Have any of y'all ever DC'ed from Lexapro? If so, please shoot me an e-mail or comment here. I am four days off of it now and feeling a bit...weird. I tapered very slowly and all was well until about day two of being off entirely. Body rushes. Not good ones. Fatigue (maybe it wasn't just spring drunkenness?). Is it the Lex or I am dying? Well, slowly dying, perhaps.
I don't know but I do not have time for this shit!
So if any of you have any experience in this matter, please let me know.
Now. On to our regularly scheduled program. It is Friday. It is April 2nd. I think that was my grandfather's birthday. He was born in 1888 so if he was still alive (haha!) he'd be one hundred and twelve years old today. He was well into his nineties when he died so that was pretty good. I wonder what Granddaddy would think of the computer, the internet. He was very intelligent and a curious man so perhaps he wouldn't have hated it. Who knows? He'd hate all this blah, blah, blah. I know that. He once gave me a printed-out quote that said something like, "Intelligent people speak of ideas, not-so intelligent people speak of things, and unintelligent people speak of other people and themselves."
Well. There you have it. At least one quarter of my neurosis in a nutshell.
Happy birthday, Granddaddy!
My friends are coming today. I am excited. I figured out that I have known the man-part of this couple for about 38 years. Not kidding. Since high school. Am I that old? And I've known his wife for about, oh, 34 years. Good god! K and I were boyfriend/girlfriend for about fifteen minutes in high school but obviously, we have some sort of deep affection for each other as we have been writing regularly and seeing each other now and then all those years since. K&B are world-travelers, fancy-dancers, yoga-doers, good-deed-doers, and high-livers. I believe that Mr. Moon and I may be the only people they personally know with chickens but I could be making that up. Oh well. Tonight we will be sitting on the front porch with martinis and it will be fabulous!
They offered to take us out for supper but really- with all that beautiful lettuce and spinach and chard in the garden? And a twenty-mile drive to town?
Nah. Let's just eat here.
It is well and truly spring. We know that happens here when the pecans begin to leaf. They are timid trees and they are the last to leaf in the spring and the first to drop their leaves in the fall which makes them a lovely tree to shade our homes. Here's a picture of a small black-purplish bird (can you see it?) up in the pecan behind our house.
And we say pe-cahn. Not PE-can. I don't know why. But I thought I'd just go ahead and tell you now.
Wisteria is an invasive. One of the loveliest invasives you can imagine, but still. Here's some growing on the roof.And the pansies are still blooming so I am not pulling them out and replacing them yet. Talk about your purple. Deep purple. Deep, deep velvet purple.
The azaleas are flashing us with all their lady parts. They are more pink than purple but they are in the same family. Here they are, ready for their close-up:
And perhaps the most lovely of all, the wild violets.
The guy is coming to mow today (in theory) and so the violets shall all be slain but I picked these to put in a vase. It's a sin to cut them down, I know, but the other stuff growing around them (which is not grass) is some sort of weed that is nettley and sticks to you as you walk through it and it needs to go.
They'll be back next year. The violets, that is. So will the nettley stuff, believe me.
All right. I must run. I have things to do and places to go. (The dump.)
The chickens are bawking and announcing the arrival of many eggs.
There is shrimp to boil.
Owen is coming at one.
Wishing you great purple dreams and schemes and a very happy Friday. I just realized it is Good Friday, or, as I call it, The Anniversary Of The Day They Crucified Our Lord Friday. But you know me.
Love....Ms. Moon
Happy Friday to you, my friend, and have a lovely time with your friends tonight!
ReplyDeleteI weened off Lexapro in high school. Not a very fun time for me. I felt pretty much what you're feeling. The fatigue was the worst. Luckily, my mother was super understanding. The entire process...I remember it taking a while before I finally felt kind of "normal". The fog definitely lifted and I was soon feeling better than I had when I was on the meds.
ReplyDeleteI hope you feel better soon. :)
I like the photos. Your porch looks comfy. And the wild violets are really nice. Enjoy the day and all that it holds for you and yours.
ReplyDeleteKori- Thank-you, MY friend. You have a good Friday, too! Oh my. It IS Good Friday. Ha! Just realized that.
ReplyDeleteMelissa- Oh. I am so glad to hear that. Not that you had a lousy time getting off the Lexapro, but that what I am feeling may be normal. Okay. I love you, you darling girl!
