Ophea: Dizziness after stopping Citalopram

[Ophea]

Hi,

Not sure if this area is still active. I am new here, history in signature. Here due to experiencing withdrawal symptoms and looking for advice/support. Thanks!

[Ophea]

Dizziness after stopping Citalopram

 

Hello, I am new to this forum and thankful I found it. As stated in my signature, I did a CT stop of Citalopram, about three weeks after a tapered stop of Prozac. I was ok with going off the Citalopram quickly as the headaches and side effects were debilitating. However, now that I am off of all drugs for almost 4 weeks, the dizziness and brain fog is getting worse. From my reading, it sounds like this is pretty normal for stopping antidepressants. Are there any other meds that are prescribed to deal with symptoms, or is it best to just ride it out? 

 

Also, another question. My doctor ordered the Genesight DNA test which shows your ability to metabolize these drugs. Found that every drug I was on was in the moderate to severe category, except for Wellbutrin, Pristiq, Fetzima, and Vibryd. Most of those I never heard of. Has anyone else heard of these drugs or had any experience with them? My goal is to get off these meds but my depression is getting worse and I am concerned. Thank you.

 

Edited December 8, 2021 by ChessieCat
added topic title before merging with intro topic

[getofflex]

Hello, and welcome to SA.  We are a volunteer-run community of people who have been or are getting off of psychiatric drugs.  You have really been through it.  You have come to the right place.  You were on quite a hefty dose of Lexapro at the 40 mg.  Lexpro is at least twice as powerful as the other SSRI's.  Congratulations for getting off of all of the drugs!  Could you possibly give us a little more detail in your drug sig about the dates and dosages of your drugs in 2021?  You state that you were on Zoloft, Prozac, and Celexa.   It would be especially helpful to have the details of your drugs in a concise vertical 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.  

 

How to List Drug History in Signature

 

Can you please describe what the "massive side effects" were when you were on Celexa in November 2021?  

 

Are you currently having any other symptoms of withdrawal besides dizziness and brain fog?  How is your sleep and eating?  Are you able to function OK in your daily life? 

 

It may be that with all the changes in your drugs in the recent years, as well as being on a very high dose of Lexapro, your nervous system may have become kindled.  Not to worry, with lots of time, patience, and self care, this will eventually correct itself. 

 

Nervous System Hypersensitivity and Kindling

 

 

Here is some information about how these drugs actually work.   This explains why we get symptoms from going off of these medications.

 

How Psychiatric Drugs Remodel Your Brain

 

 

This helps you understand what withdrawal syndrome is: 

 

Video on Recovery from Psych Drugs

 

What is Happening in Your Brain

 

Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

Also, as we are recovering, we suggest keeping things slow, simple, and stable. 

 

Keep it Simple, Slow, and Stable

 

Considerations About Stability - Stop Jumping Around

 

Here is a link with checklists of common WD symptoms: 

 

Dr Joseph Glenmullen Withdrawal Symptom Checklists

 

 

Here are some techniques to cope with symptoms: 

 

Non Drug Ways to Cope with Withdrawal Symptoms

 

 

We don't suggest many supplements, but 2 that many of us find helpful are magnesium and omega-3 fish oil. Here are the links for info about those. It is suggested to add one at a time, and start with a low dose to see how it affects you. 

Magnesium

 

Omega 3 Fish Oil

 

Take your time reading through the information in the various links.  Please let us know how you are doing. 

[getofflex]

On 12/8/2021 at 12:38 PM, Ophea said:

Found that every drug I was on was in the moderate to severe category, except for Wellbutrin, Pristiq, Fetzima, and Vibryd. Most of those I never heard of. Has anyone else heard of these drugs or had any experience with them?

I personally have not.  However, you can search the site, and find other people who do. This link explains how: 

 

How to Search this Site

[Ophea]

Hello and thank you for the reply. I have updated my signature with the updated information in the requested format. To respond to your questions:

 

Can you please describe what the "massive side effects" were when you were on Celexa in November 2021?

The two main side effects were debilitating headaches and insomnia. The headaches were so bad, I thought I was having a stroke so even went to the ER. Ruled out everything. The insomnia was also basically intolerable. I would only sleep for maybe 2-3 hours per night, some night not at all. After stopping the Celexa, headaches were completely gone in three days, and I have no problems with sleeping.

