EJ1983: Making it through withdrawal

[EJ1983]

Hello. I’m new so will give a little background. I have been on roughly three SSRI’s since the age of about 22 (tapering off of one just to start on another ) I am 37 now. I had started on Lexapro for a tough time I was going through in which it did help me through, at that point I should have gotten off of it but never did. I stayed on it for about seven years then transitioned to Zoloft as I had developed stomach issues (ibs) in the time frame and was told Zoloft was better for that. After being on Zoloft for a few years I decided it was time to come off as I felt there was no reason for me to be on them anymore . I tapered down for about six months and within two weeks of coming off the pills I was back on them because of severe withdrawal. I stayed on Zoloft for a little while longer then eventually transitioned to celexa and was on it for a few years. Finally I decided that it was time to get off the meds for good. It has been 24 days since I took my last pill..I tapered down within three months, although I recently found out that that was probably way too fast even though I followed doctors instructions, regardless I have been off of them for almost a month now and it has been pure hell.   Im teetering on going back on them but I want to be strong and hold out I just don’t know how long I can do it for. I have intense bursts of anger, extreme irritability, depression, random crying that has gone on every single day multiple times a day, nausea, extreme tiredness, no interest in doing anything, very bad gastrointestinal issues and the list goes on… is this normal!? I am almost at the month mark I thought for sure I would be past this now. It’s very discouraging because I have come this far but I don’t know how long I can hold out. 

Edited June 16, 2021 by Gridley

[Gridley]

Welcome to SA, EJ1983.  Your drug history--going from one drug to another-- is quite common among our members, and we have helped many members in your situation to go off these drugs in a safe, conservative taper.

 

To start:

 

To give members the best information, we ask them to summarize their medication history in a signature -- drugs, doses, dates, and discontinuations & reinstatements, in the last 12-24 months particularly.  This would include: the dates and dosage your were on the Lexapro; the dates and dosage when you transitioned to Zoloft, the date (approximates is fine) you tapered off the Zoloft and when and at what dose you reinstated Zoloft; the dates and dosage your were on the Celexa.  Most important, please include the sate you stop the celebs and the dosage at which you stopped.  Also format is best.  Once you're provided this information, we'll be in a better position to help you.  Use this link for your drug signature.  You'll need to use a computer rather than a phone and press "save" when you're finished.  Here's the link to use:

 

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature.

 

The symptoms you describe are typical of antidepressant withdrawal.  The withdrawal may be solely from the Celexa or it may also be due to effects of the previous drugs you're on.  The following links on  withdrawal and the healing process will give you a better idea of what you're experiencing.

 

What is withdrawal syndrome.

 

Daily Checklist of Antidepressant Withdrawal Symptoms (PDF) 

 

The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

When we take psychiatric medications, the CNS (central nervous system) responds by making changes over the months and years we take the drug(s). When the medication is discontinued, the CNS has to undo all the changes it made. Rebuilding the neurotransmitter production and reactivating the receptor and transporter cells takes time -- during that rebuilding process symptoms occur.  

 

These explain the healing process really well.

 

Brain Remodelling 

 

Video:  Healing From Antidepressants - Patterns of Recovery

 

11 hours ago, EJ1983 said:

 Im teetering on going back on them but I want to be strong and hold out I just don’t know how long I can do it for.

 

Regarding the Celexa, your last drug, you have two options at this point.  You can continue to hold drug-free and wait to stabilize.  You will stabilize, but there is no way to predict how long this will take.  While some recover fairy quickly, others take longer.

 

The alternative is reinstatement of a very small dosage of Celexa. Reinstatement doesn't always work, but it's the only known method to help alleviate withdrawal.  Your system is very sensitized from going off the Celexa (and, likely, the other drugs), and it's important not to reinstate the full dosage of Celexa you were on previously.  This can overwhelm the brain and cause you to be further destabilized.  Once you've competed your drug signature, we can suggest a dosage of Celexa to reinstate.  Please don't reinstate without giving us an opportunity to suggest a dosage.  Please read:

 

About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms. -- at least the first page of the topic

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 are single ingredient (not mixed with other types of supplements).

