How to Slowly Wean Myself from the PPD Drug, Lexapro?

This probably isnt good advice but I was on Lexapro for years and when I found out that I was pregnant I just stopped taking it. I didnt wean myself or anything and I didnt have a single problem with it. Now when they gave me zoloft and I weaned myself from that, that was a completely different story :). But I had no troubles with lexapro.

I wasn't on Lexapro, but I was on Cymbalta, and it was in capsule form. I stretched the doses out little by little over a period of months. I also added Omega 3 to my daily regimen. I bought the enteric coated fish oil capsules at Wal-Mart and started taking 3-1000mg in the morning and 3 in the evening. I read where they are finding amazing results for depression with large doses of fish oil. I've been fine after years and years of taking anti-depressants. I've been off them since about May 1st.

Before you start to wean yourself off of the Lexipro, I would recommend starting some suppliments to build up your body's natural strength and reserves. That should help you through the transition and build you up for a long term solution. I have had great success with a product called Lith-a-Life from www.nutriprima.com. I would also recommend going to a reputable health food store and talking with someone regarding suppliments that will help your body restore and produce the proper neurotransmitter (chemical) balance in your brain that causes PPD. Many stores have an expert on staff that is well versed in these areas. Another good source for articles and information on women's health issues is www.womantowoman.com. I know that 5-HTP can be helpful, as can several other suppliments. I would also recommend some thyroid boosting suppliments that have B vitamins, iodine, magnesium and L-Tyrosine. The thyroid gland regulates hormone production and can get out of whack from our womanly hormone changes. Giving it proper nutritional support can make a lot of difference in how you feel. By giving your body strong nutritional support you are strengthing the underlying systems that are the CAUSE of the problem. The Lexapro just affects the symptoms, but does not correct the problem. These suppliments will not interfere with your Lexapro or have harmful drug interactions. You should still tell your doctor about any suppliments that you are taking so they can accurately monitor your health and progress. Pregnanacy demands much from our bodies. We need to give our bodies as much nutritional support as possible to restore what has been depleted, particularly if you are looking to become pregnant again. I wish you well!

I have gone through what you are doing twice. I have three cuties now. I am not an MD, but I can tell you what has worked well for me. I broke the pill into 3/4 for a week, then in 1/2 for a week, then a small fraction for a week. It kept my body from going through "the buzzes" and the "emotional roller coaster". It worked for me. Yet, I would also recommend weaning yourself from large amounts of caffeine prior to beginning the weaning process with your meds. Caffeine withdrawals late in the day can contribute to your symptoms. Stay away from high carb and high sugar foods since they contribute, as well. Then, make sure you are getting exercise three times a week. All these factors will assist in boosting your system during the withdrawal process.

I did not use Lexapro, but Zoloft for PPD. When I was ready to get off it, I started by shaving a little off every week with a nail file or fingernail clippers. If I felt like I was having a hard time adjusting I would wait longer than a week to shave it down again. This worked very well for me. I had none of the weaning related side effects.
I second the post about getting nutritionally supported. I used 5 HTP, which worked very well. However it all depends on what exactly is causing your symptoms. Sharon Krahn helped me a great deal, she is a traditional naturopath and can guide you in the right direction as far as supplements. She is also very knowledgable in helping to wean off of anti-depressants. www.sharonkrahn.com
Good luck!
L.

Honey, if you have a baby and are a working mom and need to take an anti-depressant it sounds like you have a very full plate....why on earth are you considering adding to that? I love babies, but they are MUCH work and believe me when I tell you, 2 are not as easy as 1!! They are not always even similar in personalities, pregnancies and childbirth quite often are completely different with subsequent babies. You are feeling "much better now" you have to consider whether that is because you are just better OR is it because the meds are working? If you're determined to take yourself off the meds, do it for that reason, see how you feel once you're off and THEN decide if you can be happy without them and THEN decide if you want to add another child to your list of life things to take care of! I'm just trying to offer smart advice. Another child will NOT make anything easier now or ever, in fact each child adds more stress, worries and lack of $$$. Kids are expensive; take lots of time - and I mean FOREVER time, mine are grown now but they still need me....in a different way but you will always be MOM even when you're 50 and they're in their 20's married and with children. I just wanted to give you a different perspective. As for weaning off the meds, there is no "magical way". It is time consuming, you can't just stop, you have to slowly take it down. The reason for the different advice is that everyone has an opinion and they're all different. So are the patients. I've been on various meds and you need some serious alone time and help in order to get off, and it takes awhile. It's better to be able to have some stress free months to do this. You can expect headaches at the very least if you do it too fast. You can also regress and not realize what is happening until you are a pile of crying, sad unhappiness. Please take the advice of your docs and also see them regularly while your doing it. Best of luck to you!

