SSRI (Celexa) Withdrawal Timeline and Success Story!

[willlacour]

has anyone smoked weed on celexa and did it cause them to freakout. this happens to me and ive read a little online about how people who are on anti depresants shouldnt smoke weed, but ive also heard ppls testimonies on how they take celexa and smoke?? is it the pill causing the freakouts or is it just them??

[AngryDuck9]

@willlacour It's not the pill, it's the pot. Weed helps some people relax, but it also causes some people to have intense panic attacks and anxiety. I'm guessing most of the people who have made their way to this video are in the latter category. As a former pot smoker and fellow anxiety sufferer, my best advice to you is to leave the pot alone. It's simply not good for some people!

[TheManInBlack2003]

@AngryDuck9 Yea true that. I used to smoke/vape pot all the time and I loved it.. then all of a sudden I started getting these CRAZY ass panic attacks. The first time It happened I didn't know what was happening. I thought I was having a heart attack. AND I was high when it was happening. Thought I was going to die man.. probably the most scared I've ever been in my life. Now I'm on citalopram and trying to get off this shit, as I feel like I've lost my sex drive. I've been on it 6 months

[paradoxenygma]

I was on 10mg of citalopram because of anxiety/tension headaches for about 6 months when my doctor suggested coming off because I had greatly improved. She said to cut the dose in half for 2 weeks (5mg) and then I can come off completely. I'm about 8 or 9 days in and I kind of feel crappy, but it's not terrible. For the past week I've been fatigued with a headache and some aches and chills. It just feels like I have a cold...which very well could be the case. The worst part for me thus far is

[willlacour]

thanks so much dude i thought only weird ppl were on celexa, which also discouraged me but you seem like a normal guy. im a freshman in college and i hate taking this pill for a variety of reasons, iv been on 20mg for 4 or 5 yrs now and im tryin to wean myself off and like you said ive become an expert thru internet research, and im at 10mg now and its hell. but thanks so much for posting i needed to hear that someone made it through and is back to normal.

[AngryDuck9]

@willlacour Glad it was helpful! Just keep stepping down slowly, really really slowly, and you'll be fine. Good luck!

[AngryDuck9]

@willlacour Glad it was helpful! Just keep stepping down slowly, really really slowly, and you'll be fine. Also, show me a person who isn't weird and that's the person who probably needs to be on Celexa!

[cagomocIII]

i just started 2 days ago, i think i should stop now while im head.. i wasn't really depress, i did have a anxiety attack once due to work stress.. should i stay on this..

[AngryDuck9]

@cagomocIII Sorry for the wait in reply. If you've only ever had one anxiety attack and you're self proclaimed "not depressed", don't take the medication! It will only send you down a road that will lead you back here when you want to come off of it!

[ItsStephenSON]

I have been taking Prozac for 6 weeks or so now and I want to stop... Am I safe to go cold turkey since I've been taking it for a short time? Please help

[TheManInBlack2003]

@ItsStephenSON Dude.. ask your doctor man... But you probably shouldn't just stop cold turkey.. should probably always ween yourself off of shit like this

[BlahBlahBlah55209]

Thanks for sharing but WOW was that insanity. You need months and months for your brain to begin making serotonin again. Were talking weaning off over a FULL YEAR to 6 months min. 2 weeks is just in-friggin sain.

[Roflsponge]

I'm finally off of Citalopram after being at a dose of 40mg (was 60 before FDA warning) for anxiety and OCD. The "brain zaps" you describe are absolutely miserable, and very difficult to explain. Every noise, sudden movement, anything caused them, it was awful. My psychiatrist never warned me about the withdrawals, and I thought it was the valium causing withdrawals. I was then accused of abusing Valium because I had thought it'd make it better from the withdrawals, so I took more.

[shokat02]

Good solid hypnotherapy combined with bioresonance is God's gift to mankind. We offer a two session programme for getting people of anti-depressants. In the first 2h session coming off the anti-depressants is as easy as pie without ANY withdrawal symptoms. In the second 2h session we remove all the negative emotions of your past - you will never suffer depression again. We also make sure you can sleep like a baby without your pills.

[Mikem1701]

This was incredibly helpful for me...thank you so much for sharing. I see my shrink tomorrow to discuss discontinuation. I started six months ago and was only at 10mg for a month, then went down to 7, then 6, then I stayed at 5 for the last four months. I'm hoping my withdrawal isn't quite as bad, but I'm prepared for the worst. Not sure if I should go cold turkey or still go slow. I have a 10 day break from work for the holidays tho so I figure now is the time. :)

[AngryDuck9]

@Mikem1701 Don't get too psyched out about it. The vast majority of people don't experience any SSRI discontinuation symptoms at all. Especially being on such a low dose for such a short amount of time I would imagine you'll breeze though it. Good luck!

