demat: citalopram 10mg 4 days, 5mg 7 days help on taper or can I quit?

[demat]

Hi, I just started Citalopram and I was prescirbed this meds for anxiety due to ongoing GI (Gastro) issues and citalopram was given supposedly to help with esophageal sensitivity. Its giving me a lot heartburn which i dont usually get. need to get off these meds.

 

While on Amitriptyline I had reactions that remained during those 3 weeks I was on it. The effects were the following

 

* Blurry vision, light sensitivity, hearing sensitivity and tinnitus.

* Tension headaches

 

I have to get off the drug due to those effects. The symptoms remained but the intensity gradually reduces. Currently i still have the following. I am not sure if this was caused by stopping cold turkey as per mr Dr saying its a low dose

 

* Blurry vision

* Lightheadedness, minor tension headache comes and goes. better in the morning but not at the end of the day

* Some tinnitus

 

I was prescribed Gabapenetin for the tension headaches but wasn't really helping and I taper off. 

I was prescribed Lexapro for anxiety caused by my GI and now non GI issues, took it for 4days but tinnitus gotten intense and stopped. Tinnitus went back to negligible

i was prescribed Busiprone for my GI issue of early fullness but was making my headaches worse and wasn't really helping with the GI issue and stopped cold turkey. Headaches wen back to before 

 

On Citalopram,  my blurry vision is a little bit worse and my depth perception. Tinnitus gets intense sometimes and gradually becomes minute. However i started getting a lot of heartburn and feeling of fullness. I cant have these additional GI issues and want to stop the meds for now. 

 

I have taken the following in the last year, all was to help with GI issues. 

 

Amitriptyline 10mg Sep17 - Oct 5, 2021

Gabapentin 300mg Nov 18 - Dec 25 2021

                     200mg Dec 26 - Jan 5, 2022

                     100mg Jan 6 - Jan 16, 2022

Lexapro 5mg Jan28 - 31, 2022

Buspirone 15mg April 5 - April 19, 2022

 

Thx

Ed

 

[Altostrata]

Welcome, @demat

 

At what point did the gastro issues emerge?

 

It looks like you have been on and off psychiatric drugs since September 2021. How did you go off amitriptyline? What effect does gabapentin have on you?

 

You were not on Lexapro, buspirone, or citalopram long enough to become physiologically dependent on any of them; though you might have had adverse reactions to them, it's unlikely you are currently having withdrawal symptoms from going off them or reducing from 10mg to 5mg citalopram.

 

In effect, you've been taking 5mg citalopram since June 1. If I were you, I'd reduce it by cutting the dose in half for a week, to 2.5mg, then half again (1.25mg) for week, then stop.

[demat]

First off, thx for the response and all the wonderful work/support you guys provide in this site. 
 

I was trialed on Ami for my abdominal pain, bloating, fullness but it just gave me side effects (hazy vision, tinnitus, tension headaches, dizziness, dry mouth) and I asked to quit and was told to quit cold turkey by my Dr.

 

A week after stopping Ami, I felt fine my abdominal seemed to be more relaxed and dry mouth went away and headaches were settling down. then 3 weeks or 4 weeks after I started to get more dizziness and tension  headaches daily and constant vision and hearing sensitivities. I was trialed Gab for a month for the headache Neuro said its likely occ neuralgia. The only thing that Gab did was suppress a bit the headaches but tension remained in my head. 
 

I told Neuro to get off The meds since its not really helping before I get too deep in using the meds. I was told to stop cold but I insisted that i want to taper and gave 100mg increments.

 

The headaches, dizziness, vision, hearing sensitivities persisted till Feb, by March the intensity seemed to be waning down but still get them daily but comes and go.

 

I was prescribed Citalopram due to me being anxious and sometimes depressed due to my undiagnosed conditions. first 4 days on 10 mg was hard, i had an onset on what seemed like a panic attack, my body was tensing, jitteriness, restless. I just felt sick. I was told to bring it down to 5. The jitteriness and feeling sick settled down but noticed my vision issues are getting worse again especially my left eye, felt  dry and hazy. Depth perception was not good. I also started feeling a lot of heartburn 3days into 5mg. I spoke to my PCP and was I told I can stop. I stopped Sunday, now on my 4th day without.

 

Off the bat from stopping, so far the only side effect i get is shallow sleep and would wake 1-2 times at night. The vision improved and heartburn went away. 
 

Do you think I should reinstate low dose or just continue on? 
 

Also, do u think the slight head tensions and slight dizziness I still experienced is still due to the Ami cold  turkey and maybe due to the different meds i was trialed on?

 

Thx Much

Ed

[Altostrata]

4 hours ago, demat said:

A week after stopping Ami, I felt fine my abdominal seemed to be more relaxed and dry mouth went away and headaches were settling down. then 3 weeks or 4 weeks after I started to get more dizziness and tension  headaches daily and constant vision and hearing sensitivities.

 

This sounds like you felt adverse effects from amitriptyline; when you went off after taking it for more than a month, you got withdrawal syndrome. You might have had adverse reactions to the successive drugs.

 

Since you felt better as amitriptyline wore off, it could be that reinstating a very low dose, such as 1mg, would resolve your withdrawal symptoms and help your gut problem.

