SSRI Withdrawal Update

A Big Mistake

I had been holding at a 2.5 mg tablet of Lexapro for over a month and decided to switch to the liquid form so I could go down in smaller increments before stopping. However, I didn’t notice that the liquid came with two syringes. One was for increments of 1.0 mL, and the other was for increments of 0.1 mL.

Liquid Lexapro math is pretty simple: 1.0 mg = 1.0 mL. So I started taking 2.5 mL to give me the equivalent dose of 2.5 mg. Or… so I thought. I was using the incorrect syringe and was only getting 0.25 mL instead of 2.5 mL. Big mistake.

I was suddenly thrown into full-blown withdrawal and didn’t know why. I had made this mistake for an entire week before I realized what was going on. As soon as I figured it out, I started taking the correct amount, but my nervous system was already going off the deep end.

It’s been about two weeks since I fixed this problem, and the withdrawal is better, but the anhedonia has gotten worse during this time, despite my efforts to counter it with low-dose amphetamine.

Ketamine Update

The sublingual ketamine has come with a learning curve. I’ve done about five sessions, but I still haven’t found the best way to use it. I learned about spitting vs. swallowing, and after swallowing once and having a bad experience, I haven’t swallowed again. However, if I don’t swallow, the effects are minimal. Eventually, I might try swallowing a very tiny amount and spitting the rest, but I’m not sure.

I have noticed some benefits from the ketamine. The main one is that it helps me have more control over my thoughts for a few days after treatments. If I get stuck in a negative pattern of thinking, I can more easily tell myself to stop and redirect. So for now, this treatment feels worth continuing and experimenting with.

My Plan Going Forward

My plan is to allow my nervous system time to heal from my Lexapro mistake. I won’t be making any big medication changes until I feel more stable. I’ll continue to focus on my overall health and wellness in the meantime.

I also plan to make some future posts about other health issues that were and are going on that directly affect my mental health, and how I’m addressing them.