Coming off a Drug (Lexapro)

I would be careful when taking someone off an antidepressant. You need to do it really slow so that they don't get drug fever and have life threatening withdrawals.

I took myself off of it abrubtly also. I got extremely sick. Please make sure that the dr is weaning him off slowly. I hated that medicine and the withdraw!

Lexapro is a mood regulator, specifically one used to treat depression. Stopping suddenly can be disastrous, especially if it is done without doctor's supervision - and in this case an herbalist certainly does not count. If she wants to take her son off of it, fine, but she needs to do it with a doctor's help (even if it isn't the doc who first prescribed it, she can find one who is willing to work to work with her.

That said, I have heard that fish oil or flax-seed oil are a good "natural" way to deal with depression (at least, mild depression). It is supposed to be the omega-3s. How much is going to depend on her son's age, weight, and also the Aspergers. Again, it should be under the supervision of a doctors (Just because it's natural doesn't mean its all safe). Again, she can find one who is willing to try this course.

I agree with another mom that your friend needs to seek professional advice from an alternative health care provider (a naturopath, integrative physician, etc.). Certain supplements can interact with prescription meds (sometimes positively, sometimes negatively).

I love a particular book by Kenneth Bock, MD titled "Healing the New Childhood Epidemics . . ." While it should not substitute for medical advice, it may be a good starter point for an integrative approach (which is different that traditional medicine). He discusses many supplements in that book too.

Good luck to your friend and her son.

I don't know of anything that will help (and I'm sure you already know this), but I wanted to say just in case she didn't know that you have to pull off the drug very slowly. I have actually taken it myself and stopped abruptly and it was not good. I'm sure the doctor has made a plan to slowly reduce it before coming off of it, but I figure (especially with children) that it is better to hear it too many times than not at all. I hope everything works out for them! Good luck!

Is she doing this on her own, or under a doctors care?????????
When I was in my thirties I went through a few years of terrible anxiety and was taking an antidepressant. I decided to stop on my own and ended up in the hospital!!!!!!!!!! It is not a good idea to do this cold turkey or replace with herbs. Please make sure she is doing this under a doctors care, because withdrawal can be horrible and medically unsafe!!

As most everyone here has mentioned, for the sake of comfort and safety of this boy please help your friend use good common sense with the elimination of this pharmaceutical from his system in a responsible manner. Compounded with AS it could a very difficult time for him as his symptoms might manifest in a way different from someone without AS.

Finding an actual Naturopathic DOCTOR, a real N.D. is crucial-then the N.D. can support all the other alternative therapies available.

Best of luck-and please follow the well intentioned advice here from others who really care about this particular post. Let us know.
K.

Some people use St.John's Wort. It is best to find an herbalist or holistic doctor in your area or a compounding pharmacies. I know that it is best at times to check with the doctors, but the majority of doctors degrade alternative medicines due to it takes away from their business. Definitely find a good certified herbalist, holistic, or compounding pharmacy because they are very helpful and can inform your friend of what will work for her son that does not counteract other meds.

You cannot quit it cold turkey and it must be weaned very very slowly...I had a heck of a time getting off an anti-depressant myself. The withdrawal is horrible and sometimes can be mistaken for new problems or issues when it is just getting the drug out of your system.

She needs to talk to his doctor and then find a professional naturopath or herbalist to work with her.

Wow--I cannot claim any knowledge of this drug or how to wean off of it. That being said, I know that dandelion root is very good to cleanse unwanted things from the body. Perhaps a moderate approach would be advised, and definately seek the counsel of a Dr. and a naturopath to see that it goes smoothly.

That being said, my husband has had some success with using SAM-E. Sometimes there is just simply a problem with the amino acid chain and it can be fixed relatively simply.

Best wishes and blessings

i appreciate that she wants him off lexapro but she MUST do it under supervision. i am all for more natural ways of handling things, but these drugs are serious big guns and cannot be handled lightly. since he's now taking it, the advice of some lay folks on a board and herbal remedies will be of no help getting him off. please encourage her to do this under the supervision of the child's doctor.
khairete
S.

When I came off the same drug, all I did was cut it in half for a few days and then just stop. I didn't notice anything different.