dmcdlj: is there life after Lexapro?

[dmcdlj]

After a lifetime of normalsy , I was put on Lexapro by gyn because of grad school anxiety... I was in grad school - taking 3 classes and was a grad assistant teaching 3 classes and working.  Grad school was hard, even tho I am an A student.  Alot of my friends had graduated and left... and I was feeling tired, drained, anxious and a little depressed.  Never really had depression before.. pretty much lived a charmed life.  But, listened to the gyn I had - she said.. it's mild.. it will just take the ege off and you can concentrate better.  And, I did feel better.     Big mistake.  Anyway a year later, after I graduated I tried to come off. Same doctor said , take a pill , skip a day for 2 weeks.  Take a pill, skip two days for 2 weeks. etc.. until I was skipping 5 days between pills, then stop.  Brain shocks, naseau, bad moods - anger like I've NEVER felt... during the whole taper down time.  After a near breakdown 2 months later, I saw a real doctor and found out that type of tapering is almost like going cold turkey, over and over. I went into a depression like I've NEVER experienced. Had to quit my job. Was totally unfunctional. Would cry 6-8 hours a day. I didn't know what was happening.  I'd never gone through anything like that.  New doctor put me back on the meds and in 2 weeks I was better.      So, I'm wanting to come off this again and VERY worried about withdrawals and having to go through all of that again.  I've seen on here that many have done a 1% tapering with liquid meds and that is what I want to do.  My question is - how were you after you totally quit?   I do not want to be on any drugs.   I don't think I need them now.  I never had issues when I was was younger and I totally regret having gone on this medicine in the first place.   but, now my body and my brain can't function without it.  Someone should start a class action lawsuit against this company!   

Please let me know how you are doing after coming off slowly... 6 months down the road.

Thanks  

[Petunia]

Hi dmcdj,

Welcome to SA, thank you for sharing your story.  I'm sorry you had that bad experience from trying to come off Lexapro the wrong way.  Many of us are here because we tapered too fast while believing we were doing it right.  Sadly, most doctors don’t have a clue and often advise tapers that lead patients to going back on the drug because of a ‘relapse’,  which is actually withdrawal.  But luckily you were able to reinstate successfully and can now do a proper taper.

 

How long have you been back on the lexapro?  Its probably best to give it a couple of months before you start tapering again.

 

Here are our tips for tapering off lexapro:

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/406-tips-for-tapering-off-lexapro-escitalopram/

 

Please put your drug and withdrawal history in your signature.  Putting a short version of your drug history in your signature helps people understand your context, it appears below each of your posts.  Here are instructions for how to do it:

 

http://survivinganti...your-signature/

 

 

 

Please let me know how you are doing after coming off slowly... 6 months down the road.

 

 

One of the problems with a forum like this is that for most people, once they start feeling better because they are tapering properly or have successfully come off their medication, they rarely come back to post because they are getting on with their lives.  Most of the active members here are still having difficulties. Have a look through our Recovery Success Stories.

 

But you will find a lot of friendly help and support here for safe tapering.

 

Petu.