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Please help - Cipralex discontinuation syndrome lasting months!

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Posted 11/28/2011 5:59 AM (GMT 0)
A little background. I began treatment for post partum depression and GAD in March 2010. My psychiatrist put meon Cipralex, 10 mg a day. In July 2011 we decided that treatment was successful and it was time to start tapering down. So she had me go to 5mg a day for a month. The idea was I'd just stop after that. I started getting brain zaps/momentary feelings of fog 2 days after stopping.

So she had me go to 5mg every other day for a month, again the plan being stopping totally after a month. Still, I get brain zaps.

She's told me to just stop at this point because I am on a tiny tiny dose (5mg every 3 days) but if I do, I get the zapping. Tonight is day 5 and I am so upset because I cannot get the zaps/fog to stop. I ended up taking 5mg hoping that would help, but nothing.

I was on Celexa years ago and it was not this bad at all to come off of!

I'm very scared and wondering if I will ever feel "normal" again. cry Any advice??
Posted 11/28/2011 12:37 PM (GMT 0)
Miri, The "zaps" will go away. I had them for a little while after tapering off of Paxil once, and Zoloft a few times, in the past. They are just very annoying, but they will go away, I promise you that. I had a really hard time coming off of paxil back in 2002, horrible withdrawal from that drug! But every time I came off of zoloft it wasn't that bad. I guess each drug is different.

Anyway, you will start feeling them ease up as each day goes on. I found at the time, that taking a benadryl helped. (can't take them anymore myself though) I've never been on Cipralex, so I don't know how that drug is, all I can tell you is my experience with paxil and zoloft.

Hope this helps you somewhat. ((hugs)) Fox
Posted 11/28/2011 2:22 PM (GMT 0)
Miri,

Hello and welcome to HealingWell.  To the best of my knowledge, some SSRI medications have a very short half-life. This means they produce no metabolites that help the medication stay in the body for an extended period. They go in, last a few hours, and come out again.

SSRI's are split into two categories: long acting and short acting. For example, Prozac is a longer-acting SSRI. Paxil, Effexor, Zoloft and Luvox are short-acting. The shorter acting SSRIs, when discontinued or when the dosage is lowered, produce an "anticholinergic rebound," which is an interruption in production of the key neurotransmitter acetylcholine. (Acetylcholine is the neurotransmitter used more when a person is under greater stress.) These symptoms will last anywhere from one to seven weeks, and then disappear. I believe Cipralex is a short acting medication.

I have weaned off many of the antidepressants and I know where you are coming from.

Gentle Hugs,

Kitt

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