Hello everyone,

I’m a 33-year-old woman and I have been taking 10 mg of escitalopram for 14 years (since 2012). It was originally prescribed for severe panic attacks that started when I was 18.

They had a major impact on my ability to go out, have a social life and use public transport — especially flying, which was an absolute nightmare for me. They also affected my relationship with food: I became obsessed with expiration dates and extremely vigilant about anything that could potentially make me sick.

Escitalopram greatly reduced my panic attacks and allowed me to live an almost “normal” life, although a few things remained — I’m still overly vigilant about expiration dates, and I still experience significant anxiety when I have to fly. But overall, it really gave me my life back.

I made an attempt to taper off in 2019. After spending several months at 5 mg, I thought I was starting to experience a return of my original symptoms. At the time, I didn’t realize that what I was experiencing might actually have been withdrawal symptoms.

My doctor advised me to go back to 10 mg, which I did, and I felt much better again.

Today, I would like to stop taking escitalopram for a different reason.

I would like to try to get pregnant in the relatively near future, and I would really like to try to go through pregnancy without medication, particularly because I was told that breastfeeding is not possible while taking Seroplex.

There are also other reasons why I would like to stop. I am constantly tired (for as long as I can remember!), I experience night sweats, I have a low sex drive, and I feel as though my emotions are somewhat muted.

My life has been stable for a long time. I have been with my partner for 14 years, although my job can sometimes be stressful. I’m a professional musician, so I travel a lot and alternate between very intense, busy periods and quieter ones.

My doctor recommended starting my taper by alternating 10-10-5 mg for six weeks.

July 15, 2026 → September 2, 2026: 10-10-5 mg

No particular symptoms, apart from fatigue.

Then, starting on September 2, I switched to alternating 10 mg and 5 mg every other day (an average of 7.5 mg per day).

Day 9: mild nausea (for about half an hour, then it completely went away)

Day 12: severe nausea and stomach cramps for about 3 hours

Day 15: nausea + vomiting immediately after lunch, with stomach pain

Day 22: nausea (I took Vogalib/metopimazine)

I am now on day 23 at this dosage, and I’m wondering whether alternating doses simply doesn’t agree with me.

My doctor told me that we would move down to 5 mg in about a week.

After that, we agreed that I would switch to liquid escitalopram so that I could taper more gradually from 5 mg down to 0 mg.

However, I’m wondering whether moving to 5 mg might be too soon, and whether it would make more sense to first establish a stable daily dose of 7.5 mg.

I have also read a lot about tapering by 10% of the previous dose. Should I consider doing that already at this stage, or would it make sense to start this approach once I reach 5 mg?

Does anyone have experience with women who decided to taper off escitalopram because they wanted to become pregnant?

I would also be very interested to hear from people who took escitalopram for a long time, like I have, and successfully managed to come off it.

I’m very happy to have found a forum like this!

Edited September 27Sep 27 by SarahMc

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 withdrawal 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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Please use the format outline here Preferred signature/drug history format

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

51 minutes ago, Singingjess said:

I made an attempt to taper off in 2019. After spending several months at 5 mg, I thought I was starting to experience a return of my original symptoms. At the time, I didn’t realize that what I was experiencing might actually have been withdrawal symptoms.

This is a very common experience. I went through something similar with my own antidepressant in about 2017/2018 -- I tried to come off, became very anxious after a few months, assumed it was my "underlying condition" and reinstated. This is always reinforced by the doctors who are only trained to look for "relapse" and not withdrawal.

53 minutes ago, Singingjess said:

Today, I would like to stop taking escitalopram for a different reason.

I would like to try to get pregnant in the relatively near future, and I would really like to try to go through pregnancy without medication, particularly because I was told that breastfeeding is not possible while taking Seroplex.

There are also other reasons why I would like to stop. I am constantly tired (for as long as I can remember!), I experience night sweats, I have a low sex drive, and I feel as though my emotions are somewhat muted.

It certainly makes sense that you want to come off for these reasons. The side effects you're experiencing are unfortunately common as well -- I have several of them myself.

57 minutes ago, Singingjess said:

My doctor recommended starting my taper by alternating 10-10-5 mg for six weeks.

July 15, 2026 → September 2, 2026: 10-10-5 mg

No particular symptoms, apart from fatigue.

