withdrawal from Lexapro

[beachartist]

I tapered off of Lexapro too fast. Now I'm having what feels like electrical shocks in my head, dizziness, irritability and flu like symtoms. My dosage was 10 mgs a day. I cut back to 10 mg every other day for a week,then 5 mgs every other day for a week then I stopped completely. My last 5 mg. was 6 days ago. Each day is worst than the last one so today I took 10 mgs. of Lexapro about 30 minutes ago because I can't live like this. I've heard taking prozac before coming off Lexapro helps.I think I should add that I am 62 yrs. old and was taking Lexapro for social anixety and hot flashes. I want to get off because of the weird dreams and deep sleep I have and it doesn't seem to help with the hot flashes as much any more. Please advise me on what to do.

[rykiramom]

im really having a hard time- not sure if its from the lexapro withdrawl- my head is squeezing and im dizzy..im so scared.... can someone help me?

[cmcos]

Oh my, I have been on lexapro for about 18 months now, and have been thinking of coming off them.  I am due to see my Dr next week to discuss this, but after reading the comments here not too sure now.  Does anyone out there know of anyone who has successfully come off Lexapro?  Any positive comments that all the suffering is worth it?

[Caraboo1]

I'm so glad to have stumbled upon this forum. I've been having tingling in my lips and in my extremeties, flashes of light on sleep onset that I've never had before, extreme dizziness and sometimes I even see stars! I order my Lexapro from a mail-away pharmacy and I wasn't even trying to go off it but it still hasn't come and I'm completely out. I tried to make it last by taking halves and lost one half behind the refrigerator - I had to come home from work today because I was so light headed and found myself on the floor scraping for that 5mg! I don't want to start back up again but I can't keep leaving work. Advice?

[ranger9898]

My finace is on day 7 of her withdrawl from Lexapro.  How long has it taken people to get over the effects of the withdrawal?

[doidinha]

You do not need to quit lexopro bc of pregnacy.  I just had twins and I was taken 40 mg of lexopro during my pregnancy.

[Mrs. Peters]

10/18/05 Today is the best day so far since changing my dosage of lexapro. Last week Tuesday 10/11/04, I saw my Dr. and I have been on him to take me off, that I want to go all natural. If I had know what was about to happen. I don't think I would be so pleased with myself. The cost of RX is running me $80 per month. The cost is killing us. My Husband and I have only just begun to learn about the side effect I am experiencing. I was in need of something to help me thru my theapy. I am a survivor of Childhood Sexual Abuse. I was abused by my stepfather from 3rd grade to 10th grade. I have been taking lexapro since November 2004. The first night I started with real nighmares, that scared me so much, I was afraid to get out of bed to pee. I had to wake up my Husband! The next night was the same, Nightmare waking up my Husband. Friday about 5AM, I woke with the worst headache of my life, I will even go as far as migraine headache. Could not open my eyes, my Husband has never seen me so sick. He gave me 3 advil/tylenol, I closed my eyes and just waited for it to stop. I was able to go work, but by the afternoon the headpain was back, and with a vengence. I laid on the couch and could not move. Saturday morning was the a little worse, I was now getting dizzy, and did not want to close my eyes cause my head would just spin. I took a percocet it took the pain away for a short time, the right back the pain came.... And the last thing I wanted to do is take another pill! Sunday, the same but a little worse. I only took tylenol on this day and only 4 because they will mess with your liver, ect... I am afraid at what this is doing to my brain? For my head to hurt so bad I prayed to GOD for the nighmares to come back. Monday 3:30am , vomiting, dizzy, head pain beyond belief. The worst day of it all, like it was never going to end. I cryed the whole day, call my Dr.'s to see how long is this going to last. They wanted me to go back up to 20mg I want off it completly!!!! I don't want to put any of this in my body any more. And everything I have read so far is lower mg than what I was taking. I read about a person who was only taking 5mg and I have all of the same issues/symtoms. What is it going to be like to go from 10mg know to 5mg then 5mg to 0mg??????? Will I make it, will my head explode??? It has to be doing damage to my brain!!!!! How can your head hurt so bad and it not cause some sort of brain damage. I am not a Dr. and I do not play one on tv. I am speaking nothing but the truth to you all. Please be aware of these effects to me and all the other stories here on line.I am sure someone is getting rich off of the RX. Is it our Dr.'s? Every commercial break is about another drug company? I even used to call lexapro the happy pill. I have even spoke to another woman in my Dr.'s office about the happy pill. My GOD, I hope she never filled the RX. The Drug companies, Dr.'s ect. need to stop writting RX for this Drug. Who is getting rich, I want to know. I am coing to find you, the entire medical field, insurance ,drug companies, and most likly our own GOVERNMENT!!!!!!!!!!I have a voice....You have not heard the last of me with this. I have told all of my Dr's, pharmacy , and any one who will listen to me.  I have even called the maker of lexapro, still waiting on a return phone call from them, they have a lexapro hotline. [phone] this to the number to the maker of the drug, the extention they put me to was 6711. As I said this will not be the last you hear from me.  This is a much information as I can give you all at this time. Please hang in there, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and if I can help 1 person that is all that matters to me. All my best, Mrs. Peters