Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 35212

Shown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

New at Celexa at Psycho-Babble

Posted by Kath on May 30, 2000, at 11:00:47

I'm having trouble finding my way around P-B so thought it might help me to start a new thread.
I'm concerned about Celexa side effects. This is my first anti-depression medicine & I'm only somewhat depressed. Day 1 & Day 2 I felt zombie-ish 2-3 hrs after 20mg. in the morning. Also was dizzy & a bit nauseated. Day 3 (yesterday) I get quite dizzy; sinus pain; nauseated; cold sweat; vomitting & felt so awful that when the pail was knocked onto the carpet I didn't even care! (Sorry to be so graphic, but just to demonstrate how sick I felt.) As sick as I've ever felt in my life. Dr. said it wasn't an allergic reaction as I feared, but side effects. Told me to skip the pill today & take 10 mg at night instead. I was SO sick that I'm afraid to take it, however my husband had a headache & stomach ache/diarrhea yesterday also so we're wondering if it is a touch of flu along with the side effects. Has anyone had these bad side effects?

 

Re: New at Celexa at Psycho-Babble

Posted by brian on May 30, 2000, at 11:54:43

In reply to New at Celexa at Psycho-Babble, posted by Kath on May 30, 2000, at 11:00:47

> I'm having trouble finding my way around P-B so thought it might help me to start a new thread.
> I'm concerned about Celexa side effects. This is my first anti-depression medicine & I'm only somewhat depressed. Day 1 & Day 2 I felt zombie-ish 2-3 hrs after 20mg. in the morning. Also was dizzy & a bit nauseated. Day 3 (yesterday) I get quite dizzy; sinus pain; nauseated; cold sweat; vomitting & felt so awful that when the pail was knocked onto the carpet I didn't even care! (Sorry to be so graphic, but just to demonstrate how sick I felt.) As sick as I've ever felt in my life. Dr. said it wasn't an allergic reaction as I feared, but side effects. Told me to skip the pill today & take 10 mg at night instead. I was SO sick that I'm afraid to take it, however my husband had a headache & stomach ache/diarrhea yesterday also so we're wondering if it is a touch of flu along with the side effects. Has anyone had these bad side effects?

I am currently taking 30mg of Celexa after starting with 20mg for 2 weeks. While the symptoms you describe are more severe than what I've experienced, I've had some problems as well.

My problems are that it is very difficult to fall asleep at night, and when I finally do it feels like a very light sleep. In fact, often in the morning it seems as though I was frequently aware of myself lying there in a beginning sleep stage.

A second problem is that I feel dizzy and "flu like" for much of the day. It's difficult to get out of bed in the morning. It takes time to "adjust," to orient myself. And my vision feels kind of blurry. Once up, I kind of feel like I'm staggaring around in a thick haze. I don't feel mentally sharp, and I'm physically clumsy.

I've read recently that celexa often isn't efficacious at these lower dosages. I think my doc is seeing how I'll handle the med before bringing me up to speed. Unfortunately, too many docs simply take the drug company's word for it, when it comes to side effects, benefits, etc. According to the company's celexa profile, the drug has a low occurence of side effects. But, reading through these posts and experiencing the drug's effects for over 3 weeks leads me to wonder about these statistics. It's annoying: docs seem to "love" certain meds, and administer them to patients as if we have the luxury to weather weeks of side effects.

Celexa: so far, no benefits but plenty of side effects. Hmmm.

 

Re: New at Celexa at Psycho-Babble

Posted by Kath on May 30, 2000, at 12:08:21

In reply to Re: New at Celexa at Psycho-Babble, posted by brian on May 30, 2000, at 11:54:43

.... Unfortunately, too many docs simply take the drug company's word for it, when it comes to side effects, benefits, etc. According to the company's celexa profile, the drug has a low occurence of side effects. But, reading through these posts and experiencing the drug's effects for over 3 weeks leads me to wonder about these statistics. It's annoying: docs seem to "love" certain meds, and administer them to patients as if we have the luxury to weather weeks of side effects.
>
> Celexa: so far, no benefits but plenty of side effects. Hmmm.

Thanks for answering, Brian. I agree - both my doctor and my pharmacist said the side effects would probably last only 2 weeks - ONLY! Well, I'm hoping that by taking it at night it might be better.
Kath

 

Re: New at Celexa at Psycho-Babble

Posted by Rockets on May 30, 2000, at 15:27:58

In reply to Re: New at Celexa at Psycho-Babble, posted by brian on May 30, 2000, at 11:54:43

You could always eat about 30 bannanas peel and all to get your seratonin. Just don't smoke them. Heh.. seriously..

