Hello all, 

I'm relieved to have found this forum. I am on my 2nd attempt at de-prescribing off 10 mg of Lexapro. 

Initially I went on Lexapro to alleviate pressures in my life. I was juggling a lot and then a few awful things happened one after another and my mental health took a turn for the worst. Lexapro was a successful tool in numbing the pain and letting me get on with daily life. I didn't think too much more about my antidepressant usage, believing the chemical imbalance theory. It was in 2018 when my life was in a more balanced and fulfilling place that I suffered a significant loss in my life and felt nothing that resembling grief. This sparked the idea that it was time to get off the medication. Something was wrong if I wasn't upset at loosing a loved one. 

 

This first attempt at de-prescribing was really difficult. I did have a thread on SA from that period, but once I reinstated I never looked at it again and I really wouldn't know how to find it. The anxiety, noise sensitivity, insomnia, and weeping were a big part of that period. For me the absolute worst was the noise sensitivity it was unbearable but it was when I started crying uncontrollably at work that I realised I couldn't just 'muscle' my way through it. I went back to the Dr. and reinstated to 10mg. 

 

This second attempt has been much more successful. I am in a great place in my life, the most stable and emotionally fulfilled of my life and have been contemplating what life would be like off Lexapro. I found The Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines book, which I read cover to cover. What a book! It has changed my life, knowing there is a medical acknowledgement for what I went through in 2019 & that I'm not stuck on the medication is so liberating. 

 

So after reading the book in early 2025 I took copious notes, and spoke with my Dr. about deprescribing. She was great, recommending I take it slow and looked at the guidelines. I started off with compounding at 9mg. Withdrawal was hard but manageable on a day to day basis, the dr. then moved me onto liquid lexapro. I've been slowly going down .2mg per month. Side effects are primarily vivid dreams (they are wild!), noise sensitivity and some irritability mainly from over-stimulation. I have found that the first two weeks are the most intense, with the next two weeks a little easier. 

 

While I have been deprescribing I have also been building my mental health tool kit. Taking time the exercise, eat well and do mindfulness activities throughout the day. The most powerful thing I have done is change the story I tell myself about my life. I actively look for the positive and lean in to the good moments and be very gentle with myself when I'm going through any withdrawal symptoms. 

 

I am terrified of the intensity of withdrawal symptoms that I dealt with in 2019. I am hoping that slow and steady will move me closer and closer to 0mg. Although I understand this might be years away. 

 

 

 

 

In progress

Hi Being the tortoise

 

Welcome to the forum!

 

This is a volunteer-run, community forum aimed at helping those who are tapering and/or experiencing difficulties with psychiatric medications and withdrawl syndrome. We are not medical professionals and cannot offer medical advice. We simply offer support and opinions which you could use as talking points with a medical provider knowledgeable in withdrawing off psychiatric medications.

 

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I'm so sorry to read about the tough time you've had recently you will find plenty of support here for sure.

 

Thank you for posting your story so far. It is a very familiar tale. We all end up on these drugs through life events and choose to believe the chemical in-balance theory. Im not even sure where we all get it from but it's out there isn't it! I certainly believed it so you are not alone.

 

As you know you came of escitalopram far too quickly and suffered terrible WD. Im glad this resolved on reinstatement.

 

Well done on getting yourself educated and getting the Maudley De Prescribing Guidelines, I agree completely they are a fantastic read. It's nice to have an actual text that is well regarded we can use to reference and in many ways advocate for us. I particularly enjoyed the preface.

 

I can see you are tapering very slowly even slower than the guide suggests. It's good you are tuned into your body and taper. As you know the information is just a guide and not a rule. You are observing WD symptoms each time you drop and then also seeing them lower before the end of the month when you continue. Very sensible indeed.

 

 It is great you are working on your non drug coping skills. I wish this was all taught at birth and ingrained in our culture. Non of of us would have touched the drugs I think that was the case!

 

You are very welcome here and I hope you find the site supportive.

 

Chippy

Thank you for welcoming me to this site.
You are correct I have decided to go very slowly, my strategy is to see positive results which will encourage me to keep going when I have withdrawal challenges. 
 

The one thing that I absolutely hate is how fat the medication has made me. I always thought it was natural weight gain with age, diet and life being busy. But since taking the time to eat well and exercise regularly there hasn’t been any shift in weight. If anything I’ve put weight on when I went from compounded to liquids. It’s so frustrating and makes me feel physically uncomfortable. Is this a common thing with others? 

