Funkoh Posted August 14, 2021 Share Posted August 14, 2021 Hi there! My name is Christian. I have a very long history of heavy Marijuana use and addiction, along with 5+ years of Citalopram(20mg). I've been off of Citalopram cold turkey for 4 months now and am getting the idea it might not have been a great idea to discontinue it so abruptly. The first two-ish months were actually not so bad mentally. The physical symptoms were indeed rough; I experienced intense brain zaps, insomnia, sweating, and itching. These have otherwise completely gone away. I suffer from depression, anxiety, and anhedonia. The strange thing is that in the first stages of my discontinuation, my anxiety was actually not very intense. I got a new job and a week into it I was like what the heck I'll try something else, and that something else was Sertraline. It really made me feel horrible but I still took it for two weeks until I could no longer stand it. It's been around one month until that and I'm still feeling lingering effects. Could the Sertraline have triggered more intense symptoms from me? I'm thinking about going down to a very low dose of Citalopram and then eventually tapering down to possibly none at all again. Thoughts? Citalopram(20mg): 2015-April 19, 2021. Marijuana: (Occasional use): 2007-2010. (Everyday use): 2010-2016. (80%+ THC use): 2016-April 28, 2021. Escitalopram, Venlafaxine, Bupropion, Amitriptyline, Quetiapine, Aripiprazole, Methylphenidate, Adderall, Propranolol, and Clonozepam: Tried from August 2020 onwards all at different times and all for very short amounts of time, I cannot remember the dates. Link to comment
Moderator Go2zero Posted August 16, 2021 Moderator Share Posted August 16, 2021 Welcome to this support site. Before we can answer your questions, please give us more information first. Can you please give us specific information about your drug history for all drugs you are on and have been on, especially for the past 18-24 months? It would be especially helpful to have the details of your drugs in a concise list (no symptoms), only drug names, specific dates (as best you can say for example early March if you don't recall the day) and dosages of each medication decrease or increase. Please read the link below for instructions. This will allow us to give you the best guidance. https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/18343-please-summarize-your-withdrawal-history-in-your-signature/ So sorry to read what you are going through. It is a very well know aspect of SSRI withdrawal that the symptoms start after 2-4 months. And after going CT, it may take quite some time before things stabilize. Everybody reacts differently, so we cannot say in detail how it will be for you. The fact that (you think that) the sertraline made you feel worse could be an adverse reaction to the sertraline. But it could also be WD symptoms from citalopram (which can last long after CT) Reinstating is not without risks, but it might be worthwhile trying in your case. Do you still use sertraline? When exactly did you stop the citalopram! What other meds, supplements , drugs are you using? Do you take alcohol? Do you still take marihuana? Please give us this information and we can advise you further whether to reinstate and how much. And put all this requested info in your signature please. https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/82-the-windows-and-waves-pattern-of-stabilization/ https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/2023-tips-for-tapering-off-celexa-citalopram/ 1993 Anafranil (Clomipramine) for a few months. Later in 1993 Paxil for a few months 1993- 2006 No medication 2006 Effexor, Cymbalta, some Benzo’s. All for short periods. Later in 2006 Lexapro (escitalopram) 10 mg and shortly after Wellbutrin XR 150mg, against side effects Lexapro Since 2006 until end of 2015: Several times on and off Lexapro and Wellbutrin and several slight dosage changes. Mostly taken dosages: 5mg Lexapro and 150mg Wellbutrin 2016 Dosage change Lexapro from 5mg to 2,5 mg. Wellbutrin stayed om 150mg November 2016 – April 2017 Down from 2,5mg to 