JB1234: tapering Celexa

[JB1234]

Hi friends this is JB, 

 

I have a specific question for those of you out there in regards to heightened sensitivity to sound.  Does anyone have any experience with antidepressant induced sensitivity to sound?  I experienced a couple of years of severe reactivity to sound, inability to filter noise and converse, loud noises and certain music intrusive.  Was getting a physical respnse to sound felt as real as being slapped in the face.  

 

Fast forward to now a year later slowly tapering off celexa my mind is clearer i am better able to think and cope with sound sensitivity.  However, I still have this overreaction to sound where I perceive volume on just about anything to be intolerable and too loud.  

 

I often try to calm myself with my music.  This works often except for the lower frequencies that “intrude” and can be heard and felt through headphones.  

 

Does this ring a bell with anyone?  

[ChessieCat]

Hi JB and welcome to SA,

 

SA recommends tapering by no more than 10% of the current dose followed by a hold of about 4 weeks to allow the brain to adapt to not getting as much of the drug.  Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

Dr Joseph Glenmullen's Withdrawal Symptoms

 

This topic explains how to get the dose you need:  Tips for tapering off Celexa (citalopram)

 

increased-sensitivity-to-light-noise-sound-exercise-etc

 

There are many existing topics on this site.  I like to use google and include survivingantidepressants.org in my search term.

 

Please create your drug signature using the following format.   Keep it simple.  NO diagnoses or symptoms please - thank you.

• details for last 2 years - dates, ALL drugs, doses
• summary for older than 2 years - just years and drug/s

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature

 

This is your own introductions topic where your can ask questions about your own situation and journal your progress.

[ChessieCat]

Here's some additional information which might help you to understand what is happening:

 

Recovery isn't linear it happens in a Windows and Waves Pattern

 

Withdrawal Normal Description

When we take a psychiatric drug, we are adding chemical/s to the brain.  The brain then has to change to adapt to getting the chemical/s.  It might have to change something to do with A and then once that change has been made it affects B so another change has to be made and so on down the line.  It is a chain reaction, a domino effect.

 

The same thing happens when we take the drug away.  That's why it's possible to experience such a vast array of withdrawal symptoms, and they can change, and be of different intensity.

 

are-we-there-yet-how-long-is-withdrawal-going-to-take

 

These explain it really well:

 

Video:  Healing From Antidepressants - Patterns of Recovery

 

On 8/31/2011 at 5:28 AM, Rhiannon said:

When we stop taking the drug, we have a brain that has designed itself so that it works in the presence of the drug; now it can't work properly without the drug because it's designed itself so that the drug is part of its chemistry and structure. It's like a plant that has grown on a trellis; you can't just yank out the trellis and expect the plant to be okay. When the drug is removed, the remodeling process has to take place in reverse. SO--it's not a matter of just getting the drug out of your system and moving on. If it were that simple, none of us would be here. It's a matter of, as I describe it, having to grow a new brain. I believe this growing-a-new-brain happens throughout the taper process if the taper is slow enough. (If it's too fast, then there's not a lot of time for actually rebalancing things, and basically the brain is just pedaling fast trying to keep us alive.) It also continues to happen, probably for longer than the symptoms actually last, throughout the time of recovery after we are completely off the drug, which is why recovery takes so long.

 

AND

 

On 12/4/2015 at 2:41 AM, apace41 said:

Basically- you have a building where the MAJOR steel structures are trying to be rebuilt at different times - ALL while people are coming and going in the building and attempting to work.

It would be like if the World Trade Center Towers hadn't completely fallen - but had crumbled inside in different places.. Imagine if you were trying to rebuild the tower - WHILE people were coming and going and trying to work in the building!  You'd have to set up a temporary elevator - but when you needed to fix part of that area, you'd have to tear down that elevator and set up a temporary elevator somewhere else. And so on. You'd have to build, work around, then tear down, then build again, then work around, then build... ALL while people are coming and going, ALL while the furniture is being replaced, ALL while the walls are getting repainted... ALL while life is going on INSIDE the building. No doubt it would be chaotic. That is EXACTLY what is happening with windows and waves.  The windows are where the body has "got it right" for a day or so - but then the building shifts and the brain works on something else - and it's chaos again while another temporary pathway is set up to reroute function until repairs are made.  

