i decided to write here after suffering from withdrawal symptoms even after reinstating my escitalopram at 10mgs and eating that for a little over a year. i originally quit cold turkey as i was never advised about it not being a good idea. i think that i was on 20mgs? i remember being mostly on 15 and being on 20 briefly before quitting. i noticed this horrible brain fog and visual snow a few months later after quitting along with brain zaps, dizziness, depression, pretty severe anxiety and dp/dr. i was having trouble falling asleep due to being so anxious all the time and i did have suicidal thoughts quite frequently. after months of that, i reinstated at 10mgs which the doctor said would be fine. well turns out that it wasnt and i didint sleep for almost 3 days straight and had the worst episode of anxiety that ive ever had, my suicidal thoughts were incredibly strong at that point and i had to go to a ward or whatever for the night along with being given a few benzos just so i could sleep. i got off the next day and started escitalopram a bit later at 2.5mgs and went up to 10 over the course of like a month which worked fairly ok. being on 10mgs did help some of my depression and anxiety along with ocd. it also helped with brain zaps and vertigo but it also made me kinda numb to stuff and it didint help the worst symptoms at all. being the severe brain fog and dp/dr. i literally feel like nothing around me is real every day and i feel lobotomized with the way i perceive things around me. its really severe. it almost feels like my brain has been injected with an anesthetic. i finally decided that i want to get off this shit and ive been tapering from 10mgs to 7.5 mgs and now im at 5mgs. im about to start 3.5mgs today. ive been doing this every 2 weeks and so far it hasnt been super bad but i am worried that ill fuck myself up worse. i also at the same time really want off of this shit as i feel like i cant live like this forever. i dont think that my country has access to liquids or anything like that so im going to go to 2.5mgs after 3.5 and then finally to 1.25mgs. after that im planning on stopping as i cant really go much lower. just looking for support honestly as this whole thing has fucked my life up. i feel like im wasting my 20s by suffering.

Hi Some0n3

 

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.

 

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

 

Please make sure your signature is kept up to date with your drug history. 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 FAQs section above, but here is a direct link: Update Signature

Once this is done, future posts made by you will have this signature turned on by default. For this reason please keep it clear but condensed as possible.

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

 

26 minutes ago, Some0n3 said:

i originally quit cold turkey as i was never advised about it not being a good idea.

No this was a bad idea. CTs cause havoc with our nervous systems.

 

26 minutes ago, Some0n3 said:

i noticed this horrible brain fog and visual snow a few months later after quitting along with brain zaps, dizziness, depression, pretty severe anxiety and dp/dr. i was having trouble falling asleep due to being so anxious all the time and i did have suicidal thoughts quite frequently. after months of that, i reinstated at 10mgs which the doctor said would be fine.

This was too higher a reinstatement.

 

Please see here:

 

 

About Reinstating and Stabilizing to Reduce Withdrawal Symptoms

 

How long does it take to stabilize after reinstating or updosing?

 

Hypersensitivity and kindling

 

26 minutes ago, Some0n3 said:

well turns out that it wasnt and i didint sleep for almost 3 days straight and had the worst episode of anxiety that ive ever had, my suicidal thoughts were incredibly strong at that point and i had to go to a ward or whatever for the night along with being given a few benzos just so i could sleep. i got off the next day and started escitalopram a bit later at 2.5mgs and went up to 10 over the course of like a month which worked fairly ok.

So to clarify after your 10mg reinstatement you CTd again? They went back to 2.5mg? But was ok? 

 

26 minutes ago, Some0n3 said:

being on 10mgs did help some of my depression and anxiety along with ocd. it also helped with brain zaps and vertigo but it also made me kinda numb to stuff and it didint help the worst symptoms at all. being the severe brain fog and dp/dr. i literally feel like nothing around me is real every day and i feel lobotomized with the way i perceive things around me. its really severe. it almost feels like my brain has been injected with an anesthetic.

Its good you saw some improvement here but really you up dosed too much.

 

26 minutes ago, Some0n3 said:

i finally decided that i want to get off this shit and ive been tapering from 10mgs to 7.5 mgs and now im at 5mgs. im about to start 3.5mgs today. ive been doing this every 2 weeks and so far it hasnt been super bad but i am worried that ill fuck myself up worse. i also at the same time really want off of this shit as i feel like i cant live like this forever.

