Phoenixmama: cold turkey after 3 weeks on Celexa

[Phoenixmama]

hi , i"m a single mom and was given celexa 10mg for head aches and brain fog . the side effects where too much for me from day one , so three weeks after starting i was told to just stop taking them and i did... that was feb 28th the first week was fine , 2nd week i had some anxiety feelings and now the 3rd week I'm having insomnia , the sweats , nausea , and anxiety... I can't seem to find any stories on here from people who where short timers taking an ssri , I would really love to read a success story . my question is am i going through withdraws or is this relaps , please any help would be a blessing 

[Phoenixmama]

Just now, Phoenixmama said:

hi , i"m a single mom and was given celexa 10mg for head aches and brain fog . the side effects where too much for me from day one , so three weeks after starting i was told to just stop taking them and i did... that was feb 28th the first week was fine , 2nd week i had some anxiety feelings and now the 3rd week I'm having insomnia , the sweats , nausea , and anxiety... I can't seem to find any stories on here from people who where short timers taking an ssri , I would really love to read a success story . my question is am i going through withdraws or is this relaps , please any help would be a blessing 

started celexa 10mg feb 2nd 

feb 25th took my last 10g

feb 26th took 5mg

feb 27th took 5mg 

feb 28th cold turkey 

 

taking:

fish oil

vit D

iron supp

probiotics 

magnesium 

trying cbd oil 

[Phoenixmama]

hi , i"m a single mom with a 4 year old daughter  and was given celexa 10mg for head aches and brain fog . the side effects where too much for me from day one , so three weeks after starting i was told to just stop taking them and i did... that was feb 28th the first week was fine , 2nd week i had some anxiety feelings , headaches, brain tingles , brain burning ,and now the 3rd week I'm having insomnia ,brain burning, night sweats , nausea , and anxiety... I can't seem to find any stories on here from people who where short timers taking an ssri , I would really love to read a success story . my question is am i going through withdraws or is this relaps , please any help would be a blessing 

[Phoenixmama]

Help , I’m not sure if I’m doing this right but I need help!!!

[ChessieCat]

NOTE TO MODS:

 

2 other intro topics here:

 

on-celexa-10mg-for-3-weeks-quit-ct-and-now-ive-been-off-for-3-weeks-help

 

3-weeks-on-celexa-quit-cold-turkey-3weeks-off-now

 

[ChessieCat]

2 other intro topics

 

Original here:  stopped-taking-celexa-after-three-weeks

 

[ChessieCat]

2 other intro topics

 

Original here:  stopped-taking-celexa-after-three-weeks

[ChessieCat]

Hello Phoenixmama and welcome to SA,

 

Firstly, sorry for the delay in responding to your first post.  SA is a very busy site with a lot of members and is staffed by unrostered, unpaid peer volunteers.  Currently some of the staff are taking time away from SA.

 

You say you were experiencing brain fog and were given Celexa.  That is a common withdrawal symptom from stopping an AD too quickly.  Had you previously taken and stopped a psychiatric drug?

 

We need to know more details about your drug history (all drugs and supplements, dates and doses, previous and current) before we can offer any suggestions.  Please create your drug signature by following these instructions.  Once we have more details, we will be better able to assist you.

 

Instructions:  Withdrawal History Signature

 

If this is the first time that you have ever taken a psychiatric drug (including a benzo) then it sounds like you had an immediate adverse reaction.  If this is the case, please tell us in a post what symptoms you experienced when you were taking Celexa.

 

Once we have the answer to these questions then we will be able to provide you with relevant information.

 

This is your own Introduction topic.  Each members has only 1 Introduction topic (your other two topics will be merged into this one).  Your Introduction topic is the best place to ask questions about your own situation and where you can journal your progress.  This way your history is all in one place and you will not have to repeat your story.