[happyguy215]

@AngryDuck9 I heard that celexa can cause heart problems. I'm currently taking 20mg, should I lower the dose?

[tenderoni1921]

Thanks so much for this!!! I have been on for twelve years, I was on 40mg I am down to 20mg it has been a week I feel a bit dizzy and nausea, I will stay at 20 for awhile until I feel ok. any suggestions??

[AngryDuck9]

@tenderoni1921 I would suggest you stay at 20mg until all of your symptoms are gone. It might take a couple weeks to get there. Then I would go down in increments of 2.5-5mg every 2 weeks. You can even step down in smaller increments if you ask the pharmacy to make you a liquid formula. You can take it using a syringe. If you've been on them for 12 years, there's no reason not to take your time coming off! Even if you need to step down over the course of 3 or 4 months.

[tenderoni1921]

@AngryDuck9 Hi wednesday that just past I ended up going back to 40mg I had the worst panic attack that wouldn't go away and started hyperventilating and I ended up taking my reg 40 I cried all night felt sick to my stomach so dizzy and it was weird because it just hit me all like a ton of bricks, my dr said i cutdown way to much. well im on it again for awhile will try again but much slower. thank you :)

[jeveuxlesoleil]

My prescription borked so I haven't been able to get it filled on time... Needless to say in my very humble opinion the headaches/brain zaps don't hold a candle to the nightmares, depression and depersonalization. Clearly I'm not ready to get off citalopram (wasn't planning on it for another year anyway) but HOLY COW this is awful!

[tootietoot99]

Thank you for this informative video. I've come off Celexa twice. The first time, I tapered over 2 weeks or so and then discontinued completely. Like you, the withdrawal was pretty dramatic. The second time, I tapered over several months, getting down to 2.5 mgs before I discontinued. There was still withdrawal, but it was limited to a mild headache and occasional zap and seemed to be over in less than a week. But this is very encouraging for those going through it.

[vkdee44]

Thank you for your video, it was very informative. I'm about ready to come off of Prozac as it really wasn't helping it only made me feel more depressed.

[waynepaw]

Fact: It is BAD for the first week. After 30 days I still am not right, but I am much better.

[billybassman21]

Celexa really helped with my anxiety. I started it about a year ago, but started getting sick of not feeling emotions like I used to. I also lost a lot of my sex drive and gainedweight. I'm working out now and that has helped my anxiety. I have only been taking 10 mg. I'm in the processing of weening myself off of it. I just moved up one day now to taking 1 pill every 4 days. I'm on day 4 (taking 1 tomorrow) and the brain zaps are pretty bad, but only when I move around. You just have to go slow

[Scottde420]

i have depression i have taken this drug befor in the past i was only on it for a couple weeks because it made me feel crazy. im still depressed and my mom wants me to get back on them im not sure what to do

[ayeleeexbee]

@Scottde420 Tell your mother to research before she has you put poison in your body. I was on Celexa for a year, it didn't help it made me worse, it made me gain a ton of weight, it f***s up your brain you're have psycho dreams, and zero emotions, walking dead guy basically. Take Omega 3 fish oils!.

[Scottde420]

@ayeleeexbee lol im faking like im taking it now and im just trying to act as positive as i can i remember how fucked up the drug was it made me flip out and i almost beat up my friend it was crazy fuck this drug she takes it everyday and it dosent bother her but she hasent smoked meth for 4 years like i have fuck all that shit im sober now and taking DBT classes so the fish oil works? ill check it out

[dannyboidj1]

@ayeleeexbee im on celexa did you emotions eventually come back? i hope nothing like this is permanent i was on it since i was 13 but a low dose for ocd the doctor knew what she was doing...they wouldnt perscribe a high dose to a kid still going through puberty...i hope

[ayeleeexbee]

@dannyboidj1 Yes, they came back, it takes awhile.

[Brandyebee]

Wow I been thinking about starting to wean off Celexa. I am kinda scared. I will look for a much slower taper ...

[ibeecrazie]

I want to thank you for taking time to make this video. My husband is going off of SSRI as we speak. He called the Dr. and all they told him was to not move his head too fast and don't fall. Gee, he already figured that out! DUH! Your video was much more informative and helps us know what to expect and even though time frames may be different per person, it at least gives us an idea. Thank you, thank you, thank you! :) I am curious now that you've been off for a while, how do you feel now?