 

[JB1234]

Topic title:  Celexa taper restlessness and cannot sit still previous body aches

 

I have been tapering off Celexa for 8 months now. Tapering 10-15 % each time and waiting weeks each taper to feel normal. 

 

Main question is does anyone have an irresistible urge to keep moving. I am very restless and at work I cannot sit down to do work at a computer. Occasionally I feel myself moving back and forth.  Is this a normal part of AD withdrawal? This feeling at times is accompanied by a sense of agitation especially if I am in a place that is crowded without a lot of personal space. These symptoms of course is not all time. Other question is body ache and flu like symptoms. When I first started taper I had to lie down in bed after work every afternoon because of fatigue and body aches. I am listing these things because it appears as if most mental heath professionals aren’t knowledgeable about these things.  

 

I make an effort to communicate well with my spouse so that she is more aware of some of the symptoms of AD WD because she didn’t believe me.  it’s important for me to validate this experience.  Sometimes the oversensitivity to sound and light has become a source of conflict with my  spouse.  

 

Is there anyone else struggling with this sense of being misunderstood with their symptoms.  

Sorry for rambling.  Main question was about the restlessness and inability to sit still.  

 

Edited March 22, 2019 by ChessieCat

[ChessieCat]

On 3/19/2019 at 6:53 AM, ChessieCat said:

Please create your drug signature using the following format.   Keep it simple.  NO diagnoses or symptoms please - thank you.

• details for last 2 years - dates, ALL drugs, doses
• summary for older than 2 years - just years and drug/s

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature

 

I've merged your new topic into your original Introduction topic and I've changed the title.  Each member has only 1 Introduction topic where they can ask questions about their own situation and journal their progress.  This keeps the history in one place.

 

Please continue to post here in this topic.

 

10 minutes ago, JB1234 said:

I have been tapering off Celexa for 8 months now. Tapering 10-15 % each time and waiting weeks each taper to feel normal. 

 

15% is a larger reduction than SA recommends.  How many weeks have you held in between each reduction?

 

Please create your drug signature so that we can see your drug history and how you have been reducing Celexa.

 

From what you are writing it sounds like you have been tapering too fast and are now experiencing withdrawal symptoms.  Once we have more information we will be better able to offer a suggestion about how long to wait until you reduce again.

[JB1234]

 

I should probably change my intro to include that I HAVE BEEN ON AN SSRI for 

25 YEARS of my life nonstop. Paxil then Prozac then Celexa. 

 

 

 

 

Here is all of the meds I have been on for the past two years. 

 

Citalopram 40 mg — (Now 6mg after 8 months approx) 

clonazopam 1.5 mg (Now .25 mg after 10 months approx)

lamotrigine 150 mg

methylphenidate (ritalin) 75 mg

modafinil 400 mg

 

Ok I have been 3 weeks to a month at each dosage reduction.

 

No talk of diagnosis.  Must tell you about past year.  

Had mental emotional breakdown approximately 1 year ago. Never hospitalized but impaired and almost went out on disability.  

 

Part I

Progress in getting better began when

1) started taking lamotrigene 

2) same time reducing clonazopam (I think clonazopam made me slow and unable to think and remember)

 

Part II

1) kept low dose clonazopam 

2) when down on Citalopram 40 - 35 - 30 etc. ( stepping down every month approx) 

Did not have liquid Citalopram for tapering

 

part III

Current regimen 

1) staying on clonazopam .25 mg (same past 6 weeks) 

2) citalopram at 7 mg for 1 month 

3) all other meds the same

4) vigorous exercise every other day minimum 

 

Goals

1) be well emotionally, physically, spiritually 

( I need to be there for my children, my wife, my parents)

 

2) get off citalopram and clonazopam completely

 

3) in future see if I can we well off of stimulant medication 

 

Observations:

Despite feeling horrible as decreasing my meds... my ability to work increased dramatically...