0,6mg Lexapro (in steps) without much problems. Wellbutrin down from 150mg to 66mg. Also without much problems. April 2017 – March 2019 Lexapro 0,6 mg April 2017 - August 2018 Wellbutrin in small steps down from 66mg in to 37,5 mg . Quite heavy WD after each step. March 2019 – May 2019 Lexapro down from 0,6 to 0,3mg then Prozac to 0,6 mg switch because severe discontinuation effects (may also have been from Wellbutrin..) Wellbutrin down from 37,5mg to 35,3mg October 2019 Seroquel 12,5 mg for 4 weeks because of extreme sleeping problems, then weaning off in 2 weeks Prozac up dosage to 1,2 mg March 2020 Wellbutrin in 2 steps down from 35,3mg to 33,3mg Extreme withdrawal effects during 8 months. Stopped tapering Wellbutrin until total off Prozac. February 2020 – November 2020 Prozac down in steps from 1,2mg to 0,57mg. Jan 2021 : Prozac down to: 0,55> 0,53>0,51mg, Feb 0,47mg , Mar 0,42mg, Apr 0,37, longer hold because of WD symptoms July 0,36 and hold again, Sept 19 0,35, Sept 26 0,34mg, Oct 3 0,33mg Long hold of 172 days until March 2022 January 20, 2022: Wellbutrin from 33,3 to 32,3mg March 22, 2022 Prozac down from 0,33mg to: 0,30mg, Apr 0,29, May 0,28, 0,27, June 0,26, 0,25, July 0,24, 0,23, 0,22, 0,21, Aug 0,20, 0,19 Sep 0,18, Oct 0,17. 0,16, 0,15, Nov 0,14 Jan 2023 0,13, 0,12, 0,11 Feb 0,10, 0,09 Mar 0,08 , June 0,07 , July 0,06, 0,05, Aug 0,04, 0,03, Sept 0,026, 0,024 Nov 0,022, 0,019, 0,016, 0,013 Dec 0,012, 0,011, 0,010, 0,009 Jan 2024 0,008, 0,007, 0,006, 0,005, 0,004, 0,003, 0,002, 0,001, Feb 0,0007. 0,0005, 0,0003, 0,0001, Feb 23, 2024: 0,00000 Wellbutrin resume tapering: Apr 2024 31,6mg, 30,8, 30 Supplements: Fish Oil (3000mg), Magnesium 100 mg, 2 drops of Lavender Oil, only when feeling extreme anxiety. 50mg of L-Theanine only when severe discontinuation effects caused by Wellbutrin Please note this is NOT a medical advice. Discuss all your medical issues with a doctor who understands psychical drugs and really knows how to withdraw from them. I wish that you will find one. Link to comment
Funkoh Posted August 16, 2021 Author Share Posted August 16, 2021 7 minutes ago, Go2zero said: Welcome to this support site. Before we can answer your questions, please give us more information first. Can you please give us specific information about your drug history for all drugs you are on and have been on, especially for the past 18-24 months? It would be especially helpful to have the details of your drugs in a concise list (no symptoms), only drug names, specific dates (as best you can say for example early March if you don't recall the day) and dosages of each medication decrease or increase. Please read the link below for instructions. This will allow us to give you the best guidance. https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/18343-please-summarize-your-withdrawal-history-in-your-signature/ So sorry to read what you are going through. It is a very well know aspect of SSRI withdrawal that the symptoms start after 2-4 months. And after going CT, it may take quite some time before things stabilize. Everybody reacts differently, so we cannot say in detail how it will be for you. The fact that (you think that) the sertraline made you feel worse could be an adverse reaction to the sertraline. But it could also be WD symptoms from citalopram (which can last long after CT) Reinstating is not without risks, but it might be worthwhile trying in your case. Do you still use sertraline? When exactly did you stop the citalopram! What other meds, supplements , drugs are you using? Do you take alcohol? Do you still take marihuana? Please give us this information and we can advise you further whether to reinstate and how much. And put all this requested info in your signature please. https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/82-the-windows-and-waves-pattern-of-stabilization/ https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/2023-tips-for-tapering-off-celexa-citalopram/ I use nothing at the moment, not even caffeine. I take a daily multivitamin, fish oil, and magnesium. I don't drink. I've tried quite a few different medications, but