 

Are you currently having any other symptoms of withdrawal besides dizziness and brain fog?  How is your sleep and eating?  Are you able to function OK in your daily life? 

Dizziness and brain fog are really the main issues. No sleeping issues, eating is fine. Also able to work and do most things. I have noticed an increase in depression and emotional mood swings. They seem to be better as time goes on but much more pronounced than with the drugs. 

 

All of the information you provided is so helpful. I am worried about the dizziness and hope that things will eventually go back to normal. The information on the site about patience and letting my body heal is a great reminder that it will just take time. I put my body through the wringer with the shifts of meds. Wish I knew more about how these work, and not rely on the doctors so much. Terrible to say, but I did trust them and now I feel like they just tried whatever they wanted without understanding the impacts on patients' health. Again, I appreciate this site so much for information and support. 

[getofflex]

You said "with ramp" after 40 mg Prozac - I'm not sure what that means.  I put some delimiters in your sig to make it easier to read.  You made 11 changes to your psych meds in the past 2 years.  I wouldn't be surprised if you are having significant withdrawal symptoms.  If you read the links I gave you above, you will see why this would happen.  

 

18 hours ago, Ophea said:

After stopping the Celexa, headaches were completely gone in three days, and I have no problems with sleeping.

This is very fortunate.  

 

To make sure I understand, you are now off all psychiatric medications, other than the Lorazepam as needed?  

 

You are fortunate that you are sleeping and eating OK, and able to function, considering all of the abrupt changes you have made to your psych meds.  You could try some magnesium, this can help to calm down the nervous system.  It could help reduce your need for the Lorazepam.  See link above for info on that. 

 

Check out the link above for non drug coping techniques.  The symptoms you mention are very typical for withdrawal from psychiatric meds.  We normally suggest an extremely slow taper to get off of them without symptoms, because it takes the brain a lot of time to adjust to coming off the meds.  

 

Here is some information about how to search the site, if you have questions about symptoms as they come up, or it you want to see how other members dealt with the same drugs you were on: 

 

How to Do a Site Search

 

Hang in there, it will take a while, but you should slowly get better.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ophea]

Thank you for the response. The past few weeks have been very difficult so haven’t logged in.
 

I meant that I ramped up to 40mg, I didn’t start at that dosage.

 

I’ve read through all the links and so much of this makes sense. I realized that the medical community and these doctors have no idea how to prescribe these drugs or help. I thought I was doing the right thing by finding a psychiatrist. But as you pointed out all she did was switch my meds every few months. 

 

I’ve been able to cope better with the dizziness, but my depression has worsened significantly in the past few weeks. Could be the holidays, or that I recently lost my younger brother to alcoholism. I feel my brain is scrambled and my emotions are difficult to control. The most debilitating issue now is the overwhelming fear of death. Not mine but for my husband. I’m terrified he’s going to either get sick or die some other way. He keeps reassuring me he’s ok but it’s becoming a real issue for me. I searched the site and do see that is a side effect of withdrawal. I hope this is the case because this overwhelming fear is making my day to day life a living hell. I’m going to start doing some yoga hoping this will help but I’m not hopeful. I feel like nothing can pull me out of this place I’m in.

[getofflex]

On 1/2/2022 at 11:10 AM, Ophea said:

I meant that I ramped up to 40mg, I didn’t start at that dosage.

OK, I put a note in your drug sig to indicate this.  

 

On 1/2/2022 at 11:10 AM, Ophea said:

But as you pointed out all she did was switch my meds every few months. 

In my opinion, this doctor should have her license to practice medicine taken away.  So each time she switched you, it was a sudden switch, you just abruptly switched from one drug to the other in one day?  

 

Personally, I stay as far away from psychiatrists as I possibly can.  

On 1/2/2022 at 11:10 AM, Ophea said:

my depression has worsened significantly in the past few weeks. Could be the holidays, or that I recently lost my younger brother to alcoholism.

I am not at all surprised if you are depressed.  I'm very sorry you lost your brother to alchoholism.  I'm sad just reading about this, and I don't even know him.  By the way, being depressed is not necessarily a pathology.  We have pathologized depression, and have this idea that we should never be depressed, and we should always be happy.  However, this is not realistic.  Life is going to have ups and downs.  I tend to get depressed myself during the winter months.  The drug companies want us to think we have to take a drug if we are depressed, because that is how they make money.  

