I know Oliver Hudson from the awesome and underrated show Nashville, which aired from 2013 to 2015. He was also on Scream Queens is now on The Cleaning Lady, which I’ve heard good things about. My mom and my friend Zakia, who have similar taste in shows, have been raving about it. He also of course comes from Hollywood royalty because he’s Kate Hudson’s brother and Goldie Hawn’s son. (I hope she says something clarifying her stupid mask comment soon.)
Oliver recently posted a one minute video to Instagram, recorded last June, where he says he feels OK after going through a lot trying to go off his antidepressant. He was three months into weaning off Lexapro, which he called “gnarly, crushing, debilitating” and “scary.” You could tell he was downplaying it and that he wanted to share a more positive moment from that time, when he was feeling good. Here’s what he said and that video is below.
I’m compelled in this moment. I went off my Lexapro about three months ago I was on it for about five years for anxiety. It’s been really gnarly for me. It’s been crushing, debilitating, scary at times. But in this moment right now I feel good, I feel f’ing great. In an hour I might be back to wear I was but I’m going to just bathe in normalcy for a moment.
My mom spent two years weaning herself off Effexor. She was prescribed them for menopause symptoms and after several years she decided it was time to stop. She in her late 60s back then and she would take the tiny beads out of the capsules and count them with tweezers in order to very gradually reduce the dose. She still had a tough time with the side effects from reducing the medicine. Lexapro is a solid pill so it’s probably much harder to gradually reduce the dose. Antidepressants are a godsend for many people but from what I’ve heard doctors aren’t good at advising patients about how to go off of them.
It sounds like he’s doing OK now and that’s why he chose to share this. You get the impression that he’s guarded about his personal life given how low key this is and the fact that he waited eight months to post it. He has a podcast with his sister, Kate, called Sibling Revelry, where they interview famous people and their siblings. Oliver, 45, has been married to Erinn Bartlett, 48, since 2006 and they have three children together: sons Wilder, 14, and Bodhi, 12, and daughter Rio, 8.
Update: Antidepressants have helped so many people. If you are considering going on an SSRI you should talk to your doctor about it and not let stories like this be a deterrent.
Photos credit: Instar
I had to wean off of Effexor, which I honestly never should have been prescribed in the first place. It was horrible. At one point I told my husband maybe I should be hospitalized, not because I was suicidal, but because I was just…..catatonic. It’s really hard to describe. And I had young kids at the time. I was going through the motions but I had never felt so awful in my life. Everything is overwhelming.
I feel for him.
I tried Effexor because my mother took it and it worked for her-which in retrospect was perhaps a silly reason to try it. It wasn’t a good fit and coming off did the opposite for me-I turned into a rage monster. I’ve never been that angry in my life
I got put on Effexor for hot flashes at the start of menopause. At first, it was good…then, guess who was in the ONE PERCENT of people that have an adverse reaction/side effect. Yup…you got it. It made me pass out. Twice. First time my knees went out and I banged my head hard against a closet door and went down. Second time, a few days later, I blacked out in the bathroom, hitting my head on the sink counter first, then the bathtub rim on the way down. Had two HUGE goose eggs. I came to on the bathroom floor; don’t know how long I was “out”. Didn’t really connect it, and thought nothing of it, other than a massive headache. When I told my family about it a couple days later, my sister made me go to the ER to get checked out.
Long story short, I had two other episodes where I felt like I was going to pass out, one at work was so bad, I asked my sister (who lived a few blocks away from the school I was teaching at) if she could come pick me up because I didn’t feel like I could drive safely. Called the Dr as soon as I got to her house, and Dr told me to start cutting down the pills and get off it. It took about 3 wks to get off it safely and I was so scared of another fainting spell. I took Ubers to and from work because I was afraid to drive.
These drugs are *nothing* to fool around with.
Being on antidepressants and anti-anxiety meds have been a godsend for me at various stages of my life. However coming of Effexor was like a constant migraine for weeks on end. It was terrible.
