Beware, there may be 100 posts from me over the next couple days. I'm bouncing off the walls and feel like I'm on another planet!

Question: For any of you who have taken A/D's in the SSRI category (Paxil, Celexa, Lexapro, Zoloft), have you weaned off them and if so, did you experience really icky side effects??

I've been on and off Celexa several times, and did have some mild withdrawal symptoms each time.

This time I decided it's time I come off the Lexapro for a while. I'm past the DV, I'm starting a new job in 2 weeks that I'm actually looking forward to, the days are staying lighter longer--it just seemed a good time. I don't want to be dependent on medication to control my anxiety issues forever.

So I weaned down from 20mg to 10mg a month or two ago. No big deal there.

Then last Friday I took the last 10mg I had in my bottle. I didn't feel like refilling the prescription and doing the 10mg every other day, so just stopped taking them at that point.

I do know that 10mg Lexapro is equal to 20mg Celexa, so I probably should have gone down to 5mg and then quit.

But I've been off since the weekend and every day I feel a little freakier than I did the day before. (No suicidal thoughs or anything!)

Today I told have my coworkers I was convinced I have a brain tumor (or maybe MS) because my fingers are tingling and "zapping", my head aches, my cheeks and lips tingle, I have zero concentration, my chest feels heavy when I breathe, I jumble my words and substitute my letters into mixed up words when I type, and I'm tired beyond belief!!! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="images/icons/shocked.gif" /> My head feels like it weighs 100 pounds!

I'm sure I shouldn't be driving--I slammed on my breaks behind someone today because my reaction time is that of an 80-yr-old.

Did any of you ever feel this weird coming off AD's? And if so, when did it peak and get better?

I have a few Xanax that I keep for emergencies but I only take them when absolutely necessary. I've had to take two this week because the anxiety/nervousness was so bad I felt like my head was going to pop off.

Lesson learned about Lexapro, I guess. I didn't have any bad side effects while on it. But it seems a LOT harder to get back off from than Celexa was.

LL

I started Celexa sometime after my WH left, was on it about a year, I think, and then stopped, several months into NC, when, like you, I didn't want to refill the prescription and they just ran out. I didn't have an w/d symptoms, but I did notice wider mood swings for a few months following. It's been over two years now since I stopped taking it.

Since you're having these symptoms, I'd suggest talking to your doctor about stopping the A/D's and how you're feeling

LL, I can tell you from my experience with the meds - yes I took the whole bag range of them too - that what is BEST is when you get down to about 8 pills left, you begin taking one every other day for 4 days, then you cut the remaining pills in half (10mg pills) and take one a day later (still skipping days) then you skip 2 days then 3 days then 4 days between taking the half-pills till the remaining pills are gone. I have had zero side effects doing this. Anything else is not good. You are not supposed to 'suddenly' stop taking the meds. Perhaps you could get like a week's supply (10 pills) refill and then I suggest you do the above as I did. Otherwise, you will definitely get 'dingbatty' (nothing personal intended!) and it's not good for you to be that way. I hope this helps. Also, there's a very good website out there for mental health issues with anti-depressant meds; it's: wwwmentalhealthcom - I had to leave the periods off coz I have problems posting LinkZ on these Boards.
I hope this helps you.
SDLOM

I never felt that way. I was on Zoloft. Great for the emotions but sexually? The dull pill. I couldn't wait to get off of it! Did you talk to your Doctor about this problem? I think you are lowering you dosages way too fast. You have to really baby it and give your body the time to adjust. If I recall, if you take 75 MG, you go down to 50 for ten days. Then you go down to 25 or a pill and half for another 10 days. Then you go down to one pill for a week then a half of pill for another week. Stopping to fast will give you the symptoms that you are having now. So talk to your doctor about what to do about weaning to fast.

I know I need to go back on meds. Because what I am about to conquer, I am going to need all the help I can get! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="images/icons/wink.gif" /> Anxiety is no fun to deal with. But a positive attitude will help the meds become more effective.

Good luck and let me know the outcome!

Ali~

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial"> Otherwise, you will definitely get 'dingbatty' </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Sauron--it took me all those words in that long post to try and describe myself, and then you went and did it perfectly with one word.

DINGBATTY!!

That's it!!

BTW: I'm heading to my local Walgreens sometime today and refilling the scrip. It's worth the trip and the $15 if I can feel a little more normal.


