894 replies to this topic

[invalidusername]

Found a flight for £280 to Miami or Tampa?! 9 hours though... that's a lot of Xanax

[KathyInFL]

9 hours?? yikes... that is one slow plane! Fly to Miami, Tampa is a long drive from here. 

[invalidusername]

Seems fairly standard from Gatwick... maybe for the cheaper flights you get the slower planes?!

[invalidusername]

The news is in people. I'm switching back to Citalopram.

 

Around 2 hours ago - in the middle of working - I was in a good frame of mind and then dizziness/shakes set in. Not anxiety, not blood pressure, not blood sugar levels, not dehydration - what else can it possibly be? This stuff keeps happening at various times in the first 8 hours of the day. After that it calms down. I never had all this rubbish go on before all the switching. 

 

Been on Lexapro for a little over 4 months, and topped up with Citalopram 7 weeks ago. 

 

I am keeping the dose the same which means 30mg Citalopram. Given that I have had 10mg in my system for 7 weeks, I am hoping it will settle a little quicker. Not sure if I should do 20mg Cit with 5mg Lex for a few days, or just take the plunge with 30mg Cit tomorrow.

 

Thoughts appreciated.... thank you.

[fishinghat]

You have been on the Cit long enough to just go ahead and take the plunge. Just my opinion.

[invalidusername]

Thanks for input Hat. I share your opinion.

 

Might be tough for a few days, but nothing I cannot deal with given the last 6 months!!

[gail]

Plunge Scrat!

[invalidusername]

Thanks Gail - plunge it is!

 

Apologies in advance if I'm not too cheerful over the next few days, but I'll do my best

[invalidusername]

A week off the Lexapro and straight onto 30mg Citalopram...

 

The first couple of days were OK - still a little dizzy, but perfectly bearable. Days 3-4 I started noticing some anxiety setting in quite quickly, but the dizziness was easing. Day 5 the dizziness had gone, although there is now plenty of brain fog. Yesterday, anxiety got worse still - I woke up after hardly any sleep and felt rotten.

 

Today I have again woke up after very little sleep and felt almost paranoid - the anxiety is crippling. Today marks the point at which the Lexapro will be completely out of my system, but I was hoping that a week on the 30mg Citalopram would have helped a little - although a 20mg jump from the 10mg can have its own issues. Been awake for 5 hours, but only just rolled over in bed and got as far as my laptop. 

 

Can anyone offer advice as to sticking this out, and when this anxiety should clear up? Should I stick with the 30mg having gone this far?

[fishinghat]

I would stick with the 30 and give it another 5 or 6 weeks.

[invalidusername]

For sure it will need another 5 or 6 weeks, but I am just trying to figure out how long I can expect this transition to last.

 

As I have said in Tom's post, I do not intend to change any more after this. I simply cannot tolerate any other drug, and I am done with all the switching. I never thought I would be switching after the Lexapro. My poor brainium...

 

Would you agree that all this new anxiety is for sure the transition? Any venture on the pivotal point for the anxiety?

[fishinghat]

I agree that it is just the transition. You are unluckily suffering some Lexapro withdrawal as you wait for the Celexa to kick in.

[invalidusername]

Agreed - I think it is the Lexapro rather than the jump of Celexa. 

 

Hopefully I will use these words for the last time for a long while...

 

time and bloody patience!!

[invalidusername]

Oh.. can't believe I forgot to mention. The mental health team came thru with an appointment last minute which i went to yesterday. 

 

The p-doc I saw was absolutely fantastic. He agreed with me on just about every point since the Cymbalta days. He also said I did the right thing stopping the Escitalopram and that I shouldn't have taken them together. So he was happy with my 30mg and has agreed to see me again in 8 weeks. He also agreed that augmentation and ongoing speaking therapy will be the way to go. He doesn't like the idea of keep switching AD's. Amen!!

 

Finally - the p-doc I saw last time - you know - the one that stole my beads and I made a complaint about? Well... he has "since left employment"

 

There is justice!

[invalidusername]

So... had a bit of relief yesterday and managed to catch up on a bit of work and get in a nice long walk with Mrs IUN. Very grateful for that. Overall the week has been tolerable by continually reminding myself that what I am going through is the withdrawal. I cannot do anything about it, so there is no sense in worrying. For the most part, this has worked and I cannot complain.

 

Today I seemed to have been tested with every symptom coming at me with a vengeance. I know I have mentioned this on another post, but need to diary it here for future reference. I have woken to dizziness, nausea, shaking. It worries me that it is exactly that which I was having whilst on the Lexapro or the mix of Lexapro/Citalopram. Now after 9 days the thoughts of it never going to pass are there. 

 

I need to remember that withdrawals can still occur regardless of taking another AD, and now with the Lexapro being completely out of my system, it makes sense that my symptoms are going to peak. My brain has suddenly lost the med that it has been relying on for the last 17 weeks.

 

Not sure I am going to be getting much further than the bedroom today.

 

Need to dig deep for strength.

