Tamarino: 10 months off from Citalopram (Celexa), should I reinstate?

[Tamarino]

Hi everyone,

I was on Citalopram (Celexa) for 14 years. 20 mg almost all the time, with some brief increases to 40 mg.

When i started, the side effects i experienced was some brain zaps.

Last year i tapered from 20 to 15, 10, 5 and down to 0, over 12 months time. At 5 mg I began to have brain zaps at night, if i woke up early and tried to fall back to sleep.

 

Now I've been med-free for almost 11 months. The first 6 months worked okay, apart from the brain zaps.

 

Then I faced some stressful events, I had some issues with an injured leg and I experienced a traffic accident. I was not in any acute or deadly harm from this two experiences, but they made me very anxious and tense and now I'm beginning to find it harder and harder to cope with the stress of daily life.

 

I found this site, and with this I realize that I tapered wrong, too fast.

Now I'm very anxious, and confused at what to do from here. Is there som advice or thoughts out there? I tapered to fast probably, but how should I go about thinking of reinstatement? Is there a possibility that a slower tapering could benefit me if I reinstate now, or is 11 months too long to try that route?

 

All the best/

Tamarino

[mammaP]

Hi Tamarino, welcome to SA. I am sorry to hear of your accident and injuries, sometimes the emotional pain from a trauma is worse than the physical pain. 

How were you doing before the accident?    Reinstatement is a gamble at this stage, and it is hard tot know if the problem is withdrawal, or anxiety from the trauma. 

Anxiety can cause many symptoms, but you can work on that.  It is horrendous but can be overcome without drugs.  We have a topic on non drug ways to deal with anxiety and emotional symptoms here. http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1112-non-drug-techniques-to-cope-with-emotional-symptoms/

 

Reinstating so far out can make things worse, your body can become sensitive to the drug and have adverse reactions even when it has been fine before. 

If you really want to try it, I would make a liquid from a tablet and take 0.5mg, it may help but there are no guarantees. I wish I could say that it would definitely help but we have seen reinstatements at this stage go horribly wrong, but have also seen them help too. It has to be your call but whatever you decide you need to work on the anxiety.  Do you take any other drugs, even over the counter or supplements? Some can cause anxiety! 

Did you take pain killers after the injury? Taking some for any length of time can lead to withdrawal on stopping.

 

 

About reinstating to stabilise

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

 

Many people find fish oil and magnesium helpful, magnesium is very calming and many people are deficient because of modern farming methods.

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1300-magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker/?view=findpost&p=66695&hl=%2Bfish+%2Boil

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/36-king-of-supplements-omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil/?view=findpost&p=100596&hl=magnesium

[scallywag]

Hi Tamarino -- Welcome to Surviving Antidepressants (SA)

 

Your central nervous system (CNS) has had a challenging year -- tapering off lexapro and then injuries from an accident. That last step from 5 mg to 0 was a big one. Ouch!

 

This is YOUR introduction topic -- the place for you to ask questions, record symptoms, share your progress, and connect with other members of the SA community.

 

After reading the topics mammaP has linked above, come back here and ask any questions that came up.

 

You may way want to follow this topic so that you get notifications when someone posts in your thread.  Click the gray "Follow this topic" button. A dialog box appears:  select one of the notify options, then click follow this topic in the dialog box.

 

Please let us know what you decide to do about reinstating.

[Tamarino]

I realize it's up to me to make an assesment of the pros and cons for reinstating.

Before coming to this forum I thought a lot my body as being used to the medication, and also had a lot of thoughts of reinstating because of it. So really, I was hoping to catch the eye of people with experience of reinstating a medication after being off them for some (about 10) months, to get some thoughts on the call-making.

 

I did not use a lot of med's this last year. Some aspirin on a couple of ocassions maybe.

 

So I have probably made a too fast tapering. But also, I might have realized this first now.

Where to go from here? . I did not have a lot of negative reactions on the medication while on them. Most of the time while on them, I could function pretty well. I was pretty active and enjoyed social life and thrived in school etc. 

 

But since reading up on the forum I realize that it can become problematic reinstating even if you did not experience a lot of problem on the medication.

