Back to meds :(

[matrix123]

Hello everyone, the last months I made very good progress but since 3-4 weeks it's going down again :)

In short, my anxiety started in summer 2011. It got worse and worse until in April 2012 I seeked help. Started meds on June 2012 20mg Escitalopram + 1mg Xanax. The first two weeks where very bad, but then things started improving. After 6 months or so, around January 2013 I started feeling "normal" and started reducing the meds gradually. Along the road there were a few issues, but in general was OK.

Now, about 3-4 weeks ago I got to the point of stopping the meds (before that was taking only 5mg Escitalopram). After stopping it, at first acid reflux started, then palpitations, lack of energy, bad mood, but the most worrying is a feeling of unsteadiness, dizziness or lightheadedness :( It's almost constant and sometimes so bad that I'm afraid to go out because it seems like I will fall.

So yesterday, I started back the meds (5mg escitalopram + 0.25mg Xanax). I just wanted to ask if anyone has experienced something similar. I was hopping that by reducing the meds very slowly I would not have problems...but it seems even that 5mg Escitalopram was helping a lot...

[j2]

Matrix, I was a mess for a couple of weeks after stopping my ssri. I still take the occasional xanax for panic. I have taken the opinion that my body has an imbalance much like as if I had type 1 diabetes or thyroid issues. There are many ways to cope and medication is one of them. If you are doing good things like exercise and avoiding foods that increase anxiety and the drugs are still needed and aren't causing any really bad things then I would ( and do) take the drugs. It is not a sign of weakness. My life is just better when I have the meds. As for the withdrawel symptoms, I think those are normal.

Good luck

[matrix123]

Thank you j2. Actually I have no problem with the meds. Maybe it bothers me a little, but not big deal.

They did help a lot and without them, I'm not sure I would have been able to get back to "normal". So even if I take them all my life it's no big deal :)

My question was more if withdrawing from SSRI as slow as I did and even from just 5mg Escitalopram would give you symptoms such as what I described.

[j2]

Sorry to misunderstand the question. So from my experience, yes these symptoms all sound familiar to when I weened off of SSRI's. Palps and dizziness were definitely a problem for me.

Good Luck,
J2

[matrix123]

Thanx J2....today I woke up with a bad headache and nauseous and pretty much convinced myself that some scary BT is going on :(