Then, starting on September 2, I switched to alternating 10 mg and 5 mg every other day (an average of 7.5 mg per day).

Day 9: mild nausea (for about half an hour, then it completely went away)

Day 12: severe nausea and stomach cramps for about 3 hours

Day 15: nausea + vomiting immediately after lunch, with stomach pain

Day 22: nausea (I took Vogalib/metopimazine)

I am now on day 23 at this dosage, and I’m wondering whether alternating doses simply doesn’t agree with me.

This alternating doses approach seems to be standard for doctors, but we never recommend tapering by alternating daily doses. The nervous system likes stability, and this approach throws your body into withdrawal every second (or third) day. We always recommend keeping your daily dose consistent during your taper. As you already know, we recommend tapering by a maximum of 10% of your previous dose each month: Tapering Information

1 hour ago, Singingjess said:

My doctor told me that we would move down to 5 mg in about a week.

After that, we agreed that I would switch to liquid escitalopram so that I could taper more gradually from 5 mg down to 0 mg.

However, I’m wondering whether moving to 5 mg might be too soon, and whether it would make more sense to first establish a stable daily dose of 7.5 mg.

I have also read a lot about tapering by 10% of the previous dose. Should I consider doing that already at this stage, or would it make sense to start this approach once I reach 5 mg?

This is a much faster taper than we'd advise. Since you're already experiencing withdrawal symptoms, I would definitely recommend getting stable on a consistent daily dose before making any further changes. You could hold at a daily dose of 7.5 mg, or if your withdrawal symptoms are becoming severe you could also choose to updose slightly, maybe to 8 mg or so, which might bring you some relief.

We never advise tapering through withdrawal symptoms, because symptoms can become progressively worse and lead to a bad crash. So I would certainly pick a consistent daily dose and hold until you are stable. We define stability as withdrawal symptoms no worse than a 1-3/10 in severity (10 being very severe) over a prolonged period of time.

1 hour ago, Singingjess said:

I have also read a lot about tapering by 10% of the previous dose. Should I consider doing that already at this stage, or would it make sense to start this approach once I reach 5 mg?

Once you are stable, I would definitely taper this way. Escitalopram is a particularly potent drug at 10 mg and lower, meaning that it has an outsized effect on the brain at these doses. It's very important to taper slowly to avoid bad withdrawal symptoms. Many people cannot even do 10% per month and have to make smaller cuts. Tapering is all about listening to your body and letting it guide you.

1 hour ago, Singingjess said:

I’m very happy to have found a forum like this!

I'm glad you found us, we're happy to support you through your taper.

 

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.

Welcome to the forum @Singingjess sorry to hear your taper from escitalopram has been difficuly. As Sarah has said it is important to dose the same amount every day. The body like consistency. I assume you are just cutting your pills to make the doses up? This is not accurate enough. I would advise you purchase a micro scale like the Gem-20 which is a good budget option. More information here on making up dose you may wish to read. Preparing Doses for Tapering - Weighing & DIY Liquids

To highlight switching from a pill to a liquid needs to be done carefully from a place of stablity and there are more details about this in the link above.

What you need now is to be nice and stable on a daily dose. So I agree with you and Sarah, 7.5mg would seem to be the obvious dose right now for you. Hold that, for as long as it takes for things to feel ok for you. It is really important to listen to the body and let it tell you what is happening. 10% is the Max we suggest per month some need to go slower. There are also hyperbolic taper plans that you may wish to look into. The Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines has some for your drug. Your doctor may be interested to read a copy of this.

Glad you found us, here for you, we all get it. Chippy

17 hours ago, Singingjess said:

Does anyone have experience with women who decided to taper off escitalopram because they wanted to become pregnant?

Hi, I'm a psychiatrist. Can I ask what your concerns are about taking Escitalopram whilst pregnant? I want to make sure you are able to make a truly informed choice about whether you should continue tapering at this point in time, given how difficult it has been so far, and how long it might take (and potentially delay motherhood, if this is your goal).

Hi there,

Thank you all so much for your replies!

I’ve just been to the pharmacy, and the pharmacist agreed to give me a box of 15 mg scored escitalopram tablets, so that I can take half a tablet every day and therefore have a consistent daily dose of 7.5 mg. I’m going to start taking 7.5 mg as a fixed daily dose tonight.

