Help Getting Off Lexapro Resource

Help Getting Off Lexapro Information

Help Getting Off Lexapro Information in Answers

Can anyone offer advice on getting off lexapro,withdrawal sounds horrible? Im on 20mg.Every time I tell my psyche I want off lexapro they just keep upping the dose so Im going to try ween myself off slowly.Can anything bad happen if I try-heart attack or something?Id be grateful for any advice.

old_woman_84 replied: "Sounds like your doctor still thinks you need it. Why would you want off of it?? I think you should listen to your doctor."

gaston8291 replied: "Here is the best advice I can give: I have been through many types of withdrawal including opiods, benzos, and SSRIs. SSRI withdrawal is nowhere near as bad aas opiod withdrawal and benzo withdrawal can be fatal, however, it is uncomfortable, I felt like I was in a haze for a week, HUGE appetite, no sleep, etc, the best thing I can say is to try to make yourself as comfortable as possible, get medically weened down, then off the drug, and consult your doctor..."

Paul A replied: "The key to getting off Lexapro is to get off it very slowly. It took several weeks for the Lexapro to reach full potency in your system - and the same has to happen when you want to get off it. Of course, stopping cold turkey is very not pleasant and you certainly don't want to do that! To get off Lexapro, wean yourself to the lowest dose (5mg). If you're on 20mg, cut them in half (to get 10mg) and take those for a couple weeks, then go to the 5mg pills. After you've been on the 5mg pills for a couple weeks, cut them in half and take the half-pills for a couple weeks, then take the half-pills every other day for a couple weeks, then you can stop. This will slowly remove the Lexapro from your system, and help eliminate the possibility of withdrawal problems. If you wanted to add an extra step at the end, and take the half-pills every third day for a week, you can - but I don't think it's necessary. I wish you the best of luck :-) Paul."

Is my son getting high off my lexapro? I noticed every once in awhile I've been missing some of my anxiety medication, lexapro. Is my son taking them or is it not possible to get high off of lexapro? Please help.

rejectedzipper replied: "Lock them up or keep them in your purse, sounds like SOMEBODY is dipping into your stash."

james w replied: "i doubt it. i took lexapro for a year. - you have to take it for 2-3 weeks for your body even to get used to it to start to have an effect on your anxiety and depression. - now thats not to say that he dosen't know that and is stealing them and thinks he can get high from it. when in truth taking a couple will do absolutly nothing for you expect giving you a headache and maybe dry mouth - but him taking one and here and there will nothing for him. and if it was me i would probably call him out and call him a mornon for taking an anti-depressant anti-anxiety med that will do nothing for him unless he takes it for month, and it will give him side effects like impotence and lack of sexual drive(hey thats why i stopped using it-common side effect)"

2ndchnc replied: "Yes it is very possible to get high on Lexa pro. It gives the non prescibing consumer a very mellow and calming feeling. Think about how it makes you feel when you take it,or maybe how you felt after the first time you took it. It is really worth investigating. Good luck and I pray for your wisdom and strength with this dilemma."

Liam W replied: "yeah, it's possible that he's getting a buzz off of it. Unfortunately, I knew classmates in high school who did that all the time, and no, taking it as if it were prescribed wouldn't do much, but a couple every now and then and not on a regular basis will have a mellow and high-like feeling with it. I would look in to it, and definitely lock it up or hide it if possible, or he might not stop regardless if he thinks you know."

Az R replied: "What on earth are some of these answerers talking about? Lexapro is an SSRI, like Prozac or Zoloft, it's utterly and completely impossible to get high of it, even in massive overdoses. Indeed, the results of major overdoses would be far more unpleasant than even some of the most ridiculous things kids try to get high off of. In short. It's not possible to get high off them under any circumstances, in any way shape or form. They have to be taken daily for several weeks on a proper dosing schedule for the effects to kick in. It will not produce euphoric or sleepiness like other anxiety medications such as Valium or Xanax."

