quitting lexapro
 

can i just stop taking lexapro or do i have to slowly go off it?

and if so, how do i do that? i take one 20mb tablet a day right now.

Re: quitting lexapro
 

Don't just stop taking it. Go off very slowly.

The schedule I would do personally is something like: 20 mg, 20, 20, 20, 20, 10, 20, 20, 20, 20, 20, 10, 20, 20, 20, 20, 10, 20, 20, 20, 20, 10, 20, 20, 20, 10, 20, 20, 20, 10, 20 , 20, 20, 10, 20, 20, 10, 20, 20, 10, 20, 20, 10, 20, 20, 10, 20, 20, 10, 20, 20, 10, 20, 10, 20, 10, 20, 10, 20, 10, 20, 10, 20, 10, 20, 10, 20, 10, 10, 20, 10, 10, 20, 10, 10, 10, 20, 10, 10, 10, 20, 10, 10, 10, 10, 20, 10, 10, 10, 10, 20, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 5, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 5... etc. etc until you're only on 5 mg. day for a few weeks, then start skipping days until eventually you're down to NONE!

Tell your doctor or psychiatrist your plan first. If you start having problems (side effects or worsening of depression) while doing this, call your doctor.

But stopping the meds suddenly tends to cause either bad side effects OR the depression eventually coming back.