Celexa, a prescription drug used to treat depression, can cause various side effects, including nausea, somnolence, dry mouth, increased sweating, tremor, diarrhea, and ejaculation disorder. Nausea is a common side effect of citalopram, with about 20 of its patients reporting it. Other common side effects include dizziness, somnolence, dry mouth, increased sweating, tremor, diarrhea, and ejaculation disorder.
Nausea is a common side effect of citalopram, with about 20% of patients reporting it. It is important to inform your doctor if you or anyone in your family has ever had a heart condition. Both Celexa and benzodiazepines can affect the central nervous system, leading to drowsiness, clouded thinking, or dizziness. Combining these medications may increase the risk for heart-related side effects.
Taking 60 mg of Celexa may increase the risk for heart-related side effects such as dizziness and heart palpitations. Although not FDA-approved for bipolar depression treatment, it may be used off-label in some cases. Serotonin syndrome symptoms can include changes in blood pressure, dizziness, sweating, agitation, increased risk of bleeding, and dizziness or fainting.
Celexa can cause serotonin syndrome when taken alone or combined with other medications. Some people may experience dizziness, lightheadedness, falling or losing consciousness, and sexual problems. It is crucial to know how to react to this medication and seek immediate care if experiencing an irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, dizziness, or fainting while taking citalopram.
📹 5 Things You Should Be Told When Starting Medication for Anxiety and/or Depression | SSRI/SNRI
5 Things You Should Be Told When Starting Medication for Anxiety and/or Depression | SSRI/SNRI. When being prescribed …
Can citalopram cause neurological problems?
Ciclopram can cause tics, muscle spasms, dyskinesia, parkinsonism, and akathisia in elderly patients, often accompanied by anxiety. These symptoms can be managed with anti-anxiety drugs, beta-blockers, antiparkinsonian drugs, or alternative antidepressants. Hyponatremia, a severe sodium drop, can lead to a build-up of fluid in the body, causing a coma. Symptoms include nausea, headache, muscle pain, reduced appetite, confusion, tiredness, disorientation, agitation, psychosis, and seizures. If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction’s devastating side effects, Desert Hope, American Addiction Centers’ substance abuse rehab facility, can provide the necessary treatment.
What is the controversy with Celexa?
Celexa, a SSRI, has been the subject of numerous personal injury lawsuits due to its serious side effects. The plaintiffs argue that the manufacturer provided defective warnings about the risks of congenital disabilities and suicidal behavior, which could have prevented the injuries. Many patients have benefited from Celexa, but some have experienced severe complications. As a result, thousands of patients have filed lawsuits against the manufacturers. Additionally, under state wrongful death laws, immediate family members can sue the party responsible for their loved one’s death.
When do Celexa side effects go away?
The antidepressant Celexa has been associated with a range of transient adverse effects, including muscle weakness, vomiting, somnolence, dizziness, delayed ejaculation, xerostomia, and nausea. These symptoms may range in severity from mild to severe and may be bothersome to the patient. In the event that these adverse effects persist or become severe, it is advised that a medical professional, such as a physician or pharmacist, be consulted. These adverse effects are documented in the clinical trial reports for Celexa.
What does the beginning of serotonin syndrome feel like?
Serotonin is a naturally produced chemical that is essential for nerve cell and brain function. Overuse can cause symptoms ranging from mild to severe, including muscle rigidity, fever, and seizures. Severe serotonin syndrome can lead to death if untreated. It can occur when medication doses increase or when a new drug is taken. It is most common when combining serotonin-containing medications like migraine medication and antidepressants. Some illicit drugs and dietary supplements are also associated with serotonin syndrome. Milder forms may resolve within a day or two of stopping the causing medications.
What are the symptoms of too much citalopram?
Citalopram overdose symptoms include irregular heart rate, shivers, shakes, cramps, dilated pupils, confusion, increased sweating, fever, and seizures. Citalopram is an FDA-approved drug used to treat depression and belongs to the SSRIs group, which manage serotonin levels. If abused, it can lead to overdose. Zinnia Health offers a tailored approach to substance abuse or misuse, focusing on education and providing clients with all the information they need. They offer a 24/7 helpline at 430-9439 for more information. Zinnia Health provides a holistic approach to substance abuse and misuse, aiming to help individuals rebuild their lives.
Can citalopram affect your balance?
If you experience chest pain, pressure, shortness of breath, a fit or seizure, dizziness, painful erections lasting over 2 hours, heavy bleeding, thoughts of harming yourself, headaches, memory problems, weakness, seizures, fits, or balance loss, these are signs of low sodium levels. It is advised not to drive to A and E, but to ask someone to drive or call 999 for an ambulance. In rare cases, citalopram can cause a serious allergic reaction, such as anaphylaxis, which can occur in rare cases. It is crucial to seek medical attention if you experience these symptoms.
Is it normal to feel dizzy on antidepressants?
Dizziness is more common with tricyclic antidepressants and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) due to their potential to cause low blood pressure. To manage this, it is recommended to rise slowly from sitting to standing, use sturdy support, avoid driving or operating machinery, avoid caffeine, tobacco, and alcohol, drink plenty of fluids, and take your antidepressant at bedtime if approved by your doctor. Agitation, restlessness, and anxiety can result from the stimulating effect of certain antidepressants.
To manage these symptoms, regular exercise, deep-breathing exercises, muscle relaxation, or yoga can be beneficial. Consult your doctor about temporarily taking a relaxing medication or switching to a less stimulating antidepressant.
What are the ocular side effects of Celexa?
Celexa, a pharmaceutical agent, has been associated with ocular complications, including blurred vision, difficulty reading, ocular discomfort, and conjunctivitis. Additionally, it has been observed to expand the diameter of the eye’s pupil, induce photophobia, double vision, and anomalous lacrimation.
Can Celexa cause dizziness?
If you experience any changes in your heart rhythm, such as dizziness, faintness, or irregular heartbeats, consult your doctor immediately. It’s crucial to inform your doctor about any family history of heart rhythm issues. If you suddenly stop taking this medication, consult your doctor first. Gradually reducing the dosage may help reduce withdrawal symptoms, such as agitation, breathing problems, chest pain, confusion, diarrhea, dizziness, fast heartbeat, headache, increased sweating, muscle pain, nausea, restlessness, sleep trouble, trembling, unusual tiredness, vision changes, or vomiting. Additionally, this medication may increase your risk of bleeding problems, so inform your doctor if you are taking other blood-thinning medications like aspirin, NSAIDs, or warfarin.