 

When you first CTd your drug you caused irritation to your nervous system. Further changes and CTs etc only causes more problems unfortunately.

 

See here: Hypersensitivity and kindling (same as I posted above)

 

I understand your desire to be off the drug however you need to slow down.

 

You say you feel relatively ok where you are? If I were you I would hold here at this dose. Escitalopram is extremely potent at these lower doses and it is very important to come off it slowly and safely inline with the information set out here: Tapering Information

 

It is easy to reduce your dose by smaller amounts then you have been and there are a variety of different ways to do this.

 

How to calculate dosages and dilutions. Spreadsheets and calculators.

 

In the mean time this is what I would do if I were you:

 

-Stay Hydrated 

 

-Eat a good clean whole food diet, avoiding processed foods and sugars.

 

-Stay away from caffeine, alcohol and antihistamines and any other psychoactive substances.

 

Supplements are to be avoided initially, as they often irritate our nervous systems. Try to get your nutrition through food.

 

Down the line, you may wish to introduce Fish Oil and Magnesium. Those who can tolerate them have found them calming to the nervous system. Be careful try one at a time and start low and see how you get on should you choose to try them.

 

A daily walk is very important as much as you can manage, if you can manage it. Gets you your fresh air and Vitamin D does wonders for your mind!

 

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

40 minutes ago, Chippy said:

 

 

So to clarify after your 10mg reinstatement you CTd again? They went back to 2.5mg? But was ok? 

 

- yeah i only was on 10mgs again for a few days and then ctd

 

 

 

You say you feel relatively ok where you are? If I were you I would hold here at this dose. Escitalopram is extremely potent at these lower doses and it is very important to come off it slowly and safely inline with the information set out here: Tapering Information

 

- i can somewhat function but i still feel like shit most days. the brain fog is incredibly debilitating.

 

thank you for the reply!

Edited February 9Feb 9 by Some0n3

My pleasure.

2 minutes ago, Chippy said:

My pleasure.

how do you suggest i taper from this point on if i dont have access to liquids etc? like i said prior. after being on 10mgs for over a year again, while it provided some relief, the worst of my symptoms never went away. that being the brain fog, dp/dr etc. i really dont wanna get back on the high doses tbh. like 15 or 20mgs just for a sliver of hope that itll remove the worst symptoms

31 minutes ago, Some0n3 said:

how do you suggest i taper from this point on if i dont have access to liquids etc? like i said prior. after being on 10mgs for over a year again, while it provided some relief, the worst of my symptoms never went away. that being the brain fog, dp/dr etc. i really dont wanna get back on the high doses tbh. like 15 or 20mgs just for a sliver of hope that itll remove the worst symptoms

No I think you need to stay where you are for the minute and get nice and stable. Find a base line. See how you are in a couple of weeks. Then if you need to you could updose a bit more but only a little. Your systems had quite a shock from all this and needs time to settle down. Please read all the links I gave you there is alot of information in there and you need to be well informed now.

 

Can you update your signature with more details to make it clear on dates and when you did what please? 

 

Write it like this:

01 Sept 2024 Escitalopram 15mg

01 October 2024 Escitalopram CT

01 November 2024 Escitalopram RI 10mg

 

And so on........ Nice and clear 🙂 

 

Once it is time to taper there are lots of way to do this without access to liquid.

 

You can use a set of precision scales and a blade to cut doses to quite small amounts this is a good route.

 

You can also make up suspensions in liquid of your drug in a variety of different ways and its not as scary as it sounds!

 

Lots of more information in the link I gave you above.

 

I will re paste it here for your convenience. How to calculate dosages and dilutions. Spreadsheets and calculators.

 

Chippy

thank you so much for the helpful answers. this has been a nightmare for me, really turned my life upside down. it makes me sad that im spending my early 20s suffering like this. i will stay at 5mg for the time being. i doubt that my brain fog and symptoms will go away even if i remain on 5mg if they didint resolve after being on 10mgs for over a year but i know that its better to stay rn than to risk further symptoms. i will also update my signature! 

You might be supprised being on a lower dose might make a difference eventually. 

 

As I said before your system has been through a lot and it needs time to stabilise. These next 5mg are very potent and need to be tapered slowly from a position of calm 🙂 

 

Thanks that would be great! 🙂 

 

Chippy

Signature is done. i hope that i did it correctly haha. thank you for the positive feedback and the help. its frustrating how most doctors know next to nothing about this stuff.