 

On 1/2/2022 at 11:10 AM, Ophea said:

The most debilitating issue now is the overwhelming fear of death. Not mine but for my husband. I’m terrified he’s going to either get sick or die some other way. He keeps reassuring me he’s ok but it’s becoming a real issue for me.

Believe it or not, I have this fear myself.  However it is not overwhelming.  I think it is natural to be anxious to certain extent of losing the people we love.  

 

On 1/2/2022 at 11:10 AM, Ophea said:

I searched the site and do see that is a side effect of withdrawal. I hope this is the case because this overwhelming fear is making my day to day life a living hell

Yes, fear and anxiety are symptoms of withdrawal.  You may want to try meditation.  

 

Meditation

 

Dealing with Emotional Spirals

 

Here are some links that may help you to lessen your fear and anxiety. 

 

Audio:  First Aid for Panic (4 minutes)
 

CBT Course:  An Introductory Self-Help Course in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
 

Audio:  How to Recover from Anxiety - Dr Claire Weekes
 

Anxiety Stuff - all kinds of stuff about anxiety attacks and things that help ...

 

On 1/2/2022 at 11:10 AM, Ophea said:

I feel like nothing can pull me out of this place I’m in.

 

It may feel like this, but please don't believe this feeling.  It is very common for our withdrawal brains to convince us that all hope is lost.  Please hang in there.  You have been through quite a merry go round of drugs.  It takes months to years for your brain to sort itself out, and you've been through a major loss losing your brother.  I hope you have someone to help you deal with the grief of that.  

 

Edited January 6, 2022 by getofflex

[Ophea]

Thank you so much for your reply. 

For the med switches, sometimes it was change with a slow ramp with overlap. The Celexa was a cold turkey stop due to my headaches. I thought I was doing the right thing by following her advice, as my GP would not prescribe antidepressants. 

I actually restarted my yoga practice this new year, and it seems to be helping. I got really off track, and with the new year I decided to make some changes. I find that the dizziness is making this harder now too, so I have to figure out the balance of what works and what makes my symptoms worse. I am seeing a therapist, so I do have an outlet for discussing the grief and sadness. It is very sad and he was young. 

It wasn't until I wrote out the drug changes that I saw how destructive and potentially unsafe it was. As you said, no wonder my brain feels like a combination of swiss cheese and scrambled eggs. I have to remind myself this is indeed "withdrawal brain" and to stay positive. I just have had a string of bad days. I am looking forward to a day or two of relief.

 

 

24 minutes ago, getofflex said:

OK, I put a note in your drug sig to indicate this.  

 

In my opinion, this doctor should have her license to practice medicine taken away.  So each time she switched you, it was a sudden switch, you just abruptly switched from one drug to the other in one day?  

 

Personally, I stay as far away from psychiatrists as I possibly can.  

I am not at all surprised if you are depressed.  I'm very sorry you lost your brother to alchoholism.  I'm sad just reading about this, and I don't even know him.  By the way, being depressed is not necessarily a pathology.  We have pathologized depression, and have this idea that we should never be depressed, and we should always be happy.  However, this is not realistic.  Life is going to have ups and downs.  I tend to get depressed myself during the winter months.  The drug companies want us to think we have to take a drug if we are depressed, because that is how they make money.  

 

Believe it or not, I have this fear myself.  However it is not overwhelming.  I think it is natural to be anxious to certain extent of losing the people we love.  

 

Yes, fear and anxiety are symptoms of withdrawal.  You may want to try meditation.  

 

Meditation

 

Dealing with Emotional Spirals

 

Here are some links that may help you to lessen your fear and anxiety. 

 

Audio:  First Aid for Panic (4 minutes)
 

CBT Course:  An Introductory Self-Help Course in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
 

Audio:  How to Recover from Anxiety - Dr Claire Weekes
 

Anxiety Stuff - all kinds of stuff about anxiety attacks and things that help ...

 

 

It may feel like this, but please don't believe this feeling.  It is very common for our withdrawal brains to convince us that all hope is lost.  Please hang in there.  You have been through quite a merry go round of drugs.  It takes months to years for your brain to sort itself out, and you've been through a major loss losing your brother.  I hope you have someone to help you deal with the grief of that.