"Pull out the stopper, let's have a whopper, but get 'em to the church on time!"

I don't know who's around, but I could use some advice.

I went off antidepressants mostly to see if I still needed them. I hoped some of the weight I'd gained would come off (didn't), and that I would get back to being a slightly more prolific writer (haven't).

Given that my grandfather will probably be dying within a month, I'm thinking maybe I should restart them. Is there any reason I can't just do this? I was on 20mg of Celexa, but I'd probably start at 10, to see if that would work for me.

I know they take time to become effective, and I don't want to wait too late.

Unless you went off them a looooong time ago, I don't see any reason why you couldn't start them again. The reason I say loooong time ago is that metabolisms and hormonal balances change and a drug that was great for you before could not be so great years later. I had that experience with Effexor, for instance.

I agree that ramping up for effectiveness to hit when you most need it is a good idea. I'm sorry to hear about your grandfather, Dana.

ETA: Thanks for the hugs. I could definitely use them.

Though I'm exhausted, it's back to working on this song. I had delivered my semi-finished product to someone who's a much better synth/software musician than I am. but what he's delivered back, while it improves on my keyboard bass, is kind of a disappointment in other places. So I need to spend more time trying to make this arrangement more complex and pseudo-orchestral. It's not my strong point so I'm kinda surprised he didn't beat me handily.

Nah, it was...let's see, I was mostly totally off them by the time of my aunt's funeral in September. Ha. Ha ha.

Dana, go ahead and restart it. (I assume you mean without consulting your doctor first, because you have some in the medicine cabinet?) If you can start at 10 mg, great, and then ramp it up if you need to.

And then next time you see your doctor, or when you need a refill, let him/her know you re-started it. (Unless he/she doesn't know you stopped it, in which case -- if it were me -- I'd just skip the whole part where you explain how you stopped it and then re-started it 2 months later, and go right to the I-need-a-refill part.)

Yes, I have plenty, and yes, I consulted him when I wanted to stop it and ramped it down gradually over two months.

Dana, I use Celexa, and have gone off and on it a couple of times.

I find that after not having been in it for a while, when I DO go on at the dosage I was taking before I went off, I feel speedy and ramped up for a few days; I think starting off at 10 mgs for a 4-5 days is a good plan.

I'd like to stay at 10 if I can. I still have some hope that the side effects might lessen slightly.

I also think it might have been helping with headaches. I had a four-day migraine a couple of weeks ago, and that had never happened before.

You also might want to call your doc, explain the situation, and the going back on at 10 mgs to try to get the bennies without the side effects, and see if perhaps she would prescribe a small script of Xanax or similar anti-anxiety for use if you are having a really hard emotional response.

Aw, Dana, I'm sorry you are having such a rough time. Many hugs to you and vibes for your whole family.