Shown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by 4WD on May 27, 2006, at 18:55:54
Has anyone switched from Celexa/Lexapro/Paxil/Zoloft, etc. to EMSAM? Have you waited one week or two as a washout period? How did you deal with the SSRI withdrawal issues in the meantime? Did the brain zaps, etc. disappear when you started up the EMSAM?
I'm on Celexa (plus Neurontin and Klonopin) and I'm a bit scared of stopping the Celexa cold turkey for a week or two. Return of depression plus withdrawal could be mighty unpleasant since I'm not doing all that great as it is. My pdoc says I can take Zyprexa during the washout to help deal with depression (it comes back pretty quickly when I stop or reduce my meds).
Has anyone on EMSAM had problems with stiff neck or upper back?
Thanks,
Marsha
Posted by Jakeman on May 27, 2006, at 21:49:59
In reply to ssri washout before EMSAM, posted by 4WD on May 27, 2006, at 18:55:54
Marsha,
I was taking 20 mg Celexa and stopped it for 6 days prior to starting Emsam. The description monographs on the company website says approximately 1 week for all ssri's except for prozac which needs a 5 week break due to it's long half-life.
I had no noticable withdrawal symptoms from the Celexa. It had already ceased to have any antidepressant effect for me. I continued taking Lyrica, which has helped some with anxiety and mood and maybe with making the transition.
warm regards, Jake
> Has anyone switched from Celexa/Lexapro/Paxil/Zoloft, etc. to EMSAM? Have you waited one week or two as a washout period? How did you deal with the SSRI withdrawal issues in the meantime? Did the brain zaps, etc. disappear when you started up the EMSAM?
>
> I'm on Celexa (plus Neurontin and Klonopin) and I'm a bit scared of stopping the Celexa cold turkey for a week or two. Return of depression plus withdrawal could be mighty unpleasant since I'm not doing all that great as it is. My pdoc says I can take Zyprexa during the washout to help deal with depression (it comes back pretty quickly when I stop or reduce my meds).
>
> Has anyone on EMSAM had problems with stiff neck or upper back?
>
> Thanks,
> Marsha
Posted by Phillipa on May 27, 2006, at 22:52:15
In reply to Re: ssri washout before EMSAM » 4WD, posted by Jakeman on May 27, 2006, at 21:49:59
Hi Masha haven't seen you in a while. Another going to EMSAM? I was told it was a two week wash out period for all ad's I could be wrong. Love Phillip
Posted by crazy777girl on May 30, 2006, at 6:37:53
In reply to ssri washout before EMSAM, posted by 4WD on May 27, 2006, at 18:55:54
Greetings - I developed a stiff, very sore, slightly swollen neck when I first started EMSAM. It became difficult to breathe & swallow, but it was swollen on only 1 side, which lead me to believe it may have been unconnected w/ the med, even though the timing was connected. My doc agreed that had it been a reaction from EMSAM, it would likely not have been one side of my neck, but we did an ultrasound anyway. Nothing showed up. It went away in 3 days.
A.
> Has anyone switched from Celexa/Lexapro/Paxil/Zoloft, etc. to EMSAM? Have you waited one week or two as a washout period? How did you deal with the SSRI withdrawal issues in the meantime? Did the brain zaps, etc. disappear when you started up the EMSAM?
>
> I'm on Celexa (plus Neurontin and Klonopin) and I'm a bit scared of stopping the Celexa cold turkey for a week or two. Return of depression plus withdrawal could be mighty unpleasant since I'm not doing all that great as it is. My pdoc says I can take Zyprexa during the washout to help deal with depression (it comes back pretty quickly when I stop or reduce my meds).
>
> Has anyone on EMSAM had problems with stiff neck or upper back?
>
> Thanks,
> Marsha
Posted by Donna Louise on May 31, 2006, at 7:34:27
In reply to ssri washout before EMSAM, posted by 4WD on May 27, 2006, at 18:55:54
> Has anyone switched from Celexa/Lexapro/Paxil/Zoloft, etc. to EMSAM? Have you waited one week or two as a washout period? How did you deal with the SSRI withdrawal issues in the meantime? Did the brain zaps, etc. disappear when you started up the EMSAM?
>
> I'm on Celexa (plus Neurontin and Klonopin) and I'm a bit scared of stopping the Celexa cold turkey for a week or two. Return of depression plus withdrawal could be mighty unpleasant since I'm not doing all that great as it is. My pdoc says I can take Zyprexa during the washout to help deal with depression (it comes back pretty quickly when I stop or reduce my meds).
>
> Has anyone on EMSAM had problems with stiff neck or upper back?
>
> Thanks,
> MarshaI did 10 days from effexor. I would have only done 7 but I had to do an additional three from a migraine med. As you can imagine, may know first hand or have read, effexor withdrawal is a nightmare from hell. I got through it with klonopin, soma and vicodin. Every sinew in my body was killing me. I tried to just sleep through it. The worse was over by the time I started EMSAM but any residual was quickly removed when I did start. I have had no stiff neck (but did have one with resulting migraines on the effexor and other sri's) or any other side effects from EMSAM for that matter. I really really like it, I do continue to take klonopin and provigil and may need to go to 9mg for more depression relief. But nevertheless, it is the best yet and I am still really excited about it. I do so hope you get some relief too. Don't worry, you will survive withdrawal, it may not even be bad for you at all!!
oh btw, I had to stop celexa long ago due to the extreme muscle contractions in my face, scalp, neck and shoulders. It was the worse one for me about that side effect. I didn't have withdrawal as I went straight to another sri, can't begin to tell you which one it was...never again!
Donna
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD, bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.