I remember in I think 2009, was the first time I decided to get off effexor. But the pill at that time didn’t have beads, just a solid pill that broke into 2 halves. It took me 2-3 months to get off of it and I was worse off than when I started. Terrible migrains, zaps, cold sweats, etc. Plus the depression returned. One of the worst years of my life. I went back on effexor in 2013 but by then they had beads and I ended up getting off of it with less withdrawel. Never will I go on effexor again.
Meanwhile, I’ve been on an SSRI for 20 years and have no need or desire to “come off of it.”
I’ve also been a prescriber (a former nurse practitioner) and most people come off these drugs just fine. Of course there are those who have difficulty and will require more care/support/intervention. I don’t think that should be a deterrent if someone is in need of these medicines- these aren’t opiates/amphetamines we are talking about here. That sucks that he had a hard time for sure. I hope he continues to feel better and always find it brave to publicly speak about mental health.
I found lexapro very helpful, and the weaning process was not horrible (for me). I was irritable, but it was manageable. I don’t want to minimize anyone else’s struggle, but I also wouldn’t want the fear of weaning side effects to discourage anyone from taking it if they need it.
This is a good point I will add that
I’ve been on Zoloft for 6 years and it’s been life changingly wonderful for me. I got off of it for a period when I was pregnant but had no issues. Just wanted to give another “good” side.
I had a lapse in refills for my Lexapro so I inadvertently quit cold turkey for a week.
DON’T EVER DO THAT.
I knew it was dangerous so I was desperate to get a refill, but that week was bad. Suicidal ideation is the main known side effect, but another one is homicidal thoughts, which is what I had. I wasn’t angry, but if you irritated me that week, I cheerfully plotted your death. My friends helped, but yeah….. Not good.
That being said, Lexapro had been a literal life saver for my depression and anxiety, and I’ll probably be on it for the rest of my life. But these drugs are powerful stuff.
It’s going to be fascinating in the future when they finally figure out brain chemistry and so take the guess work out of prescribing these.
I came off Lexapro (under doc supervision) and had no trouble at all, no side effects. It really depends.
I took about 3-6 months to wean off of lexapro when I was trying to get pregnant. I was on 20mgs. It was a life saver. I went back on it in my 3rd trimester.
Weaning off of any medication should be done soooo slowly. Drs usually say oh do it in two weeks. (I know, I’ve had multiple tell me that). It’s incredibly dangerous.
Just take your time. If you feel awful, you are going too fast.
Thanks I’m on it too for anxiety, been a few years on it but eventually I’d want to wean off it with my doctors help, for course. I don’t know that I want to be on it forever just from side effects and long term effects. But I always keep postponing going off it, it’s easier to keep refilling and getting it in the mail lol
I had to completely come off of lorazepam suddenly because the new doctor I had chosen would not prescribe it. She would not even hear me when I wrote to their office saying I was down to two days and then one day and so on. Ended up in the ER with skyrocketing BP. Just my thoughts, but doctors care more about themselves and what the insurance company says than the patient they put into a medical emergency situation with no remorse or thoughts at all.
@French + Hen: Wow. That is an entirely different situation and you are correct that your new doctor mishandled it. Lorazepam is not an anti-depressant, can be addictive, and is very different from Lexapro. Nobody should come off of lorazepam (or any other benzo) cold turkey unless they’re already on a low dose. It can cause seizures and can absolutely be life-threatening. I’m so sorry you had that experience, it must have been terrifying. But it’s fundamentally different from OH’s situation.
Agreeing with you again Lionel. Lorazepam is very different from lexapro. The 2 people I know that took it used a very gradual decrease in dosage to stop taking it.
Mishandle is a soft word for the new doctor. Irresponsible seems more fitting.imo
I hesitate to add my story, but I found Lexapro to be very very helpful (situational depression + anxiety). I don’t remember the dosage at all. It was prescribed for me at a time I badly needed help. I stepped up over the course of ten days, then took it for about a year & a half, went to therapy regularly, then stepped down the dosage, again over the course of ten days, to stop, at my therapist’s suggestion. We agreed that I didn’t need it anymore. No problems at all, at any time, for me, with Lexapro. We’re all different, of course, but don’t be afraid if you’re prescribed this or some other medication. If you need it, it may help.