Syd- You are a sweetie pie. I'm so glad you're part of the family now.
I don't know about Lexipro but I know a lot about weaning drugs from Sophie, and many antidepressants are used for epilepsy. It's a bitch, all the way around, especially for those who are particularly sensitive. We've always found that if we get through the weird part, the intense side effects of withdrawal, if we hold on tight through that you're eventually in the clear. We have also found that acupuncture helps along the way (drug addicts use it, too, to great effect as they withdraw!).
ReplyDeleteGorgeous flower pics, Ms. Moon. I adore this time of year, especially the abundant azalea blossoms.
ReplyDeleteGoing off any of the SSRI's is very difficult. It's most certain that you will continue to feel wonky for a while. There are a lot of message boards and other internet sites where fellow sufferers congregate. One suggestion (I have not tried it myself) is to take a very low dose of Prozac for a while. Something to do with the half-life of the drug in the bloodstream. Anyway, it can get your through the worst withdrawal symptoms from the Lexapro, then when you wean from the Prozac, it's much easier to deal with. Good luck. I have cut my celexa down by 1/2, but when I went to 1/4 of my old dosage, I felt the black hole opening up at my feet. I stood on the ledge for a few days, then went back to my regular dosage. I am a person who must accept that without an SSRI, I would probably not survive for long.
But, I am happy and loving spring! Have a wonderful weekend.
That Owen is the cutest thing EVER.
First of all, I have no idea about discontinuing the Lexapro. I hope someone does and can answer it because I'm sure it is hell to go through the symptoms.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, I LOVE that quote from your grandaddy. I might have to write it down somewhere, kind of as a measuring stick of where I stand on intelligence.
And, oh dear Ms. Moon, but that porch looks right out of a magazine or movie! I'd love to sit right there, sip a martini, and gaze at the moon coming up.
Enjoy your time with your friends. And if they want to treat you to a fancy dinner, let them.
Love and hugs to you.
"high livers" as in inebriated organs, yeah. L7
ReplyDeleteHope your Friday is Good, Ms M. I say pecan the same way you do.
ReplyDeletexx
Happy, happy Friday to you Mary Moon, there in your parallel purple universe. I bet your visit with your friends will go really well because you are obviously a hostess with abundant care that shows in every detail of home and garden.
ReplyDeleteThose pictures of Owen are bringing sunshine to my rainy day here. I am putting on my boots and slicker and going out to put more foxglove in the ground.
x0 N2
Elizabeth- I don't think my symptoms are bad enough to need an acupuncturist at this point. I am drinking lots of water and trying to just remain calm and be accepting. I needed those pills but I don't think I do now. Mentally, I am feeling okay except for a bit of the brain fog. Emotionally I think I am fine.
ReplyDeleteBut poor Sophie- she has no idea what's going on when this happens to her. Bless her and bless you.
As you said on your blog today, in a different context- it is not the same!
E- I don't think my withdrawal is that bad. Honestly. Just a bit...weird. And I swear to all that is holy- if I find myself on the ledge, I'm back on the Lex.
Angie- But going out to dinner would require a bra! Ha! I'll probably put one on anyway. It's just so beautiful here right now, I hate to think about leaving.
L7- NO! I meant like- you buy actual art. As apposed to pictures at Goodwill. Why aren't you on the damn road? Or are you?
Jo- And yet, I feel certain it sounds different when you say it than when I do.
N2- I love to plant in the rain, too. It's so...dirty and fun.
Twenty miles into town? I'd never get out! Is that how far your kids live then?
ReplyDeleteEvery time you post a photo of your porch, I can hear the hollow sound the wood makes as soon as your shoe goes down on the surface. I can hear the creeks that wood makes as your foot rocks from heel to toe.......And I swear to you, I can feel the nice cool breeze and taste ice-cold home made lemonade. (Or really sweet tea)
ReplyDeletelove the title,
ReplyDeleteand the idea that you get to spend time with people you love, that love you, oh enjoy sweet Ms.Moon.
hope things ease up , the fog lifts , and you see those lovely blooms of yours in full glory.
Yes, I hear it's common to get the "zings" from being weaned off AD's. I had them before and it's NO FUN. Good luck, Ms. Moon!
ReplyDeletethose wild violets are soooo pretty.
ReplyDeletecharming. i want to have a cat and name her Wild Violet.
xept we already have six. if we get another mr. curry will surely leave me while screaming atop his lungs.
