tiredofcelexa: Looking to finally get off Celexa after 16 years

[tiredofcelexa]

Hello,

 

I’m new here and am excited I found this forum. I was prescribed Celexa when I was 24 years old (16 years ago) and living by myself for the first time in my life and had my first, real boyfriend. I was out of college and scared. My boyfriend had an alcohol and drug problem but my body was too sensitive to get addicted to either. Eventually, being in love and in a chaotic environment reaked havoc on my mind and body and I developed severe anxiety and insomnia. My doctor prescribed me Celexa and it helped me sleep immediately. This was the beginning of a never ending love/hate relationship with Celexa. It has held a power over me for years, particularly with respect to sleep. Various doctors have been prescribing me this drug for the last16 years. I have tried getting off at least 4 times and the longest I have lasted is 9 months, only to start over again like an addict getting her fix. Overall Celexa shuts off my emotions and contributes to my overall sluggishness but it allows me to sleep well.  I don’t like being on it but am afraid to get off at the same time. I’m currently trying once again to taper. 

 

My husband has a similar struggle with Cymbalta. Both of us are new parents to an 11 month old girl and we’d like to once and for all be off these medications but we want to do it right. If it takes me a year to taper, so be it. 

 

Before i was 24, I never had anxiety issues and I often feel that my issue was circumstantial at that age and I didn’t have the right support system to talk to me about antidepressants (and perhaps the negative research about it wasn’t out there yet). My gynecologist was the one that initially prescribed me! And because I was young and of no real opinion on things, I chose to keep taking something because i was scared that I would go back to a terrible place of those few months before it was originally prescribed to me.

 

i now know that my central nervous system is out of wack because of this. I found this website randomly and I’m hoping it will help guide me through this process of getting off this drug once and for all.

 

happy to have found this forum!

[ChessieCat]

Hi tiredofcelexa,

 

Welcome to SA.  It would be good for your husband to become a member and then we can provide specific information and support to help him taper his Cymbalta.

 

We ask all new members to create a drug signature.  This is the preferred format:

 

A request: Would you summarize your history in a signature - ALL drugs, doses, dates, and discontinuations & reinstatements, in the last 12-24 months particularly?

• Please leave out symptoms and diagnoses.
• A list is easier to understand than one or multiple paragraphs. 

• Any drugs prior to 24 months ago can just be listed with start and stop years.
• Please use actual dates or approximate dates (mid-June, Late October) rather than relative time frames (last week, 3 months ago)
• Spell out months, e.g. "October" or "Oct."; 9/1/2016 can be interpreted as Jan. 9, 2016 or Sept. 1, 2016.
• Link to Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature.

 

SA recommends tapering by no more than 10% of the previous dose followed by a hold of about 4 weeks to allow the brain to adapt to not getting as much of the drug.  When we take an AD our brain becomes physiologically dependent on it (not physically like caffeine or nicotine).

 

Depending on the dose you are currently taking, it may take longer than 1 year to get off Celexa.  However, please don't let that discourage you.  I have been taking an AD for 25 years.  Most recently I was taking 100mg Pristiq (I am now down to 16mg).  As my dose got lower I have noticed that I don't feel emotionally numb any more and I started feeling excitement.  I'm estimating that I will be off about mid 2020.  Originally I felt disappointed about this.  However, things have improved and I am only experiencing mild withdrawal symptoms, so I would rather get off Pristiq slowly and with as little discomfort as possible instead of trying to get of quickly and have issues.

 

Before you begin tapering what you need to know

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

Tips for tapering off Celexa (citalopram)

Dr Joseph Glenmullen's WD Symptoms Checklist

 

Tapering Calculator - Online  (can be saved)

 

These are helpful topics:

 

How do you talk to a doctor about tapering and withdrawal?

What should I expect from my doctor about withdrawal symptoms?

 

These helped me to understand SA's recommendations:

 

Brain Remodelling

Video:  Healing From Antidepressants - Patterns of Recovery

 

This is your own Introduction topic where you can ask questions and journal your progress.

[TikkiTikki]

Hi tiredofcelexa and welcome.

I'm tapering off Celexa too after a 12 year history with it. I've been tapering all year and down to 8mg – and that's pretty fast. But I have gone much slower since hitting 10mg.

 

There's a great deal of helpful information this site and you'll probably find many people with a similar drug history to you who may be further down the track (that's always inspiring!). 

 

So glad you found us, and best of luck with beginning your taper.

[joy2730]

Hi I am trying to get off citalopram, which is the same drug..  I have only managed from 30 mg to 18 so far, I am much older than you and have taken ADs for all of my adult life.  However, I am really glad that I have managed to reduce to where I am, I feel much better physically and mentally.

 

My main worries about citalopram are the weight gain and lethargy.

 

My advice to you is to go slow and try not to be afraid of the process, try not to obsess about it all.  I know this is difficult, especially when you are in the information gathering stage.

 

You don't have to answer this, but did you take the drug while pregnant, I am assuing you did, and did you breastfeed while taking it?  The reason I ask is that a lot of women on this side have worries about taking SSRIs in pregnancy, and some seem to breastfeed and others don't.

 

I really wish you well and will be following your story if that is alright with you.

 

I find physical exercise seems to help me a lot, but very strenuous exercise seems to bring on a surge of withdrawal symptoms.

 

Joy

[Boysmommy2]

Hi all! I'm also in withdrawal from celexa,almost5 months off of a much too fast taper😳 I hope you ladies have a good evening just wanted to say hi🌞