Celexa doesn't have to be a big deal. I eat those little Celexa pills up. Dreams.. so what. Sweating.. so what. Appetite change.. so what. Not enough to even bother me and I've been taking Celexa for 8 weeks now. I'm going to go to 40mg and rock it up.

I think trying something new when you are depressed or recovering from anxiety disorder is pretty intimidating and these side effects are more pronounced say than if a person was offered a promotion at work, for example, which involved giving presentations in front of large groups of people and ended up in a pdoc's office because they were having anxiety about it. I know several people in that position and they take Celexa and didn't really think the side effects were that big of a deal.

 

Re: New at Celexa at Psycho-Babble

Posted by Noa on May 30, 2000, at 19:08:23

In reply to Re: New at Celexa at Psycho-Babble, posted by Rockets on May 30, 2000, at 15:27:58

Docs need to be careful about overgeneralizing. If there is one thing I have learned here at babble, it is YMMV--your mileage may vary--ie, people often react so differently to the same meds.

 

Celexa helping already - I feel more hopeful.

Posted by Kath on May 31, 2000, at 7:43:56

In reply to New at Celexa at Psycho-Babble, posted by Kath on May 30, 2000, at 11:00:47

Saw my family doctor yesterday. He suggested 10 mg nightly or 20 mg every other night to help me get past the "2-week side effect time" that the drs. & pharmacist keep talking about. He was very supportive & didn't minimize how I'm feeling. After all day yesterday without any Celexa & 10 mg before bed, I feel okay right now - just a little dizzy.

My main goal right now is to get past the initial uncomfortable side effects. Celexa does seem to be helping me already. Stuff that normally would make me feel anxious or compulsive floats into my mind & instead of getting snagged there, floats out again. So I'm feeling hopeful.

Kath

 

Re: Celexa helping already - I feel more hopeful.

Posted by Noa on May 31, 2000, at 12:33:52

In reply to Celexa helping already - I feel more hopeful., posted by Kath on May 31, 2000, at 7:43:56

That sounds encouraging, Kath. But from your other post, I gather you have your hands full big time, so I can understand why you are so stressed!

 

Re: Celexa helping already...cause of stress......

Posted by Kath on June 1, 2000, at 9:01:25

In reply to Re: Celexa helping already - I feel more hopeful., posted by Noa on May 31, 2000, at 12:33:52

> That sounds encouraging, Kath. But from your other post, I gather you have your hands full big time, so I can understand why you are so stressed!
..........
Hi Noa - I've actually healed quite a bit about all that putting-down etc. from my ex-husband & am now very happily re-married for almost 7 years. It's my 16-yr-old son who is the STRESSFUL factor in my life now. I love him & he's basically a nice person, but time & again I thank God that he wasn't twins!! He's addicted to using drugs (not the prescribed kind) & has been using on a daily basis (sometimes numerous times/day). He mostly uses marijuana, but drinks & does "magic mushrooms" also, and has done LSD & has tried crystal meth. He stopped going to school (Grade 10) late Sept., wouldn't get a job, was stoned & nasty & unpredictable. At times I didn't feel safe with him around. He was 15 & here in Canada, parents have to provide shelter until the kid is 16, no matter WHAT the kid does. If they're bad enough you can put them in the hands of a government agency, but he wasn't quite that bad. When he turned 16 in March we told him that while we perceived him to have a drug problem we were prepared to have him living in our home only if he was in a treatment program & we gave him 6 choices that we'd found. He chose one where he goes daily & there's a school component & a substance abuse component. He doesn't want to quit using...at times says he's addicted & can't quit. Lots of people say you can't get physically addicted to marijuana, but the centre where he's going says you can after a certain period of daily use. The half-life is apparently 48 hours. After 48 hrs you still have half the active ingredient in your body. Imagine the build-up with him using daily for almost a year & a half. For him it's an enormous achievement to go a day without smoking up. Apparently pot is vastly stronger than in my day as a teen (I'm 53).

Anyway, I find it incredibly stressful & it's just worn me down so much. I frequently consider kicking him out, but he IS going to this program, and we're doing family therapy there now, so I don't like to give up on giving him this chance yet. I know it might help him "hit bottom" to get kicked out & then maybe realize where his drug use has landed him, but I'm afraid that if he's out on the streets he'll start doing worse drugs & it will be the beginning of the end. He's told his older sister (who lives on her own) that pot doesn't really "do it" much for him anymore & that he's afraid where this is leading him.

Anyway, even the first 3 days of 20 mg of Celexa helped me not ALWAYS have him on my mind & not ALMOST ALWAYS feel anxious. Then, after being so sick Monday, not taking it Tuesday, then taking 10 mg the last 2 nights, I realize this morning that 10 mg isn't working. Maybe I'll try 20 mg tonite again.

I'm delighted to have found this place to communicate with others. Thanks for caring.

Kath


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