Lexapro Withdrawal Unwanted Side Effects (Page 3) (Top voted first)

I have been taking Lexapro 10mg once a day for about a year. I have had many unwanted side effects which according to my doctor there are very few side effects from Lexapro. He says it is a clean drug. Wrong. It did nothing to help me and I want off. My doctor refused to give me anti-anxiety meds to help with the withdrawals from Lexapro because once again, there are no withdrawals from Lexapro. Why do doctors lie about this. Why do pharmaceutical companies lie about this? I have read so much about people just losing it while trying to stop taking Lexapro. I have not taken it in about ten days after weaning off for about two months from 10mg to 2 mg a day. My nerves are a wreck, I am extremely irratable, and have slight headaches. This is a horrible drug with many long lasting withdrawal symptoms. The makers of Lexapro, Forrest Pharmaceutical, should be ashamed of themselves. Do not lie to so many people just to increase the market strength of your company.

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Hi, I'm freaked out. I've been taking Lexapro for 2 years. This isn't the first anti depressant that I've taken however it seemed to work the best for me in a long time....at first. I have had a substantial amount of bad things happen since I've started taking it such as foreclosure, a 5 year relationship dissolve, parents house burned down, laid off and finally lost my health insurance.
During all this I've been laid off twice. I have slept more than I have ever in my whole entire life. I have also gained about 50 lbs in the tummy of course and sometimes are so raged out of no where. I have been told I should be on meds by my dr as I have type A depression and anxiety......Well after finally looking up the side effects to Lexapro I'm shocked...I shouldn't be shame on me for not looking prior to taking it and just trusting my dr.
I thought half the stuff that was happening was the result of whats going on in my life. Though staying in bed or not being able to sleep for days at a time isn't like me. Not to mention I gained 50 lbs in over two years and have these crazy cravings for carbs and sweets I mean it takes of my body....interesting I read somewhere that is common.
Not to mention I've never felt so depressed and although I haven't experienced voices as other have I have the constant brain zaps which are growing more and more intense as I go into week 2 of not taking 20 mg a day.
I can't see the dr anymore because I owe so much money but its not fair to just put someone like me on meds and never talk to them again its whole different animal in that aspect.
Help does anyone have advise? Should I just go to the ER? I have the brain zaps, flu like symptoms, crazy vivid dreams, I sleep either alot or not at all, and I can't concentrate to save my life.
Anybody? Help if you were me what would you do?

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I've been off for just a little over a week, but I was on the 10 mg dose for 2+ years. Now, I feel a little dizzy once in a while, compared to the room-spinning feeling I had last Friday night/all day Saturday. I'm no doctor, but I honestly think you should have been weaned off of such a high dosage instead of straight cold-turkey. O_O No wonder you're feeling so miserable. ;_;

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Thank you for your response! I also think I am going through a re-adjustment period. I just get so discouraged when I think of "what my skin has become" and I worry and worry that I'll never return to normal. But from what I've been told by my doctor, it takes about 3 months for lexapro's effects to fully build up in your system. That tells me that it would take at least another 3 months for my body to get back to normal. I also try to remember that I was only on lexapro for a little over 3 months, so that should shorten my recovery time. I've also deduced from reading that this is either an effect of my liver detoxing or of my brain "re-learning" how to function and communicate and produce chemicals without lexapro interferrance. And lastly, I have found others who have experienced the same problem after lexapro. I think I have reason to be hopeful and optimistic :)

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I began weaning off Lexapro on 7/1/2012 and stopped all together on 8/31/12. The following days were absolutely awful. I was dizzy, couldn't think clearly, extremely tired, agitated, had diarrhea, nauseated, stomach bloated. As of 9/25/12, I am feeling better. Hope this helps someone. Seems you have to give it 3 months. Trust me, I thought I couldn't live like I was during the process but suddenly I feel better. Give it 3 months. A few things I did was go to see an acupuncturist, take Chinese herbs, take fish oil with high EPA, and take a decongestant if you need it. Stay away from anything that make you feel dizzier...like benadryl, mucinex. Very bad to go through but you can do it.

