Posted by 49er on May 8, 2010, at 4:35:06
In reply to SSRI withdrawal - Auras or derealization, posted by vic80 on May 7, 2010, at 13:55:51
> How does the SSRI withdrawal really happen?
>
> I am tapering down lexapro 2.5 mg every 5 days, which isnt exactly normal pace....
> I am suddenly getting these feelings of sudden fear and dread along with feelings of deja-vu, disruption in time and space perception, and a general feeling of strangeness, plus I get the ocassional head shiver once a while along with mild vertigo...I think the SSRI taper could be behind it most probably.
> Ativan 3 times a day makes me feel calm, but doesnt change the feelings of unreality...
>
> the brain shivers/zaps are supposed to be some epileptic activity in the brain, could the feelings of sudden/persistent derealization too be explained from a purely neurological point of view?
>
> COuld any one offer any insight into this..?
>Vic,
I am sorry you are suffering.
The reason is you are tapering way too fast. What you're doing is the equivalent of putting the car in reverse at 60 miles an hour.
Your brain needs time to adjust to having less of the drug in the body. This isn't an issue of lowering drug blood levels.
The Paxil Progress Boards, recommends that ADs be tapered at 10% of current dose every 3 to 6 weeks. Since Lexapro comes in liquid form, that would be quite doable.
Even if you think that is too slow, you still need to slow down your taper considerably. Withdrawal symptoms from what I understand can take up to 2 weeks to appear. Sometimes longer.
Sorry to sound like a broken record on this board but your situation is why I am so passionate about this issue.
49er
poster:49er
thread:946674
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20100504/msgs/946750.html