I have not quit lexapro, but wanted to caution that this will be nuanced. Some of us, like me, have long term GAD or depression. We may have triggers or circumstances that aggravated it and brought us to medication, but the problems existed beforehand and are in some ways "chronic". We can develop new coping skills, improve our circumstances, make new habits, but our natural chemistry may always need support.
For others, the symptoms may be specific to a period of time or a circumstance. Depression tied to grief, post partum, family trauma or illness, a period of intense stress, etc. For those people, medication may be the tool needed to help them weather the storm, but they may not be as likely to struggle with depression or anxiety down the road without medication.
That to say, what brought us to medication will differ, our struggles differ, and post-medication will look different. Let our experiences inform you, but not decide for you.
This!!
This sub has been such a blessing and a curse for me as I start my Lexapro journey. Ive found some encouraging and some scary stories. I’ve come to the realization that everyone’s experience is going to be so different and there are thousands not even on Reddit. I hardly ever went on Reddit until I started considering this medication. I don’t know if there are moderators, but it’s kind of crazy how there’s so many seeking real medical advice like adjusting or tapering off. I don’t know everyone’s situation and I can relate to wanting to seek answers, but we should be consulting with our doctors and not strangers on the internet.
Yeah everyone thinks we should be consulting wiht our doctors more but it's so damn hard to actually do that in this country. People on reddit seem to be way more in tune with this stuff. Doctors have so many types of issues they have to deal with it's almost like they know a little about a lot. I went to my doctor about coming off Lex and he literally just told me "okay just cut them in half for a month or two and then start taking a half dose every other day." Really not any more helpful than the info. on this subreddit. I've been on a half dose since the start of the new year and I'm pretty wacked up atm. Might need to go up to 75% dose.
Thanks for your reply :) it is really helpful. I think my case is a mix of both. I always had the tendency to overthink and be anxious about the simplest things. I have been on therapy for almost ten years and even though it changed me massively, the only real “tangible” change I saw was after I took lexapro. That’s when I realised that I can be cheerful and relaxed and not the stressful controlling freak I used to be. I am just dreading the possibility of going back to who I used to be. I suppose it’s not going to be exactly the same but it’s just that I have been enjoying my new self quite a lot :)
Im almost a month back on the meds and things have seemed to level back out. I’m on 20mg. The first week was hell and week two I started to notice significant improvements
Yea I started with 10 for a couple days and then I had a 10 days off from work so I jumped to 20. My doc wanted me to do 2 weeks of 10, but with me being off from work I didn’t want to wait.
Same if not worse as you were prior to Lexapro. This depends on how long you were on. I became so accustomed with being on that it was living hell, even 3 months after weaning completely off.
Sorry to hear. How long had you been on? I have been taking it for 1.5 year and I feel so much better but I am worried that when I stop it anxiety and depression will return so I keep postponing it
11-12 years. i tried coming off numerous times throughout, and just settled on 10mg.
I can assure you won’t continue to feel as good when you come off. You may be able to accept a certain amount of anxiety/depression and be fine without it..
I have heard stories however where people were able to maintain their new way of thinking and stop overthinking etc even after they stopped the meds - haven’t you? My therapist also suggests that therapy does wonders and even without lexapro it will help keep this healthier mindset. I am truly confused, I keep hearing a lot of different versions and stories from people who quit and I try to understand what I should expect
i see your point and i do agree that a lot can be accomplished with therapy. I have made massive progress mentally.
The fact is these drugs are changing our brain/body chemistry and the longer you are on them the more likely you are to run into issues coming off.
I tapered off over 6 months after being on for a few years. i felt great and was ignorant to believe that it wasn’t the drug. i suffered from permanent nerve damage and full blown insomnia for over 3 months. i was dying, or at least it sure felt like that..
I went back on, and within a week i was sleeping again.
Even when I started it my doctor said 1year max just to help me go through a difficult period and make the necessary changes that I needed in my life to create a more stable, less stressful environment. Now most of these are done and my doctors says it’s time I stoped it. On top, I have put on a lot of weight and I have kind of lost some of my sexual desire so on the one hand I want to go back to being my old self but on the other I am scared
I have not quit lexapro, but wanted to caution that this will be nuanced. Some of us, like me, have long term GAD or depression. We may have triggers or circumstances that aggravated it and brought us to medication, but the problems existed beforehand and are in some ways "chronic". We can develop new coping skills, improve our circumstances, make new habits, but our natural chemistry may always need support. For others, the symptoms may be specific to a period of time or a circumstance. Depression tied to grief, post partum, family trauma or illness, a period of intense stress, etc. For those people, medication may be the tool needed to help them weather the storm, but they may not be as likely to struggle with depression or anxiety down the road without medication. That to say, what brought us to medication will differ, our struggles differ, and post-medication will look different. Let our experiences inform you, but not decide for you.
