Bfog: Poop out and discontinuation

[Bfog]

Hi I am new here and hope someone can help. I have read that if you suffer from discontinuation syndrome you need to restart the med at a low dose. 

I believe I suffered from Poop Out whilst taking 10mg Celexa over 6 yr period. 7 months ago I agreed with my Dr to come off over 2 wk period as it was a very low dose. In medical terms it is but I am a highly sensitive ecosystem and have been hospitalised by antibiotics which damaged my liver so I tread very carefully on dosage. 10mg to me is someone elses 20mg. 2 months after tapering I was diagnosed with CFS/ ME. I have terrible cognitive issues. ie poor memory, poor stress intolerance, impaired concentration, disorientation, mood fluctuatuons, agitated, restless, headaches, migraines, dizziness and vertigo, tinnitus, drop in blood pressure, myalgia and neuropathy. Yes I have had alot of suicidal thoughts and have considered Dignitas but the weird thing is that these thoughts disappear as quickly as they come. The symptoms above I do not have all day every day but are constantly rotating. In the morning I could feel one way the evening different. Equally I could have 3 days of hell and then 2 days of just fatigue. It is the weirdest set of symptoms and thankfully I have stumbled across this website in the hope that what I describe makes sense to someone else. My question is how do I make these symptoms go away. The other point I would like to make is that I have tried 5-HTP ( gave me headaches) and SAMe (made me like a zombie). I eat a Paleo Diet,No caffeine,No alcohol,No dairy or Gluten. I walk 10 mins a day because of fatigue. I have tried parasite cleanse and currently doing a leaky gut protocol. I meditate every day and practice mindfulness.Will I get better or have I got long term damage?

[mammaP]

Hi Bfog, welcome to SA.  Yes sometimes it does help to reinstate a very small dose of the drug that was discontinued.  I understand your sensitivity, many of us here are extremely sensitive to drugs and supplements. We never recommend sam E or 5HTP because they have the same effects as the drugs. 

Detox and cleanses have no therapeutic effect on withdrawal.  When a drug has been taken regularly it changes the way the brain functions.  When it is stopped the brain is thrown into chaos and has to work hard to try and regain homeostasis. This can take a very long time but does find the balance eventually. 

Poop out mimics CFS, many people are diagnosed with this and fibromyalgia when taking psychiatric drugs or when in withdrawal. Did you take any other  prescription drugs with or before celexa? Are you taking anything now, either drugs, supplements or over the counter medicines? A lot of them can worsen withdrawal. Can you tell us the antibiotic that made you sick? My guess is that it was one of the fluoroquinolones? 

 

Feeling bad in the mornings and better as the day progresses is common in withdrawal, most people say the same thing. This is because of the cortisol surge in the mornings, triggered by daylight.  Withdrawal takes the pattern of windows and waves, which is what you are describing. Periods of intense symptoms then some better days. As time progresses the waves get shorter and the windows get longer for many people. Some people find they have no windows and the suffering is relentlesss but in time it does ease up. No one can put a timescale on this because everyone is different. You are doing all the right things to make life as comfortable as possible while your brain and nervous system are healing. 

You are taking good care of yourself which is great, and walking is the best exercise in withdrawal.   

If you wanted to try a very small dose I would try just a tiny 0.5mg. You can make a solution from tablets to get this small dose.  This might seem impossible but there are many people who find some relief from such a small dose. It will take a few days to reach a steady level in the blood so don't be tempted to go higher untilit has had a chance to reach that steady level.  When you have been stable for a few months you can then start to taper that tiny dose.

 

We require all our members to fill in their signature with drugs and taper history, approximate year then more detailed for the last 12 months. You will find instructions here...

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/12364-please-put-your-withdrawal-history-in-your-signature/

 

About reinstating

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/7562-about-reinstating-and-stabilizing-to-reduce-withdrawal-symptoms/

 

How to make a liquid

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2022-making-a-celexa-solution-yourself

 

Windows and waves

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/82-the-windows-and-waves-pattern-of-stabilization/

 

What is withdrawal syndrome

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/603-what-is-withdrawal-syndrome/

 

This was written by our Rhi, which perfectly explains what is happening to your brain

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1160-brain-remodeling/

 

And when you are ready to taper

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2023-tips-for-tapering-off-celexa-citalopram/page__pid__19887#entry19887

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 10, 2018 by mammaP
added link