edgewater9: Intro/Help

[edgewater9]

I think you are right, I am really mentally struggling lately and caved to the Buspar...which made a huge confusing mess of symptoms. I wish I could take it back but need to reset now, and I have to believe I can fully  heal one day. I have never been depressed but have had thoughts in the past two weeks I never thought I would. It's hard to push on but I have a loving family that needs me

[edgewater9]

Quick question, I just had a very serious panic attack that I have not experienced for weeks. The last time I did was during my citalopram taper, and I just reduce the dosage this morning.. If I contiue to get really bad withdrawal symptoms from reducing the citalopram dose this time should I reinstate the last higher amount?

[FireflyFyte]

7 minutes ago, edgewater9 said:

Quick question, I just had a very serious panic attack that I have not experienced for weeks. The last time I did was during my citalopram taper, and I just reduce the dosage this morning.. If I contiue to get really bad withdrawal symptoms from reducing the citalopram dose this time should I reinstate the last higher amount?

 

Why did you reduce your dosage this morning? You have made a lot of changes recently and what you need right now is stability so please stop adding medications and/or changing dosages. You can read about the importance of stability at Considerations about "Stability" - Stop jumping around!

 

I would updose to your dosage before your drop this morning and stay there. It could well take several weeks to months for you to stabilize and it is important that you cease making changes.

[edgewater9]

Firefly, please see my post a few above regarding asking if I should return to my prior dose. I   experienced a serious uptick in anxiety when I upped my dosage to .54mg from .5mg a few days ago. Lost in Canada thought it best to return to my dose that I have been on for over a month prior which made sense. 

[LostInCanada]

@edgewater9 having panic and anxiety is one of the many symptoms of withdrawal. It just takes time for your body to regulate. Since my last drop I have been having anxiety so I am just holding till this settles. Patience is your friend. A knee jerk reaction to updose after a drop is counterproductive. Some will updose after a couple weeks when symptoms aren't lessening but any updose should always be just a percentage of the drop because the body will have already made some changes to accommodate the drop. 

[edgewater9]

Thanks, I know I should not have touched the citalopram until well after a month of getting off Buspar, but I have not dealt with getting and staying off a med permanently before and adjusting/leaving another one. I can deal with anxiety and panic, that's fine but I was just inquiring if things get really bad what should I do. And I think you are right and agree with going back to the .5mg (original dose before updose) which is what I did this morning. It's just frustrating knowing it will take a while to really settle down again and it's my fault 

[edgewater9]

Firefly,

 

   I was re-reading your post, do you think I should go back to the .54 mg that I was on for a few days on the updose with the increasing anxiety or return to the .5 mg I was on for over a month?

[edgewater9]

I just wanted to make sure you understood the circumstances and appreciate your help, both of you have given great advice that I should have followed more closely but will from now on. Again, I should never have changed dosage so shortly after stopping the Buspar 

[LostInCanada]

@edgewater9 don't overthink it. It is so hard to think straight when you are in the thick of it. It is a learning curve. Hopefully it will get easier moving forward.👍

[FireflyFyte]

16 hours ago, edgewater9 said:

Firefly,

 

   I was re-reading your post, do you think I should go back to the .54 mg that I was on for a few days on the updose with the increasing anxiety or return to the .5 mg I was on for over a month?

 

Hi edgewater,

 

I would stay at the .5mg and hold there for at least a month or two to see if you can stabilize. Your system has been through a lot lately and would benefit from consistency.

 

Thanks,

 

Firefly

[edgewater9]

I have stayed at .5 mg the past two days as suggested and today I had absolutely no anxiety all day, just a couple of mini panic attacks. It is probably the best day I've had since I came off citalopram and crashed a month ago.  I will stay the course and hold at the .5mg for at least 2 months or some real stability 

[FireflyFyte]

14 hours ago, edgewater9 said:

I have stayed at .5 mg the past two days as suggested and today I had absolutely no anxiety all day, just a couple of mini panic attacks. It is probably the best day I've had since I came off citalopram and crashed a month ago.  I will stay the course and hold at the .5mg for at least 2 months or some real stability 

 

This is a great update. I think stabilizing for a few months is the right course.

[edgewater9]

Hello all, I have run into a situation and need some advice. I have been staying steady on the .5mg of citalopram since my last post and things were improving except for the sleep issue.  Prior to my crash (May 2023) I had a serious bone spur in my heel that was treated multiple times with a cortisone injection.  It has grown and is now causing serious problems walking requiring a cortisone injection and/or surgery. The pain is 10/10 and I am at a crossroads, I know the cortisone injection can cause problems with my adrenals but I can't even touch my heel ot walk properly because of the pain. Surgery cannot be done for at least another month. Any advice? Thanks

[edgewater9]

Good evening,

 

    I have been holding a dose of .5mg liquid citalopram for 1 month after crashing.  Things were going well but debilitating anxiety has set in a few days ago and basically incapacitated me. Will a small updose be appropriate to possibly relieve symptoms? Thanks

[FireflyFyte]

20 hours ago, edgewater9 said:

  I have been holding a dose of .5mg liquid citalopram for 1 month after crashing.  Things were going well but debilitating anxiety has set in a few days ago and basically incapacitated me. Will a small updose be appropriate to possibly relieve symptoms? Thanks

 

Has anything happened which might have spurred on the anxiety - drinking alcohol, new medications, etc?