 

People noticed I was making sense , no longer slurring speech, I found myself getting work done before deadlines, more organized, etc

 

Beginning to rediscover part of self I lost.  My love for playing guitar.

 

marriage has improved 

 

began to workout 

 

WITHDRAWAL symptoms still very uncomfortable, very real, and problematic.

 

 

 

[ChessieCat]

peer-support-meet-up-groups

 

California members, please check in here 

 

Los Angeles peer support

 

recommended-doctors-therapists-and-clinics

[India]

It’s called hyperacusis. The noise sensitivity. I have it too. Noise causes me physical pain. I cannot tolerate it. There is a thread about it somewhere.

[Kostas]

Hyperacusis,

a nice Greek word, coming from Υπερ (high) and Ακούω (hear)! 

Just for letting us a little out from the withdrawal ordeal! 

[JB1234]

Hi guys question for you all on hyperacusis. Did anyone get these symptoms while on SSRI before attempting to taper?  This symptom for me has been the most difficult in terms of it negatively impacting my ability to participate at family social events.  Having the symptoms and dealing with them individually is one challenge.  Navigating social interaction is another challenge. Perhaps most important to prioritize as I must be careful for my problem to not become a problem for my wife and children.  

I think reading about your stories can help me explain to my wife that my sound sensitivity is not me being difficult on purpose or is not decision on my part.

[JB1234]

@Kostas and @India thanks for your responses much appreciated

[JB1234]

@Kostasdoes the Greek predate the Latin? ☺️

[puthappinessfirst]

Hi! Chiming in here. It is my goal to get off my 10mg of citalopram in the next year and a half as well. Loud, sudden noises make me was to jump out of my skin. And low, whisper-y, shushing noises bother me as well, they make me irritated. This is super common apparently. So you're not alone!

[India]

@JB1234 I unknowingly developed it on first taper of 3 months when I was fully off for about 6 weeks in December 17/January 18. It resolved on reinstatement to 10mg. Not learning my lesson, I rapidly tapered in June/July 2018 and developed it again. I reinstated to 6mg in September 2018, it did not resolve this time . I had a brief window in December 2018 when it got better along with other symptoms. It continues to plague me. It is better if I am able to rest for a considerable time in quiet and then I have the reserves to deal with outside stimulus. I will find that thread!

[India]

 

Also see GiaK “induced autism “ . It’s on beyondmeds.com

[Kostas]

36 minutes ago, JB1234 said:

@Kostasdoes the Greek predate the Latin? ☺️

Hi Jb, 

Yes Greek writen language predated Latin!

You can think of Homer who wrote in Greek, the epic poems Iliad and Odyssey almost 1000 years before the Romans appeared in history! 

 

Wishing you success in your recovery

Kostas 

[JB1234]

Falling apart

I am not writing this for attention or for anyone to feel sorry for me.  Hard to find courage. I am desperate to not feel like this.  I feel profoundly sad and feel isolated.  ln the past 48 hours My sense of well-being has been turned around 180 degrees and squashed. 

... I have not made any additional cuts to my medication.  However I feel completely awful. 
I am not OK. My body aches, I feel too tired to do anything. My irritability is out of control.  I feel like I did when I was going to take disability. I may have to go back to a higher dose on my meds. I cannot work like this. 

I have not exercised for 3 days. (Exercise is my replacement for medication) Got into an argument with my wife led to us to speak to each other in unkind ways.  I felt quite a bad pain when she called me a Psychopath in front of our 8 year old.  Any other name but not in reference to my mental health.  I am a grown man this shouldn’t bother me.
I ask myself how I can go from being positive and feeling well to feeling the opposite having morbid thoughts in 48 hours? 