What should you avoid on Celexa?
Ciclopram is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) used to treat depression. It works by increasing serotonin levels in the brain, which affects mood, emotion, and sleep. It may take a week or two before citalopram starts working on symptoms, but typically takes 4 to 6 weeks to feel full benefits. This is because the body takes around a week to build up citalopram levels and a few weeks longer to adapt to it. It is important to note that taking citalopram with other substances can be dangerous.
What is the biggest side effect of Celexa?
Celexa, a medication, has been linked to serious side effects in rare cases, including suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children and young adults, withdrawal symptoms if suddenly stopped taking the drug, bruising or bleeding more easily than usual, atypical heart rhythms, hypomania or mania, low sodium levels in the blood, seizures, serotonin syndrome, and allergic reactions. This is the most serious warning from the FDA. The drug has a boxed warning for this side effect, which was not reported in studies but was reported after the drug became available for use.
An allergic reaction is also possible after taking Celexa. If you develop serious side effects while taking Celexa, call your doctor immediately. If the side effects seem life-threatening or if you believe you’re having a medical emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number.
📹 The HORRIBLE post-withdrawal effects of Lexapro
Some people can experience post-withdrawal symptoms of Lexapro (Escitalopram, Cipralexa). Apparently, i am one of them.
I could remember several years ago after divorce with my wife which brought me into my disastrous journey on Alcohol and cigarettes. I suffered severe depression and mental disorder. Got diagnosed with cptsd. Not until a friend recommended me to psilocybin mushrooms treatment. Psilocybin treatment saved my life honestly. 8 years totally clean. Much respect to mother nature the great magic shrooms.
There is a small portion of people who will respond quickly to SSRIs according to the psychiatrist who prescribed Celexa to me. I felt better in 3 days on a low dose of 5 mg. That was all I needed. By starting at a low dose, I avoided the anxiety stuff. I never needed to increase the dose. I did gain 30 lbs. so watch what you eat!
Im one week into paxil and my anxiety jumped 10 fold… I tell myself its side effects im fine i got to push through and it will get better. I have all the classic anxiety symptoms that are 10 fold right now but I know after the strom passes ill see my sunshine through… YOU all can do this stay strong, do it for yourself and your loved ones..
I’ve been having anxiety and panic attacks for about a year and a half now, I went to the doctor last week and she gave me sertraline, I had never gotten any medication for it until now, I had a therapist for awhile and I noticed while I was under her care my panic attacks were greatly reduced, I had finished my sessions with her and got certificate for completing the therapy and I have noticed since our sessions have stopped my anxiety and panic attacks are coming back and are more frequent, like every single day I have a panic attack. The doctor also referred me to a therapist and I spoke with her yesterday she seems like a nice lady so I’m hoping that will help. I picked up the medication but I have yet to take it, I’m very afraid to take it. I just feel like medication is not going to solve my problem and may make it worse. I don’t want to be on antidepressants I just want my anxiety to go away, I am not depressed, I’m pretty content with my life good changes are happening for me at the moment I’ve come a long way, my problem is I just can’t shake this anxiety.
I suggest taking a genetic test before taking an SSRI. For me, SSRI’s would make me unbelievably agitated/aggressive and depressed, as well as cause chronic diarrhea and weird wavy/electrical sensations up and down my entire back which caused me to want to just lie down all day. After trying 4 or 5 different SSRI’s and a new doctor, she decided to do a genetic test which revealed all SSRI’s are completely off the table for me. Makes it a little bit more difficult to treat panic and anxiety, but we could have skipped the hellish side effects part of experimenting with SSRI’s.
What they should tell you is the truth. Which is that we don’t know much of anything. Anti depressants is essentially giving to people whos “car; read brain” won’t start. So we just start pouring gasoline over a car with the tank lit open hoping some of it falls in and the car starts again. That about as much as we know. Obviously it’s gonna smell and damage plastic parts, just the side effects.
I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression many years ago, but a year ago I was diagnosed with RA. I’ve been experiencing a lot of pain associated with the RA, and it really is debilitating. So, my rheumatologist prescribed Cymbalta to help with the aches and pains, so I can be more physically active, which will in turn, make my quality of life at least a bit more normal and pain-free. I started taking Cymbalta Friday (March 10, 2023). At first, I thought, “I should be just fine. I’ll probably sleep better on it.” That first night, I had a really hard time not only falling asleep but staying asleep. Took it the next day, and it made me feel nauseous, and kind of moody. Took it Sunday (today), and again felt sick to my stomach and had a really deep sense of depression, but not quite depression. I hope if I take it earlier in the day, I can get over feeling nausea within a few hours, so I don’t spend all day, every day feeling sick. So far, I haven’t experienced a lot of aches and pains, so at least it’s already helping with that; I just really hope the difficulty with sleep and nausea go away quickly.
Had to stop taking celexa. I lost my appetite. It shot my anxiety through the roof. Made my depression worse. I was constantly extremely nervous. That would make me throw up. Or make me feel like I wanted too. At random times. I also had massive diarrhea. I had to stop. I was losing weight and had no hunger. I almost made it three weeks
i started medication at an extremely late point of my mental illness where i’m not really aware of my feelings or body functions anymore cuz as a guy i just gotta man up through it and cope with all my pains silently and not see a doctor like that.. so i don’t even know if i’m experiencing any side effects but i feel a huge difference first week in and i couldn’t care less for sexual dysfunction since i’ve never and will never had a partner i’m just willing to pay the full price rather than take my life
I stopped taking Prozac cold turkey, a few years later(yesterday), I had my very first anxiety attack. I’m on hydroxyzine and Sertraline now, it hit me like a ton of bricks. But at least things that bother me roll off now. I grew up being taught to “be a man and handle your 💩.” Well my 💩 handled me and now I’m here.
