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My 86 yo mom has just had her Celexa cut form 20mgs a day to 10. She was actually very depressed and anxious at the 20 dose. She is displaying almost psychotic behavior at night. She has also just been treated for a UTI (now gone) as well as a bone infection in her toe which had to be removed under sedation. She does not have diabetes BTW. She’ll be seeing a doc next week. I’m curious if any one has experience with any of this as the crazy behavior is not the norm. She does have mild dementia.

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Lost, Pharmacology in seniors is tricky. Finding the right drug and correct dosage can be difficult. I hope they find a medication that works well for your MIL.
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So, what are they going to start her on, and when? The doctor needs to know whats going on. S/he may need to taper more slowly. Your LO shouldnt have to suffer.
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In a senior, Celexa dosage may be tapered to a lower dose in order to switch to another medication. Ask her doctor next week if she is going to be started on a new medication.
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Celexa (citalopram) is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) and it is preferable that the drug be out of the person's blood stream prior to another antidepressant being started because of the drug-to-drug interaction. Celexa comes in 20 mg tablets and the next lower dose tablet is 10 mg so the doctor lower the dosage as slowly as he can based on the dosage available.

Unfortunately this is a "necessary evil" when changing from one type of medication to another type of medication and means that the person has to suffer their illness without medication for a few days before another medication can be started. It is not because the doctor wants it that way. It is all due to the pharmacological or chemical properties of the medications. :(

Please keep us updated on what antidepressant medication your doctor plans to start your Mom on next.
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Why are they cutting the Celexa.? That drug worked miracles for my alz father in NH. For the first time since going into care, the children could have non confrontational conversations. Over the next 3 years, the NH told us that by law, they were supposed to lower and / or discontinue it's use. We fought them constantly, requesting that it be reinstated. When coming off of it, delusions, hallucinations, return of paranoia and general hatred for "chosen people".

I would strongly question this if it was working well before. Just my angle.
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Mil was also taken off it at my request because it didn't appear to be working anymore and she was put on effexor. Now the doctor has taken her off both and put her on trazadone for trouble sleeping? It appears to me she has sundowners EVERY DAY! And still haven't found the answers...for anything. I feel like I am blind and no one is around to assist. Not cut out for this!
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She is being taken down in dosage because it wasn’t working in terms of addressing depression and anxiety.
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From drugs.com;
Missing doses of citalopram may increase your risk for relapse in your symptoms. Stopping citalopram abruptly may result in one or more of the following withdrawal symptoms: irritability, nausea, feeling dizzy, vomiting, nightmares, headache, and/or paresthesias (prickling, tingling sensation on the skin).

If she wasn't getting relief from the depression on this Celexa, decreasing the dose isn't going to help.
Changing the medication would be in order.
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Betsy Mac, Exxcellent that she is seeing a geriatric physician. Also fantastic that you and your brother are working together. Often times that doesn’t happen. Seroquel is often used with seniors. Your doctor will have options for medications and will determine what works best for your Mom.
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Betsy, I'm glad that you are in information gathering mode!

I tried hard NOT to give doctors or mom's facilities the impression that I was "insisting" on anything. In general, I told them that I respected their expertise and would like to be a partner in figuring out what was best for mom.

I'm a mental health professional; it bothers me when parents abdicate their responsibility and say "you guys are the experts". I want a partner in figuring out what the kiddo needs, not someone who is saying "my way or the highway" or "do what you want,I have no input". There's a middle ground that is best for the patient.
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