genlady: Celexa taper questions

[scallywag]

When do you take each medication?

 

Please take notes of your symptoms on paper as well as the times you take medications. Here is a post with details of a useful format for such a log:

Take notes of doses and symptoms

[genlady]

Referring to post # 20 everything has remained almost like that.  

I take my Celexa only in the morning at 6 a.m.;  also 150mg. Lyrica at 6 a.m.    

I take the Lyrica 150mg. at 6 pm.   

Edited November 7, 2016 by scallywag
emphasize doses and times

[genlady]

Because of the interaction between the Celexa and Lyrica and muscle relaxants I tried stopping the muscle relaxants today.  This may have led to the increase in the amount and severity of the Chorea movements.   At 3:30pm. after having severe movements again for the third time today, I took 150mg. Robaxin , 15 minutes later the movements stopped and I am a lot calmer in general.   I have had one hour sleep today and no sleep last night.  

 

I decreased the Celexa to 30mg. from 32.5mg.  today.  because of the interaction between the Lyrica and celexa.  

[scallywag]

Good that you are getting some relief from the involuntary movements.  If you take Robaxin regularly,  would you please add it to your signature?

[genlady]

8 November, 2016:  Today I had one brief involuntary movement with the rest of the day calm. I have had an increased amount of muscle and joint pain today.  I had a good sleep last night with some naps during today which I enjoyed not having to deal with withdrawals when asleep.  Still experiencing the burning sensation all over my body sometimes severe, some times less.  I have been charting my symptoms hourly yesterday and today.  I have sensitive hearing and sensitive to light with also ringing in the ears.  I have been emotionally stable today unlike Sunday.  I am having sweating again as when I tapered before.  This being day three of the taper.  I find doing my physio therapy a challenge when the withdrawals are more severe because my muscles and joints hurt more than usual.  I am still doing my deep breathing to help me cope with pain and anxiety, coloring, computer games, reading and watching television.  Being confined to a chair most of the day is difficult.   It will be good being able to go for a walk again after I get my hip replaced.  

[joy2730]

I am glad you are managing better.  So are your main symptoms sweating, mood instability, sensitivity to sound and light and burning skin?  Is that a fair summary?  And you tapered down 3 days ago from which dose and to 30 mg?

 

You don't have to answer any of my questions, but I am trying to get a good picture of what is happening.  Hope you don't mind.

 

Joy

[genlady]

Day 5:  My main symptoms are: burning sensations over entire body, anxiety, ringing in ears, sensitive hearing and to light, involuntary movements, sweating, chills, headache, pain in wrists, elbows, & shoulders, neck; incontinence due to the withdrawals, neuro-emotions, agitation.  The best part of the day is between noon and 6 pm.  The more severe symptoms from a 6-10  outIt's of 10 occur either early in the morning or later at night after supper.  I fell asleep after supper tonight from 6:30 and didn't awake until 10:30.  Right now: 12:32 a.m. the burning sensations are at a 10 and almost unbearable.  I know they will subside again, which helps me cope with them at the time.  It's back to youtube for the night until I become tired again.  I've given up "trying" to go to sleep at a regular time.

[genlady]

Day 6:  I have had the most horrendous 12 hours so far!  Very severe choreatic movements for the majority of the time with intense anxiety, burning all over my body,  neuro-emotions, agitation and pain and lost the ability to speak.   The muscles in my throat were contracting strongly and cut off my breath one too many times.  Very scary!    I haven't changed anything as far as medication or supplements, so it must just be one of those bad episodes you have to go through and hope the next few hours find relief.  I had no sleep last night, but managed to nod off a bit today.  

[scallywag]

Hope tonight is easier for you, genlady. (((((hugs)))))

[genlady]

Day 8-  The Choreatic Movements continue to plague me throughout the day, but the burning head has decreased somewhat in the afternoons mainly.  Ocassionally I experience intense fear and feel like crying, but it passes quickly.  Insomnia again tonight.  Last night didn't sleep at all.  My cognitive problem comes and goes.  Sometimes I can't spell words, the letters are all mixed up and other times I just can't comprehend what people are saying to me.  I didn't experience this with my first taper.  My memory comes and goes as well.  Other symptoms I still have is the ringing in the ears, anxiety, stomach and abdominal pain, burning sensations throughout my body, headache, painful muscles and joints in my arms, shoulders and wrists and hands.  

