Misc Lexapro (escitalopram) Taper Advice

[Greenfield12]

I know this is probably pretty minor compared to a lot of what I see people having issues with here but I need some advice just the same. My wife has been taking Lexapro (prescribed) for several years now. She would very much like to get off of it and did so for a short time. Her Dr recommeded she cut her dose in half from 10mg to 5mg then to 2.5mg then 0 over the course of several months. She did this however shortly after stopping she quite literally turned into a completely different person. Extremely irritable, no patience for anything, very angry, insomnia, high anxiety, depressed, etc..... She went back to taking it after a couple weeks of this. I told her that it didn't seem right to me to go from 2.5mg down to 0 although I know its a low dose. She is now taking 5mg daily and wants to try stopping again. Am I wrong in telling her to try dropping it by 1mg each week? Should the time frame be extended? And how do we go about measuring such small amounts? I have a grain scale that I plan to try using but maybe there is a better way. Thank you for any advice you might have.

 

[Spideronthewall]

Hate to say this brother but if thats what happens to her off the Lex then maybe shes better off on it. I myself have been on and off of Cipralex all my life without to much difficulty; other then irritability, return of my crippling anxiety(with a vengence) & annoying brain zaps.
Maybe if she (like myself) has a problem with the side effects she could ask for a milder mood stabalizer, or she could try a rigorous vitamin regime.

There shouldnt be a need to go to much lower then say 1/3 1/2 a pill (in case that was confusing i mean cut 10mg into halves, then each half into thirds). Maybe an extension of each drop is in order like you asked, 2 months on each dose. I say such a long period because her brain chemicals (seretonin etc) are used to being regulated by meds, it will take a very long time to repair.

Hopefully someone else will chime in but for now:
-extended time per dose
-activity/excersice
-vitamin regime
-diet/sleep/support


P.S. -- Grain scale would be kind of useless in this case since each pill also contains binders and fillers, not just the estitalopram.

 

[Greenfield12]

Maybe I didn't explain very well. She was not always that way its just when she quit taking the lexapro. We wouldn't be married if she had always been evil lol.

 

[Spideronthewall]

Well, maybe she needs to stretch out the taper. Sounds like she been on it a long time, no?

 

[Spideronthewall]

Here is some information I have found after a simple google search:

Consequently, when you taper off escitalopram, you should be careful to decrease by small amounts, as each drop is magnified by escitalopram's extra potency. If you find withdrawal symptoms from a 10% decrease to be too difficult, after 3-4 weeks decrease by a smaller amount.

Cold-turkeying off Lexapro is not a good idea. It's like throwing your brain off a cliff.

Reduce by 10% per month to start
The 10% rule holds for Lexapro, just like other psychiatric drugs: Reduce by 10% per month, calculated on the last dosage. (The amount of the reduction gets progressively smaller.)

Reducing with a combination of tablets and liquid
If you are taking, for example, 15mg, and want to decrease by 10% (1.5mg), you can take one 10mg tablet and 3.5mg in the liquid form for a total of 13.5mg.

Titrating using liquid formulation
Using the liquid form is the best way to control the amount of each decrease. The US formulation provides 5 mg per 5 mL (amounting to 1mg of the medication in a milliliter of the liquid, or 1mg:1mL).

Do-it-yourself liquid
People report that they can make their own liquid from Lexapro tablets and water.

If your country does not have any liquid formulation of cipralex/lexapro I would suggest dissolving a 10mg tablet into 10ml of water and making your own liquid that way and dosing that way to ensure smaller doses when further in the taper.
An oral syringe can be used to dose properly and precisely.