Is it safe to get off Lexapro all of a sudden?
Sunday, November 22nd, 2009 at
10:30 am
I have been on Lexapro for about 9 months, please help!
Filed under: anxiety treatment
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SLOWLY!!!
Gtaper down each week about 5 mg or so (ask your doc for the lowest dose, and then you can cut that in half and fourths to make a smaller taper). Rapid discontinuation leads to MANY problems.
I suggest following the Ashton Method protocal for withdrawing from your antidepressant.
http://www.benzo.org.uk/healy.htm
Also, please visit http://www.benzo.org.uk/ Click on "SSRI’s" on the left hand column, and find the article entitled "GUIDELINES FOR WITHDRAWAL
OF ANTIDEPRESSANT DRUGS."
http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/index.htm
I would normally say "ask your doctor," however most docs don’t know how to taper off– they just know how to get us on the meds. So this is one area where you must be your own advocate.
No, you have to see your doctor to get "weened" off.
I’m on that too. my doctor said if i want to stop to take a half dose for a while then maybe try stopping. I haven’t tried yet though.
Do Not stop taking it! You have to be weenied off. It will cause major problems if you stop cold turkey. People have done crazy things from Lexparo withdrawl.
no talk to your doctor. try weening off lexapro and going on to omega fish oils & B12 vitamins my aunt did the same and the fish oils work good at promoting the happiness drug your body naturally produces also Tuna is a natural anti depressant. try going to your local hollistic store and asking them. But NEVER just come off any anti depressant especially lexapro. anna nicoles son was on lexapro stopped taking it and somehow died from the shock of being off of it and on other anti depressant.
ps lexapro is probably the strongest anti D. on the market!
GOOD LUCK!!!!
: )
ohhh, theres also a pill called "happy camper", google it!
No, You will feel so weird..Best way is to try to cut it back slowly, for a few days then some more after a few days till you are all the way off. Lexapro is a chemical and you need to do it very slow. Good Luck
No. you must taper it down slowly so you do not become depressed. It blocks the uptake of the nerotransmitter serotonin. Your body will need time to adjust. You can become very depressed if you stop all of a sudden and sometimes it will not help you the same if you need to get back on it.
Consult your doctor to be weened off the medication. I’m on Lexapro and I would go absolutely nuts if I were to suddenly stop, but I’ve only been on it for about 3 months. You should still be weened off under doctor’s orders if you’re going to stop.
No, it is not good to stop taking Lexapro "cold turkey", there can be some rather bad withdrawal problems doing that.
To get off Lexapro, wean yourself to the lowest dose (5mg) and take that for a couple weeks. If you’re on 20mg, cut them in half (to get 10mg) and take those for a couple weeks, then go to the 5mg pills.
After you’ve been on the 5mg pills for a couple weeks, cut them in half and take the half-pills for a couple weeks, then take the half-pills every other day for a couple weeks, then you can stop. This will slowly withdraw the Lexapro from your system, and help eliminate the possibility of withdrawal problems.