Escitralopram withdrawel failure :(

[CJA09]

Please help...
i've been on SSRI's since I was 14, I'm now 28, I started on Seroxat then changed to prozac and am now on Escitralopram and have been for a couple of years now.
I decided that as life seems settled and after lots of theraphy I was managing my anxiety and panic attacks, that i'd try and come off the tablets. I was on 20mg a day and after 3 days of accidently not taking anything (was unable to get to a chemist) I'd cut the dose in half and just take 10mg a day. I have been doing for a week and i still feel awful :( I've got a constant headache, having head shocks, body shocks, dizzyness, feel sick, sweating, and now lots of palpitations which are causing me to panic and feel so anxious again :(
What do i do?? I dont want to be on these tablets forever and one day in the near future I want to try for a baby and know that i cant be on these and pregnant as it'll effect the baby! I'm so scared and confused and panicking... can anyone help me, please??

[debs71]

Hi,

I so know how you feel, and it is awful.

I had a similar experience with Cipralex withdrawal several times over. I tried coming down from them too quickly, and not in a staggered fashion which is the advised, medical way, and this makes A HUGE difference as to how you cope with withdrawal.

As I work in healthcare I thought that I could bring the doses down myself, but clearly I was wrong, and I was only on 10mg a day as well!

I think I attempted it 3 times over the course of the 8 years I have been taking them, and each time had to go back on my original dose as all of my anxiety symptoms worsened.

My thought is that perhaps 20mg down to 10mg is too much too fast for you hun. Have you had advice from your doctor regarding this, as they can give you an idea of how to come down with as least anxiety as possible in a safe way?

I was on 10 mg until very recently, came down to 5mg daily and am now on 5mg every other day, and I must say that I have had only very minimal symptoms. I was also on the 5mg for a long period before dropping it to every other day, and I think that also makes a big difference.

Slow, slow weaning is the ideal thing.

It can definitely be done, as long as you are in a good place psychologically of course also, and I do feel for you as I know how hard it is.

Maybe it would be a good idea just to let your doctor know what is happening and see what they think and if your doses can be altered for a smoother transition.

Big hugs and luck.xxx

[Catya]

Can you get a liquid form of this drug? This is how I had to taper seroxat when it got to the smaller amounts. Good luck to you.