2003
This is Survivor Story number 26.
Total number of stories in current database is 77
8/18/2003
Celexa-Tileptol Side effects
Antidepressants
“I blacked out behind the wheel of my truck and went left of center, hitting another truck head on.”
I was on Celexa (20 mg I believe) and because I was diagnosed as being bi-polar I was also put on Trileptal. I had been on many many different anti-depressants and mood stabilizers over the course of several years. the typical drugs used for bi-polar gave me severe side effects, so she put me on an anti-depressant-mood stabilizer.
I was having adverse reactions every time the psychiatrist increased the dose of Trileptal. late last august I was seriously ill for 3 weeks-heat illness, dizziness(the dr in the er told me it was due to the Trileptal being a heat sensitive drug. she dropped the dose to the start-up dose then in October 2002 she increased it again. a week later I was on my way home from work when I passed out or blacked out behind the wheel of my truck and went left of center, hitting another truck head on.
Fortunately the other driver was not injured, I suffered a broken arm and severe contusions to my lower legs. the following week I continued to pass out at home as I was trying to wean myself off of these drugs. I went through 5 months rehab for my arm, which helped Im sure getting off of the meds. it’s been less than a year, I deal with depression and suicidal thoughts all the time.
I will not get back on the SSRIs however. I quit seeing the shrink the week of my crash. I nearly got fired from a job Ive held for 19 years due to the continual drug changes and side effects-mostly severe migraines, I was experiencing. heard you on coast to coast, keep up the good work.
Julie Hardbarger
02hugger@adelphia.net
