Good to meet you,

 

Currently waiting to taper from 7.5mg (15 years, and disastrous taper attempts 2023-5) escitalopram, under better supervision. I still suffer memories, nightmares and disturbed feelings from the dark years. 

 

I can't write the number of things I would be normally be motivated to do that would naturally improve my mood and help with self esteem - but remain almost entirely off limits due to this crippling lethargy and inability to focus (Escitalopram appears to be more potent than most SSRIs - 7.5mg is almost 3/4 saturation of the brain receptors despite looking like a low dose on paper. 10>20mg made no difference in the past because brain is saturated at just over 10!).

 

Very grateful that a new site has been set up, and for the pioneers of SSRI recovery and advice from the old site.

 

Please see signature for specifics.

 

Dave

Welcome to the forum, PaintingDave.

 

I am the Recovery Assistant Bot and I am here to post some information for you whilst we await replies from other members.

 

This is a volunteer-run, community forum aimed at helping those who are experiencing difficulties with psychiatric medications. If you are experiencing an adverse reaction to them, withdrawal difficulties or are injured by them, we are very sorry to hear this and will do what we can to help you.

 

While we are waiting for human members to reply, there are some things you can do that will help you get the most out of this forum whilst you await further support.

 

Please familiarise yourself with the forum rules and the disclaimer located here:

https://antidepressantrecovery.org/misc.php?action=help

 

Please update your signature. This will allow members to see some basic information about your drug history and situation so that they may help you best. Information on how to do this is located in the guides linked above, but here is a direct link:

https://antidepressantrecovery.org/misc.php?action=help&hid=8

 

Once this is done, future posts made by you will have this signature turned on by default.

 

If you have migrated here from "SurvivingAntidepressants" feel free to post a link to your old thread in this one, or include it in your signature.

 

We hope that you will find this forum helpful.

Thank you for joining., and for filling out your profile and updating your signature.

 

Were you a member of SA?

 

From what I have heard, the deprescribing clinic can have considerable wait times. This is something I have spoken to the MHRA about, although they do not have direct control over NHS resources.

 

What happened in 2024? Did you attempt another taper or just not due to the complexity?

Hi PaintingDave

 

Thanks for joining. Great to have you here.

 

Im sorry to read about your struggles.

 

Glad you found the clinic, hope the wait isn't too long.

 

I hope you find the site a supportive place for you whilst you work through your taper.

 

Speak soon

 

Chippy

Thank you for joining., and for filling out your profile and updating your signature.

 

Were you a member of SA?

 

From what I have heard, the deprescribing clinic can have considerable wait times. This is something I have spoken to the MHRA about, although they do not have direct control over NHS resources.

 

What happened in 2024? Did you attempt another taper or just not due to the complexity?

Thanks Luke, what is MHRA? (I don't know that acronym). 

 

I called the local psych services for an update because I've been waiting weeks since GP referred me to local deprescribing not 'national' or whatever. Such an obscure way to handle this. EVERY service/doctor/psych that suggests SSRis should damn well offer warnings and a way off the stuff.

 

I tapered throughout December 23, all 24 to about July 25. Successively smaller reductions (after stabilising) but with worse results - so I went back to 7.5mg. I guess that's the kindling effect. I wish I never touched Lexapro (the prescribing doctor with my OCD group said many others experience difficulty coming off, but no advice how).

 

I joined SA last year just in time for it to be shut down ?. Such is life.

---

Hi PaintingDave

 

Thanks for joining. Great to have you here.

 

Im sorry to read about your struggles.

 

Glad you found the clinic, hope the wait isn't too long.

 

I hope you find the site a supportive place for you whilst you work through your taper.

 

Speak soon

 

Chippy

 

Thanks Chippy,

 

I see you had sertraline. My sister took it for 4 years(50mg), but was fine getting off it in about a month. Maybe different sensitivity.

Hey PaintingDave

 

EVERY service/doctor/psych that suggests SSRis should damn well offer warnings and a way off the stuff.

Yep!

 

I see you had sertraline. My sister took it for 4 years(50mg), but was fine getting off it in about a month. Maybe different sensitivity.

Yeah a lot of people have issues with Sert. I didn't have much trouble coming off Sert. A few issues on it. Resolved once I stopped. 

