Can dizziness be the result of discontinuation of Escitalopram?

I will quote an excerpt from our article: "Patients who suddenly discontinued preparations used in depression and anxiety, sharply reduced the dose or used the drug very unsystematically, may develop a set of symptoms associated with an uncontrolled decrease in the concentration of the active substance in the body. In its course, gastric disorders (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea), motor, neurological (numbness, tingling, headache and dizziness), mental (anxiety, anxiety, irritability, mood deterioration, sleep problems) or flu-like symptoms may occur." The rest here: https://www.gdziepolek.pl/artykuly/czy-jak-i-kiedy-mozna-odstawic-leki Therefore, drugs used in the treatment of depression should be discontinued gradually, with a systematic reduction in dose and in consultation with the doctor. Dizziness can disappear spontaneously, but it is difficult to predict after what time. If they are difficult to bear or will persist for a long time, then it is worth consulting a doctor.

For 1.5 years of Escitalopram 20mg, I go down at 5mg every 2 weeks. Already after the first descent from 20 to 15 I experience a momentary loss of consciousness as if I teleported from place to place, and other things that everyone has practically after that.

To @lisiek:

The observed symptoms may or may not necessarily be related to drug discontinuation. The withdrawal symptoms of the drug with escitalopram include the possibility of visual disturbances, but manufacturers do not specify which specific disorders are in question. Withdrawal symptoms usually occur within the first few days after discontinuation of treatment, are usually mild in severity and usually resolve within 2 weeks. The risk of their occurrence is much lower if the drug has been discontinued correctly, i.e. the dose has been reduced gradually over a period of at least 1-2 weeks. If the observed symptoms do not subside or become more severe, it is worth consulting a doctor who will determine their cause and recommend further treatment. The Gdziepolek.pl portal allows you to take advantage of teleconsultations:

https://www.gdziepolek.pl/telekonsultacja

I stopped taking escitalopram a week ago. I went down from 20 mg every 5 mg and I ate the last dose of 5 mg a week ago. On the first day of not taking the drug, I started to have floaters in my eyes. Such gray and transparent flying worms. Could it be from discontinuation of the drug ??

I have been taking this drug for almost 2 years in a dose of 20 mg. Since March this year - in consultation with my doctor - I have been taking off the 5 mg medication on average every 3 weeks. When I switched to 5 mg, I felt dizzy (the sensation of bubbles flowing to my brain from champagne ;). When it was almost gone, 3 weeks passed and I completely went off the drug. Again, the same thing, after about 2 days from stopping, the feeling of spreading bubbles, as if it would contract and relax (I will faint - I will not faint). I've had it for the second week now, the internist prescribed me a medication for dizziness, but they don't help much. There was also a feeling of being electrocuted, such micro fractions of seconds. I calmed down reading about these ailments in others. I'm waiting for it to pass, I don't want to go back to the drug. Best regards

To @Lang :

Escitalopram, like most serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), can cause side effects, especially at the beginning of therapy:

Early side effects: Many people experience side effects in the first weeks of treatment. These can include nausea, dizziness, fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, tremors, or headache. These symptoms often disappear within 2-4 weeks as the body gets used to the drug.

Long-term side effects: Some side effects, such as decreased libido, erectile problems, ejaculation delay, or weight gain, may persist throughout the medication. In some cases, these side effects may decrease over time, but in others, they may require medical intervention.

If you are experiencing any worrisome side effects, it is important to talk to your doctor about it. Your doctor may adjust your dose, recommend a change in your medication, or add other medications to improve side effects.

I encourage you to report the symptoms you experience to your doctor, as well as to report the occurrence of an adverse effect of the preparation. Reporting side effects allows you to increase control over medicines available on the market. We wrote more about how and why to report side effects in the article: 

https://www.gdziepolek.pl/artykuly/jak-i-dlaczego-zglaszac-dzialania-niepozadane

And can anyone let me know when it will end? Is it a permanent effect for a period of time or an increasing one?

For depressive and anxiety symptoms, I was prescribed escitalopram, a small dose of 5mg. After 2 weeks of taking it, I got dizzy. I waited another 2 weeks for them to pass, but they even got stronger, and I wake up at 4 am, and I already feel dizzy. This drug, even as little as 5 mg, is too strong for me. I'm disappointed with the pharmacology. How often do we experience side effects instead of improvement

I have the same thing. I took the 10 mg drug for 13 years. When I stopped taking the drug for 2 weeks, I took 5 mg and that was it. It was necessary to take another 2 weeks of 2.5 mg each. For a week I've been dizzy, have trouble concentrating, sleeping, night sweats, I'm irritable and I want to cry all the time, although there's no reason to. I expect this to pass eventually. I have a supply of medicine, but I don't want to go back to it. I'm going to read the article :) Soon in time ;/

I took 1.5 years of escitalopram. I stopped a month ago and I still feel dizzy

From 2022 from July I took 0.5mg to July 9, 2023, it was a maintenance dose, previously I took 15mg then 10mg and I always went down from medication as recommended by the doctor I did even monthly.... From July 9, 2023 I no longer take 0.5mg, unfortunately I have dizziness and as if such a "feeling of current passing through the body". Unfortunately, I feel bad all the time. I am waiting for these symptoms to pass, although what is written in various medical articles is mostly not true. Everyone reacts differently. I feel like I've put something off suddenly and it wasn't, everything as agreed. I think that even though the half-life of the drug is short, the body is so accustomed that it takes longer to recover.

I have the same. For me, dizziness, the so-called positional - when looking up or leaning. It started a week after the dose reduction from 15mg of Escitil to 10mg. I have been taking 15 mg for several years.