Lexapro withdrawal

I’ve been having insomnia lately. Just came back from the beach & my vacation stressed me out... for no reason other than this withdrawal process! I’ve been on edge and get irritated easily. I don’t like to be around new people or social situations right now. I got some CBD oil for sleep which helps some but I still have a hard time going to sleep & staying asleep. The CBD oil does help with anxiety but less of a dose is better than more if you decide to try it. Too much CBD gave me anxiety.Having hot flashes! I’ve taken Xanax 2 times to help me sleep but I don’t want to go down that road! I have an appointment with an acupuncturist on Monday for the insomnia. What helps me tremendously is running 3.5 miles a day outside up & down hills with no stopping!!! I listen to Christian music, mainly third day, and will praise Him with open arms while running, don’t care what the neighbors think! I’m crazy anyway right?!?!? It feels so good during & after! I’ve cheated on my diet and feel it when I do! The no gluten, diary and sugar does help. Thinking about getting off coffee. But really it haven’t been that bad! The insomnia has been the worst thing! I’m going forward and not backwards how about you! Hope you feel better soon! Don’t give up!!! Stick it to big pharma!

In doing my research elsewhere, for my husband's situation, I came across the following website: https://www.optimallivingdynamics.com/blog/7-important-nutrients-depleted-by-psychiatric-drugs-antidepressants-antipsychotics-stimulants-benzodiazepines-induced-guide-vitamins-medications. He goes down the list of nutrients that have been blocked by the drugs for many years and leave you depleted in them.
So regardless of what else you do, you need to take these vitamins, preferably in easiest to absorb form (B-12 lozenges from Jarrow for example), and the natural form of Folate rather than Folic Acid which is a synthetic version. All of the B vitamins are stress fighters responsible for nerve sheath linings, so all of them will be helpful and you can get the greatest number of them together at once, along with natural amino acids to generate neurotransmitters, if you drink Nutritional Yeast powder, blended in with orange or grapefruit juice.
The other helpful thing to do is to find a good source of Desiccated Liver in capsule form. Make sure it's organic or from pasture raised cattle.

On top of the nutritional depletion, I've done alternative health test kits and discovered that my husband's intestinal lining is in really bad shape, despite not showing any obvious distress signals such as diarrhea, or abdominal pain. I blame a large part of this on the drug doing damage. And along with that, Motrin does damage and he's sensitive to Gluten and that can do damage. Here's the crux. If your intestinal lining is not in good shape, you literally can't absorb the nutrition that is needed to help your brain recover. This is what is called The Brain-Gut Connection. So one of the first things you should be doing is working to repair your gut lining. Find a good health food store and ask for advice. I had to get my husband to start taking digestive enzymes, because his stomach was not producing it's own. I also had to start having him rotate between a variety of probiotic supplements that actually have pre-pro-and post biotics in one capsule, to re-establish the healthy gut bacteria that are required for the gut to be able to breakdown food and absorb vitamins. Along with the damage the benzos may have done, antibiotics do enormous damage to the intestinal lining. They kill off all of the healthy bacteria that is needed to breakdown you food so that you can absorb nutrients.
Mommabird, to try and help with the Insomnia, see if Melatonin liquid drops can help you, along with vitamin B6 at night. And you can also try taking a capsule of the Amino Acid L-Tryptophan at bedtime, on an empty stomach.

@healthlady22 Welcome to this great group of people who share and give there experience in a problem. I have studied herbal meds and vitamins since the 70,s and also wanted to say that at night for insomnia I drink a cup of warm milk with cinnamon in it as milk has tryptophan in it and take a melatonin 1 hr before bedtime that way your not just laying there waiting to go to sleep

Hey yes thank you! I can’t have milk and melatonin doesn’t work for me unfortunately:( I have an appointment on Monday for acupuncture. I hope it works!!! I’m on a diet that goes along with my detox of no sugar, gluten or diary as they cause inflammation and depression, anxiety, insomnia and pain. I’m working with a homeopath and also read the book a mind of your own. I’ve not always been 100% with diet... it’s very hard to stick to when you’re working full time & have a 3 year old.

Thank you for your reply. I too want to go forward and not backward. Who wants to go down that road again! I thought of trying CBD oil for the anxiety but want to research it some more. I have been biking daily, when it's not snowing and blowing, and walking the dog a couple of times a day. Started meditating using an app called Head Space and trying to go to yoga at least twice a week. Acupuncture has been my "saving grace". It relaxes and quiets the mind and body. I hope it helps with your insomnia it helped with mine. I go once a week for now. Also get a vitamin B12 shot weekly. Gave up gluten, dairy . sugar, alcohol, caffeine. Really miss coffee but it's a little too stimulating for now. Have been eating more protein, healthy fats, veggies and low carbohydrates. Seems to help. I think my body needs time to adjust to no pharmaceuticals. Can't believe what havoc these drugs cause to your system.
Good luck to you. WE CAN DO THIS!!!!!!!

You sound like you’re on the right track for sure! I went to my first acupuncture session today & oh yes... It calmed me down for sure! Love it so much and will continue. The acupuncturist said I had a week heart and that is causing my depression. He told me to stop running and instead walk. My homeopathic Dr told me to stop running also because she though I was stressing my adrenal glands. I will walk and do yoga from now on. I’m also looking into craniosacral massage. Have you looked into that? My husband has had a session & it helped his sciatica. It also helps depression, anxiety and insomnia. Very cool look it up. Eastern medicine is the way to go!!! I’ve been feeling really good last 2 days! I stopped taking my meds last month on the 5th so I hope I’m through the worst part. Keep going!!! Hang on!!! Good stuff coming!!!

Hi, @mommabird74 - just wanted to mention that you might also share your experiences/tips related to insomnia specifically in this thread on that topic in the Sleep Health group https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/josephene-i-am-having-terrible-insomnia-as-well-nothing-seems-to-help/

Hi, @kdo0827 - how is the insomnia going lately? Are you still on the trazadone?

Hey! yes I’m on 12.5 mg of trazadone (original dose was 50 mg) and wasn’t able to sleep so I’ve been taking a half of a 1 mg Ativan or Xanax along with the trazadone and that lets me sleep. Once I complete the trazadone taper, I will taper the benzo maybe with not such a bad insomnia reaction. I’m hoping since the amount of the benzo is so small, I won’t have to go through another withdrawal from the benzo. Not sure if that’s the route I should be taking but I’m desperate. I can’t find any dr who can tell me how to navigate this process. If I don’t sleep, I lose my mind. I just can’t handle anything. However I will say that I’m handling being completely off my lexapro very well & that gives me hope for the trazadone. What do you think about my method? I may be digging myself into a hole with the benzo...