Having difficult time believing it's the withdrawal

neogbf · 05-29-2005, 02:33 PM

I began weaning myself off of Celexa Friday a week ago (that's 9 days ago). My mood has gone from fine to just crap, total crap. I feel horrible, I have trouble moving, talking, thinking, I want to kill myself, I don't believe this is going to work... etc. I'm sure you all know the drill.

How can this possibly be the withdrawal? It just feels too real.

elisa · 05-29-2005, 02:41 PM

neogbf, it is Celexa withdrawl....

Read numerous posts on Celexa withdrawl..... equally as horrific as Paxil..... that website www.cmha.org changed its layout and haven't been able to find these postings anymore....

Did you taper that fast??? If so, you might want to go back on and taper more slowly, just like Paxil.

neogbf · 05-29-2005, 09:39 PM

Well I ended up taking an Ativan and it completely knocked out all the dysphoria, nervousness, anxiety and suicidal ideations. Really makes me think serotonin was never the problem with me in the first hand.

I'm going to start looking at stuff like Taurine, which is said to work on GABA much like the benzos. Might help with the withdrawal and perhaps beyond!

Elisa, I technically went from 20 mg to 10 mg a little over a week ago. Now I'm thinking going cold turkey, or perhaps very quickly 5 mg then 2.5 mg and then nothing.

damama · 05-29-2005, 09:52 PM

neo, sorry to hear you're having such a rough go of things with coming off of celexa. What you're experiencing definitely sounds like withdrawal. I was one of the lucky ones when I had to come off celexa a few years ago when I found out I was pregnant. The only withdrawal I had from celexa were head zaps and slightly more intense emotions, but that's about it. My advice would be to come off more slowly. Perhaps you should go up to 15mg and then drop 5mg every few weeks or so. Why put yourself through such hell when you don't have to? Take care and best of luck!

elisa · 05-29-2005, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neogbf

Well I ended up taking an Ativan and it completely knocked out all the dysphoria, nervousness, anxiety and suicidal ideations. Really makes me think serotonin was never the problem with me in the first hand.

I'm going to start looking at stuff like Taurine, which is said to work on GABA much like the benzos. Might help with the withdrawal and perhaps beyond!

Elisa, I technically went from 20 mg to 10 mg a little over a week ago. Now I'm thinking going cold turkey, or perhaps very quickly 5 mg then 2.5 mg and then nothing.

Well..... Ativan supresses the side-effects of Celexa withdrawl. You never had a serotonin problem. That imbalance theory was promoted by the drug companies and psychiatry.

Quite a few of us antidepressant takers who have side-effects while on these drugs, end up taking a benzo in addition to the AD.

Yeah, the drop was far too much.... Slow taper is the best and give it 3-4 weeks in between each taper. It's your decision though.

scotty · 05-29-2005, 10:25 PM

While I don't know much about Celexa, weaning to fast is such a temptation when your feeling so bad. Realize that rapid tapering can make things worse. A reasonable wean is a much safer way to go. I think we have to learn more about celexa here since so many are coming off it! The reality is that they all have basically the same end result, so using paxil withdrawal as the guideline is probably the best way to go.

Delynbetter · 05-29-2005, 10:32 PM

Pogo, it truly sounded as if my PCP had never dealt with any withdrawal from Paxil. I left a message asking for a tapering schedule and was returned a message saying, "She's trying to figure out how to do this." My husband certainly didn't know anything about it and I still believe to a point he doesn't believe it all.

Doesn't matter. I give him a new stack of papers to read through every evening to keep him occupied. One day he will figure out that I didn't compose them and maybe there is something going on here.

scotty · 05-29-2005, 10:36 PM

"She's trying to figure out how to do this."

Have her come here and we can save her all that energy!! You have to give her credit though, at least she admitted she had NO CLUE!!!