Sorry for my ignorance,i didnt know you had to wean yourself off anti depressants. Do they have addictives agents in them?
No, they’re not addictive and most people are able to discontinue them without any problems. Many, many patients just stop them cold turkey, Paxil and Effexor tend to be the hardest to stop because they don’t last as long in the body, so the brain sort of “bounces back” more dramatically to try to compensate. So those two are generally weaned gently. OH’s reaction to Lexapro is extremely rare, and I would venture to say it’s misleading, especially for those who are suffering.
You are saving lives with your comments on this one, Lionel.
This terrified me as I have been battling a huge uptick in anxiety and depression due to premenopause. I think everyday what would be worse. Trying an antidepressant or just dealing. I am supplementing and exercising etc but I feel like both of these are equal evils. Thanks for posting this article about Oliver.
I’m sorry you’re going through this and would urge you not to let stories like this frighten you. See my comment above. Sure, some people experience side effects with any medication, but most people find antidepressants helpful. The bottom line is that if your depression/anxiety is affecting your ability to function in your daily life, then there’s no shame in trying a medication. Just talk to a real psychiatrist (not a PCP) to find out which of the many medications available is best suited to you.
During the pandemic, anxiety rendered me pretty much incapacitated. I had never been on anxiety or depression medication in my life, so I was hesitant to reach out to my doctor, but then again, I had never felt this kind of crushing anxiety before, either. My significant other urged me to address my mental health, and luckily, I have great insurance that covered a therapist, and I was able to go to the doctor, talk about whatI had been experiencing, and have her listen to me. She prescribed Lexapro, and it has been an absolute game-changer. I may go off of it one day (my doctor told me up front that if I do want to go off of it, because I feel I don’t need it or because it isn’t right for me, that we’d work together to do it safely), but right now, I’m just enjoying being a person who does things again. Please don’t be afraid of seeking help if you need it.
@K, I’m with Lionel’s take on lexapro. I’ve taken it for 3-6 months at 3 different times the past 20 years. One of those times was the menopause situation-10 mgs.. The first time -20 years ago-was 20 mgs. Went off it at 6 months with no problems. Took it for about 4 months during menopause and 3-4 months during the beginning of the pandemic. I’ve had the same GP doctor for 35 years. We’re all different. Not knowing what OH’s dosage was makes it hard to determine his experience vs. others. I didn’t take lexapro to feel great. Just more normal and okay. If you’re thinking about it, start with a lower dosage for a while.
I just started taking Effexor in December for depression and anxiety – premenopause, pandemic parenting small children, etc. I had days where I was practically a zombie on the sofa, screaming at my kids all the time – I was so scared to start something and now I wish I had started it sooner. Everyone is different, of course, but just wanted to share another take :-). Good luck!
I have been on and off Lexapro for probably the last 7 years…took it for about 4-5 years straight and then weaned off it last year for a while. I was up to 20 mg at that point and was dealing with a lot of stressors in my life…probably not the best time to do that. WIth my therapist and doctor’s insight I went back on about 4 months ago…at 10 mg currently and that is working well for me for now. Don’t be afraid to try meds if you are suffering and really need them…just start at a low dosage and see how you do. My therapist once said something along the lines of taking meds shouldn’t change your personality or who you are, it will help you get back to a better version of yourself. I was so scared that it was going to be a drastic change and that was never the case. It’s helped me feel more normal and drastically tamped down the constant, frantic buzzing that my anxiety was causing.
I currently take 20mg Lexapro for health anxiety and it has been a godsend. I was almost nonfunctional last spring and I feel so normal and wonderful now. I do worry sometimes about it losing its effectiveness down the road or if I need/want to come off of it for some reason because of the difficult withdrawal. On the rare occasion I’ve missed a couple of doses I haven’t had breakthrough symptoms though so I’m hopeful I’ll be okay if that time comes.
