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Lexapro and Xanex perscriptions

Updated on March 10, 2018 in Ask A Coach
6 on March 3, 2018

I am a woman in mid 50’s, and due to unusual high anxiety my doctor put me on generic xanex.25 1x a day and generic Lexapro10 – 1x a day a year ago. He believed it was menopause related. I have been able to, over time, taper down to cutting the .25 generic xanex, down to 1/2, and then down to a 1/2 of the 1/2 tablet. How much more should I continue reducing dose before I can stop with no ill effects? Do you consider Escitalopram (generic Lexapro10) a safe perscription, or healthy for your brain? Also, having been on it for a year, how do you know when it’s time to tapper off? And, what is the best way to reduce generic Lexapro10? I am feeling much, much, better than when I was first placed on these perscriptions.

Your advice will be much appreciated. Thank you!

 
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0 on March 4, 2018

So glad to hear you are feeling so much better! Although I can’t speak to your medication tapering question, I would encourage you to make sure you have lifestyle pieces in place that will help to keep anxiety low:

1) Whole foods nutrition: plenty of vegetables and low-sugar fruits, high quality organic protein, healthy fats, avoiding sugar, gluten, and dairy, eliminating caffeine, having adequate filtered water, and avoiding artificial sweeteners, additives, and allergens
2) Regular exercise
3) Protected sleep
4) Supplements that support anxiety such as GABA, vitamin D, multivitamin, B-complex, probiotics, and omega-3s
5) Social/emotional support: friends, family, counselor, group, etc.
6) Creativity outlet: art, writing, music, dance, etc.
7) Mindfulness/Meditation: Consider checking out our audio meditations on this site as a starting point if needed.

Many things can support your feeling more calm, which is really wonderful to know as you move away from using medication. Let us know if you need more support around this. Best!
Zoe

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2 on March 4, 2018

Thank you Zoe!!

I really appreciate your feedback. It’s good to know I have been getting on the right track lifestyle wise. I had eliminated dairy (this past year), drink green tea (have now for years – coffee is a rare treat), don’t use artificial sweeteners, always drink Crystal Geyser bottled water, try not to eat gluten to much (it is in the 12 grain bread I eat), usually walk a little over 2 miles every morning, except Sundays (online Church), have met some people in a park I walk thru, who I now walk with part of the way each day, committed to going to bed and getting up at the same time daily, take Omega XL and Alive Women 50+ multi vitamin, I was an Art Director/designer with a media Co. for almost 10yrs – a deadline driven career, which at times was very stressful, but I do love creativity! I started learning French too, am 38% fluent – so they tell me – so far! I listen to the Brain Enhancement music often and the Enhancing Sleep nightly – I put it on when I awake during the night. I have found the other Hypnosis tracks work very well too.

My doctor who I had for years recently retired since prescribing these meds, so I am interested in finding out if/how/when to taper of the Escitalopram – Lexapro10. And I guess I will just keep cutting the xanex smaller and smaller. Any resource on providing that info would be great.

Again Thank you Zoe.

Coach
on March 5, 2018

Great to hear of all that you are doing to take care of yourself!  I talked to Dr. Amen about your medication tapering, and he recommended that you work with a physician during tapering but his general recommendations are as follows: 

1) Taper both medications slowly over the course of a few months.
2) For Lexapro, decrease by 2.5mg every 3 weeks to avoid withdrawal symptoms. Decrease Xanax even slower.

Again, best to do this under the care of a physician since s/he will have your full health history, so may be a good time to find a new one. Hope this helps!
Best!
Zoe

on March 6, 2018

Zoe,
I can’t thank you enough for asking Dr. Amen.
I greatly admire his work. I so appreciate what he, Tana, you and the whole team do to help others, myself included!

My tapering has been as follows on the Alprazolam .25 – or generic Xanax:
My own doctor in January had said I could begin reducing the xanax.
Like I stated already, I had just found out last week he was retired.

Nov.
11/27/17
Started taking 1/2 of the .25 tablet.

Jan.
1/23/18
Started taking 1/4 of the .25 tablet.

Mar
3/5/18
Today, took 1/8th of .25 tablet.
If I feel like I can continue with this amount, I will.
I am wondering how small does it have to be, before I can stop?
Each time I have reduced the xanax, I have noticed an increase in blood pressure here and there, over the course of a week or two time period. But my doctor had told me previously, reducing xanax causes blood pressure to go up. I am on 10mg Lisinopril and my blood pressure is low, to normal for the most part, so even the raise has not been to high. I am amazed that I can seem to feel the change in pressure in my head/body though.

I will make an appt. with the doctor who has taken over my former doctor’s office, as they had called and let me know of his retirement, and gave me a courtsey blood draw so that the new doctor can renew my prescriptions. I have not received results yet. I take 75mcg levothyroxine for under active thyroid, as well.

That said, I do believe Dr. Amen is the expert on these meds. I would like to know if Dr. Amen suggests I get off the xanax altogether, before reducing the 10mg Lexapro? 

Thank you Zoe, Appreciate you so much!!!
🙂

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1 on March 8, 2018

I hear back from Dr. Amen, who says you have a good taper schedule going and suggests that after 1/8th of a .25 mg dose you can stop taking it. 🙂

on March 10, 2018

Thank you so much again Zoe!
Please thank Dr. Amen for me too!! That’s great news and much appreciated! \o/ 😊

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