beans tapering off celexa

[beans]

I started tapering off celexa last week by making a 25% dry cut. As the week progressed, I felt more uncomfortable. Emotional, hyper, unable to sleep. So reading through this site, I reinstated almost the full dose, 20 mg. Maybe I'm at 18 mg. Felt better within an hour, the clamp was off my head. If this tapering has to be long, then it is what it is. Better safe than long term syndrome effects.

 

I'm going to try dissolving the pill in water to get a more exact dose while tapering. Maybe ora-plus if compounding pharms think it will work.

[Altostrata]

Welcome, beans.

 

Well, you've done your reading! I call that a plan.

 

Here are the general instructions for making a liquid http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2693-how-to-make-a-liquid-from-tablets-or-capsules/

 

Please post in this Intro topic of yours and let us know how you're doing.

[Nikki]

Hi Beans

 

I am tapering Celexa too. Good move. You felt the WD and you went back up. All during tapers so many of us have to do that.

 

Nikki

[Jemima]

Welcome to the forum, Beans. You'll find lots of solid information and friendly support here. When you have a chance, please add your drug history to the signature area of your profile, like so:

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/893-please-put-your-withdrawal-history-in-your-signature/

 

This will help the rest of us understand your background and offer more on-target advice.

 

Your Intro topic is a sort of journal which not only keeps the rest of us up to speed, it can serve as a way of looking back to see how far you've come. I've found mine very useful for that, especially at times when I feel discouraged. Please continue to post here by scrolling to the bottom of the page and clicking on "Add Reply".

[beans]

Hi Beans

 

I am tapering Celexa too. Good move. You felt the WD and you went back up. All during tapers so many of us have to do that.

 

Nikki

 

Thanks for the cheers Nikki. I was not sure that was the right thing to do, so I appreciate the feedback.

[beans]

Welcome, beans.

 

Well, you've done your reading! I call that a plan.

 

Here are the general instructions for making a liquid http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2693-how-to-make-a-liquid-from-tablets-or-capsules/

 

Please post in this Intro topic of yours and let us know how you're doing.

 

Thank you for the helpful information and links. I'm feeling much more confident about this undertaking.

[beans]

Woke up with a racing heart and panicy dream. not nightmare. Wonder if I should take full dose for a while before I taper?

[Altostrata]

Yes, stabilize at least for a few weeks.

[Nikki]

When I first tried to taper Paxil and was a wreck, I went back on a full dose and felt better right away.

 

When I tried to taper Lexapro a few time, same thing. And when I first tried to taper Celexa, you got it, I went back on the full dose.

 

It's so important to try and feel better in between these tapers.

 

Hugs

[beans]

Yes, helpful advice Nikki. Call me chicken, but I'm going to take my sweet time getting off this stuff.

[areyouthere]

Yes, helpful advice Nikki. Call me chicken, but I'm going to take my sweet time getting off this stuff.

 

That's the ticket Beans. Welcome to the Freedom Train. It's slow but the scenery is great!!! RU

[tezza]

Yes, helpful advice Nikki. Call me chicken, but I'm going to take my sweet time getting off this stuff.

 

 

I call you wise. Welcome to the forum! Slow is definitely the wisest choice.

[beans]

Thanks tezze & ru, 'the freedom train' I like it. Just get on and ride.

I'm back to full dose, 20 mg, until I feel more relaxed to start again.

 

I have a tapering question, i'll post here also,

I'm wondering about breaking the dosage into 3 throughout the day, so the 1/2 life is not so tough.

 

Any opinion/experience with that?

[strawberry17]

Beans you are incredibly wise and have done your research! I've taken 4+ years to taper down, it's the only way to do it with minimal side effects. Think of the tortoise and the hare. Answered your question about the splitting in the tapering forum.

[beans]

Hi Strawberry & anyone tapering is welcome to answer,

 

Just wondering,

 

Do you feel that you can taper slow enough that you feel no symptoms at all? Is that the goal?

 

Basically, how much discomfort is the norm?

 

cheers,

beans

[Skyler]

Do you feel that you can taper slow enough that you feel no symptoms at all? Is that the goal?

Absolutely, none is best!

 

Basically, how much discomfort is the norm?

Depends on the person tapering, there are many variables. I found a forum to help before neuro sensitization developed, and tapered from 3.5 mgs klonopin. I am now at .4 mgs. diazepam (used a cross taper, not supported by this site). Until I ran afoul of cross over side effects from Lyrica at 1.25 mgs d., I stayed below the WD radar by cutting 10% of the previous dose, one month hold.

[laineyk]

Skyler question, diazepam did not help with the klonopin taper? I dont want to be on klonopin forever but this is the longest I have ever been on it (9 months)

 

Beans, you were on 2 mgs of klonopin for 10 years? along with celexa? wow. I always was able to get off the klonopin once the zoloft kicked in (been on and off multiple times) question is how much klonopin are you taking now?

 

are you trying to taper from both celexa & klonopin at the same time?

[Skyler]

Please ignore the empty post.. <br><br>Sigh..<br>

[Skyler]

Skyler question, diazepam did not help with the klonopin taper? I dont want to be on klonopin forever but this is the longest I have ever been on it (9 months)

Beans, you were on 2 mgs of klonopin for 10 years?

Lainey, I was on 1 to 2 mgs of klonopin for 22 sorry years.

 

I tapered off by substituting the equivalence of klonopin for diazepam using the cross taper method developed by Heather Ashton. About 10% of people who do this (this is a rough guess), have problems, so this site does not recommend substitution. I found diazepam no easier to taper than klonopin, and the advantages are of convenience. Diazepam decimals are easier to calculate at lower doses, tablets can be used longer as they come in smaller doses, and the longer half life of diazepam permits once a day dosing. It should be remembered the cross taper itself may be bumpy, and not everyone can tolerate diazepam.