Haylie replied: "he def is...get him some help!"

Myrtle replied: "Yes it possible to get high off of lexapro. I was given lexapro a year or so ago and first couple days I took it I was "high"..now this was caused by taking too much (I listened to my quack Dr.). My advice is to lock up the lexapro, it sounds like you son needs so help. I would talk to him and get him help before its too late. Yes, he will hate you for the first few days, but its better than having a dead son."

the ape man replied: "You cant get high off lexapro. As stated before its an SSRI takes at least 4-6 wks to take effect and is not a stimulant."

Can you gain weight from getting off of Lexapro? I recently got off of it after being on for 6 months. I am planning a wedding and have been extremely stressed. I have recently joined a gym and i work out at least 5 days a week and I have been watching what I'm eating but I seem to be gaining instead of losing. Has anyone else experienced this?

Susan replied: "The same thing happened to me at first. After about a month or two you should be ok though. Going on or off any medication can affect you in different ways. I just kept eating right and exercising. You have 6 months you should be ok. Congratulations on the wedding and good luck!!!"

Weaning or getting off Lexapro? When your psychiatrist decides to get you off Lexapro for example do they wean you off it. Do you get sick when getting off Lexapro? Is it difficult to get off such medications as Lexapro? Is there so much dependency that you have trouble after you're off it.

Daniele R replied: "I am italian"

shaneris5 replied: "A previous answer follows, and weaning is addressed in the 1st 3 pages of section 2, at ezy build, below: See on Lexapro. ~~~ What side effects may occur? Side effects cannot be anticipated. If any develop or change in intensity, tell your doctor as soon as possible. Only your doctor can determine if it is safe to continue using Lexapro. More common side effects may include: Constipation, decreased appetite, decreased sex drive, diarrhea, dizziness, dry mouth, ejaculation disorder, fatigue, flu-like symptoms, headache, impotence, indigestion, ****insomnia****, nausea, runny nose, sinusitis, ****sleepiness****, sweating Special warnings about Lexapro In clinical studies, antidepressants increased the risk of suicidal thinking and behavior in children and adolescents with depression and other psychiatric disorders. Anyone considering the use of Lexapro or any other antidepressant in a child or adolescent must balance this risk with the clinical need. Lexapro has not been studied in children or adolescents and is not approved for treating anyone less than 18 years old. Additionally, the progression of major depression is associated with a worsening of symptoms and/or the emergence of suicidal thinking or behavior in both adults and children, whether or not they are taking antidepressants. Individuals being treated with Lexapro and their caregivers should watch for any change in symptoms or any new symptoms that appear suddenly--especially ****agitation**** , ****anxiety****, hostility, ****panic****, restlessness, extreme hyperactivity, and suicidal thinking or behavior--and report them to the doctor immediately. Be especially observant at the beginning of treatment or whenever there is a change in dose. Lexapro makes some people sleepy****. Until you know how the drug affects you, use caution when driving a car or operating other hazardous machinery. In rare cases, Lexapro can trigger mania (unreasonably high spirits and excess energy). If you've ever had this problem, be sure to let the doctor know. I suggest that you begin addressing the cause of your anxiety & depression, rather than just trying to treat the symptoms by throwing "magic pills" at them, which doctors will happily keep prescribing to you, as a human guinea pig. View sections 2 (page R first) and 6 (page N first) at After 2 weeks of tapering off, consider trying St. John's wort, to boost your neurotransmitters."

Getting off lexapro question? I have been on lexapro 10mg for about 9 months or so, starting today I am going down to 5mg and then hopefully after 6 to 8 weeks i'll be off of them for good. I was wondering if I will be having any withdrawls or other symptoms I should know about. Any experiences/knowledge would be useful! :)

Ashly Marie replied: "I never actually took Lexapro. I took Zoloft tho for about 9 months. My Dr. told me to call her when I was ready to go of it. Which I didn't. I took half a pill for 2 days & none after that. I felt okay. The first day with out Zoloft I felt a lil nauseous in the morning, but as soon as I ate, it went right away & i've been great ever since. Good Luck!!!"