7 hours ago, Being the tortoise said:

Thank you for welcoming me to this site.
You are correct I have decided to go very slowly, my strategy is to see positive results which will encourage me to keep going when I have withdrawal challenges. 

It’s my pleasure. Your attitude is excellent 

 

7 hours ago, Being the tortoise said:

he one thing that I absolutely hate is how fat the medication has made me. I always thought it was natural weight gain with age, diet and life being busy. But since taking the time to eat well and exercise regularly there hasn’t been any shift in weight. If anything I’ve put weight on when I went from compounded to liquids. It’s so frustrating and makes me feel physically uncomfortable. Is this a common thing with others? 

This is tough. I’m sorry to hear this. I’ve not had this issue. Our whole bodies are messed with by these drugs. Makes sense our metabolism can be too. I’d just keep adjusting your diet and exercise where you think makes sense. Watch carbs and do on. Not a diet expert though!

I suspect that as you come down on the drug and your body gets closer to a more normal state you’ll start to be able to loose the weight. I hope this for you at least. 
 

Tough job this getting off ads. Youre. doing great. 
 

Chippy

Thank you for your encouragement. Hopefully time will bring my body back into something more comfortable and healthy. 

4 minutes ago, Being the tortoise said:

Thank you for your encouragement. Hopefully time will bring my body back into something more comfortable and healthy. 

I hope this for you too. Overall the direction of travel for improvement is a positive one. 🙂 

15 hours ago, Being the tortoise said:

The one thing that I absolutely hate is how fat the medication has made me. I always thought it was natural weight gain with age, diet and life being busy. But since taking the time to eat well and exercise regularly there hasn’t been any shift in weight. If anything I’ve put weight on when I went from compounded to liquids. It’s so frustrating and makes me feel physically uncomfortable. Is this a common thing with others? 

Hi @Being the tortoise I think it’s very common. I’ve just read a book by Georgia Ede called Change your diet, change your mind. I found it informative and helpful 🤗

19 hours ago, Being the tortoise said:

Thank you for welcoming me to this site.
You are correct I have decided to go very slowly, my strategy is to see positive results which will encourage me to keep going when I have withdrawal challenges. 
 

The one thing that I absolutely hate is how fat the medication has made me. I always thought it was natural weight gain with age, diet and life being busy. But since taking the time to eat well and exercise regularly there hasn’t been any shift in weight. If anything I’ve put weight on when I went from compounded to liquids. It’s so frustrating and makes me feel physically uncomfortable. Is this a common thing with others? 

Weight gain, yes, unfortunately so very common, besides causing an insane appetite it also plays with metabolism, sugar/insulin levels and quite a bit with thyroid.

It sounds like you are doing everything you can to support a healthy weight, so if your thyroid is good it should balance out after full stop or even on the way there so don't be discouraged.

Edited January 29Jan 29 by Fullhealing

Thank you for your kind words. It is nice to know others have/are dealing with this aspect too. 

It is frustrating but my mental health is my main focus and I do try and keep that in mind

Hi @Being the tortoise I’m another long term user/taperer of Escitalopram. Happy to chat about similar issues which may be plaguing us 🤗

Hello @Being the tortoise it sounds like you have a good plan and tools in place.  About the weight,  I’ve had a similar problem (I was on paroxetine and later citalopram, not escitalopram) - no matter how much or how little I ate or exercised, I didn’t lose a gram.  My weight had a set point it would not drop below.   Eventually, when my dose got down low enough, the weight started to slowly come off without me having to do much. Cutting down on sugary snacks and alcohol helped.

Thank you @Songbird it does help to know someone else has this experience. I'm so tired of feeling uncomfortable in my own body. I hope that as I get on lower and lower does that I start to return to a normal size. 

 

 

@Catbird thank you for reaching out, your signature taper is slowly, slowly too. Can I ask what your time lines where like from 10mg down to 5? 

I'm having the worst wave I've experienced yet. I think rather than it being my most recent step down my life has more pressure than usual going on at the moment and as a result my sensory inputs are over stimulated. I'm going to hold at 7.4mg until all the sensory over stimulation has stopped. 

 

I'm doing a lot of 'box breathing' mindfulness and trying to get some exercise in every day. The 24 hours after exercise seem to be my best time frames. 

 

28 minutes ago, Being the tortoise said:

Thank you @Songbird it does help to know someone else has this experience. I'm so tired of feeling uncomfortable in my own body. I hope that as I get on lower and lower does that I start to return to a normal size. 

