Stopping escitalopram - whooshy head

[iwouldgoouttonight]

I've been on escitalopram for about seven years but in the last couple of years I've only been on 5mg a day, and have been very gradually trying to stop taking it altogether as I'm feeling much better mentally, and the doctor agreed it would make sense to try to stop gradually. I was missing one tablet per week for a while, then missed two a week, and then I eventually stopped.

Was feeling very pleased that I'd had no withdrawal symptoms but then a week after stopping completely I've started to get dizzy and a sort of whooshy feeling in my head. I've come of antidepressants in the past and had horrendous withdrawal symptoms, electric shock feelings in my head, nausea, etc. This is nowhere near as bad as that but it's unpleasant. I've had the dizziness for nearly a week now and it doesn't seem to have got any better.

Does anyone have any experience of this? How long should I expect it to last?

Anyone??

Hi, I've had something similar with flouxetine. Like motion sickness just walking and feeling off balance. I dont remember it lasting more than a couple of weeks.

Yes it's that kind of feeling. I'm glad to hear it might go away soon.

The same happens with me. Just the other week I warned off it and after a week of being fine I was tired, headache, fuzzy head. I couldn't tolerate it so after 3 days I went back on it. Now to go through it all again!

I was wondering whether to just take one tablet to see if that would stop the dizziness, but then I thought that might just mean I'll get it again in a few days instead. How slowly did you wean off queencerulean?

I wean over weeks. I've been on it a few times and have never had withdrawals as bad so did the other week. Im pissed off with myself for going back on it but I just couldn't cope feeling permanently hungover. I'm currently on 10mg every other day

If you check out YouTube loads of people have made video diaries throughout the process and it varies but most people seem super after 4-6 weeks.
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I had the same thing when coming off Citalopram - it lasted about two months, but eventually disappeared completely.

Two months?! I'm not sure I can deal with it for much longer, it's starting to make me feel tired. Also I run a few times a week which really helps me mentally, but I can't do that now because the dizziness makes me feel as though I'm going to fall over when running.

I didn't mean to alarm you, OP. The spells got further and further apart, so after the first couple of weeks it wasn't so bad - in the end they came less than once a day - and that was Citalopram, which I think is different to escitalopram. The most important thing is that they disappeared completely in the end and I was back to normal.

Thanks Asmoto I've actually felt a little less dizzy today. Felt quite teary all day though, I really hope that's just a blip and not a sign of the depression coming back. I don't feel sad, it was more like frustration I think.

Op, sending you virtual support. I came off anti-ds around ten years ago, so the details/timing are fuzzy, but you will come out the other side!

I had the withdrawal feelings for while, yes possibly a few months, and hated it, but it got better week by week. I'm delighted to be off them for a decade now. You can do this! <

Thanks mamalovesmojitos

The dizziness is definitely happening less often so I can see a light at the end of the tunnel now.

However I keep crying at the slightest thing. I cried at about four different threads on here today. and I've started to feel anxious, which is how I used to be before starting the ADs (although I used to feel very depressed as well and I'm not feeling that bad). Are my emotions all over the place as my body adjusts to not having the medication? Basically will I feel 'normal' again?!