Paul A replied: "After taking the 5mg pills for a couple weeks, get a pill cutter (the pills are really small!) and cut them in half. Take the half-pills for a couple weeks, then take the half-pills every-other-day for a couple weeks. If you want to, you could take them every third day for a week or so. Then, you can stop. That should help minimize any withdrawal problems. Congrats on getting off the med :-) Paul."

Sam replied: "I was on 10mg for just over one year. I agree with Paul's suggestion to slowly go off lexapro. I have been reducing the mg for about 1 1/2 months now. I am now taking 1/3 every other day. I have definitely had withdrawals from going off of them and it just reinforces my desire to have lexapro completely out of my body! The withdrawals are getting less severe each day! My symptoms have included: pulsations throughout my body, startling easily, slight insomnia, depression, lack of energy and motivation. This is not to scare you and everyone is different. A friend of mine just recently went off as well. It took her 2 months to feel balanced again and she never experience depression, mainly just the body pulsations and extremely jumping. Hope this helps! Good luck and congrats for making the move to go off lexapro!!"

getting off lexapro and going to prozak? ive been taking lexapro 20 mg for 1 year to help with anxiety and depression and i find it to work well.well now my insurance doesnt cover it so my doctor is switching me to prozak 20 mg ive been taking 10mg of lexapro(to wean off) and the 20mg prozak for a week now.my last lexapro was last night and yesterday i started getting anxiety attacks more often is this normal and what should i do?I HATE FEELING LIKE THIS!!!!

HK3738 replied: "you can anticipate anxiety attacks during the transition, its definitely not fun but ask your doctor about some xanax or ativan to be used as needed through this time till you find a good prozac dose, good luck"

Quasar1 replied: "it can be normal whan i stopped taking mine i was the same, whille you are on the medication, your body gets used to it, but when it comes off it your body in a sense has withdrawls, and you have some for the first few days then subside, but if you are switching to prozak, your body will still need to build itself in you system,"

apeystar replied: "I had that very same problem with the insurance company. Do NOT take no for an answer. If Lexapro is working for you, then that is the drug you NEED, and they should not be keeping you from your mental health needs. When I was faced with this problem I wrote a long letter, quoting my psychiatrist on how the drug I needed effected me, and I sent the letter to the insurance company, the COMMISIONER OF INSURANCE (looke that up! and they'll have a list by state) and to my senator. Guess what? I got my drugs covered with in two weeks of them receiving the letter. The insurance company even went as far as to say that I had lied about then saying I couldn't get those drugs. But whatever, it worked."

mrbadmood replied: "There are several anti depressant medications, and they have various methods or ways of correcting depression, which is why one particular med won't work for everyone. If you found an SSRI that works, It's not good to try to find something else that might work only half as good. Cuss out your insurance company."

scorpio19th replied: "Being forced to change your medications is SO frustrating, and so scary, it's no wonder you're suffering a little more anxiety than usual. Hopefully, this too shall pass. Xanax is a good reliable drug for treating anxiety, and you might ask your doctor about using that. At least it might buy you some peace of mind while your prozac is kicking in. I know that xanax and prozac can be used together with no ill effects. I've been on prozac for 20 years, and just recently had to add xanax for my increasing anxiety. Good luck."

livlafluv replied: "Do what "apeystar" said to do and you will get your meds."

prince uranus replied: "apeystar is right---your insurance company sucks. my insurance company has been giving me fits because of my lexapro. the bastards at the insurance company are't doctors--and i don't want the availability of my prescriptions being left up to a mindless noob at some corporate insurance office. raise hell! also--let your doctor know what's going on. your doc may write a letter for you demanding that your insurance pick up the tab---also, your doc may have lexapro samples to take in the meantime. it is stupid and irresponsible to the maximum to force a person OFF of an antidepressant that WORKS to put them on a lower cost one. you and i both know that antidepressants are a weird class of drug--what works for you may not work for me--and vice versa. you could be trading mental equilibrium on lexapro for mental chaos on prozac---just so the insurance company can cut costs and increase profits. this steams me up---the insurance companies have no right to do this."

