How to Manage Side Effects when Coming Off Lexapro

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By Pamela Wilson-Lipscomb
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Lexapro

Depression and anxiety is a very real battle for many people. Drugs, like Lexapro, Cymbalta and Zoloff, are now prescribed routinely for everything. Some people need to remain on Lexapro, while those who have been prescribed for a temporary period, (like after the death of a loved one) and want to eventually come off, it can be difficult.

When trying to come off Lexapro, many people experience many difficult symptoms, that cause them to unsuccessfully detox and go back to the medication. Here are some way to safely and comfortable come off Lexapro and other antidepressants.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

water
omega 3 fish oil
melatonin
vitamin B complex
Lexapro

Step 1

Taper down: When coming off Lexapro, doctors suggest "tapering down." The suggested method is taking half your regular dosage for a few days, then quartering it for a few days to a week.
Step 2

Water: Water will help flush toxins out of your body. Part of the cause of uncomfortable symptoms to coming off Lexapro, are toxins leaving the body.
Step 3

Eat a healthy diet: When coming off Lexapro, cut down or cut out sugar and caffeine from your diet, as sugar and caffeine can negatively affect your mood. Build up your body when coming off Lexapro or any antidepressant. Try juicing, which is also very helpful.
Step 4

Omega 3 Fish Oil: Take Omega-3 when coming off Lexapro. It helps depression, lifts the mood and generally helps calm the mind and body. Omega 3 also helps with the uncomfortable withdrawal symptom some people describe a brain shocks, experienced when coming off Lexapro or other antidepressants.
Step 5

Vitamin B Complex: Take vitamin B complex, which helps with mood, memory ability to concentrate, stress, anxiety and irritability; which helps when detoxing off Lexapro. Vitamin B complex helps build and repair the nervous system.
Step 6

Melatonin: Melatonin is a substance that regulates your sleep cycles. One of the hardest withdrawal symptoms, of detoxing off Lexapro is the inability to sleep at night. One gram before bedtime will help with sleeplessness.

Comments

lucindaroth said

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on 7/23/2009 Great information thank you

ilivetoteach said

on 5/31/2009 I decided to go off my anti-depressants cold turkey. I ended up suicidal and in the hospital for four days. I won't try that experiment again. Great article. *5

gahazeleyes said

on 5/26/2009 Very informative article. Thanks

MyJB said

on 5/25/2009 This is a nice article. I did come off a tranquilizer cold turkey once. I just got up one morning and quit. and It was horrendous. I drank a lot of water, prayed, repeated a mantra, and drank lots of chamomile tea. That worked for me, but it was extremely difficult. Nice article and I wish I would have had it then.