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What Causes Headaches After Switching From Cymbalta To Celexa?
Question: I just switched to Cymbalta from celexa been on celexa for 6 years was taking 60 mg a day doctor switched me to 40 mg celexa started to get anxiety and panic attacks I recently switched to Cymbalta 2 weeks ago started going to psychiatrist she put me back on 10 mg of celexa was having panic attacks dr. thought it was from discontinuing celexa cold turkey. for the last couple days been having terrible headaches was wondering if I can decrease to 5mg celexa?
the reason I ask was just wondering if the headaches are due to being on celexa and trazadone?
the reason I ask was just wondering if the headaches are due to being on celexa and trazadone?
Brief Answer:
can reduce dose to 5mg, check blood pressure.
Detailed Answer:
Hello
Welcome here.
I understand your concerns.
Almost all antidepressants, when stopped abruptly, can cause withdrawal symptoms.
Isolated headaches alone are usually not suggestive of withdrawal symptoms.
There are usually group of symptoms in antidepressant withdrawal syndrome like mood swings, brain fog, irritability, anxiety, tremors and disturbed sleep.
I feel that Your headaches are most probably due to the combination of drugs and not due to withdrawal effects. You are actually taking 3 antidepressants (celexa, cymbalta, trazodone). This can cause adverse effects.
I would advise you to get your blood pressure checked first.
You can decrease celexa to 5 mg and see if your headache improves. Keep your doctor informed about this.
Also, you can take ibuprofen sos.
Please never quit any drug cold turkey in future.
Hope this helps.
Feel free to ask further.
Take care.
Thanks.
can reduce dose to 5mg, check blood pressure.
Detailed Answer:
Hello
Welcome here.
I understand your concerns.
Almost all antidepressants, when stopped abruptly, can cause withdrawal symptoms.
Isolated headaches alone are usually not suggestive of withdrawal symptoms.
There are usually group of symptoms in antidepressant withdrawal syndrome like mood swings, brain fog, irritability, anxiety, tremors and disturbed sleep.
I feel that Your headaches are most probably due to the combination of drugs and not due to withdrawal effects. You are actually taking 3 antidepressants (celexa, cymbalta, trazodone). This can cause adverse effects.
I would advise you to get your blood pressure checked first.
You can decrease celexa to 5 mg and see if your headache improves. Keep your doctor informed about this.
Also, you can take ibuprofen sos.
Please never quit any drug cold turkey in future.
Hope this helps.
Feel free to ask further.
Take care.
Thanks.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Yeah the last 30 days been hell for me i quit drinking 30 days ago, i was a steady 12 pack a day while on celexa didnt start having anxiety until my family doc lowered my celexa to 40 mg from 60mg i started getting panic attacks and thats when i decided to stop drinking cold turkey i felt fine for first couple days then all anxiety broke loose. I went back to family doctor with my mom and told him i was having bad thoughts and he told me to go to er and he admitted me to psych ward was a really bad experience hope i feel better soon
Brief Answer:
blood pressure fine, quitting drugs cold turkey discouraged.
Detailed Answer:
Dear,
From your details, i find no reason why your family doctor reduced your dose of celexa.
You also quit drinking cold turkey 30 days back.
I think both these factor must have contributed to your anxiety and panic.
It is not a wise decision to change an antidepressant (on which a person is doing well) without any substantial reason.
And, in almost all cases, the drugs are tapered down slowly to prevent withdrawal effects and relalse of anxiety.
If your anxiety persists, I would advise a short term use of klonopin or xanax (on sos basis) to control anxiety.
Your blood pressure is fine. Its a good sign.
Please make sure that you drink lots of water.
Kindly discuss this with your doctor.
Hole you get well soon.
Thanks
blood pressure fine, quitting drugs cold turkey discouraged.
Detailed Answer:
Dear,
From your details, i find no reason why your family doctor reduced your dose of celexa.
You also quit drinking cold turkey 30 days back.
I think both these factor must have contributed to your anxiety and panic.
It is not a wise decision to change an antidepressant (on which a person is doing well) without any substantial reason.
And, in almost all cases, the drugs are tapered down slowly to prevent withdrawal effects and relalse of anxiety.
If your anxiety persists, I would advise a short term use of klonopin or xanax (on sos basis) to control anxiety.
Your blood pressure is fine. Its a good sign.
Please make sure that you drink lots of water.
Kindly discuss this with your doctor.
Hole you get well soon.
Thanks
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Are thoughts of unreality common they have been the most difficult symptoms of anxiety and then they lead to hopelessness i know there not dangerous just very ditressing at times i think that all these symptoms are due to getting off alcohol after 30 days sober are dts still possible?
My family doctor decreased it because your not suppose to prescribe 60 mg of celexa anymore 40 is now the XXXXXXX dose
My family doctor decreased it because your not suppose to prescribe 60 mg of celexa anymore 40 is now the XXXXXXX dose
Brief Answer:
may be protracted withdrawal symptoms.
Detailed Answer:
Thoughts of unreality or depersonalisation/derealisation phenomenon can be seen in anxiety disorders.
I understand your distress due to this.
Delirium tremens is not pissible after 1 month of sobriety. But in some cases, there are protracted withdrawal symptoms due to quitting alcohol, which may last for 3-6 months.
In such cases, benzos like klonopin or xanax help to calm down (short term use).
Ok..celaxa has been reduced because of regulations.
But in this case, I would have preferred to use benzos instead of switching to another antidepressant.
The body in such case, has to cope up with antidepressant cocktail. This increases anxiety.
Kindly discuss these issues with your psychiatrist.
Take care.
Regards.
Dr. Shubham Mehta, MD(Psychiatry).
may be protracted withdrawal symptoms.