I’m currently changing from Effexor to lexapro rn and I’ve been feeling pretty anxious but also my thoughts I feel like have slowed down a bit since tapering off of Effexor. I do however feel like very out of it from time to time and find it hard to be present. It feels sometimes like I’m in a space physically but my mind is somewhere else and then I start to worry about that feeling. I’ve also been feeling confusion, dizziness and what feels like tunnel vision when anxiety is high. Has anyone else experienced this? . It’s such a scary process changing meds and I’m just trying to make sure I’m not going crazy😞
I have generalized anxiety and it is basically ALL day and night sometimes. I have tried many other things but I have been taking Effexor for almost a week now and I am praying and hoping this medication will act as a good tool for me and really help me feel more at ease. Thank you for posting this article 🙏
Thank you for this article. I couldn’t explain why i was feeling the way i was feeling after i took the anti anxiety medicine for first time and was feeling suicidal and i explained my doctor she said its rare and atypical. I am glad that i now know that these medications initially worsens anxiety and after a while it goes away
i was taking sertraline aka zoloft generic name,, for maybe a month or close to a month……… and twice, i had suicidal thoughts and i am full grown overage adult ……. i went from 100mg to 50mg, then i cut it down to 25mg for a day or so, then i went off it……… so i been officially off it for one day started yesterday……………………. because i refuse to have those types of thoughts
Yikes I thought medication would be the only thing to save my job. If I have to go through the beginning stages of side effects and worsened anxiety, no way I’ll definitely not make it. The hardest part is not having money and the anxiety affecting work performance yet you need money for therapy and treatment.
I was diagnosed with GAD. I used to watch porn a lot. I easily get aroused by my boyfriend. But after taking it for 2 weeks, my mind dont even care about porn anymore. And my relationship with my bf is getting healthier. Before this, my mind was like a sprouting tree and keep worry about disaster. But now i feel more relax and whenever i was thinking about something, it just stop right there. Oh yeah i got diarrhea for first 3 days. It is not bad actually.
I took an anti depressant for the first time yesterday and I am hesitant to continue.. I’m worried about the side effects, plus I felt sedated with very low energy when I took the first one. I don’t know what to do, as my doctor will call me in 2 weeks time for a check up. It made me have such low energy and concentration levels
I asked about an anxiety med to help me not be scared to find a new job but if I find a nw job in the next 6-8 weeks, i would be taken off the meds anyway for up to 3 months while I wait for insurance to kick in. Also, my dr had me try phentermine to help with my post pardum weight, which was working great, but like i told her i asked for something to help with the moodiness of the phentermine, but as she says you cant take the both of them together which doesn’t help me. So now, my 4th day on the zoloft, and its been wonky one day had me upbeat, next day was tired as crap & like no patience. I am just concerned that since i work with the public if I am tired all the time & cranky at my customers i could get talked to. The phentermine gave me the enerfy boost i needed to stay upbeat with all the mechanics i work with so I am torn between which one I would rather do since I cant take both.
I’m 2 weeks in on Zoloft and feel awful but I’m sticking with it but I have a question that isn’t mentioned much. I have chronic dry eye and Zoloft has made it so much worse. I do use my drops the eye dr gave me but they don’t seem to be working. Will this side effect go away with time. I’m tired of squinting and the sunlight just hurts my eyes even with sunglasses. Thankyou so much.
Great advice, from someone who is on Lexapro. Doctors should be telling people all of this, my doctor only mentioned possible loss of libido or stomach upset. The medication works great but these things are kinda essential to know. You can’t just start and stop the medication willy nilly. Also therapy should also be recommended by doctors alongside medication. Some people might do well for just therapy on its own.
I took Zoloft i had horrible experience I only lasted taking the pill for two days but felt the side effects for a couple of days. I only slept for 3 hours max for a couple of days shivering 24/7 and chest pain from my chest shivering, jaw lock at nights with severe teeth pain from when I would sleep I would press on my lower teeth to upper teeth without knowing. It was to much, hopefully a different SSRI won’t cause me anything close to that.
Can someone give me advise. I told this to my dr but she wants me to stay on it. Im doing 20 miligrams of fluoxetine. First 3 days of starting my mood changed immediately. I felt happy and balanced like nothing could get me down. Through the 3 days I could not sleep, it didn’t matter what supliments I used. 4th day came and I had a out of the blue anxiety attack, my appetite has been affected, headache, and nausea. It was all so bad I just decided to stop because I don’t think this is worth it for me or feel at peace with this. I read it’s ok to stop within 4 to 5 days in from starting. What do you all think? I told my dr and suggested maybe a lower dosage but she said no and wants to stay at 20. Really confused but am set on just quitting it because the side affects are just to much for me.
im wondering if a bad experience or traumatic situation has caused my anxiety does medicine help with that, bc im not taking meds or going to any therapy for it and it hasnt went away it started 10 years ago and now im told i have a heart condition 9WONT GO INTO DETAILS ON HERT) possibly caused by psychological stress,
i got put on SSRI. its my first time being on any type of medication. I felt so unwell with it, was in bed for 20 hours straight. i couldnt take a second tablet with how bad i felt. i had so many side effects. scared to try a different brand to be honest. but its making me want to get over my anxiety without meds because of how bad it made me feel when taking it
I started last night, on ecitolapram or lexipro, and curious I was in emergency with panic attack few days ago chest x-ray heart,bloods clear I wanted brain scan still paranoid that something wrong, the nurse said my bloods were low phosphate phosperous a lil, my question is could this cause or be effect from panic, and last night my symptoms were mild blurry vision, a small cold feeling but no chills, and sweating is it normal, I feel like I’m hyperventilating sensation without hyperventilating if you get me without heart fast, I’m wondering what’s not to worry about side effects I only started sweating today and feel out of sync breathing aware concious
Hi. I’ve started Escitalopram 10mg yeaterday morning at around 7am for the first time for my anxiety and I feit okay, but around say 4am this morning ( day 2 ) I woke up with a mild headache and my body started experiencing like hot flushes and burning sking sensation with quite a bit of irritation with pins n needles in my hands and feet and I also felt somewhat more anxious I think which had been caused due to the irritability. But it subsided after say like an hour and a half. I’ve just taken my 2nd dose but I’ll be honest I’m scared…
I don’t know if you will answer but can I split a Prozac 20mg into 5mg or 10mg the place I got the medicine was free and they have bad customer service… don’t want to get into it but they aren’t answering.. I have no other choice due to no job car money… it’s affecting my sleep which affects me finding work.. I feel high as hell manic not hungry irregular heart beat Also thanks for the article nice to know to taper I have quit cold turkey so many times 😂
You will never want to wake up in the morning. I’m an extreme morning person, used to wake up at 3:30am before my alarm. Now, I had to shift my whole schedule because I can’t seem to get out of bed. I’m not the only one why does nobody talk about this? My doctor said the time I take it won’t make a difference because the levels in my blood are constant once you’re adjusted to it.
