How long do lexapro withdrawal symptoms last?

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Lexapro Withdrawal

Severe withdrawal symptoms occur in high frequency in the first 2-14 days after the medication is stopped. However, SSRI withdrawal is a syndrome, and has been known to keep people abed for several weeks. There are a lot of support sites for SSRI withdrawal syndrome which probably would be beneficial to visit if you're experiencing severe symptoms.

Here is more input:

• LEXAPRO withdrawal is simply disastrous. Last year, I tried to taper off. Spent three months to taper off. As an anti-depressant, it worked great for my depression. I did not experiece some side effects like some people mention. When my husband and I have decided to try to have a baby, my OB/GYN told me to stop taking it so I tapered off. I had absolutely no withdrawal other than my depression's return. After a few months of being extremely depressed, dealing with my depression was far more important than having a baby, so I went back on LEXAPRO immediately. After being on six months, I had personal problems and started to have an anxiety attack which has not happened for many years. The doctor told me to switch from LEXAPRO to WELLBUTRIN. She said I don't need to taper off, because I wouldn't have withdrawal. WRONG!!!!! After two days without being on LEXAPRO. My brain was about to explode. Some people describe it as a brain freeze. To me, it was more like my brain has become SPONGE, which was squeezed every 5 seconds. This symptom happened later in the day for the first three days. Then started to happen in the afternoon on Day 4. Then it became almost every half hour on/after Day 5. I also experience occasional brain zap. I thought I had a memory loss. I couldn't even hear what my husband was just saying to me... I can hear my brain being squeezed or being in shock or shivering. However you call it, it is simply unbearable. According to some websites and advices I see, it's supposed to stop after a few weeks. I am not sure if I can handle this torment. I thought I would never say it but I'd rather be depressed than going through these LEXAPRO withdrawal. I also have vivid dreams and nightmares. Having hard time falling asleep because of brain shivering/squeezing. Medications are a terrifying thing. That little pill does all these mean tricks on your brain. I wish I could live anti-depressant free.

• IN MY EXPERIENCE I STOPPED TAKING LEXAPRO/10 MG DAILY ABOUT 3 WEEKS AGO AND THE WITHDRAW SYMPTOMS ARE STILL VERY MUCH THERE,SOME DAYS ARE WORSE THAN OTHERS.I WAS ON LEXAPRO FOR PPD FOR TH LAST 20 MONTHS I TAPERED OFF BY TAKING 5MG/DAILY FOR 2 WEEKS

• I just quit taking Lexapro about a week ago. I took 10 mg, then cut down to 5mg for about 5 days, then I took none. My brain feels like its going to explode and my eyes hurt. If noises are too loud, or I turn my head too fast, then my brain seems to jitter. I am crying more and cant concentrate and don't want to concentrate on anything. I have heard symptoms can last 3 months or more. I hope not.

• I was taking lexapro 10mg daily for approxamately 5 or 6 months and then starting taking lexapro 20mg for a month. I began noticing the amount of weight I was gaining and didn't like how it was making me feel. I tapered of of the drug slowly by cutting it down to 10mg for a week, then 5mg for a week and then stopped. I started to get extremely bad migrane and began feeling extremely dizzy, kind of like a zombie for the passed six days. I am still feeling the same, and my doctors refuse to acknowledge my symptoms. I hope this feeling goes away really soon, because I am finding hard to function.

• I was on Zoloft for 3 years, then lexapro recently for only three weeks. It made me very manic and I think pipolar. Was using it for Anxiety disorder, but it seemed to increase my symptoms. I tapered down to 2.5 mg for the last week then stopped. Had vertigo 2 days in and had to leave work.It's going on 6 days without lexapro and I'm still squirming. It have loud swishing in my ears and ringing. Vivid dreams, and it feels as if someone is shooting icewater into the back of my brain. Not comfortable at all. I also took a small dose of xanax a couple of times and that helped a bit. So,it's been 6 days and I still feel Ahhhhhhh!

• Lexapro? Withdrawal was nonexistent, for me. Well, no, I take that back; I ended up sweating a lot from about 2-3 days after I stopped it. But other than that, nothing.

