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JacobLesley: Feeling extremely tired and confused is that a normal side effect 2 days ago I woke up in panic tunnel vision. Need HELP

JacobLesley

By JacobLesley
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JacobLesley Newbie

JacobLesley

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I use Citalopram 20 mg each day the problems started at the 7th day woke up in full panic mode and derealisation so feeling extremely unconnected with myself. Day after also unconnected and very high anxiety whole day. Slept ok that night but now feeling dizzy and extremely tired walking to the kitchen is hard. also feeling very weird and dizzy, can follow conversations and talk but they confuse me just feeling very anxious when being in conversation.

I called the doctor be he doesn't know 

 

can anyone say if this is normal? 

please need advise fast

 

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brassmonkey Contributor

brassmonkey

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Hi Jacob-- Welcome to SA I'm so glad you found us. First off it sounds like your user name is actually your real name. For members safety we try to only use pseudonyms. If this is your real name please contact our administrator "Karma" who can help with the changes.

 

I'm sorry to hear that you are having such trouble with your new medication. What you describe is a delayed adverse reaction, which is not a good thing. Luckily you haven't taken the medication for very long and can just stop. Even if you stop there will continue to be some symptoms that carry over. With any luck they will stabilize and clear in a few weeks, but it could take longer. Be assured though that they will settle down and clear up. Here is a link to an article about this situation:

 

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/23081-are-we-there-yet-how-long-is-withdrawal-going-to-take/?tab=comments#comment-492494

 

Also when you get a chance would you please fill out a signature block. It will really help to understand what is happening.

20 years on Paxil starting at 20mg and working up to 40mg. Sept 2011 started 10% every 6 weeks taper (2.5% every week for 4 weeks then hold for 2 additional weeks), currently at 7.9mg. Oct 2011 CTed 15oz vodka a night, to only drinking 2 beers most nights, totally sober Feb 2013.

Since I wrote this I have continued to decrease my dose by 10% every 6 weeks (2.5% every week for 4 weeks and then hold for an additional 2 weeks). I added in an extra 6 week hold when I hit 10mg to let things settle out even more. When I hit 3mgpw it became hard to split the drop into 4 parts so I switched to dropping 1mgpw (pill weight) every week for 3 weeks and then holding for another 3 weeks.  The 3 + 3 schedule turned out to be too harsh so I cut back to dropping 1mgpw every 4 weeks which is working better.

Final Dose 0.016mg.     Current dose 0.000mg 04-15-2017

 

"It's also important not to become angry, no matter how difficult life is, because you can loose all hope if you can't laugh at yourself and at life in general."  Stephen Hawking

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JacobLesley Newbie

JacobLesley

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@brassmonkeyHi Brassmonkey, But other people told me this is just a side effect and not a huge problem. and they told me it will pass in a few weeks when the side effects go away? Please I am Scared now. Why is this such a big problem?

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JacobLesley Newbie

JacobLesley

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also I already have an illness called HPPD that is giving me weird sight so I am already healing and can't have both please tell me this can be just side effects.

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getofflex Grand Master

getofflex

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Hello.  Here is a link on how to create your drug signature.  This really helps because it will automatically be included in all your posts, and then us moderators will know how to best help you.  

 

How to List Drug History in Signature

 

What does HPPD stand for?  For what symptoms were you put on the Citalopram?  

 

As brassmonkey says, it sounds like you are having an adverse reaction, and we at SA suggest discontinuing the drug.  The longer you stay on the drug, the more your brain becomes dependent on the drug, and the harder of a time you will probably have when you do stop.  This explains more: 

 

How Psychiatric Drugs Remodel Your Brain

Please do not private message me.  Only tag me for urgent questions about tapering and reinstating - thank you.  

 

***Please note this is not medical advice.  Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a doctor who understands psych meds and how to withdraw from them, if you can find one.

 

Lexapro   Started Apr 15 2010 - 10 mg;  started taper August 2017, recent taper info: Apr 2 '20  0.18 mg; Jul 16  0.17 mg, Aug 23  0.16 mg, Oct 7  0.15 mg, Nov 8 - 0.14, Jan 16 '21 - 0.13, Feb 7 - 0.12, Feb 22 - 0.11, Mar 26 - 0.10, May 21 - 0.09, June 15 - 0.08 Aug 16 - 0.07, Oct 6 - 0.06, Nov 21 0.05, Dec. 17 0.04, Jan 14 '22 0.03, Feb 19 0.02, Apr 18 0.01, May 15 0.005,  Jul 8, 0.00.  Psych Drug Free as of July 8, 2022!!  Woohoo!!!