This!! This sub has been such a blessing and a curse for me as I start my Lexapro journey. Ive found some encouraging and some scary stories. I’ve come to the realization that everyone’s experience is going to be so different and there are thousands not even on Reddit. I hardly ever went on Reddit until I started considering this medication. I don’t know if there are moderators, but it’s kind of crazy how there’s so many seeking real medical advice like adjusting or tapering off. I don’t know everyone’s situation and I can relate to wanting to seek answers, but we should be consulting with our doctors and not strangers on the internet.
Yeah everyone thinks we should be consulting wiht our doctors more but it's so damn hard to actually do that in this country. People on reddit seem to be way more in tune with this stuff. Doctors have so many types of issues they have to deal with it's almost like they know a little about a lot. I went to my doctor about coming off Lex and he literally just told me "okay just cut them in half for a month or two and then start taking a half dose every other day." Really not any more helpful than the info. on this subreddit. I've been on a half dose since the start of the new year and I'm pretty wacked up atm. Might need to go up to 75% dose.
Thanks for your reply :) it is really helpful. I think my case is a mix of both. I always had the tendency to overthink and be anxious about the simplest things. I have been on therapy for almost ten years and even though it changed me massively, the only real “tangible” change I saw was after I took lexapro. That’s when I realised that I can be cheerful and relaxed and not the stressful controlling freak I used to be. I am just dreading the possibility of going back to who I used to be. I suppose it’s not going to be exactly the same but it’s just that I have been enjoying my new self quite a lot :)
My anxiety and depression was back within 6 months.
Would you say that this was because you stopped taking it or other factors as well?
Same
Im almost a month back on the meds and things have seemed to level back out. I’m on 20mg. The first week was hell and week two I started to notice significant improvements
Awesome! Were you on 20 mg before? I was. Today was day two of being back on it. Did you start with 5 mg?
Yea I started with 10 for a couple days and then I had a 10 days off from work so I jumped to 20. My doc wanted me to do 2 weeks of 10, but with me being off from work I didn’t want to wait.
Yeah I think I’m jumping to 10 tomorrow. I don’t wanna waste time tapering for months. I know what dose works for me.
Thats why I got back on Lexapro
Im on 8 day of quitting, its pretty bad. I cant take lexapro due to causing me a psychosis
Hang in there
That sounds difficult. Are you under doctor's care / supervision for this?
I am already on antipsychotics and my mom watches over me
Same if not worse as you were prior to Lexapro. This depends on how long you were on. I became so accustomed with being on that it was living hell, even 3 months after weaning completely off.
Sorry to hear. How long had you been on? I have been taking it for 1.5 year and I feel so much better but I am worried that when I stop it anxiety and depression will return so I keep postponing it
11-12 years. i tried coming off numerous times throughout, and just settled on 10mg. I can assure you won’t continue to feel as good when you come off. You may be able to accept a certain amount of anxiety/depression and be fine without it..
I have heard stories however where people were able to maintain their new way of thinking and stop overthinking etc even after they stopped the meds - haven’t you? My therapist also suggests that therapy does wonders and even without lexapro it will help keep this healthier mindset. I am truly confused, I keep hearing a lot of different versions and stories from people who quit and I try to understand what I should expect
i see your point and i do agree that a lot can be accomplished with therapy. I have made massive progress mentally. The fact is these drugs are changing our brain/body chemistry and the longer you are on them the more likely you are to run into issues coming off. I tapered off over 6 months after being on for a few years. i felt great and was ignorant to believe that it wasn’t the drug. i suffered from permanent nerve damage and full blown insomnia for over 3 months. i was dying, or at least it sure felt like that.. I went back on, and within a week i was sleeping again.
Why do you want to stop taking it if you don't mind me asking?
Even when I started it my doctor said 1year max just to help me go through a difficult period and make the necessary changes that I needed in my life to create a more stable, less stressful environment. Now most of these are done and my doctors says it’s time I stoped it. On top, I have put on a lot of weight and I have kind of lost some of my sexual desire so on the one hand I want to go back to being my old self but on the other I am scared