Maybe not the place to ask, but I seem to remember a thread regarding these types of meds before. And I know I only pop in here when I have a problem. Sorry!
I am having a mess of time! I've shared before how I had all sorts of sensory issues, and I've never really reached remission with my lc, although I had got it to a place where it was manageable. Or, ignorable--but still better than prior to dx. I seem to see-saw. I stick on rice and meat to counter the lc, then get worried about my nutrition (as I have lots of cns issues) and determine the nutrition is the cause of my cns trouble. So, I try to add variety to my diet, get sick again, then go back to the rice deal. (I was initially on a very strict rice, meat, and mushy brocoli diet for over six months.)
Some time back, I asked about my persistent hemorrhoids, (or what I assume to be hemorrhoids), and Tex mentioned the possibility I was inflamed. Well, I'd reduced my entocort to 3mg a few weeks back, so wondered if he might be right. Went back on 9mg and the bleeding stopped within 24 hours and hasn't returned. (Even though I am in what I consider full-flare mode now.)
Anyway, I was on 10 mg of citalopram (celexa), started in Nov. of 2013. I was told (not by a medical dr., mind you. Yes, I know, I'm my own worst enemy!) that if I had my dr. up my celexa, it would help my diarhhea, so I tried 20 mg for a bit. Didn't help, and I was still having vertigo and other issues, so I dropped back down to 10mg.
Meanwhile, did all the ent/vertigo testing, and long story short, my ent orders an mri of my brain and refers me to a nuero, although they originally diagnosed me with bppv of the lateral canal (mentioning my tests also showed "CNS pathology, which they never explained).
Feeling they were jumping the gun, I went back to my PCP to ask about citalopram perhaps causing my systems. She said she didn't think so and said yep, get the MRI.
Yeah ... I didn't do that, and instead opted to get off citalopram completely. I went from 10 mg to 5 mg for maybe 2-3 weeks, then dropped to what I hoped to be 2.5 for maybe a week or so.
Although I'm having periodic sensory/CNS stuff, the one that is driving me insane is the vertigo, nausea, and vomiting. Part of me thinks it's citalopram withdrawal, and part of me worries my pcp might be right as I had some of the issues I'm experiencing now prior to taking citalopram, and weakness, etc, is unilateral. Plus the motion sickness (which is the best way I can describe it as nothing really spins but instead it's how I feel when trying to read in a moving car) seems to be worse when I try to read and gets much better when I look away from words/computer screen, etc (which makes me wonder if it's my eyes?)
But I also don't know what's caused by the lc, and truly, I can't understand why I can't knock this. I know why I'm in a flare now--stupid choice on my part. A friend with CC went on a three day low-sugar electrolyte fast (where all she ate/drank was a drink w/ electrolytes), then slowly added foods back in. So yeah, tried that using coconut water. Felt like my entire body went in shock! Seriously! Between my raynaud's flaring, my body getting all jerky, restless leg syndrome in my left arm and neck, vomiting, and liquid D. I only tried the coconut water for one day, and that was a week ago, but I just can't seem to kick the watery D, weird head stuff, and nausea.
Quite honestly, at this point I am strongly considering getting surgery as I am sick and tired of being sick and tired of trying things that only seem to make me worse in one aspect or another. I'm sure I'm missing some piece, but wow, finding that piece is driving me insane!
SSRI withdrawals?
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Hi Jessica,
In all honesty, you seem to have so many issues going on that might or might not be associated with MC that it's impossible to do a decent job of trying to decide whether the symptoms might be due to a CNS issue, or an MC issue, or both. Are you aware that untreated gluten sensitivity can eventually cause brain and/or CNS damage? I have peripheral neuropathy and balance issues that I'm sure were caused by gluten, myself, for which I've been taking a prescription B vitamin mix for over 3 years now, and I'm pretty sure that most of the damage to my brain that shows up on an MRI is due to gluten, but so far I haven't encountered a neurologist who even has this possibility on his or her radar.
But when an SSRI (or SSRI withdrawal) is added to the mix, then the situation becomes so confusing that I wouldn't know where to start, trying to sort everything out, because everything affects everything else.
To further complicate the issue, I'm pretty sure (in fact, I'm almost positive) that none of your doctors (including any neurologists on the staff who might look at your case) are likely to even be aware that gluten can cause brain and/or CNS damage. There's plenty of published research available to prove the connection, but I have yet to find a neurologist who is even aware of the possibility, let alone knowledgeable enough to treat the problem.
That said, the most common symptoms for Celexa withdrawal seem to be headache, nausea and vomiting, and dizziness. So the Celexa withdrawal could indeed be a major part of your problem. Sorry that I couldn't be more help.
Tex
In all honesty, you seem to have so many issues going on that might or might not be associated with MC that it's impossible to do a decent job of trying to decide whether the symptoms might be due to a CNS issue, or an MC issue, or both. Are you aware that untreated gluten sensitivity can eventually cause brain and/or CNS damage? I have peripheral neuropathy and balance issues that I'm sure were caused by gluten, myself, for which I've been taking a prescription B vitamin mix for over 3 years now, and I'm pretty sure that most of the damage to my brain that shows up on an MRI is due to gluten, but so far I haven't encountered a neurologist who even has this possibility on his or her radar.
But when an SSRI (or SSRI withdrawal) is added to the mix, then the situation becomes so confusing that I wouldn't know where to start, trying to sort everything out, because everything affects everything else.
To further complicate the issue, I'm pretty sure (in fact, I'm almost positive) that none of your doctors (including any neurologists on the staff who might look at your case) are likely to even be aware that gluten can cause brain and/or CNS damage. There's plenty of published research available to prove the connection, but I have yet to find a neurologist who is even aware of the possibility, let alone knowledgeable enough to treat the problem.
That said, the most common symptoms for Celexa withdrawal seem to be headache, nausea and vomiting, and dizziness. So the Celexa withdrawal could indeed be a major part of your problem. Sorry that I couldn't be more help.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Thanks, Tex,
Your post makes a great deal of sense. I did end up taking a motion sickness pill last night, and that helped so much with the nausea and vomiting, so I think I can cross that piece off. (I also took maybe 2 mg of citalopram--I cut my pills into smaller increments to taper and had a bunch of slivers left over. :) ) I also spent a fair amount of time reading through threads and posts and suspect I've overdone it with the fiber and fat, and yeah, I need to go back to being uber strict with my diet. Which is what y'all have been saying all along. I just don't listen well. Until my body forces me to. Now to listen longterm. ;)
Thank you much for taking the time to answer my post. :)
Your post makes a great deal of sense. I did end up taking a motion sickness pill last night, and that helped so much with the nausea and vomiting, so I think I can cross that piece off. (I also took maybe 2 mg of citalopram--I cut my pills into smaller increments to taper and had a bunch of slivers left over. :) ) I also spent a fair amount of time reading through threads and posts and suspect I've overdone it with the fiber and fat, and yeah, I need to go back to being uber strict with my diet. Which is what y'all have been saying all along. I just don't listen well. Until my body forces me to. Now to listen longterm. ;)
Thank you much for taking the time to answer my post. :)