all were short-lived, less that a month. Escitalopram, Venlafaxine, Bupropion, Amitriptyline, Quetiapine, Aripiprazole, Methylphenidate, Adderall, Propranolol, and Clonozepam are all of the ones I can think of. Again, these were all very short-lived. The stimulants were tried because I do have ADHD, and am considering trying Adderall again in the future. The times I have taken it, it helps a lot. I just want my brain to heal before I go down this route once more. I'm pretty sure I don't want to reinstate the Citalopram, having already gone so long without it. Citalopram(20mg): 2015-April 19, 2021. Marijuana: (Occasional use): 2007-2010. (Everyday use): 2010-2016. (80%+ THC use): 2016-April 28, 2021. Escitalopram, Venlafaxine, Bupropion, Amitriptyline, Quetiapine, Aripiprazole, Methylphenidate, Adderall, Propranolol, and Clonozepam: Tried from August 2020 onwards all at different times and all for very short amounts of time, I cannot remember the dates. Link to comment
Moderator Go2zero Posted August 16, 2021 Moderator Share Posted August 16, 2021 On 8/14/2021 at 11:21 PM, Funkoh said: I'm thinking about going down to a very low dose of Citalopram and then eventually tapering down to possibly none at all again. Thoughts? You are talking about reinstating here yourself. When we talk about reinstating, we are also talking about a very low dose only. It is not without risks, but it may help. Do you want to try? If so you could try 1 mg only per day. 1993 Anafranil (Clomipramine) for a few months. Later in 1993 Paxil for a few months 1993- 2006 No medication 2006 Effexor, Cymbalta, some Benzo’s. All for short periods. Later in 2006 Lexapro (escitalopram) 10 mg and shortly after Wellbutrin XR 150mg, against side effects Lexapro Since 2006 until end of 2015: Several times on and off Lexapro and Wellbutrin and several slight dosage changes. Mostly taken dosages: 5mg Lexapro and 150mg Wellbutrin 2016 Dosage change Lexapro from 5mg to 2,5 mg. Wellbutrin stayed om 150mg November 2016 – April 2017 Down from 2,5mg to 0,6mg Lexapro (in steps) without much problems. Wellbutrin down from 150mg to 66mg. Also without much problems. April 2017 – March 2019 Lexapro 0,6 mg April 2017 - August 2018 Wellbutrin in small steps down from 66mg in to 37,5 mg . Quite heavy WD after each step. March 2019 – May 2019 Lexapro down from 0,6 to 0,3mg then Prozac to 0,6 mg switch because severe discontinuation effects (may also have been from Wellbutrin..) Wellbutrin down from 37,5mg to 35,3mg October 2019 Seroquel 12,5 mg for 4 weeks because of extreme sleeping problems, then weaning off in 2 weeks Prozac up dosage to 1,2 mg March 2020 Wellbutrin in 2 steps down from 35,3mg to 33,3mg Extreme withdrawal effects during 8 months. Stopped tapering Wellbutrin until total off Prozac. February 2020 – November 2020 Prozac down in steps from 1,2mg to 0,57mg. Jan 2021 : Prozac down to: 0,55> 0,53>0,51mg, Feb 0,47mg , Mar 0,42mg, Apr 0,37, longer hold because of WD symptoms July 0,36 and hold again, Sept 19 0,35, Sept 26 0,34mg, Oct 3 0,33mg Long hold of 172 days until March 2022 January 20, 2022: Wellbutrin from 33,3 to 32,3mg March 22, 2022 Prozac down from 0,33mg to: 0,30mg, Apr 0,29, May 0,28, 0,27, June 0,26, 0,25, July 0,24, 0,23, 0,22, 0,21, Aug 0,20, 0,19 Sep 0,18, Oct 0,17. 0,16, 0,15, Nov 0,14 Jan 2023 0,13, 0,12, 0,11 Feb 0,10, 0,09 Mar 0,08 , June 0,07 , July 0,06, 0,05, Aug 0,04, 0,03, Sept 0,026, 0,024 Nov 0,022, 0,019, 0,016, 0,013 Dec 0,012, 0,011, 0,010, 0,009 Jan 2024 0,008, 0,007, 0,006, 0,005, 0,004, 0,003, 0,002, 0,001, Feb 0,0007. 0,0005, 0,0003, 0,0001, Feb 23, 2024: 0,00000 Wellbutrin resume tapering: Apr 2024 31,6mg, 30,8, 30 Supplements: Fish Oil (3000mg), Magnesium 100 mg, 2 drops of Lavender Oil, only when feeling extreme anxiety. 50mg of L-Theanine only when severe discontinuation effects caused by Wellbutrin Please note this is NOT a medical advice. Discuss all your medical issues with a doctor who understands psychical drugs and really knows how to withdraw from them. I wish that you will find one. Link to comment
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