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Anxiety coming off citalopram ?

Posted , 3 users are following.

kathkat2016
kathkat2016

Hello , I've been on citalopram for about 2 months and from day one it didn't agree with me and my anxiety went up. I'm trying to slowly come off it however found my anxiety is worse than ever is it withdrawal or reducing the dose causing this ? I can't understand why it's so bad as my normal low level Anxiety was never as bad as this.

I'm now only on 2.5 mg but found when I reduced from 5 to 2.5 the bad anxiety started and it's currently unbearable

Thank you

0 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • Misssy2
    Misssy2 kathkat2016

    Posted

    I too realized this drug was causing more anxiety for me after taking it for 8 years!  I withdrew myself from it abruptly....and yes the anxiety feels unbearable.

    I researched and bought some Chaomile tea....and it does help....it is a "relaxing" herb and may make you feel a little drowsy after drinking it....but really other than that...the only other thing I found to help was "exercise".

    So...take a brisk walk and buy some of this tea!   

    I was fine in 2 weeks (after 8 years on 20mg)....and now I am on Wellbutrin.

    • kathkat2016
      kathkat2016 Misssy2

      Posted

      Thank you so much for the replies , so I was just a couple of weeks after you stopped that the anxiety improved ? It definitely increased my anxiety from day one but I was told it usually did that but to persevere but after 2 months I can't do anymore the anxiety is constant and a lot worse than it ever was before so it clearly doesn't agree with me. How did you go on feeling anxious for 8 years , you must be a strong person smile

    • Misssy2
      Misssy2 kathkat2016

      Posted

      I just thought and Drs just thought I was  JUST a severely anxious person....made sense since it was continious for more than 8 years..lol.

      I didn't realize it was the Ctialopram (or most of it was)...until I stopped the Citalopram...I stopped it because I had an interaction with too much Seratonin being produced from various drugs that were prescribed (being mixed)...and I have made a formal complaint to the Medical Board in the US against the stupid DR.

      But, when I stopped the Citalopram..even thou I felt some discontinuation symptoms...I FELT better anxiety wise....and that is when I realized that SSRIs are probably not for me if they make me more ANXIOUS.

      So now I am on a new antidepressent that is not an SSRI...and I feel better.

  • Beest
    Beest kathkat2016

    Posted

    I think these are probably the awful side effects from withdrawing, but try to stick to it cos you need to get it out of your system. Why don't you go to your doctors and ask for something to help with the anxiety whilst you are coming off the medication. You will start to feel better, I now feel as I was before Citalapram.

    Good luck

    • Bun1975
      Bun1975 Beest

      Posted

      How long it did it take you to feel normal after stopping? How long and how many MG were you on?
    • Beest
      Beest Bun1975

      Posted

      I was on 20 mg for 4 days and it took 5 days to feel normal
    • kathkat2016
      kathkat2016 Beest

      Posted

      Can I ask why you stopped it ? Are you on any mefication now , thanks
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