My next appointment with my doctor is on October 14th, so I’ll discuss everything with him in about two weeks and see how I’m doing by then.

I’ve also read the Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines and watched Dr Horowitz’s video on YouTube, which I found extremely informative. I will definitely recommend the book to my doctor. I’m honestly surprised by how little awareness there still seems to be among doctors about some aspects of antidepressant withdrawal and tapering.

I also forgot to mention in my original post that, since the beginning of my taper, I have been taking omega-3, magnesium, vitamin C and vitamin D daily.

And to answer Sminismoni:

From what I had read in reports and studies, including French sources as I’m French, my understanding was that escitalopram was not considered the ideal option during breastfeeding. However, I’m now realizing that the situation may be more nuanced than I initially thought.

As I explained in my introduction, pregnancy is also not my only reason for wanting to stop the medication. I have been stable for many years now, I have also been in regular therapy for several years, and I would really like to see whether I can eventually live without the medication and get rid of some of the side effects I experience.

My plans for pregnancy are not imminent — realistically, I’m thinking within the next 2–3 years. That is actually one of the reasons why I decided to start tapering now, as I knew I wanted to give myself plenty of time and not rush the process.

That being said, I would be extremely interested in hearing your perspective and advice as a psychiatrist regarding the risks and benefits of remaining on escitalopram during pregnancy. I’m very open to learning more about this and making an informed decision based on the actual evidence rather than simply assuming that being completely medication-free is necessarily the best option.

Thank you again to everyone who took the time to reply — I really appreciate it.

Seems like you are on the right track. Just be aware that vitamin D could be stimulating, but if you have no issues with it then it's okay ❣️

If you have any questions, let us know.

29 minutes ago, Singingjess said:

Thank you all so much for your replies!

Pleasure

29 minutes ago, Singingjess said:

I’ve just been to the pharmacy, and the pharmacist agreed to give me a box of 15 mg scored escitalopram tablets, so that I can take half a tablet every day and therefore have a consistent daily dose of 7.5 mg. I’m going to start taking 7.5 mg as a fixed daily dose tonight.

I would still get some scales and weigh this dose to make sure it is consistent. Switching batches can actually be destablising too. I know this sounds all a bit ott, but if it were me I would continue with your existing batch and get the scales so you can weigh the dose. Amazon will probably get a set to you very quickly I would think.

30 minutes ago, Singingjess said:

My next appointment with my doctor is on October 14th, so I’ll discuss everything with him in about two weeks and see how I’m doing by then.

Ok sounds good.

31 minutes ago, Singingjess said:

I’ve also read the Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines and watched Dr Horowitz’s video on YouTube, which I found extremely informative.

That is great to hear

31 minutes ago, Singingjess said:

I will definitely recommend the book to my doctor. I’m honestly surprised by how little awareness there still seems to be among doctors about some aspects of antidepressant withdrawal and tapering.

We all were. We must quickly react when we know this and start to take control of our own health. Gotta keep the doctor on board for scripts and it's nice if they can understand and support your choices, however we have to stay vigilant as often they don't.

32 minutes ago, Singingjess said:

I also forgot to mention in my original post that, since the beginning of my taper, I have been taking omega-3, magnesium, vitamin C and vitamin D daily.

Thanks for letting us know. If you don't think they cause you any issues then thats great.

With reagrds to your pregancy this is obvioulsy your choice. I think what @Sminismoni was saying is, tapering safely off these drugs can take some time and she did not want you to miss out on having a baby whilst you tapered. If you plan to wait a few years, it is possible to get off in that time. It might not be. If you decided to get pregant at some point I have heard of some who just pause for the last trimester and for a while after the baby is born. Being off the drugs is ideal imo but life isn't that compliant most of the time.

One day at a time. Work on being stable and then make some choices. It sounds like you have some time to start and get at least quite far with your taper before you have to make any choices with regards to getting pregnant.