 

 

@Catbird thank you for reaching out, your signature taper is slowly, slowly too. Can I ask what your time lines where like from 10mg down to 5? 

I'm having the worst wave I've experienced yet. I think rather than it being my most recent step down my life has more pressure than usual going on at the moment and as a result my sensory inputs are over stimulated. I'm going to hold at 7.4mg until all the sensory over stimulation has stopped. 

 

I'm doing a lot of 'box breathing' mindfulness and trying to get some exercise in every day. The 24 hours after exercise seem to be my best time frames. 

 

@Being the tortoise I’ll have a look at my journal tomorrow and let you know . I don’t remember it being that bad, but memory fades. I know I had onset of SVT and put up with this for a year. I was booked in for a cardiac ablation. In April of 2025 I had a crash around the 1.5mg mark. I had to hold for 3.5 months and I went through every symptom you could think of. Interesting thing was as soon as started holding the SVT stopped — a clear sign I’d been tapering too fast. I was getting worse and worse and then one day it was all over. I’m just above 1mg now and when I get there I’ll hold at 1mg, wait 4 weeks or longer if  needed before I start my Amitriptyline taper.

 

Holding now is a good idea as are the other self care strategies you’ve implemented. Take care 🤗

On 2/8/2026 at 9:40 PM, Being the tortoise said:

thank you for reaching out, your signature taper is slowly, slowly too. Can I ask what your time lines where like from 10mg down to 5? 

I'm having the worst wave I've experienced yet. I think rather than it being my most recent step down my life has more pressure than usual going on at the moment and as a result my sensory inputs are over stimulated. I'm going to hold at 7.4mg until all the sensory over stimulation has stopped. 

 

I'm doing a lot of 'box breathing' mindfulness and trying to get some exercise in every day. The 24 hours after exercise seem to be my best time frames. 

@Being the tortoise I went back over my journal and it looks like hell.  I had lots of panic and anxiety, persistent fatigue (which I still have to a degree) muscle spasms (back and neck, intercostal pain and abdominal muscle spasms). I also had a lot of gut issues like bloating nausea and projectile vomiting (this last one when I was holding for 3.5 months). I also had parasthesia - a burning sensation in may breast and spreading across my chest - this was frightening.  Most of the time I was anhedonic, but when I did have emotions they were always dark, heavy and almost unbearable - doom and dread.  I was frequently hyper aroused and prone to panic. I also had 100+ episodes of SVT. Since my long hold I've been on more even footing. Days just drag along, I have little energy but can drive the car short distances.  I sometimes get overwhelmed thinking about how long it's going to take to get off these medications - it's best if I just take it minute by minute.

 

the WD symptoms I described above were in part because I was tapering too fast. I could only see this in retrospect. I think I was so used to pushing through for years in all parts of my life, I never really understood self care, which through therapy I can now see how much pressure I put on myself. if there's any lessons to be learned here I'd say listen to your body no matter how small the signal - and respond accordingly and I'd also say treat yourself the same way you'd treat your best friend or your kids (if you have kids).

 

I hope this helps in some way. 🤗

Hello @Being the tortoise here comes another one tapering Lexapro. Welcome to this wonderful supportive forum. You have found a good place. 🤗
I agree with @Chippy, I really love your attitude. 👍
I also tried to practice to be gentle with me, when I experience withdrawal symptoms. But it’s not that easy, because I am still functioning and working part-time and I want to be worth the money that I earn. Are you working? Are you looking after children? Stress is a big factor in our healing, I believe.

Concerning the weight issue: Right now, I am getting my gut health checked. I think that the medication among other things has messed up my micro biome. That also may be a key for weight issues. Maybe you want to inform yourself on that, because once you get rid of the medication, you have also a better chance to get your gut in shape 😉 and that can have quite an impact on weight as well as on overall health. 
 

I wish you a successful taper, I have no doubt you will make it, you are on an excellent trajectory!

17 hours ago, Nemina said:

Hello @Being the tortoise here comes another one tapering Lexapro. Welcome to this wonderful supportive forum. You have found a good place. 🤗
I agree with @Chippy, I really love your attitude. 👍
I also tried to practice to be gentle with me, when I experience withdrawal symptoms. But it’s not that easy, because I am still functioning and working part-time and I want to be worth the money that I earn. Are you working? Are you looking after children? Stress is a big factor in our healing, I believe.

