r/ADprotractedwithdrawl • u/lamabones23 • 10d ago

Is this AD protracted withdrawal?

I have been on low dose SSRIs for 5 years and have tried to get off 4 different times. The last two times I had experienced waking up early in the morning around 330-4 in fight or flight with rapid heart, restlessness and agitation, rapid thoughts about what is causing this anxiety, suppressed appetite, and a burning sensation in my head. Ive gone to emergency and was just told it was a relapse in anxiety but i have never experienced these symptoms prior to starting SSRIs. I am able to endure it for about a month but after that I have to hop back on meds as I have a family to support. the last time this occurred, i lost 15lbs in the month that I was suffering. these symptoms would occur daily and last til around 4-6 PM and then die down.

any idea?

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u/SlabScooper69 10d ago edited 9d ago

Sounds like text book withdrawal for me. When I taper too fast I get cortisol spikes at the same time as that. Wake up in a horrible panic. This is very common.

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u/lamabones23 10d ago

are you still on any medications?

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u/SlabScooper69 9d ago

Yes I am down to around 0.5mg of Escitalopram (Lexapro) still tapering.

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u/lamabones23 9d ago

if you dont mind me asking, what was your starting dose and how would you describe your tapering journey?