05-29-2005, 02:33 PM	#1
neogbf Join Date: May 2005 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 67	Having difficult time believing it's the withdrawal I began weaning myself off of Celexa Friday a week ago (that's 9 days ago). My mood has gone from fine to just crap, total crap. I feel horrible, I have trouble moving, talking, thinking, I want to kill myself, I don't believe this is going to work... etc. I'm sure you all know the drill. How can this possibly be the withdrawal? It just feels too real.

05-29-2005, 02:41 PM	#2
elisa Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 11,509	Re: Having difficult time believing it's the withdrawal neogbf, it is Celexa withdrawl.... Read numerous posts on Celexa withdrawl..... equally as horrific as Paxil..... that website www.cmha.org changed its layout and haven't been able to find these postings anymore.... Did you taper that fast??? If so, you might want to go back on and taper more slowly, just like Paxil. __________________ On A/D's since 1995, switching due to side-effects on 30 different brands of TCA's, SSRI's, SNRI's, Antipsychotics, Benzo's & Imovane. 6 ECT's. Tapering from 225 mg Effexor XR May 17, 2004. (Equiv. to 60 mg Paxil) Last taper Effexor XR Jan 17, 2006 down to ZERO. Currently protracted withdrawal. Sept 2006: 25 mg Doxepin. March 13/09: 10 mg Desipramine

05-29-2005, 09:39 PM	#3
neogbf Join Date: May 2005 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 67	Re: Having difficult time believing it's the withdrawal Well I ended up taking an Ativan and it completely knocked out all the dysphoria, nervousness, anxiety and suicidal ideations. Really makes me think serotonin was never the problem with me in the first hand. I'm going to start looking at stuff like Taurine, which is said to work on GABA much like the benzos. Might help with the withdrawal and perhaps beyond! Elisa, I technically went from 20 mg to 10 mg a little over a week ago. Now I'm thinking going cold turkey, or perhaps very quickly 5 mg then 2.5 mg and then nothing.

05-29-2005, 09:52 PM	#4
damama Join Date: May 2005 Location: California Posts: 464	Re: Having difficult time believing it's the withdrawal neo, sorry to hear you're having such a rough go of things with coming off of celexa. What you're experiencing definitely sounds like withdrawal. I was one of the lucky ones when I had to come off celexa a few years ago when I found out I was pregnant. The only withdrawal I had from celexa were head zaps and slightly more intense emotions, but that's about it. My advice would be to come off more slowly. Perhaps you should go up to 15mg and then drop 5mg every few weeks or so. Why put yourself through such hell when you don't have to? Take care and best of luck! __________________ -12/30/05 switched from 10mg generic paxil to 10mg generic celexa

05-29-2005, 10:25 PM	#6
scotty Administrator & Advocate Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: new jersey Posts: 38,590	Re: Having difficult time believing it's the withdrawal While I don't know much about Celexa, weaning to fast is such a temptation when your feeling so bad. Realize that rapid tapering can make things worse. A reasonable wean is a much safer way to go. I think we have to learn more about celexa here since so many are coming off it! The reality is that they all have basically the same end result, so using paxil withdrawal as the guideline is probably the best way to go. __________________ AKA Laurie "If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere." ~Frank A. Clark

05-29-2005, 10:32 PM	#8
Delynbetter Join Date: May 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 10,518	Re: Having difficult time believing it's the withdrawal Pogo, it truly sounded as if my PCP had never dealt with any withdrawal from Paxil. I left a message asking for a tapering schedule and was returned a message saying, "She's trying to figure out how to do this." My husband certainly didn't know anything about it and I still believe to a point he doesn't believe it all. Doesn't matter. I give him a new stack of papers to read through every evening to keep him occupied. One day he will figure out that I didn't compose them and maybe there is something going on here.

05-29-2005, 10:36 PM	#9
scotty Administrator & Advocate Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: new jersey Posts: 38,590	Re: Having difficult time believing it's the withdrawal "She's trying to figure out how to do this." Have her come here and we can save her all that energy!! You have to give her credit though, at least she admitted she had NO CLUE!!! __________________ AKA Laurie "If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere." ~Frank A. Clark

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