Q. I was concerned about a swooshing sound when my eyes move. Thank goodness I found your website. I thought I was losing my mind.
I had been taking Celexa for generalized anxiety for the last eight years. Four weeks ago I lost my health insurance and had to discontinue the Celexa just like that.
In addition to the swooshing sounds, I’m having anxiety attacks and trouble sleeping. I cry at the drop of a hat. (Don’t show me any pictures of soldiers being reunited with their families!)
Thanks to comments I read about Cymbalta withdrawal I learned that other antidepressants can also cause misery if stopped suddenly. I now know that A) I’m not crazy and B) my eyeballs are not going to explode out of my head.
A. Antidepressants like citalopram (Celexa), duloxetine (Cymbalta), escitalopram (Lexapro) and sertraline (Zoloft) can cause awful withdrawal symptoms when stopped abruptly. Some people describe “brain zaps” as electrical shock-like sensations. A very gradual taper, when possible, is preferable.
Without medical insurance, it may be difficult to get that swooshing sound checked by a neurologist, but hearing your eyes move can sometimes be a symptom of superior canal dehiscence syndrome. If the sounds of moving eyes persist after your other Celexa withdrawal symptoms fade, we urge you to ask a physician to rule it out.