 

I think what is seen is the more times you stop and start a drug (doesn't matter which one), the bigger and more complex your 'Drug history' becomes, the more likely you will have problems. The CNS becomes irritated when we take these meds. At first we some get away with it but as the situation becomes more complex their nervous systems get more and more angry and eventually snaps. Every one is different though, some just react badly to a single dose.

 

Chippy

The MHRA is the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

 

They are responsible for overseeing drug safety in the UK.

 

I'd urge you (and anyone else in the UK) to report the adverse reaction to psychiatric medications that they have had- they want to act but have very little data:

 

Yellow Card | Making medicines and medical devices safer

The MHRA is the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

 

They are responsible for overseeing drug safety in the UK.

 

I'd urge you (and anyone else in the UK) to report the adverse reaction to psychiatric medications that they have had- they want to act but have very little data:

 

Yellow Card | Making medicines and medical devices safer

Thanks, I'll be sure to report to them as soon as I get motivated.

 

Does anyone know how to get and email notification when I get replies in this forum? (Also the number next to my avatar I'm top left doesn't show replies on a thread?

---

Just to update. Called my local (Sheffield) psych services to get update after I was referred by GP. They said pharmacist has been contacted and they have my case. But I spoke to a pharmacist 2years back and they didn't specialise in Deprescribing.

 

Such an ordeal just trying to get professional help - If I start tapering again even after 5-6months stability I might get in real trouble again (and lose perspective).

Does anyone know how to get and email notification when I get replies in this forum? (Also the number next to my avatar I'm top left doesn't show replies on a thread?

Hey

 

See my FAQ post at the top of in the intro forum. Any issues PM me and I'll get on it.

 

Chippy

Ah ok it did send an email this time. Cheers

Hi Dave  :)

 

I don't know if this will be of any help, but when my mum's psychiatrist refused to support her with restarting her olanzapine taper, I went armed with lots of deprescribing info to my mum's GP and asked her to support us, (despite the GP having no experience of tapering).

I explained to her that I was very happy to take the lead but we just wanted her there as back up should she be required and for regular check-ins.

 

She and the local pharmacist were very happy to support, (possibly helped by the fact that I have been a patient at the practice for 30 years), and it's interesting to note that I haven't once required any support since restarting mum's taper - we are using the well known Brassmonkey micro-tapering method.

 

Anyway, good luck with your taper when you restart it - it would be super helpful if you have a family member or good friend that can be involved with your taper to help look out for you  :heart:

On 1/6/2026 at 6:51 PM, GrannyTheThumb said:

Hi Dave  :)

 

I don't know if this will be of any help, but when my mum's psychiatrist refused to support her with restarting her olanzapine taper, I went armed with lots of deprescribing info to my mum's GP and asked her to support us, (despite the GP having no experience of tapering).

I explained to her that I was very happy to take the lead but we just wanted her there as back up should she be required and for regular check-ins.

 

She and the local pharmacist were very happy to support, (possibly helped by the fact that I have been a patient at the practice for 30 years), and it's interesting to note that I haven't once required any support since restarting mum's taper - we are using the well known Brassmonkey micro-tapering method.

 

Anyway, good luck with your taper when you restart it - it would be super helpful if you have a family member or good friend that can be involved with your taper to help look out for you  :heart:

Hey there. 

 

Olanzapine, goodness me I was given that once (only lasted 2 days). It gave me taste of the old fashioned heavy duty antidepressants - sedation and saying words 10secs after I spoke them in my mind. I can see why you'd want to get mum off of them.

I thought rather than wait and speak to a pharmacist (on 27th who likely has no expertise with "Deprescribing". I have instead started a taper by 0.02mg (from 7.5mg). In 2 weeks I'll go to 7.46mg. Terribly slow but no problems yet - also no benefits (tiredness, irritation and anger abound). I'm 40 and it's been 15 years spinning my wheels.

My GP knows I'm doing this, and I have my sister watching me in case I get low (again) - withdrawal is a living hell that distorts reality and emotions. 

I may already have said this drug has effectively lowered my IQ, drive, ability to concentrate, no pleasure just intense irritation and blocked emotions. Driving a car with the hand/park brake stuck on 

Thanks for your good wishes.

