Stopping anti-depressants//Withdrawals

I think I've used celexa about four times in my life now and I've stopped taking it once again. I've felt happy and strong enough the times I've stopped but never really gave much thought into stopping when I do. It's just sorta like my brain tells me, "ok stop now."

I don't like having to rely on medication.

I know it's not recommended to stop cold turkey, but that is what I have always done.

So this last time I was using celexa, I took it for about a month. I've been off of the meds for about two weeks now.

My withdrawal symptoms are different this time around. Usually I get physical withdrawals (brain zaps, nausea) and then I'll have random breakdowns of crying (easily provoked).. I prefer these sensations to the withdrawals I've been feeling these past two weeks though.

I just feel so on edge and so irritable. I also have extreme trouble falling asleep. I feel I have so much energy and I'm going from one task to another (I imagine this is what someone on cocaine feels like...)

Anyone else stop their meds and have these withdrawals?

 

SSRI withdrawals have always fucked me up. Got sexual dysfunction once hard from it which was understandably a bit upsetting. Doctor was basically playing SSRI roulette at the time so I was going on-and-off all sorts of shit and it was just a horrible time.

I'm on an SNRI now and have no side effects with it and even though in theory I'd prefer to be without pills I just take the fuckin' things cuz I don't see a point in rocking the boat. If I go more than 24 hours without a dose though I get real spasmy, electrical jolts in my limbs and shit.

How high was the dose and how long were on it for? You should prob just talk to the doctor, but declare that you're stopping incase they try to pressure you to go back on them. Maybe you'll get some zopiclone or benzos or something for sleep. Otherwise tequila helps

 

Maybe it has something to do with hormones and at what point in your monthly cycle you are.

 

All anti-depressants are strong drugs. It's a shock for your body when you start taking them and the same happens when you stop.

Why do you just cut them of, though?
Don't torture your body: slowly decrease your dosage/number of pills per week.

 

You're putting yourself at risk of some pretty serious health problems by stopping cold turkey. Hopefully you don't have a seizure.

 

I'm feeling better now. I just really hope I won't be in a hopeless slump again where I'll need to start taking it again. I'm trying to stay positive.

 

Well, I feel like my withdrawals have subsided now. However, now I'm feeling really down. I'm tempted to start taking the anti-depressants again just so I don't have these crummy feelings. I didn't want to start them up ever again and didn't think starting them again would cross my mind so soon...
Ugh.

 

you might want to talk to your doctor about this.

if you've got bipolar, some dosage of lithium is probably a good idea unless you are able to find some other way to stabilize.

meditation, exercise, proper diet, and traditional chinese medicine might help you

 

Yes. I slowly cut my dosage as far as I could without withdrawal symptoms, then went cold turkey. It was Paxil, and back then everyone was singing the praises of that horrible drug.
It almost ruined my marriage because I could barely stand to be in the same room with my husband. This was called "sexual side effects".

I made sure I was off work for a few days, because the electric jolts to the brain were awful. It was over a decade ago, but I'm sure it was just a few days. You'll get through it, just make sure you're comfortable and don't need to go anywhere.

 

depression is an awful ilness

 

...hmmm sitting on the fence about starting up the anti-depressants again
it's sad, in a way, but I feel more like myself, as in how I was a couple of years ago, when I'm on the meds...

 

^^^ This!


I went through this with Cymbalta... Almost killed me. I'm never going back.

 

Do you exercise?
Regular aerobic exercise works great against depression.
Take a morning run or go swimming every second day. It will increase your resolve, wake you up and give you strength for that day.
Be active.
Also make sure you eat and sleep well.

Not long ago you decided to go off anti-depressants. I would recommend you to now first change your lifestyle a bit to fight depression before you decide to go on the medication again.

You'll have to fight but you can do it :2thumbsup:.

 

i totally agree. nothing helps me get out of an episode of depression more than eating well and getting regular exercise.

 

thanks lively & egg very much for the words of encouragement

things are easier said than done though..

it's easier to just pop a magic pill when things are a mess and you feel pretty hopeless...

 

Tackle those things that are making a mess one at a time. If it's a bigger problem, divide it to smaller parts first.

Other than that just decide what you want to do and stick to it.
No procrastination, just make a plan and then execute it.

 

I haven't been on them since 07. I hated the brain snaps. Don't get on them again. Try dealing with depression another way next time.

 

I've been on and off them for many years now.. I've had similar wd symptons like what you've stated earlier.. Usually when i just cold turkey and cut them off it's always a harder struggle this last time i was taking two different types one for chronic pain mngmt and then another i was taking twice daily so between the two i was ingesting 5 pills.. Well needless to say when i came off them my life just fell to complete shit.. I withdrew in every aspect you can i basically became a shut in.. It's now been several months and i've found a portion of myself again.. I'm considering getting back on them again just to regain some type of control again.. I've tried to do it on my own and i now know i need something to help me control my emotions.. Without these stupid pills i dont feel like me..

 

well I still havn't started the celexa again but I am really feeling down about life right now..
I'm very stressed out and just keep dealing with overwhelming depression.
I feel like I'm in a hole I can't dig myself out of. I don't have any friends or family I can talk to about it either. I feel alone and really sad.

 

well, you've got us hipforums folks to talk to

things can get better for you, you just need to find the right way

one thing to do is to try making a list of the things that you think make things worse, and then a list of things that you think might make things better. there's lots of different things that can help with depression

you may want to try making a list of things in life that you feel grateful for. it's actually been shown to lift people's moods when you think about things like that.

I strongly recommend that you read "Curing Depression Naturally with Chinese Medicine" by Bob Flaws. It has lots of useful self-help information.

There's more I can say, but I'm not going to give more tips unless I know that you want to hear them.