celexa withdrawal cold turkey .. I'm in hell

[nhagerty74]

I started Celexa for "mild" anxiety and stress back in November.  It gave me increased nervousness and anxiety from the start, but I decided to "tough it out" like so many people told me I should do and give it a chance to work.  I only took it for 2 months.  The anxiety that the drug caused seemed like it started to get better and then just hit me with panic attacks and crying spells that I did not have before taking this drug.  I started on 20mg and only tolerated that for a few days and then dropped to 10mg for the remainder of the time I was on it.  I only took 5mg for about the last few days I was on it.  Anyways, my Dr. told me to just stop taking it, no taper.... and I was out of the med at that point also.  That was 3 weeks ago.  About 5 days after stopping, all hell broke loose in my mind/body.  Here is what I'm experiencing:  CONSTANT ANXIETY and nervousness, uncontrollable crying and feeling depressed, dry mouth, no appetite, diarrhea, can't concentrate.  I also had a cold right after I stopped it, but that went away.  I have xanax that was given to me to help while I "adjusted" to the drug in the first place.  I went to the ER yesterday morning because I couldn't take it anymore and they did nothing for me.  The Dr. told me that there was no magic pill that was going to fix this at this point and that I should take .5mg xanax 3 times a day for now.  The anxiety and crying are so bad in the morning sometimes that I can barely function and get out of bed.  I had a couple of days where I thought I felt some improvement, but it was short lived.  A pyschiatrist at the hospital told the Dr. I dealt with he believes since I didn't tolerate the drug well to begin with, then quit cold turkey, and also I take Protonix which they said made the drug stay in me longer than normal is causing this, but offered no solution/time frame.  I'm very sensitive to most drugs I've ever taken also.  I don't want another to put another antidepressant in my body.  Will this end?  I'm so scared of how I feel right now.   I feel extremely hopeless.

[nhagerty74]

How would going back on it help when it gave me anxiety while on it?

[Paxiled]

This is why you don't do this with a GP, only with a psychiatrist, and only one who seems to know about these meds.  First of all, for mild problems, these drugs are too problematic -- better to try therapy first and see if you can solve the problem.  Second, there is a magic pill -- you go back on the Celexa and taper off more slowly.  Given you were only on it two months, that will probably be all you need should you decide to go that route -- you can decide to tough it out, but the recommended protocol is to taper on and taper off as slowly as suits you.  As for the Xanax, keep in mind this is an addictive drug and a short-acting drug, so don't take it for very long at that recommendation -- it's usually only recommended as needed.  I will tell you, if it were me from what I've learned the hard way, I'd go back on the Celexa and do a slow taper to prevent a long withdrawal, but again, since you weren't on it very long you should be fine either way.

[flip0415]

U sound like a strong person, have to go through that on a daily basis. Hopefully ur G.P. Will find u the right therapy or medication the will suit u and will help you. My anxiety has came back after being for of it for a year without any medication. It scaring me, I just wanna be like I use to be without these feelings or feeling like this. Their feelings you can never get use to. I have only just joined this an am hoping to people can help with advice and how they deal with the anxiety.