Anxiety Support Group
Anxiety is a physical condition marked by intense and persistent feelings of distress, fear, angst or dread. General anxiety caused by routine day-to-day stresses usually passes quickly and is experienced by almost everyone at one time or another. However, such feelings that linger over time and are very difficult to cope with, and which lack a clear cause, may indicate...
I emailed my doctor about tapering off my Lexapro, which I've been taking for 15 months. They want me to come in for an actual appointment with the doctor because if I say I'm "symptom-free, it's because of the meds." This was coming from a nurse who answered my correspondence.
I wanted to be on the up-and-up about going off the meds, but now I'm worried they will pressure me into staying on them. I don't like my doctor very much. It's a military doctor and I feel like I'm just a number to him.
I agree the pills are working, but I've done a lot of other things which have lessened my anxiety in addition to the meds (CBT, yoga, meditation, dietery changes, you name it) I believe I can live with the anxiety without meds, as I did almost my whole life before I took meds for anxiety.
But the real reason I want off is because of side-effects. I hate that I crave so many carbs on it and my weight is creeping up. Plus, I have zero sex drive. I also feel like I'm too lethargic, even after the doc halved the dose several months ago. I just want to be myself again.
Should I just taper off on my own and to hell with the doctor??
I wanted to be on the up-and-up about going off the meds, but now I'm worried they will pressure me into staying on them. I don't like my doctor very much. It's a military doctor and I feel like I'm just a number to him.
I agree the pills are working, but I've done a lot of other things which have lessened my anxiety in addition to the meds (CBT, yoga, meditation, dietery changes, you name it) I believe I can live with the anxiety without meds, as I did almost my whole life before I took meds for anxiety.
But the real reason I want off is because of side-effects. I hate that I crave so many carbs on it and my weight is creeping up. Plus, I have zero sex drive. I also feel like I'm too lethargic, even after the doc halved the dose several months ago. I just want to be myself again.
Should I just taper off on my own and to hell with the doctor??
You can hear them out, but the decision is ultimately yours. If you are having side effects maybe it is not the right med for you in the first place.
I grudgingly tried Lexapro though I never wanted to get on meds.
After 6months I asked to get off and the doctor convinced me to give it more time.
I came back again asking to get off the medication, I had improved my stress management with meditation and acupuncture.
Somehow I left that appointment with a HIGHER DOSE Rx!
I never went back and got off the medication on my own.
I do realize some cases need medication but I did not respond well to it and hated the idea of being on medication.
It puts more responsibility on myself to manage my anxiety through diet and properly managing my life, but it's what's right for me.
Listen to yourself and don't let a health care provider push you to do something you don't feel is right for you.
Do your research and be your own advocate.
It's not as simple as being for or against medication, but more about weighing the benefits vs the risks and making a sound decision for your wellbeing.
Good luck!