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18yearsCelexaWellbutrin: Wellbutrin and Celexa cocktail


18yearsCelexaWellbutrin

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I have been on Celexa 20 mg for 20 years. Wellbutrin 300XL for 18 years. I want to taper off as slowly as possible.

Is there anyone out there that has been on this same cocktail for this long and tried weaning off? Is there any hope that I can do it? 

I'm thinking I should start with the Wellbutrin. 2 years ago I tried going off them extremely fast and crashed, of course. Bad BAD choice. 

Can someone point me in the right direction?

Thanks!

 

 

Citalapram 20 mg

Wellbutrin 300 mg XL

Sept 1, 2023

It's been one year since I started tapering my Celexa. I'm down to less than 1/4. It's been very slow but doable this way. 

 

 

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  • ChessieCat changed the title to 18yearsCelexaWellbutrin: Wellbutrin and Celexa cocktail
  • Moderator

@18yearsCelexaWellbutrin

 

Welcome to SA. We are a volunteer ran site helping people taper off of psychiatric medications or have tapered off and are now healing.

 

This is your introduction page where you will receive information, ask questions and meet other members. We ask that you only have one introduction page so we can keep all your information in one place. 

 

First can you please create a signature.

 

How to List Drug History in Signature

 

Here are some links on tapering that you will find useful.

 

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

Brass Monkey Slide


Taking multiple psych drugs? Which drug to taper first?

 

Tips for tapering off buproprion (Wellbutrin, SR, XR, XL)

 

Tips for tapering off citalopram (Celexa)

 

 

Here is some important 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

 

 

Stability is really important when we are tapering off psych meds.  Please read the link about stability:

 

Keep It Simple, Slow, and Stable

 

 

Here are a few more links you may find useful.

 


Dr. Joseph Glenmullen's withdrawal symptom checklist


What is withdrawal syndrome?


The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

 

We don't suggest supplements on here as they can be stimulating to the nervous system, however, some people to find relief when taking these 2. If you want to try one, take a small dose and wait a few days before introducing the other.

 

 

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

King of supplements: Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) - Symptoms and self-care - Surviving Antidepressants

 

After reading the links provided please reach out with any questions you may have.

 

 

PREVIOUS medications and discontinuations: Have been on medications since 1996. 

 Valium, Gabapentin, Lamictal, Prilosec and Zantac from 2000 to 2015 with a fast taper by a psychiatrist.

 Liquid Lexapro Nov, 2016 to 31-March, 2019 Lexapro free!!! (total Lexapro taper was 4 years-started with pill form)

---CURRENT MEDICATIONS:Supplements:Milk Thistle, Metamucil, Magnesium Citrate, Vitamin D3, Levothyroxine 25mcg, Vitamin C, Krill oil.

Xanax 1mg 3x day June, 2000 to 19-September, 2020 Went from .150 grams (average weight of 1 Xanax) 3x day to .003 grams 3x day. April 1, 2021 went back on 1mg a day. Started tapering May 19, 2023. July 28, 2023-approximately .87mg. Dr. fast tapered me at the end and realized he messed up. Prescribe it again and I am doing "slower than a turtle" taper.

19-September, 2020 Xanax free!!! (total Xanax taper was 15-1/2 months-1-June, 2019-19-September, 2020)

I am not a medical professional.

The suggestions I make are based on personal experience.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hey, I am on the same drug combination, but not for as long. I took 20mg Citalopram and 200mg Wellbutrin for eight years, and last year began tapering them both at the same time, very slowly, but it was a mistake to do two at once. I came down on the Citalopram from 20mg to nothing over the course of a year with some withdrawal effects like irritability and anxiety but successfully came off for a few weeks, before running out of Wellbutrin at a very low dose (had got down to 40mg) and the impact of coming off that so shortly after coming off Citalopram, coupled with trying Ritalin, was not good for me. 

In July, I reinstated 5mg Citalopram and 40mg Wellbutrin. I should say that during the year I weened down on those two, I started feeling better rather than worse on lower doses of the drugs. More present, more able to feel my emotions, and other positive impacts. We just need to be careful when coming off completely, do long and slow tapers, don't come off multiples at once, etc.

In terms of some direction for you, which of the two drugs do you think you'd have a harder time coming off of? I'd recommend going off the harder one first. Very slowly. 