• I just came off of Lexapro after being on it for 8 months. I was on 10mg the entire time and then when I decided to get off of it, under advisement of my nurse practicioner, I weaned off of it slowly. I did 2 weeks at every other day 10, every other day 5, then 2 weeks at just 5 a day, and then 10 days at 5 every other day and then that was it. I just finished that process a few days ago and ever since then have been extremely dizzy.

• I've been on Lexapro 20mg for about 7 months now. Decided to taper off/stop altogether due to the very obvious sexual side-effects this drug has. I consulted my psychiatrist about withdrawal symptoms, and told not to worry - there really aren't any. After going cold-turkey for about 3 days, I realized "bzzzzzz" ... not true .. the electrical "shock" sensations that I was receiving were a direct result of lack of this drug. It felt like a "reboot" every 5 seconds or so. I'd be walking down an aisle at a grocery store, turn my head to look at something, and wham....I'd get 3-4 sensations of "resetting" or "rebooting" .. very annoying and very disconcerting. Since then I've entered a taper-down program of my own creation...cutting doses by 1/2 every week. I am now down to 5mg or less, and experiencing very very strong symptoms minute by minute. I don't know how long this will last, but am encouraged by the fact that others say that this is all temporary. I have no complaints about Lexapro's ability to combat GAD, but I wanted to get off and see if I still needed it. UGHH! Be sure you need this drug (or any other SSRI) before getting on, and then getting off. The withdrawal symptoms so far have been extremely annoying at least, and debilitating at their worst. In fact, I have experienced the "reset" or electrical pulse sensation 9 times since writing this comment.. My best to all of you out there struggling with getting off!

• I followed the taper down approach and have been completely off lexaprox for approximately 3 weeks. I did not experience any "brain shivers" or dizziness throughout the gradual decrease, but did experience significant side affects beginning on the third day after I was completely off the drug. As I was not informed of the possibility of brain shivers (which would have been nice), I immediately referenced this website to hopefully discover that this was a common side affect (having your body and brain freeze up every 10 seconds if you're not expecting it can be a little scary). Upon reading the majority of responses, I was very pessimistic due to the rough experiences of other. Yes, brain shivers are very uncomfortable and yes, I did experience slight mood changes. But for anyone that is planning or currently experiencing withdrawal symptoms, I want to provide my positive experience and provide some encouragement to others that are/will go through the withdrawal symptoms. It has been three weeks since taking lexapro, and I'm happy to say that the dizziness and brain shivers are gone. Also, my energy and mood are great. I experienced increased self confidence after getting off lexapro, and the only regret I have is to not have quit the drug sooner. So for those of you who are planning or currently getting off lexapro, know that the withdrawal symptoms are nothing you can't handle in the short term and that they will eventually pass.

• I was on Lexapro for 6 months - 10 mg a day. I felt the need to go off of them, as I don't like to be on any prescription medication, and I did not like the sexual side affects this drug was giving me. I consulted my doctor and she told me how to wean off of them. I started taking 5 mg a day for 2 weeks, then took 5 mg every other day for 7 days until they were gone. I have been off of them for 7 days now. 2 days after I stopped taking them, I have been experiencing dizziness, and the tingling sensation/electric shock sensation in my face several times a day. It lasts for a second or two, and goes away. I have also experienced headaches, concentration difficulties, and sleep disturbance. I have read information on several websites and it looks like this could last up to 8 weeks, or longer. I wish I would've known about this BEFORE taking them, but was not informed.

• You are experiencing SSRI discontinuation syndrome. It can last 1-7 weeks according to my research however people's experience differs. Do not give up and keep trudging through. It is the toughest thing I have ever gone thru. Brain shivers, Insomnia, horrible vivid dreams, waves of nausea, headache, dry eyes, dizziness, zapping shock like feeling in my head and lips, sadness, feelings of unreality. Hang in there.

• I was on it for a little over a year. I tapered of my dose of 10mg a day to every other day for a week. Then down to 10mg every 3 days or so for two more weeks. It has been 5 weeks since I totally went off it, and the most noticable symptom I have is a twitch in my lip that wont go away. Also have some tingling on my face, arms and legs every now and then. This lip twitching is very frustrating. I have done a search on Tardive Dyskinesia and ssri withdrawal, and have found some disturbing stuff. The symptoms for orofacial dyskinesia which is a type of tardive dyskinsia match my syptom exactly. I hope the lip twitch goes away.