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[EJ1983]

Hello been off celexa for two months now things seem to be very slowly getting better for me mentally except for the fact that my ibs is raging worse than ever since I have been off. Worse flare up of my life. Has anyone else else dealt with anything like this? And if so what steps did you take? Im not sure if the celexa was helping manage my ibs or that my body went through such trauma getting off of it that it caused a flare up.

Edited July 17, 2021 by arbor

[arbor]

Hello @EJ1983I have moved your last entry under new Introductions to your established Introduction page.  We ask that members use only one Introduction thread.  Also, please fill out your account setting as Gridley has explained above:

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature.

 

Congratulations for your progress with celexa.  I'm sorry you're having problems with IBS.  This is not uncommon during withdrawal unfortunately.  These links can be helpful:

Irritable bowel syndrome: Gut bacteria and what you can 

Digestive problems: nausea, diarrhoea, bloating, GERD 

Best wishes,

Arbor

 

[EJ1983]

Debilitating Anxiety

 

Hi all..I have been off of celexa for about 5.5 months at this point. Needless to say it has been pure hell. I’ve been through every symptom Possible and still going through waves of them.

 

Although I feel I have made some progress I am still very far from normal. Within the last month I have developed severe debilitating anxiety, barely able to make it through each day. I wake up with it and go to bed with it, it’s never ending.

 

I’ve tried everything to calm it with no success, it is to the point where I have difficulty breathing every day on the verge of a panic attack. I am starting to think that I may just naturally have this anxiety and may need to go back on the meds. It just doesn’t make any sense to me that this would start 4.5 months after being off of celexa.

 

Any insight into this would be appreciated. Thank you. 

 

Edited November 2, 2021 by ChessieCat
added topic title before merging with intro topic

[ChessieCat]

You might consider reinstating a tiny dose of Celexa / citalopram.

 

See:  Dr Joseph Glenmullen's WD Symptoms Checklist

 

I cold turkeyed citalopram and felt real great for a couple of months and then I was hit with the "flu" which didn't feel like a normal flu, ie no raised temperature.  I was bedridden for 2 weeks, could hardly eat and lost 8kgs / 17.5 lbs in that time.  It wasn't until I came to SA because of my bad withdrawal symptoms reducing Pristiq by 50% that I learned that it it was most likely delayed withdrawal.  I ended up being put on Pristiq because my counsellor spouted the "need an AD like a diabetic needs insulin" line, and I didn't know any better at that time.

 

Because you have been off Celexa for 5.5 months it would be a good idea to start with a tiny tester dose just to see how you respond to taking the drug again.  Because you had been on 30mg Celexa you could try 1mg or even 0.5mg if you are concerned about taking the drug again.  If symptoms worsen you would stop immediately.  If there was no change or even possibly a small improvement, but symptoms were still unbearable, you would wait a week before considering a small increase.

 

The idea of reinstating is not to get rid of withdrawal symptoms completely but to bring them to a tolerable level.  It is better to start with a small amount and increase gradually.  Keep in mind that it takes about 4 days for a dose to get to full level in the blood and a bit longer for it to register in the brain, hence the waiting for 1 week before possibly updosing.

 

And remember to only make one change at a time.  When there is more than one variable it can make it difficult to know what is causing any issues or might be helping.  As an example, my doctor wanted me to start a statin cholesterol drug and improve my diet at the same time.  I said no, and I told her that because the change in diet might work but there are two variables it could not be know which caused the improvement.

 

Please carefully read Post #1 of this topic:

 

about-reinstating-and-stabilizing-to-reduce-withdrawal-symptoms

 

See Post #1 of this topic which explains how to get non standard doses of Celexa:

 

Tips for tapering off citalopram (Celexa)

[EJ1983]

Thank you for the response. Would I be reinstating to eventually taper off again? Or would I be reinstating to see if my anxiety went away to see if I needed to be medicated again? How do I know if I am still in withdraw or if I genuinely have very bad generalized anxiety? 

[ChessieCat]

26 minutes ago, EJ1983 said:

Would I be reinstating to eventually taper off again?