 

[powerback]

1 hour ago, JB1234 said:

Falling apart

I am not writing this for attention or for anyone to feel sorry for me.  Hard to find courage. I am desperate to not feel like this.  I feel profoundly sad and feel isolated.  ln the past 48 hours My sense of well-being has been turned around 180 degrees and squashed. 

... I have not made any additional cuts to my medication.  However I feel completely awful. 
I am not OK. My body aches, I feel too tired to do anything. My irritability is out of control.  I feel like I did when I was going to take disability. I may have to go back to a higher dose on my meds. I cannot work like this. 

I have not exercised for 3 days. (Exercise is my replacement for medication) Got into an argument with my wife led to us to speak to each other in unkind ways.  I felt quite a bad pain when she called me a Psychopath in front of our 8 year old.  Any other name but not in reference to my mental health.  I am a grown man this shouldn’t bother me.
I ask myself how I can go from being positive and feeling well to feeling the opposite having morbid thoughts in 48 hours? 

 

In withdrawal exercise can set us back ,you will need to watch out for a patern in relation with exercise and hightening symptoms .everything effects our body in withdrawal .for now in this wave cut your exercise intensity in half .

I have set myself back hugely the last week taking on a project I should not of touched.im devastated. Our minds run away with our bodys and then we are in trouble.

I went from hiking and jogging to having to accept sitting on a bench in the sun.

Our biggest problem can be family understanding our situation,you need toget better at noticing conflict arise for your emotional health .its a nightmare ,I totally relate.

.

[powerback]

Being called a psychopath by your wife is really unhelpful,I totaly understand the obsession of always talking about symptoms but its too difficult for her to ever understand ,vent on your thread .I used to be constantly talking about my symptoms.im even hiding how bad it can be now because I have SA to support me.you wont find a better support network in my opinion.

[Kostas]

2 hours ago, JB1234 said:

Falling apart

I am not writing this for attention or for anyone to feel sorry for me.  Hard to find courage. I am desperate to not feel like this.  I feel profoundly sad and feel isolated.  ln the past 48 hours My sense of well-being has been turned around 180 degrees and squashed. 

... I have not made any additional cuts to my medication.  However I feel completely awful. 
I am not OK. My body aches, I feel too tired to do anything. My irritability is out of control.  I feel like I did when I was going to take disability. I may have to go back to a higher dose on my meds. I cannot work like this. 

I have not exercised for 3 days. (Exercise is my replacement for medication) Got into an argument with my wife led to us to speak to each other in unkind ways.  I felt quite a bad pain when she called me a Psychopath in front of our 8 year old.  Any other name but not in reference to my mental health.  I am a grown man this shouldn’t bother me.
I ask myself how I can go from being positive and feeling well to feeling the opposite having morbid thoughts in 48 hours? 

 

Hi again Jb, 

The fact that you are experiencing the familiar pattern of waves and windows, feeling normal for sometime and awful 48 hrs after, is encouraging. 

 

It shows that no permanent damage has happened to you, and simply your body is trying to find its equilibrium again. 

 

Unfortunately we don't know how long that could take, and I am not a mod to advice you what to do having in mind your drug history. 

 

The only thing I can tell you is, that only time and family support worked for me, when I faced your same problems few years ago ( aches,body pain, insomnia, irritability etc) few years ago. 

 

I managed not to return to citalopram, they lasted for almost 2 years, and then went away. 

Now for a year I am fine, and with no drugs. 

 

Try to accept it, to not despair and have patience. Eventually will pass! 

[JB1234]

@powerback thank  you for your words of encouragement.  can you please explain to me about the exercise as a setback?  I have found that exercise is one of the few things that restores my mood and reduces all of the symptoms.  Unfortunately,  if I go two days without exercise my mood just drops.

[JB1234]

@Kostas it’s reassuring to hear from people who have recovered.  I think too much about the symptoms and become preoccupied with  distinguishing between WD of AD and a return of symptoms. 