The body is obviously saying “no.” Why would anyone prescribe this to people already struggling with anxiety and thoughts of self harm? Another thing they don’t tell you is that the body builds a tolerance to it and they give you a higher and higher dose which can make it nearly impossible for people to eventually taper off. I have seen people get serotonin syndrome where their limbs were flailing uncontrollably while they were in so much physical pain all because of taking SSRIs for years. I don’t get how everyone just accepts this as the go to treatment when there are so many other options now and it’s obviously so incompatible with the body. The other options need to be made available to everyone. I imagine pharmaceutical companies have a big influence on that.
I was withdrawn from relationship betrayal. Not depressed but trying to adjust. Was given wellbutrin and. No long story but im petrified that medication that have so many bad side effects are given out like candy. Be careful just because your doctor recommends it do some research. There not meant to be taken long term and the side effects well nevertheless be careful
please i told my doctor i feel anxious after taking weed and get scared a lot of the smoke smell he gave me antidepressants for the anxiety the first night i took the pill, my heart woke me up, it started racing to the point of passing out i was sleeping beside my mom and managed to tap her that my heart was beating too fast, she told me to lie back on the bed and so i continued breathing slowly… after that, i didn’t take the pill anymore this was the first time i ever took antidepressants i explained to the doctor a day later and he said i have to continue taking it please tell me how i’m supposed to continue taking it if it woke me up feeling like my heart was overloaded PLEASE HELP
.29 When you say this medicine is going to take a while to work . .. instead of feeling better, you will probably feel worse – you will start to have symptoms which are actually signs of your body dealing with neurotoxicity, and then your body will adjust to that poison in way that are ultimately detrimental to your physiology due to it being flooded by an overdose of synthetic chemicals that might help you feel numb, but will generally destroy any vitality you may have had.
So ive been instantly feeling like crap in the morning since i took sertraline or zoloft. I would describe it is as low motivation and lack of brain power to accept information. Though if i do stuff i casually enjoy like listening to music or get into a game, my brain would actually feel normal again. So i was wondering if im disrupting what the meds are supposed to do with my coping mechanisms and should i just let the effects play out.
I started lexapro 6 days ago and am struggling so bad. Mixed with the loss of a friend and my moms health not being great I am in panic and anxiety attacks 24/7. I am ok X to help with the symptoms but it’s not doing a ton and I am terrified I am going to become dependent. Please tell me there is a light at the end of the tunnel 😢 I’m struggling
“things the doctor should have told you . . . but they might have run out of time” It is inexcusable not to make the time to fully inform a person of all the relevant information before facilitating the ingestion of neurotoxins. And no doctor should prescribe SSRIS who isn’t also proficient at assisting the patients to wean off the medication, and understanding the dangers associated with sudden cessation of a drug that has completely distorted the bodies homeostatic neurology such that it is akin to permanent of persisting damage.
I’m on day 3 with 25mg and experiencing the headache. Bad headache yesterday and seems to not want to go away. I took Tylenol and it went away for a bit but came back. My Psychiatrist wanted me on day four on 50mg but I told her my symptoms and she suggested I stay on 25mg for a couple more days then stop if the headache doesn’t go away. But I know it’s a common side effect. I don’t want to give up on this medicine. After taking buspirone and it failed my body I feel I need to try this. Unless I get insomnia and restlessness bad like I did with buspirone then I will stop. I am just frustrated
Lexapro on day 5. I already feel a a difference, enough to call it night and day between on and without medication. Real side effects from a real user by day 5. -hard erections/better sexual performance, however delayed orgasm (I last up to one hour now) (day3) -signs of constipation but got better from (day 2 to day 4) -difficult to sleep (no depressing thoughts though while not being able to sleep), it’s as if I am up and can’t sleep because I feel happier -wake up tired (probably because my orgasms now are alot stronger. Which impacts muscle. I’m not complaining. How do I feel better? Like what do I mean? -I was never a morning person, ever. As a district manager, it’s tough. Mornings are crucial. Even though I wake up slightly tired I am motivated, and I don’t think that my day will be pointless, and I feel optimistic -normal work stressors are not affecting me like they normally do. I stress however my stress no longer is long…I stress over the issue but I do not dwell on it. I try to attack the problem and am hopeful of a solution (basically, I am not obsessively thinking about the bad but focusing more on the good) -I actually smile while walking and longer look mean or unapproachable -I actually took a walk to go grab food, if it wasn’t hiking I hate walking in public. -I was able to be around a large crowd -most important change is really optimism and I in general overall feel good. I’m happy. 6 years of depression I was so scared of taking medication… biggest mistake.
Sounds like too much of a disruption to make it worth taking them. You have to ask the patient if this is something they can realistically comply with. In my case, a queer young psychiatrist no challantly gave me Lexapro, I ended up skipping doses and getting so angry and agitated from it that I lost my job, housing, ruined my reputation, and have a reduced sex drive reduced sexual energy for three years afterward with similar agitation and anger. It made my autism presentation worse too. Mind you, it does seem to have changed my depression maybe even eliminated it in some ways, but really I think it was the biggest mistake in my life. The only upside is that after I got myself fired I bought a house in 2020, which I would not have gotten around doing otherwise.
You tell people at the end of the article, not to stop suddenly. “you’ll feel like you’re having a stroke” (!!!) (yeah, and you might actually have one if you’re stopping a benzodiazepine) – but what do you do when they come to you and want to withdraw from the medication? What advise do you give then? Do you promolgate the myth that seems to be endorsed by an arrogant, ignorant medical model that fit tapers into 28 day insurance-covered rehab clinics and basically just swaps one drug for another? Or do you tell the truth? These drugs will have so deranged your neurology that your body will need to recover itself in ways that are going to take significant time. E.g. a safe, suggested taper for 20mg of Citalopram might be to reduce dose by 10% for 1 month (decrease by 2mg to take 18 mg for Month 1) then again for a further month (monitoring ‘withdrawal’ symptoms and obtaining stability, which would be down to 10% of 18mgs which is decrease of 1.8mg down to 16.2mgs for the second month; and thereafter continue to decrease the current amount by 10% every four weeks e.g. Month 1:18mg, Month 2 – 16.2mg. What level of care do you provide to the people you put on these drugs when they desire to come off them? Do you stick with them for the years it can take for them to safely taper off them? And what level of compassion and empathy do you show to support them through the horror of their brain’s disrupted neurology that leads to ‘symptoms’ far worse than the condition for which they were originally medicated?