[AngryDuck9]

@ibeecrazie Glad it was helpful for you! To answer your question, I've been feeling pretty good since being off of Celexa. The one main thing I've noticed since being off the drug is when a stressful or anxiety producing situation happens I tend to feel it a tad more intensely than I did before. But it's nothing that isn't manageable. I'm having zero SSRI withdrawal type symptoms and there have been no lingering effects from the drug. Good luck to you and feel free to message with any questions!

[happyguy215]

@ibeecrazie I started on 20mg. do you think thats too high? also did you have sexual side effects

[billybassman21]

@happyguy215 10 mg was enough for me. I would try 10 and see how it works, you can always up the dose if you need to. Just remember they take about a month to start working.

[fetalbetal]

Thank you for posting, people seem to post a lot of vids complaining, but you actually care enough to explain. I've decided to stop this med after missing a dose, feeling terrible, then trying to re-start and having violent dreams, and flashbacks of gore vids I regret watching. This was all within 3 weeks so I can only imagine what 7 years is like. Tomorrow I expect to feel terrible, but know it will be nothing like the insanity I felt 8 hrs ago before napping a little. Big pupils, fear, etc.

[fetalbetal]

In one week I'll see my "doc" to get more real meds, speed n benzos. Also, I don't think you're stupid for continuing the med. This is probably the fifteenth anti-depressant/ anti-psychotic I've tried.. most to comply and be released.. but this one was trust and choice combined.. Depression is fun compared to psychotic fear, the latter can usually only be found in a pill. Suicide is not for me, even if it's prescribed by such competent trained professionals. Frauds and pushers that is.

[fetalbetal]

I push these letter buttons with my heart. I do not hope to insult those who claim benefit. I'm 25 and since 17 I've been labeled "major depressive, bipolar 1/2/n.o.s., adhd, ptsd, coward, and fool", all on separate occasions. I loosely theorize that the controlled drugs that can be beneficial are used as bait-sedate  for the ssri/snri/anti-psych shackles of today's unwanted minds.

[TwoThreeNineJohn]

@fetalbetal what you say, to me, makes sense. medications scare the shit out of me. i am not down with living my life through somebody elses chemical concoctions, and of course the side effects scare me..i am afraid that medication will fuck me up worse and i have heard those similar terms you mention directed at me also.

[AngryDuck9]

@fetalbetal Sorry to hear you've had such a long road in the psychiatric world. As I mentioned I actually work in a psychiatric hospital so I know the struggles patients have trying to manage meds and maintain a healthy life. The best advice I can give is to not allow your labels to control you life. You are a person first and any psychiatric disorder you may have been diagnosed with comes second. I've seen hundreds of people with axis 1 disorders like yours lead normal, happy, healthy lives!

[happyguy215]

@AngryDuck9 did you have heart problems with celexa?

[JustUjjayi]

Wow. I am so glad you posted this. I am 33 and I was on Effexor XR(lots of side effects) and then Celexa (less side effects) for a total of 7 years with little reason to stay on it, except I was afraid of having panic attacks again. I thought withdrawal would last a week or two tops. Five weeks later I am still not 100% although much better.  What helped me . . fish oil, magnesium/calcium, multi-vitamin, benadryl, yoga, running, kava kava root(recommend researching first before taking).

[AngryDuck9]

@JustUjjayi It certainly can be a long haul! Fortunately it gets easier as it goes. The Fish Oil was a big help for me too. I used Valerian instead of Kava Kava to help soothe the nerves. Kava can get you pretty loopy if you take too much so best to use that only when not at work or anywhere where you have to behave! Glad to hear you're doing better! After week 5 you should start feeling pretty much back to normal completely, with a couple minor symptoms here and there.

[neptuniumforest]

Dude!!! Your making me so scared!! I just weened off of Buspar and what if feeling is unbearable! (its more mental pain then physical)... Im starting toween of celexa and no what your saying about the brainzaps and symptoms when its completely gonehas got my terrified....... I dont like drugs at all!

[loopba]

Thanks... Been on and off for 10 years and need to get off. It's tough for sure, but tapering helps

[wilkinsonbarraboy]

Such testimony is far superior than any cure available to SSRI victims. I live in the wake of a monster, beside me lies a mother in constant pain and disablement unable to cuddle her little angels. Poisoning is unique to every victim.Your narrative is the reflection of a man who defeated a synthetic mutant that thriving in a world where profit rules over life.Depression has a new friend, a secret chemistry that will kill 1 in 10,000, the survivors left a lagacy. My heart goes out to you all.