Detailed Answer:
Thoughts of unreality or depersonalisation/derealisation phenomenon can be seen in anxiety disorders.
I understand your distress due to this.
Delirium tremens is not pissible after 1 month of sobriety. But in some cases, there are protracted withdrawal symptoms due to quitting alcohol, which may last for 3-6 months.
In such cases, benzos like klonopin or xanax help to calm down (short term use).
Ok..celaxa has been reduced because of regulations.
But in this case, I would have preferred to use benzos instead of switching to another antidepressant.
The body in such case, has to cope up with antidepressant cocktail. This increases anxiety.
Kindly discuss these issues with your psychiatrist.
Take care.
Regards.
Dr. Shubham Mehta, MD(Psychiatry).
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Brief Answer:
keep trazodone and xanax sos.
Detailed Answer:
If you are feeling well with cutting down celexa, you can stop the 5mg in one week.
Keep trazodone and xanax sos.
Cymbalta will take some time to show its full effect. You might need xanax till then.
Gradually, you would be staying just on cymbalta.
If there is headache again, you can take ibuprofen.
Keep in touch with your doctor.
I wish you well.
Take care.
keep trazodone and xanax sos.
Detailed Answer:
If you are feeling well with cutting down celexa, you can stop the 5mg in one week.
Keep trazodone and xanax sos.
Cymbalta will take some time to show its full effect. You might need xanax till then.
Gradually, you would be staying just on cymbalta.
If there is headache again, you can take ibuprofen.
Keep in touch with your doctor.
I wish you well.
Take care.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
I was put on trazedone in psych hospital i also was on neurontin im off that now started seeing a psychiatrist a couple weeks ago my family doc put me on cymbalta i quit celexa for a week psychiatrist put me back on 10 mg to wean off she said it was fine to take trazedone ive been taking that steady for about 20 days would love to get off of that and just rely on cymbalta and xanax as needed i just dont want to be dependent on a drug and was wondering if i dont take trazadone tonite am i gonna have side effects?
Brief Answer:
may cause difficulty in sleeping.
Detailed Answer:
In my opinion, The only side effect which you could have while not having trazodone would be inability to sleep and restlessness.
As you have mentioned that you already take trazodone 25mg when needed, there should not be any problem.
If there is at all a difficulty in sleeping and restlessness, you can take xanax.
This will help you.
Hope to have answered your queries satisfactorily.
Take care.
Thanks.
may cause difficulty in sleeping.
Detailed Answer:
In my opinion, The only side effect which you could have while not having trazodone would be inability to sleep and restlessness.
As you have mentioned that you already take trazodone 25mg when needed, there should not be any problem.
If there is at all a difficulty in sleeping and restlessness, you can take xanax.
This will help you.
Hope to have answered your queries satisfactorily.
Take care.
Thanks.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
I took 50 mg took 25 last night when does a person start to get the full affects of cymbalta been on it for 2 weeks
Brief Answer:
cymbalta takes 4-6 weeks to show full effects.
Detailed Answer:
Did you get enough sleep with 25mg? Or get any side effects while reducing the dose from 50 to 25 mg?
If there was no problem, you would be fine further as well.
Cymbalta usually takes 4-6 weeks to show its full effects.
Thanks.
cymbalta takes 4-6 weeks to show full effects.
Detailed Answer:
Did you get enough sleep with 25mg? Or get any side effects while reducing the dose from 50 to 25 mg?
If there was no problem, you would be fine further as well.
Cymbalta usually takes 4-6 weeks to show its full effects.
Thanks.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Did not have any problems had a panic attack right after taking meds so i took a xanax and slept fine. Is there any good self help guides out there for panic and anxiety my panic attacks have made it hard for me to leave home and go places we are supposed to leave for vacation this friday and i have been getting anxiety that i may loose my mind have a heart attack or stroke and die the thoughts have been really frustrating especially the derealization thoughts
Brief Answer:
keep xanax with you for emergency.
Detailed Answer:
If you did not had any problem, there should not be any in future as well.
You can keep xanax with you for emergency use when you have intense anxiety.
There is a book "the anxiety and phobia workbook' by Edmund Bourne.The book focuses on eating the right foods, tips for stopping panic attacks, as well as relaxation techniques to use when confronted with fear.
The more you will worry, the more would be the chances of getting panic attack.
This should help. You can look for it online.
Wishing you a wonderful vacation.
Thanks.
keep xanax with you for emergency.
Detailed Answer:
If you did not had any problem, there should not be any in future as well.
You can keep xanax with you for emergency use when you have intense anxiety.
There is a book "the anxiety and phobia workbook' by Edmund Bourne.The book focuses on eating the right foods, tips for stopping panic attacks, as well as relaxation techniques to use when confronted with fear.
The more you will worry, the more would be the chances of getting panic attack.
This should help. You can look for it online.
Wishing you a wonderful vacation.
Thanks.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Dont mean to keep bugging you is it common to feel like you got tons of energy and then a low while on cymbalta? I also am a smoker thinking about quiting just waiting to feel 100% before taking on another battle
Brief Answer:
quit smoking after cymbalta takes full effects.
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Sorry for the late response.
Yes, as the drug is started, it may start showing its effects right away. That is why you feel energetic at times initially.
But the sustained full effects take 4-6 weeks.
I would also advise you to quit smoking after cymbalta takes its full effects.
Take care.
Kindly close the discussion if you have no more queries and give your valuable feedback.
Thanks.
quit smoking after cymbalta takes full effects.
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Sorry for the late response.
Yes, as the drug is started, it may start showing its effects right away. That is why you feel energetic at times initially.
But the sustained full effects take 4-6 weeks.
I would also advise you to quit smoking after cymbalta takes its full effects.
Take care.
Kindly close the discussion if you have no more queries and give your valuable feedback.
Thanks.
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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