Lexapro gave me life again after being bed bound with anxiety for a month. Non relenting anxiety. Panic symptoms 24/7. Fast forward 2 years and my life is much less stressful. I decided to quit Lexapro (10 mg) cold turkey. I had gained A LOT of weight over the two years and just felt nothing. Wanted to sleep all the time, didn’t care much about anything really. I quit cold turkey over a month ago and had NO withdrawal symptoms! It feels great to feel again. It feels great to care about my life again.
I’ve been on lexapro (20mg) for about 2 years. I’m currently in the process of weaning myself off of it. The last time I tried weaning myself off of it I went literally crazy to the point where I blacked out and I cried and cried for hours for zero reason at all and I had HORRIBLE panic attacks only after a few days. It’s been about three weeks now and it’s much better this time around thank God. I’m still having some mood swings and the occasional “brain zaps” but I’m hopeful I’ll get through it. Great article btw ❤️
i’ve been taking lexapro for 9 months straight now, and i ran out of my prescription 3 days ago and haven’t been able to refill it yet. I almost ended up going to the emergency room because i literally felt like i was dying. I couldn’t even move without throwing up, i was having an AWFUL headache and chills, and within seconds i kept switching from violently sweating, to shivering. I literally would do anything to never have to feel this way ever again.
I been on 20mg of lexapro for about 10 years and I’ve experienced all your symptoms trying to get off of it. I’ve tried 6 times to get off the drug. One time for as long as 4 months. Hopelessness is the key word for me. I could only sleep 2 to 3 hours a night . And wake up wide awake in the middle of the night. Obsessive negative thoughts. I wouldn’t wish the depression I felt on my worse enemy. They should do a class action law suit for this drug!
I realised that the depression I was hoping to treat was just me wandering around the shallow end of the sadness pool without a reliable frame of reference…..4 years of lexapro and 4 months of withdrawl later with its terrifying aggression and homicidal rage mixed with UNIMAGINABLE despair and I’m really starting to feel better. Having now seen what a truly depressed person goes through and the toll it takes I’ll take the natural sadness, that at one time seemed terrible, 100% of the time going forward. This “medication” is true evil as we don’t even know how it works, yet family docs are handing it out like skittles to keep their waiting rooms clear of people who are simply sad because the way we live in the west is super unhealthy on 40 levels. As if a pill can change the mess were in lol. I was such a fool. Run to a therapist for help and avoid learning about the nature of hell untill you get there the old fashioned way. AvOID!!!! (But still adtrss the problem in other ways) Save your silver bullets for killing vampires.
I stopped cold turkey and experienced pure rage, argued with everyone and no one could reach me. I had violent/homicidal thoughts too, wasnt sleeping, and drank and smoked weed every day for about 2 months just to cope. Ruined my marriage and messed up an already strained relationship with my only sibling 😢 I wish I would have reached out for help instead of stopping but I was so frustrated and lost at the time.
I’ve been weaning off 20mg in 5mg increments for the past month and a half. Currently a week into the last phase (5mg). Withdrawal has hit like a ton of bricks. Very irritable, anxious, not sleeping, crazy mood swings, and a migraine level headache. Nothing I can do right now. I’m encouraged that others know what I’m going through by reading these comments. It’s an invisible illness that people judge harshly when they see the adverse social effects of withdrawal (like me losing it on someone). I’m reluctant to tell everyone I have a skiff with, but I also don’t want to lose friends. Anyway, this drug sucks. I’ve found it awful coming off it so far. But, under all the noise, I know I’m now mentally healthy and can push through…as hard as that is.
Two years ago I quit taking it, I actually gradually went off of it throughout a month. Flu like symptoms and random crying in public which weirds people out of you’re a dude. this was the withdrawal, AFTER the withdrawal….. HOLY FUK, as soon as I woke up every morning, I didn’t want to be alive. Nothing sounds fun, the feeling of dread is unimaginable. I wrote about the feeling, it was like I was in the middle of the ocean swimming but knew I would eventually drown. The scariest part was not knowing if these feelings would ever go away. I was driving Uber at the time and couldn’t drive much because I would have to be on the phone almost constantly with a family member or someone that I was close to. It’s like you are just reaching out for anything or anyone. I lost about 20 pounds in a month. I had to force myself to eat half a sandwich for lunch, it had no taste but I would get a little mood boost and then I could finish the other half at dinner. I felt so much better at night, I would feel almost normal, then again the next morning, a crippling dread and depression. I was like a child that needed his hand held to go outside. I went back on it after that month of terror, I didn’t see an end in sight.
antidepresant was my life saver, before i was taking it. i attempted 3 suicides and those nega thoughts just keep repeating everyday, so i decided to give it a try and after 6montha of taking it. the world is just so beautiful im back to life. i dont inderstand y people want to quit when its working and helping them recover from suicidal thoughts and attempts
I’m on YouTube trying to look for answers, i’ve had anxiety for four days in a row I know big deal four days but I can’t stand it. I’ve never really had this kind of anxiety before. But hearing what you have to say I’m going to hit the gym tomorrow and see if I can work through this. Ive also had a bad break up and it sucks being alone. You are beautiful and I hope you can find someone that treats you like a queen.
