Seriously trying to get off the meds

[Jmillhimes]

I've been battling side effects of citalpram! I took it in the 20mg for almost a year and weened myself off! After a health scare it all came back! Flush face, shakes, jumping up with tremors at night! Decided I had enough! Called doctor to get back on the horse!she started me straight 20mg again and boy did it hit me hard core! The anxiety has been worse since I started three weeks ago! I asked about switching to another med and she said no I need to see a psychotriSt ! Then I found this forum! I've been doing so much research trying to figure out what triggers it! The one thing I have been able to do is hold the panic attacks down to maybe 1 a week on half a 20mg pill a day of citalpram ! IVe accepted only I can stop these attacks! I've started eating better and working out! I'm 36 and already battling high blood pressure and taking beta blockers for a heart issue and I want control of my life again! I have been told not to go completely cold turkey ! Any advice on this issue?

[gypsylee]

I've been battling side effects of citalpram! I took it in the 20mg for almost a year and weened myself off! After a health scare it all came back! Flush face, shakes, jumping up with tremors at night! Decided I had enough! Called doctor to get back on the horse!she started me straight 20mg again and boy did it hit me hard core! The anxiety has been worse since I started three weeks ago! I asked about switching to another med and she said no I need to see a psychotriSt ! Then I found this forum! I've been doing so much research trying to figure out what triggers it! The one thing I have been able to do is hold the panic attacks down to maybe 1 a week on half a 20mg pill a day of citalpram ! IVe accepted only I can stop these attacks! I've started eating better and working out! I'm 36 and already battling high blood pressure and taking beta blockers for a heart issue and I want control of my life again! I have been told not to go completely cold turkey ! Any advice on this issue?

So did the meds help you when you were on them the first time?

This is why I stay on SSRIs - I don't want to wean myself off them then have a breakdown over something and have to go through the initial side effects which are horrible. That initial anxiety (which you've got now) does go away though you realise? But yes it's so awful that I usually get the doctor to prescribe something like Valium.

Eating right and working out is a good idea. There are also lots of other things you can do to help anxiety, like learning deep breathing techniques. I recommend you have a look at a post in the "stickies" by PanicCured called "Techniques I Used To Cure My Anxiety" - it has lots of good ideas which don't involve meds.

Talking to people about how you feel is also very helpful - it actually lowers stress hormones in the blood. Even if it's just on here.

All the best to you and welcome to the forum :)
Gypsy x

[Jmillhimes]

Thanks a lot! Yes, I was on it almost a year and started getting myself off slowly til finally jumping off! I never had the side effects like I do now! 3 weeks straight not sleeping and driving my wife crazy! I've missed several days cause I can't sleep! I've come to terms it's all in my head and I need to do what's neccessary to get off these meds! I think in terms of anxiety that should be the ultimate goal to not rely on meds! Thanks for the article mention

[gypsylee]

Thanks a lot! Yes, I was on it almost a year and started getting myself off slowly til finally jumping off! I never had the side effects like I do now! 3 weeks straight not sleeping and driving my wife crazy! I've missed several days cause I can't sleep! I've come to terms it's all in my head and I need to do what's neccessary to get off these meds! I think in terms of anxiety that should be the ultimate goal to not rely on meds! Thanks for the article mention

That's no good (the insomnia). I think you'd really benefit from deep breathing. PanicCured talks about it in that post. When I had a breakdown a couple of years ago I could barely sleep 2 hours a night but after doing deep breathing I started sleeping about 6 hours. It works on the nervous system, telling it not to be on such high alert.

Meds are ok I think but there's heaps of other things you can do :)

[nearlycured]

try homeopathy

[Smorgan Echingard]

So did the meds help you when you were on them the first time?

This is why I stay on SSRIs - I don't want to wean myself off them then have a breakdown over something and have to go through the initial side effects which are horrible. That initial anxiety (which you've got now) does go away though you realise? But yes it's so awful that I usually get the doctor to prescribe something like Valium.

Eating right and working out is a good idea. There are also lots of other things you can do to help anxiety, like learning deep breathing techniques. I recommend you have a look at a post in the "stickies" by PanicCured called "Techniques I Used To Cure My Anxiety" - it has lots of good ideas which don't involve meds.

Talking to people about how you feel is also very helpful - it actually lowers stress hormones in the blood. Even if it's just on here.

All the best to you and welcome to the forum :)
Gypsy x

yeah citalpram is Celexa right. in the beginning i felt crappy too but after a while it started slowing down and helping out a lot. but after 2.5 years if i miss 2 days i start to feel horrorble