Citalopram withdrawal advice please
Posted , 4 users are following.
Hi. I came off citalopram 40mgs starting from july i think. I went from 40 to 30mg over a week then 20mg a week then 10 for week and stopped on docs advice. I was fine. 2wks later i became dizzy. Had nausea. Just couldnt function. Went to gp not my regular one who said i had imbalance and got anti nausea drug for few days and had to space out till saw my own gp week later. I also had what felt like bugs crawling over my back. I bately slept. Had vivid dreams. Felt like crying. Jittery. Sweating. Headache. Irritability. Palpitations. Head felt like exploding. This lasted a week and was sheer hell. By time saw own gp felt better and had also bought vitamin b complex and zinc and tried to improve my diet. I felt normal and had energy. This lasted a week. Now the dizziness and nausea has come back big time and i feel low in mood. Like crying. Heart missing beats. Headache. Fatigue. Jittery. Afraid. Anxious. My muscles also ferl so weak as if no strength in arms and legs. I also get diazepam which is only 2mg and i took one yesterday to calm me and one today. Only use in emergencies. I was taken off citalopram to go on another drug. My consultant wanted me to just start straight on it but gp wanted me off citalopram first. I have yet to start the other drug as too afraid. What i would like advice on is if anyone has had withdrawal symptoms on and off. How long do they last. I cant get appt with own gp for another 11 days. I dont know whether to continue like this or go back on but not up to 40mg. I was fine till docs started messing with my meds. Any advice would be great. Thanks
0 likes, 26 replies
katecogs arlene79
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Wow ... you withdrew from this meds far too quickly!! An imbalance? Absolutely not - You're suffering from withdrawl effects big time. I'm always surprised at doctors ideas for withdrawal and their lack of knowledge, putting their patients through this hell. It takes months and months to withdraw from these meds to avoid the symptoms you're having now. Its dangerous to stop abruptly or withdraw too quick.
I've been withdrawing from these meds for the last year by 5mg per time and have had no withdrawl effects at all (unlike once before when I did it by halving each time though still taking a good 5 months doing it ..... the drops were too great).
The only thing that will help you is by reinstating a small dose of Citalopram - either 5mg or 10mg maybe and it should help to settle you in time? You may have to increase a little more from there too. Let your doctor know this though.
When your body has settled, only then should you start to think about coming off the meds. I did mine by 5mg each time going from 20 / 15 / 10 / 5 / 2.5mg each dose lasting at least 2 months.
Your doctor needs to be retrained in these meds.
K xx
arlene79 katecogs
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katecogs arlene79
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Were you feeling well on Citalopram before you stopped? Was it your decision to come off meds or your doctors? Duloxetine is an SNRI opposed to Citalopram which is an SSRI - don't understand why your doctor would want to change you if you felt absolutely well on Cit.
My GP told me years ago you can stay on these meds for life if need to ..... when I was on them I reduced to 10mg for a maintenance dose and stayed on that for years. I then stayed on 5mg for a long time and am currently on 2.5mg as am coming off.
Starting and stopping these meds can be different each time - having one experience coming off them before might be different next time. I've been on these twice and had a different experience each time. Also feeling ok then feeling awful can happen - it also happens when you start the meds to some people.
Yes you will feel sick - your brain has been given meds to hang onto your serotonin for sometime, and having is suddenly been taken away your body has just gone whooooooosh and is desparately trying to adjust.
No, its best not to drive anyway, not until you feel well again. Getting an appointment at the doctors is awful isn't it ....... if you can't get one tomorrow or for a few more days, then it won't hurt to go to your local Out of Hours clinic one evening, or even A&E if you feel really bad.
Yes, you need to feel ok before starting on a different meds - you'll get side effects from it no doubt, adding to your sickness you have now.
Its hard trying to act normally isnt it. I have a son too. When I was having bad days (not withdrawal) I used to tell my children I was feeling a bit under the weather with migraine / headaches etc as they could see I was 'delicate' at the time.
Agree with David - personally I'd reinstate Citalopram. Even if its going to be temporary, your body needs to stabilise before continuing onto anything else. You're going to feel rough for a few more days, but the sooner you get Citalopram back into your system you'll start settling again. Don't rush into a big dose though, do it gently.
Absolutely you're not ranting - I'd feel the same too. In fact I feel cross with your doctors on your behalf xxxx
Keep in touch xxx Am really feeling for you
K xx
arlene79 katecogs
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louis54885 katecogs
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katecogs louis54885
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Hi Louis
When I withdrew from 20mg I did every day at 15mg for a couple of months, then every day at 10mg etc etc. The only time I did every other day was when I got to 5mg as my idea was to start spacing it out, but it didn't agree with me, even at that small dose, so I crushed the last 5mg and am currently on 2.5mg. I will continue with this for about a month before reducing it further. Being crushed I can take smaller and smaller amounts until its maybe a grain
I've had the odd day when I felt a bit edgy, but it passed. I've had no headaches, nauseau, brain zaps, dizziness like I had the first time years ago when I withdrew ..... and I even did that slowly, but not as slow as this time.
