Once I realized that the weight gain (5 lbs in 3 weeks), sleeping all the time, inability to orgasm were definately from this drug, I weaned myself off of the 10 mgs. about 2 weeks ago.  I feel very strange.  I am dizzy, I can drive but feel like I am on some heavy drug.  I am still very tired and my legs feel strange in bed.  How long do the symptoms stay???  I researched this to find out if it was the Lex. withdrawl that was causing these feelings.  I have not had the head zaps, although experienced a nightmare last night. The sexual effects off the drug are sooo much better.

[YO DUDE]

We have an obligation once we are through with the mess of withdrawal to let the doctors know just what bile they are sending our way with the lack of concern and info on how tough it is sometimes to come off this junk.....today I am very dizzy, and having a hard time concentrating at work...yesterday, it was much better, having been off totally from 5mg for two nights....then last night, I had what I believe to have been the most bizarre, disturbing, and outrageous dreams of my entire life....can't and won't describe them here....prefer to try to forget them, they were that strange...
I am looking into TaiChi as an assist throughout this time, and if it looks good, as a life long activity.....check out TaiChi for Busy People by Dr. Ken Jeffrey...he is a vet, but so what.....he is a well schooled practicioner of the exercises, and has a very good way about him....
Hang in there all you "Lexapro no longer taaaakers"  (sung to the tune of the Bud Light commercial).........
try to keep smiling.....this will pass, just don't know when......