Edited February 9Feb 9 by Some0n3

45 minutes ago, Chippy said:

You might be supprised being on a lower dose might make a difference eventually. 

 

As I said before your system has been through a lot and it needs time to stabilise. These next 5mg are very potent and need to be tapered slowly from a position of calm 🙂 

 

Thanks that would be great! 🙂 

 

Chippy

sorry to drag on but i have one more question for this moment. how do i know when im ready to start eventually tapering? do i do it when i have no symptoms at all. not even the ones i still have after the initial CT despite being back on the meds or can i do it even when still showing symptoms? 

Hi @Some0n3 welcome to the forum.

It's really important to understand your drug moving forward so you are successful with your taper. Escitalopram is generally twice as strong as most ADs. Therefore a slow and careful taper is necessary.

You can also buy a scale like the Gem20 jewelry scale on Amazon to make dry cuts with a one sided razor, metal file or very sharp knife.

Escitalopram is sparingly soluble in water and soluble in a saline solution. The following link explains all this and how to make a saline solution.

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/406-tips-for-tapering-off-escitalopram-lexapro/

 

Crossing over to liquid can also cause a bump in the road so it is recommended to do that slowly as well:

 

For 4-7 days, ¼ of your dose of the liquid/ ¾ of your dose in the regular form.

For 4-7 days, ½ of your dose of the new liquid/ ½ of your dose in the regular form.

For 4-7 days, ¾ of your dose of the  liquid/ ¼ of your dose in the regular form.

Full dose in the new form.

 

If at any stage, withdrawal symptoms show up, hold till they subside then proceed with the schedule.

 

10 minutes ago, Some0n3 said:

how do i know when im ready to start eventually tapering?

You want to be as stable and functional as possible. Usually your symptoms will be pretty predictable without huge highs or lows. It usually takes a few months to get there, sometimes longer. Being patient with the process will benefit your taper and make it smoother. 

❤️🙏

24 minutes ago, LostinCanada said:

Hi @Some0n3 welcome to the forum.

It's really important to understand your drug moving forward so you are successful with your taper. Escitalopram is generally twice as strong as most ADs. Therefore a slow and careful taper is necessary.

You can also buy a scale like the Gem20 jewelry scale on Amazon to make dry cuts with a one sided razor, metal file or very sharp knife.

Escitalopram is sparingly soluble in water and soluble in a saline solution. The following link explains all this and how to make a saline solution.

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/406-tips-for-tapering-off-escitalopram-lexapro/

 

Crossing over to liquid can also cause a bump in the road so it is recommended to do that slowly as well:

 

For 4-7 days, ¼ of your dose of the liquid/ ¾ of your dose in the regular form.

For 4-7 days, ½ of your dose of the new liquid/ ½ of your dose in the regular form.

For 4-7 days, ¾ of your dose of the  liquid/ ¼ of your dose in the regular form.

Full dose in the new form.

 

If at any stage, withdrawal symptoms show up, hold till they subside then proceed with the schedule.

 

You want to be as stable and functional as possible. Usually your symptoms will be pretty predictable without huge highs or lows. It usually takes a few months to get there, sometimes longer. Being patient with the process will benefit your taper and make it smoother. 

❤️🙏

 

thank you!. lets just say for example that my severe brain fog dp/dr etc continues even after a few months as it has for over a year now but im feeling a bit better in terms of mood etc. would it be wise to start a taper process then? i do apologize if my questions are repetitive and dumb, i just want to be extra sure as i still am living with the most debilitating symptoms of that cold turkey attempt over a year back so i really dont want to make them worse. also on another note, this seems like a really supportive community. i appreciate you people alot for being so helpful and supportive

6 minutes ago, Some0n3 said:

severe brain fog dp/dr etc continues

If anything is severe, it is not a good time to taper unless you are having a severe reaction to the drug and the situation is life threatening. 

These symptoms may appear off and on but in lesser degrees and therefore it would be possible to taper. 

You have not been in a stable place for 1.5 years.... just give yourself time...your body needs to heal from this trauma.

Tapering will increase symptoms not alleviate them but tapering slowly will minimize the severity and impact. That is why stability is important. 