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Just want to let everyone know that you can wean yourself off lexapro when you get ready. I was taking 20mg/day. I noticed bad side effects when i would miss a few days (headaches, nausea, brain shocks). I cut back to 10mg/day for a week or so, then 5mg/ day for another week or so, then i would wait a few days and take 5mg only when i felt the side effects. I quit taking the 5mg doses after a few weeks. Basically get a last refill on your prescription and start cutting back. Ive been off the pills for a few years now. I hope this info helps someone. Withdrawls are scary.

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I have had the same problems with my doctor and decided to just take myself off of Lexapro. I seen no changes while being on this medication and if anything my side affects been worse. I was still irritable, gained weight, could not sleep, and still depressed. Now I am experiencing dizziness after weaning off. Can not be sure whether this is connected to the Lexapro.

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I'm not a stoner, but marijuana has helped me tremendously in mitigating the withdrawl symtoms from Lexapro. Don't laugh or knock-it until you give it a try.

Besides, it's thousands of times safer than the Lexapro and you don't get addicted. People can become dependent on cannabis, but it is actually less addictive than caffeine.

It helps with the irratability and brain zaps and I've actually lost weight, regardless of the munchies. Just try to snack with healthy foods if the increase in appetite becomes an issue.

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i quit 10mg lexapro cold turkey after 6 months because i was finally feeling great and did not want to pay for another month. for two weeks after quitting, i felt great. then BAM! dizziness, fatigue and the occasional brain zap. i was tired all the time and was having short term memory problems. it was like being drunk all the time. people couldn't talk to me because i would forget what they had JUST said. i am so glad to be free of artificial brain chemicals.

after much reading i read that withdrawal symptoms last anywhere between 1 week - several months. a small percentage will last longer that 3 months, but the average length is one month.

well it's been exactly one month since i quit the drug, and YAY! i feel great again. i religiously took a multivitamin and complex B. FYI, complex B is amazing! i do get the occasional very mild brain zap once every few days, but i'm optimistic that will go away.

i wish my doctor would have told me more about the withdrawal symptoms. i read that doctors only get a 20 min information session for each drug they prescribe done by a pharmaceutical rep! i wish i would have tried exercise and healthy diet before turning to drugs. i am thankful lexapro helped me through a hard time, but i am glad to be off it.

i am also mad at my doctor because she tried to push my dosage up to 20mg when i was doing fine on 5mg. i agreed to compromise with 10mg, as i am very sensitive to most medications. i believe i would have had a very difficult time if i was at 20mg. several times while nauseous, dizzy and fatigued i wanted to give up and take it again and wean off more slowly. thankfully, i was too broke.

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Joan you are the first person who has been through this nightmare and i am so glad you have made it.. i had to quit because i have no job.. i went the first 3 weeks of pure hell and then went back on it for about 4 days with half the dose, and then half of that.. i have been off of it for almost 2 weeks and i am feeling better.. i hope i have gone through the worst. i feel really good.. and i hope it continues.. i will be seeing a new counselor soon so i can learn how to deal with what is going on with me without drugs.. i look forward to living a normal life, well as normal as you can in a crazy world.. i only have one more med to wean off of.. and i will be starting that as soon as i know i am off of lex. thanks for your encouraging words.

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I took my last Lexapro on November 28, 2012 and it took four months before the major awful symptoms went away. I am actually starting to feel somewhat normal now but I would definitely not say back to normal.

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I was o Lexapro for about 1 1/2 yrs at 10mg. Had enough of running out and having to deal with more doctor bills etc. to get refills. I read on another blog that someone said they had really great luck with going to the gym everyday and also taking large doses of B12. I started doing this and I started tapering off by using 5mg for about 10 days and missing every few days. Then I went to 2.5 for about 10 days and missed taking if every few days. I am now clean for about 7 days and I get emotional over stupid stuff but other than that I feel good. I also feel like I am speeding when I turn my head quickly to one side.....weird...the exercise and the b12 made a huge difference. I had tried to get off of this stuff before and was miserable. With the exercise and the large doses of b12 it has been relatively easy......try it and don't give up hope......life is becoming good again.......

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I think that excerize is key - replace lexapro with endorphins. Ill but some b12 today - that's great advice and thank you.

