Tapering off SSRIs:

[EveW]

Hi I am trying to gradually stop taking escitalopram but am finding it very hard work. Does anyone have experience of this?

[BonnieSue]

Hi Eve,

Do you have GAD and if yes, do you take any additional drug for it? Are you switching over to another SSRI or simply stopping them altogether?

[EveW in reply to BonnieSue]

Hi, I do have anxiety, yes, and it is one of the increased effects of trying to come off the SSRI. I am not taking anything for it, and am not going to switch to another anti-dep. I have been on this stuff for 25 years and REALLY want to stop. I believe I can manage life without it now, but my brain has not "reacted well" to having the dose dropped. Nausea, mania, etc etc etc.

Just wondered what other people's experiences may be.

[BonnieSue in reply to EveW]

I came off Lexapro/escitalopram while on a benzo for my GAD and while changing over to another SSRI so my experience was different. I had no trouble btw. You mention mania; is this your only experience with mania?

[BonnieSue in reply to EveW]

Food for thought: I'm stopping my Viibryd (an SSRI) by switching to Prozac because Prozac is the more ideal drug to withdraw from due to a long half-life. You could switch to Prozac, too, for the same reason. Hopefully your doc would research this "trick" for you if s/he's not familiar with it and go along with using it to help you out.

PS: If your doc is caring and open to learning new things, my doc and yours can talk on the phone about this. You aren't the only patient your doc will be able to help using this method.

[EveW in reply to BonnieSue]

Hi BonnieSue, thankyou for the replies. I am not usually prone to mania, so this does appear to be side effect of withdrawing. I could go through the long list of other symptoms, but I wont depress myself, lol! Yes, I have read about using prozac, but I did take it first, years ago, and got a drug reaction so it would not be recommended to take again.

[BonnieSue in reply to EveW]

I'm sorry to hear about your drug reaction; yet another disappointment and roadblock to progress for you. I agree with you on the mania but had to check. I am an example of someone acquiring manic/dep at age 59...unusual indeed, but it happens...so I felt I had to ask about it. I found info on half life of 5 major SSRIs at the NIMH site and all are between 15-33 hours with the exception of Prozac at 4-6 days and sometimes as much as 15 days! Lexapro is listed at 33 hours and another site says 26-32 hours. No wonder Prozac is favored! But no other drug on this chart would be helpful to you. That includes Luvox, Paxil, and Zoloft.

So...I'm afraid I haven't helped you much except to offer my sympathy and support.

I don't blame you for wanting to get off this drug...if you think it's time...it probably is. Trust your gut. It's often going to be right, often, not always.

I forgot to mention I no longer take a benzo as of 2.5 years ago for my GAD so I'm coming off the SSRI now in a similar manner to you. But I do take the other 2 drugs I've told you about and they may be helping me out. And the big changes have yet to come.

Sorry that I wasn't more help. I hope you find a way that helps you get through this. I suppose you could stop decreasing the Escitalopram every time you have symptoms and just form a holding pattern? It would be slow but maybe less distressing to your body. Best wishes!! 😉🤧🤒😷💝🎈☀️🌈🙏🦄💜

[BonnieSue in reply to EveW]

Awww, I'm sorry about that reaction and that avenue not being open to you. I'd like to hear what you decide to do so I can learn from you. I'm hoping and praying there's no more bad reactions for you, of course. Take care, Hugs, Love, and Blessings...👍💜💖🧚🏼‍♀️🙏🥀🦄☀️🌈🎉

[EveW in reply to BonnieSue]

Hi BonnieSue, thankyou for your support . I initially dropped the dose twice, by very small amounts, but since the symptoms have now become very hard, I am indeed in a "holding pattern" until they settle down. It has been 3 months and I have only dropped from 15mg per day to the equivalent of 13mg a day - it is mind-boggling how much that small drop has affected my brain's neurochemistry and consequently, my functioning. Frightening really. Do you have any experience of CDB oil? I know people take it for A and D, and I was thinking of seeing if it would help with withdrawal, but am very leery of mixing things that may interact in an unhelpful way !! Which other 2 drugs are you taking? thanks again for your support xx

[BonnieSue in reply to EveW]

Yes, some little experience with CDB oil...really too little, I think. I tried 0.25 ml for a headache 2 times and can't really say if it helped so I think it wasn't much help. That was a very small dose. I so hated getting the oil down that I've never tried it again for anything else. I still take Seroquel/quetiapine and bupropion, and Viibryd for a little while longer. I have bipolar II depression but spend little time feeling depressed.

The person who recommended the CBD oil to me was very happy with the results of using it. She had significant improvement in her depression and anxiety using the CBD oil daily in a dose greater than the 0.25 mg that she had recommended that I start out at. I believe she said she started out at 0.25 mg but titrated up until she met success at 1mg per day. She would've taken another 1 mg dose but for her budget. I'm not totally sure about the 1 mg but you get the idea. I think the place she checked out and had recommended as a source to buy from is a good, safe & reliable one...I can give you that info if you think you're interested. You can check it out for yourself.

I understand you being leery, I have no good answer for you since you've had such difficulty and can't go with Prozac (my 1 good idea!). CBD oil might help but I can't say. I'm still behind you despite not having a great answer! I feel your frustration!! Anything more I can help with, please ask away. My thoughts and prayers are with you. Sue

[lamornabuck]

I haven't had any experience of it personally but I think you should taper off it very very gradually

[EveW in reply to lamornabuck]

I am tapering very very very slowly, under the advice and guidance of a psychiatrist, not the rate that the GP's recommend, which is way too fast. But even so, have been struggling