Citalopram withdrawal advice
Posted , 4 users are following.
Hi everyone. I started citalopram in September going up to a highest dose of 20mg. In February having been much better i slowly started to taper down to 15mg over about 6-8 weeks then inpatiently went straight down to 10mg just under a month ago.
The last couple of weeks iv had some anxious thoughts and feelings come back (only mild) nothing like at the start but felt a lot better in myself overall. Just wandering from peoples experience if this sounds more like withdrawl or relapse? should i go back up slightly or be patient? Thanks all in advice
0 likes, 5 replies
sun47 harry09460
Edited
hi harry its really hard to say whether whats happening is just related to the citalopram leaving your system and you will settle down again and adjust, or instead the anxious thoughts and feelings are there because you could need to stay on citalopram longer. for long term sufferers, if the tablets help you when on them but then your issues always tend to return after stopping the tablets, then its recommended by many professionals that you stay on the meds indefinitely, and there doesnt seem to be an issue with people who take these types of meds for decades.. it more tends to be the side effects which cause people to want to stop, or stigma (as in "why do i have to take these tablets, but other people dont?") .. i used to think like that myself in the past but luckily have stopped worrying about that sort of thing, as all we really have in life is our wellbeing and everything else becomes possible from there. otherwise its suffering, and that road can of course become very dangerous, the longer you spend on it.
harry09460
Posted
hi sun, thanks very much for taking the time to reply. Im not a long term sufferer of anxiety it was bought on by very stressful period in my life that i am now through. I only came down on my tablets as they were making me very tired and lethargic but apart from that i dont have an issue being on them. I also plan on staying on 10 quite a while longer. I am also unsure, i am having some physical symptons such as an upset stomach and feeling a bit light headed which does point to withdrawls but you always worry the anxiety is back typically! I think il give it a few more weeks before i decide whether or not to go back up. Thanks for the advice
Harry
harry09460
Posted
hi sun, thanks very much for taking the time to reply. Im not a long term sufferer of anxiety it was bought on by very stressful period in my life that i am now through. I only came down on my tablets as they were making me very tired and lethargic but apart from that i dont have an issue being on them. I also plan on staying on 10 quite a while longer. I am also unsure, i am having some physical symptons such as an upset stomach and feeling a bit light headed which does point to withdrawls but you always worry the anxiety is back typically! I think il give it a few more weeks before i decide whether or not to go back up. Thanks for the advice
Harry
laura45992 harry09460
Posted
Im in a similar boat. Been on 20mg since Aug 2019. Been feeling really good so wanted to taper down. My goal isnt to get off of them, but was hoping a reduction would help a few side effects. One being fatigue. I reduced to 15mg a little less than 3 weeks ago. My anxiety hasnt gotten worse, per se, but every little negative feeling makes me wonder if my anxiety is coming back. Im also more tired now. I dont know how long to give it before i say i need to go back up or if i need to reduce more. Such a weird place to be in.
harry09460 laura45992
Posted
Hi laura, thanks for your reply. I say keep going. Im feeling much better than i was a week or so ago. Still not 100% but getting their. When i look back at going up your dose always did the same for about a month so guess the same if not a bit more going down. Keep going ☺