[genlady]

Day 9:  No sleep again last night, but did get some during this day.  The Choreatic movements have been severe again today in the morning.  Loud sounds, stress, lack of sleep, movement all make them worse.  I have been having sweating and chills today, sensitive to sound and light, ringing in the ears, muscle and joint pain, stinging sensations in my hands and feet, cognitive and memory problems.  

 

I wondering if I should change my supplements temporarily as I've read threads that rotating your supplements helps?  I've taken Glutamine for almost a year now to support my brain, not to manage symptoms though.  Ocassionally I have difficulty spelling words, the letters are all jumbled or out of order.  

 

Last night I was disturbed by memories of past mistakes which I have corrected and now feel guilty about again?  What's with that?  I had to work at changing my line of thinking over and over again to get off the subject which is probably why I didn't get any sleep.   I value my peace of mind and I don't appreciate my brain bringing up my past all the time. grrrr.   

[scallywag]

Sorry that your symptoms are so tough right now.  (((((hugs)))))

[genlady]

Day 10:  Again, no sleep all night and little today.  I have a horrendous headache that won't go away.  I have tried massage and heat and pressure points around the ear area which temporarily ( very temporarily) decreases it.  I have looked on the threads and saw that accupunture could help.  I see my chiropractor tomorrow and there is an accupuncturist working in the same office.  I think I will make an appointment to see him.  The pain is getting to me and I have been coping with this for over two years, even before going off the Seroquel.   I thought of what else could be causing me pain and one thing is my sinusis.  I have recurrent sinus infections and blocked sinusis.  I stopped taking my Nasonex awhile ago , but tonight my sinusis have hurt too much, so I am taking that again.  

 

I have had the Choreatic movements all day again, ringing in the ears, sensitive to light and sound, muscle and joint pain, urgency bladder problems,  I'm starting to think my breathing problem is also due to the Chorea as my throat muslces contract making it difficult to breath, and my chest muscles contract also.  I don't know what to do about the Chorea.  Hopefully it will resolve in time.  I'm praying I get some sleep soon as the lack thereof makes it difficult to cope with the other symptoms.  

[joy2730]

Genlady

 

As someone who has chosen to stay on 20 mg citalopram at present, having reduced from 30 mg, due to finding withdrawal symptoms too difficult while holding down my late life career, I cannot advise you, but I would say all of your sufferings are probably linked to withdrawing from citalopram.

 

All of this probably means you need to hold your current dose for a long time.  That is what I have gathered.  Keep posting, I am enjoying your posts and storing the information in my brain ready for when I try to withdraw from 20 mg again.  Am I right in that you haven't got any sweating or temperature disturbance

[genlady]

Genlady

 

As someone who has chosen to stay on 20 mg citalopram at present, having reduced from 30 mg, due to finding withdrawal symptoms too difficult while holding down my late life career, I cannot advise you, but I would say all of your sufferings are probably linked to withdrawing from citalopram.

 

All of this probably means you need to hold your current dose for a long time.  That is what I have gathered.  Keep posting, I am enjoying your posts and storing the information in my brain ready for when I try to withdraw from 20 mg again.  Am I right in that you haven't got any sweating or temperature disturbance

 

 

Yes, I do get the temperature flutuations, mostly chills lately, but sometimes sweating.  I forgot about that one.  I plan on staying at 30 mg. for at least six months.  I have two hip replacements to go through next year and I don't want to have to deal with withdrawals and healing from surgeries.  Another symptoms that I have is intrusive thoughts or its like I have conversations in my head with " another person". 

 

Joy, I hope your withdrawal symptoms have improved over time.  

[joy2730]

Much better today thanks.  I am doing swim and sauna to try to make myself healthier and today in the sauna my nose ran and ran, although I don't have a cold and am not ill.  I had this effect for months years ago when withdrawing from dothiepin and it is something to do with the cholinergic system springing back to normal.  it used to be really bad when withdrawing from dothiepin.  Some people think saunas help the body to detoxify and so I am beginning to think they are right. 

 

I am still getting the stabbing effect under my feet which is a hallmark withdrawal symptom of mine, but it is fine.  What I find hard to accept is that you can have withdrawal symptoms at the same time as taking a full dose, bizarre.

[scallywag]

Be conservative with saunas -- not too hot nor stay in them too long. It's hard to predict what will destabilize a CNS (central nervous system). Someone recently posted about problems after starting classes in a specific school of yoga. 