Concerning the weight issue: Right now, I am getting my gut health checked. I think that the medication among other things has messed up my micro biome. That also may be a key for weight issues. Maybe you want to inform yourself on that, because once you get rid of the medication, you have also a better chance to get your gut in shape 😉 and that can have quite an impact on weight as well as on overall health. 
 

I wish you a successful taper, I have no doubt you will make it, you are on an excellent trajectory!

@Nemina this is a good video. I have found the keto diet has improved my gut no end.

 

https://youtu.be/JE1LPLsLabg?si=wQcq96cBGkp4zVQ0

 

@Catbird Thank you for sharing your experience with me. I really appreciate you going back into your journal, the bleak outlook on life reminds me of what my first attempt at coming off the medication was like. That is a huge thing for you to have pushed through. I certainly didn't and it has taken me year to trying again. You are amazing for keeping at it. 

 

I am pleased you are learning to be gentle and kind to yourself and that some of the symptoms are easing. The stories we tell ourselves are so important. I've found so much strength in being kind to myself, it sounds like you are too.

 

@Nemina Thank you for your kind words, I am working and parenting. There has been some parenting pressures recently that would have been a stressors for my symptoms. I suppose I didn't realise how much energy I spend on managing my withdrawal symptoms... I am trying to reduce my working hours. I think it will help take some pressure off. 

 

 

3 minutes ago, Being the tortoise said:

@Catbird Thank you for sharing your experience with me. I really appreciate you going back into your journal, the bleak outlook on life reminds me of what my first attempt at coming off the medication was like. That is a huge thing for you to have pushed through. I certainly didn't and it has taken me year to trying again. You are amazing for keeping at it. 

 

I am pleased you are learning to be gentle and kind to yourself and that some of the symptoms are easing. The stories we tell ourselves are so important. I've found so much strength in being kind to myself, it sounds like you too.

 

 

No worries @Being the tortoise. I stopped pushing through only when I realised I was doing it. It’s amazing how we often don’t realise the impact of what we do. I was blinded at the time. It was useful for me to revisit those earlier times as it lets me see how far I’ve come and I’m in a different place now. I don’t recommend pushing through symptoms. Symptoms are the brains way of telling us what it needs to heal. 🤗

14 minutes ago, Catbird said:

It was useful for me to revisit those earlier times as it lets me see how far I’ve come

That is so lovely. Yes indeed you have come a long long way. I aspire to be as far along the deprescribing journey as you. Keep being kind to yourself, you are an inspiration. 

2 hours ago, Being the tortoise said:

I am trying to reduce my working hours. I think it will help take some pressure off. 

This sounds like a very good idea. I hope that you will be able to reduce your workload. I am in quite a stable phase right now (compared to a year ago), but once a little stressor comes along, some time pressure or a conflict with a colleague, all the symptoms flare up. So I really hope that you will find enough time to rest that you have a supporting community. ❤️

2 hours ago, Catbird said:

It was useful for me to revisit those earlier times as it lets me see how far I’ve come and I’m in a different place now.

Dear @Catbird I thought the same when I read your post when you talked about your symptoms in these times. You have really come far, even though you have still so many struggles. @Being the tortoise is right, you are an inspiration!

Edited February 11Feb 11 by Nemina

8 hours ago, Nemina said:

Dear @Catbird I thought the same when I read your post when you talked about your symptoms in these times. You have really come far, even though you have still so many struggles. @Being the tortoise is right, you are an inspiration!

@Nemina and @Being the tortoise thank you so much for the acknowledgment and the king words. It means so much to me be able to help others and I truly value being able to connect with others on similar journeys. Learning from each other is what helps us get through difficult times 🤗

Thank you @Nemina it is nice to know others find pressure activates withdrawal symptoms. 

I am starting to feel a little better - for which I am very grateful for. 

I wont be taking these moments for granted. 

I am happy to hear that you are feeling a little better! Yes, we have to enjoy these moments, just as they happen. In the end, it will be a good skill to have learned.: be in the moment and be thankful for it.  I am still learning, I find it not easy.
Stress is triggering a lot of symptoms for me during this withdrawal. Of course, anxiety and heart palpitations, but also nausea and fatigue. Yesterday I was invited to some very interesting scientific talk,  but in the end I did not go because I felt shaky already and I knew if I would stress myself everything would get worse. I usually decline invitations right away, but this time I wanted to take the risk. Well, didn’t work out. My health comes first right now.

so take good care of you, @Being the tortoise you have enough external stressors!