Hi Mamas!
I am now wrapping up day 17 from stopping my Lexapro antidepressant and I'm still a "Raging Bull"! I've been on Lexapro 10mg for 2 years now and started weaning myself down by cutting my pills in halves, then cutting the halves in half, etc. After 4 or 5 days of quitting I started to notice some irritability that has now grown to extreme irritability, rage at times and always moody. This is starting to worry me. Most of the blogs I read have discussions of people who experienced the dizzy head or zings from withdrawals. I never had those but I am turning into my husband's worst nightmare and am starting to doubt my decision. But getting back on the Lexapro is not an option!
My questions are......Did any of you or someone you know experience the irritability? How many weeks did this last? I refuse to get back on the Lexapro. I'm working out 3 days a week. I've been reading about St. John's Wort? I think I'm going to try this and increase my omega 3's. I just really want to know if there is a light at the end of this tunnel? I have a girlfriend who took herself off the antidepressant Pristique and she too has some extreme anger right now. Any experience you can share are so greatly appreciated!
P.S. Does anyone know where on-line I can find a Gold Medal? My husband definitely deserves one after this! He has been wonderful!
Wow, I just want to say Thank You for all of the great information you provided in your responses! This gives me hope to continue through this and know that it will get better! I'm now making my list with some of your suggestions so I can work on reducing the irritability and mood swings. I know I should be drinking more water and taking more vitamins daily so these are two things I will change immediately! When I get back to my old self again I will certainly be sure and post my final results of how long it took and what suggestions worked for me. I was overwhelmed with appreciation from your responses! Thank you again!
Get with a good nutritionist and or holistic health dr and get on good vitamins! I had severe depression and took Paxil many moons ago now totally controlled with vitamins, including B complex, Mag on occasion, 5 HTP and good diet. contact me if I can help.... I am an RN who has been there!
I would try magnesium. Magnesium deficiencies trigger adrenealine. Magnesium can inpart well being, better sleep, keeps nerves relaxed, helps create serotonin (responsible for mood). Magnesium citrate is quickly absorbably but can impart loose stools, you just cut back the dose until comfortable. At the same time you can rub magnesium oil on your skin.
I would also the include B vitamin complex liquid drops under the tounge, and probably add B5 also. I would also do cod liver oil (vit D is the mood vitamin) it does indeed impart calm.
One other very important thing for nerves is water. Your nerves run on hydro-electricty, so even mild dehydration will make you edgy and snappy. Drink more water!
Lya,
I only took it for a short while after a traumatic death in my family. So I didn't have those symptoms.
I can help you with natural supplements that help depression if you want to contact me.
Good luck and God bless.
Victoria
Have you spoken to your doctor about this? You say getting back on Lexapro is not an option, maybe there is another medication that would be appropriate? Or maybe there would be something for short term use to get you through this tough time. You don't say why you are stopping your medication, but maybe your doctor could help you with other treatment strategies for your illness since you feel Lexapro is not an option anymore.
Hi Lya,
What you are experiencing is normal. Your body is "addicted" to this drug and it doesn't want it gone. EVERY antidepressant has qualities like this so I'm tickled going back on it is not an option. I hope that goes for all of the synthetic ones on the market. St John's Wort is a good alternative for depression but not at this stage for you. Synthetic chemicals, like meds, have to be removed from your body, they don't just go away. The chemicals that are still in your body will always interact with everything else in your life so you need to keep the other outside stimuli to a minimum.
Omega 3s are a wonderful idea as it is simply food. An absorbable multivitamin/mineral complex to replenish what has been removed is also a good option. Make sure it is pharmaceutical grade. I can recommend one if you like.
Exercise is good. Water will flush a lot of toxins (which is what meds are considered) and the exercise will speed the process. Good principled chiropractic care can speed the process along as well. If you don't have one go to upspine.com and look up one in your area.
It will take time to come off these pills. You may also want to slow the down the process of weaning yourself. Some of these meds recommend coming off 1/100mg a week..... This is all written in the fine print that no one is able to read.....Lya, there is light at the end of the tunnel! Keep plodding!
God bless,
M.
