Going off SSRI’s/ Is this normal? | ADHD Information

   I was cut off my prescription of Celexa when insurance ran out, and was feeling very irratable to go along with 'brain jolts', dizziness, and the wierd feeling of just 'not being me', as it made me feel like my skin was 'crawlin' with goosebumps at least twice a day. You definately don't want to just 'quit' anti-Ds without a weaning process.   NO FUN!!

 

Anyone else taking Lexapro or any other antidepresant (SSRI) stop taking it for a week or two (on purpose or not) and start feeling very impatient?

Well, I stopped my Lexapro and maybe took it once or twice in a 2 to 3 week peroid (not on purpose) just preocupied, didn't care or whatever.  Then I had a couple of episodes that, well, were totally out of character for me.

A few days ago my daughter told me to, "calm down".. I totally lost it.  In the first place I wasn't upset, I was just a little in a hurry.  I was so angry at those words!  I gave her a 10 minute (at least) lecture about NEVER saying that to me again!..

Yesterday I had to take my other daughter for a Dr.s appt. She had a friend over who lived kind of far away, so she would need to go to the appt. with us.  She asked me if they could wait outside for me.  I told her yes, but to be right out in the front of the house because I would be out there to go in two minutes.

Anyway, when I went out to go she and her friend were nowhere to be seen.  I sat in my car in my driveway and honked my horn a few times. I waited like ten minutes, honking on occasion.  They didn't show up!  I then drove around the block looking for them.  Came home and sat in the driveway honking my horn.  In a few minutes they came walking up to my car from down the street.  I said," get your a** in the car!"  After she got in I said something like, "where the fu** were you!"  Her friend was scared of me I guess and just kept walking down the street igoring me.  I drove up next to her and said, " (name) I'm not upset with you, I'm upset with (my daughter)."  "Please come with us to the Dr.'s office."  She got in and we went.  I told my daughter while in the car that she better hope that she can still be seen and how the Dr. office squeezed her in and that if we're too late she's going to see me explode in a huge way.

I ended up crying at the Dr.'s office because of my behavior.  This was all so out of character for me!

Anyone else experience anything similar after not taking or going off antidepresants? 

My aunt takes Effexor.  When she starts crying, we know she has missed a pill or two. 

I have taken Lexapro.  When the doctor took me off, she weaned me over a period of 6 weeks, and it was little by little.   I'm sure there was a good reason for this.

And waiting drives me nuts too.  I detest waiting.  Especially when you are trying to get somewhere on time. 

Do you keep your cell phone with you all the time?  I do, saves me.  It has a great little schedule keeper and many different alarms so I remember to take my meds.  Before I had it, I forgot my meds a lot.  One of the important ones is insulin - without a reminder I could end up in the hospital.  (done that too, no fun)  Good luck and don't be so hard on yourself.  It happens, it passes.  It'll be OK.


That's not unusual to get agitated easily since you just stopped cold.   In fact I am surprised you have done that well.   Right now your brain chemistry is going loopy trying to re-adjust to not having the medication. 

If you don't want to take them anymore you should talk to your doctor about weaning off slowly.  This can actuallly be dangerous just to stop cold because it throws your thinking off so much.  Have you noticed any light-headness? This would be typical for an SSRI. 

I hope you will start taking at least a reduced dose and wean off slowly, if you intend to get off of them.   Otherwise get right back on them. 

Explain what happened to your daughter.   She will forgive you I am sure.   Best wishes.

 
I agree with cynthiatweedle, you should never stop SSRI without contacting a Dr and do it slowly in a period of time.

It can be dangerouse. I ended up in hospital doing that so I know.

I hadn't been to the pharmacy to get more when I was running out of them. So I couldn't take them for 3days and the third day I got terrible headache, more than I usually have, my heart jumped several times and then rushed so I thought I was going to die. And then I wasn't even on a high dosage then but my body and brain were use to the "help" the meds provided and.. well... didn't know what to do when it didn't get that help.

So don't stop cold for your own safety, please.

/Kaks who's on Cipralex for the moment