Will quitting smoking effect my anxiety medicine?
Wednesday, August 25th, 2010 at
1:36 pm
I am currently taking celexa and I just quit smoking. The medicine is seeming to help with the anxiety a little as it is supposed to but I am still feeling anxious. Is it because the with draw of not smoking is effecting the medicine and not letting it take full effect?
Filed under: Anxiety And Panic Alternative Remedies
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Smoking is a stimulant. Quitting smoking will certainly cause anxiety like symptoms for anyone. When I quit I had all kinds of unpleasant mood related side effects. With time those feelings do go away. The worst part is the first week, specifically the first 3 days. (It takes 72 hours for nicotine to be out of your system). After that, it’s all psychological.
For people who can tolerate nicotine gums or patches, these are great options, especially if you all ready suffer from anxiety.
You should speak to your doctor as well when you have any abnormal increase in your anxiety. Granted this is probably normal, but it doesn’t hurt to talk to him or her.
I won’t lie – it’s hard to quit but you can do it. Good luck
People who have anxiety issues should not quit cold turkey. Even with medicine. I would find you an outpatient rehab place to help you quite slowly so you aren’t thrown into panic attacks.
Talk to your doctor and see if you can be put on Zyban to help you quit smoking. S/he may also recommend to buy gum for smoking or a nicotine patch as well. Clexa may be dropped though since it is a anti depressant as well but you could try another anxiety med.
Be aware; you can’t go cold turkey because of citalopram (celexa)
I suggest reading http://stopsmoking.eu.pn
The site has a poor design but its contents is very reach.