[ladybrain]

Thanks so much for posting this. I quit Cymbalta cold turkey 6 days ago (stupid, I know, but I wanted to get clean of the stuff once and for all...I don't need it anymore and there's no easy way to quit these kinds of meds). The brain zaps are the worst part of it for me. I was also feeling some flu like symptoms, but those are getting better. It's very comforting to know that it gets better and thank you for sharing your experience. I wish you the best.

[SpottedTiger89]

@ladybrain It's so nice to read that someone has quit cold turkey! I'm doing that with the celexa... although, to be honest, I give in around the 3rd day and take a pill to hold me out because the brain zaps are unbearable. But this is helpful. How have you been feeling, since it's been a month since you posted this. I only have 4 pills left and after that, I really hope I know how to deal better with the withdrawal symptoms.

[ladybrain]

@SpottedTiger89 I am doing great now! I maybe get a brain zap once a day and if/when I do it's very, very weak. Hardly noticeable. I imagine they'll fade out forever soon. Good luck with quitting, I know it's hard but hang in there!

[AngryDuck9]

@jaxtinsnow To be honest I would stay on the 5mg for at least 2 weeks before stepping down again. I think I came off it much too quickly (after 10 days). Prozac does have a longer half-life though so you might be ok. Either way I would imagine that by the time school starts you should be right on the edge of feeling back to normal so don't worry!

[chanstara]

You are definitely a positive influence for us ssri withdrawal sufferers. Ppl try to play down how we feel bc they haven't experienced it or think that this is not that serious...but this shit is painfully real. I'm on day 12, I've lost 7lbs, & I can't eat anything or even look at food w/o feeling sick. The brain zaps went from every 5secs to twice an hr, & the dizziness has lessened...but I still feel hopeless that I will get better. After being on a.d.'s for 8yrs, I think my body is in wt

[AngryDuck9]

@chanstara I definitely felt that way too. But I was on them for 7 years and I was able to come off and get back to normal. There's no evidence to suggest that the longer you stay on an AD the less likely you are to be able to come off of one. You'll get through it, focus on the progress you've made already and not on the obstacles you still have to overcome. By this time next week you'll be feeling way better!

[sharkshockey19]

@AngryDuck9 do you think it would have been better to say drop down to 10mg and stay there for a month then go to 5mg and stay there for a month and then go to 0.

[emmak1]

ur so lucky ive been on zoloft for 5 years and in my 6th week of SRRI syndrome and the body aches are killing me! no zaps thank god

[nickmooreimages]

I quit taking Celexa cold turkey (suddenly) and it was a stupid decision. It happened because I basically moved cities and didn't find a new doctor after I moved. It's been 4 years and I have trouble going to the bathroom, and lost sensation in my penis. I pretty much ruined my life.

[EWt5lg5alQWLqPViO9vk]

Great video. So true about no after the fact information being out there. Your symptoms would have been far less severe though had you tapered more slowly. I have gone from 20mg citalopram to 2.5mg in 4 months. I still had brain zaps but haven't had to take time off work etc. Best advice I could is do things slowly unless you have a very pressing reason not to.

[swisscitroen]

Thank you so much for posting this. Going through the same thing and no one understands how bad the withdrawal symptoms are.

[lepm2006]

hi! Greetings from Venezuela!

[islamwillneverfal]

man, can't thank you enough, I was thinking it is the end but thanks God I found your video

Now I feel I have enough power to challenge and beat that ***** syndrome

thanks so much, and wish you return to 100% normal soon

[mmedeuxchevaux]

wow. you are one insightful person. you have the gift of helping others. if psychiatrists were like you, the world would be a healthier place. most know nothing about withdrawal symptoms. i needed your reassurance, empathy and knowledge. thanks.

my fear is that my depression will return when i'm done with the physical withdrawal symptoms. and the last thing i want to do is go back on an ssri.

thanks again.

[AngryDuck9]

@mmedeuxchevaux Glad you found it helpful! Thankfully the depression/anxiety hasn't come back since I've stopped. If anything I noticed that for a couple weeks I was somewhat more easily agitated but that has passed too. You'll be ok! It's just a couple short weeks then you'll get your life back!

[crank454]

Thanks for posting. There is a program that was highlighted on cnn that helps minimize the withdrawl portion. It is called point of return dot org.

[andy013]

Thanks for posting this man :)