Tapering or holding dilemma

September 5, 2026··

Posted in:Celexa (Citalopram)Support Tapering

I have a dilemma. I've had inner akathisia ever since I reinstated the ssri and my doctor titrated me all the way up to 40mg despite it continuing. I've been holding for 5 months. I have a feeling I need to start cutting but I'm not sure. I've healed in many ways but that might have happened anyway. I could tell the reinstatement was injuring me but for some reason held through (I was desperate). They put me on Gabapentin, Trazodone, and Propanolol to deal with the "adjustment effects." It has gotten better from when I first started but still pretty unbearable. I always feel emotionally awful, inner vibration on and off, restless arms (almost unbearable), severe anxiety, agoraphobia, and this was all with the reinstatement (although the hollow depressive feeling, head pressure, and brain buzzing are gone). I think I've been dealing with an adverse reaction all along instead of "adjustment effects," although I was taken off Lithium at the same time. I was going to try and taper the Gabapentin but was wondering if I might need that "brake" if the Citalopram really is the issue and I need to address that one first. I can't tell if it was just the ongoing disruption to my already crashed system with all the changes and my brain will adapt over time and accept the med again or if it needs to go asap. Any thoughts on this? My family isn't going to go along with it and I don't seem to do well with commercial liquid so this is going to have to be a a DIY operation. I was either thinking of using an emery board and a jewelry scale to do a 1% drop or grind and weigh the pill then put it into a capsule. So, what's your take on timing and method?

Celexa — 40mg — 8 months — reinstated | Lamictal — 150mg — 10 — holding | Trazodone — 50mg — 7 months — holding | Gabapentin — 900mg — 6 months — actively tapering | without clinician

9 Replies

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BasedStaff12d ago

Community AnchorEffexor

Stephanie, that's a rough spot to be in. Five months of holding through akathisia takes a lot of patience, The dilemma you're describing, whether the reinstatement is still the problem or whether it's the pile of other changes, is one a lot of people here wrestle with. The honest answer is that nobody can tell you for sure which one it is. On your question about what to tackle first, the general thinking is that the drug causing the acute distress is usually the one to address first, not the one that's been propping you up. But that's a conversation to have with whoever prescribes for you, and if they won't have it, you may need to be your own advocate there.

Creator of Taper Community, here to help you.

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Catina12d ago

Community AnchorEffexor

Hi @Stephanie M, I'm truly sorry you're in such a tough spot at the moment. Doctors usually add on other drugs to deal with the effects of withdrawal, which can further complicate an already difficult situation. It's hard to say what exactly is causing your current state as any of those changes could be contributing. Since you're already in a destabilized state, if you do try reducing it would have to be a very tiny reduction to see how you would react. The fact you have had some improvements is a good sign. I'm sorry you don't have family support. Would they be open to learning more about what you're dealing with? https://taper.community/thread/ecea5d5c-ab7a-43f4-80b2-994bbee9fbf8 Either of those tapering methods you mentioned can work. Please keep us updated on how you're doing. We care about your well-being very much. 🩷

Venlafaxine (tapering) - Current dose 17.92 mg
Trazodone - 50 mg
Levothyroxine - 25 mcg

“Your brain and body know how to heal. Trust the process and keep going.”

Please Note: I am not a healthcare professional. Any advice given is based on personal experience and that of others in the lay withdrawal community.

Stephanie M11d ago

WelcomerCelexa · reinstated

Thanks @Catina. I've been very activated since I started it. But I know there were a lot of changes in a short period of time and 5 months may not be long in the grand scheme of things. I also don't want to get caught in the trap of being impatient and jumping from the frying pan into the fire. When I was off the med I was a depressed Zombie so I guess it is a balance.

Debby10d ago

NavigatorCymbalta · researching

Hi Catina,, a short story from me,, i got throat and mouth cancer 4 yrs ago,, I was put on Gapenting, Carbamezapine and horrible Palexia tabs for the radiation damage of nerve and other side effect,, i managed to get off all 3 but was put on Duloxotine for ?? depression and Nerve damage to help.. this is the worst,, coming off this and 10 yrs of zoloft, has really sent me on a downward spiral,,,, Gapentin also terrible,, but not a cinch on Duloxotene,, it does get better of gapentin, well for me it did,, i hear you,, done give up ....😘

30mg — 2 years plus — researching taper | without clinician

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Catina10d ago

Community AnchorEffexor

That's quite a lot to deal with @Debby 🌸.

Flyguy109d ago

LighthouseProzac · supporting

@Stephanie M sorry to hear you are having all of those issues. Gabapentin was the worst for me, I didn't realize how bad the side effects were until I was off of it. For reference I was taking 2700mg per day, not a small dose at all and no pain help. @Debby I had a similar experience with duloxetine, that was what brought me here. Nasty side effects, no help for my pain, and the one giving me fits getting off of. Still riding the discontinuation waves throughout every day. Then they threw me on prozac for a few weeks and decided since I wasn't completely that they wanted me to switch to Lexapro. I declined, but I think my body is slowly recovering. It's mostly sustained hot flashes and crazy dreams, both messing up my sleep. But on the meds I wasn't sleeping well either, had to morning dose my duloxetine to not have bad insomnia and LDN because of extremely vivid dreams. Very difficult to tell what is a side effect and what is a discontinuation effect when they load you up with so many. Good luck to you both!

Prozac — 10mg — Started 8/13/26 — supporting others | Valium — Started 02/2025, max of 20mg — current 10mg - holding | Cymbalta 20mg - 1 month, 40mg - 6 months, 60mg - 1 month, 90mg - a few days, 60mg - 1 month, 40mg - 15 days, 20mg - 3 weeks, discontinued 8/13/26 | LDN 4.5mg - 1 year - now discontinued | with clinician

Debby5d ago

NavigatorCymbalta · researching

Hi Fly Guy, yes hard to distinguish between the WHY we were put on these pills and to Why we are going through such severe withdrawals,, makes no sense,,and very sad that some of us in the desperation of our health and mental problems accept whatever we are prescribed ,, then realize its too late to get off, wow is all i can say.

30mg — 2 years plus — researching taper | without clinician

Flyguy105d ago

LighthouseProzac · supporting

@Debby what makes it worse for me is I knew it wouldn't help. I was trying to prove an injury vs a pain syndrome. Cymbalta would help a pain syndrome. Not saying it would resolve it for anyone. But a 0 response and new downstream symptoms is medical proof. They didn't even make that distinction. So now I'm in an even worse spot. Knowing its my fault makes it feel even worse. I'll end on a higher note to not be such a downer. Referral in the works to hopefully get me another piece of the physical puzzle (I've found and documented downstream physical damage through my persistence, and they're finally drawing the lines backward toward the 2 places I told them to look to begin with). Active, imagable damage that can't be ignored or dismissed as a pain syndrome. And one of the best places in the world for that type of original injury is barely an hour drive from my home.

Masha5d ago

LighthousePaxil · holding

Yes doctors just look at symptoms and throw another drug at it. Then you get to where you don’t know what’s working and what is causing the problem. And then we just have to endure weeks of symptoms to try and figure it out.

Paxil — 20 mg — 20 years. Went off now back on — holding
Trazadone 37.5 mg
Buspar 5 mg two times a day

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