Hey @PaintingDave I’m almost at 1mg (1.049) and the SERT occupancy is still ~25%. It’s slow going. I think there’s potentially several years to get off.

1 hour ago, Catbird said:

Hey @PaintingDave I’m almost at 1mg (1.049) and the SERT occupancy is still ~25%. It’s slow going. I think there’s potentially several years to get off.

Hi Catbird, good to see you!

That's huge progress to get to 1mg. Imagine the end game is the most careful part - if you have liquid Lexapro I guess you keep going until it's homeopathic dilution (easier than pills though). I've put off hopes of getting to 5mg in a year - finding a way to get to 7mg without upsets will still give benefits (physical and alertness). 

I thing the game is getting to a tolerable stable level and relax for a bit. A hyperbolic taper truly is something be grappled with - and deliberately hidden from consumers.

1 hour ago, Catbird said:

Hey @PaintingDave I’m almost at 1mg (1.049) and the SERT occupancy is still ~25%. It’s slow going. I think there’s potentially several years to get off.

Also another thing - did you try supplements? I'm on vit d, L-Theanine and Magnesium Glycinate (with food) because I hear these help give the brain what it needs in tapering/rewiring? Forgot to buy cod liver oil but I need to cover that base too.

Hi there, I've been on Escitalopram for 15 years and a pharmacist I spoke to suggested the possibility of transferring to Fluoxetine because it has a longer half life.

If my brain has been rewired to subdue the effects of Escitalopram will this provide a shortcut to tapering off SSRI'S fully, or worst case will I become stuck on two separate meds? Does anyone have experience with this scenario?

Hi @PaintingDave

 

I’ve moved your recent topic into here with your introduction. Members have one topic each. Please keep all your posts about your progress in here. Thanks! 😀

 

No this isnt something I’d do. It has a very long half life and some who struggle to get off an ssri use fluoxetine as a bridge to make it easier for them. 
Generally bridges are used by people on the hard drugs to come off like paxil.  Escitalopram has a long half life and is in itself used as a bridge as a result.

 

I have heard of people who are needing to reinstate escitalopram instead reinstate citalopram as it’s less potent at lower doses so perhaps easier to taper.

A gentle hyperbolic taper would be the route to take in my opinion directly off escitalopram. 

 

I’d  be careful about any ideas of rushing your taper. Protracted withdrawal is no joke. Slow and steady wins the race

Lots more info here from sa about it:

 

The risks of the Prozac Bridge

 

Chippy

Hey,

Thanks for the quick reply. I have my suspicions about how little the pharmacists attached to Sheffield psychological services know about withdrawal - she even said most people can taper in months after taking SSRi's for 10 years (sounds like bullshit, although my sister got off Sertraline in months after 5years use).

I'm probably going to hold out for Deprescribing as it's led by proper researchers in the field (Mark Horowitz etc).

 

I'm certainly reticent to add more of these substances to my body. I'm going very slowly this time (0.02mg is tiny, way below the 10% of current dose 0.744mg), but looking for a professional to set an upper limit. I don't want to go "too slowly". I have a life to live, a job to wake up for, art to paint, hopefully a relationship with sexual functioning etc etc.

3 hours ago, Chippy said:

Hi @PaintingDave

 

I’ve moved your recent topic into here with your introduction. Members have one topic each. Please keep all your posts about your progress in here. Thanks! 😀

 

No this isnt something I’d do. It has a very long half life and some who struggle to get off an ssri use fluoxetine as a bridge to make it easier for them. 
Generally bridges are used by people on the hard drugs to come off like paxil.  Escitalopram has a long half life and is in itself used as a bridge as a result.

 

I have heard of people who are needing to reinstate escitalopram instead reinstate citalopram as it’s less potent at lower doses so perhaps easier to taper.

A gentle hyperbolic taper would be the route to take in my opinion directly off escitalopram. 

 

I’d  be careful about any ideas of rushing your taper. Protracted withdrawal is no joke. Slow and steady wins the race

Lots more info here from sa about it:

 

The risks of the Prozac Bridge

 

Chippy

Also I noticed your signature mentioned mirtazipine - when I was in crisis in 2024, the primary care team suggested mirtazipine (better for sleeping etc) but I was very reluctant to add anything. I'm thoroughly sick of this SSRI nonsense running my brain into the ground. So many wasted years, and accidental lunges into withdrawal.