 

In doing so, you are all an inspiration to me - London, Raven - both going through it at the moment. Kath's strength with her work of late. Hat - never forgetting your 9 months. And of course Gailage - my rock and my guide. I am still with you as I lay here feeling like cr*p. If I were there I would find every last ounce of power to help you through this.

 

God Bless you all on this, a memorable day in the life of our saviour here on our earth.

[fishinghat]

well said.

[invalidusername]

Day 12 and a quick update.

 

Despite ongoing physical symptoms, mood has been trying to level out. Is very up and down and I am experiencing "flashes" of both depression and anxiety. Again, not necessarily with a trigger. 

 

Last three nights have seen 4 hours sleep at the most. I feel I could sleep again as thoughts aren't preventing it, so it must be a withdrawal-based insomnia. Shakes and fog still not showing signs of letting up, and got the mother of all headaches since around 9pm last night. As I said to London earlier in a post, I could do with a little cry at the moment, but I want to stay strong for my wife.

 

Struggling to find liquid melatonin here in the UK. On Hat's recommendation, I want to try this for the insomnia. Sleep will really help me at the moment... 

[invalidusername]

Found some - link for those looking via forum/search engines...

 

https://www.discount...ry-liquid-10mg/

[fishinghat]

Good move. I hope you have as good an effect from it as I do.

[invalidusername]

It will still take a few days to arrive, but far better than a z-drug, that's for sure. 

 

I will report back on findings in due course.

[invalidusername]

Good grief - what has happened today?

 

I have been doing really well, and out of nowhere I wake up and my thoughts just go to town on me. Within minutes I went to pieces. It is a very strange feeling - a flood of emotions. Depression, anxiety, rage... mixed with muscle twitches and head fog. I foolishly got through 6 hours of clients and came home and fell into my wife's arms. Stuck in the smallest traffic and anxiety comes right up. Mind wanders for a second with a client and either depression strikes, or panic.

 

I just can't shift this. It has been relentless all day. Normally I will get wrapped up in work and feel good that I am out and earning money, but it just won't go. The more this happened, the more my resolve diminished.

 

How can this turn on a dime so quickly?

 

I sincerely hope this is the day 13 of Lexapro withdrawal / Celexa dose increase. 

 

The only thing I can think of is that I did have a large glass of wine - to celebrate my progress last night. I never drink alcohol usually. Can the two be linked??

[fishinghat]

Absolutely. Alcohol has given many members a bad time during withdrawal. I don't think it is alcohol time yet. Also, you have another 3 or 4 weeks before the Celexa will kick in.

[invalidusername]

Thank you Hat for a quick reply.

 

It helps to know you feel this is a likely culprit.

 

I think it was the shock of such a quick change in direction that threw me today. I will be donating my share of the last of the wine to the wife...

[invalidusername]

People - I am in trouble again.

 

I woke up having had a better sleep, but immediately felt out of control anxiety. Then within the hour, this turned into suicidal depression. Then I felt like I was simply going crazy and I cannot control myself or my thoughts. I still have this and now I have insane irritation and restlessness.

 

Today is day 16 of Lexapro cold turkey and 30mg Citalopram. I know I have not been sleeping well, but this is a really really REALLY bad day. I am very worried as I feel so out of control. I can barely type this, I cannot sit still, I cannot sleep. 

 

Really - what should I do? Will this pass soon? Should I take a small dose of Lexapro??

[fishinghat]

I think at this time it would probably be unwise to screw with your medicine after what you have been through. I really don't know what to do but wait. Sorry

[invalidusername]

OK. Thanks Hat. Just glad I have the wife here at the moment...

[invalidusername]

Weekly update for my diary. Now 3 weeks off Lexapro and 3 weeks on 30mg Citalopram.

 

The insomnia continued through til Friday - and since have had a couple of better nights. Liquid melatonin helped Thursday night too but is quite likely that this was the culprit to nasty depression that day. 

 

Every day has presented itself with new psychological symptoms. Stress, anxiety, depression, rage.. and feelings of going crazy. No one day the same. I'd say that is textbook withdrawal. Today I woke up in brigher spirits, but the wife was still very depressed from the night before so I woke to a counselling session which tipped me over. No sooner had I recovered from this, I had an attack of bad shakes, dizziness and weakness. The sole reason for getting off the damn Lexapro and it comes back at me. Really hope this takes its leave from me soon.

 

All I can do is maintain the present course as any changes is just going to make things worse, but it is getting so difficult continuing a daily symptom lottery after so many months. I long for the days of stability.

 

It is times like this when I remember what Hat has been through, and what Gail, LDN and Vin and others are enduring. I'd be very lost without them... oh, and not forgetting NM and her lovely neighbour. Sounds worse than Cymbalta withdrawal

 

God Bless y'all - members and visitors to my post alike.

[KathyInFL]

  Hugs for you, IUN!

[juli]

I am so sorry that things are still rough IUN.  Prayers that you will see a light at the end of the tunnel soon.

[invalidusername]

Thank you so much Juli... just a day without head fog would be nice at the moment