Addicted To Escitalent Plus. How To Get Rid Of This?

Posted on Fri, 15 Feb 2013

Question: i m taking one tablet of Escitalent Plus every day for last 4 years. i have gone addicted .but i wanted to leave. how can i quit.

Answered by Dr. Sundar Gnanavel (23 minutes later)

Hello........
Thanks for your query. Escitalent plus is composed of escitalopram and clonazepam. Escitalopram is an antidepressant of the SSRI class. It has no addictive properties and can be easily tapered off in a gradual fashion. However, clonazepam is a benzodiazepine ,a sedative drug (sleeping pill). This has definite addiction potential. However, the good thing about clonazepam is a long acting sedative which means it is easier to taper it off unlike short acting alprozolam. All you need is to XXXXXXX your psychiatrist, request him to convert escitalent plus to plain escitalent and then start on a separate clonazepam pill (that comes in trade names-petril, rivotril etc) and gradually taper the same by around 25% per week which means you will off the drug in 1 month. Such slow taper will help in avoiding withdrawal symptoms like tremors, sleeplessness etc. Hope you find my suggestions useful.
Regards
Dr Sundar
Specialist-Addiction medicine

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Sundar Gnanavel (2 hours later)

dear sir,
thanks for your reply but one thing i wanted to know that , I am not getting any negative thoughts for which I have started taking this medicine. If I will stop taking this medicine will it reoccur?

Answered by Dr. Sundar Gnanavel (1 hour later)

Ya i understand your concern. Escitalopram is the major drug for you while the additional clonazepam is no longer necessary. We even continue escitalopram for more than 10 years in anxiety disorder patients. It need not be tapered right now. The issue is only with regard to the clonazepam which has addictive properties. So, you do not have to fear recurrence of symptoms after withdrawing clonazepam part of the drug.
Regards
Dr Sundar

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Sundar Gnanavel (1 hour later)

is yoga and pranayam is useful for the tepering medicine?

Answered by Dr. Sundar Gnanavel (37 minutes later)

You can practice yoga and pranayama that would be helpful in reducing anxiety. However, it plays no significant role in tapering sedatives.
Regards
Dr Sundar

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Sundar Gnanavel (14 hours later)

Please tell me that, instead of Escitalent Plus , what medicine to take and how much should be sought. please provide the name of the medicine.
sir , i want be complete all right. i dont want to take more help of pill. please suggest me , What should I do?

Answered by Dr. Sundar Gnanavel (2 hours later)

Instead of escitalent plus, you can take plain escitalent. It also comes in trade names of Nexito/Stalopam. Dosage is 10 mg once a day. You will be allright gradually. Plain escitalopram is not addictive and has only minimal side-effects. Stopping plain escitalopram can be done only after in person evaluation and is your doctor's discretion. However, i can suggest you that there are psychotherapy techniques like cognitive behavioural therapy that can substitute for medication provided trained clinical psychologists are available.
Regards
Dr Sundar

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Sundar Gnanavel (18 hours later)

is phsycotherapy is must?because this treatment is not available in my town

Answered by Dr. Sundar Gnanavel (10 minutes later)

No, it is not a must. Actually trained clinical psychologists not even number to 300 in the country and you find it difficult to contact them even in metros. Medical colleges with psychiatry units are the only place if at all you find hem in towns. You can follow my other suggestions and forget the psychotherapy part.
Regards
Dr Sundar

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Sundar Gnanavel (4 hours later)

thank u very much sir for giving me suggestion. if u want to give me some more advice then u r welcome. thanks again

Answered by Dr. Sundar Gnanavel (1 minute later)

Hope you have gained clarity into the issue post discussion. You can try out my suggestions.
Regards
Dr Sundar

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar