Citalopram

Citalopram is NOT a benzo, Brinny.

It's an anti-depressant. People don't build up tolerances to anti-depressants.

They do with diazepam, though, as you rightly said. xxxx

Sorry Tess, but people DO build up tolerances to anti-depressants.

Your information is incorrect.

Some people experience withdrawal symptoms when coming off them, but that is different to tolerance. With tolerance, people increase the doses (of benzos) to quite staggering amounts. If you started taking loads more of an anti-depressant, you'll go into a coma. Or even die.

MOST people experience withdrawal symptoms going off anti-depressants.

Why do you think they tell you "don't just stop taking them, taper the doseage down"?

And, YES, withdrawal IS different to tolerance.

I also DO know the difference between anti-depressants and benzos.

I have a LOT of PERSONAL EXPERIENCE in this particular matter and i know first-hand that you CAN build up a "tolerance" to anti-depressants!

And with that said, depending on the type of anti-depressant and the amount one takes, some people can also suffer "withdrawal" symptoms.

I agree, but not with the tolerance issue. If, for example, I decided my 200mg sertraline wasn't working, I wouldn't increase the dose - very dangerous. I'd go and ask the doctor to prescribe something else.

I came off mirtazapine years ago and didn't have any withdrawal effects at all. Just felt better so decided I didn't need it any more.

But benzos...........oh dear - I have a very, very high tolerance to them after years of taking more and more. I'm currently doing a taper to get me off them for good. They wormed their way into my life forty years ago, when I stole one 5mg diazepam tablet from the drug trolley during my first experience of night duty (as a nurse)

Things just got worse and worse as far as tolerance goes. But I'm happy with my tapering and glad that I finally did it.

At one point i was prescribed effexor, a very bad and horrible anti-depressant.

My body became tolerant of it so the doctor increased the dose - over and over again to the point that he tried to get me to take ten a day.

I refused and was suffering withdrawals for months and months because of the dose they had me on. I also went from a size 8 to 26/28 while on them and stll have not lost the weight. I am still a size 16-20 after not taking these pills for over 6 years!

I was put on fluoxetine by a different doctor and built up a tolerance of this one, too.

I have just mentioned two, but believe me, there is a very long list.

My body has built up tolerances to just about everything i have ever been prescribed, or bought over the counter.

I can no longer take anti-histimines, anti-nausea meds, thyroid medication, even sinus nasal sprays. I can't take preventative migraine medications and when i do suffer from these, i have to just suffer for days on end or take a rather large dose of painkillers which sometimes help but sometimes make me feel more ill.

I was prescribed lyrica for nerve pain and the doctors kept trying to get me to take more because my body built up a tolerance; and according the "doctors", if i was experiencing no side effects from those pills, i wasn't taking enough.

I have bipolar disorder and can't take any meds for that.

Everyone is different.

I'm glad you suffered no withdrawals when you stopped your anti-depressants, but just because you didn't doesn't mean no-one will.

As a nurse you should know this.

Benzos aren't the only medications that cause addiction or intolerance.

The pharmceutical industries have made sure of that in order to ensure they make a fortune off the poison they pay doctors to throw at people who need help.

I'm glad your tapering off the benzos went well and that you feel better without them and the anti-depressants.

You are one of the lucky ones who can do without these meds. However, there are people out there, myself included, that require them.

Unfortunately for me, tho, something in my body or brain keeps turning them away and due to the intolerances within, i can take very little of anything unless in very high doses.

Intolerance and withdrawal does occur...not in all cases, not even probably the majority of cases, but it DOES occur.

Hi - you've had an awful time by the sound of things. I suppose it's because I've never encountered anybody who has had so many problems with medications, so maybe I am mistaken. I apologise for upsetting you.

Now I think about it, my daughter can't take any meds either - she always gets the one in a million side-effects from anything she takes.

I haven't finished my benzo taper - I'm still on 20mg a day and having blips where I take too many, then run out before the next prescription is due. But lately that hasn't happened much. I really am desperate to get off them so I'm trying so hard, but it is very difficult sometimes.

I totally agree with your remark about the pharmaceutical companies.

What I have discovered since joining this forum is that the vast majority of doctors have no idea how to taper their patients off benzos correctly.

This is a disgrace. It was doctors who got us all addicted in the first place and now they seem to expect people to go cold turkey - or give them a ludicrous taper lasting three days lol.

I know that some of the meds you've taken cause weight gain - and that's enough to make you even more depressed.

I wish I could think of something to write to you that would be helpful.

Good luck and thanks for the information you gave me. love Tess xxx

Hi Tess.

You didn't upset me...maybe just frustrated me a little by not recognising that everyone is different and things can happen.

I feel for your daughter. It's hard when you hear and witness meds working and helping others but you get the reaction.

Blips happen, but the main thing is you're continuing thru them and are determined to taper off.

Good on you!

I wish you all the best in your efforts, altho you sound like you're doing fine.

No, the doctors don't care. They are given an amount of pills to "push" onto and into the people who rely on and look for them for help and are paid quite well to do so.

I hope your tapering off is almost done and i really do wish you all the best.

Take care.

xx

Thank you so much! I'm glad we got that sorted out. xx