ReplyDeleteYour porch looks beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI completely understand about your violets. Call me crazy, but I always love a yard full of dandelions. I won't mow until their puffballs have blown away.
have a wonderful time with your friends
So very jealous of your spring as we are suppose to get 2-3 inches of snow tonight. And I never took Lexapro but I did go cold turkey from Diazepam after being on it for several years and it wasn't pretty. I had some serious withdrawals including body aches, metal taste in my mouth, fatigue, and other fun things. Take care.
ReplyDeleteOh how everything looks so warm and welcoming there. I know you are going to have a great time with your friends and they should be awfully happy to be in your company as well.
ReplyDeleteI know I should.
The "tubes" have been acting funny tonight so I am not sure you will get this, but if you do I want to tell you that all the wonderful shots - now you know what I am going to say - the one that touched my heart is of course the one of the violets. Sweet. As you are to me. And for the other problem I would suggest Rescue Remedy in the spray bottle you can carry with you. I know it sounds crazy and it probably won't do a thing for the fatigue, that is the brain getting out the wrong signals and the rest of the body trying to catch up with what it is that the wrong signals are saying.
But it will help with the rest of the feelings. Just spray it under your tongue. It has done wonders for me. I am willing to agree that it may be all in my head for once,
but I am not going to question success, or feeling better, who the heck cares why or how. If it works say thank you to the Universe and keep on planting the veggies. Love you.
Your porch is exactly the embodiment of the one which lives in my dreams! So lovely. All that and wild violets, too. I think I'm in heaven.
ReplyDeleteWhat would the world be without wisteria? Surely less happy. And that's not a good world.
ReplyDeleteLovely, the porch, the violets, The Owen.
ReplyDeleteI found that coming off of a SSRI, after the couple of weeks of weird-ish symptoms are through, it's still a good 3 months before feeling okay, with a capital O and K.
Happy Friday late.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you had a great time with your ol friends.
Your porch is so inviting, magical.
Wait though, why do you have to dig up the pansies? Too hot for them? Ours last all summer in RI/CT.
Hm.
And they are only now starting to get buds.
I want to send you a pack of the pink ruffled ones. I think they will delight you. But sounds like you'd have to wait for next year to plant.
I am so behind on everything.
I still have a book sitting on my desk for you. At least it won't go bad, has no time table, like seeds.
Must get out into the sunny day.
But will read a few more posts from you.
It's my treat.
Lois- Well, if I had actual grass, I would do the same.
ReplyDeleteNancy C- And why would you apologize?
Mwa- Well, more like fifteen miles. But seven of them are on the interstate so it's zip, zip.
But still, it gives me a great excuse to stay at home.
Rebecca- Just as you imagine. My porches are part of my major blessings in this lifetime.
Deb- Emotionally, all is well. I think the fog will lift. It's more like a faint mist now.
Aunt Becky- That is so reassuring. And they ARE zings. That is exactly what they feel like.
Maggie May- Well, someday. Maybe? I think even a daughter could be named Wild Violet. Oh- the life she would have!
Michelle- I have never understood the need to eradicate dandelions. They flowers and they are beautiful.
And you can make wishes on them when they are ready to be puffed away.
Mr. Shife- Thank-you, sweetie. Boy, when we fuck with our brain chemicals, we are really tempting fate, aren't we?
Allegra- I think I just threw out my Rescue Remedy in a cleaning frenzy. It was old, anyway. I shall get some more as soon as possible. I think I'm going to be fine. Just this little weird transition period.
And I need to plant vegetables. My hands crave dirt. I love you. Thank-you. For everything.
Nana Jo- Thank-you so much for visiting and leaving me your thoughts. I do appreciate that! And yes, I live in heaven. I know it. I'm lucky as hell.
Nigel- Isn't it just a treat for all the senses? Ah...
Lisa Page- Three months? Oh well, what else do I have to do? Thanks for the response. Really, really.
Bethany- Yes. It gets too hot for pansies. Isn't that sad? But they are our winter flower to plant, so that is a happy thing.
ReplyDeleteLove you, dear.
Ms. Moon, I'm so glad that your withdrawal symptoms aren't too bad. If you weren't on the lex for too long, you should be able to get through it soon. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI love shrimp salad. HOORAY FOR SHRIMP SALAD!
ReplyDeleteAlso, I say PE-can. It's a holdover from Savannah.