Dominic W replied: "Stop taking drugs and exercise. Your body will create endorphins (endorphins - chemicals in the brain that are responsible for positive moods, ). Start eating Healthier, no fast food, more vegetables less meat, and drink lots of water, less sugar drinks. Don’t forget to push out the bad things in life, stress is the #1 killer. God Bless, get better."

johnyreb64 replied: "Lexapro is in a class of medications called serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Prozac is also in this same class. Prozac will take much longer to work. This could be anywhere from 3 to 5 weeks, however since you've been on a SSRI for a year, it will probably be around 2 to 4 weeks.Prozac can cause increased anxiety and nervousness in some patients, so I would consult with your physican about this if this continues. Prozac sometimes is a hard to stop because it stays in your system for so long even after you stop it thus making it harder to switch to a different class of medications. Call your doctors office if this gets any worse. Take care and good luck to you. Ask your doctor about about CELEXA, it's a spin off of Lexapro and basically work the same way as Lexapro. Your insurance company might pay for the Celexa and I think it's avaliable in generic form, as well. Remember ask the doc about Celexa, good luck."

What are the effects of getting off of low doses of Lexapro after four months? Is it okay to just increase your seratonin in a more natural way? I heard that no one stays on Lexapro a lifetime because the seratonin eventually runs out. What natural remedies work better than that? What worked for you? I'm asking YOU what more natural remedies. I've heard taking tryptophan will help.

Rosie replied: "I'm take a very low dose of lexapro. I'm taking lexapro for anxiety. Even though I'm on a very low dose, When I've tried to get off of it I've become more nervous. I have been on lexapro for 6-8 months. Where you have only been on it for 4 months. Talk to your medication provider."

Denie replied: "You probably know that you should always get off medication gradually...not all at once. What is a more natural way to increase seratonin? You didn't give any examples."

getting off lexapro = really bad headach?!? I have been having these headache for like 2 weeks and that is when i started getting off of the lexapro. has anybody else experienced this?

Nurse Answer Mama replied: "Call your doc ASAP."

britt2marie008 replied: "i was taken off lexapro little by little so i didn't get a headache but if that's not how you were taken off of it, call your doctor."

Paul A replied: "When you get off Lexapro, you should wean yourself off it very gradually. For example, if you are taking 20mg, cut down to 10mg for a couple weeks, then 5mg for a couple weeks, then cut the 5mg pills in half (use a pill cutter) and take the half-pills for a couple weeks, then take the half-pills every-other-day for a couple weeks. You can add one more step and take the half-pills every third day for a week or so. Then you can stop taking them. This should help minimize any withdrawal problems with Lexapro."

If I wean off Lexapro and switch to Welbrutin will that help with weight loss? I took 20 mg of Lexapro for two years and I have gained 40 pounds. I have to get this weight off. I have exercised and diet like a bandit and it won't budge. With the Welbrutin help?

What is the best way to get off lexapro? I have been on lexapro for about 9 months. I know that i have to do this right. I am on 2o mg. What is the best way to get off it? I have gained about 15 pounds and I want to lose the weight,plus my husband and I want to have a baby. What should i do?

Lieta replied: "Im on it too.... and don't plan on getting off of it to have a baby.. you dont need to not for awhile, and if you have really bad anxiety u can even stay on it in the 3rd trimester... Ive been on it 3 years? Lifesaver. Anywho, i went about 3 days without, because i was gonna TRY to get off of it... bad bad idea... see your doctor.... ask the doc how to do it... because it isnt safe to do it by urself... she told me NEVER to try to get off it alone again."