dadto4boys: Hello, struggling with withdrawal and would love some help

[AliG]

Yes . I agree with NZ.  This has been a long time coming.  Best to " hunker down"  and wait it out !  Read around , educate yourself and don't rely on doctor's . They are essentially clueless !

[aberdeen]

Hi dadto4...I just wanted to pop in and tell you that it wont feel this intensely crazy forever. you CAN feel ok again, whatever is going on in there, isnt causing anything permanent. Ive been there, and I survived. I was in a state like you, breathing through each section of the day in a cold, trembly haze wondering what had happened to my brain and life as I knew it.  I finally put the brakes on when I was switched to paxil 20mg and I just stopped doing anything at all with my dose. I took about 4 months from that point to notice things settle. I didnt feel 100% back to my normal self mind you, but I was about 75% back, and then I started a slow taper. Im able to work again, enjoy my kids again, aside from some emotional blunting and occassional waves of depression and anxiety (not the crazy intense kind anymore), I feel pretty normal again. The trick is to stop changing things around. You will settle again.

[dadto4boys]

Thanks for the feedback from everyone.

 

I'm really unsure what to do. I feel like I'm getting worse and it's been over 3 weeks on 1 mg. Could the 1mg be too low? Should I increase the dosage? I understand there will be good and bad days but I haven't seen any good in quite a while and I'm really starting to lose hope. Nothing at all seems to help me anymore.

[Colonial]

(...Nothing at all seems to help me anymore....)

 

That's the unfortunate problem.  Nothing is really going to make a significant difference, a few mgs. either way.  No one is going to be able to say one way or the other.  You dropped from 60mgs to basically nothing in only 4 and a half months.  That's the real problem.  If reinstating even to 5mgs gave you problems, the question is would raising it be of any benefit.   Your now trying to categorize symptoms based on Withdrawal or on sensitivity reaction.    

 

This is the hardest part for everyone.  Making a "dosage decision" and sticking with it, and not changing it because they don't see results fast enough.  Their is always so much second guessing on whether it was too much or not enough when things don't resolve themselves quickly.

 

But, unfortunately, they won't.  Once your system is destabilized from that big of a freefall from 60mgs to nothing in so short a time, to a real extent, you need to suffer through it, even though it's not your fault.

 

If you're seriously thinking of  changing the dose, talk to a moderator first.

 

Still praying for you buddy.   

[dadto4boys]

Update: still feeling like I'm in a wave. I feel nauseous still and on the edge

 

 

Can anyone that reinstated share their experience with me? I know it's going to take time and everyone is different but having some reassurance that I will get better from someone that's been there, done that will be helpful for me at this point.

 

Thanks so much for your support through this.

[Ali4]

Iam day 22 of reinstating a small dose of celexa, after going through two weeks of withdrawal hell, I have good days and BAD days, days I don't even want to exist, when I get even a small window, I try to enjoy every second and tell myself it will get better, it's just slow. It will get better, you will get better, it just takes time.

[dadto4boys]

Thanks Ali! Id say 90% of my issue is my stomach and nausea. I'm coming up on 4 weeks of reinstatement at 1mg. I've been trying to help the nausea - chewing on raw ginger and taking a Bonine motion sickness pill. That kinda makes me tired but I feel a little better when I take it.

 

 

I wish I wasn't feeling so crappy overall still and I have to go back to work Saturday. I've been praying that I'd be feeling even 50% better by the time I have to go back but I'm losing that hope. I don't see any improvements happening at all. Psychologically I'm really down in the dumps. Depressed, anxious, on the edge, agitated and irritable.

[Ali4]

My biggest complaints are the head sensations, numbness tingling, burning, dizzy. I'm also nauseous at times and just complete sadness, all I do is cry, I completely understand where your coming from. Hoping today is better for you. Ali.

[nz11]

dt4b

i think you are doing amazing.

These symptoms are all classic withdrawal symptoms and sadly it is a moving morphing animal.

The good thing is you are informed of what this is. Most aren't.

 

Hang in there.

nz11

[dadto4boys]

I'm really reaching my limit of not being able to do this anymore. My wife keeps drilling into my head that it will go away and I'll get better but I'm having a hard time believing that when I've seen no improvement at all.

 

I woke up feeling sick again. I just want to feel good again!!!

[Colonial]

(...I'm really reaching my limit of not being able to do this anymore....)

 

 

I said that to myself this round at week 4, week 6 and low and behold, I'm still breathing starting my 3rd month!