Lya, hang in there. I went off Lexapro a few years ago cold turkey. It was hard but the worst of it for me lasted about three days. The worst day landed on a Sunday. After I dropped the kids at our church I drove around crying. It got so bad I had to pull over for a while. I finally pulled myself together enough to pick the kids up. It was awful, but I did get through it. You will too. I wish I had some suggestions on how to reduce the symptoms but you've already mentioned the only ones I have...exercise, Omegas, St. John's. I hope you have a good support system...husband and/or friends...to lean on and that you reach out to them. I know when I'm in my 'dark place' of depression I tend to not want to reach out to others. But it's sooo important that you do. And don't forget little things that make you happy. I frequently forget that I can use music to influence my moods positively. Find those little things that bring you a spark of happiness and use them as frequently as possible. And finally, know that you are not alone. I wish you all the best. Love, J
I have been moody since the birth of my daughter, extremely moody. I have severe anger, mood swings and sometimes rage. Being a single mother may be making this worse, but I've never been on an anti-depressent. What I have seemed to notice that after the kids go to sleep at night i take some time to myself, browsing the web, watching t.v., reading, etc. I also do this at nap time, it isn't a complete help, but it does help some.
The withdrawls are horrible aren't they.At least you weren't on Paxil.I'm currently off Zoloft @ 25 mgs daily & have been a roller coaster i'm mad upset moody mouthy & cussing (thats not me)Just go with the flow for now it takes time to ware off completely
I am not sure what responses you got but I had similar issues and found that mine were not anxiety or depression but were hormonal. Typical hormonal tests will not detect your need. Dr. Chalmers did a test on me and tailored my hormones for what my body needs......HUGE difference. My anxiety is gone.....that is what my OB was going to diagnose me with and prescribe me something but I am doing all natural solutions that are tailored to me and WORK. I hope he can help you too....well, I am certain he can. He told my mom who has been on antidepressants for decades he could help her get off hers too.
My sister had some of these issues but they slowly dissipated. I am on Zoloft as well as thyroid medicine (hashimoto's thyroiditis). Have taken thyroid meds for over 10 years and just recently realized my meds needed to be increased. I (as well as my hubbie) were shocked at what a difference increasing my thyroid meds did for my moods, energy, motivation, etc. Thyroid issues are very common and tend to be underdiagnosed. You really want your level to be very low. My thyroid issue was originally diagnosed after 3 miscarriages. Had 3 healthy babies after that. The thyroid really impacts your life alot (it can cause infertility issues, depression, fatigue, concentration issues, weight gain, high cholesterol, etc.). Its a simple blood test - I highly recommend that everyone have it checked. And while you are at it, have your cholesterol checked and run all the blood tests so you only need to be pricked once!
Good luck and hang in there!
I went through the SAME thing! I was only on it for 3 months, but the weaning about made me insane. I felt literally like I was going crazy for a few days! If I would have known better, I would have called the doc and asked for some .5 xanax immediately! Call your doc tommorow!
The way each body metabolizes the chemicals in Lexapro will differ. You could have residuals in your liver for months. But bear through it. Keep a journal, write about the things going on. As you continue to progress you'll see the gradual change.
I'm going to suggest something that may not seem appealing, but intimacy at least once a day will also help. Your body's natural endorphins and metabolism increases with intimacy. Even when it's a struggle to get that "connection" the physical response of stimulation is truly helping your body to remove the SSRI's.
Be very careful with herbal suppliments they are not regulated and many American companies "over do it" with the potency department. My husband's eyes became so extremely sensitive to sunlight that he couldn't go out side for a week, just from one week of 1/8th dose of St. Johns Wort. It was effective in the mood department but the side effects were too much for him.
Good luck and understand that this is not your natural disposition. Your true personality will return in time. {{{{{hugs}}}}}
Hello Lya, My name is N. (like Christmas). I agree with you wanting to get off that medication. But have you thought maybe about going to a therapist of some kind & or getting on a different kind of medication for maybe what sounds like "anxiety attacks". I would maybe try asking your doctor for something like Klonapin or maybe even Xanax. Both are controlled substances. And both help with what you are going thru right now. I've been there & done that. I can totally relate to what your going thru. My suggestion is to talk with your doctor or therapist about a different medication.
I hope this helps you in some way...
N
I went through the same thing, and it was horrible. In retrospect, I would have gotten on Prozac and weaned off of that instead. It took about 6 weeks of horrible irritability before I got any sort of normalcy back. If I were you, I'd go see my doctor about weaning off with other meds.
The problem is Lexapro has a very short half life, which means it leaves your system very quickly. Prozac has a very long half life, so when you stop taking it, it is still very slowly leaving your body, giving your body time to adjust.
I know you wrote this a while ago....but what ended up helping you? How long did you go through this? Raging Bull is the perfect term for me.
thanks so much,
M.
You can email me at ____@____.com
Are you switching to a new Anti? or just dropping them completely? I stopped my Lexapro about 3 days before a dream vacation in Hawaii and almost threw myself of the Maui Marriotts 18th story balcony. IT WAS SERIOUSLY bad. ruined the entire trip. I just waited it out and now am fine. I did end up getting back on Wellbutrin for a while, but quit that too and now think I am better without them, just since I can't take them steadily. Beware and be safe,