Hi Zoe,

I did the same process as Shauna C. I would reduce the dose and stay at that dose for about two weeks then reduce it again for two weeks, then went every other day for two weeks then three days then off. I had no problems. I go off Lexapro because I was more volital on it. I felt much better after weaning myself and have relied on prayer, meditation and exercise in it's place. I would have no problem returning to an anti-depressant if I find life getting too out of control.

Good luck.

I was on Lexapro for over 5 years before I got pregnant for anxiety attacks. As soon as we started trying to get pregnant I decided to go off it and I decreased my dose slowly over a few week period. I was on the same dose as you. I started by taking every other day, then went to every two days, so on and so forth. After about the 4th week of doing this I stopped it completely and had no adverse affects and luckily since the pregnancy I haven't had any issues since so no need to go back on it. Good luck with this and with trying to get pregnant.

I will tell you it isn't fun, but I am glad I did it. I started very slowly cutting the pills. I went to a whole pill then half the second going back up if the withdrawl was too much. Eventually I was on 1/4 every other day then every third day. When you lower the dose stay on it for about a week before lowering again. Have your DH tell you if your mood changes too much so you can have a reality check.

Well, I can't remember exactly how I did it, sorry, but I think I know the jist of it. It took me about 2 months after trying to go cold turkey (big mistake). Even though I was weaning off I was still very sick for the 2 months I did it. I believe I just cut the pills into smaller and smaller pieces over the course of the 2 months. Started by taking 3/4 of the pill for a while, then 1/2, then 1/4, you know. I don't know if it was the right way or not, because, like you, I had conflicting or non-existent info on how to do it properly. My doc kept telling me that I shouldn't have any w/d effects, but boy did I! How did your 2 docs say to do it? Honestly, I would really think about whether or not you'll ever want to be on it again, also. My doc said it was safe to take while preggo and looking back I feel like I should've just stayed on it. (I wasn't pregnant or anything, but I remember asking him "what if I got pregnant on it?") Never been pregnant. Anyway, I went off because I thought I didn't need it anymore.

My sister-in-law and mother-in-law were both on Lexapro and weaned themselves off. My sister-in-law did it successfully via her doctor's help. My mother-in-law tried to do it herself and had a nervous breakdown. Granted my mother-in-law's husband of almost 50 years was dying at the time she went nearly cold turkey but the result was us having to admit her to a senior care unit (i.e. psychiatric unit). I would strongly encourage you to try to wean off of this medication with the help of the doctor who prescribed this to you. If you are no longer living near this doctor, then go to a doctor you trust. I wouldn't try to do this on your own. Good luck.

Call your pharmacist or any pharmacist...they know way more about the meds than doctors....

My doctor recommended cutting back gradually. I don't remember the dosage now but gradual is the way to go. I did have a few w/d symptoms -- mostly that weird feeling you get in your head when you start taking it. It wasn't so much it was a problem though. It does continue to go away over time. It was several months before it totally went away but none of it was debilatating. Good luck!

I am certainly no expert, but I was on it for situational depression -- once I had felt better for a while (about 9 months), I just stopped taking them with no affects. I found the Lexapro to be VERY helpful. That was almost 3 years ago and I have never felt the need since.

Hi. I was on Lexapro for about 2 years and decided to wean myself off of it. I really think that the effects of getting off of Lexapro are much milder than a lot of the other drugs in this category. Lexapro is just much more refined than Zoloft and others. That being said. I started cutting mine in half and taking half of one instead of the whole. Then split it into 4ths about two weeks later. Then taking a 4th every other day. And then I stopped. I was fine. I mean..I am still a little nuts...but I was fine for the most part! :)

S.

Hi Zoe, I was on Lexapro 20mg for about four years or so. After I quit work and my stress level went WAY down I asked my doctor how to wean myself off. He suggested first cutting them in half and taking that for about two weeks, then half again for two weeks, then off. I had planned to do that as I had read that a person can have ill effects if just stopping the meds all at once. Long story short I ran out of them and just didn't refill the prescription so just stopped cold. I did just fine. However, since that experience may be the exception just wean yourself off, monitor how you're doing, and for goodness sakes, if you find you need to continue the medication to feel human...do it and don't feel bad about it. Everyone is different. Good luck!

I would seriously consider staying on Lexapro for at least a full year. I was on it years ago & decided to get off of it before the full year & really regretted it. I can't remember what the exact statistics are, but you are MUCH more likely to relapse into problems with depression. BUT if you decide to go ahead & wean yourself off, do it very slowly...I would go with 5 mg for 3 weeks & then 2.5 mg for 3 weeks but watch how you feel...I had a very hard time weaning myself off...often got overwhelmed with feelings of depression & anxiety while trying to get off of it which clouded my judgment about whether I should get off of it or not. Best of luck!