[genlady]

I got 8 hours sleep last night!  Awesome for me lately.  I only awoke several times during the night for the bathroom, but went right back to sleep.  I have been sleeping lots today too.  I know sleeping helps with healing so I'm not worried about sleeping during the day.  All of my symptoms have been less severe yesterday and today which has been a blessing.  The Chorea movements have lessened as well. I have been recording my symptoms on paper and the severity, and last night I started making a graph based on the burning sensation in my head symptom so I will see sooner or later if there is a pattern.  So far it has been two days averaging a 5, then two days averaging an 8 to 10.  I've now gone three days at a 5.  I am seeing an accupuncturist tomorrow who used to work at a substance abuse clinic working on patients dealing with drug withdrawals, so he should be a good one for me to see.  

 

Symptoms I still have:  chills/sweat, burning sensations, sensitive to light and sound, muscle and joint pain, anxiety, breathing problems, chorea movements, ringing in the ears.

[scallywag]

Please read the thread on acupuncture, especially posts #5, #6, #8 & #9.  You want to avoid treatments that are stimulating, detoxifying or that arouse the CNS (central nervous system) . Ask for calming treatments.

[genlady]

I saw the acupuncturist this morning and he agreed that I a detoxing fast enough all by myself. We are concentrating on improving my sleep, digestion and pain.  I see him twice next week.  I could feel the muscles in my neck relax!  It felt so good.  

 

I had about four hours sleep last night and fell asleep trying to eat my breakfast, but had to go to my appointment so didn't get any additional sleep.  I'm hoping I will sleep better tonight, as this seems to make a difference in how I feel the next day.  I'm really excited about this new healthcare treatment.  I will probably be stopping the Glutamine and Glycine when I run out of it.    My smptoms remain the same as above.

[genlady]

Today on my chart I am keeping for the average according to the burning sensation in my head, I averaged a 6. Yesterday was a 3.  The acupuncturist planted what he called a seed inside the top part of my ear, which kept the anxiety away for a day and a half.  It has returned tonight though.  I have found that pressing on the muscle on the right back side of my neck reduced the feelings I have in my head making me feel better.  Also pressing in the hollow infront of my ear does the same thing.  If I catch the Chorea Movements when I first feel them coming I can stall them from acurring if they aren't the severe kind by doing the same thing.  Last night I went to sleep easily, but awake in two hours unable to get back to sleep for three hours, then slept another two hours.  I have begun drinking Roobios tea ( I think it is called).  It is suppose to help with insomnia and anxiety.  The most bothersome symptoms tonight is the burning in my chest, ringing in the ears, sensitive eyes and ears and painful joints and muscles.  I am keeping track of the days I have acupuncture treatments to see if they make a big difference in time.  The next couple of weeks will test the pudding.  I had the Chorea Movements only once today.

[genlady]

Yesterday was NOT a good day.  I averaged a 9 in severity of symptoms.  I don't have any new symptoms, which is a good thing.  I will say the burning sensation body wise has been less, just not in my head.  I've had to go to the bathroom every hour so I am detoxing.  That has slowed down today to every two hours.  

 

Today, I have been very sensitive to light and my eyes have been burning as well as my ears with ringing, painful muscles/joints, some anxiety, insomnia last night, got to sleep around 4:30 a.m.  My husband has a bad cold, so I hope I don't catch it, I don't need another head thing going on.  I look forward to my acupuncture treatment tomorrow morning to see if it does make a difference again.  So far today I have averaged a 6 in symptoms.

[genlady]

All hell broke around 5 p.m.  I experienced very strong emotions accompanied by anxiety and obsessive thinking which snow balled into anger and crying.  My cognitive powers left me plus my memory and logic.  The more I talked to my husband to try and untangle my thoughts the angrier I became because he didn't understand what I meant.  Lets just say he was very patient and talked softly to me and before long the storming in my head settled down and I could think again and reason things better.  I am at a loss as to what to do if or when this happens again.    Today ended up to be about a 9.

[scallywag]

Glad your husband was able to help you so skillfully and with such good results.  Maybe he'd be willing to record a calming talk for you to use when he's not around.

[genlady]

Second Acupuncture treatment and that night I slept all total 9 hours!  My head isn't hurting as much, the anxiety is down and the ringing in my ears isn't as severe.Once in a while I still have the conversations in my head, but I'm hoping once my brain settles down so will the thoughts.  I felt well emotionally today as well.  To get to sleep I am trying to consciously relax the muscles in my head, eat a bowl of cereal with milk at bedtime and wear a sleep mask to be in the dark.  I'm getting my hair cut tomorrow so we'll see how I do with someone working on my scalp.  I hope tomorrow is a good day.