[powerback]

24 minutes ago, JB1234 said:

@powerback thank  you for your words of encouragement.  can you please explain to me about the exercise as a setback?  I have found that exercise is one of the few things that restores my mood and reduces all of the symptoms.  Unfortunately,  if I go two days without exercise my mood just drops.

Hi JB ,physical,mental and emotional stressors,when all this comes together it has an acumelative effect on us ,our body's build all this up and then it crashes.

I too used exercise for a long time for my mood until I burned myself out.

In withdrawal its the long game you need to watch out for.

Im not saying give up the exercise,just get good at reading your body   .we become compromised in withdrawal but we want to compare ourselves with others that dont have it. 

Apologies if I put a downer on your exercise , you mite be fine but on the days you do notice tiredness ,you must rest .I sadly pushed through alot of these times ,thus I prolonged my misery.

Take care.

[JB1234]

Akathesia symptoms getting off SSRI 

 

 Hi friends... updating on my last post “Falling Apart” 
feeling somewhat better.  Mood is brighter.  Sound sensitivities are less... but my sense of restlessness and agitation is most noticeable.  

I am now concerned most about the Akathisia symptoms.  I am tolerating them but I keep reading that symptoms of Akathisia are serious and are some sort of medical emergency.  Can someone who has experienced this please share with me their experience with Akathisia. 

I can tolerate the symptoms. However, I have no information on how this sort of thing should be either ignored and endured? 

Do I need to get medical help??? My doctor mentioned beta blockers... but I don’t want to take more medication.  I am hoping the symptoms will pass. (He said something about 7-10 days but I don’t believe that he knows that much about this)

I don’t want to ramble and I thought I should include details at end of post. Maybe you can skip them if you are familiar with this problem.

I think my exercising helps with this

Thanks ,  JB1234

Feelings:
-Sense of being trapped and need to be able to move

-Sense of urgency and feel like I can’t wait if I have to stay in one place.

-This occurs in the car as well and I feel like I am going to explode if I have to wait and stay. 

-Can’t sit long need to get up and walk around.

-Feel jumpy 
I notice I don’t want to sit still.  

Motor or movements
-I find myself shifting weight from one leg to the other

-Resting in between sets at the gym (lifting weights ) i notice I get urge to rock forward and back

    ⁃    Walking I kind of throw my legs up  (this feels weird)

-My arms really swing (feel compelled to walk fast and throw my arms)

-try to walk fast as possible from one point to the next

Wife notices:  
-That I pace
-Shuffle feet when walking 
-That I kind of march
-That I walk in place

Wife reports that
-I am in a terrible mood
-I am on edge
-I am very tense
-Very impatient 
-Irritable

Edited April 2, 2019 by JB1234
Title improvement

[Altostrata]

Here's your Intro topic, JB.

 

What has your tapering schedule been? When was the last time you changed a drug, what drug was it?

 

You are on a rather extensive drug cocktail. What times of day do you take each of your drugs, and their dosages? Do various symptoms appear at any particular time of day? Please keep daily notes of times of day you take your drugs, their dosages, and your symptoms. You can post them in this topic with a simple list format with time of day on the left and notation (symptom, drug and dosage) on the right.

 

Three of your drugs can cause those symptoms as side effects, or the reduction of citalopram may have caused a change in the way the 5 drugs you take interact.

 

Please put ALL your drugs in the Drug Interactions Checker https://www.drugs.com/drug_interactions.php
and copy and paste the results or a link to them in this topic.

[JB1234]

@Altostrata, thanks for asking.  These symptoms I am sure are 100% related to the celexa reduction.  I have been at 6 mg for the past month and a half.  Before that I was on previous that I was on 7mg for two weeks.and before that 7.5mg for over a month. 

 

I have been at the same low dose of Clonazopam for approx. 3 months

 

Last August is when I slowly started on Lamictal. 