 

YOU WILL MAKE IT!

But you have to tell yourself that and not put limits on yourself.

[dadto4boys]

Are you starting your third month of a wave or 3rd month of withdrawal? I don't know how to count this anymore. I've been in withdrawal since the beginning of January. The reinstatement only made things worse with wicked nausea.

[aberdeen]

Im going out on a limb here...there is a girl here who reinstated after 7 months being off, mapleleafgirl. She has been posting recently due to some eye symptoms and a bit of anxiety after finishing her taper, however, she had success with going back on her full dose and starting over. Maybe talk to her? You made so many changes last year, including switching benzos, ativan, xanax ect so that is also a factor. It sucks how long stabilizing can take...but it will happen. 

[Colonial]

((((((Are you starting your third month of a wave or 3rd month of withdrawal?)))))

 

I Dropped my paxil by 10% in December,and started with bad symptoms January 7th. But then I also stopped the xanax completely in January for a month before reinstating so it's a mixed bag.  But I am definitely still having "paxil specific" symptoms, like difficulty swallowing and a host of other symptoms I get everytime I drop the paxil.

 

Apparently I didn't wait long enough from the Wellbutrin crash in October before I started lowering the paxil in december.  One month of feeling ok was not long enough for me and now this is the longest continuous period I have ever had.

[ladybug]

Your sig. says you took Lexapro in 2014. How long were you on that and how and when did you taper off?

 

I don't think you had WD from two weeks of Brintellix like it says in your first post, that was either delayed WD from the Lexapro or an adverse reaction from the Brintellix.

 

I'm sorry this is happening to you, but you can absolutely get through it.

[nz11]

Ladybug the lexapro taper details are in the penultimate line of the drug signature

(It appears to be 60mg of lex tapered over 5 months aug15 to end of dec 15) (cf this to the 40 months needed if following the 10% rule)

 

You are going to have to dig deep dt4b you can do this.

You are a lot stronger than you think you are.

 

My understanding of the low dose ri logic is if you think things have got worse you can back off.

The other option is you can always up-dose.

There is one other option hold tight at current levels.

Thanks to ignorant doctors this is the disgusting place we have been put in.

 

I don't have a ri story (apart from failed ct attempts which resulted in full ri) because i chose the road of suffering.

After 8 months clueless taper i jumped off at 5mg and spent the next 2-3 years in a bad place.

 

Your cns and brain have been carpet bombed with dangerous chemicals it is going to take time for the body to heal from this uninformed pharma assault.

 

You will get get through this and it will get better.

 

nz11

[ladybug]

Ladybug the lexapro taper details are in the penultimate line of the drug signature

(It appears to be 60mg of lex tapered over 5 months aug15 to end of dec 15) (cf this to the 40 months needed if following the 10% rule)

 

 

I'm talking about the Lexapro, not Celexa. The first line of the sig says "Lexapro 10mg 2014, tapered with minimal withdrawal."

[dadto4boys]

The lexapro taper was almost 2 years ago. I had some head whooshes but honestly those lasted about 2 weeks and I felt great. My dr suggested brintollix bc i was having tightness in the chest and he thought it would help my anxiety. I definitely had a bad reaction and it's been one thing after another since then.

[Colonial]

(.... I definitely had a bad reaction and it's been one thing after another since then....)

 

That may be because it's been one medication after another, as you said in your signature:    2015 was filled with trial and error-

xanax switched to ativan

celexa started; ativan switched back to xanax; neurontin started; xanax switched to Klonopin; celexa increased several times to 60 mg over only a few months; neurontin increased several times then quickly stopped; latuda started and stopped; celexa tapering began 8/15 60mg-

 

 

You've had A LOT of brain meds to deal with.  But you will get better.  It's hard to tell where a "bad reaction" ends and WD begins when it's that many meds in a relatively short period of time.

[Ali4]

Don't worry dad, like you said we will get through it together, better days are coming!!!

[nz11]

 

Ladybug the lexapro taper details are in the penultimate line of the drug signature

(It appears to be 60mg of lex tapered over 5 months aug15 to end of dec 15) (cf this to the 40 months needed if following the 10% rule)

 

 

I'm talking about the Lexapro, not Celexa. The first line of the sig says "Lexapro 10mg 2014, tapered with minimal withdrawal."

 

oops correct you are Ladybug ....my mistake.

Had a brain block (an OCD posting moment)...these drugs hide behind so many names its confusing at the best of times.