I thought it might be worth mentioning that the Maudsley Prescribing Guidelines don't recommend that women automatically stop taking SSRIs before or during pregnancy. It's more about weighing up the potential risks of the medication against the risks of stopping it, particularly if someone is experiencing severe withdrawal or a deterioration in their mental health. Escitalopram can be continued during pregnancy, and the evidence regarding major birth defects is generally reassuring. There are some small risks associated with SSRI exposure, particularly towards the end of pregnancy, including temporary withdrawal/adaptation symptoms in the newborn and a slightly increased risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension, although the absolute risk of the latter remains very low. The point is that being medication-free before conception isn't an absolute requirement, and sometimes continuing an SSRI is the more appropriate option. I took Sertraline during both my pregnancies and breastfed on it. My children are 16 and 18 years old now, no issues.

Breastfeeding is also possible while taking SSRIs. Sertraline and paroxetine are generally preferred because very little passes into breast milk, but escitalopram can also be used, and there's no automatic need to switch if you've been taking it successfully throughout pregnancy. Given how badly you're suffering with withdrawal, I really would encourage you to speak to a perinatal psychiatrist before pushing ahead with further reductions. You don't necessarily have to put yourself through all of this to have a healthy pregnancy, and there's no reason you shouldn't be given the opportunity to properly weigh up the options rather than feeling you absolutely must get off escitalopram before trying to conceive.

@Chippy , when you say "I have heard of some who just pause for the last trimester and for a while after the baby is born.", do you mean that they completely stop taking antidepressants for several months — during the last trimester and potentially while breastfeeding — without tapering? Isn’t that potentially quite dangerous?! Or you mean pause the tapering and stay at a fix dose for longer ?

I'm definitely gonna get a scale asap. For now, I’m using a pill cutter to split my 15 mg tablet in half so that I can take 7.5 mg. It’s the same generic brand as the 5 mg tablets I’d been taking up until now, alternating between 5 and 10 mg, so I’m hoping it should be okay — and hopefully better!

Thanks for the tips !

@Sminismoni Thank you so much for this valuable information and for sharing your own experience. It’s very reassuring.

So the possibility of going through a pregnancy while still taking escitalopram — even at a much lower dose than the one I’m currently taking (depending on where I am in my taper by the time my partner and I decide to start trying) — is a real option.

I assume that would probably mean stabilising at a certain dose and staying on that dose throughout the pregnancy, and possibly for some time afterwards as well?

13 minutes ago, Singingjess said:

I assume that would probably mean stabilising at a certain dose and staying on that dose throughout the pregnancy, and possibly for some time afterwards as well?

Yes, this would be my suggestion. Caring for a newborn is difficult at the best of times. It would, in my opinion, be virtually impossible to manage if you were to experience a protracted withdrawal. Your ability to bond with, and enjoy your baby would be much more challenging in withdrawal (on bad days, it can be impossible to focus on anything else as you've probably already realised), not to mention the physical demands of caring for the baby, and the stress involved.

Honestly, honestly if Escitalopram has served you well in life until now, this may not be the best time to come off it. At least not for the sake of trying to prove to yourself you can do it (life) without meds now. You can prove this later, after you have healthy babies and manage the stress and anxiety of being a mum. I say this as a psychiatrist, a mum who knows how hard parenting is, and a sufferer from severe protracted withdrawal.

8 hours ago, Singingjess said:

Or you mean pause the tapering and stay at a fix dose for longer ?

Yes pause tapering.

8 hours ago, Singingjess said:

I'm definitely gonna get a scale asap. For now, I’m using a pill cutter to split my 15 mg tablet in half so that I can take 7.5 mg. It’s the same generic brand as the 5 mg tablets I’d been taking up until now, alternating between 5 and 10 mg, so I’m hoping it should be okay — and hopefully better!

Thanks for the tips !

Ok, dont underestimate the importance of weighing your dose or of small changes. They can have a big effect. x

@Singingjess I just wanted to share a few videos you might find interesting on pregnancy and SSRis.

So much is not understood about these drugs and the effects they have on us, and on our children, but I wanted you to see the few things that I have seen whilst in this to add to your research and help you make some choices.

Angie Peacock https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPkeUHI5jN0

Mark Horowitz https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Iwpb8pMFhY

Hi everyone,

Thanks so much @Chippy for these videos ! I've watched both of them, and they are very interesting !

I'm at day 4 since I take 7.5 mg daily. So far, so good, but I have a few questions :

Since I started tapering on July 15, 2026, I’ve noticed quite significant fatigue since early August.

