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Rfritz: Using Gabapentin to get through Celexa WD


Rfritz

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I was on 40 mg Celexa for 7 years. I had to stop due to heart pounding and arrhythmias. After a fast wean I have been completely off Celexa for 4 weeks today. I take Gabapentin at bedtime for nerve damage/restless leg. My doctor increased my dose of Gabapentin to take during the day if needed because it also helps with anxiety. My withdrawals have been a nightmare. The Gabapentin helps a little (not much but better than nothing). My question is...will taking something like Gabapentin or a benzodiazepine (which my doctor just ordered for me today bc my withdrawals are debilitating) delay or inhibit my central nervous system from adjusting without the Celexa? I want to give my body a chance to not have to depend on any of these meds. 

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  • manymoretodays changed the title to Rfritz: Using Gabapentin to get through Celexa WD
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Welcome, Rf.

 

It sounds like you have classic withdrawal syndrome from going off Celexa too fast. 40mg is a fairly substantial dosage.

 

If you took even 0.5mg Celexa, it may help your withdrawal symptoms. That small amount is very low risk for the cardiac symptoms.

 

Did you ever take Prozac? If you did not have an adverse reaction to it, you could take 0.5mg Prozac instead. We recommend starting at these very low doses so as not to trigger adverse reactions. You'd stabilize for some months on the reinstatement and then taper off by miniscule amounts later.

 

Both citalopram and fluoxetine come in prescription liquids so you can take small doses.

 

Gabapentin or a benzodiazepine may help, but they also incur dependency and require tapering. They also have adverse effects that may make them more trouble than they're worth.

 

How is your sleep? How much gabapentin have you been taking at night? What is the nature of your nerve damage?

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

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Thank you for the information. I have nerve damage down my leg from a ruptured disc in my back. I take 600mg of Gabapentin in the evening for my restless leg and cramping. I sleep well, but I don't know how well I would sleep without the Gab. Right now I'm also taking 600mg in the morning and 300 mg in the afternoon to help with withdrawals. It helps but not a lot. My doctor ordered klonopin but I haven't picked it up yet. 

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  • Mentor

If you're looking on some data points about gabapentin and use of other drugs to get through another drug's withdrawal, feel free to read my thread.

 

Spoiler: I can't recommend gabapentin. 😬 That is an understatement.

Now: 100 mg Zoloft am, 50 mg Trazodone.  Daily drug burden decreased from 2050 in 2018 mg to 150 mg 🐢🐢

Zoloft: 1/24/23 increased to 100 mg after suicide attempt 9/17/22 cut 6 mg, 8/14/22 cut 6.5 mg, 5/7/22 cut 12.5 mg 3/20/22 cut 12.5 mg 10/26/21 cut 6 mg 10/17/21 cut 5 mg, 9/17/21 Cut 3 mg,  9/13/21 cut 4 mg, 8/29/21 Cut 2 mg 8/8/21 Cut 3 mg  7/30/21 Zoloft: Converted 25 mg to liquid. Also take 100 mg pill & 25 mg pill=150 mg total
🌞 Feb 28, 2021 0 mg Gapapentin 2021 Gaba each dose 4x/day: Feb 27 7 mg (one dose only), Feb 10, 7 mg, Jan 14 10 mg 2020 Current taper schedule from Aug 30-present: drop 8 mg every 2-3 weeks. Aug 20 31 mg, Aug 18, 33 mg, July 29, 35 mg, July 23 38 mg, July 22 40 mg Jun 24 42 mg, Jun 15 44 mg, Jun 9 48 mg, May 22 50 mg, May 14 54 mg, May 7 56 mg, Apr 16 58 mg, Mar 28 60 mg, Mar 18 62 mg. Feb 26 64 mg. Feb 19, 66 mg. Jan 23, 70 mg. 2019 Dec 19, 72 mg. Nov 14 ,76 mg. Aug 8, 80 mg. Aug 6, 85 mg. Jul 26, 90 mg. Jul 11, 95 mg.

Jul 16 trazodone from 100 to 50 mg.

Jun 17-July 10 Slowly changed gab fr pill to liquid at same dose 100 mg 4x/d.

Apr 24 Stopped klon!!! 🌞 Apr 4  Decreased gaba to 400 mg (100 mg 4x/day)-Apr 4, 2019   0.25 klon March 11  Klonopin .5 mg twice daily, varied dose til Apr 15. Started Klon fast taper 25%, short use

Mar 16, 450 mg gaba 3x/day cut 600 mg--not exact!--updose after learning w/d

Feb 20, 2019 1800 mg gabapentin; MD taper; off 3 days=mvt disorder & autonomic instability. July 2018 temazepam 15 mg 1-2; prn several x/wk til Jan/Feb 2019 when cold turkey, flu illness for months

July 2018 started gabapentin 100 3x/day; titrated up to 1800 mg (600 3x/day)

Buspar, I forget how much, 2 pills a day Jan 2017-July 2018 cold turkey. On Zoloft since maybe 2004? After trying many.

*I speak from my experience. Nothing I say is medical advice. I'm not a doctor.

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