[Phoenixmama]

Yes this was my first time taking an ssri , the first celexa pill I took , I took it at night before bed , all night I was having a weird reaction to it like I was sleep but not sleep , I stood up from my bed and had light flashes in my head and felt very weak and Ill , the next day went to work barley could drive and I went on to have very bad anxiety, I was very very pale , no sleep and still had the lightening in the brain , also I was very irritated and angry. , I felt like I was on a something like speed it was horrible, I could feel when the celexa pill hit my system every time  I took it , I’d be locked down for around five hours , I’d take it in the am while at work since I’d be at my desk at that time , my doctor who is my gp who prescribed it to me said it was normal 

no the brain fog was before I took celexa , I had a head ache then brain fog and my gp ran test and everything came back normal so she said I had anxiety and or depression and said the celexa will help me with the head ache and the brain fog should go away , I didn’t feel like I had depression but maybe a little stressed 

 

[Phoenixmama]

I am a meth addict clean now for 15 years straight , I don’t take any medications or drink coffee

i started taking supplements the day I stopped taking celexa 

vitamin d

fish oil 

magnesium 

probiotic 

liquid iron 

cbt oil (one drop a day for one week now) 

I drink Passion flower or Camille tea before bed which helps me get about 3-4 hours of sleep , also I have lost weight due to no appetite 

 

[Phoenixmama]

Im

trying to find out how to do the signature but I can’t :((

[Phoenixmama]

Also when I woke up last night my fingers were numb 

[Phoenixmama]

Good morning , last night I couldn’t sleep and had hot flashes also I was crying a lot , thinking and feeling exhausted and wishing this is all over , this morning I can feel

i had no sleep and managed to to my daughter to daycare and come to work , I feel so low and wondering how worse are  these wd symptoms going to get,, please help me please 

[Phoenixmama]

please help me , I'm waiting for a reply 

Edited March 25, 2021 by Gridley

[Gridley]

Welcome to SA, Phoenixmama.

 

Could you give us a little more information, please?

 

1.  Have you been on other psychiatric drugs in the past?  If so, what drugs, what dosage and dates.

 

2.  Why did you stop the Celexa CT?  Were you having side effects?  

 

3.  What are your current symptoms?  How do you feel now in contrast with the 3 weeks on the Celexa?

 

4.  What dosage Celexa were you on?

 

5.  When did you start the drug and when did you CT?

 

This is your Introduction topic, where you can answer my questions, ask you own questions and connect with other members.  We're glad you found your way here.

Edited March 25, 2021 by Gridley

[arbor]

Hi Phoenixmama--I'm sorry you're having these issues.  To get you started, here is another route to establishing your signature:  Please put your withdrawal history in your signature

 

 

Here's how to add your signature from a phone or tablet:

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/12364-please-put-your-withdrawal-history-in-your-signature/?p=84105

 

It can be confusing at first getting started.  This will be your Introduction site.  We'll merge any others that you've started with this one.  Stay with just this site so that we can avoid confusion.

 

I want to address your symptoms with the information that I have.  If I understand correctly, you are still within a month of going off Celexa.  In the past you were a meth addict and have been 15 years straight.  WOW, congratulations--

I believe it is likely that your system has been disrupted by past use and withdrawal enough that it could heighten your withdrawal now from Celexa.  If you can hang in there, the pattern of withdrawal from Celexa is not unusual for many people during withdrawal.  It reminds me of my own.  I'm not saying it is anything short of horrendous, but it will very likely get better, especially with the good care you're already describing.  The numb fingers you describe are still something I occasionally wake with.  As I understand it, the neuromuscular system is attempting to re-establish equilibrium.  

 

Here are some subjects that might be useful:   symptoms and self care           What is withdrawal syndrome? 

 

If you wish to consider reinstating and tapering, other moderators will be better able to confer with you.  I mention it only because your optimal time for doing so (within one month of last dose) is getting close to running out.  You can find more information about that under Symptoms and self care under Forums.

 

My best to you and your healing!

Arbor

 

 

[Phoenixmama]

1. No 

2. yes 

3.my current symptoms are the same as when I was on celexa , a stuck feeling when the pill hit after I took it , nausea, head ache , unsteady , very bad anxiety inside my body , no appetite, loose stool , insomnia,  faint feeling with lights in head , trembling , seeing problems , I felt like I was poisoned even looked pale and sweAty with a concerned look on my face , irritated, mean , snappy , feeling like discontented from myself 

4. 10mg 

5. started 02/02 

Ct 02/28 

[Phoenixmama]

I don’t really want to reinstate 

[Phoenixmama]

When I cut week one and week two weren’t so bad but week 3 is Worse , I’ve had windows since ct 

[Phoenixmama]

I also found out two weeks after taking celexa that I have anemia very low ferritin and vitamin D and my gp said to just keep taking the celexa 

[Gridley]

14 minutes ago, Phoenixmama said:

 

3.my current symptoms are the same as when I was on celexa

It sounds like the Celexa didn't agree with you.  There's no requirement to reinstate if you don't want to, especially since the drug seems bad for you.  The fact that you're having windows since the CT is a very encouraging sign.  There's no way to predict how long it will take for your nervous system to calm down, but it will.  All told, it seems a good thing you're off the drug.