The Cleaning Lady is a great show, but for me, he is absolutely the worse part about it. You can tell he’s better equipped to playing light or comedic characters, because the way he plays Agent Garrett is nails-on-a-chalkboard level cringe!
A character that is supposed to be layered should not make you hate him without feeling any sort of empathy towards them, but you can’t help not caring and being so annoyed towards him.
The podcast is Sibling Revelry (not Rivalry!! tee hee!). I subscribed to it during the height of my work/stay at home days — mostly because I didn’t know that much about ‘Ollie’. I enjoyed their dynamic and a lot of the sibling guests. Glad he is feeling better (at least much of the time).
Fixed!
I enjoy their podcast! I flip around and don’t listen to all of the episodes but they’ve covered some really interesting topics – including family therapist talking about family estrangement, sibling dynamics, etc. It’s deeper than your average celebrity podcast sometimes. Sometimes Ollie is a little too flippant and you can tell Kate is the real student who puts in the work.
I haven’t read what Goldie said about masks but I do know she works a lot with childhood development, youth and wellness issues so she probably meant to say that two years of young kids only seeing masks is going to have some kind of impact (how could it not?) in terms of social cues, interactions, etc.
I’ve been on celexa, Zoloft and Wellbutrin xl. Wellbutrin was pretty easy to wean but the SSRIs were nightmares, it was absolutely debilitating and yes my doctor was terrible at advising me how to. I have a child that’s on a lot of meds for medical issues though so I’m familiar with titration and ended up just doing my own thing because her advice was basically to wean off in two weeks. I was on celexa for almost and year and it took a few months to wean but I was only on Zoloft for three months, after my youngest was born, before I wanted off and it took probably 6 months to feel close to normal. I felt dizzy all the time was constantly exhausted and definitely had that catatonic feeling like the commenter above. I also got what I call brain zaps, where it just felt like a random electric shock to my brain, all the time and actually had those randomly for well over a year. I will never go back on an SSRI if I ever seek out medication again because for me, the wean was just way too hard. I’m not saying they didn’t help, they did, but I didn’t want to have to take them for the rest of my life and with celexa after about year I felt like it starting making me more and more sleepy during the day and with kids I just didn’t need that.
I want to add that this was MY experience and I’ve talked with others that have had similar and still others that were totally fine but I don’t think I should have to feel like I can’t or shouldn’t share my experiences because others didn’t have the same or because some of it was negative. I actually wish that I had know about potential weaning side effects of SSRIs because then I could’ve prepared myself or maybe discussed more options with my doctor instead of just taking the first thing she gave me. I’m not at all against medication, obviously since I’ve been on a few, and I would go back on one if I felt like I needed to and I might in the future who knows. I just don’t think it’s fair to try and make those of us that are sharing our experiences feel bad because of it. Everyone should feel like they have the option to try what ever they want to get themselves mentally healthy. Every med can work differently for different people and sometimes it take going through a few to see what works for you.
I am off Fluoxetine or common name Prozac for about 4 months. It was hell and thought I was not going to be able to do it. Felt more anxious and still I will get some anxiety attacks to the point that I think I need to go to the hospital. I suffer from anxiety , which I think came about because of my untreated Graves’ disease. Now that my thyroid is gone I keep up with my talk therapy and stopped the meds. I felt my psychiatrist was pushing to keep me on it and suggested to increase my dose! I had to firmly put my foot down to say no. I keep up with my talk therapy and coping mechanisms. She never discusses side effects from coming off meds or how terrible I will feel after years on it ( 3 yrs).
I feel for Oliver!
I was on Paxil and had to wean off in small doses. (Like cutting into 1/4’s) It was HELL. If I missed a dose of Paxil I had an intense migraine, nausea. Nothing would help. I remember missing a week and a half of work and not connecting what was happening until i came across a random magazine article in Cosmo. The only “cure”/relief—Had to resume taking the Paxil.