[genlady]

The burning sensation in my head continues to decrease with the acupuncture treatments and my sleep is slowly getting better, a long way from perfect, but better  A new symptom of a thumping sound in my right ear is rather annoying.  I no longer have the burning sensation in my arms, but sometimes still in my legs.  The anxiety has reduced somewhat with the new Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture.  I tried to alter my dress to a smaller size and couldn't for the life of me figure out how to do it, or calculate numbers.  So I left it and chalked it up to the withdrawals making it more difficult to think.  My brain seems all muddle sometmes.  I bought myself a new tablet for Christmas so I will have to figure that one out how to use it.  That should be interesting.    My mood has been better, but little things still upset me more than usual.  I tend to take things personally which makes things difficult, but I'm working on changing that when I can.  It's hard to think things through when I feel people are attacking me, when they actually mean something different.  I hope that gets better in the future.  I haven't had a chorea movement today!  

[Junglechicken]

Hi genlady,

I am sorry you have been having such bad symptoms. Whether it's any consolation I don't know, but I have been experiencing a similar set of symptoms in my most recent wave which was triggered by a flu vaccination:

Frequent urination
Tinnitus
Body pains (back pain, upper body tightness)
Headaches
GI issues
Severe eczema and acne (face, shoulders, arms)
Light sensitivity/vision issues
Immune system issues

About to faint sensation in my head (but never actually do)

Dizziness

Flu-like symptoms

The other comment I had was regarding your hip operation. When will yours be? I ask only because another SA member "Reflex" had a hip replacement in early September, and has been having difficulties with pain killers and AD meds.  This is not intended to scare you, but she experienced appetite loss (dry retching) and extreme anxiety.  I just wanted to give you the heads up about potential post-op challenges.

Take care,
JC x

[scallywag]

genlady -- A tip about doing things such as learning to use something new: Check youtube for videos. It's amazing what people have posted as instructional videos. There will probably be something about alterations and might even be something about the specific tablet you purchased.

 

I used youtube videos to learn

- many, many advanced formulas in Microsoft Excel

- simple electrical repair and maintenance tasks

- different knitting techniques

- how to crochet,

etc.

[genlady]

Day 27:  Yeah!!  I was able to complete the alterations on my dress without help.  The problem the other day is I was confused and couldn't think clearly enough.  I know how to sew, so it was frustrating that I couldn't remember how to do it.  I continue to have good days and bad days, but my bad days aren't as bad and my good days are getting better!  I just wish acupuncture wasn't so expensive.... $140 a week.  But it is worth it to see the improvement.  

 

I still don't sleep at night, until around 3 or 4 a.m. then sleep until 7 a.m.,  have breakfast, then sleep again until 11:00 a.m.  That seems to be my sleep pattern right now.  Good thing I don't work or have to go many places.  The burning in my head has gone down to the worst a 7 or eight and I have slept for 11 hours, but mostly 6 hours a night.   I still have sensitive hearing and eyes, ringing in the ears and anxiety.  

 

I  think the Chorea Movements have improved as well.  They aren't body wide anymore, mostly my arms and legs.  I'm getting pretty good at imagery to help keep calm.  My husband has noticed as have I that I am more responsive to his touch and I touch him more.....

 

I believe the antidepressants had dulled all my emotions and now they are coming out in a positive way.  They anger episodes haven't happened in awhile and I laugh now, whereas before I didn't find anything funny.  I'm finding out what I am really like inside and I'm liking what I see.

Edited December 1, 2016 by scallywag
paragraph breaks

[genlady]

I have been having a bad time last night and thrroughout the night.  I only got 2 hours sleep with a nap today.  My intestines dont feel well either.  I did get a flu shot last month but i dont know if that has caused this developement.  Most of my current symptoms have intensified.  Burning pain in head, legs and arms

tettinitis

sensitive to light and sound

anxiety

insomnia

muscle and joint pain

GI problems

swimmy feeling in head

nervousness

chorea movements

 

[genlady]

Hi genlady,

 

I am sorry you have been having such bad symptoms. Whether it's any consolation I don't know, but I have been experiencing a similar set of symptoms in my most recent wave which was triggered by a flu vaccination:

 

Frequent urination

Tinnitus

Body pains (back pain, upper body tightness)

Headaches

GI issues

Severe eczema and acne (face, shoulders, arms)

Light sensitivity/vision issues

Immune system issues

About to faint sensation in my head (but never actually do)

Dizziness

Flu-like symptoms

 

The other comment I had was regarding your hip operation. When will yours be? I ask only because another SA member "Reflex" had a hip replacement in early September, and has been having difficulties with pain killers and AD meds.  This is not intended to scare you, but she experienced appetite loss (dry retching) and extreme anxiety.  I just wanted to give you the heads up about potential post-op challenges.

