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3Rd Day Taper From 60 To 30 And Starting Celexa


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#1 ittybittysmitty

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Posted 22 May 2014 - 04:08 PM

Hello to all of you...I am so thankful I found this website...

The first day I felt great and thought wow this will be easy cuz I'm also on Celexa.

Not the case! All of a sudden today I am having brain zaps, headache, confusion, depression, dizziness and short attn span. My head feels like a pinball machine.lol

I read here that Benadryl helps? Anyone have success?

How long can I expect this to continue? I feel held hostage to this 'syndrome' it's a shame we all have to deal with the symptoms

#2 thismoment

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Posted 22 May 2014 - 04:16 PM

Hi ittybittysmitty

 

Welcome! 

 

You are in withdrawal (as you know). How long have you been taking Cymbalta, and when did you start Celexa at what dosage?

 

Did you cut from 60 to 30 in three days?

 

What is your tapering-off plan for Cymbalta? (From 60 to 0 over how many days, and what reduction rate?)

 

Once we know this information we can comment more.


#3 fishinghat

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Posted 22 May 2014 - 04:39 PM

Welcome IBS.

 

Well the celexa should sure help but remember it takes around 4 weeks for it to have a major impact. You will have to go through some serious withdrawal until then. Most drs where I live would keep the patient on a full dose of Cymbalta for two weeks while the patient slowly increases their celexa. The next two weeks they start reducing the Cymbalta and continue increasing the celexa. There is usually very little withdrawal symptoms this way. Your dr is fast stepping the process.

 

Hang in there things will get better.


#4 ittybittysmitty

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Posted 22 May 2014 - 04:42 PM

In September of last year...

I started the taper May 20th...My psychiatrist told me to start taking 30 mg pills right away...no bead counting...

in addition i started 1/2 tab 40 mg pill of Celexa for 8 days then 1 thereafter...

I am to stay on Cymbalta for 10 days

#5 ittybittysmitty

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Posted 22 May 2014 - 04:49 PM

I am calling him tomorrow to ask about beads...what should I say?

#6 ittybittysmitty

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Posted 22 May 2014 - 05:02 PM

Thank you fishing hat!

#7 ittybittysmitty

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Posted 22 May 2014 - 05:22 PM

Fishing hat, I cut from 60 to 30 immediately!!!!!!

#8 FiveNotions

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Posted 22 May 2014 - 05:34 PM

Your doc, IBS, like most of our docs, is a jackass....they don't know anything about how hard it is to get off this stuff....I quit cold turkey (lost my insurance), so I can't speak to bead counting ...but I sure would have done it if I could have...Fishinghat and others here can give you the specifics....it'll minimize your withdrawal effects...and the celexa going into your system at the same time will help as well...(

Congratulations on quitting the poison!

#9 ittybittysmitty

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Posted 22 May 2014 - 06:02 PM

Five notions, how horrific for you...how long did your withdrawal last?

#10 thismoment

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Posted 22 May 2014 - 06:09 PM

IBS

 

See if the doc will let you stay on 30 mg Cymbalta for two weeks while you upload Celexa, and then taper off the Cymbalta over 3 or 4 weeks thereafter.


#11 fishinghat

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Posted 22 May 2014 - 06:12 PM

IBS, while I think bead counting is the best way to withdraw your case is different. You aren't just trying to get off Cymbalta but go on celexa at the same time. Your drs mistake was to start the Cymbalta decrease with too large a step. Instead of 60 to 30 you could have went to 45. (1 1/2 30mg). At this point if you go backup from 30 to 45 or 60 in order to stabilize it will take too long. Cymbalta only has a half life of 12 hours so your blood stream already reflects the 30 mg dose you are currently on. I would certainly like you to stay at 30 mg Cymbalta for another say 2 weeks before you drop down. That would give more time for the celexa to build in your system. I think you could sell this too him/her if you explained how poor your are feeling by cutting back on the Cymbalta. There is a couple ways he might respond. Keep you on 30 mg Cymbalta longer until the celexa builds some....That is good. He might consider giving you a prescription for Ativan (lorazepam) to help the symptoms until the switch is over....That is OK too. OR he might want you to go 30mg/60 mg on alternating days.....NOT GOOD. Remember the 12 hour half life. When you alternate dosages the blood levels spike on the day of the higher dose and then drops rapidly on the day with the lower dose. This causes you to repeat the same withdrawal over and over.

 

I just saw what Thismoment said. Looks like him and I are on the same page. But I used way too many words.  lol


#12 FiveNotions

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Posted 22 May 2014 - 06:37 PM

IBS, several of us here went cold turkey....the length of time for withdrawal symptoms varies by person....possible factors include dose we were on, how long we were on it, how old we are when we quit, what other physical / mental issues we have and what other meds we're taking....

