Some Answers and an Update

Do you feel better than you did on the higher dose of lexapro now that you have dropped so far?

Yes I do. I feel so much better that I cannot believe I will feel even better after I am done with lexapro at this moment I am at 2.3mg.

Can you pinpoint how you feel emotionally and physically once the withdrawals have balanced out?

If you are talking about a drop or taper? I feel more in control, I feel more at peace and less anxiety with difficult life situations. I have almost normal emotions, I will get upset or angry and even sad but it feels more like me and real and better.

Like are you feeling calm and able to process your emotions now or are you irritable if you get that way during withdrawal.

I have ups and down but feel very comfortable processing my emotions. I am way less panicky and way less irritable. I can feel a negative emotion and think about it like a 3rd party to evaluate it and see if it is a normal emotion at a normal level. I am not upset when I feel I have over reacted. I actually forgive myself and try better next time. I also lately have been more honest to my friends and family on how I feel if something they say or do upsets me. For so many years I have just held stuff in for the sake of the other person, I have now switched into being honest with them and have had mostly good results.

Like when you say others can't step on you and anymore? Do you feel upbeat or rather gloomy (as I get -which may be the SAD)?

At higher Lexapro levels I would get angry and then gloomy then depressed. At this level that is changing. I am respectful of the person and let them know that I will not accept the treatment anymore and I do not give in. I am presently in a situation of where I am being pressured into something I no longer wish to do (has to do with my work) I should have never had these extra duties and it was being thrown on me while they claimed credit.

They are trying and I am not giving in. I do feel anger when they try and talk me into or try and represent it as something different, but I have been able to process the event and my anger and have handled it well. before I would have worried all night or all week and felt depressed as if I was a horrible person for letting them down. I do not feel this way anymore.

I cannot say I am upbeat about it because I do not leave it in my thoughts too long, I handle it and then move on to something else that is beneficial to me rather than dwell. I guess I used to dwell a lot. I will not say that is all gone, I know I will have to work on that.

Are you sleeping good, waking without trouble?

Last week was fantastic, this week is not so good.  tossing and turning with some bad dreams that I don't remember. This week waking up to bad feelings as if something is wrong. It's that "Morning Dread" in withdrawal  the cortisol levels are at the highest (well for everyone) in the morning and slowly go down, but in withdrawal the dopamine levels are low.

High cortisol causes anxiety in withdrawal and dopamine in withdrawal causes depression feelings. So Anxiety + Depression Feelings = DREAD!

At this point the morning dread is so much better. It is not terrifying as it once was. I am able to think clearly and know what it is. I am able to shrug off the feeling.



Do you have anxiety or nervousness at all-all these are usually symptoms when we get to this point so I was just wondering.


I wondered this myself and I think because I tapered so slowly I am not having this issue at all. I was really fearing that it would happen and it just didn't happen. I don't think it will even when I take my last dose.  I think that I will have my normal withdrawal feelings which at this point are not like back at 10mg.

I personally think the people who have this problem have a complex antidepressant history or they tapered to quickly. In almost every post complain of this I read their history and notice large drops and fast tapers.  Although I know there are a few really sensitive to drops. I took it very slow and steady that my brain got used to the drops and I think that is why I don't have the fear.

I have to say that I have not felt any bad withdrawal since 3.0mg. I have had a headache for a day or some sore muscles another but thing to what I went through with larger drops or the beginning of my taper.

I did have issues before the pill (anxiety and panic attacks) and I know that I still might have. I guess I feel stronger to confront them and am ready to tackle it head on.  I already had a few panic attacks happen and I just let them happen.  it was very uncomfortable and somewhat painful, so I know I will have to work on that.

I hope this helps!