• I was on Lexapro for a little over a year, 20mg. I too did the gradual reduction. The first few days without I experienced the headaches, dizziness, nausea. I am starting the third week Lexapro free and I am depressed. I have no idea if this a sympton, but I hope it goes away.

• I have been Lexapro free for three weeks. I tapered off slowly as my doctor has prescibed. I feel like a nut and these triggers or gitters in the brain make me feel insecure. The medicine did combat GAD but hell to pay when coming off. I'm coming off to see if my weight gain is due to the medicine. I've been on 10 m for about 1.6 months. I just started noticing the weight gain over the last 8 months. Does it really make you gain weight? I've gained about 15 pounds, and that in itself is enough to make anyone depessed. Good luck to you all.

• I started to wean myself of Lexapro about 6 weeks ago. I had been on 10mg perday for more than two years. I gained about 30 lbs but felt great. Lowered anxiety and "smooth" moods. Nonetheless I felt I was ready to go off. On advice of my MD, I've gone very slowly. I cut dose in half at first to 5 mg's per day and went several weeks at that dose. Then I started increasing time between 5 mg doses - 25 hours for a few days, 26 hours for a few days, etc. It's a pain in the neck keeping track but my withdrawal symptoms have been very slight. I am now at 5 mgs every two days. I have started losing weight with very little adjustment to diet and excercise. I've had slight instances of brain shivers, but very slight and they go away shortly after next dose. I am now experiencing them only at the time I am supposed to take my next dose, so either I am imagining things or I am really getting used to the dose and frequency. I have had no depression, but anxiety is up. My work is stressful so that's part of it, but traffic and bad weather are not things I usually stress about. I am excercising a lot more and I am resuming yoga to help lose more weight and manage stress and anxiety. My sex drive is through the roof, for the first time in over two years. That too helps manage stress. All in all it is working really well for me and can for you if you go slow and steady. It can be done. Keep a journal and let your significant other(s) know what's up so they can support you.

• I was on 10mg Lexapro for about 18 months. For the last 2 months of my therapy period, I reduced the dose to 5mg / day. I went completely off Lexapro a week ago and have been pretty miserable the past 2 days with the bouts of dizziness, nausea and a general disconnect / "spaced out" feelings people are describing. I haven't felt like doing anything but sitting still or lying down because walking around increases the dizzy feeling. I haven't had the vivid dreams others have described (yet) but I have been zapped of energy and very moody with headaches that vary between dull strong aches to strong acute pain behind the eyes and forehead to the temple area. I'm glad this is a 3 day weekend rather than mid week or I'm not sure if I could handle working. I just hope this subsides on the quicker 2-3 week side that I hear some of you describe. I'm glad I researched tapering off of Lexapro or else I would have went cold turkey which I'm certain would have been much worse.

• I'm a 24-year-old woman who's been taking Lexapro for about a year. I started taking the med after experiencing severe panic attacks, a result from a tumultuous relationship and being away from family and friends. The lexapro worked great for my anxiety--before Lexapro, I tried Remeron, Buspar (practically a placebo), Prozac (extreme nausea), and in cases where none of these drugs worked, I took clonozepam, a valium-like drug. Lexapro worked wonders for me--I was back to my old, easygoing, laidback self. After stabilizing for quite a while and realizing that my psychiatrist and I didn't really have anything to talk about, I decided on my own to stop taking Lexapro. After all, I have no intention of taking Lexapro for the rest of my life. I've been off Lexapro off-and-on for a couple of months, but for the last few weeks, I've gone completely off it without tapering off. In the past, whenever the withdrawal effects came on, I took Lexapro just to get rid of the symptoms. The worst symptom I've been experiencing is brain freezes--it's like an electrical switch is attached to your brain and it turns on and off all throughout the day. As a result of these brain freezes, I'm kinda spacey, confused, unable to fully concentrate, and I experience a feeling of unreality--sometimes, I'd feel my pulse to make sure I'm alive and not in a dream. Also, unlike many other people, my appetite was suppressed while taking Lexapro. But now, I feel like I'm starving almost all the time. Nevertheless, I believe that these withdrawal effects are temporary, and I'm extremely grateful that Lexapro got me through a very tough time.

