Hi, I was taking Lexapro for two months and now stop taking it. I dosed down little by little (3/4pill one week, 1/2 pill one week, etc) and now it has been two weeks with no meds at all and one week of no St. John's Wort as an herbal supplement. I am flipping out. I have no strong physical symptoms (nausea, etc) except a little dizziness, but I am mentally everywhere. I am SO anxious, worse than before, filled with crazy fears that come and go, then feel depressed because I feel like this will never go away. These feelings make me dizzy and turn my stomach. My mind is always working and turning and at the end of the night I am exhausted. I feel like I must have huge problems. Is this rebound anxiety/depression? When I had my 1st panic/anxiety attack, I went on Lex before it got worse b/c it seemed unbearable but is this actual withdrawal?? It is indeed unbearable!
2007-03-12 02:31:40 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ Mental Health
yes it is. it is the same kind of withdrawal as ppl go thru from other drugs and alcohol. i went thru the same thing as u from paxil. ur body became used to having the lexapro everyday, now that its not recieving it its 'undoing' the changes that the drug has made and is your mind is pissed off from not getting the drug. it should go away in 1-2 weeks. hang in there.
2007-03-12 16:15:55 · answer #1 · answered by firedragon729 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, those symptoms are not withdrawal and represent the return of symptoms that the medication was previously helping to control. Serotonin withdrawal usually results in some nausea and lightheadedness/dizziness or a sort of spacey feeling, but not an increase in anxiety at the level you describe, particularly when you came off the lexapro gradually. Sometimes getting off the meds is the best way to determine whether or not you still need them, as many folks are able to do okay without meds after chemical imbalances and distorted thoughts have been corrected. Anxiety symptoms often tend to be more pernicious and tend to return once meds have been withdrawn and this usually indicates you will need to stay on them.
I don't know your reasons for wanting to stop meds, but talk with your doc if side effects were a problem as there are various avenues for addressing them when the meds were actively working to control symptoms.
2007-03-12 02:58:44 · answer #2 · answered by Opester 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I feel your pain !! I was only on it 1 month and fought a lot of demons in my head. The best thing you can do is first talk to your Dr. I did the St. Johns wort and still do and I do some meditative breathing and relax my mind and think positive of yourself and find something in your mind that makes you feel OK. I think of a field of grass on a summers day and long deep methodical breathing and it allows me to put things into perspective and don't let your mind race as it is a muscle and you are in control of it. You have to decide for yourself to do that and the rest will follow. I'm living proof of that I was just told by my wife of 20 years it's over, lost my job, and my mom is headed for a nursing home sounds crappy right. Well if I let it eat me up it will, so I take control as you should and if you really want to you can. Good luck and keep positive
2007-03-12 03:16:54 · answer #3 · answered by pizzaboy 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It doesn't sound like withdrawal. I think it's more likely that the underlying anxiety and depression that you were trying to treat in the first place are still there.
Depression cannot be cured, only treated. You may be on antidepressants for a long time. Years or decades, perhaps. But in light of what you're going through, I think you'll agree that taking antidepressants is far better than *not* taking them.
2007-03-12 02:38:51 · answer #4 · answered by The Tridentine Avenger 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well first off, did you decide to stop your medicine, or did your doctor? because I haven't heard of cutting your pills in to 3/4 before.
Reguardless of which happened, It sounds like you definately need medication for depression and anxiety. Sometimes after you stop a medication like that when your symptoms return they increase, and when you go back on medication you need a higher dosage.
You really need to talk to your doctor, and don't start or stop a medication without going through them. Also if you experience any problems consult your doctor also, so they can adjust your medicine appropriately.
2007-03-12 03:06:59 · answer #5 · answered by Kellie 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
lexapro withdrawalemotionalmental symptoms
2016-02-01 05:16:26 · answer #6 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Did your Dr tell you to stop Meds???
Start taking them. You need them, and you know it. Or ask the Doc for something else.
2007-03-12 02:37:28 · answer #7 · answered by juicy13500 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