I've made the decision to stop taking the escitalopram. I've been on 5mg for 2 weeks and I feel horrific. I know that it gets worse before it gets better but I think that the psychological aspect of taking medication is messing with my head. My anxiety is through the roof verging on total panic and I can't function anymore. At least I was able to function somewhat before I started the SSRI. Anyway, I've emailed my Dr about stopping but wondered if anyone knows if I'll need to taper from 5mg (I've been on it 2 weeks) or if I can just stop? Many thanks x
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mummyofspot
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Please don’t stop as we say in the U.S. cold turkey - all at once. U can have a very bad reaction doing this. Perhaps your doctor want U to lower the dosage. Try to wait for your doctor’s response to the
Hell no, do not just stop….It is the last milligrams that are the toughest! Please don’t do that to yourself. I’m probably an extreme example, having been on my meds for 25 years, but I had to throw in the towel 1 week ago.
I tapered down escitalopram from 30 mg to 4 mg over two years. Wasn’t always easy, but I managed. When I hit 4 mg I started to feel really, really bad. So I stopped tapering. But I was determined to ride it out, come what may, I wouldn’t go higher than 4 mg.
Well, that was 7 months ago. These 7 months have been awful. Two weeks ago things were so bad that I wrote to my shrink that I needed to go higher again, and I needed the prescription ASAP. I was dangerously suicidal - in a way I’ve never been before the meds.
I’m taking Prozac now instead of escitalopram so that maybe, maybe one day I’ll have a chance to get off (Prozac is a little easier to get off than escitalopram.)
As I say, I am probably an extreme case. But you can never be too careful with these highly addictive meds. Two weeks on is not long, but that sense of “total panic” happened to me, too - and I don’t think it’s the psychological aspect, this is your brain withdrawing from addictive drugs. A nurse said to me that heroin patients generally have an easier time coming off of their drug than Ssri patients do.
I hope you won’t need to suffer as much as I have over the past 7 months.
First of all, I'm so sorry you're going through this. From someone who has experienced something similar on citalopram, I recommend talking to the Doctor for instructions. In the mean time, don't quit cold turkey like others have recommended. It might make it worse. I would try and make yourself as comfortable as possible for the time being if you can. Practice breathing exercises, listen to some guided meditations, watch a funny movie, eat some comfort food. It'll get better, there's a light! I'm here for you, too! Hang in there
Hi, thanks for your replies. I really appreciate the support - Sorry if I was confusing and didn't explain properly. I've only been on it for a total of 2 weeks at 5mg. I'm not tapering down or anything and I've never been on a higher dose. I've literally only taken it for 2 weeks and decided I don't want to be on it. And I thought that if it hasn't worked for me yet in reducing anxiety, then it can't have taken full effect and I won't get withdrawals? I've got a phonecall with my dr in the morning so will ask her what to do but wanted to get some opinions. xx
Oh, ok, i didn’t get that. I thought you were anxious because you tapered. I think you’ll probably be ok if you just quit, since it’s only been 2 weeks. If that causes some sort of bad reaction (which I think is unlikely), just take a dose.
Hi mummyofspot... sorry to hear about your current situation.. To tell you my story, I was started on 5mg and first 15-20 days were really hell with lot of side effects. I even stopped going out because of fear. But after that, the Escitalopram showed its effect slowly and I could see the change in me clearly. I slowly became normal again.. It took almost 8 weeks for me to feel back to normal.
My suggestion is stick on to Medicine..BUT If you are really AWEFULL with it then wait for your Doc suggestion. My prayers are with you.. Best Wishes
Escitalopram can take anywhere from 3 to 6 weeks to have the full therapeutic effects, I have been on escitalopram for roughly 5 weeks now, I'm taking 5mg , I too had panic and worse anxiety , trust me it gets better with time
Even if you've only been on it for 2 weeks, there is a risk of side effects for stopping cold turkey. It took me 5 weeks for the escitalopram to start working, I almost gave up as well. Everyone is different though, and I hope your call tomorrow morning will help clarify things further. Best of luck
I agree. Your doctor may have you taper down by taking it every other day for a while if she agrees to take you off it. Never just stop a medication. Plus you haven't been on it long enough to even give it time to work. Meds take weeks to start working.
Is there a particular reason you decided not to continue with medication? Because SSRI's take time to start working for anxiety and depression and can take even longer for other conditions. That doesn't mean it didn't start affecting the neurochemsitry of your brain however.