 

 

My history of SSRI use goes back about 25 years. I’ve been on Paxil,  then Prozac, and the longest Celexa.  My previous experiences with stopping SSRI’s have been debilitating. 

[RandyJames]

Hi JB1234.  I just wanted to check in and see how you are feeling.  I hope you are feeling well.  

[JB1234]

Thanks I appreciate that.  I am going through a period that I hope will pass. Very intense anxiety.  Experiencing panic in normal social situations.  Even with loved ones.  and trying my best to snap out of it by exercising but feeling god awful. Hypersensitive and frustrated by the smallest thing.  Just blah and more blah. But I’m still here and doing my best. 

[powerback]

Hi JB ,im having a problem with my reply being sent on your topic from symptom and selfcare ,ile reply here.

 

 Electricity to the brain = big stressor .

The gym=stressor

working =stressor

withdrawl=huge stressor

The fact you react to noise like this means your body is screaming at you to stop ,the noise sets you off but its your nervous system under stress.

When we are suffering mentally ,we will naturally use exercise to help this.

think of your nervous system like a battery and its being drained from an accumulation of stressors.you will have to cut the gym back by at least 50% for a few months and see if this helps[it should],go for nice walks with your family.

 

In withdrawl our wants and desires are like before but our bodys cant keep up with it.my desire to keep up with everyone else+my own ego left me bedridden for weeks .I did 2 days building work ,to be honest I should never of done it ,I forced myself ,madness .

Before withdrawl I frequently did 6 days a week.

 

The fact you can work is brilliant ,don't imagine it cant get worse because it can ,trust me .if you keep up this intensity in the gym,your body will snap.

when I did them 2 days work my biceps felt great but it drained me,its a strange feeling to have my biceps feel great but at the same time my sythem was under huge stress.

The suicidal thought/intrusive are a ramp up of your anxiety .

Take care.

 

[JB1234]

Thanks for sharing your insight. You are right about the nervous system and stress and being like batteries.  My batteries become overcharged and I feel like they will explode at times.  The exercise is a major help for me.  The navigation through chaotic environments , too much noise , too much traffic,  lack of personal space drives me “Nuts”.  I’m trying to slow down and give myself permission to be at 50% and focus on just being present instead of investing my energy.  

 

The anxiety certainly plays a role in all of this

[ChessieCat]

There are many existing topics on this site.  It is better for similar information to be kept in one topic so it is easier for members to find the information/discussions.  Before creating a new topic please do a search either by using the site search function or using a search engine like google and adding survivingantidepressants.org to the search term.

 

Your two new topics have been merged to existing topics:

 

sudden-fear-terror-panic-or-anxiety-from-withdrawal

 

supplements-what-helps-what-doesnt

[ChessieCat]

1 hour ago, JB1234 said:

Please give you 2 cents if you have good or bad experiences using supplements. Reading about what supplements people use and find help in recovering from discontinuation of AD’s. 

 

—I take about 8 capsules of fish-oil during the day.

—I take vitamin D as well

—I also was taking ginger capsules when I have  dizziness or vertigo.

— Occasionally , I take Hops capsules if I have difficulty sleeping.

 

—Does anyone have any luck using magnesium for muscle cramps?  If so what form is it?  ..and what dosage is recommended?

 

—Also does anyone take B6 ?? If so ...how much?

 

—Has anyone found recommended supplements that had negative effects? 

Thanks ahead for your input.

 

JB please search the site for individual topics.  There is a lot of existing information on SA.

[ChessieCat]

"Can't stop rocking back and forth" topic has been merged to this topic:  akathisia-vs-restlessness-anxiety-agitation

 

[RandyJames]

Hi JB.  How are you feeling?  I hope your akathisia is calming down.  

[JB1234]

Hi RandyJames, 

 

My Akathisia is less pronounced in the movements. Thank you for asking.  I am going to neurofeedback /neurostimulation tomorrow.  Hoping that will help a bit with everything 

[puthappinessfirst]

Would love to know how NF goes for you, JB!