Thought lexapro and celexa were the same ..

Apologies.

 

nz11

Lets see

celexa=citalopram and escitalopram = lexapro = really strong citalopram = really strong celexa so that means celexa is in ratio to  lexapro. so watered down lexapro = celexa !! lol ! oh boy.

Oh yeah and i'm my own Grandpa...

[Altostrata]

dadto4, it is absolutely necessary that you keep notes on paper about your daily symptom pattern, your drugs and their dosages, and when you take them.
 
Does the nausea start after you take Celexa every day? What time do you take it? When are you nauseous?
 
Have you had any alcohol since that couple of beers a few weeks back?
 
Are you taking any other drugs? If so, please put ALL the drugs you take in the Drug Interactions Checker http://www.drugs.com/drug_interactions.html and copy and paste the results in this topic.
 
 

Hello.  About a year ago my GP suggested I try Brintollix to help anxiety.  After discussing with my wife, we decided to give it a try.  A few days into the medication I began having severe side effects including debilitating panic attacks, severe anxiety, insomnia and nausea.  After a couple weeks of these symptoms and two trips to urgent care, I discussed withdrawing with my GP.  I stopped taking the brintollix and now know I was having withdrawals.

 
It sounds to me that you weren't having withdrawal from Brintallix. Some people have severe adverse reactions to serotonergic drugs within a few doses. Even when they go off, their nervous systems are destabilized and they can have withdrawal-like symptoms for a long time.
 

I started seeing a psychiatrist who initially prescribed xanax and celexa.  The celexa was increased frequently and I was taking 60 mg within 2 months of starting it.  He switched the xanax to ativan, back to xanax and then to klonopin.  I was also prescribed neurontin at one point and latuda at another point.  My psychiatrist then got upset that my wife and I had called too many times on the emergency line and switched me to another provider in his office.

 
Did your symptoms stop at any time while you were taking Celexa? Or any of the other drugs? Which ones? What dosage?
 

I discussed my concerns with this provider and started decreasing the celexa.  The celexa has made me nauseous from day one and its never subsided.  I feel like a walking zombie when Im taking the celexa.  I decreased from 60mg to 5mg over several months.  On 12/31/15 after being on 5 mg for a month I stopped taking it, per my provider.

 
Did you feel better at any time while you were reducing the Celexa?
 

Now its been 5 weeks of living hell.  Panic attacks, nausea, anxiety, dark cloud feeling, exhaustion, head rushes, irritability, agitation, suicidal thoughts, tightness in chest, severe back pain...its been horrible.  If not for taking time off from work and my wife, I probably would have committed suicide by now.  I dont know if I can continue this hell...should I reinstate or keep fighting through this? 
 
I've taken 5HTP, drink shakeology daily, and take an omega 3 pill in the AM and PM.  I also take propanolol for palpitations.
 
Thanks for any and all help...I'm fighting every single day and praying for some relief but I just cant take this anymore.

 
At what point did the "living hell" symptoms start? Did these symptoms start after you were completely off Celexa?
 

Over the last few days I've had times where I felt better and then times where I feel down right awful.

What is the average time for most people to feel back to normal?

 
Was this an improvement over Feb 7-Feb 18?
 

No relief. It's actually worse now than it was when I reinstated.

Is this wave so bad because of the dosage changes? I know I keep asking the same things over and over it seems but I'm just trying to wrap my head around why I feel worse instead of better. I'm starting to think there might have been a small window a few days ago and that's making this wave seem much worse.

Thanks for all your support and answers and prayers. Means the world to me.

I'm confused. Was it a little better here and there and then got a lot worse?

[dadto4boys]

I take celexa at bedtime in hopes of reducing the nausea. I'm nauseous all day long.

 

Alcohol: I've had one glass of wine or one drink on occasion but not regularly.

 

Interaction Report

Drug interactions for the following 3 drug(s):

 

Unsaved Drug List

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propranolol

Celexa (citalopram)

Klonopin (clonazepam)

 

Consumer

Professional

Major Moderate Minor Food Therapeutic Duplication

Interactions between your selected drugs

Moderate

propranolol clonazepam

Applies to: propranolol, Klonopin (clonazepam)

 

Propranolol and clonazePAM may have additive effects in lowering your blood pressure. You may experience headache, dizziness, lightheadedness, fainting, and/or changes in pulse or heart rate. These side effects are most likely to be seen at the beginning of treatment, following a dose increase, or when treatment is restarted after an interruption. Let your doctor know if you develop these symptoms and they do not go away after a few days or they become troublesome. Avoid driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how the medications affect you, and use caution when getting up from a sitting or lying position. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.