[mammaP]

This is why we recommend just a very tiny dose if reinstating after some months off, there is less chance of severe adverse reactions. If it makes things worse then it will not improve by pushing on, but if it doesn't make any difference then it might help after a few weeks. If it doesn't help after that it could be increased very slightly. It's about harm reduction and avoiding adverse reactions.  It's your call, only you know what you can cope with, if it helps that would be great and you can then taper from that little dose with liquid. If it doesn't help after increasing doses it could be difficult to stop and might  still need tapering.  It's a tough call! 

[Tamarino]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

I'm thinking about trying to reinstate a very low dose. As you say mammaP, it's hard to tell where things derive from. The last 2 months I've been experiencing som symptoms as high anxiety and muscle ache in neck or shoulders and . Maybe this is due to withdrawing from Citalopram.

Maybe it's from being involved in a car accident and due to the fact that I have a lot of healthanxiety-stress from thinking and stressing about tapering medications. It's hard to tell.

 

These problems started 8 months after quitting the medication. And lifes challenges can also be stressful for the CNS I guess.

But if my feelings of high anxiety, fellings of my body being tense and sore is due to the stress and pressure of being without a medications that I'm used to, then it may be worth trying to reinstate at a low dose. Though call indeed.

[mammaP]

Stress itself causes tension in neck and shoulders, I suffer with that too and it's painful! Epsom salts baths are really good, I use half epsom salt and half sea salt. The difference after the bath is amazing, I would soak in it all day if I could!  

[Tamarino]

Hi Tamarino, welcome to SA. I am sorry to hear of your accident and injuries, sometimes the emotional pain from a trauma is worse than the physical pain. 

How were you doing before the accident?    Reinstatement is a gamble at this stage, and it is hard tot know if the problem is withdrawal, or anxiety from the trauma. 

Anxiety can cause many symptoms, but you can work on that.  It is horrendous but can be overcome without drugs.  We have a topic on non drug ways to deal with anxiety and emotional symptoms here. http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1112-non-drug-techniques-to-cope-with-emotional-symptoms/

 

Reinstating so far out can make things worse, your body can become sensitive to the drug and have adverse reactions even when it has been fine before. 

If you really want to try it, I would make a liquid from a tablet and take 0.5mg, it may help but there are no guarantees. I wish I could say that it would definitely help but we have seen reinstatements at this stage go horribly wrong, but have also seen them help too. It has to be your call but whatever you decide you need to work on the anxiety.  Do you take any other drugs, even over the counter or supplements? Some can cause anxiety! 

Did you take pain killers after the injury? Taking some for any length of time can lead to withdrawal on stopping.

 

 

About reinstating to stabilise

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

 

Many people find fish oil and magnesium helpful, magnesium is very calming and many people are deficient because of modern farming methods.

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1300-magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker/?view=findpost&p=66695&hl=%2Bfish+%2Boil

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/36-king-of-supplements-omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil/?view=findpost&p=100596&hl=magnesium

 

A sign of my body feeling overwhelmed by the tapering would be the brain-zaps I sometimes experience at night. So at first I thought I should take this as reason for trying to reinstate. But what could be the adverse reactions? New side effects when reinstating that has not been experienced before?

 

I'm just trying to figure out if I can help my CNS somehow at this point. And what course of actions that is most likely to give it some rest.

A slower tapering would be best I guess, but I have a hard time trying to figure out how often reinstatement can be helpful vs problematic.

If somebody has experiences of reinstatement after 10 months or so, good or bad, please do share!

[Rockingchaircat]

I have not reinstated, though I've often thought of it.  I was on several kinds of antidepressant for 15 years. And like you I feel that I tapered too rapidly.  But in the end what it comes down to- that it's gonna be hard for a while after you get off even if you do taper slowly.

 

I've found that some aminos do seem to do some good when it comes to dealing with the withdrawal effects.

[scallywag]

A sign of my body feeling overwhelmed by the tapering would be the brain-zaps I sometimes experience at night. So at first I thought I should take this as reason for trying to reinstate. But what could be the adverse reactions? New side effects when reinstating that has not been experienced before?

 

I'm just trying to figure out if I can help my CNS somehow at this point. And what course of actions that is most likely to give it some rest.

A slower tapering would be best I guess, but I have a hard time trying to figure out how often reinstatement can be helpful vs problematic.

If somebody has experiences of reinstatement after 10 months or so, good or bad, please do share!

