Medication Reaction??

It just isn't a good time... :rolleyes:

I saw a psychiatrist yesturday to help me deal with some stress going on and with the stress of my health issues. He prescribed Celexa, which is normally prescribed for depression, but he says its shown to really help anxiety. I took it at 2:30 yesturday afternoon and at around 8:30 I started having some breathing problems.

It feels like I cannot catch my breath. I have asthma, so this isn't really anything new for me. The scary part is that when I yawn -to try and catch my breath- I gag! My throat feels really wierd, like its kind of swollen. I called my GI at 10:15 last night and he said that wasn't a common side effect of Celexa and to just take some Benadryl. I took that last night and today the only change is that I'm totally drowsy from the stupid Benadryl.

I called the psychiatrist and my regular doctor and I'm awaiting their calls. If its not the Celexa, I wonder if its the 6MP I started on Tuesday?

I didn't take the Celexa today...at least not until I hear from my doctors.

:rolleyes: :(

Kelly,

I'd hold off taking anymore Celexa till I talk to the doctor. It may not be a known side effect, but everyone's system is different. Sounds like you're having SOME kind of reaction to the stuff. Better be safe than sorry!

((((hugs)))))

Quote:

---

Rare side effects may include:
difficulty breathing, difficulty swallowing,

---

Kelly, I saw this on this website:
http://www.healthsquare.com/newrx/CEL1079.HTM

True, it says that it's rare, but you never know.

Take a look at this:
http://www.prozactruth.com/celexastories.htm

Please talk to your doctor, Sis. This worries me.

{{{HUGS}}}

Kelly, I take Celexa and have had no problems ... however, your symptoms are the danger signs of a severe allergic reaction ... I would definitely stop taking anything new until you know which one is causing this! (((HUGS))))

I just heard from Dr. Havany (my psychiatrist). He told me not to take the Celexa until Sunday and that I should try only 1/4 of the tablet. He said that if I start to feel better, then get the symptoms back after Sunday, we'll know what's causing it.

Slick...severe depression? I'm only taking it for anxiety...I don't have a depressed bone in my body!! I will keep those complaints in mind. I'm always mindful of how I'm feeling emotionally, so I'll make sure to bring anything negative up to my doctor.

I hate how I feel right now. I don't know it if the Klonopin, the 6MP or a mixture of everything plus the stupid Benadryl...gosh, I hate that stuff!!

I'm sooooo tired. I can't wait to go home, take a bath and go to SLEEP!!!

Just seeing your post Kelly:( I am glad you are stopping the Celexa for the weekend - and the Sunday dose will help you figure out if that is the culprit. The Klonopin isn't new and 6MP usually has so few side effects. Those antidepressants have so many different reactions, hard to tell. I was unable to take it - also given for anxiety.

Hope you can get a good rest tonight!! (((HUGS))))

ew, best of luck with the drug problems, Kelly. Boy, if it isn't hard enough to keep up with everything, now you have to deal with this. Hope that you're feeling better today and that benedryl is wearing off. I can totally related to that feeling...if I take one benedryl, I'm in bed for the next two days! It really knocks me off my feet. Glad those docs are taking good care of you. Get some rest. Feel better

My 2 cents worth is this... They are FAR to quick to give that kind of stuff to people and since we trust them, we take it... Never realizing how HARD it is going to be to get off of it and when you complaine about the WITHDRAWLS, they think you are crazy and prescribe a higher dose!

They hide what the withdrawl off of it is really like, I think the doctors are not aware of it or they do not care... I took Celexa and while I did far better on that than I did on Paxil, I took it upon myself to take only half of what they wanted me to. It took me TWO years to get off of it when I wanted off. I cut the dose and cut the dose and cut the dose until I was down to 1/8 a pill a day.. The doctor laughed at me, said 1/8 of the dose was nothing and I just as well quit it all together... But when I tried, I STILL got the ZAPS.... The zaps are like little electrial charges going through your brain and can get pretty intense.. They HID this from us for a long, long time but not long ago, low and behold, they dicscovered people REALLY DO get the electrial zap feeling in their brain as a withdrawl... I saw that on the news one night.

My advice to you is to go find a good understanding preacher or someone who you can trust to talk to and help you work through this time.... Anything, but stay off that stuff! No more mood altering drugs for me!! The withdrawls for me was 100 times worse than what I ever took it for!

{{HUGS TO KELLY}}

I'm on Celexa too. I tend to get really dissy sometimes. I hope you get it worked out though

He's giving it to you what is called "off-label". This means it's not approved by the FDA. You're being used as a guinea pig, basically.

You may wish to report your adverse reaction to Wyeth (the manufacturer, I think). It should say on the pill bottle who the manufacturer is.

Good luck with all your stuff! I hope you feel better.

On Friday, I spoke with my regular MD and he hadn't heard of that type of reaction either. He said Celexa is normally prescribed because it has a lower amount of side effects. Knowing my body, if there's a wierd side effect to have, I'll get it!

I've decided to dose myself... ;)

I've been feeling blah and unmotivated and that's totally unlike me. So, I'm taking 1/4 of the Klonopin and 1/4 of the Celexa. If I feel strange tomorrow (2 days on this dose), I'm going off it.

I'd rather learn other forms of stress relief than the drug version if I can. I take too many damn pills as it is to be adding more...especially if they aren't what I really want anyway.

My gagging thing is gone, but the breathing thing is still bothering me, although, not as bad.

Kelly, thank you for the update. You've been on my mind all weekend.

big hugs and you know where I am if you need me.
luv slick xoxo

Mmm, Kelly, I just saw this. I hope you are much better. I do agree with what someone said..........that Dr.'s are far too quick to prescribe something..........and the jury is still out on all of the side effects.

Big hugs to you!

This is a long shot. You might want to find out if the Celexa is "real" Celexa. There have been problems with counterfeit meds recently.