Ali--Paxil (a lot like Zoloft) was the first A/D I ever took several years ago. I had a lot of irritating effects from it, but the main one was the one you describe, and it's why I switched. Celexa alleviated that problem after a couple months getting used to it. With Lexapro, I had no problems with that area (though it really doesn't matter at this point because it's rather a non-issue <img border="0" title="" alt="[Roll Eyes]" src="images/icons/rolleyes.gif" /> ).

LL

WHY? when we go to doctors because of marital problems, do they give us meds that 1> decrease our sex drive, and all women know that is 1 of mens top EN.
2.Why are we given them in the first place, i can see a med to calm your nerves, but it seems they think an AD is the the magic wonder for women.I am truly discouraged with the last shrink i saw, she claimed to not believe i was bi-polar, never did we talk about me being depressed, Im not, and yet she prescribes Celexa..... Now go figure,Are the pharmacutical companies paying these HMO's to prescribe their meds?

A number of years ago I was on Paxil and went off cold turkey because I was pregnant. I experienced withdrawal for two weeks, kind of walking around with a perma-headache and everything was sorta surreal. I don't know how much was withdrawal and how much was morning sickness, but after two weeks, I felt fine.

Hi LL! Naw, I would not say 'dingbatty' about yaself - you're going thru a lot right now, as are sooooo many others here.
I can only tell you about what worked for me. And Ali88 is right - ha! Sex-wise - those darn anti depressants are like KILLERS for any kind of sex life at all! Sucks. Did you check out that website about the anti-depressants? Just curious - I know it helped me a lot.
I even tried the 'natural' herbal stuff - you know, Ginseng, St. John's Wort, etc. ha! Might as well been drinking water - for what good it did for me.. which was zero. However, all our body chemistry is different - I'm sure there is something out there to work for you.
I'm a moody person. Music helps me a lot - depending on what mood I'm in at the moment. So does seeing scenic nature and warm sunny days! I hate Winter - especially when it's cold and/or when it's just cloudy for extended periods of time. We just got over a solid 3 weeks of NO sun whatsoever! That sucked, but it's sunny and I'm happier now. Winter causes a lot of 'Seasonal Affectional Disorder' especially with cold, clouds, and long nights.
Just a few things I've observed about myself and stuff.
SDLOM

Dear LL,

I really have 'weaned' myself from posting these days, and do not even read much here anymore, but have read a few of your posts, such as the one where you were musing about so called older women and remarriage.

Anit-depressants are really nothing to fool around with by going on and off of them. Your Dr. wrote that script for a reason, and I hope that you consult with your physician before changing your medication habits.

This is not a diagnosis, obviously, because, A) I am not a physician, and B) I can only read what you wrote, not observe you up close, but the physical symptoms you describe sound like depression to me. Depression comes with many of its own side-effects; psycho-somatic physical symptoms of an astonishing array, anxiety, paranoia, inabilty to concentrate, inability to sleep, sleeping all the time, low sex drive, suicidal thoughts and tendencies, loss of emotional affect, hypochondriacal thinking, loss of appetite, and the inability to stop eating to name only the ones I could think of off the top of my head!

Depression can be a progressive thing. It causes changes in the brain, real, physcical changes, and some studies have shown that anti-depressants can stop and even reverse those changes. Some people speculate about the possible harmful side-effects of anti-depressant medication; will it cause long-term brain damage? what will they do to my personality? The long term side-effects of depression are known, including brain changes. These changes also may make the next bout of depression easier to slip into, harder to get out of, and be experienced in a much more severe way. The discussion of sexual side-effects is misplaced at this point in the game. You say that you are not having sex, so low sex drive ought not be an issue for now. Low sex drive is of no consequence, it seems to me, when the consequences of depression are so severe and, sometimes, permanent.

You wrote that you do not want to be dependent on a chemical for your mood regulation for the rest of your life. The period of time you have described being on medication does not sound very long, and you may not be on meds for the rest of your life. But, consider this; what if you are? So what? Folks have some sort of disconnect when it comes to any kind of psychotropic medication. Patients seem to look for any excuse to NOT be on them as if taking their medication is a sign of weakness or a character flaw. Do you hear the same sort of discussion regarding hypertension medication? Not often. If people can get off of hypertension meds, it is because the have made lifestyle changes that have reduced their blood pressure to a safe level. Their physician then decides yes or no. To do other wise can have tragic outcomes. It is no different with anti-depressants. You need to talk to your physician before changing anything.

