# SSRI and withdrawal with Hashimoto's



## namedina8 (Sep 5, 2011)

I'm interested in finding out successful weaning off from an SSRI with Hashimoto's. I was on Celexa for 14 years on very low doses. Never really helped one bit. They switched me to Lexapro and that was horrible. I told them I had enough and weaned off the drugs. I'm on my 4th week now without an SSRI. I did go to my endo to run my blood work. He said my levels are fine and all is ok. Although when I looked at my lab work my T4 was above the normal range? Currently I still feel like my head is in a bubble. Ringing in the ears, vertigo feeling and nausea has not really let up. It seems only to get worse once I take my Levothyroid in the mornings. I'm highly confused what is withdrawal or my Hashimoto's acting out. I wanted to hear other's with Hashimoto's and coming off anti-depressants?


----------



## Enigma (Jun 13, 2011)

Do you have your lab results AND ranges? That would help a lot.

I was on Lexapro then Effexor for the past 10-ish years. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's this spring. I started meds in June and then weaned off of Effexor (with the help of Prozac) in July/August. It wasn't easy, to be honest.

I'll try to find my post about similar problems and post it here.


----------



## Enigma (Jun 13, 2011)

Here is my original post: http://www.thyroidboards.com/showthread.php?t=3595

How long have you been on thyroid meds? What dosage? Are you doing any other interventions (such as gluten-free)?


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

namedina8 said:


> I'm interested in finding out successful weaning off from an SSRI with Hashimoto's. I was on Celexa for 14 years on very low doses. Never really helped one bit. They switched me to Lexapro and that was horrible. I told them I had enough and weaned off the drugs. I'm on my 4th week now without an SSRI. I did go to my endo to run my blood work. He said my levels are fine and all is ok. Although when I looked at my lab work my T4 was above the normal range? Currently I still feel like my head is in a bubble. Ringing in the ears, vertigo feeling and nausea has not really let up. It seems only to get worse once I take my Levothyroid in the mornings. I'm highly confused what is withdrawal or my Hashimoto's acting out. I wanted to hear other's with Hashimoto's and coming off anti-depressants?


Welcome!










There are a few here who have been through similar and I am sure they will respond.

In the meantime, if we could have your most recent lab results with the ranges, that would be a good thing.


----------



## bigfoot (May 13, 2011)

There is definitely an effect between the two (citalopram/Celexa and levothyroxine). From what I can gather on the forums here and reading elsewhere, certain anti-depressant/anti-anxiety meds interact with thyroid issues.

I had been taking a low dose of Celexa (10-20mg) for about 2.5 years prior to and during chemo treatment. Then I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and low testosterone and treated for both. With my doc's blessings, I weaned myself off of the Celexa and noticed an increase in energy.

About three months later the fatigue, nausea, dizziness, anxiety, cold sensitivity, depression, brain fog, joint pain, night sweats, etc. started to rear its head. My new doc, thinking it was a mood issue, had me start Celexa again. I could only stand it for about 5 days and I called to have them take me off it. It only made things a thousand times worse and I was bedridden and house-ridden for the entire time. Shortly thereafter I was diagnosed with Hashi's and have been on the roller coaster of levothyroxine dose adjustments. What I couldn't figure out was that after taking it (Celexa) for years, and then with a brief gap, for some reason my body couldn't tolerate it upon re-starting.

So I take it you have been diagnosed with Hashimoto's?


----------

