Getting off Celexa

[linlucas]

Hello,

I'm a 30 year old women who has been on Celexa for 8 years. I've been dealing with anxiety since I was a young girl, had my first panic attack as a teen. I decided after talking to my doctor to get off the medication because it wasn't helping I found I just stayed on it because I was so afraid to get off. Its been a month I've been off the medication. The first 4 days I had a bad cold other than the shakes the first day I was fine. 6 days after not being on it the irritability kicked in. I felt very angry. One postivie thing I noticed was I didn't feel sick all the time like I did before which I realized was from the celexa. By a week and a half my anxiety was highten so I took two lorzepam .5 within that following week. I felt very distant because of my awful mood but chalked it up to my time of the month because I get very angry when that comes. I don't get a period but even though I don't I still go through all the emotional aspects of having one. Its been 2 weeks since than and for 2 days I felt better like things were looking up but the last week and a half have been hell. Especially the last 5 days. 5 nights ago I felt anxious beyond what I have felt in forever I would have to say since my break down 8 years ago when I went on celexa. It hit me hard the panic attack 5 nights ago so I took a lorzepam and struggled through it not to go to the emergency room because that is all I had in my head to do. I felt as I normally do in these major panic attacks like I was losing my mind. 5 out of the 4 days I've had to take .5 lorazepam to just make it through the day. I usually take it later in the day though because I don't want to have to use it as a crutch. I feel I need to learn to cope on my own but I really don't think I can do it. Is it suppose to be this hard? After a month I feel I should be getting better but I feel I'm getting worse. In one hand I feel healthier than I did because I don't feel so sick physically and more alert but feeling like I have no control over my emotions and like at any point I'm going lose my mind is scaring me.  Has anyone had any of these same experience? Is this normal? Will it get better or should I stop kidding myself that I can live my life without medication and just get back on something to balance me out? I was suppose to see my doctor 2 weeks ago but he cancelled on me and than I find out he is on holidays till end of the month that they will let me know in June when I can get into see him. I feel lost like I should just throw in the towel and come to terms with I need medication and will for the rest of my life.  Thanks for reading I do look forward to hearing back on this topic.

[marcg]

I've been reading a lot lately about Celexa withdrawal and a lot of people complain that it's a long and hard process.  For example, this thread has over a thousand posts: http://www.topix.com/forum/drug/celexa/THBFA026RD5MGCCB1.  Finding it long and hard is definitely the norm, not the exception!

Also, you said that the anxiety was high, even with the Celexa?  That might indicate that your withdrawal symptoms are making things worse but that you have another underlying problem to take care of?  I know it's the case for me.  I have a hard time figuring out how much of it is the withdrawal symptoms and how much is due to just being anxious about my other problems.  In the end, I guess it does not really matter as the best thing to do is probably to wait for the withdrawal symptoms to wear off and continue to work with my psychologist on the other stuff.  Easier said than done...  ;)

[linlucas]

The thing is I use to get off my medication when I was younger cold turkey even Celexa at one point and it never affected me. But at the same time I was never on any medication for as long as I've been on Celexa this time around. I too am generalized anxiety disorder the panic attacks are not often at all I can go years without having one. I can have high point but when I was on Celexa I learnt through my pregnancy with my son to control them. The last year and half though it was becoming to overwhelming and the anxiety even with the Celexa was higher than should have been. We tried through the year and a half going from different dosages of the medication nothing helped. I was at one point on colorzepam twice throughout tthe last 8 years and getting off that medication was awful but it only ever lasted a week of withdrawal affects. This is why with my psychiatrist help decided to let go of the Celexa and try it on my own with therapy. I was interested in seeing what I was like sober. I knew it was going be hard , but now going through it and it being a month now it just feels like its dragging out. I feel like its a struggle each day to just get through. I worry about the next attack I'm going to have and if I am going to make it through it. But I'm making it and really hoping to see the light at the end of tunnel sooner than later. Another thing I've noticed is as much as I'm feeling things so much deeply than I have in so long that I don't remember feeling this way. But with that I feel nothing in the same sense I'm blah in everyday life things that brought me joy which in honesty wasn't much doesn't anymore I just go through the motions. So I guess in a month time I will see where I am it I'm any better or if I'm the same or worse and at that time with my psychiatrist we will look into the next step to take. I'm just praying that I will get better and I will be able to go forward in my life with knowing I can do it without being on medication everyday. Best of luck to you on your journey if at any point you need some advice I will try my best. It's not easy but I do believe in my heart at the end it will be well worth everything I've gone through in the end to have a clear mind and body.