 

We don't recommend a lot of supplements on SA, as many members report being sensitive to them due to our over-reactive nervous systems, but two supplements that we do recommend are magnesium and omega 3 (fish oil). Many people find these to be calming to the nervous system. 

 

Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker 

 

Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) 

 

Add in one at a time and at a low dose in case you do experience problems. Get supplements that ae single ingredient (not mixed with other types of supplements).

 

 

 

[Altostrata]

Welcome. @Phoenixmama

 

There's only one Introductions topic per member. To reduce confusion, such as moderators asking the same questions for every Introductions topic you start, please add ALL your questions to THIS topic. You will be able to find the answers here.

 

You added a signature! But please put in when you started Celexa, the dosage, and when you went off.

 

Quote

3.my current symptoms are the same as when I was on celexa

 

Your symptoms did not change after you went off Celexa?

 

Your doctor does not sound very helpful. I would find a new doctor and talk about the low ferritin. 

 

Also see 

 

 

[Phoenixmama]

Thank you so much for your reply ♥️ I’m grateful also I am now on my monthly woman thing which she be interesting 

[Altostrata]

Please see my response.

[Gridley]

11 minutes ago, Phoenixmama said:

vitamin D

If you take vitamins D supplements, take them in the morning rather than later as they can be activating and you don't want to disturb your sleep.  Start at a low dose and work up.  A D supplement with vitamin K2 helps absorption.  It's all individual, but I like to take magnesium when I take my D/k2.  Magnesium glycinate is a form with good absorption, and I've been taking it with good results for years.

 

Space out your magnesium throughout the day.  This will help with the calming effect it has.

[Phoenixmama]

Ok 

[Phoenixmama]

If I don’t reinstate which I don’t want to I’m too scared , what’s the worse that could happen ive also had windows 

[Altostrata]

If there's no difference between how you feel now and how you felt on the drug, it seems to me your current symptom pattern is hangover from the adverse reactions you had while taking the drug.

 

We have a small number of people here who have had fairly immediate adverse reactions to a drug. When they go off the drug, they have symptoms just like withdrawal but it's not withdrawal, your nervous system still needs to recover from the adverse effects. Reinstatement is not a good idea in these situations. You should gradually recover over months.

 

Many people find fish oil and magnesium supplements helpful, see

https://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/36-king-of-supplements-omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil/

https://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/15483-magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker/

 

You might try a little bit of one at a time to see how it affects you.

 

Please let us know how you're doing.

[Phoenixmama]

46 minutes ago, Phoenixmama said:

If I don’t reinstate which I don’t want to I’m too scared , what’s the worse that could happen ive also had windows 

 

[Phoenixmama]

Being that I was in this position 

i suffer damages to my brain ? 

[ChessieCat]

Here is a topic about adverse drug reactions:

 

immediate-adverse-reactions-to-an-antidepressant-or-within-a-few-doses-how-long-for-recovery

 

And a post about it here:

 

But I only took it for a Week

 

[Farout]

Hi @Phoenixmama,  I have just seen your posts.

 

I had an adverse reaction a few years ago. What you are describing sounds familiar. If you click on my username it will take you to a link to my success story.

[Phoenixmama]

thank you so much ❤️

[Phoenixmama]

@Gridley hi good morning i got some k2 but now i'm scared , will i feel anything when i take it , the one i got is vitamin k2 mk-7 90 micrograms soft gels 

[Gridley]

25 minutes ago, Phoenixmama said:

the one i got is vitamin k2 mk-7 90 micrograms soft gels 

I don't have any experience with k2 separately from vitamin D.  I take a combination of D3 5000IU with 50mcg k2, the purpose being to help with absorption of the D.  I can't predict how you'll react.  People in withdrawal can be sensitive to supplements.  This works for me but might not for you.  It will have to be your decision.  You could start with a lower dose of D3 like 2000IU to test it out.  If the K scares you, don't take it.

 

 

[Phoenixmama]

What if the windows are longer then the waves ? Today I took a omega three after not taking it for a couple days and after I took it I felt nausea and doom , I was feeling fine before this . Is it a wave ? I haven’t had one this bad before , feeling of doom and like a fever