I’ve always been someone who needs a lot of sleep, and I’m one of those people who tends to say they’re “tired all the time,” but I feel like it has become noticeably worse since I started tapering.

I can sleep for 11 hours and still wake up feeling tired, with very little energy during the day.

Could this be related to my taper?

As a reminder, this is how I’ve tapered so far:

• 15/07 → 02/09: alternating 10 mg – 10 mg – 5 mg

• 02/09 → 28/09: alternating 10 mg – 5 mg

• 28/09 → today: 7.5 mg daily

I’ve also recently developed some mild, fluctuating joint pain that I didn’t have a few days ago: slight pain in my right shoulder, left knee, and left toe.
Other than that, I'm OK and I can still function almost normally :)

1 hour ago, Singingjess said:

I’ve also recently developed some mild, fluctuating joint pain that I didn’t have a few days ago: slight pain in my right shoulder, left knee, and left toe.
Other than that, I'm OK and I can still function almost normally :)

sounds like you are doing good, keep it up ❣️

Since I started tapering on July 15, 2026, I’ve noticed quite significant fatigue since early August.

I’ve always been someone who needs a lot of sleep, and I’m one of those people who tends to say they’re “tired all the time,” but I feel like it has become noticeably worse since I started tapering.

I can sleep for 11 hours and still wake up feeling tired, with very little energy during the day.

Could this be related to my taper?

Yes it is. Fatigue is pretty common in withdrawal and tapering. You might want to hold for a bit and if you will want to taper further, get a scale and start tapering properly.

Edited October 1Oct 1 by Lighty

1 hour ago, Singingjess said:

Other than that, I'm OK and I can still function almost normally :)

Really glad to hear that things are going pretty smoothly for you 😊

1 hour ago, Singingjess said:

Since I started tapering on July 15, 2026, I’ve noticed quite significant fatigue since early August.

I’ve always been someone who needs a lot of sleep, and I’m one of those people who tends to say they’re “tired all the time,” but I feel like it has become noticeably worse since I started tapering.

I can sleep for 11 hours and still wake up feeling tired, with very little energy during the day.

Could this be related to my taper?

Yes, fatigue is absolutely a common withdrawal symptom. If you feel that your fatigue has gotten noticeably worse during your taper, I think it's reasonable to assume it's due to withdrawal.

1 hour ago, Singingjess said:

I’ve also recently developed some mild, fluctuating joint pain that I didn’t have a few days ago: slight pain in my right shoulder, left knee, and left toe.

This is also relatively common in withdrawal.

I'm glad to hear the 7.5 mg daily is treating you well so far. I'd say hold here for at least a month or so just to get your body used to the same daily dose and to see if some of your symptoms start calming down, and then check back in and we can help you decide how to proceed next 😊

Hi @SarahMc and @Lighty
Thank you for your words !
I thought it was withdrawal symptoms but just wanted to make sure.

Yes, that's exactly my plan, to stick to 7.5 mg until the end of the month and see how I feel then. I will definitely check back in.

Thanks again !

@Singingjess hey welcome to the forum! its great that youve found us and im sure that youll get plenty of help and support here!

Hey @Singingjess thanks for the update, glad the videos were interesting for you. I am so pleased to hear the regular dose is working out for you. I agree with Lighty and Sarah, 100% all WD related. I would certainly hold until you feel consistently stable. We are here for you if you want our input on how to proceed with your taper when the time comes. x

Hi everyone !

I just had an appointment with my doctor, and we agreed that I could move on to the next reduction at the end of this month. I've been stable on 7.5 mg daily for two weeks now, but I'd prefer to stay at this dose until the end of the month, just to give myself a little more time.

Following Dr. Horowitz's recommendations, my next step would be 6.25 mg.

So I have two options:

Option 1: Tablets

I could take one 5 mg tablet + ¼ of another 5 mg tablet (1.25 mg).

However, the pill cutter I bought at the pharmacy isn't very precise, so I'm currently looking for a better one. If you have any good reference, I'm taking it ! 🙃

I've also read a study published in 2026 showing significant variations in dosage between quartered tablets, even when using a pill cutter, which makes me a little hesitant.

Option 2: Liquid escitalopram

My doctor has also prescribed Escitalopram 20 mg/mL oral solution, where one drop equals 1 mg.