[edgewater9]

Nope, definitely no alcohol or any new meds of any sort. Only .5mg citalopram at the same time every morning. The anxiety is 10/10 incapacitating and leaving me unable to function at work

[LostInCanada]

@edgewater9 dr pepper and mountain dew have caffeine; packaged sandwich meats, sausage and bacon have sodium nitrite. MSG is problematic. Artificial sweeteners too. Over exertion exercising? Or it could just be a wave. I don't think updosing will help this far in. Is any CBT helping? Cold shower? It's so frustrating.

[edgewater9]

It's extremely frustrating and left me completely unable to sleep the past 2 nights. I don't drink anything with caffeine or alcohol and have been exercising in moderation. I'm a hoping it is just a wave, and if it sets in maybe a 5% updose could just take the edge off. This is unexpected and almost unbearable

[edgewater9]

Altostrata,

 

     I am in a very similar situation with citalopram, I felt better after a small updose from .5 to .6 mg but still have bad anxiety and other WD symptoms. Would I be OK to updose a little further? I updosed 7 days ago and was considering doing so again. Thanks

[Altostrata]

@edgewater9 I moved your post here because we need to look at your history. Did you have surgery on your foot? Are you getting steroid injections?

[edgewater9]

Neither to both, I am dealing with the pain and just taking NSAIDs.  I'm too afraid of having a relapse, although eventually I will need surgery when I'm more stable which will involve sedatives. No other drugs, caffeine or alcohol. 

[Altostrata]

How has your symptom pattern changed since you updosed to 0.60mg a week ago?

[edgewater9]

Currently on roughly .57mg liquid citalopram, up from .5 a week ago, everything is consistsntly a little better after the updose but still super bad anxiety, chills and shivers. Hoping another small updose will stabilize me a little bit further as 

the last one did

[edgewater9]

Yes symptom pattern and general mood/well being is better

[Altostrata]

If I were you, I might increase to 0.65mg. Please let us know how you're doing. 

[edgewater9]

I will try the updose, thank you!

[edgewater9]

The updose seems to be working, this is the second day and I feel way calmer and less anxious. The only bad withdrawal symptom I had the first day was cold shivers super consistently (and it's warm outside) that would turn into pins and needles feeling in my hands. This has happened before though, not sure if it's a byproduct of anxiety or a nervous system issue. This really died down today for the first time in a week.

[Altostrata]

This may be a good level for you.

[edgewater9]

Alto, 

 

   After successfully updosing in small increments to .64mg to combat severe returning anxiety I experienced a frightening episode of derealization the first morning I took the .64mg. The updosing would work for a couple days each time and then the anxietywould come back. After I took the .64mg the first time the derealization lasted about 5-6 hours. The next morning I went back to .6mg and did not experience any derealization, but the anxiety quickly returned that day and was unbearable today. I'm at a loss for what to do, should I just try to deal with the anxiety for a week or so and maybe try increasing back to .64 after that? I think I did not give the prior updoses a full week to settle in and wonder if my system is catching up, thus the derealization 

[LostInCanada]

It's such a hard call. The drug itself can cause anxiety but the derealization is a red flag to me. I think you need to stay at 6 mg and give it time. Honestly it could be longer than a couple weeks to settle. Some have used lavender oil to combat anxiety. Just 2-3 drops of a good organic one in a glass of water. After 45 minutes it can be repeated 

A multi-center, double-blind, randomised study of the Lavender ... https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19962288/

Remember less is better when dealing with a sensitized CNS.

[edgewater9]

Thanks for the advice, I will stick with the .6mg for the time being. It is super hard trying to figure which level will minimize the severe symptoms without causing additional ones

[LostInCanada]

Please remember you basically did a cold turkey in July. That led to the protracted withdrawal. Then you reinstated and went to high which had an adverse effect. Buspar further destabilized you. Next was an updose followed by an adverse updose. 

The .6 mg seems to be the max you can tolerate. Every change at this point lengthens the stabilization. Patience and time is so necessary at this point. It wouldn't surprise me to see you needing at least 3 months to get to withdrawal normal. Hopefully that is worse case. It sucks but most of us have been there and it gets better. Definitely when you start tapering again you will have to go slower. 

[edgewater9]

Thank you so much for the advice, this morning was my 4th day of going back to .6mg and I feel more stable but am exhausted. I did not sleep the past two nights and was basically wired and shaking, it's hard to believe a change of .04mg could do that. I thought that was super conservative with the updose but I guess not. I'm hoping sleep will return a little as it was going good before, from now on I guess I'm stuck and will have to deal with whatever horrible symptoms come my way.

[LostInCanada]

These drugs are so powerful at the lower dosages. Just be kind to yourself. Are you able to walk leisurely in nature for about 30 minutes a day? Many benefit from an epsom salt bath as well. Hope tonight is better. 

[edgewater9]

I do walk for 30+ minutes a day and it helps, i think the dose is finally starting to settle and I had little anxiety yesterday and today. I plan on staying the course with the .6mg and hopefully things continue to improve

[edgewater9]

Hello all I need some help, I have been consistent at the .6mg for 15 days. I had previously thought an episode of derealization (not unfamiliar to me during withdrawal) after updosing to .64 was caused by the drug change. I had another episode of derealization and terrible crawling anxiety this morning, after looking back through months of Journaling this has occurred multiple times after 2 consecutive sleepless nights over the past 4 months. My other withdrawal symptoms got remarkably better after the last updose, do you think the updose may not be responsible after all?