But. Needed to get off bc i couldn’t live like that and I wanted to have children. (Would have similar effects as I stepped down.)
Finally able to get off Paxil for good by switching to Fluoxetine (Prozac). I was told that there are no side effects with Prozac if you miss a dose…longer half-life. I have not tried. Not happy to hear about another reader having problems weaning off of Prozac though.
My heart goes out to all affected by depression/anxiety and try to cope by getting on an SSRI. The original Doctor who prescribed Paxil (post 9/11) did not tell me there would be side effects if I got off Paxel. Nor did my future doctor spot what was happening (withdrawal effect). I had to figure it out on my own.
@Basi Prozac does have a longer half-life, which makes it a good option for many people. One of my doctors said it’s his go-to option because it’s “easy on, easy off” for many & it’s not a big deal to miss a dose. That’s been my experience, even at very different dose levels. I wish you the best at luck.
Hi @BASI don’t be afraid. Honestly the Prozac help me function during my darkest times when anxiety was all time high. I will be thankful even with the side effects because I needed the help. I still do and have my therapist sessions weekly.
Anyhow when I missed a dose , I was fine. Nothing happened and I was ok. The little issues I have now is after 4 months but I’m coping and therapy continues to help. It’s just some days that it was hell but I am still thankful for this med. I am off the meds because I am planning on having a child now. Please discuss with your doctor any concerns you have and don’t be afraid to take the meds if you need them.
Let me preface this by saying, SSRIs were a godsend and gave me my life back. However, had extreme problems coming off paroxatine (paxil), and, under advice from a psychologist friend, I switched to fluoxatine (Zoloft\ prozac) from one day to the next, then after 3 months or so, stopped the Zoloft with ease. I don’t know if that carries other problems that I’m not aware of, but it worked well for me.
I can recommend asking your prescribing doctor about this if you are trying to stop taking a paroxatine type drug.
I’m alive today because of antidepressants.
Don’t be scared to take them if you need them, but understand that each drug works differently for each person. It’s not even unusual for the same drug to work differently for you at different points in your life. I’ve never had trouble titrating down & I’ve taken different doses of Prozac, Lexapro, Wellbutrin & benzos over the years (I’m now just down to minimal dose of Prozac, nothing else). But I know it can be hard to change doses & many doctors (especially general practioners) don’t have a lot of good information to tell patients what to expect. Finding a good psychiatrist was crucial for me.
Thank you for this. I am also alive today because of antidepressants. I’ve now taken and stopped Prozac, Wellbutrin, Buspar and Trazadone without any issues. I started taking Lexapro for the first time last fall and it has been amazing. I didn’t even realize all of the symptoms I was living with until the meds kicked in and they were gone. It feels like I now have control over my thoughts and anxiety, rather than them running me. I don’t know if/when I will wean off, but I just want to share that it has helped me immensely. I also second that finding a good psychiatrist is really important, GPs just don’t have the same level of expertise when it comes to this.
Same here. I took effexor for six years and stopped last summer without problems. These brainzips were annoying, but they only lasted for a week. I did it very slowly, though, because my psychiatrist Had warned me that it could be hard.
I’m on Lexapro right now but I’m not sure it does much for me, I’m pretty sure I am SSRI resistant. I’ve weaned myself off plenty of others without any issues, it’s not the same for everybody.
I briefly tried a low dose of Zoloft a while back for anxiety and only took it for a few days but couldn’t remember anything and felt drugged up and could feel my sex drive diminishing. I ended up getting a medical marijuana card and it was a much better fit. I’m glad they work for people but I’ve heard getting off them is sometimes hard.
Oh my I feel for your mother, I dread the day I wean myself off, but it’s the only on that has ever worked for me.