7 hours ago, PaintingDave said:

she even said most people can taper in months after taking SSRi's for 10 years (sounds like bullshit, although my sister got off Sertraline in months after 5years use).

Yes not good advice. Many do get off ok. It may well have bruised their cns but don’t know it. If she started another ad it might be a very different experience for her now. I suspect this would the case tbh. 
 

7 hours ago, PaintingDave said:

I'm certainly reticent to add more of these substances to my body. I'm going very slowly this time (0.02mg is tiny, way below the 10% of current dose 0.744mg), but looking for a professional to set an upper limit. I don't want to go "too slowly". I have a life to live, a job to wake up for, art to paint, hopefully a relationship with sexual functioning etc etc.

Yes and rightly so. 

Whilst your waiting for the clinic grab a copy of the maudsley de prescribing guidelines. Dr Horowitz wrote it. Good taper plans in there. They are just guides not the bible but will help you understand where you are going and answer your upper limit question. 

Escitalopram is as I said earlier very potent the lower you go. So that last mg is tricky. Pm me if you want an example schedule. 

 

I reiterate I understand you want off but slow is best 😀

 

Chippy

8 hours ago, Chippy said:

Yes not good advice. Many do get off ok. It may well have bruised their cns but don’t know it. If she started another ad it might be a very different experience for her now. I suspect this would the case tbh. 
 

Yes and rightly so. 

Whilst your waiting for the clinic grab a copy of the maudsley de prescribing guidelines. Dr Horowitz wrote it. Good taper plans in there. They are just guides not the bible but will help you understand where you are going and answer your upper limit question. 

Escitalopram is as I said earlier very potent the lower you go. So that last mg is tricky. Pm me if you want an example schedule. 

 

I reiterate I understand you want off but slow is best 😀

 

Chippy

I think I might have read the guidelines a year back but will have another look (might have been NHS Scotland website, or that was different advice). Didn't realise it was authored by Mark himself 🙂

 

In terms of family, I think I've probably scared them all off any more SSRI'S (!)

 

If you could send an example schedule that would be handy thanks. Starting at 7.44mg. 

 

Cheers

48 minutes ago, PaintingDave said:

think I might have read the guidelines a year back but will have another look (might have been NHS Scotland website, or that was different advice).

The two will be very different. The Maudsley Guidelines are a big thick bible of a book. Well worth look at

 

Ill Pm you now

I've read the Escitalopram section. Starting to think I was going too fast (not enough time between lowering the dose) rather than the percentage change of dose being too high - lwhich was leading me to believe I'd be stuck on this for another decade or so.

 

Currently waiting for pharmacist reply and hopefully referral. I still plan to lower by 0.06mg in 3 weeks (below the most careful taper plan) and see what happens. If that's tolerable it certainly would move things forward. My previous regime early last year was 0.1mg per 2 weeks and either the dose or the pace of change was too much. 

 

Despite this, I know a few physical things feel better at 7mg, including motivation. Not racing for 5mg now.

Hi @PaintingDave, how about your anhedonia? I was thrown into this hell after 14 years of anridepressant, it was February 2024. One year after I was CR-ed from my psychiatrist from 3 psychotropics. Another hell so started, the terror of the withdrawal... We will support each others in this site for holding on in this Inhumane state.

Svetla 

8 hours ago, PaintingDave said:

I've read the Escitalopram section. Starting to think I was going too fast (not enough time between lowering the dose) rather than the percentage change of dose being too high - lwhich was leading me to believe I'd be stuck on this for another decade or so.

 

Currently waiting for pharmacist reply and hopefully referral. I still plan to lower by 0.06mg in 3 weeks (below the most careful taper plan) and see what happens. If that's tolerable it certainly would move things forward. My previous regime early last year was 0.1mg per 2 weeks and either the dose or the pace of change was too much. 

 

Despite this, I know a few physical things feel better at 7mg, including motivation. Not racing for 5mg now.

Great Dave

 

Having that kind of info to hand helps inform doesn’t. It’s just a guide but hopefully helps you navigate this with your eyes a bit more open. Listening to your body is the key I think.