other meds: Levothyroxine 75 mg

magnesium in small amounts at 4 AM, before bed

suppl AM: fish oil, flax oil, vit C, vit E, multivitamin, zinc

suppl 8 PM: magnesium 350 mg, extended release vitamin C, melatonin 2 mg

 

Paxil 2002 - 2010, switched to Lexapro 2010 

Trazodone 50 mg. 2002 - 2019, fast tapered in 2019 

Xanax 0.5 mg as needed 2002 - 2019, up to 3x weekly 

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brassmonkey Contributor

brassmonkey

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Hi Jacob-- I think we may have a miscommunication happening. Even though the name may make it sound different this site is dedicated to helping people get off of psychiatric medications once they have outlived their usefulness. We have a good number of members who have only used the drugs for a very short period of time, had a bad reaction to them and want to get off them. I assumed that you were in this group. 

 

For some people there is a period of up to several months when they first start taking these drugs that is marked with intense side effects. For some these side effects will fade and the drug will work as intended. For others it is an indication that their bodies won't tolerate the drug. In this case their doctor may prescribe a higher dose, a different drug or a combination of drugs to try and cover up the side effects and make them "tolerable". We find that prospect very distressing because of all the problems the combination of drugs will cause after a short period of use. We highly recommend people learn self soothing and coping techniques instead of resorting to drugs. Don't get me wrong, many of us have found these drugs to be a "Godsend" while they worked correctly. But they were designed to only be used for a short period of time, as a stop gap to get people through a rough patch, and  not for "the rest of your life" as many doctors believe.

 

If your intention is to remain on the drugs, then our site will not be of much use to you. I do suggest that you have a look around the site, read some of the introductions and how too's to get a feel for other peoples experiences.

1

20 years on Paxil starting at 20mg and working up to 40mg. Sept 2011 started 10% every 6 weeks taper (2.5% every week for 4 weeks then hold for 2 additional weeks), currently at 7.9mg. Oct 2011 CTed 15oz vodka a night, to only drinking 2 beers most nights, totally sober Feb 2013.

Since I wrote this I have continued to decrease my dose by 10% every 6 weeks (2.5% every week for 4 weeks and then hold for an additional 2 weeks). I added in an extra 6 week hold when I hit 10mg to let things settle out even more. When I hit 3mgpw it became hard to split the drop into 4 parts so I switched to dropping 1mgpw (pill weight) every week for 3 weeks and then holding for another 3 weeks.  The 3 + 3 schedule turned out to be too harsh so I cut back to dropping 1mgpw every 4 weeks which is working better.

Final Dose 0.016mg.     Current dose 0.000mg 04-15-2017

 

"It's also important not to become angry, no matter how difficult life is, because you can loose all hope if you can't laugh at yourself and at life in general."  Stephen Hawking

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  • getofflex changed the title to JacobLesley: Feeling extremely tired and confused is that a normal side effect 2 days ago I woke up in panic tunnel vision. Need HELP
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getofflex Grand Master

getofflex

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Posted (edited)

brassmonkey thanks for clarifying this. There are a lot of nuances and variables around taking these drugs. 

Edited by getofflex

Please do not private message me.  Only tag me for urgent questions about tapering and reinstating - thank you.  

 

***Please note this is not medical advice.  Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a doctor who understands psych meds and how to withdraw from them, if you can find one.

 

Lexapro   Started Apr 15 2010 - 10 mg;  started taper August 2017, recent taper info: Apr 2 '20  0.18 mg; Jul 16  0.17 mg, Aug 23  0.16 mg, Oct 7  0.15 mg, Nov 8 - 0.14, Jan 16 '21 - 0.13, Feb 7 - 0.12, Feb 22 - 0.11, Mar 26 - 0.10, May 21 - 0.09, June 15 - 0.08 Aug 16 - 0.07, Oct 6 - 0.06, Nov 21 0.05, Dec. 17 0.04, Jan 14 '22 0.03, Feb 19 0.02, Apr 18 0.01, May 15 0.005,  Jul 8, 0.00.  Psych Drug Free as of July 8, 2022!!  Woohoo!!!

other meds: Levothyroxine 75 mg

magnesium in small amounts at 4 AM, before bed

suppl AM: fish oil, flax oil, vit C, vit E, multivitamin, zinc

suppl 8 PM: magnesium 350 mg, extended release vitamin C, melatonin 2 mg

 

Paxil 2002 - 2010, switched to Lexapro 2010 

Trazodone 50 mg. 2002 - 2019, fast tapered in 2019 

Xanax 0.5 mg as needed 2002 - 2019, up to 3x weekly 

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