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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by 4ed on April 15, 2009, at 13:00:52
Well, i've visited this site time and again, have a lot to share but right now seeking a "non-professional" opinion... i'm kind of on an anti-med craze, tapering off of valium with doctor' approval. Having a love-hate relationship with SSRI's (mostly hate), I've cut out my Celexa (without docs approval). He previously said it was probably giving me a subtle effect I could not notice, but I dont like subtle - to me it works or it doesnt and after about 4-5 years on various pychotherapeutics, I know SSRI's to be pretty worthless in my case (depressed social-phobic).
I stopped celexa slowly, not really a taper-- I switched to 20mg every other day, then half prn every time I got zappy & dizzy. I believe now that the WD has peaked, still feeling head spins on and off, slight depression, moodiness, definite social anxiety (the last two are probably valium WD's.) I really want to get this over with, I know the valium taper has got to be really slow. But should I be so concerned about the celexa? I'm really torn between going back to 10mgs per day, or just paying the price now so as not to pay later... like if I had a job and responsibilities - right now is my last chance to get through these life-distrupting events while I still can.
Posted by 4ed on April 15, 2009, at 22:27:48
In reply to Celexa semi-cold turkey - confused!, posted by 4ed on April 15, 2009, at 13:00:52
I think this thread is going to end up being an auto-biography, as I don't see much activity in these parts and this is a fairly subjective, perhaps somewhat existential question I'm proposing (to white knuckle it or slow taper). Tomorrow I'm going to take 10-20mgs of Celexa. The brain spins, zaps -whatever- are getting really annoying, I thought such physical symptoms would be easier to deal with, but jeez, what an uncomfortable and unrelenting onslaught.. whoosh - whoosh - whoosh all day long... really sux.
Posted by roxy32 on May 7, 2009, at 22:54:03
In reply to Celexa semi-cold turkey - confused!, posted by 4ed on April 15, 2009, at 13:00:52
> Well, i've visited this site time and again, have a lot to share but right now seeking a "non-professional" opinion... i'm kind of on an anti-med craze, tapering off of valium with doctor' approval. Having a love-hate relationship with SSRI's (mostly hate), I've cut out my Celexa (without docs approval). He previously said it was probably giving me a subtle effect I could not notice, but I dont like subtle - to me it works or it doesnt and after about 4-5 years on various pychotherapeutics, I know SSRI's to be pretty worthless in my case (depressed social-phobic).
>
> I stopped celexa slowly, not really a taper-- I switched to 20mg every other day, then half prn every time I got zappy & dizzy. I believe now that the WD has peaked, still feeling head spins on and off, slight depression, moodiness, definite social anxiety (the last two are probably valium WD's.) I really want to get this over with, I know the valium taper has got to be really slow. But should I be so concerned about the celexa? I'm really torn between going back to 10mgs per day, or just paying the price now so as not to pay later... like if I had a job and responsibilities - right now is my last chance to get through these life-distrupting events while I still can.I successfully tapered from Celexa and Klonopin. I used Valium to taper off of the klonopin, but did not try to taper them both at the same time. First the klonopin, which took a few months, and I switched to 5 mg valium to help. I can honestly say it was so easy. I still had to taper the celexa, so I took the advice of my Nurse Practitioner, in which she suggested I taper off the celexa once I had been off the valium for 1 month. I was taking 20mg /day. I broke in half after 2 weeks(10mg /day). Then broke the half into another half 2 weeks after that. I was then down to 5mg/day. I took the 5 for 2 weeks and then just stopped. I know what you feel like with all the crazy head dizzies, but when you do it like this it makes a huge difference. Another is to get off the valium first, wait 1 month, then start to taper the celexa. I feel like a new person.! Good luck, hope this helped
Posted by 4ed on May 13, 2009, at 13:01:43
In reply to Re: Celexa semi-cold turkey - confused! » 4ed, posted by roxy32 on May 7, 2009, at 22:54:03
>
> I successfully tapered from Celexa and Klonopin. I used Valium to taper off of the klonopin, but did not try to taper them both at the same time. First the klonopin, which took a few months, and I switched to 5 mg valium to help. I can honestly say it was so easy. I still had to taper the celexa, so I took the advice of my Nurse Practitioner, in which she suggested I taper off the celexa once I had been off the valium for 1 month. I was taking 20mg /day. I broke in half after 2 weeks(10mg /day). Then broke the half into another half 2 weeks after that. I was then down to 5mg/day. I took the 5 for 2 weeks and then just stopped. I know what you feel like with all the crazy head dizzies, but when you do it like this it makes a huge difference. Another is to get off the valium first, wait 1 month, then start to taper the celexa. I feel like a new person.! Good luck, hope this helpedThanks for your post :) I've been doing better after going back to 10mg Celexa per day. It seems some people have success with simple and relatively fast tapering where others are very sensitive. Stepping down on valium was harder the first few cuts, but has been barely noticeable now that I am down to only 2.5 mg per day. I'm only cutting 10% per 1-2 weeks. I suppose I am lucky to be going off of drugs which aren't so problematic as far as withdrawals go -- that is if you go slowly enough.
Posted by Gmill on July 13, 2009, at 20:20:26
In reply to Celexa semi-cold turkey - confused!, posted by 4ed on April 15, 2009, at 13:00:52
I am with you on this one! Being on Lexapro have the exact electric pulses after about day 3 of quitting and end up going back. Let me know if you finnaly pushed through them or ended up going back on Celexa. I think that a very slow taper would be helpful the next time I decide to quit but yes it does effect all aspects of everyday activities as well as driving. Everytime I would turn my head to look in a direction I would get about 3-4 electrical zaps. I hate it!
Posted by 4ed on August 5, 2009, at 15:30:48
In reply to Re: Celexa semi-cold turkey - confused!, posted by Gmill on July 13, 2009, at 20:20:26
I managed to stop taking Celexa by cutting down to half for about a month, then progressively shaving off a tiny amount of my daily dose until I was down to a small crumb. That took about 2-3 weeks. No brain zaps this time!
Posted by ross2009 on October 2, 2009, at 11:08:39
In reply to Re: Celexa semi-cold turkey - confused! » Gmill, posted by 4ed on August 5, 2009, at 15:30:48
good on you man. congratulations.
This is the end of the thread.
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