 

Switch to professional interaction data

 

Moderate

propranolol citalopram

Applies to: propranolol, Celexa (citalopram)

 

Using propranolol together with citalopram may increase the effects of propranolol. Contact your doctor if you experience uneven heartbeats, shortness of breath, bluish-colored fingernails, dizziness, weakness, fainting, or seizure (convulsions). If your doctor does prescribe these medications together, you may need a dose adjustment or special test to safely use both medications. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.

 

Switch to professional interaction data

 

Moderate

clonazepam citalopram

Applies to: Klonopin (clonazepam), Celexa (citalopram)

 

Using clonazePAM together with citalopram may increase side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, and difficulty concentrating. Some people, especially the elderly, may also experience impairment in thinking, judgment, and motor coordination. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with these medications. Also avoid activities requiring mental alertness such as driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how the medications affect you. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.

 

 

 

While taking celexa, I've had some degree of nausea which is why I was weaning off. I've never felt good on it. I haven't feel "normal" in at least a year. Since the adverse reaction to brintollix I'd say 90% of the time ive felt like crap with some degree of symptoms. I didnt really start tracking symptoms until i weaned off the celexa completely.

 

I continued to have nausea while reducing celexa and didn't feel good then.

 

Withdrawal symptoms aka "living hell" started 4 days after my last dose of celexa. I had a small window after reinstating but over the last 2 weeks it's gotten progressively worse. It seems like every day the nausea gets worse.

[nz11]

Dt4b it would really help the mods if you can advise when you started the propanolol and whats the dose? Have you recently changed or tapered that?

Whats the dose of klonopin? Have you been changing and or tapering that?

You might like to update the drug sig.

Thanks for doing the drug checker.

[Altostrata]

Did you also have nausea on Brintillex?

 

When was the propanolol added and why?

[dadto4boys]

Propranolol I've been on for 10 years at least. I have palpitations. No changes to that.

 

Klonopin 2mg twice a day. No changes to that either.

 

Nausea with brintollix... Yes. And massive panic attacks, increased anxiety.

[Fresh]

Hi dt4b ,    are the worst attacks of panic at any particular time of day usually?   Do they relate to when the klonipin is

wearing off?

 

Just thinking out loud here , wondering if dividing the same dose of klonipin to 3 or 4 times over 24 hours might help.

[dadto4boys]

I don't really see a difference with the klonopin. If it's a bad day, klonopin doesn't have much effect. That's the next beast I'm taking on once this has settled for awhile.

[Altostrata]

Okay. My guess is you are a person who does not get along with serotonergics at all.

 

If I were you, I'd take 0.5mg Celexa and see if the nausea eases. You'll have to give it a few days. Let us know how you're doing.

 

Please do not drink any alcohol at all. Your nervous system is very sensitive now.

[dadto4boys]

Ok I will cut it down tonight to .5mg and avoid any alcohol. Today I've been more active, took a mile walk and did some yard work so there's a plus!

[dadto4boys]

I cut down to .5mg last night so we will give it a few days to see if helps.

 

How long should I leave it at .5mg? A few months as long I feel less nauseous?

[Altostrata]

Let's see what happens first.

[Fresh]

Hi dt4b , you might try some of the nausea remedies that often help.  Ginger tea , peppermint tea , bicarb. of soda in water - there are lots of ideas in the thread on nausea.

My favourite is apple cider vinegar (with the mother root) in hot water , with honey.  It's a probiotic , and helped me tremendously.

 

See http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/3413-digestive-problems-nausea-diarrhea-bloating-gerd/

[Ali4]

I hope the up dose helps you!!

[dadto4boys]

Almost one week out from decreasing and I'm still nauseous but sometimes it's not as bad. Im definitely still feeling withdrawal symptoms - anxiety, agitation, irritability and some panic. M

 

At what point do i determine that any amount of celexa makes me nauseous? How long do I wait it out at .5mg?

[Colonial]

I'm so sorry you're still dealing with this.  When I decreased my Paxil dose 10% in December I was nauseous for 6 weeks.  Lost 15 pounds doing nothing but moaning in bed. 

 

I don't know if only a week is enough time to know if the slight amount you're still taking is causing it, or if it's just a lingering WD Symptom.

 

Hopefully Alto or one of the Mods will be of more help.

 

I will pray for you now!