Please do not worry about your pride, your sex drive or other such stuff. Talk to your Doc, get and stay properly treated, and when (and if) the time is right, you and your Doc can decide to go off the pills.

I do not mean to come off harshly, but I have been where you are and am glad I took the need medication.

God Bless You and your family,

GB

<small>[ February 05, 2005, 07:35 AM: Message edited by: George Bailey ]</small>

Sauron--

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial"> I'm a moody person. Music helps me a lot - depending on what mood I'm in at the moment. So does seeing scenic nature and warm sunny days! I hate Winter - especially when it's cold and/or when it's just cloudy for extended periods of time. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Yup...that too! (I'm just going to let Sauron write my posts for me. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Roll Eyes]" src="images/icons/rolleyes.gif" /> )

Iowa--very dreary in winter! Today was a rare sunny and unseasonably warm day. I actually went outside for a while and took the rest of my outdoor Christmas lights down, picked up trash that had been under the snow, filled the bird feeder, and such. It did me good.

I just need a LOT more of these type of days, but tonight the wind has really picked up and tomorrow is supposed to be back to brisk and cold and cloudy again.

I doubt I'll ever leave Iowa because my family is here and because overall it's a good state to live in. But the weather stinks for about 6 months out of the year!

FYI: I did refill my Lexapro and I have two days worth down me now. I did take 1/2 a Xanax yet this afternoon because I was still jittery, but I am feeling like I'm coming back to earth again. I'm only taking 10mg (the scrip is for 20) but I dropped down to this a couple months ago and did okay. It's equal to 20mg Celexa which is what I took for sort of a "maintenance dose" for a year or so, before the XH turned my life upside down and I had to increase the dose.

GB--

You're right, the sexual side effects (which are more than just a loss of drive for me...Paxil left me basically numb) of A/D's aren't an issue right now. I was commenting back at someone else's post. They were an issue when I first started A/D's because I was still married. However, I'm going to try and stay with A/D's (if I have to take them at all) that haven't given me those effects in the hopes that if someday I might be lucky enough to meet and marry someone, I'd like to not be broken then, and I don't want to be switching meds again.

As for how long I've been on the A/D's, I first started on Paxil in the fall of 1998, so it has been a number of years, and I've been on more than I've been off due to various things triggering anxiety attacks which then can turn into depression.

I guess I struggle because of my Christianity (and because of living for years and years with a mom who suffered bouts of depression but refused to take things because she felt it meant her faith was weak). Despite wanting to not let that affect me, what one hears for 18 years growning up is sometimes hard to get out of their head. It's especially hard for me because I struggle with being a worrier anyway (and I know that means my faith is weak).

It's a very complex thing for me.

But at any rate--right now I'm back on the Lexapro, mostly because all of you convinced me that I was being stupid. And yes, I am feeling better.

So....thanks. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" />

LL

<small>[ February 05, 2005, 11:32 PM: Message edited by: lordslady ]</small>

Hi, LL.

It is very late for me, so this is all I can reply with for now;

You said "I guess I struggle because of my Christianity ".......and I say that God made psychopharmachologists, too.

Good Luck,
God Bless,
GB

<small>[ February 05, 2005, 11:48 PM: Message edited by: George Bailey ]</small>

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Originally posted by lordslady:
<strong>

Iowa--very dreary in winter! </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Have you ever been tested for SAD? I was, a year ago, and they gave me SAD lights through my insurance company. I didn't use them this year because of my move. But last year they really helped.

No, I've not been tested. I do fit some of the criteria, as I feel better overall in summer and have more energy.

But the cold is part of the factor, too. I don't adapt well to cold. I ache all over right now. And when I ache and it's dark and dreary and the days are short, I don't have much desire to do anything besides sit and veg. The warmth and sunlight was so nice yesterday that in addition to the things I did outside, I actually did some house cleaning/organizing, too.

And I've looked at the prices for the lights--they're not cheap! I'm about 99.9% sure my current insurance won't pay for them.

(Case & point: I'm still appealing an $1,800 charge for an overnight stay last April in a mental health hospital when my DD put several dozen razor cuts all over her forearms, and my insurance decided she wasn't suicidal, thus didn't require inpatient care, and discharged her and denied the claim for the first night, even though I went through all the proper procedures. They're very picky what they pay when it comes to mental health.)

