Withdrawl symptoms of Lexapro

[dncnbear]

I have been asked by my dr for over 2 years to start taking celexa due to chronic anxiety which I have dealt with since I was 2. I always said no but then finally agreed. I took it for 2 days and felt like the inside of my brain was rearranging, I couldn't sleep and had restless legs. I felt psychotic like I was going to jump out of my skin, so I immediately stopped. A couple of months later I was placed on Lexapro (although they are made from the same companies and are essentilly the same drug) Anyway, I took the Lexapro and felt great (except for the 15 lb weight gain) I really wanted to be a better mom to my kids.I hated that I had absolutely no patience with them and they deserve better than that! About 2 months into it I slowly started getting those side effects to a lesser degree and I also was having urinary hesitency like I had to go but couldn't. I am a female and since I don't have a prostate haha. One day I woke up and literally couldn't move all my joints hurt and I really couldn't close my fists I was that stiff. I was in excruciating pain so I called the dr and he told me to stop Lexapro and start effexor. I took the effexor and immediately had the same effects initially as the celexa (trust me I know why some people go wacko on these kinds of drugs)Well I had had it I didn't want to feel like that  anymore so I stopped. I knew better to just stop but I figured with all the side effects I was having I didn't want to try another one out. I would much rather face my nerves without the extra help from my ssri friends.
My question is this... It has been about 2 weeks since I stopped taking anything. Besides feeling like I am a complete terror to my children still I feel slightly dizzy and extremely nauseated. I actually have taken 3 pregnancy tests thinking/hoping that was the problem but to no avail. Besides concentrating on all the things that could be wromg with me as I am convinced I am slowly dying. I have narrowed it to ssri withdrawal. Could the effects of withdrawl still be going stong after 2 weeks? My joints still hurt a bit too.
Thanks

[mmsulli]

I'm glad I'm not alone and I know that this is not "all in my head".  I've been on one SSRI or another (Zoloft, Paxil, Effexor, etc.) since June 2000.  I've been on Lexapro for over a year and am trying to get off of it.  I tapered down and have not had any for three days now.  I am so dizzy.  I feel fine if I don't move, but when I move I kind of feel like it takes a second for my body to catch up with the fact that I moved.  And my lips are tingly and numb.

I feel like an addict. I look at the bottle in the cabinet and think "maybe I should just take a 1/4 of a tablet today to make it through the day..."  It's pathetic.  My physchitrist also told me that there are no withdrawl symptoms associated with Lexapro.  Well, then why the heck to they advise so strongly against quitting cold-turkey.

I almost want to just go take one so that I can feel "normal", but I also want so badly to see what my normal feels like.  It's been 4.5 years since I've used my brain without the aid of an SSRI.  I have forgotten what it feels like to be me.

I helps to know I'm not alone and that I'm not crazy, that these symptoms are real.  But, I don't know if I can handle feeling like this!

[Normina]

Hi Everyone, So glad I found this site. I too have been having what I now know are withdrawal symptoms from cutting my Lexapro dose from 10mg to 5mg. It's only been a week, but the dizziness and headaches are unbearable. I was originally put on Lexapro last June for severe panic attacks and an almost everyday occurance of migraine headaches. After about 4 weeks I realized that my panic attacks were gone and that I no longer was getting headaches. In fact, I felt great! I was much calmer, didn't overreact to situations and could finally drive in the car with my husband without my heart in my mouth! It wasn't until I went back to work in September (I teach 5th grade) that I realized that I had no real emotions. I hadn't cried in months-I don't mean the crying for no reason. Just a good old fashioned cry over a sad movie on t.v., and although I was sleeping better that I had over the past 15 years, my dreams were very disturbing. After seeing my doctor last week, he felt that I could cut back to 5mg and see how I felt. Well, I feel awful. If I must go through these withdrawal symptoms anyway, I'm tempted to just go off of it altogether because the side effects of taking antidepressants STINKS! I am convinced that these drugs are overprescribed. Anyway, I will need someone to help me get through these next few weeks of withdrawal HELL! Is anyone willing to see me through it? I could use a friend just about now. Thanks!

[lotsakisses2005]

Thank goodness for web pages like this!!! I am so glad to see that I am not the only person effected from Lexapro. I was originally put on this medication for a little extra help i needed to get through the day. I am 17 years old and I take 10 mg everyday. I just recently started to (try) to get myself off of lexapro. Mainly because I have gained 25 lbs while taking it. I've never been a heavy set girl so when i started gaining weight i realized it. I haven't contacted my physcian on getting off of this medication...however I am very close to his main nurse that told me it should be ok to ween myself off. I have found that i just quit cold turkey about a week and a half ago. And oh my gosh the side effects!!!!!!!! Blurred vision...crankiness...upset stomach...much un-needed dizziness...the list goes on. My question for everyone is..how long do you think this will last? And has anyone who quit this medication with experienced weight gain finally lost the weight? how long did it take? and what did you do to get it off? any comments will be appreciated! thanks a lot!


                                                       Becca

[lotsakisses2005]

Thank goodness for web pages like this!!! I am so glad to see that I am not the only person effected from Lexapro. I was originally put on this medication for a little extra help i needed to get through the day. I am 17 years old and I take 10 mg everyday. I just recently started to (try) to get myself off of lexapro. Mainly because I have gained 25 lbs while taking it. I've never been a heavy set girl so when i started gaining weight i realized it. I haven't contacted my physcian on getting off of this medication...however I am very close to his main nurse that told me it should be ok to ween myself off. I have found that i just quit cold turkey about a week and a half ago. And oh my gosh the side effects!!!!!!!! Blurred vision...crankiness...upset stomach...much un-needed dizziness...the list goes on. My question for everyone is..how long do you think this will last? And has anyone who quit this medication with experienced weight gain finally lost the weight? how long did it take? and what did you do to get it off? any comments will be appreciated! thanks a lot!


                                                       Becca

[Normina]

Hi Everyone, So glad I found this site. I too have been having what I now know are withdrawal symptoms from cutting my Lexapro dose from 10mg to 5mg. It's only been a week, but the dizziness and headaches are unbearable. I was originally put on Lexapro last June for severe panic attacks and an almost everyday occurance of migraine headaches. After about 4 weeks I realized that my panic attacks were gone and that I no longer was getting headaches. In fact, I felt great! I was much calmer, didn't overreact to situations and could finally drive in the car with my husband without my heart in my mouth! It wasn't until I went back to work in September (I teach 5th grade) that I realized that I had no real emotions. I hadn't cried in months-I don't mean the crying for no reason. Just a good old fashioned cry over a sad movie on t.v., and although I was sleeping better that I had over the past 15 years, my dreams were very disturbing. After seeing my doctor last week, he felt that I could cut back to 5mg and see how I felt. Well, I feel awful. If I must go through these withdrawal symptoms anyway, I'm tempted to just go off of it altogether because the side effects of taking antidepressants STINKS! I am convinced that these drugs are overprescribed. Anyway, I will need someone to help me get through these next few weeks of withdrawal HELL! Is anyone willing to see me through it? I could use a friend just about now. Thanks!

[Terry132]

Everything you describe in your long and interesting summary of side effects is what I have been suffering (both on lexapro and now in withdrawal).

Reading your post only made it clear to me how glad I am that I've decided never to take it again and how sorry I am that I did not stop sooner.  I kept broaching it with my psychiatrist but he was able to push my objections aside.  Finally, I decided to stop seeing him and to withdraw very slowly.  I have stopped now taking any lexapro but the weird side effects have not gone away completely -- not to mention the insane weight gain.