27/F. I was diagnosed with
depression in 2002. I have been on 10mg/
Lexapro ever since. I have tried to wean off the drug a number of times but the withdrawls are horrific and intolerable. about 10 weeks ago I weaned myself off by taking 5mg for 2 weeks, then 2.5mg for 2 weeks, then 2.5mg every-other-day for 2 weeks. It's been about four weeks since my last dose and I am still having withdrawl symptoms. I am still emotionally sensitive (crying), I still have flu-like symptoms, cannot sleep and the worst, most dibilitating side effect is the heart and brain "shocks" I feel like my heart will either stop beating, skip a beat or will beat too fast and this sends shocks throughout my body as well as into my brain. It can affect my breathing and I have no energy level. At times, I cannot think straight and definently have a hard time falling/staying asleep, even with 10mg/Ambien.
I know for a fact that these symptoms are not
depression-related, but are from the med withdrawls.
Are these withdrawl symptoms normal? Especially the heart palpatations?
When can I expect them to stop? I hear it can take up to 8 weeks for the withdrawls to diminish, but I don't know if i can handle this for another 4 weeks!
Is there anything I can do to help relieve some of the symptoms?
