3 Months ago I started Dexedrine, and it worked great for 2 months straight with no side effects. Best 2 months of my life.

One day I randomly had very bothersome muscle rigidity, panic, and I was in a constant state of spaciness and confusion.

I was also taking Celexa so I was thinking -- Serotonin Syndrome???

I immediately stopped the Celexa cold turkey and I noticed the symptoms slowly stopped. However a few days later whenever I took my dexedrine spansules the symptoms would return. I would be severely spacy and feel completely out of it.

So I reduced my dexedrine dosage. However, now I started experiening withdrawal from the Celexa! Severe brain zaps, joint pain, and feelings of sadness!

For the next 2 weeks my dosages were all over the place. I took small amounts of Celexa and Dexedrine. Just enough not to experience withdrawal and have it slowly taper out of me. The original symptoms remained during this tapering

Finally I was able to stop Celexa without feeling like complete crap. So I ended up just taking a morning dose of my Dexedrine, and continue to.

However -- that muscle rigidity and spaciness still happens every second day or so. Some days are great and I feel normal, other days I am struck with these terrible symptoms. My psychiatrist wasn't able to help me. Everywhere I looked I cannot find an answer that makes any sense.

Could it be from Dopamine depletion??? because my symptoms certainly resemble Alzheimers symptoms when they happen.

I phoned my psychiatrist and I'm going to try Concerta on Monday.

But I'm scared out of my mind.

Can somebody try and point me in the right direction as to what might be happening to me??

Thanks. :(

k10,


Sorry about your problems with the medication.

How long where you on the Celexa for before you quit cold?

Serotonin Syndrome.?? I don't think so. Unless you had been increasing your Dex. and/or Celexa during those 2 months. My belief is that you would have had a quicker onset of symptoms (~2 weeks) rather than after 2 months.

I don't know why you would have Dopamine depletion.

All I can say is that your body likes harmony. It does its best to compensate for a lack of something. You quickly stopped your medication , and it really could be withdrawal still.

B-Vitamin, Omega 3, Eat well (higher protein) , Get some exercise to get your mind off of it.

You can always schedule an appt. with a neurologist if this is bothering you - I personally think youll be fine.

Take care, Kyle

I would talk to the prescribing Doctor...ASAP
Let him /her know exactly what you've told us.
If not the doctor, then the pharmacist who filled your prescription.

Let us know what is said. Please!

JMO

My understanding of most antidepressants is that it takes 6-8 weeks for them to really start working or whatever- so maybe that could have something to do with what's going on.

Let us know how the change to concerta works for you. Good luck and don't give up.

How much sleep are you getting? How well do you eat? Are you dreaming at night?

Tapering off Celexa will cause your panic/anxiety to worsen. In my experience, Celexa actually dampened the effects. You may just be reaching the point in your Dexedrine career where your body is saying "enough is enough".

Talk with your doctor about it.

I THINK I figured it out.

I failed to mention I tapered off of my Xanax during this time as well.

Today I took 0.25 mg of Xanax when I felt the spaciness and weird symptoms I described. It slowly went away and I slowly started to feel normal again.

I think I might have simple partial seizures???

Because I know what Xanax withdrawal feels like, it definitely does not feel like that. I think it definitely might be a mild epilpesy problem... I'll have to see a doctor about that.

Anyone think it might be possible?

http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org/about/types/types/simple.cfm

k10magic -
Hope that you are doing well. It sounds like you're on some pretty stiff stuff in general - I would think that your body is just trying to reconcile all of it. Dexedrine and Xanax are both narcotics - one a stimulant and the other a sedative - so the symptoms you're describing could likely be withdrawl. Your bloodstream is accustomed to having certain levels of those floating around in it, and it's probably none too pleased that they aren't being maintained :) I'd also wonder if you're properly hydrated and eating regular, balanced meals. Your symptoms sound a LOT like what I've experienced during times I've had issues with food intake.

Seizures of any sort sound highly unlikely. Also, epilepsy meds are SERIOUS - and can have some not-so-fun interactions with psychiatric medications. You are not permitted to drive while on many of them (in the US, at least) and can be legally liable if you get behind the wheel of a car and happen to do so much as hit a sign post...scary stuff! Also, most of them cause significant weight gain - also not fun.

Anyhoo, just to be clear I'm not a doc, just been around the medical field since I was wee :)

Best wishes, and I hope you are able to see your doc soon and get the situation under control!

PS Muscle rigidity is a side effect of dexedrine.