LANSOPRAZOLE/CITALOPRAM INTERACTION! HELP!
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I AM DIAGNOSED WITH OCD, GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER, DEPRESSION AND PTSD.
I HAVE TAKEN CITALOPRAM SUCCESSFULLY IN THE PAST 6-7 YEARS AND NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH SIDE EFFECTS.
I DECIDED TO COME OFF CITALOPRAM IN APRIL 2021 AS I FELT I COULD NOW CONTINUE ON WITH MY LIFE WITHOUT THEM AND HAD A SUCCESSFUL WITHDRAWAL FROM THEM.
I ALSO STOPPED SMOKING CANNABIS IN APRIL TOO (I SMOKED CANNABIS FOR 3 YEARS).
I CAUGHT COVID IN GREECE IN JULY 2021 AND HAD TO ISOLATE FOR 10 DAYS IN A COVID HOTEL DURING WHICH MY ANXIETY AND OCD WAS AT AN ABSOLUTE ALL TIME HIGH. I LOST MY SMELL AND TASTE FOR MONTHS WHICH WAS ALSO HORRIFIC. I HAVE BEEN MUDDLING MY WORDS UP EVER SINCE (BRAIN FOG).
I WENT FOR AN APPOINTMENT TO SEE AN ENT SPECIALIST IN SEPTEMBER 2021 AS I FOUND NODULES AT THE BACK OF MY THROAT. HE SAID I HAD SILENT REFLUX AND PRESCRIBED ME LANSOPRAZOLE.
I STARTED TAKING LANSOPRAZOLE FOR REFLUX AT THE START OF NOVEMBER 2021 AND THEN CAME OFF THEM ON 3rd DECEMBER. THE DAY AFTER STOPPING LANSOPRAZOLE I STARTED TAKING CITALOPRAM FOR MY ANXIETY BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF MY THERAPIST. I FOUND ONLINE THAT THERE WAS A MAJOR INTERACTION BETWEEN LANSOPRAZOLE AND CITALOPRAM BUT MY THERAPIST DISAGREED WITH THIS AND TOLD ME TO TAKE THE CITALOPRAM.
THE DAY I TOOK THE CITALOPRAM I HAD THE WORST SPACED OUT/DIZZY FEELING EVER. I ALSO DEVELOPED VISUAL SNOW (WHICH I STILL HAVE NOW) AND ALSO I STARTED GETTING A REALLY BAD STIFF NECK AND LEFT SHOULDER.
THIS HAPPENED TO ME EVERY SINGLE DAY FOR THE FULL MONTH I WAS TAKING THEM.
I TOOK CITALOPRAM FOR 1 MONTH BETWEEN 4th DECEMBER AND 4th JANUARY.
EVER SINCE COMING OFF CITALOPRAM I HAVE DEVELOPED A REALLY DIZZY/HIGH PRESSURE IN MY HEAD AND EARS/ELECTRIC SHOCK FEELING IN HEAD AND BODY. I HAVE ALSO HAD TREMORS AND A NUMBING FEELING IN MY LEFT ARM AND LEG. IT COMES IN WAVES AND IT IS REALLY EFFECTING MY QUALITY OF LIFE. I HAVEN’T LEFT MY BEDROOM SINCE STOPPING TAKING THE CITALOPRAM. I HAVE BEEN SUFFERING EVERY DAY WITH THESE SYMPTOMS.
THE ONLY TIME I DONT GET THE SYMPTOMS IS IF I HAVE A DIAZEPAM.
I AM REALLY WORRIED THAT I MIGHT HAVE DEVELOPED A NEUROLOGICAL DISORDER BECAUSE OF THIS.
I WENT TO A&E AND THEY TOOK MY
BLOODS AND DONE A CT SCAN ON MY BRAIN BUT THEY SAID ALL LOOKED FINE.
IS THIS CITALOPRAM WITHDRAWAL OR HAS IT GIVE ME A NEUROLOGICAL DISORDER OR HAVE I GOT AN INFECTION?
I TOOK A DIAZEPAM LAST NIGHT WHICH RELIEVED ALL MY SYMPTOMS.
RIGHT NOW IM FEELING REALLY REALLY DIZZY, ELECTRIC SHOCKS IN MY HEAD/ BODY AND MY LEGS FEEL REALLY STIFF AND TWITCHY. I KEEP GETTING A NUMB FEELING IN MY LEGS AND SOMETIMES MY ARMS.
I HAVE RESTARTED CITALOPRAM. I AM ON MY 4TH DAY OF 10MG AND IM STILL GETTING THESE REALLY BAD SYMPTOMS OF ZAPS, DIZZINESS AND WEIRD SENSATIONS ALL OVER MY LEGS AND BODY. TREMOR AND SHAKINESS. WHICH IS ALL CAUSING EXTREME ANXIETY
0 likes, 2 replies
jan34534 p779665
Edited
sorry you are going through this. I’m sure it’s difficult for you.
did you wean off of citalopram or just stop suddenly?
Well it’s good that your testing was all normal. So I doubt it’s some kind of neurological disorder. It could be an exacerbation of your anxiety symptoms for whatever reason. whether it’s the citalopram or just a flareup.I have had flareups and I know how bad they can be. and I’ve had just about every one of your symptoms when I was in my 20s due to long-term stress and anxiety. I do know that when I really focused on the sensations they got worse and didn’t want to go away.
it took me a long time to learn how to deal with it. Basically I took a different attitude towards it and it was a more matter-of-fact relaxed manner. In that way my brain didn’t think there was any kind of a threat so my symptoms relaxed a lot more.
think about getting some counseling. You could do it virtually right at home.
do things to relax your mind as much as you can. Don’t overthink anything. Practice slow long deep breathing, stay hydrated with water, avoid caffeine, sugars, junk food, etc. do a relaxing body scan meditation or meditation for anxiety found on YouTube. You can really get the anxiety level way down by doing this. I do this a couple times a day and especially when laying down to go to sleep. Or you can listen to relaxing music, nature sounds, etc. Little by little you should start to feel a little bit better. Just take one day at a time and do what you can for that day. Have a nice evening! ❤
p779665 jan34534
Edited
Hello,
thanks for your reply.
i stopped suddenly as the side effects were horrific due to the interaction with the lansoprazole. i took the citalopram because my anxiety was through the roof about some tests i was having on my throat. since september 2021 i have been going through hell with health anxiety. i went in citalopram on 4th december (the day after stopping lansoprazole) and stayed on them for a month until i couldnt take it anymore so i stopped cold turkey. the withdrawal symptoms (thats what i hope they are) only started at around 4 weeks after stopping them. but i took cbd oil and diazepam inbetween this to help with my anxiety. i then stopped this at 4 weeks since withdrawal and ever since ive been having the worst dizzy feeling/electric shocks in my head and numbing/weird sensations in my legs and arms. it makes me feel like im going to pass out but i never do. extreme tremor also. i havent left the house in weeks! thanks again for your reply x