Thanks for gathering your courage to do this article. I need to be reminded that these symptoms are normal and that it’s NOT ME. I was on Lexapro 10mg => 5mg for 14½ years. Recently, a friend who is a physician suggested I stop taking it. I took his advice but I may have weaned off it a little too quickly. It’s been 2 weeks and, even though it is getting better and the Brain Zaps are less severe than at the start, I’m still having crazy mood swings, mostly anger – agitation – and then sudden crying… I mean bawling! … for 5 – 10 minutes at a time. I also sometimes have depression and think I may need to commit suicide… but that thought passes pretty quickly. Fortunately, I have not had any panic attacks since I stopped taking it. It was the panic attacks in 2007 that convinced me I needed to take this drug. Once I get over these withdrawal symptoms I hope to never have to take anything for depression/panic ever again. The “back-end” price is too high.
around the time I stopped i was offered two different jobs and it seemed like a life or death situation in my head. it still does, which is why im here. im fucking TERRIFIED. i almost went to the hospital. the thoughts that go through my head are horrific. i mean i always had dark thoughts but not like this. im scared of everything. i dont want to have to try at life. i dont want to work under the 1% while i slave away- id rather be dead. although.. i stopped lexapro over a month ago and only these past 2 weeks have been out of control, so im not sure if it was just a delayed effect or if I really do need medical help still. i have a job interview soon for an old job i had and cannot stop crying about how miserable i was there (but i really wasnt). covid destroyed my career and all this at once makes me really want to die. just knowijg im not alone is helpful. thank you
Fuck these meds. I was on 10 mg and then to 5mg after a month, and then after another month to 2.5. And after a week of stopping completely, i starting getting bad brain zaps and insomnia. I had to start on 2.5 again. From now on I’ll start 2.5 every other day, and then every 3 days, and then after that I’ll stop. Even for me, going from a measly 2.5 mg to none was enough to cause severe withdraw. These meds are over prescribed. For people with very severe depression and anxiety they can be a relief, but for normal people they are definitely not worth it.
I was taking 20mg of Lexapro for about a year and a half (little less). I went down to 10mg for a few weeks and then weaned off. It’s been about two weeks and I feel AWFUL. Disoriented and dizzy all the time, nauseas, irritable. I feel insane. Does this ever go away??? I just started taking 5HTP, Krill Oil, and magnesium to hopefully help.
Been on Sertraline for 20 years, eventually getting into the maximum 200mg dosage. I just stopped taking them about 2 months ago and fck me its been a rollercoaster ride. first 3 weeks were surprisingly easy to cope with, then the next 3 weeks i couldn’e keep food or drink down, the next 3 weeks after that when i could eat and drink i would just break down crying almost everyday, just felt broken. The following 3 weeks up to where i am now is that my body is aching all over, i get emotional and upset and the anxiety comes back now and again. would i go back to drugs? haha no fkcin way because they do not help! they just turn you into a fckin zombie with no real joy, no sex drive, no real love or hate for anything. Now i feel like shit but i feel like human being, yes i feel sad, yes i feel anxious, yes i get stressed and i can breakdown, but thats being a human being.
I really appreciate this article! I thought I was turning crazy and had panic attacks like every hour and this made me realize that I just have to give my brain enough time to recover (I took the last pill 5 weeks ago and still have post-withdrawal effects) so I’m really grateful that you spoke about your experiences you helped me tremendously
I’m withdrawing now, spent a month tapering and have now had a raging headache for 2 weeks. Seriously I want to just smash my f**king head open with a sledgehammer and let the pain out. I had the brain zaps and a lot of fatigue and the nausea but the non-stop headache is the worst for me. I can sometimes barely think. I will never go on any other psychiatric medicine again after this. It’s so bad that I’d rather just go head to head with the depression and take my chances.
I’ve been taking 20mg of lexapro for 11 years now and I’m finally weaning off due to realizing it was making me numb the entire time and stole many years of my life regarding emotions and mental health. I stopped taking it completely a few days ago and my god the withdrawal symptoms are absolutely terrible… I just want it to stop…
I was on this drug for 1 year it has been hell i had 8 overdoses and nearly died on last one. I was never suicidal before! When the nurse didnt bring my meds for 2 days i was ok but on 3rd day she brought them and within an hour i had constant thoughts of overdosing in woods all day and night. I knew then it was these drugs and i binned them and went cold turkey. No suicidal thoughts since. Its been two weeks and ive got bad insomnia and find it hard to eat and feel physically unwell but im alive! I think ive had a lucky escape.
key is if u want to stop. do it very gradualy, taper down so slow. im on paroxetine 30mg daily. now im down to 10mg daily totally fine bit when i tried 10mg every other day after 3weeks i felt some weird sensation and my sleep was afected a bit so i decided to go back to 10mg daily now everything is fine. the point is feel your bodys reaction while tapering down. u can always go back tapering down again n again if your ready. just never quit COLD TURKEY cause definitely your gona stay in the mental hospital
I was on escitalopram for 3.5 years,I was first on 10 mg then reduced to 5 mg then I quit it in December 2017 cold turkey….. I did not have any issues, I was just more arrogant…. Then in Feb I had a Break up and things just changed from there….I started vomiting, sleep troubles,loss of appetite, sweaty hands, major anxiety…. Now I feel like the world is moving ahead and m left alone….Wt should I do m really worried
I just use benzos I’ve been through the withdrawal and for me the benefits outweigh the risks Yes I may overdose accidentally or something but Jesus when I came off fluxtotine which I was only on for 2 weeks made me a completely different person They were absolutely horrible I was allergic to them, I became more depressed, I became suicidal, I wanted to hurt others and not myself all of a sudden, I was terrible to people, kept getting horrible thoughts against everyone I was near or with At the time I was also on benzos which I used for the side effects of the ssri During the time I didn’t experience any ‘getting on’ symptoms So I came off them first and got loads of withdrawl effects was horrendous Never again I’m now taking lamotrogine twice a day and they seem to have lifted the depression and most of the horrible thoughts.
Weaning off Lexapro now. Had a bad experience off something else. What helped me with brain zaps and tremors I was having was Fish oil -open the capsule and add drops to drink 2-3 times a day, vitamin D3 gummies or caps and American skullcap at night a 5 or 6 drops at night. Also, multi vitamin with b complex. If not eating boost or some time of drinkable nutrition drink. Also taking Lion’s mane capsule/powder to help regrow the nerves that may be hurt by all this. Its supposed to help heal nerves. Benadryl for sleep. This helped me with horrible brain zaps and stomach issues connecting to the zaps. I am now almost off Lexapro while having withdrawal from other. Not looking forward to the new possible effects coming. But I hope these help me through it. I also have been trying rescue remedy for panic attacks. The spray. It seems to help short term. I wanted to share this as I found all this information on articles and web and it helped me sleep. Focus on something other than being sick. It consumed me until I forced myself to focus on anything else. Insomnia, tremors, convulsions, brain zaps and much more. All going away . Some good days some bad. Have faith. Take care.