2012 - 2013 Trazodone

2017 - 2018 Trazodone

2018 - 2021 Clonazepam

2014 - 2022 Citalopram

2014 - 2017 Wellbutrin

2017 - 2022 Wellbutrin

2019 - 2022 Trazodone

Drug free for three weeks in June, 2022 after years long taper

Reinstated 5mg Citalopram and 40mg Wellbutrin (compounded micro dose) July 5, 2022

Also on 50mg Trazodone 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Dear whatamess,

 

Thanks for your input. Are you going to continue to wean off both medications?  How did you taper the Celexa? Did you cut the pills or mix with water? 

I'm just wondering if it's worth it for me?  I mean, I know there is no guarantee that life will be great if I am able to wean off both medications, but it's bloody hard to go through the weaning off and then get to the end and realize....life sucks without the drugs.  I've only tried going off Celexa. It was a total train wreck because I did it too fast.  

 

Thanks!!

 

 

Citalapram 20 mg

Wellbutrin 300 mg XL

Sept 1, 2023

It's been one year since I started tapering my Celexa. I'm down to less than 1/4. It's been very slow but doable this way. 

 

 

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Hey, thanks for getting back to me. 

I am going to taper off Celexa, and stay on Wellbutrin for now. I cut the Celexa pills and weighed them using a jewel scale that I got off Amazon. From my own experience of tapering two drugs at once, I would recommend doing one at a time. That's what I'm doing now.

In June when I came off the Celexa, I actually felt significantly better than I had in a while, and this lasted for a few weeks before I suddenly came off the Wellbutrin which was not a good idea, and that derailed things for me.

What I noticed coming off the Celexa was some irritability, for sure, and some obsessive ways of thinking/feeling, however it wasn't horrible and I felt better than being on a high dose of the drug. 

 

As far as if it's worth it for you ... only you can answer that, unfortunately. How do you feel being on both the drugs?

2012 - 2013 Trazodone

2017 - 2018 Trazodone

2018 - 2021 Clonazepam

2014 - 2022 Citalopram

2014 - 2017 Wellbutrin

2017 - 2022 Wellbutrin

2019 - 2022 Trazodone

Drug free for three weeks in June, 2022 after years long taper

Reinstated 5mg Citalopram and 40mg Wellbutrin (compounded micro dose) July 5, 2022

Also on 50mg Trazodone 

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It's been so long since I first started taking them that I don't remember what I use to feel like. I do know that I had more energy without them. 

Citalapram 20 mg

Wellbutrin 300 mg XL

Sept 1, 2023

It's been one year since I started tapering my Celexa. I'm down to less than 1/4. It's been very slow but doable this way. 

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi 18,

 

I've been on this combo nearly 25 years. (Plus a couple of others - Ativan, Klonopin and Buspar.)  I "tapered" off of the benzos under a psychopharmacologist's guidance 3 years ago - it was way too fast and it was a disaster so I learned the hard way not to rush this.  

I tapered down to Celexa 20mg  from 40mg last year.  I went very slowly and cautiously, crushing the pills and using a scale - I followed  Brassmonkey Slide Method of Microtapering  https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/17671-the-brassmonkey-slide-method-of-micro-tapering/  I had minimal to no withdrawal symptoms.  I plan to stay at 20mg for the time being at least.

But I want to get off Wellbutrin completely. Tomorrow I'm starting to taper off Wellbutrin 100mgSR.  I'm planning to do the Brassmonkey method.  

 

Best wishes,

Stardust

 

Current Taper  Bupropion which I've taken for 20+ yrs- Start dose SR 100mg 

Jan '23, switched to IR 100mg. Held for 2 weeks;

Feb '23 started taper using Brassmonkey Slide Method of Micro-Tapering;

6/23 Bup 75mg; 7/22/23 Bup 64mg; 7/29/23 Bup 62mg; 8/12/23 Bup 59mg; 9/2/23 Bup 56mg 10/1/23 Bup 52mg; 11/4/23 Bup 46mg; 12/9/23 40mg; 1/13/24 35mg; 2/24/24 30mg

Other meds, supplements & previous tapers:

buspirone  plan to taper off after bupropion taper

citalopram -20mg/day. Tapered from 40mg to 20mg using Brassmonkey Slide Method of Micro-Tapering 

clonazepam Tapered too fast - horrible withdrawal. 

Vitamins D3, C , multivitamin and Fish oil

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