If you are no longer taking the drug, the brain-zaps can't be an adverse "side" effect, they are a symptom of withdrawal from citalopram or discontinuation of citalopram. Symptoms of withdrawal come and go, a symptom you've never had before can show up months after your last dose.  We don't know why this happens, who will get delayed symptoms or when they will occur; all we know is that some people have this surprising or shocking experience.

 

mammaP gave you links to 2 supplements that have helped many people in withdrawal -- magnesium and omega-3 fish oils.  Did you read the topics about those?

[Tamarino]

Hi everyone,

 

After being completely off Celexa (Citalopram) for 1 year, after 14 years of 20 mg daily, I reinstated a dose of 20 mg about 5 weeks ago (started at 2,5 mg and increased gradually).

Now I have been back on 20 mg for a period of around 3 weeks.

 

I did experience some mild relief as far as anxiety and depression goes, but I still feel hesitant to continue, because I dont feel like it will do me good in the long run. 

So I'm looking for advice in tapering from this sort of brief period. How long time would be reasonable to plan out for tapering? Also, I've been on the highest dose of 20 mg for 3 weeks. So I'm wondering what would be the best way to go as far as decreasing dosage from here.

 

Any thoughts would be highly appreciated!

Edited September 4, 2016 by scallywag
merged/moved from solo topic in Tapering forum

[scallywag]

Tamarino -- I've moved your question from a topic you created in the Tapering forum to your introduction/update topic.  This is the best place for questions about your situation because it keeps all your information in one place.

 

It would be best to wait at least another 3 months at 20 mg before starting to taper. Give yourself a chance to stabilize and your CNS (central nervous system) time to adjust to the changes. 

[ang]

Tamarino,  why did you reinstate at such a high dose?             How long have you been taking this now? 

 

Best as scallywag says,  keep at a constant dose,  zero to 20 mg was a big jump after being off for 11 months.

[reachingforthestars]

Why do you want to reinstate? Are you bedridden and suicidal ect.? Reinstatement is Roussian roulette and can make you ten times worse and I have read here more bad reactions to reinstaments than good ones when reinstament is done after long time.

[scallywag]

Tamarino - how are your symptoms after reinstating 20 mg in mid-August? Please let us know how you're doing.

[Tamarino]

Tamarino - how are your symptoms after reinstating 20 mg in mid-August? Please let us know how you're doing.

 

I reinstated the medication at the end of July after feeling very really unwell for the whole summer. I had lots of really bothersome and dark thoughts, and was very close to being bedridden during the days. I firmly believed that taking SSRI-medication would'nt be beneficial in the long run, and I still believe that. This is why I'm posting here so soon, seeking advice in a good tapering-strategy.

 

However, the state I was in during the months before this was beginning to wreak havoc on my body and soul. Staying in that place for a longer period of time had been unmanageable and quite devastating for my health and well being in the long run.

I had been working with a therapist for about 5 months and I had discussed my thoughts and feelings of being of medication, feeling uncomfortable and hesitant in how to make decisions around it and so forth. He was very understanding, but unfortunately we did not manage to find any strategies that worked as far as managing the anxiety and overwhelming fear around these thoughts.

 

I started with a dose of 1 mg for two days. Then moved on to 2.5 mg for a couple of days, and after a week I started 5 mg. The most acute negative effect I experienced was a feeling of emotional indifference. I still felt sad and frustrated, but now I found it hard to cry and get in contact with those feelings. So this blunting effect on emotions feels really bad of course. The feelings of overwhelming fear and anxiety/OCD-issues is also blunted alongside with this, so in that way it helped me to become more actively outgoing in society again.

 

But it is my conviction that the most sensible action from here would be to as soon as possible find an approach to life and the tapering of the medications that can be managed without being completely upper-handed by the anxiety and troublesome thoughts and issues that may try to get in the way during the hunt for this approach.

 

It's easy to become very eager in tapering, wanting to not stay on the med's for long and thus shortening the required tapering-period. But I also acknowledge that it may be wise to make slow changes, and perhaps staying on the dose of 20 mg for a bit longer to maybe find some stabilization before making changes.

[scallywag]

Tamarino - You may want to look at this topic, Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms, to get ideas on dealing with anxiety and troublesome thoughts. 

[reachingforthestars]

I don't know why but many become anhedonic after they reinstate especially after long period of time. In my case I became anhedonic after updosing...  That's why I was trying to warn you about the risks of reinstament earlier. (i didn't notice that you already had reinstated, sorry!)