Celexa withdrawal

[srolli00]

I have been experiencing dizziness/lightheadness, nauseousness, and extreme headaches for the past several days since I stopped taking celexa. I was taking 40 mg but was sleeping 12 hours a day which I thought was due to the medication so I started taking half of the pill. I saw no improvements over several weeks and I figured the costs outweighed the benefits. So I started taking 1/4 of the pill for around a week and then quit all together. The withdrawal is driving me crazy and I'm wondering if there is anything I can do to ease this transition. I still have the medication but don't know whether or not I should take a small dose or if that will only make matters worse.

[srolli00]

Ok, thank you for the advice. I just didn't want to start taking the medicine again only to have to go through the withdrawals again! I actually do not have health insurance so am trying to figure this on my own. I was prescribed the medication through my university and now that I have graduated have no one to seek advice from. I still have a full years worth of refills though.

[mjbrown]

It sounds like you need to do a slower tapering. It is best to do this under the supervision of your doctor. Taking the medication should get rid of the withdrawal effects. You can try taking 1/4 of a pill, and if that takes care of the withdrawal effects, start slowly tapering from there. Your doctor can give you pills of a smaller dose that you can then split in half, then in quarters, etc.