Suddenly stopped meds

[maddycakes]

I have been on Lexapro for several years and i just stopped taking it for about a month because I couldn't afford to buy it. Then I started it again and its been 4 weeks and all of a sudden I am feeling very depressed and I am not able to eat and worry about everything. Is this happening because I just stopped then started the medication?

[ComputerGeek]

Totally what ettebette said - I was told that it takes apx. 4 weeks for the anti-depressant effect to kick in and apx. 6 weeks for the anti-anxiety effect to kick in.  Hang in there Maddy!  (Just KNOWING that it takes a while before these effects kick in was an encouragement for me.)  

Be thankful you were not on Wellbutrin.  The drung manufacturer themselves state that if a user stops taking THAT drug, it may not work at all when a person starts up with it again!  

BY THE WAY - - - I have seen ads on television for an anti-depressant supplement called Abilify.  It has been tested to work effecdtively alongside many popular antidepressants - including Lexapro.  But when I went to the drug's web site, it said it was primarily for Bipolar disorder.  But the TV ads DID state it was also effective as an additional anti-depressant that people could take. BUT the ad also read off a long list of potential side-effects.  I would wait to just let the Lexapro kick in.  

Give it another couple of weeks (if 4 have already passed since starting back up on it) and then i would consult your doctor.  He may want to try a higher dose.  But ask him about Abilify too.

[ettebette]

I agree with therese 83.  It's generallly not advisable to stop an antidepressant cold turkey.  Most doctors ween you off slowly.  Although I am not a doctor, it sounds logical that what you're feeling is due to how you stop the drug.  It needs time to build up in your system, again.  If it worked for you before, I'm sure it will start working in a week or two.  Hang in there, and keep in touch.

ettebette

[therese83]

I would guess that the reason is because you were off it for a month.

That is a bad way to stop, just suddenly without tapering.

I hope that you will feel better in a couple of weeks when it should start working agian.