I was forced into withdrawing from the Lexapro because I was thrown in jail. The charges were bogus but nevertheless I ended up spending five days in jail without my medication and I about went insane. I threw myself to the floor and acted like I was dying. I was doing this in order to be put into the hospital so I could get the medication that I needed that they kept him promising I was going to be getting. I was locked up in a room with metal beds in it and got myself so worked up that I got on top of the metal bed slamming my feet as hard as I can down and making as much noise as possible. I kept screaming I need my medication I need my medication but they withheld from me and they never did give it to me. After four days they said you can go and they dropped me outside the jail and said basically good luck You have no charges against you. They took my guns and I still haven’t retrieved those back from them because I was so badly depressed At that point I was on the Lexapro and very easily manipulated and coerced into doing things that I normally wouldn’t do. I gave away $7000 to people and I normally would not do that. Especially since they already owed me money previously. I still can’t understand how I was so weak that I gave into it and let them have the money. I am now completely Lexapro free and I am feeling better than I have felt for a long time. I suggest extreme caution if you’re reducing the amount of Lexapro that you are taking on a daily basis. Cut your tablets in half, take half a tablet every other day, stop taking Lexapro.
thank you for this article and all the comments! i am so dizzy, nauseous, and irritable! i have kids and i am really trying to not flip out on them as they are just kids and not doing anything wrong and i am trying to finish my BA. i am having such a hard time typing sentences that make sense! lexapro should not be given to anyone! when i was on it i was extremely tired and numb! it was no help then and certainly no help now!
I feel experimented on after using this drug at a low dose I quit ten days ago only 10 mg I was only having anxiety for legitimate reasons and afterwards I am crying craving alcohol and drinking having suicidal thoughts like I never did before. I quit because of the sexual side effects and I just felt …weird. Now I am off it not back to normal yet. I told the doctors that I was too scared to take it doctor after doctor they just told me this as my prescription so I finally took it only for 5 months. The day after I stopped taking it with my doctors permission to quit cold turkey they also gave me bad results on a blood test turns out they read it wrong I am traumatized by this situation and the emotions it caused my doctors totally steered me wrong. But how could they know all this would have happened? They couldn’t I guess but still it was so haphazardly handled with my own health and life I have beeen crying so much and trying to be a strong warrior.
While I’ve been withdrawing from Lexipro, I’ve been trying to smoke weed, as I usually do otherwise… but I’ve been feeling weird agitation in my head. This could be paranoia and also due to the symptoms of serotonin not flowing to the brain as it expects while on SSRI’s. However, I was wondering if anyone else has experienced similar things, if these feelings will ever stop, or if this is safe and I shouldn’t worry about the weird feelings in my brain.
I didnt realize i was going through 3 weeks of pretty bad withdrawl until today. I ran out of Escitalopram before christmas i think.. i also have ADHD so ofc i kept meaning to get a refill and never got around to it. Oh how i wish i kmew withdrawl coild be that bad. I thought i had a really bad flu.. but only today realized oh shit, i need my meds. My withdrawl symptoms started on December 31 i think, cuz on new years eve i didnt drink, i only smoked a little weed and i felt absolutely terrible. From then until yesterday these were my symptoms: Vomiting Diarrhea Dizzy Super dry mouth water didnt help with My hands have been falling asleep way more than before, if im not moving them (No idea if thats a symptom but its been happening a lot lately since I had been sleeping so much) Random muscle cramps.. had my first one in my arm ever. I only get muscle cramps while sleeping normally which is when the arm one came Smells of most foods and things made me feel sick Shivering from being cold, then roasting hot and having the window open(canadian in winter), then back to being cold and cuddled in my blankets I slept almost 3 days straight consistently at a point because it’s all i could do I couldn’t eat (would come back up, even water), and since I couldn’t eat my body was weak and i walked into quite a few walls trying to walk straight And OH MY GOD DONT GET ME STARTED ON THE CRYING!? I couldn’t sleep last night for the first time in days, so at 3am there i am on the couch, i started ugly crying because in a movie I watched earlier that day(Saltburn), there was a part where like 200 people are singing happy burthday to the main character Oliver, but sinxe he didnt know any of them, no one knew his name, so they laughed at that part and said haha “i forgot his name” and Oliver went from lookomg so happy to so sad, and that apparently was enough to give me a little emotional breakdown with my cats perusal me 🎉 I did 2 pregnancy tests aswell since i really didn’t think it was withdrawl, since I kind of forgot about the medication tbh lol and i have another pregnancy test tomorrow at a clinic to be 100% sure.
I have a serious question, I have been on Cipralex (Lexapro) for 6 weeks (1 week on 5 mg and 5 weeks on 10 mg), I have decided to stop taking this drug as it doesn’t make any difference to my mental health but the opposite happened my depression got worse, so I just took 5 mg for 2 days and stopped taking the drug, Now I am on week 6 without the drug completely but from the beginning of this week I feel depressed more than usual only depression all half the day and then feel better the rest of the day, do this is usual to be withdrawal symptoms or this is my depression case from the begging (which was not this bad before)?
The reason why I came off escitalopram is because I would get restless legs,insomnia,I felt I was losing myself,my career etc. I was on it for a year and a half,10mg. I have been off escitalopram for 9 day now. Day 1 until day 5 I just had brain zaps and mild headache,with insomnia. Day 6 to 9- worst withdrawal effect I’ve ever experienced. The past 3 days I have been extremely depressed,suicidal,anxious,angry for no reason,crying,sweating a lot, headache,body aches,excessive thirst,no appetite,insomnia.