• Hopefully some good news, I have been on Lexapro 10/mg for 9months and it did wonders for my GAD. However I have put on some serious weight and figured it was time to get off the medication. I just stopped cold turkey and it has been almost a week and I have had no real noticable symptoms.

• I have been taking Lexapro for about 8 months and have been taking this for A.D.D. This drug helped me get more organized. Last week I stopped taking it on a Tues. the next day (Wed) I got flu like symptoms- my stomach was very upset, I had diarrhea, and I felt a neck pain along with this cold sensation in my brain. The next day (Thur) I started getting the cold brain sensation and neck pain even more and also developed this pressure in my head like a severe sinus infection. By Saturday I couldnt even get up. I had to lay on the couch all day. The most annoying symptom was the pressure and cold sensation. Saturday afternoon, after some thought about stopping the medicine, I came to the conclusion that I did not have the flu it was the medicine. I refilled the medicine (lexapro 10mg) and had my husband go to the pharmacy to get it around noon on (Sat). I took the lexapro shortly after and felt a (very slight break)from the syptoms. I must say that these syptoms would come on about 2 hours after I woke up everyday and lighten up toward the evening before bed. I took Tylenol PM to help me sleep. On (Sun) I had the same symtoms back again. (Mon) the same symptoms. Now on (Tues) my mother asked me to come out to where they were camping and I did not know if I could possibly make it out there. I decided that was it-I could not understand why I was back on the lexapro and syptoms would not go away. I called the doctor and told him that I did some research on these syptoms and some stated that zanax helps. They perscribed it (zanax .25 mg) and I took one in the afternoon on (Tues). After about 45 min it started to take effect. The cold sensation started to taper off and then the pressure started to lift. Later that day when I got home, I took another zanex and felt almost perfect about 99 percent better. On (Wed) morning I woke up and took my lexapro as I have been doing since (Sat) and felt just a tinge of the symptoms-nothing much. I was able to enjoy the day and felt (again) about 99 percent good. I didnt take a zanax the whole day to see if the lexapro had kicked back in and it had. So it took about four day total for the lexapro to work again and the symptoms to go away. My advise to help the symtoms would be to take a low dose of zanax .25mg and make yourself get up and move around. Research states that violent movies and lound music can trigger the syptoms and from personal experience they do. Heat works very well for the syptoms. Take a hot shower then sit outside in the heat for a while. Stay away from the computer, and I smoke and when I would have a cig the syptoms would get alot worse-refrain from smoking- Research also states to eat fruit (kiwi and bananas) and vegetables. I had been on the low carb diet for about 8 yrs. I stopped that diet during this and started to eat more fruit and that helped too. Just try to get up and do something like go outside. My parents are camping so I went out there and sat by the water and talked with my mother and took walks and floated in the water. Like I said heat helped. Now Thurs. I feel very good.

• I'e been in lexapro for 16months i started it with a 10mg, then tapered off to 5mg after a almost 14mos..now im finally over it, its been my 2nd week and what i feel is having the chill & having anticipated anxiety thinking my panick attack will go back since i dont have meds. But supplement helped me through this maybe you should try..im taking BEE POLLEN, CALCUIM_MAGNESIUM and B6 these are supplements to help me get over the withrawal symptoms and i can see its helping me...if these chill and anxiety will be my only symptom then i think i will be okay.

• I took lexapro for chest pain which my doctor said was caused by stress and anxiety. My wife thought I was too relaxed and destroyed about 130 20 mg tabs. She now wants to know why I am cranky? so far after 10 days I have headaches and the so called brain shakes.