With that many variables, there's no hard and fast rule for length of time....for myself, I'd been on it for 7-8 years, 60 mg, age 60 when I quit, lousy physical condition (no exercise in years)....and, I may or may not have underlying depression...I'm still on wellbutrin xl, 300 mg....so, the first 4 weeks for me were hell on steroids, the next 4 weeks were just hell, weeks 9-12 or so were when the good minutes, hours, and finally a full day arrived....with bad, not hellish days in between, and a couple of big panic attacks just to spice things up. ;-)

I'm finishing up my 6th month off now.....and am feeling better than I have in decades...the lingering issues are...anxiety...mostly morning, but sometimes low level all day....and occasionally edging into panic...for which I have a bottle of benzos as my "insurance policy"......and holes in my memory....I've lost a large part of the years I was on the poison, my short term memory isn't very good, and my attention span is nil.....

That said, I see slow but steady cognitive improvement....but I'm resigned to having lost a lot of memory from the cymbalta years...perhaps it'll come back, maybe not....

The pure joy of feeling alive again makes every single moment of the withdrawal anxiety worth it..... :-D

#13 TryinginFL

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Posted 22 May 2014 - 06:40 PM

Welcome, IBS...

 

So happy that you have found us!  I am, like FN, a cold turkey survivor.  It has been almost 4 1/2 months at this point.  The first 2 or 3 were the real trip to hell.  I didn't find this forum and learn about bead counting until I was 2 weeks into my trip, so I just continued :(.

 

It sounds as if TM, FN and fh have already started sharing their wisdom  -  be sure to listen to them!  You have wonderful, supportive, caring and knowledgeable people here - it's a great place to come to ask questions, vent or rant - and we all have done them! :)

 

Take care and good luck!


#14 FiveNotions

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Posted 22 May 2014 - 06:56 PM

PS....oh, I should also mention messed up sleep patterns....getting better, but the insomnia was awful from about week 12-16...then I was waking up every hour...now I'm sleeping through some nights...other nights I wake up every two hours....

A lot of us have messed up sleep....

#15 ittybittysmitty

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Posted 26 May 2014 - 10:52 AM

God like,

 

Thank you for your advice...I wasnt' aware of a 45 mg pill? 

 

So far I'm handling this better with less dizziness and intermittent zaps...It seems like the symptoms have no rhyme or reason, they just appear haphazardly.

 

What I really want to know is what I can expect when Thursday comes and I STOP it completely...I will contact my doc tomorrow with your tapering idea...

 

Best wishes,

 

IBS


#16 fishinghat

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Posted 26 May 2014 - 03:13 PM

The 45 mg is a 30 mg and a half of a thirty (removing haly the beads).


#17 FiveNotions

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Posted 26 May 2014 - 03:54 PM

IBS, there's no "rule" here....we're each different....

But, if I may ask, why the heck are you going to just stop the stuff? Your doctor is clueless....as I said above, he's a jackass....

Do yourself a big favor, and listen to Fishinghat .... Stay on cymbalta a bit longer.....as you ramp up the celexa....and don't do the alternating day thing...you'll be in and out of withdrawal.....not fun....

I quit cold turkey, and I don't recommend it to anyone.....and, even though you've reduced, when you stop the lower dose on Thursday, that's what you'll be doing.....

Also, yes, Benadryl may help....I didn't use that...instead I used NyQuil....but I don't suggest that if you've got to work or be otherwise functional. ;-)

Do this as gently as possible...your body and brain need all the stability you can give them in order to recover....

#18 ittybittysmitty

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Posted 27 May 2014 - 03:48 PM

Five Notions,

 

Sorry to hear you did it cold turkey...how horrific!...what symptoms did you experience? Why is going off at 30 mg cold turkey? 

 

I guess I trust my jackass doctor...the nurse called back and he told me to increase the Celexa by 1/2 a tab.

 

I really should be there in person...It's complicated doing this by phone. He's too busy...I'm already supposed to ramp up the Celexa tomorrow and he tells me to start today? He probably thinks I just started weaning off the crap!!

 

I"M IN HELL!!! My dizziness and zaps are way worse. I took a walk and felt like I was in outer space. Everything is 10x brighter, especially my PC screen.

 

I'll take your advice ...No way am I stopping it until these zaps are dealt with.

 

Thanks for your support and wisdom...I will keep you posted.


#19 TryinginFL

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Posted 27 May 2014 - 04:26 PM

Hi IBS,

 

I, too, went off cold turkey from 60 mg/day.  I am at about 4 1/2 months now, a little behind FN, but I agree 100 %!  You don't want to go off any amount of the poison cold turkey - it is a true trip to hell...  :(

 

I wish you much luck - please check out the bead counting...


#20 thismoment

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Posted 27 May 2014 - 06:45 PM

ittybittysmitty

 

Hi. 'Cold Turkey' is a relative term. Maybe there should be a Cold Turkey, Cool Turkey, and a Tepid Turkey! lol. However, within the Turkey Family of fast withdrawals, the symptoms are more acute (nastier) than if the patient withdraws slowly over, say, 90 days.

 

If you quit your medication (whatever the dosage) with no taper whatsoever- that's Cold Turkey. If you tapered off over a month- that's Cool Turkey; six weeks- Tepid Turkey. All of these will give you nastier symptoms than if you tapered off over 90 days. The symptoms probably last as long no matter which way you go, but the 90 day taper will be the least nasty.

 

So maybe you quit somewhere between Cold and Cool Turkey. Don't worry, you can do this, and we can help. Soon you will be helping others!





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