 

Take care,

JC x

JC, I dont have surgery date yet, but was told probably in January, I should find out soon.  I was on morphine for awhile for my hip pain and had horrible withdrawals from it.  The surgeon is aware of this, so hopefully caution will be used for me in hospital after the surgery.  I am concerned about it though.  However I was on Celexa when I had my knees replaced in 2012. and didnt have a problem.    Thank you for your comments about it.    Sorry you have been suffering 

[scallywag]

genlady -- you are a coping WELL with a boatload of unpleasant symptoms. I sure hope at least a few of them subside soon for you.

[genlady]

I have had several more acupuncture treatments.  The last visit I had needles placed in my ears to remain there for a week to help with my sleep.  I slept eight hours last night with only waking twice.  He is helping with the incontinence as well and have seen an improvement.  The burning in my head has improved this treatment , but tonight I had another episode of intruding thoughts which are disturbing.  I also had an elevated mood or something, because I couldn't stop laughing when I spoke out loud giving voice to my thoughts which made things worse, then I remembered what I do to stop the thoughts competely.  I have learned to go inside my thoughts and image a peaceful scene or my "safe place" which is the chapel where I go to church and have a look around.  Sometimes I image my yard outside the house, or take a tour of inside the house.  I use this method now to go to sleep.  

 

Symptoms I still have on day 32 of my last taper:

 

sensitivity to light and sound

ringing in the ears

anxiety

chorea movements

incontinence

burning sensation in my head

dizziness

GI problems off and on

painful joints and muscles

elevated mood or depression ( short lived)

 

I still don't have a surgery date, but have phoned the ER booking and am phoning back tomorrow for some answers as to why I am not getting my surgery date.  I had surgical screening in September and was expecting a faster booking than this.  Both my hips are very painful now and making it even more difficult to move around.  I use a wheelchair to go anywhere outside the house and can't sit for longer than an hour.  Patience, patience, patience................

[genlady]

I have the total hip replacement surgery on January 19,2017.  It has been a long time coming.  Today was a good day for the most part, until 9 p.m.  The last three nights I have been getting close to eight hours sleep.  My pain level is still high which causes stress.  I ordered some arnica cream to see if that helps.  For two nights i was experiencing an elevated mood with irritabililty.  My poor husband took the brunt of it, but we were able to talk things over when misunderstandings arose.  I was able to go inside my mind and image peaceful scenes to calm myself down after that.  

 

symptoms  I still have:

 

sweating/chills

sensitive to sound and light

anxiety

chorea movements

ringing in the ears

GI problems

flu like symptoms

head pain

incontinence

[genlady]

I have been sleeping quite well for the past week.  I had two hours of involuntary movements last night though.  I continue to have abnormal thoughts.  I think this is the most bothersome symptom i have to deal with daily.  It is like having a conversation with another person in my head, and the other person is not very pleasant at times.  To deal with this i sometimes can use  " thought stopping" technique, but this doesnt always help.  I can use visualization to escape the thoughts when i am able to sit quietly , but when i am doing something and the thoughts occur, it can become quite bothersome.  

 

Other symptoms i atill have:

burning pain in head

ringing in ears

sensitive hearing

sensitive to light

anxiety

muscle and joint pain

chorea movements

[genlady]

Day 49 of last taper.  I continue to suffer with head pain, ringing in the ears, sweating and chills, anxiety, blurred vision, sensitive to light and sound, incontinence, muscle and joint pain.  I find relief through imagery, deep breathing, mindfulness, acupuncture, chinese herbs, coloring, computer games, videos and prayer. i try to take time for fun, work, and exercise in some form every day.  My hip replacement surgery is in four weeks and im hoping the symptoms will have subsided by then.  

 

I have personally found the most help with acupuncture.  My sleep has improved dramatically following a treatment.  From time to time i experience palpitations.