11 minutes ago, Some0n3 said:

seems like a really supportive community. i appreciate you people alot for being so helpful and supportive

It is...I just joined myself from SA. Keep communicating... it's important. ❤️🙏

31 minutes ago, LostinCanada said:

If anything is severe, it is not a good time to taper unless you are having a severe reaction to the drug and the situation is life threatening. 

These symptoms may appear off and on but in lesser degrees and therefore it would be possible to taper. 

You have not been in a stable place for 1.5 years.... just give yourself time...your body needs to heal from this trauma.

Tapering will increase symptoms not alleviate them but tapering slowly will minimize the severity and impact. That is why stability is important. 

It is...I just joined myself from SA. Keep communicating... it's important. ❤️🙏

thank you for the kind words. i wish you and everyone else the best of luck as well. my newest taper has been from 10mgs to 7.5mgs and then to 5mgs in the span of a month and i think that im going to stay at 5 for now and see what happens. i do really wish that one day my symptoms can go away as they have been 24/7 the past 1.5 years. i havent had a single day of clarity or clear mindedness despite reinstating. i luckily have enough strength that i can workout and spend time with friends which has also been a huge help in being able to go on despite the fact. when i first got these symptoms, i thought that my life was over but now having lived with them, i like to think that there is always hope.

 

5 hours ago, Some0n3 said:

i decided to write here after suffering from withdrawal symptoms even after reinstating my escitalopram at 10mgs and eating that for a little over a year. i originally quit cold turkey as i was never advised about it not being a good idea. i think that i was on 20mgs? i remember being mostly on 15 and being on 20 briefly before quitting. i noticed this horrible brain fog and visual snow a few months later after quitting along with brain zaps, dizziness, depression, pretty severe anxiety and dp/dr. i was having trouble falling asleep due to being so anxious all the time and i did have suicidal thoughts quite frequently. after months of that, i reinstated at 10mgs which the doctor said would be fine. well turns out that it wasnt and i didint sleep for almost 3 days straight and had the worst episode of anxiety that ive ever had, my suicidal thoughts were incredibly strong at that point and i had to go to a ward or whatever for the night along with being given a few benzos just so i could sleep. i got off the next day and started escitalopram a bit later at 2.5mgs and went up to 10 over the course of like a month which worked fairly ok. being on 10mgs did help some of my depression and anxiety along with ocd. it also helped with brain zaps and vertigo but it also made me kinda numb to stuff and it didint help the worst symptoms at all. being the severe brain fog and dp/dr. i literally feel like nothing around me is real every day and i feel lobotomized with the way i perceive things around me. its really severe. it almost feels like my brain has been injected with an anesthetic. i finally decided that i want to get off this shit and ive been tapering from 10mgs to 7.5 mgs and now im at 5mgs. im about to start 3.5mgs today. ive been doing this every 2 weeks and so far it hasnt been super bad but i am worried that ill fuck myself up worse. i also at the same time really want off of this shit as i feel like i cant live like this forever. i dont think that my country has access to liquids or anything like that so im going to go to 2.5mgs after 3.5 and then finally to 1.25mgs. after that im planning on stopping as i cant really go much lower. just looking for support honestly as this whole thing has fucked my life up. i feel like im wasting my 20s by suffering.

Hey @Some0n3 warm welcome, sorry that you've been dragging on with these symptoms for so long, with all the changes your system has gone through in recent years it's understandable and unfortunately expected.

Your system is still hypersensitive and looking for stabilization, it might be worth holding your dose for a long while until significant relief and from there moving at a slower pace, it seems that you've managed to balance out a bit at times and you're still functional and maintaining a positive mindset, which is encouraging.

Just continue to be attentive to your body and don't try to rush the process, your body is young which is a big plus, slowly over time you'll get better.

Take good care and continue to update us, thanks.

Edited February 9Feb 9 by Fullhealing

1 minute ago, Fullhealing said:

 

Hey @Some0n3 warm welcome, sorry that you've been dragging on with these symptoms for so long, with all the changes your system has gone through in recent years it's understandable and unfortunately expected.

Your system is still hypersensitive and looking for stabilization, it might be worth holding your dose for a long while until significant relief and from there moving at a slower pace, it seems that you've managed to balance out a bit at times and you're still functional and maintaining a positive mindset, which is encouraging.

Just continue to be attentive to your body and don't try to rush the process, your body is young which is a big plus, slowly over time you'll get better.