With this option, I could take 6 drops per day (6 mg), but that would mean reducing slightly more than planned (6 mg instead of 6.25 mg).

What would you recommend? Would you go for the liquid solution at 6 mg, or would you try quartering the 5 mg tablets to get as close as possible to 6.25 mg?

I'd really appreciate hearing about your experiences, especially if you've had to deal with similar small dose reductions.

Thanks in advance for your help!

1 hour ago, Singingjess said:

I just had an appointment with my doctor, and we agreed that I could move on to the next reduction at the end of this month. I've been stable on 7.5 mg daily for two weeks now, but I'd prefer to stay at this dose until the end of the month, just to give myself a little more time.

Hi @Singingjess! Glad to hear you're feeling stable. I definitely support giving yourself until the end of the month before you restart your taper, because WD symptoms can often be unpredictable. But it sounds like you're doing great!

1 hour ago, Singingjess said:

Following Dr. Horowitz's recommendations, my next step would be 6.25 mg.

Just flagging that this is faster than we would generally recommend. I see that you're planning to follow the "moderate" taper schedule proposed in the Maudsley Guidelines. We recommend being a bit more cautious and tapering at a rate of no more than 10% of your previous dose per month -- which would make your next step 6.75 mg. But of course it's entirely your decision in the end. Please don't hesitate to slow things down if you do get hit with WD symptoms though.

1 hour ago, Singingjess said:

Option 1: Tablets

I could take one 5 mg tablet + ¼ of another 5 mg tablet (1.25 mg).

However, the pill cutter I bought at the pharmacy isn't very precise, so I'm currently looking for a better one. If you have any good reference, I'm taking it ! 🙃

I've also read a study published in 2026 showing significant variations in dosage between quartered tablets, even when using a pill cutter, which makes me a little hesitant.

Option 2: Liquid escitalopram

My doctor has also prescribed Escitalopram 20 mg/mL oral solution, where one drop equals 1 mg.

With this option, I could take 6 drops per day (6 mg), but that would mean reducing slightly more than planned (6 mg instead of 6.25 mg).

What would you recommend? Would you go for the liquid solution at 6 mg, or would you try quartering the 5 mg tablets to get as close as possible to 6.25 mg?

Please have a read of our post on preparing doses: Preparing Doses for Tapering - Weighing & DIY Liquids

Basically, you can do either tablets or liquid. With tablets, we always recommend that you get yourself a jeweller's scale so you can weigh pills and make sure you're being accurate with your dosing. There are no pill cutters on the market that are accurate enough on their own. You can either cut and shave pills to get the accurate dose, or crush the pill and weigh the powder.

For liquids, as I'm sure you've seen in the Maudsley Guidelines, Dr. Horowitz recommends using a much more dilute liquid escitalopram than your doctor has prescribed so that you can be more accurate with the dosing. If you can't get a prescription for a more dilute version, you can make your own liquid per the instructions in the link above. I certainly wouldn't recommend reducing all the way down to 6 mg at this point, and you'll need to be able to make smaller reductions later on anyways.

Also note that if you do plan to go the liquid route, whether a more dilute liquid prescription or DIY, we recommend taking a month to switch from pill to liquid without making any dose changes, because the switch itself can be destabilizing. The crossover steps are also listed in the link above.

Best of luck 💜

Hey @Singingjess thanks for the update, glad things are going well and good idea to hold for a little longer before reducing again.

I would echo what Sarah as said and consider reducing initially a lessor amount. Honestly I would give 5% a go and see how you feel with that. You can always try a little more next time.

In terms of making up the dose, 100% don't round down your doses to suit your method.

With the tablet route you will need a set of scales. Pill cutters are certainly not accruate enough.

With the liquid, there are standard available liquids on the market that the doctors prescribe. They can be diluted down using water very easily. If you have access to the maudsley deprescribing guidelines (which is sounds like you might) there will be recipes in there for doing this. If you need more help with how to go about doing this please ask here and we will make a suggestion for a dilution for you.

One thing to flag that is very important is that if you wish to change to a liquid (either DIY or manufactured) you should perform a crossover taper between the pill and liquid without making a reduction, this is detailed in the link Sarah has provided. Changing drug types is very often destablising for folk, so please dont skip this step.

Glad things are going well your end. :)