 

You may want to read this on addiction and dependence.

 

I'm will post this info in the sub forum for future reference! Lainey, you might want to do some more reading here.

 

Skyler

[strawberry17]

Beans to answer your question - absolutely yes it is possible to taper slow enough that you don't feel much withdrawal, for me my taper has been so slow my withdrawals have been really benign, it's only since I got to the last bit, 4mg of Prozac, that I've struggled, but that doesn't mean that would be the case for you.

However I can only comment about tapering SSRI's I have no experience of tapering benzos or other psych drugs.

Like you, before I found places like these forums, I struggled with cold turkeys and too fast withdrawals off zoloft/sertraline, many times and failed many times.

[beans]

Thanks strawberry, Skyler & laineyk for your answers. Sorry I missed your messages when you posted them.

 

Today is my second day of my new (and LAST?) taper. liquid citalapram. I cut about 5%. I'll hold that for a while and see how it feels. I'm very happy to be tapering with contact to people who are further along than me.

 

laineyk,

In answer to your questions- yup -ten years- Klonopin .25 mg - 2mg. Now i'm taking .01 mg ! yippee! I never missed it. [sort of tapering at the same time - not fully]

 

I sure hope that citalopram is the same. hope! hope!

 

time will tell

[flower]

Beans good luck with the taper...there's a few of us here tapering Celexa,it's good to have this in common with someone else.

[strawberry17]

Yes well done Beans for taking it steady, hopefully the cut will be small enough that you don't notice anything.

[beans]

Thank you, thank you flower and strawberry,

 

These first newbie steps are very uncertain for me and I appreciate the camaraderie & feedback.

 

I'm off to the library for Joseph Glenmullen's book 'The Antidepressant Solution'. I've got so many questions about this withdrawal.

 

The biggest fear is that I'll be depressed again. But the fact is that I'm not in a "healed" state of mind. Me on SSRI does not equal jovial. In other words, this stuff was not the cure. And more importantly, could it be hindering ultimate healing?

 

The responsibility is on me to choose to change this status quo.

 

buckle up

[strawberry17]

The book by Joseph Glenmullen was my lightbulb moment about 7 years ago, however the examples in the book all go quite fast I think so don't read and feel pressured into thinking it will go that fast for you, it may, or it may not, but the principles of what he's saying and the information were a total revelation to me.

[beans]

The book by Joseph Glenmullen was my lightbulb moment about 7 years ago, however the examples in the book all go quite fast I think so don't read and feel pressured into thinking it will go that fast for you, it may, or it may not, but the principles of what he's saying and the information were a total revelation to me.

 

Thanks & I will keep that in mind while I read. My plan = slow & steady.

 

If there are other books you've found helpful - please pass on the title.

 

beans

[strawberry17]

I think if you look in "In the Media" on here you will find lots of book recommendations.

[beans]

Week one at 5 % cut: Trouble falling and staying asleep. Dizzy for 5 hours one day only - I thought it was an inner ear problem, took a decongestant. It hasn't happened again. Tinnitus is mild+.

 

Reading Glenmullen's "The Antidepressant solution". Favorite line so far, pg. 70 "The subjectivity of psychiatric diagnoses makes them vulnerable to commericial exploitation."

 

Not saying I feel exploited. But it is interesting how business and healthcare get tangled, which may slow the progress potential of healing sciences.

[Altostrata]

It may have been too soon to make a cut, you may wish to hold off on the taper.

[beans]

Thanks Altostrata. I'm okay, the sleep issues are not extreme, just very different. I wake very easily and frequently all, but I am getting sleep, so can't complain. No nightmares, no anxiety, just an alertness or caffeinated feeling.

 

I expect to be reaching a peak (?) with symptoms, (since it's been 6 days at 5% cut) and then a dropping away. At that point I will hold for a couple weeks? Assuming all goes as planned?

 

I wondered about something I read in "The Antidepressant Solution", that not only should one not go too fast, but one shouldn't go too slow. He only said it once, and did not elaborate.

 

Is there any reason that you would see not to go too slow?

Are there any dangers in going very slow?

 

Thanks for your help,

beans

[tezza]

Hi beans,

 

There is more danger in fast tapering than slow. No, I don't think there is any danger in going extremely slow.

 

Here's a link that talks about this subject:

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2364-the-slownhttp://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/3928-these-are-awesome-for-anxiety-sleeplessness-etcvery-calming/page__pid__45661#entry45661ess-of-slow-tapers/

 

Going slow gives your brain time to 'catch up' and adjust to not having the med.

 

Tezza

[beans]

Wow, thanks tezza for that link. What a contrast to Glenmullen who said 6 months is "excruciatingly slow". I got a lot from the book but I've got a lot more reading to do to get a grip on this phenomenon.

 

 

I slept solid last night. Symptoms subsided for this cut? hope so.

[tezza]

Symptoms may be easing up but if it were me, I'd still wait a bit longer before tapering again. Sometimes we have 'good windows', so I would play it safe.

[beans]

Thanks tezza,

I was thinking cutting once a month to start. Then shorten the time if things are easy. sound too cautious?

[Altostrata]

Glenmullen recommends adjusting tapers to minimize symptoms. I find it more meaningful that in The Antidepressant Solution he states a taper should be virtually symptom-free.

[beans]

Altostrata

Okay, thanks for the feedback. I am curious whether there is any reason to be cautious of going too slow.