Basically what scientists think happens (this was literally my field of study so I know a little about this) when you take SSRI's, is that it stops your body from removing the free roaming serotonin in your brain. So because the free roaming serotonin is no longer being removed, there is more serotonin available to be used, which theoretically causes an improved mind state. However, because the serotonin isn't being removed, your brain now thinks, "oh good I don't have to keep making serotonin" and serotonin production goes down. So when you just stop taking the medication, the serotonin gets removed again, but now the processes that used to make serotonin have significantly been reduced, which is why you can experience dramatic side-effects, as there's very little serotonin at that point in your brain. At least that's the theory. That's why doctors titrate down, to give your brain and body time to adjust and slowly, hopefully, start up the production line again.
So it is irreversible - in theory.
tl;dr: SSRI's affect how serotonin production in your brain works. So just stopping can have side-effects like severe anxiety, depression and possibly even suicidal thoughts. It can even cause issues like headaches and extreme dizziness. It isn't "dangerous" from a physical pov, but from a mental pov it is incredibly and should not be attempted alone and without support.
And it’s true what hcleve says - these drugs make you feel worse at first.Now, there are people who simply don’t do well on SSRIs. But for others, the fact you’re feeling worse could actually be a sign it will help you a lot once it starts working.
I felt worse at first, then I felt like it did nothing, and after 3 or 4 months it suddenly got going and I felt the best I had ever felt in my life. My close friend started on SSRIs after he had stopped working because he couldn’t deal anymore. He was on extended sick leave. He felt so bad in the first period on the pills that he begged his doctor to have him hospitalised. She said “please hang in there.” He did, he began to feel much better and he set up a company with 6 or so employees that did great. So, his life really turned around.
Not everyone feels worse before they feel better. I used to be on SSRI'S ages ago and never had a problem. Had been on Prozac not long after it came out(late 80') and it was great for about 10 years til it stopped working, then was switched to Celexa for about the same length of time. Many years and many meds later I am now treatment resistant to them but fortunately have found TMS to be helpful. So glad I don't have to deal with antidepressants anymore!! I do take the occasional Ativan for anxiety but not very often.
And a round is how many sessions, bethelbee?I’ve tried to get off citalopram, tapering over more than 2 years. And it still didn’t work. Past 7 months I was on a few mg per day, but my brain was completely out of whack, worse than it’s ever been before the meds. Had to go back on them when I got suicidal in a way I’ve also never felt before. So I feel pretty defeated.
I'm so sorry you are feeling defeated..I've been in the deepest lows before, not even sure I would come out of it. Was hospitalized a few times. A round of TMS is about 37 sessions, 5x/wk for about 7 weeks. Each treatment is about 20 minutes. My first 2 rounds I went to a psychiatric clinic where they had it, the 3rd round was through SuccessTMS who has many locations throughout the US(not sure if they're anywhere else). Feel free to message me if you want to know more. Wishing you the best! Please keep me posted.
It really did help me, saved my life, literally. I was dealing mostly with depression and not so much anxiety though I did have some. Obviously everyone responds differently.
That is wonderful, bee! I’m so glad it worked for you. Life is ok, now?
My depression is kept in check by s-adenosyl-methionine. As a consequence, and in contrast with the days before SAMe, I’m active and want to live, yet I’m also so anxious it makes me want to die, a lot. Without being depressed. A weird combination.
Hi Zyxx! I was actually thinking about you yesterday but didn't get a chance to message. Glad your depression is being kept in check. Never heard of that med before, what is it? ..(a few minutes later -just looked it up. Wish something could help your anxiety, that's rough. I've been fortunate not to have too much anxiety these days but have been there. Have had severe anxiety and years ago was agoraphobic for a few months. What a horrible feeling!! I do take an occasional Ativan. Mentally I've been pretty good for months despite many health issues, the most recent being a fall resulting in a hip replacement (Feb) which has led to more back problems and will probably have a 2nd back surgery the end of the summer. Also have been dealing with stomach issues. If it weren't for TMS, I would most likely be in that deep hole again. Sick of dealing with medical stuff, tests and appointments, etc...Like you, I want to enjoy life...
Ouch about the hip! Falling is dangerous, isn’t it…I broke my shoulder 2 years ago, just walking in the park.But that passes - the stomach issues are probably worse on you…And back surgery, too…Yes, it’s hard to stay in a good mood with all that medical stuff going on. Though I had a dear friend who had constant medical issues. Once he was in the hospital for a year. And he was almost always smiling….a very special person, I miss him dearly. In contrast to him I have near-phobic fears about doctors and hospitals.
Amazing, by the way, that you got over the agoraphobia and the severe anxiety. What do you think did it for you, bee? Meds, or something else?
I cut pills in half, then quarters, if possible. Usually I'll spend a week or two at each lower dose till I can't break the pill any smaller, then off.
I'm very sensitive to meds. IDK is 5mg is a high or low dose but if it was me I would cut the pill in half for a day or two. It does need to enter your system. Maybe you just opened the faucet too wide. I did the same thing in reverse recently.
I've never been one to put doctors on a pedestal especially if they don't return my calls. It is my body.
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