I fill a pill organizer each week with all my meds so I can just easily take what I need every morning and night without dealing with all the bottles and whatnot. Well this week I started feeling really weird, super dizzy, nauseous, feverish and bad restless legs at night. Finally I’m like no something is definitely wrong and thought maybe I missed a pill when I did my organizer. Sure enough! I missed the Lexapro when I filled it so at that point I had gone 6 days without it. In a panic, I took 2 right away. It’s now been 2 days back on it and I just feel like I’m getting over a bad flu/cold. Chest congestion, cough, general shit feeling. Hopefully in a few more days I will feel myself again. ❤
i take 10mg lexapro, 300mg caffeine, and 300mg benadryl daily. basically, hyper efficient zombie mode. its dope. sometimes need to take additional benadryl if it wears off, thankfully its cheap. dont take more than 700ish mg in one dose unless you want to hallucinate. (it is pretty fun, but not every day)
Hello, I hope someone can please answer or comment if they went through similar things as im going thru. I have been tapering down paxil 30mg, I want to be off meds that i have been taking for over 10 years. 2 days ago was my last pill of paxil. The withdrawal symptoms were somehow bearable at first while tapering down. Now its been 2 days meds free, I have none stop severe brain zaps, dizziness, weird eye movement accompanied by sensors disturbance in my head, I cant go out from the house, i constantly need assistance. Im so tired, muscle pain everywhere, crying spells, extreme anxiety and confusion As if im disoriented and disassociate from my entourage. I am ready to push through but did anyone get it and got better after ? I am not sure how long will i be able to handle this, please someone tell me they went thru this and it will go away in some time and i will be better.
I’m currently off Lexapro and going through hell everythhing you said in this article I’ve been going through. I’m trying to look for natural remedies to combat the way I’m feeling. Anyone have any suggestions? I really wish medical providers would stop putting people on medications that can ruin their life and ability to live naturally without it.
I took duloxetine for 2 years after diagnosis of fybromialgia and depression (every other desease has been cut off after many examinations). I was supposed to have this therapy for 6 months, as my original GP said. I am living abroad, and here only psychiatrists can prescribe such meds. Covid came and doctor suggested to keep duloxetine for more. Then, when I asked for suggestion regarding starting to decrease the dose, he made me go off 30 mg cold Turkey on December. I started to feel in a nightmare again with all the possible withdrawals, mentally and physically. Now I am starting a natural/homeopathic therapy prescribed by a valuable doctor in my city, who said that antidepressants and their being cut in a sudden put my body in a high acidosis, so I need to alcalinise it. I hope I will solve all of this.
Hi you may have a biologically based illness now. Perhaps your Dr. could find another antidepressant. The sad reality about sever depression is that most of the time the brain can never fully recover from a high level of depression. The Doctors don’t even know why. Hopefully someday there will be a cure for this sometimes unforgiving and horrible illness.
Why did you feel it necessary to say that only some people will suffer like this? This is not correct. There is so much anecdotal evidence to show that Lexapro is an absolute bitch to come off. I have been tapering off since last December and finally took my last pill a week ago. It is horrible. So bad today that I’d almost go back on the stuff to stop the feelings.
Doesnt anyone fear going crazy? Basically this fear was there from when the anxiety first started. I quit my antidepressant (celexa) because I kept skipping doses because I’m very stubborn, well it’s been 2 weeks to a month that I’ve been off and it’s been hell on earth for me.now I wish I couldve taken it as I should. The first day I quit, i felt ok and relieved, a week in, I had a bit of anxiety and depression symptoms but i thought it was normal, and now finally, the fear of hearing things (which I dont) started taking over whenever I got home and despite me having a good day today, when I got home I started to worry again and I started to feel like I was going crazy, i feel disoriented and feel like I’m crazy because I keep fearing that I’m hallucinating or something and I did something wrong or already went crazy. I had my first panic attack in months, and I literally freaked out because I thought “oh no, I’m going crazy” now I’m afraid I’m going psychotic or crazy even more now. Idk, it’s just hard, I hate that I’m stubborn when it comes to medication.
My psychiatrist was unreachable for 9 days and I couldn’t get my medicine. Even looking to the left without moving my head made me so dizzy I felt like vomiting. I was sweating so bad, had the electric zaps in my head, I could barely walk. I had really bad sudden withdrawal effects and I was so mad and so miserable. This happened twice. Switched to a new psychiatrist and started slowly tapering off the medicine. Currently on day 2 of no meds and the withdrawal effects are not nearly as bad. Still dizzy but putting pressure on my head helps A LOT! Reducing light and wearing shades helps me. Might not work for everyone but I’ve been trying to keep pressure on my head and just chill out. Hopefully it doesn’t get much worse.
I been in this hell before, i been without Lexapro for 1 year and 6 months now, it was hell to quit, when using it the mood feels like a straight line, you are almost uneffected cant cry or feel anything, to exssist feeling strange, like u not connecting to the people around you in a conversation, u have problem reading people. What else to say, dry mouth loose of appetit, reduction of erection, tired, confusion, blurried sight,tempratur sensitivity, dizzy, hard to think concentrate, bleeding easy from mouth when brushing ur teeeth, muscle stiffness, using this drug is like wearing a mask that stiff ur body in a lock, when u quit it all breaks loose, u finally start to feel again, ur mood will be horrible to try to balance the quiting the drug. Its a rough Period to Stand in alone, nobody understand you, no point to go to doctors or ask people in the psyactric they dont know shit, i was told it was mild side effects before i start it, i was very sceptic but later i say yes, it was my biggest mistake ever, to use it as a drug is one thing, but end it is Like going to a fight u dont know u will win. To use something like this or other, because they say so, is a joke, when you experience withdraws they hardly believe to you, when u find there is no understand and nothing will help, you walk the road alone, im not even sure im 100% like i was before i started it, i miss person i was, this have effected my life in a bad way.
I’m reading the comments here and I can’t believe that a) you didn’t get to know your medicine and b) your doctors didn’t follow you up while going off it. Cold turkey? Tapering from 20mg to 5mg in a month or two? Are you normal?! Hope people searching for informations will see my comment. If the drug doesn’t work for you, please, contact your doctor and taper gradually. When I say gradually, I mean at least six months. The pill instructions say this very clearly. Your shrink will prescribe you a parallel medicine if you’re having problems with sleeping or anxiety. Yes, another medicine, but if you do it correctly, you can be medicine free in a year. Anyone who goes cold turkey or tapers down in short period is a goddamn masochist lunatic. This is a serious drug and you got it for a reason. If it doesn’t work for you, you need to slowly and gradually get off it. Just like corticosteroids. If you stop abruptly, you can die. Same shit with antidepressants (you won’t die, but maybe you’ll want to die because the withdrawal will be obnoxious). Take care. Jesus, I really got upset with this comment section, ugh.