 

If you're not feeling any benefit from citalopram, if I were you, I'd taper off as I explained above.

[demat]

Thx for the input. There were some benefits from Citalopram but it causes other side effects that gives me a hard time ie heartburn and vision issues. I am off the drug now for 5 days and my anxiety has picked up again and noticed causing minor headaches. I was much better 2-3 days off than now. 
 

is it ok to reinstate at 2.5? 

 

thank you again 

Ed

 

 

[Altostrata]

4 hours ago, demat said:

is it ok to reinstate at 2.5? 

 

Do you mean amitriptyline or citalopram?

 

These are adverse effects from 5mg citalopram:

On 6/15/2022 at 11:55 AM, demat said:

The vision improved and heartburn went away. 

 

[demat]

 

32 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

Do you mean amitriptyline or citalopram?

 

 

citalopram. 

33 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

These are adverse effects from 5mg citalopram:

On 6/15/2022 at 2:55 PM, demat said:

are these adverse effects temporary and should clear off in time?

 

[Altostrata]

1 hour ago, demat said:

are these adverse effects temporary and should clear off in time?

 

 

They didn't fade while you were taking citalopram, did they?

 

If I were you, I'd start with 1mg citalopram, using the liquid form.

[demat]

2 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

They didn't fade while you were taking citalopram, did they?

No.

 

Ok I have to talk to my PCP to give me a liquid form.

[demat]

Hi All,

 

Just an update on my situation. 

 

I did not re-instate citalopram after taking it for 11 days and stopped. I might have felt some WD symptoms that included sensitivity to heat and felt ill like flu but no fever for a few days.

 

I am dealing with GI issues/sensitivities. I was prescribed Cyproheptadine 4mg, bedtime fro my throat sensitivities. This worked wonders for my throat sensitivities and some days for a few hours calmed my gut, relaxes it.

 

I opted to try again an AD and worked with a Psychiatrist this time around. I have to stop first Cyproheptadine for 6 days before I start Sertraline. I started taking 25mg of Sertraline on Aug 18-Aug 28 (10 days). I might have developed sensitivities to these type of meds and felt side effects off the bat. I felt

 

- feeling of throwing up

- jiterriness

- increased worry

- vision issues/perception

 

The effects are more subtle compared to when I started Citalopram 10mg.

 

I tiltrate down to 12.5mg on Aug 28 after discussing with my psychiatrist. I was on 12.5 mg from Aug29 - Sep18 (21 days)

 

The primary reason for me taking AD was to see If it will help with my phantom abdominal pain and the headaches, throat sensitivities, constipation. Sertraline wasn't really helping a lot on those symptoms except for constipation. I asked my Psychiatrist to stop and she agreed and said no need to to taper. i still taper a bit and took 6.75mg from Sep18-22, then stopped.

 

Overall i was on Sertraline for 5 weeks (see sig)

 

Week 1 after stopping -  I felt flu like symptoms for 2 days then went away. During this week i took zyrtec 10mg for the whole week for my throat sensitivities

Week 2 after stopping- I started my Cyproheptadine again (zyrtec didn't work) and felt ok mostly the whole week

Week 3 after stopping - I worried Cyproheptadine was getting me constipated again and stopped. Felt flu like again for 1 day but ok the next. during this week i trialed claritin for my throat issues didn't work and stopped.

 

From late Oct to Nov 14 I wasn't taking anything except antacids/pepcid as needed

 

The week of Nov 14, I felt ill for 3-4 days. Feeling sick like the flu, it just went away on its own. I had myself tested for covid/flu and were negative.

 

Since this time (Nov 14)

 

* my constipation have gotten worse, I used to go every other day but now turned into every 3rd day and half miralax on 2nd day.

* low energy 

* more prominent head tension

* more sensations/discomfort in the gut and back

* chills, cold hands and feet - comes and go

* minor tinnitus - comes and go

 

I got back on Cyproheptadine, Dec 1st per my GI doc. Cyproheptadine is the only meds am taking now. Cyproheptadine they say is a serotonin antagonist, would this pose issue on my CNS at this stage?

 

I am wondering if these symptoms could be related to WD? and would it be wise to trial another AD? considering all the type of meds i've been on the last year.

 

 

[Altostrata]

I am sorry, you will have to discuss these questions with your prescriber. We do not do follow-up medical care.

[demat]

ok thx Alto. Any thoughts on the symptoms if they could be WD? 

[Altostrata]

On 12/9/2022 at 12:26 PM, demat said:

I am wondering if these symptoms could be related to WD? and would it be wise to trial another AD? considering all the type of meds i've been on the last year.

 

I have no idea. How have your zillion trials of antidepressants worked out so far? Our general advice is to stop looking for a solution among psychotropics and let your system settle down.

[demat]

The trials have some benefits in some areas like my bowel movement but also presented its own other effects. Thx for your input Alto. What i plan to do is to stay off psychotropics and have my system settle down. I'll re-assess after being off 6 months from psychotropics, hoping some of the symptoms, especially the neurological ones settle down.

 

Best to you guys here and greatly appreciate the work you do!