Yeah, I stopped an antidepressant prescription abruptly (very foolish) (I was in a terrible situation and state of mind at the time but still) and it was rough. I think this speaks more to the unevenness and unreliability of the American healthcare system than anything else. People (esp. women) don’t always get consistent support especially when dealing with mental issues.
I think these choices are hugely personal and individual and obviously need expert guidance by qualified specialists. For me I’m now in a better place, got away from the abusive partner and toxic workplace, and am now taking CBD on an as-needed basis (and am so glad to live in a place where recreational, not just medical, cannabis is legal). For others in different circumstances, absolutely no shame in whatever medication helps you!!! “Take ‘em” — Pete Davidson.
In addition the fact that medical cannabis is not legal everywhere is super frustrating to me as I truly believe it would help many people. I don’t think CBD is widely enough known either.
Cannabis was not an option legally for me when I was initially prescribed the anti-depressant. It’s probably not for everyone but I found it amazingly helpful personally. (Yeah I broke the law.)
I’ve been off and on antidepressants since very tragic events in 1999. Following that year, my anxiety and panic attacks were debilitating. I quit Paxil cold turkey around 2006 or 2007ish because I didn’t want to have to take something. I was fine, but little electrical like impulses could be felt for a few days. But sure enough, my life began to take that familiar physical and mental road and in my 40s, through perimenopause and currently menopause, I’m back on meds.
My symptoms got so bad I essentially almost killed myself (without knowing it). If anyone thinks panic attacks only make you FEEL like you’re having a heart attack, I can now promise you, your debilitating panic attacks can do very real and damaging harm. I havn’t talked about this with anyone because I’m still trying to comprehend what happened, and my doctor is helping me to find some ground to walk upon.
Apparently a perfect storm was brewing inside me, and I was going to go down, we just didn’t know when. I walked out of my bedroom one night in November and the world turned upside down. On the way to the floor I was able to slowly scream 911. And then I blacked out waking up in ICU where I spent a week on a battery of medications. I vaguely had a memory of ER doctors shoving things down my throat and up my nose and profusely bleeding from my nose. My son said my face exploded after I sat up, sneezed and dropped back down. Twenty thousand dollars and we still can’t explain exactly what happened. My blood pressure, hypertension, walking pneumonia, panic, anxiety, all of it tried to kill me and I felt so incredibly scared and completely not in control of my own body.
Then I started taking all the meds I was sent home with, but the healing couldn’t begin because whatever mix I was on did a number on me. I used to think suicidal thoughts on antidepressants wasn’t a big deal because I never experienced it and surely it was something rare. I fully respect anyone who goes through this because for two weeks…well I just didn’t know how I could go on. I could barely make it to the restroom physically because of what happened and then all of a sudden the meds were slowly taking away my mind. I knew exactly what was happening and I knew I wanted to give up trying to get better. I was ready to throw in the towel. Despondent. Staring off into nothingness. Numb. I wanted to die.
I couldn’t sleep because if I layed down, my nose would fill with blood and I couldn’t breathe (I bled for two weeks). Once the medications leveled off, I finished taking them. Waited a couple weeks after and then went to see the doctor who immediately hooked me up and began pumping some meds in because I was a walking stroke waiting to happen. I’m now taking four different meds with one being an antidepressant instead of THREE. The hospital had me on three because I suppose I’m a lunatic and they wanted to cover their asses. I have cut out as much sodium and sugar from my diet as humanly possible (it’s a bitch). And I’m making sure to exercise, even if it’s just a little, every day.
My doctor now, seems very good and actively engaged with my well being (I’ve never felt that before). Lol, he made me swear I’d never go off my meds again without alerting him. My family thinks I’ve lost a ton of weight, but all I know is that I’m breathing, and I attended my grandson’s first birthday party last weekend. Two times in my life now that serious physical symptoms erupted from unchecked mental stress. And when stress gets to that point, when the body can’t take anymore, we can kill ourselves. I can’t make myself not feel guilty or stupid. Because I do feel guilty and stupid. But if anyone reading this heads to their doctor to get checked, it’s worth me revisiting something I’m trying to put behind me lol. Apologies for rambling.