• I was put on lexapro 10mg after the birth of my second child. I had been put on anti-dpressents before but this one was new because of the anti-anxiety component. I had no idea of any side effects and wish I did some research first. The side effects first started if I just forgot to take the pill in the morning. The dizziness and "brain zaps" were extremely dibilitating. I told my doctor about this but he told me on 3 occasions that there were no side effects and that I had an inner ear virus. Finally, I told him that i wanted to get off this drug. He told me to just reduce the pill by half and then stop. What a mistake!! The side effects were horrific. I had extreme dizziness, vertigo, brain zaps, my brain felt like it was moving inside my skull. I couldn't even move my eyes let alone my head! Again, the doctor told me there were no side effects. Well, I tried to get off these drugs 3 time with no avail. Finally I did some research on the web and found a website called "Label me Sane" (labelmesane.com) They recommended taking certain supplements to help with the side effects. Thank goodness for them! I have been weaning off lexepro with their help. It's all written for you in their book. I began in late June and it's now the end of August. I am down to 1/4 of the pill every other day with minimal side effects. I still have occasional dizziness and mild brain zaps but it's more tolerable. I expect to be lexapro free in less than a month. I will never take another drug until I do a lot of research!! This drug was totally not worth it.

• I have been taking lexapro (20 mg daily) for a year. My doctor and therapist agreed when I suggested trying to go off it. Both said that the "half life" was quite short, that halving the dose for a week, then stopping, should work. I've gotten great advice from both of them over the years and didn't think much about it. My wife has been reading the horror stories about lexapro withdrawal and keeps asking me how I feel. After 4 days at 10mg, I feel fine--nothing other than some additional perspiration. After reading some of the postings here, I'm wondering what I have to "look forward to." At least now I'm forewarned.

• I took Lexapro for 9 months and withdrew by taking half dose (5mg) for 10 days and timed it to be over a 3 day weekend when I then stopped completely. The 10 days that I was at half dose I felt like I had the flu...just did not feel well with some nausea. The only other symptom was some dizziness but not significant and it was short in duration. Since quitting I have felt great and I'm not in the mental trap that put me on the medication. Something I recommend during withdrawal and after for that matter is exercise, deep breathing and a knowledge of which foods increase and help process serotonin. Most of the withdrawal I beleive is related to change in serotonin from backing off the medication. These things I mentioned did help me feel better.

• I have been on 40 mg or Lexapro for a year 20 mg. for 3 years. I just dropped down to 20mg then I just stopped it and Seraquil this is the 3rd day. I was up all night zinging. tense muscles, off balance. Nausea, vomiting. But I can't tell if this is the withdrawl or just my other illness (fibromyalgia and migraines) kicking butt. I will ride it out.

• I have previously tried stopping Lexapro 10mg cold turkey. My withdrawal symptoms include severe sweating for first 2 days off drug; severe headaches as if I have a head injury (the worst head pain I've ever had in my life); dizziness; vivid dreams; anxiety; crying spells and anger. I got to Day 8 off Lexapro and was still having severe head pain. I became anxious about how much longer it would be before the head pain and other withdrawal symptoms would go away, so resumed 10mg. I am trying to quit cold turkey for a second time. This time, I will try to take Ativan as needed for anxiety and Excedrin Migraine. Resuming Lexapro doesn't help me any since the Lexapro itself gives me severe side effects such as profuse sweating, dizziness and headaches. I figure either way (on Lexapro or going through Lexapro withdrawal) I'm going to feel sick so I may as well go through the withdrawals since the Lexapro itself makes me so ill. I simply can't cope with the severe sweating I get across my entire body on Lexapro. It depresses me. My skin itches the entire day from all the sweating, I have acne on my face and body and can't style my hair since it is drenched in sweat. I can't wear makeup either the sweating is so bad. I will never again take a drug where sweating is listed as a common side effect. Being drenched in sweat the entire day is a horrible feeling.

• I was taking Lexapro 10 mg a day for about 4 months. A week ago I decided to go "cold turkey" and it has been one of the strangest weeks of my life. The first day after I went drug free I had one of the most debilitating headaches ever! I was completely dazed and lethargic all day. It was terrible. Since then, I have this bizarre dizziness/light headedness. It gets worse in the early evening for some reason. The dizziness is not severe to where I cannot walk but it is annoying because you are in this "limbo" stage of not feeling good enough to fully function normally but not feeling bad enough to not function. I don't know how long this will last but hopefully not for much longer! Because the withdrawal symptoms have been so unpleasant I will never take Lexapro again.

• You have social anxiety and general anxiety and thinking of taking Lexapro cause you have heard good things. Has anyone taken this for anxiety?
• I've had constant nausea since I've been off Lexapro for 6 weeks. How long will that last?
• Can lexapro be mixed with lunesta?