K xx
louis54885 katecogs
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katecogs louis54885
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louis54885 katecogs
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arlene79 katecogs
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katecogs louis54885
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Side effects are horrible aren't they
I've read its best to stay on meds for at least a year before reducing to come off, so if you're feeling good its probably the time to chat to your doctor about withdrawing? Do it real slow though - some doctors do get their patients to come off too quick or too big a drop - do it in your time. Slower the better.
When I reduced by 5mg/time I gauged how I was feeling before reducing further. If I felt not right, I'd stay on that dose and it was be ok to increase again by 5mg if I needed to.
If you did want to stay on meds, you might find a smaller dose more suitable and not make your head feel bad.
Take it slow and gauge how you are at each step.
K xx
katecogs arlene79
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Hi Arlene
So glad you've been able to get an appointment today - am hoping someone will drive you there? I'd love to come in with you ...... tell the silly doctor what they've done.
You really need to reinstate a small dose of Citalopram which I'm hoping your doctor will advise. Withdrawal should be done over many, many months. Personally if it was me I'd be insisting I have the meds.
Yes hopefully the doctor will see how you are at the moment - let it all out and tell them exactly what you said on here.
Hope it goes ok - I'll be thinking of you. Let us know how you get on.
K xxx
louis54885 katecogs
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Yep that's my plan ! Thanks Kate appreciate your information. Stay well !!
arlene79 katecogs
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katecogs louis54885
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Super Hope it goes well - let us know how you get on
K xx
katecogs arlene79
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Ah that's good then having boxes of meds still. Yes your doctor should advise, but they don't always get it just right with these meds. Personally I wouldn't go straight back onto the full 40mg dose, but ease onto them. Maybe 10mg then stay on that for 2 weeks? Suggest that to your doctor and hopefully he'll agree (as obviously I'm not a medic ... just going on my own view).
Fresh air will be good as well as the walk there. Hopefully you don't have to wait too long to see the doctor, but maybe have a word with the receptionists and ask to sit in a quieter area as you really don't feel well ..... our doctors has a quiet area to wait.
I'm not sure how long it will take for your symptoms to settle - I've read 4 days for your body to start recognizing you're taking meds again, but that doesn't mean your symptoms will be gone by then. It'll probably take a while for them to start calming down, and they might not all go at the same time. Be prepared for the symptoms to come and go in waves too for a while.
Your body needs to stabilize, and once all symptoms have stopped then I'd wait a few months before attempting to withdraw again.
Start small and take it slowly.
K xx
arlene79 katecogs
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katecogs arlene79
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I'm sure the nausea and dizziness will be the first things to go. When I'd missed the occasional dose in the past I'd feel sick and dizzy for a few days, and as soon as I took one the nausea eased off followed by the dizziness.
Ginger ale is also good for nausea (I drank it continuously when in rough seas on a cruise). I know its a different type of nausea you're suffering with compared to the sea sickness I had, but any little helps.
Upping medicine isn't always the answer when dealing with new anxieties, but I know at the time you needed help through the grief. I lost my parents some years ago too and remember the pain we all went through.
A lot of people do struggle on 40mg and whatever dose you decided to take then was right for you. What the issue now is being advised to come off them too quickly and messing up things up for you.
Your friend probably means well and no doubt can see your distress, but the meds don't work that way - and yes, you're right in that she isn't the one going through this. Yes you may want to come off them in time, but for now you need to get stabilized.
You're not a failure for needing to go back on them - this is a physical thing and your body is doing what it knows best as its missing the mediciation its been fed for the last few years. Its like suddenly taking away your food - your body would start crying out for it and you'd begin to feel ill without it. This doesn't mean they're addictive ..... just that they have to be weaned off of.
Hopefully by now you've been to the doctors .......
K xx
arlene79 katecogs
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katecogs arlene79
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Oooookay ....... not sure what to say to that. No to the meds? Really? How long have you been off them now? Its your body and you have a right to have the meds that she's messed up. Could have an infection? Really? I'm no doctor, but I'm 99% certain its not an infection. The only thing you have is withdrawl symptoms .... that's it. Believe me, I've been there and so have a lot of other people. Doctors make me so mad at times.
Diazepam ..... I'd have thought your body wouldn't be too happy having more drugs pumped into it at the moment.
Ok, wait for your bloods tomorrow - but I'm certain they'll show no infection.
I'd change my doctor.
David 21660 ...... what do you think?
arlene79 katecogs
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katecogs arlene79
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Its withdrawl 100%. If your doctor looks it up online she'll see that its withdrawal, nothing else.
Everyone is different and some people will take a few weeks to readjust ..... but that's very rare. So for your doctor to say the meds are out of your body now may be true, but you can suffer withdrawl for a long time after because what happens to one person won't necessarily happen to another. Its not text book ..... its variable. She should be listening to whats happening to you, not reading a medical book and going by that.
And to not look at your notes? Seriously I'd change doctors. Find a GP that knows about these meds and listens to you and what you want, and more importantly does her homework.