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Jennifer, I know you posted about 5 months ago but just wanted to write this because I'm in the exact same boat as you. I took Lexapro for approximately ten years, same dosage as you. I took 7 months to wean off of it--10 mg to 5mg to 2.5 and finally to 1mg. Now I have been completely off for two weeks. I have not felt myself but I think it has to get worse before it gets better. It's been a challenging process but it can be done--the tapering off process should be slow and steady, especially for people like us who have been on them for a whole decade! These are powerful drugs that our body has acclimated to, so it only makes sense they would be difficult to come off of. The tapering process has had a lot of ups and downs for me - a lot of dizziness and lightheadedness, fatigue, that weird delay or "not quite there" in my head feeling like others can described, heightened anxiety. I'm determined to be off of these pills and life a drug free life though. I hope you found a way to taper off them that worked for you. To anyone reading this, do not withdraw cold turkey!!! Take your time, be gentle to yourself, and do not rush the tapering process. We can live a drug free life!!

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Hi kim,

I replied to another poster with a similar response but wanted to reply to your concerns as well. My advice would be to taper very, very slowly. How you are tapering now sounds quite fast. I was on 10mg lexapro for 10 years, so I withdrew over a 7-8 month period. Probably could have gone even longer. I spent 4 months at 5mg, then two months at 2.5 mg, then another month at 1mg. Finally two weeks ago I stopped completely. The withdrawal process has had its challenges and with some side effects but was not nearly as bad as some people on this forum have described, perhaps because I tapered so painstakingly slow. My body is learning to live without these drugs--it's certainly no walk in the park, and each time I cut back to a smaller dose I struggled with feeling completely not myself, irritable, fatigued, lightheaded, but then I would emerge feeling better. Now that i'm off them completely, I know my brain and body are not fully healed yet but I am on the road to recovery. I wish you all the best with your withdrawal--go slowly, be gentle with yourself, especially during such a busy period in your life. I also work a very busy,high stress job and I could not have stayed employed had I rushed this process. I believe it is possible to live a life without these drugs. Our doctors and the pharmaceutical would have us believe otherwise, but we can heal ourselves!

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lots of exercise and high doses of B complex especially B 12

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Week 3 here and still brain shocks/Zaps..I am wondering when they will stop!! actually I thought they were subsiding one evening but to my surprise they're back this AM worse than before? How can this get worse? God I wish I knew when this will end.
God help us!

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approaching 6 months clean............depression was an issue but went back to my self hypnosis and I have that under control and doing pretty damned good.........I have my life back.............

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Hi all. Have any of you experienced mild to moderate achy muscles and joints since being off of your Lexapro? I stopped mine after a 3 month weaning period, in early August. Now, in mid October, the brain zaps have almost completely stopped, but I feel very tight and achy and sore all over. Thanks!!

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I don't know if anyone checks this post anymore, but currently, I am over a month off of Lexapro. It's pure hell. I've never felt so awful in my life. I have vertigo all the time and very bad migraine headaches.
I got married in September and my husband's insurance wouldn't cover the 40 mg dosage of Lexapro I was on. Instead of fighting for me, my doc gave up after trying to talk to the insurance a couple of times and told me to come back in and see him. He quit my Lexapro cold turkey and put me on Prozac. I just felt worse. I called and told him, and he told me to stop the Prozac immediately as well.
I feel like I'm never going to feel normal again. This is worst than the OCD, anxiety and depression I was struggling with.

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I am right there with you.I FINALLY got off and out of my system after about 6-8 weeks. I feel much better, however, I am also dealing with the emotional aspect. I feel like I cry ALL the time. and sometimes I need to have an emotional meltdown. But at the end of the day I can honestly say, im relieved to be dealing with everything off the meds. I'm seeing a therapist, I told her NO MEDS and she is working to get to the root. I would recommend this to everyone. Just be patient. Stick to the withdrawals as hard as it is, cause it horrible to have in your system. Its not worth it to feel sick and miserable evweday on top of trying to deal with the initial issue. Weather: anxiety. Depression, OCD etc. The medication is far too numbing. At least thats my take. Good luck everyone. And please feel free to write anytime.

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