My god, Mabs. That is terrifying. I’m glad to hear you’re healing, but what an ordeal. I still think medicine hasn’t scratched the surface of the brain-body connection. It’s great you’ve found an engaged doctor. I hope you continue to get better.
That’s horrific and terrifying, and I’m so sorry you experienced it. I have panic attacks but they are so mild compared to your ordeal I hate to mention them in the same context, only I want to say I agree that panic attacks are also as much the mental component beyond the stereotypical racing heart/chest pain. I wish you continued healing and peace.
Oh, my goodness, Mabs. Your story had me tearing up. I don’t know if you’re coming back to re-read this thread, but please know your story is very important & I thank you so much for sharing it with us.
Antidepressants are the reason I’m alive and can function day to day. I’ve been on them for over 20 yrs and 2 pregnancies. For whatever reason my brain requires antidepressants, and I think of it in terms of a type 1 diabetic needing insulin to live. I never plan on coming off of them, and I don’t feel ashamed or weak just really grateful.
Weaning myself off Lexapro was tough. I had a lot of “brain zaps.” It’s hard to describe, but once you experience you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. I was also extremely irritable. It wasn’t really debilitating, though. I’ve done it twice in my life thinking I was ready for it. Six months later, then, major anxiety meltdowns, had to go back on them.
I think we should be open about the withdrawal, but I also worry that people will listen to this and be too afraid to start a medication that could really help them.
I started Lexapro a few months ago. Getting the dosage right is hard. I started on 10mg, moved to 15mg, complained about tired so my doctor put me on 20mg. I started feeling fatigued and unmotivated. I prefer a small boost at 10mg (enough to not feel quite so anxious, although not 100%) then be so tired.
I’ve struggled with depression and anxiety on and off for 15 years. I finally decided I needed help managing my symptoms. I’m hopeful.
After giving birth to my third child I wanted to get on a birth control I didn’t have to keep track of, so my doctor suggested the nuva ring. I had major mood swings right away, I’m mean within days of inserting. The way my doctor tried to dismiss my concerns and tell me it wasn’t possible made me stop trusting her. I did my own research and found that many people have had the same reactions, Jada Pinkett had the same experience I think. Trust your gut when it comes to your body and mind.
My new breast surgeon told me there should not be any increases of hot flashes from raloxifene ( breast cancer preventive ). I looked at her, astounded, and said to her 35 year old self, “Well. It does.” Am actively searching for a new breast specialist.
I’ve been on Lexapro for years off and on. I’m lucky and can quit cold turkey and have done so multiple times. The only thing I notice is in 2-3 weeks after stopping the meds, my anxiety and OCD symptoms sneak back in. I know that is prob not the norm, though, and not advised.
Lexapro is available as a liquid, which makes medically supervised dose adjustments super simple.
Fish oil and magnesium helped me taper off Cipralex/Lexapro. I think it took about two to three months.
Thanks for sharing everyone. I’m on Lexapro 10mg and in third trimester, docs suggest to wean off in 36 weeks but reading the comments got me scared it might be too quick :/ what do you think? Anyone has experience with it? (Yea i know it’s not a medical advice forum, just curious and knowledge is power)
The worst part of going off Effexor for me was the “brain thunk”. You literally feel like your brain is physically bouncing around in your head. I felt disoriented and had horrible vertigo. I couldn’t process complex thoughts or situations, I felt so dumb and frustrated. The fatigue was next level. It was the worst 2 months of my life.
I’m confused why people who benefit greatly from antidepressants feel the need to go off them – if it ain’t broke ….
I switched from citalopram (Celexa) to sertraline (Zoloft) over 2 weeks and had no problems.
Sertraline is a life saver for me – I finally know what it is to be happy / contented for the first time in my life. I will never come off it. If I miss taking it for several days i get weepy but I cried every day before taking SSRIs so for me that’s normal.
Love to all who are experiencing this horrible disease of depression/anxiety xox