 

That is up to you.  Some members choose to stay on a low dose of a psychiatric drug, called "lowest effective dose".  "Therapeutic dose" is an arbitrary term that pharmaceutical companies decide on and use.  However, please be aware that psychiatric drugs can reach tolerance, commonly known as poop out, technical term tachyphylaxis.  This is when the drug no longer works and the doctor generally increases the dose.  Then after time, tolerance is reached again and the drug might again increased and/or another drug added because the first drug is no longer working.  Tapering off a drug once it has reached tolerance can be a lot harder than when a drug has not reached tolerance, simply because the drug is no longer working the way it was but you still need to take the drug because your brain has adapted to it.  See explanation at the bottom of post about what happens when we take/remove a psychiatric drug.

 

tolerance-or-poop-out-or-tachyphylaxis

 

If you do decide to reinstate, please keep daily notes for yourself, noting symptoms which improve/worsen.  This way you may be better able to see how the reinstatement is affecting you.

 

If the reinstatement works you would stay on that dose for at least 3 months, possibly 6.  You need to get to withdrawal normal.  Then you could try tapering.  My suggestion is to make a small reduction to test to see how your respond (just like I suggested above for reinstatement), but in this case it is to work out if you are stable enough to taper.  If no issues, the next reduction can be larger.

 

WDnormal

 

Brassmonkey expounds on WDnormal here:

 

tao-of-the-brassmonkey

 

SA's tapering protocol:

 

why-taper-by-10-of-my-dosage

 

A gentler way to taper:

 

the-brassmonkey-slide-method-of-micro-tapering

 

26 minutes ago, EJ1983 said:

Or would I be reinstating to see if my anxiety went away to see if I needed to be medicated again?

 

If you went on the drug for anxiety, before you ever took a drug, and you decide that you want to stop taking drugs, then you will need to learn and non drug techniques to cope with the anxiety.  Only you can make the decision about whether you feel that you need to take a psychiatric drug.  Please read the rest of this post.

 

28 minutes ago, EJ1983 said:

How do I know if I am still in withdraw or if I genuinely have very bad generalized anxiety? 

 

The timing of when it started.  And if reinstatement works and the anxiety eases, then that would be an indication that it was related to getting off the drug too quickly.

 

Is it withdrawal or relapse?  Or something else?

 

How do I know it's withdrawal and not relapse?

 

 

44 minutes ago, EJ1983 said:

to see if I needed to be medicated again

 

Q:  Are you are a person who thinks or has been told that you need a psychiatric drug because you have a chemical imbalance?

 

This is not true.  Chemical imbalance with a theory which was debunked at least 20 or more years ago.  Taking a psychiatric drug adds chemicals to the brain.  The brain is always trying to regain homeostasis, or simply put, balance things out so when a chemical is added, the brain automatically tries to balance things out.  That is why you can experience start up symptoms when you first take a psychiatric drug and then they gradually reduce.  It can take as little as 4 weeks for a person to become physiological dependent on a drug.  Not physically.  The brain has become dependent on getting the drug, there is generally no craving.  When the opposite happens, ie the drug is taken away, the same thing happens.  The brain automatically tries to balance things out.  This is what causes the withdrawal symptoms.  If the drug is taken away slowly the brain only needs to make small and/or a few changes so the withdrawal symptoms might only be mild or not even be noticed.  When the drug is taken away too quickly then the brain is having to make a large and many changes to try to regain homeostasis, which is why the withdrawal symptoms after a fast taper or cold turkey off a drug can be much worse.

 

I have been on a psychiatric drug for 25+ years and am about to stop my Pristiq (currently 0.005mg).  I was told by a counsellor in 2012 that "you needed an antidepressant like a diabetic needs insulin".  With the help of SA, I am now nearly off my drug.  It can be done.  Woohoo!  During the last 7 years I have learned many non drug techniques that are helping me to be drug free.  And I no longer have numb emotions.

 

I hope this information has been helpful.

 

Please let us now what you decide to do about reinstating.  Either way, please continue to post in your Introduction topic to let us know how you are going.

[EJ1983]

Thank you so much. I am going to take a few days to consider my next step. I think I will probably reinstate just need to build up the courage to do it. I will keep you posted 

[EJ1983]

If things were to worsen going back on the celexa how long would that take? I started back on 1 mg yesterday morning and by the afternoon I was in almost a full blown panic attack worse than ever.. still feel the same this morning. Could it happen that quickly or am I just imaging it?