10mg Citalopram, quit after three days, severe side effects
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I wonder if anyone has any advice.
I was feeling the effects of a slightly low mood, really nothing dramatic or desperate at all. The doctor gave me 10mg Citalopram. After three days of taking the side effects were unbearable and the doctor advised me to stop immediately since i had only taken three days worth. That was almost a week ago and i still feel panicky, edgy, etc. These are symptoms i wasn't feeling before. My fear is that i have found myself in a new 'normal' state that will persist. Or could this be an understandable side effect of stopping the drug even after such a low dose for only three days?
Any advice greatly appreciated.
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katecogs robert21509
Edited
Not knocking doctors at all, but it does seem they underestimate the effects of SSRI’s and dish these out all too readily. I’d have thought they’d have first tried you on a Tri-Cyclic and SSRI’s are notoriously tough to take - though very effective (eventually).
The initial side effects of these meds do settle (heightened anxiety is one side effect), but it takes a long time. Lots of people cannot tolerate the side effects and stop them. However - they are really good meds.
That’s right - taking them for 3 days only should be fine to stop them abruptly - its only when you’ve taken them for months, years that slow tapering is needed.
Everything about these meds should be ‘slow’. Even though only taking them for that brief time I imagine you’re still feeling the side effects and now a slight withdrawal - this should settle in time, so a week after stopping them is absolutely normal. Just give it more time - it should very slowly subside. Feeling panicky is adrenaline surging through your body - slow yourself down, reduce any stress, go walking every day - this all helps burn off any excess adrenaline. This will settle.
K 😉