So for now, I'm going to just have to count the days until warm, sunny weather arrives. And if it's like last summer, that day will be never. Hopefully we won't have another one of those, though!

LL

LordsLady,
I too live in dreary IA, I'm a Christian, and I take Lexapro. I called my Dr. when my H got laid off and told her I didn't have insurance any more and felt like I was doing pretty good and wanted to go off the Lexapro. She suggested I wait till spring to do so......said it was alot easier going off them when the weather is getting nicer.
She also offered me samples if I couldn't afford it, which was nice.

I'd really recommend following your Dr.'s orders or discussing it with him before doing anything.

Oh, and I haven't noticed any difference in my sex drive......

LL,
So glad you decided to get back on the Lexapro. Lexapro has been good to me. Last summer, however, I was having anxiety really, really badly, so my doctor added Wellbutrin to my Lexapro, and that helped my anxiety extremely. Now I'm weaning off the Wellbutrin because it keeps me from sleeping, and because of that I've been taking Ambien at night! It would be wonderful to be totally off of medications, but right now I'm happy with the Lexapro, and think I may need to be on it for awhile. Hope you're doing better...you will feel it after 5 or 6 days...
Take care.
KK

I have been on most SSRIs and A-D at one time or another. The only one I had extreme problems coming off was Effexor. I felt like I wanted to crawl out of my skin..couldn't concentrate..was extremely short tempered and irritable..unfocused..couldn't sleep..and started to develop suicidal thoughts again. YUCK!

FYI: Wellbutrin is one of the few A-D which generally doesn't affect one's sexual desire/performance. In fact, it has been known to increase sexual desire for some people. This has been true in my case. A lot of good it does when I now have no husband in my life! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="images/icons/wink.gif" /> Wellbutrin is also out in a generic now so it's a little more affordable.

oops! duplicate

<small>[ February 07, 2005, 09:05 PM: Message edited by: heartfailure ]</small>

Well, I saw a therapist for ME today...because my daughter's therapist sort of insisted at our last session that I needed to get a handle on my anger and resentment so I didn't spew it all at my daughter (at least not the part that wasn't related to her).

The therapist would like me to go back up to the 20mg that I was initially prescribed of the Lexapro, until I learn to do better at not letting the little things upset me.

I told her I'd think about it. I just don't want to be stuck on them forever--I'd like to learn to exist on less.

As for Wellbutrin, I think the reason my dr. doesn't prescribe it for me (and yes I've heard it doesn't affect sex drive--again, basically a non-issue for me right now), is that it's for depression but doesn't work as well for anxiety as do Celexa, Lexapro, Paxil, and Zoloft.

For me, anxiety is the issue, and then when it gets bad enough, it causes the depression.

LL

LL, I'd recommend following your therapist's advice, for now. The fact that AD's can help you right now doesn't mean you'll need them forever. When I didn't need them anymore, it wasn't hard getting off them, as I said before.

Just today I was researching this subject after I learned for the first time in my life I now have high blood pressure. This sent me to the Internet to see if any of the drugs I'm taking could be causing this. What a scary day of reading! Most of the articles warn about the dangers of withdrawing from the A/D drugs, and others say you can have relapses many weeks after you thought you were off the drug. These relapses can send you back into worse depression. And then what do you do if the depression comes back? Is it because you are relapsing or becasuse you are still depressed?

The scariest articles were about drug interactions, and something called Seratonin Syndrome (which is really scary). Some of these articles even warned about using products like Aleve with Prozac, as well as one of the antibiotics I've been prescribed several times. My doctor has always said there was no problem with any of these interacting, but that's not what I read today. It sounds like it is a crap shoot - and that nobody really knows what happens when you mix several things together, even if you thought they were harmless, even OTC drugs.

I am also concerned about side effects of these drugs - including, for some people apparently, high blood pressure. Heart trouble runs in my family - I do NOT need this. Many of the side effects reported for Seratonin Syndrome are symptoms I've been experiencing, and had thought were from stress. Now I'm thinking I do not want to be taking A/D's. My H was taking Prozac, and some of the extreme behaviors reported on Prozac fit his recent behavior.

Anyway, I am seriously thinking of trying to get off my A/D's. I do not like what I'm hearing at all! But I'm also scared to stop too.