wow have the zaps
Life the gift of recovery!
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Home is where the heart is
Posts: 7,061
welcome to SR
I had no problem coming off lexpro but went on cymbalta immediatly. So I am unsure how long they will last. I would assume though that it can't be much longer.
I had no problem coming off lexpro but went on cymbalta immediatly. So I am unsure how long they will last. I would assume though that it can't be much longer.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: UK
Posts: 18,299
Lexapro is an SSRI and you should wean off them gradually, 'zaps' are a well know side effect for withdrawal. You are taking a risk of lots of unpleasant side-effects if you just stop taking them without weaning.
Quote from here:-Antidepressants Facts: Tapering off SSRI's & SSNRI's
By stopping cold turkey, serotonergic activity will drop drastically. Hence withdrawal side-effects may appear such as electrical surges/shocks in the head (brain shivers) and/or body, pins and needles on the skin, feelings as being on the verge of losing consciousness, blackouts, short term memory problems, etc.. Above mentioned side effects refer to epileptiform activity, or electrical discharges, in the brain. When dosages are cut back, (withdrawal) side-effects are at least minimized. No one should stop taking their medication cold turkey, but anti-depressant use should be tapered off very, very slowly.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Ft Worth, TX
Posts: 174
I've been on lexapro and came off it twice. The first time I quit too quick and The Zaps lasted a week or two but were almost constant. The 2nd time I taperred much more slowly and had The Zaps for several days after my last dose, but they weren't as severe. My advice is to cut your dose in half until The Zaps are gone, then cut in half again and repeat until you're off. But I'm not an MD, so I can't really give expert advice.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Ohio
Posts: 37
When I got pregnant, I was taking Paxil, and had to get off that. I had tried many times before, and it was horrible, electric zaps, anxiety, depression...
The time I finally succeeded, I switched to Prozac, and tapered off that. No zaps! Some anti-depressants have more horrible side-effects than others, and it seemed Prozac was better. Managed to make it through my pregnancy without anti-depressants.
The time I finally succeeded, I switched to Prozac, and tapered off that. No zaps! Some anti-depressants have more horrible side-effects than others, and it seemed Prozac was better. Managed to make it through my pregnancy without anti-depressants.
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