Citalopram for the rest of my life

Maybe you should try been on maintance dose ..ten milligrams that should bring some energy back...I been on 10 for 14 months and feel good...20 was too much..take care

Hi Rachel,

You haven't mentioned your age but I imagine that 20 years on we all get a little more tired and forgetful but presumably if you are later in life.  I can't speak for being on a/d a long time since it's my first time but when I stopped taking them regular I wish I would not have.  You may only appreciate them if you come off which it seems you have tried.  I'm just offering support. I'm 61 and honestly, if it helps me feel balanced for the next 20 then so be it.  I'm sure others will offer their feedback but I would not get disillusioned about the tired and forgetful, maybe just ease into it and accept it as part of the journey.  Jo x

 

Hi Rachel

I took these for 16 years and had reduced from 20mg to 10mg for a maintenance dose which worked well.  You might find reducing better for you.

I came off meds completely last year and withdrew by 5mg over 1-2 months each dose.  I'd come off a few years before, restarted after a year off due to family illness so had gone back to 20mg.  I bought a pill cutter and reduced by 20 / 15 / 10 / 5 / 2.5 / 1.25 / 0 and had to crush the last 2 doses as they were too small to cut further.  It took me a year, but doing it this small I had no withdrawal symptoms at all (unlike the previous time).

Maybe you could reduce to a maintenance dose and do it by 5mg each time.  This is a tiny dose and at any time you don't feel well its not a big jump to go back to the previous dose.

Yes you can stay on the meds for life - I was told that I could many years ago too, though of course I was able to stop them last year.

Reducing may be the answer for you.

K x

 

I have been taking them for 15 years .Started with 10mg ( for 2weeks)then was on 15mg for years trying to get down to 10mg. That didn't work. Symptoms came back with a vengeance so upped it to 20mg and been on that dosage for years.I do feel more tired, numb .Same as you with memories .You didn't say your age.Iam 50 and on hrt also.I think I will never come off them as I have general anxiety everyday!!  Which is bubbling even though I take them .I also don't want to up them as I feel in years to come that I may need to  increase and it gives me somewhere to go.If you understand my meaning. I also feel crap having to take them but if I didn't I would be curled up in a ball. It's hard but if these give you a better life in respect of taking them I know I would carry on with them. I worry (here we go again this is why iam on them😬😬 that they might stop working and have to change to another and couldn't bear the side effects. So I do feel the same as you.🙂

I agree with everyone on here 

I was on 20mg 3 years ago

After 6 months Gp wanted me off them  

Got a pill cutter and did it 2.5 mg at a time  

To 1.25mg   

Very slowly over  a year

No problems with that

But but

I realised after 6 weeks off them I needed this drug to survive

I think it's a familial thing

My mother had ect the lot

Feeling shameful about this I messed about with alternative things for 3 years. What a waste of my life and effect on my family

I went back on it again jan this year 

Such a differance 😄

I intend to stay on it for life

I accept that 

I too am 64 but so be it

It's better this way

However I will discuss reducing slowly to maybe 10 mg in the future

I was ok somewhere around that level

I was even ok at 5:2.5mg!

I think! I can't remember ha ha

As yes my memory too is shot especially the short term 

In fact it's frightening and am grateful to read others have that too!

There is empathy in sharing the same problem isn't there

I too get tired

I am sure Cit is a contributory factor but I am better on it than not

So don't beat yourself up about it