[marcg]

I really see a lot of myself in your post...  I'm a 35yo male also gradually coming of Celexa after about 8 years on the drug.  It got to a point where I felt the side-effects might have been worse than the good stuff.  I'm now down to 10mg, down from 40mg three months ago.

Like you, lately, I've been a LOT more anxious although I don't really have panic attacks (I'm more of a generalized anxiety disorder kinda guy).  I honestly think that, for me, the surge of anxiety is mostly withdrawal symptoms.  After all, my brain is used to be on Celexa.  However, the anxiety is still really uncomfortable.

I guess I just want to say that I can relate.  Paxiled's advice to go more gradually might be something to look into.

Thank you for posting, I take comfort in knowing that someone else is good through something similar to me.

[linlucas]

Thank you everyone for the response. I have been starting to go for walks in the morning after putting my son on the bus to just get outkof the house and keep my mind busy. I have found this has helped. I will go read also from the post about her own experiences I am very interested in seeing anything that would be in common on our adventures. Lastly to the last post, I tapered off within a month I went from 30 mg to 20 for two weeks than 10 mg for two weeks than I got off of them. I know I did it quick but my psychiatrist (doctor) said a month be more than enough time but if I wanted longer to do so. I personally thought a month be OK that either way in the end this was going be a hard situation no matter what. Do I feel how I did before meds was so long ago I was able toccope so no not this anxious but I've always been extremely anxious. I feel like I did after I took my major panic attack that caused my breakdown and lead to me going on celexa 8 years ago. Again I have not done no therapy till last few months and in their talking to my psychiatrist coming to realize that SSRI were not working for me because in regards to past medication I've tried to the celexa I was on. I'd just like to know if this is all normal feeling this way having such a difficult time? Or is it time to go back see my psychiatrist and talk about a medication to start. I guess I'm just trying to see that others out there made it through similar situations and to keep in my head it will get better , its just so hard to see that right now when it feels like at any point I'm going lose my mind. Thanks again everyone also I'm going to go read your story blucrystal.

[Paxiled]

The first question is, did you taper slowly off the Celexa or quit abruptly?  Everything you describe is consistent with the withdrawal most get when they go off these antidepressants that target serotonin.  So the second question is, is what you're feeling now consistent with how you felt before going on Celexa or is this different?  Do you have very different emotional and physiological symptoms?  That would indicate withdrawal.  You have to come off these meds as slowly as necessary, particularly when you've been on them a long time.  It takes the brain a while to relearn how to function normally, and the dormant serotonin receptors that the brain felt it didn't need due to the artificial action of the Celexa are waking up.  These meds also affect choline, which also affects brain function.  Everyone has a different experience coming off these meds -- for some it's easy, for others it's a little hard, for others it's very hard, for a few it's virtually impossible.  That's why it's important to come off them the right way, and if this is a primary care physician and not a very experienced and curious and caring psychiatrist he or she probably doesn't know much about this part of medication.  Most psychiatrists don't either.  So, either this is new stuff which means suspect withdrawal, or it's just the old stuff coming back because you never worked it out in therapy -- which is very common even for those who do therapy.  It's hard.  Hope you sort it out.  If you do determine it's withdrawal, you can either stick it out and hope it ends quickly, or go back on the med at the last dose at which you felt fine and taper off more slowly.  Good luck.

[BluCrystal]

Yes, I have felt the same, and no, it is absolutely NOT supposed to be this hard.  Please go to my page and read my journal entry called 'my psych ward story'.  It's long, but well worth your time, as I feel that it will help you 'see' what is going on from another point of view.  Let me know what you think!  Blessings - Blu

[t0mr]

That is aweful that Celexa is making you physically sick.  If I were you I would try to go clean without medication as long as I could.  Try to do some kind of light cardio to build your body up.  Walk or jog lightly everyday or everyother day if you can and see if that helps.  And really relax when you can.  Chest pain is a scary thing, but knowing you have exercised and can exercise is a comforting thought.  But if these drugs are not helping you then it should be a simple decision what to do.  

Also, the wait to go see your primary doctor can be ridiculous.  That is something I have experienced far too often.