Take good care and continue to update us, thanks.

thank you very much for your support. ive decided to stop my taper for the time being and remain at 5mgs. i could go back to 10mgs but so far i havent had my symptoms worsen that drastically when going from 10 to 5 over a month so i figure that ill hold here unless symptoms get so bad that i cant sleep. ill also try my best to make sure that i update you guys if any changes etc occur

22 minutes ago, Some0n3 said:

thank you very much for your support. ive decided to stop my taper for the time being and remain at 5mgs. i could go back to 10mgs but so far i havent had my symptoms worsen that drastically when going from 10 to 5 over a month so i figure that ill hold here unless symptoms get so bad that i cant sleep. ill also try my best to make sure that i update you guys if any changes etc occur

@Some0n3 Great, slowly as possible, you will be fine.

keep update when you can, all the best to you.

 

Edited February 9Feb 9 by Fullhealing

22 minutes ago, Fullhealing said:

@Some0n3 Great, slowly as possible, you will be fine.

keep update when you can, all the best to you.

 

thank you, likewise!

14 hours ago, Some0n3 said:

ive decided to stop my taper for the time being and remain at 5mgs. i

Yes exactly stay where are and give your body lots of time to recover. Remember it doesn't like changes are certainly not big ones. Check in here before making further moves. 🙂 

 

Thank @LostinCanada youre the best! xxx 🙂 

 

Thanks @Fullhealing too 🙂 

4 hours ago, Chippy said:

Yes exactly stay where are and give your body lots of time to recover. Remember it doesn't like changes are certainly not big ones. Check in here before making further moves. 🙂 

 

Thank @LostinCanada youre the best! xxx 🙂 

 

Thanks @Fullhealing too 🙂 

ill be sure to do that. its good to be able to talk to people in similar situations

12 minutes ago, Some0n3 said:

ill be sure to do that. its good to be able to talk to people in similar situations

We are all here to help and support each other. 

14 minutes ago, Chippy said:

We are all here to help and support each other. 

indeed. that goes a long way. i did not put it in my signature but ive also been on sertraline before, i think it was from like 2016 to 2020 possibly? i do have a diagnosed anxiety disorder, ocd and adhd but im only taking escitalopram right now. its kinda wild to think about how i would be now if my anxiety etc was treated with something else than medications but i really just gotta focus on the present as i cant change my past.

13 minutes ago, Some0n3 said:

indeed. that goes a long way. i did not put it in my signature but ive also been on sertraline before, i think it was from like 2016 to 2020 possibly? i do have a diagnosed anxiety disorder, ocd and adhd but im only taking escitalopram right now. its kinda wild to think about how i would be now if my anxiety etc was treated with something else than medications but i really just gotta focus on the present as i cant change my past.

Yes we all empathise with that thought. Treating normal human reactions as a disease and labelling them up as a disorder/diagnosis is not helpful. We need to deal with the causes of our issues not medicate them. 

 

100% no point worrying about what we can’t change. A great attitude! 👍

27 minutes ago, Chippy said:

Yes we all empathise with that thought. Treating normal human reactions as a disease and labelling them up as a disorder/diagnosis is not helpful. We need to deal with the causes of our issues not medicate them. 

 

100% no point worrying about what we can’t change. A great attitude! 👍

exactly!

On 2/9/2026 at 4:45 PM, Some0n3 said:

thank you so much for the helpful answers. this has been a nightmare for me, really turned my life upside down. it makes me sad that im spending my early 20s suffering like this. i will stay at 5mg for the time being. i doubt that my brain fog and symptoms will go away even if i remain on 5mg if they didint resolve after being on 10mgs for over a year but i know that its better to stay rn than to risk further symptoms. i will also update my signature! 

i want to comment since im also in my early 20s (23 now to be exact).

at the end of the day at some point this will end, it won't last forever.

obviously it sucks we are losing our 20s to this. but do you think that in 10 years, what we experience now will exist ?

it's a weird type of thinking i have, but even the present in a way doesn't exist, any present instantly becomes the past, and the past in a way doesn't exist.

in 10 years you will 99.9% be out of this if you do the right things, and by then it will only be a faint memory and you could live your life.

whatever suffering that happened centuries ago doesn't exist anymore.

it will all pass at the end, and you could live the rest of your life normally, with a deeper appreciation after you have went through a hell.

we will make it at some point.