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Decreasing medication
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
I've been on 10mg of Escitalopram (a form of Cipralex) for almost three years. I've just decreased it to 5mg. I have a feeling that the answer to my question will be 'everyone is different' which is perfectly understandable, and I do appreciate but, however, what I want to know is how long will the decrease take to 'get' in my system, and how long until it may make an effect. The reason I'm asking is that I had a bad night last night, but have only been on the new 5mg dose since Monday.
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I used to feel a difference if I missed a day or 2, and would wonder why I felt so shit and then look at my packed and realise I'd forgotten to take a few so I think it goes through you pretty fast. I'm glad I'm off them now, and I'd never go back on them again because I found coming off them so difficult and had my worst self harm episode shortly after stopping altogether. I used to feel physically sick with sadness coming off them and when I'd recently stopped, I never had that before I went on them and never had it since
Yeah that's how i felt at the start, but it got worse. Keep at eye on yourself and try to notice if you're getting bad because it can do that and you don't realise. Maybe keep a diary of your mood so you can nip it in the bud if you're having a bad time coming off
I hope I'm not freaking you out and maybe I just had a particularly bad time so don't worry that it will happen to you, just be careful is all
Ah I hope you're ok . Just try and remember that its the drugs messing around with your body and once you've got used to the new dose it'll be much better. I didn't do a mood diary but I wish I had because looking back it was so obvious that I was slipping but I just couldn't see it at the time. I also didn't ask for help when I should of because i didn't understand what it would be like coming off the drugs I'd come to depend on. Don't be afraid to ask a friend to keep an eye on you too, tell them you're cutting down on the antidepressants and you're a bit worried of the effects. They'll be able to see changes in you that you won't notice, because you never do until after I really wish I'd done that too. Its so easy to give advice after, but its not obvious where you're there at the time - as I found!
I think I did have a tough time, but they are notoriously addictive drugs, and I don't think I truly appreciated this fact until I stopped taking them. They don't allow you to deal with things properly because they just dull your emotions so you never have to face up to your problems. I found when I came off them it literally felt like someone had removed a protective sheet from in front of my eyes and I was seeing the world properly again and I didn't like it one bit. It was frightening because it had been two years since I'd had to deal with things without the cushion that the ADs gave me. I think you'll be better than me though because you're cutting down rather than stopping altogether so it won't be as harsh. If you need any more advice (or lecture lol) or just want a chat pm me any time Good luck
5mg escitalopram is the equivilant of 10mg citalopram. when coming off citalopram, you wouldnt go down to 5mg, 10mg is the lowest.
I hope you're doing this under the advice of your gp? Its never easy but just remember, its not you, its the tablets and the feelings will pass. They should do, but as others have said keep a diary.
I took escitalopram for about 6 months and suddenly stopped taking it, i felt more anxiety but nothing too unpleasant. keep at it.
Deleted now.
Thankyou Helen