maybe I do need to be medicated

How big was you step?

I was on 5mg lexapro for 5 years, switched to 10mg prozac in august, had pretty bad side effects, quit cold turkey. last dose of anything was 9/21

Wow that sounds intense. I do understand the doubts you have about whether it’s relaps or withdrawals. What gets you through the waves? Do you have support?

"I know it’s the withdrawal but this is insane" — @maggzzzz

Anxiety from withdrawal can be brutal; I know from experience. A direct drug switch followed by a cold turkey can be a shock to the nervous system. Have you checked out the Symptoms and Self-Care forum? If you click on the Guides tab there are lots of helpful tips about how to deal with anxiety and how to regulate the nervous system. Please don't mistake this as a sign you need these drugs forever. It's withdrawal. Keep us updated with how things are going. I'm sure in time things will start to get better! ❤️‍🩹

It’s the withdrawal for sure. I have come off many antidepressants over 35 years of use, never being told that what began months after taking the final dose could actually be delayed discontinuation syndrome. I had bizarre symptoms my dr (in Ireland at the time) didn’t believe and wouldn’t even check because he thought I was just crazy. But I took pictures of my fingers with definite raynauds, have Fitbit records of my heart going to 170 on a normal walk and only sleeping 2 hours Ina night an waking up as if it was morning .. it was a nightmare. I don’t know if it would have been different if I had been validated and supported and constantly reminded my fears were my nervous system reacting.. and if my trying to come up with alternative explanations kept the symptoms going for longer and eventually going into Zoloft because after a year I thought it can not still be Prozac withdrawal.. but apparently yes it can! Now trying to do the hyperbolic taper, but there is still the temptation to just want to quit and tough out a few uncomfortable months.. but it may not be just a few, whether I go slow with a taper or go “cold turkey”, there’s no choice to just make this quick and painless, sadly! But it’s for sure the withdrawal .. ❤️‍🩹

I had only learned about delayed discontinuation syndrome after joining this forum! I tried too big of a jump to stop taking medications i have been on for years. It is a terrible experience not knowing what anxiety is “your own” and what is your nervous system trying to readjust. From personal experience, I think cutting cold turkey will only continue muddling whether you need medication as a therapy or whether you need it as a physical reliance. You deserve to feel safe in your body and sometimes that may require smaller adjustments to your tapering, but that doesn’t mean you won’t someday be capable of being free from medications! Withdrawal is real, but not forever ❤️ take care

"What gets you through the waves? Do you have support?" — @Ru

being with family helps immensely. I had to take medical leave from work, started today so i’m hoping that will help. I slowly slowly slowly feel myself getting better, the nausea is going away, the brain zaps aren’t as frequent, but new symptoms like pins and needles in my limbs (went to the ER thought I was having a stroke, CT & MRI came back normal) the anxiety around it all is just keeping my brain in this cycle. i’m seeing a therapist once a week, acupuncture 2x a week, no supplements, really just trying to take it easy and ride it out but god damn it’s rough

"Have you checked out the Symptoms and Self-Care forum? If you click on the Guides tab there are lots of helpful tips about how to deal with anxiety and how to regulate the nervous system." — @Catina

thank you so much! i’m going to check this out.

@maggzzzz good to read you have support. You symptoms really do sound like withdrawal. My physical symptoms are mild. For me it’s mostly anxiety. Wish you all the best