Daughter is Dizzy, Off Balance and Agitated — Withdrawal from Fluanxol and Cipralex?

Reader’s Question

My 16-year-old daughter suffered from a depression two years ago. She’s been on Cipralex 10 mg and Fluoxenol. She stopped the Fluoxenol, and we thought that she should try to stop Cipralex as well. For two weeks, she took half a tablet, which is 5 mg. It has been four days now that she stopped completely. Yesterday and today she has been feeling dizzy, off balance, and agitated. Is this a withdrawal symptom, and how long does it last? Did I reduce the medication properly? Or, should I keep giving her 1/2 a tablet but until when? I am acting on my own now. We stopped seeing the doctor about a year ago. I don’t want to go back to ask him. Will you please give me some guidance on what I should do?

Our Clinical Psychologist’s Reply

You should consult a physician. It’s never a good idea to stop medications without the approval of the prescribing physician. Your daughter’s symptoms are often produced by changes in medications and more importantly, some of these symptoms can be significant. While you may not want to go back to ask him, it’s very important that you obtain the opinion/consultation of a physician in this case; I would recommend a consultation with a psychiatrist. As a nonphysician, I’m not familiar with “Fluoxenol” but if it’s Fluanxol (flupenthixol, a thioxanthene), then it’s an older antipsychotic that can have akathisia, or uncontrollable restlessness and agitation, as a symptom. That can become serious.

Consult with a physician or better yet, a psychiatrist. While some medication side effects and withdrawal symptoms are temporary, some can become permanent or create significant medical problems.